Chapter Eleven: A Great Victory
Zhang Fei’s booming voice echoed through the hall, easily heard by all the feasting lords. A shadow crossed Yuan Shao’s face, his expression turning grim and unpleasant. As the coalition leader of this alliance, even if the other lords gave him little weight in their hearts, he still held the title and prestige of a noble house that had produced high-ranking officials for four generations. How could he allow himself to be insulted by a country bumpkin of unknown origin?
But just as Yuan Shao opened his mouth to respond, Gongsun Zan stood up with a cold laugh. “Since the matter has been raised, let me ask: Lord Yuan, you promised my forces supplies, to be distributed within three days. Now nearly fifteen days have passed, and not only is there no grain, I haven’t even seen a single blade of grass!”
“My army’s rations have also been delayed for ages. Only yesterday did we receive ten thousand measures of grain, but the remaining fifty thousand is nowhere to be seen. Lord Yuan, when will my men receive what was promised?”
“Han Fu, with your paltry cavalry, do you really need sixty thousand measures of grain? Can they eat that much?”
“What’s this, Liu Dai? Do you look down on my troops? Shall we settle this outside?”
“I’ve long disliked you! Only a few days ago, your men barged into my camp and wounded many of my soldiers—have you given me any explanation?”
“I owe you nothing! Your men stole a thousand measures of my army’s grain!”
Infuriated, Liu Dai hurled his wine cup at Han Fu, spilling wine over himself as the two were about to come to blows. The other lords seized the moment to vent their pent-up grievances, and the entire alliance meeting devolved into chaos.
Seeing this, Cao Cao bellowed, “Enough! All of you sit here every day, arguing over troops and provisions, yet none send soldiers to the field. Right now, Dong Zhuo holds the Emperor and controls the government. Unless Dong Zhuo is defeated, his butcher’s blade will forever hang over our necks!”
“For the sake of petty self-interest, you conspire here for small gain. Now is the time to unite against a common foe and overthrow Dong Zhuo first!”
“Cao Mengde, you’re just the marshal—we need no lectures from you!” Yuan Shu took advantage of the uproar to slip away, while only Yuan Shao remained, vainly trying to restore order. Watching the farce unfold, Cao Cao shook his head, turned, and left. “Bastards and sons of concubines—unfit for counsel!”
At Hulao Pass, in Sun Jian’s camp, Li Jue was bound tightly, kneeling outside the tent.
“Report, General! We have achieved a great victory. Our losses were just over four hundred, while over ten thousand enemies were slain, thirty thousand captured, seven thousand horses seized, and one hundred thousand measures of grain secured!”
Sun Jian laughed heartily. “Excellent! Quickly carry this news to the allied army in the rear. Tell them to advance on Luoyang at once, to join in the campaign against Dong Zhuo!”
“Yes, sir!”
Descending from the command platform, Sun Jian clapped Sun Ce heavily on the shoulder. “My son and Ziming have shown great valor—capturing a mighty general!”
“Bring Li Jue forward!”
“General Sun, I am willing to surrender to you. Please, spare my life!”
---
Sun Jian smiled without answering, glancing around at the assembled officers. “Gentlemen, what should we do with Li Jue?”
Cheng Pu strode out of the ranks, glaring at Li Jue as if he could string him up on the spot. “Kill him! He aided Dong Zhuo’s tyranny, slaughtered innocents, worse than a beast—he deserves no mercy!”
Sun Jing saluted Cheng Pu. “Elder brother, I believe this man could be of use. We have captured thirty thousand Xiliang soldiers from Dong Zhuo. If trained and led well, they could serve us.”
Li Jue quickly chimed in, “Yes, yes! I can help General Sun discipline the thirty thousand soldiers, make them serve you!”
Thirty thousand men was no small force—even the hesitant officers agreed with Sun Jing’s suggestion.
“One more word from you, and I’ll kill you right now!” Cheng Pu glared murderously at Li Jue.
Zu Mao, wearing a red scarf, stepped forward. “The Colonel’s suggestion is flawed. Our troops are like tigers and wolves, while the Xiliang soldiers are mere rabble under Dong Zhuo. What use are they to us?”
“Changsu, what do you think?” Sun Ce bent slightly, addressing Jiang Wen.
“What does the Young General think?” Jiang Wen replied.
Sun Ce quietly said, “I don’t find Li Jue so fearsome. He just wants to live. Besides, you said yourself that in troubled times, talent matters more than virtue. I think he is useful.”
“Brother Bofu, you underestimate Li Jue. He is Dong Zhuo’s favorite general. He’s only afraid now because you slew Hua Xiong in a few bouts. If he recovers, he’ll be a menace. I say we must not use him!”
Sun Jian turned to look at Sun Ce and Jiang Wen, who were whispering in the back. “Well? Bofu, do you have a decision?”
“Not the Young General, General. I have something to say,” Jiang Wen said, saluting.
“Speak freely, Steward.”
Jiang Wen bowed and said, “Li Jue is brave and cunning, eloquent and adept at command. Dong Zhuo favored him above all. Now he wishes to surrender and take thirty thousand Xiliang soldiers under his command for us. But if, in battle with Dong Zhuo, Li Jue raises the banner of rebellion and sides with Dong Zhuo, our army will be doomed!”
“In the long term, this is dangerous,” Jiang Wen said, then turned to salute Sun Jing. “But in the short term, the Colonel’s plan is sound—use Li Jue to keep the thirty thousand prisoners in check.”
“But it overlooks Li Jue’s character. Our army is strict and just, bound by discipline. Li Jue is used to bloodshed and plunder—he won’t endure our rigor. When he stirs up the thirty thousand, there will be mutiny, and we’ll suffer for it!”
“I advise that Li Jue must not be spared.”
“You little bastard—nonsense! My surrender is sincere, General Sun!”
---
“All right, enough!” Sun Jian barked.
After saluting, Jiang Wen quietly returned to his place, and the other officers followed suit.
Sun Jian stood on the command platform, deep in thought with his back to the assembly. After a moment, he turned and smiled. “Sun Ce, Lü Meng, Jiang Wen—hear my command!”
“You three will take charge of ten thousand men. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, you are to organize the remaining twenty thousand. Any troublemakers or mutineers are to be executed on the spot—no need to report to me.”
“Yes, sir!”
“Take Li Jue away and prepare him for execution!”
“Sun Jian, you whelp! I surrendered to you in good faith, and you claim to be a man of virtue, yet you’re nothing but a coward too afraid to use talent! Hahaha!”
“Speaking of which, the supplies promised by Lord Yuan still haven’t arrived. A scion of such a noble house—surely he wouldn’t break his word?”
In Luoyang, at that moment, Dong Zhuo and his ministers were in council.
“Report! Report!”
“Who permitted you to enter the hall in armor?” Dong Zhuo snapped at the soldier, barely containing his anger.
“Grand Tutor, urgent news from the front: General Hua Xiong has been utterly defeated, and of the fifty thousand troops, only just over ten thousand returned. Both General Hua Xiong and General Li Jue have been slain by Sun Jian!”
Dong Zhuo turned deathly pale, staggering backward onto his seat. The Emperor smiled faintly but quickly suppressed it. Though the court officials kept their faces composed, inwardly they were all overjoyed.
“Sun Wentai—what a man! Sun Jian, that whelp!”
PS: According to historical records, only Sun Jian, along with Cao Cao and Wang Kuang, actually fought Dong Zhuo. The other lords mostly watched from the sidelines. Sun Jian slew Hua Xiong, twice defeated Lü Bu, and forced Dong Zhuo to abandon Luoyang. But history is history—after all, we all love stories like Romance of the Three Kingdoms, which deviate from the facts. So, dear readers, it’s good to know history, but don’t get hung up on it in a novel. If you want to nitpick, even Luo Guanzhong’s classic is full of holes.