Chương 548: 526. Situation On The Other Part Of The Land
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None of the three could foresee the full extent of the chaos that was about to unfold, but all were determined to emerge victorious. And so, the northern steppes, long a land of shifting alliances and brutal warfare, prepared for yet another battle. The Xiongnu, the Xianbei, and the Han—three great powers—would soon clash in a conflict that would decide the fate of the northern frontier for generations to come.
In Jing Province, a misty shroud of mountains and forests surrounded the small town where Liu Bei and his companions sought the elusive Zhuge Liang. It was a quiet place, tucked into the landscape like a forgotten dream, with modest homes of bamboo and clay nestled between the hills.
The air was thick with the scent of pine and earth, and the town's narrow streets, though humble, bustled with activity as peasants and merchants went about their daily lives. But beneath this seemingly peaceful exterior, a veil of secrecy had descended over the town. For all its simplicity, Liu Bei and his men had found themselves mired in a web of silence and lies.
Liu Bei, clad in his green and gold armor, paced back and forth in the center of the town square. His face was drawn with frustration, his brow furrowed beneath the weight of yet another failure.
Beside him, Zhang Fei stood with arms crossed, his towering figure casting a long shadow in the fading afternoon light. Kuai Liang, the ever-strategic advisor, stood at a distance, watching Liu Bei carefully, sensing the tension in his lord's demeanor.
For days, Liu Bei had been searching for Zhuge Liang, the Sleeping Dragon, whose reputation as a master strategist had reached the ears of every warlord in the land. Zhuge Liang's talents were rumored to be unparalleled, and Liu Bei believed that with such a man by his side, he could finally restore the Han Dynasty and bring peace to the war-torn land.
Yet, despite their tireless efforts, they had found nothing—no trace of Zhuge Liang, nor any sign of his reclusive teachers, the three hermits: Sima Hui, Pang Degong, and Huang Chengyan.
The small town they had arrived in was their last hope, the final stop on a long and fruitless journey. But the inhabitants, instead of offering the information Liu Bei sought, had been evasive. Some claimed ignorance, others seemed nervous when questioned, and still more pointed them toward false trails that led only to empty roads and abandoned huts.
What Liu Bei and his men did not know was that the Oriole agents, working in the shadows on behalf of Lie Fan and his allies, had infiltrated the town. Through bribery, coercion, and subterfuge, they had turned the local villagers into unwitting accomplices, ensuring that Liu Bei's search would be in vain.
As the hours dragged on, the weight of failure pressed down on Liu Bei's heart. This was his last chance. The mountains, the forests, the winding roads—they had scoured every inch of this land, and still they were no closer to finding Zhuge Liang than when they had begun. His frustration boiled over, and for the first time in weeks, Liu Bei's carefully maintained composure cracked.
"This is impossible!" Liu Bei shouted, his voice filled with an anger that surprised even himself. "How can we be so close and yet so far? Are we cursed to wander these mountains forever, chasing after shadows and phantoms?"
His outburst shocked his men. Zhang Fei, his younger brother by oath, looked at him with wide eyes. Zhang Fei had seen Liu Bei angry before, but never like this. It was unlike his elder brother to lose control, especially in front of his men.
"Brother," Zhang Fei said, his booming voice filled with concern, "don't let these small setbacks get to you. We'll find him. Zhuge Liang can't hide forever."
Liu Bei, however, was not in the mood for reassurances. He turned sharply toward his men, his eyes blazing with frustration. "Small setbacks? Small setbacks? We have wasted weeks—weeks—searching for this man, and we are no closer to finding him than when we started! How many more villages must we visit? How many more false leads must we chase before we accept that we've been outwitted?"
The men around him fell silent, their eyes cast downward. Zhang Fei's hands clenched into fists, his own temper rising at his brother's outburst, but Kuai Liang stepped forward before the situation could escalate further.
"My lord," Kuai Liang said softly, "I understand your frustration. But this is not the time to lose heart. If we allow our anger to cloud our judgment, we will make mistakes—mistakes that could cost us more than just time."
Liu Bei took a deep breath, his anger still simmering beneath the surface, but Kuai Liang's calm voice brought him back from the edge. He turned away from his men, running a hand through his disheveled hair. "I know you're right," he muttered, his voice quieter now. "But I can't shake the feeling that something is wrong. Everywhere we go, it's the same. The people are evasive, their stories don't add up. It's as if someone is deliberately keeping us from finding Zhuge Liang."
Kuai Liang nodded. "It's possible, my lord. We cannot discount the idea that there are forces at work here that we do not yet understand. But even so, we must proceed carefully. If Zhuge Liang is as wise as they say, then he will reveal himself when the time is right. We must trust in that."
Liu Bei sighed, his frustration giving way to exhaustion. He had not slept properly in days, and the constant disappointments were beginning to take their toll. He knew Kuai Liang was right, but patience had never been easy for him. He was a man of action, a man who believed in doing what needed to be done without hesitation. Waiting for fate to take its course was not in his nature.
Still, there was no other choice. He turned to his men, his expression softening. "I'm sorry," he said quietly. "I should not have spoken to you like that. You've all been loyal and tireless in this search, and I know you're as frustrated as I am. Let's rest for now. Tomorrow, we'll continue our search."
His men nodded, visibly relieved by their lord's apology. Zhang Fei, always quick to forgive, clapped Liu Bei on the back with a hearty laugh. "Don't worry, brother! We'll find this Zhuge Liang, even if we have to search every mountain and valley in the land!"
Liu Bei smiled, though it didn't quite reach his eyes. He appreciated Zhang Fei's optimism, but deep down, the doubt lingered. Was Zhuge Liang truly out there, or was he chasing a myth?
As night fell, Liu Bei and his men made camp at the edge of the town, their fires casting flickering shadows against the trees. The stars overhead were bright, but for Liu Bei, the darkness of uncertainty loomed larger than ever.
Unknown to Liu Bei, his frustration and the delays were not simply a matter of fate. In a hidden grove on the outskirts of the town, two shadowy figures observed the camp from a distance.
These were Oriole agents, skilled spies sent by Lie Fan to ensure that Zhuge Liang remained hidden until the time was right. Their mission was clear: mislead, misdirect, and, if necessary, intervene directly to prevent Liu Bei from finding Zhuge Liang too soon.
One of the agents, a slim, sharp-eyed man named Shi Yu, whispered to his companion. "Liu Bei is growing impatient. If we push him too far, he might abandon the search altogether."
His companion, a taller, more imposing figure named Jiang Shu, shook his head. "No. Liu Bei is determined. He may falter, but he won't give up. We need only delay him long enough for our masters to make their move."
Shi Yu nodded, though his eyes remained fixed on the flickering campfires in the distance. "What if he finds another way? If he reaches Zhuge Liang too soon, the balance could shift in his favor. The Sleeping Dragon could tip the scales."
Jiang Shu's expression hardened. "If that happens, we will be forced to act. But until then, we watch and wait."
As the Oriole agents melted back into the shadows, their mission was clear: keep Liu Bei in the dark, misdirect him at every turn, and ensure that the pieces on the chessboard moved according to Guo Jia and Lie Fan's design.
For Liu Bei, the road ahead remained uncertain. He would continue his search for Zhuge Liang, unaware that every step he took was being carefully guided by unseen hands, pushing him toward a future where nothing was as it seemed.
Back in Nanpi, the seat of Yuan Shao's power in Ji Province, the tension that had gripped the north rippled through the halls of the Yuan family's grand estate. The sun was setting behind the towering city walls, casting long shadows over the rooms where the air hung heavy with the weight of decisions that could alter the fate of the north.
Yuan Xi, the second son of Yuan Shao, sat in his private quarters with his father-in-law, Zhen Yi, the head of the influential Zhen family. Though Yuan Xi was the second son, he had always been overshadowed by his elder brother, Yuan Tan, and felt the pressure of proving his worth not only to his father but also to his new wife, Zhen Mi, and her family.
Zhen Yi sat across from Yuan Xi, his shrewd eyes studying his son-in-law carefully. The elder Zhen was a man of few words, preferring to weigh each decision with the same precision he had used to build the Zhen family's wealth and influence.
Tonight, however, his concerns were more political than financial. War was on the horizon, and it threatened not just the Yuan family but also the Zhen clan's fortunes.
The discussion between the two men was far from casual. Zhen Yi had come to Nanpi with a singular purpose: to ensure that the Zhen clan's interests were safeguarded to ensure that Yuan Shao didn't have an inevitable conflict with Cao Cao. The problem, as Zhen Yi saw it, was not merely the war itself, but the potential consequences for the Zhen family should Yuan Shao's campaign fail.
"Yuan Xi," Zhen Yi began, his voice low and deliberate, "your father is a proud man. If he continues to be persuaded by your elder brother and younger brother, he will believe that he can defeat Cao Cao, but the reality is far more complicated. Cao Cao has proven himself a formidable opponent, and a direct war could cost your father dearly."
Yuan Xi leaned forward, his expression troubled. He had heard these concerns before, but now that they came from his father-in-law, the weight of them seemed even greater. "I understand your concerns, father-in-law, but my father even though enjoying his lavish lifestyle, still believes that he has the advantage. Our forces are strong, and the people of the north support us. Surely that counts for something?"
Zhen Yi shook his head, his eyes narrowing. "Strength alone does not win wars. Strategy does. And Cao Cao... he is no ordinary warlord. He is a man who commands not just armies, but the loyalty of some of the finest minds in the empire—Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, and Xun Yu, to name a few. Your father's council, while competent, does not measure up. If Yuan Shao rushes into war without careful planning, it will be our families that pay the price."
The room fell silent for a moment as Yuan Xi considered his father-in-law's words. He had always admired his father's ambition and believed in the Yuan family's destiny to rule the north, but in the last few months, the looming shadow of Cao Cao had cast doubt on that belief. More importantly, Yuan Xi knew that his position as the second son and his marriage to Zhen Mi were tied to the Zhen family's continued support. If they lost that, his place in the Yuan family would become precarious.
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Name: Lie Fan
Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains
Age: 32 (199 AD)
Level: 16
Next Level: 462,000
Renown: 1325
Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)
SP: 1,121,700
ATTRIBUTE POINTS
STR: 951 (+20)
VIT: 613 (+20)
AGI: 598 (+10)
INT: 617
CHR: 96
WIS: 519
WILL: 407
ATR Points: 0
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