My father-in-law Guan Yu, I persuaded Liu Bei to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang at the beginn

Xiao He's lips curled slightly as he spoke slowly and deliberately:
“Yongnian has already publicly declared his allegiance to the emperor. Moreover, he has helped us successfully breach the important pass of Baiguan.”

"However, Liu Zhang has always been narrow-minded and stubborn. Now that the Duke of Yongnian has made such a choice, he will surely be furious and vent all his resentment and anger on Zidu."

"After all, in his eyes, Zidu and Yongnian have a close relationship, and Zidu is probably not going to escape this calamity."

"But I firmly believe that with Zidu's intelligence, he will not sit idly by and wait for his death. He must have used ingenious strategies to escape Liu Zhang's control and come to join us."

Wei Yan was instantly enlightened, realizing that Meng Da's purpose in coming here was to break free from Liu Zhang's control.

Upon realizing this, Wei Yan frowned slightly, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes:
"It's understandable that Zidu came to join us, and it's not too surprising. But why did Wu Yi come along? Is there some hidden reason behind this?"

Xiao He lowered his head slightly upon hearing Wei Yan's question.

After a moment, he slowly raised his head:
"After careful consideration, I suspect that Wu Yi's arrival with Fa Zidu must have been at Liu Zhang's behest, and his purpose is most likely to monitor Fa Zidu's every move."

"After all, Liu Zhang is inherently suspicious and will not completely trust anyone. Moreover, I imagine that Liu Zhang must be very conflicted at this time, not yet certain whether the emperor really intends to take over his Shu Kingdom."

"Under such circumstances, he sent Wu Yi here undoubtedly to try to find out the Emperor's true intentions by understanding the situation here through a method."

Wei Yan frowned, pondered for a moment, and then asked again:
"In that case, how should we deal with Wu Yi? He came here on Liu Zhang's mission, and if we don't handle him properly, it may bring us unnecessary trouble."

Xiao He's lips curled slightly upwards, a strange look flashing across his face, and he said:
"We can actually make use of Wu Yi; we might even be able to outsmart him and take Black Pine Pass."

"The Black Pine Pass is strategically important, easy to defend and difficult to attack. Wouldn't it be great if we could find a breakthrough through Wu Yi?"

Xiao said with a hidden meaning.

Everyone's spirits lifted instantly.

Everyone knows that the Grand Marshal is always resourceful and clever, and he can always win by surprise with his ingenious plans.

Hearing him say this, everyone knew that the Grand Marshal must have another plan.

"What brilliant plan does the Grand Marshal have? Please tell us quickly, we are all eager to hear it."

Wei Yan asked impatiently.

Xiao He smiled slightly, lowered his voice, and slowly revealed the plan he had already devised.

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan's eyes lit up, and his face showed admiration. He exclaimed:

"Brilliant! Grand Marshal's plan is absolutely ingenious, truly amazing. If this plan can be successfully implemented, we will surely be able to easily take Black Pine Pass."

Zhang Song also quickly stepped forward and exclaimed in admiration:
"The Grand Marshal's ingenious plans are endless, and I sincerely admire him. With the Grand Marshal here, we will surely be able to take Shu."

Xiao He smiled but remained silent upon hearing the praise from the crowd.

After some discussion, the group finalized a specific action plan.

Wei Yan's expression turned solemn, and he ordered Meng Da and Wu Yi to enter the tent.

In a short while, the tent flap was gently lifted, and Meng Da and Wu Yi slowly stepped into the tent.

At this moment, Wei Yan had already summoned more than a hundred swordsmen, who stood on both sides of the tent.

The sharp blade gleamed coldly in the dim light.

As soon as Meng Da and Wu Yi entered, a cold light shone on their faces, so bright that they could barely open their eyes.

A strong killing intent swept over them, as if it would devour them.

Meng Da felt a chill run down his spine and instinctively straightened his back.

Wu Yi felt a chill run down her spine.

A sense of unease swept through both of them simultaneously.

"Meng Da, you really have a lot of nerve, daring to come here?"

Wei Yan glared angrily at Meng Da and shouted.

Meng Da felt a chill run down his spine, wondering what was going on.
Zhang Song, didn't we agree to secretly return to the Emperor? How come you've arranged so many assassins for me now that I'm here?

What exactly does this mean?
Could something have gone wrong?
Meng Da was a little confused and subconsciously looked at Xiao He, trying to find the answer from his expression.

Meng Da knew perfectly well that Wei Yan's series of actions must have been instigated by Xiao He.

He wanted to see what Xiao He was really up to!

Xiao He raised the corner of his eye slightly and gave Meng Da a wink.

That was a hint!
Meng Da's eyes darted around, and he instantly realized that the situation before him must be Xiao He's scheme.

It's probably to get him to cooperate in the act, and the audience is naturally Wu Yi standing to the side.

Thinking of this, Meng Da had an idea, and feigning grievance, asked in return:
"General Wei, what makes you say that? I would also like to ask you, General Wei, why did you betray your promise, seize my counties, kill my soldiers, and even behead Yang Huai?"

"Shouldn't General Wei give me a reasonable explanation for these matters? Why is General Wei questioning his subordinate instead?"

As they spoke, Meng Da also subtly gave Xiao He a wink, indicating that he understood Xiao He's plan and would cooperate fully.

Wei Yan instantly understood Xiao He's intention. He feigned anger, his brows furrowed, his eyes wide, and he shouted:
"Liu Zhang broke his promise first and committed such an unjust act. I will definitely march to Chengdu, find Liu Zhang, and demand an explanation and justice!"

"I never expected you to dare question me first. You have quite the nerve!"

Do you think I wouldn't dare to punish you?

Before Meng Da could even respond, Wu Yi, filled with rage, could no longer contain his anger and stepped forward to demand:
"General Wei, how can you make false accusations first and distort the truth like this? The Han emperor clearly said that he was only borrowing the Shu region to attack Jiaozhou, and we have already agreed and made the corresponding arrangements."

"But General Wei, you suddenly launched an attack, seizing my Baiguan City without warning! Not only that, you also killed my general Yang Huai!"

"Now you are going even further, directly threatening my important town of Jiangzhou, and bringing your troops to the foot of Heisong Pass. Heisong Pass is an important barrier for my Shu region. Once it is lost, the consequences will be unimaginable."

"General Wei, aren't you afraid that your actions will damage the Emperor's reputation and cause the people to criticize the Emperor for making the wrong choice of personnel?"

Wu Yi was filled with indignation, his voice trembling slightly with excitement, each word seemingly carrying the fire of his anger.

"Snapped!"

Wei Yan slammed his hand on the table, causing the teacups on it to jump.

"If Yang Huai hadn't led his troops to attack my camp, burning, killing, looting, and committing all sorts of atrocities, how could I have killed him?"

"Since he dared to provoke us first, don't blame me for being ruthless! He will reap what he sowed by breaking through Baiguan Pass!"

"I will march on Chengdu, capture Liu Zhang alive, and send him to Luoyang to be punished, so that the whole world can see the fate of this treacherous man!"

Wu Yi was speechless after being rebuked by Wei Yan's words. He opened his mouth, but found that he could not find the right words to refute them.

He could only stand there speechless, his face grim.

There was nothing they could do; it was Yang Huai's fault for launching the first attack, a night raid on the Han camp.

Even if Yang Huai fell into a trap and was misled and instigated by others to do such a foolish thing.

However, the fact that he launched the attack on the Han camp first is an undeniable fact.

Wu Yi's face turned red with anger, which burned within him but had nowhere to vent.

At this moment, Xiao He subtly winked at Meng Da, his eyes conveying a profound meaning. Watching Wei Yan's furious performance, Meng Da began to ponder Xiao He's plan.

His eyes darted around, his mind racing.

Suddenly, his eyes lit up, and he understood Xiao He's intention.

He quickly felt apologetic, stepped forward, clasped his hands in a respectful bow, and said sincerely:
"General Wei, please calm down. Yang Huai's night raid on the Han camp was indeed wrong. His actions violated the hospitality of Shu and betrayed General Wei's trust."

"Yang Huai's actions were entirely his own, and were by no means authorized by my lord. My lord has always held the Emperor in the highest esteem and has never had any disloyal intentions. I hope General Wei will investigate this matter thoroughly."

After explaining, Meng Da, with a pained expression and a pleading look on his face, continued:
"Now that Yang Huai is dead, he has paid the price for his actions. General Wei has also killed so many soldiers and captured seven of my cities. General Wei should be able to forgive him now."

"General Wei, please consider the bigger picture and forgive my lord for his oversight. Let's restore our previous agreement, reconcile, and serve the Emperor together again. What do you say?"

Meng Da pleaded on behalf of Liu Zhang, his voice tinged with a hint of entreaty, hoping to move Wei Yan.

Seeing Meng Da's actions, Wu Yi's suspicions were somewhat dispelled.

“If Meng Da were secretly colluding with Liu Bei and Wei Yan and others, he should have stood on Wei Yan’s side and pressured me together. But now he is pleading for the King of Shu and asking Wei Yan to calm down and withdraw his troops. This seems inconsistent with his behavior of betraying the King of Shu.”

"Could it be that he did not collude with Zhang Song and betray the King of Shu? Instead, he is genuinely thinking of the good of our Shu region?"

Wu Yi thought to himself, a hint of doubt flashing in his eyes.

Wei Yan's anger remained undiminished, and he continued, his brows furrowed, as he spoke:
"Yang Huai launched a night attack on our army, killing countless Han soldiers. Those soldiers were all brave and valiant men, yet they died tragically under Yang Huai's blade. How can we easily forget this blood feud?"

"How can the blood of my Han soldiers be shed in vain? Do you think I will let Liu Zhang go with just an apology? How can my entire camp of soldiers agree to that?"

Before Meng Da could respond, Wu Yi, seeing Wei Yan's firm attitude, quickly apologized:
"As long as General Wei is willing to withdraw his troops and stop pressing on my Shu territory, the compensation for the dead and wounded soldiers will be paid by my lord."

"My Lord will surely treat the families of those soldiers well and ensure they live without worry."

"My family is willing to offer 300,000 bushels of grain as compensation to show the sincerity of Shu. We hope that General Wei can value peace and let the matter rest, and not let this war continue to spread."

Upon hearing this, Wei Yan's anger began to subside, and he looked at Xiao He, seemingly waiting for further instructions from Xiao He.

Xiao said coldly:

"If Liu Zhang wants to apologize, that's fine, but who can guarantee that Liu Zhang won't break his promise again?"

“He broke his promise last time. If we let him off easily now, there’s no guarantee he won’t harbor ulterior motives again and do something detrimental to the emperor.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Yi was speechless and momentarily at a loss for words.

He stood there, a troubled expression on his face, his heart filled with anxiety, unsure how to resolve the current stalemate.

Meng Da keenly sensed a new turning point in the situation, and with a sudden thought, he quickly stepped forward and said:

"General Wei, I can guarantee with my head that I will stay in the Han camp as a hostage. If my lord Liu Zhang breaks his promise and fails to deliver the grain on time as agreed, General Wei need not hesitate to kill me!"

“I, Meng Da, have no complaints and am willing to die to atone for any mistakes my lord may have made.”

Upon hearing this, Wu Yi was greatly surprised, his eyes widening instantly as he looked at Meng Da with disbelief.

He never expected that Meng Da would risk his own life as such a heavy guarantee in order to gain Wei Yan's trust.

This loyalty to the Shu region is truly commendable.

Wu Yi felt a deep sense of guilt when he realized that he had previously suspected Meng Da of colluding with the enemy.

At this moment, Xiao He looked back at Wei Yan, nodded slightly, and his eyes contained a hint.

Wei Yan understood, waved his hand slightly, and said with a slightly softened expression:
"I will spare Liu Zhang's life today because he shares the same clan as the Emperor. However, if he dares to betray his promise again in the future, I will not let him off lightly."

Meng Da breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing gratitude, and thanked Wei Yan again:

"Thank you for your magnanimity, General Wei. Meng Da will always remember this kindness."

Then, Meng Da turned to Wu Yi and solemnly instructed him:
"Brother Wu, you heard me. I am now a hostage here. You must go back quickly and make sure the King of Shu sends the grain as soon as possible."

"I'm entrusting my life to you, Brother Wu. This matter must not be delayed."

Wu Yi had completely put aside his suspicions about Meng Da at this point, and solemnly cupped his hands in greeting, saying:
“Zidu, I’ll go back right away. I guarantee with my reputation that I will persuade the King of Shu to agree to this condition.”

"Don't worry, I will bring you provisions to ransom you and will never let you stay here and suffer."

With tears in his eyes, Meng Da gazed deeply into Wu Yi's eyes.

At that moment, all the suspicions and misunderstandings in their hearts vanished. They bowed to each other, letting go of past misunderstandings.

Wu Yi finally turned around and resolutely walked away.

Meng Da escorted him all the way to the tent, standing there, watching Wu Yi's departing figure with reluctance.

Only when Wu Yi's figure gradually disappeared into the distance did Meng Da slowly turn back into the tent.

"Good good!"

"Zidu, your acting is truly superb."

Turning his head, Xiao He saw Meng Da return and couldn't help but clap and cheer, his face full of admiration.

Meng Da gave a wry smile and cupped his hands in greeting:
"Grand Marshal's plan to kill two birds with one stone is truly admirable. I, Meng Da, am merely acting according to Grand Marshal's instructions."

"Killing two birds with one stone?"

Xiao He countered with a question:
"Zidu, tell me, what does 'killing two birds with one stone' mean?"

Meng Da smiled slightly and said confidently:
"This firstly allows me to escape Liu Zhang's control under the pretext of being a hostage and stay here."

"The second, of course, is to trick Liu Zhang into giving us grain supplies so that we can use them for our army."

"Did you guess correctly about this two-birds-with-one-stone strategy?"

Meng Da shared his guesses one by one, his eyes revealing his insight into the situation.

Xiao He couldn't help but laugh upon hearing this.

Wei Yan couldn't help but burst into laughter.

Zhang Song laughed along, and the tent was instantly filled with a relaxed atmosphere.

Meng Da, however, was completely bewildered, a look of confusion on his face:
"Grand Marshal, could it be that Da has guessed wrong? Please enlighten me, Grand Marshal."

Xiao He smiled without saying a word, only shaking his head slightly.

At this moment, Zhang Song stepped forward and said with a smile:

"Zidu, you've only scratched the surface of the Grand Marshal's plan. His true aim is to use this opportunity to cleverly capture Black Pine Pass."

"Heisong Pass is a key stronghold for our army to advance into Jiangzhou. If we can successfully capture Heisong Pass, our army will be able to advance straight in and take Jiangzhou."

Meng Da was taken aback, his eyes widening in disbelief.

He immediately cupped his hands in greeting and asked urgently:

"Da Yulu, I wonder how the Grand Marshal plans to breach Black Pine Pass? I humbly request your guidance." (End of Chapter)