Chapter 820: Veteran Soldiers

Chen Xi held up a large crab claw, about a foot long, and had to admit that in ancient times, wild animals were indeed abundant. Although seeing a crab the size of a compass had given him a fright, the taste of the meat was quite good.

"When you're near the mountains, you live off the mountains; when you're near the water, you live off the water. Not bad at all. If Yuan Shao doesn't come today, we’ll continue eating meat dishes in the afternoon. After the chicken, we can have fish. We brought plenty of dried fish from Donglai, didn’t we?" Chen Xi said with a smile as he carefully reassembled the crab shell after eating.

In the morning, he had almost been attacked by this creature by the river, but now it had become part of their meal. In this era, without pesticides or hormones, the wild animals were basically organic delicacies, even if they seemed monstrous. The only downside was the limited seasonings available.

"Even so, it's not enough to feed the tens of thousands of people stationed here for a few meals," Lu Su said with a hint of frustration, tossing a crab claw toward Chen Xi, breaking apart the shell he had just reassembled.

"This is just stimulating consumption. With tens of thousands of pounds of fish eaten, Donglai has made a lot of money," Chen Xi said, though he looked a bit dejected as he glanced at the shattered crab shell.

"Isn’t it just moving money from one pocket to another?" Jia Xu said, picking at some crab leg meat with a fish bone. "What kind of profit is that?"

"You don’t get it. Money only counts if it's circulating. With this back-and-forth, we actually end up with more money. By making the process more complex, we’re helping many people to prosper," Chen Xi explained with a smile. He didn’t expect many to understand his perspective, and indeed, only Lu Su seemed to grasp what he was talking about.

"Zichuan, scouts have reported movement in Yuan Shao’s camp," Liu Bei said suddenly as he opened the tent and walked in.

"Huh? Didn’t they say the floating bridge wasn’t built yet?" Chen Xi asked, puzzled. "Are they doing morning exercises?"

"They don’t have that kind of leisure. It seems Yuan Shao must have finished building the floating bridge overnight," Jia Xu said, frowning.

"If they managed to build it that quickly, it means Yuan Shao didn’t bother with any concealment or precautions. Is he really in such a rush that he’s risking everything, even his life? How is that possible?" Chen Xi asked incredulously. "Should we send more scouts to expand the reconnaissance range?"

"No need. Yuan Shao must have built the bridge outside of our scouting range. That’s the only explanation," Lu Su said, waving his hand. "Prepare for battle. Cavalry is truly invaluable for its mobility."

"Hmm?" Chen Xi rubbed his forehead. Their scouting range extended fifty miles, which was already quite large. But in an emergency, Yuan Shao could easily move his men a hundred miles away using warhorses and pack animals, which were much more efficient than soldiers on foot.

"That must be the case. Yuan Shao is certainly bold, not afraid that we might suddenly expand our scouting range. If we had caught him, the bridge, along with the craftsmen, would have been finished," Guo Jia nodded, his expression one of curious amusement. "Once we succeed in catching him off guard, our defenses will be much tighter in the future. He really dares to gamble!"

"Unfortunately, it seems he’s succeeded this time. And as you said, once we catch him, we’ll be even more vigilant in the future. In such a situation, taking this risk might actually make sense," Jia Xu said, opening his black wooden fan and hiding a cold smile behind it.

"Forget it. Let’s conserve our energy. We’re already slower than they are. By the time we rush over, Yuan Shao’s forces will probably have crossed the river. Might as well save ourselves the trouble," Chen Xi said with a yawn. "Since we can’t stop them, let’s rely on our own strength. It’s up to you, Lord Xuande."

Hearing this, Liu Bei naturally understood everything. Yuan Shao had a head start, relying on the speed of horses. Even if they rushed over now, they wouldn’t have any fighting strength left.

On the other hand, even if Yuan Shao’s packhorses were exhausted, the soldiers they transported would still be able to fight. If they were infantry, they’d arrive fully rested. Under such circumstances, it was better to follow Chen Xi’s suggestion to prepare for battle, preserving their own strength.

"Prepare well. The first wave of Yuan Shao’s troops won’t be ordinary. Let’s see if we can wipe them out," Lu Su said with a smile. He was already making preparations, increasing the humidity along the Yellow River. Everything was in place, waiting for the moment to strike.

"I certainly will," Chen Xi said, blinking. He had begun to draw moisture from the Yellow River, further increasing the air's humidity. Soon, it exceeded 80%.

"Stop raising it any higher. If it gets too high, they’ll notice. It already feels quite damp," Guo Jia said, tugging at his sleeve.

"I’m ready. When the time comes, I’ll raise the humidity in the enemy ranks. Zijing, it’s up to you then," Chen Xi said, turning to Lu Su. "Wen He, make sure our side stays dry so Zijing’s destructive power doesn’t affect us too much."

"I’ll handle the army’s connection to the clouds," Guo Jia said, shaking his wide sleeve, already feeling the dampness.

"Leave it to you," Chen Xi said, patting Guo Jia on the shoulder. He had full confidence in him.

After quickly assigning their tasks, the orders were passed down through the chain of command, from Liu Bei to the officers, then to the individual companies. Each centurion would then relay the orders to their units.

Soon, every soldier in Liu Bei’s army, primarily composed of veteran soldiers, received the order that Yuan Shao’s forces were on the way. These veterans, who had been preparing since breakfast, simply shrugged, wearing an expression that said, "We knew this was coming."

They calmly donned their armor, tied the hand-made chest guards they had crafted during their time back home, grabbed their weapons, and naturally grouped together with their comrades.

These battle-hardened veterans squatted together, with no trace of fear or panic, waiting for the fight to begin. Even the new recruits, influenced by the calm demeanor of the veterans, squatted beside them, though there was still an air of unease among them.

"Report! Yuan Shao’s army spotted fifty miles away!" A messenger rode into the camp, shouting.

Although only the soldiers near the camp gate witnessed this, the moment they stood up, the entire camp reacted.

The soldiers quickly formed into squads, companies, and battalions, assembling into their respective formations. Even before Liu Bei’s order, the army had already gathered, demonstrating the discipline ingrained in the veterans through countless battles.

Previous Chapter | | Next Chapter