Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Inside the military tent, Li Ru had seemed quite relaxed for the past two days. He sat quietly behind his desk, an ancient book in his hands, his gaze slowly wandering through the pages, as if the deafening cries of battle outside, the life-or-death siege, had nothing to do with him. His mind was completely immersed in the wondrous world of the book. Meanwhile, Cheliji and Pang De, knowing Li Ru's comprehensive plan, felt reassured. Their initially high enthusiasm for the siege gradually cooled, and they no longer attacked with the reckless abandon they had at the beginning.

At the moment the news arrived, the two generals' eyes simultaneously turned to Li Ru, who was still peacefully reading in the main seat. They saw that Li Ru sat calmly, his expression composed, and the pages of his book rustled slightly as he turned, as if all the external disturbances could not disturb his inner peace. The two generals felt a surge of admiration for him, and could not help but speak in praise. Pang De was the first to clasp his fists and salute, and said respectfully: "Sir, you are truly a god, with a brilliant mind. In your eyes, the thoughts of the Hanzhong ruler and his ministers are as clear and distinct as the lines on the palm of your hand, without any hidden secrets." After speaking, he paused slightly, as if feeling that words were still insufficient to express his admiration. Then, with a face full of flattery, he said, "Sir, your outstanding ability to see into people's hearts is truly extraordinary. Let alone the Hanzhong ruler and his ministers, even if all of them were combined, their wisdom and strategy would not even be one ten-thousandth of yours."

Hearing the two generals' praise, Li Ru's lips curled up slightly, revealing a barely perceptible smile. He gently placed the ancient book in his hands, slowly raised his hand, and gently twirled the long strand of beard beneath his chin with his slender fingers. The movement was elegant and calm. Then, he turned his gaze from the book, his eyes revealing a depth and wisdom. He slowly looked at the two generals standing below, and said with a sense of reserve and a hint of pride, "This is all within my expectations. I had already calculated that they would come to sue for peace, so this is not surprising. You go and make arrangements. Have them come directly to this military tent. I want to see what terms they can offer."

The two generals responded in unison, then turned and stalked out of the tent to arrange the necessary matters. Li Ru watched them depart and whispered, "There's no need to make a grand display of intimidating torture instruments like oil pans and mountains of knives, nor is there any need to stage a tense display of spears and halberds, as if facing a formidable enemy. Just keep everything casual and natural. Just let them come, so they can deeply sense our nonchalant and calm attitude towards their coming to negotiate peace." He then picked up the ancient book again and continued to immerse himself in his thoughts, as if the upcoming peace talks were nothing more than a trivial matter.

After getting Li Ru's approval, the fighting between the two sides temporarily stopped.

At this moment, Yang Song, demonstrating his confidence, unexpectedly ordered the previously sealed gates of Wuwei City to be opened. Under the stunned gaze of the Xiliang army, Yang Song led a dozen men on horseback, swaggering out of the city gates. They seemed completely oblivious to the fact that they were facing the powerful Xiliang army that had recently plagued Hanzhong.

Could Yang Song be so brazen as to brazenly deceive others like this? Actually, no. He believed he held Ma Chao as his trump card, so what if he acted even more recklessly? Even if the Western Liang army took advantage of the chaos and captured Wudu City, they would eventually have to surrender it. Moreover, with such a rare treasure at his disposal, he naturally had to act with a higher profile.

His puzzling actions left everyone, from Pang De to the ordinary soldiers, completely bewildered. Normally, during peace talks between two armies, both sides would be on high alert, cautiously allowing one or two envoys through for brief exchanges. He had never seen a scene like this, where a city gate was thrown wide open and a dozen or so people strolled out as if they were strolling through a garden.

Along the way, Yang Song and his companions, completely ignoring the pressure posed by the Xiliang army, arrived directly in front of the Xiliang army. At this time, a Xiliang army officer stepped forward and asked, "Are you an envoy from Hanzhong? Stop, who are you? What do you want to discuss?"

Yang Song held his head high and snorted with disdain: "Hmph, you are just a small captain in the army, and you dare to question me. You are not qualified to talk to me at all. Go back and let your master come out to answer." His arrogant attitude shocked everyone present. He didn't look like the weak party coming to negotiate at all. He looked like a high-ranking ancestor who came with a huge air of arrogance.

Pang De watched from afar, his mind filled with suspicion. He saw the Hanzhong city gates wide open, and Yang Song, leading only a dozen men, glided through as if they were uninhabited. This scene was unprecedented, and Pang De sensed something was amiss. Just then, a captain arrived, his face furious, and reported, "General, that Hanzhong envoy is completely arrogant and disrespectful! He doesn't even take our Xiliang army seriously. In my opinion, we should prepare a cauldron of oil, have the soldiers line up in formation, spears and swords at the ready, and show him how powerful we are. See if he can still act so arrogantly."

Pang De frowned, thinking to himself, "Our army is strong and powerful, always feared by all, so how could we be so despised by the envoys of this weaker side today?" But he knew that this matter should not be handled rashly. He said in a deep voice, "Wait a minute, there must be something hidden. I will report to Mr. Wenyou and find out the truth before making a decision." With that, Pang De strode towards the tent.

Entering the tent, Pang De saw Li Ru sitting calmly at his desk, reading a book. He slowed down his pace and said softly, "Sir, Yang Song, as an envoy, is arrogant and rude, as if he is sure of victory. This is really strange. They swaggered out of the city with more than a dozen people and marched straight to our army. They also spoke arrogantly and specifically asked me, the commander, to answer them." Li Ru was slightly startled when he heard this, then put down the book, slowly stood up, a glint of interest in his eyes: "This kind of behavior is rare. Is Hanzhong truly so confident and arrogant? Pang De, come here and take the commanding position. I'll be by your side today, and we'll see what Yang Song has up his sleeve. There's no need to resort to intimidating the envoys. If he dares to act so arrogantly, he must have something to rely on. I want to see where his confidence lies. "With that said, Li Ru's lips curled up in a meaningful sneer, a smile that revealed a perceptive confidence and composure, as if everything in the world was under his control.

Seeing Li Ru's expression, Pang De felt even more awed. He shuddered unconsciously, his once upright body stiffening. He subconsciously stood straight, as if facing a formidable enemy. Li Ru, upon seeing this, gently patted his shoulder. The gesture seemed casual, yet it carried an undeniable authority. "I told you to sit down, so sit down. Why are you so reserved? As the commander-in-chief, you should act like a great general. How can you be so uneasy?" Pang De took a deep breath, forced himself to calm down, and slowly sat down, his back still straight, his hands placed neatly on his knees. Li Ru, observing Pang De's expression, patted his shoulder again and said earnestly, "You command the three armies, so you must remain calm and composed. Don't lose your composure." A slight sweat broke out on Pang De's forehead. He knew in his heart that his awe of Li Ru was deeply ingrained. Li Ru's wisdom is like the stars hanging high in the night sky, bright and mysterious, which makes people admire him. However, because of his decisiveness and ruthless means, Pang De not only respects him but also feels a little fear, for fear that he will make a mistake and cause the dissatisfaction of this "brain trust".

Although Pang De hadn't personally come out of camp to greet them, the captain didn't hesitate. He immediately ordered his men to separate in an orderly fashion, splitting up to the sides of the road. Instantly, a straight, wide passage opened before them. He uttered no threats, demonstrating the Xiliang army's strict discipline and courteous hospitality. The captain stepped forward, his posture erect, and spoke loudly, "Envoy from Hanzhong, please follow me to meet our commander."

Yang Song seemed oblivious to the solemn military order, remaining composed. He slowly raised his hand to straighten his sleeves, his movements unhurried and unhurried, revealing an innate arrogance. Once he was done, he raised his chin slightly, snorted disdainfully at the captain, and said in a tone that bordered on command, "Lead the way." With that, he sat upright on his tall horse, gently pulling the reins in his hand, and the horse obediently and gracefully trotted forward.

Looking at the dozen or so followers behind him, their situation was completely different from Yang Song's. Although they were also riding horses, their legs were shaking violently like leaves in the wind, unable to stop. This was because they were all children of aristocratic families, pampered and enjoying the glory of Hanzhong City. They were accustomed to a leisurely life of reciting poetry, painting, feasting and having fun. How could they have ever felt the cold and murderous aura of the battlefield so closely? The thick smell of blood and death, like an invisible blade, pierced their hearts and made their souls tremble.

They had come with Yang Song this time, thinking it was just a formality, a chance to emulate Yang Song and easily gain some fame and honor in the peace talks to bring glory to their family. However, as soon as they approached the Xiliang army, they were frightened by its terrifying military might and lost their composure.

Yang Song seemed to sense something unusual behind him. He slowly turned his head, his gaze like a knife sweeping over his followers one by one. Seeing their trembling and embarrassed expressions, his eyes suddenly widened with anger, and he shouted loudly: "What are you afraid of? We hold Ma Chao as our trump card. They dare not act rashly. If they dare to disrespect us in the slightest, we will make them pay double in the future." His voice resounded like a bell, and the followers' courage seemed to be injected with a warm current, rising slightly. They gritted their teeth, straightened their backs, and held their heads high with forced composure. They followed Yang Song closely, step by step, pretending to be calm and composed, advancing towards the central army tent. However, their slightly stiff movements and pale faces could not hide the fear deep in their hearts.

Yang Song and his entourage slowly arrived in front of the central army tent. They saw two rows of mid- and high-ranking Xiliang army officers standing in formation. Clad in heavy armor and wielding weapons that gleamed coldly, they stood tall and proud like verdant pines and cypresses. Their awe-inspiring presence was tangible and overwhelming. Standing at the doorway was Cheliji, the King of Western Qiang. Though he remained silent, his presence exuded an air of intimidation, his gaze piercing like a hawk as he scrutinized the newcomers.