Meng De POV

“The Yingchuan troops numbering about 3-40,000 have gathered in Xuchang. Yuan Shao forces have swelled to 120,000 after defeating Beiping’s Gongsun Zan.” I was currently galloping on horseback toward the outskirts of Xuchang while Xun Yu delivered the latest figures and updates as she sat behind me, “As for my lord’s personal troops, the damage sustained by Liu Bei’s counterattack in Xu state was not small at all. I’m afraid at least a third are badly wounded or dead.”

“That is something we cannot do anything about… What about the frontlines?”

“Yue Jin, Cheng Yu and the rest have made it to their designated positions. General Xiahou Dun is guarding our back to prevent any surprise attack on Xuchang.”

I nodded with a smile as I heard this. Looks like our preparations are complete. Looks like what I have to do now is… To think about our overarching strategy.

“Xun Yu, where is Feng Xiao?”

“Guo Jia has gone to Chengxi.” Xun Yu said, “Seems like she intends on inviting Zhang Xiu’s strategist, Jia Xu.”

… Jia Xu huh. Haha, I can’t believe Feng Xiao thought about the exact same thing as I did. I haven’t actually met Jia Xu before but from what I’ve heard of her, and the trouble that Zhang Xiu has given me, I can sense that she is no ordinary person.

“… As my lord has guessed, Jia Xu is an extraordinary talent. But she is extremely cunning and may not be willing to serve us.” Xun Yu was able to figure out what I was thinking and voiced her worries.

But I wasn’t worried about this.

“Jia Xu will be able to see the situation for what it is, and make the right choice between me and Yuan Shao.”

I hope so. Xun Yu muttered softly.

The me now was both elated at seeing the road that lay before me and also excited at the progress I was making along this road.

“My lord has also summoned Guan Yu and the other 2 right? Do you intend on having them march with you?”

“Ah, those 3 are very brave and strong warriors. Whether it’s an ambush or a head-on clash, we need those 3.”

“Un… My lord is right, but…” Xun Yu’s voice became soft, as though she only wanted me to hear what came next, “Of the 3, Lu Bu is extremely moody and unpredictable. It’s hard to tell when she will lose it and go wild.”

Lu Bu huh… Though she’s usually a woman of few words, her aura is completely different from everyone else. It feels like no one can control her.

“Don’t worry, it’ll be fine.” I said to allay Xun Yu’s concerns,”If Lu Bu was a feudal lord in her own right, I might have chosen to kill her. But the reins on her are still in the hands of Xuan De so using her is fine for now.”

But really, how exactly did Xuan De win over that Lu Bu? Putting it another way, perhaps it’s because it’s Xuan De that Lu Bu could be tamed.

At this, I stopped all stray thoughts. What I need to think about now, is how to deal with the battle against Yuan Shao.

Xuan De POV

Following Gong You’s guidance, I was able to quickly get in touch with Yuan Shao who directed us to head directly to Yuan Shao’s garrison instead of Nanpi– Liyang.

In Ye city, we were able to recruit roughly 300 troops and the rest of the money left was used to buy as many horses from the north as possible so that we could reach Liyang as soon as possible.

I didn’t think that an unknown person such as I could gather so many troops.

“Oi! Gong You!” The thunderous sound from the gallop of the horses filled my ears as I was riding at the front with Gong You and Zi Long. I had been thinking about something for a while now and could not longer hold back and decided to ask Gong You about it.

“!?” Gong You did not speak as she was concentrating on riding, but gestured with her chin for me to continue.

“Now that we’re heading towards Liyang, could it be that Yuan Shao intends for us to a.s.sist her in fighting Meng De?”

“…” Gong You held her breath as she shook her head vigorously before spitting out a few words, “But it will probably be like that!”

Un… Looks like I can’t avoid it huh. I’m not too familiar with the Battle of Guandu, but I do know about the slaying of Yan Liang and the Raid on Wuchao. Additionally, if we head to where Yuan Shao is right now, then we should be able to meet Yun Chang.

But would it really turn out to be like that? As a main character of this event, what evidence do I have that everything will go as the history I know?

I can’t say it will, for certain.

As I held these tumultuous emotions inside me while we advanced, Liyang city appeared before me.

Liyang city was only about the size of a county city and wasn’t big at all. But it had now become the advance base for Yuan Shao in her upcoming battle with Meng De and currently housed 5-60,000 troops.

Looks like the original inhabitants have been mostly driven out and only troops are left in Liyang city. As I thought so, I followed Gong You into the city.

As I looked about, apart from male and female troops, there were only weapons, plate armour and ancient siege weapons of all shapes and sizes about. There seemed to be no peaceful signs of life at all, only brutality and violence.

“Please be careful when you speak later, my lord.” Gong You whispered to me just as a tent that seemed extraordinarily big compared to the constructs about it appeared.

She then went up and parted the curtains–

“I’ve shed blood, sweat and tears for you, Yuan Shao! And now you turn on me!” Just as Gong You parted the curtains, a big and burly man cursed and swore as he was hauled out by 4 soldiers.

“Kill me?! You would dare kill me! You useless coward, Yuan Shao! You will die a horrible death!”

“Isn’t that Ju Yi?” Zi Long softly muttered.

“You know him?”

“I fought quite a few bouts with him at Jie Bridge. He was a brave and upright warrior, if a bit brusque.”

Is that so? Looks like he is another brave warrior general. But why is he about to be executed?

Just as I was looking on in bewilderment at this big, burly man who was being dragged out, the sounds of argument coming from inside the tent drew the attention of my eyeb.a.l.l.s. I looked inside the tent and saw Yuan Shao, who was sitting on an elevated stage, while 6 girls sitting below her were embroiled in a heated argument.

Just then, Gong You pulled on my sleeve and bade me to go in with her. When I entered, Yuan Shao yelled out angrily, “Stop it you lot! Ju Yi has grown arrogant and overestimates himself. For this, he deserves to be executed. Tian Feng and Ju Shou need no longer bother defending him.”

Yuan Shao supported her chin with her hands and looked on with a fearsome gaze that emitted a pressure that made it hard for anyone to approach.

“My lord, we are now at a critical juncture where we are in need of manpower. How can you dismiss a general because of such a small matter?! Even if you want to execute him, you could have done so after the battle!”

But even so, a young girl who had her hair tied back in a ponytail continued to reason unrelentingly as she placed her hands in a salute before her chest.

“… Tian Feng! See if I will…” Yuan Shao’s rage seemed to have reached tipping point and she raised her hand, probably to gesture an order when she suddenly saw us and put down her hand as she clenched her teeth. She gave a ‘hmph’ before leaving the stage and storming out of the tent.

Seeing Yuan Shao leave, another girl wearing a black gown rolled her eyes at Tian Feng and then hurriedly followed after Yuan Shao.

“Yuan Hao, why do you have to go so far!? It’s not as if you don’t know how our lord is like.” Another girl, who seemed slightly older than Tian Feng, to the side said to her, but didn’t continue further when she saw us.

She turned to us and said, “Someone will give you your a.s.signments later.” After saying this, she pushed Tian Feng out of the tent as well.

Gong You shook her head lightly, and shrugged as though to tell me that it is always like that.

“If the strategists and the lord are so disunited, how can they face an enemy together?” Zi Long said with worry as she placed her hands on her hips and frowned.

It feels like Yuan Shao has been like this since the feudal lord alliance, has that rich young miss att.i.tude of hers remained as is since then?

Hai, if it’s like this, it would be weird if she didn’t lose to Meng De.

When I thought about how I had no choice but to join Yuan Shao’s side who would definitely lose, I felt troubled.

I hope I can reunite with Yun Chang soon.

“Lord Liu Bei?!”

Just as I was silently praying, a voice called out to me from behind all of a sudden.

When I turned back, I saw someone I hadn’t seen in a very long while.