Chapter 32 - Battle of Kaiyang (5)
Translator: Tchu
Editor: Scar
Proofreader: James
“Why are you all here?!” Lu Bu beheaded a retreating Cao soldier, the blood splashed on to his face, but he did not care the slightest. Only after seeing Cao Cao’s army retreat did Lu Bu have time to sigh in relief.
Right after he relaxed himself, his severe injuries immediately took its toll on him. Lu Bu stumbles because of the fatigue. Luckily Gao Shun immediately gave him a hand. Otherwise he would have blacked out and fall to the ground.
Lu Bu knew that the four men were guarding the other three city gates. Though the pressure they were facing were not as great as that he was facing just now, but they also clashed with Cao Cao’s army led by Yu Jin, Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren. It definitely was not a favorable situation. For these four men to appear here, were the other three gates lost?!
Just as predicted, the usually quiet Gao Shun cried out “My lord, because of my incompetence I’ve lost the southern gate!” The look on his face was gloomy with a hint of loneliness. However Gao Shun should not be blamed for this. What was the strength of Gao Shun as a general? Besides leading the Formation Breaker, he was specialized in siege warfare! If Gao Shun had the chance to be in charge of the offensive, he would have eighteen ways to take down Kaiyang. Unfortunately, he was in the role of the defender.
“The northern gate fell!” Zhang Liao said with a wry smile. His Bing Province Cavalry should be riding and rushing down the enemy, but now they were wrecked on the city wall.
“My Lord! It is entirely my fault, please take my head!” Zang Ba kneeled down onto the ground. Most of the responsibility of losing Kaiyang fell on Zang Ba’s shoulders. If he had not dismissed the army of 30000 men, if the supplies and if the thousand horses were still here, the situation would be now reversed!
But is there an “if” in this world? That’s the reason why Zang Ba felled so ashamed and kneeled on the ground, hoping that Lu Bu can strike him down to let his heart get a little comfort.
“*Cough cough*!” Lu Bu clutched his chest, coughing continuously. Blood flowed out of his mouth and his hand gripped firmly onto the trident.His eyes eradicated a murderous intent, which makes it look like he could wield the trident at any time.
Zang Ba closed his eyes. Next to him, Gao Shun and Zhang Liao stared anxiously at him. If Lu Bu really intended to kill him, nobody could stop him.
“Stand up!” Lu Bu orders with a calm tone. “In the army of Lu Bu, there are only people who diestanding and no one kneeling while living!”
“What?!” Zang Ba was speechless. He saw Lu Bu’s hand releasing the grip on the trident and can’t help thinking. Does Lu Bu not want to dirty his hand anymore, do I need do it myself?
All right! Zang Ba’s heart was full of bitterness and bowed his fist toward Lu Bu “MyLord please take care, Zang Ba is leaving first!” Zang Ba ran toward the edge of the wall andplanned to jump down.
“Slap!” Suddenly aloud slapping sound could be heard. Lu Bu hit him with a great anger and the force to his face blew Zang Ba to the side.
A mark offive fingers immediately appeared on Zang Ba’s face.
“Lu Bu, you!” Warrior can be killed, but cannot be humiliated. Zang Ba was a general, before surrendering to Lu Bu he was a Warlord in Langya. Even after surrendering to Lu Bu, he still had a rebellious character. That’s why Lu Bu did not put Zang Ba in the ranks of his army. Right now Zang Ba was about to go mad. In the presence of so many people, Lu Bu slapped him in the face. Zang Ba was not afraid of death, but did not tolerate to be insulted.
“So you want to fight with me?!” Lu Bu gave him a cold laugh “Zang Ba, Zang Xuan Gao, I thought you were a strong character. You had grew stupid immediately after Xiapi was breached. You also unexpectedly disbanded your troops. If there was just stupidity, chances still exist to save you, but now it appears that your foolishness knew no bounds!”
“Lu Bu, you dare to humiliate me!”Zang Ba has already forgotten that Lu Bu was his Lord. Rebellious people have a big negative characteristic. They get easily enraged when provoked. His hand had already a firm grip on his weapon’s handle.
“My Lord!” Zhang Liao became anxious. During these critical times, Lu Bu was still abusing his men. Does he wants that the white gate incident reoccurs again?
TL: White gate was the southern gate of Xia Pi and where our story began. Lu Bu was defeated and captured there.
Lu Bu signals Zhang Liao with the eyes to not interfere. “You want to die! See if I, Lu Bu will stop you or not? If your death can let the Cao Cao army retreat, then go and die for me! I will personally cut off your head and bring it down to Cao Cao!”
“I!” Zang Ba calmed down a little, but wasonce again irritated by Lu Bu’s words.
“Who do you think you are Zang Ba, Zang Xuan Gao!?” Lu Bu pointed his finger towards Zang Ba’s nose and started cursing “If the city falls, the responsibility should fall onto the Lord. The Lord should not hide his mistake in front of heaven. If you, Zang Xuan Gao has to commit suicide to atone. Then I, the Commander in Chief should kill my whole families to atone!”
Lu Bu stood up and looked at the remaining of his wounded army and suddenly kneeled down on one knee.
“My Lord?!” Zhang Liao was stunned.
“No, absolutely not!” Gao Shun was speechless.
“Lu Bu? Lu Fengxian?!” said Zang Ba who was originally enraged had also calmed down.
“Fengxian, why would you go this far!” Chen Gong sighed, but did not stop him.
“Brothers, you campaign with me, from Jiuyuan to Luoyang, from beyond the Great Wall to the Central Plains. We returned to Jizhou, Bingzhou and fought in Yanzhou. Now we are under siege in Xuzhou! It cannot be said that I, Lu Bu had many successful ambition, but I, Lu Bu am not indebt to anyone.I executed Ding Yuan because I was publicly known to be his son, but was treated like a slave. A registrar! I sat there and worked as a registrar for seven years! How many seven years can be wasted in my life?!”
TL: Ding Yuan employed Lu Bu as a registrar before Dong Zhuo convinced Lu Bu to betray him.
“Dong Zhuo? He bestowed upon me both my Red Hare and wealth. I beheaded him not only because of my wife, Madame Ren. The world thinks that I, Lu Bu fell in the honey trap of Wang Yun. But all of you know that if a man can’t even protect his wife, he should not call him a man. People can curse me of double crossing. They can call me slave of three surnames. I will accept everything as long as I Lu Bu can have a fulfilling life. I don’t care what the rest of the world badmouths about me! ”
TL: Red Hare was his horse.
“But towards you all, I am greatly indebt! You campaigned with me, had numerous casualties but never regrets. Even when Wei Xu Hou, Cheng Song Xian, Hao Meng Chen Deng and Chen Gui turned their back on me, you allstayed with me!”
“When Xia Pi was breached, as long as you surrender to Cao Mengde, he would forgive you hence his heart loved talents. But you didn’t! You did not surrender, but instead broke out with me! And I? I could bring forth neither wealth, title nor a future to you all. I felt guilt!”Lu Bu looked over them and put all the soldiers within sight in his heart.The soldier Zhang Yu, had followed him since his father. He survived Bingzhou, Jizhou, Luoyang and Chang’an! These are all sad places for Zhang Yu, since every one of his family died except him. His father and three brothers all perished in the battlefield.
Zhang Yu’s childish face was covered in blood. He was only fourteen years old, but is already an experienced soldier! Lu Bu didn’t know whether he should cry or laugh.
“Now Kaiyang will be breached, but there is still a chance! If you want to go, the gate might not be able to open, but you can climb down the ladders the Cao army left and arrive at the Cao camp. I can also write you a letter. Cao Mengde wants my life and if I die, he will give me some face and spare you!” Lu Bu said with a smile, like a dying person preparing for the general affair of his funeral.
“My Lord we won’t go! Zhang Liao kneeled down, his head knocking against the floor and tears in his eyes.
“My Lord if you die, Gao Shun won’t live either! “His eyes fixed on Lu Bu and also kneeled down.
“Follow the general to death!” An old soldier of Bingzhou shouted. One of his arm was already gone and was tied in a knot.The blood has spread over his clothes, his face was pale, but his voice was loud and clear.
“If the general die, we die!” A soldier yelled holding a broken sword.
“General, we won’t leave!” If we wanted to go, we would have left already! ”
“Right, we won’t leave! Death is just a big a scar. It is not a big deal, even though dead, we must follow the general!”
The fourteen year old Zhang Yu silently walked to the front and points towards his body where a thin rope holds a circle of small bones. “General, my father has died, my brothers are dead! Zhang Yu has nowhere to go!”
“Follow the general to death!” Follow the general to death!” The voices become louder and louder, bigger and bigger.
“You all!” Lu Bu, the man who would not shed tears even when he bleeds had begun to get teary eyes! How familiar these screams were. They screamed the same words as when Lu Bu was stationedbeyond the Great Wall and made his pronouncement, that he will achieve victory and become the Flying General of Han.