People in the Three Kingdoms: Starting from Preaching

Chapter 475 Preparing for War
Although Xu Shu came to visit his old friend this time, he did not expect that he would be the first to see Zhuge Liang off in the end.

When Zhuge Liang said he was going north, he did not delay at all. He immediately told his servant to carry his bag. After bidding farewell to Xu Shu at the foot of the mountain, he headed north.

At this time, Xu Shu was actually somewhat envious of Zhuge Liang, as he himself was no longer able to be so free and easy.

Watching Zhuge Liang walking further and further away until he completely disappeared from his sight, Xu Shu turned around helplessly.

He recomposed himself and decided that no matter how difficult the future would be, he would eventually finish this journey. This would not only complete his unfinished business, but also repay Liu Bei for his kindness.

The result of this trip was not pleasant for either Liu Bei or Xu Shu, but they did not have the extra mood to care about it.

For Liu Bei, although it was a pity that he could not recruit the so-called Sleeping Dragon, it was not a big deal. It was just an unpleasant episode, and soon he devoted all his attention to state affairs.

After Xu Shu came back, Liu Bei completely forgot about his search for Zhuge Liang and immediately summoned Xu Shu to discuss the upcoming war. However, this time, not only the king and his ministers of the Han Kingdom were present, but also envoys from the Wu Kingdom.

In the hall, Lu Su, who had just entered, bowed and saluted: "I, Lu Su, the envoy of Wu, would like to express my greetings to the Emperor of Han on behalf of the Emperor of Wu."

Liu Bei nodded when he heard this, and the crown beads on his head jingled. Just a simple wave of his hand also demonstrated the majesty of an emperor: "Envoy Wu, there is no need to be so polite. I also miss the Emperor of Wu. When I was in Xuchang, the Emperor and I were in danger together. This friendship is especially precious. I don't know when we will have the opportunity to talk again."

Lu Su added: "Perhaps there will be an opportunity soon. I am here on this visit at the request of my Lord to discuss military affairs with your country. The northern Xuanxia is ready to make a move. Only if Han and Wu put aside their own opinions and work together can they repel the enemy."

Liu Bei nodded slightly: "That's great. I am also deeply worried about Xuan Xia. If the Emperor of Wu does not send an envoy, I will also send an envoy."

After a few simple greetings, the topic was introduced to the main topic. Lu Su cleared his throat, looked serious, and began to explain the military situation to Liu Bei.

"In recent months, our Wu Kingdom has learned that Xuanxia's military movements have become more frequent, the Bohai Navy has become stronger, and there are food and grass preparations. Such a huge movement seems to be preparing for war, and I am afraid that they will attack Han and Wu soon.

Han and Wu were allies, sharing honor and disgrace, and rising and falling together. Now was the time to join forces to prepare for war in order to defend against invasion.

Now the State of Wu has 100,000 land soldiers, 50,000 sailors, and thousands of ships. We are united and ready to fight at any time. We only ask the State of Han to fully support us so that we can work together to defeat the powerful enemy!"

After a long conversation, Lu Su looked at Liu Bei and waited for a response.

Liu Bei's answer was naturally not unexpected. He immediately agreed to send all his troops to support.

At this point it was no longer a matter of whether Liu Bei was willing or not, but the two countries of Han and Wu were completely tied to the same rope, and they had to either survive together or perish together.

The current situation is more than ten times more severe than the historical situation of the Wu-Shu alliance against the Wei Kingdom. The strength of the Wei Kingdom and Xuan Xia are no longer on the same level.

Soon, Xu Shu took the lead and said, "Your Majesty, the key to this battle lies in the Yangtze River waterway. If the Han and Wu navies can block the waterway, Xuanxia will not be able to cross the river. However, Xuanxia also has a navy now and should not be underestimated. How to fight this naval battle well is the key."

Zhuge Liang had already analyzed this point with Liu Bei before, but it is also an obvious thing. Knowing the key is not difficult, but how to do it well is the most important thing.

The important civil and military officials in the hall all nodded. They certainly understood this, but most of them were still relatively relieved.

In terms of naval strength, the navies of Han and Wu were definitely capable.

Wu's navy was stronger, with 50,000 men. Liu Bei's occupation of Jingzhou was the result of the great help of the local nobles. He had 20,000 Jingzhou navy at the beginning. Although it was not as large as Wu's, it was enough.

"Guan Yu!" Liu Bei looked down.

Guan Yu responded and came out, bowing and saying, "I am here."

Liu Bei smiled and said, "I appoint you as the general of the navy and the army, to command the entire army and take charge of the war. In this battle, you must put aside your selfishness and fully cooperate with the Wu army. The two armies must work together to win this battle!"

"I obey your command!" Guan Yu responded and then retreated.

Liu Bei looked at the ministers again, and his eyes fell on two people again: "Zhang Yun and Cai Mao."

Zhang Yun and Cai Mao came out at the same time.

Liu Bei added: "I order you to lead the navy together. You must intensify your training. Naval warfare is related to the outcome of this battle. You must not take it lightly. You must assist Guan Yu well. If you can win, I will reward the entire navy, and you two can also be promoted."

Zhang Yun and Cai Mao were overjoyed when they heard this and agreed immediately.

Although the Yellow Turbans were formidable, they were still confident when it came to naval battles.

Afterwards, Liu Bei made some simple arrangements, and the important tasks of each army were determined, especially setting the tone for the cooperation between the Han and Wu armies.

The two armies are led by Zhou Yu, the Grand Commander of Wu, and Guan Yu, the General of Han. Once the war breaks out, they will decide the direction of the war.

As for the details of the cooperation between the two militaries, they need to be discussed carefully.

Lu Su stepped forward and said: "The Xuanxia navy is now stationed in the Bohai Sea. If they want to take action in the future, they can only sail in from the mouth of the Yangtze River. The naval battle will also start from here. Time waits for no one. I think the two armies should immediately join forces and move forward. If we can stop the enemy at the mouth of the sea, the Yellow Turbans on land will not be able to move easily."

Liu Bei nodded: "Good, we should do so."

Xu Shu also stepped forward and said, "I think we should prepare for the worst. If we cannot stop the Xuanxia navy, the waterways will be attacked by Xuanxia everywhere. But there must be key points that the enemy is targeting. If we can judge where the enemy is attacking, our army will deploy more troops in advance. Even if the water battle is unfavorable, we can still deal with it calmly."

In fact, not many people were worried about what Xu Shu said. The Han and Wu navies were located upstream, which was an advantage for them in combat. Moreover, they were large in scale. As long as the waterways were blocked, it would not be easy for the Yellow Turbans to break through the defense line.

The difficulty of going upstream to engage in boarding and ramming battles can be imagined. According to their expectations, the focus of this battle is actually on the sea channel.

The navies of both sides fought for victory here. The Han and Wu navies did not have to annihilate the Xuanxia navy. As long as they could stop them, they could cut off Xuanxia's ability to cross the river. If they couldn't even cross the river, there would be no need to think about what happened next.

Rivers and natural barriers are natural lines of defense. This is the reason why there have always been confrontations between the North and the South. This is also the only thing left for the Han and Wu countries to rely on.

Despite this, Lu Su also acknowledged Xu Shu's concerns. Even though they had a sufficient advantage in the navy, no one dared to underestimate them because their opponent was the Yellow Turbans.

If the Yellow Turban navy really rushed into the waterway, where would the Yellow Turbans choose to cross the river and fight?
(End of this chapter)