Chapter 52: Alcohol and Lust Betray Me! From Today Onwards, Abstaining from Alcohol! (fixed)

Not long after Yuan Shu declared himself Emperor, he sent envoys to propose marriage alliances.

Lu Bu couldn’t help but suspect some ulterior motive behind this proposal.

“Yuan Shu’s self-proclamation as Emperor defies universal norms,” Chen Gong explained. “Sun Ce has already severed ties with him, and the Emperor under Cao Cao issued an edict for Zhang Xiu to launch a military campaign against Yuan Shu.”

“He seeks to win over General by proposing marital bonds, avoiding attacks on multiple fronts.”

Xuzhou bordered Yangzhou, so if Lu Bu also turned against Yuan Shu, Yangzhou would be surrounded by enemies on all sides.

To the south, Sun Ce; to the west, Liu Biao; to the north, Cao Cao; and to the east, Lu Bu.

To prevent such a scenario, Yuan Shu dispatched emissaries to appease Lu Bu, hoping to forge an alliance through marriage.

“Win me over?” Lu Bu pondered deeply upon hearing Chen Gong’s analysis.

His relationship with Yuan Shu was neither particularly good nor entirely strained. Last year, they had jointly fought against Liu Bei to contest control of Xuzhou. During that time, Yuan Shu consistently supplied Lu Bu with provisions and promised continued support.

However, once Lu Bu defeated Liu Bei, Yuan Shu reneged on his promise and abruptly halted the supply of resources, leading to their eventual falling out.

Now, surprisingly, Yuan Shu was again attempting to gain Lu Bu’s favor.

Moreover, Yuan Shu had proposed sealing their alliance with a marriage.

After pondering for a moment without reaching any conclusion, Lu Bu hesitantly asked, “Gongtai, do you think this general should accept Yuan Shu’s offer?”

“He has already declared himself Emperor. If we become in-laws, wouldn’t I then be considered part of the imperial family?” There was evident allure in Lu Bu’s tone.

Born from humble origins, he had achieved his current status solely through his martial prowess. However, his low birth meant that influential noble clans constantly looked down upon him.

As a result, despite conquering Xuzhou, very few renowned scholars sought refuge under his command.

By forming a marital alliance with Yuan Shu, Lu Bu could instantly transform into an imperial relative and gain connections to the prestigious Yuan clan—a powerful tree to climb!

Why not seize such an opportunity?

But as soon as these thoughts left his lips, Chen Gong bluntly responded, “If the general wishes to follow Yuan Shu straight to the underworld, then by all means, forge this alliance!”

Lu Bu was taken aback, exclaiming, “Is it truly that severe?”

Chen Gong explained, “The legitimate ruler today is still the Han Dynasty; Yuan Shu is merely a false Emperor, unrecognized by any other warlords.”

“If the general enters into a marital alliance with Yuan Shu, he would ruin his prospects and be seen as a rebellious traitor. Eventually, every warlord will rise against us!”

Lu Bu broke out in cold sweat at this revelation.

He had not realized the situation was so complex; he merely thought allying with Yuan Shu would be advantageous. Never did he anticipate such immense risk.

Coming to his senses, Lu Bu angrily exclaimed, “Yuan Shu is truly despicable! He’s rebelling and wants to drag me down with him!”

“As one favored by the Emperor, personally bestowed the title Marquis of Wen, how could I align myself with such traitorous scum?” With deep gratitude, he turned to Chen Gong, “Thankfully, we have you, Gongtai. Without your counsel, I might have fallen for his deceit!

“Here, let me toast to you!” Lu Bu poured himself a full cup of wine and raised it towards Chen Gong.

“No need.” Chen Gong declined the offered drink, his voice somber as he continued, “I once believed General to be a hero, but your actions have been deeply disappointing.

“A true hero harbors grand ambitions and strives for unparalleled achievements!”

“You now dominate Xuzhou, commanding countless elite soldiers and formidable generals. It should be our priority to strengthen our forces, accumulate resources, and aim for control over all under heaven. Yet, General, you indulge daily in wine and pleasures, content with holding onto just a corner of territory. Such behavior is no different from that of common street ruffians.”

“If you continue down this path without ambition, I will have no choice but to abandon you.”

Lu Bu’s expression shifted abruptly upon hearing these words.

He never anticipated that indulging excessively in wine would cause such immense disapproval from Chen Gong, even leading him to consider leaving!

All Lu Bu truly desired is a life of wealth and luxury.

“Have I genuinely erred?” he muttered, gazing down at the cup in his hand. The reflection showed his unkempt face, worn and disheveled, causing him a momentary shock.

“I’ve been consumed by wine and pleasure, look how it has ravaged me…” Lu Bu studied his reflection with mixed emotions.

Then, as if making a firm decision, he abruptly stood up, violently smashing the cup on the ground, and declared through gritted teeth, “From today onwards, I renounce alcohol!”

He then turned towards Chen Gong, expressing himself earnestly, “Gongtai, this general acknowledges his mistake; henceforth, I shall not succumb to excessive drinking again!

“This general cannot function without your guidance, Gongtai; you must not forsake me!”

Witnessing Lu Bu’s sincerity, Chen Gong’s demeanor softened slightly. “Acknowledging one’s mistakes and committing to change is commendable. How could this subordinate ever betray the general?”

“That’s reassuring! That’s very reassuring!”

Lu Bu nodded repeatedly; he genuinely could not afford to lose Chen Gong’s support.

Then, Chen Gong retrieved a letter from his robes and addressed Lu Bu, “General, there is also this missive, sent by Liu Bei.”

“It states that he hopes you will return Pei County to him.”

The letter had arrived in Xiaopei earlier that morning, and it was the true reason for Chen Gong’s visit today—to discuss matters with Lu Bu.

Hearing this, Lu Bu scoffed, “Is it because they couldn’t capture Pei County, so now they must plead with this general instead? Such flip-flopping between defiance and subservience is laughable!”

He had received news several days ago about Liu Bei’s attack on Pei County.

Initially, when he heard that Liu Bei led Yuan Shao’s fifty-thousand-strong army, Lu Bu was startled, thinking Yuan Shao aimed to forcefully reclaim Pei County for Liu Bei. He even considered withdrawing his troops.

After all, facing fifty thousand soldiers, it seemed unwise to engage Yuan Shao’s forces just for Pei County.

However, soon, further intelligence revealed that the massive army was merely supporting Liu Bei, while the actual force attacking Pei County consisted of only five thousand men.

Trying to seize Pei County with a mere five thousand soldiers—wasn’t that wishful thinking at best?

Now, unable to succeed, they come begging to have the county returned. How utterly shameless!

“It’s not that simple; please read this letter first, General.” Chen Gong shook his head and handed the missive to Lu Bu.

With some suspicion, Lu Bu accepted it, rubbed his eyes, and began reading carefully. Within moments, his expression shifted dramatically.

After finishing, he set down the letter, deep in thought.

A while later, he turned to Chen Gong. “Gongtai, how much of what Liu Bei wrote in this letter do you believe is true?”

The contents were indeed shocking.

It claimed that Yuan Shao had imprisoned the Emperor in Yecheng, intending to mimic Dong Zhuo by controlling the throne to manipulate the nobles beneath him.

Liu Bei, entrusted by the Emperor, was secretly gathering forces across the land with plans to rescue His Majesty from Yuan Shao’s grasp. However, suspecting his intentions, Yuan Shao forced Liu Bei to pledge military oath, demanding Pei County be captured within ten days or face severe punishment under martial law.

Thus, Liu Bei sought Lu Bu’s help, requesting the return of Pei County to alleviate his immediate danger, and proposing they collaborate to save the Emperor from peril and stand against the Yuan brothers.