Chapter 1446: Strategizing

After watching Gu Yi leave, Liu Bei felt a mix of emotions. He knew well that the situation before him was far more complex than imagined. Cao Cao was ambitious, and the strategists under his command were full of schemes; every decision needed to be made with extreme caution. He returned to the desk and examined the official document again; every word seemed to weigh a thousand jin, concerning his fate and that of countless common people.

"My lord, although Mr. Gu Yi's strategy is clever, it is indeed slightly gentle and may be difficult to deal with Cao Cao's cunning." A strategist broke the silence in the room and spoke bluntly.

Hearing this, Liu Bei nodded gently, his gaze deep. "That is indeed the case. Gu Yi's strategy focuses on winning by wisdom, but on the battlefield, courage and determination are equally important. We need to add a bit of sharpness on this basis to ensure nothing goes wrong."

Hearing this, the strategists nodded one after another and began to discuss heatedly, trying to integrate more variables and response strategies on the basis of Gu Yi's strategy. As time passed second by second, the atmosphere in the room became increasingly tense and solemn; every detail was repeatedly scrutinized, and every possible variable was pre-conceived.

Finally, after a night of discussion, a more perfect combat plan that took into account both wisdom and courage was born. Looking at this plan that condensed everyone's wisdom, a sense of unprecedented firmness surged in Liu Bei's heart. He knew that this battle was not only to defend Yanzhou but also to prove that even in troubled times, a leader who valued both benevolence and wisdom could still open up a world.

Early the next morning, Liu Bei summoned all the generals and made the new combat plan public. His words were full of strength and determination, and every word was like a war drum, inspiring everyone's heart. "In this battle, we must not only win but win beautifully, letting the world know that an army of benevolence and righteousness never admits defeat!"

Under the joint efforts of family members, they successfully resisted the interference of external forces and also resolved the contradictions and differences within the family. The family restored its past harmony and unity, and kite culture also glowed with new vitality and vigor in this atmosphere.

In the following days, Liu Bei personally supervised the battle, trained soldiers, strengthened city defenses, and sent spies deep behind enemy lines to collect intelligence, making final preparations for the upcoming great battle. And from Gu Yi's side, good news also came; he had successfully persuaded several neutral forces to agree to provide support to Liu Bei at critical moments, which undoubtedly added more chips to Liu Bei's defense plan.

However, just when everything seemed ready, a sudden piece of news broke this tranquility—Cao Cao had actually launched an offensive ahead of schedule, and the ferocity of the offensive far exceeded everyone's expectations. When Liu Bei received the urgent report, although there were stormy waves in his heart, his face was calm. He quickly summoned his generals, adjusted his strategy according to the latest battle situation, and decided to adopt more flexible tactics to deal with Cao Cao's surprise attack.

"Although Gu Yi's words have foresight, the battlefield changes rapidly. We need to adapt to circumstances to remain invincible." Liu Bei's steady words were like a shot of adrenaline, making everyone's originally panicked hearts gradually settle down.

The subsequent fighting was extremely intense. Cao Cao's army surged like a tide, while Liu Bei's army was like a reef by the shore, standing tall despite the wind and waves. Both sides went back and forth, and the fighting lasted for several days, with the situation at a stalemate. At this critical moment, the support force promised by Gu Yi arrived in time, giving Cao Cao's army a fatal blow from the flank, causing the battle situation to reverse instantly.

Seeing this, Cao Cao had no choice but to order a retreat, and a crisis was thus resolved. Standing on the city wall, looking at the backs of Cao Cao's army moving away, Liu Bei felt both the joy of victory and deep thought about the future. He knew that this victory was only temporary, and true peace still required more effort and sacrifice.

After the battle, Liu Bei held a banquet to entertain Gu Yi and all the meritorious officials to celebrate this hard-won victory. At the banquet, Liu Bei raised his glass to thank Gu Yi: "This victory is inseparable from Gu Yi's contribution. Although you and I each serve our own masters, our friendship remains undiminished. Planning the world together is truly a fortunate thing."

Gu Yi smiled without saying a word, but his heart was full of emotion. He knew well that in this troubled world, it was rare to have such a confidant. The two looked at each other and smiled, no need for more words; that deep friendship was already understood without words.

After the banquet, Liu Bei and Gu Yi had another secret talk to discuss how to further consolidate the alliance, jointly resist Cao Cao, and how to find more allies in the future battle situation to strengthen their own power. They understood that only by uniting all forces that could be united could they open up a path to peace in this troubled world.

The night was deep, but Liu Bei's study was still brightly lit. He wrote down the day's battle situation, insights, and future plans one by one for future reference. He knew that the road ahead was still long, but as long as there was light in his heart, hope would never be extinguished. And the friendship between him and Gu Yi would also become his strongest backing on this long road.

Liu Bei put down his pen and rubbed his tired eyes, but his heart was exceptionally clear. He stood up, walked to the window, and looked at the deep night sky outside, his thoughts flying. Money was indeed meant to be spent, but in troubled times, the use of every penny needed to be carefully calculated, because it not only represented wealth but also represented the opportunity for survival and the possibility of seeking more well-being for the people.

He recalled every bit of his life since he raised his army, from the initial Peach Garden Oath to sitting in one side today, every step was inseparable from the support of money and grain. And Gu Yi, as his close friend and strategist, always provided him with financial assistance and strategic guidance at critical moments. This victory was even more inseparable from Gu Yi's silent contribution and strategizing behind the scenes.

Liu Bei knew well that to gain a foothold in this troubled world, relying on the name of benevolence and righteousness was not enough; he also needed sufficient strength and wisdom. And the improvement of strength was often inseparable from the support of money. He began to think about how to better use the resources in his hands and how to more effectively raise and manage funds to support his grand cause.

He decided that the first thing to do was to reform the tax system, reduce the burden on the people, and at the same time increase commercial activities and encourage folk trade to increase government revenue. He also planned to establish a specialized financial team responsible for managing and allocating funds to ensure that every penny could be used where it was needed most.

In addition, Liu Bei also realized that to truly strengthen his power, he also needed to establish closer alliances with other forces. And the establishment of alliances often required money as a bond. He began to consider how to use money to exchange for the support of allies through diplomatic means to jointly resist strong enemies like Cao Cao.

Thinking of this, a sense of ambition surged in Liu Bei's heart. He returned to the desk and continued to write, recording his ideas one by one. He knew that the implementation of these ideas required time and effort, but he believed that as long as he, Gu Yi, and the soldiers under his command worked together, they would definitely be able to realize the ideals in their hearts. ===== CHAPTER 1447 =====