bookrebus Chapter 773 Zhou Yu Appoints General Zhang Zhao to Conspire
Chapter 773 Zhou Yu Appoints General Zhang Zhao to Conspire
The next day, at three quarters past midnight, war drums thundered in front of the Moling City Lord's Mansion. Clad in black dragon-scale armor and gold-inlaid boots, the cold gleam of the Zhanlu sword at his waist shone as Sun Ce stood atop a three-meter-high platform. He glanced at the hundreds of Jiangdong civil and military officials below, then waved his command flag heavily: "Today, I declare to the entire army—Zhou Yu, the Duke of Zhou, is appointed Grand Commander of Jiangdong! From this day forward, all military operations, big or small, will be under his command!"
Amidst the sound of drums and horns, Zhou Yu, dressed in silver-white soft armor, stepped onto the high platform. Sun Ce personally pressed a bronze seal engraved with the "Jiangdong Tiger Tally" into his palm: "Gongjin, these 100,000 men of Jiangdong are now handed over to you!" Before he finished speaking, Zhang Zhao strode out with bamboo slips in hand, his long white beard blowing in the wind: "I have been ordered to take charge of internal affairs. I will do my best to help the governor-general with his worries!"
"Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao, listen to my orders!" Sun Ce's voice was like a bell, and the four veteran generals stepped out at the same time, the sound of armor clashing like a ringing sound, "You will stay in Jiangdong and serve as the left and right arms of Governor Zhou. If any foreign enemy attacks, we will make sure they never return!" Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin and other generals also knelt on one knee and responded in unison.
"Lü Meng, Lü Dai, Chen Wu, Xue Zong, Quan Cong, Chen Wu!" Sun Ce's eyes flashed like lightning as he scanned the six generals one by one. They all clasped their fists and stepped forward. Lü Meng's eyes were as sharp as an eagle: "I am willing to cut through all the obstacles for my lord!" Xue Zong stroked the sword at his waist and replied calmly: "I will protect the army!" Quan Cong gripped his spear tightly, the tassel fluttering in the morning breeze: "I will not return until I have broken the enemy's formation!" Chen Wu suddenly drew his sword, the blade slicing through the air with a sharp sound: "I am willing to be the vanguard!"
"Okay!" Sun Ce laughed loudly, his voice shaking the sky. "Follow me on my western expedition. Wherever my sword points, not a blade of grass will be left!" He looked at Wei Yan again and said, "The transportation of food and fodder for the three armies is now in your hands. If anything goes wrong, you will be punished by military law!"
"Yes!" Wei Yan responded with a roar. At this moment, Shamoke suddenly let out a long roar, and the Shanyue warriors behind him beat the animal hide war drums. The sound of copper bells and bone whistles shook the golden bells on the eaves. "Shanyue men, listen to my order!" Sun Ce raised his hand to signal, "Follow General Shamoke to secretly coordinate and use your scimitars to cut a path for the army!"
Beneath the high platform, a hundred thousand soldiers roared in unison, their voices rising to the sky. Sun Ce finally gazed toward the western horizon, his sword pointed in the direction of Jiangxia: "Navy, set sail immediately! If Zhang Zigang can persuade Liu Biao to allow passage, we can make peace. If he refuses..." The Zhanlu sword was unsheathed, a cold glint flashing in his eyes. "My Jiangdong warships will surely break through the natural barrier of Jingxiang!"
Sun Ce pointed his command flag at Chen Wu and Quan Cong, "You two will immediately select three thousand elite soldiers and lead the fleet as the vanguard!" Chen Wu suddenly drew his sword, the blade cutting through the air with a sharp sound: "I will crush the enemy camp for my lord!" Quan Cong gripped his spear tightly, the tassel fluttering in the morning breeze: "I will not give up until I have captured Jiangxia!"
Beneath the high platform, thirty thousand soldiers roared in unison, their voices resounding to the heavens. Chen Wu and Quan Cong had already hurried to the riverbank. A moment later, shouts echoed across the surface of the river. Hundreds of speedboats hoisted their crimson sails and sped off like arrows towards Jiangxia. Sun Ce gazed at the vanguard battalion retreating, slowly unsheathed his Zhanlu sword, and pointed it westward: "Liu Biao, my boy, wait and see how the sons of Jiangdong will conquer Jingxiang!"
As the command flags descended, the horns blared, and the warships hoisted their sails, a Western Expedition that would shake the world began. The river breeze rippled Sun Ce's cloak, rustling it and foreshadowing the magnitude of this expedition.
Dusk hung heavy over the walls of Moling. Sun Ce, stripped off his battle robes, walked into the backyard under the setting sun, which shone like golden fragments. The carved wooden door was half-closed. Da Qiao stood before the cradle, her white skirt swaying gently with her movements. In her arms, Sun Shao had just closed his eyes, his delicate face still stained with milk.
"Don't wake him." Da Qiao raised her hand to stop him, her voice like the gurgling of a spring brook. Sun Ce had already tiptoed over, his fingertips brushing against his son's soft hair, a low laugh escaping his throat: "This kid is a sturdy boy. When I come back, I'm afraid he'll be chasing the guards with a wooden sword in his hand."
Moonlight crept up the window lattice, casting a silvery frost on Da Qiao's brow. She gazed at her husband's sharp-edged profile, her eyes shimmering with emotion: "Chang'an is a thousand miles away, and the road is full of wolves, tigers and leopards..." Before he could finish his words, Sun Ce reached out and pulled her into his arms, wrapping them both in his cloak. His warmth, mingled with the scent of rust, dispelled the night's chill.
"Why worry?" He rubbed his chin against the top of her head, his tone filled with his usual arrogance, "One hundred thousand Jiangdong men followed me to the battle, and Gongjin stayed in the rear, as steady as a rock. Liu Biao's passes and Cao Cao's cavalry are nothing but chickens and dogs in my eyes!"
"Women just love to worry." Sun Ce rubbed his chin against the top of her head and chuckled. "One hundred thousand Jiangdong men obey my orders, and Gongjin is in charge of the rear, making all the plans. Even gods would have to make way for me!" He suddenly remembered something and looked up. "By the way, are Sister-in-law Sally and Ma Yue safe in the mansion?"
Da Qiao's fingers unconsciously twisted around the laces of his cloak, a cloud of worry covering her brows: "Sister-in-law has been staring at the general's relics all day, and the child has just learned to call daddy..." Her voice faded away, and Sun Shao in the cradle suddenly let out a whimper, frightening them both and holding their breath.
After the baby fell asleep again, Sun Ce looked at the flickering candlelight on the curtains, his expression solemn. "Go spend more time with my sister-in-law for me. That child has the blood of Xiliang and will surely be a powerful figure in the future." Da Qiao bit her lower lip, her voice growing weaker. "It's just a baby. The Xiliang Ma family is powerful, and Brother Mengqi's brothers are already adults. How could they be willing to let a young child inherit the family business?"
Sun Ce abruptly rose to his feet, the sword at his waist clanging with a resounding clatter. The candlelight cast his shadow against the wall, like a tiger poised for a pounce. "So what if the Ma family refuses to acknowledge me? My spear, Sun Ce, is no pushover!" He reached out to press Da Qiao's trembling shoulders, his eyes blazing with rage. "Since Gongjin and I have acknowledged Ma Yue as our nephew, we must ensure his safety. Furthermore, King Cheliji of Western Qiang and Mengqi are sworn brothers. With the three of us united, even the gods themselves would have to think twice before attempting to seize the throne!"
The night wind blew dead leaves against the window lattice, and Sun Shao suddenly sobbed in his sleep. Da Qiao hurriedly turned to pat the cradle, but Sun Ce took the initiative and took his wife and child's hand. His fingertips caressed the calluses on Da Qiao's palm—the marks left by sewing his battle uniform. "When I return victorious, I will make it known to the world that Ma Yue is worthy of and can hold the throne of the Lord of Xiliang!" His voice was low and firm, startling the jackdaws roosting under the eaves, and they fluttered off into the dark night.
Late at night, the bronze door of a secret room in Zhang Zhao's mansion slowly opened. The flickering candlelight revealed dozens of figures within. On the long sandalwood table, the candlelight cast a faint green glow, illuminating Zhang Zhao's pale face with an even more sinister look. The heads of the four Wu clans—Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang—seated around him, their jade pendants rubbing against the fabric of their clothing, making a subtle, crackling sound. Generals like Lü Dai, Lü Meng, and Xue Zong stood with swords drawn, their armor gleaming coldly in the dim light.
"Everyone." Zhang Zhao's voice was as cold as a poisonous snake. "Sun Ce insisted on marching west to Chang'an. It seemed that he was avenging Ma Chao, but in fact he was pushing the Jiangdong people into the fire pit." He knocked hard on the table, shaking the flame in the lamp violently. "In today's world, although there are many princes, the foundation of the court has not been shaken. After Ma Chao's death, the world situation has changed. Although Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, Tao Qian, Liu Zhang, Liu Biao and others have ulterior motives, they are no match for the emperor. Sun Ce's move is just like hitting a rock with an egg!"
The head of the Gu family stroked his goatee and sneered: "That's right! If we allow him to waste the elite troops of Jiangdong on the westward expedition, when the emperor conquers the world and comes to settle accounts, how can we in Jiangdong resist?" The head of the Lu family narrowed his eyes and looked at the generals: "I heard that Zhou Yu was appointed as the Grand Commander. This is clearly an attempt to undermine our family!"
Zhang Zhao stroked his beard and sneered, his skinny fingers rapping heavily on the long sandalwood table: "That's right! Sun Ce's westward expedition this time is a dead end!" He swept his eyes over the hall full of clan leaders and generals, his eyes gleaming coldly, "Although Zhou Yu was left in charge of Jiangdong, he didn't know..." His voice stopped abruptly, and he suddenly stood up and approached the crowd, lowering his voice like a venomous snake, "The crisis has already been buried beside him!"
The head of the Gu family suddenly straightened his back, his jade ring gleaming coldly in the candlelight: "The chief clerk is saying..."
"Lü Meng, Lü Dai, Xue Zong..." Zhang Zhao pointed at the generals standing in the hall one by one, "Which one of them is not from an aristocratic family? The four veteran generals stayed in Jiangdong to assist Zhou Yu. It seems to stabilize the rear, but in fact..." He smiled grimly, "When Sun Ce's army goes deep into the danger, he will be surrounded by generals from my aristocratic family. If they want to kill him, it will be a piece of cake!"
The head of the Lu family stroked the golden sword at his waist, his Adam's apple rolling: "But Wei Yan is loyal..."
"Hmph!" Zhang Zhao interrupted with a flick of his sleeve, "He's just a warrior!" His skinny finger fiercely stabbed at the grain route mark on the map, "Sun Ce chose to let him escort the grain, this is a godsend! As long as we make a little trick in the supply, the army will be trapped in the wilderness, and Sun Ce will be unable to escape even if he has wings!" He raised his head suddenly, a crazy fire burning in his eyes, "By then, he will be surrounded by people like us, and even Zhou Yu with three heads and six arms can't save him!"
A suppressed gasp suddenly echoed in the secret room. Xue Zong's hand on his sword trembled slightly, but Lü Dai threw his head back and laughed heartily: "Great insight, Chief Secretary! Once Sun Ce dies, Jiangdong will belong to the aristocratic families!" As the sinister laughter echoed in the secret room, the candle flames suddenly swelled, casting distorted shadows on the wall, like the grinning of evil spirits.
Lü Meng suddenly took a half step forward, the clashing of armor startling the candlelight. "Don't underestimate the enemy!" His brows furrowed as he glanced at the complacent people in the room. "Zhou Yu has always been known as the 'brain trust of Jiangdong.' Has there been a single battle in all these years in which he hasn't made meticulous plans? If something unexpected happens to Sun Ce, given his temperament..." Before he finished speaking, the temperature in the secret room seemed to drop suddenly.
Zhang Zhao paused stroking his beard, then let out a hoarse laugh: "Ziming, you're worrying too much." He pointed at the map, gently shaking it over the candlelight, "Zhang Zigang went to Xiangyang. On the surface, he was negotiating to borrow the road, but in reality, he was making a secret agreement with Liu Biao—" His skinny finger heavily poked the Jingxiang defense line on the map, "Borrow Liu Biao's sword to chop off Sun Ce's head!"
The head of the Lu family stood up suddenly, and the jade pendant on his waist made a clear sound: "Liu Biao has always been cautious. How could he be willing to be our pawn?"
"Liu Biao's calculations are very precise, but he knows better..." A sinister light flashed in Zhang Zhao's eyes, "Sun Ce's westward advance is fake, but the annexation of Jingxiang is real!" He grabbed the bronze paperweight on the table and smashed it hard on Jiangxia. "Once the Jiangdong army breaks through Jingxiang, Liu Biao's painstakingly built foundation will be in tatters! Instead of waiting for death, why not use our strategy to eliminate the trouble once and for all?"