Mythical Three Kingdoms

Fa Zheng casually cast a glance at Xiahou Juan. He still couldn’t understand why Zhang Fei placed so much importance on this young girl, who was only slightly prettier than Jiang Ying. She wasn’t like those breathtaking beauties such as Cai Yan or Zhen Mi, whose mere appearance could leave one speechless. It truly was unexpected.

Xiahou Juan felt rather annoyed by Fa Zheng’s gaze but refrained from speaking further. Along the journey, she had come to realize that within this army, Zhang Fei primarily took charge of commanding and waging battles, while Fa Zheng was responsible for judgment, analysis, and strategic planning. He was an irreplaceable figure.

”Just wait and see; Ye City will definitely be ours,” Zhang Fei blurted out without thinking, his loud voice booming.

”Let’s wait for the scout cavalry to return first. We need to refill our supplies, and afterward, we’ll take the official road to besiege Ye City,” Fa Zheng lamented internally. Zhang Fei was causing unnecessary trouble again. Externally, however, his expression remained unchanged, as if tacitly agreeing with Zhang Fei’s remark.

Xiahou Juan noticed Fa Zheng’s blank expression and felt a twinge of concern. Although she was merely a woman, being a niece of Xiahou Yuan, she held her own views regarding the conflict between Liu Bei and Cao Cao. Naturally, she did not wish to see Liu Bei gain too much power.

Just as Xiahou Juan was pondering whether to try sending another letter, Fa Zheng turned to glance at her and said, ”General Zhang, keep a close eye on her. Here, you have responsibilities beyond just yourself. You’re accountable for the thousands of comrades under your command, so when necessary, think twice.”

Zhang Fei responded affirmatively, then shot a glance at Xiahou Juan. Instantly, the grudges Xiahou Juan had been harboring were extinguished. If Zhang Fei didn’t turn a blind eye, she knew she wouldn’t stand any chance.

”War is not your business—stay out of it!” Zhang Fei sternly looked at Xiahou Juan before ordering someone to escort her away.

After the scout cavalry reported their findings to Fa Zheng, he ordered Zhang Fei to capture two eagles. Truth be told, without Zhang Fei, Fa Zheng would have had no way of subduing these two birds of prey. Creatures with such spirituality seemed to instinctively know their allegiance upon encountering Zhang Fei.

After writing the letter, Fa Zheng released the eagles to deliver it. Only such fierce creatures could carry messages in these times. As for pigeons, those wouldn’t last more than a few miles before being eaten—meat wasn’t easy to come by in this era.

Meanwhile, Chen Xi had already raised his banner and cornered Xun Shen within Puyang. By this stage, Chen Xi had no other strategy left. Similarly, Xun Shen could only hold off Chen Xi, with no means of further maneuvering.

In the region around Chenliu, Ma Teng and Ma Chao had already accumulated their forces and were prepared to act. Simultaneously, Xiahou Yuan, Cai Yang, and Cheng Yu were in position, ready to intervene in the war between Yuan Shao’s Army and Liu Bei’s Army under the banner of righteousness, awaiting Xun Yu’s command.

In Jing-Xiang, Zhou Yu personally took charge of managing flood relief efforts, with substantial resources allocated to the region. Though they succeeded, the prosperity Jingbei and Jiangling once enjoyed could no longer be restored after this calamity. Adding to the devastation, an outbreak of plague brought further destruction, leaving Jingbei desolate.

On the other hand, Jingbei’s plague elevated the second healer to the pantheon of revered doctors—Zhang Ji. Only someone who disregarded personal life and death for the sake of the people could reach such heights.

From the moment Zhang Zhongjing stepped into the plagued area, he had accepted that he might not leave alive. Having lost all his family to a flood, Zhang Ji, the sole survivor, had finally found the will to live by combating the plague in Jingbei. Though he deemed himself insignificant, he realized he could still save lives.

Of course, this was merely Zhang Ji’s humble perspective. In reality, others viewed him differently. He and Hua Tuo were now the only two individuals capable of curing the plague, and as Zhang Ji successfully contained it in Jingbei, his renown and influence grew to rival Hua Tuo, making him highly sought after.

As for Liao Li, this disaster completely crushed his arrogance. After being rescued by Ling Cao, he knelt before Sun Ce upon the latter’s return to personally apologize.

Zhou Yu, seeing Liao Li’s dejected expression at the time, merely said, ”Start from the beginning. Remember everything that happened that day. Go serve as the County Magistrate of Dangyang, the region most affected by the disaster. Only when you’ve come to terms with everything will you return to me.”

After paying homage by bowing to both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, Liao Li left quietly, vowing in his heart that if he could not be reborn after his tenure in Dangyang, he would never return.

Likewise, Li Yan and others who had retreated from Xuzhou to Danyang, and then to Eastern Wu, began making headway under Zhou Yu’s orders, officially initiating efforts to encroach upon Eastern Wu’s territory. For now, resistance from the Eastern Wu aristocratic families posed no threat to Sun Ce whatsoever, lacking even the qualification to draw his attention.

Once Jingbei’s affairs were resolved, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce assassinated Liu Biao before Sun Jian’s tomb. They then sent a fake Liu Biao to Yongzhou and returned together to Shouchun, their administrative base and the place of their imminent rise. Though they were interested in the chaotic warfare in the Central Plains, the time for their involvement had not yet arrived.

Simultaneously, Yu Ji gazed at the heavens, deducing through vitality numbers that Sun Ce’s fate was nearing its peak. He, too, began preparing for imminent action.

Zixu, on the other hand, had already distanced himself from Yu Ji. Or perhaps it should be said that Zixu’s philosophy overlapped slightly with Yu Ji’s. This overlap, combined with Zixu’s earlier publicly demonstrated stance, led him to turn a blind eye to Yu Ji’s behavior.

At this juncture, the war between Yuan Shao and Liu Bei reached a fever pitch. While Liu Bei’s army initially held a combat advantage, their elongated supply lines due to continuous victories became a liability. By the time combat reached Wuyang, Yuan Shao’s shortened supply line allowed him to free up troops, showcasing his numerical superiority.

Thus, the two sides engaged in back-and-forth combat, clashing fiercely at Wuyang. Although Liu Bei’s troops were elite and his generals formidable, Yuan Shao boasted both a larger army and abundant resources.

The Yuan-Liu conflict had now devolved into a stalemate. Liu Bei still had some untapped forces, but without delivering a decisive blow, Yuan Shao would become an increasingly formidable opponent over time.

”Failing to kill a snake only invites its vengeance”—this notion weighed heavily on Liu Bei’s mind. By this point, Liu Bei realized that if he were not present, Yuan Shao might indeed be the unrivaled candidate to dominate the realm.

”Report, my lord! A letter from the strategist!” Just as Liu Bei was contemplating his next move, a message from Chen Xi was delivered via eagle.

”Hmm?” Liu Bei studied the contents of the letter, tapping his desk rhythmically with his fingers. After a long moment, he instructed his Tiger Guard, ”Summon Wen He, Zijing, and Fengxiao.”

Before long, Jia Xu and the others arrived, passing Chen Xi’s letter among themselves. Each displayed slight frowns as they finished reading.

”What are your thoughts?” Liu Bei inquired.

”It merely says that Xun Shen sent a letter to Yuan Shao’s army, but its contents are unknown,” Jia Xu calmly replied. ”My lord, I suggest launching a full-scale attack tomorrow to push the front line ten miles further west.”

(To Be Continued. If you enjoy this work, please support it by voting for recommendation and monthly tickets on Qidian.com. Your support is my greatest motivation! Mobile readers, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)