Chapter 69: Lu Bu's Intentions

As Cao Cao gathered his forces to launch another assault on Wancheng,

the situation in Yangzhou escalated rapidly.

Currently, circumstances were highly unfavorable for Yuan Shu. Although he had no shortage of troops, there was a severe lack of capable commanders.

Without strong leaders, what good were vast armies?

Realizing this predicament now was too late. Facing attacks from three directions, Yuan Shu could not mount effective resistance. His forces retreated steadily, forced continually backward.

Meanwhile, the allied tri-force advanced triumphantly.

Among them, Lu Bu’s army fought with the most aggressive fervor. Like the tip of a spear, they shattered all opposition, their momentum unstoppable.

Inside the central military camp, Lu Bu studied the campaign map spread across the table, his face beaming with delight. “Yuan Shu is truly no match for us,” he exclaimed. “At our current pace, we’ll reach Shou County within three months and capture that false emperor!”

Initially, he harbored some apprehension towards Yuan Shu, considering him a dominant force in Huai’nan with hundreds of thousands under his command. However, upon engaging in battle, Lu Bu discovered that Yuan Shu’s armies lacked significant fighting prowess.

To be precise, it was due to the ineptitude of their commanding generals.

Yuan Shu’s forces lacked even a single formidable fighter!

Chen Gong also smiled and said, “It’s not that our enemy is weak but rather due to your extraordinary valor, General. Moreover, Yuan Shu faces four separate armies attacking from two fronts.

“His main forces are already deployed against Sun Ce, making them difficult to mobilize freely, hence why this campaign has progressed so smoothly.”

Sun Ce posed a greater threat to Yuan Shu than the three other invading forces combined. Positioned deep within Huai’nan territory, he was akin to a dagger pointed at Yuan Shu’s heart, ready to strike him down at any moment.

Thus, Yuan Shu had no choice but to allocate a significant portion of his troops to guard against Sun Ce.

“Sun Ce? The son of Sun Jian?” Lu Bu raised his sword-like eyebrows, his eyes blazing with eagerness for battle. “If given the chance, I would indeed relish meeting him head-on to see who surpasses their father!”

In the past, while serving under Dong Zhuo, Lu Bu had faced off against Sun Jian twice and been defeated both times. Although there were various factors contributing to these losses, defeat remained defeat, and there was nothing more to say about it. He yearned for another opportunity to confront Sun Jian directly, aiming to vanquish him and erase the stain of previous defeats.

However, instead of awaiting a rematch, he received news of Sun Jian’s death by stray arrow-an outcome he found deeply regrettable.

Since everyone claimed Sun Jian’s son, Sun Ce, possessed bravery rivaling his father’s, Lu Bu was eager to face him on the battlefield.

“General, there is no need for direct confrontation with Sun Ce,” Chen Gong interjected, patiently explaining, “Our expedition against Yuan Shu serves two purposes: first, to uphold justice by eliminating the false emperor; second, to divide Yangzhou among ourselves. In truth, the latter is our true objective.”

“Haven’t you noticed? After capturing Danyang and Lujiang, Sun Ce ceased further military action and merely maintained a standoff with Yuan Shu. This indicates he is waiting for the opportune moment.”

“As soon as our three-pronged assault exhausts Yuan Shu’s forces, Sun Ce will strike again, aiming to claim even more territory! By then, all three armies will be weary and worn out—how could we possibly compete with him?

“If you engage him at that point, it would likely result in a disastrous defeat.”

While Lu Bu focused solely on warfare tactics, Chen Gong had a broader perspective, constantly analyzing the evolving political landscape.

Upon hearing this, Lu Bu’s expression shifted slightly, and he couldn’t help but ask, “Is Sun Ce truly so deceitful? Then…Gongtai, what should this general do now?”

Chen Gong had already formulated a plan and responded, “From now on, General, you must not wage war as aggressively as before; it’s crucial to conserve our strength.”

“Simultaneously, we should deploy troops from Xuzhou to occupy the captured cities, aiming to secure as much territory as possible.”

Throughout this campaign, Chen Gong never intended to conquer all of Yangzhou, knowing it was unfeasible.

His objective was simply to gain a share of the spoils by dividing some of Yuan Shu’s territories during this war against him.

“Yes! I’ll follow Gongtai’s advice completely!” Lu Bu nodded repeatedly, fully trusting Chen Gong’s counsel.

Then, recalling something else, he asked Chen Gong, “Gongtai, once we defeat the false Emperor Yuan Shu, shouldn’t we focus next on rescuing His Majesty?”

Lu Bu remained preoccupied with Liu Xie’s situation in Yecheng. His reasoning was straightforward: rescuing Liu Xie from Yuan Shao would undoubtedly be a greater achievement than subduing Yuan Shu.

Perhaps, if pleased, His Majesty might even appoint him as Great General!

”…”

Chen Gong fell silent at Lu Bu’s words. How could one compare Yuan Shu with Yuan Shao?

Sighing inwardly, Chen Gong said, “General, let’s not dwell on this for now. You cannot yet match Yuan Shao.”

“Moreover, His Majesty is currently safe in Yecheng. Yuan Shao wouldn’t dare harm him. I heard recently that he even presented a woman with the auspicious ‘Phoenix Destiny’ to the imperial court as a gesture of respect to the Emperor. This shows his concern for maintaining appearances; he wouldn’t risk casually endangering His Majesty.”

Chen Gong genuinely feared that after defeating Yuan Shu, Lu Bu might impulsively decide to take on Yuan Shao next, so he hastily tried to dissuade him.

“I understand.” Thankfully, Lu Bu was receptive to advice. Following Chen Gong’s words, he temporarily set aside the idea of rescuing Liu Xie from Yuan Shao, though it continued to linger in his thoughts.

So offering beauties to His Majesty can enhance one’s reputation?

At the Yuan Manor in Yecheng,

After some time recuperating, Yuan Shao had fully recovered.

However, he still suffered from lingering effects; any sudden outburst of anger could lead to another collapse, potentially even more severe than before.

Despite regaining his health, Yuan Shao chose not to reclaim full control over military and administrative affairs from his sons, allowing them to continue sharing the burden.

At this moment, Yuan Shang was reporting on the frontline situation to Yuan Shao.

“Father, the battle lines in Yangzhou have stretched significantly, resulting in substantial casualties among our forces. General Yan has requested reinforcements and increased logistical support.”

“I have already authorized the deployment of twenty thousand additional troops as reinforcement, along with a thirty percent increase in logistics for contingencies,” Yuan Shang reported.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao furrowed his brow in thought before responding, “Twenty thousand is insufficient. Deploy another twenty thousand troops, and increase logistical support by fifty percent instead. It’s crucial to ensure adequate supplies reach the frontlines.”

Yuan Shang hesitated momentarily but quickly nodded, saying, “Yes, Father!”

On the side, Yuan Xi appeared distressed and remarked, “Father, isn’t increasing logistical support by fifty percent somewhat excessive?”

“With such extended battle lines, the strain on logistics is already immense. Doubling the supply now truly…may become unbearable.”

Currently, Yuan Shang oversaw military operations, while Yuan Xi managed logistics.

The distance between Yangzhou and Jizhou was vast, making the elongated frontline a significant challenge for logistics management. Adding further increases would intensify the pressure on Yuan Xi considerably.