Three Kingdoms: Fusion of Entries, Change of Destiny

Chapter 86 - 100% Favorability, Unlock New Ability - Plunder

Faced with Cao Yan's questioning, Zhang Miao's face became extremely ugly.

But he still gritted his teeth and said with all his might, "Stop talking nonsense here! I, Zhang Miao, have my own reasons for doing things, how can you interfere with my remarks here?"

"Hahahaha, there must be a reason?" Cao Yan couldn't help but laugh out loud when he heard it: "Your so-called reason is to betray your friends and secretly collude with the enemy?
Look at you now, hiding in Yongqiu City, not daring to leave the city to intercept Yuan Shu, who is fleeing like a stray dog, nor daring to come out and fight me in an open battle. You are truly disgraced!"

"You...you..." Zhang Miao was so angry at Cao Yan's words that his whole body was shaking. He pointed at Cao Yan, his lips trembling, but he couldn't speak for a long time.

Seeing this, Zhang Xian, the military commander on the city wall, could no longer hold back and spoke up for Zhang Miao, "General Cao, my lord may have his own reasons. Why are you being so aggressive and unforgiving?"

Cao Yan stared straight at Zhang Xian, his words stern and harsh, "Hardship? What hardship could justify betraying your brothers? Our Han Dynasty is founded on loyalty and filial piety, and on integrity and righteousness. The Spring and Autumn Annals clearly distinguish between Chinese and barbarians, and the Book of Filial Piety sets the standard for human relations. This is the unchangeable principle of heaven and earth!"

Zhang Miao was originally the prefect of Chenliu County and was honored as one of the "Eight Chefs". He was saved by Cao Gong, but he committed the evil of inviting a wolf into the house!
As a result, Chenliu, Kuangcheng, Changyuan, Fengqiu and Puyang were all ravaged by war and turned into scorched earth.

The people in the city were either slaughtered or displaced, and the number of casualties was incalculable!
The mature food and grass outside the city were all taken away by Yuan Shu and other ruthless people, aiding the enemy and harming us."

Cao Yan's words became more and more fierce as he continued to scold: "You are all loyal and righteous people. Why don't you ask yourselves, don't you feel ashamed for following such a treacherous leader?
I am here today to let you see Zhang Miao's true face.

For his own selfish interests, he disregarded the greater good, sacrificed the lives of countless soldiers, and threw the peace of the people of Yanzhou into disrepute.

If you still have a shred of conscience, you should turn back from your mistakes and turn to the light instead of following him into the wrong path and refusing to change your ways!

After hearing what Cao Yan said, Zhang Xian and the soldiers on the city wall fell into deep thought.

One has to admit that every word Cao Yan said was reasonable and to the point, and Zhang Miao's behavior this time was indeed a bit excessive.

Zhang Xian couldn't help but turn his head to look at Zhang Miao, only to see that Zhang Miao was still angry, but speechless.

Seeing that his words had taken effect, Cao Yan struck while the iron was hot and said, "Zhang Miao, do you think you can rest easy just by hiding in Yongqiu City?

My eldest brother doesn't intend to hold you responsible out of consideration for our old friendship, but I, Cao Yan, cannot swallow this humiliation.

I won’t give up until I get an explanation today!

If you still have some nerve, come out of the city and fight me, don't hide in the city like a coward!"

As Cao Yan finished speaking, Zhao Yun suddenly reined in his horse and rushed out, shouting, "Zhao Zilong of Changshan is here! Who dares to fight me to the death?!"

Holy shit! Is this what you call "keeping a low profile"? Xia Houlan was stunned.

Dian Wei did not take the initiative to challenge Zhang Miao because he was facing his old master, otherwise he would have wanted to give him a good beating for the disloyal and unrighteous Zhang Miao.

Cao Yan and Zhao Yun sang the same tune, but no one in Yongqiu City dared to respond.

Zhang Miao was so angry that he wanted to leave the city immediately and tear Cao Yan into pieces.

But reason told him that the morale of Cao's army outside the city was high, and his 10,000 defenders might not be their match.

He took a deep breath, suppressed his anger, and said, "Cao Yan, don't be so arrogant. Although I, Zhang Miao, am not talented, I am not someone you can bully at will. If you withdraw your troops today, this matter will be over. Otherwise, don't blame me, Zhang Miao, for being rude!"

Cao Yan sneered and replied, "You're welcome? Come down and beat me up if you dare!"

If you really had this kind of backbone, you would not have allowed Yuan Shu to enter Yanzhou, causing heavy losses to the military and civilians of Yanzhou.

Today I want to see if you dare to come down!"

The two sides confronted each other, and the atmosphere was extremely tense.

But Zhang Miao did not take any action for a long time, which inevitably made the soldiers of Yongqiu even more disappointed and their confidence in Zhang Miao began to waver.

Zhang Miao did not fall into the trap and went out of the city to fight. With only Cao Yan's limited troops, it was basically impossible to capture Yongqiu City.

But Cao Yan's purpose of this trip was not to capture Yongqiu.
First, he wanted to vent his anger, and second, he wanted to test Zhang Miao's attitude and shake the morale of his subordinates.

Judging from the current situation, his goal has been partially achieved. Cao Yan looked at the sky and saw that it was getting late. He was about to say a few more words and then hurried to catch up with Lao Cao.

"Look at the people around you," Cao Yan said, glancing at the defenders on the city wall. "Their fathers, brothers, wives, and children are being punished for you all over Yanzhou!"

Cao Yan then pointed to the farmland in the distance and asked, "Have you, Zhang Mengzhuo, ever shown any mercy to those villages that Yuan Shu burned, slaughtered, and looted?"

"We're waiting in Puyang to kill the bandits," Cao Yan's voice rolled like thunder, "but you, Zhang Mengzhuo, are hiding in Yongqiu counting the money given to you by Yuan Shu!"

Zhang Miao's face turned pale and he replied, "I didn't take any money!"

But his defense seemed so pale and powerless.

Cao Yan did not let Zhang Miao go, and continued, "The Qingzhou soldiers who recently joined our army are willing to risk their lives and fight bravely just to ensure the safety of their families!

In the battle of Puyang, more than half of our Qingzhou army of 30,000 were killed or wounded!
You, as natives of Yanzhou, hide in the city and turn a blind eye to the sufferings of your fellow countrymen outside the city!

Yanzhou is your root, and the people there are all your blood relatives.
How could you bear to see him suffer in the flames of war and remain indifferent?"

Cao Yan's words made Zhang Xian slowly loosen his grip on the spear.

He looked down at the city and found that the Qingzhou soldiers were tired but in high spirits, while the defenders on the city wall looked listless and had no fighting spirit.

Cao Yan's words were like sharp blades, cutting through Zhang Miao's hypocrisy and exposing his ugly face.

"Zhang Xian!" Cao Yan suddenly called out his name. "You've been with Zhang Miao for many years. Have you ever seen him show sympathy to the people?"

Zhang Xian was shocked and tried to recall, but he could not find any record of Zhang Miao showing sympathy for the people...

"Following a lord like this," Cao Yan said slowly, "are you truly worthy of your father and brothers who died in battle?"

Zhang Xian's eyes suddenly became hot and tears welled up in them.

His father was a general under Zhang Miao and died protecting Zhang Miao in the Battle of Bianshui.

Before his death, his father told him to "be loyal to Meng Zhuogong."

But now, the lord he was loyal to had personally brought a hungry wolf into his home!
"I won't kill you today," Cao Yan turned his horse and shouted, "but you must remember—" He suddenly whipped his horse, "those who break their promises will never be buried!"

The Qingzhou soldiers retreated like a tide, leaving the defenders on the city wall looking at each other in bewilderment, at a loss.

Zhang Xian looked at Cao Yan's receding back and suddenly felt that his loyalty over the years was nothing but a joke.

He turned to look at Zhang Miao, who was slumped on the ground with a deathly pale face.

After a while,

"puff!!!"

Zhang Miao suddenly spat out a blood mist.
He fell to the ground with his head tilted back, unconscious!

[Zhang Miao's favorability towards you has changed. Current favorability: -100%]

[Ding! Congratulations on achieving the achievement—defeating your mortal enemy and unlocking new system features!]

[You can now randomly plunder an item from a target by killing a target with a favorability of -80% or above!]

"!!!"

"How about we go back and kill Zhang Miao now???"

(End of this chapter)