Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Wang Lang's brow furrowed, his fingers tapping subconsciously on the table as he weighed the pros and cons in his mind. He thought, if he agreed to Sun Ce's request for cooperation, allowing both factions to enter Wujun, perhaps they would become wary of each other and restrain each other. While he would likely still have to cede some of his territory, this way, he might be able to lose less. But if he refused, with Sun Ce's strength and Tao Ying watching closely from the sidelines, he might not even have room to maneuver. He might lose not just some of his territory, but control of the entire Wujun. Thinking of this, Wang Lang sighed deeply, his heart filled with helplessness and entanglement, yet he had to force himself to make a decision quickly.

Wang Lang took a deep breath, suppressed his inner turmoil, and tried to make his voice sound calmer. "Since you are sincere about discussing cooperation, I would like to ask, how many troops can your general provide? And how do you plan to deploy them?"

Huan Jie's expression was calm, and he responded without hesitation: "It all depends on your wishes, my lord. My master will definitely respond to your requests. As long as we can pacify the Shanyue as soon as possible, deploying troops will not be a problem."

Huan Jie spoke lightly, but Wang Lang, listening intently, was troubled. He mused that no matter how many troops Sun Ce sent, the battlefield was on his own territory. Once the fighting was over, it was hard to predict how the situation would develop. After all, "it's easier to invite a deity than to send one away." But given the current situation, he was determined to muddy the waters further, so that Tao Ying and Sun Ce would be wary of each other.

Wang Lang remained convinced that with the strength of Tao Ying's army, defeating the Shanyue would be a piece of cake. Sun Ce's value lay in the fact that, after Tao Ying defeated the Shanyue, he could act as a check and balance between the two should Tao Ying attempt to annex his territory. With this thought, Wang Lang suddenly steeled himself, gnashing his teeth and saying, "Mr. Huan, then please have your lord temporarily stationed in the old prefectures. As for the number of troops, you can use whatever you choose, eight thousand or ten thousand will do. Your lord doesn't need to exert too much effort in the early stages of conquering the Shanyue."

Huan Jie's face flashed with surprise when he heard this, and he couldn't help asking, "Your Excellency's move is truly intriguing. Forgive my ignorance, I really don't understand your thoughts at the moment. I hope Your Excellency can explain it clearly."

Wang Lang clenched his teeth, his cheeks puffing out from the exertion. Pain and resentment were written all over his face, and his voice was shrouded in helplessness, practically squeezing out the words through his teeth. "Since it's come to this, I won't beat around the bush. The army sent from Xuzhou will easily deal with the Shanyue. But what I fear most now is that once the Shanyue are eliminated, they'll turn their spearheads against me." He took a deep breath, his eyes filled with desperate determination. "To be honest with you, I'm willing to give this old county to your general. It borders Xu Gong's former territory, so I grit my teeth and give it to your general. I have only one request: I hope your general will station troops here. If Tao Ying disregards the alliance and attacks me, I hope your general will come to my aid. When this matter is settled, this old county will belong to your general. Can you do this for your general?"

Huan Jie was overjoyed upon hearing this. A smile instantly spread across his face. He patted his chest and promised confidently, "Don't worry, Your Majesty! My general will definitely be happy to accept such a good offer. I will convey your instructions in detail and will do my utmost to help you. I will never let you down!"

Wang Lang put on a sincere expression and said loudly, "Since I have decided to transfer Gujun County to your general, as a token of my unconditional sincerity, I will relocate all the troops stationed here. You can come and relieve the defense at any time." This sounded righteous and high-sounding, but in reality, Wang Lang's current military situation was stretched to the limit and he was in a state of embarrassment. He knew in his heart that since he had already made up his mind to give up Guzhang County, there was no need to waste troops here.

Wang Lang secretly planned to seize this opportunity to withdraw troops from Guzhang County and dispatch some from Yangxian County, so that they could march together to Wucheng County. He knew that he could not allow Tao Ying to defeat the Shanyue on his own. If he were to succeed on his own, he would be in danger. The people would be divided and his territory would be lost, which would be a complete loss. After all, the aristocratic families were already secretly flirting with Tao Ying, and he had to be on guard. He needed to command a sufficient number of troops to navigate this complex situation and preserve his remaining power.

Huan Jie was delighted to see that the negotiations had made significant progress, which was like getting a county for free. He naturally agreed without hesitation and stated that he would report all these matters to Sun Ce. He also vowed that Sun Ce would fulfill the agreement.

Seeing this, Wang Lang continued, "The location of Gujun County is extremely critical. If we join forces with the Xuzhou army to encircle the Shanyue, we'll need Gujun County to hold the gates tightly. The Shanyue bandits are always cunning. Once the war begins, they'll inevitably flee like headless flies. If any Shanyue remnants sneak into Gujun County, you must hold them at bay with all your might and never let them break through the defenses. Furthermore, you must coordinate your forces to eliminate these fleeing Shanyue bandits to relieve the pressure on the main battlefield."

Upon hearing this, Huan Jie nodded without hesitation and agreed immediately, "Don't worry, Lord Wang. Since we are cooperating, our general will certainly not let us down at such a critical moment. Therefore, we will make sure to make proper arrangements for the county's defense and coordinated operations."

After the two sides reached an agreement, Huan Jie bowed and took his leave, his steps hurried, his heart filled with the urgency to report back to Sun Ce. He knew that if this mission was successfully completed, Sun Ce would be satisfied and might even offer a generous reward.

Wang Lang stood for a long time, watching Huan Jie's retreating figure. Only after he had vanished did he slowly turn around, his gaze settling on the map of Wu Commandery hanging in the hall. Looking at the ancient counties on the map that would soon be assigned to Sun Ce, his heart felt as if it were being gripped by an invisible hand, aching like blood flowing silently within him. This land, the fruit of years of painstaking cultivation, was now to be given away. How could he not feel heartache?

He subconsciously clenched his back teeth, his cheeks bulging with force, and the muscles on his face twitched slightly. A complex light flashed in his eyes, with anger, unwillingness, and a hint of desperate determination. "Tao Ying," he cursed in his heart, his voice low and suppressed, "you have such a big appetite, trying to swallow up my territory in one gulp. With such a lion's mouth, aren't you afraid of bursting your belly and breaking your teeth! Do you think I, Wang Lang, am a soft persimmon that can be easily manipulated? Since you are so unkind, don't blame me for being unjust." Wang Lang clenched his fists so hard that his joints turned white and the veins on his arms bulged. "I'm going to make this situation even more chaotic, and let you and Sun Ce fight each other to the death. The more muddy the water is, the more forces will check and balance each other, and the more room I will have to maneuver. Maybe I can wade out of it and keep my foundation in Wujun. Even if there is only a glimmer of hope, I will never give up and will fight you to the end!"

Huan Jie, bearing this game-changing news, hurried back to Sun Ce's tent without stopping. Along the way, he felt incredibly elated, as if he could already see Sun Ce's delighted expression upon hearing the news. Upon reaching the tent, he strode forward and announced loudly, "My lord, the great deed has been accomplished!"

Sun Ce, bent over his desk, was reviewing military reports when he suddenly looked up at the sound, a flicker of anticipation in his eyes. Huan Jie recounted the details of his negotiations with Wang Lang, and Sun Ce listened intently. He was overjoyed to learn that the ancient prefecture was about to be taken. His already chiseled features now broke into a brilliant smile, his eyes gleaming with determination. This was a godsend opportunity. He had secured a county without a single soldier. More importantly, he had successfully embedded his power deeply within Wang Lang's territory, making his future plans for Wujun much smoother.

Sun Ce knew this opportunity was now or never, and his excitement was beyond words. He immediately sent for Shamoke and Gan Ning. The two hurried over, and the atmosphere in the tent instantly became lively. Sun Ce stood up and paced back and forth in the tent, waving his hands vigorously, his tone full of unquestionable courage and determination: "You two, this is a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity, we must not miss it! I intend to personally lead Generals Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao, with only 10,000 troops, to immediately take over Gu County. This Gu County is of vital importance, and I will firmly control it in our hands, not neglecting even a blade of grass or a tree. Generals, you will continue to lead the remaining troops in Yong'an County to contain Cao Bao's army."

Gan Ning frowned slightly, clasping his fists and saying, "Bofu, if we divide our forces again at this time, I'm worried that they'll be spread too thin. If the Xuzhou army or Wang Lang suddenly launch an attack, we'll be hard-pressed to respond." Shamoke nodded in agreement, "Brother Gan is absolutely right. If our forces are dispersed, their strength will be weakened. It's better to concentrate them."

Sun Ce waved his hand and smiled confidently, "Don't worry, Generals. Speed ​​is of the essence in war, and now is the time to seize the initiative. I will proceed to reclaim the old counties while I discuss the overall situation with Gongjin and my brother. You will simply lead the remaining troops and feign a diversionary posture in front of Yong'an County. Our goal is to disrupt their rhythm and confuse them about our true intentions. As long as the old counties are successfully captured, we will have a solid foundation in Wu County, and subsequent actions will be more confident."

Gan Ning and Shamoke exchanged a glance. Although they still had some concerns, seeing Sun Ce's confidence, they stopped talking and clasped their fists once again, accepting the order: "We will follow your orders!"

The deliberations within the tent concluded successfully. Sun Ce acted decisively, quickly mustering 10,000 troops and marching in a mighty procession towards Gu County. Along the way, he was well aware of the importance of intelligence and constantly dispatched elite cavalry to liaise with Ma Chao and Zhou Yu, providing timely reports and updates on the current battle situation to ensure coordinated action by all parties.

As Sun Ce's army approached Gujun County, tension thickened in the air. However, upon arrival, the sight before him both surprised and delighted Sun Ce. As he had anticipated, Wang Lang, driven to desperation by the complex situation, had lost his composure. Most of the troops originally stationed in Gujun County had already withdrawn, leaving only a handful of soldiers, demoralized and lacking any fighting spirit.

Sun Ce, secretly pleased by this, immediately ordered his army to advance steadily. His troops effortlessly took over Gujun County. As Sun Ce's banner flew high above the city walls of Gujun County, Wang Lang's remaining small force hastily retreated to Yangxian County. Thus, Sun Ce seamlessly conquered Gujun County and firmly established himself in Wujun territory.