Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Xun Shen, that lunatic!” Chen Xi angrily threw the letter onto the table. Yuan Shao’s Army, which didn’t kill but instead wandered around sabotaging, had set several fires, leaving countless hardworking farmers with no harvest after months of toil.

”Ziyang, stop pacing already; you’re making me dizzy!” Fa Zheng said, feeling a little lightheaded as he watched Liu Ye pacing back and forth in front of him.

”These aristocratic families, there’s hardly a decent one among them; when they truly harden their hearts, the livelihood of the common people means nothing to them!” Liu Ye said angrily. Having experienced poverty briefly in his childhood, he fully understood what it meant for months of diligent farming to go up in flames.

”Ahem, ahem!” Chen Xi coughed a couple of times, signaling that he, too, was an aristocrat.

”I wasn’t talking about you, I was referring to Xun Shen.” Liu Ye, possibly aware of his slip of the tongue, casually added a comment that only made Chen Xi feel even more awkward.

”Forget it, say whatever you want, let’s just focus on resolving this issue first!” Chen Xi waved his hand dismissively, signaling it was not worth dwelling on such details, then sighed as he spoke.

”What I mean is to use their methods against them!” Fa Zheng immediately proposed, without taking a moment to think.

”Go play somewhere else. ’Use their methods against them’? While the common people of Jizhou may not be suffering severely, if you go about it that way, they sure will end up in misery.” Chen Xi retorted in irritation, clearly displeased with Fa Zheng’s impractical suggestions.

”Alright, enough kidding around. Build beacon towers—not the tall ones, just small ones—to surround and wipe out the enemy with infantry.” Fa Zheng suggested with a laugh. After learning of Xun Shen’s actions, he had already started thinking of ways to counter them. In the North, the beacon towers for transmitting orders had left a deep impression on him.

”Hmm, it’s indeed a clever tactic, but it might take too much time.” Chen Xi frowned and said, ”Jiyin is currently in the summer harvest phase—if this harassment continues for another ten days, it’ll cause major troubles for us even if we manage to resolve it. A county’s relief grain isn’t much, but it could create significant headaches.”

”Then how about I lead an attack on Puyang?” Fa Zheng asked with a smile. ”Two concurrent operations would surely be far more effective than just sitting here idle.”

”Have you thought it through? Attacking Puyang means you’ll have to follow the predetermined steps, and a single mistake could put you in a perilous situation.” Chen Xi stared intently at Fa Zheng. Skirting around Xun Shen to directly strike the enemy’s rear was dangerous, especially since Fa Zheng’s target was of critical importance.

”Don’t worry, just delay Xun Shen for three days after I leave. With those three days, my march will proceed smoothly with little to no danger.” Fa Zheng spoke calmly, his confidence evident in every word.

”Very well. Once you leave, I’ll immediately lead troops to launch a direct offensive against Xun Shen.” Chen Xi nodded and asked, ”What’s your plan?”

”First, stage a feint toward Puyang. Then, move my troops through Cao Cao’s territory and directly thrust toward Ye City!” Fa Zheng said without any trace of tension. ”I’ve already confirmed that this route isn’t particularly dangerous. On the contrary, it might be unexpectedly simple.”

”Hmm, compared to Zichuan’s proposal to advance through White Horse, your plan is more reliable. After Cao Cao enters Guanzhong, he’ll surely relocate his administrative center to Sili, and now is indeed the best time.” Liu Ye mused aloud after some thought.

”That’s right. Chenliu is currently in the midst of a troop rotation for the Cao Army, so it’s an excellent opportunity. However, with Xun Shen behind you, if he reacts quickly, it could pose fatal risks.” Chen Xi nodded but expressed his concerns. ”It will be difficult for us to hold Xun Shen at bay.”

”No, you’re thinking about it the wrong way.” Fa Zheng waggled his finger and declared with a bold expression, ”We don’t actually need to hold Xun Shen at bay. Your earlier mention of the ’Four Commanderies of Southern Jizhou’ gave me an idea.”

Liu Ye looked at Fa Zheng, who sat confidently, radiating pride. For a moment, he felt dazed. The once inexperienced youth now stood on equal footing with him, holding his own in their strategic discussions.

”We just need to sever Ye City—that alone would cut off Yuan Shao’s initial supply points for grain and provisions. It doesn’t matter where his supply lines run because, no matter the route, they all have to pass through the Bohai Sea, Qinghe, and Wei Commandery!” Fa Zheng said, a hint of triumph in his voice.

”Yuan Shao’s greatest advantage is his sizable cavalry force, but this also happens to be his greatest weakness. It’s so excessive that not even Jizhou, the leader of the Nine Provinces, can fully sustain it.” At this moment, Fa Zheng was brimming with confidence.

”Cross the Bohai Sea, cut off Qinghe, and seal Ye City—Yuan Shao’s biggest weakness will be fully exposed!” Liu Ye finally understood. Unlike Chen Xi’s earlier strategy of using a large encirclement to crush Yuan Shao, Fa Zheng’s plan was simpler: just ensure Ye City couldn’t transport supplies!

”As for Xun Shen coming after me, that’s highly unlikely. Everyone sees the greatest value of Ye City as the Xuanyuan Cauldron, but with its high walls and deep defenses, there’s no way an under-staffed Vice Army like mine could conquer it. Moreover, Yuan Shao must have fortified Ye City extensively to serve as his administrative center.” Fa Zheng sneered sinisterly.

”Xun Shen is cautious and highly intelligent, which means he knows how to prioritize. Compared to wasting time and effort on me, who can only surround without attacking, the choice would be clear to him!” At this moment, Fa Zheng’s confident gaze was so intense that neither Chen Xi nor Liu Ye could look him in the eye.

”Exactly, Xun Shen is too smart and knows how to make tough decisions. If you manage to encircle Ye City, he won’t act rashly. Besides, Yuan Shao’s general Jiangh Yiqu, who oversees the grain and supply transport, is extremely steady and trustworthy. Xun Shen would certainly have full confidence in him,” Liu Ye said with admiration, realizing that Fa Zheng’s brilliance was beginning to overshadow his own.

”You’re absolutely right. From their perspective, stopping us is more important than eliminating you. As for the grain issue, reallocating from Bohai or Qinghe is straightforward.” Chen Xi also expressed admiration, acknowledging that Fa Zheng’s growth had become undeniable.

”Timing is key. If you two can pacify Bohai and Qinghe by the time I reach Ye City, Yuan Shao’s downfall will begin!” Fa Zheng said solemnly. ”I trust Zichuan’s cunning and planning to achieve this.”

”No problem. When you leave, take those two falcons with you. Once you launch the operation to intercept Ye City’s supply lines, have one of the falcons deliver a message, and I’ll make my move right away!” Chen Xi sighed. ”Honestly, it’s about time certain chess pieces started moving.”

”I knew you’d be like this!” Fa Zheng snorted coldly. ”What other contingencies do you have? Tell me now, and I’ll handle them for you.”

”If someone in Ye City writes to you using a letter starting with the character ’艮,’ claiming they can take the city, go ahead and act promptly.” Chen Xi weighed the matter for a moment, hesitated briefly, then calculated that the current arrangements could handle the situation. He decided to share this information directly. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast recommendations or monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation! Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)