Although Yuan Shu had issued a gag order, many well-informed individuals had gotten hold of the news. When one person knows, it’s privacy; when two know, it’s a secret; when three are aware, it’s common knowledge—and when a crowd knows, there’s no stopping it.
Yuan Shu found himself in this very situation. Despite not wanting to tell anyone, the news of Yuzhou’s capture spread throughout the entire camp in no time, causing unrest among the people and a significant drop in combat effectiveness.
It must be said that Yuan Shu, when pushed to desperation, actually showed a rare clarity of mind. His intelligence seemed to boost a notch. With lavish rewards, Yuan Shu announced a generous share of Jingzhou’s loot—fully ten percent of it—and doled it out. Then, with a commanding presence, he declared that should they capture Jiangling, the current bounty on each man’s head would triple. Those who fought with all their might would still receive a reward even if the city didn’t fall, but anyone who held back would be punished by association!
The coldness in Yuan Shu’s expression as he uttered that last sentence made everyone understand his resolve. At that moment, Yuan Shu’s formidable spirit shocked everyone; his heroic resolve was comparable to Yuan Shao, and his determination could stand alongside Cao Mengde’s, however...
"Yuan Gong is really..." Zhou Yu, looking at the latest intelligence in his hands, understood the situation in Yuzhou quite clearly. Originally, Zhou Yu had thought Yuan Shu’s retreat was inevitable, but Yuan Shu’s choice left him astonished. The boldness didn’t just impress Zhou Yu, but the glaring gap in intelligence was even more astounding...
"I knew Uncle Gonglu was peculiar. I guessed right, didn’t I? His word is his bond, his actions are decisive. Although sometimes unreliable, nobody can sway him once he’s made up his mind. Remember how he simply turned away when the Imperial Seal was right in front of him? With such resolve, Uncle will never back down. Jiangling is as good as ours!" Sun Ce said with pride, as if proving his ability to judge people was spot on.
"Indeed, it’s quite a surprise." Zhou Yu nodded and said, "Ah, Jiangling... If Yuan Gong captures it, the situation under heaven will greatly change! But the timing is wrong! Capturing it now is meaningless. We should be moving like Mount Tai’s Liu Xuande, transferring resources back home to consolidate our base, rather than recklessly expanding our control. Jingbei’s occupied territory enjoys Liu Biao’s popular support!"
"Does this mean Uncle is bound to fail?" Sun Ce paused, surprised, but his trust in Zhou Yu made him heed his counselor’s advice, and he grew tense. "Gongjin, what should we do?"
"There’s nothing we can do but to blockade the Yangtze River, dispatch fast ships to patrol everywhere, and deny Liu Jingsheng any opportunity. Bofu, you also need your own private troop," Zhou Yu suggested calmly, given both Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin had pledged allegiance to Sun Ce upon meeting him.
"Alright then..." Sun Ce looked hesitant, but after thinking for a while, he nodded in agreement.
The original three thousand soldiers, under Zhou Yu’s command, had defeated Huang Zu of Jiangxia and, gathering defectors along the way, now had nearly twenty thousand navy men and over a hundred vessels at their disposal. That was almost the equivalent of a feudal lord’s strength.
That Yuan Shu had left Sun Ce in command without any specific orders touched him profoundly; even old generals like Cheng Pu and Huang Gai found it hard to criticize Yuan Shu any further. To offer shelter to the Sunx family meant just that—shelter, with no strings attached. I, Yuan Gonglu, naturally fulfill my benevolent duty to the utmost.
After accepting Zhou Yu’s suggestion, Sun Ce suddenly thought of the latter’s last point, "Right, why are we blockading the Yangtze River?"
"To prevent Liu Jingsheng from making a desperate move when cornered, these last ten days will be Yuan Gong’s final outburst. The chances of taking Jiangling are slim, but if Jiangling is in imminent danger, Jingsheng might just go crazy enough to disregard the aristocracy and dig up the Yangtze River," Zhou Yu said helplessly, his greatest frustration with Sun Ce being his incredibly low intelligence.
In fact, Sun Ce’s intelligence wasn’t that low, but Zhou Yu’s was so high that when he was with Sun Ce, he always felt that his sworn brother had intellectual issues. Sometimes, for the sake of having a good time together, Zhou Yu would activate his Spiritual Talent, reducing his own intelligence so he could happily play with Sun Ce.
Of course, Zhou Yu wouldn’t often use this trick, since doing it for too long could make him forget he was a smart man and actually diminish his intelligence. After all, the brain is something that needs to be exercised often to unleash wisdom.
"Eh? Would Liu Biao really do that?" Sun Ce was not foolish, and he was aware of some things, "If he did that, Liu Biao wouldn’t need to live anymore. Besides, Jingzhou is stable because of the aristocracy; with that approach, he could forget about ever holding the position of Governor of Jingzhou again. Either way, it’s a death sentence, so why would he risk tarnishing his reputation for ’benevolence’?"
Listening to Sun Ce’s sarcastic analysis, Zhou Yu smiled, "He wouldn’t, but Kuai Yidu would!"
Sun Ce was taken aback and began to ponder why, looking at Zhou Yu’s expression, but that look lasted only a moment before it disappeared, and he turned his head to ask Zhou Yu, "Why?"
Zhou Yu’s face was filled with helplessness, it seemed Sun Ce had decided to rely completely on him. Ever since Zhou Yu appeared, Sun Ce had hardly used his brain, instead focusing solely on training his muscles.
"Because you must kill Kuai Yidu. This determination to kill won’t change just because he is a noted scholar. No matter how wise he is, he must die. So, as an aristocratic family member who isn’t the head of the household, in that situation, anything goes," Zhou Yu said resignedly, as Sun Ce utterly refused to think.
Sun Ce instantly understood, his original playful expression hardened, and he became cold, "So, there’s also a chance my uncle might fall at his feet?"
"That’s why we’re going to seal off the Yangtze River, not giving him the chance," Zhou Yu nodded, "Along with that, pick five thousand elite soldiers adept at both naval and ground battles. Once Yuan Gong retreats, lead eight hundred to ambush here," Zhou Yu pointed to an area on the map a few dozen miles from Jiangling.
Sun Ce did not understand why this was necessary, but that did not stop him from proceeding. After all, up to this point, Zhou Yu had not made any mistakes.
[Ah, Bofu, you don’t understand. I want you to become an overlord, not someone’s underling. Don’t blame me.] Zhou Yu looked at Sun Ce, who was nodding in front of him, and thought to himself, [The five thousand soldiers, adept at both water and land warfare, can be used to forsake Yuan Gong and pacify Yangzhou when necessary. I always have this feeling that Yuan Gong will mess up big time one day. We have to be prepared in advance. Your natural disposition is indeed that of a born overlord. Trust me, I won’t let you down. I will make you a prince!]
Sun Ce had no clue about Zhou Yu’s thoughts and feelings. At least until now, Sun Ce had not felt any dissatisfaction towards Yuan Shu, nor had the generals of the Sun family. None of these men were of the sort to repay kindness with ingratitude, and the idea of declaring themselves kings had never crossed their minds. (To be continued. If you work, you are welcome to vote for it at Qidian ). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to continue reading.)