Mythical Three Kingdoms

”You’re really something!” Fa Zheng rolled his eyes and said, ”You somehow managed to plant such a significant piece in Yuan Shao’s ranks.”

”I recall the Zhen Family is currently in Nanpi of Bohai, which means we have high-ranking officials on Yuan Shao’s side?” Liu Ye smirked as he spoke. To be precise, compared to the Zhen Family, this individual holds even higher status within Yuan Shao’s army.

”Indeed, but don’t expect too much. The orders I gave them were to act at their discretion.” Seeing the peculiar expressions on their faces, Chen Xi half-explained, ”Relax, they won’t betray us. It’s not due to leverage or anything like that; truthfully, they’re quite capable.”

”That’s good. If the opportunity arises, I’ll give it a try. When retreating, I’ll still need to rely on you both; it’s difficult to succeed on my own.” Fa Zheng commented.

”Hmm, we’ll prepare both land and water routes for you,” Chen Xi nodded as he replied. Though he wasn’t particularly skilled at direct combat, he had enough confidence to ensure a secure retreat.

As Chen Xi answered Fa Zheng’s questions, he hesitated whether to loan his most critical asset to Fa Zheng. Even though that particular contingency presented several issues, within Yuan Shao’s system, their importance far exceeded Cui Jun.

[Forget it, that person isn’t just a spy for our side; they likely have unclear links with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and others.] Letting out a sigh, Chen Xi decided not to reveal this information to Fa Zheng.

That day, Chen Xi mobilized numerous Tuntian Soldiers from Jiyin to begin constructing simple Beacon Towers throughout the region, each manned by over a hundred soldiers. Whenever the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry passed, signal fires were lit, followed by hunting large armies dealing with them.

The Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry, after all, consisted of elite troops. Even though Xun Shen’s forces included many hastily trained miscellaneous soldiers, they were indeed far superior compared to Liu Bei’s Tuntian Soldiers. Occasionally, the hundred soldiers stationed at Beacon Towers would be annihilated.

Unfortunately, this couldn’t change the reality that the Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry’s range of activity was being continuously squeezed. Although some wolves displayed exceptional cunning, escaping the encirclement ahead of time, their efforts proved futile. Soon, they were rounded up and wiped out by reorganized infantry forces or surrounded and scattered. Even as individual cavalry units scattered, they were less effective than the infantry.

Thus, in the span of ten days, Chen Xi completely drove out the Wolf Cavalry marauding across Jiyin. Yet, in those mere ten days, tens of thousands of people lost their summer grain harvest.

”They’re really ruthless!” Chen Xi said angrily, ”Xun Shen, that fellow, doesn’t behave like a gentleman at all!”

”There are no gentlemen on the battlefield.” Liu Ye rolled his eyes and remarked, ”Now that we’ve dealt with those guys, we can free up our hands. Let’s quickly march toward Qingfeng and press Xun Shen back to Puyang. I believe time is tight for us.”

”Short as the time may be, it’s still adequate for our purposes.” Setting down the letter, Chen Xi suppressed his anger and replied, ”We came here precisely to buy more time!”

Meanwhile, Fa Zheng had already departed Puyang after staging a grand faux siege there. He forced Li Shi, who was stationed in Puyang, to send out a plea for help, and then swiftly redirected his path with Zhang Fei.

”Next, we’ll be traveling across Cao Cao’s territory. General Zhang, I’d ask you to be extra cautious. After all, Fa Xiaozhi hasn’t married yet; my future is in your hands.” Fa Zheng said cautiously outside Cao Cao’s domain.

”Sounds like I’ve already tied the knot.” Zhang Fei laughed heartily. Though he had many beautiful consorts, the position of legal wife remained unfilled.

”So, it would seem both our futures as bachelors rest squarely on General Zhang’s shoulders,” Fa Zheng said with a grin, instantly pulling the two much closer in camaraderie. Zhang Fei joined in the cheerful laughter.

”It’s a shame that Cao Cao relocated to Sili; otherwise, I’d genuinely want to lead an army and raid his command center.” After several days of marching, Zhang Fei gazed southward and spoke. He used to admire Cao Cao, but since the affair in Xuzhou, he had nothing left to say.

”If Cao Cao hadn’t moved to Sili, do you think their defenses would be this relaxed?” Fa Zheng replied irritably, ”Cao Cao isn’t someone easily dealt with. At least his home base’s defenses are exceptionally rigorous. However, Cao Cao’s foundations are too shallow; his rapid rise before was thanks to plundering Nanyang, and now, with his crafty seizure of Guanzhong, it looks like he’s been pillaging his own homeland.”

”Hmph, that guy is no good at all! Back then, I thought he was the ideal candidate, akin to my elder brother, to restore the Han Dynasty!” Zhang Fei swept his gaze across the desolate four directions, snorting in extreme dissatisfaction.

”Perhaps he didn’t pillage his homeland entirely but aimed to evade our battle with Yuan Shao, relocating the population to Guanzhong and Sili regions. Cao Cao is indeed a man of vision.” After pondering briefly, Fa Zheng realized his earlier statement was somewhat biased.

”Regardless, that guy is no good.” Zhang Fei grumbled unhappily, ”Look at what he’s done to Western Yanzhou.”

”From his strategic standpoint, it’s indeed commendable. However, from our perspective, it’s anything but good. He’s crossed the line, forcibly relocating people!” Gazing upon a ruined village, Fa Zheng remarked with a stoic expression. To him, such tactics that strengthen one’s side while weakening one’s opponents were perfectly legitimate on the battlefield.

”Can’t argue with you!” Zhang Fei retorted in annoyance. Swinging his Serpent Spear, a sharp Qi Blade tore apart a large swath of grass and ruins with one strike.

Fa Zheng shrugged; chatting idly with Zhang Fei was merely a way to pass the monotony of their march. Truthfully, Cao Cao’s actions had rendered Western Yanzhou desolate, leaving many unwilling to leave, subsequently resorting to banditry.

”How many times has this happened now?” Fa Zheng asked, gazing into the distance at a caravan surrounded by shabby-dressed individuals wielding hoes, sickles, spears, and other mismatched weapons.

”Who knows? Just like you said: both sides are pitiable.” Zhang Fei replied before charging with the Serpent Spear. This was the fifth or sixth such encounter on this journey—the direct consequence of insufficient military resources and forced migrations, essentially coercing good people toward misfortune.

The first group encountered by Zhang Fei naturally met their demise under his spear, and the wealthy family being surrounded was saved, though they remained secluded within the army. To ensure security, Fa Zheng preferred not to let witnesses leave.

By the second encounter, Zhang Fei had grasped the situation and refrained from striking too hard. Similar actions followed in subsequent incidents—the people were rescued, while Fa Zheng, seeking amusement, refrained from directing the Scout Cavalry to handle such matters specifically.

After a few moves, Zhang Fei easily subdued a ragtag group of destitute individuals, so ill-equipped they didn’t qualify as mountain bandits. As he prepared to tow the caravan back to camp, this time, a serene young maiden unexpectedly emerged from the carriage. (To be continued. If you enjoyed this work, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to cast your votes or provide monthly recommendations. Your support is the author’s greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read at m.qidian.com.)