The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 109 Zhuge Liang Deploys Troops, Liu Bei Is About to Trick Yuan Xi Again (4th Update)
With Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun vying for the vanguard position, there was nothing left for the others to do.

Zhuge Liang smiled and ordered someone to bring four small jars. He also stipulated that the jar containing a strip of cloth would qualify someone for the vanguard position.

"Everyone, please!"

Zhuge Liang pointed with his feather fan, a broad smile on his face.

Pang Tong, standing to the side, secretly shook his head, clearly having guessed something.

Zhang Fei grabbed two jars first, and when he saw Zhao Yun about to step forward, he grabbed two more.

"Zilong, wait a minute!"

Zhang Fei's big eyes darted back and forth between Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun.

"The strategist has always favored Zilong! Last time when we captured Hua Yan, the strategist ordered Zilong to lead the vanguard; he also frequently assigned Zilong to handle various matters along the way. Even when Yuan Xi held a banquet outside Zhuoxian City, the strategist only sent Zilong. Zilong got to draw the last lot!"

Seeing Zhang Fei act foolishly again, Zhao Yun helplessly spread his hands: "I'll do as Yide says!"

Zhang Fei then took the four jars, drew one for himself, and then let Guan Yu and Huang Zhong draw one in turn. After Guan Yu and Huang Zhong finished drawing, he gave the remaining jar to Zhao Yun.

Seeing everyone turn their backs while holding the jars, Zhang Fei also turned his back and carefully opened his jar. Seeing a strip of cloth inside, Zhang Fei was overjoyed and held the jar high, shouting, "I caught it! I caught it! I'm the vanguard!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Guan Yu, Huang Zhong, and Zhao Yun, who had opened the jars, all looked at Zhuge Liang in surprise, because there were strips of cloth inside all three of their jars!
"Strategist, what is this?"

Seeing the three men looking at him with suspicion, Zhuge Liang simply smiled and shook his head, signaling them not to ask any questions.

After shouting his victory, Zhang Fei walked triumphantly towards Zhao Yun: "Zilong, I told you, I'm definitely going to be the vanguard! You can't beat me in the lottery!"

Before Zhao Yun could speak, Zhuge Liang suggested to Liu Bei, "Since Chief Clerk Zhang has been captured, let him be the vanguard. First, lead five hundred White Feather Soldiers to set up camp outside Ji County."

Zhang Fei was overjoyed: "Strategist, don't worry! I know the mountains, rivers, geography, and weather patterns from Zhuo County to Ji County by heart. If Yan Rou doesn't leave the city, fine; but if he does, I will capture him alive!"

Zhuge Liang laughed and said, "I trust Zhang Zhubu's bravery and strategy. However, this battle is not about capturing Yan Rou alive, but about wiping out Yan Rou, Wang Song and the others in one fell swoop. You must not be impatient for quick success and scare them away! If you disobey orders, I will not allow you to draw lots next time."

Zhang Fei laughed loudly: "Don't worry, strategist, I understand everything."

Watching Zhang Fei's joyful departing figure, Guan Yu, Zhao Yun, and Huang Zhong all took out the strips of cloth from the jar.

Liu Bei was surprised and puzzled: "Strategist, what exactly is going on?"

Zhuge Liang cupped his hands in greeting: "Reporting to the General, Chief Clerk Zhang is most knowledgeable about geography and is most suitable to be the vanguard."

Liu Bei was even more puzzled: "Then why did the strategist suggest drawing lots?"

Zhuge Liang explained, "Zhang, the chief clerk, has always looked down on Yan Rou's background as a prisoner of war. He also believes that Yan Rou has been kneeling before the Xianbei and Wuhuan since childhood and even killed Xing Ju, the Protector of the Wuhuan. He considers Yan Rou a treacherous villain. If I do not restrain him, I fear that Zhang will be too eager to capture Yan Rou alive and ruin the general's grand plan."

Liu Bei stroked his beard and nodded: "Yide's temperament has always been like this, fortunately the strategist has considered everything carefully."

Zhuge Liang then said to Guan Yu and the other two, "Although there can only be one vanguard, the military affairs of Guan Yu, Huang Zhonglang, and Zhao Dudu are equally important."

"Commander Guan can lead his troops to garrison the strategic pass between Dai County and Ji County. Although Xianyu Fu has agreed to lead the officials and soldiers of Dai County to surrender, people's hearts are unpredictable and we must be wary. Testing whether Xianyu Fu is truly surrendering will depend on Commander Guan's wisdom and courage." Zhuge Liang was a man of words.

The phrase "We must rely on Guan Yu's wisdom and courage" struck a chord with Guan Yu.

Guan Yu already respected Zhuge Liang, and now that he had taken on key military duties and been praised by Zhuge Liang, his already flushed face turned even redder with excitement: "If Xianyu Fu's surrender is feigned, I will take his head; but if Xianyu Fu's surrender is genuine, what should I do?"

Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "If Xianyu Fu is truly willing to submit, Guan Yu can seize the opportunity and act as he sees fit."

Upon hearing "wait for the right opportunity" and "act as one sees fit," Guan Yu became even more excited.

Seeing this, Liu Bei instructed, "Yun Chang, when you test Xianyu Fu, you must be careful and lest you mistakenly kill a righteous man!"

Guan Yu cupped his hands and replied, "Brother, rest assured, I will know what I'm doing."

After Guan Yu received his orders and left, Zhuge Liang then said to Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun: "General Huang, Commander Zhao, each of you will lead three hundred cavalrymen, along with ten days' worth of rations, and circle around to the rear of Ji County. If you encounter Wang Song's troops, ignore them; if you encounter the Wuhuan troops, attack them when the opportunity arises. Victory is the only option; defeat is not an option. Show the might of the Han cavalry and do not let the Wuhuan underestimate you!"

Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun were both skilled in riding and archery, and possessed the pride of Han Chinese from the Central Plains, so they naturally did not want to be underestimated by the Wuhuan people.

Both men's eyes sharpened, and they bowed in response: "We will obey the strategist's orders!"

Subsequently.

Zhuge Liang then skillfully assigned military tasks to the remaining civil and military officials.

If it weren't for the fact that Zhuge Liang was not yet twenty years old, one would think he was a seasoned general who had commanded troops for many years just by listening to his deployment.

Liu Bei stroked his short beard, watching Zhuge Liang issue orders with great enthusiasm, and felt a surge of satisfaction: How fortunate I am to have a strategist!

If it were someone who was outwardly lenient but inwardly suspicious, they would definitely be wary of Zhuge Liang's command of both civil and military officials.

However, Liu Bei was different. The more capable Zhuge Liang was, the more promising the future seemed to him!

What is Cao Cao?
What is Yuan Shao?
With a strategist in my hands, how can I not pacify the world?
At the end.

Zhuge Liang then said to Liu Bei, "To prevent Yuan Xi from causing trouble in Zhuo County and ruining your grand plan, you can ask Yuan Xi to join you in the campaign. If Yuan Xi refuses to leave the city, you can temporarily borrow the generals Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan from him."

Liu Bei's eyebrows twitched slightly, and he immediately understood Zhuge Liang's concerns.

If Yuan Xi sees that Liu Bei has deployed all his troops and generals, he is very likely to develop disloyal intentions. If Yan Rou and others secretly collude with Yuan Xi, Liu Bei may once again suffer the misfortune of being betrayed by Lü Bu.

Either Yuan Xi and his generals should be brought along, or Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan should be brought along, in order to ensure the safety of Zhuo County.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei nodded in agreement: "The strategist's considerations are very thorough. I will go to find Yuan Xi later."

Yuan Xi was unaware that Zhuge Liang's military plan included him, the governor of Youzhou. At this time, he was still anxious about the military troubles that Liu Bei had brought upon him, and he even began to complain about Yuan Shao.

"I don't know what the General was thinking, insisting on bringing Liu Bei to Zhuojun and even giving him the power to send troops to attack the other commanderies! I've worked so hard to maintain this peaceful situation, how hateful! Who does Liu Bei think he is? Taking just over two thousand soldiers and thinking he can contend with the six commanderies of Youzhou? Yan Rou is highly respected; back then, he rallied tens of thousands of Han and Hu soldiers with a single call to arms to attack Gongsun Zan. Liu Bei not only failed to defeat them one by one, but he also sat idly by while Yan Rou gathered troops in Ji County? I only have two thousand soldiers!"

(Note: I just remembered that Jiao Chu and Zhang Nan's names also appeared when I was in Liyang. I just randomly listed a few names at the time without considering the subsequent plot. I have deleted and modified the previous ones. Please forgive me since I added an extra chapter.)
(End of this chapter)