Lord in the Mythical Three Kingdoms

Chapter 310: What a Clever Move, Catching the Wolf with Bare Hands

"Of course I want to! Naturally, I do!"

Long Chen’s face showed a look of desire, but he casually furrowed his brows and sighed, "However..."

"It’s just that we’ve only recently taken Yanzhou, and the hearts of the people have not fully submitted yet. The counties within the province have yet to see my officials take office."

"Right now, Yanzhou is still unsettled, and going after Yuzhou as well... wouldn’t that appetite be... a bit too big?"

Long Chen sat back in his chair, his fingers gently tapping the armrest as he let out a thoughtful sigh. He looked outside the window, where the afternoon sun cast golden rays over the courtyard. The lush gardens and the faint chirping of birds gave a sense of peace, yet the storm brewing in his mind was anything but calm.

As he spoke, he filled Guo Jia’s cup with health-boosting goji wine and also topped off his own cup. His hand was steady, but the weight of his words hung in the air between them.

Recently, he had been overworked in certain bedroom matters, feeling a bit fatigued, so he decided to drink some health wine to nourish his kidneys. He let out a brief chuckle under his breath, realizing how even the greatest of rulers had such mundane concerns.

Guo Jia looked at the red, full goji berries in his cup with a face full of helplessness, as if silently questioning why his lord was so obsessed with such trivialities at a time like this. The faint fragrance of the wine lingered in the air, but Guo Jia’s mind was already racing ahead to more important matters.

He shot a resentful glance at Long Chen, then reluctantly drank the wine from his cup and replied, his voice measured and calm:

"My lord need not worry about such things. These are mere trivialities..." freēwēbηovel.c૦m

"In as little as seven or eight days, or at most half a month, everything will be in place."

Guo Jia’s eyes gleamed with confidence as he slowly placed the cup back onto the table. He then solemnly cupped his hands in salute and said, "However, military opportunities are fleeting! My lord must take this seriously!"

His tone had shifted now, the weight of his words cutting through the air like a sword. Guo Jia’s gaze sharpened, and the playful air from earlier dissipated entirely.

"At present, Yuzhou is a land without a ruler. If you do not seize this moment, and another warlord enters Yuzhou..."

"It will be a hundred times harder to take it in the future!"

Guo Jia’s face showed a slight hint of concern. He knew all too well how quickly the tides of power could shift in these chaotic times. A moment’s hesitation could mean losing a province forever.

Long Chen stood up, pacing back and forth in the center of the hall, deep in thought. His brow furrowed as he considered the weight of Guo Jia’s words. He knew his strategist was right—there was no room for hesitation when opportunity knocked.

He lifted his head, looked at Guo Jia, and asked, "I do have this desire."

The flicker of ambition danced in his eyes, the hunger for more territory, more power. But something still held him back.

"But..."

"But what? My lord, speak your mind."

Guo Jia cupped his hands and asked, his voice gentle, coaxing Long Chen to reveal his lingering doubts.

"It’s just that Yuan Shao in the north watches us like a tiger eyeing its prey. I fear he might seize the opportunity to march south and take my lands in Wu!"

Long Chen clasped his hands behind his back, his gaze deep as the sea, staring toward the north. The horizon stretched out endlessly before him, but in his mind’s eye, he saw the shadow of war looming over his territory.

Yuan Shao, who controlled two provinces in the north, was not a force to be underestimated.

Moreover, under his command were mighty generals such as Yan Liang, Wen Chou, Gao Lan, and Zhang He, known as the Four Pillars of Hebei.

He also had brilliant strategists like Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and Xu You.

With the prestige of his family’s four generations of high-ranking officials, Yuan Shao’s foundation and strength were not much weaker than Long Chen’s.

If he truly led an army to launch a surprise attack on Wu in Yangzhou, Long Chen’s power would suffer severe damage. The mere thought of it sent a chill down his spine, but his face remained calm, showing no sign of the inner turmoil he felt.

Upon hearing this, Guo Jia smiled confidently, cupped his hands, and said:

"My lord, I’ve already devised a plan for this."

"Oh! Fengxiao, quickly tell me!"

Long Chen hurriedly turned around, knelt on the ground, and refilled Guo Jia’s bronze three-legged wine cup with health-boosting goji wine. His movements were quick, eager, as if Guo Jia’s words could be the key to unlocking all the answers he sought. freewēbnoveℓ.com

His eyes were filled with anticipation as he looked at Guo Jia. There was a spark of hope, of excitement, in those dark eyes.

Guo Jia, taking his time, slowly drank the wine from his cup, savoring the taste. The air grew thick with suspense as he smacked his lips and then finally said:

"My lord can form an alliance with Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, offering him certain benefits. You could agree to launch a simultaneous attack on Yuan Shao from both the north and the south, luring him into attacking Yuan Shao’s forces in Jizhou."

"But... but if I join the army to attack Jizhou, who will go to capture Yuzhou? You must know that there are still quite a few remnants of the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou!"

Long Chen furrowed his brow and raised his concern. He knew his limits; dividing his forces would be risky. But he trusted Guo Jia to have an answer.

"My lord, we need only send a diversionary force to coordinate with Gongsun Zan, without actually deploying our main army."

Guo Jia replied with a mischievous grin.

"Oh~"

Long Chen suddenly understood.

"But doing this seems a bit unkind, considering we’ve previously done horse trading with Gongsun Zan!"

"My lord, all’s fair in war! Besides, if you plan to unite the Central Plains, neither Jizhou nor Youzhou in the north can escape you. Sooner or later, they’ll be yours!" Guo Jia said with a serious expression.

"That does make sense!" Long Chen nodded in agreement.

"Moreover, my lord, you’ve already established connections with the Moon-Worshipping Sect of the Western Regions. In the future, you can acquire fine horses from them." Guo Jia reminded.

"In that case, let’s proceed as you suggested. But who should we send as the envoy?" Long Chen asked, his eyes flickering with thought.

"My lord, the man you recently recruited, Lu Su—styled Zijing—is a perfect choice! He appears honest and trustworthy on the outside, but inside, he’s as sharp as a tack. He would be an exemplary envoy! Send him to Youzhou to negotiate with Gongsun Zan."

"And offer him half the spoils of Jizhou as a reward afterward."

Guo Jia took another sip of wine and chuckled slyly.

"What a brilliant scheme to gain something for nothing!"

Long Chen silently gave Guo Jia a thumbs-up in his mind.

This guy’s mind is as devious as they come.

He even handed Gongsun Zan an empty promise—a true role model of strategy...

I absolutely love him!