Chapter 866: Before the Decisive Battle

Fazheng glanced casually, not understanding why Zhang Fei was so concerned about this girl who was just slightly prettier than Jiang Ying. She wasn't like Cai Yan, a beauty so stunning that you couldn't take your eyes off her. It was indeed surprising.

Xiahou Juan noticed Fazheng's indifferent gaze, and it made her quite displeased. However, she said nothing. During the journey, she had come to understand that Zhang Fei primarily commanded the troops in battle, while Fazheng handled the planning, analysis, and decision-making. He was truly indispensable.

"Just wait, we’ll definitely take Ye City," Zhang Fei boasted loudly, without thinking.

"Let’s wait for the scouts to return first. We need to replenish our supplies before taking the main road to siege Ye City," Fazheng sighed inwardly. Zhang Fei was stirring up trouble again, but his expression remained unchanged, as if he tacitly agreed with Zhang Fei's declaration.

Seeing Fazheng's emotionless face, Xiahou Juan felt a twinge of concern. Although she was just a woman, being the adopted daughter of Xiahou Yuan gave her some understanding of the conflict between Cao Cao and Liu Bei. Naturally, she didn’t want Liu Bei to rise in power.

As Xiahou Juan considered whether she should try sending another message, Fazheng turned to Zhang Fei and said, "General Zhang, you'd better keep a close eye on her. Now that we’re here, you’re responsible not only for yourself but also for the thousands of soldiers behind you. Think carefully when the time comes."

Zhang Fei nodded in agreement, casting a stern look at Xiahou Juan. At that moment, all of Xiahou Juan's rebellious thoughts evaporated. She knew that without Zhang Fei turning a blind eye, she had no chance of succeeding.

"War is not your business. Stay out of it!" Zhang Fei gave Xiahou Juan a serious glance before ordering someone to escort her away.

Once the scouts reported back to Fazheng, he had Zhang Fei summon the two eagles. It was fortunate that Zhang Fei was there; otherwise, Fazheng wouldn’t have been able to control the birds on his own. These creatures, with their developed intelligence, instinctively knew how to choose sides upon seeing Zhang Fei.

After writing the message, Fazheng released the eagles. Only such fierce creatures could carry messages in this era. Pigeons, on the other hand, wouldn’t make it ten miles before being caught and eaten—after all, meat wasn’t easy to come by in these times.

Meanwhile, Chen Xi had openly declared his intentions, trapping Xun Shen inside Puyang. By this point, both sides were at a stalemate. Chen Xi had no more tricks up his sleeve, and Xun Shen could only hold out, unable to employ further strategies.

As for the Chenliu region, Ma Teng and Ma Chao were ready to strike at any moment. Xiahou Yuan, Cai Yang, and Cheng Yu were also in place, waiting for Xun Yu's orders to intervene in the conflict between Yuan Shao and Liu Bei under the banner of righteousness.

In Jing Province, the flood had been successfully controlled after considerable efforts and material resources were invested. However, the area around northern Jiangling, once prosperous, would never regain its former glory. The outbreak of a plague further devastated the region, leaving much of northern Jing in ruin.

Yet, the plague also elevated another physician to near-mythical status: Zhang Ji. Only someone like him, who was willing to risk his life for the people, could have risen to such prominence.

When Zhang Zhongjing entered the plague zone, he didn’t expect to leave. After losing his entire family to the flood, he found new meaning in life by treating the people suffering from the epidemic, believing that while his own life was useless, he could still save others.

Of course, Zhang Ji thought of himself in this way, but others did not share that view. He was now one of only two people in the world capable of curing the plague, and with his success in containing the epidemic in northern Jing, he had become a highly sought-after figure.

Meanwhile, Liao Li, humbled after being rescued by Ling Cao, personally apologized to Sun Ce upon his return.

When Zhou Yu saw Liao Li, now dejected and crestfallen, he said only one thing: "Start over. Remember everything that happened that day. Go serve as the magistrate of the hardest-hit area, Dangyang County. When you’ve come to terms with it, come find me."

After bowing deeply to Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, Liao Li left quietly, vowing that if he didn’t reinvent himself during his time in Dangyang, he would never return.

Similarly, those who had retreated from Xu Province to Danyang, including Li Yan, had begun to expand their influence in Jiangdong under Zhou Yu's orders. Any resistance from Jiangdong was of no consequence to Sun Ce now—it wasn’t even worth his attention.

After dealing with the issues in northern Jing, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu executed Liu Biao at Sun Jian’s grave, replacing him with a decoy sent to Yongzhou. The two then returned to their base in Shouchun, where they planned their rise. Though they were interested in the chaos in the Central Plains, they knew it wasn’t the right time to intervene.

At the same time, Yu Ji, gazing at the sky, calculated that Sun Ce was nearing the peak of his power. He began preparing to act accordingly.

Zixu, on the other hand, had already parted ways with Yu Ji. The two had some philosophical overlaps, but their differences, along with Zixu’s outward display of indifference, meant that Zixu chose to turn a blind eye to Yu Ji's actions.

As all this unfolded, the war between Yuan Shao and Liu Bei reached a critical point. Despite their earlier military superiority, Liu Bei's forces found themselves stretched thin due to extended supply lines. Yuan Shao, on the other hand, had managed to free up additional troops by shortening his own supply lines, allowing him to gain the upper hand at Wuyang.

Both sides engaged in fierce battle at Wuyang. Liu Bei’s forces were well-trained and battle-hardened, but Yuan Shao’s army was vast, with plenty of capable commanders.

The war had reached a stalemate. Liu Bei still had some hidden strength, but if he couldn’t achieve a decisive victory soon, Yuan Shao would become even more formidable.

A common saying goes, "If you fail to kill the snake, it will turn back to bite you." That was precisely what Liu Bei feared now. He had to admit that if he didn’t defeat Yuan Shao, there would be no one more likely to unify the land.

"Report, my lord! A letter from the strategist!" As Liu Bei pondered his next move, a letter from Chen Xi was delivered by eagle.

"Hmm?" Liu Bei read the letter’s contents, tapping the table thoughtfully. After a long pause, he turned to his guards and said, "Summon Wenhe, Zijing, and Fengxiao."

Before long, Jia Xu, Lu Su, and Guo Jia arrived. After reading Chen Xi’s letter, all three frowned slightly.

"What do you think?" Liu Bei asked.

"The letter mentions that Xun Shen sent a message to Yuan Shao’s camp, but we don’t know what it contains," Jia Xu replied calmly. "My lord, I suggest launching a major offensive tomorrow to push the front line ten miles further west."

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