The night was deep, and within the secret chamber, Yang Xiu had arrived, wearing a bamboo hat and a straw cape.
Someone led him inside, where Lu Yu was already waiting.
Since becoming a member of the Intelligence Division, Yang Xiu… could not see the light before his mission was thoroughly completed.
Finally seeing his master, Yang Xiu was quite emotional. "Esteemed Master..."
Before he could finish his sentence, Lu Yu spoke first, "Dezu, you have worked hard during this time!"
With those few words…
Operating behind enemy lines, the grievances he had suffered during this period, the helplessness under the dark, starless sky, vanished in an instant, replaced by an overwhelming flood of tears.
"Esteemed Master…"
Finally, only the first two words of a sentence were uttered, but Lu Yu spoke, "Yesterday, His Majesty personally wrote a letter and dispatched someone to Hongnong. It details all your magnificent achievements!"
Lu Yu mentioned His Majesty… not the King of Wei, but the Son of Heaven of Han.
In Yang Xiu's view, the Emperor's letter was worthless. However, to his father, Yang Biao, the Son of Heaven of the Han dynasty was their faith. An emperor's letter was worth more than ten letters from King Wei Cao Cao.
"The King of Wei also intends to commission a plaque, 'Diligently guiding, skillfully nurturing a child,' and has specifically asked for your opinion," Lu Yu continued. "Both your master and I are concerned that if this plaque is sent to your Yang clan in Hongnong, will it cause your father to overthink things…"
This…
Yang Xiu lowered his head. He recalled that rainy night when his father had driven him out of the house… The focus of their father-son dispute was whether the Han dynasty was still worth supporting and rectifying.
That night, his father had severely berated him…
But… Yang Xiu did not resent his father. He wanted to forge his own path, a path to the revitalization of the Yang clan of Hongnong in adversity…
"Is Father well?" Yang Xiu asked, lowering his head.
"Very well!" Lu Yu replied truthfully. "Because of you, the King of Wei has bestowed upon him the land of Hongnong. Hongnong will not have a county magistrate, and your father will be the King of Hongnong!"
Ah…
Yang Xiu was stunned. He had not expected the King of Wei to go to such lengths.
After all, due to the "Three Mutual Laws" and the "Abolition of Governors and Establishment of Superintendents," the customary rule throughout the Great Han was that local clans could not serve as local county magistrates or prefectural governors…
It was only when Sun Ce and Gongsun Zan forcefully violated this regulation that they were counterattacked by local powerful families and clans.
And the King of Wei…
To hand over Hongnong to his father, he deliberately chose not to establish a county magistrate there. This… this thoughtfulness moved Yang Xiu.
Of course…
Yang Xiu also knew that these actions were undoubtedly supported by his esteemed master, and they were also due to the merits he had accumulated during this period.
"Esteemed Master," Yang Xiu pursed his lips. "Please do not give the 'Diligently guiding, skillfully nurturing a child' plaque to Father for now. Your disciple… your disciple wishes to help Esteemed Master, to help the King of Wei unify Jiangdong, and then… then… then return home in glory. At that time, your disciple will personally bring this plaque to Father, letting the elders of the hometown envy Father, and letting them envy the Yang clan of Hongnong for producing a talented individual!"
"Good!" Lu Yu immediately nodded.
"Esteemed Master," Yang Xiu cupped his hands. "Now that Jing Province is pacified, Esteemed Master will surely aim for Jiangdong next. Your disciple is willing… willing to go south to Jiangdong and report intelligence from there."
Lu Yu reminded him, "Currently, the Yangtze River is filled with ships from Jiangdong. A rash infiltration would be very dangerous. It is for this reason that I have not been able to send correspondence for a long time."
"Your disciple is not afraid of danger!" Yang Xiu's tone was solemn. From Lu Yu's words, he could tell that his master had plans for Jiangdong, but… the intelligence line was currently severed. "Esteemed Master… perhaps allow your disciple to go to Jiangdong and re-establish the intelligence link between the two banks. Your disciple has resided in Jing Province for a long time and has a way to safely reach Jiangdong!"
Speaking of this, Lu Yu strode quickly to Yang Xiu and grasped his hand.
"Dezu, your master is greatly pleased!"
"There is one more matter!" Yang Xiu suddenly thought of another issue. "Sima Zhongda, he…"
"You have met Zhongda?" Lu Yu quickly asked.
Yang Xiu nodded.
Lu Yu's eyes narrowed instantly. "Then why did he not come to see me?"
Yang Xiu immediately said, "Zhongda said he trusts Esteemed Master, but… he has some new discoveries. It seems… there are still hidden dangers in the rear of Great Wei. He plans… he plans to verify them and then eliminate this thorn for Esteemed Master!"
Hmm…
The rear? Hidden dangers?
Lu Yu narrowed his eyes…
This was somewhat unexpected.
Indeed… had someone with malicious intentions contacted Sima Zhongda?
Then… who were these two behind-the-scenes manipulators?
…
…
Ancient road, west wind, lean horse.
Two men and two horses were traveling west along the official road. They had already left Chang'an, and ahead lay Yongliang.
"We've left Chang'an, so this is the Guanzhong region? Who sent you? You still can't tell me?"
Sima Yi asked urgently…
On the horse in front of him was still that swordsman dressed in black.
This swordsman seemed to be extremely familiar with the roads in this area. As he rode, he could find small paths to pass through many checkpoints. He gave the impression… that he was even more of a wanderer than a游侠 (yōuxiá - knight-errant). The entire journey through Guanzhong seemed to be imprinted like a map within his mind.
"Talk less!"
"We're almost there."
The swordsman in black whispered a sentence… and then flicked his whip, riding away.
Sima Yi could only furrow his brows and chase after him.
The Yongliang region… vast yellow sands, immense deserts. Sima Yi and the swordsman galloped from dawn until dusk. If it weren't for the horses needing rest, perhaps… the swordsman would have chosen to continue galloping through the night.
A crescent moon hung in the sky, and the low chirping of autumn insects could be heard from near and far. Suddenly… the sound of human activity grew louder.
Sima Yi pressed his ear to the ground and was greatly startled.
"Not good, cavalry is coming, many cavalry…"
He seemed somewhat flustered, but the swordsman in black was very calm. In a short while… a squadron of fully armored Xiliang cavalry, kicking up billowing dust, arrived before Sima Yi.
The whip whistled, and the blades gleamed. The cavalry, like hungry wolves with green eyes, seemed about to capture the two of them.
Just then, a tall, strong man, clad in a dark brocade battle robe and holding a curved bow, appeared before them.
He spoke crudely.
"Wang Yue? Is this the strategist you brought me? Smooth-talking but ineffective, seems a bit young."
Wang Yue…
At this, Sima Yi knew the swordsman's name was Wang Yue, indeed the Tiger Guard General from the previous emperor's time, known as the "Number One Sword Under Heaven," who had disappeared along with one of the four Zhongxing Swords.
As for…
The burly man before him, he… he was…
Before Sima Yi could ponder further, Wang Yue spoke, "I have observed for a long time, and no one is more suitable to be your strategist. If you still intend to advance west to Luoyang and welcome the Son of Heaven of Han, then… he will be your most reliable partner!"
Heh…
The burly general laughed, and as he laughed, he carefully scanned Sima Yi's face.
"What is your name?"
"Sima Yi, courtesy name Zhongda!" To ascertain the identity of the general before him, Sima Yi replied truthfully.
Upon hearing the name "Sima," the burly general clearly paused, then his eyes gradually narrowed, and he sighed, "Both are 'three horses eating grain,' but the Sima clan has much more backbone than those horses of Yongliang!"
"Haha… take him back!"
…
…
Jiangdong, Lu family.
Lu Ji rushed in, his face not looking good.
"Brother, Mr. Chen, Zhou Yu is leading thirty thousand troops towards Chibi, seemingly intending to fight Cao's army to the death at Chibi… but…"
Due to his panting, Lu Ji, in the latter part of his sentence, couldn't catch his breath.
"But what?"
Lu Xun quickly asked…
"The entire river surface has been completely sealed off, and even the fishermen along the river have been relocated inland. It seems Zhou Yu is doing this specifically to prevent spies from the north of the river."
Lu Ji continued.
At this, Lu Xun finally understood. No wonder he hadn't received news from the north of the river for a long time; the river surface had been completely sealed. As expected of Zhou Gongjin, quite interesting.
"Heh heh…" Chen Gong chuckled and said, "Lu Ziyu is no ordinary person. He is skilled at attacking the enemy's mind and heart. If Zhou Yu has this 'Zhang Liang's stratagem,' then he must have a 'ladder over the wall.' Don't worry… news from the north will always come through. However…"
Chen Gong smacked his lips before continuing, "Zhou Yu is taking thirty thousand troops to the front line, but in reality, he cannot produce that much in supplies and provisions. Boyan, you need to think carefully, how to provide the supplies? And how to provide the provisions?"
"What does Mr. Chen mean?" Lu Xun didn't quite understand…
"Giving too much is not good, but giving too little will invite criticism. Although you are keeping yourself safe… and not involved in the battlefield, in reality, providing these supplies is not easy for you," Chen Gong squinted.
"Then…" Lu Xun furrowed his brow. "What should be done?"
"Provide sufficient food, but absolutely do not provide sufficient provisions, especially arrows, timber, fine iron, and weapons… these are all key factors affecting the battle of Chibi. Conversely… no matter how much grain you give, it will not affect the overall situation. You can give as much as you want, showing that the Lu family is sparing no effort to support the front line!"
Chen Gong explained solemnly…
Lu Xun's eyes fixed, and he immediately cupped his hands… "Your disciple understands!"
Just then…
In front of the Lu mansion, arguments erupted one after another.
"You, you, you… who are you?"
"Begging goes somewhere else… Do you know whose house this is? This is our Lu family!"
The gatekeeper's arrogant voice could be heard.
Who would have thought… the beggar at the gate was loudly chanting to himself, "Love you walking alone in the dark alley… Love you walking alone in the dark alley…"
Continuously repeating this one sentence.
Lu Xun was startled, and Chen Gong was also startled. This was a secret code… a secret code from a visitor from the north of the river.
Immediately, Lu Xun hurried to the gatekeeper and tried to respond with a line.
"Love you standing up to despair, refusing to shed a tear!"
"Love you facing down despair, refusing to cry!" the beggar responded with another line…
At this, Lu Xun became unsettled, but on the surface, he maintained a calm demeanor.
"Where did this lunatic come from? Drive him out."
Crackling sounds, a thorough beating…
The beggar was beaten far away, but he still resolutely stood up, supported himself against the wall, and walked away step by step.
Just then, a passerby walked past him and casually chanted a sentence.
"Go through the back door!"
…
…
Not far from Chibi, at Xiakou Port, various forces were in turmoil, and unseen smoke of gunpowder had already begun to burn fiercely.
At this time, Liu Bei had arrived from Jiangling and joined forces with the eldest son Liu Qi. With Jiangxia City at their back… they intended to resist Cao's approaching army.
However…
At this moment, his mood was still extremely heavy, and his spirit was exceptionally tense.
He wanted to know if Jiangdong would choose to ally with him to resist Cao Cao… If it was just his wishful thinking, then it would be over… With only over ten thousand men here, how could they resist Cao Cao's hundreds of thousands of troops?
Finally…
After much anticipation, like waiting for the stars and the moon… Liu Bei finally saw Zhou Yu's fleet.
Along with him, Zhuge Liang also returned…
This was undoubtedly a shot of confidence for Liu Bei's anxious heart.
After a brief exchange of pleasantries…
Liu Bei immediately asked, "How many troops has Governor Zhou brought?"
"Thirty thousand!" Zhou Yu replied truthfully.
This…
Liu Bei was slightly stunned, and then he asked again, "Then does Governor Zhou know how many troops Cao's army has gathered in Jing Province, intending to march south?"
"Eight hundred thousand!" Zhou Yu was very clear about this…
And unlike the historical claim of eight hundred thousand, this eight hundred thousand was a genuine eight hundred thousand…
Cao Cao intended to march south to unify the land, and he viewed this battle as a decisive one.
And the number eight hundred thousand escaped his lips…
… Liu Bei's heart sank by half.
For a moment, he even felt that Zhou Yu was joking. Thirty thousand… plus his own, over forty thousand to resist eight hundred thousand? How could they fight this?
Moreover, their opponent was someone like Lu Ziyu, who was skilled at psychological warfare and adept at calculations. The chances of winning were not high!
Who would have thought…
Unlike Liu Bei's despair, Zhou Yu's expression was calm and confident. "Lord Liu, do not worry. Kongming and I will join forces to confront that Lu Ziyu. This battle may not be lost!"
"Moreover, I heard that Lu Ziyu is not among the Cao army marching south in large numbers. According to intelligence reports, after receiving a letter last night, he galloped back to Xuzhou… it is estimated he is going to arrange for provisions!"
That's right…
Lu Yu did leave yesterday, and he did head towards Xuzhou. However… it was not to arrange for provisions.
Currently, the entire north and central plains were the rear of Great Wei, so provisions were ample.
Lu Yu's purpose in going to Xuzhou was to rendezvous with the navy of the Long Xiao Battalion.
In his opinion…
Even though Cai Mao and Zhang Yun commanded over a hundred thousand naval troops, and Cao Cao also trained over a hundred thousand naval troops in Xuanwu Pond.
Those were all traps…
When fighting the Jiangdong navy, they were completely outmatched.
The only force that could play a crucial role was the Long Xiao Battalion navy.
Upon hearing of Gan Ning's return… Lu Yu, along with Wen Pin, hurried to Xuzhou. They would likely meet in the outer waters near Hefei.
This was intended as a surprise for Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu.
—What the hell is a surprise!
Only…
Of all this, Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang were unaware.
"Heh heh…"
Conversely, Zhou Yu was quite smug.
"Lord Liu, this is heaven aiding us. In this battle on the Yangtze River, without Lu Ziyu… Cao Cao is like a fierce tiger that has had its sharpest teeth removed, like a roc that has had its wings plucked. Although the enemy is numerous and we are few, Cao's army will surely be defeated, and the Sun-Liu alliance will surely win!"
Zhou Yu's words…
Zhuge Liang also agreed, "My Lord, rest assured. Gongjin and I will be stationed at Chibi, echoing each other at Xiakou Port… forming a strategic pincer. When Cao Cao arrives at Wulin Port, we will strike from both ports simultaneously. The enemy army will have just arrived at the Yangtze River, weary from travel, while we will be the well-rested. We will surely deliver a fatal blow!"
"And this battle of Chibi, the first engagement is crucial. If the first battle is won… it will surely be a severe blow to the enemy!"
Speaking of this, Zhuge Liang looked at Zhou Yu.
The Dragon and the Kylin working together… they had the confidence to win this time.
"Moreover…" Zhou Yu added, "I have also prepared a great gift for Cao Cao at Wulin Port! This gift alone will be enough for him to deal with!"
…
…