Chapter 873: The So-called Opportunity for Battle

Chen Xi didn’t overthink Jia Xu’s issues. Maybe Jia Xu had entered a period of excitement, or perhaps he had messed up and was trying to shift the blame before anyone noticed. Who knew?

After all, those details weren’t important. What mattered was that Chen Xi had confirmed Li You’s judgment, and Liu Ye had made the same assessment: Yuan Shao was planning to drag things out. In fact, Yuan Shao seemed poised to adopt the strategy that Zhao Guo had used in the past—delaying the supply of provisions. The difference was that Yuan Shao had even more of an advantage, with better resources and more supplies to prolong the stalemate.

Honestly, this was the last thing Liu Bei wanted to see, and it was precisely why the idea of mediation had surfaced.

If the situation really devolved into a prolonged war of attrition, imperial mediation would actually benefit Liu Bei the most. It would bypass many troubles. As the most prosperous region of the Nine Provinces, Jizhou had the upper hand with wealth, food, horses, and people.

Yuan Shao might not be able to win on the battlefield, but if he focused solely on holding out, truthfully, it would be extremely difficult for Liu Bei to defeat him. Yuan Shao’s foundation was solid, and if he switched to a purely defensive strategy, it would be like facing an immovable wall.

But, as frustrating as it might be, one had to admit that Yuan Shao’s boldness was undeniable. The title of "model of the realm" was not given out of mockery, but because he truly embodied such traits.

This was why, when Liu Ye left Guanzhong, he made sure to leave Liu Xie with a strategy to demonstrate the Emperor’s glory and the authority of the Han dynasty. Beyond the obvious factors, the imperial mediation also served as a safeguard.

Since Liu Bei wasn’t fully prepared for this battle, if things dragged on to the point of stalemate—where Yuan Shao shifted from offensive to full defense—Liu Xie would step in and mediate the conflict. This would allow Liu Bei to exit the quagmire, regroup, and return later when better prepared to deal a decisive blow to Yuan Shao.

That was the plan. But Xun Yu, with his sharp insight, had already anticipated this. Upon realizing what was at stake, he swiftly decided to negate this insurance plan that Liu Bei had put in place. As soon as the moment of Liu Bei’s potential victory arrived, Xun Yu would invoke the imperial mediation decree. At that point, such a move would do Liu Bei no good.

In fact, the mediation order at this stage would only hinder Liu Bei and provide significant advantages to both Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. For Yuan Shao, it would give him a critical breathing space. For Cao Cao, a weakened yet still alive Yuan Shao served his interests best.

What’s more, having known Yuan Shao for many years, Cao Cao understood that this man thrived under pressure. His potential to rally under strong opposition was enough to astonish anyone. Yuan Shao was born for challenges.

So, from the current perspective, even a blind man could see that by October, the Emperor’s mediation decree would surely arrive.

Liu Bei had two options at that point: either continue this lukewarm war, only to retreat when the mediation order arrived, rendering the entire conflict meaningless, or seize the window before the mediation and eliminate Yuan Shao.

If Yuan Shao were to fall before the mediation order came, the decree would then have its most profound impact. With Yuan Shao dead and no will left behind, the power vacuum in Hebei would explode with a vengeance, as if it had not missed a beat.

The armies of Hebei, fueled by the desire for revenge, with Yuan Shao’s sons fighting for their lives, would unleash their full fury, disregarding the cost to Jizhou. Even if they eventually fell under Liu Bei's forces, the toll on Taishan would be devastating. Hebei could end up ravaged, with casualties so high that every household might be in mourning.

At that point, even if Liu Bei claimed Hebei, he wouldn’t be able to rest easy. The territory, once a treasure, would become a burdensome prize, barely worth keeping, while such a war would only benefit Cao Cao and Sun Ce.

By the time such a war ended in mutual destruction, Cao Cao and Sun Ce would likely have grown into colossal powers.

However, if Liu Bei decisively pulled back after Yuan Shao's defeat and the mediation decree arrived, it would be the perfect moment to let the Yuan family self-destruct. With time to regroup, Yuan Shao’s three sons would inevitably start tearing each other apart.

During that period, Liu Bei could sit back and watch as the Yuan family spiraled into chaos, all while keeping Cao Cao and Sun Ce at bay. He’d have room to grow his own power.

When the Yuan family finally tore themselves apart, Liu Bei could swoop in and take Hebei without breaking a sweat. By then, the Yuan family would have exhausted all of Yuan Shao’s accumulated prestige, and Liu Bei’s takeover would encounter little resistance.

Chen Xi believed that Jia Xu likely shared this mindset, which was why he had devised such a ruthless strategy. And make no mistake, the ruthlessness wasn’t just directed at the enemy—this plan was also brutal for Liu Bei’s forces.

Meanwhile, in Puyang, Chen Xi was waiting for the mediators. He needed to ensure that the Emperor's mediation team arrived at just the right time. Too early or too late could disrupt the entire strategy for Hebei.

This was why a top strategist had to remain with the army in this region. Just as every general required a competent strategist, it wasn’t because the strategist was better at commanding troops but because they were more sensitive to timing and could choose the optimal moment to act.

Thus, both sides—Liu Bei's and Yuan Shao’s—were playing a waiting game. Their advisors were constantly calculating the strength of each side, while keeping their trump cards hidden.

In this tense atmosphere, even the keenest military commanders could feel the looming shadow of war, and all were making their final preparations for what was sure to come. Inevitable battles were about to unfold.

During this period, both Yuan Shao’s and Liu Bei’s armies made their final adjustments. Just as the last shipment of grain arrived at Yecheng, word came that the supply lines had been cut. Wei Yan and Xu Shu had successfully blocked off Qinghe, severing Yuan Shao’s supply route. The grain left in Yuan Shao’s camp could only last four days.

At the same time, Liu Bei’s army also received word that their grain stores had been burned. Their own supplies were similarly running low.

Both sides were holding their breath, waiting for the right moment to strike. Amid this tense standoff, a letter arrived at Chen Xi’s camp in Puyang. It was brief, with only three words: "粮尽矣" (The grain is gone).

Upon receiving the message, Chen Xi wasted no time. He immediately sent a courier to Liu Bei’s camp and ordered Hua Xiong to prepare for battle. He also sent an eagle to alert the returning Fa Zheng—this might be the opportunity they had been waiting for!

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