Tian Feng loosened his grip on the wooden box, and Xu You immediately began admiring the jade inside. As he did, his demeanor gradually transformed from that of a greedy, petty individual to one exuding grandeur and scholarly elegance.

Noticing Xu You's increasingly pronounced change—from a greedy monkey dressed in noble attire to someone radiating dignity and scholarly aura—Tian Feng finally felt at ease.

"Thank you, Yuanhao, for bestowing this upon me," Xu You said, pushing his hairpin back in place. He now looked heroic and refined, a far cry from the earlier sneaky, money-hungry figure. His eyes no longer reflected greed.

"Ziyuan, let me confirm once more: can you handle Chen Zichuan?" Tian Feng asked, looking at Xu You, who now appeared almost godlike in his confidence.

"Who can say for sure without trying?" Xu You replied with a slight smile. "In this world, no one can claim to be able to defeat Chen Zichuan without having faced him first. I doubt such a person has even been born yet."

"So I'll leave him to you. I don't expect you to defeat him, but I need you to suppress him. If you can keep him in check for two months, I'll give you a luminous pearl when we return to Jizhou," Tian Feng nodded slightly, accepting Xu You's answer. The more they learned about Chen Xi, the more they realized how formidable he was.

"I will do my best. And I may make some seemingly irrational moves, so please cover for me, Yuanhao," Xu You said, his mind clear and resolute, unaffected by the mention of the luminous pearl.

"No problem. As long as you can handle him, I'll cover for you in everything," Tian Feng agreed earnestly. Besides his strategic brilliance, what made Xu You truly formidable was his decisiveness. In certain situations, he could act like a madman, making absolutely crazy yet highly effective moves.

"Then it's settled. I need 7,000 of the Bingzhou wolf cavalry, and Wen Chou as the commanding general of my forces," Xu You demanded, now that Tian Feng had given him the assurance he needed.

"Are you sure 7,000 wolf cavalry will be enough?" Tian Feng frowned. "Chen Zichuan's usual approach is to secure an invincible position before seeking victory. Cavalry can't take cities, and if he decides to fortify himself in the new city of Linyi..."

"If he chooses to hold Linyi, then even a large army won't be able to do much," Xu You interrupted Tian Feng. "So why not take a gamble? Bet that Chen Zichuan will prioritize driving a stake into the heart of Dongjun rather than fighting a major battle at Linyi."

"That indeed seems like a viable approach," Tian Feng mused after considering it for a moment. Xu You's reasoning made sense.

"Moreover, you have to deal with Guo Fengxiao. While schemes might not work well against you, and cunning strategies might have little effect, Guo Fengxiao is no easy opponent. It won't be hard for you to defeat him, but to eliminate him..." Xu You said seriously, his strategic brilliance now fully on display.

"The only way is a swift, thunderous strike to wipe him out!" Xu You emphasized, raising one finger. "With my current strategies, if I were to face you, I'd figure out your spiritual gift after three defeats at most. And as for Guo Fengxiao's spiritual gift, you're well aware—once activated, no amount of preparation on your part will matter."

Tian Feng frowned, recalling the intelligence sent from Cao Cao's side, which detailed two spiritual gifts—one belonging to Guo Jia and the other to Chen Xi.

"Alright, I'll be cautious. I'd rather suffer a few minor defeats than give him a chance to activate his spiritual gift," Tian Feng nodded. "Be careful with Chen Zichuan as well. I've heard he has a hidden expert protecting him."

"I will," Xu You nodded. "But such people never involve themselves in warfare. I've already gathered information from various sources—these hidden experts aren't few, but they only intervene in events that could reshape the entire world. And Chen Zichuan is one of those people."

"One of them?" Tian Feng frowned, hearing this secret for the first time. The idea that someone as crucial as Chen Zichuan, who could establish an imperial dynasty, was just "one of them" was surprising.

"Yes, he's just one. True overlords, the real rulers of the world, have never died from assassination because of these hidden protectors," Xu You explained vaguely. "Our lord has one too, but they don't participate in battles. They only protect certain individuals when necessary."

Tian Feng simply acknowledged with an "Oh" and didn't press further.

"Write the order then. I'll take Wen Chou to Linyi. While that stake may not cause much harm, having it there is still a nuisance!" Xu You sneered, his mind already forming a plan. The satisfaction of possessing the treasure had filled him with the confidence to compete with any strategist in the land.

Tian Feng quickly wrote the order and handed it to Xu You. With everything now clear, Tian Feng knew how to deal with Guo Jia.

"Sigh, I wonder how You Ruo and Zhong Jian are faring in Sili Province," Tian Feng muttered to himself as he stood atop the city wall.

After handing the order to Xu You, watching him leave for Wen Chou's camp, and then seeing him and Wen Chou depart with 7,000 wolf cavalry, Tian Feng felt much more at ease. However, Xu You's mention of hidden experts protecting lords reminded Tian Feng of Xun Shen and Chunyu Qiong, who had gone to Sili Province. After all, if lords had such protectors, what about the emperor?

In this world, the political landscape constantly shifts. Though Yuan Shao was powerful, he had never achieved an overwhelming advantage. So when Ju Shou proposed going to Sili Province to bring the emperor to Ye City, the council quickly approved after some consideration.

However, before Yuan Shao could decide who to send, he received intelligence that Liu Ye and his forces, who were initially believed to be attacking Yuan Shao, were actually heading to aid the emperor. With this news, Yuan Shao made his decision without hesitation, sending Xun Shen and Chunyu Qiong to Sili Province. Xun Shen, once one of the Eight Generals of the Western Garden, and Chunyu Qiong, one of his top strategists, reassured him.

Yuan Shao's haste was partly due to being intimidated by Liu Bei. If Liu Bei were to bring the emperor to Taishan, Yuan Shao's justification for conquering the world would be lost, and his motivation to attack Taishan would wane. Moreover, Yuan Shao was not yet ready to declare himself emperor.

Thus, Yuan Shao's orders to Xun Shen were clear: if they could take the emperor, they should do so. But if they couldn't, they must at least ensure that Liu Bei didn't succeed.

To Yuan Shao, it was better for the emperor to fall into Cao Cao's hands than Liu Bei's. For Liu Ye, having the emperor was more of a burden, and if they allowed Yuan Shao to take him, it would be equally troublesome. So, they preferred to hand him over to Cao Cao instead.

As for Yuan Shao's secret orders to Chunyu Qiong, they were even more ruthless: if they couldn't succeed, they were to kill the emperor and his court. In such a scenario, the blame would inevitably fall on Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Liu Bei, and Li Jue alike.

This revealed Yuan Shao's determination. Of course, such orders were only given to confidants like Chunyu Qiong. If others knew of his intent to murder the emperor, they would certainly unite against him.

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