"I have no desire for a war of words with you. Let us end things here for today." Song Yi, unable to win against Xiang Yu in argument both in reason and sentiment, had no choice but to retreat. As he left, he didn't forget to toss out a parting shot, "General Xiang, please keep an eye on your men, and yourself too. Remember, you are only a subordinate general; follow my arrangements in all matters."

Song Yi walked out of the tent with his hands clasped behind his back, displaying the air of a refined scholar. From within the tent, however, Xiang Yu's disdainful cursing erupted. At this very moment, Ye Xiu had already changed into Chu army attire, grabbed a ji halberd, and stood listlessly by the doorway. Though he only caught fragments of their conversation, his extensive historical knowledge told him this place was Anyang, and not far ahead lay the Zhang River, beyond which loomed Julu, held fast by two hundred thousand Qin soldiers. This Battle of Julu would be the stage upon which Xiang Yu would carve his everlasting fame, while that traitorous Song Yi, he knew, would barely last a few more days before being executed by Xiang Yu right here in the confines of humble Anyang.

"Hmph!" Song Yi shot Ye Xiu a childish glare before striding away. But right behind him, the cunning Ying Bu’s eyes never left him.

"What is that thing you have on your back?" Ying Bu was deeply unsatisfied with his loss, yet compelled to admit defeat.

Ye Xiu knew exactly what he was referring to, deliberately feigning nonchalance while whistling, "The highest realm of swordsmanship. You mere mortals could never hope to comprehend it."

"Hmph! One day, I will seek out your superior technique again." Ying Bu lightly patted his own right hand towards Ye Xiu, signaling his unwillingness to give up the contest between them.

Ye Xiu chuckled softly and offered counsel, "Perhaps you should worry about winning this battle first, General Ying Bu. There are two hundred thousand Qin soldiers waiting ahead for you to slaughter."

"How can those twenty myriad curs compare to Junior Brother like you?" A deep smile line stretched across Ying Bu's lips once more, and his eyes grew sharper. It seemed that failing to surpass Ye Xiu made everything else lose its appeal.

Ying Bu walked away silently. Xiang Yu was already snoring loudly inside the tent. Returning once more to the Xichu camp, Ye Xiu was filled with emotion. Although the power of the Yao Dao blade was still formidable, it was far inferior to the Tian Yi. If a truly powerful enemy were to appear now, he might struggle to cope. Moreover, the Ghostly Army mentioned by the Lord of Donghai, and the impossibly distant Three Divine Ghost Swords, were things that utterly confused him. Then there was the famous sword Heng Chen, Ji Jiang, and Xu'er—he had no idea when he might see these people and matters again. Leaning his head against the long ji halberd, Ye Xiu found the endless bloodshed and decisive battles exhausting. He disregarded the objections of the nearby halberd guard, tossed his weapon aside, and simply collapsed at the entrance of Xiang Yu’s tent.

"Hey, aren't you afraid of being beheaded, just daring to rest privately like that?" The halberd guard nudged him quietly.

Ye Xiu looked up and laughed softly, "Ha! What are you afraid of? General Xiang Yu protects me. Let anyone who dares try to take my head come and take it; I don't care."

"En…" The guard was astonished. He had met bold men before, but never one so utterly reckless of his life. Having no other recourse, he straightened his own posture and remained standing guard where he was.

Ye Xiu stretched his body out comfortably. He thought of his wife, Xu'er. What would she be doing at this time? After such a long separation, perhaps she had already remarried. Or perhaps she was still waiting for him, pitifully alone at home. Ye Xiu dared not think too deeply. Sometimes, matters of the heart fueled him, but more often, they became constraints. He knew he might truly be the person destined to bear the burden of change in this era, so many things were beyond his control.

The Xichu army had been stationed at Anyang for forty-six days. Ye Xiu, serving for a time as a halberd guard, received a meager salary equivalent to three hundred shi of grain, yet there was still no news of that damned Han Xin. He was puzzled. Shouldn't this famous historical military genius have already appeared in the Xichu camp and achieved the same rank as him, serving as a halberd guard? During this period, Xiang Yu had also felt consistently frustrated, his immense strength and ambition having nowhere to be exerted. That traitorous Song Yi continued to stall, claiming they needed to observe the situation further, despite most knowing that to wait any longer was to watch the Qin army crush the rebel forces.

The sun shone brightly, making Ye Xiu drowsy and eager to sleep outside the tent. Just as he was about to drift off while standing perfectly straight, someone tapped his shoulder.

"Beat it!" Ye Xiu angrily turned around to curse, only to find that the first person his eyes registered was Fan Zeng, a junior general.

"What…" Fan Zeng, a figure of wisdom and strategy, clearly couldn't understand what Ye Xiu had just yelled.

"It's General Fan!" Ye Xiu felt that since he had already spoken privately with Fan Zeng several times, there was no need for excessive formality.

Fan Zeng waved a hand, signaling Ye Xiu to quiet down, and pulled him into a corner. His eyes held a strange glint: "Boy, it's been days since I've seen you. How are you?"

Ye Xiu bowed respectfully and replied, "My spirits are decent, but the army has shown no movement these past days, which feels rather dull."

"Oh!" Fan Zeng looked at Ye Xiu with surprise. Ever since the battle where they broke the city of Dingtao, he had been paying close attention to this young man. "I wonder what your assessment of the current strategic situation is? Could you discuss it with this old man?"

Ye Xiu had long discerned Fan Zeng's intentions. He had undoubtedly conceived many strategies for defeating the enemy but hadn't yet settled on a final decision. In this camp, the only person who could engage in such a profound discussion with a wise elder like him was likely Ye Xiu himself.

Seeing Ye Xiu hesitate, Fan Zeng spoke plainly, "Whatever thoughts you have, boy, speak them freely."

Ye Xiu nodded, tossing his ji aside. "Wang Li's twenty-thousand-strong army besieging Julu appears formidable, but in truth, it is riddled with flaws and utterly vulnerable."

"How so?" Fan Zeng knew that most people considered facing two hundred thousand troops with only sixty thousand to be sheer fantasy. Although he had already finalized his troop deployment in his mind, he wished to hear any other valuable insights. Ye Xiu's opening statement instantly stirred the waves within him—a mix of shock and apprehension.

Ye Xiu briefly recalled the historical accounts, then spoke smoothly, "The Qin army's vast numbers are a result of a long march, leaving them exhausted. If we cut off their supplies, their morale will collapse. At that point, leveraging our own momentum, we can certainly annihilate their entire twenty-thousand-strong force."

"Good, but how do we sever their supply lines?"

"From what I know, south of Julu County there is a river called the Zhang River. Our army can split into two columns, cross the Zhang River, and attack the Qin army. One force should launch a direct assault, while the other must hold a resolve for certain death—a decisive battle to cut off their provisions," Ye Xiu contemplated, then continued, "To make the soldiers possess such resolve, we must do something extraordinary?"

"What must be done?" Fan Zeng had also considered this line of attack, but raising troop morale was exceedingly difficult, especially under the pressure of being heavily outnumbered.

Ye Xiu shook his head and sighed, "That is simple. We only need to order the soldiers to carry three days' worth of rations, and then smash all their cooking pots and utensils."

"Wouldn't that mean certain death?" Fan Zeng hadn't grasped the implication immediately.

"If even an elder like you thinks it's certain death, the common soldiers will certainly believe it too. In warfare, if every engagement is treated as a fight to the death, what kind of performance do you think that army will give?" Ye Xiu grinned and coughed.

"Excellent! This is the art of 'placing oneself in death's way to find life' in military strategy! Brilliant, brilliant!" Fan Zeng was unusually excited. A strange light flickered in his eyes once more. In his view, Ye Xiu was truly extraordinary. For such a man to willingly serve as a mere halberd guard—this person was terrifying. How could he be employed to achieve maximum effect?

Ye Xiu smoothed his hair and blew out a breath. "There is one more thing that General Xiang must personally execute: during the battle, he must personally command that all cooking vessels be destroyed. With his charisma and imposing authority, the army's morale should be raised to its maximum potential."

Fan Zeng nodded again, as if Ye Xiu were the true commander and he merely a subordinate listener.

"But there is one more thing that needs addressing right now." At this point, Ye Xiu’s tone grew tinged with melancholy. "Elder, you know that the current commander of the rebel army is Song Yi. This man is timid as a mouse and will achieve nothing significant. As long as he remains, General Xiang cannot fulfill his ambition to serve the nation."

Fan Zeng’s mouth dropped open in shock. He hadn't expected Ye Xiu's thinking to be so subtle—not only did he have insights into military tactics, but he was also perfectly aware of the political situation before the battle. After a moment's thought, he said slowly, "Since only you and I are here, I will speak frankly. Song Yi is absolutely a mediocrity. His presence will surely hinder the entire endeavor to overthrow Qin. Therefore…"

"Therefore, Elder, you have already decided to eliminate this man so that General Xiang can replace him?" Ye Xiu spoke without reservation, for he knew the flow of history and could clearly perceive Fan Zeng's scheme at this moment.

Fan Zeng said nothing, merely patting Ye Xiu's shoulder. With Ye Xiu voicing his thoughts, Fan Zeng's own plan was confirmed. Their friendship, spanning generations, was one of kindred spirits—both men willing to overlook minor details for the greater cause. After victory in this campaign, he was determined to recommend Ye Xiu to Xiang Yu to be made a general.

Ye Xiu crossed his arms, displaying a simple smile, devoid of pretense or forced composure. This was a novel feeling for him. Though their friendship bridged an age gap, the connection between gentlemen, the understanding between minds, granted him a rare warmth. He bowed to Fan Zeng and watched him slowly depart. However, not long after Fan Zeng walked a short distance away, he remembered to ask, "Elder, by chance, have you heard of anyone named Han Xin in the camp?"

"Han Xin? I don't know him." Fan Zeng shook his head and waved his hand as he moved further away. "This camp has no need for anyone else. Having you, Ye Xiu, is more than enough."

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