Chapter 769: Gongsun Bogui's Choice

Chen Xi had dealt with most of the noble families' issues in Taishan and, after sending Lu Xun and Lu Yu to Qingzhou, began handling the government affairs left behind by Lu Su. Although the details were not perfect, the overall framework had no issues—after all, when it came to vision, no one could surpass Chen Xi in foresight.

The aftermath of the recent rebellion had mostly subsided, and the noble families had understood the bottom line of Liu Bei and Chen Xi. Though not ideal, it wasn't a total disaster. At least neither Liu Bei nor Chen Xi had any intention of completely eradicating the noble families; they just hoped the families would align more with the societal structure they were building.

"What’s the matter, Wenhe?" Chen Xi asked as he noticed the somewhat odd expression on Jia Xu’s face. Something about Jia Xu's demeanor seemed peculiar.

"It's information about Yuan Shu. Take a look yourself," Jia Xu said steadily, handing Chen Xi a report from the intelligence officers. "Once you read it, you'll understand."

Chen Xi took the letter, glanced over it quickly, then looked up at Jia Xu. "The situation on the battlefield matches your predictions exactly, but what's with this Yuan Gonglu? It's as if he's possessed."

"Perhaps after stepping down, seeing the lives of the common people and the actions of the noble families completely overturned his worldview. Yuan Shu is a peculiar character. His principles are hard for someone like me to comprehend, but he certainly adheres to his own code," Jia Xu said calmly, quickly figuring out what had transpired.

"Yuan Shu has issued a ‘Proclamation for Talent Recruitment.’ He's the first to do so since we and Cao Mengde attempted it, and unlike us, he’s not in as desperate a situation. In some ways, this move of Yuan Gonglu’s is a true act of humility," Chen Xi remarked with a smile as he set the report aside. He wasn’t worried, thinking Yuan Shu's reaction was far too late.

"Sun Ce and Zhou Yu’s control over Yuzhou, Yangzhou, and the northern part of Jingzhou is steadily increasing. Moreover, Yuan Shu seems to trust these two deeply for some psychological reason," Jia Xu said with a frown. "With that, it seems planting a seed of doubt in Yuan Shu's mind won't be possible."

"The human heart is complex and elusive," Chen Xi replied without much concern. "Our objective is only the territory north of the Huai River. This way, when we launch our northern campaign, we can station defenses along the river and not worry about our rear."

"But Pang Shiyuan lost to the Yizhou army, and according to your previous analysis, that shouldn’t have happened," Jia Xu said, frowning. "And the manner in which he lost was particularly miserable. More importantly, based on the information provided, I’ve analyzed it again, and it seems that it really was a true defeat."

"It’s just a setback before future success. We know that the three figures in Yizhou are not weak. Even if it were you facing them, a decisive victory would be difficult without great caution. Given Pang Shiyuan’s situation, I suspect he took a significant gamble," Chen Xi said calmly.

"I have my suspicions as well, but our focus is not on Yizhou. If my calculations are correct, Yuan Shao will move soon," Jia Xu said seriously. "Very soon, Yuan Shao will make his move, likely in the scorching heat of summer."

"He plans to feed off of us?" Chen Xi nodded slightly, feeling a bit troubled. Compared to Yuan Shao, whose rear was secure, Liu Bei's rear still had some small issues to address.

"When the time comes, I’ll accompany the lord to the front, while you stay in the rear to oversee logistics and deployment," Jia Xu said, his eyes gleaming with insight. "Yuan Shao has been numbing our senses all this time. As for Gongsun Bogui, I suspect he’s waiting for the perfect moment to strike. Otherwise, he wouldn’t have delayed until now."

"I’ve already sent people to Youzhou, but I don’t have high hopes. Both Lord Xuande and I have written letters to him, making the current situation clear and hoping he will take a ship to retreat to Qingzhou. As for the northern border, once we defeat Yuan Shao, Gongsun Zan can still run rampant. His presence will still be necessary to keep the barbarians in check. Unfortunately, while the letters have been delivered, we’ve received no reply," Chen Xi said with a sigh.

Although Chen Xi wasn’t particularly fond of Gongsun Zan’s extreme racial policies, from the perspective of this era, he understood that Gongsun Zan's approach was quite appropriate. Furthermore, Gongsun Zan’s campaign against the nomadic tribes was indeed devoid of selfish motives. By all accounts, he was worthy of being called a hero.

"At least he agreed to send his wives and children over, entrusting them to Lord Xuande. But he himself refuses to come. That old saying, 'The rigid shall be broken,' applies perfectly to this situation," Chen Xi said helplessly. He truly wanted to save Gongsun Zan.

"There’s nothing more we can do. He’s made his choice," Jia Xu said, his expression indifferent. He had long foreseen Gongsun Zan’s eventual demise. For some generals, death was preferable to dishonorable survival. "Once he finishes dealing with the northern frontier, his death will soon follow."

"At the very least, Gongsun Bogui has never gone against his own word. Even when he waged war in the Central Plains, he never stopped resisting the nomadic tribes," Chen Xi said calmly. "If there are no other options, living out his life in a blaze of glory is still a good way to go. At least the people of the northern frontier will remember him."

"For someone who doesn’t want to live anymore, there’s nothing we can do to save him. But it does lighten our burden a bit," Jia Xu sighed. It wasn’t that they didn’t want to save Gongsun Zan; it was that Gongsun Zan himself didn’t want to be saved. He preferred to perish alongside the northern border.

"When the time comes, you can accompany Lord Xuande to the front. Although our original plan was to launch the campaign after we were fully prepared, I’ve made some additional arrangements. Unfortunately, fate has other plans," Chen Xi said, glancing at Li You, who was silently reviewing documents nearby. However, Li You had no intention of responding.

"We’ve managed to hold out until now, which is a blessing. Compared to Yuan Shao, we’ve made plenty of preparations. In my assessment, we can at least ensure that Lord Xuande personally commands the campaign. The other side, however, is likely moving forces on their own accord," Jia Xu said calmly. His greatest strength was his ability to "see" the future when the intelligence was sufficient.

"It all depends on Yuan Shao’s temperament. But even if Tian Feng and the others have nothing but loyalty, they’re probably a thorn in Yuan Shao’s side. You’ve pushed the situation this far—are you finally ready to set it off?" Chen Xi asked with a smile, looking at Jia Xu.

The terrifying thing about strategy wasn’t just battlefield tactics or overturning the outcome of a single battle. The scariest part was someone like Jia Xu, who moved each piece on the board so precisely that the enemy was led exactly where he wanted. Wars that should have been hard-fought instead became a one-sided game of chess, where there was no opponent—only one man playing against himself.

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