Chapter 44: Luring The Tiger From The Mountain
Hou Ping was promoted to company commander and received a reward of hundred strings of cash, feeling immensely satisfied. Early in the morning, the assembly drum in the main army tent sounded, and Hou Ping rushed out of the tent, preparing to attend the military intelligence meeting.
This was also the thing he was most satisfied with; he now had the qualification to attend General He Qi’s military intelligence meeting.
Unexpectedly, as he just rushed out of the tent, he ran head-on into Xu Sheng holding a spear. Hou Ping turned to run, but behind him Zhang Tai blocked him with a spear, and on both sides were Xu Sheng’s subordinates.
Hou Ping had no way to escape, so he could only ‘thud!’ kneel down, clasp his hands and beg: “I didn’t betray the general on purpose; He Qi forced me!”
Xu Sheng sneered, “I, Xu Sheng, was blind to actually believe a despicable and shameless scoundrel like you!”
He raised his spear and struck down, piercing Hou Ping’s chest with one thrust. Hou Ping let out a miserable scream and died on the spot.
Xu Sheng shouted loudly to the former subordinates around him: “He Qi forced me into a desperate situation. I am opening the north city gate to surrender to General Gan. Any brothers willing to follow me, Xu Sheng, please come with me!”
The soldiers all raised their arms and shouted, “I am willing to follow General Xu!”
Xu Sheng led over three hundred men to kill toward the north city gate.
Hou Ping’s dozen or so trusted subordinates hurried to the main army tent to urgently report.
Inside the main army tent, He Qi was gathering all commanders and above to arrange city defense deployment. He only had three thousand troops; if he could conscript ten thousand militia to assist in defending the city, relying on the high walls of Haihun County, they could barely hold for a while, as long as reinforcements arrived in time.
At that moment, a soldier outside the tent loudly reported, “Report to the general, Xu Sheng killed Hou Ping and led troops toward the north city gate.”
He Qi was greatly startled, not caring to ask the reason, and immediately stood up shouting: “Follow me to the north city gate!”
He Qi led over a thousand soldiers to rush to the north city gate, but it was already too late. Xu Sheng had scattered the defending soldiers, opened the city gate, and Ding Feng, ambushing outside the city, led three thousand troops surging in.
Seeing the situation was unfavorable, He Qi turned his horse and fled toward the south city gate, with over a thousand soldiers following him.
They had just run less than a mile out of the south city gate when drum sounds erupted all around, ambush soldiers charged out, and Shen Mi led five thousand troops killing in from all directions.
He Qi fought desperately to break through, but Shen Mi had received Gan Ning’s order to only intercept the soldiers and let He Qi go. Gan Ning had no interest in He Qi; he only wanted to get Xu Sheng. He Qi would surely push all the responsibility onto Xu Sheng, and at that point, Xu Sheng would have no choice but to loyally follow him.
He Qi led a dozen personal guards to break out of the encirclement and flee in panic.
Gan Ning led the army to kill into Haihun County, the defending troops surrendered one after another, and Xu Sheng clasped his fist and knelt on one knee: “Xu Sheng was forced by a treacherous person and has no way out; I wish to serve the general with utmost effort!”
Gan Ning was overjoyed and hurriedly helped Xu Sheng up: “Sun Ben and He Qi failed to recognize the general’s great talent, causing the pearl to be covered in dust. Since General Xu is willing to follow Gan Ning, Gan Ning will absolutely not let General Xu down!”
Capturing Haihun County yielded three thousand surrendered soldiers, thirty thousand shi of grain, twenty thousand strings of cash, six thousand sets of armor, over three hundred warhorses, and countless supplies such as gongs, drums, tents, and meat, salt, sauces, etc.
Gan Ning ordered Shen Mi and Zhang Xi to command five thousand men, including the surrendered soldiers, to garrison Haihun County.
Gan Ning also appointed Li Dai as the county magistrate of Haihun County to mobilize the citizens to assist Shen Mi and Zhang Xi in defending the city.
Gan Ning personally led eight thousand troops on foot to rush dozens of li away to the Gan River, where Wang Ping had already led three thousand soldiers and over a thousand warships waiting at Xiushui River.
The army boarded ships at Xiushui River, with strong north winds driving the sails toward Nanchang County.
Winter is the resting season for warfare; Sun Ben and Lv Fan had both returned to Wu Commandery, so Nanchang was stationed by Sun Fu, and Sun Ben had arranged for Han Dang to assist his brother.
Sun Fu was about twenty years old; when his father died, he was only two, raised by his elder brother Sun Ben from a young age. Though named brothers with his elder brother, their relationship was actually like father and son.
Although Sun Fu had followed Sun Ce on southern and northern campaigns, Sun Ce always personally handled military operations, so Sun Fu never had the chance to independently lead troops in battle and spent most of his time handling logistics.
In a few more days it would be New Year, and Sun Fu also relaxed, preparing to rest well for the New Year.
But at that moment, He Qi from Haihun County suddenly sent a letter begging for help, saying Gan Ning was leading ten thousand troops to attack Haihun County, earnestly requesting Sun Fu to immediately send troops for rescue.
Sun Fu was greatly startled; Haihun County was the north gate of Nanchang, and if Haihun County fell, Nanchang County would be in danger.
He immediately summoned the great general Han Dang. After Sun Jian’s death, his army was swallowed by Yuan Shu; later, when Sun Ben surrendered to Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu handed Sun Jian’s army to Sun Ben, including the three generals Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang.
But Sun Ben never returned the army to Sun Ce; in fact, the three generals Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and Han Dang had always been loyal to Sun Ben.
After Liu Yao defeated Sun Ben in Danyang Commandery, Sun Ben had no choice but to compromise and hand Cheng Pu and Huang Gai back to Sun Ce, but Han Dang still followed him.
Sun Ben was enfeoffed as Prefect of Yuzhang, and Han Dang naturally received heavy use, commanding ten thousand troops stationed in Nanchang. Sun Ben returned to Wu Commandery, while Sun Fu was just a fair-faced scholar without commanding ability, so Han Dang effectively became the main commander of Nanchang County.
Han Dang frowned and asked puzzledly, “In three more days it will be New Year; why would Gan Ning attack Haihun at this time?”
Sun Fu handed the letter to Han Dang: “The letter says Xu Sheng arbitrarily attacked Liling County, angering Gan Ning, so Gan Ning led troops to take revenge!”
Han Dang knew full well that Xu Sheng was just a low-level general; what power did he have to attack Liling County? This must have been an order from He Qi, who then made Xu Sheng take the blame.
But Han Dang also knew Haihun County could not be lost, so he immediately said to Sun Fu: “I will lead five thousand troops to support Haihun County. Young Master, guard Nanchang well, stay vigilant at all times, and do not rest the troops or take holidays.”
“I know; general, set off quickly!”
Han Dang instructed the deputy general Cheng Zi at length to properly assist Sun Fu, then immediately mustered five thousand men, each carrying ten days’ dry rations, and rushed along the official road toward Haihun County a hundred li away.
The next day was the twenty-ninth of the twelfth month, two days from New Year, and the entire Nanchang City was immersed in New Year celebrations.
Early in the morning, as soon as the city gates opened, several merchants arrived outside the north city gate, led by Wang Ping.
Wang Ping was still worried that his brother Wang Xiaoman was young and inexperienced; if the operation failed, it would ruin the lord’s great affair, so he volunteered to personally come command the inside response.
Upon entering the city gate, Wang Ping saw the High Rise Inn not far away. He led two subordinates straight over, and just as they reached the door, they ran into Wang Xiaoman coming out from inside the inn.
“Elder brother, why are you here?” Wang Xiaoman looked shocked.
“Go inside to talk!”
Wang Xiaoman hurriedly invited his elder brother into the inn’s small courtyard; they had reserved a small courtyard.
Entering the room, Wang Ping asked: “Where are the brothers?”
“I rented three mansions; they are staying in the mansions.”
Wang Ping nodded: “The situation has changed now; we can’t wait until tomorrow. We act tonight. The lord sent me to host the inside response; you be my deputy general.”
Wang Xiaoman nodded silently, then remembered something and said: “Han Dang led five thousand troops out to Haihun County yesterday afternoon. After yesterday afternoon, Sun Fu canceled the army’s holiday and put the troops on alert.”
“The lord anticipated this, so he decided to act early. Rent out the entire inn, drive away the other guests, then move all three hundred brothers into the inn. We move at the second watch.”
Wang Xiaoman hesitated and said: “Elder brother, there’s something I have to tell you!”
