Three Kingdoms: I, Yuan Shu, Loyal Officials of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 111 Only Knowing How to Shoot the Eagle at the Gate

"This banquet is not a trap, so both of you should sit and drink in peace and not talk about fighting."

As for the conflict between the two families, Bu should mediate and resolve the dispute between them.

Everyone was surprised and asked him why.

What method can solve this?

Lü Bu downed the wine in his cup in one gulp, pointed to the sky, and said:
"It is decided by Heaven."

He then ordered his attendants:

"Bring me my halberd!"

Seeing Lü Bu draw his halberd, and the soldiers in the camp standing guard with their swords and armor, everyone paled.

"I advise your two families not to fight each other; leave it to fate."

After Lü Bu finished speaking, he ordered his men to take the halberd and plant it far away outside the gate.

Then, turning to the crowd, he said, "The gate of the camp is now 150 paces from the central army. If I were to shoot an arrow and hit a small branch on the halberd..."

Just as Lü Bu was about to begin his speech as planned, he paused, suddenly stunned, and realized something was wrong.

He was caught off guard and fell into Ji Ling's trap, injuring his hand and being anesthetized. Now he doesn't even know if he can hit the target.

Seeing that everyone was looking at him, Lü Bu deliberately put on a cold face and spoke in a serious and solemn manner.

"If I shoot an arrow into the small branch of the halberd, both of you will return to your camps and prepare for battle."

If the arrow misses, the two sides shall cease hostilities and make peace. If either side refuses, I shall lead my troops to attack them together.

Ji Ling was about to nod when she felt something was amiss and immediately realized what it was.

"If the general deliberately fails, wouldn't that be protecting Liu Bei?"

Lü Bu: "."

If it weren't for your cunning and deceitful actions that injured my hand, I wouldn't be in this predicament. And now you dare to say more?
Lu Bu, recalling his earlier injury, was filled with rage and glared at Ji Ling.

"What is your lord Yuan Gonglu's scheme? Does he really think that there are no capable people in my camp and that I, Lü Bu, am completely ignorant?"
Ji Ling! If you dare to say anything more today, and think that I, Lü Bu, am deceiving you and protecting Xuande, then you are wronging me.

Then you may leave now, and Xuande and I will immediately lead our troops to attack you.

I won't hide it from you today. Since acquiring Xuzhou, I have followed Chen Yuanlong's advice to strengthen my army and expand it extensively in preparation for war.

With the full strength of Xuzhou, a total of 70,000 troops were recruited. Combined with Bu's original forces, the current force is approximately 100,000.

You, Ji Lingruo, are so arrogant that you think you can withstand the combined might of my two armies and Xuande's by relying on your powerful hidden weapons and using your ghostly tricks.

"Leave now, I will not linger."

Ji Ling was startled and quickly realized that she had gotten too caught up in the role.

If my lord only needs to hold back the two families of Lü Bu and Liu Bei, and they can make peace with each other now, it is a good thing. How could I dare to say anything more?

Seeing Ji Ling remain silent, Liu Bei recalled what the soldier had said at the gate of Xuzhou:

Lu Bu forcibly conscripted soldiers, and men ranging from fifteen to fifty years old were not allowed to escape.

Xuzhou has suffered for too long, and its people have long admired your virtue.

Lü Bu originally followed Yuan Long's advice, which is why he forcibly conscripted soldiers.
Liu Bei pondered to himself that perhaps the opportunity for him to return to Xuzhou lay precisely in this matter.
He had no time to think about this matter further and could only discuss it later. However, knowing that Lü Bu possessed such strength, he could not hold back any longer and hurriedly advised him:
"General Lü, do not let this marriage alliance cause you to be confused and misled. Even if Ji Ling withdraws his troops now, Yuan Shu will still wage war against our two families once he has pacified Liang in the north and then marches back with his entire army."

Rather than letting his power grow stronger and harder to resist, why not take advantage of the moment when he is divided in his forces, take advantage of his predicament, and cut off his wings and arms?

If that's the case, then we can both make some preparations for the future all-out war against Yuan Shu.

Sensing the murderous intent in Liu Bei's words, Ji Ling glared angrily, "You big-eared scoundrel, I'm not here to kill you, yet you want to plot against me?"

"Very well, since General Lü intends to form a marriage alliance with my lord, I will remain neutral and let our two families fight amongst themselves."

"I have made my own decision, so you need not say anything more."

Lu Bu stopped Ji Ling with a word and looked deeply at Liu Bei, who had a simple and honest face, beside him.

Don't let me be taken advantage of by Yuan Shu, so that you, Liu Bei, can take advantage of me, right?
Ever since Han Yin had enlightened him, he had harbored doubts about Chen Deng and his son, and he had taken their previous advice to heart.

Although the conscripted troops were numerous, they lost the hearts of the people of Xuzhou. Chen Gong's previous investigation into Huang Beiming and the people of Xuzhou, which showed that they all missed Liu Bei, made Lü Bu even more alarmed.

If it weren't for the external threat of Yuan Shu, his first priority would have been to eliminate Liu Bei, who was right next to him.

It's laughable that Liu Bei is still talking about the two families jointly attacking Yuan Shu.
If a war were to truly break out with Yuan Shu, how many troops would Liu Bei have left to fight? It would inevitably be Lü Bu leading the main force, merely wasting resources fighting Yuan Shu.

Instead, it will benefit you, Xuande, who is well-liked by the locals of Xuzhou, by teaching you to cooperate from within and without, just like when Lü seized Xuzhou.

So it was me who forcibly conscripted soldiers, I was the one who bore the infamy, and I was the one who used the conscripted soldiers to block Yuan Shu.
The hearts of the people, the reputation, and Xuzhou, which was defended from Yuan Shu's army, will all be obtained by Liu Bei at that time.
I, Lü Bu, have great respect and trust for you scholars of Xuzhou, yet I deserve to be treated like a fool by you people of Xuzhou.
Given this situation, why would Lü Bu join forces with Liu Bei to protect Liu Bei's Liang Kingdom, thus putting Yuan Shu in a difficult position and forcing him to retreat?

The changes that had arisen in Lü Bu's heart, after being enlightened by Han Yin and corroborated by Chen Gong, were something Liu Bei could never have imagined at this moment.

Therefore, when Liu Bei offered advice, he no longer received the familiar "Brother" from Lü Bu, but instead a cold, icy look from him.

"Xuande, never forget our promise to each other when you achieve your goals."

I have led my troops here today to hold a banquet. I will even shoot arrows at the gate of the camp, putting aside all pride and saying that if I miss, we will call it a day. What is the meaning of this?
Isn't it to protect you from General Ji's military might?

Even General Ji Ling could see my bias towards you; does Xuande truly remain completely oblivious?

Lu Bu stared at Liu Bei with wide eyes, almost gritting his teeth as he spoke.

"Bu was treated coldly throughout his life. He had the martial prowess to roam the world, but because of his humble origins and emotional nature, he was often taken advantage of and no one treated him sincerely."

When Bu first met Xuande in Xuzhou, Xuande rescued him from dire straits and treated him with sincerity. Bu was truly grateful for Xuande's kindness and regarded him as a brother, considering him a close friend.

Today, Xuande has been defeated and has come to seek help. Although Bu has received Yuan Gong's kindness in offering a marriage alliance, he still brought troops to rescue him. Xuande is truly unaware of the true feelings behind this.
Now that things have come to this, if Xuande remains greedy and thinks that stopping the war and making peace is not enough, he will not be satisfied.

If you insist on going to war with General Ji, then I will truly be disappointed in you.

Lu Bu was half heartbroken and half feigning it. After speaking, he raised his sleeves, drew his bow taut, nocked an arrow, and shot.

"Whether we fight or make peace today depends entirely on the will of Heaven. If they do not comply, I will lead my troops to attack them."

The bow is drawn like the autumn moon in the sky, the arrow flies like a shooting star, and one arrow flies towards the sky, hitting a bird flying in the sky.

The officers and soldiers, both inside and outside the tent, shouted in unison: "Bravo!"

Lü Bulang laughed loudly and said to the crowd, "You have not yet been hit by the halberd. It is truly the will of Heaven that commands you to cease hostilities."

Ji Ling also said, "Colorful!" He had no objection to this.

Liu Bei felt bitter inside. What was the use of saying that the two sides should cease hostilities, and that only Ji Ling stopped fighting?

Yuan Shu could still be in Liang, attacking Jian Yong!
I wonder what the situation will be like for Liang Kingdom now that it is facing the main force of Yuan's army.
Although Liu Bei was deeply worried about this, he was forced by the circumstances and could only lament in vain, even as a hero.
(End of this chapter)