Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1302: Chapter 1256: The Sage of Youzhou

Zhao Yun and Hua Xiong went together to see Liu Bei. Naturally, this matter was easily approved by Liu Bei. As for Chen Xi’s suggestion of a work school, although Liu Bei did not understand, he thought that any suggestion from Chen Xi would not be wrong, and expressed his complete support.

Afterwards, Zhao Yun began to find people to assemble the Hell Squad. Although Ma Yunlu’s martial arts were indeed excellent, there were quite a few farmers under Liu Bei’s rule with strength that steadily surpassed Ma Yunlu.

In the past, many small and large Channel Commanders of the Yellow Turban Army didn’t want to be soldiers and returned home to farm. However, during the chaos at Mount Tai, when the aristocratic families mounted a counterattack, these people stood up to resist the families and spontaneously protected Liu Bei.

Therefore, after that incident, Chen Xi relaxed the supervision of those at the Qi Refining to Gang level significantly, and established a loose organization where all these scattered experts among the populace could join. Every month, they were given a little bit of money to handle certain unexpected events.

Now, that organization has about three hundred people, some of whom have been courted by the aristocratic families; however, with just a word from Liu Bei, most of them could be summoned back.

The purpose of this organization is to count the number of those refining Qi to Gang among the populace and register them. Indeed, as the Heaven and Earth Essence gradually recovers, Qi Refining to Gang has become much more common. Back at Hulao Pass, those at Qi Refining to Gang were highly valued.

Naturally, Zhao Yun needed to find a roadblock for Ma Yunlu. Besides seeing if he could recruit Wang Yue’s grand-disciple, he could only find some people from this loose organization. There were indeed experts, though not monsters like those with Inner Qi Manifestation, there were quite a few at the Qi Refining to Gang Peak.

Let’s not talk about the miscellaneous affairs in Ye City, but as Liu Bei dispatched troops to the front line of Youzhou again, the pressure on Yuan Tan in the south dramatically increased. In desperation, Yuan Tan reinforced the Youzhou border again.

Sheni Pei led thirty thousand newly recruited soldiers to the southern part of Youzhou, replenishing some of the forces for Xu You and Xun Shen. However, despite the large number of reinforcements this time, they did not have the experience of those previous veterans, relying more on quantity to offset quality.

Overall, with an additional thirty thousand new troops, the defense line in the southern part of Youzhou became even more stable, especially given Xu You and Xun Shen’s calculating minds. They were not at a disadvantage facing Liu Bei’s Army.

”Youruo, how are things lately?” Sheni Pei asked Xun Shen, somewhat fatigued. Recently, he truly has been handling all personnel under Yuan Tan while still dealing with Liu Bei’s Army and the southward advance of the Xianbei. Indeed, Sheni Pei was quite exhausted.

”Xu Yuanzhi is not an easy opponent. People say Chen Zichuan is astonishly talented and extraordinary, but they have also underestimated the other ministers under Liu Bei,” Xun Shen sighed. His confrontations with Xu Shu, though forcing Xu Shu to retreat was the end of the first phase, were generally a draw in terms of victory and defeat.

”The biggest difference between the ministers under Liu Bei and our side is that theirs are truly too young,” Sheni Pei sighed. ”I don’t know how Liu Xuande managed to gather such young yet exceptionally talented figures.”

”...” Xun Shen pulled at the corners of his mouth, not saying anything.

The Sheni Pei family hadn’t reached that level yet to notice, but Xun Shen knew well the circles within the top aristocratic families. If you want to recruit people, you can pull them in one wave after another. Though Xun Shen was mistaken, Chen Xi was solitary at the time. How could there be such a powerful circle?

”Forget about it, let’s not talk about this. Youruo, can you still hold on?” Sheni Pei looked seriously at Xun Shen.

”Not a big issue, but Zheng Nan, are you sure you want to act this way?” Xun Shen looked at Sheni Pei, paused for a moment, and then asked.

”Is there another way?” Sheni Pei chuckled, his face instead showed a hint of radiance, and his eyes flowed with an unusual color, as he smiled faintly at Xun Shen, quite relaxed.

”What exactly is your Spiritual Talent?” Xun Shen at this moment couldn’t keep up with Sheni Pei’s thinking. Initially, with his intelligence not weaker than Sheni Pei’s, plus his Spiritual Talent, and the long-term understanding of the other’s thinking patterns, theoretically, this situation shouldn’t arise.

”What you see now is me,” Sheni Pei sighed. ”The opponents are Xu Yuanzhi and Wei Wenchang. Yuanhao perished at the hands of these two, how about letting me see what they’re capable of?”

Xun Shen was slightly stunned, then slowly raised his head. ”Our army no longer has many valiant generals who can boost the morale of the entire army, and those good at formation battles are ineffective against Xu Yuanzhi. If it comes to strategizing, given the other’s ability to command troops and break formations, plus their wit to adapt to changes, it’s hard for us to gain the upper hand.”

For someone like Xun Shen who excels in strategy, Xu Shu is like a hedgehog. You struggle to attack; if not, the opponent will continue to approach, bringing some advantage but painful spikes cannot be avoided.

”Don’t worry, Xu Yuanzhi cannot bear me any harm. You tell me, if I were to attack the camp, how would Xu Yuanzhi respond?” Sheni Pei sighed, not much apprehensive.

Genius needs accumulation too; success cannot be merely achieved once and for all. Xu Shu, after all, rose too quickly with an unstable foundation.

”With Xu Yuanzhi’s temperament, he must be secretly holding back a move. Nine out of ten, Zang Ba’s Division in the central part of Youzhou is just a decoy. I haven’t moved Zang Ba’s Division all along to make Xu Yuanzhi believe I haven’t discovered it,” Xun Shen said helplessly, after going back and forth with Xu Shu so many times, he knew Xu Shu’s thinking patterns.

”So your opinion is that now you are facing Zang Ba and Wei Yan’s two divisions?” Sheni Pei nodded in recognition of Xun Shen’s conjecture.

After working with Xun Shen for several years, Sheni Pei knew not to doubt Xun Shen’s simulation of others’ thinking patterns. That was Xun Shen’s shameless Spiritual Talent, making anyone feel increasingly restricted the longer they fought.

”Yes, and Zang Ba’s Division shouldn’t have combined forces with Wei Yan. There are only these few places suitable for ambush.” Xun Shen pointed to the map at a few locations, then pondered for a moment and pointed to a previously unmentioned location, saying, ”They must be ambushed here; Xu Shu has continually progressed.”

”This isn’t an easy place to ambush someone,” Sheni Pei frowned. Ignoring the better-known ambush points to choose this one was indeed unexpected.

”It’s been several days; Liu Bei’s Army has quite a few auxiliary soldiers skilled in earthwork. That place has probably been modified sufficiently,” Xun Shen, after opposing Xu Shu, also came up with many novel ideas.

”So you’re saying they aren’t tunneling to attack us?” Sheni Pei speculated internally and smoothly followed Xun Shen’s topic. Although there was additional aid from Zang Ba’s Division, Sheni Pei felt no slight concern.

”Yes, but I have been prepared. Once the other side sees I’ve anticipated it, they stop,” Xun Shen nodded. Xu Shu considered stealing the city but, given Xun Shen understood Xu Shu’s thinking so thoroughly, Xu Shu couldn’t even approach the city walls and was instead forced to tie down Yuan Tan’s Army in the southern part of Youzhou.