Chapter 802: Uniting the Forces

After confirming the supply list one last time, Chen Xi glanced at Jia Xu, who was sitting calmly beside him, and silently nodded.

At that moment, the entire administrative hall erupted in cheers. Guan Yu stood up immediately, his eyes slightly open as he glanced around the room. He then bowed toward Liu Bei, who was seated in the main position, resting with his eyes closed. "Elder Brother, all the supplies needed for the army are ready, and the Qing and Xu armies have arrived at their positions."

Liu Bei let out a long breath before slowly standing up. "Guan Yu, listen to my orders. You will be the vanguard commander, leading 30,000 troops out of Mount Tai. Travel through the Kingdom of Jibei, and meet up with Lu Su and Guo Jia’s forces. Together, you will conquer Ji Province!"

"Understood!" Guan Yu bowed deeply. Liu Bei's words were clear—until Liu Bei himself arrived, Guan Yu would be the commander of this Northern Expedition, holding the highest authority over military appointments and campaigns.

"Zhao Yun, you will command all our cavalry, coordinating with the various armies. If any of our forces encounter unexpected difficulties, you have full authority to act on your own!" Liu Bei turned to Zhao Yun, who had not returned home since arriving back in Mount Tai.

"Understood!" Zhao Yun cupped his fist in salute. Liu Bei had given him substantial power. Essentially, aside from the central army and Guan Yu’s vanguard, Zhao Yun would have authority over all other forces.

"Wei Yan, you will lead a legion as the vanguard. Clear paths through the mountains, build bridges over rivers, and do not slack off," Liu Bei commanded Wei Yan.

"Understood!" Wei Yan, slightly excited, bowed. Although he had already known he would serve as the vanguard, he hadn’t expected it to come so soon.

"Xu Shu, you will serve as Wei Yan’s advisor. When you encounter the Ji Province forces, you will work with Wei Yan and Guan Ping to decide the best course of action." Liu Bei looked at Xu Shu with a smile, clearly pleased with him. Compared to Wei Yan and Guan Ping, Liu Bei trusted Xu Shu more, which was why Xu Shu would be in charge of discussing strategy with them.

"Understood!" Xu Shu bowed, habitually adjusting his falling hair with a sandalwood fan. When he straightened up again, Liu Bei felt a sharp aura, like a sword being unsheathed, though the sensation disappeared as quickly as it had come.

"Zichuan, Wenhe, the two of you will join me in the central army," Liu Bei said with a smile to Chen Xi and Jia Xu, who were sitting together in a relaxed manner.

"Understood!" Chen Xi and Jia Xu responded with slight bows.

"Zizhong, you will work with Gongyou to manage the logistics. Ensure that no problems arise," Liu Bei instructed Mi Zhu. Mi Zhu gave a slight bow in acknowledgment. He knew that Sun Qian had a lot on his plate, and the smooth operation of the supply and transportation lines depended on the speed of Sun Qian’s construction efforts.

"Wenru, you are responsible for coordinating the mobilization of Qing, Xu, and Yan provinces. After I leave, you will have full authority over all matters. Of those under me, you are the only one proficient in administration, military affairs, and strategic planning. The internal stability will rest on you." Liu Bei handed his second sword to Li You. "If anyone dares to cause trouble, wield my sword and cut them down!"

"Understood." Li You stepped forward and accepted Liu Bei's remaining sword, the male sword of the pair, with both hands. "I will not let you down."

"Wenru, try to curb your killing intent. You are an excellent and well-rounded strategist, but your bloodthirstiness is too strong. Spend more time reading your family’s ancient texts and focus on cultivating your character," Liu Bei said, hesitating for a moment before speaking. Over the years, he had noticed that while Li You was indeed outstanding, his ruthless tendencies could be terrifying at times.

"I will be mindful," Li You replied after a moment of thought.

"Bo Ning, you will be in charge of enforcing the laws. After we sweep through the lands north of the Huai River, the task of maintaining law and order will fall to you. As for how to handle the noble families of Yu Province, that will be left to you and Zhongyu. As for your brother, the governance of Yu Province will depend on you two." Liu Bei turned to Man Chong and Xun Yue as he spoke.

"Understood!" Man Chong responded coldly. Liu Bei wasn’t bothered by his demeanor; in fact, if Man Chong ever acted overly warm, Liu Bei might have been concerned.

"Thank you, my lord." Xun Yue bowed in salute. It was clear that Liu Bei wasn’t holding Xun Yan's previous actions against him.

"There’s no need for thanks. Xiuruo is, after all, a talented figure. Some temper is to be expected. The noble families of Yu Province are complex, and sending Xiuruo to manage them is appropriate," Liu Bei said casually as he glanced at Xun Yue. He had already understood why Chen Xi had insisted on sending Xun Yan to govern Yu Province.

"I will be sure to properly instruct Xiuruo and ensure he understands your intentions," Xun Yue said calmly. Though he recognized the restrictions implied in Liu Bei's words, he wasn’t too concerned. The noble families did need to be weakened, and even the Xun family could only remain safe within certain boundaries.

Liu Bei didn’t dwell on Xun Yue. His subordinates were all incredibly talented, and they typically understood his intentions with just a word or two. Of course, Chen Xi, who often got confused by basic common sense, didn’t count. Sometimes, he even seemed a bit dazed.

"Everyone, go prepare and don’t delay the schedule," Liu Bei said after scanning the group. He didn’t need to remind people like Jian Yong or Liu Yan, nor did it matter whether they accompanied the army. Of course, if they wanted to, Liu Bei would take them along.

Soon, only Chen Xi, Jia Xu, Li You, and Liu Bei remained in the administrative hall. Liu Bei looked at the three with a strange expression and asked, "Is there anything else you haven’t reported?"

"No, I was just bored. Since we’re sending out a large army, I was wondering if we should perform a divination or something," Li You said, expressionless.

"I had the same thought," Jia Xu said. He hadn’t left because Chen Xi and Li You hadn’t moved. Now, hearing Li You’s words, he realized what Li You was planning and agreed.

"Zichuan, you’re not thinking the same thing, are you? Back when King Wu attacked King Zhou, the divination came back with an omen of great misfortune, yet Taigong Wang pressed on, and the Battle of Muye decided the outcome. How could a divination determine the fate of a nation?" Liu Bei asked, turning to Chen Xi before blocking his response with his own words.

"Oh~" Chen Xi absentmindedly nodded without saying anything more.

"However, if all three of you insist on divining, I won’t oppose it," Liu Bei said, glancing at the three in front of him. There was no need to argue with them over such a small matter.

"Let’s do it! I’ve prepared ninety-nine copper coins. We’ll toss them and see the result based on how many land heads or tails," Chen Xi said excitedly. For such a large-scale campaign, not throwing in a little superstition to boost morale seemed inappropriate. Even though Chen Xi knew it wouldn’t make much difference, it was still fun to indulge.

Li You silently turned away, while Jia Xu sighed. "Zichuan, stop playing around. Using double-sided coins is no good, either. Let’s get back to business. Wenru, you stop as well—there’s no point in this anymore."

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