Chapter 6: Did I Just Run Into the Boss’s Wife? Salvation!
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Liu Bei grew anxious. Emotionally, he was determined to reclaim Xiapi, yet reason told him that this young master before him was a prodigy of the age. A man of extraordinary talent capable of assisting him in realizing the grand strategy to restore the Han dynasty! To miss such a man would surely be a regret beyond measure.
“In that case, I shall have Jian Xian and accompany Master Xiao to show our hospitality,” Liu Bei said. “I wonder what Master Xiao’s thoughts are?”
Reluctantly, Liu Bei decided to send trusted strategists with Xiao Fang to avoid losing contact with him and thus missing this opportunity altogether. Xiao Fang, perceiving Liu Bei’s cautious intentions, understood but chose not to expose it, graciously accepting the offer.
The two parted ways. Liu Bei personally escorted Xiao Fang out of the city, watching his carriage fade into the distance.
“This man truly is a genius of our times,” Liu Bei murmured to himself. “Had I met him sooner, would I have fallen into such dire straits now?”
Sighing deeply, he stroked his finely groomed beard, his voice full of regret and resolve. As the carriage disappeared beyond the horizon, he set aside his feelings and a fierce determination kindled in his eyes.
“Relay my orders: abandon Xutai tonight and proceed north along the Si River straight to Xiapi. I will risk all to confront that treacherous betrayer in battle!”
…
On the great road, a procession of carriages moved forward slowly.
“Master Jinglüe, where are we headed?” Jian Yong called out from outside the carriage.
“To Haixi County,” came the reply.
“Haixi?” Jian Yong’s eyes flickered with suspicion. Xiao Jinglüe’s brother-in-law was from the Langya Zhuge clan, was he not? If paying respects to ancestors, heading north to Langya would be expected. Why then eastward to Haixi?
Though puzzled, Jian Yong refrained from pressing further.
“Sis’ husband, are we really just leaving like this?” Zhuge Liang finally could not contain his confusion inside the carriage.
“You traveled all the way back to Xuzhou to be Liu Xuande’s chief strategist, didn’t you?” he pressed. “Are you ready to give up so easily? If Liu Xuande really retakes Xiapi, how will we persuade him to seize Jingzhou?”
Xiao Fang smiled knowingly and countered, “A Liang, if you were Chen Gong, and Liu Xuande retook Xiapi, how would you advise Lü Bu to deal with him?”
Zhuge Liang understood this was a test.
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After pondering briefly, a bright gleam flashed in Zhuge Liang’s eyes.
“You once said that most of Liu Xuande’s troops hail from Xuzhou, with many from Xiapi itself. If I were Chen Gong, I’d advise Lü Bu to bring the families of these soldiers into the city walls, crying and calling out for their husbands and sons. The morale of Liu Xuande’s army would crumble from within.”
“In that way, Liu Xuande would lose without fighting!”
Xiao Fang nodded slightly, his gaze approving.
No wonder he was called the hidden dragon. That someone so young could conceive such a strategy proved his exceptional talent.
“So you see, Liu Xuande’s campaign to Xiapi is doomed,” Xiao Fang continued. “I predict he won’t give up on Xuzhou easily. He will likely gather his defeated troops and head south across the Huai River, attempting to reclaim Guangling Commandery. Then, using Guangling as a base, he’ll strive to retake Xuzhou.”
“Unfortunately, Yuan Shu is no pushover. He won’t be so easily defeated by a ragtag army. It will inevitably end in another crushing defeat.”
“After these two disasters, Liu Xuande will lose all hope of retaking Xuzhou.”
“At that time, will you still fear this Liu commander? Won’t he obediently go with us to seize Jingzhou?” Xiao Fang teased, revealing more than he intended.
Historically, Liu Bei did indeed fail first at retaking Xiapi, then suffered defeat at Guangling against Yuan Shu. Though the butterfly effect of time alteration had yet to manifest, Liu Bei was bound to stumble into the same pitfalls.
Zhuge Liang suddenly grasped the full picture, murmuring in admiration, “So you’ve already mapped out Liu Xuande’s every move clearly.”
“I wonder when I’ll reach such a level of wisdom…” His tone was filled with respect and a touch of envy.
After this reflection, his curiosity sparked again.
“I understand we’re to wait until Liu Xuande is cornered before persuading him to seize Jingzhou.”
“But why don’t we follow him with the army? Why head to Haixi instead?”
Xiao Fang sneered.
History recorded that after the defeat at Guangling, Liu Bei was so desperate that his troops were nearly starving and resorting to cannibalism.
“Following Liu Xuande means sharing his defeat,” he said bluntly. “I’m not his chief strategist yet; I can endure hardship, but I’ll avoid suffering the worst.”
Pointing eastward, he explained, “After losing at Guangling, the soldiers will flee, supplies dry up. He’ll first seek a place to regroup.”
“The Mi family is the wealthiest in Xuzhou, and Haixi is their stronghold, abundant in provisions and servants.”
“Mi Zhu has bet everything on Liu Xuande’s success and will surely advise him to move to Haixi to gather supplies.”
“We go ahead to Haixi, enjoy the sea breeze and sun, and wait for him to come to us.”
Xiao Fang laid bare his reasoning for his brother-in-law.
Zhuge Liang’s eyes widened in understanding. Calculating Liu Bei’s defeats and his inevitable reliance on the Mi family in Haixi was all within Xiao Fang’s grasp.
“This is a masterstroke, my brother-in-law’s cunning is truly unfathomable.”
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“Perhaps even my Water Mirror teacher pales in comparison…” Zhuge Liang mused silently.
The procession moved eastward, heading toward Haixi City.
At this time, Yuan Shu had not yet crossed the Huai River, and Lü Bu had only just seized Xiapi, unable to extend control eastward. Liu Bei’s prestige remained intact.
Thanks to Jian Yong’s presence, their passage through several cities was smooth.
They first traveled by land, then boarded a boat, journeying north along the You River toward Haixi.
Four days later, at dusk, the boat approached a ferry crossing to resupply.
Just as they prepared to dock, a fierce battle unfolded on the shore.
Several hundred soldiers under the “Lü” banner clashed with over a hundred of Liu Bei’s Xuzhou troops in a frontline skirmish.
Lü Bu’s forces vastly outnumbered and dominated the fight.
Xiao Fang, unwilling to involve himself in this chaos, ordered the boat to steer clear and continue north.
“Those are Mi Fang and Sun Gongyou!” Jian Yong’s face paled as he pointed at the shore in alarm.
“Mi Zizhong said they were escorting the mistress eastward to Haixi. Lü Bu’s forces must have pursued them here, aiming to capture the mistress as a hostage!”
“The enemy commander is the traitor Xu Dan!”
“And that carriage must hold my lady!”
Xiao Fang’s heart jolted as he looked ashore again.
Sure enough, amid Liu Bei’s soldiers stood two armored figures—no doubt Mi Fang and Sun Qian as Jian Yong had said.
They shouted orders to their few remaining troops, fiercely protecting a carriage.
Inside the carriage was likely Liu Bei’s wife, Lady Su.
“What a strange coincidence to run into this…” Xiao Fang muttered, then commanded the boat to approach the ferry crossing.
If luck hadn’t brought them here, so be it. But now that their lady was in peril, how could they turn a blind eye? How else would he explain it to old Liu later?
This person must be rescued.
“The mistress must be saved, of course, but the enemy numbers several hundred, while we have only fifty or sixty aboard,” Jian Yong cautioned, uneasy.
“We’re outnumbered; Master Xiao, you must stay calm.”
Xiao Fang was unruffled.
“Our strength lies in striking from the unexpected. If we capture the leader first, the enemy’s numbers won’t matter.”
He glanced at the young head of their guards beside him, pointing toward the shore.
“Wenchang, see that armored enemy commander? That must be Xu Dan himself.”
“You want to follow me and scheme for a noble title and fame across the land, don’t you?”
“Then let’s start by taking Xu Dan’s head from the chaos!”
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