Three Kingdoms: The Peerless Strategist of Wei

Chapter 84 Burning my provisions and stealing my beauty, are you trying to force me to my death?!

"Very well, since there's no other way out, I might as well go and see what kind of person this legendary strategist really is." A soft sigh echoed from inside the carriage.

Ye City, General's Mansion. Yuan Shang sat high on the throne, his brows furrowed.

"Reporting to the lord, Cao Cao's army has already occupied Neihuang City and is less than three hundred li away from our Ye City!" the guard reported loudly.

Yuan Shang gritted his teeth and cursed, "That Cao traitor, his advance is truly lightning fast!"

Shen Pei smiled and reassured him, "My lord, do not worry. I believe Zhang He is already on his way back with Miss Zhen and the provisions. He will surely be able to return to Ye City safely before Cao Cao's army arrives."

Yuan Shang breathed a sigh of relief and sneered, "Once the supplies arrive, I will have the confidence to face Cao Cao's army. What do I have to fear if they come?"

The words had barely left his mouth.

A guard suddenly entered and announced, "Reporting to the lord, General Zhang and the young master of the Zhen family have arrived." Everyone in the hall perked up.

Shen Pei exclaimed joyfully, "My lord, our life-saving rations have returned!" "Shen Zhengnan, Shen Zhengnan, your plan to arrange a marriage with the Zhen family has rendered a great service to our lord!" Yuan Shang was overjoyed and praised him excitedly. Shen Pei stroked his beard, his face unable to hide his pride.

Yuan Shang said impatiently, "Quickly, summon them both." A moment later, two somber figures silently entered the hall. Zhen Yao looked shaken, while Zhang He was covered in blood and his face was grave. Seeing them like this, Yuan Shang immediately felt uneasy.

He forced himself to remain calm and demanded, "Minister Zhang, where are the provisions I requested? And you, Zhen Yao, has your sister been sent to deliver them?" Zhen Yao lowered his head, not daring to answer.

Zhang He took a deep breath, cupped his hands, and silently said, "Reporting to my lord, Cao Cao's army launched a surprise attack on the Zhen family manor. I fought valiantly but was no match for them. The Zhen family's grain reserves have been burned by the traitor Zhang Liao, and Miss Zhen has been forcibly taken away by Xu Chu, Gu Cheng's guard!"

"What?!" Yuan Shang's expression changed drastically, and he jumped up in shock.

Zhang He had no choice but to recount the whole story.

"Yao originally intended to offer my younger sister and all the grain stored by the Zhen family to our lord, but who would have thought it would turn out like this!" Zhen Yao knelt on the ground, his face contorted with grief. Yuan Shang swayed, then slumped down, his eyes glazed over, as if he had lost his soul. "Could it be that Gu Cheng actually calculated that our lord wanted to form a marriage alliance with the Zhen family and use their grain?" "How is that possible? Is he really so incredibly intelligent?" Shen Pei muttered to himself, also stunned and shocked. Tian Feng recovered and couldn't help but sigh, "No wonder our late lord was defeated at Guandu by Gu Cheng's scheme. This man is truly a master strategist; everything is under his control."

A sense of fear filled the lobby. "Gu Cheng, it's you again!"

"You burned my life-saving food supplies and stole my woman! Wasn't it enough that you drove my father to his death? Do you intend to drive this entire household to its demise too?!"

Yuan Shang gritted his teeth, slammed his fist on the table, and shouted, "Gu Cheng, you scoundrel! How dare you bully my Yuan family like this! I, Yuan Shang, swear I will tear you to pieces!"

Hysterical roars echoed through the hall. Tian Feng shook his head and sighed, "Without the Zhen family's grain supplies, Ye City has less than two months' worth of provisions. How can we possibly hold out until Cao Cao faces trouble in the south and has to retreat?"

"My lord!" General Wen Chou leaped up in anger and shouted, "Since Ye City is without food and we must defend it to the death, rather than waiting to be killed, let me lead the entire army south to fight Cao Cao to the death. Perhaps there is still a glimmer of hope!"

The words had barely left his mouth.

Zhang He immediately said, "My lord, rashly heading south for a decisive battle will only lead to our own demise. Now that things have come to this, it would be better to abandon Ye City and retreat towards Youzhou."

Abandoned City!

Upon hearing those three words, Yuan Shang felt as if he had been cut by a knife, and his angry eyes immediately shot towards Zhang He. "What kind of terrible idea is this!"

Wen Chou glared angrily at Zhang He: "Ye City is the heart of four provinces. If we hand it over to the traitor Cao Cao, our lord's prestige will surely be completely lost, the hearts of the people in the four provinces will crumble in the blink of an eye, and the Yuan family's foundation will be finished!"

Zhang He frowned and said in a deep voice, "But if not—" Zhang He!

Yuan Shang interrupted his advice, angrily rebuking him: "If it weren't for your incompetence in failing to protect the Zhen family's grain supplies, how could Ye City have fallen into such a predicament? You even want me to abandon Ye City and flee north! What are your intentions?!"

The new master of the Yuan family, in a fit of rage, lost his composure and even questioned Zhang He's loyalty. Zhang's expression changed, and he quickly knelt on one knee, cupping his hands and saying, "The Zhen family's grain supplies have been lost, and this humble general is indeed to blame, but I, Zhang Lin, am utterly loyal to the Yuan family. I beg my lord to see the truth."

Yuan Shang's anger subsided slightly as he looked at Zhang He kneeling on the ground. He waved his hand and said sternly, "In short, I will never abandon Ye City without a fight. Anyone who dares to mention abandoning the city again and disrupts the morale of my army will not be spared!"

Zhang He breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly retreated, not daring to utter another word.

"My lord, we certainly cannot give up Ye City easily, but our predicament of running out of food is also a fact. It will indeed be difficult to defend Ye City."

Tian Feng dared not speak openly, but could only subtly hint to Yuan Shang that abandoning the city was the wisest choice. Yuan Shang's face turned ashen, and he remained silent. At this moment...

A glint of light flashed in Shen Pei's eyes, and he said urgently, "My lord, do not worry. I have thought of a force that may help us defend Ye City and repel Cao Cao."

"Which group are you from? Tell me quickly!" Yuan Shang's spirits lifted, and he urged the question urgently.

Shen Pei raised his hand and pointed west: "Zhang Yan, a remnant of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, is leading 100,000 Black Mountain troops and is entrenched in the Taihang Mountains. If our lord can summon Zhang Yan to lead his army to our aid, the siege of Ye City will surely be lifted!"

Zhang Yan!

Upon hearing this name, Yuan Shang suddenly felt a sense of clarity.

Tian Feng replied, "Back when you pacified Ji Province, you clashed with the Black Mountain Army several times and developed a deep grudge against Zhang Yan. Given the current situation, would he be willing to lead the Black Mountain Army to our aid?"

"Zhang Yan's only desire is to carve out a territory in the Taihang Mountains and become a regional warlord." "If Cao Cao were to swallow up Hebei and unify the north, how could he be allowed to carve out a region? He would surely lead his army to annihilate him." "Zhang Yan should understand this principle."

"I believe that as long as we send an eloquent person to explain the advantages and disadvantages to Zhang Yan, he will understand the principle of 'if the lips are gone, the teeth will be cold,' and will surely lead the Black Army Mountain to save Ye City!"

Shen Pei said with a confident look.

Tian Feng nodded thoughtfully, "Now that Zheng Nan has said that, Zhang Yan's Black Mountain Army might indeed be useful."

Yuan Shang said with delight, "Then what are we waiting for? Who among you is willing to go to the Taihang Mountains and persuade Zhang Yan to come to our aid?" He looked at the assembled strategists with a gleam in his eye.

Everyone lowered their heads, even Shen Pei, who had offered the advice, remained silent. The Yuan family had a deep-seated grudge against Zhang Yan, and sending an envoy to the Black Mountain Army was a dangerous mission. It wouldn't be surprising if Zhang Yan ignored their advice and killed the envoy.

Naturally, no one was willing to volunteer for such a dangerous task.

"Since no one is willing to go, then I will go and persuade Zhang Yan." Tian Feng stepped forward and volunteered to Yuan Shang.

Yuan Shang was overjoyed and hurriedly said, "There is no time to lose. Please set off immediately, Lord Yuan Hao. The life and death of my Yuan family rests entirely on your shoulders."

That very day, Tian Feng, carrying Yuan Shang's handwritten letter, traveled westward through the night to the Taihang Mountains.

Outside Neihuang City, Cao Cao's camp.

Xu Chu returned to Cao Cao's camp with a full load and reported back to Gu Cheng. "My lord, if I hadn't run out of carriages, I would have brought back all of the Zhen family's wealth." "You didn't see it, did you? The gold and silver in the Zhen family's treasury were piled up like mountains. The title of the richest family in the world is truly well-deserved."

Xu Chu sighed with regret.

Gu Cheng smiled faintly and said, "One should not be too greedy. You brought back more than 500 million coins on this trip, which is more than twice the loss of our salt business. I am already very satisfied."

"I must say, young master, you are truly a visionary! When we arrived at the Zhen family, Yuan Shang's general Zhang He was just about to transport grain from the Zhen family to Ye City. Luckily, we arrived in time. Young master, you are truly a genius!"

Xu Chu gave a thumbs-up, his eyes full of admiration. Gu Cheng smiled without saying a word, simply sipping his wine.

Xu Chu suddenly remembered something and hurriedly said, "Young master, on this trip back, I not only brought you five hundred million coins, but I also took the liberty of bringing you a great gift."

"A grand gift?" Gu Cheng's eyes widened in surprise, and he put down his wine glass.

Xu Chu then shouted, "Guards! Bring that Miss Zhen in for the young master to see." Miss Zhen?

Gu Cheng looked puzzled, unable to figure out what Xu Chu was up to. A fragrant breeze wafted into the tent, its scent filling his nostrils and causing Gu Cheng's heart to flutter slightly. He looked up and saw a graceful figure entering the tent. The scene was like a beautiful woman stepping out of a painting and standing vividly before him. Zhen Bi, filled with trepidation and curiosity, bit her lip and looked up slightly at Gu Cheng.

Eyes facing each other.

Zhen Bi couldn't help but tremble, and a deep surprise welled up in his bright eyes.

"That legendary strategist, who could annihilate Yuan Shao's army of 100,000 with a flick of his finger and whose plans were flawless, is actually such a young man?"

Zhen Bi stared at Gu Cheng's handsome face, momentarily stunned.

"Xu Zhongkang, where did you get this beauty from?" Lü Lingqi asked, her eyebrows furrowed.

Xu Chu chuckled and said, "This is Miss Zhen Bi from the Zhen family, known as the most beautiful woman in Hebei. She happened to be there when I robbed the Zhen family, so I took her with me and brought her back to you, young master."

So she was Zhen Bi! No wonder her beauty rivals that of Diao Chan and Da Qiao.

Gu Cheng suddenly realized what was going on and asked in surprise, "I only asked you to rob the Zhen family of money, how come you brought back a living person for me?"

"I don't think Miss Zhen is beautiful and a perfect match for you, young master. That's why I took her back. She'll be a wonderful wife for you."

Xu Chu said very seriously.

Gu Cheng was taken aback, then smiled wryly, thinking that this Tiger Fool was indeed very thoughtful. "Guests are guests, Miss Zhen, please have a seat." Gu Cheng turned his gaze to Zhen Mi and nodded slightly. Zhen Mi, having just come to her senses, blushed slightly and carefully sat down. After hesitating for a moment, she still mustered her courage and said, "I wonder how long you intend to keep me here, Mr. Gu?" "I robbed your Zhen family only to retaliate against you for taking away my Gu family's business, and I had no intention of kidnapping you. If Miss Zhen wants to leave, she is free to do so."

Gu Cheng spoke calmly, reclining in his rocking chair and sipping his fragrant tea. His words, however, surprised Zhen Bi.

She was the most beautiful woman in Hebei, with a face as beautiful as a flower and a reputation that made countless men dream of her. On her way here, she had guessed that since Gu Cheng had won her over, even if it wasn't his true intention, he would be tempted by her beauty and keep her there.

To everyone's surprise, Gu Cheng seemed completely unmoved by her appearance, allowing her to leave as she pleased. Zhen Bi, on the other hand, was at a loss, looking Gu Cheng up and down with confusion in her eyes. "Young Master Gu, are you really... really willing to let me go?" Zhen Bi asked tentatively, still unable to believe it.

Lu Lingqi sneered, "Our Mr. Gu has beautiful wives and concubines at home, each with a face that could make fish sink and geese fall from the sky. Miss Zhen, you don't need to be so self-important. If he says you can leave, then he means you can leave."

Having his thoughts exposed, Zhen Bi immediately blushed, a hint of embarrassment flashing in his eyes. "Then, then I thank Young Master Gu very much." Zhen Bi hurriedly stood up, bowed, and turned to leave. Gu Cheng did not stop him.

However, as she reached the tent flap, she suddenly stopped, a look of sorrow on her face. "My Zhen family is already ruined, and my elder brother is nowhere to be found. Even if I leave, where can I go?" After a moment of sadness and hesitation, Zhen Mi bit her lip, turned back, and sat down beside Gu Cheng again. Gu Cheng was taken aback and asked suspiciously, "I already told you, Miss Zhen, to do as you please. Why aren't you leaving?"

Zhen Bi said softly, "With one scheme from Young Master Gu, my Zhen family has been destroyed. Where can I go now?" "Miss Zhen, are you blaming me?" Gu Cheng asked in return. "Mi'er wouldn't dare."

Zhen Bi sighed silently, "It was my foolish brother who used underhanded means to steal your business first. Your revenge is what the Zhen family deserves. It's just that Mi'er really has nowhere to go right now."

As she spoke of her sorrowful moments, tears welled up in her eyes.

Xu Chu immediately exclaimed, "Since you have nowhere to go, why not stay at my Gu family and become my young master's concubine?" Zhen Bi's face flushed red, and she glared at Xu Chu with resentment in her eyes, but dared not get angry. Xu Chu spoke without thinking, but he was also thinking of himself, so he did not blame Xu Chu.

Gu Cheng thought for a moment and then said, "Miss Zhen was kidnapped by my men, and I can't let you wander in the wilderness. How about this, if you have nowhere to go, you can stay here with me for the time being."

Zhen Bi's body trembled, and his eyes lit up.

"I think this young master Gu is quite a gentleman. He is also very polite to me. Since I have nowhere else to go, I'll stay with him for the time being. He's a good person."

Zhen Bi's thoughts raced, and she stood up and gave a graceful bow, saying gratefully, "Thank you for taking me in, Young Master Gu." Gu Cheng then asked Lü Lingqi to arrange accommodations for Zhen Bi.

"He's truly blessed with beautiful women; he casually abducted a beauty who then clung to him, refusing to leave. Sooner or later, she'll surely throw herself into his arms—"

Lu Lingqi muttered something and left reluctantly. No sooner had she left than Cao Ang walked into the tent.

"Brother Gu, your plan has completely cut off Yuan Shang's food supply, allowing Father to confidently besiege Ye City. On behalf of Father, I thank you for this brilliant strategy!"

Cao Ang walked in with a smile and immediately bowed without saying a word. "Young Master, you've come again." Gu Cheng quickly helped him up, smiling wryly, "You always give such grand greetings; I, a mere commoner, cannot accept them." Cao Ang said seriously, "Brother Gu, you calling yourself a commoner is self-deprecation. If you're willing, agree to serve as an official tonight, and tomorrow morning you'll be a high-ranking official in the court, second only to my father!"