There are two strategies: either take Xuzhou or do not move.
This was the answer Xu Shu gave after careful consideration, and his opinion was consistent with Xi Zhicai's.
The territories adjacent to their jurisdiction today include Jingzhou, Yuzhou, Xuzhou, and Yizhou. Yizhou is west of Jiaozhou, with high mountains and long roads, making it unsuitable for attack. Furthermore, Yizhou is nominally controlled by Liu Yan, a descendant of the Han royal family.
Liu Biao of Jingzhou was also a relative of the Han Dynasty. Openly attacking him was morally wrong, but equally inappropriate. He was left to vacillate between Yuzhou, Runan, Pei, and Xuzhou.
"If you move, why choose Xuzhou?" Xun Yu asked.
"Battle is like playing chess. First, seize the corners, then the edges." Xu Shu explained the simplest chess principle, saying, "The corners can be used for attack when advancing and for defense when retreating."
"With our strength, we can make Tianyuan blossom." Xun Yu continued to ask.
"When Tianyuan blossoms, we will face siege from all sides. We can match it, but the cost will be too high and the casualties will be too great. We are the strongest, and if we cause the four sides to unite, it will be even more difficult."
Xu Shu leisurely pointed to the locations of Pei and Liang and said.
"We will fight for Xuzhou. Cao Cao is in the north, and we are in the south. Yuzhou, Pei State, and Liang State in the middle can be divided and eaten. After that, it will be our turn to fight Cao Cao. Cao Cao is now planning to take Xuzhou. If we let him succeed, he will slowly erode Yuzhou. Letting him grow stronger and become powerful is not a good idea. It is better for us to divide Xuzhou with Cao Cao first, and then take Yuzhou."
Several people nodded.
They had just discussed and deduced that attacking Xuzhou first was indeed the least costly. He had just asked Xu Shu about this because a colleague happened to be there, so he wanted to assess his abilities.
"Xuzhou is worth taking, but it is not needed for the time being." Lin Han interrupted.
"Why?" Xun Yu looked at Lin Han.
Judging from their current situation, if they do not take any action, then nothing will happen. But if they go out to compete for hegemony over the world, taking Xuzhou first is the best solution.
"Who will Cao Cao send to attack Xuzhou now?" Lin Han asked back.
"Pingyuan Liu Bei." Xun Yu said.
"Yes, Liu Bei is not well-known, but he has great ambitions. This time Cao Cao asked him to attack Xuzhou. What will happen if he takes it?" Lin Han asked.
"Take it for yourself,"
A voice came from outside the Taoist temple, and Jia Xu came late. He apologized to everyone and sat down leisurely.
"Everyone, I'm sorry for being late. Who is this?"
"I am Xu Shu, Xu Yuanzhi." Seeing Jia Xu coming, Xu Shu smiled and said, "I never thought that my lord would have so many talented people under his command. I hope you will give me more guidance in the future."
"You're welcome. The truly powerful ones are currently busy abroad." Jia Xu clasped his fists and returned to the topic he had just discussed. He said, "If Liu Bei captures Xuzhou, it is possible that he will rebel against Cao's camp and seize Xuzhou for himself. Military power can be calculated, but human hearts are unpredictable."
After Jia Xu finished speaking, everyone fell silent.
They made all kinds of deductions, but never considered human nature or the possibility of betrayal.
"My Lord, how can we be sure that Liu Bei will leave Cao's camp?"
"I can't be sure, it's just a hunch."
Lin Han explained.
"Liu Bei is no ordinary man. During the campaign against Dong Zhuo, he sought to enter the martial arts arena to compete for the lords' fortune, but I refused. He later returned to Youzhou with Gongsun Zan, and recently led his troops south. It's said that Gongsun Zan didn't know how to employ people, but perhaps he wasn't trying to seize Yuan Shu's fortune. He abandoned his fellow disciple Gongsun Zan, so why couldn't he lead his troops away from Cao Cao, a man he had no connection with?"
Liu Bei possessed the ability of vision and the magical power of [Xuanlong Banyun], and he ran around where the fortune of the world converged. Was his only ambition to be inferior to Cao Cao?
impossible.
Lin Han was not afraid of Liu Bei taking Xuzhou. He was afraid of Cao Cao taking Xuzhou. Since Cao Cao sent Liu Bei to attack Xuzhou, there was nothing to be afraid of.
History has changed. When Liu Bei was suppressing Dong Zhuo's rebellion, he did not enter the martial arts arena and did not obtain the luck of heaven and earth.
Later, when he was about to kill Hua Xiong and fight against Lu Bu with the three heroes, he was stopped by Lin Han. The reputation of the three brothers Liu, Guan and Zhang was not yet known to the world, and they lacked prestige, let alone the title of "Uncle Liu".
Liu Bei's [Xuanlong Zhuanyun] skill can steal other people's luck. He does not rule out the possibility that Liu Bei will get benefits from Gongsun Zan and activate his ambition.
After all, he is the child of destiny and will not be content with being ordinary.
Do not attack.
In the end, they decided not to attack and continued to conserve their strength.
At the Jixia Academy, everyone began to take an interest in Xu Shu and talked about his past. They were filled with admiration when they learned that he was once a knight-errant who gave up martial arts to pursue literature.
A person who is both civil and military.
After the discussion at Jixia ended, Lin Han left with Xu Shu.
"Yuanzhi, where are your family members?" Lin Han asked.
"Why do you ask this, my lord?"
"Yuanzhi, if I were Cao Cao, knowing that you are a man of strategy and a talent in both civil and military affairs, I would want to get you and kidnap your family as a threat. Would you leave or not?" Lin Han asked.
Xu Shu, a filial son, has a reputation no less than Taishi Ci, so he has to be on guard against others trying to poach him.
History has changed, but the character's personality remains unchanged. This is Xu Shu's weakness. Even if Cao Cao doesn't do this, players like Yang Ji, who are also princes, may not do so.
Xu Shu thought for a long time but had no answer.
It was just as Lin Han said. If this really happened, he would be helpless and unable to fulfill both loyalty and filial piety. He would probably choose to leave and sacrifice the lives of his entire family.
"Why not bring your family to my Hanjiang City? There's no war here, and the people are resting and recuperating. Your family can retire peacefully, and you can visit them often."
"Okay." Xu Shu nodded in agreement.
"Tell me the address and I'll send someone to escort them here. There's chaos and turmoil right now, and running around is inherently dangerous."
"Thank you for the reminder, my lord."
After getting the address Xu Shu mentioned, Lin Han gave it to Cao Zhengchun and asked him to send the Jinyiwei to the address to invite Xu Shu's mother to Hanjiang City.
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