After Lu Bu's troops arrived, Liu Bei and Ji Ling were both still shaken. Afraid that the fickle villain might side with the other, they stayed on high alert even during the ceasefire.
The next morning, Lu Bu sent men to Xiaopei and Ji Ling's camp, inviting both sides to his own camp to discuss the matter.
By then, Zhang Liao's additional force of ten thousand men had arrived—a force powerful enough to tip the balance of the conflict.
When both sides heard that Lu Bu had summoned them, they mistakenly assumed he would help them, and so they came to his camp full of hope.
Xiaopei was closer for Liu Bei, so he and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei arrived first.
Lu Bu personally welcomed the three men into the tent. Once they were seated, the fellow said mysteriously, "I invited you here today especially to relieve Xiaopei's siege. When you achieve success in the future, don't forget me."
Liu Bei paused briefly, then clasped his hands and awkwardly thanked him, thinking, You stabbed me in the back and took Xu Province, and now you're pretending to be benevolent?
Thanks a lot.
Ji Ling entered the main tent soon after, only to find Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei already there.
The instant he saw them, Ji Ling panicked. He turned to bolt through the entrance, but Lu Bu blocked his way.
"General Lu, are you planning to kill me?" Ji Ling glanced around and asked Lu Bu cautiously.
Lu Bu smiled faintly. "No."
"Then are you planning to kill Liu Bei?" Ji Ling asked again.
Zhang Fei glared furiously and bellowed, "Ji Ling, are you looking for a beating?"
He and Zhang Fei had fought dozens of rounds in a contest of arms a few days earlier. When old enemies met, their eyes blazed; the two immediately began trading barbs. But Ji Ling was alone, while Liu Bei and Guan Yu were there beside Zhang Fei, so after a few retorts, he fell silent.
With the atmosphere tense, Lu Bu spoke leisurely. "Everyone."
As soon as Lu Bu finished speaking, Liu Bei grabbed Zhang Fei's hand, while Ji Ling took the opportunity to sit down nearby. He wanted to see what the fellow was up to.
"Please, everyone, take your seats and hear me out. I came today to reconcile your two houses," Lu Bu said.
Ji Ling asked helplessly, "May I ask how the general plans to settle this?"
Lu Bu said solemnly, "In all my life, I, Lu Bu, have never liked fighting. I only like stopping fights. Yet everyone thinks I'm obsessed with brawling. That's a grave mistake. This is no Hongmen Banquet, but a feast of goodwill. For my sake, why don't you each call off your troops? The Liu and Yuan families need not fall out with each other. What do you say?"
Liu Bei and Ji Ling heard his words and grew uneasy. What goodwill could there possibly be between the Liu and Yuan families?
When Liu Bei first took up the post of Governor of Xuzhou, Cao Cao had been too busy to turn his attention east. He appointed Liu Bei to an official post and made him promises, then ordered him in the court's name to attack Huainan.
At the time, Liu Bei had only just taken charge of Xu Province. People's hearts were unsettled, and he lacked both troops and provisions. Even so, he obeyed the order and led his army south, only to be defeated by Yuan Shu in Huainan.
Yuan Shu was vindictive, quick to take offense, and a bully who feared the strong. He believed he couldn't defeat Cao Cao or Yuan Shao, but dealing with Liu Bei, who had no firm foundation, was well within his power.
After defeating Liu Bei in Huainan, Yuan Shu pursued him as far as Guangling. Only when Liu Bei had nowhere left to turn did he beg Lu Bu to accept his surrender.
Now that Lu Bu had stepped in to mediate, the situation favored Liu Bei's side, so he sat back, secure as an angler on a terrace.
Ji Ling, however, was anxious. He was merely a general serving under Yuan Shu and didn't dare make a decision on his lord's behalf, so he said, "My lord ordered me to lead an army of thirty thousand men here specifically to capture Liu Bei at Xiaopei."
Seeing this, Third Master Zhang cut in angrily. "You've got quite a mouth on you! So what if you have thirty thousand men? Killing you lot would be child's play!"
Zhang Fei said this and reached for his sword, but Guan Yu beside him urged him to hold back. "Third Brother, wait. Let's see how General Lu settles this. If he can't, we can return to camp and fight afterward."
Ji Ling shook his head and snorted. "Settle the fight? Easier said than done."
"Ji Ling, don't get cocky," Zhang Fei snapped.
"You think I'm afraid of you?"
"Come on, let's go outside and fight three hundred rounds!"
"Then let's fight!" Ji Ling's temper flared. He rolled up his sleeves and stood.
Seeing this, Lu Bu slammed his hand on the table, rose, and swept an angry gaze over everyone. At last, he walked to the entrance of the main tent and said, "Bring me my halberd."
Liu Bei and Ji Ling were both startled, wondering what Lu Bu was up to.
"I advise you two not to fight. You might as well leave it to Heaven's will," Lu Bu said.
"What do you mean, leave it to Heaven's will?" Liu Bei wasn't in a hurry, but Ji Ling was, so he immediately pressed him.
Lu Bu had the Square Sky Painted Halberd set up at the camp gate, then told everyone in the tent, "The camp gate is one hundred and fifty paces from the central tent. I'll shoot an arrow through the small prong of the halberd. If I hit it, both your houses will call off their troops. If I miss, you can each return to camp and prepare for battle.
"Whoever refuses to obey me will find me gathering my troops to help the other side."
Lu Bu's words carried a threat, but Ji Ling felt much more at ease when he heard them. In his mind, the target was too far away to hit, so he asked again, "General, you'll shoot the—"
"The small prong of the halberd," Lu Bu repeated.
Ji Ling reckoned Lu Bu couldn't possibly hit it. Besides, he couldn't afford to offend the man now, so he readily agreed. "We'll do as you say, General. Just don't go back on your word."
Liu Bei watched from the sidelines. Even if Lu Bu successfully got him out of trouble, he wouldn't feel grateful. After all, if Lu Bu hadn't taken Xu Province from him, things would never have come to this.
Lu Bu then had someone bring him a bow and arrows. He nocked an arrow and drew the bow in one smooth motion. Once it left the string, the arrow flew straight through the hole in the halberd's small prong.
The fluid, effortless shot left Ji Ling dumbfounded. He had no idea that Lu Bu, a general from the borderlands, was far more skilled at archery and horsemanship than he could have imagined.
The two sides drank wine to seal their reconciliation. Afraid Yuan Shu wouldn't believe him, Ji Ling had Lu Bu write a letter for him to take back. The siege of Xiaopei was lifted at once.
After this, Gan Qian admired her sworn younger brother even more.
She bought some wine and meat in town, then returned to Gan Family Village, intending to treat Lan Tian.
When she got home, Gan Qian found no one inside. At last, she found Gan Ji and Lan Tian by a small grove several dozen meters behind the house. The two were digging a hole, heads bent to their work.
"Father, Younger Brother, what are you doing? Digging a cellar?" Gan Qian asked.
Gan Ji wiped the sweat from his brow. "More or less. Your younger brother says it needs to be wider and deeper. I don't know what he wants such a big cellar for."
"I bought some wine and meat in town. Younger Brother, you're in charge of the cooking today," Gan Qian said with a smile.
"Sure. Father, you go back first. I'll work a little longer," Lan Tian said.
Gan Qian and Gan Ji went home ahead of him and washed the meat they'd bought along with the leaves they'd picked from the fields.
While they waited, Gan Ji poured himself a small cup of wine. Life was so comfortable now, far freer than it had been back in Xiapi.
At dusk, Lan Tian finished his work and returned. While he washed his hands and changed clothes, Gan Qian lit the fire in the stove.
When Lan Tian came into the kitchen, he went straight to stir-fry the dishes, while Gan Qian tended the fire beside him, trying to learn by watching.
"Younger Brother, you're incredible. Is this what they mean by 'planning within the tent, victory a thousand miles away'?"
Lan Tian was tasting the food to see if it needed more salt. Gan Qian's praise almost scalded his tongue. What schemes did he have? He was only following the course of history. Even if he hadn't sent Gao Shun grapes, the Chen Family of Xiapi would have urged Lu Bu to send troops to Xiaopei and lift the siege for their own benefit.
"Ahem, I don't have any schemes. Sister, please don't praise me so much," Lan Tian said modestly.
"Too much modesty is pride, Younger Brother. You don't need to put on an act with me. I understand your intelligence better than anyone," Gan Qian said with a smile, covering her mouth as she watched him nearly burn his tongue.
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