Chapter 1047: "The Manpower Problem"

It’s important to note that Chen Xi had already prepared for military expansion when he was establishing the organizational structure. Every new army had an excess of low-ranking officers, such as team and squad leaders, many of whom were designated as reserves.

Back then, Chen Xi anticipated unforeseen circumstances. In an emergency, he could immediately draw on these reserve leaders from the lower ranks and draft the Tuntian (farming soldiers). By integrating one-third of the veteran soldiers and placing them under the command of these prepared leaders, a large army could be quickly replicated.

At first, when Chen Xi made these preparations, Lu Su had a dispute with him, arguing that Chen had established too many low-ranking officers. After all, with every rank promotion, there was an increase in salary, and adding so many at once led Lu Su to almost clash with Chen Xi.

However, after Fazheng conquered Yuzhou, pacified Xuzhou, Chen Xi stabilized Yanzhou, and Liu Bei advanced into Jizhou, any voices calling for the removal of the excess low-ranking officers disappeared entirely. Everyone saw the benefits of this system.

With double the number of base-level officers, when their territory suddenly expanded, Chen Xi was able to quickly assemble a terrifyingly large army by distributing veteran soldiers among these officers and integrating the Tuntian troops. It was as if he had a cheat code.

Even though these armies weren’t as formidable as Liu Bei’s main force, with a complete command structure and one-third veteran soldiers, the new armies could easily be reinforced by capable commanders without much pressure.

After all, the Tuntian soldiers were already trained at half the intensity of regular troops, and with some additional training, they could at least put on a good show on the battlefield. With veteran soldiers and a full command structure, they were more than enough to intimidate enemies.

Despite Chen Xi’s foresight, the war between Yuan Shao and Liu Bei erupted earlier than expected, resulting in a series of complications. Most notably, Liu Bei, who was supposed to control the pace of the war, ended up in a chaotic situation, with things nearly going awry.

The premature outbreak of the Yuan-Liu war also meant that Chen Xi’s preparations were not fully in place. Liu Bei’s elite forces weren’t sufficient to fully garrison Jizhou, Yanzhou, Xuzhou, and Yuzhou.

The long defensive line that was a problem for Yuan Tan was equally challenging for Liu Bei. Moreover, Liu Bei was surrounded by threats on multiple fronts: Cao Cao to the west and Sun Ce to the south. There were many areas that required strong defenses.

This is why Chen Xi needed to revise the Yuan-Liu front line after taking a breather. The line was too long and required too many troops. By restructuring the front, Liu Bei could consolidate his control over the occupied territories, turning them into an impenetrable stronghold.

Thus, recalling Yu Jin and Chen Dao had become an urgent matter. However, before now, the bandit problem in Jizhou hadn’t been fully resolved. Since it was still winter, Liu Bei wasn’t in too much of a hurry. But now, with the need to mobilize Wei Yan and Huang Zhong, it was time to address all these issues at once.

Liu Bei paused for a moment, smiled toward Guo Jia, and said, "Fengxiao, since your health isn’t well enough for the north, head south to Yuzhou for some rest. You will oversee Ziyi and the others."

It was clear that Liu Bei didn’t want Guo Jia heading north, so he compensated by assigning him to the south. With Chen Dao returning, someone else would need to be sent, making it inevitable that Guan Yu would be stationed there.

Guo Jia nodded. Yuzhou was indeed a good fit for him, and judging by Liu Bei’s tone, it was likely that he and Guan Yu would jointly oversee military and political affairs in Xuzhou and Yuzhou to counter Sun Ce across the Yangtze.

"Recall Kongming to work with Zijing (Lu Su) on governance. Ziyi (Zhang Liao) will guard Yanzhou, and Yun Chang (Guan Yu) and Fengxiao will oversee military and political affairs in Xuzhou and Yuzhou, respectively," Liu Bei continued issuing orders.

The decision to recall Zhuge Liang had been carefully considered by Liu Bei. While Zhuge Liang’s military talents were undeniable, they weren’t as exceptional as his political talents. Although Zhuge Liang could handle military matters without mistakes, his true genius lay in governance, where he could innovate and push boundaries.

"I should also summon my disciple back. I wonder if he’s completed the tasks I assigned him?" Jia Xu suddenly said with a smile.

"Oh, and when those three youngsters—Bo Yan (Lu Xun), Zijia (Lu Yu), and Ma Zhong—return, let me know. As for Ma Zhong, once he reaches adulthood, we’ll have him undergo strict training under Wen Ze (Chen Dao) or Shu Zhi (Wang Ping), then send him to the army," Liu Bei added, recalling Lu Xun, Lu Yu, and Ma Zhong.

Ma Zhong had always wanted to join the army. While he was raised in the official residence, Xu Chu took a liking to the sturdy young man and trained him rigorously. Ma Zhong’s skills had improved greatly under Xu Chu’s guidance, and since he was naturally resilient, he often sparred with Xu Chu. Liu Bei had noticed him frequently, unlike the other orphans, who were settled and then left to their own devices.

In fact, Ma Zhong’s determination to keep pestering Xu Chu, despite often being knocked down, showed his potential. Even though Xu Chu held back, anyone who could take a punch from him and return the next day had something special.

Ma Zhong had been too young before, and Liu Bei didn’t allow boys that young to join the army. But after the new year, Ma Zhong would be fifteen, and Liu Bei decided to make an exception. He would send Ma Zhong to study military strategy under Yu Jin to ensure he matured steadily.

"Zijing, Kongming is in your hands. He will assist you in handling governance matters and gradually take on more responsibility," Liu Bei said, having already planned to cultivate Zhuge Liang properly. After all, he was a rare talent.

"Thank you, my lord!" Lu Su extended his hand from beneath his blanket to offer a formal salute.

The first batch of cotton blankets, made from the initial cotton harvest, was now wrapped around Lu Su. With Zhuge Liang’s return, Lu Su would have much-needed relief. Ever since Wang Xiu, Chen Gan, and Chen Zhen had been reassigned, Lu Su had been handling governance alone.

Liu Bei was well aware of this, which is why he made these arrangements. Lu Su was effectively the overseer of all internal affairs within Liu Bei’s territory. While Chen Xi was a brilliant strategist, executing those strategies was something only Lu Su could handle. Without Lu Su, many of Chen Xi’s plans would never come to fruition.

"Zijing, you’d better wrap yourself up properly. The blanket’s slipping," Liu Bei chuckled, pointing at the part of the blanket dragging behind Lu Su. Lu Su glanced back and quickly wrapped himself tighter. The room was warm, but Lu Su always felt cold...

"Send orders to recall the bandit suppression forces back to Ye City. The bandit campaign can come to an end. Execute the most notorious leaders, and as for the others, sentence them to forced labor," Liu Bei said. After being influenced by Chen Xi and the others for so long, he had come to understand the importance of human resources.

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