Chapter Thirty-Six: Midnight Alliance

  Lying on the bed, Lü Lingxue's heart fell into deep thought.

  Yuan Shang's words were like a sharp nail that pierced deep into his own heart.

  Yes, she can join hands with no one and take revenge for her father without any fear or scruples, even if it means losing everything. After all, as an avenger, she has already made the greatest effort.

  But in Yuan Shang's words, there was a hint of mention of her mother.

  My father is dead, but my birth mother, Lady Yan, is still alive, and there are many other relatives of the Lv family. Now they have all been moved to Xuchang City by Cao Cao. Are they all doing well?

  With a proud spirit and conviction in my heart, I am not afraid of death. But what about my mother and the others? Should they really live under Cao Cao's shadow, eating donated rice and receiving disdainful glances, dying a prisoner-like life in Xuchang, ending their miserable lives?

  Is this world still fair to them?

  Lü Lingxi furrowed her brow, feeling annoyed in her heart, and immediately threw off the covers, got out of bed, and slowly walked towards the outside of the house.

  It's another quiet and dark night, outside the courtyard is very cold, the cool wind is rustling, making people unable to help but shiver.

  Yuan Jun was a man of his word and did not post anyone to guard the outhouse, apparently still trusting her character. Moreover, all the brothers under her command were here, and with Yuan Jun's guards at the four city gates, she couldn't possibly leave the county town anyway.

  Strolling leisurely within the county yamen, I suddenly see a pavilion in the distance, where a lantern seems to be gently swaying.

  Lü Linggui wondered who could be in the pavilion so late at night, borrowing the cover of darkness to light a solitary lamp.

  Can't sleep, might as well go take a look.

  Having made up her mind, Lü Lingxue immediately walked towards the pavilion.

  Inside the pavilion, on a stone table, a single lamp was lit, beside it was a jug of turbid wine. Behind the wine jug sat a young man, holding a cup, drinking under the moonlight, humming a tune with his mouth, looking quite carefree and contented.

  Lü Linggui's slender eyebrows furrowed slightly. Was it him?

  He stayed up all night and didn't sleep, why is he drinking alone here?

  Thinking of this, Lü Linggui unconsciously stepped into the pavilion.

  Lü Linggui curiously came this way, but Yuan Shang's expression was diametrically opposed. While pouring and drinking, he suddenly turned his head to see Lü Linggui approaching, his face changed instantly, and he picked up the wine jug and ran away.

  Lü Linggui was taken aback for a moment, then opened her mouth and said: "Stop right there!"

  Yuan Shang slowed down and stopped in his tracks, turning around with a scowl: "It's the middle of the night, why aren't you sleeping? What brings you here?"

  Lv Linggui sat down on the stone bench, frowning and said: "I'm not a ghost, why are you running?"

  Yuan Shang turned around and sat opposite Lü Linggui, putting the wine cup on the table and said with a sneer: "Just looking at you now is full of worries, a bellyful of resentment has nowhere to vent, there are only two of us in the courtyard now, what if your evil fire doesn't go smoothly and you beat me up, who can I reason with?"

  "Damn it! I...I seem like such an unreasonable person?"

  Yuan Shang slightly shrugged his shoulders and said, "This matter is hard to say who's right or wrong. Women's appearances are generally very deceptive. Take you for example, your eyebrows and eyes are like a painting, your appearance is soft and charming, looking every bit like a noble lady from a wealthy family. But in reality, you're actually the leader of a gang of thieves, as ruthless as a killer, and if you were to fly into a rage, I reckon three or five old men wouldn't be able to stop you. That's why they say 'the heart is hidden behind the belly', appearances can't be trusted."

  Lü Linggui's face was a mixture of red and white, making it impossible to discern its original color. After a brief moment, she suddenly saw her mouth slightly raised, seemingly smiling but not quite, saying: "Indeed, you are a renowned young master, not only cunning and treacherous, but also quite knowledgeable about women?"

  Yuan Shang's long hair with a fringe was blown back, and he boasted: "No way, when I travel south and north, what I rely on is being able to write and fight, being different from others. It's not just about military tactics and battle arrays, but also about snowy months, windy flowers."

  Yuan Shang handed an empty wine cup to Lü Lingxue, poured her a full glass and gestured: "Troubled? Have a drink?"

  Lü Linggui gave him a glance, stretched out her white jade-like hand to grasp the wine cup, and raised it high towards Yuan Shang, saying: "Drink!"

  Yuan Shang smiled and nodded, and both of them drained their cups in one gulp.

  This time, Yuan Shang didn't stop her, and Lü Lingxue poured wine for herself, filling the two cups to the brim.

  "Come again!"

  "Cheers!"

  Yuan Shang raised his hand to wipe his mouth and said, "Just drinking like this all the time isn't going to work, we need some stories. Is there anything bothering you? Tell me about it."

  Lü Linggui didn't respond immediately, but instead raised her head and took a sip of wine. Her long, narrow eyes held a hint of subtle sorrow.

  After a long time, Lu Lingxue finally spoke up and said: "Do you know who my father is?"

  Isn't this nonsense? It's been verified during the day, who else could it be, that dead ghost Lü Bu!

  Yuan Shang muttered to himself.

  "He is the world's number one martial general, the late General Fengwei, who was praised by the world as 'Lü Bu among men and Red Hare among horses', Lü Wenhou."

  Lü Linggui let out a faint sigh and said, "You only choose to say what sounds good, saying that he is the world's number one martial general. However, you still have things you haven't said, which is that he is overly concerned with personal gain, often changes his ways, lacks strategy in dealing with people, has repeatedly betrayed his masters, and there are even those on the battlefield who directly call him a three-surnamed house slave."

  Yuan Shang heard the words and didn't say a word, he felt that Lü Linggui's words were a bit strange, the implication made people unclear, who would say that their own father was a three-surname family slave? Isn't this slapping one's own face?

  But then Lü Lingxue continued, "Although some of his actions were also extremely distasteful to me, and we had many disagreements during his lifetime, it wasn't until the end that I realized he truly cared for me as a daughter. Although his methods were somewhat clumsy, every word and action was indeed for my own good."

  She took a sip of wine, and sighed: "People say he's opportunistic and fickle, but if he wasn't, how would he have survived in this chaotic world? We Lus are different from you Yuans. You were born with the reputation of being descendants of four generations of high-ranking officials, with deep roots and a smooth career path. Whether in peaceful or turbulent times, many talented individuals from noble families flock to your side. But my father was just a martial artist from the Nine Regions, who relied on his fists and swords to make a name for himself. Even so, as a martial artist, which noble official would deign to look at him straight? With his identity and position, if he didn't constantly adapt and scheme, how could he have survived in this chaotic world?"

  As she spoke, a hint of tears appeared at the corner of Lü Lingxue's eyes, and she said: "Unfortunately, when I understood all these things, he was already gone."

  Yuan Shang hesitated for a moment, then said: "Every family has its own bitter struggles and difficulties that outsiders can't understand. What's done is done, thinking too much about it is futile. Instead of regretting what happened between you and your father, why not cherish the present and the people who are still alive? If you can do that, I believe your father will also be at peace in the afterlife."

  Lü Ling was stunned and speechless, as if she had suddenly realized something.

  After a long time, Lv Linggui finally said faintly: "If my father were still alive and knew that I was still messing around on the battlefield, he would probably be extremely angry."

  Yuan Shang heard this and scratched his head, curiously saying: "Then will you listen to him?"

  "Of course not!" Lü Lingxi's mouth curled up in a faint smile, and Yuan Shang couldn't help but wipe away sweat.

  After talking for half a day, you still don't understand your father, what's the point of understanding!

  "Since I'm a Yuan, I agreed to your proposal of alliance. I'll follow you to Hebei and help you deal with Cao Cao together! However, you also have to agree to one condition from me!"

  "What conditions?" Yuan Shang asked strangely.

  Lü Linggui took a deep breath: "Help me rescue my family members of the Lü clan from Xudu, if one of them has an accident in Xudu, I will kill you! You'd better take care of it yourself."

  Yuan Shang heard this and was somewhat stunned...

  If something happens to your family in Xudu, you have to kill me? What kind of logic is this? Grass, can't people with the surname Lü reason anymore?!

  After a long time...

  Yuan Shang slowly stretched out a palm and smiled slightly: "A gentleman's word is his bond."

  "Slap!" Lü Lingxue gave him a loud slap on the palm: "A horse cannot catch up to the tongue... but that's only for you, I'm just a woman after all."