After returning to the camp, Chen Xi was in a rather foul mood. Although he had indeed not had the best intentions when he sent a letter to Lü Bu back then, it wasn't entirely meant to harm him. It was more of an opportunistic move, taking advantage of a situation as it arose.
But looking back, who would have thought that such a small, casual action would have such significant consequences? Chen Xi acknowledged that the incident had a substantial impact on Lü Bu, but he didn't feel it was directly his fault. Lü Bu's reaction stemmed entirely from his own internal vulnerabilities, didn't it? How could that be related to him?
"What a pity. If you had realized what Lü Bu was after just a little earlier, we could have already brought him over to our side," Guo Jia said with a conflicted expression. After some reflection, he realized they had missed a golden opportunity. If they had figured out Lü Bu's true intentions at that critical moment, they could have recruited him, and there would have been confidence in managing him.
"Easy for you to say in hindsight," Chen Xi said, pulling a face. "Who could have predicted that such a minor incident would lead to such a big result? It's just a case of things going wrong, but at least we're not in a terrible situation."
"That's true. If it weren't for Zhang Wenyuan's shout, we might be facing off against Lü Bu and Yuan Shao right now. So, in that sense, things didn't turn out so bad, but still, I can't help feeling dissatisfied," Guo Jia muttered, his face twisting into a grimace. "The duck that was almost in our hands has flown away. What a tragedy!"
"Alright, enough. This is already a good outcome. Without today's events, we would have clashed with Lü Bu sooner or later. Now, we've at least saved ourselves some trouble. If you're still upset, we can focus that energy on dealing with Yuan Shao. He's the real enemy," Chen Xi grumbled.
It wasn't just Guo Jia who felt dissatisfied; Chen Xi did too. They had been so close—if only he had realized the truth a bit sooner, he could have lured Lü Bu over. Afterward, regardless of the means used to help Lü Bu resolve his inner conflicts and return to Bingzhou, even if Lü Bu found out he had been tricked, he probably wouldn't have held a grudge.
"Is this what they call misplaced anger?" Guo Jia asked with a cheeky grin.
"This is called strategy, understand?" Chen Xi said with a dark expression. "We'll attack Tian Feng's camp, create an opportunity for Lü Bu, and let him go back. I want to see if he dares to return to Bingzhou!"
"He will definitely go back," Zhao Yun interjected, taking over the conversation. "At his level, once he's made up his mind, he won't turn back."
"Bingzhou, huh? It won't be an easy fight," Chen Xi said, tugging at his mouth. "If he really does go back and takes his homeland, then all past grievances will be forgiven. If I meet him again, I'll greet him with respect."
"That place is indeed tough to conquer," Guo Jia added, grimacing. "It's nothing like the barren wastelands of Saibei and Youyan. It's one of the most fertile regions—the Hetao Plain. From ancient times until now, countless battles have been fought over that land. Wuyuan, Dingxiang, Yunzhong, Shuofang—those places are constantly contested whenever the Han dynasty weakens, all because of the Hetao Plain!"
The Hetao Plain is comparable to a granary. The Han dynasty and the nomads have fought numerous times over it, each side trying to seize it whenever they can. It's where the strongest forces of the Xiongnu and Xianbei are stationed.
"Not an easy fight? Honestly, whether it's us or Yuan Benchu, as long as we stabilize the Central Plains, we would both definitely aim to take that area back. The only reason Yuan Benchu isn't making a move right now is because he has plenty of food and land. He doesn't want to deplete his strength fighting the nomads and risk us taking advantage of it," Chen Xi said with a cold smile.
If Yuan Shao really decided to attack the Hetao region, Chen Xi wouldn't hesitate to turn around and strike Yuzhou. And if Yuan Shao moved north, Chen Xi would provide all the support he needed without touching Yuan Shao's territory. But Yuan Shao stubbornly held the line at Yanmen and wouldn't advance north. He only focused on eliminating the nomads in that area, and the Xiongnu and Xianbei, understanding Yuan Shao's intentions, didn't dare provoke him.
"His approach isn't wrong. For him, containing our development is the top priority, while the nomads are just a minor nuisance," Guo Jia nodded.
Chen Xi didn't respond to Guo Jia's disdain for the nomads. There were indeed nearly ten million nomads on the grasslands, but when it came to a serious fight, any of the northern warlords could easily scatter them. Even the forces in Sizhi, like Li Jue and Guo Si, had plenty of experience in slaughtering nomads.
"Let's leave this discussion for later. For now, let's go create that opportunity for him to return to Bingzhou. Once he's there, how he develops will be up to him," Chen Xi said, rising to his feet.
"Whether out of anger or strategy, we have to fight Yuan Shao. If that's the case, let's hit him hard. We need to act quickly before things change. A direct assault—if we lose with superior forces and commanders, we might as well give up on this business altogether!" Guo Jia said calmly. With the matter of Lü Bu settled, Yuan Shao was now their primary enemy.
"Exactly, a direct attack will prevent any unforeseen complications," Chen Xi said with a cold smile. "Guan Yu, where are you?"
"At your command!" Guan Yu immediately rose to his feet.
"Lead two thousand cavalry and three thousand infantry. Wait for Tian Feng's camp to be breached and charge straight for the command banner. Cut it down for me," Chen Xi commanded.
"Understood!" Guan Yu replied.
"Zhao Yun, where are you?"
"At your command," Zhao Yun responded calmly.
"Lead the White Horse Volunteers to circle the camp and cut off reinforcements from the enemy's flanks. Prevent anyone from launching a surprise attack!" Chen Xi handed over another order.
"Understood," Zhao Yun replied.
"Xu Chu, you will lead the Tiger Guard heavy infantry. Use the iron rams to smash through their defenses!" Chen Xi ordered.
"Understood," Xu Chu said, rising to his feet.
"Chen Chi, you will lead the infantry in a frontal assault. Don't worry about making each wave too powerful; just keep attacking like waves crashing against the shore, wearing them down. Make sure to equip the crossbow carriages properly!" Chen Xi instructed Chen Chi. "Fengxiao and I will join you."
"Understood!" Chen Chi rose and clasped his hands in salute.
"If we go all out like this, what if someone attacks our rear?" Guo Jia asked with a frown.
"After the battle, we'll head straight to the new city of Linyi! We'll station ourselves there—it's our stronghold. Since Lü Bu is about to leave, we don't need to hide anything anymore. If Yuan Shao isn't happy, he can come and take it. Linyi is a fortress in itself, and it will stabilize our rear," Chen Xi said with a sneer.
"That works. Being open about it will make things go faster. As for Yanzhou, it seems we and Yuan Benchu won't be resting this winter," Guo Jia nodded, then sighed, thinking of the mess Lü Bu had left behind.
The fate of Yanzhou would still be determined by battle. Even if Lü Bu handed it over to Liu Bei's side, a fight would still be necessary. Yuan Shao's territory in Bingzhou and Yanzhou were completely connected, so even if Liu Bei legally received it, he would be lucky to secure half of it.