Chapter 36: To make Cao Cao suffer such a defeat, I am no match for this man!

"Xu Shu is actually Xu You?"

Cao Cao looked bewildered.

"Xu Shu must harbor deep resentment toward the Prime Minister. Once he returns to Liu Bei, he will surely exhaust his strategies to help Liu Bei oppose you."

"Then why does the Prime Minister not turn the tables? Pretend to allow Xu Shu to go to Chaoyang to welcome his mother, and while he is there, let him see the true state of our grain camps—the empty and the full—and then..."

Cheng Yu squinted, a sinister smile playing on his lips as he unfolded his plan.

The confusion on Cao Cao's face gradually faded, replaced by pleasant surprise. By the end, he was slapping the table in laughter.

"What a brilliant scheme to turn the tables! Zhongde, this plan is truly ingenious, beyond the reach of gods or spirits!"

Cao Cao praised him highly and said with a pleased smile:

"We shall use Zhongde's plan. Through Xu Shu's hand, we shall lure that 'Big-Eared Thief' to his death!"

Cheng Yu smiled and said nothing.

Liu Ye and the other advisors, having understood the strategy, nodded in succession, casting looks of admiration at Cheng Yu.

Cao Cao rose and walked to the tent entrance. He stood with his hands behind his back, gazing toward Xiangyang, a mocking sneer curling his lips.

"Liu Bei, do you think a minor victory gives you the right to be arrogant before me?"

"You want Xu Shu? I will send you a Xu You."

"It is a pity, however, that I am not Yuan Shao!"

...

Seven days later, at the pier on the south bank of the Han River.

Liu Bei stood on the pier, craning his neck to look into the distance. Behind him, Xiao He, Guan Yu, Sun Qian, and other advisors and generals were all present, waiting for Xu Shu's return.

Before long, a boat arrived from the north, slowly pulling into the pier.

"Yuanzhi!"

Before the boat even docked, Liu Bei recognized Xu Shu and waved joyfully.

At the bow, Xu Shu's eyes instantly filled with hot tears; he was trembling with excitement. Before the ship had fully moored, he leapt off.

"Xu Shu pays his respects to my Lord!"

He stepped forward and knelt before Liu Bei.

"Yuanzhi, rise quickly!"

Liu Bei hurried to help him up. The two of them looked at each other, eyes brimming with tears, filled with a thousand emotions too deep for words.

After a long while, Liu Bei calmed his excitement and patted Xu Shu on the shoulder.

"Yuanzhi, ah, Yuanzhi. Since we parted at Xinye, I thought we would never see each other again in this lifetime."

"I never imagined that today, you would stand before me once more!"

"Heaven has truly not treated me, Liu Bei, unkindly!"

Xu Shu also suppressed his surging emotions and remarked:

"When I entered Cao's camp, I swore never to offer a single strategy to Cao Cao, yet I believed I would never have the chance to return under your command."

"I did not expect that in the Battle of the Han River, General Guan would capture Yu Jin, and that you, my Lord, would think to exchange Yu Jin for me and my mother."

"For such grace, even death would not be enough to repay you!"

"Now that I am unburdened, I am ready to go through fire and water for you, my Lord, without hesitation!"

Xu Shu expressed his resolve and bowed deeply once more.

Before he could finish, Liu Bei lifted him up and smiled, patting his shoulder:

"We are master and servant who understand each other; there is no need for such talk. From now on, we shall work together to accomplish the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty!"

Both Liu Bei and Xu Shu came from heroic backgrounds, and deep down, they shared the bold and carefree spirit of knights-errant. They had no patience for overly sentimental words and simply laughed together.

"However, come to think of it, your return, Yuanzhi, is thanks to Bowen."

Liu Bei turned and pointed smilingly at Xiao He:

"It was Bowen who reminded us before the battle that Yunchang must capture Yu Jin alive, and it was his plan to trade Yu Jin for you, that we might meet again."

Xu Shu was startled and looked toward the unfamiliar face in the crowd.

"I am Xiao He. I have long admired your reputation, Yuanzhi. To see you today is to see a man of truly remarkable grace."

Xiao He stepped forward with a warm smile and a bow.

Xu Shu looked Xiao He up and down with curiosity.

Xiao He, Xiao Bowen...

He had never heard of such a person in Jingzhou.

Judging by Liu Bei's attitude, he clearly held this new advisor in high regard and trust.

"So it was your plan, Brother Bowen, that secured my release. I must thank you."

Xu Shu bowed again.

Xiao He hurriedly held him back, smiling dismissively:

"You are too kind, Brother Yuanzhi. The battle was fought by General Guan, and you were brought back by our Lord's exchange of Yu Jin. I merely had a flash of inspiration and wagged my tongue a bit."

Xiao He was habitually humble, but the others would not allow him to be.

Liu Bei stopped smiling and said with a serious expression:

"Yuanzhi, Bowen is merely being modest; you must not take him seriously."

"To tell you the truth, I originally intended to have Yunchang guard Fancheng. It was Bowen who recommended the defensive genius Huo Zhongmiao, allowing us to withstand the fierce onslaught of Cao Cao's hundreds of thousands with only five thousand men."

"The Battle of the Han River was also predicted by Bowen, who knew Yunchang had a talent for naval warfare and would surely defeat Yu Jin. Only then did I have the confidence to let Yunchang engage with all his might!"

Xu Shu's eyes widened, and his gaze toward Xiao He shifted from curiosity to astonishment.

"And there is another thing. Do you know how my brother decided to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang?"

As soon as Liu Bei finished speaking, Guan Yu took up the thread.

Xu Shu hesitated for a moment, then asked:

"Was the strategy for the surprise attack on Xiangyang not the handiwork of Kongming?"

"Seizing the naval camp at Fancheng, crossing the Han River by night, and launching a pincer attack on Xiangyang was indeed planned by Advisor Kongming," Guan Yu said, first acknowledging Zhuge Liang's contribution, then shifting his tone: "However, the original suggestion for this surprise attack came from Bowen."

Xu Shu felt a jolt, his expression changing from amazement to shock.

"In fact, it was like this: Bowen calculated that Jingsheng had already passed away and that Liu Cong, being held hostage by Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, would certainly surrender Jingzhou to Cao. Thus, Bowen suggested that I..."

Seeing Xu Shu as one of their own, Liu Bei held nothing back and explained the entire sequence of events in detail.

Xu Shu suddenly realized the truth, his gaze toward Xiao He now filled with awe.

"To be able to calculate that Liu Biao died in fear, to foresee Liu Cong's surrender to Cao, to persuade our Lord to launch a surprise attack on Xiangyang, and to recommend talents like Wei Yan and Huo Jun—truly a genius of the age!"

"No wonder that when I was in Cao's camp, I felt that our Lord's actions were vastly different from the norm. It turns out that besides Kongming, there was such a remarkable man assisting him..."

Xu Shu sighed in wonder and quickly bowed to Xiao He:

"I have lived in Jingzhou for many years, yet I never knew that such a brilliant talent as Brother Bowen was hidden among us. Your strategic brilliance is truly beyond my reach."

Being showered with such praise by them all, Xiao He blushed slightly.

"Yuanzhi, you overstate it. To be honest, I am really not adept at strategy. When it comes to wisdom and planning, I am the one who is far behind Advisor Kongming and yourself."

Faced with Xu Shu's praise, Xiao He could only clear his throat and smile with some embarrassment.

Xu Shu turned to look at Liu Bei.

Liu Bei nodded slightly with a meaningful smile.

Xu Shu understood at once.

Liu Bei's smile was telling him that this Xiao Bowen was divinely clever and unfathomable, and that this was intentional modesty—he should not believe it for a second.

Xu Shu's eyes darted, and he smiled knowingly:

"Currently, no one in Cao's camp knows that our Lord has gained such a brilliant assistant as you. You are the hidden blade our Lord uses to resist Cao Cao."

"Since you are a hidden blade, you naturally cannot be easily revealed."

"I understand your intention, Brother Bowen, I understand..."

Xiao He was helpless and had to give up his "struggle." If Xu Shu insisted on thinking that way, he would have to let him.

"Yuanzhi, I have prepared a welcome banquet for you. Let us return to the city to talk."

Liu Bei invited Xu Shu's mother off the ship, greeted her with respect, and ordered carriages to take her to Xiangyang to be settled.

Liu Bei and his party then entered the city, laughing and chatting.

Half an hour later, the government office was filled with the aroma of wine and the sound of laughter.

After several rounds of drinks, Xu Shu set down his cup, his expression turning solemn.

"My Lord, I have a plan that can force Cao Cao's 150,000 troops to retreat and lift the siege of Fancheng in one stroke. I wonder if you dare to use it?"