After running for several dozen miles, Zhang He removed his silver-gray armor and replaced it with heavy black armor. He swapped his silver spear for a solid black steel spear and changed his helmet to one with black plumes. His previously pale face was washed clean, revealing a bronzed complexion. As for his small mustache, it would be gone by the time Zhao Yun and Guan Yu met him again. By then, Zhang He would have a full beard, and even if Zhao Yun encountered him face-to-face, he would never recognize that Zhang He had disguised himself.
This was also why Zhang He did not launch a night attack. Although the night might have provided the best cover, it also meant that many things would be harder to see, leading to overthinking.
Tian Feng was confident that as long as Chen Xi thought things through carefully, he would have doubts. And once those doubts arose, even if Chen Xi couldn't obtain intelligence from Lü Bu's side, he would likely hold back and prioritize the bigger picture.
Having completed his mission, Zhang He no longer hesitated and immediately led his remaining cavalry and infantry back to Wei Commandery. He planned to return in a few days, posing as reinforcements. Alongside him would be Jiang Yiqu, Han Meng, and others.
That night, one of Zhang He's deputy generals, dressed as a scout, rode swiftly back to Tian Feng's main camp. This movement went unnoticed by anyone.
The reason for this was simple: the three forces had each set up their camps at a distance from one another and had all increased the number of scouts to avoid giving the others an opportunity. As a result, the late-night movements of scouts did not arouse any suspicion.
"Deputy Administrator Tian, General Zhang has sent a secret order," the deputy general reported as he rushed into Tian Feng's main tent without delay.
"Present it," Tian Feng ordered with a nod.
A guard took Zhang He's secret message and handed it to Tian Feng, who opened it and allowed a smile to form on his face. He trusted Zhang He's abilities. Compared to the straightforward nature of Yan Liang and Wen Chou, Zhang He was outwardly fierce but meticulous in detail. Because of this, Tian Feng had confidence in executing such a plan.
After reading the message, Tian Feng threw it into the oil lamp, burning it to ashes.
"You should get some rest," Tian Feng said lightly, feeling more assured about the upcoming plan. He dismissed the deputy general with a wave of his hand.
"Understood," the deputy general responded with a bow, then quietly left the tent.
As Tian Feng exhaled a breath of relief, he began to carefully consider the terms proposed by Chen Gong.
Chen Xi had been quite ruthless, offering Chen Gong extremely favorable terms. Since they had no intention of recruiting Lü Bu, they could afford to offer Chen Gong generous conditions, knowing that he wouldn't be a threat. With this approach, there was no need for Chen Gong to make outrageous demands—Liu Yan's offer alone was enough to tempt him.
Moreover, Chen Gong had some admiration for Liu Bei's aspirations. As Liu Bei's strength continued to grow, those who had once dismissed his goals as mere fantasy or empty talk were now forced to take them seriously.
Strength brings confidence. It's like how Lü Bu could claim to be invincible under the heavens—even though many cursed him in their hearts, they still had to acknowledge it. Similarly, those who once saw Liu Bei as a minor figure now saw him as a giant, forcing them to reconsider their previous mockery.
Some even began to believe that Liu Bei might truly achieve his ambitions. This "might" reflected a growing consideration among the wise, a significant step from the previous ridicule.
Clearly, Chen Gong was now leaning toward Liu Bei, and the terms offered by Liu Yan were so generous that even Chen Gong found them a bit overwhelming. If not for the sincerity he sensed from Liu Bei's side, Chen Gong might have thought Liu Bei was simply trying to deceive him. However, after much consideration, Chen Gong realized that Liu Bei seemed genuinely unsure of how to deal with Lü Bu.
What Tian Feng didn't know was that Chen Gong's negotiations with their side couldn't compare to the progress he had made with Liu Bei's side. The only sticking point in Chen Gong's discussions with Liu Yan was Lü Bu; otherwise, they would have reached an agreement long ago. Liu Bei's side had even offered Zhang Liao, Gao Shun, Cao Xing, Hao Meng, and Cheng Lian positions with extremely favorable terms. For example, Zhang Liao would be promoted directly to deputy general of a corps, and after some training and proof of his abilities, he could even command a full army!
The problem was that Lü Bu hadn't done anything to betray Chen Gong, so Chen Gong couldn't abandon him. As for the terms offered by Tian Feng, they were good, but compared to Liu Bei's offer—excluding the matter of Lü Bu—they fell short.
This was unavoidable. After all, Chen Xi had essentially taken the favorable terms Yuan Shao could offer Lü Bu and distributed a significant portion of them to Chen Gong and his men. Naturally, this made the offers more attractive.
Because of this, the negotiations had reached a deadlock. Chen Gong and Liu Yan kept revisiting old points, trying to finalize terms and join Liu Bei's side, while Tian Feng continuously revisited their discussions, hoping to bring Lü Bu and his generals over to their side.
Overall, this situation was nothing short of tragic. Regardless of the misfortune, negotiations had to continue. And when talks failed, it would come down to who had the stronger fist. Fortunately, Liu Bei's fist was strong enough now.
"Greetings, Commander," Guan Yu, Guo Jia, and Xu Chu, along with other generals and officers, stepped out of the camp to welcome Chen Xi. At times like this, when the armies converged, proper protocol had to be observed—no one would act out of line.
Before Chen Xi could speak, Guan Yu handed over the military seal to him. As the commander of this campaign, Chen Xi needed to hold the seal to legitimize his authority.
"Let's return to camp," Chen Xi said as he took the reins, leading the way back. Despite his dislike for riding, he had to mount a horse for the formal entry into camp.
Once inside, the atmosphere relaxed. After everyone shared updates on recent events, the conversation naturally shifted back to the earlier ambush.
"In that case, we should attack Tian Feng's main camp," Guo Jia suggested after hearing the details of the ambush. Zhao Yun hadn't elaborated, but Guo Jia quickly proposed this course of action.
"Oh? You think so too?" Chen Xi asked, curious. Based on his assessment, Guo Jia shouldn't have been able to view the situation from this angle, considering there was still the possibility of Lü Bu benefiting as a third party.