The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 255 Liu Bei: Ten years, I have waited for ten years, just so that I can fight Cao Cao fair and square today!
Meanwhile, Li Yi assembled an inspection team and held a grand event in Youzhou.

All for the sake of revitalizing the economy of Northeast China.

The people of Youzhou were all grateful for Li Yi's virtue and built temples for him.

The year was May of the tenth year of Jian'an.

Li Yi went north in early spring and returned to Jizhou in May.

The delay lasted at least half a year.

During this period, Cao Cao did not actually launch a general offensive.

The reason is simple: the State of Wei did not want to delay spring planting.

The same applies to the State of Qi. Although Guan Yu was in charge of military affairs in the south, he had already fought more than a dozen battles with Cao Ren.

Both sides had their victories and defeats, but overall Qi had the upper hand.

However, these battles were not enough to cripple either side, because they were not large in scale.

With spring planting now finished, Li Yi wrote a letter to Liu Bei, asking him to urge Guan Yu to quickly seize Runan.

Indeed, Li Yi's desire for Guan Yu to exert his strength on the southern front meant that he intended to launch an attack on Cao Cao on the northern front.

Liu Bei received a letter from Li Yi, informing him that the matter in the north had been settled.

The king immediately issued an edict ordering Guan Yu to swiftly attack Cao Ren and seize Runan.

Guan Yu accepted the order and appointed Zhao Yun as the vanguard and Gan Ning as the deputy general.

He appointed Chen Yuanlong as the military commander and Chen Jiao as the military advisor.

They assembled a force of 80,000, claiming it to be 200,000.

With flags raised and drums blaring, they officially launched a general offensive against Runan.

On that day, Guan Yu offered sacrifices to the banner bearing the character "Commander" and then dozed off in his tent.

Suddenly I dreamt of a red dragon coiled around the Green Dragon Blade.

Suddenly it transformed into blue clouds, swirling around him before dissipating.

Guan Yu awoke with a start, filled with suspicion.

He then summoned Chen Deng and told him about the strange dream, and asked him what the omen was.

Chen Deng then clapped his hands and replied:
"The dragon is the symbol of the ruler."

"The coiled green dragon blade is a harbinger of the general's might and virtue, a sign of gratitude to Heaven."

"The presence of auspicious clouds surrounding the body is what the Book of Changes refers to as 'clouds following the dragon,' signifying that the person will be supported by the people."

"In the past, Emperor Guangwu dreamed of riding a red dragon to ascend to heaven, and thus the Han dynasty was established."

"Now that the general has received this dream and is leading the expedition on behalf of the King of Qi, it is a sign that the Central Plains will be recovered!"

So Guan Yu gathered his officials under his tent and told them about the omen of his dream.

The crowd prostrated themselves on the ground, offering their congratulations:

"This is an extremely auspicious omen!"

"General, on this mission, you will surely inflict a heavy blow on the Wei army and kill a great general!"

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and said happily:

“…Good. I heard that the Prime Minister previously pacified Youzhou. Now the north is pacified and our military strength is sufficient.”

"The King of Qi has ordered me to send troops; the time is just right!"

So he ordered his men to slaughter cattle and sheep and feast the soldiers, and then marched towards Runan.

Meanwhile, Cao Ren had built a city in Pei, intending to threaten the flank of Xuzhou.

However, after being repeatedly attacked by Zhao Yun and Gan Ning, they had no choice but to retreat to Runan and hold their ground.

Cao Ren was in the city, studying maps and reviewing military reports.

Suddenly someone reported that Guan Yu was personally leading troops to attack Runan.

Cao Ren asked Guan Yu in surprise how many men he had, and Guan Yu replied that he had 200,000.

Cao Ren thought to himself, "I originally had fifty or sixty thousand soldiers in Runan."

Because of the previous campaign against Pei, more than 10,000 people were lost.

Having just returned to Runan and shifted from offense to defense, the Qi army's morale is currently high. How can we possibly confront them head-on?

He then gave the order:

"The Qi army is coming with fierce momentum. I have ordered officers and soldiers of all ranks to defend their respective fortified villages and towns."

"No battle is permitted without my order."

Just as everyone was about to accept the order, Vice General Qin Qi bowed and advised:
"Now the Duke of Wei has ordered the general to hold Runan firmly, and to make an appointment with Jingchu to jointly take Huainan."

"Guan Yu is a scoundrel who willingly comes to his death. Why does the general avoid him?"

"Have you not heard that retreating before the battle is cowardice and weakness?"

All the generals originally obeyed Cao Ren's orders and planned to defend to the death.

Only Qin Qi strongly urged Cao Ren to take the initiative to fight.

It turns out that Qin Qi was the nephew of General Cai Yang.

Six months ago, Cai Yang was killed by Qi general Zhao Yun in a battle with the Qi army.

Qin Qi was determined to take revenge, so he strongly urged Cao Ren to accept the battle.

“…No!”

The military advisor, Man Chong, immediately voiced his opposition, having previously fought against the Qi army.

Knowing full well that the individual soldiers of the Qi army were highly skilled, the Wei soldiers would not gain any advantage in a head-on confrontation.

Given that the Qi army had a numerical advantage, the Wei state would definitely be at a disadvantage in a head-on confrontation.

“I have long known that Guan Yu is brave and resourceful, and is a great general of the State of Qi.”

"Furthermore, he had fierce generals such as Zhao Yun and Gan Ning under his command, and Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin were his henchmen."

"Chen Yuanlong was his advisor, and Zhuge Liang was his chief supervisor of provisions."

"The Qi army was clearly well prepared and came prepared."

Man Chong truly lived up to his reputation as a shrewd and capable advisor.

They obtained all the intelligence about the State of Qi.

"...Sun Tzu said: Know yourself and know your enemy, and you will win every battle."

"I have heard that Li Yi has pacified the north and the trouble in Youzhou has been quelled."

"Now that Guan Yu has invaded Runan, it must be because Li Yi wants to fight Wei Gong."

"So that Guan Yu could be on the southern battlefield to relieve some of the pressure."

"General, you must not fall for Li Yi's treacherous scheme."

"It would be better to hold firm and help Lord Wei buy time."

"Wait for changes in the north before making a decision; this is the best policy."

It's Li Yi again...

Cao Ren frowned, thinking to himself that the others had already arrived in the south, while Li Yi was in the north.

But somehow it feels like this guy is always everywhere.

His figure can be seen everywhere?

The valiant general Kong Xiu immediately spoke up to refute Man Chong:

"Officer Man's words are the view of a scholar."

Have you not heard the saying, "When soldiers come, generals will block them; when water comes, earth will dam it"?

"Our army has been deeply rooted in Runan for many years, fighting on home soil and familiar with the terrain."

"Since the retreat from Pei, the soldiers have had more than four months of rest and recuperation."

"They were able to wait in comfort for the enemy to tire themselves out, and their large army, having come from afar, walked right into their trap."

"If our army can take the initiative and launch a head-on attack, we will surely win."

Cao Ren pondered for a long time and finally felt that what Qin Qi and Kong Xiu said made sense.

After all, although they were outnumbered, they were fighting on home soil and could wait for the enemy to tire themselves out.

Previously, when fighting the Qi army in Pei, didn't the Qi army also have the advantage because they were fighting on their home turf?

Therefore, he ordered Man Chong to guard Xinxi in Runan.

He personally led an army to welcome Guan Yu.

Seeing that Cao Ren dared to take the initiative to fight, Guan Yu hurriedly gathered his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

Chen Deng offered a suggestion:
"Cao Ren knew that our army had come from afar and wanted to wait in comfort to wear us down and dampen our morale."

"Why not turn the tables and feign defeats in two battles tomorrow?"

"Lure Cao Ren to attack, while the general leads an army to flank and attack the Wei army from the rear."

"With the two armies attacking from both sides, Cao Ren can be defeated."

Guan Yu followed his advice and immediately ordered Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin to lead their troops to challenge them to battle the next day.

They allowed defeat but not victory, their sole aim being to lure Cao Ren's army into pursuit.

The two generals followed the plan and went.

The next day, it was dawn.

The Qi army and the Wei army faced off in a circle.

Zhou Tai spurred his horse, brandished his sword, and went out to challenge them to battle.

Driven by a thirst for revenge, Qin Qi brandished her twin swords and charged into battle, shouting loudly:
"...Who is Zhao Yun?"

Zhou Tai pointed with the tip of his knife and said:
"...You young brat, if you want to seek revenge against General Zhao, you should first ask Zhou about this great sword."

Qin Qi was furious and spurred his horse straight at Zhou Tai.

After only a few exchanges, Zhou Tai feigned defeat and fled on horseback.

Taking advantage of the situation, Qin Qi led his troops in a surprise attack, and the Qi army suffered a crushing defeat, retreating twenty miles.

The Wei army captured a quantity of military equipment, provisions, and supplies, and returned to their camp.

Cao Ren was overjoyed and immediately rewarded Qin Qi with ten catties of gold as a commendation.

Qin Qi, having won a great victory in his first battle, was arrogant and complacent, and said to his generals:
“Qian Manbo Ning said that the Qi army was strong and difficult to confront head-on.”

How was today's battle?

The generals all praised him, saying that the young general was exceptionally brave.

Cao Ren also did not hold back his praise:
“Your uncle Cai Yang was brave enough to fight ten thousand men, but he was killed by Zhao Yun because he was old.”

"Judging from your bravery today, General, you are no less than your uncle."

Qin Qi felt even more smug and arrogantly said:

"We will fight the Qi army again in the future. After two consecutive defeats, the Qi army's morale has collapsed."

"Guan Yu's head is not difficult to obtain."

When Cao Ren accompanied Cao Cao on his northern expedition against Yuan Shao, he personally witnessed Guan Yu taking the head of an enemy amidst a vast army.

At that time, Cao Cao's soldiers all called him an enemy of ten thousand men, and his name resounded throughout Hebei.

So he reminded Qin Qi:
"Although we have won a game today, we must not underestimate our opponents."

"Although Guan Yu was over forty years old, his courage and strength were not necessarily less than they used to be."

"Young general, you should be even more careful in the future."

Qin Qi's lips curled up, and she waved her hand, saying:

"Governor, please be lenient. If Guan Yu is not executed, I will not return with my troops."

Cao Ren admired him and rewarded him with a plate of mutton and a bottle of fine wine.

The next day, Qin Qi went to challenge him again.

Jiang Qin led his troops out to meet the enemy.

Just like yesterday, Qin Qi and Jiang Qin fought fiercely.

Jiang Qin was defeated and fled, and the Wei army, shouting for battle, pursued him all the way.

The Qi army retreated another twenty li.

Seeing that they were about to retreat to Pei, Cao Ren hurriedly called a halt and ordered his men to sound the retreat.

Qin Qi was in the midst of a fierce battle when he heard the drums and gongs, and had no choice but to withdraw his troops.

He found Cao Ren and complained:

"I just defeated Jiang Qin and was about to advance and strike Guan Yu's central camp."

"His head was severed, which is a meritorious act for the governor."

"Why did the governor order me to withdraw my troops?"

Cao Ren frowned and analyzed:

"Our army fought Guan Yu for two days, but we did not see Guan Yu himself."

"I fear there may be a trap involved; it would be better to retreat to Ruyin first."

As they were talking,
Suddenly, a great shout was heard from behind, and drums and horns sounded in unison.

Cao Ren was greatly alarmed: "Disaster is imminent!"

He urgently ordered the vanguard to return immediately, as Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin led their troops to attack from behind.

Cao Ren ordered a retreat, but as they were about to cross the canal, a fleet of small boats blocked their way.

The leader was Gan Ning.

Gan Ning, standing on the boat plank, laughed loudly:

"Where are you going, Cao Ren!"

Your life is over!

Cao's army was greatly alarmed upon seeing this.

Ahead, naval forces blocked their path; behind, pursuers relentlessly attacked.

Soon, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin's army arrived.

Cao Ren's army hastily engaged the enemy and was driven into the river by the Qi army.

Both men and horses went down to the river to drink, their neighing never ceasing.

Gan Ning hurriedly ordered his men to board small boats and, with the help of boatmen and sailors, to launch a surprise attack.

Slay the Wei soldiers who were drowning in the water, and beat the drowning dog.

Cao's troops were thrown into chaos and routed.

Cao Ren realized he had fallen into a trap, so he first dispatched one army and flew back to Ruyin.

It is a few miles from the city.

Ahead, embroidered banners fluttered in the wind, and Guan Yu reined in his horse, brandishing his sword, leading an army to block their path.

It turns out that Yun Chang had acquired Chen Yuanlong's navy.

On the one hand, it caused Jiang Qin and Zhou Tai to engage the Wei army in direct combat.

He instead traveled by boat, crossing the Ying River, and outflanked Cao Ren from behind.

Cao's army fled in disarray, thinking they could finally rest.

Unexpectedly, they encountered another army here, and it was Guan Yu himself.

The soldiers were all terrified and dared not engage them in battle.

Left with no other choice, Cao Ren had to abandon Ruyin and head towards Xinxi.

Guan Yu did not chase him away, but waited there for the army.

His objective in this battle was to seize the entire territory of Runan, not to annihilate Cao Cao's army.

Now that we have occupied eastern Runan, our top priority is to consolidate our gains.

Not long after Cao Ren's army retreated, Kong Xiu led an army to the scene.

Having seen Guan Yu but not Cao Ren, he asked:

Where is General Cao?

Guan Yu, sword drawn, stood on his horse and replied, "He has already been defeated by me."

Kong Xiu was furious. He brandished his spear, spurred his horse, and charged straight at Guan Yu.

The two horses clashed, but only for one exchange.

With a swift movement of the blade, Kong Xiu lay dead on his horse.

The army then fled, but Guan Yu quickly stopped them, saying:

“Soldiers, do not flee. I killed Kong Xiu because our two countries are enemies, and I had no choice but to kill him.”

"I, Guan, will not kill lowly soldiers with my broadsword; you may stay here for now."

"Come into the city with me, and I will have food and drink to entertain you."

After running for half a day, everyone was exhausted, sleepy, and hungry.

Having lost their commander, they only thought about escaping for their lives.

Seeing that Guan Yu was not making things difficult for them, they all surrendered.

Guan Yu led his army into Ruyin, where he rewarded his soldiers and comforted the people.

Meanwhile, Qin Qi was killed in the chaos of battle.

Just as they were about to flee, they encountered a general.

Clad in white robes and silver armor, they exuded an imposing aura.

Holding a gleaming silver spear, his roar was like thunder:
"Zhao Zilong of Changshan is here!"

Zhao Zilong?
Qin Qi, who originally wanted to seek revenge on Zhao Yun, was terrified at the mere mention of Zhao Yun's name.

Completely devoid of fighting spirit, he turned his horse to flee.

He was overtaken by Zhao Yun and killed by Zhao Yun with a single spear thrust.

The remaining troops dispersed, and Zhao Yun gathered the surrendered soldiers and entered Ruyin to join Guan Yu.

Guan Yu said to his generals:

"Now that Cao Ren has just suffered a defeat, our army can take Runan in one fell swoop."

"Cao's troops are terrified and are no match for our army."

"Guan is eager to make a contribution here to repay the King of Qi for his special treatment."

Everyone agreed with his words.

Runan is rich in water, so he ordered Huainan to expedite the preparation of ships.

After the boats were ready, they traveled by waterway and headed straight for Xinxi, the capital of Runan County.

……

Cao Ren lost two generals and suffered another defeat, losing the eastern part of Runan.

Retreating to Xinxi, he found Manchong and blamed himself:

"Because we did not heed your advice, we have suffered this defeat." "Now that our army is defeated and our generals are dead, the entire eastern border of Runan has fallen."

What should we do?

Man Chong said:

"Guan Yu was a tiger general of his time, a match for ten thousand men."

"The Qi army has won a great victory and is unstoppable."

"On the one hand, they sent a letter to Duke Wei, and on the other hand, they held firm and did not fight."

"We will discuss this further after Lord Wei's reinforcements arrive."

Cao Ren followed his advice and hurriedly sent someone to Wei to seek help.

He presented the book to Cao Cao and said:
"Guan Yu has just broken through the eastern border of Runan, and now the situation is very urgent."

"We only hope that Duke Wei will quickly send a general to rescue Runan."

Upon receiving Cao Ren's letter, Cao Cao frowned and said:

"If Runan falls, Li Yi will definitely launch a general offensive against Hebei."

"At that time, I will be unable to support myself from both ends, and the State of Wei will be in grave danger."

So he asked his generals who dared to relieve the siege of Runan.

No sooner had he finished speaking than a general stepped forward.

"This humble general is willing to go to Runan to assist General Cao Ren in defeating Guan Yu."

Upon closer inspection, everyone recognized him as General Yu Jin, known for his fierce and powerful presence.

Yu Jin was the highest-ranking non-royal general in Cao Cao's army.

He was also one of only two non-royal generals in Cao Cao's camp who were qualified to command an entire legion on their own.

Besides him, the other person was Zhang Liao.

When Zhang Liao killed Tadun at Bailang Mountain, Cao Cao entrusted him with the command of the army.

In this battle, Zhang Liao took full command of the Independent Army for the first and only time.

Yu Jin was different from Zhang Liao.

Zhang Liao's incident was due to a special circumstance and a sudden event.

Yu Jin earned his position entirely through his own experience and military achievements.

He joined Cao Cao very early on, and his personal abilities were among the best in Cao Cao's camp.

He was praised as a great general of his time, and was the first among the five generals.

Cao Cao also praised him, saying, "His military prowess is great, and his strategies are comprehensive."

This means that Yu Jin was both brave and resourceful.

Such an outstanding person could rise to a high position even in Cao Cao's camp.

After much deliberation, Cao Cao finally agreed to Yu Jin's request to fight.

"...that's fine."

"The predicament of Runan cannot be resolved without literature."

"But since Guan Yu became famous in Hebei, he has never met his match."

"We must be careful in dealing with the enemy and not underestimate them."

Yu Jin cupped his hands and said:
"Your subject is determined to serve you with utmost loyalty and to lift the siege of Runan."

Cao Cao was overjoyed and immediately appointed Yu Jin as General Who Conquers the South.

He was ordered to lead a total of 30,000 troops to relieve the siege of Runan at full speed.

Yu Jin accepted the order and left.

Cao Cao watched his retreating figure, let out a long sigh, and then addressed his ministers:
"I only hope that Wen Ze can repel Guan Yu, otherwise I cannot rest easy in the north."

Speaking of pressure, this was the second time Cao Cao had felt immense pressure since facing Yuan Shao.

While Li Yi was heading north to pacify Youzhou, Cao Cao actually intended to seize Dongjizhou.

Li Yi only led a few dozen men away, while the main army remained in Jizhou.

The defending generals were mainly of the same generation as Zhang He, Gao Lan, Xu Huang, Zhang Liao, and Huang Zhong.

The army is well-equipped and its generals are both fierce and resourceful.

Cao Cao dared not advance rashly and could only hold his position and wait for Li Yi to make the first move.

Just then, a messenger reported that Li Yi had raised an army of 50,000 and appointed Zhang Liao, Xu Huang, and Huang Zhong as vanguards.

They divided their forces into three routes and headed straight for the State of Wei.

Cao Cao was greatly alarmed upon hearing this:

"Li Yi arrived so quickly!"

With the situation in the south currently unpredictable, Cao Cao cannot afford to falter on the northern battlefield.

He dared not underestimate his enemy and personally led 50,000 troops to fight Li Yi.

With 50,000 against 50,000, the advantage is enough to draw.

That year, in the early summer of June.

The commander-in-chief of the eastern front of the Wei Kingdom was Xiahou Yuan.

He was here to replace Cao Ren and to guard against the Qi army.

They had already received word that Cao Cao was personally leading his troops to provide reinforcements.

Therefore, Xiahou Yuan chose to hold the line and not fight, and ordered the cities on the front line to be strictly defended.

Hold out until Cao Cao's army arrives.

After Li Yi had assembled his army, he launched a fierce attack on Wei territory.

The army marched through the land, capturing several cities in succession.

Because the State of Wei was adjacent to Li Yi's Ji Province.

Therefore, Cao Cao built a large number of cities in the east to prevent Wei from being left without a buffer in the event of war.

In response, Li Yi ordered his army to surround the enemy on three sides and leave one side open wherever they passed.

That is, surround the city on three sides, leaving an opening to give the Wei army hope of escaping.

As long as the Wei army believes there is a chance to escape, they will not fight to the death with the Qi army.

This was done solely to maximize the efficiency of capturing cities.

Using a tactic of surrounding three sides while leaving one open, Li Yijun's army advanced almost unstoppably.

Several cities were successively attacked.

Of course, these are all small towns.

Cao Cao built them on a whim and didn't expect them to be able to stop Li Yi's army.

They simply hoped that these things would slow down Li Yi's march, giving them time to prepare.

The real major city was Guantao, where Xiahou Yuan was stationed on the front lines.

After Li Yi sent someone to find out the details, he prepared to advance his army.

Suddenly, news arrived that the King of Qi had arrived!
Li Yi was startled and immediately led his civil and military officials to pay homage to the King of Qi.

"Your subject Li Yi pays his respects to Your Highness Prince Qi."

Li Yi was the first to pay homage, followed by his military officers who all knelt down and shouted:
"Greetings, Your Majesty the King of Qi!"

"...All of you, rise."

Liu Bei waved his robe, smiled, and stepped forward to help Li Yi to his feet.

"The Prime Minister has fought in the northern border and endured much hardship."

"You've suffered too."

Liu Bei took Li Yi's hand, patted him on the shoulder, and praised his diligence.

Li Yi immediately cupped his hands in reply:

"This is my duty; Your Majesty's words are excessive."

Changing the subject, Li Yi asked again:
"Isn't the King of Qi in Qingzhou? Why has he come to Hebei without even informing me?"

Liu Bei put his hands behind his back and laughed:

"When I led my army to Qingzhou, it was precisely to observe the situation in the north and south."

"Whichever side is at a disadvantage first, I will lead my army to its aid."

Upon hearing this, all the generals looked at each other in bewilderment.

They thought to themselves, "Since the King of Qi has come to our side, doesn't that mean we are at a disadvantage?"
They followed the Prime Minister in the north, enduring much hardship on horseback, but did not lose any territory.

Now that the war has just begun, several cities have already been captured.

Why does the King of Qi underestimate us so much?
Seeing the displeasure on everyone's faces, Liu Bei laughed loudly:

"My lords, there is no need to be angry. It is not that I look down on you."

"As the Prime Minister said, Hebei is a strategically important military region."

"The foundation of Cao Wei was lost; with Hebei destroyed, the Cao traitors lost their support."

"Moreover, Cao Cao is here, so I have no choice but to confront him head-on."

Xu Huang then asked:

"How is the battle progressing on General Guan's side?"

Because they were located further north, the news certainly didn't arrive as quickly as it did for Liu Bei.

Liu Bei then said:

"Guan Yu has defeated Cao Ren and captured most of Runan."

"Cao Ren is now holed up in Xincheng and dares not engage in battle."

Military advisor Xu Shu replied:

"But I have heard that Cao Cao has ordered Yu Jin to lead 30,000 troops to Runan to support Cao Ren."

"The troops Your Majesty commands now are the last elite forces of the State of Qi."

"Bring them all to the north; in case something changes in the south, I fear—"

The Qi state's current legions are divided into three parts.

One of them was the Hebei Army under Li Yi's command.

One was the royal army under Liu Bei's command.

One was the southern army under Guan Yu, which combined local troops from Xuzhou, Qingzhou, and Huainan.

These three legions are the strongest in terms of combat power.

The remaining soldiers can only be considered as reserves.

They wouldn't be dragged into the battlefield unless absolutely necessary.

Therefore, when Liu Bei was led to Hebei by his troops, Xu Shu was somewhat worried about the southern battlefield.

After all, Liu Bei's arrival meant that Guan Yu had no backup.

In case of carelessness or negligence, we might suffer a defeat.

Once the soldiers in your hand are defeated, that's it.

There is absolutely no room for error.

Furthermore, the southern battlefield is related to Xuzhou, the core territory of the Qi state.

Once the Wei army threatens Xiapi, the political center of Qi, the northern army will be in a very passive position regardless of the battle situation.

"...Yes, Yun Chang has fought alongside me for many years and is well-versed in military strategy."

"I am certain that he will not fail."

Liu Bei believed that Guan Yu could handle the southern battlefield on his own.

Xu Shu advised Liu Bei to maintain a cautious attitude.

"General Guan has 80,000 troops under his command."

"However, after pacifying the cities and towns, it is still necessary to retain people."

"Just in case something changes—"

He paused slightly, then said, "In my humble opinion, Your Majesty should allocate a contingent of troops."

"Deploy 10,000 men to Langya, so that they can provide backup should anything go wrong."

Liu Bei was somewhat displeased and said in a deep voice:

"Why do you underestimate my second brother?"

“My second brother is brave enough to fight ten thousand men, and has been following me in battle ever since.”

"We will surely win every battle and capture every city we attack."

"After defeating Cao Ren, the Wei soldiers fled like rats, not daring to engage in battle."

"With a full 80,000 troops, how can we say we can't take over a small place like Runan?"

This……

Xu Shu remained silent for a moment, only casting a pleading look at Li Yi.

This seems to imply to Li Yi that he should advise Liu Bei to send a detachment of troops to support General Guan, right?
Li Yi pondered for a moment.

He thought to himself, Cao Ren and Yu Jin, facing off against Guan Yu.

He felt like he'd seen this script somewhere before.

However, many things in life don't necessarily go according to plan.

Li Yi then went to Liu Bei and comforted him, saying:
"...Your Majesty, Yuanzhi was actually acting out of good intentions."

“I still have 50,000 troops in the north, and if you include the king’s army, there are more than 70,000 or 80,000.”

"In my opinion, Yuanzhi's plan should be adopted."

"Dispatch 20,000 troops out, 10,000 to garrison Langya and 10,000 to garrison Jinan."

"In this way, Cao Cao's army will not dare to launch attacks on other counties except for the northern and southern fronts."

"Then we can focus on the battles in the north and south without any worries about the rear."

In fact, Liu Bei just wanted to have a fair fight with Cao Cao.

Why?

What was Liu Bei's temperament like?
When he first came to Xuzhou to rescue Tao Qian, he was brutally defeated by Cao Cao in Tan County.

But Liu Bei was not convinced.

How many men did he have at that time? How many did Cao Cao have?

Over the years, the two companies have experienced honeymoon periods and cold war periods.

There has never been a period of total war like the one we are in now.

Liu Bei waited for ten years, a full ten years.

He was waiting for an opportunity to confront Cao Cao head-on and compete fairly.

Ten years.
Do you know how I've gotten through these past ten years?

Liu Bei was holding a grudge, and when Xu Shu suggested that he divide his troops, he became unhappy.

Li Yi saw through Lao Liu's intentions.

They then changed their tune, saying that the reason they were being asked to divide their troops was to prevent Cao Cao's army from launching surprise attacks from other counties.

We divided our forces and stationed them at Langya and Jinan, effectively blocking the battlefield.

Old Liu, you can now face Cao Cao squarely and honestly.

Same goal, different excuses.

Liu Bei clearly preferred the latter.

"...Well said, Prime Minister. Your words are reasonable."

"I will divide my troops into 20,000 and send them to Langya and Jinan."

After dividing his forces, Li Yi wisely handed over command of the army to Liu Bei.

Now Liu Bei is the commander-in-chief of the northern battlefield.

He immediately ordered the entire army to move into Guantao.

Guantao was the first major town on the border of the State of Wei, and could be considered the gateway to Wei.

It is bordered by the Qinghe River on the left and an important farmland area on the right.

Both its strategic location and its economic niche are extremely important.

It can be described as a strategic location that is fiercely contested by military strategists.

Immediately, Xuande set up camp.

He summoned all the generals to discuss the matter and said:

"Guantao in the State of Wei was the gateway to the State of Wei and a place where grain and fodder were stored."

"If we obtain this town, the road along the Qinghe River will be unobstructed."

"I have only heard that the garrison commander of Guantao is Xiahou Yuan, a famous general of the Wei Kingdom."

"This man is Cao Cao's brother-in-law. He is brave in battle and well-versed in military strategy."

"I wonder, among you generals, who dares to take Guantao first for me?"

As soon as he finished speaking, all the generals were eager to jump up and try.

"The general will go where he wishes!"

"The general will go where he wishes!"

"...Don't fight me!"

The soldiers fought fiercely, their heads bleeding, and at one point they almost drew their swords against each other.

After all, this was King Liu Bei of Qi personally coming to the front lines.

Whatever merit you make, the rewards and honors will be paid out immediately.

Liu Bei was quite satisfied with the atmosphere.

That's the spirit he needs for marching and fighting.

"Xiahou Yuan is a famous general of Wei. In my opinion, we should send a veteran general with rich experience."

"Only now do I realize he's Xiahou Yuan's match."

Li Yi said from the side.

"The veteran is willing to go!"

Upon hearing Li Yi's words, one of the generals stepped forward in response.

The crowd recognized him as Huang Zhong.

……

(End of this chapter)