Chapter Forty-One: After the Decisive Battle on the Battlefield
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Motling, the mansion of Zuo Rong. Zhou Yu stood quietly outside the gates, waiting, when he saw a figure emerge.
The man’s appearance was ordinary, but his cheeks glowed with health, and he held a string of prayer beads in his hand. “Nephew, you have come from afar. What urgent matter brings you here?”
Zhou Yu bowed respectfully to Zuo Rong. “My father once served as Prefect of Luoyang, but was dismissed as a commoner due to the traitor Dong Zhuo. The world is now in chaos, and I, too, wish to serve the realm.”
He handed a bamboo letter to Zuo Rong. “This is a letter from my father, entrusted to me for you.”
Zuo Rong took the letter with a light chuckle, but his expression grew grave as he read. Glancing around, he whispered to Zhou Yu, “Come inside, let us discuss matters in my hall.”
Once seated on the mats, Zuo Rong asked, “Since you have taken office under the Minister of Works, why come to me seeking a position? Could it be that Sun Ce encountered some crisis at Niuzhu?”
Zhou Yu replied, “My family’s Commandant is in good health. I merely hope, sir, that you might speak a few words to Liu Yao on our behalf.”
“Oh?” Zuo Rong remarked indifferently. “And what purpose do these words serve? You know our two armies are currently fighting at Niuzhu. If I were to take your head and present it to the Grand Administrator, wouldn’t that be more useful than your few words?”
“If you truly thought so, I would already be dead,” Zhou Yu answered with a faint smile. “The folk songs sung by the common people of Niuzhu have surely spread to Motling these past days. The banquet Xue Li hosted for my Commandant was much discussed in the main hall, I am sure.”
Zuo Rong watched Zhou Yu impassively. “What do you mean by this?”
Zhou Yu smiled ambiguously. “How about I offer you a benefit?”
Zuo Rong asked carelessly, “What benefit?”
“The command of twenty thousand soldiers,” Zhou Yu said.
“How so?” Zuo Rong’s heart stirred, but his face remained expressionless.
Zhou Yu continued, “Now that there is discord between Xue Li and Liu Yao, you need only speak a few words. The post of commander will surely change hands. Who then will lead the troops?”
Zuo Rong burst out laughing. “Zhou Yu, do you take me for a three-year-old? Your army is fighting mine at Niuzhu, and you propose changing the commander... How ridiculous!”
“My army can guarantee that if you persuade Xue Li to withdraw, we will not attack Motling for half a year. Isn’t that enough time for you to eliminate your rivals?” Zhou Yu said casually.
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Zuo Rong’s laughter grew softer. “Tell me, how can I trust you?”
“Sun Bofu, the Commandant of the Tiger Guards, is my sworn brother…”
After finishing their discussions, Zhou Yu made his way back.
Once Zhou Yu had left, Zuo Rong immediately donned his official robes, boarded a carriage, and hurried to Liu Yao’s main hall to meet him.
In the grand hall, Zuo Rong bowed and said, “My lord, Xue Li harbors ambitions unbefitting a subject. The popular ballads speak of it, likening him to Wei Wang Bao, who shifts with the wind, plotting with Sun Ce to annex Motling!”
Liu Yao shook his head. “I know Xue Li’s character well. He would never do such a thing.”
Zuo Rong replied, “Xue Li once revered your authority and remained loyal. But now he commands twenty thousand troops, has abstained from battle for three months, and recently hosted Sun Ce at a banquet. All these signs point to disloyalty—how can you trust him!”
He pressed further, “My lord, you once knew Xue Li without a strong army. Is the Xue Li you know still the same now that he commands such forces?”
Liu Yao wavered. Xue Li’s invitation to Sun Ce at Niuzhu was thought to be a trap, but the two merely spoke—no troops moved, and enemy armies mingled peacefully on the battlefield…
Liu Yao had never seen such a thing in his life!
“Zuo Rong, would you lead the army then?” Liu Yao asked.
Zuo Rong shook his head. “My lord, if Xue Li has grown ambitious, sending me to replace him would endanger my life. Better, while the army still obeys you, to immediately order Xue Li’s recall and strip him of command, then let me take charge.”
“But Xue Li and Sun Ce are currently battling at Niuzhu. How can we recall him now?”
Zuo Rong answered, “My lord, precisely because they are fighting, now is the time to recall him! If we lose Niuzhu now, we lose only a single city. If, someday, the army obeys Xue Li alone… My lord, should Xue Li and Sun Ce join hands, open the gates at Niuzhu, Sun Ce could march straight for Motling, and you would have no officers to command. What then?”
“This… this!” Liu Yao stood, his face clouded, hesitated for a long moment, then declared, “Issue my orders—assemble the army and return to Motling at once. If Xue Li refuses, execute him immediately!”
In Xue Li’s camp, Xue Li glared at the bamboo letter in his hand, his expression furious. “Who knows what nonsense Zuo Rong has spread in the rear. Now the lord orders us to abandon Niuzhu and defend Motling!”
Yu Mi shook his head. “Our army has stalemated with Sun Ce for so long, morale is low. If we abandon the city and flee, how can we speak of counterattack?”
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Zhang Ying bowed and said, “General, the commander outside may sometimes disregard orders. We shall pretend we never received this command!”
“Yes, pretend we never saw it!”
Xue Li nodded. “If we really withdraw, morale will collapse, and Motling will surely fall to Sun Ce. I refuse the order!”
Inside Motling, Liu Yao stared at the bamboo letter in his hand, his face dark and fearsome. “That Xue Li, that beast! He really wants to hoard power—he’s worse than swine and dogs! And to think I valued him so highly!”
He flung the bamboo letter to the ground, scattering its pieces. Liu Yao immediately penned a new letter and summoned his aides. “Take this message quietly to Tai Shi Ci!”
Outside the camp, Jiang Wen and Sun Ce watched the approaching horses. Jiang Wen bowed to Zhou Yu. “Changsu welcomes Gongjin and wishes you a dust-free journey!”
After returning the gesture, Zhou Yu turned to Sun Ce and said, “Within three days, our army can occupy Niuzhu.”
Jiang Wen, slightly curious, asked, “What strategy did you employ, Gongjin?”
Zhou Yu smiled faintly. “I mentioned someone to Changsu—do you know Zuo Rong?”
Jiang Wen mused, “Zuo Rong is a traitor who has repeatedly killed his benefactors for profit. Gongjin, you used his hand this time?”
Zhou Yu smiled silently.
That night, beside the campfire, the aroma of roasted meat filled the air. Lu Meng sliced a piece with his knife and ate contentedly. “Too bad Changsu’s lady isn’t here—her cooking is unmatched!”
“What lady? She’s still just a page!”
“That’ll change soon enough. After the war, they’ll wed!”
ps: As the New Year approaches, my workload has increased to ensure a good holiday, so updates are fewer. Please understand!