Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

King of Hejian, King of Chencang, King of Xinye...

Cao Rui had no interest in deliberately concealing the news. Instead, he instructed Cao Zhen and Lu Xun to take the message back to their respective headquarters and spread the word. In any case, Cao Rui had no intention of backing down. Given the current state of the battle, it was only a matter of time before things came to an end.

The troops near Wuhan immediately became enthusiastic. Many subordinates and colleagues wanted to congratulate the two, but Cao Zhen readily accepted their congratulations, explaining that the official investiture from the court had not yet been issued, and today's congratulations could only be considered an advance greeting, not a proper one. He added that the gifts would have to be presented later.

Lu Xun's approach was completely different from Cao Zhen's. He only told his generals about the matter, and then locked himself in the cabin of his ship, refusing to see anyone.

This is the advantage of having a navy. Cao Zhen himself is in the Wuwei Army camp next to Queyue City; if anyone comes looking for him, they will surely find him. Lu Xun, on the other hand, leads a navy, with his warships hidden in the river, allowing him to enjoy a peaceful life.

The only exception is Sima Wangjun, whose ship was Lu Xun's.

In Lu Xun's view, this young man Wang Jun was quite similar to Zhou Duo in his younger days, only slightly more talented. What Zhou Duo and Wang Jun had in common was that although they were close to their subordinates, they were both responsible to the court and more loyal to the court than to themselves.

This situation was extremely common throughout the Wei army.

"Your subordinate congratulates the General on his upcoming investiture as a king!"

Lu Xun accepted Wang Jun's bow with composure on the ship, then asked him to rise and sit with Wang Jun at the table, and slowly said:
"Your Majesty has granted me the fief of Chencang, granted Duke Dong the fief of Xinye, and granted Grand General the fief of Hejian County. These three appointments are completely different from what I had previously imagined."

Wang Jun thought for a moment and asked, "General, perhaps you previously guessed that the title of king would be bestowed upon a border region?"

"Yes." Lu Xun shook his head slightly: "I thought that the former territories of Wu would be granted, such as remote places like Yuzhang, Wuling, and Linhai, but I did not expect His Majesty to be so benevolent. The three places granted this time are all good places."

"Hejian County has countless fertile fields and is located at the northern end of Ji Province, bordering You Province to the north. It can be called a superior county. Chencang, which Your Majesty has granted me, is a vital passage in Guanzhong, and Xinye is also an important place in Jing Province."

Wang Jun cupped his hands in a gesture of respect towards the north: "The Holy Emperor has always been generous."

Lu Xun nodded: "Indeed."

Wang Jun then asked, "What about the system that you just mentioned to your subordinates? Is your title of General Who Conquers the East going to be revoked?"

“It should be abolished.” Lu Xun’s excitement was much greater than he thought. He spoke more with Wang Jun: “Shizhi, according to His Majesty’s will, once a person is granted the title of king, he can no longer have both the title and the power. The title of general and the governorship of Jiangzhou should be abolished for the Grand General. My title of General Who Conquers the East should also be removed. Dong Gong’s titles of Grand Commandant and Privy Councilor should also be removed.”

Wang Jun reacted for a few seconds: "The position of tutor to the Prince of Ye should remain with the Grand Commandant."

“Yes, it’s not necessary to go.” Lu Xun continued, “It seems that after this battle and before we attack Jiangling, there will be many changes in military ranks throughout the court and among the people.”

Wang Jun nodded: "That's right. The general told his subordinates that it seems he will be transferring generals from elsewhere to participate in the war. This battle is... almost like training generals."

Lu Xun genuinely admired Wang Jun and intended to mentor him, thus often speaking to him at length as a form of guidance for the young man. On the other hand, Lu Xun had always suspected that his every word and action was being reported to the Emperor and the Grand Secretariat, and this young general, a graduate of the Imperial Academy, seemed to be the most suitable candidate. Lu Xun's frequent conversations with him also carried a hint of showing the Emperor that he had no secrets. "It's not just about training generals," Lu Xun said. "Shizhi is still young. If you were to serve as a Privy Councilor in twenty years, you would truly understand the Emperor's wisdom."

"Your Majesty clearly stated to Dong Gong in the central government that since the end of the Han Dynasty, the titles of generals have become increasingly excessive. Before the expedition, Your Majesty revoked Chen Situ's title of General of the Cavalry. If the title of Grand General is also revoked, and my title of General Who Conquers the East is also revoked, then the top-ranking Generals of the Cavalry, Chariots and Cavalry, Guards, and Four Conquests will only have one Guards and Chariots and Cavalry still in Guanzhong, and one General Who Conquers the South in Jingzhou."

"Shizhi, what do you think of these two general titles?"

Wang Jun hesitated for a few moments. Discussing these important court matters with Lu Xun was a rare opportunity for him, a mere magistrate, to broaden his horizons. Therefore, he carefully considered his response:

"Man Zhengnan... There was some discussion in the army before that Man Zhengnan might be granted the title of King, but now it seems that he might be granted the title of Duke. Since Grand Commandant Dong Gong has relinquished his official position, Man Zhengnan might as well return to the central government to serve as the Privy Councilor. As for Cavalry Guard... I have long heard that Cavalry Guard has a teacher-student relationship with His Majesty, so I think he won't care about this general's title."

“What Shizhi said is correct. The Imperial Academy is known for producing talented people, and that’s true.” Lu Xun’s gaze toward Wang Jun held a newfound appreciation: “What Shizhi said is largely consistent with my guess.”

"Shizhi, after the battle of Jiangling, do you have any plans for your future?"

"Your subordinate..." Wang Jun panicked for a moment: "Your subordinate has no such intention. I only ask to do my job well in the army without making any mistakes every day."

Mentoring younger generations is a good thing in itself, let alone for someone like Lu Xun who has reached the pinnacle of nobility. He then smiled and said:
“Shizhi is too young, and you are not a member of the imperial clan. You will not be able to become a two-thousand-stone official before you are thirty years old. However, it is not that there is no other way. Would you like to go to His Majesty’s side as a Gentleman Attendant? There is a shortage of people there, and you are a protégé of the Emperor, which is perfect for you.”

"Me? Me?" Wang Jun was stunned for a moment: "You, a subordinate, can also serve as a cavalry officer?"

Lu Xun understood what he meant.

Whether considering his family background or his experience at the Imperial Academy, Wang Jun appeared rather ordinary, far inferior to those who had served as Gentlemen-at-Arms, such as Xiahou Xuan, Jiang Wei, Zhong Yu, Fu Gu, Chen Ben, and Zhuge Xu.

However, his achievements in this campaign alongside Lu Xun were enough to make him stand out among his fellow students at the Imperial Academy.

Lu Xun said, "Let's give it a try; perhaps it will work?"

Wang Jun immediately bowed down: "Your subordinate is very grateful for the general's kindness in promoting me! If I succeed in the future, I will surely repay you!"

Lu Xun chuckled a few times: "Shizhi, don't think so far ahead for now. Just take it one step at a time. Let me tell you, being an official in chaotic times is different from being an official in prosperous times..."

Just as Lu Xun was sharing his life experience with Wang Jun, news of yesterday's great victory over the Wu army had already reached Echeng downstream. Infantry Colonel Bian Lan was stationed on the northeastern bank of the river in Echeng. The military order from the Privy Council clearly stated that Bian Lan needed to try to persuade Sun Lin, the garrison commander in the city, to surrender.

Whether or not to persuade them to surrender is not the main issue; the more crucial thing is the news of this great victory... which startled Bian Lan so much that he paced back and forth in the military tent for a while.

They set out on the 19th, arrived on the 20th, fought on the 21st, and beheaded Sun Quan on the 22nd? (End of Chapter)