126 Ju Yi Takes Command

Page 1/3

Ju Yi knelt on one knee, clasping his hands respectfully to request command. At this moment, a resolve to fight to the death had taken root in his heart. After all, people are flesh and blood. Although Yuan Shao had his flaws, Ju Yi was moved by him in this moment.

Yuan Shao drew the treasured sword hanging at his waist and placed it into Ju Yi’s hands. “General Ju, I entrust all matters on the front line to you,” he said firmly. “This sword is your token of authority. To see the sword is to see me. Should anyone dare disobey orders, you may execute them first and report afterward.”

“Understood!” Ju Yi replied promptly.

At this moment, Tian Feng stepped forward and addressed Yuan Shao: “My lord, I, Tian Yuanhao, am also willing to remain behind to assist General Ju Yi with planning and strategy.”

With Yuan Shao’s departure, the hundreds of thousands of troops at the Guandu front would be entirely under Ju Yi’s command. Ju Yi could not manage without a strategist by his side, and Yuan Shao was considering leaving one behind.

Though Yuan Shao intended to leave a strategist for Ju Yi, he did not want it to be Tian Feng. Tian Feng had been performing excellently recently and was the person Yuan Shao trusted most. He wished to keep Tian Feng close.

Therefore, when Tian Feng proposed to stay and aid Ju Yi, Yuan Shao hesitated.

Before Yuan Shao could respond, Ju Yi decisively declined, saying, “Mr. Yuanhao, the lord cannot be left without counsel. You must not leave him; otherwise, I would be uneasy.”

Ju Yi thought to himself: Yuan Shao only has two loyal ministers by his side—Tian Feng and Ju Shou. If Tian Feng leaves, all that remains are traitors. That would surely lead to catastrophe.

Ju Shou, observing the situation, also thought that the lord must not be left unattended, and Ju Yi surely needed a strategist as well. “If Brother Yuanhao cannot leave the lord, then I shall remain,” Ju Shou volunteered.

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shao’s furrowed brow relaxed. As long as Tian Feng stayed, he felt reassured.

“Yuanhao, what if we let Mr. Ju Shou remain here?” Yuan Shao proposed to Tian Feng.

Indeed, circumstances have the power to change people. The once obstinate Yuan Shao had been unyielding, accepting no dissent. He listened only to agreeable advice and rejected the rest outright.

Now, after suffering defeat, he was willing to consult with his strategists.

Page 2/3

Ju Yi clasped his hands and said to Ju Shou, “From now on, I rely on you, sir.”

Ju Shou quickly returned the gesture, “The credit belongs to you, General.”

Yuan Shao, Ju Yi, and Ju Shou were now united in purpose, and Tian Feng found no words to object.

Thus, the matter was settled.

With Yuan Shao’s departure, the hundreds of thousands of troops at Guandu were fully under Ju Yi’s unified command. Bearing the token sword left by Yuan Shao, Ju Yi had no fear that anyone would disobey his orders.

Yuan Shao prepared to break camp and establish a base, while Ju Yi beat the war drums and raised the tents, organizing tasks to cover Yuan Shao’s retreat.

Soon, the officers gathered in Ju Yi’s tent. Holding Yuan Shao’s sword, Ju Yi stood proudly at the center, exuding authority.

Once everyone was assembled, Ju Yi wasted no time consulting them but immediately began assigning tasks.

The first to receive orders was Liu Bei, also known as Liu Xuande.

“Liu Xuande, attend to my command!” Ju Yi shouted, addressing Liu Bei directly.

At these words, Zhang Fei’s eyes widened, glaring fiercely at Ju Yi as if ready to fight him. Guan Yu also narrowed his eyes, clearly displeased with Ju Yi.

Zhang Fei and Guan Yu thought, “Who does Ju Yi think he is, daring to call out my brother’s name? He’s merely a general under Yuan Shao. How dare he address our lord as Liu Huangshu? If our brother agrees to this, it’s already too generous!”

Upon hearing Ju Yi call out Liu Bei’s name, Zhang Fei’s temper flared, but Liu Bei quickly pulled back his reckless younger brother.

Where were they now? This was Yuan Shao’s main camp. And what was Ju Yi holding? Yuan Shao’s token sword.

If anyone disobeyed Ju Yi’s orders, Ju Yi had the authority to execute them on the spot.

Liu Bei stepped forward, saluted, and said, “Liu Bei present.”

Ju Yi produced a command token and tossed it to Liu Bei. “Liu Xuande, I grant you fifty thousand troops. You are assigned to defend the right flank of Guandu.”

“You have five days. If you hold the position for five days, you will be deemed blameless and credited. But if you lose the right flank within five days, I will execute you without mercy.”

“Understood!” Liu Bei accepted the order.

Next, Ju Yi handed a command token to Gao Lan, granting him one hundred thousand troops to defend the left flank under the same terms: hold for five days and be credited, lose within five days and face execution.

After issuing these orders, Ju Yi prepared to personally lead the remaining forces to engage Cao Cao’s army head-on.

Ju Yi thought to himself, “How formidable can Cao Mengde really be? Back then, wasn’t the White Horse General Gongsun Zan powerful? At the Battle of Jiexiao Bridge, my eight hundred vanguard troops utterly routed his three thousand White Horse Volunteers.”

After the meeting, on the way back to camp, Liu Bei was distracted and distant.

Zhang Fei and Guan Yu assumed their brother’s mood was sour because Ju Yi had shown him disrespect.

Angrily, Zhang Fei said, “That Yuan Benchu is a coward, and to leave that scoundrel Ju Yi here—how can he possibly command our lord?”

Guan Yu stroked his beard and said gravely, “If our brother were to command this battle, what chance of victory would there be? I see no talent in Ju Yi. This battle will be lost.”

Lost again? Indeed, Liu Bei’s absent mind stemmed from his realization that this battle was doomed.

A defeat at Wuchao would mean Yuan Shao’s continued string of losses.

If Yuan Shao lost, he might retreat to Yecheng and hold fast to Youzhou and Qingzhou.

But what of Liu Bei?

If Yuan Shao had won at Guandu, seizing Cao Cao’s lands, Liu Bei might have benefited as well.

He could have earned merit, devised stratagems, and persuaded influential ministers close to Yuan Shao to intercede, perhaps even gaining control of a commandery.

But now, with Yuan Shao on the brink of defeat, Liu Bei found himself in an awkward position.

Yuan Shao could fall back to Yecheng, but if Liu Bei followed, he would become a bird trapped in a cage.

No matter what, Liu Bei was resolute in refusing to return to Yecheng.

“Second brother, third brother, pack your things when we return. We must find another place to settle,” Liu Bei said gravely.

At his words, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were momentarily stunned.

They did not oppose their brother’s decision; after all, they were already frustrated under Yuan Shao’s command.

But where could they possibly go now?

(The End of this Chapter)