Can He Be Trusted?

Chapter 106 – Can He Be Trusted?

"Fengxian! Stop!"

Ding Yuan shouted with all his strength. Because the collision of killing intent and the duel made him weak in the knees, Ding Yuan had to shout instead of jumping in front of Lu Bu.

"Don't worry, pops. He doesn't even hurt."

Lu Bu shrugged as if he had nothing to do with it. He proceeded toward Tong who was still lying on the ground with his hand on his forehead.

"Good fight, brat. Can you stand?"

Lu Bu extended his hand to Tong, gesturing his goodwill.

Tong grabbed his hand and got up while he was still dizzy by the headache.

"Yeah, thank you, senior."

"Don't call me senior. Just call me by Fengxian! What's your name?"

"Zhang Tong, senior. I meant brother Fengxian. You can just call me Tong."

"That's an odd courtesy name. But who cares, right? That was a good outburst by the way! Where did you learn that? It took me five years to master that killing intent. You know that when I was young I …"

Lu Bu started talking nonstop which surprised Tong. He thought that the God of War would be haughty, arrogant, and dignified. However, the person in front of him was just like a battle maniac or a nerd martial artist.

This event made Tong doubt that the big guy over here was actually Lu Bu or an imposter.

'He's too innocent to be a backstabber. Perhaps something turned him into that kind of person. The event at Xiapi in the year 196 was the proof that he can't be trusted … wait! Maybe!'

Tong opened his eyes wide as he had enlightenment. He had one theory in his mind at the moment. If this theory was correct, then the other Lords might have misunderstood him as an unfilial person and branded him as untrustworthy in Tong's history timeline.

By the records of ancient historians, Wang Yun plotted with Lu Bu to kill Dong Zhuo. It was possible that Wang Yun was the mastermind, and it was Lu Bu who was being used as a tool.

After he killed Dong Zhuo and fled from Chang An, he sought shelter under Yuan Shu in Wan City. However, Yuan Shu detested Lu Bu for being unfilial and his deeds for being a betrayer, he did not welcome him. As a consequence, Lu Bu developed a paranoid trait, which worsened his standings with every Lords in the future.

Then, he went to Yuan Shao and asked him to be employed under him, but Yuan Shao plotted to assassinate Lu Bu because of his past deeds. Both of them ended up having a feud with each other because Yuan Shao sent a team of assassins to kill him at night.

Afterward, Lu Bu fled southward. He encountered Zhang Miao in Chenliu, who invited him in and welcomed him wholeheartedly. Unbeknownst to the plot that Zhang Miao had planned, Lu Bu accepted to live in Chenliu for a while.

In 194, Cao Cao, who was the master of Zhang Miao and Chenliu City, launched a campaign against Xu Province under Tao Qian's control. Chen Gong conspired with Zhang Miao and dragged Lu Bu into the picture by forcing him to help them occupying Pu Yang City.

Lu Bu did so as Chen Gong and the rest of the defectors of Cao Cao had asked him, which ended up as him betraying another Lord, and eventually lost the city back to Cao Cao.

Then he was used again by Yuan Shu when Lu Bu sought shelter with Liu Bei. He was tricked into attacking Xiapi by baiting Lu Bu that Yuan Shu would be willing to solve his provision and army supply problems, however, Lu Bu had to help Yuan Shu taking down Liu Bei. Thus, Lu Bu betrayed Liu Bei and took Xiapi.

On 197 Yuan Shu proclaimed himself Emperor, Cao Cao tricked him into becoming an ally and attacking Yuan Shu. As a result, Lu Bu betrayed his previous ally, Yuan Shu.

At the battle of Xiapi, which was Lu Bu's last battle, Cao Cao gave Lu Bu an offer that if he were to surrender to him, Lu Bu would be allowed to serve under Cao Cao. Lu Bu wanted to surrender, but he was stopped by Chen Gong and the others who were once subordinates of Cao Cao because they were afraid of the repercussions of being traitors.

There were many other cases where Lu Bu had been led by the nose by other people and his reputation continued to sink further and further. Everything happened because he lacked the abilities to judge people and skills to make a thorough plan for the future, which ended up getting himself killed by the hands of Cao Cao and Liu Bei in the year 199.

'With zero reputation, Lu Bu was considered deceitful by the historians. But was it actually the case?' Tong thought.

'But there is one more question. If he is not a duplicity person as I have in mind, why did he kill Ding Yuan to serve Dong Zhuo? What is the factor that drove him into this act?'

While Tong gazed at the Lu Bu in front of him, the others had regained their sense and leg strength. Ding Yuan rushed in to apologize to Tong in frantic. He was afraid that Lu Bu might create a feud with this young Lord, then he would lose out this trading partnership.

Tong did not mind it. He chatted with the two father and son for a while before a messenger barged in and gave out a report.

"Report to the Lord Governor! Zhang Ji of Dong Zhuo Army has come to visit! They are waiting for you inside the main hall!"

"Ah? Right. I totally forgot about it. I'm sorry young master Zhang. I will have to attend these guests. Please excuse me."

Tong's heart skipped a beat. The presence of a person of Dong Zhuo here gave Tong a bad premonition.

He was afraid that the event that Lu Bu killed his adopted father to join Dong Zhuo would happen earlier than the original timeline. If Lu Bu killed Ding Yuan and joined Dong Zhuo now, this Jinyang City might become a thorn to him in the future.

Tong could not afford to let Dong Zhuo snatching away Lu Bu right now!

"Do you mind if I go along as well? I also have a business proposition to Dong Zhuo. I wish to use this opportunity to contact his messenger, so it can save times."

Tong gave out an excuse to attend the meeting too. He wanted to monitor Lu Bu that he would not get a secret message from Dong Zhuo Army.

"Very well, young master Zhang. You can come with me. You have such sight in such a young age, I really envy your father."

"Haha, please don't. It is me who envy your son. He's so strong that he can beat me in less than 3 moves! I thought I'm strong but he is way stronger than me."

"HAHAHA!" Lu Bu and Ding Yuan laughed.

…

The three chatted and laughed while they headed to the government main hall. After they arrived, they found Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu waiting for them inside.

Both of them thought that Tong was one of the subordinates of Ding Yuan, so they did not pay attention to him.

"Greetings, Lord Ding Yuan. We've come as representatives of Lord Dong Zhuo. We've brought our humble treasures as our gifts. Please accept them."

There were boxes of gold, decorated vases, paintings, and miscellaneous objects in the middle of the hall. They were the tributes for Ding Yuan.

Tong glanced at the treasures, then he looked away as he did not interest in them. All of those were useless to him. Only gold, provision, army supplies, or famous generals and strategists could attract his interest.

On the contrary of Tong, Lu Bu looked at the tributes with desire. He wanted to take some of them and gift them to his wife or decorate his house with a few of these paintings.

Ding Yuan was an elite politician. He was indifferent toward tribute treasures like these. Thus, he continued with his formality.

"Please thank Lord Dong Zhuo for such gifts. Do tell me your mission. What can I do for you?"

"We are currently traveling to Julu City, so we have to pass this region. We are just stopping by to resupply ourselves. Please do not mind us."

Ding Yuan opened his eyes in surprise while he glanced at Tong in secret. On the other hand, Tong squinted his eyes and tried to read Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu.

'Why the hell is Dong Zhuo sending messengers to my city? What does he want from me? Wait a minute. Does he want me to be another Lu Bu? Judging from his wicked character and Li Ru, they would definitely try this strategy. But …'

Tong peered at Lu Bu by his side, who was staring at the treasures in a daze. It was not difficult to see his inner thought.

'As I suspected. Lu Bu is greedy by nature. He was probably easily tempted by Dong Zhuo in my timeline. Dong Zhuo was the grand chancellor of Han Court at that time, so he can appoint any high ranking official with just his words. For this reason, Lu Bu was tricked.'

Tong cleared up some of his suspicion of Lu Bu's character. If he was the type whom money and position could buy, then he could be tricked to kill his foster father easily.

'I wonder if I stop this father killing event, can I convert him and his father into my subordinates?'