Chapter 1047

Yuan Shu clenched his fists, his nails almost embedding into his palms, but he still maintained his composure and dignity. "Lord Zhang is absolutely right. I, Yuan Shu, have never begged anyone in my life, but today, I am willing to trade everything I personally possess for the peace of my soldiers and my people. As long as Lord Zhang is willing to provide grain and fodder aid, I, Yuan Shu, am willing to cede part of my territory, and even... even willing to submit as a subject under Lord Zhang."

Upon hearing this, a flash of surprise crossed Zhang Lu's eyes, and he then put on a playful expression. "Yuan Gonglu, your proposal is quite novel. However, why should I believe you? Your reputation, Yuan Shu, does not sound very good in this chaotic world."

Yuan Shu smiled bitterly; he knew his past had left too many negative impressions, but he still tried his best to defend himself: "Lord Zhang, no one is a sage, and who can be without faults? Although I, Yuan Shu, have had my faults, I am truly sincere toward my soldiers and my people. Please believe that I have come this time with sincerity and determination, and not with false intentions."

Zhang Lu was silent for a moment, seemingly weighing the pros and cons. The atmosphere inside the tent was tense to the extreme; every second seemed to be stretched out, making it suffocating. Finally, Zhang Lu spoke slowly: "Fine, Yuan Gonglu, I will believe you this once. But I have two conditions."

Yuan Shu felt a surge of joy and hurriedly said: "Lord Zhang, please speak; as long as it is something I can do, I will certainly go all out."

"First, you must hand over your elite troops to me for command for one year as collateral. Second, you must publicly announce to the people of the world that you, Yuan Shu, are willing to submit to me, Zhang Lu." Zhang Lu's voice was not loud, but every word was like a knife, piercing straight into Yuan Shu's heart.

Either of these two conditions would be enough to ruin Yuan Shu's reputation, but he did not hesitate for long. "I agree to your terms, Lord Zhang. As long as you can save my soldiers and my people, I, Yuan Shu, am willing to bear all of this."

Seeing this, Zhang Lu curled his lips into a satisfied smile. "Good, Yuan Gonglu, I count you as a man. Tomorrow, I will send men to deliver the grain and fodder to your camp. But remember, your promise must also be fulfilled."

Yuan Shu bowed deeply, his eyes filled with both humiliation and relief. "Many thanks, Lord Zhang; I, Yuan Shu, will certainly not break my word."

Leaving Zhang Lu's mansion, Yuan Shu and his party walked silently in the night. Seeing Yuan Shu's heavy expression, Ji Ling and the others dared not say much. It was not until they returned to the camp that Yuan Shu finally shed all his pretenses, collapsing on the ground as tears slid silently down his face.

"My Lord..." Ji Ling called out softly, his eyes filled with heartache.

Yuan Shu looked up, wiped away his tears, and forced a smile: "It is nothing, Ji Ling. We are saved at last. As long as the soldiers can live, what does this little bit of dignity of mine, Yuan Shu, count for?"

Upon hearing this, Ji Ling felt a mix of emotions. He understood that Yuan Shu had already paid far too much for the people on this land and for the soldiers who followed him. He secretly swore that no matter what, he would help Yuan Shu and overcome the difficulties together.

In the following days, Yuan Shu, in accordance with his agreement with Zhang Lu, handed over his elite troops to Zhang Lu's command and publicly announced his submission to Zhang Lu. This action caused a great uproar in the world, and many mocked Yuan Shu, believing he had completely become Zhang Lu's puppet.

But Yuan Shu did not care about these mocks and sarcasms. He knew well that in this chaotic world, survival was the most important thing. As long as the soldiers could live and the people on this land could be at peace, he, Yuan Shu, was willing to bear all the infamy and humiliation.

With Zhang Lu's aid, Yuan Shu's army gradually regained its vitality. The soldiers had full stomachs, and morale was greatly boosted. Yuan Shu began to set about rectifying internal affairs, developing the economy, and striving to make this land regain its vitality.

However, just when Yuan Shu thought everything was moving in a good direction, Zhang Lu suddenly tore up the agreement. He not only demanded that Yuan Shu continue to cede territory but also attempted to annex all of Yuan Shu's remaining forces.

Facing Zhang Lu's treachery, Yuan Shu's heart was filled with anger and disappointment. But he knew that now was not the time to act on impulse. He had to calm down and think of a way to deal with this sudden crisis.

"Ji Ling, summon all the generals; we are going to hold an emergency meeting." Yuan Shu's voice was low and firm; he was already prepared to fight again.

Ji Ling went to carry out the order, and soon, all the generals were gathered in the tent. Yuan Shu looked at these comrades who had followed him for many years, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that this battle would determine the fate of them all.

"Everyone, Zhang Lu has betrayed his word and is attempting to annex us. But we cannot sit here and wait for death; we must fight back!" Yuan Shu's words were sonorous and powerful, stirring the fighting spirit of the generals.

"That's right, we cannot let Zhang Lu succeed!"

"We will fight to the death with the Lord!"

The generals expressed their stance one after another, willing to advance and retreat with Yuan Shu. Looking at these loyal comrades, Yuan Shu was filled with emotion. He knew that no matter what the future held, as long as they were united as one, nothing could stop their progress.

Yuan Shu took a deep breath, his gaze like a torch, scanning every general present. "Good! Since everyone has this determination, let us devise a meticulous plan to catch Zhang Lu off guard."

Ji Ling stood out; he knew this battle was no small matter and must be handled with caution. "My Lord, since Zhang Lu has already torn up the agreement, we no longer need to have any scruples. We can use his contempt for us to set a trap, lure him deep, and then annihilate him in one fell swoop."

Yuan Shu nodded, agreeing with Ji Ling's idea. "This plan is feasible, but we need a perfect bait to make Zhang Lu believe that we have fallen into a desperate situation, so that he will attack without hesitation."

At this moment, a young general stood out; he was a rising star promoted by Yuan Shu in recent years, named Li Feng. "My Lord, I am willing to serve as the bait, leading a small team to feign defeat and flee into the pre-set trap. Seeing my great defeat, Zhang Lu will surely lead his army in pursuit himself, and at that time, we can use the terrain advantage to wipe him out completely."

Yuan Shu looked at Li Feng, a flash of appreciation crossing his eyes. "Li Feng, your courage is commendable, but this plan carries great risk; are you sure you want to do this?"

Li Feng nodded firmly. "My Lord, I, Li Feng, swear to follow you to the death; for the sake of the people on this land and for our future, I am willing to take this risk."

Yuan Shu was moved by Li Feng's loyalty and patted him on the shoulder. "Good! Li Feng, be careful on your mission; I will wait for your return at the trap, and we will fight Zhang Lu together."