Chapter 028: Jia Xu’s Strategy
Seeing Jia Xu at that moment truly caught Long Tian off guard.
After sending people to settle Chen Rong and her daughter, he headed straight to the military camp.
Aside from Xu Rong, there was another unexpected figure present: Zhang Ji.
A man of ill fortune. Zhang Ji was famous for two reasons.
First, because his wife, Lady Zou, was young and beautiful, still full of charm.
Cao Cao secretly took her into his quarters, which ultimately cost Cao Cao the lives of his top general Dian Wei and his eldest son Cao Ang.
Second, because the one who avenged him was his nephew, Zhang Xiu, the man who once forced Cao Cao to flee for his life in defeat.
This string of surprises sent waves of excitement through Long Tian’s heart.
Ever since acquiring the System, and later awakening the Companion System, his desire for women had increased dramatically.
He wanted them, craved them, yearned to claim more.
Women with names recorded in history.
And Zhang Ji’s wife was clearly an excellent choice.
On the night before departure, Long Tian rested in the military camp.
He had held lengthy discussions with Xu Rong and Zhang Ji, finalizing the offensive strategy.
His role was to serve as the vanguard, charging into the rebel forces to disrupt their formation.
If he succeeded in this battle, Dong Zhuo would certainly petition merit for him.
As Dong Zhuo’s “nephew,” if Long Tian wanted to establish a foothold, he had to prove himself on the battlefield; otherwise, he would never have the standing to lead.
He hadn’t really been given a choice in the matter; he had simply been pushed into the role by necessity.
That night, Long Tian sought out Jia Xu’s tent and paid his respects to this rare strategist who, in the Three Kingdoms era, would manage to survive to the very end.
Jia Xu was a middle-aged man with a beard, standing around 1.7 meters tall, fairly average among the men of Xiliang.
He had a scholarly air about him, and the pair of narrow goatee whiskers on his face made him look rather like a fortune-teller.
“Greetings, Elder. Disturbing you so late at night is truly my offense. However, I have a question I cannot resolve and hope you might enlighten me.”
Being disturbed during rest was naturally an irritating affair.
Jia Xu was no exception. Yet it seemed as though he had anticipated this visit.
He lifted a hand and stroked his beard, a confident glint in his eyes.
“It is of no matter. What does the general wish to ask? Though my humble insights may not dispel all doubts, I can still offer a word or two.”
“Esteemed elder is a man who understands self-preservation, one who knows that a gentleman does not stand beneath a crumbling wall.
Why, then, are you here? Tomorrow’s battle will be fierce, swords and spears have no eyes. This hardly suits your usual conduct.”
Long Tian spoke bluntly, his gaze fixed on Jia Xu.
He didn’t know what the man’s motive was, was he here to offer a strategy?
Unlikely, as Jia Xu had never stood out under Dong Zhuo’s command, officially serving only as a low-level logistics official.
Seemingly surprised by the question, Jia Xu paused for a moment, his eyes flickering with the light of deep thought
“The General jests. Who does not fear death? The general possesses the courage of a tiger.
Your past feats in siege warfare remain vivid in memory, much like the Battle of Pengcheng, where the King of Chu rose to fame in a single engagement.
The general is no less formidable. This old man believes that following the General is not exactly standing beneath a ‘crumbling wall’.”
“Then is Elder willing to be my Fan Zeng?”
Long Tian laughed heartily.
The “King of Chu” Jia Xu referred to was none other than the Hegemon King, Xiang Yu, a man of unmatched bravery.
Jia Xu smiled but remained silent, merely shaking his head as he stroked his beard.
“I am no Fan Zeng.”
“Nor am I Xiang Yu, Elder. Look at how vast and beautiful Xiliang is, save for its many bandits. Ma Teng and Han Sui? I regard them as mere weeds.
This imperial campaign to suppress rebellion is our chance to seize glory. First, secure a foothold. Strike Ma Teng to the east and Han Sui to the west, and take control of Xiliang.
By controlling the Thirty-Six Western Regions and the Silk Road, we can grow wealthy and strong.
Then we sit back and watch the world change, develop ourselves, and stockpile grain.”
Long Tian laid out his plan. He spoke tactfully, yet the ambition behind his words was bold.
“And when the winds of the world shift, we may advance to establish our own empire, or retreat to safeguard ourselves as a regional lord?”
Jia Xu couldn’t help but finish the thought.
This was precisely the strategic vision a clear-headed leader required.
Without territory, everything is a pipe dream.
Having territory but not knowing how to manage it is also futile.
Knowing how to manage but lacking a grand strategic vision means one is not a “True Lord.”
Thus, when Long Tian outlined his plan so clearly, it proved he was a rational man with a solid understanding of his own capabilities.
The most dangerous thing for a man is a lack of self-awareness, trying to meet force with force when one lacks the strength only accelerates one’s own demise.
Jia Xu took a few steps back and bowed deeply to Long Tian.
“If the General will have me, I am willing to offer counsel and strategy.”
“Excellent! With Elder by my side, I’ve won more than a thousand armies.”
Long Tian’s heart leapt with joy as he helped the bowing Jia Xu to his feet.
[Ding! Jia Xu has become your Follower.]
On his status panel, Long Tian could now see Jia Xu’s portrait. Beneath it were his status, strategies, and specialties.
He could also see his attributes: Martial Arts, Intelligence, Charisma, Leadership, and Governance.
Each stat corresponded to a specific role; high intelligence meant a strategist, while high leadership meant a general.
“My lord, to achieve greatness, one must not only slay enemies on the battlefield but also master the art of relationships.”
Jia Xu produced a map of the southern city outskirts, pointing his finger at a specific mountain pass.
“This location is where the imperial forces of Zhang Wen plan to launch their attack, and it is currently held by the rebels.
If the rebels station troops here to confront the enemy and dispatch another force to strike at the critical moment, they can split the imperial army in two, leaving its front and rear unable to support each other.
Bian Zhang and his ilk may be thugs, but they are no slouches on the battlefield.”
“And then I lead my troops to save them and snatch the political merit?”
Long Tian asked, sounding a bit skeptical.
This was a calculated gambit, but the price would be the lives of countless soldiers.
Truly, a general’s triumph is built upon a field of bones!
Jia Xu shook his head.
It seemed his Lord was still a bit green when it came to the finer points of political scheming, though that wasn’t necessarily bad.
Jia Xu had observed Long Tian for a long time before deciding to gamble on him.
If Long Tian were truly incompetent, Jia Xu would have slipped away long ago.
“No. You must wait until Zhang Wen is defeated and in danger of being killed. Only then should you strike to save him. Not a moment too early, and not a moment too late.
Only then will his gratitude be absolute. With the recommendation of both Lord Dong and Zhang Wen, the rewards you receive will be anything but meager.”
When it comes to political scheming, one must have the strength to back it up.
Long Tian was Dong Zhuo’s man. Given the friction between them, Zhang Wen would never normally say a good word about Long Tian.
But what if Long Tian saved his life?
Then it would be a different story.
If Long Tian turned the tide when the battle was seemingly lost, the ultimate glory would be his.
Zhang Wen would have no choice but to reward him, if only to buy Long Tian’s silence.
Don’t be fooled by the elegant, refined appearance of famous scholars, it was all a facade.
When it came to their own interests, they were more calculating and cunning than anyone else.
Otherwise, why would they be “Famous Scholars” while others were not?
Did people really think that just being able to write essays or recite poetry made one a Renowned Scholar?
That is merely to deceive the common folk. The core lies in the exchange of interests!
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Cao Cao was one of the most famous and influential warlords of the Three Kingdoms era, known for his cunning, ambition, and exceptional strategic ability.
