Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Yes, we will win,” Chen Xi said with a smile, turning his head to look at Guo Jia, a hint of coldness surfacing on his face. Combining the plan Guo Jia provided last time with the current facade of Yuan Shao thoroughly subjugating the Jizhou aristocratic families, Chen Xi knew Guo Jia’s plan was also a success.

”Zichuan, I will draft the next military report. Inform our Lord as quickly as possible about the events here. The faster we annex Yanzhou, the greater our advantage will be. However, we will inevitably lose some ground to Yuan Shao, since Jizhou shares a full border with Yanzhou, and we can only mobilize troops from Mount Tai,” Guo Jia said to Chen Xi with a smile, and then continued speaking.

”Before that, we need to create some momentum, but I hope the words I want to say can come from their own mouths,” Chen Xi nodded in agreement.

”Trust me, Marquis Chen will not give up this amulet,” Guo Jia said confidently.

Chen Xi rolled his eyes. Chen Gong could be classified as a top-tier strategist, and although he often seemed a bit daft, when it really came to ability, he was a versatile strategist capable of both strategic and tactical planning.

”It remains to be seen what we can obtain,” Chen Xi sighed.

”Most likely, we’ll only gain goodwill, or benefits for the future,” Guo Jia sighed, ”They’re too poor now. Apart from their civil officials and military generals we find valuable, there really isn’t much else of worth.”

”But this is something we simply must do,” Chen Xi said with a helpless expression, ”Only the greater good of the nation can wash away other colors, and only the greater good of the nation can protect them in that place.”

”Indeed,” Guo Jia nodded, ”So we just have to wait for Marquis Chen to come to us.”

The next day at Chen Hour, Chen Gong personally came to meet with Chen Xi to negotiate an alliance, as certain matters had to be clearly discussed.

”I’ve come to see Marquis Chen and Military Advisor Guo,” Chen Gong greeted them with a genial bow, ”Firstly, I congratulate you both on thwarting Northern Yuan Shao’s southward troops.”

”Gongtai, please take a seat. Although this is our first meeting, since we both bear the Chen surname, it’s certain we were kin five hundred years ago. Skip the formalities and let’s discuss important matters. This will benefit us both,” Chen Xi said with a smile, instructing someone to serve tea to Chen Gong.

To tell the truth, it was the first time Chen Xi had met Chen Gong. He saw the other man dressed in a green gown, slim in stature with slightly darkened skin, and eyes that were not as arresting as Guo Jia’s. If not for the green gown, he would have appeared like an ordinary peasant.

”Thank you for your high regard, Marquis Chen. Perhaps we really were one family five hundred years ago,” Chen Gong said with a smile, ”Since Marquis Chen was able to attack Tian Feng’s stronghold yesterday, I fear you already know why I have come today.”

”Yes, yesterday I almost got killed by Marquis Wenn,” Chen Xi said, clearly annoyed.

”Then let me first apologize for yesterday’s incident, and as compensation, I am willing to offer Yanzhou. How does that sound?” Seeing Chen Xi bring up yesterday’s issue, Chen Gong immediately changed the topic back to the matter of Yanzhou.

”Alright, alright, stop beating around the bush,” Chen Xi waved his hand, finding Chen Gong, that bastard, to have sufficient intelligence but too pretentious. Chen Xi didn’t believe Chen Gong was unaware of the current situation. Why waste time talking nonsense?

Chen Gong looked somewhat embarrassed, sensing that Chen Xi seemed uninterested in further discussion. Taking a deep breath, he got straight to the point, ”Marquis Chen, my friend Lyu Fengxian plans to withdraw from Yanzhou and return north to Bingzhou to recapture the five commanderies of Bingzhou for the Great Han Dynasty, restore the Hetao region, and defeat the Huns. I wonder how you plan to dispose of the Yanzhou region.”

Chen Xi and Guo Jia exchanged a look, then turned and let out a sigh, saying, ”To recapture the five prefectures of Bingzhou, this is a just cause, there’s nothing more to say. Just state your demands directly. If the time passes, don’t expect to wait.”

”Justice, supplies, and rear!” Chen Gong stated succinctly.

”No problem, these are no problem at all. I can give you justice, and we have received the supplies as well. Moreover, you can write to Yuan Benchu, under the banner of justice he will also grant them to you. As for the rear, that’s Yuan Benchu’s matter, but he will not hinder you. With your wisdom, the rest is not a problem.” Chen Xi nodded and said.

”How long will it take to get ready?” Chen Gong inquired.

”Within fifteen days, supplies and justice will definitely satisfy you, on the condition that you must relinquish control of Jibei and Dongping. Frankly speaking, this is just a precaution.” Chen Xi spoke calmly.

”No problem.” Chen Gong’s expression remained calm, not even a wrinkle appeared on his brow.

Leaving the contentious Yanzhou sooner rather than later was most advantageous for Chen Gong. As for going to Hetao Region to wage war against the Hu People, not to mention a certain victory, Chen Gong at least had a thirty percent confidence of winning, with the remaining seventy percent being the chance to gain a foothold, and only the last twenty percent signifying defeat.

In the Central Plains, Chen Gong felt he had a fifty-fifty chance of surviving; the other half was total defeat. This place simply wasn’t for the sane!

”I will give you all the Hetao Region information we have collected, including the power comparisons between the Qiang, Hu, Xianbei, and Huns, as well as the strength of the various tribes and some conflicts between them. However, you must ensure that after reading them, they are destroyed.” Chen Xi spoke with a grave expression.

Chen Gong furrowed his brow, feeling puzzled. After a moment of thought without understanding the oddities, he sensed that there was a deeper meaning and activated his Positive Spiritual Talent.

After a long while, Chen Gong raised his tea cup; his wrist involuntarily shaking. ”The Zhen Family is a pawn of Liu Xuande; Liu Xuande’s faction has essentially finished planning against Northern Yuan Shao and has entered the scheme of unifying the Central Plains.” Read latest stories on NovelFire.Côm

”No wonder I always felt something was off. To think that I fancied myself as having an unrivaled strategic mind and yet failed to see that Liu Xuande had the strength to annex any of the Feudal Lords. All he is doing now is trying to minimize the losses of the Han Dynasty and preserve its vital energy.” Chen Gong’s hands trembled uncontrollably as he suddenly realized that with Jizhou, Liu Bei alone was more than capable of conquering the world.

After activating his Positive Spiritual Talent, Chen Gong instantly understood the implications behind Chen Xi’s words. The detailed investigation of the Northern Barbarians implied what? It naturally meant that Liu Xuande intended to deal with the Northern Barbarians.

An obvious issue arose: if Liu Xuande had considered taking action against the Northern Barbarians, what about Yuan Shao whom he had to defeat to get there?

Since Liu Bei could undertake such research, there were only two possibilities: one was that Liu Bei was bound to win, and dealing with the Barbarians was an inevitable task; the other was that after investigating Yuan Shao, Liu Xuande still had strength to spare, which implicitly meant that Liu Bei’s power far surpassed Yuan Shao’s.

Chen Gong was familiar with Chen Zichuan, Jia Wenhe, and their colleagues; none of them were given to empty talk. Thus, the only possibility was that Liu Bei genuinely had the assurance of defeating Yuan Shao.

With this conclusion in mind and reverse engineering all the checkpoints, the only entity capable of delivering a lethal blow to Yuan Shao was the Zhen Family. Although it seemed highly improbable, it was the most logical outcome.

After reaching this conclusion, Chen Gong could not help but tremble holding the tea cup. The whole world had been played by Chen Xi. It was no longer a matter of thinking three steps ahead, but rather foreseeing the end game with a single move. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit to cast your recommendation vote or monthly ticket; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users please visit m.qidian.com to read.)