Leaving aside Chen Xi and Guo Jia's swift decision to drive Tian Feng and others out of Yanzhou and seize the initiative in capturing it, let's focus on the negotiations between Chen Gong and Tian Feng. Despite Tian Feng laying all his cards on the table, Chen Gong merely laughed it off, showing no signs of wavering in his resolve.
After Tian Feng left with a bitter expression, Lü Bu and Zhang Liao returned. By this time, Chen Xi and Guo Jia had already assembled their forces and were preparing to attack Tian Feng's camp.
"We're heading back to Bingzhou?" Chen Gong felt as though his eyes were about to pop out of his head. How did things suddenly take such a turn?
"I'm going to retake Wuyuan, Yunzhong, Dingxiang, and Shuofang. I want to reclaim the lost lands of Bingzhou," Lü Bu declared resolutely.
"Hold on," Chen Gong immediately interrupted Lü Bu's grand declaration and turned to Zhang Liao. "Wenyuan, you tell me. I want to know what Liu Xuande's side is thinking. Joining him is clearly the best option. With such a grand display, it's obvious they want to recruit us. How did this conversation veer toward returning to Bingzhou?"
Zhang Liao recounted the entire sequence of events, although Lü Bu, standing to the side, grumbled in discontent but didn't stop him.
Chen Gong smiled wryly. It truly was a series of twists and turns. In his view, Chen Xi had indeed shown great sincerity, but Lü Bu's deep-seated obsession had derailed Chen Xi's efforts. What intrigued Chen Gong, however, was how Lü Bu's mindset had evolved to the point of making such a declaration, one that had even convinced Zhang Liao.
"Fengxian, most of the lost lands in Bingzhou are in the Hetao Plain. It's not easy to reclaim them. Are you sure you want to take them back? Moreover, in that region, we won't receive support from Liu Xuande, and being situated behind Yuan Benchu's lines could put us in a precarious position," Chen Gong cautiously probed. But after mentioning the potential crisis, he noticed a surprising resolve in Lü Bu's expression.
"If we don't receive support, we'll plunder the nomads. Many years ago, when I was in Wuyuan, that's exactly what I did. As long as we're strong enough, we can seize a fertile land that will sustain us. Once we've accumulated enough strength, we'll march north and conquer the nomads. Whether in terms of national righteousness or my own moral obligations, everything aligns with this goal!" Lü Bu said with conviction.
"Who gave you this plan?" Chen Gong frowned. This approach was almost identical to the method he had previously considered to break the deadlock. As for the first step—subjugating the nomads—it was in their nature to submit to the strong. As long as it wasn't someone like Gongsun Zan, a madman bent on genocide, a thorough beating would make the nomads submit.
"No one told me. When I realized I needed to return to Bingzhou, this idea naturally came to mind, and I had a strong feeling that I must go back. Whether to correct my mistakes or for other reasons, my intuition tells me this is my last chance," Lü Bu murmured, but as he uttered the words "last chance," his eyes suddenly filled with firm determination.
Lü Bu's obsession with Bingzhou ran deep. Zhang Liao's words rekindled his hope of returning, and with that hope came a clear sense of direction. The concept of "spiritual clarity" applied to Lü Bu in this situation, although the subtleties were something only he could fully grasp.
As the first to break through the "spirit" stage of the triad of essence, energy, and spirit, Lü Bu had gained a vague yet profound sense of his future. At the moment Zhang Liao spoke, Lü Bu had a fleeting sense that if he didn't act now, he might never have the chance. Coupled with his deep attachment to Bingzhou, he made the decision without hesitation. Upon deciding to return, Lü Bu felt a lightness in his heart and gained a sudden insight, immediately setting his sights on reclaiming the five counties of Bingzhou.
Unlike Xiang Yu, who gained unparalleled strength after breaking through the "essence" and "energy" stages, breaking through the "spirit" stage didn't result in a sudden surge in physical power. Instead, it brought clarity to his desires and removed doubts from his heart.
In short, Lü Bu truly wanted to return to Bingzhou. As for reclaiming Wuyuan and the other lost territories, that was merely his way of avoiding the constraints of his past.
Chen Gong smirked, never having seen Lü Bu so clever before. But he didn't dwell on it too much. Since Lü Bu wanted to return to Bingzhou, it might not be a bad move after all.
"In that case, we'll withdraw from Yanzhou, taking all our supplies with us, and head to Wuyuan in Bingzhou. Fengxian, do you agree?" Chen Gong asked Lü Bu.
"Abandon Yanzhou?" Lü Bu hesitated, clearly pained by the thought. "But we'll take all the grain and supplies with us. We won't leave them a single scrap."
"Very well, leave the rest to me," Chen Gong nodded. He was now in full mental preparation mode, drawing heavily on his reserves, but he had no choice but to activate his mental talent to ensure everything was done properly.
"Is Mr. Weishuo here?" Chen Gong called out outside Liu Yan's tent.
"Reporting to the strategist, Mr. Liu has already left," a guard replied, handing Chen Gong a letter.
Chen Gong was momentarily taken aback, but after reading the letter, he smiled bitterly. Liu Yan had fled, yet he still tried to play innocent.
"Forget it. Tomorrow, I'll personally visit Chen Zichuan. Some things can only be handled with Liu Bei's help, and we need to eliminate any potential threats," Chen Gong sighed and decisively deactivated his mental talent. He didn't want to waste any more of his reserves.
Chen Gong sent a messenger to deliver a letter to Chen Xi's camp, only to find that the camp was already empty. The army had long since marched to attack Tian Feng's camp, opting for a brute force approach rather than seeking the element of surprise.
Of course, Chen Gong was unaware of this. After sending the letter, he began assigning tasks to his troops and dispatched orders to Cheng Lian in Puyang, instructing him to retreat and rendezvous with them in the northern territories. He also sent directives to various county officials, hoping to see if anyone would follow him to Bingzhou.
Chen Gong didn't have high hopes for these letters, as most of Yanzhou's officials were local gentry with little inclination to follow Lü Bu to Bingzhou. He wrote them out of a sense of duty, thinking that perhaps someone might decide to join them—who knew?
Aside from these tasks, Chen Gong began meticulously analyzing the situation in the Hetao region. The nomads there were no small threat, and if they didn't make early preparations, their plans for a northern expedition to reclaim lost lands could become a joke. Facing the formidable Xiongnu, Xianbei, and Qiang Hu directly in the Hetao region was a daunting prospect.
After carefully analyzing the situation with his mental talent, Chen Gong could only sigh in frustration. No wonder no one had tried to reclaim that land—it was a massive pit!