Chapter 2: Pluck Chestnuts From The Fire
In the second year of Jian’an, Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor in Shouchun. The vassal lords of the world rose up against him one after another. Yuan Shu was abandoned by his allies and kin, and was successively defeated by Cao Cao and Lu Bu.
By the fourth year of Jian’an, Yuan Shu was at the end of his rope. Heading north to seek refuge with his elder brother Yuan Shao, he was intercepted by Liu Bei and Zhu Ling dispatched by Cao Cao, suffering heavy losses and forced to retreat back to Shouchun.
This was precisely the sixth month of the fourth year of Jian’an, and Yuan Shu was already gravely ill, with few days left.
Yuan Shu carried substantial property, especially the Imperial Seal he kept on his person, which was coveted by vassal lords from all quarters.
……..
On the surface of the Fei River in Shouchun, a fast boat sped along. In moments, the fast boat darted into a reed marsh.
There were dozens of small boats in the reed marsh. Gan Ning, bare-chested, squatted at the bow, his sinewy muscles glistening with a bronze sheen under the sunlight.
The small boat behind him was packed with three hundred subordinates, all bare-chested as well. In the scorching heat of the sixth lunar month, the water surface was like a steamer.
The reeds rustled loudly as the fast boat scouting for news returned.
The fast boat stopped before Gan Ning. The lead scout Wang Ping knelt on one knee at the bow, cupping his fists. “Reporting to my lord, we have located Yuan Shu.”
Gan Ning was overjoyed. “Where is he?”
“Yuan Shu is currently on the north bank of the Huai River, thirty li from us. The place is called Jiangting, where a dozen large tents have been pitched!”
“How many people does Yuan Shu have with him?”
“Fewer than a thousand!”
This matched the historical records more or less—abandoned by all, at the end of his road, his subordinates dead or fled, including his top general Ji Ling, who was killed by Zhang Fei.
“How many carts are there? Are there soldiers guarding them closely?” Gan Ning pressed.
“Reporting to General, there are about thirty-odd carts, all covered ox carts, and yes, soldiers are closely guarding the perimeter.”
Gan Ning squinted at the fiery red sunset on the horizon and asked again, “Have you spotted any other armies nearby?”
“Yes!”
Wang Ping nodded. “On the south bank of the Huai River, west of the Fei River, we spotted an army of several thousand. They have few ships. This subordinate inquired and learned it seems to be the army of Lujiang Prefect Liu Xun.”
As expected of a historical famous general, Wang Ping was indeed capable. Gan Ning praised him a few words.
Gan Ning beckoned, summoning two other subordinate generals forward.
When Gan Ning left Ba Commandery, he had eight hundred men with him. Later, most gradually left, leaving only three hundred young officers and soldiers who stayed with him to the end.
His three great generals were all young. Shen Mi and Lou Fa had followed him since their youth as wandering swordsmen, while Wang Ping was only eighteen, and Gan Ning himself was just twenty.
Gan Ning said in a low voice to the group, “On such a hot day, the carts would be stifling inside. They can’t be holding people. Since soldiers are guarding them closely, there must be gold, silver, and property inside.”
All three were excited, rubbing their fists. Their lord was actually going to rob the pretender emperor Yuan Shu.
Gan Ning said to Wang Ping and Shen Mi, “You two lead two hundred brothers to seize the carts. Once you alarm the soldiers, the enemy will surely rush to rescue. Pretend to withdraw.
I will lead fifty brothers to strike the large tents. The enemy will surely charge back. At that moment, you seize the carts again. Don’t take the carts, just the treasure inside. Withdraw immediately once you have it.”
“This subordinate understands!”
Gan Ning said to Lou Fa, “You are responsible for receiving us at the riverbank and surveilling the south bank army. If you spot the south bank army attacking, immediately fire signal arrows to notify us!”
“Understood!”
The four discussed the details further. Gan Ning rose, glanced at the sunset, straightened his back, and said to all, “Rest well now. We set out at the first watch!”
……..
Time gradually reached the first watch. On the Huai River, dozens of boats were ceaselessly ferrying the army—this was the army of Lujiang Commandery Prefect Liu Xun.
Liu Xun had once been Yuan Shu’s confidant. After Sun Ce took Lujiang Commandery, Yuan Shu betrayed their pact and gave Lujiang Commandery to Liu Xun.
When a rich man falls into poverty and desperation, those who kick him while he’s down are often his own people, because they know him best.
For example, Yuan Shu’s former confidant generals Chen Lan and Lei Bo occupied Qian Mountain as bandits, plundering Yuan Shu’s grain and supplies.
And Liu Xun, who ultimately stripped Yuan Shu bare. Of course, Liu Xun’s true target was the Imperial Seal in Yuan Shu’s hands.
Liu Xun stood on high ground, squinting at Jiangting a few li away. Under the moonlight, he could faintly make out a dozen white large tents. His target lay in one of them.
“Pass my order: keep a tight watch on Yuan Shu’s barracks. Report any abnormality to me immediately!”
……..
Gan Ning’s fleet silently came ashore. Gan Ning lightly waved his hand, and his subordinate soldiers jumped ashore one after another. The mission was clear, instructions thorough, with no hesitation. Wang Ping and Shen Mi led two hundred subordinates straight to where the carts were parked.
Gan Ning personally led fifty subordinates to charge the large tents. This was Gan Ning’s style—decisive and direct, though the Gan Ning of later generations had refined it somewhat.
Gan Ning first needed to identify which large tent held Yuan Shu, but the fourteen tents looked identical, with no guards posted at the entrances, making it hard to pinpoint Yuan Shu’s location.
But there was a way. He was waiting for Wang Ping and Shen Mi to act.
Yuan Shu’s followers were divided into two parts: one his retainer troops, civil and military officials, and family; the other the soldiers, numbering about six or seven hundred.
The soldiers had no tents and could only sleep in the open. Mosquitoes raged in the wild, the weather stifling as a steamer, making sleep impossible. Groups of soldiers huddled together, whispering, each heavy-hearted and anxious about the future.
At that moment, someone came running, shouting, “Someone is robbing our carts! Someone is robbing our carts!”
The soldiers jumped up and rushed to support the distant parked carts. From one large tent burst a dozen guards, heading straight for the large tent in the center of the first row.
“Got it!”
Gan Ning leaped up, twin halberds in hand, charging toward the central large tent like a whirlwind, his fifty subordinates closely following.
At that moment, a signal arrow shot from the distant riverbank, streaking into the sky.
Gan Ning cursed inwardly. Liu Xun was nearby!
Right on cue, Liu Xun was leading over three thousand men in frantic haste toward Yuan Shu’s camp. The subordinates he had sent to surveil spotted Wang Ping and the others and immediately reported to him.
Gan Ning charged like a black tiger galloping under the moonlight, reaching the large tent in the blink of an eye. There was no time for hesitation—success or failure hung on this moment.
Just then, someone emerged from the tent—Yuan Shu’s son-in-law Huang Yi. Seeing a black-clad man like a heavenly god appear suddenly before him, Huang Yi froze in terror.
A flash of cold light, blood spurted out. Huang Yi clutched his throat in agony as Gan Ning kicked him into the tent.
Inside the large tent crouched six personal guards, with over a dozen more standing against the tent walls. On the ground lay a middle-aged man on his last breath, disheveled and emaciated—the once glorious Yuan Shu.
By now he had reached the end of his life, abandoned by all, at the end of his road, yet he still clung tightly to his dream: the Imperial Seal in its sandalwood box.
Moments ago, his son-in-law Huang Yi had tried to take the seal but failed.
With a loud crash, Huang Yi was kicked into the tent like a dog. The dozen guards were shocked and drew their blades one after another, only to see cold light flashing as Gan Ning whirled his twin halberds and charged in.
“Ah! Ah!”
Several guards were instantly killed. Gan Ning crossed his twin halberds and thrust them viciously through another man’s chest.
His dozens of subordinates behind him rushed into the tent, intercepting the remaining guards.
Gan Ning crouched down, snatched the sandalwood box from Yuan Shu’s arms, opened it, and sure enough, inside was a jade seal with gold inlaid at one corner—the famed Imperial Seal.
Gan Ning tossed the box aside, tucked the seal into his bosom, and sneered, “So you’re Yuan Shu?”
Though Yuan Shu was on his last breath, terror flickered in his eyes, his lips trembling.
“My lord, the enemy soldiers are killing back!”
Gan Ning nodded, swung his hand halberd, blood spurting as he severed Yuan Shu’s neck. He grabbed the head and dashed out.
“Withdraw! Everyone follow me!”
Gan Ning shouted, leading his fifty subordinates in swift retreat to the riverbank.
At this time, the hundreds of soldiers who had rushed to the carts for rescue discovered trouble at the camp and turned back to charge.
Gan Ning and his men had just vanished into the darkness, the timing differing by mere seconds—Lady Luck had brushed past them.
A volley of arrows suddenly shot from the west, and Yuan Shu’s soldiers screamed and fell. This was Liu Xun’s soldiers arriving.
Several thousand soldiers quickly surrounded the dozen large tents, raising spears and shouting, “Those who surrender will not be killed!”
The soldiers, terrified, knelt and surrendered with hands raised. Liu Xun grabbed a soldier by the collar and demanded, “Where is Yuan Shu?”
The soldier trembled, turned, and pointed to the central tent in the first row. Liu Xun shoved him aside and rushed into the tent, finding corpses strewn about, a headless body in the center still spurting blood from the neck cavity, the head gone, and a sandalwood box discarded nearby.
Liu Xun hurriedly picked up the box and opened it—empty.
“Ah—”
Liu Xun roared in fury, smashing the box to the ground. He rushed out of the tent and shouted, “They went to the riverbank! Chase them—don’t let them escape!”
“Follow me!”
Liu Xun’s younger brother Liu Xie shouted, leading a thousand soldiers toward the Huai River a li away.
Gan Ning and his fifty subordinates leaped onto the boats like a whirlwind.
“Cast off!”
Per their plan, if a signal arrow was fired, Wang Ping and Shen Mi would lead their men to withdraw eastward and rendezvous at the ferry crossing twenty li away.
Dozens of fast boats rowed in unison, arrowing toward the river’s center. After half a li, countless soldiers rushed to the shore, shouting and loosing arrows at the river heart—too late.
Gan Ning laughed from afar, “Go tell Liu Xun I will visit him in Lujiang!”
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