Chapter 5: The Crucial Factor Is Time; We Must Race Against Cao Cao!

Page (1/3)
A sudden jolt struck Liu Bei’s heart.
As he had anticipated, Xiao Fang was still repeating the usual rhetoric, urging him to seize Jingzhou.
Xiao Fang then called upon Zhuge Liang to bring a map, spreading it out before Liu Bei.
“Xuzhou lies at the heart of the Central Plains; whoever holds Xuzhou will inevitably be targeted by Cao Cao!”
“This is like a bed by one’s side—how can one allow others to sleep soundly there? That’s the principle at work.”
“To hold Xuzhou means you must be prepared to fight Cao Cao to the death.”
“Frankly speaking, with your current strength, even if Lu Bu does not seize Xuzhou from you, you will still find it difficult to withstand Cao Cao in the future!”
Xiao Fang’s hand shifted southwest, pointing to the location of Jingzhou.
“Jingzhou is entirely different.”
“This province suffered little from the ravages of war, boasts a population of one million, and fertile lands stretching for thousands of miles—its foundation far surpasses that of Xuzhou.”
“To the west, Liu Zhang is a weak and distracted ruler, barely able to attend to his own affairs, let alone covet Jingzhou.”
“To the east, although Sun Ce has subdued Jiangdong by force, the people’s loyalty remains uncertain, and being constrained by Yuan Shu, he is unlikely to advance westward in his lifetime.”
“So the only real threat to Jingzhou comes from the north—from Cao Cao.”
Xiao Fang’s finger pointed toward Xuchang.
“Cao Cao’s strategy is to firmly hold the Central Plains, contesting with Yuan Shao in the north. Only after unifying the north will he fully commit his forces southward.”
“To him, the greatest threat from Jingzhou is that Nanyang lies too close to Xuchang.”
“Even if Cao Cao deploys his troops against Jingzhou, his aim will be to seize Nanyang and eliminate the threat south of Xuchang, not to swallow Jingzhou whole.”
“Moreover, unlike Xuzhou, which offers no natural defenses, Jingzhou has multiple defensive lines, including the formidable natural barrier of the Han River, besides fortifications at Wancheng and Xinye.”
“Even if the entire Nanyang Commandery falls and Cao Cao’s army reaches the Han River, lacking a navy, what can a million-strong force truly threaten?”
Hearing this, Liu Bei, who had been silent, gradually focused his gaze and finally began to face the reality.
“As for Liu Biao, he once entered Xiangyang alone, which allowed him to swiftly gain control of Jingzhou, relying heavily on the support of two influential families: the Kuai and Cai clans.”
“After assuming power, to reward them, Liu Biao handed over military and civil control of Jingzhou entirely to these two clans. Even a major contributor like Huang Zu could only serve as the governor of Jiangxia.”
“Thus, today’s Jingzhou is effectively dominated by the Kuai and Cai families, controlling all key posts, while other prominent families like the Pang and Huang clans, once their equals, receive only scraps.”
“On the surface, Jingzhou appears harmonious, but in truth, many harbor dissatisfaction toward Liu Biao and the Kuai and Cai clans.”
“If Your Excellency can skillfully exploit these internal divisions and employ military strategy appropriately, capturing Jingzhou would be entirely feasible!”
Suddenly, a gleam of ambition lit up Xiao Fang’s face as he slashed his hand decisively across the Yangtze River on the map.
“Once Your Excellency replaces Liu Biao, Jingzhou can serve as the foundation—from there, you can extend westward to Bashu, eastward to Jiangdong, controlling the entire Yangtze, bringing half the realm under your command.”
“Later, while the north remains unsettled and Yuan and Cao contend, you can divide your forces into three, advancing northward: east to seize Xuhuai, central to capture Wancheng and Luoyang, west to take Guanzhong and Longxi!”
Page (1/3)

Page (2/3)
“Thus, the realm will be pacified, and the Han dynasty revived!”
His impassioned and stirring voice echoed through the hall.
Xiao Fang unveiled the grand strategic blueprint he had devised for Liu Bei.
In essence, this was an upgraded version of Zhuge Liang’s “Longzhong Plan.”
Following the “Longzhong Plan,” Liu Bei indeed expanded into Jing and Yi provinces, founding the Shu Han empire.
But tragically, this expansion came too late.
From the time he sought refuge with Liu Biao to the eventual control of Jing and Yi, a full seventeen years had passed!
Nearly eight of those years were spent idly in Xinye, doing nothing of note.
Meanwhile, Cao Cao pressed relentlessly, crushing the northern warlords and seizing the fertile lands between the Yellow and Yangtze Rivers.
By the time Liu Bei finally realized the situation and, after great hardship, took Jing and Yi, Cao Cao’s grip on the north was already firm.
The golden opportunity to march north and reclaim the central plains had been missed.
Moreover, to the east stood Sun Quan, an unreliable ally who schemed to betray and undermine his partners.
In this scenario, merely holding onto Jing and Yi was already the utmost limit; launching a northern campaign to defeat Cao Cao and revive the Han dynasty was a futile pipe dream.
The crucial factor was time!
Competing with Cao Cao and the north was a race against time.
Hence, Xiao Fang had traveled all the way to Xuzhou, employing subterfuge to persuade Liu Bei to seize Jingzhou ahead of schedule.
“So that is the case, so that is the case.”
“No wonder my brother-in-law wished to lead Lord Liu to seize Jingzhou—he must have been nurturing such grand and far-reaching plans all along.”
“My brother-in-law truly is a man of profound foresight…”
Zhuge Liang suddenly understood, his doubts all resolved, and he looked at Xiao Fang with admiration.
Within the hall, Guan Yu, Jian Yong, and others all grew visibly excited, clearly sensing the significance of the plan.
“Brother,” Guan Yu said, “the strategy Xiao Jinglue has proposed is indeed feasible.”
“Seizing Jingzhou might well be a viable path forward!”
Guan Yu’s approval shifted the mood.
Yet Liu Bei remained silent, his eyes revealing a complex expression.
“Though Lord Liu still commands tens of thousands of troops, perhaps still hoping to return to Xiapi and reclaim Xuzhou,”
“Have you considered that among these tens of thousands, only a few thousand are truly loyal Yanyun troops, while the rest are merely local militia from Xuzhou?”
“When these Xuzhou soldiers learn that Xiapi has fallen, will they still have the courage to fight for you?”
Page (2/3)

Page (3/3)
Xiao Fang saw Liu Bei’s reluctance and dashed his illusions with a few blunt words.
Liu Bei stiffened, suddenly realizing the harsh reality.
However, recognizing reality did not mean he would surrender to it.
After much weighing, Liu Bei inhaled deeply and bowed to Xiao Fang.
“Mr. Xiao, your brilliant stratagem and grand vision truly mark you as a rare genius of our age. I deeply admire you!”
Then his tone shifted, and he sighed:
“But I have said before, Liu Jingsheng is my kinsman; even if I had the chance to seize Jingzhou, how could I bear to take away a kinsman’s inheritance?”
“Moreover, when Cao Cao lost Yan Province to Lu Bu, he was similarly trapped, yet he resolved to fight to the death, breaking his cauldrons and sinking his boats, ultimately reclaiming his lost land.”
“Though I humbly confess my talents in strategy and warfare fall short of Cao Cao’s, I do not wish the heroes of the realm to mock Liu Bei for lacking the courage to fight with his back to the wall!”
“I am determined to lead my army northward and fight to the death against that ungrateful scoundrel Lu Bu!”
“Even if defeat is certain, this battle I Liu Bei must fight!”
At that moment, Liu Bei clenched his fists, his expression resolute and dignified, radiating an indomitable spirit.
Xiao Fang, far from surprised, even showed a hint of admiration in his eyes.
Old Liu was not the petty coward some called him—the “Liu the Runner” who fled at the first sign of danger.
Though he had been defeated numerous times, he never truly cowered before anyone; even when he retreated, it was only after fierce fighting and when the situation was hopeless.
Being unable to win is one matter; daring to fight is quite another.
Though now in dire straits, he still commanded twenty thousand troops—could you expect Liu Bei to flee without firing a single shot?
If he truly fled, he would no longer be the indomitable “Little Strong Liu” who fought on despite repeated losses.
“Your Excellency’s courage in knowingly walking into the tiger’s den commands my deep respect.”
“I will not delay Your Excellency’s return to Xiapi. We shall part here.”
“I believe it will not be long before we meet again.”
“Take care, Your Excellency!”
Knowing Liu Bei’s temperament, Xiao Fang refrained from further persuasion and immediately took his leave.
Seeing Xiao Fang preparing to depart, Liu Bei suddenly grew anxious.
Page (3/3)