Mythical Three Kingdoms-Chapter 1380 - 1332: A Long-Standing Hidden Danger

"What does our lord mean by this..." Lub Su only realized what was happening after Liu Bei had left.

"Is he trying to expand the military power and influence of the Elder Faction?" Mann Chong murmured to himself, in disbelief, somewhat puzzled by Liu Bei’s actions.

"Indeed, Lord Xuande’s methods are completely different from others, but the outcome should still be favorable." Chen Xi glanced at Xun Yue who had already chased after him, then looked at Mann Chong and said.

"Speaking of which, the Elder Faction within the army already holds considerable military power." Jia Xu gazed at the sky and said, given Liu Bei’s confidence, it was a good thing for him. Being able to tolerate the Elder Faction in the military made it safer for someone like him.

For someone like Jia Xu, who was naturally insecure, Liu Bei’s openness was reassuring. Yet, for some unknown reason, Jia Xu felt worried for Liu Bei as he spoke, considering it was military power they were discussing!

"Huh?" Chen Xi rolled his eyes, "Haven’t you noticed how the negative effects of your Spiritual Talent have lessened? More and more people are coming to recognize Lord Xuande."

"No lord who can personally know every military officer above Centurion in rank would mind sharing military power." Chen Xi spoke indifferently, "Lord Xuande is probably the first lord in history to achieve this level."

"What?" Lub Su and the others were shocked as they looked at Chen Xi. They hadn’t paid attention to such things before. Although Liu Bei’s familiarity with lower-ranked military officers surprised them occasionally, they never expected the reality to be like this.

"You didn’t know?" Chen Xi raised an eyebrow, "You seriously didn’t know? Haven’t I mentioned this to you before?"

"If he’s really achieved this level, then it doesn’t matter who holds the military power." Li Youu said with a faint hint of amazement. The workload must have been enormous, which explains why Liu Bei seldom visited the Political Office, as just recognizing people took considerable time.

"No wonder during the year-end festivals, our lord could call out the names of every lower-ranked officer coming to receive rewards. So, that’s how it is." A tone of shock appeared on Mann Chong’s previously indifferent face. While they were making efforts, Liu Bei was doing the same.

"Exactly, so let’s act as if we haven’t seen Lord Xuande directly grant military power to the Elders in the army." Chen Xi said with a smile, "You guys focus on handling administrative matters, I’ll go engage with Miss Lyu and understand the situation a bit better."

"Go ahead, we’ll be on our way too." Li Youu nodded, then retreated into the carriage. Chen Xi had spoken very calmly earlier, indicating that this was something Liu Bei had been doing for a long time, or rather, it was Liu Bei’s only formal task.

"With this, the greatest hidden threat under our lord has vanished without a trace." Jia Xu, also retreating into the carriage, said admiringly, "Such a simple method, yet no one had thought of it before."

"That’s why I say Zichuan’s way of thinking is vastly different from ours." Li Youu said calmly, "Originally, we couldn’t even mention the independent army under the Elder Faction and Xingba, which numbers just over forty thousand combined. Now it’s no longer an issue."

Speaking of which, Guan Yu is said to command a legion, but as it stands, he has nearly nine thousand experienced troops. Meanwhile, Gan Ning’s navy has expanded to ten thousand, Zhang Fei’s troops number eight thousand, Hua Xiong’s seven thousand, and Zhao Yun leads six thousand cavalry; it all adds up to just over forty thousand.

Besides Gan Ning’s navy, these soldiers are considered the most elite under Liu Bei. Although everyone trusts their loyalty, it remains a hidden risk. Zhao Yun was the first to realize this and has been consistently declining offers.

The issue is that even while declining, Zhao Yun is still in command of a mixed regiment of six thousand Tugi Cavalry and Mounted Archers. A force like this is the top combat power in any nation during this era. Unlike others, Zhao Yun’s troops exclusively consist of cavalry.

As for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, perhaps they haven’t realized this aspect yet. Although Hua Xiong, advised by Li Youu, is aware and exerts restraint, no amount of restraint can change the fact that his legion has been overstaffed from the beginning.

Furthermore, with the Xiliang Iron Cavalry arriving at Ye City, Liu Bei intends to use these cavalry in unison. However, deciding on the leader is a tough issue, as only Zhao Yun and Hua Xiong can lead the cavalry effectively under Liu Bei’s command.

The problem is that giving command of more than ten thousand troops to Zhao Yun is less favorable than handing them to Hua Xiong. Zhao Yun’s cavalry route follows the speed of White Horse Soldiers, while Hua Xiong is the true successor of the Tugi Cavalry penetration route. Liu Bei has a vivid memory of the crucial blow dealt to Yuan Shao’s advancing war chariots during the Yuan Liu conflict.

Therefore, entrusting command to Hua Xiong aligns with Liu Bei’s nature, and although Hua Xiong’s Legion Talent is at times inconsistent, it naturally integrates with the Xiliang Iron Cavalry. Besides, the soldiers of the Xiliang Iron Cavalry already hold Hua Xiong in high regard.

These are essentially hidden threats. Even if the Elder Faction’s loyalty to Liu Bei remains unwavering, as things move forward, even someone as supremely level-headed as Zhao Yun would eventually become increasingly overburdened, and this is inherently unavoidable.

The path of overstaffing keeps extending further, and ultimately, leading to difficulties in disentanglement. By that time, even if Guan Yu and others wish to relinquish power, their subordinates may no longer agree.

However, Liu Bei’s current actions have effectively put a complete stop to this situation, successfully halting the potential of it getting out of hand.

"Let’s return to handling administrative matters. The current situation in the North is somewhat troubling. Sheni Pei seems to have gone mad and plans to disregard the Xianbei and confront us head-on." Lub Su said with a face of dejection. Sheni Pei’s actions certainly made people like Lub Su hesitant for quite some time.

"Let the North remain unprotected. In the end, it’s just a matter of who can be more ruthless. Once the Xianbei invade at their peak, we’ll throw all our weight against them. Until then, let’s focus on preparing medicines and provisions first." Li Youu said coldly. He’s engaged in acts of cruelty countless times.

"It seems that’s our only option." Lub Su sighed. He did not propose to halt the plan. Although reluctant, he understood that this was the fastest way to pacify the entire North, whereas other methods had various shortcomings.

"Sheni Pei is indeed someone noteworthy, but when it comes to ruthlessness..." Jia Xu rarely revealed a smile, and seeing him, Li Youu also smiled knowingly.

"Let’s see if we can have Chen Gongtai’s side accept some citizens. Save who we can, and we’ll discuss other matters later." Lub Su felt a bit uneasy. Compared to the likes of Li Youu and Jia Xu, who have experienced numerous hardships, Lub Su hasn’t witnessed many disastrous situations.

"That would work, it’s just a matter of sending a letter." Jia Xu nodded to indicate he would handle it.