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

This time Zhou Yu was able to seize the opportunity to appear, but what about next time? If I find myself in trouble again, will Sun Jian still step in?

Or perhaps... they will take this opportunity to impose even more demanding conditions? The future struggle with Eastern Wu will likely become more unpredictable because of this "reliance".

"We must never place our hopes on others!"

Gu Rubing clenched his fists, a strong sense of urgency welling up in his heart.

Although the Battle of Xindu was a Pyrrhic victory, it also exposed his biggest weakness – troop strength!
Especially the elite troops, who were capable of great use after repeated bloody battles, suffered extremely heavy losses!
If it weren't for Jiang Wei's brilliant surprise attack at the last moment, the consequences would have been unimaginable.

He immediately turned around and said in a deep voice to Lu Su, who was following closely behind.

"Zijing, immediately send an urgent message to all the prefectures and counties in the rear! Order them to spare no effort to urgently mobilize all available reserve troops and send them to the front line in Yizhou! Tell them that the front line is in grave danger, and any delay will be punished according to military law!"

"promise!"

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Lu Su quickly agreed.

Gu Rubing pondered for a moment, then added.

"Furthermore, in my name, I will write another secret letter to Kongming. Tell him that I am nearing my limit in Yizhou! With the fall of Xindu and our military strength exhausted, the consequences would be unimaginable if Cao Cao were to return!"

He must resolve the troubles in Jingzhou as soon as possible, even if it means temporarily abandoning some less important territories, to quickly redeploy the main force back to reinforce Yizhou! On my side, I need troops, but even more so, I need time!

His gaze fell once again on that section of the dilapidated city wall, his brow furrowed.

After a series of battles, especially the section of the city wall that was bombed and collapsed, it was simply a pipe dream to expect the new capital to be restored to its original state in a short period of time.

Without the protection of strong city defenses, how could these remaining troops possibly withstand Cao Cao's next, potentially even fiercer, attack?

"We must take the initiative; we cannot sit idly by and wait to be defeated!"

An idea flashed through his mind.

He thought of Wei Yan, who was still stationed in the Five Cities.

"Send the order to Wei Yan!"

Gu Rubing gave instructions to the messenger.

"He is ordered to ensure the absolute safety of the five cities and the rear supply lines! Under this premise, he is permitted to assign some of the Ironclad Cavalry or the Eighteen Riders of Yanyun to form elite mobile squads, depending on the situation, without having to defend a single city or stronghold!"
Find a way to infiltrate Cao Cao's rear! Harass his supply lines, attack his patrols, and create chaos!
In short, we cannot allow Cao Cao to peacefully digest Mianzhu, nor can we allow him to smoothly deploy his troops! We must use constant harassment to buy precious breathing room and time to rebuild!

In Gu Rubing's vision, Wei Yan's mixed force, which combined heavy armored assault with light cavalry mobility, if used properly, would become a sharp dagger inserted into Cao Cao's heartland, enough to make Cao Cao's rear army panic and thus tie down a lot of his energy.

After making these arrangements, Gu Rubing's mind involuntarily conjured up that young and resolute face—Jiang Wei, Jiang Boyue. In today's battle, if he hadn't keenly perceived the weakness on Cao Cao's flank and decisively volunteered to attack, the new capital would probably have already changed hands.

Gu Rubing greatly admired this quick thinking, extraordinary courage, and fearless spirit of youth.

"Such a talented person, if I cannot use him, it would be a great loss!"

Gu Rubing sighed inwardly.

With the two-front war between Yizhou and Jingzhou, generals such as Zhang He, Deng Ai, and Zhong Hui are exhausted, and top fighters like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei need to be constantly on guard against a possible counterattack from Penglai. There are very few generals who can truly stand alone and adapt flexibly!
If new talents like Jiang Wei and Guo Huai could genuinely submit to him, it would undoubtedly greatly alleviate the pressure of his manpower shortage.

However, he had a prior agreement with Jiang Wei that he would only have three chances to make a move.

The battle of the five cities used it once, and today's flanking attack on Xindu used it once more... Now, only the last one remains!

Gu Rubing slowly walked down the city wall and headed towards the temporary wounded soldiers' camp.

He knew that Jiang Wei and Guo Huai had also suffered minor injuries in the earlier attack and were currently there treating their wounds.

From afar, he saw Jiang Wei sitting on a wooden box, with a military doctor applying medicine to a not-too-deep knife wound on his arm.

The young general gritted his teeth, beads of sweat forming on his forehead, but his eyes remained bright as he whispered to Guo Huai about the details of the battle that had just taken place.

Gu Rubing waved away the guards who wanted to announce his arrival and quietly walked over.

"Boyo, how are your injuries?"

Gu Rubing's voice was gentle and concerned.

Upon hearing this, Jiang Wei and Guo Huai hurriedly tried to rise and pay their respects, but Gu Rubing waved them off.

"It's just a superficial wound, nothing serious. Thank you for your concern, Your Highness."

Jiang Wei answered respectfully.

Gu Rubing looked at the hideous wound on his arm, then at the soldiers around him, some lying down and some sitting, all covered in wounds. He sighed deeply, his tone filled with sincere gratitude and a hint of barely perceptible regret.

"If it weren't for your insightful judgment today, Boyue, and General Guo's selfless act of leading the Azure Dragon Swordsmen straight into the enemy's flank, tens of thousands of soldiers from Xindu would probably have perished here."

You deserve the greatest credit for this battle!

Jiang Wei quickly replied modestly.

"Your Highness is too kind."

This is my duty, and besides... this is the second time I have acted as agreed with Your Highness; it is only right and proper.

Upon hearing the words "second move" and "agreement," Gu Rubing's heart stirred slightly.

He looked intently at Jiang Wei and spoke earnestly.

“Job, an agreement is an agreement.”

But what I admire is your talent and your patriotic heart.

"Now that the world is in chaos, with warlords vying for power and people displaced, it is precisely the time when promising young talents like you are needed to step forward, restore order to the nation, and bring peace back to the land."

He paused, his voice becoming even lower, carrying a heartfelt sincerity.

“I know you have concerns in your heart, and perhaps you still have some lingering feelings for your former master. But a true man should follow the natural order and choose a wise lord to serve, so as not to waste what he has learned in his life.”

I dare not compare myself to the sages of the past, but I am eager to seek out virtuous men, eliminate treacherous officials, and bring peace to the world. Heaven and earth bear witness to this!

After this final agreement, I hope... you can truly stay and work with me, with the soldiers and people of this city who yearn for peace, to create something great together. What do you say?

His words contained no coercion, only earnest expectation and sincere invitation, his gaze fixed intently on Jiang Wei's reply.

Jiang Wei met Gu Rubing's gaze, his young face displaying a complex mix of emotions—gratitude, struggle, and uncertainty about the future. He paused for a moment, then clasped his hands in a fist salute again, his voice soft yet firm.

"Your Highness's kindness and appreciation are deeply appreciated. However... this matter concerns my future and beliefs, so please allow me... to consider it for a while longer."

Gu Rubing knew that recruiting talent, especially someone as proud and opinionated as Jiang Wei, could not be rushed.

He nodded, a warm and understanding smile on his face.

"Okay, I'll wait for you."

Whatever decision you ultimately make, I will respect it. Take good care of your injuries; there may be even more arduous tasks ahead, requiring your sharp sword, Bethlehem.

After saying that, he patted Jiang Wei's uninjured shoulder, nodded to Guo Huai, and then turned and left.

Watching Gu Rubing's departing figure, Jiang Wei remained silent for a long time, the struggle in his eyes growing stronger. Guo Huai whispered beside him.

“Boyue, King Lie is indeed a great ruler, and he has treated us well…”

Jiang Wei gave a soft "hmm," but his gaze was fixed on the distance, as if he were lost in thought.

Gu Rubing knew that to truly win over this young talent, he had to demonstrate enough charisma and determination to captivate him in this final chance, while also giving him an irresistible reason to refuse. Time was running out.

The night was as dark as ink, enveloping the ruined new capital. Inside the makeshift central command tent, candlelight flickered, illuminating Gu Rubing's solemn face.

He stood alone before the huge map of northern Yizhou, his gaze lingering on the three characters "Mianzhu Pass" for a long time.

The spectacular explosion orchestrated by Lu Su temporarily eliminated Tong Fei, the biggest threat, which indeed lightened the heavy burden on his shoulders.

Without the intervention of Penglai's unpredictable methods, the confrontation with Cao Cao returned to a relatively "pure" military contest, which greatly boosted his confidence.

In his mind, given enough time and troops, defeating Cao Cao was not impossible.

However, the plan of "rushing to burn the grain" proposed by Zhou Yu during the day was like a stone thrown into a lake, constantly stirring ripples in his heart.

Mianzhu Pass is Cao Cao's lifeline for supplies... If it could be burned in one fell swoop, it would undoubtedly turn the tide of the entire Yizhou war, forcing Cao Cao to retreat without a fight, and might even cause his army to collapse.

The temptation is just too great.

His fingers unconsciously traced the path from Xindu to Mianzhu Pass on the map, his brow furrowed.

Zhou Yu's plan was theoretically feasible.

With Cao Cao's main force tied down in Xindu, the defenses of Mianzhu Pass were inevitably relatively weak. Given Zhou Yu and Lu Xun's abilities, leading 5,000 elite troops, lightly armed and stealthy, to catch the enemy off guard, there was indeed a possibility of success.

But... the risks are equally enormous!
If Zhou Yu's operation fails, the loss of 5,000 elite troops is a minor matter; more importantly, it will completely alert Cao Cao, making him realize the danger in the rear and thus strengthen the defense of Mianzhu Pass and even the entire rear. Zhou Yu will then have no more opportunities for such a surprise attack.

On their side, in order to create an opportunity for Zhou Yu, they had to launch a large-scale feigned attack to draw Cao Cao's main force away.

If Zhou Yu fails, his feint attack will be in vain, wasting his already stretched troops, and Cao Cao might even see through his ruse and launch a counterattack.

By then, the dilapidated new capital city will likely be unable to hold out and will be forced to abandon it, causing the situation to deteriorate rapidly.

"To gamble, or not to gamble?"

Gu Rubing was torn between his conscience and his own mind. Entrusting such an important strategic operation to Zhou Yu, who was sent by Sun Jian and was not entirely trustworthy, made him feel deeply uneasy.

Meanwhile, Zhou Yu and Lu Xun did not rest in the camp assigned to Wu's army for rest and recuperation.

Although the 5,000 soldiers lost several hundred men in the day's fierce fighting, the core backbone and morale remained intact.

The soldiers silently wiped their weapons and repaired their armor, a tense calm permeating the air.

Zhou Yu sat behind a simple wooden table, his fingertips lightly tapping the surface, his gaze deep.

He had already told Gu Rubing his detailed plan for the raid on Mianzhu, but apart from the initial nod of agreement, the other party did not give any further instructions or discussions, and seemed not very interested.

Zhou Yu was well aware of this attitude.

Gu Rubing wasn't unmoved, but he was weighing his options, hesitating, or rather, he lacked sufficient trust in Zhou Yu and Sun Jian behind him.

"Boyan, what do you think of King Lie's current situation?"

Zhou Yu suddenly spoke, his voice calm.

Lu Xun put down the Liejun standard-issue crossbow he was examining and pondered.

"The walls of Xindu are dilapidated, and its troops have suffered heavy losses. Although it has temporarily repelled Cao Cao's army, it is actually outwardly strong but inwardly weak, and is already at the end of its rope. If Cao Cao makes a comeback, it will be difficult to hold out for long. However, the soldiers under King Lie are brave and the generals are skilled in battle and extremely resilient. Moreover... that General Jiang Wei seems to have great potential."

Zhou Yu nodded slightly, a hint of appreciation flashing in his eyes. Lu Xun had observed very carefully.

He did not rush to advise Gu Rubing again, urging him to make a firm decision to carry out the plan to burn the grain.

On the contrary, in the following two days, he was extremely cooperative and low-key, taking the initiative to assist Gu Rubing in handling complicated post-war matters. From the resettlement of the wounded and the allocation of food supplies to defense patrols, he did his best and showed full sincerity of the alliance.

However, beneath this facade of "sincerity," Zhou Yu's sharp eyes were meticulously observing everything.

He strolled along the dilapidated city wall, seemingly inspecting the defenses, but in reality assessing the true condition of the defending soldiers—whether the weariness in their eyes was hard to dispel.
Were those actions of repairing the fortifications filled with a sense of powerlessness?
He "coincidentally" met and talked with the officer in charge of logistics, inquiring about the reserves of food, medicine, and arrows, while secretly calculating how long Gu Rubing could hold out.

He even silently assessed the abilities and styles of generals such as Zhang He, Deng Ai, and Zhong Hui.

All these observations and assessments ultimately point to one goal—to reassess Gu Rubing's value and potential.

Before he set off for Yizhou, a top-secret message had already reached him.

King Sun Jian of Wu has already reached some kind of cooperation with Penglai, and even signed the contract that is said to contain the power of the Heavenly Dao, promising to help Penglai seize Liangzhou!

Upon learning of this, Zhou Yu was extremely shocked and uneasy. To negotiate with a tiger for its skin!
The power displayed by Penglai was too terrifying and uncontrollable, far surpassing that of Cao Cao or even Gu Rubing.

Once they successfully take over Liangzhou and their power expands, who will be their next target?

The Anluo Empire, which borders Gu Rubing, will likely be the first to bear the brunt! At that time, the pressure from Penglai will be far greater than what they face now with Gu Rubing, and may even endanger the very foundation of their nation!

Deep down, he resisted cooperating with Penglai.

But he knew even more clearly that, given his status and position, he had no way of changing Sun Jian's decision.

The letter from the Xun family of Yingchuan, which involved Sima Hui, the Water Mirror Master, and the binding force of the mysterious contract, acted like two shackles, temporarily binding Sun Jian, and even the entire Anluo Empire, to the chariot of Penglai, leaving almost no room for repentance. (End of Chapter)