Choose Liu Bei at the start, I am the only one who knows the plot of the Three Kingdoms.

"Although he only appeared briefly and quickly disappeared, the news reached the ears of the King of Wu. The King of Wu... the King of Wu..."

A hint of embarrassment and fear appeared on the envoy's face.

"King Wu is having trouble sleeping and eating! Your Highness, as you know, although our Anluo Empire did not contribute much when we formed an alliance against Penglai, we were still involved."

The sudden appearance of Immortal Yu Ji within our borders is of dubious intent! King Wu fears that Penglai intends to settle scores later, using our Anluo Empire as a scapegoat to establish its authority!

He wiped his sweat, his voice trembling.

"To be honest, Your Highness, the King of Wu was terrified at the time, and even... even considered going to Penglai to apologize and beg for forgiveness..."

Upon hearing this, Gu Rubing almost couldn't help but sneer.

This Sun Jian is indeed all bark and no bite; his opportunistic nature is on full display! The moment he saw the people from Penglai, he was so frightened that he wanted to kneel down and beg for mercy.

The envoy clearly found it difficult to say this, but he still forced himself to speak.

"But...but that Immortal Yu Ji is elusive, appearing and disappearing like a dragon, and the King of Wu can't find him even if he wants to."

Penglai's main power is in Qingzhou. If King Wu goes there rashly, I'm afraid that before he even meets anyone from Penglai, his whereabouts will already be known to Your Highness, King Lie.

By then, the alliance will have broken down first, and betrayal will follow. King Wu is worried... worried that Your Highness will preemptively tear apart my Anluo Empire...

Gu Rubing sneered inwardly. This Sun Jian did have some self-awareness, knowing what the consequences would be if he offended both Penglai and himself at the same time.

Under immense fear and difficult weighing of options, this opportunist ultimately felt that he, who had already demonstrated the ability to contend with Penglai, seemed... slightly more reliable than the mysterious and unpredictable Penglai, which was known for its tendency to wipe out entire clans.

Therefore, he had no choice but to bite the bullet and stand on his own side again, trying to stick together for warmth.

"Therefore, after much deliberation, King Wu believes that only by strengthening the alliance with His Highness King Lie and working together can we find a glimmer of hope in this chaotic world!"

The envoy concluded with a tone full of "sincerity."

Gu Rubing remained noncommittal, his fingers still lightly tapping the table, as if considering the credibility of his words.

he asked calmly.

"Since we're going to form an alliance, we need to show sincerity. I wonder how the King of Wu plans to 'strengthen' this alliance this time?"

Seeing that Gu Rubing's tone had softened, the envoy quickly perked up and presented the "generous gift" that Sun Jian had prepared.

"Your Highness, to show our sincerity, my lord, the King of Wu, is willing to dispatch five thousand elite infantrymen to Linjiang City immediately, to be at Your Highness's command! Furthermore..."

He paused, then emphasized his words.

"The King of Wu will also dispatch our Grand Commander Zhou Yu and the outstanding young talent Lu Xun to accompany the army and assist Your Highness in defending Linjiang City and jointly resisting the powerful enemy!"

Upon hearing this, not only Gu Rubing, but also Lu Su, who was standing nearby, and Deng Ai, who had just returned and happened to hear it, all showed expressions of surprise.

Sun Jian really went all out this time!

Five thousand soldiers may not seem like a lot, but the fact that they took the initiative to send troops into Linjiang City, Gu Rubing's core defense zone, was itself a great sign of trust.

More importantly, Zhou Yu and Lu Xun! These two were Sun Jian's top strategists and commanders, the pillars and future of the Anluo Empire!

Sending these two crucial figures is almost tantamount to entrusting a part of the fate of the Anluo Empire to Gu Rubing!

This is definitely not a decision that Sun Jian, a fence-sitter who is used to swaying between sides, would make easily!
It seems that Yu Ji's appearance has truly terrified the King of Wu, making him willing to pay a huge price to firmly bind himself to Gu Rubing's warship, which seems capable of putting up a fight against Penglai.

His move was undoubtedly a clear declaration of his stance to Cao Cao, Liu Zhang, and even to the hidden Penglai—Sun Jian was determined to stand with Gu Rubing this time!

Countless thoughts flashed through Gu Rubing's mind in an instant. Sun Jian's sincerity had indeed exceeded his expectations.

He calculated.

Although Sun Jian lacked the qualities of a great ruler and did not have many top-tier legendary generals under his command, his power was spread across the borders and he still had some foundation.

He's like a paper tiger, all bared and ready, but all bared and no bite. He might not be able to withstand a real fight.

However, even a paper tiger can still frighten people to some extent, at least diverting some of Cao Cao's attention and relieving some of the pressure from Penglai.

At this critical juncture, with powerful enemies surrounding us and the situation delicate, having one more ally, even an unreliable one, is always better than having one more enemy.

Accepting Sun Jian's renewed surrender would be more beneficial than harmful.

Thinking of this, Gu Rubing showed a slightly "gratified" smile. He stood up, walked to the envoy, and personally helped him up, his tone becoming much gentler.

"King Wu is a man of great wisdom and compassion, and considers the greater good. He is truly a blessing to all the people! Since King Wu has shown such sincerity, it would be unreasonable for me to refuse. Very well! I agree to King Wu's request to continue the alliance and jointly resist Penglai and the traitors!"

He glanced at Lu Su and Deng Ai, and gave the order.

"Zijing, immediately arrange manpower to prepare for the arrival of the reinforcements sent by the King of Wu, as well as Gongjin and Boyan! Shizai, the city's defense deployment needs to be readjusted, and suitable garrison areas need to be designated for our allies!"

"promise!"

Lu Su and Deng Ai responded in unison.

When the envoy saw that Gu Rubing had finally agreed, he was overjoyed and bowed repeatedly.

"Thank you, Your Highness! I will return immediately to report to the King of Wu and arrange for Governor Zhou and General Lu to come as soon as possible!"

Watching the envoy's joyful departure, Gu Rubing's smile gradually faded, and his gaze became serious again.

He looked out at the gloomy sky and thought to himself.

"Sun Wentai, Sun Wentai, you're really scared out of your wits this time, that's why you had no choice but to bet on me. I just hope that this paper tiger of yours can actually come in handy at the crucial moment..."
-
Gu Rubing knew that in this chaotic world, having one more friend was always better than having one more enemy, especially when that "friend" could provide practical help.

Sun Jian, who came to surrender with troops and talents, was naturally accepted without hesitation. He would take him in first, and how long his loyalty would last was a question to be considered later.

Upon hearing that Gu Rubing had finally agreed to the alliance, the envoy was overjoyed, his face beaming with undisguised joy and relief. He bowed repeatedly, tears of gratitude streaming down his face.

"Your Highness is wise and magnanimous! This is truly a blessing for my lord and for all the people of the world! On behalf of my lord, King Wu, I thank Your Highness! I will return immediately to inform King Wu of this good news and urge Governor Zhou and General Lu to set off for us as soon as possible!"

After saying that, he almost couldn't wait to bow and take his leave, and hurriedly left the government office, as if he was afraid that if he left even a little later, Gu Rubing would change his mind.

Watching the envoy's almost fleeing figure disappear through the doorway, Gu Rubing's polite smile slowly faded, and his brows furrowed again. Sun Jian's situation was temporarily stabilized, but another heavy weight remained on his mind—Cao Cao, and that mysterious and powerful Shatuo cavalry!

He turned around, his gaze sweeping over Lu Su, Deng Ai, and the others, his tone becoming serious.

"Sun Wentai is terrified of Penglai and is not a threat."

The real threat right now is still Cao Cao!
The appearance of that Shatuo cavalry was no accident. You must send more men and use all available informants and connections to keep a close eye on Cao Cao's every move in Yizhou!
Pay special attention to investigating whether his subordinates have any contact or communication with the Western Regions or the Shatuo! Don't overlook any clues, report back immediately! "Yes, sir!"

Lu Su and Deng Ai's expressions tightened, and they both agreed in unison.

They all knew that their lord attached great importance to that Shatuo cavalry and the possible connections behind them.

Several days passed quietly amidst intense preparations and surveillance.

On this day, Deng Ai personally came to Gu Rubing to report.

"My lord, the new gunpowder and its supporting equipment have been initially completed. The craftsmen are preparing to demonstrate it in the military camp in the west of the city. Please come and take a look."

Upon hearing this, Gu Rubing's spirits lifted. Improving gunpowder was a matter of great concern to him, as it might be the key to defeating powerful future enemies.

He immediately led Zhang Fei, Ma Chao, Lu Su, and other generals to the military camp in the west of the city.

Upon arriving at the military training ground, one sees a uniquely shaped metal object displayed in the center.

It has a thick metal tube body, mounted on a sturdy base with wheels. The tube body is dark and shiny, shimmering with a cold metallic luster, and looks both bulky and full of a strange sense of power.

What was placed next to them were no longer the jars and pots or powders of the past, but rather smooth, round iron lumps—cannonballs!
Upon seeing the familiar yet unfamiliar "turret" and "cannonballs," Gu Rubing was first taken aback, then an uncontrollable smile of joy appeared on his face!

He walked forward, carefully examining the primitive fort, his fingers gently tracing the cool cannon barrel, his eyes gleaming with excitement.

"Okay! Okay!"

Gu Rubing praised repeatedly and said to Deng Ai, who was standing beside him.

"Shizai, this is the true way gunpowder should be used! Concentrate its power at one point, ignite it with a machine, and destroy the target from a distance! This is so much more sophisticated than the previous methods of scattering and detonating it!"

Seeing that Gu Rubing was so satisfied, Deng Ai breathed a sigh of relief and cupped his hands in greeting.

"It is all thanks to the sagacity of our lord, who left behind many ideas and sketches, that the craftsmen were able to carry out their research and development in this direction."

This thing is still in its early stages; we call it a 'cannon'.

"Cannon... What a great name!"

Gu Rubing nodded and gave the order impatiently.

"Quickly, show me its power!"

"promise!"

Deng Ai accepted the order and immediately directed the soldiers operating the cannons.

Several trained soldiers worked together skillfully. One used a specially made long-handled tool to clean the cannon barrel, while another carefully filled a heavy, round shell into the muzzle and compacted it with a spade!
Then, a soldier inserted a fuse through a small hole at the rear of the cannon barrel.

With everything ready, Deng Ai looked at Gu Rubing for instructions.

Gu Rubing took a deep breath and waved his hand forcefully.

"ignition!"

The soldier in charge of lighting the fuse immediately lit the fuse with a torch.

The fuse hissed and burned, rapidly shortening as everyone's hearts leaped into their throats, their eyes fixed on the sparks disappearing into the cannon barrel.

After a brief, suffocating silence—

"boom!!!!!!"

A terrifying roar, like a thunderclap from the heavens, suddenly exploded across the training ground!

The sound was far louder than any previous gunpowder explosion, making the eardrums of some people who were nearby ring, and the ground seemed to tremble!
All the people saw was that the cannon's muzzle suddenly spewed out a large ball of blazing flames and thick black smoke, and the huge recoil caused the heavy cannon barrel and base to shake violently backward!
At the same time, a blurry black shadow shot out from the cannon muzzle at a speed that was difficult to detect with the naked eye, drawing a low arc and instantly covering a distance of hundreds of steps!

The next moment, a huge, hard boulder, about half a person's height, which was used as a target at the far end of the training ground, seemed to be smashed hard by an invisible giant fist!

"Bang—crash—!"

The boulder was not blasted into pieces. Instead, after a muffled thud, spiderweb-like cracks appeared on its surface before it disintegrated into a pile of rubble of varying sizes, filling the air with dust!
The drill ground was completely silent!
Everyone was stunned by this horrifying scene!

Whether they were generals or ordinary soldiers, they all stared wide-eyed at the pile of rubble in disbelief.

This power...this range! The effect that used to require cumbersome catapults to barely achieve has now been accomplished by this "iron pipe" that looks much smaller and more agile than a catapult!
Moreover, it's faster and more sudden!
After a brief silence, thunderous cheers erupted on the training ground! The soldiers excitedly pumped their fists, thrilled by this powerful new weapon.

Gu Rubing couldn't help but clap his hands vigorously, his face beaming with excitement and satisfaction, and he cheered repeatedly.

"Excellent! Excellent! Excellent! Its power is astonishing! With such a weapon, how can we not defeat Cao Cao! Shi Zai, all the craftsmen involved in its development will be richly rewarded! We must improve the process as soon as possible and find ways to increase production!"

"On behalf of the craftsmen, I thank you for your generous reward, my lord! We will certainly do our utmost!"

Deng Ai was also filled with excitement and bowed to accept the order.

However, just as Gu Rubing was still immersed in the joy of the successful test firing of the cannon and was preparing to discuss with everyone in detail how to apply this new weapon to actual combat,

A scout, his face filled with anxiety, broke through the guards' obstruction and rushed to Gu Rubing. He knelt on one knee and held up an urgent military report with a feather stuck in it!
"Report! Urgent report! My lord, there is an urgent military situation in Yizhou!"

The lively atmosphere froze instantly.

The smile on Gu Rubing's face vanished abruptly. He grabbed the military newspaper and quickly began to read it.

His brows furrowed immediately as his gaze swept over the words on the paper, and his expression became extremely serious.

"My lord, what is it?"

Seeing this, Lu Su knew something was wrong and quickly stepped forward to ask in a low voice.

Gu Rubing handed the military report to Lu Su, his voice low and cold.

"Cao Cao made a move."

He personally led an army of 200,000, leaving Chengdu, his forces heading straight for... Jianwei County!

"Two hundred thousand? In Jianwei Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei's eyes widened in shock. (End of Chapter)