Reborn Liu Bei: I'll lead this Three Kingdoms to victory!

February 13th, Jian'an 7th year, Ruxukou.

The wreckage of warships floated on the river, some still burning, billowing thick smoke that blotted out the sun. The reeds on the bank were stained dark red with blood, and corpses lay strewn about, indistinguishable as either Cao Cao's army or Jiangdong's army.

Zhou Yu stood on the top deck of the warship, his face so pale it was almost transparent. His left hand pressed against the gunwale, his knuckles white from the force, and fresh blood seeped from the bandage on his right arm.

"Gongjin!" Lu Su rushed to the top floor. "You can't fight anymore!"

Zhou Yu did not turn around.

"Has Xiahou Dun retired yet?"

"They retreated." Lu Su's voice was filled with suppressed excitement. "Just now, we burned twenty of their ships, and they had no choice but to retreat."

"They'll come back even if they retreat." Zhou Yu's voice was soft, yet it carried an icy calmness. "Cao Cao won't let him retreat for long."

He turned around and looked at Lu Su.

"Has Liu Bei's grain supplies arrived yet?"

"They just arrived last night and are unloading the ships." Lu Su paused. "And there's that batch of lamellar armor and ring-pommel swords—made by Ma Jun, far superior to the weapons we have in Jiangdong."

Zhou Yu nodded.

"With these, we can last another half month."

"What about in two weeks?"

Zhou Yu remained silent.

He looked towards the north bank, where Cao Cao's camps stretched endlessly, their banners like a forest.

"In half a month..." he said softly, "we'll see when Liu Bei makes his move."

---

At the same time, in Cao Cao's army camp.

Xiahou Dun's left arm was wrapped in thick bandages, and the arrow wound was still throbbing. But he couldn't care less about that; he was kneeling on one knee before Cao Cao, his face ashen.

"Prime Minister, this humble general is incompetent..."

"Get up." Cao Cao's voice was devoid of emotion. "Zhou Yu is not someone you can deal with."

Xiahou Dun stood up, head bowed.

Cao Cao walked up to the map and pointed to the location of Ruxukou.

"We've fought for ten days, lost eight thousand men, and made no progress." His voice was calm, yet it sent chills down one's spine. "Zhou Yu's defenses are as solid as an iron barrel; a direct assault is not the way to go."

Cheng Yu whispered from the side, "Prime Minister, why don't we divide our forces?"

"Splitting the troops?"

"Ruxukou is difficult to attack, but the Jiangdong forces are weak along the Wuhu and Dangtu line." Cheng Yu pointed to the map, "If we can send a detachment to break through from the west, Ruxukou will fall without a fight."

Cao Cao narrowed his eyes.

"Who is suitable to be the general?"

Cheng Yu pondered for a moment: "Zhang Liao. This man is steady and brave, and is suitable for this task."

Cao Cao looked at Zhang Liao.

The general, in his early thirties, stood at the end of the line, having remained silent until now. He raised his head, his gaze calm.

"Wen Yuan, are you willing to go?"

Zhang Liao clasped his hands in a fist and said, "This humble general obeys the order."

"I'll give you ten thousand men. Take Wuhu within three days."

"promise."

Zhang Liao turned and left the tent.

Cao Cao's gaze returned to the map.

"Any news from Wenruo?"

Cheng Yu shook his head: "Lord Xun has closed his doors to guests; even Prince Cao Pi was turned away at the door."

Cao Cao's finger remained on the map for a long time without moving.

"Prime Minister..." Cheng Yu hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

"explain."

"Lord Xun has served the Prime Minister for twenty years without ever wavering. His current claim of illness likely stems from a genuine disagreement with the southern expedition. If the Prime Minister..."

"If what?"

Cheng Yu gritted his teeth: "If the Prime Minister were to personally come to our door, perhaps..."

"Enough," Cao Cao interrupted him, his voice suddenly turning cold. "I am the ruler, he is the subject. He won't come to see me, yet he expects me to go to him?"

Cheng Yu fell silent.

The tent was deathly silent.

Cao Cao stared at the location of Xuchang on the map, his gaze complex and unreadable.

After a long silence, he spoke, his voice low and deep:

"Send someone to keep an eye on him. If there's any unusual activity...report to me."

---

At 3 PM on the same day, in Xuchang, at Xun Yu's residence.

The plum trees in the backyard had all shed their blossoms, their bare branches standing against the gray sky. Xun Yu sat on the veranda, a scroll of the Spring and Autumn Annals spread out before him, but he couldn't concentrate on reading a single word.

Footsteps sounded.

He didn't turn around.

"I've said it before, I won't see guests."

"it's me."

Xun Yu's body stiffened.

He turned his head.

Cao Cao stood under the eaves, dressed in plain clothes, without any attendants.

"Prime Minister..." Xun Yu struggled to stand up.

Cao Cao walked over and pressed down on his shoulder.

"No need." He sat down next to Xun Yu. "If you're sick, just rest well."

The two sat side by side, looking at the plum tree in the courtyard that had lost all its blossoms.

There was silence for a long time.

"Wenruo," Cao Cao finally spoke, "you've followed me for twenty years."

"Yes."

"For the past twenty years, I have followed every single one of your strategies." Cao Cao's voice was calm. "In the Battle of Guandu, you told me to wait; in the campaign against the Wuhuan, you told me to take risks; in the defeat of Lü Bu, you told me to use a plan—I listened to them all."

He turned his head and looked at Xun Yu.

Why won't you listen to me this time?

Xun Yu remained silent for a long time.

"Prime Minister," he finally spoke, his voice soft, "do you remember what you said when we first met in Xuchang?"

Cao Cao did not reply.

"You said, 'The world is in great chaos, and only a man of extraordinary talent can save it.'" A trace of distant reminiscence surfaced in Xun Yu's eyes. "At that time, I thought that this man had the world in his heart and could be assisted."

"It has been twenty years." He turned to Cao Cao. "I have served you not for titles and honors, but for peace in the land and for the survival of the people."

Cao Cao's eyes flickered slightly.

"Now that you intend to attack Jiangdong, I have no objection," Xun Yu's voice gradually lowered, "but what is your purpose in attacking Jiangdong?"

"For what reason?"

"Is it for the sake of the world, or to... prove that you are stronger than Liu Bei?"

Cao Cao's face suddenly froze.

"Wenruo!"

"I risk my life to speak frankly," Xun Yu said without backing down. "Liu Bei in Liaodong has taken in displaced people, distributed land, and reduced taxes and corvée labor. The people would rather flee north with their families than pay taxes under your rule. Prime Minister—have you seen this?"

Cao Cao stood up.

That's enough.

"Prime Minister, the people of Ji Province are fleeing, the scholars of Xuchang are complaining, and the morale of the army is declining—can't you see that?"

Cao Cao turned around, his back to him.

"Wenruo," he said, his voice barely audible, "you're quite ill. Take good care of yourself."

He strode away.

Xun Yu sat motionless under the eaves.

As the sun set, it cast a very long shadow on him.

a long time.

He lowered his head and looked at the scroll of the Spring and Autumn Annals.

A tear fell onto the page of the book.

---

At 5 PM on the same day, in Linzi, Qingzhou.

Zhuge Liang was reviewing the newly presented tax registers when Zhang Qian rushed in with a strange expression.

"Your Excellency, someone has arrived outside and says they wish to see you."

"Who is it?"

"He was in his thirties, not very tall, and had a wine gourd hanging from his waist." Zhang Qian paused, "He said... he came from Langya."

Zhuge Liang paused.

Langya.

The place where Xun You wrote his book for four years.

"Let him in."

A moment later, a man walked in.

He was indeed not tall, nor handsome, but his eyes were remarkably bright. He didn't bow upon entering, but simply looked around before finally fixing his gaze on Zhuge Liang.

"You are Zhuge Liang?"

Zhuge Liang rose: "Indeed. You are..."

"My surname is Pang." The man sat down and took a swig from his wine gourd. "My given name is Tong, and my courtesy name is Shiyuan."

Zhuge Liang's mind stirred.

Pang Tong.

The name the teacher mentioned.

"So it's Mr. Pang." He sat down again. "You've come from Langya, sir?"

"I came from Langya." Pang Tong nodded. "Xun Gongda stayed there for four years, and I lived next door to him for three. He wrote books, and I drank wine. He finished writing and left, and I finished drinking... so I came to find you."

Zhuge Liang looked at him.

"What brings you here, sir?"

Pang Tong did not answer immediately. He placed the wine gourd on the table and his gaze fell on the stack of tax books that he had just finished reviewing.

"Commercial tax law." He pointed to the stack of papers. "Did you write that?"

"Yes."

"There are three loopholes," Pang Tong said, holding up three fingers. "First, the tax rate distinction between stationary and itinerant merchants is too fine, making implementation cumbersome and easy for clerks to manipulate. Second, it doesn't consider seasonal goods—such as grain during the summer harvest and firewood in winter—whose prices fluctuate greatly. Taxing them at a fixed rate is either too lenient or too heavy. Third..."

He paused.

"Third, you haven't provided merchants with enough channels for appeal. Where can they seek justice if they're wronged? Go to the county government? The county government is just a tax collector; how can they possibly clear their name?"

Zhuge Liang remained silent.

Looking at this unassuming man, he suddenly remembered what his teacher had said:

"A true strategist is not just someone who offers ideas, but someone who can find fault with them."

"You are right, sir." He stood up, bowed deeply to the ground, and said, "Please teach me, sir."

Pang Tong looked at him, a strange glint in his eyes.

"Aren't you angry?"

Why get angry?

"I criticized your tax laws for having loopholes, for your lack of foresight, for... your incompetence as an official," Pang Tong grinned. "Don't you feel offended?"

Zhuge Liang straightened up and looked at him calmly.

"The student is fourteen years old, and the teacher is thirty. If the student is more mature than the teacher, then the teacher has lived these thirty years in vain."

Pang Tong was stunned.

He then burst into laughter.

"Excellent! Excellent!" He slapped his thigh. "Xun Gongda said you were precocious, but I didn't believe it. Seeing you today, it's certainly true!"

He stood up and dusted himself off.

"Let's go."

"Where to?"

"Go see your teacher." Pang Tong picked up his wine gourd, took the last swig, and said, "I've been in this wretched place for three years, waiting for this day."

---

At 9:00 PM on the same day, thirty li outside Hefei city.

Sima Yi squatted in an abandoned hunter's hut, examining the secret letter he had just received by the dim light of the fire.

The letter was delivered by a night scout and contained only one line:

"Ruxu was in a hurry, and Cao Cao wanted to transfer troops from Hefei to reinforce it."

He burned the letter on the fire.

"Military Commander," a man in black beside him asked in a low voice, "when shall we make our move?"

Sima Yi did not answer.

He closed his eyes, mentally rehearsing each step.

Cao Cao suffered a setback at Ruxukou and was eager to break through, so he would definitely mobilize troops. Hefei had 20,000 troops stationed there, and the garrison commander, Li Dian, was a calm and cautious man who was not easily fooled.

To convince Li Dian that "Xuzhou is in dire need," a troop mobilization order alone is not enough.

He needs to see the "evidence" with his own eyes.

"Wang Wu."

"exist."

"Are we still holding the goods we brought from Xuzhou?"

"Yes," Wang Wu nodded. "It's hidden in a mountain valley ten miles away."

Sima Yi opened his eyes.

"Tomorrow morning, you take three men and disguise the goods as Cao Cao's supply train, heading towards Xuzhou. Go slowly, so that people can spot you."

Wang Wu's eyes lit up: "What does the Military Commander mean..."

"Let Li Dian's men 'just happen' to stumble upon this," Sima Yi said softly. "After they do, you run. Leave the goods behind, and bring the people back."

"That guy..."

"The goods have the official seal from Xuzhou, and... a troop mobilization order that wasn't destroyed in time." Sima Yi's lips curled up slightly. "When Li Dian sees those things, he'll believe it himself without us having to deliver them."

Wang Wu gasped.

"Military Commander, this plan... isn't it too risky? What if Li Dian's men catch up..."

"No," Sima Yi shook his head. "Li Dian is cautious. When he sees you running away, his first reaction will be to investigate, not to kill you. It will take him at least three days to thoroughly study that shipment. Three days later, Cao Ren's second batch of reinforcements should arrive at Ruxukou—he will be more convinced."

The shack fell silent.

Wang Wu looked at the eighteen-year-old boy and suddenly asked:

"Military Commander, what's wrong with your brain...?"

Sima Yi glanced at him but did not reply.

He simply gazed at the night outside the shack and murmured:

"My lord said, I am Sima Yi. Break my scheme, settle my accounts, and follow my path."

---

February 15th, Ruxukou.

Zhang Liao led 10,000 elite troops and broke through from the west under cover of night, capturing Wuhu.

The Jiangdong garrison was defeated and retreated to Dangtu.

When the news reached Zhou Yu, he was changing his bandages. He paused, and blood seeped through the bandages again.

"Gongjin!" Lu Su's expression changed drastically. "If Wuhu falls, the flank of Ruxu will be exposed..."

"I know," Zhou Yu said calmly. "Zhang Liao... is indeed formidable."

He stood up and walked to the map.

Wuhu, Dangtu, Ruxukou... a line connecting them all, and Cao Cao's sword was already at his neck.

"Zijing".

"exist."

"Tell the soldiers to hold Ruxukou to the death." His voice wasn't loud, but it carried an unwavering determination. "Hold on for another ten days. If Liu Bei doesn't arrive in ten days, we'll... die here."

Lu Su's eyes reddened, but he couldn't utter a single word.

---

On the same day, in Xuchang.

The side gate of Xun Yu's residence quietly opened in the night.

A man in black flashed out and disappeared into the depths of the alley.

Two hours later, the man in black appeared in an inconspicuous house in the east of the city. He handed a letter to another person, who glanced at it and immediately set it on fire.

"Reply to Mr. Wenruo: The lord is aware of this. Please take care." The man's voice was low. "The time is not yet ripe; do not act rashly."

The man in black nodded and disappeared back into the night.

The house returned to silence.

The last sentence of that letter echoed repeatedly in his mind:

"The Han Dynasty has not perished; sir, do not abandon us."

---

February 17th, Xiangping Governor's Office.

I was reviewing today's official documents when Xu Shu rushed in, his expression strange.

"My lord, someone from Qingzhou has arrived."

"Who?"

"A man surnamed Pang claimed... he came to see Mr. Xun." Xu Shu paused, "He said he had lived next door to Mr. Xun for three years."

I put down my pen.

Pang Tong.

finally come.

"Let him in."

A moment later, a man in his thirties walked in. He was neither tall nor handsome, and had a gourd of wine hanging from his waist. He looked around erratically as soon as he entered, and finally his gaze settled on me.

"Lord Liu."

"Mr. Pang."

He grinned.

"Did the magistrate know I was coming?"

"I know." I smiled too. "Gongda mentioned you. He said that when you were in Langya, you often went to his place to mooch drinks."

Pang Tong laughed loudly, took off his wine gourd, and took a swig.

"Was that just freeloading? That was going to seek advice!" He plopped down. "I ground the ink for half of Gongda's books over those four years!"

I looked at him.

"What brings you here, sir?"

Pang Tong put down his wine gourd and his playful expression vanished.

"My lord," he looked at me, his eyes shining brightly, "Cao Cao has been fighting at Ruxu for half a month, suffering heavy losses and making no progress. Jiangdong won't last much longer. Zhang Liao has already taken Wuhu, and Zhou Yu is just holding on."

He paused.

"My lord, it's time to make a move."

I did not answer immediately.

"Sir, what do you think should be done?"

Pang Tong stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Hefei.

"Sima Zhongda is already there, right?"

A thought struck me.

How did you know?

"I guessed it." He laughed. "A feint to lure the tiger away from the mountain, a siege of Wei to rescue Zhao—Xun Gongda's plan, Sima Zhongda's man. If Hefei moves, Cao Cao's supply lines will be cut off. He will either retreat or die there."

He turned around and looked at me.

"But that's not enough."

"not enough?"

"If Hefei is captured, Cao Cao will retreat. And then what?" He looked at me. "He will retreat to Xuchang, recuperate, and come back next year. Jiangdong will be severely weakened, and Zhou Yu won't be able to hold out a second time. At that point, will you, my lord, send reinforcements or not?"

I did not answer.

"Save them, and we'll have to fight another war of attrition; don't save them, and Jiangdong will fall, and Cao Cao will become too powerful." He stared straight at me. "My lord, this is a dead end."

The hall fell silent.

Xun You appeared at the door at some unknown time, listening quietly.

I looked at him.

"Gongda, what do you think?"

Xun You walked in and stood next to Pang Tong.

"Shiyuan is right." His voice was soft. "Hefei can be taken, but we can't take Hefei alone."

"Then what should we take?"

Pang Tong and Xun You exchanged a glance.

Then the two spoke at the same time:

"Take Shouchun."

My eyes lit up.

Shouchun—a crucial town in Huainan, and Cao Cao's vital grain transport hub. Taking Shouchun would not only sever a grain route, but also cut off the lifeline of the entire southern expeditionary army.

"How do I retrieve it?"

Pang Tong grinned.

"My lord," he said, "have you ever heard of the 'feint to the east while attacking in the west' tactic?"

He walked up to the map and pointed to Xuzhou.

"Let Guan Yu feign movement in Xuzhou, making it appear as if he is about to cross the river. Cao Cao will surely send troops from Shouchun to reinforce Hefei."

His finger moved to Shouchun.

"Shouchun's youngest soldier—"

Finally, it was moved to Hefei.

"We can close the net on Sima Zhongda's side now."

I looked at these three lines on the map.

The feigned movement in Xuzhou, the troop mobilization in Hefei, and the emptiness in Shouchun.

Three points, connected to form a whole.

"Gongda." I looked at Xun You.

"Your subject is here."

"Did you set this up?"

Xun You shook his head.

"It was Shi Yuan." He looked at Pang Tong, "I was just... helping him clarify the details."

Pang Tong waved his hand and took another swig of wine.

"Don't thank me," he said. "I spent three years in Langya, bored out of my mind, thinking about these things every day. Gongda wrote a book, and I broke the deadlock. He finished writing, and I finished thinking about it too."

He put down the wine gourd, stood up, and straightened his clothes.

Then he bowed deeply to the ground.

"My lord, I am willing to sacrifice myself to break this deadlock for you."

I looked at him.

He was in his thirties, unremarkable in appearance, always had a gourd of liquor with him, and the first thing he said was that my tax laws had loopholes.

This is the young phoenix.

This is the person Xun You wrote about in his book: "There was a man in my neighborhood who was not yet thirty years old. He spent all his time drinking and reading, and everyone thought he was crazy."

I got up, walked over to him, and helped him up.

"Sir," I said, "let's solve this together."

---

Hai hour (9-11 PM).

I stood before the map, motionless for a long time.

Xun You, Pang Tong, Xu Shu, and Tian Yu were all present. Sima Yi was not—he was outside Hefei, waiting to close the net.

"Pass on the order," I finally said.

Everyone stood at attention.

"First, order Guan Yu to gather 20,000 troops in Xuzhou and make a show of crossing the river. It should be a grand display, so that Cao Cao's scouts can spot it at a glance."

"Secondly, order Zhao Yun to lead five thousand White Horse Cavalry to secretly head south and lie in ambush on the outskirts of Shouchun. Await my command."

"Third, order Zhou Cang's navy to go out to sea and feign an attack on Guangling to distract Cao Ren."

"Fourth—" I paused, then looked at Pang Tong, "Sir, please come with me to Xuzhou."

Pang Tong raised an eyebrow.

"Will the magistrate go in person?"

"I'll go myself." I nodded. "How can the performance be convincing without the main character present?"

He smiled.

"good!"

The group accepted the order and left.

Only Xun You and I remained in the hall.

"Gongda".

"Your subject is here."

"Do you think Cao Cao would believe that?"

Xun You remained silent for a moment.

"If he were still the Cao Cao of yesteryear, he wouldn't believe it." His voice was soft. "But he is no longer the Cao Cao of yesteryear."

I turned to look at him.

"He will believe it," Xun You said, "because he wants to win so badly."

---

It's past midnight.

I stood alone under the veranda.

The old plum tree had lost all its blossoms, its bare branches standing stark against the night sky.

In the distance, the lights of the Night Watch headquarters were still on. Sima Yi's men were relaying messages.

Further away, the lights of the medical school were also on. Fu Shou was there, tending to the patients brought in from the refugee camp.

Further away, in the wooden sheds of the refugee camp, there were scattered lights.

The 30,000 refugees have been settled.

Five thousand households have already been allocated land.

Three hundred students were following Zheng Xuan along the border.

They're waiting for me to win.

I took a deep breath of the cool air.

He turned and went back into the house.

On the table lay a newly delivered secret letter, written by Zhuge Liang:

"Teacher, Mr. Pang has arrived. Judging from his appearance, he is unrestrained and wild, yet every word he speaks is accurate. He is of great potential."

I folded the letter and put it in my sleeve.