Yuan Shu sent 100 thousand troops, led by General Ji Ling, to attack Liu Bei. For fear of Lv Bu in Xuzhou who might lend Liu a hand, Yuan wrote Lv a letter, together with many food supplies as gifts, asking him not to help Liu. Liu, on the other hand, wrote Lv a letter asking for assistance. “If I remain an onlooker¹ with folded arms,” thought Lv, “I will be in danger after Yuan defeats Liu. But if I help Liu, Yuan will be be resentful（厌恶的） to me.” So Lv invited both Liu Bei and Ji Ling to a banquet（宴会） .

Lv sat between Liu and Ji at the banquet. After a few rounds of toasts Lv began, “Please grant me a favor by stopping the fight.” When Ji Ling refused, Lv shouted for his long lance（长矛） to be brought over. Both Liu and Ji got a fright. “I'll stand my lance 150 steps away outside the gate. If my arrow hits its edge you two will stop your fight. And if I miss the target you have your own way.” Ji secretly hoped that he would miss the target, while Liu crossed his fingers wished Lv succees.

Lv had wine brought up to him. After each one had a cup Lv arched his bow, aimed and shot with a big shout. The arrow flew like lightening toward the target, and hit right on the edge of the lance. A big applause rose from everybody around. Lv dropped his bow and laughed, saying, “You see, even the heavens wish that you stop fighting.”

With his excellent archery, Lv averted² a fight between the two sides.