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

"So you're just going to keep wallowing in this depression?"

If the other party wasn't his partner, Chen Gong would be so angry he'd want to slap Lü Bu across the face to bring him to his senses.

Chen Gong's allegiance to Lü Bu was not merely a matter of master and servant.

It's more of a cooperative relationship.

Otherwise, Chen Gong wouldn't have been able to curse Lü Bu like a dog every time.

"Right now, all I want is to live a life of debauchery. Imperial ambitions and world domination are irrelevant to me. I can't even protect my own woman. I, Lü Bu, am nothing but a piece of trash."

Lu Bu let out a burp and said dejectedly.

"You're right, you're a piece of trash, Lü Bu. I misjudged you..."

Chen Gong was trembling with anger.

After saying that, he prepared to leave in anger.

"Hahaha, Gongtai, even you think so..."

Lu Bu gave a bitter smile.

"Is Gongtai preparing to leave me and seek a wise ruler? Yes, that's true. How could someone as heroic as Gongtai be willing to support an incompetent monarch like me?"

"Go, go, go as far away as possible, and then no one will bother me to drink anymore."

Lu Bu waved his hand.

She thought Chen Gong wanted to leave her.

What he considered nothing was a disgrace, but to Chen Gong it was an utter humiliation.

"Lu Bu, in your heart, am I, Chen Gong, such a fickle and treacherous person?"

"What kind of person do you take me for, Chen Gong?"

Chen Gong stopped in his tracks and said angrily.

"I'm just disappointed."

"The Lü Bu I once knew was a hero who regarded all the heroes of the world as nothing."

"He fought three against one at Hulao Pass, killed Dong Zhuo, battled Cao Cao, and defeated Yuan Shu. What a hero he was."

"I never expected that today, they are just some bandits and outlaws."

"They've actually fallen so low."

"They didn't even have the courage to take back their woman and Xuzhou."

"You have let me down too much."

This statement came out.

As if a chord deep within him had been touched, Lü Bu roared furiously.

Do you think I don't want to take it back?

"Do you think I don't want to win Diao Chan back?"

"You're wrong. I think, I dream about it all the time."

"I wish I could rush into Xuzhou City right now and kill Zhou Heng."

"However, our previous attack on Xuzhou has already ruined our reputation."

"If we fight Zhou Heng now, there will be no place for us in the world."

"There's still at least one Xiao Pei."

"Not to mention military strength, with the support of the Mi family, Zhou Heng's strength will surely increase greatly in a short period of time."

"Our army has already suffered heavy losses in the Battle of Xuzhou, so what can we use to retake Xuzhou?"

Lü Bu was furious.

How could he not want to take it back?

But he knew he had no chance in Xuzhou.

This is why he drowns his sorrows in alcohol.

Aside from the reason related to Diao Chan, the main reason was the lack of hope.

His reputation was ruined.

The various prefectures of Xuzhou had long since stopped welcoming them.

Even if he possessed extraordinary strength, it would be virtually impossible for him to expand his influence from Xuzhou.

"Really?"

Chen Gong suddenly regained his composure.

"I want to more than anyone else in the world, but I understand even more clearly that we have no chance."

"At least Zhou Heng won't give us that chance."

"He makes it sound nice, saying we can take any of the six counties of Xuzhou. But with my current reputation, who would want me, Lü Bu, to rule them?"

Lu Bu sighed, his eyes bloodshot.

“We didn’t have a chance before, but we might have a chance now?” Upon hearing Lü Bu’s words, Chen Gong not only showed no anger, but instead smiled mysteriously.

"Huh? How do you say this?"

Seemingly after venting his anger, Lü Bu gradually regained his composure.

"Look at this."

As Chen Gong spoke, he took out an imperial edict from his bosom.

"This means... Yuan Shu has declared himself emperor?"

Lu Bu's eyes widened.

“That’s right. If it were before, with our reputation and strength, it would have been virtually impossible to retake Xuzhou City in a short period of time.”

"But now, a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is before us."

"Yuan Shu declared himself emperor."

"Cao Cao used the emperor's hand to issue a proclamation to suppress the bandits, which led to all the warlords in the land attacking him together."

"No matter how strong Yuan Shu is, he is bound to be defeated."

"At that time, we could take Yuan Shu's troops and even dominate the Jianghuai region."

"At that time, what is there to fear from a mere bandit or thief?"

Chen Gong said seriously.

All he said before was to stir up Lü Bu's ambition.

Now Lü Bu has regained his senses.

He immediately revealed his plans.

"Does Gongtai mean to join forces with Cao Cao to attack Yuan Shu?"

Lu Bu frowned.

“That’s right, but Fengxian, you’ve said something wrong. We’re not cooperating with Cao Cao, but with all the warlords of the land. Cao Cao is my mortal enemy, and I will never cooperate with that traitor Cao Cao under any circumstances.”

"However, this attack on Yuan Shu was not just by Cao Cao, but by all the warlords of the land."

"What we need to do is maximize our interests in this war."

"After the previous betrayal, the local powerful families in Xuzhou no longer welcome us."

"It's practically impossible to develop something from Xuzhou."

"I think this is why Zhou Heng allowed you to seize the six counties of Xuzhou."

"Besides wanting your help to resist Cao Cao and Yuan Shu, we also know that we don't have the ability to do so."

"In this way, he gained a lot of time for development."

"But this is just his plan."

"But now a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity is before us."

"Yuan Shu dominated the Jianghuai region."

"He is the most powerful feudal lord in the world."

"If he doesn't declare himself emperor, no feudal lord in the world can touch him."

"But now he has chosen to become emperor, seemingly oblivious to his own mortality."

"In this way, defeat is inevitable."

"As long as we can gain a considerable benefit from this war."

"At that time, we can find another way."

"Developing from the Jianghuai region, taking control of Xuzhou later will be as easy as snapping your fingers."

"Xuzhou is threatened by Yuan Shu and Cao Cao. As soon as we leave, Zhou Heng will be the first to be affected."

"This greatly delayed his efforts to expand his power."

"At that time, one will gain at the expense of the other."

"We might be able to retake Xuzhou, and even replace Yuan Shu to become the most powerful warlord in the land?"

"At that time, we will dominate the Jianghuai region, and our strength in Yangzhou and Xuzhou will greatly increase."

"In the future, it's even possible that he might be made a king or prime minister."

Chen Gong said calmly.

"what?"

Lu Bu was startled.

"Gongtai, how confident are you?"

"Regardless of how confident we are, we absolutely cannot miss this once-in-a-lifetime opportunity. Once we miss it, it will be extremely difficult to have such an opportunity again."