My father, King Chu, was besieged at Gaixia

Chapter 104 Soft as Mud
The guards around Ying Bu reacted quickly, drawing their swords and protecting Ying Bu in an instant. Two guards then swung their swords to cut a large hole in the tent behind them, ready to protect Ying Bu and help him escape from the tent.

"Crack-bang" "Crack-bang"...

It seemed that Xiang Chang's guards had rehearsed this scene countless times, and they did not hesitate at all. They lifted the lapels of their robes, each took out a crossbow that was exactly the same as theirs, and quickly pulled the trigger with one hand. In a breath, hundreds of crossbow arrows shot out like locusts, killing Ying Bu's guards who were cutting into the tent and protecting their retreat.

Ying Bu and the dozen or so remaining guards, along with the important general Tian Liao, were forced into the center of the camp and could not escape.

Ying Bu was able to remain calm. He narrowed his eyes and looked at Xiang Chang coldly: "Do you want to shoot me too?"

"Hey, what are you talking about, Prince Jiujiang? Prince Jiujiang is the white jade pillar that supports the sky and the purple gold beam that spans the sea of ​​our Great Chu. How can I cut off my own arm? Just now I was just angry that this guy had no respect for hierarchy and despised me, so I killed him. I'm sure even if Liu Bang was here, he wouldn't be able to say anything." Xiang Chang lied with his eyes open, and said, "I have disturbed Prince Jiujiang too much today. I will take my leave now. With Prince Jiujiang's hospitality, I'm sure he will send me out of the camp."

As he spoke, Xiang Chang personally stepped forward to support Ying Bu, and put a dagger against his waist and ribs.

The rest of the guards and Tian Liao were also held at bay by Xiang Chang's guards with crossbows.

Ying Bu looked depressed. After some secret estimation, he found out that the kid was Xiang Yu's biological son, who was known for his bravery and strength and was really capable of killing him. So he did not dare to act rashly. With a grim face, he took Xiang Chang out of the tent and walked out of the camp.

At this time, the generals in Ying Bu's camp were alarmed and rushed over in panic, commanding their soldiers to surround the area tightly, but they were scolded and driven away by Ying Bu.

As he walked out, Ying Bu looked carefully at the crossbow in the hands of Xiang Chang's guard and said slowly, "Is this the 'Double Arrow Crossbow' of my Great Chu?" No, that crossbow has a short range, poor accuracy, and most importantly, weak lethality. It is difficult to break through not only iron armor but also leather armor. It has always been a toy for nobles to shoot chickens, dogs, and slaves. The range, accuracy, and especially lethality of your crossbow are incomparable."

Xiang Chang nodded and sighed, "That's why the King of Jiujiang is anxious again. I said that day that the Great Chu still has a hidden killer weapon that has not been manufactured. This is me modifying the 'Double Arrow Continuous Crossbow' to make it a real weapon that can be used on the battlefield. This is not like the stirrup that is 'clear at a glance'. Even if the King of Jiujiang is blinded, he can't imitate it. King of Jiujiang, wait patiently for two more days at Gaixia, and this 'Chuchang Continuous Crossbow' will be equipped to you. I don't have that much with me now. If the King of Jiujiang's army wants to be equipped, they can only wait until later."

Ying Bu remained silent, knowing that after this, it would depend on what choice he made, otherwise he would not know how long he would live.

After leaving the camp and getting out of the range of the Jiujiang Army's bows and arrows, Zhou Yin immediately led a thousand cavalrymen to come over on full alert. Xiang Chang let go of Ying Bu and said:
"Today I am only here to remind the King of Jiujiang that Liu Bang, the King of Han, is a man without any bottom line, credibility, and is fickle. He is not worthy of trust. Since I need the King of Jiujiang now, I will naturally be humble and modest. He can't even share the world with the Great Chu. If he really destroys the Great Chu in the future, do you think he will allow the princes to be crowned kings?"

Ying Bu's eyes were cold, his face was livid, and he remained silent. It was because he was in a bad situation, otherwise he would have chopped Xiang Chang into minced meat right away.

Sui He was an envoy sent by Liu Bang. How could he explain to Liu Bang that he died in his military camp without any clear reason? It was said that Xiang Chang led 20 soldiers to attack the camp, shot Sui He to death, and then escaped unscathed? He himself would not believe this.

Moreover, including Liu Jia last time, this was the second Han envoy to die in his camp. Even if Liu Bang was a coward, he would not give him a third chance. In other words, Xiang Chang's audacity to enter his camp and kill Sui He was a precise and ruthless move, which completely destroyed the last bit of trust the Han camp had in him. Needless to say, the Han army would not come to lobby him again, and even if he wanted to surrender, the Han camp would never believe it.

Therefore, how could Ying Bu have a good face when facing Xiang Chang's behavior, which was tantamount to shitting on his neck?

"Waiting for leftovers from others is the behavior of a hunting dog. A real tiger hunts its prey on its own. That's all I have to say. King Jiujiang, you should decide for yourself what to do next." Xiang Chang waved his hand and ordered the cavalry to let Ying Bu go.

Watching Ying Bu returning to the military camp in a hurried manner, his body staggering, looking so weak and powerless, without any of the majesty of a king who commanded thousands of troops and owned a land. Qu Fu, who was following Xiang Chang, suddenly had a strange thought. He felt that Ying Bu, the dignified King of Jiujiang, was very pitiful.

Yes, it's pitiful.

Although he was one of the most invincible generals in the world, he was obviously not smart enough and was played around by smart people like Xiang Chang and Chen Ping.

Xiang Chang whistled and led a thousand cavalrymen to bypass Ying Bu's army. The dust rose into the air like a dragon and the sound of hooves rolled like thunder as they continued to march down to the southwest.

"What choice will the King of Jiujiang make next? Will he really seize the entire fiefdom of Jiujiang?" After getting away from Ying Bu's military camp and looking back, Zhou Yin asked Xiang Chang on horseback.

Xiang Chang raised his whip and laughed, "It's not about whether he will take the bait or not, but he will definitely do it. With Sui He's death, he completely lost the possibility of making peace with the Han camp. I'm afraid the Han camp will not honestly abide by the original agreement and allocate half of the Jiujiang Kingdom to him. In this way, if you want to get the Jiujiang Kingdom, you have to fight for it yourself. Didn't you see that he wanted to eat me just now? I shot down half of his Jiujiang Kingdom with this arrow, and I'm afraid he hates me so much that he wants to eat my flesh and sleep on my skin. Hahaha, why do I feel so happy when I see him hate me to the bone, but can't kill me, and has to bow to me?"

Zhou Yin smiled bitterly: You really can't forget the old grudge. Ying Bu just betrayed your father back then, but you just want to play with him and won't stop until you have ruined him, right?

Xiang Chang's smile faded, and he said coldly, "This fool who only cares about the present, is blinded by greed, and is indecisive. He doesn't know what is good for him and doesn't know that I am saving his life. What Chen Ping said to him that day was just a delaying tactic to make him withdraw from the battlefield as soon as possible so that Han Xin can free up his hands to join forces with Kong Xi's army to encircle and annihilate my father's central army. If our Great Chu is destroyed, can he be safe even if he owns Jiujiang? In the end, he will be dealt with by Liu Bang?"

Xiang Chang said with disdain, "No matter how he goes about taking over Jiujiang, it has nothing to do with us. We have more important things to do."

Zhang Liang arrived in Shouchun after a bumpy journey for more than ten days. Although he had the "detoxifying medicine" and his injuries were getting better, he was still traveling every day and was tossed around by the carriage. He could not rest and recuperate, and his original weak body made him even more haggard.

General Lü Ze, who was stationed in Shouchun, received the notification and hurried out to greet him. Lü Ze was tall, with broad shoulders, a square face, and sharp edges. He was slightly younger than Liu Bang, and was over fifty years old, but he was still full of masculine and majestic spirit.

Seeing Zhang Liang's listless expression, Lu Ze was shocked. Without even bothering to say hello, he personally stepped forward to help Zhang Liang into the mansion, while looking at Yong Chi who was escorting him with an inquiring look.

After entering the mansion, Lu Ze already knew Zhang Liang's purpose, and was about to ask the maid to take Zhang Liang to the elegant room in the side courtyard prepared for distinguished guests to wash, eat, and rest, and wait until Zhang Liang had recovered his spirits. But Zhang Liang grabbed him and begged for a quiet room to discuss things with him first.

Seeing Zhang Liang's determination, Lu Ze had no choice but to agree. He asked the maid to take care of Yong Chi and let him rest first. The soldiers who followed him were naturally received. Then he personally helped Zhang Liang to the main hall of the mansion, asked Zhang Liang to kneel and sit at the top, and he sat with him at the bottom.

Zhang Liang held a very special position in the Han army. Not only did Liu Bang, the King of Han, respect him, but other important generals and ministers who followed Liu Bang in the rebellion also respected him, including Lu Ze. After all, Zhang Liang's outstanding strategy aside, his origin from the top aristocratic family in Korea was enough for these generations of peasants to look up to him.

"Military Advisor, please read this. I am currently guarding Jiujiang and commanding a total of 50,000 troops. Shouchun is the core base camp, with 30,000 troops. The other two important counties, six counties, and Chengfu County are commanded by Chen Xi and Gu Feng, each with 10,000 troops."

Lu Ze ordered his men to hang up a topographical map of Jiujiang State, the old Chu territory, and explained it to Zhang Liang in detail. He paused and said,

"It is obviously difficult to control the entire Jiujiang Kingdom in a short period of time with only our 50,000 troops, which are foreign Han troops. I summoned all the heads of the noble families in the entire Jiujiang Kingdom to Shouchun. After explaining the pros and cons, these heads of families expressed their willingness to surrender to my Han camp. Not only did they help to send troops to maintain order, but they also sent their family sons as hostages. Therefore, if the Overlord came, it would be fine, but if only Xiang Chang came, it would be in vain."

Zhang Liang wiped his cheeks vigorously with the hot towel handed to him by the maid, trying to get rid of the fatigue in his body, while looking at the old Chu topographic map and nodding slowly.

Xiang Yu established the Western Chu Kingdom, which controlled Qi in the east, pressed Yan and Zhao in the north, and bordered Sanfu in the west. The territory was vast and had all the advantages. As for the old land of Chu, it was the rear base of Western Chu and the heartland, so he divided it into three parts, namely Hengshan, Jiujiang, and Linjiang, and gave them to Wu Rui, Gong Ao, and Ying Bu, three generals from Chu who were trusted by him in the anti-Qin camp.

Among them, Wu Rui was named Fan Jun by the Qin State before he started his rebellion against Qin. He was an unknown but real vassal in the Poyang area. Therefore, it was natural for him to be named King of Hengshan by Xiang Yu.

As for Gong Ao, he was a pillar of the King Huai of Chu, Xiong Xin, who was appointed by Xiang Yu. He had a very close relationship with Xiang Yu and Xiang Yu, both uncle and nephew. He was also an important figure in the Chu camp and was appointed King of Linjiang by Xiang Yu.

Ying Bu was born as a subordinate of Xiang Yu and was the most trusted by Xiang Yu, so Xiang Yu specially gave him the land of Jiujiang, which was closest to Western Chu.

"General, don't blame me for being too hasty. I'm sure you have already received the report on the result of the battle of Gaixia. Han and Chu are fighting again. Therefore, we must not lose any territory of Chu at this moment." Zhang Liang looked at Lu Ze with a gentle face and an earnest tone.

Zhang Liang was also very familiar with Lü Ze, not only because Lü Ze was Liu Bang's brother-in-law, but also because Lü Ze, or more precisely, the entire Lü family, played a pivotal role in Liu Bang's rebellion against Qin and then against Chu, an importance that even Xiao He could not match. In addition, Lü Ze's ability to command troops was also top-notch in Liu Bang's camp.

Historically, Sima Qian's description of the Lu family is that they "sent troops to help Liu Bang conquer the world." The word "assist" is used with great accuracy.

When Liu Bang started his rebellion, the Lu family provided money, food, soldiers, and horses to support him, which could be regarded as the first pot of gold for Liu Bang to start his career. During the wars all over the world, Lu Ze, as the representative of the Lu family, was always a general who could stand alone and conquered a large territory for Liu Bang, and made great military achievements. For example, Chen Xi, Jin Xu, Ding Fu, Fu Kuan, Gu Feng, and Feng Wuze, Marquis of Bocheng Jing, Zhang Ping, Marquis of Lu, Zhou Xin, Marquis of Chengyin Yi, and Guo Ting, Marquis of Aling, who were all made marquises after the establishment of the Han Dynasty, were actually all from Lu Ze's command.

In addition, in the Battle of Pengcheng, Liu Bang was attacked by the furious Xiang Yu who led 30,000 cavalrymen to rush thousands of miles and emptied his family assets in one fell swoop. He fled westward in a hurry, and it was only after he fled from Pengcheng to Xiayi, where Lü Ze was stationed, that he managed to stabilize his position. At that time, Lü Ze gave people, food, and money to Liu Bang, and Liu Bang himself gathered the defeated Han soldiers, so that he was able to revive his momentum in the shortest time and make a comeback.

It can be said that if there had been no Lu Ze at that time, there would have been no long confrontation between the Han camp and the Chu army in the Battle of Chenggao that lasted for two and a half years.

He had made such great contributions, or perhaps it should be said that it was precisely because he had made such great contributions, and the fact that the Lu family represented by Lu Ze was too powerful, with soldiers, generals, money, and territories, and his enthronement as king was even more natural than that of Han Xin, which aroused Liu Bang's deep fear. Liu Bang always had an attitude of trust but also caution towards Lu Ze, the head of the Lu family.

Lu Ze was very smart. He saw through Liu Bang's mind. Facing Liu Bang's overt or covert suppression, he wisely retreated and handed over the army and his capable generals to Liu Bang. He carried out all Liu Bang's orders without any compromise, which seemed to show his submission and submission.

Zhang Liang, the military advisor of the Han camp, watched from the sidelines, saw through Lu Ze's true thoughts, and was greatly impressed by his cleverness.

Currently, apart from Lu Ze, there is no one else in the Lu family who is in charge of Shouchun. Another leading figure of the Lu family, Lu Ze's younger brother Lu Shizhi, as well as Lu Ze's sons Lu Tai and Lu Chan, and Lu Shizhi's son Lu, and other second generations, were all sent to Hanzhong to protect Empress Lu and Crown Prince Liu Ying.

Doing so would firstly avoid the mistake of Empress Lü being captured by Xiang Yu, and secondly, they would place the future of their family on the second generation of the Han camp, rather than compete with Liu Bang, who was the first generation. As long as they could ensure the safety of Liu Ying and Lü Zhi, and ensure that Liu Ying could smoothly take over, their family's foundation would be stable.

An intelligent man with outstanding abilities, this is Zhang Liang's evaluation of Lu Ze, which is undoubtedly very appropriate.

In today's turbulent times, there are many capable and smart people, but there are very few people who have both.

This also shows how extraordinary Lu Ze's father was. Not only did he have a sharp vision and dared to marry his beautiful and well-born daughter to Liu Bang, an old rogue who was half buried in the ground at that time, but he also trained an outstanding successor like Lu Ze. It can be seen that he was no easy person to deal with.

(End of this chapter)