Cao Cao is outside the gates of Xiapi. On the other side of a moat is Lu Bu, who is giving away everything by telling how much grain he has stored up and how thick the city walls are. Cao Cao's like, "No, I'm not here to conquer you. I'm here to visit with an old friend. All these men with weapons just happened to follow me here for some reason." Cao Cao continues to lay it on thick about how great and terrible Lu Bu is and Lu Bu, that poor simpleton, just laps it all up. Cao Cao recommends they become allies, with Cao Cao doing all the thinking and Lu Bu doing all the fighting. Finally Chen Gongtai has enough. He shoots an arrow into the ground right before Cao Cao, thus breaking the spell. He yells at Lu Bu to get in this house this instant, young man!
Cao Cao returns to his base camp and... takes a piss. (Will I ever understand you, Chinese TV?)
The rainy season begins and Chen Gongtai thinks the weather will buy them time. He suggests Lu Bu take some troops outside of the city and build a fort (because that's just so simple, right?) Lu Bu is all for the idea and prepares to leave when he learns that Diaochan is ill. Even though his lady love presses him to follow through with the plan - in between coughing fits - Lu Bu refuses to leave her side.
While Lu Bu nurses Diaochan, Cao Cao is at work. He diverts a nearby river into the city. As Xiapi starts to resemble Venice, Cao Cao sends in messages via arrows offering a huge reward for Lu Bu's head. The men turn against Lu Bu and the hairy Chinese troops take him prisoner and invite Cao Cao city.
A tied up Lu Bu is brought before Cao Cao and Liu Bei (who just suddenly showed up in the middle of this episode and really doesn't have much to say.) Lu Bu reminds Cao Cao of his earlier offer of them being allies. Now Lu Bu is all for it, of course. Cao Cao smiles and says that was before, when he was on the outside of the city and Lu Bu was inside. Things have changed.
As Lu Bu is taken away, another bound man is brought in. This is Lu Bu's second in command, a General Zhang Liao. Cao Cao removes Zhang Liao's binds and respectfully asks the man to join with him. Zhang Liao decides to throw his lot in with Cao Cao.
Next Cao Cao meets with Chen Gongtai. The two men manage to bury the hatchet between them and make peace, even though Cao Cao has Chen executed in the end.
Oh, and then a heartbreaking scene. As a chained and shackled Lu Bu is being lead to his execution, Diaochan steps in front of him. He tearfully tells her to go but she insists that since they weren't able to share this life together, they can share death together. Oh, Diaochan! Side by side they walk up to a wooden post which Lu Bu is then tied to. Diaochan wraps her arms around him. The archers ready their arrows. Suddenly a messenger rides in. He orders Diaochan to be taken away as Cao Cao has spared her. Diaochan fights against this as she's dragged away, saying she wants to be with Lu Bu. With a tearful smile, Lu Bu promises they will meet again in another life. Then the arrows fly.
Finally, Show, you get an ending right.
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