Chapter 736: The Two Youths

"Alright, bring that kid Ma Zhong along as well. He’s the only one who occasionally manages to contribute to the conversation," Jia Xu considered for a moment before agreeing to the suggestion. It made sense—if someone could manage to fool both Lu Xun and Lu Yu despite their vigilance, they were indeed no ordinary figure.

"I just heard Zhongkang praising him for shooting down more than ten enemy officers last night," Chen Xi remarked with a smile. "In terms of archery alone, he’s already quite formidable, no weaker than top generals."

"Speaking of which, you have a good eye for talent. When you first brought those kids back and used them as the pilot group for orphan education, it turned out to be an excellent decision," Jia Xu commented, looking at Chen Xi with some curiosity. Chen Xi’s eye for potential remained as sharp as ever.

"Just luck," Chen Xi replied with a modest smile, then shifted the topic back, "Ma Zhong is fourteen now, isn’t he? It’s about time he received a courtesy name. His martial skills have really improved lately. I heard he was even tricked by your disciple into ambushing Zhongkang with a bow and arrow, and he actually hit him, right?"

"It’s time for his coming-of-age ceremony, and we should arrange his marriage soon too. Zhongkang has been training him recently, and he’s grown a lot stronger—he’s like a young bull now. As for that ambush, yes, he did hit Zhongkang, but that was more of a fluke," Jia Xu said, stroking his beard with a proud expression. His disciple convincing Ma Zhong to ambush Xu Chu was a skill in itself.

"Haha," Chen Xi chuckled, understanding Jia Xu’s pride and deciding to let the matter drop. Jia Xu also forgot to ask Chen Xi about his keen eye for talent.

"Let’s go report to the lord," Li You suggested after sending Zheng Hun away. Noticing that Chen Xi and Jia Xu had finished their conversation, he spoke up.

As they traveled north along the main street, the faint scent of blood still lingered in the air. The buildings along the street bore the marks of blades, spears, and smoke from the previous night’s battle.

"Let’s resolve these matters within three months. Once the summer harvest is over, neither we nor Yuan Shao will be able to hold back any longer," Chen Xi said, looking at the scars on the main street before closing the window and turning to Jia Xu, Li You, and Xun Yue.

"We haven’t stopped fighting. It’s been nonstop, just like this last battle, which might be the biggest we’ve fought—engaging Yuan Shao’s flank while simultaneously waging war against Yuan Shu," Li You said, his calm expression tinged with concern. "Right now, Fa Xiaozhi has probably already marched out of Shanyang, and Kongming might have also moved out of Jiyin."

"Both of them have a keen sense of the battlefield situation, and we told them before they set out that they have full authority to make independent decisions. Only with that freedom can they fully utilize their abilities," Chen Xi nodded, understanding Li You’s concerns.

"We’ll see if they rise or fall," Jia Xu remarked more calmly than Li You, having complete confidence in Fa Zheng’s abilities.

"They will undoubtedly create their own legacies. My only worry is that Xiaozhi might parade in front of Shouchun’s gates, and I’m also concerned that Kongming might threaten Wancheng," Chen Xi expressed his absolute confidence, trying to reassure Jia Xu and Li You.

"Kongming is prudent and has Taishi Ziyi and Chen Shu to command. He’ll advance steadily and shouldn’t encounter any major problems. It’s Xiaozhi and Xingba who worry me..." Li You said, his calm facade barely hiding his concern. Though usually clear-minded, his worries sometimes clouded his judgment.

"Xiaozhi and Xingba are of the same ilk—extremely confident and daring enough to take risks. But that might not be a bad strategy," Jia Xu said, glancing meaningfully at Chen Xi. The distance between Runan and Jingxiang had already been proven during Lu Bu’s raid on Xiangyang.

"It’s too risky," Xun Yue said, stroking his beard as he weighed the situation. "This is gambling on the loyalty of Jingxiang’s generals to Sun Bofu!"

"Whether it succeeds or not is up for debate, but this move will certainly drive a wedge between Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, and it might even create distrust among Yuan Shu’s officials who are leaning towards Sun Ce," Chen Xi said, waving his hand dismissively. Although there was an element of gambling involved, whether or not to proceed would be up to Fa Zheng and Gan Ning. However, Chen Xi was inclined to believe that they would indeed take the risk.

"It’s a shame this opportunity came when it did. With Sun Bofu and Zhou Gongjin ascending to power, we had to initiate our plans early to prevent them from discovering the hidden moves we left behind. Otherwise, after securing the north, we could have used our momentum to wipe out Yuan Shu in a month," Jia Xu lamented. Long-term strategies sometimes had to be adjusted in response to changing circumstances.

"If we had done that, it would have been too hasty and wouldn’t align with our current strategy of securing and developing each territory as we go," Xun Yue interjected.

"I think our current method of gradually nibbling away at our enemies is more reliable. By the time we unify the land, it’ll be at its peak, and with the momentum of unification, we might even be able to fulfill our lord’s oath," Xun Yue calculated, though he seemed to lack confidence in achieving that final goal.

"That was just a suggestion back then. But if we secure the north, use our victory to crush Yuan Shu in a month, and continue to advance without interruption, we might even be able to achieve a seamless surrender across the land," Li You said, waving his hand dismissively. He favored grand strategies like this one, but it was a pity the situation hadn’t allowed for it.

"Let’s take it one step at a time. The current situation isn’t unfavorable for us. Our strategy of fighting while building is part of our plan. Besides, if we abandon the plan to develop the north that Zijing has worked so hard on, he might actually kill someone," Chen Xi said with a playful smile.

At this, the others thought of the diligent Lu Su and burst into laughter, even the usually stern Man Chong showing a stiff smile. If they were to abandon Lu Su’s carefully laid plans for the north, Lu Su would indeed be furious.

The group of five soon arrived at the entrance to Liu Bei’s residence in the city center. As for dealing with the aristocratic families, they weren’t in the mood to handle that yet. Letting them stew for a while would temper their arrogance and give them a clearer understanding of the consequences of rebellion.

"So Lord Xuande really did name his hall this," Chen Xi remarked with a smile as he looked at the characters for "Keji Hall" on the main gate before stepping inside. Standing by the door like a statue was Xu Chu, who didn’t move an inch despite holding a large sword.

"Keji, Keji," Li You muttered, shaking his head as he followed inside.

"Still the same as before," Jia Xu said as he entered, offering no further comment. He was more satisfied with Liu Bei than Li You was.

"Maintaining one’s true self is more important than anything else," Man Chong said, his expression as impassive as ever, as he and Xun Yue followed the others in. The Northern Campaign was about to begin, and Liu Bei would inevitably be drawn into it!

Liu Bei’s role was about to become even more prominent. Despite being the ruler, he would have to join the others in the Northern Campaign.

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