Fazheng listened in silence to Gan Ning and the others as they recounted their experiences. After a long pause, he sighed and said, "Only now do I realize how vast the world truly is, and I finally understand what Master Li and Master Jia meant when they spoke of their frustration with the heavens."
"Indeed, it's that same frustration. Here in the Han Empire, we never seem to have enough resources," Mi Fang added with a sigh. He wasn't entirely sure what Jia Xu and Li You had said, but Fazheng's mention of their frustration resonated with him deeply.
"As Master Li said, if the heavens don't grant it, we shall take it for ourselves. Once we plant our flag there, that place belongs to us," Fazheng said with a nod, feeling a sense of pride. During this period, Han officials had a strong sense of pride in the empire's strength. Even amid internal strife, they never doubted their ability to crush foreign enemies.
"Don't worry," Gan Ning said confidently, "Even though over a thousand of my men might be greedy, they are still Han soldiers. They won't forget who they are."
Fazheng nodded in agreement. A thousand well-equipped Han soldiers would be a formidable force in any place outside the Central Plains. For example, the Wuji Colonel who controlled the Western Regions only had about two thousand men under his command...
"One day, I'd like to see the world beyond as well," Fazheng mused. "Focusing solely on the Central Plains can be rather limiting. The preparations we've made in Taishan are beyond what any other warlord could imagine. But it's a shame that the Han Empire's effective control range is limited to what can be reached within ten days' travel."
If messages couldn't be delivered within ten days, and if armies couldn't arrive within a hundred days, any rebellion in such areas would be impossible to quell. This was a significant constraint on the empire's ability to govern distant territories.
"Master Lu is working on the roads precisely to address this issue," Gan Ning remarked out of habit before realizing he shouldn't be aware of such matters. "Uh, I mean, that's what I heard Master Lu say."
Although Fazheng was a bit suspicious, he didn't press further. He nodded and continued to engage in idle chatter with Gan Ning and the others, fostering camaraderie until nightfall, when he returned to Fenggao to spend the night at home.
Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang was diligently continuing his studies. In contrast to Fazheng's relaxed approach, Zhuge Liang, ever cautious, had already begun to gather intelligence on the four provinces of Yuzhou, Yangzhou, Jingzhou, and Yizhou.
"Yizhou is truly a troublesome place," Zhuge Liang thought after reviewing the intelligence on Yizhou from the past few years. The region was tightly sealed off, offering outsiders little chance to learn much about it.
"It seems that the most critical aspect of this mission will be obtaining accurate information about Yizhou," Zhuge Liang concluded, closing the intelligence reports with a frown.
"This is likely a precautionary measure," Zhuge Liang continued to analyze. "Liu Zhang of Yizhou is weak-willed, but as a member of the imperial family, if our lord sweeps across the land, it would take only a single envoy to bring him to submission. However, because of Liu Zhang's weakness, it's also possible that someone might usurp Yizhou from him. So, we must prepare for that possibility."
Zhuge Liang carefully considered the potential enemies surrounding Liu Zhang, eventually focusing his attention on Hanzhong. "If we can eliminate Zhang Lu, Liu Zhang could serve as a faithful guardian of his territory. But if he can't even reclaim Hanzhong, we might have to make early preparations."
"Rest now, husband," Jiang Ying said, bringing a bowl of ginseng soup to Fazheng. She watched him drink it before gently urging him to rest.
"Yes, yes, let's sleep. I'll figure it out later. I'll just adapt to the situation as it comes. These intelligence reports are practically useless," Fazheng grumbled, feeling frustrated. He then pulled Jiang Ying close and went to bed.
Unlike Zhuge Liang, Fazheng didn't have the patience to pore over such reports. He was more adept at improvisation. After reviewing the intelligence on Yizhou, all he felt was that the region was closed off and xenophobic. Beyond that, he had no further impressions, so he decided to deal with Yizhou's people once he met them.
The next day, both Fazheng and Zhuge Liang appeared before Gan Ning with renewed energy. The group set out by water toward Xuzhou, where they planned to rendezvous with Chen Dao, bolster their forces, and feign an attack on Yuzhou. In reality, their mission was to divert troops from Yuzhou to Yanzhou while preparing to make alliances with Liu Bei and Liu Zhang.
Upon arriving in Xuzhou, Zhuge Liang immediately noticed that with Zhao Yun's Baima Yicong already deployed and now with Chen Dao's half-trained Baiyi soldiers, there were hardly any regular troops from Taishan left in Xuzhou, except for Zhang Fei's unit.
Zhuge Liang, knowing Zhang Fei's character, was concerned. Although Zhang Fei could be meticulous at times, he was prone to rash decisions and had a temper. Was it really wise to leave him in charge of Xuzhou, especially with the local aristocratic families harboring resentment against them?
"Are you worried about General Zhang?" Fazheng asked with a smile.
"General Zhang is well-suited for leading a charge but not for holding down a territory," Zhuge Liang said seriously. "I'm afraid the local aristocrats might plot against him."
"I was the one who recommended General Zhang for this position," Fazheng said after glancing at Zhuge Liang.
"This doesn't seem appropriate," Zhuge Liang replied, furrowing his brow.
"On the contrary, only with General Zhang here do the Xuzhou aristocrats have the courage to act," Fazheng sneered. "General Zhang doesn't need to gauge the situation himself—others will do it for him."
"Are you trying to draw out the hidden enemies? But what if Yuzhou or even Jizhou moves against us?" Zhuge Liang's frown deepened despite Fazheng's explanation.
"Jizhou is far away and beyond immediate reach. And there's something crucial to keep in mind: by the time Jizhou receives this intelligence, an unexpected situation will likely arise," Fazheng said with a cold smile. "Moreover, Yuzhou's grudge over the events of a few years ago is still fresh. Given such an opportunity, even if it's a trap, they'll be tempted to take it."
"Did you anticipate the situation with the Yuan family and Sun Ce?" Zhuge Liang asked, relaxing his frown slightly.
"No, I didn't foresee things aligning so favorably. However, I did meet with Chen Yuanlong of Xuzhou. He's quite talented, though unfortunately constrained by his family," Fazheng sighed.
"I see," Zhuge Liang nodded and refrained from further questioning.
Fazheng's strategy soon began to show results. The aristocrats in Xuzhou, seeing that only Zhang Fei's unit remained, could no longer suppress their anger and started planning to seize the opportunity to challenge Liu Bei.
At the same time, the Yuan family in Yuzhou and Zhou Yu also received this enticing news. Deciding whether to act or not became a real headache for them.