Three Kingdoms, Myth

"Xiaozhi, what's going on with you?" Chen Xi reined in his cold smile and looked at Fazheng.

"Take a look at this report and my analysis," Fazheng said solemnly as he handed over some documents to Chen Xi.

After quickly skimming through the documents, Chen Xi passed them to Jia Xu. "Wenhe, you should take a look at this too. So, you're saying that Chen Gongtai has made a move? That shouldn't be possible; he's under Xun Wenruo's watchful eye. It's not that easy to act without Xun Wenruo noticing. Does he really think Xun Wenruo is someone to be trifled with?"

"That's what puzzles me as well. The intelligence from Yanzhou suggests that Xun Wenruo was furious when he learned about Cao Mengde's massacre in Xu Province. It seems he might have been too angry to think straight," Fazheng speculated, trying to find a reasonable explanation.

"No way," Jia Xu interjected before Chen Xi could speak. "Xiaozhi, Xun Wenruo is not the kind of person who would let personal emotions cloud his judgment. Even if he's displeased with Cao Mengde, he would wait until Cao Mengde's return to express it. For now, he will fulfill his duties. The idea that he might have lost his composure can be dismissed. It's more likely that he has his own plans in motion. Remember what happened with Yuan Gonglu?"

"I've never underestimated Xun Wenruo. After what happened in the Battle of Jingzhou, I recognized him as a highly dangerous individual. Unlike other strategists who rely on cunning schemes, he follows a path of open and righteous strategies that are difficult to counter," Fazheng said with a deep sense of caution.

It was clear that Fazheng was highly wary of Xun Yu. After all, Xun Yu's strategic brilliance had once effortlessly extricated Cao Cao from a difficult situation and dragged other lords into the conflict, allowing Cao Cao to emerge stronger and more confident. Such straightforward and unavoidable strategies left Fazheng feeling helpless.

"This is troublesome. Xun Wenruo must have his own calculations, but we can't figure them out yet," Chen Xi said with a sigh. "Well, let's not overthink it. Since Chen Gongtai has aligned himself with Lü Bu, there's nothing more to say. If they can unexpectedly seize a large portion of Yanzhou, it will be beneficial for us as well, cutting off Cao Mengde's retreat."

"Better safe than sorry," Jia Xu said, frowning. He still felt that Xun Yu had some hidden moves, but after carefully considering the situation, he couldn't identify any immediate threats. Without Cao Cao returning, the existing forces in Yanzhou would be hard-pressed to stop Lü Bu's Bingzhou Wolf Cavalry.

"Forget it. We'll deal with whatever comes our way," Chen Xi said, waving off the concern. "I don't believe Xun Wenruo can pull off some miracle. If it comes to it, we'll handle it as it comes."

"That's all we can do," Jia Xu agreed. "Given the situation, I suggest leaving Yu Jin and Taishi Ziyi to guard Mount Tai. With one for offense and the other for defense, Mount Tai should remain secure."

"Zijing and Xiaozhi should also stay in Mount Tai. One focuses on stability, the other on strategy. With them, we can rest assured. As for Xuan Gao, he can continue guarding Licheng," Chen Xi added with a nod.

"But I want to go to Xu Province!" Fazheng immediately voiced his dissatisfaction. "Isn't that boy Zhuge Kongming also quite capable? Let him stay in Mount Tai to handle administrative matters. Zijing could serve as the chief advisor."

"Don't be reckless. Kongming may excel in grand strategies, but you're better at unconventional tactics. Besides, I'm concerned that Lü Fengxian might harbor ill intentions toward Mount Tai," Chen Xi said with some apprehension. "While Chen Gongtai isn't the best at immediate wartime strategies, he's incredibly skilled at long-term planning and slowly accumulating advantages. Against such a person, pure, straightforward tactics won't easily win."

Although Fazheng was clearly unhappy, he was eventually persuaded. After all, his father would arrive in Mount Tai within half a month, and it wouldn't be appropriate for him to be absent when that happened.

Meanwhile, in Yanzhou's Chenliu, Xun Yu had turned from the warm, gentle spring breeze to a cold, harsh winter wind ever since news of Cao Cao's massacre in Xu Province reached Yanzhou. From that day on, there had not been a single sound of laughter in the Chenliu government office. Anyone who saw Xun Yu's dark expression felt a deep sense of dread.

"Wenruo, there's no need to be like this. Wars inevitably lead to casualties, and you see, Cao Mengde is about to face his own retribution. Why be so troubled?" Fan Qin casually chatted while handling official duties. Though Fan Qin often spoke, Xun Yu rarely responded, but that didn't stop Fan Qin from chattering on endlessly.

"..." Xun Yu said nothing, only casting a sharp glance at Fan Qin, his eyes full of warning.

But Fan Qin acted as if he didn't notice. "You see, even Chen Gongtai is ready to deal with Cao Mengde directly. Shouldn't we lend a hand and deal with Cao Mengde as well? It's certainly more exciting than sitting here handling boring paperwork all day."

Once again, Xun Yu glanced at Fan Qin, this time with an authoritative look. Although he was infuriated by Cao Cao's actions, Xun Yu understood that this was a result of external manipulation. After carefully investigating the situation in Xu Province, it became clear that Cao Cao had been used as a pawn.

For this reason, Xun Yu's anger was directed less at Cao Cao's increasingly restrained behavior and more at those who had orchestrated the chaos, turning the situation into a catastrophe. If not for them, Cao Cao might have vented his anger in one battle and been done with it. Now, things had spiraled out of control.

"Xiubo, what exactly are you trying to say?" Xun Yu asked after finishing a stack of official documents and turning to Fan Qin.

"I mean, let's fight Cao Mengde too! Dealing with him would certainly be more exciting than this dull routine. After all, what's more fun than 'eating, sleeping, and beating Cao Cao'?" Fan Qin suggested, a mischievous grin on his face.

Xun Yu remained silent, but his gaze sharpened as he stared daggers at Fan Qin.

"Wenruo, what are you really planning? You've got me completely confused. How do you intend to handle Cao Mengde?" Fan Qin complained, resting his head on the desk in frustration, his voice muffled and unclear.

Xun Yu ignored him, continuing to process official duties. He had long recognized that Fan Qin's moral compass was somewhat skewed. To Fan Qin, life was divided into two categories: interesting activities and boring routines. Right now, dealing with Cao Cao seemed to be a thrilling prospect.

However, Fan Qin was uncertain of Xun Yu's intentions and had been testing him non-stop. After all, as long as Xun Yu remained on Cao Cao's side, no matter how badly Cao Cao might falter, he could always rise again.