Yuan Xi outwardly set out for Guangling, but midway he quietly diverted to Ling County. After entering the city, he was met by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, who personally escorted him to their residence.
There, he finally saw Liu Bei—who had secretly returned.
Liu Bei struggled to sit up, raising a trembling hand as he sighed, "My lord, I have you to thank for your assistance. Otherwise… I would have truly lost everything this time."
Yuan Xi waved it off gently. "Victory and defeat are common in war. Yuan Shu's forces were already pressing hard, and then Cao Cao struck from behind. Had I been in Xiapi, I might not have handled it as well as you did, Lord Xuande."
"You still have strength remaining. As long as you seize the right opportunity, a comeback is not impossible."
Liu Bei let out a bitter sigh. "It was my moment of carelessness that gave Cao Cao the opening. He first launched a surprise attack on Pengcheng, then seized Tancheng, cutting off my retreat from Xiapi. Isolated and without support, I had no choice but to withdraw—and was ultimately ambushed and utterly defeated."
Yuan Xi's expression darkened. The fall of Pengcheng alone was enough to alter the entire strategic balance of Xuzhou.
Since ancient times, Pengcheng had been known as the gateway between north and south—a critical stronghold. Situated along the Si River and elevated above the Xuzhou plains, it commanded both geography and movement. Even Xiang Yu had once chosen it as his capital for precisely these reasons.
Now, with Cao Cao in control of Pengcheng, and Houqiu forming a supporting position to the northeast, the region had become a near-impenetrable pincer. Even Yuan Shu would struggle to reclaim it in the short term.
Meanwhile, Cao Ren had abandoned Tancheng at the perfect moment, retreating into Yuzhou and striking Yuan Shu's northern advance. Caught between pursuit and the threat of being cut off by Xiahou Yuan's forces in Pengcheng, Yuan Shu's army found itself in a dilemma.
Yuan Xi exhaled slowly. "I had always heard that Lord Xuande was extremely cautious about Pengcheng. How did it fall so suddenly?"
At these words, an awkward silence fell over the room. Zhang Fei's dark face flushed faintly with embarrassment.
Liu Bei sighed. "It was my own greed… and Cao Cao's deception."
As he explained, Yuan Xi gradually grasped the full picture—and couldn't help but feel alarmed.
Cao Cao had secretly struck a deal with Liu Bei.
He promised to recommend Liu Bei for an official post and even arranged a marriage alliance—betrothing a member of the Xiahou clan to Zhang Fei. At the same time, he pledged to divide Yu Province equally.
Faced with such terms, Liu Bei had agreed without hesitation.
True to his word, Cao Cao submitted a memorial, and Emperor Xie appointed Liu Bei as Governor of Yu Province and Marquis of Yicheng.
An empty title—but a dazzling one.
Yuan Xi felt a chill. Compared to Cao Cao, he had been far too restrained in his use of imperial authority. Cao Cao had spent nothing, yet gained everything—using a hollow honor as bait to manipulate Liu Bei completely.
Even the marriage alliance had been part of the trap. Xiahou Yuan personally escorted the bride, lending the arrangement credibility. Zhang Fei, overjoyed, made preparations in good faith.
But on the return journey, Xiahou Yuan struck.
At Pengcheng, he joined forces with Cao Hong, launching a sudden two-pronged attack. The city's defenders, reassured by the alliance, had lowered their guard. Caught unprepared, they were swiftly overwhelmed.
At the same time, another Cao Cao force crossed from Taishan into the East Sea region and advanced on Tancheng, coordinating with Cao Ren. Within mere days, both cities fell.
By the time the news reached Xiapi, Liu Bei's already strained forces collapsed into chaos. Forced to retreat toward Guangling, he was ambushed at night by Cao Chun's cavalry and suffered a crushing defeat.
From beginning to end, he had been completely outmaneuvered.
Yuan Xi felt conflicted.
Liu Bei had clearly not placed full trust in him—yet at the same time, Yuan Xi realized he had failed to offer enough in return. Alliances built on words alone were fragile.
If you want a horse to run, you must first feed it.
Still, Liu Bei had been blinded by Cao Cao's promises, growing complacent—and paid the price, losing Pengcheng, Donghai, and Xiapi in one stroke.
Now, he was reduced to taking refuge in Yuan Xi's territory.
Yuan Xi couldn't help but admire Cao Cao's ruthlessness. To sacrifice even a member of the Xiahou clan as part of the scheme—such decisiveness was chilling.
Then a thought struck him.
The Xiahou clan?
He suddenly recalled the later tale of Zhang Fei forcibly taking a Xiahou woman as his wife.
Frowning, he said, "Xiahou Yuan truly is ruthless—using even his own kin as pawns."
Zhang Fei immediately bristled. "Ruthless? That scoundrel tricked us!"
"And after taking Pengcheng, he even spread rumors that I abducted her!"
"Me? Travel all the way to Taishan just to snatch a bride?! Absurd!"
Yuan Xi fell silent, deep in thought.
Something didn't add up.
In later accounts, Zhang Fei was said to have abducted a "woman from a good family." But verifying lineage in those times was no simple matter. Without formal rites, how could such a status even be confirmed?
If anything, the existence of proper marriage rites suggested the opposite—that the Xiahou family had willingly arranged the alliance.
Perhaps history had twisted the story.
After all, the woman later held a high status as Zhang Fei's wife—and even became the mother of an empress. Such a position would have been impossible for someone of low or questionable origin.
The more Yuan Xi considered it, the more plausible this version seemed.
Looking up, he asked, "Where is Xiahou Shi now?"
Zhang Fei snorted. "I tied her up when we fled. She's not going anywhere."
"What do you intend to do with her?" Yuan Xi asked.
Zhang Fei's eyes flashed with anger. "Her crime deserves death. I'll execute her publicly in a few days!"
Yuan Xi could only sigh. "She likely had no choice in any of this. And didn't you already propose marriage?"
"It may not be a bad thing to go through with it. You could even establish ties with the Xiahou clan in the future."
Zhang Fei shook his head vehemently. "Impossible!"
"That scoundrel ruined my brother—took our land and left us with nothing. I will have revenge. How could I marry his kin?"
"And if I did, what's to stop her from killing me in my sleep?"
Guan Yu, standing nearby, spoke calmly, "My third brother is stubborn. We've tried to persuade him—war is war, marriage is marriage—but he refuses to separate the two."
Yuan Xi smiled wryly. This was not his place to interfere further.
Changing the subject, he said, "What I cannot understand is why Cao Cao chose to turn on Lord Xuande instead of joining forces against Yuan Shu. It seems illogical."
Liu Bei looked away, his expression stiff. "Perhaps… Xuzhou is simply something he must have."
Yuan Xi noticed the hesitation but chose not to press further. Lu Xun, standing beside him, subtly signaled the same—there were likely deeper matters Liu Bei was unwilling to reveal.
After a pause, Yuan Xi spoke again.
"The situation in Xuzhou is now extremely complex. What are your plans, Lord Xuande?"
Liu Bei exchanged glances with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei before replying, "I would first like to hear your thoughts."
Yuan Xi did not hesitate.
"My plan is simple."
"We gather all available forces, march west along the Yangtze from Guangling, seize Lujiang—"
"—and then strike north to take Shouchun."