The faint morning light enveloped the Imperial Medical Office.
Several physicians were bandaging Xun Yu's wounds… he was not severely injured, but the Shangshu Platform had been burned down. This incident was clearly premeditated.
The water缸s inside and outside the Shangshu Platform were completely empty, preventing the immediate extinguishing of the great fire.
This was too coincidental!
This cast a thick pall over Xun Yu's mood.
"Lord Xun, should this matter be reported to King Wei?"
Cui Yan stood beside Xun Yu…
"No need!" Xun Yu waved his hand, but unfortunately… even a slight wave pulled at the wound on his shoulder, and a sudden wave of pain shot through him.
Yet, he gritted his teeth and spoke, "Currently, King Wei is occupied with preparations for the southward campaign at Chibi, with countless matters to attend to. We cannot let him worry about the rear."
"Then…" Cui Yan frowned, "the burning of the Shangshu Platform and the assassination attempt on Lord Xun are also extremely important matters!"
The implication was… the Shangshu Platform oversaw the deployment of troops and the allocation of resources, and Xun Yu was the very soul of the Shangshu Platform…
If anything went wrong, then… even if Chibi was won, subsequent supplies would be cut off!
The front was important, and the rear was also important!
"It is my oversight…" Xun Yu narrowed his eyes slightly. "Young Master Pi's Tongque Terrace is completed. I had intended for His Majesty and the court officials to witness it. I did not expect… such an oversight to occur in Xudu city. The most pressing matter… is to strengthen the defenses of many cities!"
"Lord Xun means?"
"The Grand Commandant, Ma Shoucheng, is in charge of the Imperial Guard. Recall him," Xun Yu said in a low voice. "Last night's investigation revealed that not only were the water缸s at the Shangshu Platform dry, but the water缸s within the Imperial Palace were also inexplicably empty!"
"Lord Xun is saying… the target was not just the Shangshu Platform?" Cui Yan asked in surprise.
Xun Yu nodded. "What's so good about burning the Shangshu Platform? If they truly wanted to set the Imperial Palace ablaze, that would be a major catastrophe!"
"Duke Cui, there is no time to delay. You must go immediately and summon Commandant Ma back to Xudu. Also, during this period, strengthen the defenses within and outside Xudu city, especially the Imperial Palace, to prevent those scoundrels… from taking advantage of the situation!"
"Understood!" Cui Yan immediately nodded. "I will go and inform Lord Man now…"
Hearing the words "Lord Man," Xun Yu felt a little more at ease. He slightly closed his eyes… to rest.
…
…
On the outskirts of Xudu city…
A manor. To call it a manor… in reality, only three or five people were present.
This was Xiahou Juan's declared "maternity retreat." Because she wanted to recuperate in peace, she had only brought a few trusted maids.
In truth…
Xiahou Juan wanted to conceal the fact that she was "faking her pregnancy."
Cai Zhaoji also resided here. Ostensibly to take care of Xiahou Juan and continue her work compiling the "Continuation of the Book of Han," in reality… she was there to support the pregnancy and recuperation!
There were few maids because she feared untrustworthy individuals… leaking any information.
However… due to Sister Zhaoji's condition, there was no shortage of chores.
At times, Xiahou Juan had to go to Yangshan, not far from the manor, to gather firewood. Of course, she was very familiar with this. Having grown up in simplicity… she had started gathering firewood here from the age of seven or eight.
"One bundle of firewood, one twig, one blade of grass, one tree…"
Suddenly returning to her former life… Xiahou Juan stood at the foot of Yangshan, filled with emotion.
Once upon a time, it was because she gathered firewood in Yangshan… that she had achieved merit.
As a result, she was betrothed by her uncle and adoptive father to Lu Ziyu…
Counting the days, she had now been a Marquis's wife for many years.
She felt… she had grown a lot in these past few years.
"Clear dreams of pear blossoms, little did I expect firewood to tie us together, a gentle and delicate face, and a respectful marriage!"
Softly reciting a line, recalling… her time with Lu Yu day after day, her heart warmed. The only regret was… unlike Sister Zhaoji, she had not yet conceived a child for her husband, and she still had to try!
Alas…
Xiahou Juan sometimes wondered, if… if she were the one pregnant, as publicly announced?
How wonderful that would be!
"Cough…"
Letting out a soft cough…
Lost in thought, she looked up and saw the midday sun. "Ah…" Xiahou Juan exclaimed, "I must return, otherwise… Sister Zhaoji will go hungry."
Speaking of which…
Xiahou Juan hurried out of Yangshan and headed towards the manor.
She was too familiar with this mountain!
In the past, she could find the location of Liu Bei's army encampment and render great service, so she was naturally extremely familiar with every small path.
While others took an hour or two to descend the mountain, she… reached the foot of the mountain in less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn!
There was still firewood gathered in her bamboo basket…
Her cheeks were darkened. She was used to being frugal and disliked buying firewood, preferring to pick it up, considering it a gift from nature!
…
…
On a rainy night, Ma Teng, who had just arrived in Ye City, received an urgent dispatch.
Xudu city…
The Shangshu Platform had been burned down, and Lord Xun had been assassinated.
This news instantly energized him, who had already been asleep. He had been negligent. He had only considered protecting the Son of Heaven, and had not expected someone to harbor ill intentions towards Luoyang!
And now, it was a critical moment for King Wei, Cao Cao, to march south.
Xudu city could not afford to be lost!
"What does Lord Xun say?"
"Summon Commandant Ma to return to Xudu immediately." The messenger reported truthfully.
"Good!" Ma Teng nodded. "My son, Ma Tie, is still there. He can protect His Majesty and the officials. I will rush back to Xudu… we cannot allow these despicable tricks of the scoundrels to continue!"
"Father…"
A clear female voice suddenly came.
It seemed that upon hearing about the urgent dispatch from Xudu, Ma Yunlu had come over… and overheard the conversation between her father and the messenger outside the door.
"Father is going back?"
"Xudu city cannot afford to be lost!" Ma Teng's tone was decisive…
As one of the Nine Ministers, the Grand Commandant, and with the King Wei absent, he needed to protect this vast Han capital!
"Then I will accompany Father!" Ma Yunlu suggested.
"Are you not going to see the Tongque Terrace anymore?"
"What's so interesting about the Tongque Terrace?" Ma Yunlu blinked her big eyes. "However, going to Xudu city to catch those scoundrels, I am very interested."
"Hahaha…" Ma Teng laughed. He waved his wide sleeve. "As expected of my daughter. Go and pack your things immediately. Tomorrow morning… we depart!"
…
…
It had been eighteen full days since Huang Gai's son, Huang Bing, arrived at Wulin Port.
According to Huang Bing, Huang Gai's surrender had happened two days earlier.
This could actually be understood. After all, dates were fixed, but people were alive. Leading the grain and provisions, and generals to surrender to Cao Cao required the right time, place, and human unity.
And this day, the ninth day of the eleventh lunar month, was precisely such a good day where time, place, and human unity converged.
Early that morning… on the southern bank of the Yangtze River…
At this time, a north wind still blew here…
A high platform rose abruptly. This platform was nine feet high, with three tiers. One hundred and twenty disciples below held banners and circled it.
This platform was named "Qixing Terrace"!
Seven green banners in the east, forming the shape of a Azure Dragon;
Seven black banners in the north, forming the posture of a Black Tortoise;
Seven white banners in the west, occupying the might of a White Tiger;
Seven red banners in the south, forming the appearance of a Vermilion Bird…
At the first quarter of the Jia hour…
Zhuge Liang, wearing a black Taoist robe, with his hair unbound and his feet bare, arrived before the altar.
Under the witness of everyone.
Zhuge Liang's Seven-Star Sword suddenly pointed towards the heavens. At this moment, he was like a sculpture, his sword pointing straight up, angrily questioning the firmament.
Seemingly…
His actions were ferocious, but looking at the firmament, it was still an east wind!
But Zhuge Liang was not flustered at all, Zhou Yu was also remarkably calm, and Huang Gai narrowed his eyes in tacit understanding.
In winter…
After several days of warm sunshine, the wind direction would inevitably change for three days. This was "common knowledge" among fishermen!
At this moment…
Zhuge Liang's voice resounded.
—"Clouds follow the dragon, wind follows the tiger; when the sage is born, all things are revealed."
—"Clad in stars and moon, we unleash the primordial chaos. Heaven begets four and nine, man escapes the one!"
"Wind—rise—"
As the words fell…
Suddenly, the celestial phenomenon changed drastically. The corners of the banners pointed northwest, and in an instant… the original north wind turned into a southeast wind…
And the river wind rustled, making the flags snap and crackle!
"It's here…"
Zhou Yu and Huang Gai said in unison…
Huang Gai took the lead, boarding the first batch of warships and heading north across the river.
Zhou Yu, on the other hand, raised his arm and stood on a high place to deliver the final mobilization. "The east wind has risen, this is heaven's will to destroy Cao. Men of Jiangdong, the Cao army has fallen for my concatenated plan. This battle, obey my command, and the disciples of Jiangdong will surely achieve a great victory!"
"All troops board the ships. Once the flames ignite the chained ships of the Cao army, immediately charge into the enemy formation… slay the treacherous Cao, and capture Lu Yu, just like the Hegemon-King of Western Chu of old… one battle to decide the destiny of the heavens!"
Zhou Yu's voice grew louder with each utterance, his roar like thunder.
He was full of confidence, brimming with arrogance, and his heart was surging.
With a "swoosh," he drew his long sword from beneath his crimson battle robe. "All troops advance!"
In an instant…
The warships of Jiangdong rose in unison. The rolling Yangtze River, like a golden dragon, surged and swelled in an instant, like… an army of a thousand thousand horses erupting after suppression, charging forward, irresistible!
The decisive battle of Chibi…
At this moment, it was thoroughly declared!
In contrast, on the Qixing Terrace, Zhuge Liang maintained his posture of "looking up to the firmament." He softly chanted, "The east wind has risen, only awaiting the fire! With the division of the world into three, let everything sink into the river!"
…
…
North of the river, Wulin Port.
Feeling the sudden change in the river wind from north to south… the direction in which the flags fluttered, Cao Cao's eyes also narrowed.
After consecutive days of warm sunshine, the wind direction had indeed changed for a few days!
That's right…
Yu'er's judgment was incredibly accurate!
At this moment, Cao Cao's eyes had narrowed into slits. He confirmed repeatedly… that Zhou Yu and Huang Gai were executing a ruse, otherwise, why would they have chosen to surrender specifically today?
Heh heh…
With a wry smile, Cao Cao shook his head.
Although his expression appeared as calm as still water, his heart was already in turmoil. If not for Yu'er… he… he would have certainly fallen for Zhou Yu's "ruse." If the chained ships were added, the entire Wei navy would have been incinerated in an instant… turned to ashes!
"Gulp…"
Subconsciously swallowing a mouthful of saliva, Cao Cao's emotions were indescribable.
Of course, similar in sentiment were Xi Zhicai, Xun You, Xiahou Dun, and Xiahou Yuan… all those who had participated in that meeting now had strange expressions, and were deeply shaken!
If…
Many "ifs" appeared in their minds.
And the consequences of these "ifs" were surprisingly consistent, which was – complete defeat!
Utter and complete defeat…
"King Wei, look quickly… Father's ships have arrived!"
Huang Bing pointed at the fast ships appearing on the river…
Cao Cao took the "thousand-mile eye" and could clearly see that these fast ships… flew the Azure Dragon banner, with the four characters "Vanguard Huang Gai" written on them.
Fifty ships, a full fifty ships. At this moment, the east wind was blowing strongly, and the river surface was rolling and surging. Sunlight shone on the river surface, like ten thousand golden snakes, tossing and playing in the waves…
"Indeed, they have come…"
Cao Cao sighed…
"With the help of the Jiangdong navy brought by my father, King Wei will surely be like a tiger with wings, invincible!" Huang Bing cupped his hands…
Unexpectedly… Cao Cao raised his eyes.
"You young brat, are you still trying to deceive me?"
"I failed to see that this was a ruse orchestrated by your father and that brat Zhou Yu, and the concatenated plan. But fortunately, while my eyes were blinded, Marquis Nanshou's eyes were sharp!"
This…
Huang Bing was stunned.
Cao Cao pointed at Huang Gai's ships. "Your father mentioned in his letter that he would bring grain and provisions to surrender, but where are they now? The grain is on the ships. Ships should be heavy, but these ships of his are so light. How can they be grain? Most likely they are fire-starting materials, right? Ah…"
"A good fire attack, unfortunately, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang's 'Zhang Liang's plan' cannot compare to Lu Ziyu's 'ladder over the wall'!"
Speaking of which, Cao Cao immediately gave the order.
"Guards, arrest this Huang Bing!"
"Yes!"
As he spoke, two tiger-guard soldiers carried Huang Bing away.
Huang Bing was initially astonished. Was… was he discovered?
But the moment he was apprehended, he felt a sense of release.
He was not completely discovered, because… because his father's ships were already approaching the Wei navy… with the wind at their backs, even if Cao Cao discovered it, he… he could not stop the sky-high flames anymore!
"Treacherous Cao… Treacherous Cao…" Immediately, Huang Bing cursed loudly, "You have lost, you have lost… it is we, the father and son of the Huang clan, who have defeated you! Defeated the arrogant you and the all-knowing Lu Yu!"
In this life, to defeat two such formidable opponents, he had no regrets!
"Heh heh…"
Unexpectedly, in response to Huang Bing's words, Cao Cao chuckled. He narrowed his eyes… and looked at the river surface with a smile.
He neither ordered to stop… nor intercept Huang Gai's fast ships, nor did he dodge. He just stood on the riverside reviewing stand, watching with great interest as everything unfolded.
As expected…
Suddenly, inexplicably… Huang Gai's warships stopped on the river. Fifty ships, one after another, all stopped.
In contrast…
On another part of the riverbank, Lu Yu stood on the stone steps, gazing at these warships.
The corners of his mouth curved slightly, and a faint smile appeared.
—"They took the bait!"
As soon as the words fell…
Boom… rumble!
Centered around Huang Gai's fleet, the river surface within a radius of nearly a hundred meters suddenly erupted in flames, directly enveloping and covering this territory!
The raging fire, like a mad beast, darted everywhere with the wind, unscrupulously devouring everything.
Fifty ships… in just an instant, they were completely engulfed and covered by flames… consumed by the fire sea…
The intermingling of fire and water painted an ultimate "scarlet" picture.
And within these fifty ships… there were already fire-starting materials. After the first round of flames, a second round of flames surged again… churning smoke and dust billowed!
Even Cao Cao, hundreds of meters away from the flames, could feel the roaring flames and the sky-high inferno!
This was…
Huang Bing was stunned!
He discovered a terrible fact: his father seemed to be… covered by flames, engulfed by… this fire dragon!
"Father… Father…"
A heart-rending roar…
In contrast, Cao Cao smiled with narrowed eyes. "Zhou Yu beating Huang Gai was also fake, and your father and son's surrender was also fake. Such clumsy acting, unfortunately… it did not fool Marquis Nanshou. What a pity!"
On this side, Cao Cao sighed with emotion.
On the other two sides…
Seeing the sky-high flames ignite in a position so close to the Cao camp, although Lu Yu and Zhou Yu were in different locations.
The two of them… as if in sync, spoke in unison.
—"This fire will help our army achieve a great victory!"
So to speak…
May the brilliant red lotuses bloom in the world, burning the firmament, and sink into the endless flames!
…
…