Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Xu Huang nodded vigorously and quickly responded, "Mr. Wenyou, Xu Yuanzhi has also mentioned this to the general. However, Xu Yuanzhi has already left to contact the general's sworn brother, Sun Ce. I've heard that Sun Ce has thrived in Kuaiji County and has a considerable army. If our 10 Western Liang troops can unite with Sun Ce's forces, and add to that Liu Yao's headquarters in Yangzhou, the combined strength of these three forces should be sufficient to deal with Yuan Shu."

Li Ru remained silent after hearing this, silently assessing the military strength of each side, the geographical situation, and possible variables, lost in thought for a moment. Although the people around him were anxious to know the outcome, they dared not disturb Jia Xu. The entire banquet was so quiet that only the occasional crackling of the burning charcoal could be heard.

Li Ru lowered his head slightly, pondered for a moment, and slowly said, "Xu Yuanzhi's plan, to some extent, does have its merits. Our goal isn't necessarily to completely crush Yuan Shu's forces. As long as we can intimidate him and prevent him from having any further ambitions towards Yangzhou, we'll have achieved our goal."

He paused, his eyes growing penetrating as he continued, "However, upon closer reflection, there's something illogical about this. Logically, we, the Western Liang, shouldn't be the only ones shouldering the heavy responsibility of dealing with a powerful vassal like Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu has a vast army and commanding numerous generals. If we were to confront him with only the Western Liang, even if we were to successfully drive him back, we would undoubtedly suffer considerable damage."

Li Ru's brow furrowed even more as he spoke, looking around at everyone with worry. "What's more, it's freezing cold right now, and it's already very difficult for a large army to march. The bad weather will make transporting food and supplies even more difficult, and consumption will increase dramatically. Furthermore, if any wounded appear, they will be unable to receive timely and proper medical treatment in this icy and snowy environment, which will undoubtedly lead to many unnecessary casualties. This is truly a huge challenge for our Xiliang Army."

Li Ru narrowed his eyes slightly, his narrow pupils gleaming with wisdom. He tapped his hand gently on the table as he methodically analyzed the situation. Then, looking at Xu Huang, he said, "Then, according to common sense, while the imperial court's current military strength may not be exceptionally strong, it must be at least 40,000 to 50,000 men, right? Furthermore, there's Lü Bu of Bingzhou, a man of extraordinary bravery and elite soldiers under his command. His combat effectiveness should not be underestimated. Add to that the 100,000 troops led by Gongsun Zan you mentioned, and that's a formidable force. Are we leaving all these troops idle, leaving only a portion of Xiliang to deal with Yuan Shu, such a formidable enemy?"

Xu Huang's face was filled with resentment, his brows furrowed tightly together, his eyes filled with dissatisfaction and helplessness. He shouted, "Yes! This emperor's arrangements are truly puzzling. He sent Lü Bu of Bingzhou, Gongsun Zan of Youzhou, and Emperor Liu Bei to deal with Yuan Shao of Jizhou, yet he left us alone and refused to send even a single reinforcement. Our Xiliang army was already under immense pressure facing Yuan Shu alone, and the emperor not only refused to provide any assistance, but even withheld food and fodder. This is practically driving us to the brink of despair! Now, we have to shoulder everything on our own. We have to raise 6 troops as reinforcements, and find a way to supply them with food and fodder. This is truly as difficult as ascending to heaven!"

Li Ru nodded slightly after hearing Xu Huang's words, a look of sudden enlightenment on his face, as if the previously chaotic situation had finally made sense to him. A gentle smile spread across his face, and he addressed Xu Huang warmly, "General Xu, you've been traveling all this way, and you must have worked hard. Come, come, please sit here." He personally pulled the mat over and gestured for Xu Huang to sit. "It's freezing cold out here. First, have some hot meat and a few glasses of warm wine to help dispel the chill."

Only after Xu Huang sat down did Li Ru turn around and walk back to his seat with steady steps. He sat down slowly, a hint of worry in his eyes. He said nothing more, just sitting there quietly, as if he was thinking about a new response. The air around him seemed to grow heavy with his contemplation.

Ma Teng sat in the hall, his brow furrowed, his eyes filled with anxiety. He paced repeatedly, his heart aching like an ant on a hot pan. Everyone else in the hall was also on pins and needles, whispering among themselves, worry written across everyone's face. The solemn atmosphere weighed heavily on everyone's heart, like a huge rock pressing down on them. Even the usually straightforward Xu Huang was puzzled, unable to understand why the court had made such an arrangement.

However, Xu Huang was starving after all the traveling. He felt he had described the situation clearly enough, and under Li Ru's questioning, he had told the whole story without reservation. At this moment, he didn't care about anything else and just started eating and drinking with his mouth full. He devoured the food like a whirlwind, as if the food before him was the most delicious thing in the world.

However, Ma Teng and the others had no appetite for food; their faces remained etched with anxiety. After listening to Xu Huang's account, they understood the situation was dire to the extreme. Everyone placed their hopes on Li Ru, hoping he could come up with a plan to resolve the crisis. But Li Ru remained silent, seemingly oblivious to the situation. His expression was relaxed, without a trace of anxiety, as he leisurely toyed with the wine glass in his hand. His gaze was focused, as if the wine glass were some rare and precious treasure, imbued with endless mysteries, a captivating presence that completely oblivious to the anxious gazes and tense atmosphere around him.

Ma Teng paced back and forth in the hall, his rapid and heavy footsteps beating like war drums, stirring everyone's hearts. Finally, unable to hold back any longer, he approached Li Ru. He saluted respectfully, leaning forward slightly, his eyes filled with earnestness and anxiety, and said, "Mr. Wenyou, look at this matter. You've now clearly understood the situation. Chao'er's situation in the court is truly dire, like walking on thin ice. It's extremely critical! We can't just watch him fall into despair. In my opinion, we must act quickly and hand over the 4 elite Xiliang troops stationed outside the city, as well as the 3 skilled soldiers stationed in Tianshui, to Xu Huang. Let Xu Huang set off immediately and lead the army to Yangzhou to aid Chao'er. This may help resolve Chao'er's urgent needs."

Li Ru remained composed and composed, sitting steadily in his chair. His slender fingers gently gripped the wine glass, swirling it rhythmically, not a single drop spilling. He raised his eyes slightly, his gaze deep and calm, and spoke slowly, "My Lord, please don't panic. Haste will not get you anywhere near the hot tofu. Please calm down and listen to me. Let me ask you, do you wish to continue the grand plan I discussed with you for Xiliang's long-term development, or do you simply wish to alleviate the crisis facing the Young Master? The decision between the two holds the fate of Xiliang at stake."

Ma Teng was already extremely anxious, his face flushed crimson. His voice trembled, and he spoke loudly with a hint of urgency, "Mr. Wenyou, I understand the importance of what you've been planning. It truly concerns the long-term future of our Xiliang. But you also have to consider the current situation! Those plans are too far-fetched, and distant water cannot quench immediate thirst. Chao'er's situation is extremely critical. If we don't rush to Chao'er's aid, Chao'er and his over 4 loyal Xiliang soldiers will truly be annihilated. By then, I'm afraid only a few will survive! We must first address this immediate crisis, otherwise it will be too late!"

Li Ru gently set down his wine glass, making a slight "tap" sound, but it was particularly clear in the tense atmosphere. His expression was serious, a subtle flash of worry in his eyes, and he spoke slowly, "My lord, please listen to me carefully analyze the pros and cons of this. Although it seems that supporting the young master and taking a long-term approach are two separate matters, they are actually closely linked and mutually causal. My lord, if we really do as you suggest and send a large army to support the young master, let alone whether we can successfully gather 6 reinforcements, just the difficulties and dangers of 10 troops traveling a long distance in this harsh environment of ice and snow to fight in distant Yangzhou, have you ever considered it?"

He stood up and paced as he spoke, "Look at the weather! It's freezing cold, the wind is razor-sharp, and the snow is buried deep above the horses' hooves. Under such conditions, the army's marching speed will inevitably be greatly reduced, and the soldiers' physical exhaustion will increase exponentially. And food and fodder are the lifeblood of the army! In such road conditions, transporting food and fodder is a nightmare. How can we ensure a continuous supply to the front lines? If there is a shortage of food and fodder, the army will be in dire straits."

Li Ru stopped and looked at Ma Teng with a sharp gaze, his tone becoming more serious. "Furthermore, my lord, think carefully. Isn't there some hidden conspiracy behind the arrangements made by that little Emperor Liu Bian? Don't you smell a hint of danger in this seemingly ordinary order? Let alone whether he deliberately wants our Xiliang army to fight Yuan Shu to a mutual defeat, thereby consuming our manpower and food, even if he does nothing now and just lets us act, this is actually slowly draining our Xiliang family's wealth and destroying the good situation we have worked so hard to build!"

His brow furrowed, his eyes filled with worry. "What if that brat ever develops evil intentions and cuts off our food supply in Chang'an? Then our 10-man army will be left stranded on the front lines. Without food and fodder, how can they fight the enemy in Yangzhou? By then, the soldiers will be hungry, cold, and exhausted, and their morale will be broken. Even if they manage to hold on, how many will be left by the time they finally return to Chang'an after all the hardships? Our elite Western Liang army will be completely depleted, and we'll be completely controlled by the imperial court."

Li Ru took a deep breath and continued, "Furthermore, if Xiliang's strength is greatly weakened, what if that kid harbors evil intentions towards the young master? How will we be able to protect him? The court's arrangements are so bizarre. Isn't this a huge trap set for us by the emperor? We can't just jump into it!"