Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Now, after listening to Xu You's analysis, Guo Yi was also clear that he didn't have much room to retreat.

Immediately, besides actively contacting the mountain tribes for support and recruiting artisans to build ships as Xu You suggested, Guo Yi also continuously and vigorously conscripted brave men in the county, even resorting to forceful means.

However, as time passed, the situation didn't seem to develop as Guo Yi had anticipated.

Building ships and recruiting brave men progressed smoothly enough, but the battle situation on the Fuchun Mountain side was not as fierce as Guo Yi had imagined.

Faced with the copper walls and iron barriers set up by the ten thousand-plus Han troops led by Guan Yu and Xu Sheng in Fuchun Mountain, even though the mountain tribes excelled at jungle warfare, it didn't mean they could carry out siege warfare.

Especially in large-scale battles, coordination was particularly important, which was undoubtedly a weakness of the mountain tribes.

Moreover, the mountain tribes were never a unified group, but rather a general term for a large number of specific tribes.

Initially, the thirty thousand-plus mountain tribes gathered near Fuchun Mountain believed in the fantasy of capturing Fuchun Mountain and entering Wu County to plunder and seize anything they wanted, enticed by the promises made by the people sent by Guo Yi.

However, after each tribe ran into the copper walls and iron barriers set up by Guan Yu, the mountain tribes gradually came to their senses.

For each independent mountain tribe, once the tribe suffered too many losses, the result would be annexation by neighboring tribes, so where would they be willing to risk their lives?

Li Ji had long seen through the essence of such a loose alliance, knowing that as soon as they encountered setbacks, they would inevitably be hesitant and shirk responsibility to each other.

On the contrary, Guo Yi's repeated support with money and food to urge the mountain tribes to forcefully attack Fuchun Mountain made these mountain tribes realize an easier way to get rich than attacking Wu County.

That was, instead of risking their lives to attack, or struggling to pick fruits and hunt in the mountains, it was better to just lie flat around Fuchun Mountain. Wouldn't that be like eating the Han imperial rations?

Therefore, the more frequent and urgent Guo Yi's urging of the mountain tribes, the calmer the battlefield on the Fuchun Mountain side became. The main goal of the mountain tribes even gradually shifted from capturing Fuchun Mountain to swindling Guo Yi's money and food.

This made Guo Yi both annoyed and frustrated, often hating that he simply cut off the money and food support to the mountain tribes, but he also knew that if he did that, the group of mountain tribes would definitely scatter and even simply rush into Kuaiji County to plunder.

And for Guo Yi, that group of mountain tribes absolutely could not be scattered.

Without that group of mountain tribes firmly containing the ten thousand-plus elite troops in Fuchun Mountain, how would Guo Yi have a chance to attack Wu County with his current troops?

Nearly two months passed in a flash, and the battle situation on the Fuchun Mountain side remained unchanged. On the contrary, the money and food that Guo Yi had plundered in Kuaiji County were poured in like a flood, so how could Guo Yi not be annoyed?

"This is infuriating!"

"These brats are not worth planning with!"

Xu You looked at Guo Yi, who was once again furious in the big tent because the mountain tribes were taking the money and food but completely pretending to attack Fuchun Mountain, and his heart was also full of helplessness.

That group of mountain tribes was really beyond help...

If only there was someone with a little ambition and ability within the mountain tribes who could take the opportunity to unify the mountain tribes and then fully attack Fuchun Mountain to seize a territory in Wu County.

As a result, seeing that Fuchun Mountain was difficult to attack, that group of mountain tribes was actually satisfied with lying flat and being supported by the money and food from Kuaiji County every day.

It was really... making Xu You somewhat unable to bear it.

And Xu You had also tried various ways to stimulate or drive the mountain tribes, but it was always useless. It seemed that the life pursuit of that group of mountain tribes was only to live, preferably to live lying flat.

Therefore, under the premise that Guo Yi dared not cut off the money and food support to the mountain tribes, that group of mountain tribes was impervious to persuasion.

'They are really useless!'

Xu You sighed secretly and also understood that there was a reason why that group of mountain tribes was driven into the deep mountains and old forests by the Han people.

Moreover, it was no wonder that the trouble of the mountain tribes had always been regarded as a minor disease, because these mountain tribes were always difficult to achieve anything, but they often disgusted people. Occasionally, when they were hungry, they would rush out of the deep mountains and old forests to plunder.

After venting in the big tent, Guo Yi then asked Xu You.

"Mr. Ziyuan, what should we do now?"

Hearing this, Xu You had no choice but to bite the bullet and say, "Your Lordship should also wait for the opportune time."

The implication was that Guo Yi should also lie flat now.

Not to mention that Xu You's original plan was for the mountain tribes to act as the main force, and Kuaiji County would then take action accordingly. As a result, the group of mountain tribes was not up to the task, which made Kuaiji County, which originally wanted to be a fisherman, stand out in front.

It was just that after the previous battle, Guo Yi and Xu You both felt genuinely apprehensive about crossing the Qiantang River by force.

Although Guo Yi had now prepared a large number of ships, and the troops deployed along the Qiantang River had reached more than twenty-five thousand.

But facing the Qiantang County, which even the people did not seem to be disturbed by during these two months, Guo Yi and Xu You both felt that Qiantang County was now in a state of uncertainty between having a trap and being an empty city.

On the surface, Wu County had not increased its troops to the Qiantang County area in the past two months, and even Li Ji went in and out of the county government office every day as usual to handle official business, as if he regarded the more than twenty thousand troops on the other side of the Qiantang River as nothing.

An empty city scheme?!

Xu You's reason almost determined that what Li Ji was using now was the bluffing empty city scheme, but he had already stumbled once in the same place, which made Xu You unable to be completely sure.

'Perhaps, there is still a trap...'

Xu You, who was also caught in a dilemma, could only propose a plan to wait for the opportune time.

Perhaps, a meteorite would fall from the sky and kill that fiend Li Ji.

......

In fact, what Li Ji was using now was indeed an "empty city scheme".

If Xu You really suggested that Guo Yi lead an army of more than 25,000 to cross the Qiantang River by force, then Li Ji, who now had only more than 5,000 infantry soldiers and more than 1,000 cavalry soldiers, would really have to temporarily retreat to Qiantang County to defend it.

However, if this was the case, the losses caused by fighting on the local soil of Wu County would definitely be significant.

Moreover, the mental state of the mountain tribes in the county was wavering. It was hard to say whether it would be a simple matter for Li Ji to take back Fuchun Mountain from the mountain tribes.

Of course, these were just backup plans. What Li Ji was sure of was that as long as he was stationed in Qiantang County and showed his face in front of people every day, then Guo Yi would definitely not dare to rashly advance into Qiantang County.

At this moment, in the county government office, Guo Jia was already skillfully handling various military affairs, while Li Ji was leisurely enjoying tea.

Although Guo Jia was not as diligent as Gu Yong, after Li Ji's guidance, the trivial military affairs of a mere few thousand soldiers were nothing more than a moment's work for Guo Jia, and there were no mistakes.

Easy to use!

Loved to use!!!

Compared to Xia Houlan, who was not talented enough, Guo Jia was obviously much stronger.

Suddenly, Guo Jia stopped his movements, holding a roll of bamboo slips in his hand, and walked towards Li Ji, saying.

"Sir, a letter from the Lord."

Although Guo Jia had not formally recognized Liu Bei as his Lord, as Li Ji's page, Guo Jia now also called Liu Bei the Lord in accordance with Li Ji's position to show respect.

Hearing this, Li Ji put away his slightly lazy look, took the bamboo slips, and opened them to read.

After a while, Li Ji reluctantly put away the bamboo slips, and said.

"The Lord is urging me to return to Wu County again."

Hearing this, Guo Jia asked somewhat puzzled.

"Sir, why would the Lord urge you to go back? Now that Kuaiji County and the mountain tribes dare not advance lightly, it is precisely because they are in awe of your name. Once you leave, the situation will change immediately."

Li Ji said faintly, "The day of my wedding is less than seven days away."

Suddenly, Guo Jia was a little dazed.

Wedding???!!

Seven days?!

When these two words were linked together and placed on Li Ji, who was still leisurely making tea in front of him, Guo Jia only felt that his cerebellum jumped inexplicably.

For a moment, Guo Jia thought that Liu Bei was dissatisfied with Li Ji's failure to resolve the threat faced by the southern part of Wu County and was planning to replace the general before the battle, so he was greatly dissatisfied and was preparing to complain for Li Ji...

Li Ji's answer made Guo Jia swallow all the words back, and said.

"Then sir should indeed return to Wu County quickly, and then ask the Lord to send someone to Qiantang County to be stationed here."

"Indeed, it's almost time to return to Wu County. The Lord originally only gave me a deadline of two and a half months, and unknowingly the deadline has arrived."

Li Ji said with some emotion, and even inexplicably felt a little reluctant.

After all, after truly entering the stalemate stage, Li Ji, who was in Qiantang County, was completely idle. Military affairs were handed over to Guo Jia to handle in the name of "training".

Every day, Li Ji basically just showed his face at the entrance of the county government office, intimidating Guo Yi across the river. The rest of the time, he basically spent his time in the county government office drinking tea, reading books, and playing chess.

Moreover, with Guo Jia, a page who could talk about astronomy, geography, and military strategy, Li Ji not only did not feel bored, but also lived a very comfortable life.

Even now, in order to prepare for the possible arduous battles in the future, Li Ji has also resumed the habit of practicing swordsmanship with Zhao Yun every day to exercise his body.

Seemingly on an expedition, but in fact, he was living a comfortable and healthy life...

However, peaceful times always pass exceptionally quickly. If Liu Bei hadn't sent a letter urging him, Li Ji would have forgotten that only seven days remained until the wedding.

Guo Jia didn't forget to remind him.

"Sir, if you're going to change generals before the battle, you must ask the Lord to send reinforcements first, then change the general. Otherwise, once you leave, I'm afraid that Guo Yi, who has been waiting for a good opportunity for a long time, will immediately make a move."

"At that time, the person who replaces you may not be able to defend against the enemy."

(End of this chapter)