Chapter Fifty-Nine: Entering the Battle

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“Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong were both praised as the Sleeping Dragon and the Young Phoenix, with the claim that to possess either would be to possess the world!” Jiang Wen spoke with a light laugh. “There are countless talented men under heaven, yet among all of them, who else has attained such renown?”

Zhou Yu downed a cup of wine, his gaze downcast, his face slightly flushed with the haze of drunkenness. He replied, “That Sima Hui is simply a genial gentleman, always speaking kindly to everyone. His praise is nothing but flattery—it cannot be taken at face value.”

Jiang Wen shook his head. “Even if it is flattery, Zhuge Liang was but a commoner. Sima Hui is known for his gentle nature and his aversion to conflict—how would he dare risk the ridicule of all the world’s scholars to bestow such praise upon a mere recluse?”

“Enough, Ziming, Changsu. Why quarrel over a man of humble birth? When it comes to talent and virtue, in my heart, none surpass Changsu and Gongjin; the rest are not worth mentioning. Let us speak no more of this—come, drink!” Sun Ce took a cup from the table, raised it in a toast to Lü Meng and Jiang Wen, then drained it in one gulp.

Jiang Wen, having finished his wine, picked up a date from the table and ate it, knowing full well that there was no need to rush the matter of Zhuge Liang.

After all, the man had his own integrity; otherwise, Liu Bei would not have troubled himself to visit his cottage three times.

During the Wei and Jin dynasties, most of the population was settled in the north, with few residing in the south.

Wei controlled six provinces, Shu only one. In terms of population, territory, and resources, Shu was at a considerable disadvantage.

Yet in domestic affairs, Zhuge Liang governed Shu so well that it could stand against Wei. In military matters, he subdued Meng Huo and pacified the southern regions. During his first northern campaign, he seized three commanderies from Wei, shocking the Wei court and even prompting Emperor Cao Rui to personally take the field, though the defeat at Jieting under Ma Su followed.

Such a man as an enemy would be no blessing. A cold glint appeared in Jiang Wen’s eyes—if Zhuge Liang could not be won over, there would be only one path left…

Night. The Office of Investigation in Xiangyang. The main hall’s bronze columns were adorned with burning candles.

Jiang Wen narrowed his eyes, studying the portraits on the bamboo slips—each depicted recent outings of officials: whom they met, what they ate…every trivial detail of their daily lives faithfully recorded.

He put down his writing brush. “What time is it now?”

“A reply for the lord: it is already midnight. My lady has come to bring you some chicken soup. Shall I let her in?”

“Let her in. The rest of you may leave—I wish to be alone with my wife for a while.”

“Yes, my lord!”

The officers, clad in fine armor, bowed respectfully to Jiang Wen before withdrawing from the hall.

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Jiang Wen closed his eyes, pinching the bridge of his nose for a moment’s rest. When he opened them again, he saw a lovely woman approaching.

He smiled gently at her, a ripple of emotion stirring in his heart. The liveliness and delicacy in her eyes were just as they had been when he first met her.

Tao’er carried the chicken soup, her delicate face alight with joy, and sat beside Jiang Wen.

Jiang Wen took the soup from her with a soft laugh. “It’s a rare treat to enjoy your midnight snack.”

“If I fatten you up, then you won’t look so handsome!” she teased.

Jiang Wen pinched her small nose and began to drink the soup.

“Why do you always hesitate to come home?” Tao’er asked softly, nestled against Jiang Wen’s chest, her eyes closed as she spoke.

“It feels uneasy to stay there.”

Tao’er looked at him in puzzlement. After a moment’s thought, she said in a gentle voice, “If you’re worried about elder sister, you needn’t be. She has a kind heart, and she’s truly beautiful…”

“Clever Tao’er, have you been won over so quickly?” Jiang Wen chuckled at first, but soon his face grew calm. “Diao Chan is the Prime Minister’s spy set to watch over me. No matter her beauty, she will always be connected to him, and will never truly be one of us.”

“I may hold a position in court, but in terms of office and power, I am nothing special. Yet in reputation, whether at court or in the army, mine is high indeed.”

“Consider this: I have no blood ties to the Sun family, and am too close to the eldest son. When the Prime Minister passes, and his own son succeeds him, who will he rely upon? Who will he promote?”

Jiang Wen’s eyes flickered, his emotions stirred, and cold sweat beaded on his brow.

“If I hold great power and high prestige, I will become a threat to the Lord. That is what the Prime Minister has always feared…”

“My lord…” Tao’er’s bright eyes shimmered as she gazed at him, her delicate hand gently caressing his face, dabbing away his cold sweat with a silk kerchief.

“When the cunning rabbit dies, the hound is cooked. I am already like a blade hanging above my own head…” Jiang Wen said with a touch of self-mockery. “I once thought that since the Prime Minister was a man of martial background, he would not be so suspicious. Yet once one sits in that seat, even the simplest soul becomes complex. Gongjin, Ziming, Zijin… Even after the Prime Minister passes, so many talented men are at court—why would I be considered a threat to the Lord?”

Tao’er remained silent, listening quietly to these words he would never utter to others.

Jiang Wen took a deep breath. “Now the Prime Minister wishes to pave the way for his younger son. In time, those of us who are allies of the eldest will be the first to be cut down. The Prime Minister is always seeking faults in us, so that he may have an excuse for bloodshed!”

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“Now, we must not make a single mistake. Even if Diao Chan is kind-hearted, she belongs to Sun Jian, not to me!”

“My lord, you truly misunderstand elder sister…” Tao’er whispered, but it was obvious Jiang Wen would not hear it. She knew that saying more would only anger him further.

There is no reasoning with a man whose mind is overheated.

During the days Jiang Wen was not home, Tao’er often met with Diao Chan. The first time she saw her, she did not know how to feel—never had she seen a woman of such overwhelming beauty.

But as they spent time together, Tao’er’s hostility faded. She came to understand this older sister, just a few years her senior.

When Diao Chan heard news of Jiang Wen, her face was filled with anxiety and joy. Even when she herself was neglected, there was a look of loneliness that was all too familiar.

A woman who has fallen for my lord—how could she ever harm him for Sun Jian’s sake?

In April of the year 197 at the end of the Han Dynasty, Sun Jian sent out imperial orders to the regional lords, calling them to arms to oppose the traitors supporting the false emperor.

In the grand hall at Wancheng, Jiang Wen sat with Sun Ce, Zhou Tai, and Gan Ning.

A soldier entered, knelt, and saluted. “Reporting to the general: Lü Bu’s officer Zang Ba is leading twenty thousand troops past Lushan, advancing toward the western outskirts of Wancheng!”

“Just twenty thousand? That’s hardly enough to fill the gaps between our teeth,” Gan Ning said, polishing his twin halberds. “There’s no need to trouble the strategists or generals for this. Give Xingba five thousand men, and I’ll make sure they are utterly routed!”

“How many troops do we have defending the city?” Jiang Wen asked Sun Ce.

Sun Ce replied, “Setting aside the old, weak, and sick, we have only seven thousand soldiers.”

Jiang Wen studied the map of Wancheng. There was a small path on the western outskirts that led straight into the city. He turned to the young soldier. “Are you certain Zang Ba is taking the small path?”

“Reporting to the strategist, I have investigated thoroughly—there is no mistake!”