Chapter Eighty-Fifth: Yuan Shu's Orphaned Child

  Liu Mao killed two of Sun Ce's military strategists with one breath, and naturally the other members of Sun Ce's army would not feel comfortable either. The dinner party ended like this.

  Before leaving, he also gave Liu Mao and Lü Bu two wedding invitations, asking them to attend.

  "April 5th?! Liu Mang opened the invitation and saw the date, isn't that just the day after tomorrow? The army rarely gets to rest under a city wall, so it's also necessary to purchase some supplies, so delaying for a day or two won't hurt."

  Time was sufficient, but the marriage object on the wedding invitation made Liu Mang a bit strange - Sun Ce and Da Qiao? If he didn't know history, Liu Mang wouldn't find it strange that a man and woman were getting married, which is a normal thing. However, the key point is that Liu Mang knew that Sun Ce and Zhou Yu had married Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao at the same time.

  Why is it just one person? After thinking about it for a while, Liu Mang didn't understand and simply stopped thinking about it. Whether others get married or not has nothing to do with him, so why not take advantage of the opportunity to eat and drink again?

  Liu Mang didn't know that the reason Zhou Yu couldn't get married with Sun Ce at the same time was because Zhou Yu was busy with a big matter. Originally, the two had agreed to get married at the same time, but due to this matter, Zhou Yu's marriage was delayed, so only Sun Ce and Da Qiao got married.

  Outside of Wancheng, in the big tent of Lü Bu's army, Liu Mang didn't even have time to gather his thoughts before being summoned by Lü Bu because a group of uninvited guests had suddenly arrived.

  A figure in white stood like a mourner in the tent.

  What's going on? Who died? Why are you dressed like that?

  "After General Yuan Shu's account, Yang Hong, a long-bearded old man, spoke up and said: 'I have met Lu Pingdong!'"

  Who is Yuan Shu's man? Liu Mao found it a bit strange that Yuan Shu's subordinate had come to Wan City, wasn't he supposed to go to Hebei to join his own brother?

  Just as Liu Mang was still thinking, a smaller woman suddenly knelt down "Uncle Master, you must take charge for this young lady!"

  Uncle? She's Yuan Shu's daughter? Lü Bu and Yuan Shu aren't exactly close, but they don't have a bad relationship either. That's why Yuan Yao calls him uncle when he sees Lü Bu. Is she asking Lord Lü to be her guarantor?

  Liu Mang is now full of doubts, but before long he will understand everything clearly.

  "General-in-Chief Yuan Shu's noble brother has passed away!" Yang Hong said with a choked voice, his tone filled with desolation.

  Yuan Shu is dead? Liu Mang was stunned, Chen Lan and Lei Bo had helped Lü Bu clean up, Xuzhou wasn't being blockaded by Cao Cao anymore, it should have arrived in Hebei soon, so why did he receive news that Yuan Shu was dead instead.

  "Get up!" Lü Bu looked at this group of people and sighed, shaking his head, it seemed that Lü Bu had already received the news earlier.

  "What's going on with Old Man Chen?!" Liu Mang asked, turning to one side and inquiring of Chen Gong.

  "Yuan Highway ah, oh!" To say that Yuan Shu's luck was indeed good, when he arrived in Xuzhou it was the day Old Cao was deploying troops and sending generals to deal with Liu Beidou.

  The whole of Xuzhou and Yanzhou were in a state of war, and Yuan Shu happened to run into the battlefield of the two men. The army of Xuzhou did not recognize Yuan Shu's army and thought it was Cao Cao's troops, so they fought, while Cao's army knew that this was Yuan Shu's army, anyway, they were all enemies, so they also fought along with them.

  Under the attack of both sides, Lao Yuan was destroyed just like this.

  "What about Yuan Yao?!" Lü Bu looked around at the people below, but did not see Yuan Shu's son, Yuan Yao.

  "Master Yang, Master Yang also died in battle at Xuzhou!" Yang Hong said with tears streaming down his face. They were able to survive not because of the mercy of Cao's army or Liu Bei's army, but because their clothes were too ordinary and the soldiers didn't bother to kill them.

  Yuan Shu and Yuan Yao, this father-son duo, even in defeat and death, were dressed in gold and silver, it would be a waste if they weren't taken care of first.

  Only Yang Hong, Yuan Shu's daughter and a few followers managed to escape. The others were either killed or scattered. It took great effort for Yang Hong to hold on until Lü Bu's army was defeated.

  In the entire world, there are only a few people who can accommodate Yuan Shu's descendants. Hebei is relying on Yang Hong and other old, weak, sick and disabled people, definitely cannot go. As for Cao Cao's place? Daring to go there would absolutely be a dead end, and Cao Cao also likes to debauch others' wives and daughters.

  Liu Bei? Liu Bei himself is hard to protect, and Liu Bei often abandons his own wife and daughter, let alone others.

  After that, it was Sun Ce. When Sun Ce was under Yuan Shu, Yang Hong often spoke ill of Sun Ce because he saw from then on that Sun Ce was not a man who would submit to others.

  Others who would be willing to accept the inheritance of the Yuan family are even less likely now.

  "General Lü, the lord told me before his death that you still owe him a promise," Yang Hong said to Lü Bu.

  "Hmm!" Lü Bu nodded his head, at that time in Shouchun, Lü Bu had borrowed grain from Yuan Shu.

  "Yang Hong dares to beg, General Lü, for the sake of our lord and young master, to avenge their grievances!" Yang Hong suddenly knelt down and prayed.

  "Is it to avenge Yuan Shu's grievances?!" Stop joking, okay? Don't mention that it's unclear whether Yuan Shu was killed by Liu Bei or Cao Cao. Even if it were clear, Lü Bu wouldn't take action now. Although both are Lü Bu's enemies, this is not the time for revenge yet.

  Lü Bu could never use the lives of over 20,000 Lü Bu troops in exchange for a promise he once made to Yuan Shu.

  "What I said to the highway is what I can do for you, now conquering is not something I can do! I couldn't possibly put the lives of these more than 20,000 soldiers at stake for your lord!" Lü Bu refused without hesitation.

  Yang Hong seemed to know that Lü Bu would not agree, and continued, "The lord is dead, the young master is also gone, only the lady is left behind. I hope General Lü will show mercy!"

  "Don't worry, I'll take care of the highway's daughter just like my own!" It was impossible to avenge Lü Bu for Yuan Shu, but taking care of his daughter was still possible.

  Lü Bu thought this reply would satisfy Yang Hong, but instead he shook his head: "The lord's last wish was for General Lü to take care of the young lady, but not as a daughter-in-law!"

  "Not for the sake of his daughter? Not for the sake of his daughter, is it to be a lady? Liu Mang looked at Lü Bu and then at Miss Yuan beside him. These two are of different generations, once they get together, that's it, even Cao Cao's followers wouldn't dare do this. After redeeming Cai Wenji, he was still being honest."

  Liu Mang was a little happy for someone else's misfortune but immediately couldn't laugh anymore.

  Because Yang Hong's next sentence was "The master hopes that Miss can marry King Shu!"

  "What? Marry me?" Liu Mang jumped up, what does this have to do with me? Old Yuan, you and Lü Boss are good friends, but I don't think we've ever met before! You want to marry your daughter to me, what's going on here?

  Yuan Shu made Yang Hong marry his daughter to Liu Mao because he had thought it through. Lü Bu might have taken care of his own daughter out of emotional consideration, but that would only be temporary. After all, she was not his own child, and even if things went well, there would still be limitations. Moreover, she might even become a political sacrifice. Even if that didn't happen, the feeling of relying on others for support would be unbearable.

  But marrying Liu Mao was different, Liu Mao is now Lü Bu's son-in-law, Lü Bu only has this one daughter and all of his future achievements will be Liu Mao's, it can be said that Liu Mao is the young master of Lü Bu's army.

  Marrying my daughter to Liu Mao is equivalent to marrying her into the younger master of Lü Bu's army, so that my daughter has a place to settle down and doesn't need to rely on others. Moreover, it's possible that the children born in the future can even compete for the foundation left by Liu Mao.

  "Hmph!" Lü Bu snorted, wondering what Yuan Shu was up to. He didn't know, but the fact that he was hitting on his own son-in-law right in front of him made Lü Bu very displeased.

  "My family's young lady doesn't care about status, can be a concubine!" Yang Hong added chips. Being a concubine means not competing with Miss Lü for position.

  "This matter I cannot decide, the decision is up to him!" Lü Bu gave Liu Mao a cold glance, causing Liu Mao to shiver involuntarily. He knew that if he didn't come up with a good answer, Lord Lü would not let him off easily.

  "I have Qiling and that's enough! I haven't even married my first wife, where did this concubine come from?" Liu Meng hastily pushed back, explaining to his father-in-law that taking a concubine was not seeking death.

  Liu Mang's words made Lü Bu slightly satisfied. "You see, it's not that I don't agree, but he is unwilling!" Letting Liu Mang marry Yuan Miss was still within the realm of possibility, and Lü Bu really couldn't bear to refuse on the spot.

  "Your Majesty King of Shu, my family's young lady is gentle and considerate, good at understanding people's intentions, she can serve you and Miss Lü well!" Yang Hong was promoting his own family's young lady.

  To be honest, Liu Mang thought that Miss Yuan was quite good-looking, a real beauty. And now with her crying and looking pitiful, it made him want to hold her in his arms and comfort her.

  However, the key issue now is that Lao Lü is involved, and Liu Mang doesn't want to mess with him.

  Liu Mang remained unmoved, and Lü Bu also seemed indifferent.

  Yang Hong gritted his teeth, "General Lü, my master left a dowry for the young lady. Please take a look!" From his bosom, Yang Hong pulled out a square object and opened it, revealing something that made everyone present gasp in shock!