Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

42

Tao Qian felt dizzy and almost fainted.

"My lord!"

The attendants beside him quickly stepped forward to help him up.

"It's over! It's all over! Withdraw! Retreat to Pengcheng immediately! We must retake Xuzhou!"

Tao Qian, filled with grief and indignation, gave the order.

He couldn't believe that most of Xuzhou had fallen so easily.

This is utterly absurd.

On that day, Tao Qian led his troops to withdraw and rushed to Pengcheng.

At the same time, he sent someone to Liu Bei to request help, informing him of the perilous situation in Xuzhou and asking him to return and assist him.

With only his own troops, Tao Qian had no chance of winning.

According to scouts, Lu Feng has dispatched four elite forces—the Azure Dragon Camp, the Qingzhou Army, the East China Sea Fleet, and the Yellow Sea Fleet—to invade, totaling 140,000 troops.

This was no match for the ragtag army under Tao Qian.

Half a day later, Liu Bei learned of the changes in Xuzhou.

"What?!"

Liu Bei abruptly stood up, exclaiming in shock, "In just two days, Lu Feng has captured most of Xuzhou? How could this be?"

Could it be that the Xuzhou defense line is merely a facade?

Guan Yu frowned: "Brother, there's no point in going back to reinforce now."

Having fought against Lu Jiajun before, he knew their strength well. Now that most of Xuzhou had fallen, sending reinforcements was futile.

On the contrary, it might put itself in danger—Zhao Yun and Xu Chu are attacking Qiao County to the south, and if it goes north now, its retreat route may be cut off.

Liu Bei's expression was solemn: "But Lord Tao has shown us immense kindness; how can we stand by and watch him die?"

He was also reluctant to send troops, but if he stood idly by, the reputation of benevolence he had cultivated over the years would be ruined.

"Big brother!"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei remained silent for a moment, then sneered, "That old man Tao Qian merely wants to use us to deal with Sun Quan and Yuan Shu. It's all for mutual benefit; what's there to be grateful for!"

"Xuzhou is almost certainly lost. Going there now would be like a moth drawn to a flame. The most urgent thing is to consider a way out!"

"Given the current situation, the provinces of Yu and Xu will inevitably fall to Sun Quan sooner or later; they are not places to stay for long."

If the two sides were evenly matched, he would be willing to fight Lu Feng to vent his pent-up anger.

But now that the enemy outnumbers us, why invite humiliation upon ourselves?

Having painstakingly amassed tens of thousands of troops, are they all destined to be wiped out in Xuzhou, ending up in a desperate escape?

He had had enough of this pathetic life.

Jian Yong immediately echoed, "My lord, the Third General is absolutely right. It may be too late to send reinforcements now."

Sun Qian nodded in agreement, saying, "Trying to defeat a powerful enemy with an egg is certainly not a good strategy. If we wish to restore the Han Dynasty, we should accumulate strength, forge wide alliances, and be able to confront powerful figures like Sun Quan."

Liu Bei feigned hesitation: "Wouldn't that be letting down Lord Tao?"

Sun Qian hurriedly explained, "To defeat Sun Quan would be the best way to appease Lord Tao! I'm sure Lord Tao would agree with this strategy."

If Tao Qian were present, he would probably be "moved to tears".

Liu Bei feigned struggle, but finally made a painful decision: "Since that's the case... then we'll follow your advice. But what about heaven and earth? Where should we go?"

Looking at the vast wilderness, the royal uncle couldn't help but show a look of confusion.

He was unable to return to Gongsun Zan's place in Youzhou.

He might be able to seek refuge with Yuan Shao, but if he went there, wouldn't he be helping Yuan Shao deal with Gongsun Zan?

Even though Gongsun Zan resented him, the two were still fellow disciples, and Gongsun Zan had treated him well before.

More importantly, this move will inevitably ruin his image of being a paragon of benevolence and righteousness.

"My lord, why don't we head to Jingzhou?"

Jian Yong stepped forward and said, "Liu Biao of Jingzhou is a member of the Han imperial family, just like our lord. He controls nine commanderies in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, and his power is formidable!"

"Furthermore, Wu Hou will inevitably become an enemy of Jingzhou in the future. If our army joins us, it will be a great help to Liu Jingzhou, and I believe he will gladly accept us!"

Sun Qian echoed, "Jingzhou is indeed a good choice. However, we can still join forces with Lü Bu to resist the Wu Lord, after all, we still have a previous alliance to uphold."

"Furthermore, I believe we should attempt to capture Pingyu and behead Yuan Shu. This will undoubtedly enhance our lord's prestige and greatly benefit our future endeavors!"

For the feudal lords who aspired to conquer the world, reputation was of paramount importance.

If one remains unknown and unnoticed, who will be willing to serve them?

After listening to them, Liu Bei felt that both of their arguments made sense, and he was unable to make a decision for a moment.

After pondering for a long time, Liu Bei decided to take a two-pronged approach: "Jian Yong, you must immediately take this letter written by me to Jingzhou to meet Liu Biao and express your intention to submit."

"At the same time, inform him that I intend to attack Pingyu and cut off Yuan Shu's head as a sign of sincerity!"

"These usurpers who dare to declare themselves emperors deserve this fate! I, Liu Bei, swear to be their mortal enemy!"

"Sun Qian, along with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhang Fei, will lead our troops to join forces with Lü Bu to discuss strategies for attacking Pingyu. What do you all think?"

If one were to flee from Xu and Yu provinces to seek refuge without having rendered any merit, not only would one fail to gain Liu Biao's attention, but one would also be despised.

Therefore, Liu Bei urgently needed a righteous cause and a prestigious reputation.

Yuan Shu's head is the best proof.

"My lord is wise! This arrangement is far more appropriate. The mission to Jingzhou will be entrusted to me."

Jian Yong was the first to accept the order.

Liu Bei's planning was indeed far-sighted.

"Alright! Let's set off immediately! As for Master Tao, we can only wish him a safe journey from afar!"

Liu Bei said with a somber expression.

Previous indications suggested that Tao Qian had intended to entrust Xuzhou to him.

Tao Qian was getting old, and his son was not good enough.

Liu Bei was known for his benevolence and righteousness, making him a suitable candidate for entrusting the task.

Unexpectedly, the situation changed drastically. Lu Ziyi captured most of Xuzhou in just two days. What should be done?

On that day, Liu Bei led his army eastward at breakneck speed.

By the time Tao Qian learned of the news, more than a day had passed. At that time, he was in dire need of his own safety and had no time to worry about anything else.

At this time, within the city of Xiapi,

With the assistance of the Chen family, Chen Dao captured the entire city without bloodshed and was welcomed into the governor's mansion by Chen Deng and his son Chen Gui.

Tao Qian's family members were all detained and strictly guarded by Chen Dao's troops.

"Congratulations to General Chen on your swift capture of Xiapi and your great achievement!"

Upon entering the council hall, Chen Deng greeted Chen Dao with a smile and clasped his hands in congratulations.

"Hahaha!"

Chen Daolang smiled and returned the greeting: "This battle was entirely thanks to the planning of the two gentlemen! I presume the secret guards have already presented the victory report to the lord. In my opinion, the lord's rewards for the two of you will arrive soon!"

"Furthermore, I have heard of your previous actions. Congratulations on officially joining our lord's ranks. Now, most of Xuzhou is under our control, and the remaining cities will be within our grasp soon. You no longer need to hide; you can now serve us openly and honestly. With your talents, you will surely be highly valued by our lord!"

Chen Dao was well aware of the Chen family's background.

These two, father and son, have chosen a master to serve, and they will surely be given important responsibilities in the future.

Although he himself was highly regarded by his lord, it was never a bad thing to be on good terms with the Chen family.

Chen Deng and Chen Gui were both delighted upon hearing this.

Smiling, he cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your kind words, General!"

Chen Deng smiled and said, "It's quite a coincidence that the general and I are from the same clan; perhaps we even have some ancestral connection! May I ask where the general's hometown is?"

People with the same surname naturally feel closer to each other.

Chen Dao replied with a smile, "I am originally from Runan. Due to the Yellow Turban Rebellion, I fled to Wancheng with my family. Fortunately, I was appreciated by my lord, which is why I have achieved what I have today. It is all thanks to my lord! It is really nothing to boast about."

Back then, he was just a minor gatekeeper in Wancheng. After being promoted by Lu Feng, he rose rapidly through the ranks and is now a general commanding an army.

What's even more remarkable is that Lu Feng helped him make rapid progress in martial arts, and he has now reached the super first-class level, just one step away from becoming a peerless master.

Furthermore, he was taught military strategy and tactics, which were far more valuable than a mere military rank.

Therefore, Chen Dao always felt grateful to Lu Feng.

"General, you are too modest!" Chen Deng and his son, unaware of the true situation, thought he was being overly modest: "With your abilities, General, achieving great success is only a matter of time."

"No!" Chen Dao said solemnly, "You don't understand yet, this is all thanks to the Lord's grace! You will understand in the future."

It turned out that the Chen father and son, due to their infiltration, had never personally witnessed the effects of Lu Feng's teachings of extraordinary techniques. Furthermore, as scholars, they had never experienced the mysteries of the military training aura.

Once they have experienced these extraordinary abilities, they will understand that even mediocre talents can become pillars of society under the lord's guidance.

Chen Deng and Chen Gui exchanged glances, both looking puzzled.

Why did you suddenly become so serious?

Could there really be a hidden story behind this?

The father and son secretly resolved to investigate further in the future.

Chen Dao noticed their confusion, but thinking that his lord would send someone to explain, he said no more.

With a benevolent expression, he proactively explained, "Our lord is no ordinary person. Several years ago, he already reached the legendary realm of Supreme Martial Saint, and he possesses two secret techniques that can double the effectiveness of learning and cultivation!"

"Soon, our lord will send someone to explain in detail and guide you in your cultivation. Everything will become clear then; I only hope you won't be too shocked!"

"What?"

Chen Deng and Chen Gui exchanged bewildered glances: "Supreme Martial Saint Realm? Isn't that just a vague legend? Our lord has actually reached such a realm? How could this be?"

"The two secret techniques mentioned by the general are completely unheard of."

If Chen Dao hadn't looked so solemn, the father and son would have almost dismissed it as absurd.

But then I thought again, Chen Dao is definitely not the kind of person who speaks carelessly.

Could it be... true?

"hiss--"

Both of them gasped simultaneously, feeling a chill run down their spines.

Chen Deng suddenly recalled the strange phenomenon he had noticed earlier—Lu Feng's army not only formed extremely quickly, but its combat strength far surpassed that of the armies of other warlords.

If one or two elite units can be attributed to the accumulation of resources, then it is no ordinary case for every single one of them to be a ferocious and ruthless force.

"Exactly!" Chen Dao nodded. "The secret techniques for training soldiers can increase training efficiency several times over and even break through the upper limit of soldiers' talents. Ordinary soldiers are limited by their aptitude, and their growth will eventually come to an end, but my lord's secret techniques can break through the shackles."

Now that their loyalty has been confirmed, there's no harm in sharing these secrets.

"this……"

Chen Deng and his son listened as if to a fairy tale, muttering, "This is simply unbelievable!"

Seeing this, Chen Dao chuckled: "It seems neither of you has ever personally practiced martial arts, otherwise you would have noticed something amiss long ago. Anyone who truly serves our lord, even if we've never met, can receive the blessing of this secret technique!"

"When the lord personally performs the art of teaching and imparting knowledge, its effects can only last for one day each time."

Because of this miraculous skill, Chen Dao always regarded his lord as a god.

Not only him, but everyone under Lu Feng's command shared this thought.

"How could we have been completely unaware? We've missed this opportunity for so many years!"

Chen Deng and his son Chen Gui were both taken aback.

Chen Gui stroked his beard and smiled wryly: "I am old and frail; it is too late for me to learn martial arts."

If one were to encounter the lord in one's youth and receive the blessing of this technique, one might be able to achieve mastery of martial arts.

Who doesn't want to live a long and healthy life?

Chen Deng also sighed, "Even for me, it's probably too late to learn martial arts now."

"Ha ha!"

Seeing the two men's dejected expressions, Chen Dao laughed loudly, "The military advisors Xun You, Xi Zhicai, and Guo Jia all served our lord and learned martial arts in the rear. Especially Xi Zhicai and Guo Jia, who originally suffered from congenital ailments and were destined for a short lifespan, were both cured by our lord with elixirs of immortality!"

Seeing the look of surprise on Chen Deng and his son's faces, he continued, "Our lord has established a Hall of Merit, where one can exchange for divine items. Each Longevity Pill adds ten years to one's lifespan, and although the limit is three pills, that's still thirty years of lifespan! With your achievements this time, it shouldn't be difficult for you to obtain one or two. With continued diligence in the future, obtaining even more Longevity Pills will not be difficult either."

"With a long lifespan and the assistance of the lord's secret techniques, even reaching the realm of the Supreme Martial Saint is not a pipe dream. This realm can extend one's life by more than two hundred years, as the lord himself stated. Military Advisor Xun, Lord Cai, and others have all diligently cultivated without ceasing; how can you two so easily give up?"

(

This can only be obtained through corresponding merits and official positions.

"Really? A longevity elixir? General, are you telling the truth? Such a wondrous thing truly exists in this world?"

Chen Gui and Chen Deng stared wide-eyed at Chen Dao, their words conveying both urgency and a mixture of hesitation and expectation.

Although the story seemed absurd, the two of them still held a glimmer of hope—what if it really was true?