Chapter 257: Guan Yu, Wei Yan, Guan Ping...

"Skilled in using soldiers, adept at formations, and good at utilizing terrain—sounds like a strategist," Guan Yu said as he stroked his most prized beard and slightly opened his eyes. After being influenced by Chen Xi for over a year, he had finally learned how to speak in a more refined manner.

"Of the Four Pillars of Hebei, these two are well placed by Yuan Benchu here. Moreover, placing Ju Gongyu in Bohai is quite appropriate. However, with Ju Gongyu's focus now shifted north, it gives us an opportunity to exploit," Guo Jia said with a smile.

"Good, then," Guan Yu replied, nodding as he continued stroking his beard.

The next day, Guan Yu sent Wei Yan and Guan Ping as vanguard to feign an attack on Le Ling.

Since escorting Jian Yong and Liu Yan back from Jingzhou, Wei Yan had been living quite comfortably. He had always wanted to make a name for himself when he was training in Jingzhou, but as a young man in his teens, even with martial skills and knowledge of leading troops, few people were willing to give him a chance. The rank of a captain was the highest position he could achieve.

Moreover, Wei Yan's proud personality made it difficult for him to get along with most people from Jingzhou. Although it was said that he needed to be tempered, anyone with common sense knew that without a decade or so, it would be impossible for him to rise under the command of those Jingzhou noble families.

Realizing this, Wei Yan felt deeply disappointed. At the same time, he saw Liu Bei's recruitment notice posted in Jingzhou, which gave him the idea of heading to Qingzhou to try his luck.

However, due to various distractions and trying to persuade his comrades to join him, he delayed for over half a year before finally making his way to Qingzhou with Jian Yong and Liu Yan after Xiangyang was captured by Lü Bu.

During the journey, Jian Yong, a man known for his humor and mediocre abilities, quickly noticed Wei Yan's potential. Though Wei Yan had talent, his arrogant nature made it hard for him to fit in, and his reddish face didn't help either...

In fact, Jian Yong couldn't help but think that Wei Yan resembled Guan Yu—so much so that he joked that if he didn't know better, he'd suspect Wei Yan was Guan Yu's illegitimate son! The resemblance was uncanny, with Wei Yan being almost a spiritual twin of Guan Yu. So without hesitation, Jian Yong wrote a recommendation letter and sent Wei Yan to Guan Yu.

It was a stroke of luck that Wei Yan, carrying Jian Yong's letter, found himself under Guan Yu's command. Not only did Guan Yu and Jian Yong get along well, but when Guan Yu met Wei Yan, it was like fate had aligned. Guan Yu took an immediate liking to Wei Yan. In some ways, their personalities meshed perfectly. For Wei Yan, seeing the mighty Guan Yu made him transfer all his admiration from Huang Zhong to his new superior, who shared his disposition.

Although Guan Yu admired Wei Yan, he didn't promote him outright. Instead, he placed Wei Yan alongside his son, Guan Ping, for training—one day saving the people of Qingzhou, the next catching bandits. Within a month, Guan Yu had become more satisfied with Wei Yan than with his own son.

Guan Yu had never imagined he would find a young man so similar to himself. If he weren't certain he had never been to Jingzhou and that Wei Yan's background was clean, Guan Yu might have wondered if this young man was the result of some past indiscretion. Wei Yan was just too much like him—a spitting image in both demeanor and skill.

Though Guan Yu knew Wei Yan wasn't his son, their compatibility made him favor Wei Yan greatly. It was almost like a veteran player taking a novice under his wing to power-level them.

"Wei General, are we really going to challenge them like this? The general left it up to us to decide," Guan Ping asked Wei Yan as they marched.

"We'll challenge them first, of course. Scatter our troops a bit, and set up camp in a way that looks sloppy. That way, when I lure the enemy in, you can ambush them outside the camp. How about that?" Wei Yan suggested, glancing at Guan Ping with a look that resembled one brother looking at another.

"I'll handle the camp setup, and you can take charge outside, Wen Chang," Guan Ping replied, realizing Wei Yan was trying to hand him the credit.

"No need. They might not even take the bait, and then you'll have wasted a night in the cold for nothing. So you take the outside," Wei Yan insisted, waving his hand.

Guan Ping sighed. He knew his comrade well enough to recognize that while Wei Yan meant well, his words often came off poorly, making even good intentions sound irritating.

"Alright then, I'll take the outer position," Guan Ping conceded. Wei Yan was a good person, but his lack of tact often made it hard for others to appreciate his efforts.

Inside Le Ling, Zhang He and Gao Lan were discussing how to deal with Guan Yu's advancing forces. They didn't know much about Guan Yu himself, apart from rumors of his prowess and his status as Liu Bei's second brother. They were uncertain about his capabilities as a commander, especially since Guan Yu's achievements had often been overshadowed by Chen Xi.

"Report!" A messenger burst into the room, shouting.

"What news?" Zhang He asked, turning to the messenger.

"Enemy vanguard led by Guan Yu has arrived thirty li from Le Ling, with around five thousand troops. Guan Yu's main force is still a hundred li behind, advancing this way. The vanguard is led by Guan Yu's eldest son, Guan Ping, and Yi Yang's Wei Yan," the messenger reported in detail.

"You may withdraw," Zhang He instructed the messenger.

"Junyi, should we crush Guan Yu's vanguard?" Gao Lan asked, his eyes fixed on Zhang He. Ever since their capture by Guan Yu last time, both had been eager for revenge.

"Guan Yu doesn't have many troops, but Taishi Ci and Zang Ba have plenty in Licheng, along with a significant number of Zhao Zilong's former garrison troops. If we engage, I fear Guan Yu might bring his full force against Le Ling," Zhang He said, neither agreeing nor refusing, but instead weighing the situation.

"Destroying Guan Yu's vanguard would boost morale. Even if Guan Yu presses his forces against us, we should be able to hold Le Ling. The defenses in Bohai have weakened, and we can't afford to let our rear be exposed any further," Gao Lan argued forcefully. Ju Shou's movements had left Bohai under-defended, making Le Ling's defense all the more crucial.

"In that case, let's probe the enemy first. No, I'll lead the probing force myself. You stay behind to defend Le Ling. It's hard to trust scouts entirely; I need to see things with my own eyes before deciding," Zhang He agreed with Gao Lan's suggestion, adding a cautious approach.

War was about morale. If Le Ling's defenders were confident and Guan Yu's forces demoralized, it would make defense easier. With winter approaching, dragging the conflict out until the first snow would force Guan Yu to retreat—a far more attainable goal than outright defeating him.

"Alright, Junyi, you take the lead. I'll hold Le Ling," Gao Lan agreed.