Mythical Three Kingdoms

Dong Zhao was notably self-aware and careful in his actions. Moreover, his connections were extensive, and Yuan Shao was unaware of his interactions with Chen Xi. Otherwise, he definitely wouldn’t have been permitted to attend such a life-and-death conference.

Both Xu You and Ju Shou had some knowledge of Dong Zhao’s ambiguous connections with Cao Cao. However, as the two sides were allies, they did not investigate extensively. Furthermore, Dong Zhao had indeed not crossed the line.

As for why Ju Shou and Xu You specifically warned Dong Zhao during this instance, it was purely circumstantial—to prevent any mishaps. Dong Zhao, for his part, believed that Ju Shou and Xu You had some understanding of his actions. Although concerned, he was also relieved that his prior activities hadn’t posed a severe threat to Yuan Shao.

Under such a misunderstanding, Dong Zhao sent Chen Xi a secret letter after Ju Shou initiated the grand strategy, revealing that Yuan Shao’s grain supply was nearing depletion. This not only dispelled Ju Shou and Xu You’s suspicions about him but also caused Dong Zhao endless regret later in life. Spycraft, once mishandled, truly becomes life-threatening.

In this scenario, Ju Shou and Tian Feng discreetly sourced grain from Julu and transported it through Wei Commandery, expending considerable time and effort to move it to Eastern Wuyang. They then commanded Yuan Shao’s soldiers to pile soil into mounds, feigning a gesture of creating permanent defenses—when in fact, their true purpose was to conceal surplus grain.

Through several rounds of such operations, Yuan Shao’s Army successfully stashed enough grain underground in the Right Camp to feed 150,000 troops for ten days, all without Liu Bei’s Army becoming aware. Upon achieving this, Tian Feng ceased further stockpiling.

All soldiers who participated in this task were reassigned to the rear under the pretext of troop transfers. Except for a select few, no one else within the entire camp knew about the massive stockpile buried beneath Yuan Shao’s Army’s most eastern camp.

With this preparation complete, Yuan Shao’s Army gained the potential to counteract its enemies. Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Sheni Pei then focused their efforts on refining the grand strategy.

Meanwhile, Li Youu, stationed in the rear, received a secret missive from Ju Shou. It contained no details related to Yuan Shao, only two directives: confirm whether Fa Zheng was at Mount Tai, and find a way to delay Xun Yue’s process of dispatching grain.

After reading the missive, Li Youu burned it without hesitation. The overall message suggested that the opposing party had already received inside intelligence about Liu Bei’s Army preparing to raid Ye City.

Li Youu wrote a detailed report about Fa Zheng and Zhang Fei’s impending attack on Ye City, though he believed it would serve little purpose. By the time the letter arrived, Ye City’s supply routes would likely be severed.

In truth, Li Youu deemed it likely that when his message arrived, Yuan Shao’s Army would already possess intelligence from their own sources. As for Fa Zheng and Zhang Fei’s troop deployment, nine out of ten reports were false—a calculated trap lethal enough to be unforgiving.

As for delaying Xun Yue’s dispatch of grain, this matter was handled with even less concern. Officially, it was proclaimed that Xun Yue was overseeing operations at Mount Tai. In reality, Li Youu was the true leader behind the scenes.

Li Youu decisively announced his intention to set fire to a grain depot, making it impossible for Xun Yue to quickly track down the arsonists. Consequently, Xun Yue would have no choice but to urgently coordinate supplies, requiring eight days for the process—giving Yuan Shao ample time to prepare.

[However, there’s something amiss here. Based on Xu You and Ju Shou’s personalities, it’s impossible for them to pin all their hopes on me alone. From previous incidents, it’s evident the opposing party has never trusted me completely.]

After finishing his thoughts, Li Youu mused silently, [Before this letter even reaches its destination, Yuanzhi and Wen Chang will have already intensified their assaults across Qinghe’s territory. Coupled with the ambivalent stance of the Cui Family of Qinghe, it’s highly unlikely Qinghe will supply grain.]

[So then, what is the value of this letter? Ju Shou and Xu You wouldn’t engage in futile acts. Could it simply be a ploy to buy time?] Li Youu suddenly grew perplexed. In his view, Ju Shou and Xu You’s actions shouldn’t follow such logic.

[Unusual circumstances often signal hidden threats. Thinking in reverse, Ju Shou and Xu You surely desire victory. With the current state of affairs, their knowledge of Ye City’s severed supply route and the blockade at Qinghe suggests the rational course of action would be to strike Yuanzhi and Wen Chang directly, command Ye to hold firm, and deploy reinforcements from surrounding areas.]

[With Yuan Shao’s main forces being tied down, the most logical solution to restore the supply route would be for Gao Lan to strike Qinghe’s Yuanzhi and Wen Chang from Bohai, thereby simultaneously unblocking Qinghe and Bohai’s supply lines—something they must have considered.]

Li Youu’s expression darkened as he tapped his knuckles against the desk, carefully analyzing every possible scenario. His greatest advantage right now was his access to intelligence from both sides, allowing him to view the battle from a detached vantage point.

[It seems the opposing party is unwilling to give up. But what’s the true value in delaying the shipment of grain? If I comply, both sides would only continue deteriorating, each racing toward ruin. Given that, it’s impossible they’d place all their hopes solely on me. If they intend to send supplies, they must have other contingencies.]

Li Youu struggled to discern Yuan Shao’s Army’s exact preparations. The timing had been miscalculated, and had Ju Shou and Xu You reached out a few days earlier, Li Youu might have pieced together the likelihood of Yuan Shao’s Army redistributing grain from another location. As it stood, Li Youu found it challenging to predict otherwise.

With such limited time, war’s cruel nature became evident—a few days’ preparation or lack thereof could spell victory or defeat. Fortunately, Ju Shou had obtained the relevant intelligence early and smoothly executed plans well before sending Li Youu the aforementioned letter.

[If I can’t figure it out, then there’s no need to dwell on it. During times like these, fortifying oneself while weakening the enemy remains the most decisive path to pursue. Since you want me to stall grain shipments, I’ll fulfill your wish by giving you an undeniably reassuring signal!]

Li Youu smirked coldly. He couldn’t fathom Ju Shou’s or Xu You’s intent entirely, but ultimately it didn’t matter. If understanding was unreachable, then speculation was pointless. Overthinking might even mislead his approach. In such times, prioritizing one’s strength over chasing enemy intentions was paramount.

That night, Li Youu ordered the largest ground-based grain depot—constructed during earlier stages—to be set alight. Most of the grain had already been relocated, but the fire consumed a portion alongside specially chosen incense. By nightfall, the fragrance of burning grain pervaded Fenggao, making it impossible for Xun Yue to conceal the ”truth” despite his desperate efforts.

With urgent dispatches, Liu Bei learned the truth the same day, while three days later, Yuan Shao’s scouts delivered the facts to Yuan Shao’s Army. By then, Ju Shou had already received Li Youu’s secret letter.

For Ju Shou and others who had been harboring doubts, the detailed account provided by Yuan Shao’s spies erased all uncertainty. Even Xu You and Ju Shou, who previously held lingering suspicions about Li Youu, fully abandoned their distrust, instead feeling fortunate to have cultivated such a high-level spy. (To be continued. If you enjoy this story, please visit Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)