Chapter 168: Lu Bu: Lost Diao Chan and now my daughter too

Liu Bei did not take it to heart.

This Xu Province had been managed by Tao Tao Qian for many years, and Cao Cao was currently in a precarious state; since he himself could hold Xu Province, why let it go? It was only human nature.

But in the eyes of others, Liu Bei was truly benevolent and righteous beyond compare, refusing Xu Province even when it was served on a platter.

"Tao Gong is ill, and Lord Liu Xuande even helps him see a physician; he is truly too benevolent and righteous!"

Everyone admired Liu Bei, and everyone felt they could never be like Liu Bei!

Soon, these events spread from Xu Province across the length and breadth of the land!

[Ding, Liu Bei, you traveled thousands of miles to reinforce Xu Province and refused Tao Tao Qian’s offer of Xu Province dozens of times; your name for benevolence, righteousness, and loyalty has once again spread throughout the Nine Provinces, and your prestige has risen further!]

[Special Reward: Daoist Breathing Technique: Strengthens the body and delays aging,]

Daoist Yin-Yang Harmonization Technique: Once Yin and Yang are balanced, all illnesses vanish!]

Reward: Physique +2, Lifespan +10 years.]

Liu Bei was overjoyed.

"The system gave me a miraculous medicine for all illnesses? Powerful! Awesome!"

"This breathing technique can be passed on to the ladies."

The people of the Xia Kingdom also received corresponding rewards and were deeply moved.

"So Liu Bei refused Xu Province for our sake."

"Big-Eared Liu is awesome!"

"I am so charmed by Liu Bei I can't even help myself!" a certain young lady.

Bai Yuekui also received a reward.

"I've become prettier, and... bigger? Then I must repay him!~"

Puyang City.

After a period of wandering and hardship, Lu Bu finally regained most of the territory in Yan Province, and he instantly felt he was back in the game.

"Hmph, Ding Yuan Benchu only knows how to use me. Without you, I can still achieve great things!"

Lu Lu Lingqi walked over.

"Father, Lord Liu Xuande intercepted Cao Cao in Xu Province and helped us a lot; shouldn't we express our gratitude?"

Lu Bu instantly felt his entire mood sour.

"Hmph, Liu Bei only has twenty thousand men. If I hadn't seized Yan Province, Liu Bei might have been wiped out by Cao Cao. He should be thanking me instead!"

"What is so good about Liu Bei? Why do you worship him so much!"

His own precious daughter, instead of worshipping him, viewed the Liu Bei he hated most as a role model; how could Lu Bu not be angry?

He also thought of something even more terrifying.

"I absolutely must not let that big-eared thief meet my daughter!"

Lost Diao Chan and now lose my daughter too?

Lu Bu felt he could not bear such a heavy blow!

"Hmph, you are not allowed to mention Liu Bei again!"

Lu Lu Lingqi looked at Lu Bu's back and huffed.

At her current age, she was in the rebellious phase of youth.

"If you won't let me mention him, I'll think about him even more! Lord Liu Xuande is benevolent, righteous, and valiant; he is simply a perfect man! If only I could meet him!"

Lu Bu did not expect Chen Gong to bring up Liu Bei again.

"My Lord, Liu Bei helped Tao Tao Qian hold Xu Province and refused to accept it, so his prestige is even greater. My Lord is a hero who killed Dong Zhuo; you two should interact."

"Cao Cao still has over eighty thousand troops in total, which is not easy to deal with, and Ding Yuan Shao might help him."

Lu Bu...

"Gongtai, can you not make me seek out that big-eared thief!"

Chen Gong bowed with cupped hands.

"My Lord, to achieve great things, one must endure what others cannot. In the past, Han Xin..."

Lu Bu let out a long sigh.

"Fine, let that big-eared thief be arrogant for a few more years!"

Cao Cao led his army to counterattack Lu Bu, thinking he could easily defeat him.

Unexpectedly, they clashed at Puyang and he suffered several defeats.

The locust plague in Yan Province was even more widespread and fierce!

Both sides were increasingly short of grain and temporarily withdrew to face each other.

Cao Cao sent riders to beg for reinforcements from Ding Yuan Shao while trying every possible way to gather grain and fodder.

Xu Province, Tancheng, Tao Tao Qian's manor.

The lights were bright, and everyone was drinking and feasting.

"Liu Xuande is loyal and righteous; every time, it is you who rescues everyone."

Kong Rong heaved a long sigh and drained the wine in his cup in one gulp!

Tian Kai, the Inspector of Qingzhou appointed by Brother Gongsun Zan, cupped his hands and said,

"My lord often speaks of General Liu Xuande's great righteousness; only today have I finally witnessed General Liu Xuande's demeanor!"

Liu Bei cupped his hands toward the two of them.

"You two are too kind. Let's drink, let's drink."

Ding Yuan Shu, sitting opposite, looked as if he were about to twist out of his skin, cursing inwardly,

"Idiots, you've all been deceived by that Big-Eared Thief!"

Having just arrived in Tancheng today, Ding Yuan Shu felt as if his ears were about to grow calluses.

The commoners of Taking Xuzhou were praising Liu Bei!

The noble clans of Taking Xuzhou were praising Liu Bei!

People like Kong Rong and Tao Tao Qian were praising Liu Bei!

Ding Yuan Shu was nearly driven mad with jealousy.

Tao Tao Qian drank a cup of wine and sighed,

"Liu Xuande is benevolent and righteous. I have offered him Taking Xuzhou several times, yet he refuses. My old bones are still struggling; alas, Liu Xuande, please just accept it."

Kong Rong also said,

"Indeed. Just like when I yielded the pear and yielded to Lu Bu in the past, it was all sincere. Liu Xuande, do reconsider."

Liu Bei shook his head firmly.

"Gentlemen, say no more. I absolutely cannot take Taking Xuzhou!"

"Lord Tao, you must take care of your health. Do not drink too much; look after yourself."

Tao Tao Qian was warmed by Liu Bei once again; he truly cared for his well-being!

Ding Yuan Shu coughed to draw everyone's attention to himself.

"Liu Xuande is young, and managing Bingzhou is already very exhausting; it is truly not easy. As for me..."

Having said this, he looked at everyone, implying: You can give Taking Xuzhou to me.

The crowd paused for a moment, then began toasting each other again!

Ding Yuan Shu?? How embarrassing!

Who are they looking down on!

He regretted coming to Taking Xuzhou; this wine tasted bitter.

Liu Bei raised his cup again.

"Lord Tao, the siege of Taking Xuzhou has been lifted, and I must return to Bingzhou."

Tao Tao Qian said hurriedly,

"Returning already? Liu Xuande, stay for a few more days; I wish to drink and converse with you!"

Zhang Fei said in a booming voice,

"We can't stay. My eldest brother's concubine, Lady Feng, is about to give birth to their second child."

Ding Yuan Shu gritted his teeth, nearly picking up his bowl to throw it at Liu Bei!

Hold back! Must hold back; I can't beat him!

Guan Yu cupped his hands.

"Eldest Brother, Lu Bu and Cao Cao are locked in a chaotic war in Yanzhou, leaving the people displaced. With the locust plague in Yanzhou this time, the people have harvested nothing. Many wish to follow Eldest Brother back to Bingzhou."

Liu Bei heaved a long sigh, his eyes turning red.

"The people suffer when it rises, and the people suffer when it falls. I only regret that the grain I have is limited and cannot help many."

Upon hearing that the people of Yanzhou wanted to flee, Tao Tao Qian's mind became active.

If the people of Yanzhou left, no matter who won in the end, Yanzhou's strength would be greatly diminished, posing much less of a threat to his Taking Xuzhou.

He said hurriedly,

"Liu Xuande, do not worry. I will support you with 300,000 shi of grain!"

The other Taking Xuzhou noble clans were no fools and began to donate generously.

"I will provide 10,000 shi!"

"I will provide 8,000 shi!"

Chen Deng and his father exchanged a look, also wishing to build a bond of goodwill.

"General Liu Xuande, I will provide 50,000 shi of grain."

Liu Bei thanked them one by one.

"Many thanks to you all, but I must write an IOU. This is all borrowed, and I will certainly repay it in the future."

Kong Rong stood up.

"Liu Xuande, I brought 40,000 shi of grain this time; it is all yours!"

Tian Kai: I have 30,000 shi here as well!

Liu Bei cupped his hands. "You two came from afar to rescue Lord Tao, and now you help me as well; this is truly great righteousness!"

After speaking, he cast an intentional glance at Ding Yuan Shu.

The crowd realized: Indeed, Ding Yuan Shu's family has held high office for four generations, and he occupies the land of Huainan with many troops and much grain; shouldn't he show something?

Ding Yuan Shu felt as if he had eaten dog excrement; why did he come to Taking Xuzhou to join the fun this time!

"I must be sick!"

He truly could not withstand the pressure of everyone's gazes; as the legitimate heir of the Ding Yuan family, he had a reputation to maintain.

"I have 30..."

Ding Yuan Shu had only intended to give 30,000 shi, but seeing the disdainful looks of the crowd, he instantly changed his words.

"I have 100,000 shi of grain!"

As soon as he said it, Ding Yuan Shu regretted it, wishing he could slap himself!

"This is absolutely aiding the enemy!"

"Is the wine in Shouchun not fragrant? Is the bed not soft? Why did I come to Taking Xuzhou!"

Liu Bei waved his brush and wrote an IOU for 100,000 shi of grain for Ding Yuan Shu.

Ding Yuan Shu?? How many IOUs of Liu Bei's are in his hands now!

Ding Yuan Shu gulped down several cups of wine.

The wine did not intoxicate him, yet he felt like getting drunk!

Liu Bei was in high spirits and instantly got all these people drunk!

Guo Jia calculated that the lord had 'borrowed' over 800,000 shi of grain this time! Too impressive!

Jia Xu was deeply impressed.

"The lord has great talent; I am far inferior!"

The livestream room was also filled with various exclamations.

"Big-Eared Thief, do you even remember how many IOUs you've written yourself?"

"This is definitely borrowing based on pure skill."

"I ask, who else in the whole world? Hmm, could pull off such a 'white wolf with empty gloves' trick!"

"This is personal charisma. I even want to give myself to Liu Bei, but unfortunately, there's no channel!" said a certain fangirl.

Mi Zhu also received Tao Tao Qian's permission and left with the Mi family.

What Liu Bei did not expect was that over 300,000 Taking Xuzhou commoners also wanted to follow him.

Tao Tao Qian heaved a long sigh and let them go!

He then thought for a moment and had his second son, Tao Ying, follow Liu Bei to Bingzhou, under the pretext of studying at the Taiyuan Academy, though in reality, it was so as not to put all his eggs in one basket.

Tao Tao Qian also gifted Liu Bei 2,000 elite Danyang soldiers, which Liu Bei gladly accepted; Danyang troops were very elite among infantry.

Ding Yuan Shu, full of resentment, led his troops back to Huainan, cursing every flower and blade of grass he saw along the way as the Big-Eared Thief!