Chapter 26: Borrowing A Path To Conquer Guo
Zhou Yu felt grateful in his heart for his lord’s trust. He bowed and said, “Lu Su said that Gan Ning killed Yuan Shu, seized the Imperial Seal, and presented it to Cao Cao……..”
Just as he said this, Sun Ce jumped up. “So the Imperial Seal was taken by Gan Ning, not Liu Xun?”
Yuan Shu’s family members and retainers were all in Liu Xun’s hands. Sun Ce had thought the Imperial Seal was also obtained by Liu Xun, but unexpectedly it had been snatched by Gan Ning.
“He presented it to Cao Cao!”
Sun Ce suddenly understood everything. Why was Gan Ning appointed by the Imperial Court as Magistrate of Chaisang? Why did he receive Cao Cao’s support? It turned out to be exchanged for the Imperial Seal.
Sun Ce sat down dejectedly, a deep sense of loss surging in his heart. The Imperial Seal left to him by his father had ultimately been lost.
Zhang Zhao pondered for a moment and said, “Gongjin’s meaning is that Gan Ning is not Cao Cao’s subordinate, so we can directly destroy him without considering Cao Cao’s feelings?”
Zhou Yu nodded. “Indeed. Zijing would never surrender to Cao Cao, so Gan Ning and Cao Cao are merely using each other. However, I agree with General Sun Ben’s plan!”
“Why?” Sun Ce gazed sharply at Zhou Yu.
“General Lv believes Gan Ning’s rise is similar to our lord’s. I think this is somewhat overstated. Our lord swept through Jiangdong in a few months, his name shaking the world—what a heroic and mighty figure!
Gan Ning merely destroyed vermin like Zhang Ying, Ze Rong, and Zheng Bao. It was a tiny achievement at best. Gan Ning is but a feeble firefly’s light—how can it be compared to our lord’s bright moon in the sky? Is this not General Lv overstating it?
From what I know, it is because Gan Ning stole armaments and warships right under General Lv’s nose, causing him to lose all face, so he has always harbored hatred toward Gan Ning.
And this hatred has influenced his judgment of the situation, leading him to believe Gan Ning is more important than Liu Xun. This is a serious misjudgment of the war situation.”
Zhou Yu’s words left even Zhang Zhao speechless.
Admiration filled Sun Ce’s eyes. Lv Fan had compared Gan Ning to himself, which made Sun Ce very uncomfortable. But Zhou Yu saw through it clearly and directly refuted Lv Fan’s argument. It seemed Lv Fan’s suggestion did indeed contain personal emotions.
But what Sun Ce did not know was that Zhou Yu also had selfish motives. Lu Su had told Zhou Yu that Zheng Bao had killed his butler and burned his mansion in East City, nearly causing his brothers to perish.
Lu Su’s misfortune suddenly made Zhou Yu think of his own family still in Lujiang Commandery.
“Then, in Gongjin’s view, what should we do?”
Zhou Yu smiled faintly. “Why not play along with the plot? We ally with Liu Xun to attack Chaisang. The prisoners of war, grain and fodder, and property go to Liu Xun; the land goes to us. Then, taking advantage of Lujiang’s troop strength being depleted……..”
Sun Ce’s eyes lit up. What a clever ploy of borrowing a path to attack Guo.
……….
Ever since Gan Ning crossed the river and killed Zheng Bao, all counties along the river in Lujiang Commandery were gripped by panic, and Wan County, the largest county in the south, was no exception. All sorts of rumors flew around, creating an atmosphere of alarm where everyone felt endangered.
Near the South City Gate in Wan County, there were several mansions where Yuan Shu’s retainer troops and family members were under house arrest.
Liu Xun had failed to seize the Imperial Seal and only captured Yuan Shu’s family members and retainer troops. The surrendered soldiers were incorporated into the army. Yuan Shu’s wife Madam Feng, son Yuan Yao, brother Yuan Yin, and two daughters, along with subordinates Zhang Xun, Yang Xuan, and their family members—over three hundred retainer troops in total—were all placed by Liu Xun in Wan County.
It was called placement, but it was actually house arrest. Liu Xun wanted to present them to the Imperial Court. He had already sent people to Xuchang to bargain with Cao Cao. Once an agreement was reached, these hostages would immediately set off for Xuchang.
At noon this day, a military officer walked to a small courtyard inside a mansion. Seeing no one around, he slipped a note through the door crack, knocked lightly, and then left.
Moments later, a man emerged from a room. He was about thirty years old, of medium build, and appeared quite shrewd and capable.
The man was Qiao An from Wei Commandery, the younger brother of Great General Qiao Rui under Yuan Shu. Qiao Rui had unfortunately been killed by Cao Cao earlier this year, so Qiao An had prepared to follow Yuan Shu north with his elder brother’s wife and two nieces.
Unexpectedly, Yuan Shu was defeated by Liu Bei and Zhu Ling and had to retreat back to Shouchun, only to be killed by Gan Ning on the way, who took the Imperial Seal. Yuan Shu’s family and subordinate retainer troops were all captured by Liu Xun, including Qiao An and Qiao Rui’s wife and daughters.
Qiao An immediately spotted the note on the ground in front of the door. He hurried forward to pick it up, opened it, and looked. He was overjoyed at once and quickly went to the main room to knock. “Elder sister-in-law!”
Moments later, the door opened. Inside the room was a middle-aged woman, also in her early thirties, dressed in plain cloth skirt and wooden hairpin, her face haggard.
The woman was none other than the wife of Qiao Rui, surnamed Yang, from Wei Commandery. After her husband’s death, she had been keeping mourning for him with her two daughters.
Her two daughters were inside the room doing needlework. One was about twelve or thirteen, the other a year or two older. They looked like a pair of sisters, both with extremely delicate features. Perhaps due to malnutrition, the sisters both appeared quite thin and sallow-faced, concealing their beauty.
“Does uncle have something?”
“I have news of elder sister-in-law’s father and cousin. They are indeed in Chaisang. Yang Jing is currently serving as Chief Clerk of Chaisang.”
Joy burst from Madam Yang’s eyes. She too was from a great family in Wei Commandery. Her father had once been County Magistrate of Wei County. Ten years ago, her entire family had unfortunately died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
She also had a great-uncle who had served as County Commandant of Chaisang County, and her cousin Yang Jing was also in Chaisang. She just did not know if they were still there now.
Now that her great-uncle and cousin were both in Chaisang, how could she not be extremely excited?
“Then what should we do? Can we find a way to escape?”
“Liu Xun’s army is guarding very strictly. Escaping is impossible. We can only try to send a letter to Yang Jing. He is Chief Clerk of Chaisang; perhaps he has a way to help us.”
Qiao An was very clear about the current situation. If they did not find a way to save themselves, once they were sent to Xuchang, they would surely be executed by the Imperial Court as Yuan Shu’s remnants. Now they were like drowning people— they had to grasp at any glimmer of hope.
Madam Yang felt the same. She was mainly worried about her two daughters, both of stunning beauty. If not for her careful concealment, they would have long been seized by Yuan Shu. She could be executed by the Imperial Court, but she absolutely could not let her two daughters die with her. No matter what, she must get her two daughters out.
Qiao An and Madam Yang’s property had long been confiscated by Liu Xun. She only had two pieces of jewelry left. Last time, it was her gold hairpin that had bought the news of her great-uncle and cousin.
Madam Yang immediately wrote a letter and, without hesitation, took a gold bracelet from the bottom of the box and handed them both to Qiao An.
“I entrust this to you, uncle!”
…………
The next afternoon, a small boat slowly docked at the Chaisang dock. A middle-aged man dressed like a merchant stepped off.
The middle-aged man entered the city, inquiring along the way. Soon, he arrived in front of Chief Clerk Yang Jing’s mansion.
The man stepped forward and knocked on the door ring. Moments later, the door opened, and the butler came out to ask, “Who are you looking for?”
“Is this the mansion of Chief Clerk Yang Jing?”
“It is. And you are…”
The man took out a letter. “I am here to deliver a letter. Please pass this letter to your master.”
“Oh! I understand. Thank you for delivering it!”
The butler took the letter, took out several hundred wen qian, and gave it to the man. The middle-aged man bid farewell and left.
The butler hurriedly walked into the inner residence and happened to encounter his master Yang Jing.
“Master, someone delivered a letter.”
Yang Jing took the letter, opened it, and looked. His face was instantly full of surprise. “How is Rui Niang in Wan County?”
