Chapter 1151

Dian Wei nodded and remembered.

Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian.

"Back in Jizhou, Lu Bu once fought Liu Bei's two brothers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, alone. Although he didn't win, it was basically a draw. I have seen Lu Bu's ability, and although I haven't seen Liu Bei's two brothers with my own eyes, they are clearly very powerful."

Cao Cao was just saying this.

Liu Bei had already arrived before Cao Cao with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and dozens of personal cavalry.

Cao Cao, who was sitting on the ground, stood up and welcomed Liu Bei with a smiling face.

"Haha, Brother Xuan De," Cao Cao said with a big laugh and cupped his hands: "I have long admired your name, I have long admired your name; seeing you today, it is indeed well-deserved."

Liu Bei, who had just dismounted from his horse, suddenly stiffened.

The expressions on the faces of Zhang Fei and Guan Yu beside him also changed.

What long admired his name.

They had no intersection before, let alone long admired his name.

If there was any connection, it was at most that Duan Yu was their enemy, and Cao Cao was Duan Yu's friend.

If they had heard of it, Cao Cao could only have heard their names from Duan Yu.

Was he mocking the three brothers?

After a trace of imperceptible strangeness flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, he returned to normal.

"Lord Cao."

Liu Bei cupped his hands to Cao Cao and said: "I have long heard of Lord Cao's name; today I am fortunate to be invited by Lord Cao, it is a pleasure to meet you."

"Haha, Brother Xuan De, please sit."

Cao Cao reached out and made a gesture of invitation.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both pressed their hands on the hilts of their swords and stood behind Liu Bei.

The two sat down one after another, with two great generals standing behind each.

Dian Wei, with two short halberds stuck behind his back, used a pair of yellowish tiger eyes to scan Zhang Fei and Guan Yu constantly.

And Zhang Fei did not show weakness at all, looking fiercely at Dian Wei and Cao Ren.

Guan Yu narrowed his phoenix eyes and stroked his beautiful beard.

"I don't know why Lord Cao invited me here today?" Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao after sitting down, asking knowingly.

Cao Cao lowered his head to pour wine for himself, and after hearing Liu Bei's voice, he slowly looked up and said with a smile: "I heard that Brother Xuan De led troops north from Linyi, so I came here at full speed."

"There is no other meaning, I just want to ask, Brother Xuan De, what is the purpose of leading troops here?"

Liu Bei looked at Cao Cao with a slight smile and said four words concisely: "Obeying the decree to quell the thieves."

A breeze blew, and the water on both sides of the Wu River surged and stirred against the stones on both banks, splashing water.

The branches on both sides of the embankment that had just sprouted green buds swayed gently in the wind.

"Obeying the decree to quell the thieves?"

Cao Ren, standing behind Cao Cao, raised his eyebrows and said: "This is Taishan Commandery, the territory of Yanzhou; it is not your turn to suppress bandits here!"

Cao Cao did not speak, nor did he interrupt Cao Ren, but instead picked up his wine cup and took a sip.

Liu Bei looked toward Cao Ren and said with a smile: "This General's words are incorrect; why distinguish between you and me when suppressing bandits?"

"We are all merely serving the Imperial Court."

"I am suppressing bandits under an imperial decree; the Son of Heaven ordered the clearing of the Huang Jin bandit troops, and there has never been any mention of forbidding the crossing of borders to suppress them."

"Every man has a responsibility for the rise and fall of the world, let alone us, who are officials of the Imperial Court."

"If you feel there is an issue with our conduct, Lord Cao, you can simply memorialize the Imperial Court, can you not?"

"Furthermore, we are sending troops to suppress bandits and quell chaos; although this is Taishan Commandery, does this not also count as helping you, Lord Cao?"

Liu Bei's tone was extremely calm.

And Cao Cao's expression did not change in the slightest.

Only after Liu Bei had finished speaking did Cao Cao slowly open his mouth.

"Listening to these words from brother Xuande, it seems you are determined to suppress these bandits, brother Xuande?"

"Indeed." Liu Bei nodded gently and said: "For the sake of peace in the world and for the people to live and work in contentment, I am willing to offer my meager strength for the sake of the Han dynasty and the common people of the world."

"Haha!"

"Very good!"

Cao Cao suddenly laughed out loud and said: "In that case, brother Xuande, these bandits must be suppressed, is that it?"

The two men stared at each other from two meters apart, one calm, the other composed.

Liu Bei nodded with a smile: "Since I have already come this far, there is no reason to give up halfway, would you not agree, Lord Cao?"

"If you think I have come to claim credit, Lord Cao, you may rest assured."

"As a member of the Han imperial clan, I only seek to stabilize the nation and the common people."

"As for the credit, I will naturally not memorialize the court to compete with you for it, Lord Cao."

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes.

What a fine "member of the Han imperial clan," what a fine "nation," what a fine "common people."

If these words of benevolence and righteousness were to spread, the world would surely say that he, Liu Bei, is a man of great benevolence and righteousness, with the world at heart.

But who does not know that credit is nothing?

Only what is truly held in one's hands is real.

The words of Yang Xu from yesterday still echoed in Cao Cao's ears.

If he were to openly block Liu Bei, he would certainly be accused of harboring bandits to increase his own importance, or of colluding with them.

He might even be reprimanded by an imperial decree.

But it was clear that Liu Bei did not want to back down now.

Cao Cao took a deep breath, then slowly stood up and said to Liu Bei: "It is truly the fortune of the Han that you have the world at heart, Lord Liu."

"Since that is the case, let us each rely on our own abilities."

Liu Bei also stood up to see Cao Cao off.

"Safe travels, Lord Cao."

Liu Bei cupped his hands in a bow.

Cao Cao, having boarded his carriage, turned back and squinted at Liu Bei behind him.

Cao Ren and Dian Wei followed closely behind him.

The party returned in the direction of Nanwuyang City.

Liu Bei stood where he was, watching Cao Cao's party gradually move away.

"Big brother, this Cao Cao will definitely cause trouble in the dark; looking at him, he doesn't seem like a good person."

Zhang Fei stood beside Liu Bei and said: "He and that Duan Yu are cut from the same cloth!"

Guan Yu stroked his beautiful beard with one hand and nodded, saying: "Big brother, the third brother is right. This Cao Cao knows you are determined to suppress the bandits, so he will surely cause trouble in the dark. You must be on your guard, big brother."

Liu Bei shook his head slowly and said: "Rest assured, Xianhe has his own good plans."

Cao Ren, riding on horseback beside Cao Cao, muttered in frustration: "That one-eared thief is full of benevolence and morality, but he's just trying to carve up these million refugees; he speaks so righteously."

Cao Cao's face was grave and dark.

Cao Ren was right.

Although Liu Bei spoke with such righteousness, for the sake of the nation and the common people, his goal was plain to see.

But knowing it was one thing, and being unable to solve it was another.

If he were to block Liu Bei, it would be tantamount to destroying the nation.

Liu Bei had taken the moral high ground, using "for the sake of the Han" and "for the sake of the world" as two shields held before him.

It left him with no way to strike.

To be able to use benevolence and righteousness to this extent, this Liu Bei is definitely not a simple man.

Liu Bei's reputation among the people of Langya State and his style of conduct have always been this way; otherwise, he would not be praised by the people of Langya State.

"Big brother, if you ask me, why waste so many words on them? We should have just acted earlier."

Cao Cao shook his head slowly.

Not to mention whether they could have taken Liu Bei just now.

Liu Bei is an official of the Imperial Court; how could he be killed as casually as a bandit?