Chapter 1725: Difficult to escape

"My lord, Cao Pi's retreat has been blocked by us; he cannot fly away!" Zhou Yu's voice sounded unusually steady amidst the war drums and shouts. He stood on the deck of the command ship, his gaze like a torch, staring tightly at every movement on the battlefield.

Upon hearing the news, Sun Ce curled his lips into a cold sneer: "This time, I must let him know the power of Jiangdong." He turned to the messenger soldier behind him and said, "Pass the order down: the entire army is to press forward; you must capture Cao Pi alive!"

The messenger soldier quickly conveyed the order, and the Jiangdong army's morale soared, their offensive becoming even more fierce. Under the fierce attack of the Jiangdong army, the Cao army retreated step by step, morale was low, and many people had already begun to discard their weapons and surrender.

"Zhou Yu, you cunning villain!" Cao Pi, in the chaotic army, while fighting hard to resist, roared, "You actually dare to use such tricks!"

Hearing this, Zhou Yu sneered: "All is fair in war; Cao Pi, your defeat is set today, so you had better surrender obediently!"

Cao Pi gritted his teeth, but he also knew that it would be difficult for him to escape today. He looked around, only to see the Jiangdong army surging over like a tide, and a sense of despair couldn't help but well up in his heart. However, just then, he suddenly saw a breakthrough point; it was a weak point in the Jiangdong army's defense line, and because the troops were too concentrated in other directions, it appeared somewhat empty.

"Fight!" Cao Pi shouted loudly, leading his personal guard to charge fiercely toward that breakthrough point. They fought to the death to break through, finally breaking the Jiangdong army's encirclement and fleeing toward the north.

"Not good, Cao Pi has escaped!" A Jiangdong general ran over hurriedly to report to Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu furrowed his brows, but immediately calmed down: "No need to panic, he won't run far. Pass the order down: immediately send elite cavalry to pursue; you must capture him."

Sun Ce also rushed over, his expression solemn: "Gongjin, failing to capture Cao Pi alive this time is truly a pity. But we also dealt a heavy blow to the Cao army, which counts as a great victory. What are our plans next?"

Zhou Yu pondered for a moment and said: "My lord, although Cao Pi has escaped, the northern forces are still powerful. We must take this opportunity to strengthen Jiangdong's defenses, while at the same time sending envoys to contact other warlords to resist the north together. In addition, we must strengthen the training of the navy to prepare for any unexpected needs."

Sun Ce nodded in agreement: "Gongjin's words are very true. We must not only guard against the threat from the north but also pay attention to the stability within Jiangdong. This rebellion has sounded an alarm for us; we must strengthen central power, weaken the power of aristocratic families, and ensure the long-term peace and stability of Jiangdong."

The two looked at each other and smiled, their hearts full of expectations for the future. They knew that although the road ahead was still difficult, as long as they joined hands and moved forward, nothing could stop the rise of Jiangdong.

In the following days, the Jiangdong army began large-scale reorganization and training, while at the same time strengthening the defense of the northern border. Zhou Yu and Sun Ce also frequently visited surrounding warlords, seeking allies to resist the threat from the north together. Under their efforts, Jiangdong's power gradually grew, and its prestige spread far and wide.

However, just when Jiangdong was united as one, preparing to meet new challenges, a shocking piece of news arrived—Cao Pi, on his way back to the north, encountered an attack by an unknown force, and his life or death was uncertain.

"What?!" Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were shocked upon hearing this. They knew that Cao Pi's life or death not only concerned the situation in the north but might also trigger a series of chain reactions, affecting the pattern of the entire world.

"Immediately send secret agents to the north to find out the truth." Zhou Yu made a prompt decision and issued the order.

A few days later, the secret agents brought back news. It turned out that Cao Pi, on his way back to the north, encountered an attack by a mysterious army. This army acted secretly and had extremely strong combat effectiveness; Cao Pi's personal guard was almost completely wiped out, and he himself was seriously injured, his life or death uncertain. And the identity and origin of this mysterious army were unknown to anyone.

"This..." Sun Ce and Zhou Yu looked at each other, their hearts full of doubts and unease. They knew that the appearance of this mysterious army might indicate that the world was about to welcome an even greater storm.

"My lord, we must make preparations; no matter who this mysterious army is, we cannot let our guard down." Zhou Yu said with a solemn expression.

Sun Ce nodded in agreement: "Gongjin's words are very true. We must strengthen Jiangdong's defenses while closely watching the movements in the north. If Cao Pi really encounters an accident, the north will inevitably fall into chaos, which will be a great opportunity for our Jiangdong to rise."

The two looked at each other and smiled, light shining firmly in their eyes.

As the news of Cao Pi's uncertain life or death spread in Jiangdong, the entire region once again fell into a subtle tense atmosphere. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu frequently held military meetings to discuss countermeasures. They knew deeply that this was not only a challenge but also a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity.

"My lord, Cao Pi's disappearance is undoubtedly a huge blow to the north." Zhou Yu said at the meeting, his eyes shining with deep thought, "But this might also trigger internal chaos in the north, and various warlords might take the opportunity to rise and fight for power."

Sun Ce nodded, his brows furrowed: "Exactly, we must closely watch the movements in the north while strengthening our own strength. Gongjin, how do you think we should act?"

Zhou Yu pondered for a moment and slowly spoke: "First, we must strengthen border defense to prevent northern forces from taking the opportunity to move south. Second, we can send envoys to the north to probe the reality while looking for possible allies. Finally, we must strengthen internal affairs to ensure the stability and prosperity of Jiangdong."

Hearing this, a flash of appreciation appeared in Sun Ce's eyes: "Gongjin's words are very much to my liking. However, regarding the matter of looking for allies, we need to act with caution. The situation in the north is complex, and we must carefully distinguish to avoid letting the wolf into the house."

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement: "My lord's words are very true. I will personally select shrewd and capable envoys to go to the north to carry out this task."

After the meeting ended, Zhou Yu immediately began to make preparations. He carefully selected several experienced envoys to go to various warlord states in the north. These envoys were not only witty but also eloquent, able to quickly probe the reality of the north and find possible opportunities for cooperation.

However, not long after the envoys set off, another shocking piece of news arrived—Cao Pi had miraculously survived and regained power in the north.

"How is this possible?!" When Sun Ce heard this news, he couldn't believe his ears.

Zhou Yu was also stunned: "Cao Pi's vitality is truly tenacious. However, since he has survived, the situation in the north will inevitably change again."