Chapter 777: The Call for the Northern Campaign

“How else can we proceed? If we don’t eliminate Yuan Shao now, he’ll become a major threat soon,” Chen Xi suggested with some subtlety.

He didn’t explicitly say it, but before, they hadn't considered Yuan Shao a significant danger, so they planned to whittle him down slowly while continuing to build up. But now, the situation had changed—they had to fight. How could they possibly tolerate Yuan Shao any longer?

“Zichuan, are you suggesting we go to war immediately?” Liu Bei frowned, his brows furrowing deeply. “Didn’t we agree that at least one of the cauldrons would be ours?”

“One of the Heaven and Human Cauldrons being in our possession is almost certain. In that situation, the only ones who could approach and take the cauldrons were General Guan and Yan Liang, due to the extraordinary nature of these cauldrons,” Chen Xi said while rubbing his temples. “No doubt, Fengxiao’s first priority was to secure one of them.”

“I see,” Liu Bei nodded, not delving too deeply into the matter, but Jia Xu furrowed his brow, contemplating other possibilities.

“In that case, we don’t need to rush,” Liu Bei said, shaking his head. “Whether Yuan Shao holds one cauldron and we hold the other doesn’t change the fundamental situation. Our goal isn’t just to unify the land, but to improve the lives of the people. We don’t need to act out of haste or ego.”

His words weren’t delivered with force, but they were thoughtful. Even with such significant changes, Liu Bei’s original ambitions remained unchanged. He wasn’t in a rush for quick success.

“I’m afraid that’s not possible, my lord. If Yuan Shao gains control of the Xuanyuan Cauldron, the resulting implications would be too unpredictable,” Li You was the first to respond.

“Master Liu, you may have misunderstood. Each of these cauldrons holds 300 years of national fate. Once one is tied to Yuan Shao and the other to you, the disparity will become enormous. If we view Yuan Shao’s current power as a one, and ours as a two, then with the cauldrons, it becomes more like eleven to twelve,” Chen Xi interjected, exaggerating the cauldron's importance. Sometimes, simple addition was easier to understand than multiplication, especially in moments like this.

“Is it really that significant?” Liu Bei asked, his eyes widening.

“These are artifacts representing 300 years of national fate, and you’ve seen for yourself how the masses kneeled before them, my lord. Please consider Zichuan’s words carefully,” Jia Xu said, his tone neutral but his message clear. In this moment, he was siding with Chen Xi.

“My lord, Yuan Shao is not someone to be underestimated,” Man Chong said bluntly, directly pointing out the threat Yuan Shao posed.

“But if we go to war with Yuan Shao now, we’ll be fighting on two fronts. There’s even a chance that Yanzhou will come under attack from Cao Cao,” Liu Bei pointed out, gesturing to the two fronts—Yuan Shao to the north and south—and the potential threat from Cao Cao in the west.

Liu Bei wasn’t ignorant of strategy. After spending so much time in Taishan, with Chen Xi’s extensive collection of military treatises available, Liu Bei had developed some strategic insights. He was well aware of the hidden dangers that could arise from large-scale conflicts.

“That’s not an issue. From the very beginning, we’ve had a clear and precise plan in place, and up until now, everything has gone according to schedule. Just because we’ve been balancing war and development doesn’t mean we lack the power to crush the other warlords,” Chen Xi said with a shake of his head.

“Building is far more difficult than destroying. Our original goal was construction, which is why we proceeded cautiously. But now, if we shift to a full-on northern campaign, the pressure on us will be much lighter. In fact, after retrieving the Xuanyuan Cauldron, we could even focus on stabilizing the region,” Li You said, now firmly in the camp of those pushing for war.

“The destructive power of chaotic armies is immense, which is why we’ve been advancing slowly. But now, with the cauldron as our target, we can afford to set those concerns aside. Once we secure the Xuanyuan Cauldron, we can deal with everything else afterward,” Xun Yue added. He also supported the campaign against Yuan Shao—such a powerful artifact could not fall into Yuan Shao’s hands.

Liu Bei observed the expressions of his ministers, sensing their determination. He remained silent for a moment before asking, “How long do you estimate it will take to achieve our objective, and what will the approximate extent of the damage be?”

“Yuan Shao’s forces are quite formidable. According to our previous plan for a northern campaign, if we fully unleash our military strength, the first battle could push us to the southern border of Jizhou. After that, Yuan Shao will likely appear on the battlefield personally. It will take about a month to establish supply lines and build roads to support our army,” Jia Xu answered with confidence, the numbers flowing effortlessly.

“Overall, I estimate that after Yuan Shao appears, we’ll be locked in a stalemate along the Wei Commandery front for about three months,” Jia Xu continued calmly. “Following that, Yuan Shao will retreat to Ye City, and that will be the best opportunity for us to execute our final war strategy.”

“Based on the intelligence I’ve gathered, although Xin Du is the administrative center of Jizhou, for someone like Yuan Shao, who’s preparing to invade the Central Plains, the importance of Ye City surpasses that of Xin Du. Therefore, it’s highly likely that Yuan Shao will store the Xuanyuan Cauldron in Ye City,” Jia Xu explained, glancing around at the others in the room. His meaning was clear to everyone.

“Master Liu, the opportunity is now. We must act quickly. Gather the troops and launch the northern campaign. Strike Jizhou while Yuan Shao is preoccupied with General Gongsun!” Chen Xi said gravely. You can’t afford to keep a tiger as a pet.

“Very well!” Seeing Chen Xi’s urgency and the hopeful expressions of his other ministers, Liu Bei made his decision. “Send orders for Zang Ba to take over full military command in northern Qingzhou. Summon Wei Yan, Guan Ping, Sun Shao, Zhao Yan, Sun Kang, Chen Hua, Zheng Zha, and Xu Qin back to Taishan. Mobilize the mid-level officers studying at Taishan Academy, and have the newly graduated students join the army. Arm the Qingzhou soldiers and prepare for the northern campaign!”

“Yes!” Everyone present bowed in unison.

“Zichuan, will you join the campaign or stay to oversee the rear?” Liu Bei asked, glancing sideways at Chen Xi, understanding that he would not impose on Chen Xi’s decision.

“I’ll join the campaign. For that final maneuver, it won’t work without me and General Guan,” Chen Xi replied after a brief moment of thought.

“Alright. Wenru, you’ll remain here to oversee things, and Zhongyu will serve as your deputy,” Liu Bei said, nodding toward Li You.

“Yes,” Li You and Xun Yue replied, cupping their hands in salute.

“Boning, you’ll be responsible for maintaining law and order in Taishan. I won’t take the city management troops with me,” Liu Bei said, turning to Man Chong. “But don’t be too harsh—sometimes a bit of leniency can save lives.”

“Yes,” Man Chong replied, his face expressionless.

“Zizhong, you’ll handle market supervision in Qingzhou and Xuzhou. Make sure the people can still afford basic necessities,” Liu Bei instructed Mi Zhu.

“As for Hanmou, Miss Huang, and Miss Wang, you will remain in Fenggao and continue your research and work,” Liu Bei said gently, addressing Qu Qi, Huang Yueying, and Wang Yi, the last of whom he mentioned in passing.

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