If others may not have considered the possibility of the navy crossing the Yellow River, how could someone like Xun Shen overlook it? He vividly remembers how Gongsun Zan transported supplies to Youzhou back in the day. If sea routes could be navigated, why not the Yellow River?
Previously, Xun Shen had thought about suggesting to Yuan Shao the development of a navy, but upon realizing there were no capable naval commanders, skilled shipbuilders, or sufficient time, it was clearly an unattainable idea.
It was during this period that Xun Shen's apprehensions about Liu Bei grew significantly, and he stopped trusting intelligence from others, choosing instead to independently verify information. This shift was one of the reasons Yuan Shao gradually reduced his confidence in Xun Shen, who often seemed full of thoughts he was unwilling to share.
