Vol 4 Chapter 3 (1/2)

Volume 4 Chapter 3: Don’t tell me this is the second attack on Xu state (2)

On the second day just before we were supposed to leave for Xu state, an idea came forth in me.

Though it was risky, I felt that it was the right time to come to a conclusion once and for all. Even if there wasn’t the matter with Xuan De.

“What did you say, my lord?” Feng Xiao stood in front of me, with that characteristic perverted smile of hers, “Can you repeat that one more time?”

Hm hm, looks like she reacted just as expected.

“I didn’t think Feng Xiao’s ears would be faulty too huh~” I laughed as I stood up and placed my hands behind my back as I walked over to her, “I said that we should not be pointing our weapons at Liu Bei.”

She looked at me, with a questioning look and covered her mouth with her sleeve. “Has my lord gone soft? I remember just yesterday that my lord…”

“Yuan Shao in Hebei.” Feng Xiao’s words stopped at these 4 words of mine.

She went silent for a moment before softly sighing and brought her hand from her mouth to her forehead. “My lord wishes to take Hebei?”

“That is correct. Does Feng Xiao think that this is a poor choice,” I was now behind Feng Xiao and turned to look at her long black hair, “Or is Feng Xiao afraid.”

I gave a few hearty laughs after I finished. My laughter didn’t have any particular purpose, it was only to calm down the quivering in my voice.

Whether or not Feng Xiao is afraid, I have a lot of considerations when making this momentous move.

Yuan Shao is occupying Hebei with a large force. She has defeated Gongsun Zan, and has taken over Wuhuan, Xianbei and many other swathes of land. With the troops I have now, even opposing her is a problem, let alone conquest.

But, I was strangely confident.

It’s time. Better for me to attack her than wait for her to attack me.

“Fine,” Just as I was thinking about this, Feng Xiao seems to have been convinced and she bent her head in a grotesque 180-degree angle that seemed like her neck was broken to look at me, “Yuan Shao is a fitting target for us to bring down our full might on.”

“Hou hou~” I laughed as a show to cover my nervousness.

From what she just said, seems like she thinks that Yuan Shao is not too difficult of an opponent. This confidence of hers has elevated her in my eyes once more.

Or could it be that I am the one who is too nervous?

“Then… That’s that then.” I stretched my back to try and relax, “Help me deliver the following messages: Li Dian and Yue Jin are to advance upstream, my little sister Cao Ren is to station her troops at Guandu, and as for logistics, Miao Cai will be in charge.”

(TL: In the original, Cao Ren is a cousin.)

“And who will take care of defence?”

“Leave it to Yuan Rang.” As I said so, I stepped out of the courtyard. The noisy streets of Xuchang seemed to be exceptionally rambunctious. And for some reason, my lips were curled up.

“Though my lord has said as much,” Feng Xiao was not done yet, “Does my lord not intend on dealing with Liu Bei?”

I finally understood how serious Feng Xiao viewed Xuan De as a threat after hearing these words. Seems like she thinks Xuan De is even more dangerous than Yuan Shao.

(TL: In the original, Feng Xiao came up with the famous 10 points on how Cao Cao was superior to Yuan Shao. Depending on the version of actual history, he also viewed Liu Bei as a dangerous threat.)

And on this point, I am of the same opinion as her. Except that I have no intention of acting against Xuan De since I have my own considerations after all.

Of course, this isn’t because I don’t think of Xuan De as a worthy opponent. Feng Xiao’s words have more or less piqued my compet.i.tive spirit against him.

“Let Liu Dai and w.a.n.g Zhong attack Xu state with 20,000…”

“Just Liu and w.a.n.g alone against Liu Bei?” As soon as I finished, Xun Yu’s floating voice came from the gra.s.s beside the stairs.

Is she here as expected?

I no longer feel surprised at their omnipresence.

“Of course, I know that those 2 cannot possibly hope to defeat Xuan De.” Giving them more troops is just a waste of resources. But to me, “Let their troops carry my flags and just stall for time. Ah, tell them not to attack or blockade the city. We just need to know Xuan De’s movements. Anything else will have to wait until I have come to Xu state.”

(TL: Armies, especially provincial ones, typically carried flags of their state or their commander as well as the overall commander. E.g. Liu Dai’s forces may carry both Liu and Cao flags. Here, Meng De is saying that they should only carry Cao flags.)

“Well then, I’ll be heading on first.” Feng Xiao might not have detected or perhaps she doesn’t think that my small schemes will hurt the big picture, and did not say anything else as she left the mansion.

Looking at Feng Xiao, I couldn’t help but sigh. What is it that drives her to fight alongside me so fervently?

This made me think back to when Xun Yu first introduced me to Feng Xiao. Back then, before I could even say a single word, she spat out all my grand ambitions out along with blood.

Strange, sick, weird, wise.

At the same time, she is one of the few subordinates I can truly trust who is also my teacher in governing and military affairs.

As I was occupied with my thoughts, I realised that Feng Xiao was gone. I waved my hands and placed them as my back before looking at the gra.s.s, “You’re not in opposition with me?”

“… Would my lord be referring to the matter with Yuan Shao or the matter with Liu Bei?”

“Un… Both I guess.”

“No objections.” On big picture considerations, whether it was her or Cheng Yu, their answers would always be quick and direct.

“Your reasons?”

“Reasons…” She repeated softly, “Of course, it is because my lord wishes for it to be so. And my lord has never made frivolous, over-reaching claims.”

Hou hou. Her absolute trust in me makes me feel a little proud of myself.

“Though you said as much, you must have done some a.n.a.lysis already, haven’t you?” I smiled as I walked closer to the gra.s.s.

“… Yes.”

“What are my odds of victory?”

“Too many variables, unable to compute.”

“Then can I win?”

“Yes.”

Ke.

“I certainly hope so.” I said as I drew a long sigh and made it to the gra.s.s, only to find that there was no longer anyone there.

She really is elusive huh.

— My lord has never made frivolous, over-reaching claims.

Xun Yu is right though. I never do things I have no confidence of. Ever since the incident of giving the jewelled sword, the way I consider every angle for every problem surprises even me.

But this isn’t something to be proud of. I’m still very young yet my vigor is spent. All that’s left is unending contemplation and caution.

There are times when I really want to return to the past self.

“Xun Yu is still around right? Help me summon Liu Dai and w.a.n.g Zhong.”

Xuan De, I wonder what you’re doing now.

(TL: The incident of giving away a jewelled sword is Cao Cao’s failed a.s.sa.s.sination of Dong Zhuo. This happened shortly after Dong Zhuo began to occupy the capital and before Cao Cao gathered the feudal lords. Cao Cao borrowed a jewelled sword from an official and tried to a.s.sa.s.sinate Dong Zhuo. He waited for Dong Zhuo to lower his guard but Dong Zhuo caught on, and Cao Cao pretended that he was going to offer him the sword. Cao Cao then left the capital before Dong Zhuo could suspect him.)