Chapter 1048

Yuan Shu and Li Feng planned the lure-the-enemy-deep plan in detail, with every detail repeatedly scrutinized to ensure nothing went wrong. They chose a valley with steep terrain as the trap, with high mountains standing on both sides and only a narrow path in the middle, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Yuan Shu mobilized most of his troops to lie in ambush on both sides of the valley, just waiting for Zhang Lu to take the bait.

A few days later, Li Feng led a small team and "fled in defeat" toward the valley according to the plan. They deliberately left chaotic footprints and discarded weapons, creating the illusion of a panicked escape. Zhang Lu's scouts soon reported this news back.

Hearing this news in his tent, Zhang Lu curled his lips into a cold sneer. "Yuan Shu, oh Yuan Shu, you have finally reached this point. I thought you had submitted, but I never expected you to still dare to play such little tricks." He was full of confidence, believing this was Yuan Shu's desperate struggle, and decided to lead the army in pursuit himself to eliminate Yuan Shu and completely occupy his territory.

Zhang Lu's army marched toward the valley in a grand manner, encountering almost no resistance along the way, which only strengthened his confidence. However, when he led his army into the valley, he suddenly found that the surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, and an ominous premonition welled up in his heart.

Just then, the sounds of battle suddenly shook the sky on both sides of the valley, and Yuan Shu's ambush troops poured down from the heights, with arrows falling like rain, throwing Zhang Lu's army into chaos. Zhang Lu was shocked and hurriedly commanded his army to counterattack, but in this narrow valley, his army could not deploy at all and could only be beaten passively.

Yuan Shu personally led a force of elite troops, charging out from the other end of the valley to strike directly at Zhang Lu's center. He brandished his long spear, invincible, and fought his way to Zhang Lu. Seeing Yuan Shu charging at him personally, Zhang Lu turned pale with fright; he had not expected Yuan Shu to still possess such powerful combat strength.

"Zhang Lu, you have betrayed your word; today is your end!" Yuan Shu roared, his long spear thrusting straight at Zhang Lu's heart.

Zhang Lu hurriedly raised his sword to block, but Yuan Shu's spear technique was fierce, and he could not fend it off at all. After a few rounds, Zhang Lu was already sweating profusely and panting for breath. He knew that if this continued, he would surely lose his life here, so he shouted loudly: "Yuan Shu, I am willing to negotiate with you; please stop!"

Yuan Shu sneered and stopped his long spear. "Negotiate? What qualifications do you have to negotiate with me now?"

Zhang Lu panted and said: "Yuan Shu, I admit that my betrayal was my fault, but there is no deep hatred between you and me; why must we fight to the death? I am willing to compensate for your losses and promise never to offend again."

Yuan Shu looked at Zhang Lu, weighing the pros and cons in his heart. He knew that although he could eliminate Zhang Lu in one fell swoop, he would also suffer heavy losses. Moreover, once Zhang Lu was destroyed, his territory would surely attract the covetous eyes of other forces, which might lead to even greater trouble.

"Fine!" Yuan Shu pondered for a moment and finally nodded. "Zhang Lu, I will believe you one more time. But you must remember, I, Yuan Shu, am not a lamb to be slaughtered; if you have any more acts of betrayal, I will certainly take your head!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Lu breathed a sigh of relief. He knew he had saved his life and hurriedly promised: "Rest assured, Yuan Shu; I, Zhang Lu, will certainly obey in the future and will never dare to have two hearts again."

The two sides reached an agreement, and Zhang Lu compensated Yuan Shu with a large amount of grain, fodder, and supplies, promising not to infringe upon Yuan Shu's territory again. Yuan Shu also fulfilled his promise and let Zhang Lu's army leave.

Although this battle was thrilling, it was ultimately resolved in a peaceful manner. Yuan Shu not only preserved his territory and soldiers but also demonstrated his strength and wisdom through this battle, making other forces not dare to underestimate him easily.

After the battle, Yuan Shu held a victory banquet in his tent. He raised his cup to thank every general present: "Today's victory is entirely due to your bravery and wisdom. With comrades like you, what great undertaking can I, Yuan Shu, not achieve?"

The generals raised their cups in response, and the atmosphere was warm and joyful. Li Feng became the hero in the spotlight; he not only performed brilliantly in the battle but also won this victory for Yuan Shu with his courage and wisdom.

However, while celebrating, Yuan Shu also understood that in this chaotic world, crises were everywhere. He had to remain vigilant at all times and constantly strengthen his power to survive in this cruel world.

"Everyone, although we have won today, the road ahead is still long. We must continue to rectify internal affairs, develop the economy, and strengthen our military. Only in this way can we remain invincible in this chaotic world." Yuan Shu's words were sonorous and powerful, filled with confidence and determination for the future.

After the victory banquet, Yuan Shu sat alone in his tent, looking at the map on the desk, and fell into deep thought. He knew well that although Zhang Lu's threat had been temporarily resolved, the situation in the world remained turbulent. Cao Cao, Liu Bei, Sun Quan, and other warlords were all actively expanding their power, and he, Yuan Shu, had to find a more stable path for development.

"My Lord, what are you thinking about?" Ji Ling walked into the tent softly, interrupting Yuan Shu's thoughts.

Yuan Shu looked up at Ji Ling and sighed slightly. "Ji Ling, I am thinking about how we should walk our path next. Although Zhang Lu's matter has been resolved, the general trend of the world is unclear, and we must not let our guard down."

Upon hearing this, Ji Ling nodded, his expression also becoming serious. "My Lord is absolutely right. With various warlords rising, if we want to establish a foothold in this chaotic world, we must find allies to resist the enemy together."

"Allies?" Yuan Shu frowned. "In this chaotic world, who is worth trusting? And who is willing to form an alliance with us?"

Ji Ling was silent for a moment and suddenly said: "My Lord, perhaps we can consider forming an alliance with Sun Ce. Sun Ce is young and promising, and his territory is close to ours; if we can join hands with him, perhaps we can resist foreign enemies together."

Upon hearing this, a flash of light crossed Yuan Shu's eyes. He knew well Sun Ce's bravery and wisdom; if he could form an alliance with Sun Ce, it would indeed strengthen his power. But immediately, he revealed a worried expression. "Sun Ce is strong, but he is ambitious; how can we ensure he won't stab us in the back?"

Ji Ling smiled and said: "My Lord, in this chaotic world, there are no eternal enemies and no eternal friends. As long as our interests are consistent with Sun Ce's, he has no reason to betray us. Moreover, we can consolidate our alliance through marriage."

"Marriage?" Yuan Shu was startled, then understood what Ji Ling meant. "You mean, marry my daughter to Sun Ce?"

Ji Ling nodded. "Exactly. In this way, we will become in-laws with Sun Ce, and he will naturally be more considerate of our interests."

Yuan Shu pondered for a moment and felt that Ji Ling's suggestion was indeed feasible. Thus, he said: "Good, then send an envoy to Jiangdong to discuss the marriage matter with Sun Ce. At the same time, we must also be prepared, just in case."