Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

Chen Qun’s desire to put pressure on Chen Xi was something that Chen Xi was completely unaware of. Even if he had known, he might have just chuckled. Xun Yu was someone who could make Chen Xi feel a bit conflicted, but Chen Qun? Not so much. While Chen Qun was undoubtedly intelligent, there was still a thin line separating him from the very top tier of strategists. And that thin line was enough for Xun Yu to completely overshadow him.

To Chen Xi, Chen Qun simply didn’t have what it took to go toe-to-toe with him. Chen Xi’s status was on par with Xun Yu, while Chen Qun was better suited to contend with Chen Xi’s right-hand man, Lu Su. After all, in Chen Xi’s view, it was a battle between equals—king against king, general against general. Chen Qun just didn’t make the cut.

If Chen Xi had known about Chen Qun’s recent machinations, he would have held him in even lower regard. Petty schemes wouldn’t be enough to topple Xun Yu, unless, of course, Cao Cao no longer needed him. But considering Xun Yu’s impeccable character and vast network of allies, it was clear that Xun Yu was indispensable to Cao Cao.

As for whether Chen Qun could ever surpass Xun Yu, Chen Xi could only sigh. That was nothing but a pipe dream. Even if Chen Qun had arrived earlier than Xun Yu, he might have stood a chance at vying for influence. But given that Xun Yu had not only been first to join Cao Cao but had also established himself as an essential advisor, any attempt by Chen Qun to displace him was doomed to fail.

The fact remained that Chen Qun and Xun Yu’s skills overlapped far too much, and in the area of governance—which was precisely what Cao Cao needed most—Chen Qun was essentially a watered-down version of Xun Yu. In such a situation, it was only logical that Cao Cao would grant Chen Qun a high-ranking position, but keep the real power firmly in Xun Yu’s hands.

Meanwhile, Yuan Shu had retreated back to Xiangyang, leaving Jiangxia County to Sun Ce, who had performed admirably in covering the retreat. Yuan Shu also officially recognized the five thousand soldiers Sun Ce had brought from the boats, incorporating them into Sun Ce’s personal forces. Sun Ce, overjoyed by this development, vowed to defend Jiangxia and the surrounding regions.

“Master, we’ve received the latest intelligence from Yu Province. The Liu Bei forces that occupied four counties in Yu Province have now fully withdrawn. Except for Chen Zichuan’s central force, which is still in the interior, the other two forces have retreated to the borders and are likely to leave the province soon. The central force is also slowly pulling back,” Yang Hong reported to Yuan Shu, his head bowed.

“Liu Bei has withdrawn?” Yuan Shu was momentarily stunned, then elated. This meant that he hadn’t lost his base in Yu Province after all. He had expected a tough battle upon returning to Nanyang, but to his surprise, Liu Bei’s forces had already pulled out.

“Master, we initially overestimated the situation and forgot that Liu Xuande has no way to fully occupy Yu Province. His power base is in Taishan, and he has recently absorbed Qing Province. The fact that he was able to defeat our garrison forces speaks volumes about his strength. But occupying an entire province requires far more resources than merely winning a battle. Liu Bei would need to commit at least fifteen to twenty thousand troops just to suppress any local resistance,” Yang Hong explained with a wry smile. There were some things he left unsaid.

“Does that mean we shouldn’t have retreated?” Yuan Shu’s anger flared as he stared at Yang Hong.“Master, Liu Xuande’s situation mirrors our own. We don’t have enough forces to fully occupy all this territory either. Even if we had captured Jiangling, we wouldn’t have the manpower to defend it properly. Our resources are stretched thin,” Yang Hong said, exasperated as he tried to make Yuan Shu understand just how large his domain had become.

“Our forces are stretched thin?” Yuan Shu asked, astonished that he hadn’t realized this sooner.

“Master, it may seem that we’ve only taken Nanjun and Jiangxia, but we never fully controlled Nanyang. Liu Biao had already infiltrated the area with his influence. Now, we’ve secured all of Nanyang, and during our campaign in Jingxiang, both Jiujiang and Lujiang have surrendered to us,” Yang Hong added, his expression filled with pride. He hadn’t expected his earlier efforts to sow discord in those regions to pay off so handsomely.

“What?” Yuan Shu was taken aback, then burst into laughter. “Hahaha! Truly, I, Yuan Gonglu, am destined by heaven! Well done, Ziheng! With these two counties, our territory in Yu Province and northern Jing Province are now fully connected, eliminating any risk of separation!”

“Congratulations, Master!” Yang Hong shared in Yuan Shu’s joy.

“In that case, let’s cease our campaigns for now and allow Liu Jingsheng to live a little longer. Hmm, make sure to appease Sun Bofu and ensure he doesn’t get any wrong ideas. Also, send Lu Bu to teach Cao Cao a lesson and bring me the head of the Chen family patriarch. How dare they seize my Yingchuan!” Yuan Shu, in high spirits, was now inclined to let things rest for the moment. He had gained new territories and felt it was time to consolidate, but he hadn’t forgotten his desire to deal with Cao Cao.

As for Liu Bei, the intelligence Yuan Shu had gathered all pointed to one conclusion: this man was no weakling. Yuan Shu appreciated Liu Bei’s restraint in not pushing further against him, so he decided to focus on dealing with Cao Cao and the meddlesome Chen family in Yingchuan.

After all, Yuan Shu was not one to take a hit without retaliating. He couldn’t catch up to Liu Bei, but Cao Cao, who dared to occupy his Yingchuan, would have to be taught a lesson. Yuan Shu felt it was only fitting as the newly crowned “Number One Warlord in the Land.”

“Ziheng, send Zhang Xun and the others back to Yu Province to regroup and train new recruits. By this time next year, I want to see fifteen thousand new soldiers!” Yuan Shu ordered confidently. Although Yu Province had suffered some losses due to Liu Bei’s raids, Yuan Shu was certain that the province’s deep roots would allow it to recover quickly.

“Yes, Master!” Yang Hong quickly recorded Yuan Shu’s orders.

“Ensure that Qiao Rui’s family is well taken care of! Although he was somewhat unreliable in life, he stood up when it mattered most. Inform his family that his eldest son will inherit his position once he comes of age!” Yuan Shu added. Although Qiao Rui had failed to hold Pingyu, he had died fighting to protect the Yuan family, and for a man like Yuan Shu, known for his sense of loyalty, ensuring Qiao Rui’s family’s well-being was a matter of personal honor.