Dapeng's Time Travel Life

The border market was bustling with activity. Silk and porcelain from the Central Plains were neatly arranged on the stalls alongside horses and furs from the grasslands, and the sounds of bargaining filled the air. Zhang Peng, dressed in plain clothes, moved through the crowd, observing the smiles on the faces of the people, yet a sense of unease lingered in his heart. Although trade cooperation was progressing vigorously, an underlying crisis was ever-present.

"General Zhang, look at this market, it's so prosperous now, it's all thanks to you!" A tribal chief greeted him with a smile, his eyes full of admiration.

Zhang Peng waved his hand modestly: "This is the result of everyone's joint efforts, and it cannot be separated from everyone's support and cooperation."

As the two were talking, a soldier rushed over and whispered a few words in Zhang Peng's ear. Zhang Peng's expression changed slightly, and he immediately bid farewell to his leader and hurried back to his tent.

"General, something terrible has happened!" Li Ming said anxiously. "According to reliable sources, foreign forces are unwilling to accept defeat, and they have new tricks up their sleeves. This time, they plan to incite some small tribes to attack our caravans."

Zhang Peng frowned. Caravans were the lifeblood of border trade. An attack on them would not only cause huge economic losses but could also trigger a crisis of trust between tribes, destroying the hard-won peace. "Immediately strengthen the protection of the caravans. At the same time, send out scouts to closely monitor the movements of those small tribes."

However, the enemy's actions were even faster than they had anticipated. A few days later, a caravan was attacked by unidentified assailants on its return journey. Upon hearing the news, Zhang Peng roared, "Investigate! Investigate thoroughly! Who is behind this?!"

After some investigation, they discovered that the attack on the caravan was carried out by a small tribe instigated by foreign forces. These tribes, greedy for the rewards offered by these foreign powers, disregarded previous peace agreements and launched a brazen attack.

"General, these small tribes are too arrogant. We must teach them a lesson!" Li Ming said angrily.

Zhang Peng pondered for a moment: "A hasty military intervention will only worsen the situation. We should try diplomacy first, then resort to force. We should send people to negotiate with the leaders of these small tribes, explaining the reasons and appealing to their emotions, so that they understand the stakes involved."

So Zhang Peng sent an envoy to the small tribe. After meeting the chief, the envoy said righteously, "You have been misled by foreign forces, attacked caravans, and disrupted peace. Aren't you afraid of retribution? Now, General Zhang is giving you a chance because of our past friendship. As long as you stop your actions immediately and hand over the mastermind behind them, we will forgive and forget about it."

The chieftains hesitated upon hearing this. Just then, a tribal warrior stepped forward: "Hmph, what General Zhang? He's just bluffing! We have foreign support, what are we afraid of?"

Seeing that negotiations had broken down, the envoy returned in despair. Upon learning the news, Zhang Peng knew that a peaceful resolution was impossible. "Since they are so stubborn, then don't blame me for being impolite. Li Ming, muster the troops; let's go and meet these small tribes."

Zhang Peng led his army to the camp of the small tribe, where they found it heavily guarded, with tribal warriors armed and ready for battle.

"Why did you attack the caravan and disrupt the peace?" Zhang Peng stood at the front of the formation and questioned loudly.

One of the leaders sneered, "Zhang Peng, enough nonsense! If you want to leave safely today, leave some money for the journey!"

Zhang Peng laughed in anger: "Fine, since you won't listen to reason, then don't blame me for showing no mercy!" With that, he waved his hand, and the army surged toward the camp like a tidal wave.

A fierce battle ensued. Zhang Peng led the charge, wielding his spear with unparalleled speed and aggression, felling tribal warriors wherever he went. Inspired, the soldiers' morale soared, and they fought a desperate battle against the tribal warriors.

After a fierce battle, the small tribes finally couldn't withstand the onslaught and surrendered one after another. Zhang Peng didn't pursue them to the bitter end, but instead summoned the leaders and warned them again: "I'll spare your lives this time, but this is a one-time exception. If you dare to collude with foreign forces again and disrupt peace, you will be executed without mercy!"

The leaders all knelt down and begged for mercy, promising they would never dare to do it again. Only then did Zhang Peng order a retreat.

Back in his tent, Zhang Peng remained vigilant. He knew that foreign forces would not let the matter rest, and the next crisis might be quietly approaching. He had to devise a countermeasure as soon as possible to ensure long-term peace and stability on the border.