Mythical Qin: I, Gao Yao, will never be a eunuch!

"Father, what do you think about this matter?" Xiang Yu looked at Fan Zeng earnestly.

Fan Zeng was seen stroking the few strands of beard on his chin, narrowing his eyes slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he slowly said: "What Xiaochuan said is indeed not nonsense. However, as for how to act specifically, it is ultimately up to you to decide!" His voice was low and steady, as if it contained endless wisdom.

Fan Zeng knew that as a counselor, he should give advice to his master, but the final decision-making power was still in Xiang Yu's hands. Although Xiang Yu always respectfully called him "Yafu" to express his gratitude for his careful cultivation, Fan Zeng would not forget himself and take over the responsibility because of this title. He always kept his identity and responsibilities in mind and did his best to assist Xiang Yu in achieving his great cause.

Fan Zeng still saw Yi Xiaochuan's plan as a bit immature. Even if Yi Xiaochuan was right, Kuaiji might not be impossible to defend. After all, what Yi Xiaochuan talked about was an ideal situation. Once Xiang Yu left Kuaiji, he would most likely lose the support of the people.

Now Xiang Yu is developing like a fish in water in Kuaiji, because of the big banner of Old Chu. Xiang Yu left for development, but it was only for personal development. However, it was different for the people of Old Chu. Once Xiang Yu left, he would lose the hearts of the people of the entire Old Chu.

For Xiang Yu, the decision to hold on to Kuaiji was not simply based on his trust and affirmation of Yi Xiaochuan. Admittedly, this trust played a certain role, but it was more based on his judgment of the situation and strategic considerations. However, for Fan Zeng, an experienced and shrewd strategist, the situation was different. Although he showed a certain degree of trust in Yi Xiaochuan on the surface, this trust was actually quite limited and only on the surface.

Fan Zeng knew that once the imperial court successfully defeated the southern border army, Kuaiji would not be spared. Even though Yi Xiaochuan and Xiang Yu had a deep brotherly friendship, in the face of the general trend of the world, how much power could such an emotional bond have to resist the endless desire for power? After all, from ancient times to the present, there are countless people who have given up family, friendship, and even love in order to fight for the world. Therefore, Fan Zeng never really believed that the imperial court army would really give up attacking Kuaiji after the victory.

The will of the people in Chu is a force that cannot be ignored and is of vital importance. Over the years, they have been able to secretly recruit many like-minded people because of the will of the people. As long as they can firmly defend Kuaiji and wait until the imperial army arrives, the Southern Border Army will definitely not stay here for long. Because by then, the Southern Border Army will face strong pressure from the main force of the imperial court, and they will have to shift their focus to dealing with the imperial army, and thus have no time to take care of Kuaiji.

As long as they hold off the attack on Gaoyao, they will be able to gain a firm foothold in Kuaiji. Only with the support of the people can they recruit more soldiers. Fan Zeng's idea is not wrong. It is said that Xiang Yu has 8,000 Jiangdong people. In fact, the entire Jiangdong provided Xiang Yu with not only soldiers, but more importantly, it became Xiang Yu's most important granary.

Leaving Kuaiji is easy, but the next battle will force all the soldiers to leave their homes, and logistics, food and money will become a problem. If things don't go smoothly, it will be difficult for Xiang Yu to return to Kuaiji.

Fan Zeng did think about leaving Kuaiji, but at that time he would definitely start an uprising with the southern border, and he had no choice but to do so without knowing whether the imperial court would mobilize troops. But it would be unwise to leave now that there was a solution.

This is why Fan Zeng felt that Yi Xiaochuan's idea was good, but too immature. Yi Xiaochuan would not think the same way about the same thing. Being smart and understanding strategic thinking are two different things. It's just that Fan Zeng didn't say some things in front of Yi Xiaochuan, because that would dampen Yi Xiaochuan's enthusiasm. Fan Zeng believed what Yi Xiaochuan said about the court.

One of the key reasons is that Fan Zeng did not think that the decision to enfeoff the kings, which seemed to cut off the foundation of the Qin Dynasty, would come from the hands of the young man named Yi Xiaochuan. After all, such a practice of enfeoffment of kings is undoubtedly a means of causing chaos, and under normal circumstances, ordinary people dare not even think about it, let alone put it into practice.

"Well, Xiaochuan, how about this? You just take a good rest here for a while. I still need to think carefully about this matter and weigh the pros and cons before making a decision."

Hearing Xiang Yu say this, Yi Xiaochuan hurriedly shouted: "Brother Yu!"

Xiang Yu waved his hand and said comfortingly: "Don't worry, Xiaochuan, I know in my heart that you are completely out of kindness to me, but I, Xiang Yu, can't just pursue my own interests and ignore others."

At this moment, after Xiang Yu said these words with a serious face, he waved his hand to signal others to lead Yi Xiaochuan to rest first.

After watching Yi Xiaochuan walk further and further away until his figure disappeared, Fan Zeng once again asked Xiang Yu: "Have you thought it through?"

In fact, Fan Zeng was quite satisfied with Xiang Yu at the moment. Or to be more precise, he thought that Gao Yao's appearance had changed Xiang Yu's character to some extent and brought some positive influences.

Looking back on the previous encounters, to put it bluntly, he was simply stubborn and self-willed at that time. He had his own ideas and opinions in his heart. Once he made a decision, it was like a solid wall of steel, and it was very difficult for him to listen to other people's advice. Because of this, he suffered setbacks repeatedly at the hands of Gao Yao. The premature death of Xiang Liang was like a heavy hammer, hitting his heart hard, making Xiang Yu obviously much calmer in his character at this time.

"Although my father did not support what Xiaochuan said, it actually coincides with what I think in my heart!" Xiang Yu nodded slightly and looked at Fan Zeng with a firm gaze.

"Yes, that's true. Even though we now know that Gao Yao is in Kuaiji, it is not easy to find him easily. Therefore, the most appropriate strategy at the moment is to concentrate all our strength and strive to succeed in one fell swoop." Fan Zeng stroked his beard, with a wise light in his eyes.

"Father, what do you mean?" Xiang Yu stepped forward and asked anxiously.

"Although the total number of troops led by Han Xin is only more than 60,000, they have a fatal weakness, that is, there are more soldiers than generals in the southern border area. If we can make good use of this, we may be able to win." Fan Zeng put his hands behind his back and spoke in a steady and powerful tone.

"Decisive battle?" Xiang Yu raised his thick eyebrows, a look of determination appearing on his face.

"That's right! Immediately gather all the troops that can be used in the battle and make full preparations for a head-on confrontation with Han Xin's army." Fan Zeng said firmly.

"Then what about the coastal areas?" Xiang Yu asked with a frown and a hint of worry in his eyes.

Fan Zeng waved his hand and replied firmly, "Don't worry about it! Although the southern border troops have repeatedly attacked our army, they have been successfully blocked by our army. They will not dare to attack again. We only need to leave two to three thousand troops and set up more camps at key points to confuse the enemy."

"This battle concerns the safety of our Chu army. We can only win and not lose!" Fan Zeng said confidently.

Hearing Fan Zeng insisting on a fight, Xiang Yu was still a little confused. "Father, if that's the case, why don't we continue to use delaying tactics? This may give our army more time to prepare."

Yafu slowly shook his head, sighed and explained: "If it was before Yi Xiaochuan arrived, it would be fine to delay. However, the situation is different now, and delay is definitely not a good idea! According to Xiaochuan, the strength of the Southern Border Army is far greater than ours. Moreover, we are in urgent need of buying some time for our army to breathe and rest. Otherwise, if we keep delaying, I am afraid that our Chu Army will lose all its strength to resist the imperial army."

"At this moment, if we can engage in a head-on confrontation with the Southern Border Army and successfully defeat it, it will actually have many benefits for our army. Today, the imperial court's army is about to approach the Southern Border, and they no longer have enough troops to allocate. They have to capture Kuaiji and defend the Southern Border. Obviously, defending the Southern Border is more critical. Moreover, as long as our army can win this battle, the Southern Border Army is very likely to hand over the recently captured Minzhong."

"Oh?" Hearing this, Xiang Yu was slightly startled, with a look of surprise on his face. At this time, Xiang Yu also realized that occupying the land of Minzhong meant that there would be many more areas in the southern border that needed to be defended. If Gao Yao could not take both Kuaiji and Minzhong in one fell swoop, only owning Minzhong alone would be like a chicken rib that was tasteless and a pity to throw away.

To defend Minzhong, a large number of soldiers would be needed. The key point was that the people's hearts were unstable after they had just been won, which was very unfavorable for defense. Xiang Yu knew that it would be better not to defend such a place.

"If we win this battle, it will be of great significance! Not only will we have the opportunity to take over the entire Fujian region without bloodshed, but we can also gain a precious breathing space for our army. In this way, both material supply and troop rest can be fully guaranteed, which will undoubtedly be of great benefit to our army."

Fan Zeng, who was called the father-in-law, nodded slightly to show his agreement: "That's right, but we must not take this battle lightly. The difference in the strength of the enemy and us is not big, but it should not be underestimated."

Xiang Yu waved his hand proudly and said loudly: "Father, don't worry. I, Xiang Yu, have never been afraid of anyone in a head-on battle! Even if Gao Yao comes in person, I will make sure he never returns! I will go and select the troops and prepare for the expedition right away. But...how should Xiaochuan be arranged?"

After a moment of contemplation, Fan Zeng replied, "I will go and persuade Xiaochuan. For now, let Xiaochuan serve as a general for you. Xiaochuan is a smart man with a sharp mind. He is indeed very smart. But after all, he has never really experienced fighting on the battlefield and lacks practical combat experience. Therefore, this opportunity is just right to take him with you, so that he can personally experience the cruelty and intensity of war and gain some experience and knowledge!"