Chapter 1433

"I cannot retreat," Liu Bei silently told himself in his heart. "For Jiangnan, for the common people of the world, I must persist."

Just when Liu Bei was almost crushed by the pressure, Guan Yu sent good news from Jingzhou. He not only successfully stabilized the situation in Dongwu but also reached a new alliance agreement with Sun Quan; Sun Quan promised to fully support Liu Bei's northern expedition. In addition, Guan Yu also brought an unexpected ally—Meng Huo from Nanzhong, who was willing to lead the troops of various tribes in Nanzhong to jointly resist Cao Cao.

This series of good news made Liu Bei's spirit soar; he seemed to see the dawn of victory. He immediately adjusted his strategy, deciding to divide the troops into two routes: one route led by himself personally, mainly attacking Xu Chang; the other route led by Meng Huo, setting out from Nanzhong to capture Chang'an; the two main armies would finally meet in Luoyang to eliminate Cao Cao in one fell swoop.

However, just on the eve of the army setting out, Liu Bei suddenly fell ill. He lay on the bed, his high fever not subsiding, his consciousness blurred. The generals heard the news and came to visit one after another, but only saw Liu Bei's face pale, his breath faint.

"My lord, you must hold on!" Zhuge Liang held Liu Bei's hand, his eyes full of worry.

Liu Bei barely opened his eyes, looking at the people in front of him, a feeling of indescribable sorrow rising in his heart. He knew that his body could no longer support him for much longer, but this campaign had only just begun.

"Kongming, I am afraid..." Liu Bei's voice was so faint it could almost not be heard.

"My lord, don't say that; you must take care of your body; we still need you to lead us." Zhuge Liang's voice trembled somewhat.

Liu Bei shook his head, a flash of decisiveness appearing in his eyes. "Kongming, after I am gone, everything depends on you. You must complete my last wish: defeat Cao Cao, unify the world, and give the people a peaceful life."

After saying this sentence, Liu Bei's eyelids slowly closed and never opened again. Inside the study, there was dead silence, only the sobbing of the generals echoing in the air.

Liu Bei's passing added more uncertainty to the already tense situation. However, Zhuge Liang quickly stabilized the morale of the army; he followed Liu Bei's last wish and continued to prepare for the northern expedition. He knew that this campaign was not just for Liu Bei's last wish, but also for the future of the land of Jiangnan and for the tranquility of the common people of the world.

Under Zhuge Liang's leadership, Liu Bei's army continued to move forward; although they encountered countless difficulties and challenges in the process, they always persisted in Liu Bei's last wish and fought bravely forward. Finally, after paying a huge sacrifice, they successfully defeated Cao Cao's main army and realized Liu Bei's dream of hegemony.

However, for Liu Bei, all of this was no longer important. He left this world forever, leaving behind a legendary story and those heroes who struggled endlessly for their ideals.

Liu Bei's passing was like a sudden storm, letting the originally tight alliance relationship begin to show cracks. The troops of Jingzhou, as an important force under Liu Bei's command, also had undercurrents surging in this storm, and hidden dangers gradually emerged.

Zhuge Liang stood on the city tower of the Jingzhou Governor's Mansion, looking at the vast sky in the distance, his heart filled with worry. He knew that Liu Bei's passing not only made the army's morale low but also let some people with ulterior motives begin to stir. Among the troops of Jingzhou, there was no lack of people whose loyalty to Liu Bei was not high; they might choose to betray because of Liu Bei. ===== CHAPTER 1434 =====