Chapter 25: The Great Figures are Stunned: Has Liu Bei Found a Hidden Master?

Xiapi, Xuzhou.

"What?"
"Our coalition forces were completely wiped out?"
In the government hall, Lu Bu slammed his hand onto the table, his face filled with such shock and disbelief that it felt as if he were hearing a tall tale.

"Reporting to the Marquis of Wen, it is absolutely true."
"According to the soldiers who fled back, Liu Bei used his provisions and baggage as bait, causing General Cao to mistakenly believe his army was in a state of panic and fleeing in disarray."
"General Cao then launched a massive pursuit alongside Li Feng, only to fall into an ambush set by Liu Bei..."
Wei Xu, with a face full of misery, tremblingly detailed the specifics of the defeat.

Lu Bu gasped, collapsing back into his seat, lost in a daze. The hall erupted in an instant, with all the generals exclaiming in horror. Even Chen Gong’s expression shifted drastically, losing his usual composure.

"Six thousand coalition troops, along with my three thousand Danyang elites!"
"All annihilated by that big-eared thief’s three thousand fleeing soldiers?"
"How is this possible? How can this be..."
Lu Bu’s fists tightened, his teeth grinding as he shook his head, unwilling to believe such an incredible report. He had assumed that with the Danyang soldiers in pursuit, coupled with the three thousand men sent by Yuan Shu—a total of six thousand troops, double the size of Liu Bei’s force—they could at least deal Liu Bei another crushing blow, forcing him to flee in total disarray, even if they couldn't wipe him out entirely.

Yet, the outcome was the exact opposite.
Six thousand men had been nearly annihilated by Liu Bei!
This complete reversal was entirely beyond Lu Bu’s expectations; how could he not be shocked and incredulous? Lu Bu refused to believe it.

Though Chen Gong suppressed his own shock, the confusion and suspicion in his eyes only grew.
"According to what you said, Liu Bei chose to land at Chengfu specifically to utilize the surrounding valley terrain for his ambush."
"This means he had long anticipated that we would send pursuers all the way to the Runan border."
"He then intentionally abandoned his baggage and ordered his rearguard to feign defeat, all to make our army underestimate him and pursue recklessly."
"And so, our army fell into his ambush while completely unprepared!"
"Could there really be someone so deeply calculating and treacherous at Liu Bei’s side?"

Chen Gong’s eyes flickered as he laid out all the suspicious points of the battle. Clearly, it was the strategist behind the scenes that truly amazed him.

"The advisors under that big-eared thief are none other than Mi Zhu, Sun Qian, and Jian Yong. As you have said yourself, Gongtai, those three are of mediocre intellect—mere commoners."
"How could they possibly conceive such a cunning plan for that big-eared thief?"
Lu Bu regained his composure, waving a hand dismissively to reject Chen Gong’s speculation. This rebuttal, however, caused Chen Gong’s figure to stiffen, as if he had suddenly realized something.

"Liu Bei’s silent escape by sea, slipping right under the noses of us and Yuan Shu via the Huai River into Runan—that 'golden cicada shedding its shell' tactic was truly ingenious."
"And now, this ambush of our pursuers is equally stunning."
"Since the likes of Mi, Sun, and Jian lack such brilliance, could it be, as I previously suspected, that Liu Bei gained a brilliant strategist before fleeing Xuzhou?"

Chen Gong voiced his internal theory. Lu Bu was startled at first, then waved his hand in disapproval:
"I can count the well-known strategists in Xuzhou on one hand."
"Didn't you once say, Gongtai, that the only one who could compare to your intellect was Chen Yuanlong?"
"But Chen Yuanlong did not follow Liu Bei in his flight; just the other day, he even sent a letter to me expressing his goodwill."
"I do not believe Liu Bei could have found any brilliant advisor."
"Furthermore, if such a capable person truly existed, why would they choose to serve Liu Bei when he is in such a pathetic state?"

Lu Bu’s words made Chen Gong’s previously logical deduction seem suddenly unreliable.
"If there is no such person, then how could Liu Bei play such masterful moves, time and again, to snatch victory from the jaws of death?"
Chen Gong murmured to himself, falling back into a state of confusion.

Just then, Lu Bu suddenly sensed something amiss and barked:
"Where is my father-in-law? Since he has returned from the defeat, why does he not come to see me?"
Wei Xu shuddered, stammering and unable to utter a sound.
"What about Cao Bao? What exactly happened to him?"
Lu Bu realized something was wrong and demanded fiercely.
Wei Xu had no choice but to sigh and say:
"General Cao could not break out; he was captured by the enemy and was… was executed by Liu Bei!"

Lu Bu staggered, his face once again freezing in shock. Even Chen Gong, who had been skeptical, felt a surge of disbelief. That Cao Bao was captured by Liu Bei was not surprising, given they had fallen into an ambush. But that Liu Bei had actually executed Cao Bao was beyond his expectations. Was Liu Bei not known for his benevolence and tolerance? Cao Bao was not a man of loyalty; once captured, he would surely have begged for mercy. Given Liu Bei's character, there was no reason not to spare him. Yet, Liu Bei had killed him!

The script was all wrong.
"Liu Bei, Liu Bei, in just one month, you have truly made me see you in a new light."
"What on earth has happened to you this past month?"
Chen Gong’s brows furrowed deeply, his thoughts racing as he sank back into profound confusion.

"Big-eared thief!"
"You played me for a fool and killed my father-in-law! You are truly hateful!"
"One day, I will surely cut off your head with my own hands!"
Inside the hall, Lu Bu’s angry roar echoed.

…

Shouchun City.
Inside the provincial government, the halls were filled with white mourning cloth. Yuan Shu had ordered the entire city’s soldiers and citizens to wear sackcloth and observe mourning for his eldest son, Yuan Yao.

"That trash Li Feng was actually defeated by the big-eared thief?"
"He was not only killed by Zhang Fei, but he also lost three thousand of my elite troops?"
Inside the mourning hall, having just learned of the defeat, Yuan Shu jumped up, his obese frame trembling with agitation.

"Reporting to my Lord, Liu Bei set an ambush west of Chengfu. Li Feng and Cao Bao were reckless and impatient, which is how they fell for it."
"Not only was Li Feng's entire army wiped out, but Cao Bao’s as well—all killed by Liu Bei!"
The Registrar, Yan Xiang, spoke in a low voice, silently reporting the details of the battle.

Yuan Shu snatched the silk report, reading it in a frantic hurry. The expression of rage on his face gradually shifted into one of deep confusion and bewilderment.
"The big-eared thief was defeated by Lu Bu, then by me; he is merely a mediocre, incompetent fool."
"How could he change so much overnight, using such a cunning scheme to break our six thousand coalition troops?"
Yuan Shu’s eyes widened, his fleshy face twisted in disbelief. Beside him, Yang Hong was also filled with suspicion, puzzled:
"First the 'golden cicada' escape from Haixi, and now an ambush at Chengfu to win against superior numbers—this does not seem like the strength Liu Bei should possess."
"If he had such intellect, why would he have lost Xuzhou and fled so far?"

Yuan Shu and his ministers were left in a state of bewilderment.
"My Lord, regardless, Liu Bei has indeed crushed our pursuers and is now heading west toward Ru, escaping our control."
"If you send more troops to pursue him west, it will surely alert Cao Cao. If he reinforces Runan, a confrontation will be inevitable."
"In my opinion, given the current situation, you should avoid another direct clash with Cao Cao until you have secured Xuzhou."

Yuan Shu felt a slight chill, a glimmer of caution passing through his eyes. It was precisely because of his repeated, crushing defeats by Cao Cao that he had been forced to retreat to Huainan, leaving him with a lingering "Cao-phobia." To chase Liu Bei now at the cost of clashing with Cao Cao in Runan would indeed be unwise.

"Big-eared thief, I will let you keep your head for now!"
"Once I have taken Xuzhou, I will deal with you and that Cao thief together to vent my hatred!"
Though Yuan Shu spoke toughly, his actions were pragmatic; after weighing the pros and cons, he followed Yan Xiang’s advice. Everyone breathed a sigh of relief.

…

Yingchuan, Xudu.

"Lu Bu seized Xiapi, Liu Bei suffered two crushing defeats and retreated to hold Haixi, and Yuan Shu has swallowed Guangling."
"Xuzhou has evolved from Liu Bei’s sole rule into a three-way standoff; the waters are growing murkier by the moment."
"Wenruo, your 'driving the tiger to devour the wolf' strategy was truly a brilliant move!"
In the government hall, the newly appointed Excellency of the Han squinted at the secret report from Xuzhou, a faint smile playing on his lips.

"Liu Bei is a man who knows how to bend and stretch."
"I predict he will surrender to Lu Bu. Lu Bu, fearing the loss of his 'lips' would leave his 'teeth' cold, will likely accept Liu Bei’s surrender and station him at Xiaopei to form a pincer, preventing Yuan Shu from flanking Xuzhou from the west."
"The Xuzhou of the future will be a situation where Yuan, Lu, and Liu harbor their own ulterior motives, keeping each other in check."
"This will give the Excellency ample time to settle the Emperor and the ministers, clear the threat of the Zhang brothers in the south to Xudu, and then march east to take Xuzhou in one fell swoop."
Xun Yu stroked his thin beard, painting a grand blueprint for Cao Cao.

"Wenruo is right. Wancheng is too close to Xudu; as long as Zhang Ji’s nephew remains, I will never be at ease."
Cao Cao nodded in agreement, deeply convinced.

Just as the two were about to discuss how to deploy troops to Nanyang in the near future, a man in black robes hurried into the hall, holding a silk scroll.
"Excellency, a secret report just received by our intelligence agency."
"Liu Bei recently escaped by sea from Haixi, then traveled via the Huai and Wo rivers into Runan."
"A few days ago, near Chengfu, Liu Bei defeated the six-thousand-strong Yuan-Lu coalition against the odds, killing their generals Cao Bao and Li Feng!"
"Liu Bei is now leading his army toward the west of Ru!"

Cao Cao and Xun Yu were stunned, their faces changing in unison.