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Cao Cao was dragging the deposed Emperor Liu Bian out of Yong'an Palace, rushing forward.
Ultimately, Cao Cao chose the route through Guangbu Lane, Yonghe Lane, exiting through the Middle East Gate towards the horse market. Once he reached the horse market, the bustling crowd and carriages would completely cover his tracks, allowing him to escape without worrying about pursuers...
The Xiliang soldiers shouting in Guangbu Lane and Yonghe Lane were actually Cao Cao's men in disguise. As long as they could trick the residents of these lanes into staying home, there would be virtually no one to block his escape.
Unfortunately, despite all his calculations, Cao Cao never expected that Lü Bu also lived in Guangbu Lane. Not only was Lü Bu not at home, but he also heard the sounds of battle from Yong'an Palace and rushed straight towards it.
As Lü Bu turned the corner, he saw a group of armed men approaching. He laughed heartily, "Perfect for practice!" and charged at them with his halberd.
Cao Cao, being short, hid in the crowd. Through a gap, he caught a glimpse of Lü Bu and was terrified. Without a word, he tightly grabbed Liu Bian and dashed into a nearby alley.
Lü Bu charged forward, thrusting his halberd and then sweeping it upward with a sharp, piercing whistle. The halberd severed the arm and weapon of the man at the front, blood spraying like a fountain...
In theory, narrow streets are not ideal for long weapons like the twelve-foot halberd, favoring instead short blades. But for Lü Bu, this was no issue. He weaved through the crowd, his halberd like a reaper's scythe, screaming through the air amidst a shower of blood. In moments, the men left behind to cover the retreat were torn apart like broken puppets—arms severed, legs cut, bodies split open, heads rolling. No one within his reach died whole...
Lü Bu grew more exhilarated as he fought, but before he could fully warm up, all his opponents were dead...
Frustrated, Lü Bu glanced around and noticed someone hiding behind a pillar at a nearby house. He rushed over, only to find a trembling woman in a colorful dress curled up on the ground. He frowned disdainfully, snorted, "Leave quickly!" and then followed the trail of the others.
Cao Cao was on the verge of tears. He had already lost some men during the assault on Yong'an Palace, and now, just as he was about to succeed, he encountered the god of slaughter, Lü Bu. The five or six men left behind to hold Lü Bu off barely slowed him down, and within moments, Lü Bu was catching up again...
Reluctantly, Cao Cao sent a few more men to intercept Lü Bu while he desperately dragged Liu Bian towards the hidden horses...
Horses were not allowed near the palace, and with many nobles residing in Guangbu and Yonghe Lanes, hiding horses nearby would risk exposure. Thus, Cao Cao had stashed the horses in a courtyard just outside Yonghe Lane.
Once there, they could mount the horses and charge towards the Middle East Gate. No matter how fast Lü Bu was on foot, he couldn't outrun a horse. Moreover, Cao Cao had men stationed at the Middle East Gate to seize it. If they could just delay Lü Bu a bit longer, they could reach the horse market, cause a commotion, and disappear into the chaotic crowd. Even if Lü Bu had a hundred men, he wouldn't be able to find them quickly in the bustling market.
Escape was within reach!
Gritting his teeth, Cao Cao summoned his last reserves of strength, dragging the cumbersome deposed Emperor Liu Bian as he sprinted forward.
Liu Bian, unaccustomed to such exertion, stumbled and staggered. Raised in luxury, he had never experienced anything like this. Though he wanted to keep up with Cao Cao, his body betrayed him. He was gasping for breath, his legs weak, and suddenly, he tripped and fell with a thud.
Cao Cao hurried back to help Liu Bian up, only to find him in pain. A quick check revealed that Liu Bian had not only fallen but also sprained his ankle...
Cao Cao groaned inwardly. He tried to carry Liu Bian on his back, but his short stature made it difficult. He ordered one of his men to carry Liu Bian instead, and they hurried towards the hidden horses outside Yonghe Lane.
Surprisingly, carrying Liu Bian sped up their escape. Cao Cao and his remaining men barely made it to the courtyard with the horses before Lü Bu caught up. They hastily mounted and charged towards the Middle East Gate.
By the time Lü Bu finished off the men blocking him and chased out of Yonghe Lane, he saw the remaining fugitives fleeing on horseback.
"Ha! You think you're the only ones with horses?"
Lü Bu stopped, disdainfully watching the men frantically whipping their horses to escape. He let out a long whistle, and almost immediately, a loud neigh echoed from Guangbu Lane, as if in response.
The sound of rapid hoofbeats approached, and Red Hare, like a streak of flowing fire, galloped to Lü Bu's side.
Though he hadn't had time to saddle the horse, Lü Bu, having grown up in Bingzhou and accustomed to riding, didn't mind. He leaped onto Red Hare's back, gently nudged its sides, and the horse shot forward like an arrow.
Red Hare was incredibly fast. Though they had a head start, Lü Bu quickly closed the gap.
While chasing on foot, the buildings and crowds had obscured his view, but now, on horseback, Lü Bu could see clearly. One of the fleeing figures looked like the deposed Emperor Liu Bian!
Another, shorter figure seemed familiar, but he couldn't quite place him...
How dare these bandits abduct the deposed Emperor! They were truly audacious!
Red Hare seemed to sense Lü Bu's urgency and sped up even more, a red blur streaking towards Liu Bian.
Seeing Lü Bu closing in, a few of Cao Cao's loyal soldiers turned their horses around and charged at Lü Bu.
But on Red Hare, Lü Bu's lethality was nearly doubled. The counter-charging soldiers posed no challenge. With a few sweeps of his halberd, like a red dragon, Lü Bu cut them down.
After dispatching the minor obstacles, Lü Bu caught up to Liu Bian's horse. With one hand, he grabbed Liu Bian by the collar, lifting him like a chicken.
Cao Cao, galloping away, saw this out of the corner of his eye. His heart shattered. After all the meticulous planning and the lives lost, everything was ruined at the last moment by the sudden appearance of Lü Bu...
Fighting was out of the question. The only option was to flee...
As Lü Bu tossed Liu Bian onto his horse like a sack, he noticed the remaining fugitives had split up and scattered in different directions. For a moment, he wasn't sure whom to chase.
In the end, Lü Bu decided to let them go. Returning the deposed Emperor Liu Bian was more important. He turned his horse around and rode back with Liu Bian.
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A/N: Interestingly, Lü Bu was relatively kind to women, unlike Cao Cao, who often said, "I'll take care of your wife and children," or Liu Bei, who inherited Liu Bang's tradition of abandoning his family without a second thought.