Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

The news of Liu Bei personally taking the field spread rapidly throughout Xu Province, triggering a chain reaction.

The Cao army, which had been advancing like a hot knife through butter and had already captured Donghai Commandery, was preparing to continue south and besiege Xiapi City, but changed its strategy instead, choosing to observe the situation within Donghai Commandery and investigate the movements of Liu Bei's army.

Inside the Cao army's central command tent.

Cheng Yu walked out with a solemn expression.

Since Cao Cao launched his campaign, it had been about a month and a half, and the battle line had stretched a thousand miles from Qing Province to Donghai Commandery.

Cao Cao's resources were not abundant. He had a limited number of worn-out horses, donkey carts, and other livestock to help with the logistics and grain transport, relying entirely on manpower.

The thousand-mile-long supply line meant that only three out of ten portions of grain sent from Qing Province actually reached the Cao army's camp, putting immense pressure on the Cao army's food supply.

Under normal circumstances, when a war reached this stage, the Cao army should have switched to consolidating the two commanderies and kingdoms they had already seized: Langya and Donghai.

However, Cao Cao clearly had other plans, especially after learning that Liu Bei had already sent out his troops.

Cao Cao summoned Cheng Yu this time to order him to procure military provisions locally in order to face Liu Bei.

However, Tao Qian was not a fool.

Langya Commandery was caught off guard by Cao Cao, but Donghai Commandery was the base of Xu Province's administration. Moreover, Tao Qian's plan was to exhaust Cao Cao's military provisions, forcing him to withdraw his troops.

Therefore, the grain in the granaries of Donghai Commandery's cities that could be moved had already been moved away by Tao Qian, and those that could not be moved were ordered to be burned to the ground.

As a result, although Cao Cao's entry into Donghai Commandery was like an unstoppable force, and he even defeated Tao Qian in the field, causing him to flee in disarray,

the Cao army's food supply pressure did not ease but instead increased further as the battle line stretched longer.

Relying solely on the rear supply line to transport grain was no longer sufficient to meet the needs of the Cao army.

Currently, the most rapid and effective way for the Cao army to collect large amounts of grain was to imitate the Yellow Turban rebels and directly plunder, and… make jerky.

Therefore, Cheng Yu, who had received the order, had such a solemn expression and hurried away so quickly that he almost bumped into Xun You outside the tent.

Having already slaughtered cities, plundering was nothing to Cheng Yu.

However, Cheng Yu had to find a way to handle the jerky matter delicately and properly.

The slaughter of cities had already caused a great deal of dissatisfaction and resentment, not only from the outside world but also from within the Cao army.

Once the jerky matter was exposed, it might trigger even more serious consequences.

Therefore, Cheng Yu, who almost bumped into Xun You, apologized with a slight bow and then quickly left directly, without intending to chat or interact with Xun You.

More importantly, in Cheng Yu's eyes, Xun You, who appeared foolish, was just someone with connections.

If it weren't for the fact that Xun You's uncle, Xun Yu, was the de facto "chief housekeeper" in Cao Cao's group, Cheng Yu, who was in a depressed mood, wouldn't have even bothered to give Xun You a look.

Watching Cheng Yu leave, Xun You, with a foolish expression, seemed to be in a daze for a long time.

Only after a report, Xun You entered the tent to report some miscellaneous matters to Cao Cao.

After Xun You left the tent, he walked slowly and sluggishly within Cao's camp. After wandering around, he seemed to unintentionally walk to a corner outside Cheng Yu's tent, and watched Cheng Yu leading a team out of the camp.

Xun You seemed to be in a daze for a while again, his eyes vacant. While wandering around the camp, he walked into Xun Yu's tent.

At this moment, the documents in Xun Yu's tent were almost piled up like mountains, and Xun Yu was also buried in them, constantly processing them.

Moreover, because Cao Cao had offended a large number of Qing Province scholars, the number of minor officials in Cao Cao's group was slightly insufficient, and many trivial matters needed to be handled by Xun Yu himself.

Because Qing Province's financial situation was not optimistic, even the Yang Province paper, which had gradually become popular among the other lords, needed to be used sparingly in Cao Cao's group.

This made the bamboo slips, which could still be reused for many documents, even heavier on Xun Yu's burden.

After entering the tent, Xun You didn't speak, but just stood there somewhat blankly and foolishly.

After Xun Yu finished dealing with some urgent matters at hand, he looked up and asked.

"Gongda, is there something you need?"

"Greetings, Uncle."

Xun You bowed and saluted.

When he raised his head again, Xun You's seemingly foolish expression was the same, but his vacant eyes suddenly changed, appearing deep and wise, and his tone revealed an unbearable anger, saying.

"Hasn't Uncle smelled the lingering bloody smell in the documents?"

The faint smile on Xun Yu's face slowly disappeared, and he asked. "What do you mean by this, Gongda?"

"Why didn't you dissuade the lord from slaughtering the city?" Xun You questioned.

"The lord is eager to avenge his deceased father, and persuasion is useless."

Xun Yu's tone was surprisingly calm, so calm that Xun You couldn't help but laugh.

When Cao Cao ordered the city to be slaughtered, Xun Yu did object, but Xun You was even more clear that Xun Yu was only going through the motions, but in reality, he was indifferent.

"We are the only uncle and nephew here, why should Uncle pretend?"

Xun You questioned angrily.

"The slaughter of the city, Uncle's feigned dissuasion can deceive others. But the jerky in the army, does Uncle want to say you don't know about it?"

"That butcher Cheng Yu has led people out of the camp again. What is he doing this time, doesn't Uncle know?"

Xun Yu raised his eyelids, his expression indifferent, and he was still calm and composed in the face of Xun You's questioning.

How could Xun Yu not know about the jerky matter.

With Xun Yu's ability, he had already noticed Cheng Yu making jerky when he was still in Qing Province.

One cannot be deaf or blind to be a good head of the family.

Xun Yu knew, but he could only pretend not to know, and default to the statement that those jerky were wild game from the mountains and register them into the granary.

How many years has Qing Province been plagued by the Yellow Turbans? The bark of trees has been stripped clean in many places, where did so much wild game come from?

And Xun Yu's calm and composed attitude made Xun You even more angry, saying.

"Is this the great lord that Uncle has chosen? What's the difference between him and a butcher!"

Seeing Xun You getting more and more excited, and even his voice getting louder and louder.

Xun Yu said calmly. "Gongda's talent is no less than anyone else's, outwardly foolish but inwardly wise, with the ability to plan without omissions, only this temperament is too fiery and hasty."

"Uncle, there is no need to change the subject." Xun You still questioned angrily.

"Look, you are still anxious."

Xun Yu said.

This made the veins on Xun You's forehead jump uncontrollably, but he also understood that if he continued like this, Xun Yu would not answer him at all.

After a long while, Xun You forced himself to calm down, restored his usual sluggish and foolish appearance, stared straight at Xun Yu, and asked.

"Nephew really doesn't understand, why does Uncle want to assist Cao Cao."

And Xun Yu, upon hearing this, paused for several breaths before answering. "Nothing else, Cao Mengde is the only one who can revitalize the Han Dynasty."

"Is Uncle suffering from delusions?" Xun You asked disrespectfully.

Xun Yu was not annoyed, and replied with a smile. "Gongda thinks, who among the heroes in this chaotic world is qualified to take the world?"

(End of this chapter)