The morning sun cast a thin shadow into Ruxu Port.
A group of infantry soldiers escorted Sun Quan inside. The Jiangdong soldiers outside the port had already scattered like birds and beasts, leaving only… the unmoved seventy thousand Lu family troops.
It seemed they had only come to make a cameo appearance.
And by the banks of the Yangtze River, three old friends, or rather, comrades-in-arms, were kneeling in a stone pavilion, chatting about something.
“Gongtai, it’s been a long time. You look well!”
“The waters of Jiangdong nourish people, and even this old man looks younger and younger…”
Zhang Liao was conversing with a man in a black scholar’s robe.
Who else could this scholar-robed man be but Chen Gong, Chen Gongtai?
Chen Gong surveyed Zhang Liao and Gao Shun before him, stroking his beard. “Thinking back to those days in Xiapi City, the three of us were still under Lu Fengxian, still working together against that Cao Mengde, against that Lu Ziyu!”
“Fengxian is now a god in the Yamatai Kingdom!” Zhang Liao added…
“Oh…”
Chen Gong was clearly interested.
So, Zhang Liao began to tell the story of Lu Bu taking his daughter Lu Lingqi to conquer the Yamatai Kingdom.
“Hahaha…”
Upon hearing the end, Chen Gong burst into laughter. “Lu Fengxian… born in Jiuyuan, always fighting against the barbarians, he couldn’t trust anyone wholeheartedly. Yet, he trusted Lu Ziyu so much, and Lu Ziyu truly dared to trust him! Heh, if it were me, I’m afraid I could never leave my wife and daughters at the Nanhou Marquis’s mansion, nor would I dare to send Fengxian to a strange country!”
As they spoke of this, the usually silent Gao Shun opened his mouth. “Fengxian is suited to be a general, not a commander… In terms of magnanimity, he is far behind the Nanhou Marquis by a large margin!”
“Hahaha… Am I not also far behind by a large margin?”
Chen Gong laughed again. “Now you two have achieved fame and success. This battle, eight hundred men capturing the enemy commander amidst a hundred thousand troops, if not deified, at least your names will be recorded in the annals of Han history! Congratulations!”
“It was merely according to Commander Lu’s deployment, and with Gongtai’s assistance.” Zhang Liao maintained his usual humility. “Mr. Chen, you spent these years in enemy territory… secretly deploying everything. It is precisely because of this that we achieved such a great victory today! As for the first credit, Mr. Chen is immensely meritorious!”
This…
Chen Gong’s eyes narrowed slightly as he slowly stood up, gazing at the ceaseless lapping of the surging Yangtze River. Chen Gong was filled with emotion.
There was a reminiscence of past glorious years!
There was the stirring of ideals and ambitions truly realized today…
All these emotions intertwined, making Chen Gong’s state of mind exceptionally complex.
“I’m old, I’m old…”
“The waves of the Yangtze River push forward, the future of this world belongs to the young.”
Chen Gong was filled with emotion.
Indeed, he was now over fifty years old, not far from the age of "understanding life." To live to this age in this era was already no small feat.
“The Battle of Ruxukou, Wenyuan won. What are your plans next?”
Chen Gong asked Zhang Liao curiously.
“Hold position…” Zhang Liao said. “Wujun is now bound to be in a state of panic, and the Nanhou Marquis will undoubtedly make his own arrangements and deployments.”
Chen Gong nodded, then cupped his hands slightly. “You and I will correspond at any time. If needed, the seventy thousand Lu family troops can defect at any moment!”
Having said this, Chen Gong seemed unwilling to speak further, perhaps thinking of the past. Waving his hand, he slowly departed.
As for Gao Shun, upon hearing the words “the seventy thousand Lu family troops can defect at any moment”…
He was amused.
He turned to Zhang Liao. “Wenyuan, when we were under Fengxian, did we ever fight such prosperous battles?”
“Heh…”
This comment also successfully amused Zhang Liao.
After their laughter subsided, Zhang Liao finally spoke. “Perhaps this is the effect of attacking the enemy’s mind, of the highest form of warfare being the strategy…”
“I have a feeling that in the future, the world will not be decided by bravery and command, but by intellect…”
Hmm…
Gao Shun paused, sighing. “King Wei once said, ‘I employ the intellect of the world, and govern it with the Way, and there is nothing I cannot do.’ Perhaps… this is why King Wei, and not others, unified this chaotic world…”
Indeed…
What a magnificent statement… the intellect of the world.
Isn't this precisely Nanhou Marquis Lu Ziyu?
— King Wei’s vision was indeed unique and far-reaching.
…
…
Chibi Port.
In a military tent…
Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai were playing Go.
Cao Cao hesitated for a long time before making a move. However, as soon as he placed the stone, Xi Zhicai repeatedly shook his head.
“In this way, King Wei has lost!”
Saying this, Xi Zhicai placed a white stone in a spot, forming two eyes, and the entire white stone formation was instantly alive.
In Go, this is called "alive," having two eyes means that the stones in this area have sufficient "breath" and cannot be captured…
And in Xi Zhicai's eyes, these two breaths… one was Chibi, and the other was Ruxu Port!
“King Wei seems somewhat distracted,” Xi Zhicai said. “Let me guess, you’re probably worried about the situation at Ruxukou!”
Hearing about Ruxukou, Cao Cao looked up and sighed. “After all, there are only eight hundred men there!”
“Since King Wei knows it’s eight hundred, why not send more troops?” Xi Zhicai continued to ask.
It was less of a question and more of a leading inquiry.
Cao Cao’s eyes narrowed. “Ziyu’s goal is to subdue the enemy without fighting, to deter Jiangdong with overwhelming force. If there were too many troops at Ruxukou, even if they won, it would not achieve the deterrent effect.”
Haha…
Upon hearing this, Xi Zhicai chuckled instead. “King Wei worries too much. A few days ago… if not for the battle report, would King Wei have imagined that less than two hundred flying balls and less than a thousand men could have burned that Stone City to ashes overnight? Isn’t that also deterrence?”
Hearing this, Cao Cao also smiled.
Yes…
With such a brilliant performance as a precedent, Yu’er has never disappointed him.
Although the troop disparity was huge, as a father, he should have more confidence in Yu’er.
Just then…
“Report…”
“Urgent report from Ruxukou!”
A scout rushed from outside the tent. The Hubei army stopped him, and the scout repeatedly shouted “Urgent report!”
Hearing about Ruxukou, Cao Cao and Xi Zhicai exchanged a glance and immediately stood up.
“Zhongkang, let him in!”
“Yes…” Xu Chu, who was guarding outside the tent, his voice was full of vigor… it seemed the "epidemic" had greatly subsided.
And after the scout entered the tent, he busily shouted, “King Wei, an urgent report has come from Ruxukou!”
“A great victory! Zhang Wenyuan led eight hundred Dragon Cavalry to decisively defeat Sun Quan’s army of a hundred thousand, and has captured Sun Quan… they are sending him by boat to Chibi!”
What?
At this sudden announcement, Cao Cao was still a bit slow to react.
His eyes widened involuntarily.
Xi Zhicai also widened his eyes… Frankly, Xi Zhicai had never underestimated Lu Yu, nor the Dragon Camp, but… he had only thought that eight hundred men would be enough to hold Ruxu Port without issues.
But now, it wasn’t just holding…
It was a great victory!
And a great victory that captured the enemy commander!
Hearing such a feat, Xi Zhicai could hardly believe his ears.
“Hahahaha…”
“Hahahaha…”
On the contrary, Cao Cao burst into laughter. He pointed at the scout and shouted, “You, say that again!”
— “Zhang Wenyuan led eight hundred Dragon Cavalry to decisively defeat Sun Quan’s army of a hundred thousand!”
The scout hurriedly presented the battle report…
Cao Cao quickly unfolded it.
The report detailed the specifics of the battle.
First, Zhang Liao was stationed at Ruxu Port, then Sun Quan came with a hundred thousand troops. Following that was a strategy pouch left by Lu Yu for him, containing only four words: “When the enemy arrives, then act!”
Then, Zhang Liao used this strategy to launch a night attack on Sun Quan… repelling the hundred thousand enemy troops, and capturing the enemy leader!
This…
This kind of fighting was indeed bold, and it wouldn’t be an exaggeration to say it was a move of desperation to find survival.
However, the deployment of “When the enemy arrives, then act” did have some of his own (Cao Cao’s) methods of warfare!
Yu’er didn’t deploy troops lightly, but when he did deploy them… he was very much like his old father, Cao Cao.
“Hahahaha…”
Thinking of this, Cao Cao let out another burst of hearty laughter.
“Alright…”
After a long while, the laughter subsided, and Cao Cao squinted towards the northeast. “First, the flying balls destroyed the Yue, then eight hundred defeated a hundred thousand. Now, the pressure is on the Sun clan of Jiangdong!”
…
…
Jiangdong, Wujun.
It exploded.
The entire Wujun, and even the entire six commanderies of Jiangdong, were in a state of panic. All civil and military officials, all the people, were in an uproar.
As for the reason…
First, the mass extermination of the Shanyue overnight, and then the defeat of a hundred thousand troops by eight hundred, with Sun Quan captured…
If, after this battle, Zhang Liao Zhang Wenyuan’s name could stop children from crying at night, then… at the same time, a name even more terrifying than Zhang Liao Zhang Wenyuan was deeply etched into the hearts of everyone in Jiangdong.
Nanhou Marquis—Lu Yu!
Now, throughout Jiangdong, this saying was widely circulated.
— Lu Yu’s strategy pouch gifted to Wenyuan, Zhang Liao with eight hundred defeated a hundred thousand!
Whether intentional or not…
The four words, “When the enemy arrives, then act,” were clearly passed down by word of mouth, becoming more and more legendary…
Eventually, Lu Yu was almost becoming a myth!
A myth that could predict the future!
Zhang the Eight Hundred could make children stop crying, but… Lu Yu’s name became a nightmare that Jiangdong’s youths could never overcome in their dreams!
The entire Jiangdong…
Who? Dared to be an enemy of Lu Yu?
Dared to be an enemy of the Dragon Camp, dared to be an enemy of Great Wei?
At this moment… in the Sun residence.
In Lady Wu’s sleeping quarters…
“Mother, I told you… this Lu Yu is too unfathomable. The Shanyue people couldn’t stop him, and second brother also… also couldn’t stop him!”
“Jiangdong… Jiangdong is no match for him, no…”
Lady Wu was exceptionally weathered today…
Her once silver hair was now a cascade of white, and countless wrinkles were particularly prominent on her cheeks.
Her brows were perpetually furrowed, as if the sky was about to collapse…
“Zhongmou was… captured… Wei country’s troops are watching menacingly at Chibi and Ruxu Port, this old woman… this old woman’s heart is in turmoil.”
Lady Wu’s voice was low but mournful…
She considered herself a woman of misfortune.
Her husband Sun Jian was gone…
Her eldest son Sun Ce was gone…
Now, her second son Sun Quan had also been captured, his life hanging by a thread…
She… she could not bear another such blow!
“Mother… stop struggling. Jiangdong… Jiangdong is no match for Great Wei.” Sun Shangxiang gritted her teeth. Although unwilling to admit it, this was the truth. The ironclad truth.
Jiangdong could not resist Great Wei… and no one was Lu Yu’s match!
“Cough cough…”
Just then, at the door of Lady Wu’s room.
“Reporting to Lady Wu, a group of old ministers have come to pay their respects, saying… saying…”
“Don’t see them… don’t see anyone!”
Before the guard could finish, Lady Wu immediately exclaimed.
Without even listening… she knew what these old ministers wanted to say.
It was nothing more than surrender…
But at this moment, she… her mind was in a complete mess, how… how could she make a decision?
“Commander Zhou, what do you think?”
Finally, after a long period of contemplation, Lady Wu turned to look at Zhou Yu…
At this moment, besides Lady Wu, only Zhou Yu and Sun Shangxiang were in this room, which showed… Lady Wu’s high regard for Zhou Yu.
Just then…
From outside the door, Zhang Zhao’s voice boomed out.
— “A wise ruler should always be steady. Today’s events have led to disaster. The heroes are terrified, and we must take Zhongmou’s defeat as a warning, and not provoke heavenly might further!”
As a civilian official, Zhang Zhao’s words were refined and eloquent.
But his meaning was as clear as could be…
What happened today was due to Sun Quan’s carelessness and lack of foresight… it was no one else’s fault.
And this lesson was by no means profound…
The unspoken implication was still the word “surrender”!
“Commander Zhou…” Lady Wu gritted her teeth and looked at Zhou Yu again.
Zhou Yu pondered for a moment. “As Chancellor Zhang said, we must surrender, and we must do so with a humble posture, begging for surrender!”
“In fact, Lady, haven’t you seen clearly? The eight major families of Jiangdong, led by the Lu family… they… they have actually surrendered long ago!”
“Otherwise, when Zhongmou was captured? Where were the seventy thousand Lu family troops? Now… the officials before Lady’s door, the families before the door, they are merely giving Lady, and the Sun clan of Jiangdong, some dignity! Jiangdong now has no cards left for resistance… everything is over.”
This…
Lady Wu’s teeth bit into her lips. “Begging for surrender? To beg for surrender? The Sun clan of Jiangdong… has it reached such a lowly state?”
As she said this, Lady Wu suddenly realized, “Where is my third son? Where is Yi’er?”
She realized why Sun Yi was not present at such a time? Where was he?
“Third brother is ill…” Sun Shangxiang quickly explained. “He is very ill, as if deeply resentful… His disposition is most like eldest brother’s, and he is the most unwilling to yield, but… but…”
“Alas…” Before Sun Shangxiang could finish speaking, Lady Wu sighed deeply.
Sun Yi was ill… it was no wonder!
As the ruler of Jiangdong, how could he accept such a situation?
“Lady…” Zhou Yu spoke again at the opportune moment. “Zhou Yu has one last plan. If it is carried out, it can ensure the safety of the Sun clan of Jiangdong… and also ensure the safety of General Sun Yi and General Sun Quan… and bring eternal peace to all of Jiangdong!”
Hmm…
Hearing this, Lady Wu looked up. “Gongjin, please speak directly. At this point, what else is there to hide?”
“Cough cough…” Zhou Yu coughed lightly and then opened his mouth. “Send an envoy to the Great Camp at Chibi!”
“Beg for surrender?”
“No!” Zhou Yu shook his head gently. “It is to propose marriage. If Lady’s daughter, the curved bow lady, Sun Xiaomei, can marry Lu Ziyu and become a wife in the Nanhou Marquis’s mansion? Then… Cao Cao, out of respect for the Nanhou Marquis, will surely treat the Sun family well and will not trouble Zhongmou. As for… Shubi (Sun Yi), the Nanhou Marquis is a divine doctor of this era, what illness can he not cure? With his intervention, saving the elder brother-in-law would be a beautiful story! Most importantly, Jiangdong can obtain eternal peace… and the Sun clan can ensure their prosperity for generations to come!”
Huo…
Curved bow lady Sun Shangxiang marrying Nanhou Marquis Lu Ziyu?
Lady Wu’s face stiffened.
Begging for surrender… has it really come to this lowly point?
…
…