NOVPUB"That’s good, I’m afraid that neither Military Advisor Guo, you, nor the strategists from Yuan Benchu’s side have good intentions this time." Zhuge Liang thought for a moment and then said.
"Probably only I don’t think that way," Chen Xi said with a bitter smile. The geographical location of the Black Mountain Army has determined the scope of the battlefield, but would Chen Gong and Lyu Bu really tolerate such a thing? Probably not so easily.
After that, Chen Xi did not say much. In fact, whether it’s Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, or Yuan Shu, they were all very much troubled by Lyu Bu, who was now caught in the middle. If they fought him, they had to guard against others helping him, and if they did not fight, they would certainly hesitate to make a move later on!
It was apparent from the start that Chen Gongtai had never intended for Lyu Bu to contend for domination of the world. Yanzhou was merely the capital for settling down and establishing a life. After all, Lyu Bu lacked the ability to contend for dominance. He could be a general or a commander, defending the frontiers, but he could not be a monarch. Therefore, Chen Gong’s approach was actually to wait for changes in the world situation, that is, when the time came to decide on an overlord, they could be a timely benefactor!
By then, both Chen Gong and Lyu Bu would be able to live comfortably for the rest of their lives. As for the current situation, which seemed as precarious as eggs stacked upon each other, it was essentially no different from being perfectly calm, as with his assurances and Lyu Bu’s strength, after stability was achieved, it would be very difficult to expand from Yanzhou, but it would also be exceedingly hard for anyone to dare to reach out and attack!
After careful comparison between Liu Bei and Yuan Shao’s strength, Chen Gong concluded that on the surface, Liu Bei and Yuan Shao each had their own strengths and weaknesses. Moreover, both sides had their victories in military terms. Whether it was Yuan Shao’s cavalry or Liu Bei’s navy, both held absolute advantages in the north, and hardly any feudal lords could compare.
For this reason, Chen Gong was very clear that the outcome of the Yuan Liu struggle would probably not emerge anytime soon. Both sides, from the monarch to the civil and military officials and then to the army, were all prominent figures of their time. Chen Gong was confident that with his own wisdom and strategies, he could absolutely tip that balanced situation at the most dangerous time, becoming the person to break the stalemate. In this way, no matter who won or lost in the end, it would be irrelevant to them.
As for what Chen Gong was thinking, the strategists under Liu Bei, Yuan Shao, and Cao Cao could more or less guess, but they could not easily take action because they were restraining each other. They did not fear Lyu Bu, but they were wary of the other surrounding feudal lords—that was reality.
Previously, when Zhuge Liang mentioned the Black Mountain Army, he was actually saying that the strategists from Yuan Shao’s side and Guo Jia meant to confine the battlefield to the Yanzhou area, to kill two birds with one stone, and to take advantage of the chaos of the Black Mountain Army to eliminate Lyu Bu.
After all, by now the situation in the north had basically become very clear. Among Yuan and Liu, there would necessarily be one who would establish dominance over the north. Both Yuan Shao and Liu Bei were confident it would be themselves and understood that the other was their real major adversary. Therefore, before competing for the position of the northern overlord, there would inevitably be a purging.
They would sweep away all the troublemakers, and submission or death were the only two paths available. Zhang He and Juo Yi took a lot of time to seize Youzhou, over a year to drive Gongsun Bogui out of Youbeiping. For the time being, Gongsun Zan would find it difficult to look southwards again.
It was for this reason that Yuan Shao finally had a hand free, ready to clamp down on the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans and sweep away internal rebellion, while incidentally giving Liu Bei a headache and slowing down Liu Bei’s development.
Likewise, Guo Jia also harbored the same thoughts. In the struggle between Yuan and Liu, he did not want anyone causing trouble either, at least those feudal lords who obviously might become hindrances, like Yuan Shu, Lyu Bu, and Zhang Yang. Before Yuan and Liu took action, he absolutely wanted to severely damage them. Those that could be exterminated would be wiped out; those who couldn’t be exterminated would be crippled to assure they could not interfere with the grand scheme of things.
Thus, the strategists under Yuan Shao and Liu Bei found themselves in unexpected agreement, both planning to drag Lyu Bu into the battlefield and eliminate him with the other’s aid, each side confident that they could execute the plan flawlessly.
"Both sides know that the other intends to use them to destroy Lyu Bu, but each is confident that they are the ultimate victor. Alas, they are no easy opponents. However, you’ve probably underestimated the combined combat power of Chen Gongtai and Lyu Fengxian." Chen Xi thought with a wry smile.
It wasn’t that Chen Xi doubted the cooperation between Guo Jia and Guan Yu, but when two strong forces meet, focusing only on each other could easily lead to miscalculation by an underestimated third party. If only Guan Yu and Guo Jia were to lead an attack against Chen Gong and Lyu Bu, Chen Xi would be completely at ease. But now, under these circumstances, there was a good chance that Chen Gong might seize the opportunity to strike a heavy blow.
"Luckily, there is still plenty of time. I’ll write a letter to Second Brother to be cautious. After all, men like Zhang Liao and Gao Shun are still relatively unknown, but their skills are by no means inferior to those of top generals. Especially Zhang Liao—if he faces an unguarded opponent, I fear Second Brother may suffer a loss!" Chen Xi frowned as he remembered Zhang Liao’s audacity. Lyu Bu’s stalwarts were indeed not to be underestimated!
The carriage then sped off, escorted by hundreds of cavalry sent by Liu Bei. There was no slightest obstruction on the road, as all the merchant convoys would automatically give way upon seeing them. Though Mount Tai of Qingzhou was now peaceful, an army-escorted convoy was certainly not on the same level as they were.
"Let’s rest here tonight." After spending two nights outdoors, they finally rushed to the area governed by Fa Zheng.
As Lu Xun stepped down from the carriage, he looked curiously at the bustling activity of the people around him. It was evidently nearing dusk, yet there was still construction in full swing here, and it seemed that a city was being built.
"What’s going on here?" Lu Xun asked curiously. "Aren’t you imposing a curfew? What if something happens at night?"
"A curfew is imposed, but it’s not time yet," Zhuge Liang said calmly, listening to the distant cadences. "That Fa Xiaozhi, ah!"
"Yes, he’s doing quite well," Chen Xi nodded and said, "Beyond my expectations, I didn’t think he would achieve this much."
"Linzi will probably become more prosperous than we can imagine in a few years, second only to Fenggao at most," Zhuge Liang remarked as he watched the laborers coming and going. "He claims he can’t do it, but in reality, he’s quite formidable." Zhuge Liang praised Fa Zheng, then remembered his eccentric personality and couldn’t help but pull a face, "It’s just his character that’s problematic."
"Character doesn’t matter, he’s done a splendid job, and I bet even Gong Youu hasn’t noticed," Chen Xi said, admiring the twelve wide thoroughfares that led to and from the city center. In such a short time without seeing him, Fa Zheng had become increasingly adept at governance. Indeed, the intelligent are truly intelligent.
"He probably also wants to maintain waterways, to fully take advantage of both land and water transportation," Zhuge Liang shook his head. "He never truly lacked ability, just the will to do it. Once he started, he really did it right." (To be continued. If you like this work, I invite you to come to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendation tickets and monthly passes. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
