Mythical Three Kingdoms

"Ah?" Zhuge Jin was stunned. It wasn't that he was prone to exaggerated reactions, but Zhou Yu's order was truly astonishing. This involved an army of a hundred thousand—not merely a small, unknown division—yet he assigned it to someone whose name Zhuge Jin didn't even recognize.

With Yuan Shu's current military strength, only four individuals qualified to command an army of that magnitude: Yuan Shu, Jii Ling, Sunx Ce, and Zhou Yu. This campaign against Xuzhou wasn't led by a single commander overseeing a hundred-thousand-strong army but divided into seven military divisions.

"It's simply a matter of urgency calling for expediency," Zhou Yu shook his head and remarked. "Among the commanders involved in the assault on Xuzhou, the one I trust, whose abilities and disposition I find satisfactory, is only him. Furthermore, I believe he's more reliable in commanding troops than Zhongye."

"Since that's the case, there's no choice but to proceed this way," Zhuge Jin nodded decisively. He immediately planned to gather intelligence on Li Tong after Zhou Yu departed, harboring a strong suspicion that these capable military officers who had emerged in recent years were likely spies Zhou Yu had planted within the Yuzhou Army.

"Let him take my sword to find Huo Jun, Huo Zhongmiao, Lai Min, Lai Jingda, Li Yan, and Li Zhengfang. Hmm, truth be told, I favor Li Zhengfang. But to entrust him with a hundred-thousand-strong army..." Zhou Yu furrowed his brows, troubled. Out of the group, the one he valued the most was Li Zhengfang, but Li Yan's personality...

These individuals were talents Zhou Yu had identified during his time in Jingzhou. However, at that time, Sunx Ce's forces were weak, so Zhou Yu had embedded them within Yuan Shu's ranks. Nevertheless, Zhou Yu was confident in his ability to maintain control over them, even as generals under Yuan Shu.

Reality, however, often diverges from expectations. The anticipated clash between Sunx Ce and Yuan Shu never materialized, and Zhou Yu had thus refrained from activating these pawns—until now. Compared to the ragtag commanders within the Yuzhou Army, Zhou Yu had far greater confidence in these individuals' capabilities.

Unfortunately, these individuals had not been integrated into Yuan Shu's ranks for long. Even now, the highest-ranked officer among them for this Xuzhou campaign, Li Tong, commanded a mere five-thousand-strong division—and this was primarily due to Zhou Yu's support.

"Li Zhengfang? Anyone who earns your regard surely isn't a mediocre figure," Zhuge Jin asked with curiosity.

"Indeed, Li Yan's Inner Qi and spirit have both reached critical points. Yet, breaking through one will adversely affect the cultivation of the other. If he continues wavering, he'll likely miss his window of opportunity, and might achieve neither," Zhou Yu shook his head, expressing his concerns over Li Yan. Yet, Li Yan's ambitions weighed heavily on his mind.

"Both at the critical point?" Zhuge Jin remarked with intrigue, "To think someone of such exceptional caliber exists."

"He's not necessarily a genius. Back in the day, I could have achieved both at the critical point myself if I had desired. But it serves no purpose; human capabilities have limits," Zhou Yu gently refuted Zhuge Jin's assessment, though without elaborating.

In truth, Zhou Yu had once excelled in music, chess, calligraphy, painting, political strategy, martial arts, and military tactics to a remarkable degree. Yet, he understood the pitfalls of attempting to master everything—without pushing one's limits at a younger age, further progress becomes impossible.

Zhuge Jin chose not to delve further but resolved inwardly to seize the opportunity to meet Li Yan—a rare talent capable of advancing both cultivation paths to such heights.

"At the time, instruct your men to deliver my sword to Li Wenda. He can then gather these three individuals under his banner. Of course, if the situation becomes desperate, allow him to try out Li Zhengfang's strategy," Zhou Yu massaged his temples as he spoke.

From Zhou Yu's perspective, letting Li Yan act independently might complicate matters further. What concerned him even more was his feeling that Li Yan was, in some ways, even more troublesome than Liaoo Li, the petty-minded talent Zhou Yu had once sent to Jingzhou—a decision now sparking regret.

"I can't shake the sense that you fear Li Zhengfang," Zhuge Jin remarked with curiosity. "It feels as though you're more wary of him than Liaoo Gong Yuan."

"You'll understand once you meet him. He has the potential to become an outstanding figure—but only if he doesn't sabotage himself first," Zhou Yu responded, helplessly.

"I'll inevitably meet him at some point," Zhuge Jin chuckled. "Though with this arrangement, what about Zhongye and Derun..."

"Those two are more mature. The individuals I mentioned earlier are like sharp edges; in terms of ability, Zhongye and Derun may not be far behind, and Li Zhengfang might even surpass them by a margin. However, the earlier group still faces issues with their disposition," Zhou Yu shook his head and explained.

"Just make everything clear to them. Li Wenda and Huo Zhongmiao are relatively composed and steady. When the time arises, simply write them a letter to clarify your intentions." For the first time, Zhou Yu's face showed a slight smile as he addressed Zhuge Jin.

"..." Zhuge Jin's lips twitched, sensing Zhou Yu deliberately setting a trap for the others. Nonetheless, it wasn't his burden to bear, so he held no objections to the scheme.

Zhou Yu and Zhuge Jin exchanged thoughts swiftly, bypassing the tedious back-and-forth explanations often needed. In no time, the two had finalized their plans for the upcoming tasks—meanwhile, Yuan Shu had only just arrived at the Shouchun Government Office.

Though Zhou Yu enjoyed significant autonomy, he generally abided by Yuan Shu's orders when they were inconsequential. For instance, Zhou Yu could head directly to Jingzhou now, yet he intended to appear in front of Yuan Shu first, speaking his part before departing. Whether Yuan Shu approved or not, Zhou Yu planned to leave promptly, more out of courtesy than necessity.

This time, however, as Zhou Yu stepped into the government office, he immediately noticed a departure from the norm. Yuan Shu's entourage comprised solely Jii Ling and Yano Xiang, while the rest of the generals and civil officials had been dismissed. Even the usual aristocratic auxiliaries were nowhere in sight.

"Yuan Gong, I plan to lead my forces to Jingzhou and resolve General Sunx's eastern return," Zhou Yu, upon meeting Yuan Shu, skipped pleasantries and went straight to the point.

"Bofu will handle matters on his end; I trust his capabilities. Right now, there's a more critical task for you. As for North Huai River, it's inconsequential even if abandoned. Gongjin, I ask you to accomplish one thing for me," Yuan Shu replied, bowing in salutation.

Behind him, Jii Ling and Yano Xiang also bowed deeply toward Zhou Yu, leaving no opportunity for him to dodge the gesture.

"General, there's no need for such formality—please refrain from this. Anything I am capable of achieving, I will naturally do my utmost to accomplish. There's no need to employ such respectful terminology or grand gestures; they make me unworthy!" Zhou Yu, flustered, scurried about before finally succumbing and agreeing to the request, albeit with the promise of doing his best—nothing more.