Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 208 If you want to rule out the situation, you must first make peace with yourself

Looking at Yan Yi's astonished expression, Sun Jing felt embarrassed but even more nervous, fearing that he might refuse her.

His back was ramrod straight, his Adam's apple bobbed, and his hands unconsciously gripped his sleeves as he said softly, "Young Master, this is merely the betrothal ceremony. We can hold the wedding ceremony when Xiang'er turns fourteen."

The wedding rites of this dynasty largely followed the Zhou system, adhering to the six rites stipulated in the "Book of Rites". The first step of the six rites was the betrothal, which was to propose marriage. The last step was the wedding ceremony, which was the formal marriage.

'Nonsense! Of course I know! Do you expect me to marry a four-year-old girl right now?'

Yan Yi silently complained to himself and glared at Sun Jing with annoyance.

Today, he has truly witnessed the Sun family's obsession with political marriages. Historically, Sun Shangxiang married Liu Bei, who was forty-six, at less than twenty years old. Now, the tables have turned, and it's his turn to be an "old ox eating young grass." One wonders how future historians will record this marriage.

Yan Yi felt somewhat resistant to this matter and asked stiffly, "What if something happens to your daughter before she turns fourteen?"

Sun Jing's expression changed slightly. This was exactly the problem he was worried about. Although Sun Jian had two concubine daughters, he only had one legitimate daughter, and the Sun family only had this one choice. Yan Yi obviously would not marry a concubine daughter.

"If anything unexpected happens, then this matter will be dropped." He paused for a moment, then replied with difficulty.

Yan Yi's dissatisfaction subsided somewhat, and his sharp eyes flickered with light and shadow, occasionally flashing with a thoughtful expression.

The most urgent task is to control the Sun clan and disband their private army. Once these two things are done, the Sun clan will be like caged birds or fish in a net, unable to escape his grasp even if they harbor ambitions to manipulate events. At that point, wouldn't he have the final say on everything, big or small, right or wrong, good or bad?

With a plan in mind, Yan Yi no longer hesitated and nodded slightly under Sun Jing's expectant gaze: "This matter will be handled as Lord Sun says."

Sun Jing's tense body immediately relaxed, and most of the worry in her eyes disappeared.

After the two agreed on the matter, their previously tense relationship eased considerably, and a smile appeared in their eyes.

Yan Yi picked up the teacup, tilted his head back, and drank the tea in one gulp. He then held the empty cup upside down and said, "I offer this cup of tea in place of wine to Lord Sun. The past events between our two families are like the water in this cup, leaving no trace!"

Sun Jing also finished her tea in one gulp and said with a smile, "May the Yan and Sun families be of the same blood and be close to each other for generations."

Yan Yi nodded slightly, put down his teacup, and asked with the courtesy due to a junior, "The matter of Xu Kun and Sun He, as well as the former members of the Sun family who died in the Battle of Guzhang, may become the root of the rift between our two families. In your opinion, how should this matter be resolved?"

In battle, casualties are inevitable. When the Battle of Zhang broke out, Sun Quan had not yet submitted to him, and the compensation for Sun Quan's fallen former troops was not directly related to him. However, he had always spared no effort in winning over the hearts of his troops, and he would not be stingy with this sum of money.

“The order for the distribution of grain by the young lord is excellent. I think we should provide compensation in accordance with this order.” Sun Jing’s expression darkened, and her eyes twitched slightly. “As for Kunyu and Bohai, this matter should be kept secret and announced to the public that they died in battle.”

He paused slightly, then continued, "There are three things I wish to ask you, young master, to do?"

"Please speak, Master Sun."

Sun Jing gazed into Yan Yi's eyes and slowly said, "Firstly, at the funeral of the two, would the young master be willing to personally wear mourning clothes and pay respects at the coffin?"

Yan Yi nodded slightly: "It is acceptable. The three generals Xu, Sun, and Chen should be buried with the rites due to marquises. I will be responsible for the regulations of their mausoleums, the funerary objects, and the ceremonial regalia."

When Sun Jing heard him mention Chen Wu, she knew he was trying to win people's hearts, so she didn't point it out. She continued, "Secondly, the young lord should petition His Majesty to posthumously grant the three men high ranks. Their sons, regardless of age, should all inherit important positions."

"That is certainly the case; I will immediately submit a memorial to Your Majesty."

Thirdly, the young lord should treat the relatives of the three men well.

Yan Yi pondered for a moment and said, "I am willing to give six hundred taels of gold and six hundred acres of fertile land to the three surviving family members as a means to support their families."

Sun Jing's fine lines around her eyes smoothed out, and she was very satisfied with his generosity. A hint of approval flashed in her eyes: "That's very good. With me comforting him, the grudges should be eliminated in time."

He glanced at Yan Yi and said in a low voice, "The matter of surrendering concerns the entire clan. My sister-in-law, Madam Wu, is still alive. I need to discuss this with her before making a decision. Please wait a couple of days for my news, young master."

Yan Yi smiled and nodded, not urging him. The most anxious person right now was the Sun family, so why was he in such a hurry?

"Such an important matter should be carefully considered." He said leisurely, "I will prepare three thousand taels of gold in Qiantang. You may take it at any time after you have made your decision. As for the other two thousand taels of gold, I need some time to raise them. I should be able to present them to you within three months."

Five thousand taels of gold was a huge sum of money. Yan Yi paid it in two installments. Sun Jing was not surprised and agreed after a little thought.

After the matter was settled, Yan Yi ordered a banquet to be held to entertain Sun Jing.

Sun Jing politely declined, not daring to delay in the slightest, only saying that she wished to see Bo Fu.

Led by Yin Li, he arrived at the place where Sun Ce was imprisoned, held a secret meeting for half an hour, and then hurriedly left.

Just as Yan Yi had predicted, Sun was now in a state of utter chaos and anxiety.

Before Sun Jing could return to the Guangde camp, he was stopped halfway by a messenger sent by Cheng Pu, who warned him not to go to the camp again, lest he never return.

After hearing the messenger's report, Sun Jing realized the extent of the chaos in the Guangde camp. Anxious, he hurriedly ate a couple of bites of dry rations and spurred his horse toward Qu'a.

The situation at the Guangde camp had indeed reached a point where it could spiral out of control at any moment. If Cheng Pu and Han Dang hadn't risked their lives, Li Feng and Chen Lan would have already been unable to hold back and would have taken action.

The conflict originated from the cavalrymen that Cheng Pu brought back to the camp.

On the day Chen Lan arrived at the camp, Li Feng wanted to investigate the East Camp, but Han Dang tried his best to stop him, and the two sides immediately broke out into a fierce conflict. It was not until Chen Lan stopped him that the conflict ended in a huff.

Unwilling to accept defeat, Li Feng devised another plan that night. He had Chen Lan lure Cheng Pu and Han Dang away while he led his men to storm the eastern camp. With lightning speed, they captured several cavalrymen and forced them to reveal that Sun Ce had fallen into enemy hands.

No sooner had they left Dongzhai than they were ambushed by Han Dang and his troops who had rushed back, and several cavalrymen were killed on the spot by Han Dang.

Li Feng only brought a few hundred men, and he was no match for Han Dang. He could only leave in resentment. After returning to his tent, he told Chen Lan about Sun Ce's situation.

However, he had no concrete evidence, and Chen Lan, still doubtful, dared not take any drastic action.

Li Feng was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan, and earnestly advised, "Ziren, Sun Ce has been captured and it is impossible for him to return! If he surrenders to Yan Yi and joins forces with Yan Yi to attack our army from the inside, the consequences will be unimaginable! The most urgent task is to seize the military power of Cheng and Han as soon as possible to prevent any changes!"

Chen Lan frowned, her fingers unconsciously stroking the rope wrapped around the sword hilt, sometimes gripping it tightly, sometimes loosening it.

He was well aware of the gravity of the situation, but he also knew that if Li Feng's information was flawed and he rashly got involved, it could lead to a mutiny, making the situation even more difficult to manage. Thirty-four thousand troops were sweeping in with overwhelming force, and Guangde City seemed within reach, yet infighting had broken out within his own army. What kind of mess was this?

"Bowell, please tell me the truth, are you lying to me?"

I'm lying to your mother!

Seeing that Chen Lan was still doubting him, Li Feng felt a surge of anger rush to his head, and he was so angry that he almost vomited blood. Suddenly, without saying a word, he took off his rhinoceros armor and robes, revealing his muscular body.

"What are you doing?" Chen Lan was dumbfounded.

After removing his armor, Li Feng knelt on the ground with a thud, pointed one finger to the sky, and said fiercely, "Heaven and Earth bear witness! If I have lied even a single word about Sun Bofu, I am willing to be pierced by ten thousand arrows and die without a burial place!"

The suspicion in Chen Lan's eyes gradually disappeared. Li Bowei had sworn an oath in front of him, how could he not believe it?

"In Bowei's opinion, what should we do now?" Although he was nine-tenths convinced, he was not entirely convinced and was unwilling to take responsibility easily, so he pushed the matter onto Li Feng.

Li Feng already had a plan in mind. He picked up his robe from the ground and put it on as he said, "Immediately lead the entire army to surround the East Camp! It would be best if we could seize the military power of Cheng and Han. If we can't, then stall them and immediately send a letter to Lord Jun and Lord Zhang, asking Lord Zhang to handle this personally. This matter cannot be delayed for even a moment, or things may change. You must know that this is the front line!"

Upon hearing this, Chen Lan breathed a slight sigh of relief. As long as he wasn't asked to immediately lead his troops to seize Cheng and Han's military power, he readily agreed.

The two donned armor and first ordered three thousand soldiers to guard the west and south gates of the stronghold, then led four thousand soldiers straight to the east stronghold.

Just as Cheng Pu and Han Dang were about to move more than 400 cavalrymen to another location, a scout reported that Li Feng and Chen Lan had already led their troops to seize two gates of the stockade and were heading straight for the eastern stockade.

The two men's expressions changed drastically. They hurriedly ordered the cavalry to return to the eastern camp and at the same time ordered the various units to be summoned.

After the military order was issued, the entire camp immediately erupted in excitement, with soldiers from all units rushing to the scene.

When Li Feng and Chen Lan led their 4,000 troops to Dongzhai, they saw that 5,000 or 6,000 people had already gathered on the opposite side, and their faces immediately turned as black as the bottom of a pot.

Both sides harbored their own ulterior motives and, without prior arrangement, simultaneously ordered their troops to form ranks.

The night was as dark as ink, and the two armies stood solemnly in formation, illuminated by torches, which startled the crows that were roosting there and caused them to scatter in all directions.

Li Feng spurred his horse forward, his eyes wide with rage, and roared, "Cheng Pu, Han Dang! With Sun Ce absent, I shall be in charge of the entire army. You two have not received my orders and have summoned your respective units in the dead of night. Are you plotting a rebellion?"

Cheng Pu was unaware of Sun's next decision and dared not offend Yuan Shu easily. He frowned slightly, rode forward, and said, "I saw the troops moving around in the camp and thought that the enemy was attacking at night, so I gathered my men."

Li Feng sneered, "You said Sun Ce left the camp, so why hasn't he returned yet!"

"General Sun has his own plans regarding when he leaves the camp and when he returns, and I dare not inquire further," Cheng Pu replied in a muffled voice.

Seeing that he was blatantly lying and refusing to admit it, Li Feng was filled with rage and shouted, "Stop talking nonsense! Sun Bofu has clearly been captured by Yan Yi!"

Upon hearing this, the surrounding soldiers were struck dumb, and a deathly silence fell instantly, followed by chaos.

Li Feng risked disrupting morale by speaking these words in public, precisely because he was pressured by the enemy's superior military strength and worried that he would lose control of the situation before Zhang Xun arrived with his army.

It should be noted that although Cheng Pu and Han Dang commanded 8,000 troops, 4,000 of them were originally Yuan's troops. Now that Sun Ce is not here, it is very likely that he will win over these 4,000 elite troops.

Han Dang's expression changed, and he spurred his horse to stand opposite Li Feng, shouting, "Bullshit! Bo Fu is the bravest warrior in the entire army, who doesn't know that? He's always the one who captures people, how could anyone capture him! What are you up to by spreading rumors and causing trouble here? If you have the guts, stand up and I'll fight you for eight hundred rounds!"

With just this one sentence, the commotion around them gradually subsided, demonstrating that Sun Ce's prestige and invincible image in the army had long been deeply ingrained in people's hearts.

Li Feng was furious upon hearing this. He gripped his spear tightly and was about to rush out, but Chen Lan stopped him.

Chen Lan took out a golden token from his waist pouch, raised it high, and shouted, "This is the token of General Fenwu! Seeing this token is as if the general himself has arrived! You all quickly step back and wait for me to enter the East Camp to take a look, and then we will know the truth!"

Cheng Pu and Han Dang exchanged glances, both seeing a hint of panic in each other's eyes. If they didn't stop it, the matter would be exposed in an instant; if they did stop it, disobeying military orders was a major taboo in the army!
Cheng Pu touched the hilt of the knife.

Han Dang understood and, forcing a smile, shouted, "Before General Sun left the camp, he ordered us to guard the east camp closely. No one may enter without your personal presence! We dare not disobey General Sun's order, and we regret that we cannot comply!"

Chen Lan's face suddenly turned ashen, and the muscles in her cheeks twitched slightly uncontrollably. She had completely believed Li Feng's words.

Sun Bofu has indeed fallen into enemy hands!
He glanced at the army formation behind Cheng and Han, raised the command token in his hand again, and said with a gloomy face: "The situation has changed. You two must immediately hand over your troops and go to General Fenwu to receive orders. This camp will be temporarily under the command of Li Feng!"

Han Dang, with his neck stiff, said, "This humble general bears a heavy responsibility on his shoulders. I dare not accept orders without General Sun's personal presence!"

Chen Lan flew into a rage, drew his sword, and was about to step forward.

This time, however, it was Li Feng who stopped him and gave him a wink.

Recalling their previous discussion, Chen Lan suppressed her anger, sheathed her sword with a clang, and shouted, "The entire army is stationed at the camp. Anyone who dares to disobey orders and leave the camp will be killed without mercy!"

After saying that, he turned his horse around and rode away. Li Feng glared at Han Dang, snorted coldly, and followed closely behind.

The four thousand troops then withdrew.

However, the conflict did not end with the withdrawal of Chen Lan and Li Feng's troops; instead, it escalated into an even more tense standoff.

Chen Lan led 3,000 troops to guard the south gate of the camp, while Li Feng led 3,500 troops to guard the west gate. They began to build defensive fortifications, blocking the way for Sun's troops.

Cheng Pu and Han Dang each led 4,000 troops to garrison the East and North camps, respectively. With Sun Ce not returning for several days, and under pressure from Li and Chen, soldiers began to defect to Li Feng.

The next day at noon, Chen Lan and Li Feng delivered a military report overnight to Zhang Xun's army. Zhang Xun was greatly alarmed upon seeing it and immediately ordered 10,000 troops to garrison various strongholds north of Guangde to intercept Guangde's army. He himself led 6,000 troops to garrison three miles east of Guangde's main camp to closely monitor the movements of Sun's troops.

As a result, Yuan Jun's battle plan underwent a radical adjustment, shifting from offense to defense.

Three days later, the military report from Li and Chen arrived in Shouchun. Yuan Shu was so angry that he smashed a fine jade inkstone on the spot and ordered Zhang Xun to take over Sun's troops immediately. Anyone who disobeyed the order would be killed without mercy!

At the same time, a noblewoman of about forty years old, carrying a beautifully sculpted little girl, quietly boarded a carriage in front of the Wu residence and headed towards the north gate of Qu'a.
(End of this chapter)