434. Next Step Preparation

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Inside his office at the Palace, Cao Cao received the news of Dong Cheng's capture and execution. He sighed, knowing that while one threat had been neutralized, the war was far from over. His eyes narrowed with determination. "Raise the security level at Xuchang," he ordered. "We will not let Lie Fan or any other insurgents cause chaos. This is far from over as Dong Cheng's death are just a raindrop in a vast ocean."

Xun Yu and Cheng Yu who was on the office and the ones informing Cao Cao of the news, cupped their hand receiving the order, and Cheng Yu immediately leave the room to disclose Cao Cao's order to the entirety of Cao Cao's military in Xuchang alongside the town defense army.

As for Cao Cao and Xun Yu, they stayed in the room discussing about Emperor Xian and Empress Dong who had very high chances being involved in Dong Cheng's scheme, which Cao Cao wanted to punish the two of them as in his mind there's no chance they weren't involved in this scheme.

Xun Yu hearing what Cao Cao's said, immediately tried to calm down and persuade Cao Cao. "My Lord, please calm your anger. I agree with you opinion that the Emperor and the Empress must be involved, but we had just done a great cleansing of many officials that loyal to Han Dynasty, whether they were involved or not."

"If we do anything to the Emperor and Empress now, I afraid that it will only make Lie Fan's justification to go to war against us become a truer fact which become a boomerang for us." Xun Yu's words hung in the air, laden with caution and wisdom. Cao Cao leaned back in his chair, his eyes narrowing as he considered the implications of Xun Yu's counsel.

After a long moment, Cao Cao nodded slowly. "You are right, Wenruo. Acting rashly against the Emperor and Empress now could indeed strengthen Lie Fan's justification against us. Thank you for calming me down."

Xun Yu cupped his hand and bowed down in reaction to Cao Cao's word, "It's my duty as your advisor, My Lord. For now, we should focus on fortifying our defenses and focus on our battle over the central plains. The Emperor and Empress will remain under our watchful eyes, but we must not give them or their supporters any chance for another action."

Cao Cao sighed, rubbing his temples his headache relapsed. "It's a delicate balance we must maintain. Wenruo, had Zhicai and Fengxia oversee all of military matters to ensure that our position is unassailable before making any further moves."

Meanwhile, the news of Dong Cheng's death and the subsequent crackdown had sent shockwaves through the Han Imperial court. Many of the officials that survived the crackdown, decided to change their side and swear their allegiance to Cao Cao.

This move further weaken Emperor Xian power in the court, as he had lost many retainers especially the most loyal that was led by Dong Cheng, his father in law and the highest ranking official under him before his death.

On the other hand, Emperor Xian recovering from the initial shock and tending to the fainted Empress Dong, felt a mixture of fear and anger. He knew his position was precarious, and the recent events only underscored his powerlessness.

In a private chamber, as Empress Dong regained consciousness, Emperor Xian held her hand. "Are you okay, my Empress? Do you want something to drink?" he whispered. "I'm sorry about your father, we will definitely avenge him but we need to be cautious for now as Cao Cao's men is becoming vigilant."

Empress Dong nodded weakly, her eyes filled with tears and worry. "What can we do? My Father's death will definite result in our allies are falling and abandoning us while Cao Cao's grip on us grow stronger."

Emperor Xian pat the hand of Empress Dong and slowly showed a determined look. "We must be patient and find new allies. The Han dynasty will not fall so easily. We must find a way to reach out to those who still support us, even if it means seeking aid from unexpected quarters."

As the Emperor and Empress quietly plotted their next moves, Cao Cao's men under Cheng Yu guidance were already tightening their grip on Xuchang. Guards were doubled, curfews enforced, and every movement within Xuchang was monitored closely.

Back in Lie Fan's camp, the news of Dong Cheng's death and the crackdown in Xuchang reached him through his network of spies. He doesn't feel anything for Dong Cheng death. "Looks like Cao Cao and his advisors had found out about Dong Cheng," he said to Jia Xu and Xun You. "Ensure that traces we had with him disappeared."

Jia Xu nodded confidently. "Rest assured, my lord. The Oriole agents have been thorough. All evidence of our involvement with Dong Cheng has been erased. Cao Cao will find nothing that links us to him."

Lie Fan felt a sense of relief. "Good. Thank you, Wenhe. Now then, what do both of you suggest we should do for our next move be?"

Xun You stepped forward. "I suggest we hold our position for a while, My Lord. at least until Jibei has been securely taken by the Baihu Army. Let our troops recuperate. A hasty move now could lead to unnecessary losses."

Jia Xu agreed. "Xun You is right, My Lord. Once our armies have recovered, we can launch a coordinated assault. The Baihu and Zhuque Armies alongside us can target Puyang and Chenliu, to take down the remaining town under his control in Central Plains except Xuchang."

"Meanwhile, the Qinglong Army should move against Wan. This will not only stretch Cao Cao's forces thin but also place direct pressure on Xuchang." Jia Xu suggest to Lie Fan while he put the figures representing the Qilin Army, Baihu Army, Zhuque Army, and Qinlong Army on the target he said.

Lie Fan nodded thoughtfully. "A coordinated strike on multiple fronts, it will keep Cao Cao's forces off balance and force him to defend on several fronts at once. It sounds like a sound strategy. But could this strategy work? We do this strategy on our first plan."

Xun You ensure that this plan would work, because it had turned into an attrition battle. There doesn't need to change any part of their strategy, especially since Cao Cao and his advisors are still overwhelmed by their strategy and army power.

Ensured by Xun You, Lie Fan nodded his head and told both of them to immediately prepare for the plan and inform Zhang Liao, Huang Zhong, Dian Wei, and Taishi Ci.

The decision made, Jia Xu and Xun You began to implement the strategy. Orders were sent out to the various divisions, ensuring that each unit understood their role in the upcoming operations.

In Jibei, Dian Wei and Chen Deng worked tirelessly leading the Baihu Army currently sieging Jibei after their battle against Xiahou Yuan and Li Dian, when the order from Lie Fan arrived.

"Order from Lord Lie Gan is very clear, we should take Jibei as fast as we can," Dian Wei said, overseeing the the Baihu's Army attack on Jibei. "So we can recuperate and let our men rest as soon as possible, so we could implement the strategy."

Chen Deng nodded. "Agreed. We must also ensure our supply replenished and it's line secured. Even then we should also be cautious on our attack, lest we will have more casualties."

As the Baihu Army continued to siege Jibei, they remained vigilant but also optimistic, knowing that the a strategy for the next step had been made, and they only needed to complete their part.

Meanwhile, in Beihai, after the retreat of Xu Chu and Yue Jin's forces Taishi Ci and Bu Zhi oversee its construction and consolidating Lie Fan's influence in Beihai. When they oversee this, Lie Fan's order arrived and received by them.

Taishi Ci and Bu Zhi, standing in the central of Beihai's Governor Castle main hall with a large table in front of them filled with maps and scrolls, unrolled the scroll containing Lie Fan's orders.

Taishi Ci read aloud, "We are to hasten our consolidation efforts here in Beihai and ensure that our forces are ready to support the coordinated assault on Puyang and Chenliu."

Bu Zhi nodded thoughtfully. "We need to double our efforts in strengthening the defenses and integrating the local population into our fold. Establishing strong supply lines will be crucial as well."

Taishi Ci agreed. "I'll take charge of fortifying our key positions and training the new recruits. We must ensure that they are battle-ready. Meanwhile, Master Bu Zhi can oversee the logistics and ensure that our supplies are ample and secure."

Bu Zhi nodded. "Don't worry, using General Taishi Ci influence here in Beihai many merchants, big landlords, and farmers agreed to gave us many of their supplies."

In Runan, Huang Zhong, Liu Ba, and Qin Xie sat around a large wooden table in the command tent. The atmosphere was tense but focused. The arrival of Lie Fan's orders was a stark reminder of the pressing need to secure Runan and prepare for the upcoming campaign.

Huang Zhong finshsed reading the content of the scroll and give it to Liu Ba to read before saying his words, "Our orders are clear. We must secure Runan and ensure that the Our Army is well-supplied and ready for the assault on Wan. What are our immediate priorities?"

Liu Ba reading the scroll handed by Huang Zhing replied, "Firstly, we need to bolster our defenses here in Runan. If Cao Cao send his men to attack Runan, we must be prepared to repel them. I'll work on fortifying our positions and organizing the troops for any potential engagements."

Qin Xie, from the side, added, "We also need to ensure our supply lines are secure. I'll coordinate with the local officials and merchants to establish reliable supply chains so that there would be any disruptions."

Huang Zhong nodded. "We must also maintain constant communication with our allies. The success of our campaign depends on our ability to act in concert with the other armies. I'll set up a relay of messengers to keep us informed of any developments."

Liu Ba concurred. "Agreed. Additionally, we should send out our scouts to gather intelligence on the Cao Cao's men movements on Wan. Knowing their position and strength will give us a strategic advantage."

As they mapped out their plans, the sense of urgency was palpable. Each knew the importance of their role in the grand strategy orchestrated by Lie Fan, Jia Xu, and Xun You. The fate of their campaign hinged on their ability to execute their tasks swiftly and efficiently.

In the days that followed, Lie Fan's forces across the region prepared for the next phase of their campaign. The Qilin, Zhuque, and Qinglong Armies all focused on rest, resupply, and reinforcement while the Baihu Army focused on taking Jibei. The coordinated assault on Puyang, Chenliu, and Wan was meticulously planned, with each head general and advisors understanding the crucial role they would play.

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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