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Chapter 688: The Key Point
🕑 Added 2024-10-03 07:21:52 +0000 UTCWhile Chen Xi had already set up defenses, prepared to drag out the battle and leverage his advantages, Xu You was busy strategizing on how to win the war.
The seven thousand troops under Wen Chou’s command were entirely cavalry, with each man having two horses. In the current world, only Yuan Shao and Li Jue could muster such a large cavalry force.
Xu You, without pausing for rest, rushed towards Linyi. Originally, both he and Tian Feng had come from Jizhou to Bingzhou, regrouped their forces, and were now heading back towards Linyi, which was near Jizhou. If not for the initial time constraints, Xu You would have already launched a large-scale battle at Linyi.
"Wen Chou, send your personal guard, Wen Chang, with your seal to Jizhou to request reinforcements," Xu You commanded as he changed into a fresh robe after a long journey, casually issuing orders as he began eating.
"More reinforcements?" Wen Chou was shocked. Though he was straightforward and a bit rough around the edges, he was no fool. Yuan Shao had already deployed an army of one hundred thousand troops, a mix of regular soldiers and local militia. No other lord would dare entrust such a large force to their generals without leading the campaign themselves.
"If you want to win, do as I say. Chen Zichuan is exceptionally skilled at exploiting every opportunity. If I can't crush him in one decisive blow and the battle drags on, I won't win," Xu You said, biting into his dried meat and chewing vigorously before swallowing.
"But..." Wen Chou began, trying to explain.
"No buts!" Xu You cut him off sharply. "If you want to win, go get those reinforcements."
Wen Chou hesitated for a moment before gritting his teeth. "Fine, I’ll request reinforcements, but only if you assure me of victory! We desperately need a major victory right now, especially to boost morale before we fully engage in this war. If you can guarantee a win, I’ll get the troops."
"I know what you're thinking, but let me be clear: I can't guarantee victory against Chen Zichuan. In this world, there isn't anyone who can claim they will definitely beat him, because he has never lost," Xu You said seriously, staring into Wen Chou’s eyes.
"I’ll ask you one last time: will you request reinforcements or not?" Xu You’s expression remained calm, completely unfazed by Wen Chou's look of frustration and anger.
"Fine, I’ll do it!" Wen Chou agreed through gritted teeth. "If we lose, I’ll take the blame!"
With that, Wen Chou summoned his guard, Wen Chang, and asked Xu You, "Now, tell me what you need—infantry, cavalry, and which commanders?"
"I need three thousand cavalry and ten thousand infantry, nothing else matters," Xu You replied, meeting Wen Chou's gaze.
He then pulled out a map and pointed to a location, saying, "See this? In seven days, don’t worry about anything else. Once the reinforcements arrive, attack this spot under the cover of night. Whether you succeed or not isn’t important, but after that, split off five thousand infantry to hold the northern Yellow River and the southern Jishui River near Linyi."
"Uh, that’s a lot of troops. My own forces don’t even have that many," Wen Chou said, scratching his head.
"That’s your problem, but I’m sure you can manage it. This is crucial for securing our position," Xu You said, patting Wen Chou on the shoulder.
Wen Chou felt the weight of responsibility settle on his shoulders. Over ten thousand troops—a force Yuan Shao had entrusted him with emergency mobilization authority to call upon in times of need—but using it here felt risky.
Xu You’s expression remained steady. He wasn’t pressuring Wen Chou unnecessarily. This kind of large-scale mobilization was within the scope of Yuan Shao’s granted authority, but such a power was only given to those generals whom Yuan Shao trusted completely.
"Deploy one thousand men to capture this place!" Xu You pointed to Chiping on the map. "Chen Zichuan will likely have stationed troops there, but our army is stronger. If we secure this position and then hold the Yellow River, as long as Chen Zichuan doesn’t react quickly enough, we’ll take it!"
"Alright, I’ll relay your orders to the reinforcements," Wen Chou agreed, though with visible reluctance. He couldn’t make sense of Xu You’s strategy.
As Wen Chou departed, Xu You stood up and gazed at the full moon. With his silk robe and handsome appearance, he looked almost like a celestial being descended to earth.
"Chen Zichuan, I wonder how you will respond this time. Yanzhou is still a newly acquired territory; no matter how much preparation you've done, it’s impossible to consolidate it all at once," Xu You mused, considering his strategy. Despite its many flaws, if executed correctly, it could still succeed.
Sometimes, a strategy doesn’t need to be perfect—it just needs to work. Even if it's full of holes, as long as the opponent can't counter it, it’s still a brilliant plan.
After sending his personal guard to Jizhou, Wen Chou marched south. Though he had repeatedly questioned Xu You along the way, he received no answers, leaving him with no choice but to follow Xu You’s lead.
Xu You offered no further explanations, continuing his march south, bypassing Chen Xi’s forces and heading directly toward Feicheng. This location served as the main supply hub for Chen Xi's army, a critical link in the supply chain connected to Taishan and Fenggao.
"Strategist, are you sure we should cut off the supply route at Feicheng?" Wen Chou asked, growing increasingly concerned as they approached Feicheng. Though his troops didn’t know the exact target, Wen Chou had finally figured it out.
"Yes, strike the snake at its seven inches—the most vulnerable point. Severing the supply line at Feicheng will isolate Yanzhou, Jibei, and Dongjun," Xu You said with a cold smile.
"But strategist, attacking that spot won’t do much good. It’s a major road, and if Chen Zichuan gets cornered, Liu Bei could dispatch reinforcements in just three days! Sun Gongyou has ensured that Liu Bei’s territories are connected by a network of roads. Their troops move too quickly, and they won’t even exhaust their rations in those three days," Wen Chou protested.
"Three days is enough. I assume you’re bringing reinforcements from the Lü brothers in southern Jizhou. Zang Ba is cautious and methodical, and Wei Yan is skilled at taking risks. They’re stationed in northern Qingzhou, and our movements can’t possibly go unnoticed!" Xu You replied, seemingly unfazed by Wen Chou’s objections.
"Doesn’t that mean we’ll destabilize southern Jizhou?" Wen Chou exclaimed, realizing the implications. He had indeed requested reinforcements from Gao Lan’s subordinate commanders, but now Xu You’s words made him see the potential dangers.
"Don’t worry. Gao Lan is a strict military leader and well-versed in tactics. Once you request reinforcements, he’ll prepare accordingly. However, a battle between Jizhou and Qingzhou is inevitable. If that happens, Liu Bei will have no troops to send," Xu You reassured him, shaking his head dismissively.
"That’s impossible! Fenggao is only three days’ march from Feicheng!" Wen Chou said in disbelief.
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