Mythical Three Kingdoms

Zhao Yun did not bring many soldiers with him; he only brought his White Horse Righteous Followers and handed over all the infantry to Taishi Ci. Zhao Yun did not hold a deep attachment to the concept of private troops, and likewise, he did not need personal troops to maintain his power.

The arrival of Zhao Yun meant that Chen XI was about to depart, which was not good news for others. For someone like Gan Ning, technically, Zhao Yun did not have the authority to command, but with Chen Xi leaving, the only person who could take over the hand-off of the northern defense system would be Zhao Yun—there was no room for discussion.

Fortunately, Gan Ning was also a reasonable man and did not make any comments in this regard. After Zhao Yun arrived, Gan Ning, along with Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng, continued to stay in the north, waiting for the right moment to arrive, after having adjusted Chen Xi’s previous orders to assist them.

Naturally, Zhao Yun had no intention of commanding Gan Ning. His task was to divide up the defensive zones—from the border defense line between Qingzhou and Jizhou to the comprehensive division of the defense line between Yanzhou and Jizhou. Barring unforeseen circumstances, this defensive zone would remain unchanged for years to come. Even if they penetrated into Jizhou, it would only mean pushing deeper into the established defense zone, rather than any major changes.

”Zilong, Xingba, I’m entrusting the eastern Yanzhou defense zone to you both. Zijing might soon lead his troops here. Afterwards, he will serve as a military advisor. Xingba, you should first select the navy when the time comes. I think it’s almost time,” Chen Xi said with a sigh. ”Qingzhou has reported that the Lu family’s latest ships have been launched. When needed, you can go and take over. Victory is a must in the south, Xuu Sheng.”

”Rest assured, Strategist, Zilong will secure the Yanzhou region,” said Zhao Yun calmly, clearly showing that he had not neglected his studies in various aspects.

”The same goes for me. After stabilizing the eastern part of Yanzhou, I will lead Kongming and the others to Jiyin. I will be victorious,” declared Gan Ning with a confident demeanor. No matter how much time passed, Gan Xingba’s confidence never faltered.

”Whether you can make it happen will be up to you,” Chen Xi turned his head to Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng and said, ”The battle in the north cannot be concluded swiftly. I do not wish to fight on two fronts, nor would Lord Xuande. So, you two must not be negligent in any way. Zhou Yu is very capable, do not give him any opening.”

”Don’t worry, any strategy that I settle on, I will achieve. I will carve out Yuzhou in this battle,” Fa Zheng said smugly, yet his eyes brimmed with boundless confidence—a reflection of himself, apparently unreliable at first glance, but his wisdom is indisputable to anyone.

Zhuge Liang nodded, ”I will pay attention to affairs in Yizhou. Although the scholars and warriors of Yizhou have put on a structured and orderly performance since leaving Yizhou, Pang Shiyuan is adept at taking risks and might just defeat the enemy in the most unexpected situation.”

”So if Yizhou fails, it’s up to you,” Chen Xi said with a smile. ”Actually, I don’t have much to instruct you on. Just take care not to exhaust yourself. You won’t come short against anyone, but overexerting yourself could lead to more severe consequences than any setback.”

Chen Xi was most reassured by Zhuge Liang but also most worried about him. Compared to Gan Ning’s behavior, which could sometimes be utterly foolish, and Fa Zheng’s impulsive and deadly decisions, Zhuge Liang was always mature, prudent, and cautious.

Alas, Zhuge Liang was too diligent, so diligent that Chen Xi found it somewhat unbearable. It was an attitude that treated himself as less than human.

”I will be careful,” Zhuge Liang began, with a noticeable pause, but still he agreed to Chen Xi’s request.

”Good. I have nothing more to say. Once you’re on the battlefield, just do your best. Although there are many remarkable individuals in this world, there are few who can truly cause you trouble. Just be careful and vigilant,” Chen Xi glanced at the four people before him. His expression was exceedingly casual. They were all extraordinary talents; if well-utilized, they would indeed be hard to match.

When Chen Xi was getting on the carriage, he saw Zhuge Liang’s hesitating expression and smiled, ”I will take Miss Huang and Elder Master Huang to Mount Tai along the way. At this time, the Huang Family needs someone to hold the fort.”

After finishing his statement, Chen Xi returned to Mount Tai under the protection of Xu Chu and a line of Tiger Guards. Chen Xi had wanted to leave Xu Chu in Yanzhou, but since Xu Chu was ultimately Liu Bei’s bodyguard, Chen Xi had no choice but to take him along back to Mount Tai. In the same vein, Chen Xi needed someone to protect him overtly, or rather, to act as a deterrent.

While Chen Xi was escorted by more than six hundred Tiger Guards toward Fenggao, reinforcements from Mount Tai had also set out. Led by Sun Guan, Zhao Dunn, Wu Lan, and others as generals, with Lub Su serving as the military advisor, the reinforcement army of thirty thousand left Fenggao.

Meanwhile, merchant ships loaded with ample goods were docking on the shores of Donglai of Qingzhou. The guards disembarked first, their marching steps revealing them as men of valor.

Xun Yan stood on the dock, leading his troops to tally the goods. He frowned upon the growing number of guards briefly but, remembering the secret message from Jia Xu, soon let it be.

Xun Yan was now quite fond of Liu Bei’s policies and no longer felt unsettled like before, merely seeking a satisfactory feudal lord to get by. He had seen the ambition within Liu Bei’s vision, which resonated with his own sentiments. This was the very reason he completely leaned towards Liu Bei, instead of living day by day like a monk only tolling the bell for the day.

[Jia Wenhe doesn’t seem reliable, does he?] Xun Yan looked at the increasing number of guards and suddenly felt a headache. Although he understood these guards were somewhat like bait for internal threats, now the bait seemed a bit too large.

[It seems I need to contact my cousin, as a gesture.] Having closed the ledger, Xun Yan calmly walked past a tall man, with the demeanor of handling matters impartially. In truth, in the brief interval spent bookkeeping, he had nearly ascertained the identities of these guards and their leaders.

[I hope Jia Wenhe is reliable. Yuan Shao seems to be getting excited; he’s quite courageous and powerful. These soldiers could all be considered death soldiers. At least they’re not here to cause destruction.]

Weighing the combat power of the opposition, Xun Yan finally determined that, with the retired veterans assigned to him from above and the emergency conscription rights he held, he, a solitary prefectural governor, would not be able to overpower the other side. However, with this assessment, Xun Yan was reassured. As long as Fenggao was mentally prepared, those gentry families ready to make their move could only be considered clowns.

[I’ll write a letter home to my cousin and then close my doors to visitors, watching the drama play out from home. This attitude of mine could also be seen as acquiescence to the gentry families’ actions. I’ll likely be stripped of my prefectural governor position and reassigned to Fenggao for an inquiry, and then I won’t need to come back. An unconventional way of entering the center of power.] Xun Yan yawned, as if he hadn’t seen anything at all, and simply walked away. (To be continued. If you like this work, please visit Qidian ) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)