Chapter 854: Inevitable Distraction

Chen Xi had long since noticed this issue: sometimes, due to his own reasoning, he couldn’t be certain of the actual situation. Yet, because of historical knowledge, he could vaguely grasp others' intentions and abilities, leading to conjectures. However, these guesses were often based on incomplete logic, making them less reliable.

This situation was quite frustrating. Even when he knew the outcome, trying to reverse-engineer the process could be so complex that it was impossible to deduce accurately. As a result, even if he voiced his thoughts, he often couldn't convince others.

Later, Chen Xi stumbled upon a realization: just because he couldn't deduce something didn’t mean others couldn't either. For strategists like Jia Xu, all they needed was a small hint, and they could piece together much of the situation on their own, naturally filling in the gaps.

Moreover, Chen Xi’s demonstrated abilities had always made others cautious. When he casually dropped suggestive remarks, they would habitually take them seriously and give them due consideration.

"Be careful," Chen Xi waved his hand dismissively, without saying anything more. With these individuals, once they were prepared, defeating them with strategy was not easy. They might not be able to overwhelm their opponents, but maintaining stability was no issue at all.

Liu Ye glanced sideways at Chen Xi's departing figure but remained silent. Instead, he began pondering how to counter the potential trap already set by Xun Shen on the opposite shore. If Chen Xi hadn’t hinted at it, Liu Ye might not have even considered that Xun Shen had already returned.

Perhaps Yuan Shao and Cao Cao have reached some agreement. Otherwise, Xun Shen wouldn’t have returned so quickly, Liu Ye reasoned, concluding that if there was danger across the river, then Xun Shen must be involved. From there, he deduced a connection between Xun Shen’s presence and the political situation between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

No, it’s likely a tacit understanding between Xun Shen and Xun Yu. That would explain why Xun Shen took the Hangu Pass route, Liu Ye mused. With just a vague suggestion from Chen Xi, he had almost instantly deduced much more.

Still, if it’s purely a silent agreement between Xun Shen and Xun Yu, given Cao Cao’s suspicious nature, leaving things unresolved would gnaw at him. Similarly, for Xun Shen to act without Yuan Shao’s consent is unimaginable, considering his cautious mindset, Liu Ye thought as he unraveled the web of relationships.

This means Xun Shen must have acted under Yuan Shao's orders, while Xun Yu likely operated under Cao Cao’s instructions, Liu Ye pondered, feeling a headache coming on. Few people could make him anxious, but Cao Cao and Xun Yu were definitely among those who could.

However, Cao Cao has plenty of other problems to deal with right now. Internally, he still faces Ma Teng and Han Sui, who, while not particularly brilliant strategists, are no pushovers. Cao Cao’s ministers and generals are exceptional, but his soldiers aren’t quite as formidable as Li Jue’s forces were. It’ll take some time to resolve the Ma Teng issue, Liu Ye reasoned, feeling a bit more at ease.

As for Hanzhong... Liu Ye massaged his temples, contemplating further.

Previously, Liu Zhang had dispatched forces in two directions: the eastern army, led by Yan Yan, took three thousand troops from Jiangzhou and circled around Jingzhou to attack Shangyong. But, as everyone knew, they were intercepted by Sun Ce, resulting in heavy losses. However, they did manage to capture the area west of Yiling, so it wasn’t a total defeat.

Of course, if you account for the fact that Zheng Du was captured and Liu Ba fled north to Sili after the army’s chaos, the losses were indeed significant. But Zhang Song managed to conceal this from Liu Zhang, and with the gain of a hundred li of territory, their accomplishments were undeniable.

Liu Zhang regretted losing Zheng Du but didn’t blame Zhang Song or Yan Yan. Instead, he ensured Zheng Du’s family was well taken care of and sent envoys to Jingzhou, hoping to negotiate with Sun Ce for Zheng Du’s release. In this regard, Liu Zhang was soft-hearted but undoubtedly benevolent.

As for Liu Ba, Liu Zhang didn’t have much of an impression. Though Liu Ba had been in Shu for over a year and had proven capable, his absence didn’t leave Liu Zhang feeling too concerned. After all, Liu Ba had originally come from Jingzhou and now returned there, so Liu Zhang felt there wasn’t much more to say—perhaps just lamenting that times had changed.

Thus, Liu Zhang had no intention of recalling his western army. Zhang Ren, Wu Yi, and Meng Da had all shown their capabilities, first capturing Mianyang, then advancing on Nanzheng with great momentum. If they could seize Nanzheng in one swift blow, Liu Zhang’s control over all of Yizhou would become highly likely.

In such a situation, it’s inevitable that Zhang Lu will seek help from Yongliang. With Li Jue’s forces gone, the ones remaining are Cao Cao and Ma Teng. Compared to our upcoming clash with Yuan Shao in the Central Plains, if Cao Cao is smart, he’ll choose to focus on Hanzhong. Likewise, Han Sui will certainly advise Ma Teng to move into Hanzhong, Liu Ye thought, his mind wandering into larger strategic concerns, contemplating his next move.

With Hanzhong inevitably requesting reinforcements, Ma Teng and Cao Cao are bound to clash. If that happens, I can relax, Liu Ye thought, casting a casual glance toward the Yellow River’s opposite bank before turning to leave, Chen Xi already nowhere to be seen.

Just as Chen Xi and Liu Ye suspected, Xun Shen had indeed returned to Puyang in Yanzhou ahead of schedule. However, he kept a low profile, waiting for the right moment to strike when Liu Bei’s forces attempted to cross the river.

"Military Advisor, why do you seem so troubled?" Guo Yuan asked.

"Cao Mengde has grown too powerful," Xun Shen sighed. When he saw Xun Yu’s carriage at Hangu Pass, he knew his every move had been under Cao Cao’s scrutiny. Though he had anticipated this, actually seeing it made him uneasy. Cao Cao’s power was growing at an alarming rate.

"Is it a bad thing that Cao Song’s son has risen to prominence? He and our lord have been friends since childhood, and he’s been our ally for a long time," Guo Yuan asked, puzzled.

Though Guo Yuan wasn’t foolish, his lessons under Zhong Yao had focused on battlefield tactics, not politics. Zhong Yao, with his wisdom, understood that Guo Yuan had no future in political maneuvering, but he might achieve something by focusing on military strategy.

"Growing powerful is good, but becoming too powerful isn’t," Xun Shen sighed again, recalling his encounter with Xun Yu at Hangu Pass. At that moment, he realized he could no longer read Xun Yu’s thoughts clearly.

"Never mind. Just focus on defending the riverbank. I’ll handle the rest," Xun Shen said, shaking his head. The question Xun Yu had asked him at Hangu Pass still lingered in his mind.

"Is Yuan Benchu truly the wise lord you’ve always believed in?" Xun Shen silently repeated Xun Yu’s calm inquiry after Guo Yuan left, feeling a storm of emotions stirring within him.

"No matter what, how could I, Xun Shen, waver in my loyalty?" Xun Shen steadied himself, took a deep breath, and suppressed his urge to ponder the question further. Some things, once unraveled, are impossible to rebind.

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