Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 1324: Chapter 1277: The Burden of Responsibility

”General Zhang, it’s time for us to set off. After pressing Xuantu, the second major battle between us and the Yuan Clan will begin. I think Yuan Tan will soon become aware of our intentions,” Zhuge Liang said with a smile, looking southward at Zhang Fei.

”Let’s go, march to Xuantu, and fight under a bright banner!” Zhang Fei shouted, then spurred his horse to rush to the front of the soldiers.

At the same time, large groups of Xianbei tribes in the east began to gather and head south, preparing to raid Youzhou. Shortly thereafter, the war eagles of Yuan Tan’s Army received information from three fronts about the Xianbei, Liu Bei’s Vice Army, and Liu Bei’s main forces.

Yuan Tan looked heavily at this unfavorable news, and after a while, he raised his head to look at Sheni Pei, who was supposed to be stationed in southern Youzhou.

”Zheng Nan, how should we choose?” Yuan Tan asked heavily, looking at Sheni Pei.

”There is nothing to choose from. What we need to do now is follow our existing strategy. Zhang Fei’s more than thirty thousand infantry and cavalry pose no threat to us!” Sheni Pei’s expression was cold and merciless. His presence here indicated that his strategy had already been set in motion.

”Very well, everything is in Zheng Nan’s hands!” Yuan Tan took a deep breath to suppress his doubts and worries, looking solemnly at Sheni Pei.

”I will not fail our lord’s expectations!” Sheni Pei’s cold face showed no hint of emotion.

This was perhaps what Sheni Pei appreciated the most. Although Yuan Tan lacked the boldness and vigor of Yuan Shao, at least Yuan Tan knew who he could rely on at such a critical moment.

”I have approved all the required troops, personnel, and military officers. Zheng Nan can deploy the forces at any time!” Yuan Tan’s eyes were clear as he fixed them on Sheni Pei. At this point, the arrow was already on the string and had to be shot. Regardless of the heavy pressure, it could not change his decision.

Since the moment Yuan Shao separated from the Yuan Clan, everything about this lineage has been borne by themselves. And now, the entire responsibility of the Yuan Family of Hebei lies with Yuan Tan. Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang are still young. Since he has taken over the family’s power, he must carry this clan until he goes even further!

”Understood!” Sheni Pei held the command arrow upside down, cupping his hands in a salute to Yuan Tan. He could not guarantee victory in this battle, but if they did not win, the foundation laid by Yuan Shao would reach its end. Therefore, victory was imperative!

After Sheni Pei left the government office, Yuan Tan suddenly felt as if all his strength had left him, collapsing behind the table. The heavy pressure from both the north and the south was on the verge of crushing this young monarch.

”The Yuan Family must not fall in my hands!” Yuan Tan squeezed these words through his teeth, then regained his strength. Forcing himself, he picked up the scroll next to him and began to examine it. No matter how exhausted he was, he could not allow himself to fall.

”Summon my generals, deploy fifty thousand troops, continue to reinforce the defense of southern Youzhou, and order Xu You and Xun Shen to fully repel Liu Bei’s Army!” After leaving the government office, Sheni Pei entered the council room and gathered all the civil and military officials.

”No!” Cui Jun immediately stood up to stop Sheni Pei’s military order. ”At present, our army is not strong enough to heavily defeat Liu Bei’s Army, and the Xianbei are about to move south. If we transfer troops from the north to the south now, I’m afraid that after the Xianbei move south, the northern part of Youzhou will be in ruins!”

Sheni Pei raised an eyebrow, completely not expecting Cui Jun to be the first to speak out. At this moment, Dong Zhao also stood up, ”Even if our army inflicts a heavy defeat on Liu Bei’s Army right now, it hardly counts as a true defeat. Even if we break through Liu Bei’s northern expeditionary two divisions, it doesn’t mean much. Instead, Liu Bei’s Army might, after being defeated, disregard their territory and push north fiercely. In a two-pronged attack, perhaps...”

”Liu Bei’s Army’s current deployment contains a clear intention to pin down our forces. Compared to Xianbei, Liu Bei is a greater threat to our army,” Guo Tu stood out to support Sheni Pei at this moment.

”This time, the Xianbei’s southward invasion is on a large scale. If we don’t address it, the north will surely be in ruins!” Fengg Ji voiced at this moment. Currently, Yuan Shao’s Army’s defensive line was certainly too long, with some of the military stretched thin.

”Our troops are only sufficient to defend one side, either focusing on the north or consolidating the south. If we attempt to guard both, we may end up losing both,” Sheni Pei said slowly. ”However, the north can be hardened and barren, while the south, if given any chance, would allow Liu Bei to exploit.”

Both Dong Zhao and Cui Jun fell silent. However, Dong Zhao quietly cursed in his heart, wondering when he could extricate himself successfully without staining himself with any sign of disloyalty. Meanwhile, Cui Jun was calmly considering if there were any other means to sway Sheni Pei, showing his effort.

”If our army had retreated to Bingzhou earlier, giving up part of this, then we would have had enough troops to defend the north and south,” Cui Jun said after a moment of silence. He had proposed earlier to abandon part of Youzhou and shorten the defensive line, but Yuan Tan had opted to hold on to Youzhou, weaken Gao Gan, and make an alliance with Cao Cao.

”There’s nothing left to discuss about past matters,” Sheni Pei replied coldly. ”What we need to do is find a way through this crisis.”

”Strengthen the defenses and hold the southern part of Youzhou tight.” Cui Jun sighed and continued with a bitter smile, offering a plan that was wasted on the Yuan Family, ”Our army captured many ships from Gongsun Yuan. If we still had the strength, we could use these ships to start from Yuyang, travel by sea, enter the Liao River, and go past Xuantu to strike the Xianbei from the rear.”

At this point, Cui Jun gave a bitter smile, ”Unfortunately, we don’t have enough troops. Otherwise, we could leave the front unresisting, let the Xianbei into Youzhou, and have the army at the rear attack their rear. With Cao Cao blocking the west, our army would certainly achieve a great victory.”

”It certainly is a good plan, but unfortunately, we don’t have the troops for it, so we must prioritize countering Liu Bei,” Sheni Pei nodded, also heaving a sigh as he followed Cui Jun’s words.

Sheni Pei then calmly began mobilizing forces. The forces confronting Liu Bei’s Army in southern Youzhou were gathered to nearly two hundred thousand, including the current civilians and other defending soldiers, matching almost the strength during the Yuan Liu Great Battle.

”It seems Sheni Zhengnan plans to hold the Youzhou line to the death and hard-barren the north. He has no other tactics,” Cui Jun thought silently. Although he could not come up with a good strategy under such circumstances, Sheni Pei’s stance reassured him greatly.

Of course, after this military order, Cui Jun did not pass any information to Liu Bei’s side. Youzhou had been closely monitored recently, and this information hardly needed transmission. The arrival of tens of thousands of reinforcements could not be concealed. More importantly, the strategy of Yuan Tan’s Army would change clearly upon these reinforcements arriving.

”Cui Zhouping, this guy is indeed hiding something, but at present, he has no intention to harm us. However, this time the responsibility is significant. Let’s send him to Cao Cao’s side for liaison just in case, while I keep Dong Gongren by my side. These two need to be watched!” After issuing the military orders, Sheni Pei thought silently, holding the last command arrow.