Chapter 1074: Sima Yi's Debut

Speaking of Ma Teng and Han Sui's subordinates, aside from a few fierce generals who might attract Zhong Yao's attention, there wasn’t much else to commend. As for Han Sui, who was often referred to as the "Nine Bends of the Yellow River," Zhong Yao merely laughed at the title.

Cao Cao's current situation wasn’t particularly favorable, something Zhong Yao had observed clearly. However, he held a favorable impression of Cao Cao's ability to attract and respect talents. As for Cao Cao’s past deeds, Zhong Yao didn’t feel anything in particular. After all, the aristocracy and the common people lived in two entirely different worlds.

Zhong Yao would consider matters from the perspective of the common people, but this didn’t mean his stance was aligned with theirs. It was just a coincidence that Zhong Yao’s position sometimes overlapped with that of the commoners.

Only members of a specific class could permanently stand in solidarity with their class. Hence, relying on others is never as dependable as relying on oneself. This philosophy also happened to align with Chen Xi's consistent approach—providing the people with the greatest support by empowering them to take action themselves.

Zhong Yao’s greatest strength wasn’t his intelligence or ability to devise intricate strategies, but his decisiveness. His inherent abilities, combined with his spiritual aptitude, enabled him to make the best possible decision in any given moment. In other words, Zhong Yao was utterly free of indecision or hesitation.

This decisiveness was a crucial reason why Cao Cao assigned Zhong Yao to Ma Teng’s domain. Being able to act decisively when needed was a rare and valuable quality. With this capability, Cao Cao was confident that Zhong Yao would make the most accurate judgment at the optimal moment in battle.

Meanwhile, Xun Yu, having taken a step back, was now overseeing the affairs of Yong and Liang alongside Chen Qun, Sima Lang, Fan Qin, and Yang Xiu. It was clear that among these four, two were merely coasting, one didn’t belong to Cao’s faction, and only Chen Qun was genuinely working hard.

Even so, Xun Yu showed no sign of dissatisfaction. Similarly, Chen Qun no longer displayed his previous arrogance, instead approaching his duties with meticulous care. He had already relinquished his position as the head of the Chen family.

"Bo Da, what are you thinking about?" Xun Yu asked, noticing Sima Lang biting the end of his writing brush. After handling the relatively small workload, Xun Yu had time to turn his attention to Sima Lang, who seemed deep in thought. Xun Yu had implemented a system similar to Chen Xi's in Yong and Liang, ensuring that while it snowed in those regions, the weather generally heralded a bountiful harvest.

However, this approach took a significant toll on Xun Yu. The contingencies left behind by Xi Zhicai were far from perfect, functioning more like a stored energy battery without autonomous regulation.

In simple terms, it was a bare machine. Xun Yu had to personally regulate the climate in Yong and Liang. While his actions were supported by a significant amount of spiritual energy, long-term exertion still left him fatigued.

This was why Chen Qun had taken over much of the administration in Yong and Liang. Xun Yu found himself in a situation similar to Chen Xi’s earlier exhaustion. Unlike Chen Xi, however, Xun Yu relied entirely on his own efforts to maintain control. As a result, he could only manage the general climatic conditions without addressing finer details. Consequently, certain areas still suffered from disasters.

"Can our army truly achieve total victory in one decisive battle?" Sima Lang asked respectfully as he put down his brush. He had always held deep respect for Xun Yu.

"Definitely not. Even with the Qiang and Hu tribes assisting us, their loyalty is questionable. These tribes are opportunists at best. To expect them to block the Xianbei's retreat is unrealistic. They’re not fools," Yang Xiu sneered.

Unlike the others present, Yang Xiu’s interests didn’t align with theirs. Having helped his family escape their previous predicament, Yang Xiu was now in a state of arrogance. Although he held some apprehension toward Xun Yu and others, he harbored little respect for Sima Lang, who was only a few years older than himself. On the contrary, he found Sima Lang’s warm and polite demeanor insufferable.

To Yang Xiu, Sima Lang’s amiable smile was nothing but a facade. For some reason, Sima Lang's spiritual aptitude had no effect on Yang Xiu; in fact, it seemed to backfire.

Incidentally, Xun Yu couldn’t extend his comprehensive support to Yang Xiu, just as Xun You couldn’t escape Yang Xiu's sharp observations no matter how much he tried to lower his presence.

In short, Yang Xiu was an anomaly. Neither positive nor negative spiritual abilities seemed to work on him. He was like an outlier on a chessboard—completely outside the system’s framework and, consequently, of little value to it.

Xun Yu speculated that this might be Yang Xiu’s spiritual aptitude, though he couldn’t discern its purpose or value.

"I think it’s fine. The Qiang and Hu tribes aren’t the critical factor; the key lies with the Ma family. I have high hopes for Mengqi," Fan Qin interjected suddenly. His life under Cao Cao’s banner was peculiar. Everyone knew he wanted to defect to Liu Bei, yet no one seemed particularly guarded against him.

"You truly see him as another Huo Biao Qi?" Yang Xiu scoffed. "Even if he were, his subordinates are not the elite Yulin Guards capable of dominating the world."

"Heh," Fan Qin chuckled sarcastically.

"Enough, Xiu Bo. Focus on compiling the population statistics of Yong and Liang. Bo Da still needs to go to Hanzhong to liaise with the Zhang family," Chen Qun intervened, casting a glance at Fan Qin. Despite Fan Qin’s peculiar position, Chen Qun still looked out for his fellow townsman.

"Instead of worrying about the Xianbei, you’d do better to think about Lü Bu. Compared to the trouble posed by the Xianbei, Lü Bu will be your most challenging opponent in the future," a young man’s voice interrupted. The next moment, a youth in green robes and a fur coat strode boldly into the room.

"Minister Xun, please pardon my younger brother’s impudence," Sima Lang immediately apologized to Xun Yu upon seeing Sima Yi.

"Zhongda, how did you get in here?" Chen Qun wasn’t surprised to see Sima Yi. As a distant relative, he shared a closer bond with Sima Yi compared to his distant familial ties with Chen Xi.

"Was it supposed to be difficult to get in?" Sima Yi scoffed, his expression tinged with arrogance. Chen Qun didn’t seem to mind, though; he rather liked Sima Yi.

"Did you come with an imperial edict? What’s your purpose here?" Xun Yu asked tiredly, propping his head on his hand.

"Isn’t Minister Xun curious about resolving the matter of Lü Bu?" Sima Yi grinned as he dragged a chair over and sat down.

"The war against the Western Xianbei will determine everything. If we win, all is settled. If we lose, the result remains unchanged—merely split in two," Xun Yu explained calmly. Glancing over the remaining tasks, he found the workload manageable and decided to take a short break. His tone carried the air of humoring a child.


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