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Chapter 711: The Beginning of Turbulence
🕑 Added 2024-10-06 04:59:13 +0000 UTCWhen Zhao Yun arrived, he didn’t bring many troops, only his White Horse Cavalry. He handed over his infantry to Taishi Ci, as Zhao Yun never had a deep sense of attachment to his personal troops and didn’t need them to maintain his influence.
Zhao Yun’s arrival signaled Chen Xi’s imminent departure, which wasn’t welcomed by everyone. For example, Gan Ning, though Zhao Yun technically didn’t have the authority to command him, understood that with Chen Xi leaving, Zhao Yun would be the one to take over the northern defense. There was no debate about this.
Fortunately, Gan Ning was reasonable and didn’t voice any objections. After Zhao Yun arrived, he turned Chen Xi’s previous orders into a plan of cooperation. Gan Ning, along with Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng, remained in the north, awaiting the right moment to act.
Of course, Zhao Yun had no intention of commanding Gan Ning directly. His role was to divide the defensive zones, from the Qingzhou-Jizhou border to the Yanzhou-Jizhou border. Barring any major surprises, this defense line wouldn’t change for years. Even if they advanced into Jizhou, it would be a gradual push into enemy territory, not a shift in the defensive line.
"Zilong, Xingba, the eastern defensive zone of Yanzhou is yours. Zijing will likely arrive with troops soon, and he’ll serve as your strategist. Xingba, you should take command of the navy. I believe the time is near," Chen Xi sighed. "Reports from Qingzhou indicate that the Lu family’s latest ships have launched. When the time comes, you can go and take command. In the south, you must achieve victory."
"Don’t worry, Military Advisor. I will defend Yanzhou well," Zhao Yun said steadily, clearly having done his homework.
"I’m confident too. Once the eastern part of Yanzhou is stabilized, I’ll lead Kongming and the others to Jiyin. We will be victorious," Gan Ning declared with his usual arrogance. No matter how much time passed, Gan Xingba’s confidence never wavered.
"Whether or not we succeed depends on you," Chen Xi said, turning to Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng. "The northern war won’t end quickly, and I don’t want us to fight on two fronts. Neither does Lord Xuande. So, you two must not make any mistakes. Zhou Gongjin is formidable; don’t let him seize any opportunities."
"Rest assured, the plan I’ve set will be executed. I will ensure that Yuzhou is cut off," Fa Zheng said, his tone flippant but his eyes filled with confidence. Despite his seemingly unreliable demeanor, no one could deny his intelligence.
Zhuge Liang nodded. "I’ll keep an eye on Yizhou. Although the generals from Yizhou have performed admirably since leaving the region, Pang Shiyuan is skilled at exploiting risky situations. It’s possible he could defeat the enemy in the most unexpected ways."
"So, if Yizhou falls, it’s up to you," Chen Xi said with a smile. "Actually, there’s nothing much I need to tell you. Just don’t overwork yourself. Against any opponent, you won’t lose, but overexertion could lead to worse consequences than any defeat."
In truth, Chen Xi was most confident in Zhuge Liang, but he was also the most worried about him. Unlike Gan Ning’s occasional foolishness or Fa Zheng’s impulsive decisions, Zhuge Liang was always mature and cautious.
Unfortunately, Zhuge Liang was also too diligent—so much so that Chen Xi found it concerning. Zhuge Liang didn’t seem to consider himself human with how much he worked.
"I’ll be careful," Zhuge Liang replied, hesitating briefly before agreeing to Chen Xi’s request.
"Alright, I have nothing more to say. Once you’re on the battlefield, just do your best. While there are many strange and talented people in this world, few can truly give you trouble. Just stay cautious," Chen Xi said lightly, glancing at the four people in front of him. All of them were exceptional talents, and as long as they performed well, they would rarely meet a match.
As Chen Xi boarded his carriage, he noticed Zhuge Liang looking as if he wanted to say something but couldn’t. Smiling, Chen Xi reassured him, "I’ll bring Miss Huang and Old Master Huang to Taishan on my way. The Huang family needs someone to hold down the fort right now."
With that, Chen Xi departed for Taishan, escorted by Xu Chu and his group of Tiger Guards. Originally, Chen Xi had planned to leave Xu Chu in Yanzhou, but since Xu Chu was Liu Bei’s bodyguard, he had no choice but to bring him back to Taishan. Moreover, Chen Xi needed someone to protect him openly—or rather, someone to act as a deterrent.
As Chen Xi, escorted by over six hundred Tiger Guards under Xu Chu’s command, made his way to Fenggao, reinforcements from Taishan also departed from Fenggao. Led by Sun Guan, Zhao Dun, Wu Lan, and others, and with Lu Su as their strategist, they led an army of thirty thousand out of Fenggao.
Meanwhile, in Donglai, Qingzhou, merchant ships loaded with goods docked, and the guards were the first to disembark. Judging by their disciplined march, it was clear they were seasoned warriors.
Xun Yan stood at the dock, overseeing the inventory of goods with his soldiers. He frowned slightly at the increasing number of guards but, recalling Jia Xu’s secret letter, decided to let it be.
Xun Yan had grown fond of Liu Bei’s policies and no longer held the mindset of drifting aimlessly, just looking for a decent lord to serve. He had seen that Liu Bei’s ambitions resonated with his own, which was why he had fully committed to Liu Bei, rather than just going through the motions like before.
[Jia Wenhe is unreliable,] Xun Yan thought as he looked at the growing number of guards. Although he understood that these guards were meant to serve as bait to eliminate internal threats, the size of the bait seemed excessive.
[It looks like I need to contact my cousin to show where I stand,] Xun Yan thought as he closed his ledger and calmly walked past a tall man, maintaining a professional demeanor. In reality, during the time spent accounting, Xun Yan had already identified the guards and their leader.
[I hope Jia Wenhe knows what he’s doing. Yuan Shao seems to be entering a phase of high confidence, with plenty of courage and strength. These soldiers could be considered death squads. Fortunately, they’re not here to cause destruction.]
Xun Yan weighed the combat strength of the opposing force and concluded that, even with the retired veterans and the emergency reserve soldiers he could summon, he couldn’t take them on alone. However, with this assessment in mind, Xun Yan felt reassured. As long as Fenggao was prepared, the noble families about to reveal themselves would be nothing more than jesters.
[I’ll go home and write a letter to my cousin, then shut my doors and watch the show. This stance should be enough to indicate my tacit approval of the noble families’ actions. They’ll likely strip me of my governor position and summon me to Fenggao for questioning. After that, I won’t need to return—an alternative way to enter the center of power.] Xun Yan yawned, pretending as if he hadn’t seen anything, and left.
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