Chen Xi turned his head to look at Jia Xu, "Wenhe, I always thought you were a master of intrigue. Why the sudden change? Breaking the momentum is the essence of an open strategy. Have you switched your tactics?"
Jia Xu glanced at Chen Xi, "Whether it's intrigue or open strategy, a good plan is one that can be used effectively. Intrigue is easier and more efficient, achieving a lot with little. Open strategies are straightforward and unstoppable. The two should be combined, not separated."
Chen Xi shrugged. He wasn't good at scheming; his strength lay in straightforward strategies—no matter how the opponent maneuvered, he would break through with sheer force.
"But once intrigue is exposed, it loses its value and can easily be turned against you. So, it's unwise to base major plans on intrigue alone. At the same time, there are situations where open strategies can't be applied. As long as it's practical, it's a good plan," Jia Xu said with a peculiar expression.
"Another pragmatist," Chen Xi shrugged. "Open strategies are indeed useful, especially in our current situation where we hold the momentum."
After Liu Bei left, the aristocratic families of Xuzhou began to stir. Li You, however, appeared indifferent to their actions, almost deliberately allowing them to run unchecked.
Li You smirked as he watched the various reactions of the Xuzhou family heads during their first meeting after Liu Bei's departure. Except for Chen Gui, who made Li You slightly cautious, the others could be easily dealt with.
As the Xuzhou family heads bickered amongst themselves, Li You calmly sipped his tea, hiding his expression. Little did the Xuzhou families know that while they were plotting to divide Xuzhou's wealth, Li You, sitting in the governor's seat, was already planning how to divide their estates. Even Chen Gui, who intended to be cautious around Li You, hadn't anticipated that the middle-aged scholar sitting at the head of the table harbored such ambitions, nor that he had the ability to execute them.
Meanwhile, Lu Su had received urgent news from Qingzhou. The Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou were once again gathering, and it looked like they were amassing an army of a million. Upon receiving the report, Lu Su immediately sent word to Xuzhou and relayed the information to Guan Yu, who had just returned to Taishan.
When Guan Yu and his troops withdrew from Xuzhou, Liu Bei had already made preparations according to Chen Xi's plan. If the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou made a move first, the Taishan army would cease their rest and Guan Yu, with Guo Jia and Liu Ye as his strategists, would sweep through Qingzhou within a month.
The strategy was simple: if the Yellow Turbans stayed put, they would be dealt with slowly, pacifying them while establishing new settlements with the captives. But if the Yellow Turbans acted first, they would be swiftly crushed to prevent other warlords from exploiting the situation. After defeating them, they would reorganize the region.
"My lord, I am willing to go and persuade the current Yellow Turban leader, Guan Hai, to surrender," Liao Hua knelt before Guan Yu, who was preparing to march. The more he understood Taishan, the more Liao Hua realized how fragile the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans were. Especially now that they were gathering again, if Guan Yu were to get angry and unleash his fury, blood would flow in Qingzhou.
"Yuanjian, do you know what you are asking?" Guan Yu opened his eyes slightly, and a cold light flashed across Liao Hua.
"Lord, I beg you to give the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou a way out. They are only acting out of hunger, having been misled by others. They long for the life in Taishan. Please, my lord, grant them mercy," Liao Hua knelt on the ground, tears streaming down his face for the first time, not for the hardships he had endured, but for the fate of his former comrades.
"Please, my lord, give the Yellow Turbans a way out..." Zhou Cang also knelt before Guan Yu. Once the army set out, it would not return without bloodshed—such had always been the rule.
"How confident are you?" After a long silence, Guan Yu finally spoke.
"Thank you, my lord. We will do everything in our power to persuade Guan Hai. He has always wanted to join Taishan but never had the opportunity. I am willing to convince him," Liao Hua said, tears welling up in his eyes.
"Taishan can accept the Yellow Turbans, but we won't accept the leader of a rebellious million-strong army. Tell him to make his choice!" Guan Yu's words were blunt, something Guo Jia and Liu Ye would never have said. They would have quietly dealt with Guan Hai after subduing the million Yellow Turbans.
Liao Hua's eyes filled with tears. "My lord, the Yellow Turbans only seek a stable home. They were deceived. I am willing to try and persuade them."
"Then go," Guan Yu said calmly. "Be careful."
"Liao Hua will not fail you," Liao Hua said, his eyes red with determination. He swore that even if it cost him his life, he would not let Guan Hai lead the million Yellow Turbans into the abyss.
"Go," Guan Yu said softly.
Liao Hua left, discarding his armor and donning the ragged clothes of his Yellow Turban days. He wrapped a yellow scarf around his head, mounted a horse, and set off for Beihai.
Guan Hai was a stubborn man. Once he set his mind on something, no one could change it. He had been a leader under Zhang Jue, and now, for the sake of the million Yellow Turbans, Liao Hua felt he had to try. The people of Qingzhou were on the verge of a better life, and now this happened. Knowing the suffering of the Yellow Turbans, Liao Hua was willing to risk his life.
Guan Hai, unaware of the trouble he had caused, was still pleased with his plan to surround Beihai and give Kong Rong a scare. He believed that once he surrounded Beihai, the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans would be able to surrender to Liu Bei and become good citizens within a month.
"The grand commander is indeed wise. Our brothers working on infrastructure in western Qingzhou have sent word that Taishan is preparing to destroy us. Hahaha, when they come, we'll surrender, and then we'll be citizens under Lord Xuande's rule," a Yellow Turban leader shared the news after the alliance meeting, feeling triumphant.
"Hahaha, if that's the case, there's no need for more bloodshed. We'll just surround Beihai without attacking, like a performance at Taishan's theater," Guan Hai laughed. He was proud of his leadership, guiding the Yellow Turbans toward a brighter future.