Your Brain is Better Than Mine

The generals in the camp all waited for their commander's orders, but Gao Shun looked at Lan Yuan with great interest. "What do you think, Boyang?"

Lan Yuan cupped his fists and replied, "Before I set out, Father instructed me to observe and think more while accompanying the army. All matters concerning the southern campaign are to be arranged by the general, so I would not dare offer rash opinions."

Gao Shun smiled. "Sir, you are being overly cautious. When you dealt with the spy rebellion before, you used the strategy of besieging Wei to rescue Zhao to break General Sha's predicament. You also showed your ability in the battle against Wu's General Ding Feng. Why keep hiding your talents? You held Zhongling back because he was too young, but now you are seventeen and the King of Hanzhong's son-in-law. It is time for you to spread your wings."

"Yes, yes, yes! The young general knows how to command troops—I'm convinced." Shamoke bared his big white teeth in agreement. Luckily, that old man Yu Fan came by ship. If he'd marched with the main army, he'd have been humiliated all over again. After all, whenever that battle in southern Luling was mentioned, one could not avoid speaking of how Yu Fan had been captured by Lan Yuan and taken back to Guangzhou.

"A true man should not yield when righteousness calls," Gao Shun urged in a deep voice.

Lan Yuan first nodded and cupped his fists. Then he picked up a dead branch, crouched down, and drew on the ground as he analyzed, "Hengshan blocks the main road ahead, but the mountains are not particularly high, and the pass is nowhere near as perilous as those in the Central Plains. Thus, there are three possible routes of advance. First, launch