Three Kingdoms, Myth

After three months of testing on the sea, Gan Ning finally gained confidence in the combat capabilities of the sixth-generation tower ship. Just as he was about to return to the Yangtze River to beat up those river pirates who were once on the same level as him, a letter from Chen Xi arrived.

The letter ordered Gan Ning to sail north along the coast, transporting supplies to Gongsun Zan and escorting a person along with a small group of guards to Youzhou to assist Gongsun Zan and ensure his safety.

Upon receiving this news, Gan Ning was disheartened. As the commander of the navy, he had finally gotten his ship in good shape and was ready to live the life of fighting whoever he wanted. Now, he was being reduced to a transport officer? It was a disheartening turn of events.

To make matters worse, the letter mentioned escorting someone else. Gan Ning felt even more frustrated. He thought, "I'm capable of fighting on land too! I'm a top-tier fighter! Why was this mission given to someone else? My Jin Fan Troops are a formidable and rare force, capable of naval battles, sea battles, and land battles. This is really underestimating me!"

But orders were orders. Although Gan Ning was somewhat reluctant, he accepted the mission. After all, an army is maintained for moments like these. He kept his dissatisfaction to himself, intending to carry out the mission first and then voice his complaints later. So, he set sail, and within a few days, he arrived at Qingzhou, where Taishi Ci had been waiting for quite some time.

It was Gan Ning's first meeting with Taishi Ci, but it was clear that Gan Ning was annoyed. He couldn't understand why Taishi Ci got to go to the main battlefield while he was relegated to transport duty. He had such a large fleet with over three thousand men, yet instead of engaging in battles, he was assigned to transport goods. This was a blow to his pride.

In the end, the only way to resolve this was through a fight. It turned out that both of them were evenly matched. After two intense battles, Gan Ning and Taishi Ci, recognizing each other's abilities, shook hands and made peace, their previous animosity dissipating.

With that settled, Gan Ning no longer had any complaints. After loading the supplies and taking on an additional thousand of Taishi Ci's soldiers—at the cost of reducing food and water supplies—Gan Ning was ready. He had already prepared himself for the possibility of having to raid a few coastal towns in Jizhou to resupply.

Taishi Ci was equally unconcerned. After all, ever since Zhao Yun left, he and Zang Ba had been the highest-ranking commanders in Qingzhou responsible for defending against Jizhou. They had fought countless skirmishes against Zhang He and Gao Lan, and over time, Taishi Ci had come to see Jizhou as the enemy. Raiding the enemy was just part of the strategy; it was expected!

"Ziyi, I heard you're going to assist General Gongsun. But I've also heard that Yan Liang and Wen Chou are both internal energy masters. Do you need my help? I'm quite interested in testing my strength against the experts of the north," Gan Ning said to Taishi Ci as they chatted idly by the ship's railing.

Taishi Ci glanced around to ensure no one was listening, then whispered, "Xingba, to be honest with you, I'm not actually going to assist General Gongsun. The strategist sent me to lead General Gongsun in a retreat if the situation turns unfavorable. The strategist's letter made it clear that he isn't optimistic about General Gongsun's current situation, which is why I'm being sent to keep an eye on Yuan Shao's army."

"You're not joking?" Gan Ning asked, stunned, lowering his voice.

"No, that's exactly what the strategist wrote."

"Why don't I understand? If they've already predicted that General Gongsun might fail, why not send a large army to help? What are they thinking? This is giving me a headache. Can someone explain this to me?" Gan Ning ranted, frustrated. He had been transporting supplies to Gongsun Zan multiple times and had become familiar with the officials in Youzhou. To him, Youzhou and Qingzhou were allies. If they suspected General Gongsun might lose, why not send reinforcements?

"How would I know?" Taishi Ci shrugged, scratching his head in thought before speaking again. "But I remember Zilong once mentioned that General Gongsun is proud and dislikes accepting help from others. If we send too many people, General Gongsun might take offense. So maybe the strategist is just sending me to give him a reminder. After all, General Gongsun is strong; even if he loses temporarily, it's not a big deal."

Gan Ning fell silent, his expression shifting through various emotions before finally settling on a look of realization. A smile crept onto his face, growing wider until he burst into laughter. He believed he had finally figured out why Chen Xi had sent him to escort Taishi Ci.

"Why are you laughing, Xingba? What's making you so happy?" Taishi Ci asked curiously.

"Hahaha! I've figured out the strategist's plan," Gan Ning said excitedly. "It's no wonder there's no battle—this time, we're heading straight to the battlefield!"

"Tell me more?" Taishi Ci asked, his excitement growing as well. He had been puzzled by this mission, but now that someone seemed to have figured it out, he was eager to hear the explanation.

"Ziyi, do you know my official position?" Gan Ning asked proudly, thumping his chest.

"You're the naval commander, right?" Taishi Ci replied, still puzzled.

"Exactly! I'm the naval commander, in charge of all naval operations. I have the authority to deploy forces independently and absolute control over the navy. The strategist sent me to escort you to Youzhou, but while you don't have troops, I do!" Gan Ning explained, his excitement mounting.

Gan Ning was convinced that he had deciphered Chen Xi's plan. The mission to escort Taishi Ci to protect Gongsun Zan was just a cover. With this excuse and the task of transporting supplies, Gan Ning could position himself exactly where he needed to be.

"Huh?" Taishi Ci was taken aback, staring blankly at the excited Gan Ning. He had a feeling that Gan Ning might have misunderstood, but when Gan Ning brought out a map, Taishi Ci couldn't help but consider the possibility that Chen Xi might have actually planned it this way.

"What do you think? Isn't this a great opportunity?" Gan Ning said excitedly, pointing to Jieqiao on the map. "Look at this waterway—isn't it perfectly set up for me? In just one night, I can cut off their supply line and force them to retreat without a fight!"

Taishi Ci's strategic sense wasn't much better than Gan Ning's, but he knew that cutting off an enemy's supply line was a highly effective tactic. However, the method Gan Ning proposed had both high risks and high rewards. If executed well, Yuan Shao could be defeated without a fight. If not, everyone involved could be doomed. After all, this plan involved deep penetration into enemy territory.

"I'm sure the strategist planned it this way. After all, if he didn't intend for this, why would he send me, the naval commander with decision-making power, to escort you? There must be a deeper meaning!" Gan Ning said confidently. This seemingly dangerous mission had ignited his passion, perfectly aligning with his fiery nature. As for the danger? What danger?

Taishi Ci couldn't argue with that logic. After all, Gan Ning's reasoning made too much sense. If the mission was just to escort him, why specifically send the naval commander with decision-making authority? There were plenty of ships between Youzhou and Qingzhou, and even by land, he would likely go unnoticed.

"Maybe the strategist really did have this in mind…" Taishi Ci admitted, feeling a bit numb. Who could really know what the strategist was thinking? He was known for his unconventional strategies. Perhaps the strategist had indeed considered Gan Ning's personality and deliberately left hints for him to figure out on his own…