Chapter 1487: Seeking Peace

Just when the morale of Liu Bei's army was high and they were preparing to launch a decisive blow against the enemy, a piece of news that shocked the whole army arrived like a bolt from the blue—the chief military strategist under Cao Cao, known as "wisdom like the sea," Xun You, had actually secretly dispatched an envoy to reveal his willingness to surrender to Liu Bei. This news plunged the entire Shu Han military camp into unprecedented turmoil; the generals discussed it one after another, some thinking this was a heaven-sent opportunity and should take the opportunity to launch a large-scale attack; others held a cautious attitude, worrying that there might be a trap.

After learning this news, complex emotions surged in Zhao Yun's heart. He knew Xun You's name well; the other side's status in the Cao Wei camp was of great importance, and his wisdom was praised by Zhuge Liang many times. If this person truly surrendered, it would undoubtedly be a huge blow to Cao Wei, but the problem was whether all this was too smooth and whether there was a deeper conspiracy hidden behind it.

Liu Bei urgently summoned all high-level generals and strategists to hold an emergency meeting. At the meeting, the envoy sent by Xun You was brought before everyone; he looked nervous, but his words revealed dissatisfaction with the current situation of Cao Wei and longing for Liu Bei's benevolent governance, claiming that Xun You had despaired of Cao Cao's tyranny and decided to abandon darkness for light, jointly resist tyranny, and restore the Han Dynasty.

Facing this sudden "olive branch," Zhao Yun maintained a high degree of vigilance. He did not rush to express his position but quietly observed everyone's reaction, especially Liu Bei's. He saw Liu Bei's brows locked tight, his gaze deep, obviously also weighing the pros and cons. Finally, Liu Bei decided to dispatch a trusted aide to secretly go to the Cao Wei camp to contact Xun You directly to verify whether what the envoy said was true.

However, just as Liu Bei's trusted aide was about to set out, Zhao Yun suddenly stood up and proposed a bold suggestion: "My lord, this matter concerns the life and death of our army and cannot be taken lightly. I am willing to go personally; firstly, I can ensure the authenticity of the news, and secondly, if it is true, I can also directly discuss cooperation details with Xun You to ensure nothing goes wrong."

Hearing this, a trace of hesitation flashed in Liu Bei's gaze, but it was immediately replaced by firmness. He knew Zhao Yun's ability and loyalty; if there was anyone who could complete this task, it was none other than Zhao Yun. Thus, he nodded in agreement and urged Zhao Yun to be careful in his actions.

Zhao Yun selected a few elite soldiers, disguised them as ordinary commoners, and took advantage of the night to sneak into the Cao Wei camp. After some careful investigation, Zhao Yun finally met Xun You at a hidden location. Xun You's face was haggard, his eyes revealing exhaustion and helplessness, but when he saw Zhao Yun, a flash of surprise still crossed his eyes.

The two had a secret talk; Xun You frankly stated his predicament: Cao Cao had become increasingly arbitrary in recent years and was increasingly suspicious of meritorious officials; although Xun You held a high position and great power, he could not escape suspicion. He did indeed intend to defect to Liu Bei, but due to his status, he could only act in secret. After hearing this, Zhao Yun had doubts in his heart, but seeing Xun You's words were earnest, coupled with his understanding of the internal situation of Cao Wei, he believed the credibility of this matter was extremely high.

Just as Zhao Yun was preparing to return to report this major discovery to Liu Bei, an accident happened. An enemy general suddenly broke in, obviously having sensed something unusual. Zhao Yun reacted quickly and immediately launched a fierce battle with the accompanying soldiers; although he eventually succeeded in escaping, Xun You's identity was exposed because of this and he was forced to flee the Cao Wei camp ahead of time.

Zhao Yun returned to the Shu Han military camp with scars all over his body and told Liu Bei the ins and outs of the matter in detail. After hearing this, Liu Bei was both regretful and fortunate; what he regretted was failing to accept Xun You, this great talent, smoothly, and what he was fortunate about was that Zhao Yun could return safely, avoiding greater losses.

However, the matter was far from over. Xun You's betrayal was soon sensed by Cao Cao. Cao Cao was furious and not only strengthened internal surveillance but also announced to the outside world that Xun You had been executed for privately communicating with the enemy country, using this to deter everyone. At the same time, Cao Cao dispatched a large army, intending to eliminate Liu Bei in one fell swoop to vent his hatred.

Facing Cao Cao's crazy counterattack, the Liu Bei army was united in hatred, and Zhao Yun took the lead, leading soldiers to repel the enemy's attacks time and again. In this arduous battle, Zhao Yun demonstrated extraordinary military talent and superior courage, turning danger into safety many times and winning valuable breathing time for Liu Bei.

Just when both sides were in a stalemate, an unexpected person appeared—Xun You. It turned out that he had not been executed by Cao Cao but had used Cao Cao's suspicion to create a fake death and secretly sneaked into the Shu Han camp. Xun You's arrival undoubtedly injected a shot of adrenaline into the Liu Bei army. He used his thorough understanding of the internal situation of Cao Wei to formulate a series of exquisite tactics for Liu Bei, making the Liu Bei army win consecutive victories in the following battles and gradually reverse the situation.

Seeing the situation was not good, Cao Cao hurriedly mobilized heavy troops, attempting to save the defeat.

Seeing the situation was not good, Cao Cao hurriedly mobilized heavy troops, attempting to save the defeat. He personally supervised the battle, and his fierce generals were like clouds, his strategists like rain; for a time, the situation on the battlefield changed, blades and swords flashed, and both sides fell into an unprecedented stalemate. However, under the joint efforts of Xun You and Zhao Yun, the Shu Han army seemed to be endowed with endless wisdom and strength; they cooperated tacitly, their tactics were changeable, making the Cao Wei army, although numerous, find it difficult to find a breakthrough.

Xun You, this former Cao Wei strategist, had now become the brain trust under Liu Bei's command; he was well-versed in Cao Cao's way of using troops, and every time he could accurately predict the enemy's movements and formulate corresponding response strategies. And Zhao Yun was a fierce tiger on the battlefield; his bravery was known to all, and whenever the battle entered a white-hot stage, he could always stand up and turn the tide with his own strength.

In a decisive battle, Cao Cao personally led the army to charge, intending to crush the Shu Han defense line with the force of a thunderbolt. However, Xun You had already anticipated this move and had carefully laid a trap, just waiting for Cao Cao to enter the urn. When Cao Cao's army surged like a tide, suddenly, fire lit up the sky all around, arrows rained down, and the Cao Wei army instantly fell into chaos.

Zhao Yun took the opportunity to lead the elite cavalry, sweeping through the enemy formation like a tornado; wherever he passed, the enemies fell one after another. His long spear pointed, and no one could stop him, as if he were a god descending to earth, invincible. Under Zhao Yun's leadership, the Shu Han army's morale was high; they fought bravely and swore to defend every inch of land.

Seeing this, Cao Cao was shocked in his heart; he never expected that the offensive he had carefully plotted would be resolved so easily. He knew well that if things continued like this, the Cao Wei army would definitely be wiped out. Thus, he had no choice but to sue for peace with Liu Bei to preserve his strength.

After the news of suing for peace spread, the entire battlefield was shaken. The Cao Wei army's morale was low, while the Shu Han army was cheering; they celebrated the hard-won victory and also thanked Xun You and Zhao Yun for their heroic efforts. ===== CHAPTER 1488 =====