If you would not spurn me, I would take you as my adoptive father!

Beneath the pitch-black curtain of night, a party raced a thousand miles toward Shouchun.

At their head was none other than the once-unrivaled warrior, Lü Bu.

Beside him, the strategist Chen Gong wore an indescribably complicated expression.

"My lord."

In the end, Chen Gong could no longer hold back and spoke.

"Ever since you first started making your way in the world, you took Ding Yuan as your adoptive father, then went over to Dong Zhuo, and after that, Minister of the Masses Wang Yun."

"You could truly be called... flexible and adaptable."

Chen Gong chose his words carefully, but his meaning was unmistakable.

"Now that you are going to join Yang Feng, emperor of the Great Yang Empire, I hope you can truly settle down."

"Follow him properly and accomplish great things. You must never again betray trust and forsake righteousness, plunging yourself into dishonor!"

Chen Gong's voice brimmed with earnestness.

"You joined Ding Yuan first, Dong Zhuo second, and Wang Yun third. You have long since lost the trust of all under heaven. You must keep that in mind!"

Listening to Chen Gong practically bare his heart, Lü Bu merely curled his lip impatiently atop Red Hare Horse.

"Fine."

"I'm not the kind of person you're describing."

His tone was full of disdain, as though Chen Gong's worries were entirely unnecessary.

The party said nothing more. With only a dozen or so servants and their families in tow, they kicked up a cloud of dust and vanished into the night.

This was his sincerity-Lü Bu's sincerity!

Early the following morning.

Yang Feng was still enjoying a decadent life beneath his warm covers, a beauty in each arm, sleeping soundly.

Then he heard hurried footsteps and hushed reports from outside.

"Your Majesty! Your Majesty!"

"Lord Yan Xiang and General Ji Ling have been waiting outside for quite some time!"

"They say a court assembly must be held. They have something of tremendous importance to report, and they're frantic!"

Yang Feng opened his eyes groggily.

What the hell?

A court assembly?

What time was it even?!

Somewhat annoyed, he pushed aside the warm, supple bodies entwined around him and slowly climbed out of the bed, which was big enough for seven or eight people to roll around on.

Throwing on an outer robe haphazardly, Yang Feng walked outside, yawning.

As soon as he left his bedchamber, he saw Yan Xiang and Ji Ling.

Good grief!

The two really did look frantic, pacing back and forth at the entrance to the great hall as though their eyebrows were on fire.

"What happened?"

Yang Feng asked languidly.

"What has you in such a blazing hurry this early in the morning?"

The moment Yan Xiang saw Yang Feng emerge, he looked as though he had spotted his savior and rushed over, taking the steps two at a time.

"My lord! Something huge has happened!"

His reaction startled Yang Feng, who wondered whether Cao Cao had attacked.

That shouldn't be possible!

Before he could ask, Yan Xiang blurted out the answer.

"It's Lü Bu!"

"Lü Bu of Xu Province! He says he has something of tremendous importance to discuss with you!"

Lü Bu?

Yang Feng was utterly dumbfounded.

A string of labels flashed through his mind.

A house slave of three surnames!

A faithless traitor!

A professional adoptive-father screwer!

This guy was a heavyweight walking disaster!

Yang Feng's heart filled with confusion and wariness.

What could this fellow possibly want with me?

We're so far apart that even eight bamboo poles couldn't reach between us!

Could he have run out of room in Xu Province and come to seek refuge with me?

But I don't have any friendship with him!

His reputation stinks to high heaven throughout the entire Three Kingdoms circle!

Who would dare take him in?

Yang Feng ranted inwardly, but kept his expression composed.

After some thought, he decided to meet him first.

He would see just what tricks this fellow wanted to play.

"Let him in."

Yang Feng gave the order calmly.

"As you command!"

Yan Xiang and Ji Ling exchanged a glance, each seeing a trace of gravity in the other's eyes, then immediately turned to relay the order.

Before long.

A powerfully built man with an imposing bearing strode inside.

Good grief!

Yang Feng took a close look and could not help praising him inwardly.

The man wore a three-pronged purple-gold crown binding his hair, a hundred-flower robe of red brocade from Western Sichuan, interlocking armor with beast-faced shoulder guards, and an intricately worked lion belt cinching his armor at the waist!

He looked exactly like a character model that had walked straight out of a game!

Absolutely top-tier!

Behind him followed a woman.

She moved with light lotus steps, her figure graceful and her beauty unmatched. With every frown and smile, she seemed to draw all the light in the great hall toward her.

Holy crap!

Could this be Diaochan?

She really was an unparalleled beauty of this world!

While Yang Feng was marveling inwardly, the imposing man did something the instant he saw him that left him utterly dumbstruck!

Thud!

A dull impact rang out!

Without another word, the man dropped straight onto both knees and prostrated himself before him, all five points touching the ground!

The entire movement flowed like drifting clouds and running water, without the slightest hesitation!

Yang Feng could only stare, stunned.

Yan Xiang and Ji Ling were also dumbstruck, their mouths hanging wide enough to fit an egg!

What was going on?!

Before anyone could react, the man raised his head and shouted in a voice filled with boundless fervor and reverence.

"I have long heard of Emperor Yang Feng's great name! I am Lü Bu of Xu Province!"

At those words, a chorus of sharp gasps instantly filled the great hall!

It really was Lü Bu!

But that was not the end!

Lü Bu immediately knocked his forehead against the floor again, his voice rising a full octave, filled with endless sincerity!

"If my lord would not spurn me!"

"I, Lü Bu, would take you as my adoptive father!"

Hearing those words, Yang Feng froze on the spot.

Wait, this script wasn't quite right.

Who took someone as their adoptive father the moment they met?

And look at that face, that build. No matter how you looked at it, you were older than me, weren't you?

My heavens, this... this move of yours was way too outrageous!

I didn't want a son as old as you.

If you really wanted to become relatives...

Your wife Diaochan was certainly something!

While Yang Feng was still ranting inwardly, Chen Gong and Yan Xiang beside him were also completely dumbfounded.

Especially Chen Gong.

He was holding his forehead with one hand, his head practically splitting with pain, utterly miserable.

Alas.

Of course he knew that his lord Lü Bu was doing this purely to express his loyalty, hoping to bind himself firmly to Yang Feng's ship.

But!

But this way of expressing loyalty was truly dreadful!

It was rotten to the absolute core!

Good grief, first you joined Ding Yuan and acknowledged him as your adoptive father, only to turn around and stab him to death.

Then you joined Dong Zhuo and acknowledged him as your adoptive father too, only to stab him to death as well.

Now you had come running to the Great Yang Empire, met Emperor Yang Feng, and wanted to acknowledge him as your adoptive father too!

Alas!

Who wouldn't tremble if this happened to them?!

Wasn't this simply a professional at screwing people over?!

Yang Feng shook his head furiously inside, but still had to maintain a polite smile as he waved his hands repeatedly. "General Lü, please rise, please rise."

"We are truly delighted that you have come to pledge your allegiance, General Lü."

"However... as for this adoptive-father business, We think we should forget about it."

Hearing this, Lü Bu raised his head and looked at Yang Feng with an innocent expression.