The battle ended, and the mighty river continued its eastward flow.
But those warriors, who now slept eternally beneath the waves, their bodies feeding the fish, could never return home.
Dark carrion crows circled and cried overhead, their calls filled with the excitement of finding a meal.
Unaware that…
These corpses had already dyed the river red.
Zhou Yu, full of confidence and ambition.
This time, he had suffered a crushing defeat in his most proficient area: naval warfare!
Not only were his living forces decimated, but countless warships were also burned. This quickly led to the disintegration of the Jiangdong navy, which was already at a disadvantage in terms of numbers and vessels.
The situation had inevitably shifted in favor of Great Wei.
…
…
The vast Yangtze River flowed eastward, and the warship had docked.
Yang Xiu was seeing Jiang Gan off.
Yang Xiu cupped his hands. "Sir Ziyi, please return. I shall await your good news from Jiangdong."
Jiang Gan also cupped his hands, but after doing so, he took out two thin silk scrolls from his robe. "Does Master Dezhu truly wish for these two letters to be taken back?"
The two silk scrolls in his hand were letters Zhou Yu had placed by his bedside. The contents were explosive: surrender letters from Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, the naval commanders of King Cao Cao of Wei.
Jiang Gan could still recall… Zhou Yu's demeanor at the banquet last night.
First, he had proposed, "Meeting good friends on the river and old acquaintances in the army, we must drink until we are thoroughly drunk!"
As the wine flowed, Zhou Yu raised his cup and, fueled by drink, stood up to dance with his sword, singing:
— "A man living in this world seeks fame and accomplishment, to comfort his life."
— "To comfort his life, I shall get drunk; drunk, I shall sing wildly."
Finally…
The banquet dispersed, and the two slept in the same bed. During the night… Jiang Gan, taking advantage of Zhou Yu's thunderous snores, crept to the table and stole a stack of documents to read.
He didn't expect… that upon reading them, he would be so startled.
Zhou Yu was murmuring in his sleep, talking about how he had already discussed with Cai Mao and Zhang Yun that tomorrow, when the two armies clashed… they would deliberately retreat a thousand li, forcing Cao's army into a desperate situation.
In the morning…
Jiang Gan pretended to still be asleep, while Zhou Yu led his navy to intercept!
By the time Jiang Gan reached the riverbank, the battle on the water was raging, and Cao's navy was in disarray, showing signs of a complete rout… Jiang Gan, clutching the surrender letters from Cai Mao and Zhang Yun to Zhou Yu in his robe, felt a mix of emotions.
If not for… the sudden appearance of the Long Xiao Battalion's navy.
This battle might have resulted in even heavier losses for Great Wei, and their southward campaign might have been completely stalled.
Just as Jiang Gan gnashed his teeth, wishing he could curse Cai Mao and Zhang Yun for eight generations, Yang Xiu approached him… and meticulously recounted Zhou Yu's elaborate scheme.
Severely damaging Great Wei's navy was the first step!
The key step was to use Jiang Gan to steal the letters and the thousand-li rout of the Jingzhou navy to make Cao Cao suspect Cai Mao and Zhang Yun.
Then…
To have Cao Cao himself execute Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, the few skilled naval commanders in Cao's camp.
This was Zhou Yu's complete plan.
Jiang Gan listened, sweat pouring down his face, his hand trembling as he gripped the fake "letter."
"Dezhu, since you have seen through Zhou Yu's treacherous plan, why… why are you still having me take these letters back to the north of the river? Isn't this falling into the enemy's trap?"
"Haha…" Yang Xiu laughed heartily. "Sir Ziyi underestimates my teacher. I, Yang Xiu, can see through such minor tricks, how could they possibly escape my teacher's eyes? Since my teacher did not ask me to stop these letters from being taken north, then… my teacher must have a purpose. Sir Ziyi, just take them back."
"Oh…" Jiang Gan cupped his hands. "That's true. If not for your teacher's timely arrival with divine aid in this naval battle, perhaps the Battle of Red Cliffs… Great Wei would have already faltered. However…"
Jiang Gan's eyes flickered. "Dezhu, you truly aren't returning with me?"
"What other missions does the Marquis of Nanshou have for you, keeping you in this dangerous area north of the river for such a long time?"
At this question…
Yang Xiu shook his head.
"I'm afraid I cannot tell you, Sir Ziyi. I wish you a smooth journey…"
Any further discussion would involve state secrets…
Yang Xiu and Jiang Gan bowed to each other solemnly.
Then, Jiang Gan boarded his return ship.
…
…
Jiangdong, Red Cliffs Camp.
Zhou Yu, who had returned in disarray, immediately summoned Zhuge Liang.
"Commander… victory or defeat…"
Before Zhuge Liang could speak,
Zhou Yu asked first, "Where is Jiang Gan? Has Jiang Gan left?"
Zhuge Liang pondered. "He left just a moment ago. As per Commander Zhou's instructions, we cleared a path along the route, and no soldier intercepted him."
"Good!" Zhou Yu, though covered in dust, showed no signs of dejection. Instead, he was extremely excited.
Haha…
Even at this moment… after suffering a major defeat in the first battle of Red Cliffs, he could still laugh heartily.
"Commander Zhou…" Zhuge Liang tried to persuade him.
Zhou Yu reached out and patted Zhuge Liang's shoulder. "When luck is lost, who knows if it is misfortune! Haha… The arrival of the Long Xiao Battalion is most timely, most timely… Hahahaha…"
Zhou Yu burst into frenzied laughter, which greatly alarmed Zhuge Liang.
"Commander, why are you like this…"
"Kongming, Kongming…" Zhou Yu placed his hands on Zhuge Liang's shoulders, his posture resembling a dance… he was almost asking, "Do you also want to dance?"
"Hahahaha…"
After another earth-shattering laugh, Zhou Yu lowered his voice and said meaningfully to Zhuge Liang, "Kongming, do you understand my stratagem?"
"Stratagem?" Zhuge Liang was startled.
He shook his head. What he understood was Zhou Yu's strategy of waiting for the enemy, and Lu Ziyu's surprise attack.
In this engagement, if one were to truly discuss strategy, Commander Zhou seemed to be at a disadvantage.
"Haha… I never expected that even Kongming would be deceived by me," Zhou Yu continued laughing. "The arrival of the Long Xiao Battalion is perfect. If the Long Xiao Battalion hadn't come, how could we highlight the incompetence of the Jingzhou navy? And how could we make that Cao Mengde suspect Cai Mao and Zhang Yun!"
"Kongming, yesterday I slept in the same bed as Jiang Gan, and he secretly took a letter from my desk. That was a surrender letter I had forged from Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. Now that Jiang Gan has stolen the letter, and with this letter, and with this great victory of Cao's army, and the defeat of the Jingzhou navy in the first battle of Red Cliffs, given Cao Cao's inherently suspicious nature, how can he not suspect Cai Mao and Zhang Yun!"
"Of the entire Great Wei navy, I only fear these two. Trading the defeat in the first battle of Red Cliffs for the heads of these two is a very profitable deal, haha… hahahaha!"
As he slowly recounted…
Zhou Yu laughed heartily.
However, as the laughter continued, there was a sense of self-deception in his tone.
Could Zhou Yu truly let go of this naval battle?
…
… Da Feng Novel Network
In less than half a day, King Cao Cao of Wei had become considerably haggard.
From the despair of impending defeat to the timely intervention of the Long Xiao Battalion, saving the day…
Everything had unfolded too quickly, too rapidly, leaving Cao Cao feeling disoriented.
Even though this battle had ended in a "great victory"…
Red Cliffs First Battle, Great Victory!
Yet, Cao Cao's head was still buzzing.
His civil and military officials…
Many were participating in a naval battle for the first time. This was entirely different from the maneuvers on land, utilizing terrain!
Of course… the most awkward were Cai Mao and Zhang Yun…
The Jingzhou navy they commanded… facing Zhou Yu's Jiangdong navy, was like a child playing against an adult, with no room to retaliate.
They had almost forced Cao Cao to resort to indiscriminate fire, a mutual destruction!
Now…
Everyone in the great tent at Wulin Port felt a chill run down their spines!
Mutual destruction, annihilating both sides, was not wounding the enemy by a thousand and losing five hundred… this was wounding the enemy by five hundred and losing fifty thousand!
The losses were too great…
At this moment…
Even Cao Cao was somewhat shaken, feeling a sense of lingering fear!
Of course…
He also had many questions. Why were the Long Xiao Battalion's warships so large?
Why could the Long Xiao Battalion's navy move on the deck as if on level ground?
How powerful were the Long Xiao Battalion's ballistae?
The more outstanding the Long Xiao Battalion…
The more it highlighted the incompetence of the Jingzhou navy… especially the Xuanwu Pond navy!
Thinking of this, Cao Cao's brow furrowed instinctively.
"Report…" a Tiger Guard rushed in. "The battle reports have been tallied…"
Cao Cao commanded loudly, "Read!"
The Tiger Guard shouted, "Generals Cai Mao and Zhang Yun's Jingzhou navy, a total of one thousand three hundred and fifty warships, one hundred and fifty sunk, seven thousand naval casualties, and over thirty thousand wounded. Eleven enemy small boats sunk, killing less than a thousand Jiangdong navy soldiers."
"The Xuanwu Pond navy, a total of seven hundred and twenty warships, two hundred and forty sunk, over seventy thousand wounded, casualties… still unquantifiable. Not a single enemy warship sunk!"
Uh…
As these words left his mouth, it wasn't just Cai Mao and Zhang Yun…
The commanders of the Long Xiao Battalion navy, Cao Ren and Cao Hong, instinctively lowered their heads, their brows furrowed… looking extremely ashamed.
With tens of times more ships than the enemy, to end up like this… Cao Cao was ashamed for these naval officers!
As for… the Jingzhou navy repelling eleven enemy ships…
Cao Cao had seen it clearly. It was after the Long Xiao Battalion's navy made their miraculous appearance, turning the tide.
Who couldn't beat a drowning dog?
And they only managed to sink seven… were the main naval forces just eating dry rations!
"Continue reading!"
Cao Cao said coldly…
The Tiger Guard continued, "The Long Xiao Battalion navy, a total of one hundred and seven large warships and three hundred and twenty small boats, a total of three large ships and fifteen small boats lost. Seven naval personnel killed, one hundred and twenty-five wounded!"
"One hundred and twenty Jiangdong warships sunk, seventy captured. Two hundred and ten Mengchong warships sunk, sixty-six small boats sunk. Over seven thousand Jiangdong navy soldiers killed, with countless wounded!"
Whoosh…
As these words left his mouth, Cao Cao's spirit was greatly lifted.
All the civil and military officials widened their eyes, looking incredulous…
This…
These battle results were too… too terrifying!
Indeed, they knew it was the Long Xiao Battalion's navy joining the battle that completely turned the tide, transforming a great defeat into a great victory.
But… sinking over a hundred warships, how… how was this possible?
Those were warships as tall as three-story buildings. Sinking them was no less difficult than… destroying a small fortress.
This encounter had wiped out thirty percent of Jiangdong's forces!
First Battle… Great Victory!
A victory that severely wounded Jiangdong.
"This… this is the true might of our Great Wei navy!"
Cao Cao couldn't help but exclaim.
Speaking of which, he quickly looked around the great tent, but he did not see Lu Yu.
"Where is the Marquis of Nanshou?"
Cao Cao immediately asked…
The greatest contributor to this initial victory?
"Reporting to King Wei, the Marquis of Nanshou is clearing the battlefield…" the Tiger Guard truthfully replied. "Should I summon him?"
"No need!" Cao Cao waved his hand. "It's not too late for him to come here after he's finished."
Cao Cao gave his command… and prepared to end the meeting.
He had expressed what he should and shouldn't have, at least. As for the rest… he would let these fellows reflect on it themselves!
Just then…
"Jiang Gan pays his respects to King Wei!"
As Cao Cao turned, he saw Jiang Gan.
Speaking of which, Jiang Gan was a local scholar, not an original official of Great Wei. He had voluntarily surrendered after Cao Cao arrived in Jingzhou.
At that time, he had boasted that he and Zhou Yu were classmates and close friends… and could persuade Zhou Yu to join Cao's camp.
Now…
"Ziyi, you're back? Did you meet Zhou Yu?"
Cao Cao asked immediately.
Jiang Gan shook his head, his expression somewhat grim. After all, he had boasted of his success, but this time… he hadn't managed to persuade Zhou Yu to surrender, which was inevitably a bit…
However…
Jiang Gan then carefully took out the letter from his robe and handed it over. "I also witnessed the battle on the river just now. It was chaotic and fiery… truly thrilling.
"Originally, I planned to stay in Jiangdong to persuade Zhou Yu to surrender. But then… I recalled these letters I stole from Zhou Yu's tent, so… I dared not delay. Taking advantage of the chaos at Red Cliffs, I immediately returned to the north of the river!
"Prime Minister, please look at these letters…"
Saying this, Jiang Gan handed the letters over…
Cao Cao, seeing Jiang Gan's expression, knew the letter was of great importance. He quickly unfolded it… and the more he read, the more the originally pleased expression on Cao Cao's face, due to the great victory at Red Cliffs, turned grim.
As for the reason…
These letters were written by Cai Mao and Zhang Yun… and their contents were shocking!
"Reporting to Grand Commander Zhou, our surrender to Cao Cao was forced by circumstances!"
"Now, we have both become the main and deputy commanders of Cao's navy, controlling Cao's main naval forces."
"Tomorrow, a large number of Cao's ships will arrive at Wulin. If Commander Zhou leads his army to attack at this time, he will surely be able to break Cao's army in one fell swoop. Coupled with our deliberate miscommand and forceful retreat to the camp, luring Jiangdong's ships into Wulin…"
"Commander Zhou can press the attack, capture Wulin… and take the head of that scoundrel Cao!"
Signed – Jingzhou's Cai Mao, Zhang Yun!
Whoosh…
Seeing this, Cao Cao gasped in shock, then gasped again.
But he deliberately maintained a calm and composed demeanor.
"Guards, bring me the letters received three days ago!"
"Yes!" Xu Chu agreed, gesturing to the Tiger Guards. The Tiger Guards quickly went to retrieve them…
Not long after, the letters were brought.
These were letters from Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, who were leading the Jingzhou navy south, to Cao Cao… The content of the letters stated they would arrive at Wulin in three days.
Of course…
The content of the letters was not important. What was important was… the handwriting on this letter was identical to the one Jiang Gan had stolen!
Cao Cao, already inherently suspicious, narrowed his eyes at this moment.
"If not for the Long Xiao Battalion, my head, Cao Cao, would have been placed on Zhou Yu's desk today! Generals Cai Mao, General Zhang Yun, you two, is this not so?"
"Guards, immediately arrest the two traitors Cai Mao and Zhang Yun… drag them out to the main army and execute them!"
Anger, at this moment, Cao Cao was enraged.
As for Jiang Gan…
He was startled. This… this… this… the rhythm was wrong!
…
…