Chapter 1714: There are no eternal enemies

Yuan Shu and Li Feng planned the scheme to lure the enemy deep in detail, every detail scrutinized repeatedly to ensure there were no mistakes. They chose a valley with steep terrain as the trap, with high mountains towering on both sides and only a narrow path in the middle, easy to defend and hard to attack. Yuan Shu mobilized the majority of his forces to lie in ambush on both sides of the valley, waiting only for Zhang Lu to take the bait.

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

Hearing this news in his camp, Zhang Lu revealed a cold sneer at the corner of his mouth. "Yuan Shu, oh Yuan Shu, you have finally reached this point. I thought you had submitted, but I didn't expect you to still dare to play such little tricks." He confidently believed this was Yuan Shu's struggle in desperation and decided to lead his army to pursue in person, to eliminate Yuan Shu in one stroke and completely occupy his territory.

Zhang Lu's massive army marched toward the valley in a grand display, encountering almost no resistance along the way, which only strengthened his confidence. However, when he led his army into the valley, he suddenly realized the surroundings were terrifyingly quiet, and a sense of foreboding welled up in his heart.

Just then, battle cries shook the sky from both sides of the valley. Yuan Shu's ambushers poured down from the heights, arrows falling like rain, and Zhang Lu's army was instantly thrown into chaos. Zhang Lu was shocked and hurriedly commanded his army to fight back, but in this narrow valley, his massive 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 central command. He brandished his long spear, invincible, killing his way to Zhang Lu. Seeing Yuan Shu charging in person, Zhang Lu was so frightened his face turned pale; he had not expected Yuan Shu to still possess such powerful combat strength.

"Zhang Lu, you 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 blade to block, but Yuan Shu's spear technique was fierce, and he could not parry it at all. After a few rounds, Zhang Lu was already drenched in sweat and panting. He knew deeply 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 treachery 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 at this moment, he would also suffer heavy losses. Moreover, once Zhang Lu was destroyed, his territory would surely attract the covetous eyes of other factions, which might bring even greater trouble.

"Good!" 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 betray me again, I will surely take your head!"

Hearing this, Zhang Lu let out a sigh of relief. He knew deeply that he had retrieved his life and hurriedly promised: "Rest assured, Yuan Shu, I, Zhang Lu, will obey your every command from now on and will never dare to have two hearts again."

Both sides reached an agreement. Zhang Lu compensated Yuan Shu with a large amount of grain and supplies and promised not to invade Yuan Shu's territory again. Yuan Shu also fulfilled his promise and let Zhang Lu's army depart.

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

After the battle, Yuan Shu held a victory banquet in his camp. He raised his cup to thank every general present: "To win today's battle, it was all thanks to your bravery and wisdom. With comrades like you, what great cause can I, Yuan Shu, not achieve?"

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

However, while celebrating, Yuan Shu also understood in his heart 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 won today, the road ahead is still long. We must continue to reorganize 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 resonant and powerful, filled with confidence and determination for the future.

After the victory banquet ended, Yuan Shu sat alone in his camp, looking at the map on the desk, lost in thought. He knew deeply that although the threat of Zhang Lu was 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 camp softly, interrupting Yuan Shu's train of thought.

Yuan Shu looked up at Ji Ling and sighed slightly. "Ji Ling, I am thinking about how we should walk the path ahead. Although the matter of Zhang Lu is resolved, the world's situation is unclear, and we cannot let our guard down."

Hearing this, Ji Ling nodded, his expression also becoming serious. "My lord's words are very true. Now that various warlords are rising, if we want to gain 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, then 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."

Hearing this, a flash of light appeared in Yuan Shu's eyes. He knew deeply of 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 align with Sun Ce's, he has no reason to betray us. Moreover, we can consolidate the alliance through marriage."

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

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

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