Three Kingdoms, Myth

After watching Liu Ye and the others leave, Chen Xi let out a long sigh of relief. The biggest strength of this group was their wisdom and strategy, but precisely because they were so intelligent, their perspectives and thinking wouldn't simply follow behind Chen Xi as yes-men. They each had their own minds, and every one of them was capable of overseeing an entire region.

Chen Xi thought about it with some helplessness.

Whether it was Guo Jia's nature, Jia Xu's cautiousness, Liu Ye's ability to speak differently to different people, Lu Su's geniality, or Li You's seasoned pragmatism, they all led to the same outcome—none of them would offer straightforward advice.

For instance, this time, not a single one of them directly advised Liu Bei against attacking Cao Cao, but it ended up like this. If it weren't for Chen Xi, the plan to attack Cao Cao would have already been shelved, left to be handled by people like Chen Gong, Lü Bu, Li Jue, and Yuan Shu.

Chen Xi could guarantee that Jia Xu and the others had likely already made arrangements. He couldn't be sure about Li Jue, but Lü Bu and Yuan Shu would definitely be enough to make Cao Cao experience the highs and lows of life in a very unpleasant way.

This group had too many ways to subtly change Liu Bei's mind without him even noticing. None of them would ever make a direct appeal; instead, they would all find ways to subtly steer Liu Bei back onto the right path without openly confronting him.

Chen Xi thought about their traits but still couldn't think of anyone who fit these characteristics.

Meanwhile, Jia Xu studied the map, comparing the forces of Cao Cao and Liu Bei, and quickly devised an overall strategy. "However, if things go slightly awry, it could lead to disaster. Will the lord approve of this plan?"

With that in mind, Jia Xu took the map to Liu Bei. "My lord."

"Wenhe, do you have important matters to discuss at this late hour?" Liu Bei closed the Analects he was reading and looked at Jia Xu. Initially, Liu Bei had been furious when he realized his advisors had concealed and guided him, but after Chen Xi had laid out the entire situation, his anger had subsided. He understood that Jia Xu's plans, though sometimes cold, were ultimately for the sake of his greater ambition.

"My lord, please look here." Jia Xu spread the map on the table and pointed to Pengcheng, where the Ji and Yellow Rivers intersected, outlining his strategy.

Liu Bei barely hesitated before nodding. "Let's proceed as you suggest. I trust Zhongkang will ensure my safety."

"Rest assured, my lord. Xu Chu will protect you," Xu Chu's booming voice echoed into the tent.

"In that case, I entrust this matter to you, Wenhe," Liu Bei said with a hearty laugh. "I've faced far more dangerous situations during the Yellow Turban Rebellion. With Zhongkang and Anguo guarding me, what is there to fear? Besides, I have complete faith in your wisdom, Wenhe—Cao Cao is sure to lose!"

"I am humbled," Jia Xu replied, bowing his head. As long as Liu Bei maintained his courage, the odds of decisively ending Cao Cao were about 90 percent.

"No need for such humility. Wenhe, in the future, feel free to speak your mind about any strategy, even if it goes against my preferences. You don't need to worry about being punished for differing opinions. If I'm wrong, I will admit my mistake, even if someone scolds me to my face. So, don't hesitate to present your plans," Liu Bei sighed, noting that Chen Xi had made him aware of the temperaments of his advisors.

"My lord's broad-mindedness is beyond reproach. It is we who have judged you with a small-minded perspective," Jia Xu replied, still bowing his head.

"Well then, you can accompany me on this campaign. Zichuan is more skilled in civil administration, and while he's capable in military affairs, there are tens of thousands of civilians who need resettling," Liu Bei said, realizing that continuing to press Jia Xu wouldn't do much good.

"Rest assured, my lord," Jia Xu replied.

On the other side, Cao Cao was also in consultation with Xun You and Cheng Yu about how to deal with Cao Bao the next day. For Cao Cao, the elite nature of the Danyang soldiers had piqued his interest, which was why he had repeatedly feigned weakness.

"My lord, to defeat the elite Danyang troops, the best strategy isn't to defeat them ourselves but to have them defeat themselves," Xun You said in his usual wooden tone.

"Gongda is right. Liu Xuande's proclamations have spread across the land. Despite our earlier actions, we have already lost the moral high ground. This is partly because Yuan Benchu has suppressed Chen Gongzang's proclamation, but even so, Mi Zhengping's document is still difficult to handle," Cheng Yu said with a headache. "Liu Xuande's battle declarations express his fury vividly. We can't avoid this conflict with Mount Tai."

Although Cheng Yu and others didn't look down on scholars who were adept at writing, they hadn't placed them on a high pedestal either. However, after reading Mi Heng's proclamation, which could incite fury and rage, Cheng Yu realized that everything had its place and time.

Having witnessed Mi Heng's proclamation firsthand, Xun You even felt a tinge of gratitude towards Yuan Shao. If Yuan Shao hadn't suppressed Chen Lin's proclamation, Cao Cao's reputation would have been utterly ruined by now.

The most terrifying thing about Chen Lin's proclamation was that it didn't contain a single insult, fully displaying the elegance of a scholar. If it were to spread, many bored nobles would scrutinize every detail of what Cao Cao had done in Xuzhou.

In that case, the massacre of Xuzhou could no longer be swept under the rug, as these nobles weren't fools. They might not be able to calculate the exact number of people killed, but they could definitely produce an estimate.

As for Mi Heng's venomous proclamation, though it could infuriate, many nobles saw it as mere mudslinging between enemies.