Lu Bu ultimately agreed to Liu Bei's "reasonable" demand!
There was no other reason—the situation was stronger than the man!
First, he had promised Liu Bei he would help seize Xiang County. Now that Xiang County had been taken, Liu Bei asked him to capture other cities instead. If he refused, he would have no leg to stand on.
Second, he had originally intended to head south and plunder Jiujiang while Yuan Shu's forces were stretched thin.
Ten days had now passed. If he still did not go, he would lose his chance!
Third, he had no choice but to agree. Otherwise, he would not even be able to return home!
Liu Bei now held the city. Lu Bu's forces were inferior, his logistics were inferior; the enemy was strong while he was weak. What could he do?
Thus, in May of 197 AD, an exceedingly strange event took place in the Central Plains.
First, Liu Bei sent Lu Bu a letter asking him to attack Xiang County all the way through. Then Yuan Shu attacked Lu Bu, and Lu Bu agreed to the request and sought aid from Liu Bei.
With the two armies joining forces, they ultimately crushed Yuan Shu's troops.
To the people of the realm, Lu Bu's faithlessness had long been common knowledge. Even if Lu Bu broke his word and abandoned righteousness, it would have seemed perfectly natural.
Yet this time, everyone's spectacles were shattered.
After the battle, Lu Bu not only split the spoils evenly with Liu Bei, but after Liu Bei seized Xiang County, he eagerly hurried to Pei Commandery and, with Liu Bei supplying provisions, marched south all the way.
He successively captured Bamboo City and Jin County, reached Guyang, then turned his spearhead toward Xiapi. Continuing by land and water alike,