Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

In the twelfth lunar month of Jiangdong, a chill wind, carrying a salty, damp air, swept across the walls of Moling. In the parade grounds, crimson battle flags fluttered, and thirty thousand Jiangdong elite soldiers lined up like a mountain. Sun Ce, clad in black iron armor, the Zhanlu sword at his waist reflecting a chilling gleam, glanced over his men. The Shanyue warriors led by Shamoke stood barefoot at the front of the battle, their rattan armor painted with vibrant oil paint, glistening eerily in the sunlight. Lü Meng and Lü Dai, freshly rushed back from Yuzhang Commandery, their armor still stained with wet mud, trailed by the same ferocious army that had swept across Yuzhang.

"Report!" A scout rushed into the parade grounds on horseback, the gravel kicked up by his horse's hooves startling the crows in the air. "Liu Biao has sent 50,000 more troops to Jiangxia, and 30 more crossbow towers have been built along the river in Xiakou. The antlers of the cavalry stretch for 20 miles!" The parade grounds were suddenly filled with the rustling sound of armor rubbing against each other. Veteran General Cheng Pu frowned, twisting his gray beard and saying, "Xiakou is a difficult terrain with sheer cliffs on both sides. A strong attack may only serve to bolster our defenses." Before he finished speaking, Shamoke suddenly let out a long, wild howl, his bronze chest rising and falling with his breathing, and the animal bone necklace around his neck clattered. "My Shanyue men are skilled at scaling cliffs. We can launch a surprise attack through the dense forests of Jingxiang!"

Sun Ce raised his hand for silence and turned to enter the makeshift meeting tent. Inside the cowhide tent, a brazier crackled as Zhou Yu unrolled a yellowed map. The candlelight flickered the mountains and rivers on the map. The Jingxiang region lay like an iron chain across the vital choke point between the east and west of the Yangtze River. Another route, meandering northward, passed through Jiujiang, Runan, Yingchuan, and other heavily fortified prefectures under Cao Cao's command. Each city was marked with dense numerals in cinnabar.

"Everyone, please look." Sun Ce pressed his fingertips heavily on the position of Jinxiang Pass. "Liu Biao is guarding Jingxiang, intending to cut off our army's westward advance. If we attack by force, it will play into his hands; if we take a detour..." He glanced at the north of the map. "Not only do we have to cross a thousand miles of dangerous road, but we also have to be wary of Cao Cao's ambush in Yuzhou."

Lü Meng clasped his fists and stepped out, his ring-handled sword rubbing against his armor as he moved. "I believe we can split our forces into two groups. General Huang Gai will lead the navy in a feint attack on Jingxiang to draw out Liu Biao's main force. The main force will bypass Runan, but we need to contact the local powerful in advance to ensure food and fodder supplies." As soon as he finished speaking, Lü Dai added, "However, this route is mostly flat, and we lack cavalry. If we encounter Cao's cavalry..."

Suddenly, hurried footsteps were heard outside the tent. Sun Quan walked in quickly, holding a secret letter, his face solemn: "Brother, the spies reported that Liu Biao has reached a secret agreement with Yuan Shao. If our army moves west, Yuan's army may move south to harass Shouchun!"

Sun Ce suddenly drew his Zhanlu sword, and the blade cut off a command arrow on the table: "What a fox! He appears to be neutral, but in fact he wants to reap the benefits!" He looked around at the generals in the tent, his eyes burning with fighting spirit: "Pass the order, the whole army will march out at 1:00 a.m. on the third day! No matter how many obstacles there are ahead, this battle is not only to avenge my brother, but also to let the world know - the sons of Jiangdong, there is no retreat!"

As night deepened, the gates of Moling City were sealed. Zhou Yu stood alone by the river, watching Shamoke's Shanyue warriors lash torches to the masts of their warships, while Lü Meng directed his men to disguise provisions as merchant caravan cargo. A chilling breeze swept through the river, shimmering the waters with a faint blue shimmer. Moling Harbor was a forest of warships, their masts swaying in the breeze, casting flickering shadows. Zhou Yu stood on the bluestone slabs of the dock, gazing at the naval formations training on the river. Suddenly, a cold wind, swirling with salt vapor, blew over him, sending a shiver through his thin robes.

Cheng Puben, who was inspecting the warship's equipment, stepped forward immediately upon seeing this. This battle-hardened veteran skillfully took a thick black cloak from one of his personal guards and gently draped it over Zhou Yu's shoulders. He then reached out and tightened his collar, saying, "Gongjin, the river wind is biting, don't catch a cold."

Zhou Yu turned around with a wry smile, reached out and pressed Cheng Pu's arm in gratitude, then returned his gaze to the river. "Mr. Demou, look." He pointed to the towering ships in the distance practicing battle formations. "For this western expedition, the water route is crucial for the feint, but I always feel like a weight is hanging in my heart." As he spoke, he pulled a secret letter from his sleeve and unfolded it by the light of the torch. The flames illuminated the letter, making the words "Yuan and Liu form an alliance" appear as crimson as blood.

Cheng Pu leaned in to take a closer look, then slammed his Iron-Backed Snake Spear down on the ground, sending dust flying off the stone slabs. "That Yuan Shao truce freed up his hands, and he's definitely going to get involved in Shouchun's mess. But going through Yuzhou is also a risky move!" The old general's voice was tinged with anger, startling the night herons perched on the shore.

Zhou Yu gathered his cloak tightly, watching the navy ships slice through the river, the waves surging like silver. "Xiangyang is even more difficult. Liu Biao and our lord have a deep hatred. He guards the vital Jingxiang Pass. He can not only cut off our westward advance, but he could also stab us in the back." His feather fan unconsciously tapped against his palm, making a rapid sound.

Cheng Pu raised his thick eyebrows, his eyes wide open: "But the lord has made up his mind! Back then, the old lord was at Xianshan..." His voice choked, and after a pause he continued, "Now the young master is seeking revenge for his brothers and a way out for Jiangdong. This battle must be fought! I, Cheng Pu, am willing to lead the death squad as the vanguard, regardless of whether they are Cao Cao's cavalry or Liu Biao's crossbows!"

Zhou Yu looked at the old general's scarred face, and a warm feeling welled up in his heart, but he also felt a heavier burden on his shoulders.

The river breeze, carrying salty vapor, swept over the top of Moling City. Zhou Yu took a deep breath, clutched the hem of his cloak, and turned to Cheng Pu: "Lord Demou, come with me to see my brother. This battle is of great importance, and I must give you some further instructions." He looked at the dark clouds rolling in the direction of Jingzhou on the opposite bank, his pupils shrinking slightly. "I've been uneasy since this morning, and I always feel that there are ominous signs."

Cheng Pu nodded emphatically, his iron-backed snake spear rasping across the bluestone slabs. The two passed through three sentry posts and headed straight for the City Lord's Mansion. At the corner of the corridor, night watchmen hurried out of the way, lanterns in hand. The flickering light of the lanterns illuminated Zhou Yu's tense jaw and Cheng Pu's furrowed brows.

The candlelight in the meeting room was dim. Sun Ce knelt on one knee before a long table covered with maps, the bronze lamplight casting a flickering shadow on his profile. Scattered on the table were secret reports from scouts, their cinnabar-marked arrows pointing directly to Jingxiang and Yuzhou. Hearing footsteps, he didn't even look up: "Gongjin, what brings you to this late-night visit?"

Zhou Yu stepped forward, his robe sweeping across the map. "Brother, we'll be heading out to fight in three days. This time..." His Adam's apple twitched, his eyes flickering across Cheng Pu, then back to Sun Ce's angular profile. "I've always felt a little uneasy. Cao Cao has a large army in Yuzhou, and Liu Biao is entrenched in Jingxiang. We'll be attacked from both sides."

"When the enemy comes, we will stop them; when the water comes, we will block it with earth!" Sun Ce suddenly stood up, and the sword at his waist made a clear sound when it hit the corner of the table. "Brother Mengqi was very kind to me. He died tragically in Chang'an. How can I ignore such a great hatred?" He reached out and slapped the Chang'an mark on the map. The candlelight shook violently. "Even if I have to crush thousands of miles of mountains and rivers, I will take the murderer's head!"

Zhou Yu hesitated, stroking the winding Han River on the map with his fingertips: "Since this is the case, Bofu must pass through Fancheng and go through Jingxiang. Liu Biao and the lord..."

"I was just about to tell you this!" Sun Ce suddenly interrupted, his eyes flashing with excitement, "Mr. Zigang just offered to go to Xiangyang in person to discuss the matter of borrowing the road from Liu Biao."

"How could he possibly agree?" Zhou Yu opened his folding fan with a swish, the fan bones hitting his palm with a crisp sound. "Liu Biao is a relative of the Han Dynasty and has always regarded himself as the orthodox. He has not yet resolved the grudge he had with his lord for killing his father. How could he let him go so easily?"

Sun Ce laughed out loud and put his arm around Zhou Yu's shoulders, almost pulling him into his arms. "Gongjin, don't underestimate the young men of Jiangdong!" He suddenly opened the window lattice. The night wind rustled the curtains, and the lights of the navy camp in the distance formed a galaxy of stars. "We have thousands of Jiangdong warships. If they were lined up across the Yangtze River, the small Jiangxia would be destroyed in a snap! Although that old scoundrel Liu Biao is flying the banner of the Han Dynasty, he actually has ambitions to secede. If he dares to block my westward advance..." His voice stopped abruptly, and Sun Ce slowly drew his sword, pressing the sword tip against the candlelight, illuminating the room with scarlet. "I will let the land of Jingxiang flow like a river of blood!"

Seeing the unresolved worry between Zhou Yu's brows, Sun Ce suddenly calmed down, raised his hand to press his shoulder, and unconsciously softened his voice: "Gongjin, how could I take the war lightly?" The candlelight made the bloodshot in his eyes glow red, but it couldn't hide the trust in his eyes. "But if I go west this time, I will have to leave you to guard this land of Jiangdong. Only then can I feel at ease."

Zhou Yu was startled and was about to open his mouth to argue, but Sun Ce continued, "Jiujiang and Lujiang have just annexed, and the people in the city are still undecided. Among those surrendered soldiers and nobles, there is no guarantee that there are not some two-faced people." He tapped the map marked with Jiujiang County on the table, "We must also be wary of Xuzhou Tao Qian taking advantage of the situation - that old fox has always coveted the fertile land of Jiangdong, and he might be waiting to see if our rear is empty."

Cheng Pu tightened his grip on the lance and whispered in agreement, "And Yuan Shao! Yuan Shu's remnants are retreating to Shouchun, how could Yuan Benchu ​​sit idly by and watch? If he were to gain control of these defeated armies, it would be like raising a tiger beside my bed in Jiangdong."

"That's right!" Sun Ce's eyes were burning. "Although Shouchun has not been captured, it is still like a thorn in the back. We must not let Yuan Shao take Yuan Shu's old subordinates away safely." He suddenly leaned in, and his warm breath swept across Zhou Yu's ear. "Gongjin, you sit in the rear, soothe the people and eliminate hidden dangers internally; externally, you intimidate the princes and cut off the thoughts of Yuan and Tao. Only with you here can I fight on the front line without distraction."

Zhou Yu looked at the fiery trust in Sun Ce's eyes, and his throat suddenly tightened. His fingers clenched and unclenched beneath his cloak, finally turning into a long sigh: "Since that's the case, Bofu can just march westward without worry. If anyone dares to touch Jiangdong..." He swung his folding fan heavily through the air, "I will make sure they never return!"

Sun Ce laughed heartily and patted Zhou Yu's back so hard that the flame in the bronze lamp shook. "With Gongjin's words, I can rest assured even if I travel all over the Central Plains!" He turned and grabbed the wine jar on the table, tilted his head back and took a big gulp. The wine dripped down his chin and splashed on his armor. "When I take Chang'an and avenge my brother, I will drink three hundred cups with you!"

After Sun Ce finished speaking, he suddenly turned and took down the black iron tiger talisman from the wall, symbolizing Jiangdong's military power. He solemnly handed it to Zhou Yu with both hands and said, "Gongjin, I'm leaving four veteran generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao, to assist you this time. Tomorrow I will announce to the entire army that you are appointed as the governor of Jiangdong. After I leave, all matters in Jiangdong, big or small, will be under your command."

Zhou Yu was about to refuse when Sun Ce grabbed his wrist tightly, his eyes blazing. "Don't say anything! We are as close as brothers. I trust you as I trust myself. Now that Jiangdong has just been conquered, the people of Jiujiang and Lujiang are still unattached, and Tao Qian of Xuzhou and Yuan Shao of Jizhou are eyeing them covetously. This heavy responsibility must be shouldered by you!"

Sun Ce lowered his voice again, his expression solemn: "There is one more thing that must not be neglected. Brother Mengqi's orphan is still in our hands. This is not only a sign of brotherly friendship, but also the reputation of Jiangdong. You must protect the child well and there must not be any mistakes." He paused, a blazing fighting spirit in his eyes, "You guard the Jiangdong foundation for me, and I will conquer Chang'an and avenge Brother Mengqi!"

Zhou Yu took the tiger talisman with both hands, a heavy weight weighing on his heart. He straightened his back and said loudly: "Don't worry, Bofu! With me, Zhou Yu, here, not a blade of grass or a tree in Jiangdong will fall into the hands of the enemy! When you return triumphantly, I will lead all the officials to welcome you thirty miles outside the city!"

Sun Ce laughed heartily, suddenly pulled Zhou Yu into his arms, and patted him on the back: "Good! Good! With Gongjin's words, I will die without regrets even if I die wrapped in my horse's hide!" The night wind howled outside the tent, but it could not blow away the heroic spirit between the brothers.