Chapter 128: I Am Not Liu Bei

Beneath the walls of Qiyang City, the troops stood in solemn silence. The phalanxes were orderly, and the warhorses, restless and snorting, pawed the ground, their spirit high. Jiang Wen sat atop his horse, his eyes narrowed as he gazed toward the city. Liu Min turned to him and said, "Teacher, the fighting must have already begun over there."

"This battle is already decided."

Liu Xian peered at Jiang Wen’s entire army, a sneer crossing his face. "He is touted as a talent capable of assisting a king, yet he has fallen into a trap without even knowing it. It seems his reputation is vastly overrated."

"My lord, your planning is truly unparalleled under heaven!"

"Hahaha!" Liu Xian stroked his beard, laughing triumphantly. "What a pity for Liu Biao, to be defeated by such a man!"

Beyond Gan Mountain, Xing Daorong led his troops forward, using the tall grass to conceal their movements. The terrain was treacherous—rugged, craggy, and winding—a place naturally difficult to attack and easy to defend.

A soldier climbed a nearby hill, looking down into the enemy encampment. The number of patrols was sparse; one would only see guards every three camps. The soldier on the hill took out a red flag and waved it toward those below, and the rest of the troops followed suit.

Xing Daorong nodded. "All forces, attack!"

"Kill!"

A signal flare streaked across the sky. The soldiers hidden in the grass rose in fury and charged toward the grain storage site. The guards stationed outside were cut down in the surprise assault. "Burn Jiang Wen’s grain immediately! That brat has fallen into our trap without the slightest inkling; he is truly still dreaming!"

The enemy soldiers rushed into the nearby tents, tearing aside the curtains. Seeing the sacks piled inside, they slashed at them with their blades—only to have grains of sand spill out onto the ground.

"General, there is no grain in here!"

Xing Daorong roared, "Where is Jia Chang!"

"I am here," Jia Chang replied, walking to Xing Daorong’s side with a fawning smile. "What do you need, my lord?"

"I ask you, you said this was Jiang Wen’s grain storage site—where is the grain?!" Xing Daorong jumped off his horse, glaring at him.

"I, I..."

Jiang Wan stood on the hill, overlooking the troops below. He let out a soft laugh and signaled with his hand.

"Whoosh!"

An arrow whistled through the air. Jia Chang’s pupils contracted violently. "My lord, watch your back!"

"Whoosh! Whoosh! Whoosh!"

A barrage of arrows descended. Those who could not dodge were pierced through the heart. Xing Daorong immediately grabbed Jia Chang and hoisted him over his head. "Ah!"

An arrow pierced through lungs; Jia Chang let out a piteous cry, blood bubbling from his lips, and he went limp, dead in an instant.

Xing Daorong tossed the body aside. "Damn it, we’ve been tricked! Retreat!"

Countless arrows rained down from behind. Xing Daorong spurred his horse desperately, but just as his army reached the exit, believing they had found a path to survival, a volley of crossbow bolts struck them!

"Ah!"

The bolts tore through armor, shattering the fragile plating. Xing Daorong pulled on his reins. "Whoa!" A general rode out on horseback, his face aged, his hair streaked with white. "Old man, who are you?"

"Huang Zhong."

Xing Daorong’s face turned pale. Seeing the vast sea of troops surrounding him, he knew there was no hope. He mocked Huang Zhong, saying, "Hahaha, Jiang Wen is indeed a cut above, but is he so short on men that he has to send an old geezer like you to the battlefield? Old man, do you want me to let you have the first move?"

"If you can defeat me, I will let you and your men leave," Huang Zhong said calmly, unmoved by the insult.

"Is that true?!" Xing Daorong was overjoyed. "If I win—and you should know I am the peerless General Xing Daorong—you will really let me go?!"

"Enough talk!" Huang Zhong drew his curved saber. Xing Daorong’s polearm was three times longer than the saber; to land a hit, he had to close the distance. Xing Daorong knew this, but he felt no need to be cautious against someone so old. He swung his heavy blade down, aiming to cut Huang Zhong from his horse in one stroke!

"A rabble of fools!"

Huang Zhong held his saber against his back, gathering his strength before rising in his stirrups to deliver a powerful upward strike. Xing Daorong’s heavy blade flew into the air, and before he could recover, Huang Zhong’s saber had reached his waist!

"Slash!" Blood sprayed as a massive gash opened across Xing Daorong’s midsection, his internal organs spilling out.

A single strike, a fatal blow!

"Your general has been cut down! If you wish to live, drop your weapons and surrender immediately!"

In Qiyang City, Liu Xian stared at the battlefield. Jiang Wen had remained motionless for half an hour, and it appeared he had no intention of attacking the city. Why? Liu Xian could not fathom it. But surely, by now, Xing Daorong must have completed his raid. Once word arrived from the rear, Jiang Wen’s army would certainly collapse!

"Report from the rear: Xing Daorong led five thousand men to raid Gan Mountain. Xing Daorong is dead, and four thousand troops have been captured!"

"Report from the rear..."

"Absurd! It’s impossible, impossible!" Liu Xian stumbled back, disbelief etched on his face. "This cannot be! Xing Daorong should have burned Jiang Wen’s grain; this must be a trick to make us panic!"

"The general is defeated! The general is defeated!"

"What are we to do now? Without the general, how can we defend the city?"

"My family is still in Qiyang. If the enemy breaches the gate, what will happen to us?"

"Everyone, do not panic! This is likely just Jiang Wen trying to scare us!"

Jiang Wen drew his sword and roared, "If you open the gates now, I guarantee that not a single person will be harmed upon my entry. If you resist, I will slaughter everyone in the city once the walls are breached!"

"Teacher, it is the old General Huang!"

"Giddy up! Giddy up!"

"Old General!"

"I, Huang Zhong, pay my respects to you, my lord," Huang Zhong said, taking the head he had tied to his saddle and tossing it toward the gate. "Is this the head of your general?!"

Liu Xian stared at the head below the gate. Though stained with mud, he recognized it. His heart trembled.

"Soldiers!"

"Drink!"

"My lord, open the gates! It is the only way we can save our lives!"

"Yes, my lord! There are so many commoners in this city; if Jiang Wen truly breaks in, he will massacre the city!"

Liu Xian’s expression was dark and uncertain. "No! That is merely a ruse by Jiang Wen to deceive us. We must not be fooled by such petty tricks!"

"Even after saying all that, they still refuse to open the gates. They truly are stubborn," Jiang Wen smiled. "Jiang Wan, where have you reached?"

"Escorting the captives takes time. Do not worry, my lord, I will arrive shortly!"

"We shall wait a while longer."

Sweat poured down Liu Xian’s forehead. He stared at the head below the wall more than five times, becoming increasingly certain that it was indeed Xing Daorong’s. But his own soldiers didn't know yet; if he could keep them in the dark, he wouldn't be exposed. This city could not be lost! Once lost, Lingling would surely fall as well!

"Giddy up!"

"My lord, there are more troops! Jiang Wen still has more troops!"

Behind the mounted soldiers, one by one, the captured soldiers were being led forward with hemp ropes.

"Bring them up!"

Jiang Wan arrived at Jiang Wen’s side and bowed. "Student greets Teacher!"

All the captives were pressed to the very front of the formation. Jiang Wen looked at them. "If you wish to live, there is only one choice: have those inside open the gates. If they do not, you shall all be buried alive!"

The captives on the ground were terrified, many even losing control of their bladders. "Hey, I’m Huang Hu! The General is dead! We can’t hold the city, open the gate quickly, or we’ll all die!"

"My lord, this is my final year of service. After this, I was going to retire to my hometown. I don’t want to die! I want to live!"

The soldiers around Liu Xian recognized the captives and realized General Xing Daorong was indeed dead!

"My lord, open the gates! If you don't, Jiang Wen really might massacre the city!" the soldiers pleaded bitterly. "With General Xing gone, how can we fight?"

"My lord!"

"No! Absolutely not!" Liu Xian said stubbornly, his eyes full of rage. "Anyone who speaks again will be executed!"

"What is that sound?!"

Liu Xian walked to the parapet and looked down. The city gates were slowly swinging open. "Who gave you permission to open the gates?!"

"My apologies, my lord." A cold chill touched Liu Xian’s neck; the soldiers around him had already leveled their spears at his throat. "What are you doing? I am your master! Would you rather believe Jiang Wen than me?!"

Jiang Wen drew his sword and looked at the opening gates, his expression stern. "Enter the city!"

The army marched into Qiyang. Liu Xian was dragged before Jiang Wen by his soldiers. "Why?"

Jiang Wen dismounted, as did all his officers and men. "Why what?"

"Xing Daorong should have raided your grain supplies!"

Jiang Wen glanced at Liu Xian coldly and walked past him.

Liu Min chuckled and said, "From the moment you whipped Xing Daorong, Teacher knew you were planning a trap. He had already ordered the grain moved; what he left for you was an empty camp."

Hearing this, Liu Xian’s face went ghastly pale, his lips trembling—not from fear, but from extreme, seething rage!

"The Jia Chang you sent was also someone Teacher intentionally got drunk, having me lead him to that fake storage site so he would mistakenly believe it was the real one. You mocked Teacher, but you never realized that he had arranged everything from the very beginning."

"And you still think you are more resourceful than Teacher?" Liu Min laughed. "Also, there is one more thing—I don't know what it means myself, but Teacher told me to deliver it to you."

"What is it?!" Liu Xian closed his eyes, his expression vacant.

"Teacher is not Liu Bei." Liu Min’s tone suddenly turned cold. "Men, take him away and execute him."

"Yes!"

"Jiang Wen! Jiang Wen!!"

In Lingling, Liu Du looked at the military reports. The battle at Qiyang was a crushing defeat, and he had entrusted all his troops to Liu Xian. With Qiyang lost, it meant Lingling was defenseless.

Liu Du stepped out of his study. "Madam, pack our things immediately! We are leaving Lingling!"

Jiang Wen and his two students remained to hold the city, while Huang Zhong led the troops across the river to seize Lingling. Liu Du fled, and the city surrendered without a fight. Now, three of the four commanderies had been subdued; only Zhao Fan remained before the entire Jing Province could be controlled.

In Xiangyang, at Sun Quan's estate.

Sun Fu, Wu Jing, Han Dang, Quan Cong, Cheng Pu, Sun Quan, and Sima Yi sat in the hall.

Quan Cong’s face was filled with anxiety. "The Prime Minister has sent word that he is returning. He will be in Xiangyang soon. What if he holds us accountable for this?!"

"What else can we do? We cannot stop the Prime Minister’s return; we can only wait for him to demand an answer."

Wu Jing looked panicked. "But this is a capital offense!"

Everyone fell silent. A military oath was binding; unless the master relented, no one could change it. If they wanted to save Han Dang’s life, only Sun Ce could grant a pardon!

The only way, they realized, looking at the box in front of Han Dang, was his military command!

"If we surrender our command, the Prime Minister will hold even more power, and we will be even more vulnerable!"

Sun Quan pondered deeply, glancing sideways to see Sima Yi looking calm. "Zhongda, do you have a strategy?"

Sima Yi bowed and said, "I do have a suggestion, though it may harm your interests, my lord. I am not sure if I should speak."

"As long as we can save General Han and keep our military command, tell us whatever you have!" Cheng Pu said.

Sima Yi looked at Sun Quan, who nodded slightly. "The young master once had me bring back two women. They are as beautiful as jade. The younger sister, Xiao Qiao, has grown close to Zhou Yu recently, while the elder, Da Qiao—is it not true that the young master and the Prime Minister are currently competing for her?"

Sun Quan’s expression flickered, but he quickly hid it and nodded.

Sima Yi said, "The breakthrough lies here."

Cheng Pu looked puzzled. "What do our affairs have to do with those two girls?"

"Jiang Wen’s two wives are currently pregnant. Striking at them will suffice," Sima Yi said. "In the end, the generals are not actually trying to deal with the Prime Minister, but with Jiang Wen. If something happens to one of the two women, it will sow discord between Jiang Wen and the Prime Minister. Once Jiang Wen is isolated, his New Policies will fail. Even if you surrender your command, will you still be worried, old generals?"

The generals pondered this. It was true; what they feared was the New Policy, not the loss of command.

"That might work, but how do we get those two women to help us?!"

"Haven't you generals been suppressing the local gentry? How do they compare to Master Qiao?"

The generals looked at each other and laughed. "Good!"

In Xiangyang, at the Prime Minister’s residence.

"We welcome the Prime Minister!"

"You have all worked hard. While I was stationed in Shouchun, did any major events occur in the city?" Sun Ce walked into the residence, took off his armor, and tossed it aside as servants scurried to pick it up.

"Reporting to the Prime Minister, it is good news. According to reports from Lingling, General Jiang Wen has now subdued three commanderies. Only Zhao Fan remains to be conquered for the entire Jing Province."

Sun Ce sat down. "Bring me the report at once!"

Sun Ce looked at the bamboo slips and laughed. "The General of the Southern Expedition lives up to his name. To have subdued three commanderies for me in such a short time—no one in the court can compare to him. I have been deeply frustrated lately regarding Liu Bei and Cao Cao; this is a welcome piece of news."

"I have been thinking of General Han Dang while in Shouchun. Where is he?"

Wu Jing bowed. "General Han is unwell today. I hope the Prime Minister will forgive him."

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