Chapter 83

"However, we can continue to attack the city relentlessly!"

"In addition, send a message to General General Huangfu Song, telling him to take Guangping as quickly as possible and come here to rendezvous with us!"

"Inform him of the possibility that Zhang Jiao is critically ill as well!"

Su Xuan said this, immediately wrote a letter, summoned a secret guard, and ordered him to deliver it with all speed.

Seeing this, Xi Zhicai’s eyes lit up instantly, and he said, "The Lord is preparing to use momentum to pressure the enemy, employing absolute strength to force out the truth about Zhang Jiao’s condition!"

"This is indeed a prudent method."

"If Zhang Jiao is truly gravely ill, that would be fantastic news for us."

In that case, there would be an opportunity to conquer Guang Sect City in the short term, capture and kill Zhang Jiao, and earn the primary credit for suppressing the rebellion.

"Perhaps!"

Su Xuan nodded, then said to Huang Zhong, Old Dian Wei, and Xu Chu, "Next, I will have to trouble you all to continue participating in the siege!"

"If you can seize a watchtower and open the city gates while you're at it, that would be even better."

"Understood!"

Huang Zhong and the others immediately accepted the order.

Afterwards, Su Xuan summoned the trio of Liu, Guan, and Zhang.

He encouraged them, saying, "I believe you, Liu Xuande, Yide, and Yunchang, have already noticed that the rebel army inside Guang Sect City seems to be having problems;"

"Next, I need you to join Huang Zhong and the others in continuing to participate in high-intensity siege warfare, so that the Yellow Turbans reveal their flaws;"

"If you can break through a city gate, I will personally request a reward for you from His Majesty. I hope you will continue to exert yourselves!"

Painting a big picture, he was very good at it!

In any case, as long as Liu Bei didn't achieve some monumental feat, he estimated that Liu Bei would remain the same as in his past life's history; this campaign against the Yellow Turbans would not see much improvement for him.

After all, his foundation was too poor, and he was too broke.

Being a so-called "member of the Han imperial clan" was worth the least in this era.

Especially for someone like Liu Bei, who was at the very bottom, having completely lost his titles and official positions—his life was as cheap as grass, no better than an ordinary commoner.

"Understood!"

Liu Bei and his two brothers were overjoyed upon hearing this.

"General, rest assured! I, Zhang Fei, will definitely break through that bird-city, capture and kill that Zhang Jiao, and win great merit for my eldest brother."

"We will certainly not fail the General’s high expectations!"

The three of them hurriedly expressed their commitment.

"Very good! Then go and prepare!"

Su Xuan nodded in satisfaction and dismissed the three of them.

In truth, he still felt some regret that he hadn't been able to recruit Guan Yu and Zhang Fei back then.

But his own conditions at the time didn't allow for it; he had no choice.

In the end, he could only let the opportunity slip by.

A year ago, when he had just awakened the memories of his past life, he was nothing but a commoner;

At that time, he could have gone to recruit Zhang Fei, but Zhang Fei was a local power in his own right. Without any fame or official position, how could he have convinced him to pledge his loyalty?

Ultimately, after considering everything, he had to give up.

As for Guan Yu?

Heaven knows where he was before he swore brotherhood with Liu Bei.

In the early stages, he also lacked the strength, wealth, and status, and his intelligence network hadn't been established yet, so he couldn't find the man.

What could be done?

However, if he couldn't recruit them, so be it! He was already very satisfied with the fierce generals currently under his command.

Over on the side of Liu, Guan, and Zhang:

"Haha! Eldest Brother! Our chance has come! This time, we must win the primary credit for breaking the city, and if we can capture and kill that Zhang Jiao, Eldest Brother, you will surely be granted a title and a generalship!"

Once out of the commander's tent, Zhang Fei couldn't help but say happily to Liu Bei.

Their hard days seemed to be coming to an end.

"Perhaps!"

Liu Bei smiled slightly upon hearing this: "However, nothing is set in stone yet. Let’s wait until we’ve actually won the primary credit."

"Moreover, General Su’s subordinates, Huang Zhong, Old Dian Wei, and the others, are all peerless fierce generals no less capable than Second and Third Brother. We might not be able to snatch the credit from them."

Over the past few months, it wasn't as if Liu Bei hadn't tried to make contact and attempt to poach Su Xuan’s men, hoping to win over Huang Zhong and the others.

After all, the great generals under Su Xuan, and even his strategists like Xi Zhicai, were all very enviable!

But these people were completely unmoved.

Their relationship with him remained distant.

On the contrary, Huang Zhong and the others had a better relationship with Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

From time to time, they would even spar with each other.

"That is true!"

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei both nodded.

Then, Guan Yu said: "Besides, Eldest Brother, you were wrong about one thing: the strength of Old Dian Wei and Huang Zhong is above that of me and Third Brother;"

"The two of them are experts at the mid-stage and peak-stage of Gang Qi respectively, while Third Brother and I are currently only at the early-stage;"

"There is still a gap between us and them;"

"However, the sparring sessions lately have been of great benefit to me!"

Clearly, Guan Yu held Huang Zhong and Old Dian Wei in high regard.

"Indeed!"

Zhang Fei also smiled and nodded: "I feel that if things continue like this, I have the confidence to break through to the mid-stage of Gang Qi within a year, hehe!"

Hearing this, Liu Bei sighed helplessly: "It is a pity that such heroes cannot be used by me. What is to be done?"

Liu Bei wished he could trick all the talents in the world into his own camp.

He didn't even stop to think if he had the qualifications to do so.

It was only because Guan Yu and Zhang Fei had happened to be in the right place at the right time that he had managed to trick them.

Hearing Liu Bei’s words, Zhang Fei couldn't help but retort: "Eldest Brother! Honestly, I feel you have absolutely no chance!"

"General Su’s conditions in every aspect are much better than yours right now, he treats his subordinates well, and his character is solid. Huang Hansheng and the others are heroic figures who do not lack loyalty; how could they easily defect to you, Eldest Brother?"

"If they really did that, I would look down on them myself!"

"Don't you think so, Second Brother?"

As he said this, Zhang Fei looked at Guan Yu.

Liu Bei: "..."

"Indeed!"

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and nodded with a smile.

This was one of the reasons why he admired and appreciated Huang Zhong and the others.

They were loyal.

Liu Bei: "..."

"Are you two here today specifically to strike at and mock me?"

Liu Bei could no longer hold back, looking gloomily at his two sworn brothers.

Were they starting to favor outsiders over him?

Liu Bei thought with growing vigilance: "It seems that in the future, I should stop letting Second and Third Brother spend so much time with Huang Zhong and the others, lest I fail to poach their men and instead have Second and Third Brother poached away by them. That would be the end of me."

Projecting his own thoughts onto others, Liu Bei was very wary of Su Xuan, feeling that this might be Su Xuan’s conspiracy all along.

Otherwise, why had he treated them so well from the start?

Why had he valued and employed them so heavily?

One can only say that those whose minds are full of filth see filth in everyone else.

At this moment, inside Guang Sect City,

In the Great Virtuous Teacher’s mansion, which had been converted from the Prefecture Governor’s office,

Zhang Jiao, who had been unconscious for most of the day, finally opened his eyes slowly and woke up.

"Father! You’re awake? That’s wonderful! You scared your daughter to death!"

"If anything were to happen to you, what would your daughter do?"