Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Compared to Liu Bei, Cao Cao's ranks boasted civil and military officials of equally high caliber.

Furthermore, Cao Cao's purges in Donghai Commandery, carried out with the brutality of city massacres, claimed many lives among the Embroidered Uniform Guard, resulting in limited intelligence. Otherwise, Li Ji wouldn't have needed to dispatch a large number of scouts and spies to Donghai Commandery.

Who commands those thirty thousand Cao troops?

Li Ji wasn't sure. If Liu Bei were to fall carelessly, it would truly be a case of 'dying before success,' leaving heroes to weep with unfulfilled ambition.

"My lord, you must not underestimate the heroes of this world…"

After a pause, Li Ji said in a deep voice. "If my lord wishes me to stay here and cover the retreat, please grant me one condition."

Liu Bei turned back sharply, a look of joy on his face, and said, "Not just one condition, but ten or eight would be no problem."

"Then, I ask that whatever decision my lord makes, it first be reviewed by the advisory council to identify any oversights, and that you do not act solely on your own judgment."

Li Ji paused and added earnestly, "Zhou Gongjin's ability is no less than mine. Xu Shu, Zhuge Liang, and Sima Yi are also geniuses. I implore my lord to make good use of them."

Liu Bei nodded and replied solemnly, "Alright."

Li Ji continued, "Besides that, please leave me twenty thousand soldiers."

This request made Liu Bei very hesitant. After a moment of hesitation, he said,

"Ahead, there are only thirty thousand Cao troops, but you, Zikun, need to hold back sixty thousand from the rear…"

"How about this, Zikun, say no more. We'll divide these ninety thousand troops equally between us. How does that sound?"

…

Li Ji.

Li Ji truly never imagined that one day, he would have to haggle with Liu Bei over troop allocation like haggling over vegetables at the market.

"If my lord doubts my ability so much, I might as well retire and live in seclusion in the mountains…"

"Stop, stop, stop!"

Liu Bei couldn't bear to hear such words and quickly interrupted, "Thirty thousand! Zikun must lead at least thirty thousand soldiers, including Yide's seven thousand cavalry. That's the bottom line."

Li Ji opened his mouth weakly, but the words of rebuttal that reached his throat could only be swallowed again.

At that moment, Li Ji made a firm decision.

After the Battle of Xu Province, no matter what, he would keep Liu Zhi in the rear and never let him command troops again.

"Yes."

Li Ji reluctantly cupped his fist in acceptance.

Liu Bei walked up to Li Ji, and as he had done in the past, he personally helped Li Ji up. After a slight hesitation, he patted Li Ji's shoulder and said in a low voice,

"Going to Yishui, I don't know what the plague is like. If destiny is not with Liu, and intends for me to die on the way to pacifying the common people, then perhaps it is fate."

"When that time comes, please comfort Yun Chang and Yide, and prevent them from acting rashly. A Dou will be in your care as well…"

After a pause, Liu Bei looked at Li Ji's stunned expression and carefully added,

"It's just that A Dou is naturally dull. If he is truly beyond help, you may take his place. I only hope that Zikun does not forget the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty that we, lord and subject, have sought to achieve."

"My lord!!"

Listening to Liu Bei's words, which sounded like entrusting his orphan, Li Ji's heart was filled with both emotion and indignation, and he was about to say something.

But Liu Bei directly mounted his horse and shouted loudly,

"The entire army, listen to my command!"

Immediately, all the soldiers who had retreated one hundred and fifty paces away under Li Ji's command quickly gathered, which forced Li Ji to swallow the words that had reached his throat.

Soon after, Liu Bei decisively completed the division of troops, leaving Li Ji with thirty thousand elite soldiers, and then led the main force to continue north along the Yishui River.

After riding his horse for more than a hundred steps, Liu Bei couldn't help but turn back and take a deep look at Li Ji and Zhang Fei, who were seeing him off, revealing a trace of reluctance, and then said loudly,

"Zikun, do not forget our agreement. If there are no military orders after ten days, retreat back to Xiapi Commandery as soon as possible."

"I will be here waiting for my lord's triumphant return."

Hearing Li Ji's voice, which was not as calm and indifferent as usual, Liu Bei couldn't help but laugh loudly…

However, this laughter sounded heartbreaking to Li Ji, but to others, it was somewhat inexplicable.

Zhang Fei also came over and asked, "Zikun, why is Big Brother laughing so happily?"

"Have you forgotten what my lord said? During wartime, you must use official titles."

Li Ji reminded him unhappily.

Zhang Fei subconsciously replied, "Big Brother isn't here…"

But after feeling the look Li Ji gave him, Zhang Fei immediately changed his expression and said,

"Commander, my great commander, is that okay?"

Li Ji shook his head helplessly, and then ordered to increase the number of scouts to pay attention to the movements of Cao Cao's army in the rear. Meanwhile, the entire army continued to rest in place, and then summoned the generals to discuss matters.

Li Ji naturally had no shortage of maps of Donghai Commandery, and the mountains and rivers within the territory were clearly marked.

How to block Cao Cao and buy enough time for Liu Bei.

This was the focus Li Ji needed to consider at the moment.

Donghai Commandery is mostly plains. It can even be said that Cao Cao's pursuit of Liu Bei would be across flat land. Even if there were some undulating terrains, it would be difficult to rely on them as barriers to block Cao Cao.

In the end, Li Ji set his sights on a small river not far from here, with Liyang Bridge connecting the north and south banks of the river.

Of course, this was just a small river less than ten zhang wide, not enough to defend.

Li Ji's eyes unconsciously swept over the generals, and then stopped on Zhang Fei.

Zhang Fei widened his eyes and asked,

"Zi… Commander?"

"I have a plan…"

…

Meanwhile, in Cao Cao's camp.

While Cao Cao carefully sent scouts to inquire about the movements of Liu Bei's army, he also waited anxiously for the army to finish resting.

Once Liu Bei finished clearing Yishui, for Cao Cao, it would not only be as simple as losing the initiative in Donghai Commandery, but also a complete strategic failure.

However, Cao Cao was currently short of cavalry, and every scout was very precious, so he didn't dare to let the scouts get too close, and could only check the traces left by the march from a distance to confirm the direction.

When Cao Cao couldn't hold on any longer and dozed off for a while, he woke up and found that it was noon. He couldn't wait to quickly reorganize the army and then, together with the troops led by Zhu Ling, chased north all the way.

Along the way, there was no obstruction…

Until Cao Cao led his army unimpeded and caught up to Liyang Bridge near dusk, a burst of thunderous laughter came from afar.

"Hahahaha, Yan man Zhang Yide has been waiting here for a long time!"

This sudden sound aroused Cao Cao's vigilance, and he subconsciously ordered the entire army to hold still for the time being.

Immediately, Cao Cao personally led a group of military generals to the front army, raised his eyes and looked forward, and saw Zhang Fei standing alone on Liyang Bridge.

"Where is the Cao thief? Come and fight me to the death!" (End of this chapter)