Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

Liu Bei's words did not attract Cai Yong's attention.

Cai Yong drank and laughed, taking it all as a compliment from Liu Bei.

However, Liu Bei's next words changed Cai Yong's expression.

"Lord Cai, I have a request, but I don't know if I should say it." Liu Bei looked up at Cai Yong.

At this moment, Cai Yong was still immersed in Liu Bei's praise. He stroked his beard and said with a smile, "Lord Xuande, please feel free to speak your mind."

Liu Bei took a deep breath, preparing to steer the conversation toward his visit that evening.

"It is so, Lord Cai. I have seen your daughter twice, once in the palace and once by the Luo River today. I was deeply impressed by her talent and beauty. I have come here today with great courage to ask if you would allow your daughter to marry me. Please understand, I, Liu Bei, am absolutely sincere towards your daughter."

As Liu Bei spoke, he bowed to Cai Yong and said, "If Lord Cai agrees, I would like to request the Empress Dowager to bestow a grand marriage upon us."

Cai Yong, who was smiling, froze.

Cai Yong originally thought that Liu Bei's seemingly unreasonable request was that he wanted him to perform again.

Of course, Cai Yong didn't care about this at all.

Showing off one's piano skills has become a common occurrence when friends gather for drinks.

To Cai Yong's utter surprise, Liu Bei actually proposed marriage.

Cai Yong's expression immediately changed as he looked at Liu Bei in surprise.

Liu Bei, on the other hand, calmly accepted Cai Yong's scrutiny.

After a long pause, Cai Yong put down his bronze wine cup, looked at Liu Bei, and asked, "Is the Marquis of Linxiang ready for marriage?"

Cai Yong changed his title, from "Lord Xuande" to "Marquis of Linxiang".

Liu Bei took a deep breath and said, "I had a marriage in my early years, but my mother took care of everything. Now my wife is back in my hometown."

"May I ask how old you are, Marquis of Linxiang?" Cai Yong asked again, frowning.

"I am twenty-six years old this year," Liu Bei replied.

Cai Yong, sitting in the main seat, turned completely gloomy.

"The Marquis of Linxiang already has a wife who is twenty-six years old. So, according to the Marquis of Linxiang, you want to marry my daughter so that she can be his second wife?"

"Lord Cai..."

Cai Yong raised his hand, interrupting Liu Bei directly, and said with a tense expression, "Does Marquis Linxiang think that because of the Wei family incident in Hedong, my daughter, Cai Yong's daughter, is going to become someone's concubine?"

"Don't think that just because you're the Marquis of Linxiang, my daughter, Cai Yong's daughter, is no match for you!"

An agitated Cai Yong stood up from his seat and pointed at Liu Bei, saying, "My daughter is only sixteen years old, while you, Liu Bei, are already twenty-six. You have a wife and daughter at home, yet you want to take my daughter as a concubine. I, Liu Bei, have treated you with kindness, yet you utter such words to humiliate me, Cai Yong!"

"you......."

"you......."

"get out!"

Cai Yong pointed out the direction outside the hall and scolded him.

Liu Bei was also completely bewildered by the scolding.

Liu Bei had not expected Cai Yong's reaction to be so intense.

"Lord Cai, you misunderstand. Although I, Liu Bei, have a wife and daughters, my true feelings are..."

"Get out and don't say another word!" Cai Yong, his face flushed with anger, pointed to the area outside the hall and said, "Liu Bei, don't push your luck."

Seeing Cai Yong's strong reaction, Liu Bei knew that nothing he said would make a difference.

So he could only stand up and say goodbye, feeling rather dejected.

"Lord Cai... I apologize for my intrusion." Liu Bei bowed respectfully.

Cai Yong turned his head away, gave a cold snort, and stopped looking at Liu Bei.

Only after Liu Bei left did Cai Yong angrily sit down again.

At this moment, in the side room next to the main hall, a pair of bright eyes peered through the gap in the screen into the hall, taking in the entire conversation between Cai Yong and Liu Bei.

............

The rear residence of the Cai family.

With her hands on her hips, Cai Zhenji, her pretty face puffed out, pressed the cinched waist of her snow-white dress into wrinkles and described the events that had just occurred in the front yard to her older sister, Cai Yan, who was sitting on the soft couch in the room.

“Sister, Liu Bei has gone too far. He actually wants you to be his concubine. Who does he think he is? He's so old, yet he has no shame at all.”

"The father sternly reprimanded Liu Bei and kicked that lecherous man out of the mansion."

"Sister, Liu Bei is absolutely wicked."

Cai Yan placed the openwork copper incense burner lid onto the bronze censer.

Even the soothing scent of sandalwood couldn't ease the sorrow between his brows.

Cai Yan herself knew why Liu Bei had come to visit.

If it weren't for the Wei family affair, Liu Bei, despite being a member of the imperial family, would never have dared to be so disrespectful in visiting their home.

Today's meeting on the banks of the Luo River is no coincidence, and my visit tonight is not a formality.

The reason for this is ultimately due to her current status...

After letting out a soft sigh, Cai Yan looked out the window beside her.

..............

Several days passed in the blink of an eye.

In the past few days, Liu Bei has been busy preparing his troops for departure, and Guan Yu has also rushed back from Mengjin to take over Liu Bei's defense work at Hangu Pass.

The battle report that arrived in Luoyang that day caused widespread panic in the city.

Everyone was discussing whether Luoyang could withstand Duan Yu's military might.

Besides this matter, another issue also became a hot topic of discussion among the powerful and wealthy families of Luoyang.

That was the story of Liu Bei visiting Cai Yong's residence, only to be chased away by Cai Yong.

Liu Bei went to Cai Yong's house to propose marriage, wanting to take Cai Yong's daughter as a concubine. However, he was scolded by Cai Yong and left in humiliation.

When this news spread, many people said that Liu Bei had gone mad.

Who was Cai Yong?

He is known for his stubbornness.

When Liu Hong was still alive, and when the Ten Attendants were at the height of their power, Cai Yong was still unafraid to submit memorials to impeach them.

If it weren't for the fact that Liu Hong relied on the teacher-student relationship that Cai Yong had with him in teaching him the zither, he would have dealt with Cai Yong long ago.

Even after being demoted to the Eastern Pavilion and given a reprieve, Cai Yong did not remain idle and continued to impeach the Ten Attendants.

Ultimately, this provoked the Ten Attendants to kill him, and Cai Yong was exiled.

Even on the road to exile, Cai Yong still showed no kindness to Wang Fu's younger brother, demonstrating Cai Yong's uprightness and fortitude.

Although the Wei family of Hedong has made it difficult for Cai Yong's daughter, Cai Yan, to marry, Liu Bei still dares to let Cai Yong's daughter be his concubine.

This is practically asking for trouble.

After this incident spread, Liu Bei also felt that whether he was attending court or discussing matters, many people around him were looking at him strangely.

Many of their gazes were filled with mockery.

This made Liu Bei, who had hoped to rely on Cai Yong's status to join the ranks of the gentry and avoid being schemed against by Yuan Wei in the future, feel troubled by the constant mocking gaze behind him.

At this time, outside Luoyang City.

Liu Bei was in the military camp instructing Guan Yu, who had just returned, on the defense of Hangu Pass.

Sitting in the main seat, Liu Bei, who was full of vigor a few days ago, had a more gloomy look between his brows.

"Yun Chang, I am leading troops to attack Duan Yu on this mission. The outcome is uncertain."

Liu Bei slowly spoke, "The 200,000 troops remaining in Luoyang are the foundation of our brotherhood, and we must not allow them to be lost. Remember, no matter whether I win or lose outside, or whatever news I receive, you must not lead the troops to advance rashly."

"Even if the court issues an order, you must try to delay it as much as possible, consult with Xianhe more often, and send people to visit your third brother in Mengjin from time to time. Under no circumstances should your third brother be allowed to drink and curse the soldiers in the army, understand?"

Liu Bei gave them earnest and heartfelt instructions.

"Brother," Guan Yu said, frowning, "wouldn't it be safer for me to lead the troops to attack Duan Yu on your behalf, while you remain in Luoyang?"

Liu Bei slowly shook his head and took a deep breath.

If he could, he naturally wouldn't want to go to war.

But this was not because Yuan Wei feared that his power in Luoyang was too great and would affect the Yuan family's voice in the court.

Jian Yong, sitting to the side, noticed Liu Bei's predicament and said, "Lord Wen, it's not that our lord doesn't want to go, but he has no choice but to go."

Liu Bei nodded slightly.

"Yun Chang, please remember what I said. If anything happens, you can send someone to write to me."

Guan Yu could only nod helplessly and say, "Please rest assured, brother."

The original order from the imperial court was for Liu Bei to send troops ten days later.

Perhaps unable to bear the discussions in Luoyang these past few days, Liu Bei volunteered to lead an expedition the day after Guan Yu returned.

Those who accompanied Liu Bei on his expedition included Zhuge Gui, Zhang Rao, Xu He, and Sima Ju, all former Yellow Turban generals from Qingzhou whom he had recruited.

In addition, there was Huangfu Song, who had been imprisoned after being defeated at Hangu Pass.

In the residence of Grand Tutor Yuan Wei.

Huangfu Song, dressed in armor and ready to go to war, sat in Yuan Wei's study.

A cup of hot tea is placed in front of me.

"Yizhen, I've always felt that you were born at the wrong time."

Sitting in the main seat, Yuan Wei slowly put down his teacup and said, "If it weren't for Duan Yu's appearance, I thought you could have become a famous general and be remembered in history."

Huangfu Song, who looked much older than last year, lowered his head slightly.

The arrogance Huangfu Song possessed a few years ago, and even the confidence he had when conquering the Yellow Turbans, seemed to have been destroyed by his repeated defeats.

"But I believe that gold will always shine eventually, so I implore the Empress Dowager to give you another chance."

Huangfu Song clasped his hands in a fist salute to Yuan Kui and said, "Thank you, Grand Tutor. This humble general... will repay your kindness with his life."

"Okay, go ahead, and do your best this time."

..............

At the end of April, the north and south banks of the Suni River between Shoujiang City and Tanhanshan.

At this time, two equally large cavalry forces have been facing off here for several days.

On one side was a force of 20,000 Southern Xiongnu cavalry led by Yiyufuluo.

On the other side was a Xianbei army of over 50,000 men led by Budugen.

The two sides have been locked in a standoff on the Sunni River for more than five days.

At this moment, outside Budugen's camp.

Guo Tu, dressed in a black scholar's robe, slowly walked into the camp.

Sitting in his tent, Budugen was looking at a sheepskin map laid out in front of him.

Upon hearing footsteps outside the tent, Budugen raised his head and looked at Guo Tu, who was walking towards him.

“Mr. Guo has come at the right time.” Budugen looked at Guo Tu and asked, “Mr. Guo said that the Xiongnu army could be defeated within ten days, and five days have already passed.”

"Mr. Guo, shouldn't you keep your promise? If you want my Xianbei men to fight them to the death, then don't blame me for not fulfilling my previous oath."

With a confident smile, Guo Tu stroked his short beard and said, "Chanyu, do not be impatient. We will surely defeat the enemy within three days!"