Liu Bei led his subordinates to find a high slope to spy on Yuan Shao's military camp. Upon learning this, Yuan Shao immediately ordered a thirty-zhang high earthen mound to be erected by the river on his side.
Though it sounded like a lot of work, from the time Yuan Shao issued the order to its completion, it only took a morning. Then, wearing his Golden Armor and carrying the Sizhao Sword, Yuan Shao led his civil officials and military generals to the platform to peek at Liu Bei's camp.
Without the use of a telescope, trying to see the camp setup across the Yellow River was actually quite amusing. However, this was exactly the atmosphere he wanted; he was openly arrogant, using an in-your-face approach to look without subterfuge — what could you do about it?
"So arrogant on the other side," Chen Xi remarked as he and a group of people enjoyed a hotpot with Lub Su's makeshift air conditioning along the Yellow River on a scorching day.
