391. Yuan Shao Attacked Zhang Yan

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Lie Fan on the other hand was confused at first, but when he listened to what Jia Xu had just said he finally understood and remembered that Liu Bei in the original timeline more or less did the same thing, with the help of the same people which is Fa Zheng and Zhang Song, the differences is that it was him and the frustration of Fa Zheng and Zhang Song hast reached its peak.

Lie Fan's eyes lit up with understanding as the pieces fell into place. Chen Gong's plan was indeed creative, and with Jia Xu's approval, he felt even more confident about Chen Gong's plan.

"Gongtai, this strategy is truly remarkable!" Lie Fan said, his voice filled with admiration. "Securing our influence in Yi Province through these future moles will give us a significant advantage, I fully support this plan to be done."

Xun You, Lu Su, and Chen Qun exchanged glances. Seeing both Lie Fan and Jia Xu's enthusiasm, they began to consider the merits of the proposal more deeply. Xun You was the first to voice his support.

"Master Chen Gong, you have my backing as well," Xun You said thoughtfully. "If we can cultivate loyalty in individuals who are already within Yi Province, it will be far easier to exert our influence when the time comes."

Lu Su nodded in agreement. "Indeed. By placing our people in strategic positions within Liu Zhang's court, we can create opportunities to exploit weaknesses from within, rather than relying solely on brute force from outside."

Chen Qun, usually more cautious, was persuaded by the collective endorsement. "I see the wisdom in this approach. It requires patience and careful planning, but the potential rewards are immense. I support this strategy too."

Chen Gong pleased with the unanimous support, explained further. "Thank you all for your confidence. Our first step will be identifying and cultivating relationships with key figures who may be discontented with Liu Zhang's rule."

As Chen Gong said so, he pointed his hand toward the letter, "Fa Zheng and Zhang Song are prime candidates for this, but we must also look for others who might be swayed to our side."

Lie Fan leaned forward, his mind already racing with possibilities. "Let's begin by gathering intelligence on potential allies within Yi Province. We need to understand their grievances and motivations. Once we have a clear picture, we can approach them with our propositions."

Jia Xu smiled approvingly. "Precisely, My Lord And we must ensure that our communications remain secret, as Liu Zhang must not suspect our intentions until it is too late for him to realize it."

The group spent the next few hours devising the initial steps of their plan, each advisor contributing their expertise to the strategy, to create the perfect plan and very persuasive for Fa Zheng, Zhang Song, and other future targets.

As the meeting concluded, Chen Gong addressed Lie Fan directly. "My lord, with your leadership and our combined efforts, we will turn this plan into a reality. Yi Province will be ours, not through force alone, but through cunning and strategy."

Chen Gong's words were to praise Lie Fan because since he started serving Lie Fan he saw that he and the others played a heavy role and were relied on immensely by Lie Fan, unlike Lu Bu who is headstrong, and Cao Cao who sometimes has his own ideas.

Lie Fan is more adaptable and trusts his advisors, doesn't enforce his own ideas, and delegates his power entirely to his advisors, allowing them to do whatever they want to achieve their plan as it doesn't go against his rules.

Lie Fan felt a warm sense of satisfaction as Chen Gong praised him. The respect and admiration from his advisors were invaluable, and he knew their trust was his greatest asset for his future hegemony.

"Thank you, Gongtai," Lie Fan said sincerely. "Your words mean a great deal to me, I rely on all of you because I trust your wisdom and capabilities."

Chen Gong nodded, pleased with Lie Fan's response. "Your trust and delegation are what make you a remarkable leader, my lord. We will not let you down."

With Lie Fan's plan firmly set in motion, far north of Xiapi to the bustling capital of Yuan Shao's domain, Nanpi. The air was tense within the main hall of Yuan Shao's palace as Feng Ji and Guo Tu were locked in a heated argument due to the difference in their opinion.

"You are short-sighted, Guo Tu!" Feng Ji exclaimed, his face flushed with anger. "Our alliance with Liu Bei is just what we needed! Caution will only lead to us being alienated from the rest of the land."

"And you, Feng Ji, are brash!" Guo Tu shot back, his voice is equally heated. "We need to be methodical and ensure our resources for the campaign against Zhang Yan! Not wasted on a fruitless alliance with Liu Bei!"

The argument showed no sign of diminishing, their voices echoing through the hall. The other officials exchanged uneasy glances, unsure of how to intervene in the escalating dispute.

Just as tensions seemed ready to boil over, Tian Feng entered the room after receiving notice from the servant that Yuan Shao ordered to call for him, and his presence immediately attracted the attention of everyone in the room but not Feng Ji and Guo Tu.

"Enough," Tian Feng's voice cut through the argument like a blade and the hall fell silent as Feng Ji and Guo Tu's eyes turned to him. "This argument serves no purpose. We face a multitude of challenges, and infighting only weakens our position."

Feng Ji and Guo Tu, seeing Tian Feng entering the hall and daring to cut through their argument, exchanged a quick glance, a silent agreement flashing through their eyes. They decided to join forces against their common intruder.

"We must find a balance between caution and brash," Tian Feng continued. "Our Lord's strength lies in the huge number of soldiers and resources under him, and with a combination of caution and brash complement together, we will succeed in all of our plans."

Feng Ji, seizing the moment, stepped forward. "Tian Feng, you speak of balance, but your approach leans heavily on caution. We risk losing the momentum we have by hesitating. Our strength should be leveraged to crush our enemies swiftly."

Guo Tu nodded, adding, "Indeed. An overly cautious approach will only embolden our foes. We need decisive actions, not endless deliberations."

Tian Feng, maintaining his calm demeanor, responded, "Our enemies are formidable. Rash actions without thorough planning could lead to unnecessary losses, a measured approach will ensure our ultimate success without squandering our resources."

The hall buzzed with tension as Feng Ji and Guo Tu continued to argue against Tian Feng, their combined voices creating a formidable opposition. Just as the argument seemed to reach boiling point, Yuan Shao inserted himself into the argument.

"Feng Ji, Guo Tu, Tian Feng that's enough!" Yuan Shao addressed them, his voice loud reverberating through the hall. "I wanted this to end now! No more baseless arguments!"

The room fell into a respectful silence as all eyes turned to their lord. Yuan Shao's expression was stern, his gaze sweeping across the gathered advisors.

Feng Ji and Guo Tu straightened themselves, fear and uncertainty flickering in their eyes as they realized what they had just done in front of Yuan Shao while Tian Feng stayed calm and apologized to Yuan Shao.

"I stand behind Tian Feng in this matter," Yuan Shao continued. "We must be united in our strategies. The threats we face from Cao Cao and Lie Fan are formidable, and if an alliance with Liu Bei is what we need then that's what we do."

Feng Ji and Guo Tu's expressions faltered, their arguments losing momentum in the face of their lord's decisive support for Tian Feng, while Tian Feng felt supported for the first time in forever.

"As you command, my lord, we will follow as you say," Feng Ji said, his tone respectful but tinged with resignation.

"We will work together for the greater good of My Lord's cause," Guo Tu added, echoing the sentiment.

Satisfied with their responses, Yuan Shao nodded. "Good. Now, let us focus on our upcoming campaign against Zhang Yan which will proceed in three days. We must ensure that our plans are meticulous and that my army is prepared."

The advisors turned their attention to the strategy against Zhang Yan, setting aside the argument for now. Tian Feng took the lead, outlining a balanced approach that combined cautious planning with decisive actions.

"We will divide our forces into two main contingents," Tian Feng explained. "One will engage Zhang Yan's forces head-on, while the other will flank them, cutting off their retreat and supply lines, this will minimize our losses and maximize our chances of a swift victory."

Feng Ji and Guo Tu decided to contribute their insights to the plan to improve their image in front of Yuan Shao, which had deteriorated due to their argument.

As the meeting concluded, Yuan Shao looked upon his advisors with opportunism. "Prepare the troops and finalize the plans. In three days, we will strike Zhang Yan with the full might of our forces."

Three days passed in a flurry of preparations as Yuan Shao's advisors worked tirelessly to finalize their plans. The day of the attack arrived as soldiers prepared for the imminent campaign against Zhang Yan.

Yuan Shao stood at the head of his assembled army, his gaze sweeping across the ranks of soldiers ready to march. Beside him, his trusted generals Yang Liang and Wen Chou awaited their orders, their faces set with grim resolve.

"Today, we strike a decisive blow against Zhang Yan," Yuan Shao declared, his voice carrying over the assembled troops. "Yang Liang, you will lead the first army to engage Zhang Yan's forces head-on. Wen Chou, you will lead the second army to flank them and cut off their retreat and supply lines, proceed with caution, and do the things you do best as usual!"

Yang Liang and Wen Chou nodded firmly, each understanding the importance of their roles in the upcoming battle. With a final salute to their lord, they turned to lead their respective army into battle.

Yuan Shao's armies moved out to attack Zhang Yan, the ground trembled as thousands of feet and horses marched toward Zhang Yan's domain, and Yuan Shao's attack caught Zhang Yan by surprise.

News of Yuan Shao's sudden attack spread like wildfire, shaking the entire Northern China. Nobles and commoners alike were taken aback by the sudden attack. Zhang Yan, caught off guard by the sudden assault, scrambled to organize his defenses. His forces, though experienced in combat, were not prepared for the dual-pronged attack that Yuan Shao had orchestrated.

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Name: Lie Fan

Title: Three Heroes Who Defeat Lu Bu

Age: 31 (198 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 825

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 936 (+20)

VIT: 598 (+20)

AGI: 583 (+10)

INT: 587

CHR: 96

WIS: 509

WILL: 397

ATR Points: 0