Chapter 860: The So-Called "Lip and Teeth Relationship"

“Report, Liu Bei's army has suddenly accelerated its march,” a messenger interrupted Xun Shen’s thoughts as he was contemplating whether to hint some strategies to Tian Feng and the others. He raised his head slightly and instructed the messenger, “Order Chunyu Qiong and the others to prepare defenses and hold their position in Fancheng. Do not go out to engage the enemy.”

Why is it at this particular moment? Xun Shen thought as he frowned after the messenger left.

This approach seems like something Liu Ye would do after seeing through my design, but based on Liu Ye's typical thinking, he should have either struck at Fancheng earlier or fortified his position. This situation shouldn’t be happening now, Xun Shen pressed his fingers to his temple, deep in thought.

The goal is to wake the Lord up to reality, to show him the actual gap between our forces and Liu Bei's army. This means the real focus of the war isn't in the Puyang area but...

Xun Shen's eyes gleamed with a strange light as he sighed in admiration of Xun Yu's strategic prowess. He felt fortunate to have grown up in the same family as Xun Yu, giving him enough insight to often simulate his relatives' thought processes, allowing him to take on their roles when necessary.

“Heh, Wenruo's strategic mind is indeed impressive. In that case, much of what I've done here is no longer critical. Since that's the case, I might as well play along with you all for a bit,” Xun Shen sneered as he stood up, already knowing the most appropriate course of action.

If this continues, the Lord’s suspicion towards me will only deepen. I must quickly expose the full strength of Liu Bei’s army—only then will there be a slim chance of turning the tables.

With that, Xun Shen picked up the map and swiftly analyzed it, his eyes scanning the areas from Guanzhong to Sili, and finally resting on Cangting.

Cangting... Hmm, I’ll send a letter to Xu You, mentioning this place. He should be able to infer something from it. But just in case, Zhong Yao, don't let me down. Whether it's for the sake of mutual survival or to balance the situation, Ma Teng must make his move!

Xun Shen glanced at the regions of Yong, Liang, and Guanzhong on the map and silently prayed. Although his words carried a hint of hope, he knew full well that as long as Cao Cao wasn't a fool, sending troops was an inevitable outcome.

If nothing unexpected happens, the next developments will likely involve the Emperor mediating, followed by Cao Cao taking control of Yong and Liang after completing short-term repairs in Chang’an, leading to an imperial pardon by the young Emperor. This should happen before October.

Compared to others, Xun Shen had a deep understanding of Xun Yu, which gave him significant insight into Xun Yu's ideals and aspirations.

Xun Yu's ultimate goal was to assist the Emperor. Thus, the next logical step was to establish the Emperor's authority, buying time to consolidate imperial power. The most appropriate action would be mediation.

This mediation would most likely occur just as Liu Bei was on the verge of victory. Such timing would align best with the Emperor's interests. If Liu Bei ceased his attack, it would demonstrate that even the strongest warlord still obeyed the Emperor, which would solidify the Emperor's authority.

On the other hand, if the mediation failed and Liu Bei refused to heed the Emperor's call, many underlying issues would surface. The Emperor could then rally Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Ma Teng, and Yuan Shu to attack Liu Bei as a collective force.

Of course, by then, no rallying would even be necessary. If Liu Bei continued his campaign after winning, defying the Emperor’s command, he would be labeled as the greatest rebel. Whether out of loyalty to the Emperor or for their own future interests, warlords like Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Yuan Shu would act, and Ma Teng, as an imperial loyalist, would have to follow suit for his own benefit.

"Since that’s the case, there's no need for further hesitation. Whether chaos breaks out on my side or not, Wenruo will intervene at the most opportune time. That timing may not be ideal for the Lord, but it will be enough." Xun Shen quietly rolled up the map.

At this point, Xun Shen realized that the outcome of this war would no longer be decided solely by the two armies currently fighting. The conflict had now entangled too many external factors. Xun Shen even began to wonder if he should gamble on Xun Yu's integrity, Liu Bei's loyalty, and the overall strength of Taishan.

Ultimately, Xun Shen decided against ordering his forces to flank Liu Ye’s rear. Instead, he focused on reinforcing the defenses of Fancheng and evacuating the remaining few dozen civilians.

His fear of Chen Xi’s cunning led Xun Shen to abandon any risky maneuvers. Although war often required taking risks, knowingly walking into a trap was no longer a gamble—it was suicide.

"This is truly frustrating. The enemy is just holed up inside the city, not making any aggressive moves," Chen Xi complained with a helpless expression as the rear forces arrived and he gazed upon the city of Fancheng. "It seems like there aren’t many defending soldiers. Where has Xun Shen gone?"

"Scouts report that the enemy has retreated westward," Liu Ye replied, equally puzzled. "They withdrew without even putting up a fight."

"Let’s take Fancheng first, then pursue. Why would they flee without a battle?" Chen Xi was also confused. Ever since he started facing off against Xun Shen, many of the enemy’s actions had completely defied conventional military logic.

The walls of Fancheng were low, and its moat was shallow. There was no prominent commander leading Yuan Shao’s troops. Under such circumstances, the thousand or so soldiers defending Fancheng stood little chance. After three charges by Yu Jin’s forces, they had breached the walls and opened the gates, allowing the army to flood in.

"This is really strange," Chen Xi said, frowning. "What’s the point of all this? I can see signs that the city was recently fortified, but why abandon it so easily? Yuan Shao’s forces are not weaker than ours. Even if they lack formidable generals, holding a fortified position shouldn’t be a problem, right?"

Just as Chen Xi voiced his doubts, a series of crossbow bolts suddenly flew toward him as he entered Fancheng, followed by a group of Yuan Shao soldiers rushing in to attack.

But with Zhang Fei by his side, the attackers were quickly subdued. As Yuan Shao’s troops emerged from the alleys, screams echoed from many of Liu Bei's soldiers who had rushed into the city. Chen Xi immediately realized what had happened.

"Everyone, stay alert! Order the troops to search the city in groups of five, and anyone who resists is to be killed on sight," Liu Ye ordered coldly. The sounds of fighting from all corners of the city filled him with fury.

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