Fan Li was extremely happy. He summoned all the commanders of the Imperial Guards over.
"Duke Jin, what are your orders? If you need us to go to battle, my subordinates are willing to fight for you until the last soldier!" One commander knelt down on one knee and made an impassioned oath.
The other commanders also knelt down. They were truly worthy of being the loyalists nurtured by the Fan clan, each with unwavering loyalty.
But Fan Li spat out, "Is your brain broken? When immortals fight, what's it got to do with you? Rushing to get yourself killed?"
The commanders were stunned upon hearing this. The bandits intended to rob the mission’s treasures. As guards, how could they stand aloof?
"Then...what instructions does Duke Jin have for us subordinates?" One commander asked curiously like a child.
Fan Li grinned, "Have you seen the methods of a third stage Great Vehicle Realm expert before?"
The commanders shook their heads.
Fan Li asked again, "Then have you ever seen an army formation used to battle a Great Vehicle Realm powerhouse?"
The commanders shook their heads again.
Fan Li stretched out his hand and pointed in front, "What a precious opportunity to observe and learn. All of you, watch carefully and learn every detail for me!"
"Oh~~~~!" The commanders suddenly realized.
"We obey!"
That reckless fool truly lived up to being the strength value ceiling across all Three Kingdoms games in Fan Li's past life.
Leading two thousand Black Armored Cavalry, he fought evenly against Sage Ruler Han Yue at the third stage of Great Vehicle Realm.
The Black Armored Cavalry were well-trained, continuously changing formations. Sometimes attacking, sometimes defending, they could always play a role in disturbing and distracting the enemy when their commander engaged in fierce battle against Han Yue.
Fan Li casually held a fruit platter in his hand and slowly started commentating, "The art of war says that when the enemy is strong, use strategy. When the enemy is weak, use power. If you want to wage war, when facing super experts like the Sage Ruler, don't behave rashly like a brute.
Unity is strength. As the saying goes, gather drops to form an ocean, pile sands to build a tower. As long as you can flexibly maneuver the collective's strength, even when facing Great Vehicle Realm experts, you Golden Cores can put up a fight..."
Just as Fan Li was speaking proudly, he saw the commanders reveal odd expressions.
"What's wrong? Am I not right?" Fan Li flushed slightly.
As a faithful viewer of the "Hundred Schools of Thought" program, Fan Li believed his military talent was no less than Ma Di or Zhao Kuo.
Mere armchair speculation was definitely easy as lifting a hand for him.
"Cough, we have engraved Duke Jin's teachings firmly in our hearts. It's just...we originally thought the simulated enemy should be the two thousand Black Armored Cavalry on the other side when Sage Ruler Han Yue fought alone against the group..."
"Hahahahahaha!" Long melodious laughter mixed with bewitching tones drifted out from the carriage. Fan Li's old face turned red.
These Imperial Guards were diehard Fan clan loyalists. Since Fan Li had not stated it clearly earlier, he simply laid it all out now.
"Remember this. From a military perspective, anything can become the simulated enemy. Moreover, Sage Ruler Han Yue and I have never been friends to begin with."
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Upon hearing this, the gazes of the commander guards towards Sage Ruler Han Yue indeed changed, all revealing cold and murderous looks!
Sage Ruler Han Yue, who had just gained an advantage during the fierce battle, suddenly sensed bone-chilling killing intent assaulting her back.
She was secretly shocked. Could it be Fan Li sneak attacking her?
Sage Ruler Han Yue gave an annoyed humph!
With a wave of her right hand, a spiritual sword like frost and snow actually suppressed the Fangtian halberd on the other side through sheer might.
As for the ghost-faced Black Armored general, blood also flowed out from between the gaps in his armor!
Boom!
A thunderous sound like muffled winter thunder.
The bitterly struggling duo retreated hundreds of steps away from each other. The ground was left with countless cracks and over a dozen Black Armored Cavalry corpses lying ruined and tattered all over.
"Damn Fan Li!"
Sage Ruler Han Yue withdrew completely unharmed, unlike the blood-soaked ghost-faced general. But she knew clearly in her heart that she had lost quite a lot of spiritual energy.
Earlier, in order to swiftly decide the victor, she had even overdrawn her power and left a trace of hidden injuries.
"Retreat!!!"
The ghost-faced general was defeated. Seeing there were still three thousand guards ready to act on the other side, he no longer held any thoughts about blocking the path to rob them. He pulled his horse around and fled straight towards Chang'an without hiding anything.
Seeing their commander flee, the Black Armored Cavalry soldiers under him also let out strange cries before scattering away like birds and beasts.
After the great battle, Fan Li and his Imperial Guards did not suffer the slightest damage.
"How was it?" Fan Li blinked at Princess Chang Le, revealing some smugness.
"Duke Jin is wise and brilliant." Princess Chang Le perfunctorily praised him a sentence, but her tone suddenly shifted.
"Sage Ruler Han Yue looks uninjured on the surface, but has actually suffered immense damage. If you launched the entire army to fight her in mortal combat, you would have a fifty percent chance to take her life on the spot.
After a brief pause, Princess Chang Le supplemented, "Plus I'm also here. Our chances of victory can reach sixty percent!"
Fan Li rolled his eyes. "Very well. But what if we lose? Won't we all become souls under Sage Ruler Han Yue's sword?"
Princess Chang Le smiled vibrantly as flowers, "Not all of us. I have numerous methods to protect my body and am especially adept at fleeing."
Damn!
Fan Li now felt a great urge to start a fight against this woman before him first. But there was too vast a difference in their realms. He truly couldn't win.
"I choose to ceasefire." Fan Li glared at the princess before lazily lying down inside the carriage without regard for monarch and subject etiquette.
Disappointment flashed through Princess Chang Le’s eyes, but she soon smiled in gratification.
"Rationality is indeed your strong suit." She spoke gently while picking a grape with her own fair hand to feed into Fan Li's mouth. Her fingers that were slender like green onions brushed over his lips.
No one knew if it was deliberate or not, but she left Fan Li feeling utterly parched.
Indeed, Fan Li did not have a gambler's mentality. Courage was a precious trait. But unless forced into desperate straits, Fan Li would never take risky moves like starting from scratch again.
As for Sage Ruler Han Yue, Fan Li would only accept complete victory rather than pyrrhic victory.
"The entire army shall set off. Continue heading for Chang'an!" Fan Li gave an order.
***
A hundred miles outside Chang'an City.
Sage Ruler Han Yue had a cold and aloof face. She was also an exceptionally beautiful woman. Due to experiencing hardship since youth with innate talents in the dao of the sword, in addition to personally experiencing the cold and fickle nature of human relationships, she developed a temperament that held others thousands of miles away.
After the fierce battle, she had suffered internal injuries. Sage Ruler Han Yue assumed Fan Li would seize this chance to launch a sneak attack against her.
She could ascertain that with Princess Chang Le’s perceptiveness, the princess would definitely see through her injuries. Yet in the end, Fan Li did not make a move.
Why?
Was it because he adhered to moral integrity and disdained taking advantage of another's plight? Or was he cowardly and weak, not daring to seize the opportunity for an all out gamble?
"Humph..." Sage Ruler Han Yue muttered in her heart, "I've never owed anyone in my life. When it comes time I act against you, I'll at least give you a chance to struggle with all your might. I definitely won't sneak attack and kill you just like that."
Just as Sage Ruler Han Yue was thinking, she suddenly noticed the diplomatic convoy had halted. She was just about to investigate the reason when she heard voices coming from outside the carriage.
"General of Han and Marquis of Yicheng County, Prince Liu Bei, bearing the imperial decree to welcome the Great Chu diplomatic corps on behalf of his Imperial Uncle the Governor of Yuzhou."
Upon hearing this, Sage Ruler Han Yue furrowed her brows. "What a long name. So tedious. Who can remember all that?"
Inside another carriage, Fan Li finally heaved a sigh of relief. With Liu Bei coming out a hundred miles to welcome them, his safety was assured for now.
"General Liu has worked hard." Fan Li alighted from his carriage and gripped hands tightly with Liu Bei as if they were old friends reunited after many years.
"Duke Jin has traveled far. You must be exhausted." Liu Bei paused briefly before continuing to speak shockingly. “Ten days later at the celebrations, His Majesty has decided to make a move against Dong Zhuo..."