545: Chapter 545 The Scene of the Future Chu-Han Contention

Tian Feng stared at the Chu River in the middle of the chessboard, and a flash of inspiration seemed to streak across his mind.

He was slightly stunned, then blurted out: "If Xiang Liang and Fan Zeng grow strong south of the Peacock River, and we develop and expand north of the Peacock River, wouldn't our two forces be just like the two sides playing on either bank of this Chu River, destined to eventually engage in a fierce confrontation!"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Fusu could not help but turn his gaze toward Tian Feng, silently admiring him in his heart.

It had to be said that Tian Feng's words acutely pointed out the profound influence that the situation of the Chu-Han Contention had on the development of Xiangqi.

The Chu River and Han Border in Xiangqi indeed reflected the potential state of opposition after they parted ways with Xiang Liang and the others.

"Correct!"

Hearing Tian Feng's words, the others all nodded thoughtfully, each seeing on this small chessboard the scene of their future confrontation with Xiang Liang.

Although Zhao Fusu had previously explained the rules of Xiangqi very clearly, those with photographic memories were, after all, in the minority.

To master the rules of Xiangqi and flexibly apply its strategies, one still had to go through actual practice, gradually improving through constant matches.

At this moment, if the Huaxia Pioneer Group wanted to develop north of the Peacock River, their primary task was to cross the Peacock River.

Zhao Fusu made a prompt decision and ordered people to fell trees and build boats.

However, building transport boats capable of carrying ten thousand people and a large amount of supplies across the river was by no means a task that could be accomplished overnight; it would require a significant amount of time.

After ordering the various tasks in an orderly manner, Zhao Fusu and the others had a relatively abundant amount of time to study Xiangqi.

Zhao Fusu decided to play a game against Tian Feng first, while the others sat around with great interest to watch the match.

The game began, and relying on his deep understanding of the rules, Zhao Fusu laid out his setup quickly, with every move played decisively and precisely.

His pieces were like well-trained soldiers, rapidly launching an offensive on the board, quickly forcing Tian Feng into a position of passive defense.

Although Tian Feng tried hard to respond, he still appeared somewhat flustered in the face of Zhao Fusu's fierce opening, and before long, he was thoroughly routed by Zhao Fusu.

In the second game, having learned from the previous one, Tian Feng was clearly much harder to deal with.

He no longer responded blindly but instead advanced cautiously, with every piece placed after careful deliberation.

However, Zhao Fusu was well-versed in various Xiangqi tactics, and facing Tian Feng's steady defense, he came up with a plan and decided to use a piece-exchange strategy.

He was seen skillfully maneuvering his pieces, taking the initiative to exchange his piece for Tian Feng's Chariot.

The Chariot was immensely powerful in Xiangqi, and this exchange created a flaw in Tian Feng's defensive line.

Seizing the opportunity, Zhao Fusu directed his Horse and Cannon, like elite cavalry and long-range artillery on the battlefield, smoothly cutting into the opponent's heartland.

The Horse and Cannon coordinated with each other, sometimes circling to flank and sometimes striking straight at the core, leaving Tian Feng exhausted from the effort to cope.

Although Tian Feng resisted tenaciously and tried hard to hold on, under Zhao Fusu's exquisite tactical layout, he eventually faltered, and before long, he was defeated once again.

The people around watched the game with rapt attention, and as the match progressed, they gradually became familiar with the rules of Xiangqi.

General Wang Jian was also watching the game attentively on the side; looking at the interplay of pieces on the board, his mind unconsciously conjured up brilliant tactics of various cavalry and chariots coordinating in battle.

Unlike other generals cultivated through the thorough study of military manuals, General Wang Jian did not come from a military family; he came from the lower classes and had never received a systematic and rigorous military education.

Yet he possessed extremely high military talent, and his various exquisite tactics were all comprehended through one actual battle after another.

Therefore, when fighting, he could formulate battle plans according to different terrains and situations, adapting to local conditions, and his tactical style was extremely flexible and varied.

This was precisely the important reason why he was able to single-handedly destroy five states and leave behind a resounding reputation in the history of the Warring States period.