Chapter 862: Disturbing Ji Yin

"Does the Qinghe Cui family really have such boldness and determination? Or, more importantly, do they have someone with both foresight and capability?" Liu Ye asked, pointing out the core issue.

"Qinghe’s Cui Yan, courtesy name Ji Gui, is certainly a capable man," Fazheng said quietly. "And based on our current situation, he’s in a key position. The only question is whether he has the courage to take a gamble."

"The Qinghe Cui family and the Boling Cui family were originally from the same lineage, weren’t they? That makes it more likely that they’ll take a chance," Liu Ye remarked. He was well aware of how aristocratic families operated and understood the possibility that Chen Xi was implying.

"This whole plan feels like someone’s signature strategy," Fazheng muttered, glancing up at the sky, but finding not a single cloud. He then turned to Chen Xi and said, "Let me handle this. While it’s risky, I enjoy this kind of challenge."

"We should wait a bit longer. It’s too early to act. There are still many hidden dangers, and we should finalize our plans before making any decisions," Liu Ye interjected, shaking his head to reject Fazheng’s idea. It was too hasty.

"We need to time this perfectly, or we might fail to finish off the enemy," Chen Xi said calmly. "From east to west, across Bohai, Zhongshan, Qinghe, and Wei Commandery, we must be fully prepared and strike with precision."

"I think we should move back a bit. Don’t you feel the heat waves?" Fazheng grimaced, realizing that while they had been talking near the fire, the intense heat from the burning city was becoming overwhelming. Even at a distance of over a hundred meters, they could feel the scorching waves.

"Let’s set up camp nearby for the night. I doubt Zijian will have much to show for his efforts either, so we might as well take this time to refine our strategy," Chen Xi said with a smile, feeling the heat making his clothes uncomfortably warm.

"Xun Shen is being overly cautious," Liu Ye remarked with a sigh, admitting that Chen Xi was likely right. It seemed unlikely that Hua Xiong would achieve much.

Thus, Chen Xi led the troops to set up camp nearby. They arranged the camp in five divisions, protecting the central command. Chen Xi was meticulous about ensuring the defense of their position, carefully planning the layout.

As Chen Xi had anticipated, when Hua Xiong caught up with Yuan Shao’s rear guard, he found their defenses tightly secured. The enemy clearly had no intention of engaging in a risky ambush with the Xiliang cavalry, choosing instead to show their full strength.

When Hua Xiong saw their cautious formation, he hesitated and refrained from launching an attack. Instead, he quietly tailed the retreating troops, waiting for an opportunity or for nightfall to signal a return.

However, before long, Chunyu Qiong and Sui Yuanjin arrived with the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, flanking from both sides and joining forces with Guo Yuan. Seeing this, Hua Xiong and his Xiliang cavalry, who had been poised for an attack, retracted their claws and silently followed behind, refraining from any provocations while staying on alert.

In this tense atmosphere, Yuan Shao’s forces slowly retreated, while Hua Xiong’s troops cautiously trailed them. Neither side dared to make any sudden moves, with even Yuan Shao’s archers lowering their bows slightly to avoid any accidental shots that might ignite a larger battle.

As the sun began to set, Hua Xiong raised his hand, signaling the Xiliang troops to halt. Finally, the tense standoff came to an end. Though fierce like tigers, even they had to be cautious when surrounded by wolves.

"Retreat!" Hua Xiong ordered without further comment. The earlier tension had taken its toll on him as well.

If a battle had broken out, Hua Xiong couldn’t guarantee that the Xiliang cavalry would emerge victorious. While the Xiliang cavalry were formidable in direct confrontations, such an encounter wouldn’t have been strategically worthwhile in this case.

"So that’s how it is? From the very beginning, they had a psychological advantage over us," Xun Shen muttered after hearing Guo Yuan’s report. "Yuanjin, go to Dongwuyang and report everything here to the lord accurately. Deliver this letter to Xu Ziyuan as well."

"Understood!" Sui Yuanjin saluted. He had previously fought alongside Yuan Shao in Dongwuyang during the battles against Liu Bei, and after Yuan Shao’s repeated defeats, he was sent back to Ye City to gather reinforcements. Now, he was working under Xun Shen on orders from Shen Pei to report on the situation in Dongwuyang, a mark of honor.

"Is there anything else?" Xun Shen asked when he noticed that Sui Yuanjin hadn’t left yet. He wasn’t sure what to make of Shen Pei’s cautious approach, but he didn’t mind. After all, Shen Pei was one of Yuan Shao’s chosen commanders, so Xun Shen had no intention of showing any dissatisfaction.

"Military Advisor Shen hopes that you can provide some guidance," Sui Yuanjin said with a respectful bow. His ability to convey Shen Pei’s request indicated their close relationship.

"They’ve already done well. Even if I were there, it wouldn’t make much difference," Xun Shen replied, shaking his head. He was speaking the truth. The gap between Yuan Shao’s and Liu Bei’s forces wasn’t just about strategies or leadership; it was also about how quickly their respective strengths diminished as the war dragged on.

"I will relay your words to Military Advisor Shen," Sui Yuanjin said calmly. He, too, was relieved that Xun Shen wasn’t planning to display any extraordinary wisdom. After all, if Xun Shen had done so, it likely wouldn’t have been good for him either.

"Very well. Deliver this letter to Zhengnan," Xun Shen added after a brief moment of thought.

"Understood." Sui Yuanjin saluted again before slowly retreating, leaving Xun Shen sitting alone at his desk, a slight frown on his face.

[I can’t just keep holding on like this. I need a small victory to stabilize the situation. Chen Zichuan is too calm, and Liu Ziyang’s strategies are unpredictable. Together, they are incredibly difficult to counter.] Xun Shen thought quietly. After a long pause, he looked up and said, "That’s it then!"

"Summon Guo Yuan, Chunyu Qiong, Li Pu, and Chen He," Xun Shen instructed his assistant. Although defeating Chen Xi would be extremely difficult, achieving a small victory to boost morale wasn’t beyond Xun Shen’s capabilities.

Xun Shen quickly issued orders for the army to split into dozens of small detachments, sending them across the river to harass Chen Xi’s rear. Each detachment consisted mostly of cavalry, with around a hundred men per group. Their mission wasn’t to attack directly but to cause disruptions, with dozens of cavalry squads spreading out from Puyang through Chenliu into Jiyin.

By the time Chen Xi received news of the situation, the marauding cavalry had already caused widespread destruction to the summer harvest throughout Jiyin.

Though a group of a hundred cavalry wasn’t a significant threat to Liu Bei’s main forces or even large villages with defensive walls, they were a devastating blow to smaller settlements. The roaming cavalry had turned Jiyin into chaos.

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter