Chapter 20: Zhang Fei Seeks Death

  "Second brother, you're not still blaming me, are you?" In a dilapidated cave at the foot of Dabie Mountain, Guan Yu had been silent for more than half a day, not speaking to Liu Bei or even acknowledging his presence. Liu Bei felt uneasy and didn't know what to do.

  "Big brother, why do you want to do this? Handing our third brother over to the Yellow Turbans and leaving with me, how can he not feel sad in his heart? The three of us have sworn an oath of brotherhood in the Peach Garden, it's only been a few days, and you're treating him like this..." Guan Yu's phoenix eyes stared tightly at Liu Bei, rebuking him discontentedly.

  "Second brother, don't you understand yet? We three brothers, when we first swore to be brothers, it was because the imperial court was in chaos and the Han dynasty was on the verge of collapse. Bandits rose up everywhere, and our goal was to support the Han dynasty, save the people from disaster, report to the imperial court above, and bring peace to the common folk below. I left you behind, but my heart aches more than yours. But for the sake of the world's people, we three brothers were killed by that traitor Xu Feng - was it worth it? Who will avenge us now? Who will assist the imperial court and save the people from their suffering?"

  "Ah... damn it, who's scolding me from behind?" Xu Feng, who was chatting with Zhang Fei in the account, suddenly let out a sneeze and started scolding uncomfortably.

  "I am a descendant of the Han royal family, and as an emperor's offspring, the weight on my shoulders is heavier than anyone else's. Second brother, I hope you can understand my difficulties. I too have no choice but to do this for the greater good. Let us just consider that third brother has devoted himself to the country." Seeing Guan Yu's expression slightly relax, Liu Bei felt a surge of joy and continued to persuade him.

  "Even so, I must go back and rescue my third brother." Guan Yu stood up suddenly, his face determined.

  "Second brother, Xu Feng this scoundrel is despicable and shameless, with many cunning tricks up his sleeve. His mind is deep and treacherous, ruthless to the extreme. Look at my arm... Third brother has fallen into his hands, he must have lost his life long ago. Who knows, maybe by now he has set up a trap, waiting for us two to fall into it? Second brother, don't be rash!" Liu Bei leaned against the stone wall, covering his severed arm, and weakly advised.

  "Ah..." Looking at Liu Bei's painful expression, Guan Yu gritted his teeth and clenched his iron fist, heavily pounding it against the stone wall, venting the pent-up frustration in his heart. His hands were bleeding profusely, but he remained numb and unrelenting.

  "Liu Bei let out a heavy sigh, gritted his teeth and said 'Xu Feng, the hatred for cutting off my arm, the resentment for killing my brother, we can't live under the same sky, one day I will return it to you twofold.'"

  "What's wrong with you?" Zhang Fei impatiently asked as Xu Feng continuously sneezed.

  "I have no idea what's going on? Someone must be talking behind my back, maybe even using a needle to stab my voodoo doll." Xu Feng said with a face full of grievance, also having no idea what was happening. Today he had been sneezing so much and his heart felt uneasy, like a ferocious beast being stalked by a hunter, feeling extremely uncomfortable all over.

  "Zhang Fei, are you willing to surrender?" Xu Feng couldn't help but ask out of curiosity.

  "Haha, you're quite the jokester. If I'm in your hands, just kill me or execute me, why bother with all this nonsense? I'm Zhang Fei, I've charged into battle and killed enemies without ever being afraid. Do you think I'd be afraid to die and surrender? I advise you to give up on that idea and instead give Third Brother a swift death." Zhang Fei said disdainfully with a cold laugh.

  "Haha, so eager to die, it's true that Liu Bei and Guan Yu don't care about your life or death anymore. Living is also suffering, but dying would be more straightforward, and you wouldn't have any more troubles. I respect you as a man, so I sincerely hope you can surrender. The Oath of the Peach Garden was for what? To help the emperor and benefit the people, right?" Xu Feng wasn't surprised at all by Zhang Fei's refusal. If Zhang Fei could easily surrender to him, Xu Feng wouldn't believe it.

  "That's natural." Zhang Fei said with his mouth open.

  "What is this imperial court like? What is this chaotic world like? Do you really understand?" Xu Feng retorted.

  "What do you mean by this?" Zhang Fei looked at Xu Feng with a puzzled expression and asked.

  "The court is muddled, officials are incompetent, and traitors hold power. Does anyone care about the lives of the people? You are in Zhuo County, you should understand the situation of the northern people. Everywhere is barren for thousands of miles, locusts are rampant, disasters are widespread, and the people are struggling to survive. However, the court does not ask or know about the people's situation, only seeking comfort and pleasure. The court is muddled, officials are corrupt, traitors hold power, and the army is scattered. Does anyone care about the lives of the people? What have they done except for heavy taxation, extortion, and exploitation of the people's wealth to indulge in luxury?"

  "If you do it your way, disregarding the imperial court and openly rebelling, wouldn't that make you a heroic knight? Hmph... Heaven, earth, ruler, parents, teachers - not putting the imperial court and king in your eyes, this is great irreverence, something to be ridiculed by the world!" Zhang Fei shouted angrily.

  "The imperial court is muddled and corrupt, with no moral principles. What's the point of keeping such a court? Rebels? But didn't they know that when Han Gaozu rose up against the Qin dynasty by beheading a snake, weren't they also rebels? In the eyes of the imperial court, weren't they just bandits who stirred up trouble among the people? But now, who dares to say that Gaozu's uprising in Mangdang Mountain was unjustified? Yesterday's rebels are today's founding heroes. How can you explain this?" Xu Feng spoke with a loud and clear voice, coldly staring at Zhang Fei.

  "This..."

  Xu Feng's words left Zhang Fei speechless and completely silent. Indeed, what difference is there between the great ancestor Liu Bang and the current Yellow Turbans?

  "When the officials force the people to rebel, and overthrow the tyrannical government, changing the dynasty, this is the trend of the times, the direction of the tide. Even if you eliminate the Yellow Turbans, what can be achieved except for helping these corrupt officials to become more arrogant, and making the people even more miserable? To save the country, rescue the people from water and fire, and bring peace to the world, what should be done? Don't you understand in your heart? When there's nothing to do, go outside and take a look, see those who can't eat their fill, wear warm clothes, and starve to death on the side of the road. Whose world is this? Is it the people's world? When the people can't survive, do you let them wait for death?" Xu Feng's face was flushed with excitement, his words more and more urgent, each sentence a heartfelt truth, piercing Zhang Fei's heart like a steel needle.

  "Zhang Fei wanted to argue a bit more, but no matter how hard he racked his brains and turned over his intestines, he couldn't find half a sentence to refute Xu Feng's words."

  "I've said it before, you three brothers are highly skilled and unmatched in martial arts, but like executioners, you point your blades and guns at the struggling and resisting common people. Can your conscience really take it? Aren't you afraid that the vengeful spirits of those who died at your hands will come to haunt you in the middle of the night?"

  "Don't mention it..." Zhang Fei, although a rough man, had always liked to associate with scholars and was fond of calligraphy and learning. Xu Feng's words, he understood at once, and naturally knew that Xu Feng was not deceiving him. Since their last battle, he had also reflected on his own difficulties, and Xu Feng's words made Zhang Fei scratch his ears and cheeks, almost driving him mad.

  Zhang Fei felt more and more unbearable, the more he listened, the more self-reproachful, thinking of those innocent civilians who died at his hands. Zhang Fei suddenly stood up and said "I killed so many people, you can kill me too, anyway I don't want to live anymore, it's just right to return this life to them."

  Kneel down and beg for your support, everyone who has read it is okay, be sure to collect and recommend it with ease.