CHAPTER 1446: CHAPTER 1393: LIU YE ATTACKS CHENLIU

However, Chenliu was where Cao Cao got his start, and although Cao Cao has now moved his main base to Sili, he still left a considerable amount of troops in Chenliu.

In addition, Chenliu itself is a city with high walls and deep moats, and with Cao Cao’s years of management and the assistance of the Wei Family of Chenliu, it can be considered a Copper Wall and Iron Bastion. This is also why, when Chen Xi took over Yanzhou, he halted at Jiyin.

After Fa Zheng captured Yuzhou, Chenliu was actually isolated outside of Cao Cao’s domain, bordered by Jiyin to the east, the Chen State of Yuzhou to the south, and Yingchuan to the southwest, effectively surrounding Chenliu on three sides.

However, at that time Liu Bei’s focus was on dealing with Yuan Shao, so there was no major conflict with Cao Cao, and thus Chenliu was preserved.

Whether it was due to Cao Cao’s fondness for his old home in Chenliu or other reasons, when Liu Bei had the chance to act, Cao Cao did not entirely retreat to Sili, but instead stationed troops in Chenliu, seemingly intent on keeping it.

Of course, to someone as insightful as Liu Ye, this was simply laughable. Xun Yu, Cheng Yu, and others had left Chenliu, and while Chenliu still had substantial troops, its status had essentially shifted from a political and military hub under Cao Cao to a significant stronghold.

Despite being defended by renowned generals like Li Dian, Le Jin, and Cai Yang, Chenliu had become something of little allure and not worth abandoning for Cao Cao—a piece of meat surrounded on three sides that couldn’t reasonably be held.

Thus, after Liu Ye arrived in Jiyin, he actively planned to seize Chenliu. However, even though Cao Cao seemed prepared to abandon his former home, it wasn’t as simple as Liu Ye just claiming it by saying so.

Li Dian was cautious, Le Jin was brave and skilled in battle, and although Cai Yang’s command of troops was average, his martial abilities with his sword were formidable and not easily overcome.

Moreover, with Li Dian’s older cousin Li Jin involved, Chenliu was not so easily taken. Though lacking in strategic minds, neither Li Dian nor Le Jin would easily waver, leading to Liu Ye making little progress due to their staunch defense.

Naturally, this was also because Liu Ye couldn’t afford to move forward; his primary goal upon arriving in Yanzhou was not to attack Chenliu but to stabilize Yanzhou and develop civil affairs. He was accompanied by Chen Dao and Yu Jin precisely because they were both steady individuals.

Even if Liu Ye had any risky ideas, these two would not be easily swayed. Whether or not to take Chenliu wasn’t crucial in Chen Xi’s view, as they certainly wouldn’t pass through Chenliu when attacking Cao Cao.

Although Liu Ye knew Chen Xi’s thoughts, such a tempting target left nearby was hard to resist. Previously occupied with the vast affairs of Yanzhou, Liu Ye couldn’t spare the effort, managing only to test the waters with weaker forces.

However, shortly after Zhang Ji arrived in Shanyang, Liu Ye quickly recognized this official, not much older than himself, for his potential.

Zhang Ji could work late hours, was diligent and meticulous, and had decent abilities with much room for development. Naturally, Liu Ye assigned numerous agricultural and mulberry-related tasks to Zhang Ji in Shanyang Commandery, showing his esteem for him.

It was around this time that Liu Ye’s internal sources reported on troop movements in Sili. With his astute mind, Liu Ye quickly pieced together the current situation and immediately shifted Yu Jin and Chen Dao to the Jiyin border, feigning a position as if poised to launch a fierce attack on Chenliu.

This move did not alter the troop deployment of the Cao Army; Chenliu Commandery continued to respond unhurriedly to the potential invasion from Liu Ye.

Through these maneuvers, Liu Ye moved steadily toward Chenliu, while Le Jin, guarding Chenliu, both harassed with his troops and began concentrating forces as if preparing for a major battle with Liu Ye. However, before Liu Ye’s forces even reached the city, Le Jin had already retreated.

This strange behavior left Liu Ye surprised and prompted other thoughts, but his goal was to conquer Chenliu, securing control over all of Yanzhou, so he didn’t dwell on it too much. Sometimes, the strategic situation determines the outcome.

"Liu Ye didn’t directly attack our Chenliu but instead targeted Yongqiu, Jiyang, and Pingqiu?" Le Jin asked Li Dian with a furrowed brow.

"Yes, besides Chenliu City, Liu Ye took every surrounding small city without exception." Li Dian was also frowning, completely puzzled by the meaning behind Liu Ye’s actions; apart from wasting troops, there seemed no gain in terms of taking Chenliu itself.

Without capturing Chenliu, Liu Ye couldn’t claim the entire Chenliu Commandery, and the places taken now would have to be returned eventually if they can’t capture the Commandery.

"Should we perhaps consult the advisor?" Cai Yang, who had been silent until now, suggested when he saw that the two had no clue.

"Better not. The advisor has said that Liu Ye is an extraordinary talent. Even with advance preparation, victory would be uncertain against him." Li Dian shook his head.

"But guessing like this isn’t getting us anywhere," Cai Yang replied grumpily. "What if I lead a force to probe the northern route?"

"Better not." Li Dian thought about it and rejected the idea again. "The General is brave, but Liu Ye is very astute, and I’m afraid we might not reap any advantage."

"If this isn’t okay, and that isn’t either, are we just going to wait until the enemy approaches our gates?" Cai Yang retorted with dissatisfaction, conscious of the impact on morale from retreating without a fight.

"Send out troops to probe!" Le Jin suddenly decided. "Continuing to wait is unlikely to yield results. Even if we lose some troops, probing will at least give us insight into the enemy."

"Very well, I’ll go test the waters myself!" Cai Yang immediately stood up to volunteer.

"Which route shall we attack?" Once Le Jin made the decision, Li Dian refrained from discouraging words and, seeing Cai Yang volunteer, also chose not to suggest joining in. Instead, he began contemplating how to handle the current situation.

"The northern route or the southern route?" Le Jin asked Li Dian.

"Why not the eastern route?" Li Dian asked with a sudden smile.

"The east is where Liu Ye has his main forces as a strategist..." Le Jin began but then stopped halfway, realizing something.

The north and south routes were held by Yu Jin and Chen Dao, respectively. While neither was widely famous, the intelligence from the Cao camp didn’t overlook them. After all, nearly eighty percent of Liu Bei’s infantry were trained by Yu Jin before being handed over to other generals.

As for Chen Dao, while not much historical record of his accomplishments exists, during the time when three families confronted Yuan Shu, he demonstrated real Inner Qi Manifestation abilities, a merit in itself commanding respect.