NOVPUBThe quarantine and relocation areas between Langya and East Sea had been lifted, but a large number of civilians had not returned to their original residences. One reason was the fear of being infected again by the plague that had occurred where they once lived, and another was the appeal of the deep wells in these new relocated areas, which were a rare sight in this era, not afraid of severe droughts.
"Physician Hua, accompany me to Pengcheng. Although the epidemic has been controlled thanks to the prescription, I think it’s better for us to meet up with Lord Xuande," Chen Xi said to Hua Tuo, who was treating the disaster victims.
When Chen Xi arrived in Pengcheng, just as predicted, the epidemic there had been brought under control.
Entering the Pengcheng Prefecture Office, there was not the excitement of a great victory that Chen Xi had anticipated, but rather a sense of gloom. Seeing Chen Xi come in, Liu Bei showed a smile, "We owe a great debt to Zichuan this time. The people of Xuzhou have been spared from the plague because of you. There’s no need for formalities, please sit. I have something I want to ask you."
"What’s the matter, everyone?" Chen Xi asked, frowning, "Did something serious happen?"
"Intelligence from Yuzhou, Cao Mengde is not dead," Jia Xu said with a bitter smile, "And he didn’t die in Yuzhou either. This intelligence was confirmed by both Yuan Shu’s son and Jii Ling, with Xun Youi, Cheng Yu, and the Xiahou Brothers among those in company."
"What? We killed a double?" Chen Xi was taken aback.
It was also Cao Cao’s misfortune. Others might not recognize the disguised Cao Cao, but Yuan Shu, who had had big dealings with Cao Cao, and his son Yuan Yao, who was quite familiar with Cao Cao, certainly could. Although Yuan Shu historically mistook Qin Shao for Cao Cao, that was an exceptional case. It was highly unlikely with just Cao Cao alone.
Thus, when Yuan Yao, who was providing disaster relief in Peii County, caught sight of Cao Cao from afar, he was startled, but being no fool, he kept silent. It wasn’t until Yuan Shu sent Jii Ling and others to fetch his legitimate son that Yuan Yao suddenly erupted in action.
Regrettably, though, he overestimated his own strength and failed to capture Cao Cao, instead suffering the loss of many of his men. Nevertheless, this still dealt Cao Cao a heavy blow, putting an end to any hope of returning to Yanzhou from Yingchuan, forcing him to stubbornly take the route through Shanyang Commandery back to Chenliu.
"Cao Mengde really does have good fortune," Chen Xi muttered, then asked Jia Xu, "Have you figured out their capabilities?"
"In the aspect of Spiritual Talent, Zi Yang and I have analyzed from what Xingba and others have described. The capabilities are troublesome; the slightest carelessness could lead us to fall into their trap," Jia Xu said with an unpleasant expression.
"Let’s hear about it," Chen Xi said with some curiosity.
"Among the two individuals, one is very likely to have a leadership type of Spiritual Talent, presumably enhancing the army’s leadership and resilience. This can be seen from the fact that the six units ambushing the Cao Army did not collapse. As for the other, it can be confirmed to definitely be one that allows one to be overlooked, turning oneself into something akin to a roadside pebble or a small log in its ultimate form," Jia Xu said helplessly. This Spiritual Talent was not only useful for deceit but also for escape, virtually unsolvable unless discovered by sheer accident.
"By that logic, how was this Spiritual Talent noticed in the first place?" Chen Xi asked with curiosity.
"Xingba broke through our defenses and killed Cao Chun. Once they counterattack, the effects will be neutralized. Under normal circumstances, we would treat them as bystanders and ignore them," Jia Xu said helplessly. Everyone was well aware of the intelligence of Xun You and Cheng Yu. From what they could gather, these men were likely no less cunning than themselves. The thought of treating such people as nonentities on the battlefield sent chills down Jia Xu’s spine.
"If you strike, it must be an annihilating kill," Chen Xi murmured to himself. Such spiritual talent was definitely difficult to contend with. "But you said it was a breakthrough, so how did they escape?"
"There were no generals on their side, and I thought it was just some remnants of their army. Plus, with Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun charging over, Ziyi and I went after them. Who knew that there wasn’t a single general by Cao Cao’s side at that time!" Gan Ning explained with resignation. There was nothing he could do about it. Everyone assumed Cao Cao was with his generals, but as it turned out, they were all busy fighting the generals, and this situation arose.
"Let’s leave it be for now. Just be more cautious next time. There’s nothing much we can say when faced with such spiritual talent. We should feel fortunate that we weren’t counter-killed upon our first encounter. And if they wanted to flee, we didn’t have many options," Chen Xi consoled. "Cao Mengde, without troops to deploy, probably won’t be able to recover until next year, while we should have gathered enough resources to dominate the world within this year."
"Yuzhou is finally bordering us as well," Liu Ye said with a knowing smile that any strategist who had been to Yuzhou would understand.
"Yes, for us, Yuzhou is finally no longer an exclave," Li You remarked with a sense of sentimentality. With Xuzhou in hand, they could take Yuzhou, which they had prepared for when they first conquered it, at any time.
"Let’s not set our sights on conquering Yuzhou just yet. We need to keep a low profile. If we acquire another province, we might just provoke a mass uprising against us. Right now, we do not stand out when compared to the Yuan brothers. Let’s wait for the right opportunity to become the Hegemon of Central Plains all at once, just as Zihe suggested. We truly don’t need any allies," Guo Jia said with extreme confidence.
Chen Xi just smiled and said nothing. Perhaps those in Xuzhou and Qingzhou might not feel it yet, but the pace at which the other provinces were warming up was already unnatural. He knew that the days of good weather were over, and the brewing of disaster-level climate conditions had begun—the droughts, locust disasters, torrential rains after June, followed by frost and epidemics, an endless vicious cycle year after year, with the land yielding hardly any grain...
"Lord Xuande, has Lord Tao invited you to Xiapi?" Chen Xi inquired.
"I have gathered everyone to discuss this matter. Now that the affairs of Xuzhou are settled, I also plan to withdraw to Mount Tai and then swiftly pacify Eastern Qingzhou as planned. We already have all the necessary grain, seeds, and farming tools. After conquering the land, aside from the initial few months when we need to provide for over a million civilians, we’ll be self-sufficient by June, free from the pressure of food and fodder," Liu Bei explained, having learned much from his strategists, now fully understanding their usual methods.
"Do you have a plan?" Chen Xi asked curiously.
"Wen He suggests that Yunchang lead Yide, Zijian, and others to escort Fengxiao and the rest back to Mount Tai. Xingba will take Ziyi and the navy to patrol along the coast of Qingzhou on the Yellow River, while Zilong stays with some troops to protect me and Wen He as we go to Xuzhou for the alliance," Liu Bei stated.
"That’s a good idea; the battle for Qingzhou doesn’t actually need anyone in charge, as we’ve almost completely won over the hearts of the Yellow Turbans there. All that’s left is the formal takeover. Therefore, my lord, you do not need to be stationed at Mount Tai," Chen Xi nodded, agreeing with Jia Wenhe’s suggestions.
"My lord hopes that Zihe and Physician Hua will join him in Xuzhou," Jia Xu chimed in. "Lord Tao is critically ill, and for a martial artist of Qi cultivation level, falling ill usually means that death isn’t far away."
"Good, I’ll go too," Chen Xi considered it for a moment and understood Jia Xu’s intention. Certain unruly noble families in Xuzhou hadn’t been completely dealt with, and Tao Qian couldn’t die before that was resolved, as Liu Bei’s reputation for benevolence was an important factor. (To be continued. If you enjoy this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your recommendation votes and monthly votes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please go to m.qidian.com to read.)
