Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

Liu Bei led a legion commanded by Zhao Yun, along with over 20,000 Danyang soldiers, toward Xiapi in Xuzhou. Liu Bei had returned the weapons and equipment to the Danyang soldiers, and for those who had perished in battle, their weapons and gear were handed back to their respective units.

Speaking of the Danyang soldiers, they were perhaps the most peculiar force in the Han Dynasty. Unlike other troops who often lacked lower-ranking officers, the Danyang soldiers had plenty at every level, but they often lacked a unified command. Perhaps this was because they were conscripted from villages, each unit formed from an entire village.

”Zichuan, are you sure this won’t cause any problems?” Jia Xu asked, frowning. ”This approach might provoke widespread anger. We could be attacked by multiple forces at once. Although we haven’t attracted much attention yet, the biggest threat remains Yuan Benchu. While we both control two provinces, Yuan Shao has two horse-producing regions and one major grain-producing region.”

”I never said we should do this right away,” Chen Xi replied, shaking his head. ”Right now, we can’t withstand a joint attack from all sides. Especially if Yuan Shao grants Lu Bu access to Bingzhou—once the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry is replenished, our cavalry, which is hard to replace, won’t stand a chance against Lu Bu’s forces. At best, we could manage a stalemate.”

”I’m intrigued by Chen Gongtai’s thinking. If we could win him over, it would make things much easier,” Jia Xu sighed. ”We’ve laid too many plans in Yuzhou, partly to seize the province and partly to ensure that, once we move north, we aren’t attacked from all sides.”

”We can try reaching out to him, but as for Lu Bu...” Chen Xi hesitated. ”I wrote him a letter as a fellow native of his hometown during the Battle of Hulao Pass. Overall, he seemed to appreciate the gesture, but his erratic nature makes him hard to predict. Wenhe, what do you think?”

”Kill him,” Jia Xu responded coldly. ”If we bring him in, he’ll be hard to control and difficult to place. Zilong or Zijian can handle cavalry just as well, so we don’t need the versatility of the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry.”

Chen Xi frowned slightly. There was no denying that Lu Bu was the most formidable in terms of absolute strength. Even Guan Yu wouldn’t dare to claim victory over him easily. While Zhao Yun had a speed advantage, defeating Lu Bu was another matter entirely. In fact, Guan Yu might have a better chance than Zhao Yun, even though Guan Yu might not be able to best Zhao Yun at this point.

”His temperament is too unpredictable for us to manage. Zichuan, have you forgotten what happened to Ding Yuan and Dong Zhuo?” Jia Xu said, not even bothering to look up. ”By the way, your tea is getting stranger.”

Clearly, Jia Xu didn’t want to dwell on the matter of Lu Bu, so Chen Xi didn’t press the issue. He shifted the conversation to the tea Jia Xu had mentioned, ”It’s just kudzu root tea. Drink up; this stuff... well, it’s something I used to have regularly...”At this point, Chen Xi stopped talking. Kudzu root had been a staple of his previous life, but in this one, he hadn’t had the chance to drink it.

”A treasure that can cure plagues, huh?” Jia Xu took a sip of the tea, finding nothing unusual about it. ”Tao Gongzu really seems to be on his last legs, and it looks like he’s paving the way for our lord.”

”Yes, I’ve noticed that too. The entire Cao family has been wiped out. All related clans, whether there was solid evidence or not, have been eliminated. Now, the aristocracy in Xuzhou is terrified,” Chen Xi sighed.

When Chen Xi saw this intelligence report, he was shocked. Tao Qian’s move was brutal—once he decided to act, rivers of blood followed.

To be honest, Chen Xi had initially planned to rein in the Xuzhou aristocracy after taking control, but he had never expected such ruthlessness. He had intended to limit the influence of the aristocracy rather than annihilate them, as stability in Xuzhou would still require their support. Wiping them out completely might lead to even more severe backlash.

”Perhaps this makes things easier for us,” Jia Xu said calmly.

”...Why do I feel like this is going too smoothly? How is it that all these troublesome families were taken down by Tao Gong so easily, with ironclad evidence at that? Had Tao Gong been planning this for a long time?” Chen Xi asked, feeling uneasy.

Jia Xu silently perused his documents. He was currently trying to create an opportunity for Yuan Shu. Cao Cao’s subordinate with the insidious spiritual talent made Jia Xu feel a constant chill down his spine. Since he wasn’t on their side, it was better to eliminate him as soon as possible—the man was too dangerous.

”Zichuan, if you have time, you should pay attention to the situation in Jizhou and Youzhou. Although the current situation with the Zhen family is keeping Yuan Shao preoccupied, I have little confidence in Gongsun Bogui. Ju Zhenli and Xun Youruo, along with Tian Yuanhao, have been particularly active,” Jia Xu remarked, flipping through his papers. He didn’t have a clear plan for Yuan Shu yet—after all, Yuan Shu was notoriously unpredictable, making it difficult for Jia Xu to manipulate the situation to his advantage.

”Are you suggesting that Xun Youruo might suspect the Zhen family?” Chen Xi asked, furrowing his brow.

”That shouldn’t be the case. The Zhen family’s position is clearly tied to Jizhou—what benefits Jizhou benefits them, and vice versa. While they’ve clashed with Yuan Shao and have animosity with the Hebei aristocracy, they need Jizhou to remain stable. Even if the Zhen family does something unreasonable, Yuan Shao would likely see it as mere venting rather than cause for suspicion,” Chen Xi reasoned.

”It’s not about that. Given the current situation, Yuan Shao might be planning to marry all the Zhen daughters into his family. What I’m saying is, Yuan Shao might be preparing for war,” Jia Xu said, emphasizing his last point.

”The Xian Deng and Da Ji Shi? And Xun Youruo and Tian Yuanhao have also disappeared?” Chen Xi’s eyes widened as he quickly pieced it together. If Yuan Shao were indeed moving troops, this could mean an incursion into Youzhou—a cold and harsh region, especially in the Han Dynasty, where it might still be snowing in April and May. Launching a campaign there now would mean advancing in temperatures around minus ten degrees Celsius.

”Yes, while the Xian Deng Dead Warriors and the Da Ji Shi are formidable, their limited numbers restrict their operations. At most, they could seize a county and hold the county seat. But the real issue is that Xun Youruo and Tian Yuanhao have also vanished,” Jia Xu sighed.

Casually setting aside Yuan Shu’s affairs, Jia Xu wasn’t overly concerned about Yuan Shu, even though they now shared a border. From the beginning, the only person Jia Xu considered a real threat was Yuan Shao, who dominated the North. Yuan Shao’s ambition and power commanded Jia Xu’s attention, and so far, Jia Xu had seen no signs of incompetence in Yuan Shao.

”Which other officers have disappeared?” Chen Xi asked, then seemed to recall something. ”What is the Black Mountain Army up to these days?”