Your Majesty, please spare Diao Chan; your yang energy is too strong.

"Fell into a trap?"

Hou Cheng's face showed a hint of disdain.

“Zhang Liao, you are also a veteran general who has been through many battles. Tell me, after the enemy’s army of 10,000 suffered a great defeat, only 5,000 soldiers were left. What kind of trick could they possibly have to defeat our lord?”

Zhang Liao was speechless: "I..."

Hou Cheng sneered, "Speechless now, huh? In that case, let me guess: does General Zhang Liao have some kind of shady relationship with that Zhou Heng?"

"As far as I know, Zhou Heng greatly admires General Zhang Liao?"

"They even extended an olive branch to General Zhang Liao more than once."

"The general did not refuse, did he?"

Hou Cheng dropped another bombshell, instantly turning Lü Bu's face cold.

"Is this true?"

Lu Bu's face was as cold as the dead of winter.

If Zhang Liao had let the Mi family go before, he could have tolerated it.

He even tolerated stopping him from pursuing the enemy when he was in the middle of a whim.

But he absolutely could not tolerate being betrayed by the person he trusted most.

Hou Cheng's words undoubtedly touched a nerve with Lü Bu.

He understood all too well that a powerful force always begins to crumble from within.

Take Dong Zhuo, for example.

If he hadn't betrayed Dong Zhuo, who in the world could have killed him?

Could it be that Zhang Liao now wants to emulate what I did back then?

Lu Bu was startled.

Recalling what Hou Cheng had said before, she found it increasingly reasonable.

Why did Chen Gong trust Zhang Liao so much?

It's simply because Zhang Liao had no motive to betray Lü Bu.

But what if Zhou Heng had extended an olive branch to Zhang Liao?

Then it all makes sense.

He deliberately let the Mi family go in order to impress the new lord.

They're blocking me now, probably because they don't want their lord to suffer too much loss.

When considering the other person's resume.

He himself had only served Ding Yuan, Dong Zhuo, and Wang Yun, a mere servant of three masters.

The other party was Ding Yuan, He Jin, Dong Zhuo, and himself—a complete traitor to four masters.

It seems that betraying someone again isn't such an unacceptable thing!

Thinking of this.

Lu Bu's eyes immediately turned dangerous.

His eyes blazed with murderous intent as he stared intently at Zhang Liao.

It seems that if one hears the word "ran" from the other party, one must kill them on the spot.

This scene, when it occurred to Zhang Liao, left him feeling utterly cold.

He was thinking of Lü Bu.

He was extremely loyal to him.

Unexpectedly, it was just a few words from Hou Cheng, malicious slander.

That actually made him want to kill me.

How could this not chill his heart?

How could we not make him feel bitter?

"Hou Cheng, don't try to be unreasonable. My loyalty to my lord is evident to heaven and earth..."

Zhang Liao tried his best to explain.

But it seemed so pale and powerless.

As the saying goes... It only takes a mouth to spread rumors, but it takes a lot of legwork to prove them.

Zhang Liao is in this situation now.

Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Lü Bu.

He coldly replied, "I'm asking you, is what Hou Cheng said true or false?"

Zhang Liao's eyes were filled with sorrow: "My lord, Zhou Heng did indeed recruit me back then, but I..."

Lu Bu completely ignored Zhang Liao's next words: "So that means it really happened?"

Zhang Liao nodded: "Yes."

Lu Bu asked again, "You didn't refuse?"

Zhang Liao's face was grim: "At first I refused, but later..."

"Hahaha, you refused at first?" Hou Cheng laughed loudly. "So you didn't refuse later?"

Zhang Liao's face turned pale, and he roared in anger: "Hou Cheng, if you dare to spout nonsense again, I will surely kill you."

Hou Cheng scoffed: "Getting angry and embarrassed, trying to kill me to silence me?"

Zhang Liao's face flushed red and then turned pale: "You..."

It must be said that Hou Cheng's talents in various aspects are not particularly outstanding.

But when it comes to eloquence...

Even ten Zhang Liaos wouldn't be a match for him.

This kind of rumor-mongering is a typical psychological trap.

Throughout history, countless famous ministers and generals have died because of such rumors.

"Actually, I don't understand why you didn't reject Zhou Heng later."

"Could it be that he promised you some unseen benefits?"

"Or perhaps you admire him very much."

"Could it be that he gave too much?"

Hou Cheng didn't give Zhang Liao any chance to explain.

Speak directly and establish this matter as a fact.

"You...bullshit, I never agreed to anything he asked for."

Zhang Liao is now also confused by Hou Cheng.

The more you try to describe it, the more confusing it becomes.

They had no idea that they had fallen into Hou Cheng's trap step by step.

"Oh, so you're admitting that everything I said before was true?"

Sure enough, just as Zhang Liao uttered those words, Hou Cheng immediately made the final decision.

"Tsk tsk, Zhang Liao, Zhang Liao, I really overestimated you."

"He didn't agree to anything for you, didn't give you anything good, and you still wholeheartedly devoted yourself to him!"

What are the benefits?

"Could this be the legendary instant connection, a bond that transcends life and death?"

Hou Cheng shook his head, looking very disappointed.

"Bastard, I didn't, don't talk nonsense... I'll kill you."

Zhang Liao wanted to explain, but it was like having mud in his crotch—even if it wasn't excrement, it was still excrement.

It's impossible to explain.

Enraged, he immediately wanted to rush over and kill the other party.

To vent the hatred in his heart.

"when."

Before he could even reach his opponent, he was blocked by a halberd that appeared out of nowhere.

Who else could it be but Lü Bu?

"You dare to hurt someone in front of me?"

Lu Bu's face was extremely cold.

"My lord...you..."

Zhang Liao's face was filled with disbelief.

Then, as if he had figured something out, he burst into laughter.

"Haha, I understand."

"Zhang Liao, Zhang Liao, you were so loyal to Lü Bu, but I never expected that he never trusted you from beginning to end."

"So many years of unwavering loyalty, yet it can't compare to a few slanderous words from the person next to me."

"It's ridiculous, it's really ridiculous."

“Zhou Heng is right. Lü Bu is intolerant of others and has courage but no strategy. He will surely be defeated one day.”

"How hateful that I actually had a sliver of hope for you back then."

"Hahaha, ridiculous, ridiculous."

Zhang Liao was so angry that he laughed instead.

He had completely lost faith in Lü Bu.

Although Lu Bu had wanted to kill him over a trivial matter before.

Although he felt frustrated, he was not completely disappointed.

But today, what the other party did truly chilled him to the bone.

Years of risking one's life are no match for a few words of slander from others?