Chapter 1743

"My lord, this great victory is truly heaven's will, and even more the result of the joint efforts of the three of us and all the soldiers." Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, his gaze deep, and his tone carried a hint of emotion and pride. He turned his head to look at Zhou Yu; their eyes met, and without needing many words, that tacit understanding and trust had already been quietly established in countless battles side by side.

Zhou Yu smiled slightly, patted Zhuge Liang on the shoulder, and said: "Kongming's words are very true. Thinking back to the beginning, Cao Cao's great army pressed toward the borders, how dangerous it was; yet now, we can stand here and enjoy this river view after victory, which is truly not easy. Behind this, there is the lord's wise decision-making, Kongming's peerless wisdom, and even more the blood, sweat, and sacrifice of countless soldiers."

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan's heart surged with intense emotion. He looked firmly into the distance, his voice steady and powerful: "Gongjin, Kongming, although this battle was won, the world is not yet settled, and our road is still long. Although Cao Cao was defeated, his northern foundation remains, and we cannot let our guard down. From now on, we must unite even more closely; we must not only guard our respective territories well but also strive to unify the world and end the war."

Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement, lightly waving his feather fan, and continued: "The lord's words are very true. Next, we should strike while the iron is hot, strengthen the integration within the alliance, and simultaneously set out to restore production and pacify the people's hearts, laying a solid foundation for the next strategic action. In addition, we also need to closely watch the movements in the north to prevent Cao Cao from making a comeback."

Zhou Yu added: "Kongming's words are very true. Militarily, we should continue to strengthen the navy; after all, Jiangdong is skilled in water warfare, which is our advantage in opposing Cao Cao. At the same time, we can also consider expanding north appropriately, gradually compressing Cao Cao's living space, and making preparations for the future decisive battle."

After Sun Quan heard this, he pondered for a moment, then said slowly: "The two gentlemen's strategies, Quan deeply agrees. However, while we expand, we also need to pay attention to the stability of internal governance, especially handling the relationships with all parties well to avoid internal conflicts. I propose establishing an alliance council, with the three of us and generals from all routes participating and making decisions together to ensure the stability and development of the alliance."

Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu looked at each other and smiled, both feeling this proposal was excellent. Zhuge Liang said: "The lord's plan is excellent; it can both enhance the alliance's cohesion and gather wisdom, avoiding decision-making errors. Although the three of us are the leaders, the alliance's power comes from every member; only by letting everyone participate in decision-making can we truly achieve unity from top to bottom."

Zhou Yu also nodded in agreement: "Indeed. Moreover, through the council, we can also timely discover and solve potential problems, preventing enemies like Cao Cao from using our internal conflicts again."

With the unification of the three's opinions, the development blueprint of the anti-Cao alliance gradually became clear. In the days that followed, they followed the established strategies: on one hand, strengthening military training and improving combat power; on the other hand, vigorously developing the economy and improving people's livelihood; at the same time, through the alliance council, strengthening internal communication and collaboration, making the entire alliance present unprecedented vitality and cohesion.

However, just as the alliance was advancing steadily, a new force quietly rose in the southern border; it was a coalition army composed of ethnic minorities who took advantage of the chaos in the Central Plains to expand their sphere of influence, posing a new threat to Jiangdong.

Facing this sudden challenge, Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Sun Quan gathered again to discuss countermeasures. Sun Quan said with a solemn expression: "Although this force is not as powerful as Cao Cao, it cannot be underestimated. If we let it grow, it will surely become a stumbling block on our road to unification."

Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, pondered for a moment, and said: "We can adopt the strategy of 'befriending the distant and attacking the near,' first concentrating our strength to pacify this force and stabilize the south, then planning to march north. At the same time, we can dispatch envoys to establish friendly relations with surrounding ethnic groups, win more allies, and isolate the enemy."

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement and added: "Militarily, we should quickly organize a force of elite troops, led by me personally, to strike quickly, striving for a quick victory to avoid dragging out the war and consuming our strength."

After Sun Quan heard this, a hint of appreciation flashed in his eyes. He stood up, his tone firm: "Good! Just act according to the two gentlemen's plan. We daughters and sons of Jiangdong never fear any challenge. As long as we are united as one, there is no difficulty we cannot overcome!"

Following Sun Quan's order, the Jiangdong great army quickly gathered; Zhou Yu led the army on an expedition, while Zhuge Liang remained at the rear, responsible for coordinating the overall situation and ensuring logistics were worry-free. Sun Quan personally sat in the center, coordinating resources from all sides and providing strong support for the front line.

After a series of fierce battles, Zhou Yu finally pacified the rebellion in the south and returned in triumph. This victory not only consolidated Jiangdong's southern frontier but also cleared the worries for the alliance's northern expedition.

At the victory banquet, Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang, and Sun Quan drank together to celebrate this series of victories. They knew well that the road ahead was still long, but as long as the three of them marched forward hand in hand, nothing could block their path forward.

"Come, for our shared future, for our friendship, cheers!" Sun Quan raised his glass high, his voice passionate.

Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang looked at each other and smiled, responding one after another: "Cheers!"

At that moment, the hearts of the three were filled with infinite longing for the future and firm belief; they knew that no matter what challenges they faced in the future, as long as they were united as one, there was nothing that was impossible. ===== CHAPTER 1744 =====