Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 215 Wang Lang on the left, Liu Bei on the right, Liu Yao on the chest, His Majesty on the back

In order to destroy all the ferry crossings between the Huai River and the Yangtze River, the Qiantang Navy took four days to reach the Ruxu River.

However, the results were also encouraging, with a total of seventeen large ferry crossings and water fortresses destroyed, and fifty-one medium and small ferry crossings destroyed.

This was a fatal blow to Yuan Shu, as the water transport system within his territory was almost paralyzed, effectively cutting off one of Yuan Shu's arms.

This alone forged an irreconcilable hatred between the Yuan and Yan families, and Yuan Shu's hatred for Yan Yi had risen to a level no less than that for Liu Biao and Yuan Shao.

The other forces closely watching this battle were dumbfounded; this was a move to utterly destroy Yuan Shu.

Cao Cao was filled with regret. If he hadn't been mired in the rebellion of Lü Bu and Zhang Miao, he would have loved to immediately march south and attack Yuan Shu! Now he could only watch helplessly, which was incredibly frustrating.

Even Liu Biao, who had been on the defensive against Yuan Shu, couldn't help but feel restless and try to kick him while he was down.

Amidst turbulent undercurrents, the Qiantang Navy sailed into the Yangtze River via the Ruxu River, beginning to blockade all waterways north of Danyang and gradually extending northwestward towards Danyang.

Quan Rou set up beacon towers on every warship and transferred 300 small boats and 20 riverboats from Qiantang Port to transport grain, fodder and weapons, while also patrolling the entire blockade area.

Six or seven hundred ships of various types lined up in the blockade area, patrolling and moving around. Once an anomaly was discovered in a certain place, a beacon tower was lit to summon nearby ships to join forces to drive it away.

As a result, Yuan Shu's supply lines for transporting grain to Jiangdong were completely cut off!
Yuan Shu initially thought that the Qiantang navy's surprise attack was merely to relieve pressure on the Guangde battlefield. However, as the Qiantang navy adopted a posture of blocking the Yangtze River, he finally realized the truth.

After all that, it turned out that Yan Yi had his sights set on the 20,000 elite troops he had sent to Guangde and the more than ten cities in Danyang.

Having figured out the enemy's strategic intentions, Yuan Shu suddenly felt mentally and physically exhausted.

That bastard Yan Yi just stabbed him in the back, and now he can't wait to stab him a second time?

You're addicted to poking, aren't you?

Filled with a complex mix of worry, panic, and anger, Yuan Shu summoned his civil and military officials three times in a single day to discuss countermeasures.

Yan Xiang still did not attend the meeting, but instead sent a message to Yuan Shu: "With the waterways cut off, the isolated army in Danyang is in dire straits, and its defeat is imminent and irreversible. The most urgent task is to adjust the strategy for managing Xuzhou and Yangzhou, shifting from offense to defense to resist any possible offensives from Liu Biao and Cao Cao. At the same time, we should develop our navy to prepare for preventing Yan Yi from crossing the river and seizing Huainan in the future."

Yuan Shu is going crazy. Dealing with Cao Cao and Liu Biao is already difficult enough, and now he has to add Yan Yi to the mix.
Five days ago, he would never have believed that Yan Yi posed a real threat to him. But now, he realized that what Yan Xiang said was no exaggeration.

But where was he supposed to get so much money to develop an online army all at once?
The current finances are already strained enough just to support an army of 100,000 and to keep up with his extravagant lifestyle.

In a state of extreme exhaustion, Yuan Shu summoned his officials for the third time today.

Zhongshi Palace, Chengyun Hall.

Yuan Shu sat on the tiger-skin mat, his back limp like a snake with its bones removed, his once-glorious gaze sweeping over the civil and military officials in the hall: "Gentlemen, the army of Guangde is running out of food. What should we do to save them?"

All the civil and military officials fell silent, turning their gazes to Yang Hong, who sat in the first seat on the left.

Yang Hong, who was now showing signs of replacing Yan Xiang, straightened his robes and stepped forward without hesitation, saying, "I have three strategies to offer to you, my lord. First, while the Qiantang navy has not yet completely blockaded the Lujiang waters, you can send a letter to the Zhou family. Ask them to mobilize the various tribes in Lujiang to collect grain and fodder and transport it to Guangde as soon as possible to relieve Guangde's urgent needs."

Secondly, the lord personally wrote to Xu Gong, asking him to borrow grain.

"Thirdly, raise funds to repair the damaged ferries and ports, purchase warships, and rebuild the navy."

Yuan Shu's spirits lifted, he sat up straight, and a long-lost smile gradually appeared on his worried face.

"A strategy to ward off evil is truly invaluable advice, and it resonates deeply with me!"

The civil and military officials in the hall nodded in agreement, as if drowning men had found a boat. Their dejected state vanished instantly, and they clapped and praised the move.

Yuan Shu leaned forward and asked again, "Where will this military funding be raised?"

Yang Hong lowered his eyelids, avoiding the question and giving off an air of "I don't know, don't ask me."

He was naturally unwilling to answer this question, or rather, dared not, for fear that Yuan Shu might, on a whim, entrust him with the task of amassing wealth. If that happened, not only would his reputation plummet, but he would also be embroiled in numerous troubles, and might even invite disaster.

Yuan Shu's long-term levies and extortions had aroused public resentment.

Not only did the common people hate him, but the gentry also gradually became alienated. The matter of forcibly levying grain and salaries on the Zhou family and other powerful clans alone provoked a great deal of open and covert resistance.

However, Yuan Shu himself was extravagant and unrestrained, his rewards and punishments were unbalanced, and he tolerated the corruption of his officials. In addition, the forced conscription of laborers led to the disruption of agricultural and sericultural seasons, the private minting of large coins (worth ten cash) caused currency chaos, and Liu Biao cut off the Yangtze River trade route. With the influence of these internal and external factors, the economy under his rule was on the verge of collapse.

Yuan Shu is now gradually falling into a vicious cycle of rampant taxation, economic collapse, widespread peasant uprisings, and subsequent military suppression. Historically, Chen Lin's proclamation against Yu Province stated: "Yuan Shu's occupation of Shouchun is like a lone pig trapped in a cauldron."

Yang Hong would have to be out of his mind to get involved in Yuan Shu's money-making schemes.

But there are also those who are not afraid of death, such as Li Ye, who is eager to rise to power.

In Li Ye's view, becoming Yuan Shu's tool for accumulating wealth would not only earn him Yuan Shu's favor, but also allow him to line his own pockets and make a fortune, a win-win situation.

"My lord, in my humble opinion, we should levy additional taxes on naval vessels and customs ports to alleviate this urgent crisis."

Li Ye, with a fawning expression on his face, eagerly adjusted his hat and stepped out, fearing that someone else would beat him to it.

Yuan Shu laughed loudly and said, "Excellent! I will leave this matter to you."

A glint of greed and delight flashed in Li Ye's eyes as he bowed respectfully and said, "I am willing to share your burdens, my lord!"

Yang Hong sighed softly, as if he could already see countless families being torn apart and people dying.

As the saying goes, money gives people courage. Having resolved the issue of military supplies, Yuan Shu's words suddenly became full of confidence. He waved his hand and asked, "Gentlemen, where do you think we should purchase warships?" Yang Hong's eyes flashed with a sharp light as he stepped forward and said, "I believe we should purchase ships simultaneously in Jiaozhou and Kuaiji. Yan Yi has long harbored ambitions to expand maritime trade in the South Seas, a matter strongly supported by Liu Biao. The governor of Jiaozhou, Zhu Fu, has a father, Zhu Jun, who served in the same court as you, and you have a long-standing friendship. You can use the ship purchase as an opportunity to cultivate a good relationship with Zhu Fu, thus hindering Yan Yi's expansion into the South Seas. In this way, you can thwart both Yan and Liu in one fell swoop."

"Furthermore, Yan Yi's power is growing stronger every day, and he cannot be controlled by one party alone. Wang Lang has a long-standing grudge against him, and their interests are incompatible. Your Excellency should unite with Wang Lang to jointly restrain Yan Yi!"

Yuan Shu looked at Yang Hong, who was speaking eloquently, and immediately forgot about Yan Xiang. The more he looked at him, the happier he became. He sighed and said, "Having Bi'e is like a blind man finding a sage or a candle for someone walking at night. I have no worries now! I will follow Bi'e's advice and immediately send letters to Xu Gong, Wang Lang, and Zhu Fu!"

"Your Majesty's judgment is truly divinely ordained!" Yang Hong bowed slightly, flattering Yuan Shu, and then cast a meaningful glance at Ji Ling before slowly saying, "The Envoy of the State, Ji Feng, is unparalleled in talent and eloquence, and holds his post with unwavering integrity. If he is sent on this mission, he will surely not fail Your Majesty's command."

Ji Feng was Ji Ling's cousin. His recommendation of Ji Feng for the mission was precisely to share the profits from purchasing the ships with Ji Ling. In this way, he could both cultivate a good relationship with Ji Ling, the top figure in the army, and also make a hefty profit.

Ji Ling, understanding the implied meaning behind the music, secretly returned Yang Hong's smile with a friendly one.

Yang Hong spoke up, and since it was Ji Ling's cousin, Yuan Shu had no reason to refuse and immediately agreed: "In that case, let Ji Feng go on the mission!"

Yang Hong sat back down on the couch with an air of composure, slightly turning his head to cast a disdainful glance at Li Ye, whose expression was gloomy. His gaze seemed to say, 'Idiot, now you know how to make money, right?'

Five days later, still shaken, Ji Feng disembarked at Longhe Ferry in Lou County, Wu Prefecture. He bought several lean horses at a nearby village pavilion and, with his entourage, rode towards Wu County.

To avoid the Qiantang Navy, he suffered greatly, drifting in the desolate open sea for three days, almost vomiting bile, before finally arriving at the waters off Lou County, completely exhausted.

Xu Gong was greatly surprised to hear that Yuan Shu had secretly sent an envoy, and he received Ji Feng in the guest hall of the official temple with a somewhat arrogant attitude.

His fear of Yuan Shu is not as strong as it was at the beginning of the year.

Yuan Shu's army suffered defeats at Guzhang and Guangde, and recently, the Qiantang navy has humiliated him, making him a laughingstock. Yuan Shu's power is no longer what it once was.

"My lord has specially dispatched me to deliver this letter to inquire after your well-being and to express his desire to establish friendly relations with you, so that we may turn hostility into friendship."

Ji Feng stood below the hall, presenting a scroll of documents with a somewhat arrogant expression. He had not yet recovered from the turmoil of the past few days; his face was pale, and his voice betrayed a hint of fatigue.

Xu Gong took the document and read it carefully. His fingers unconsciously traced the edge of the bamboo slip, as if he were thinking and weighing his options.

He had long awaited Yuan Shu's proposal to cease hostilities and negotiate peace. For the past six months, he had lived under constant pressure from the enemy's advance, feeling increasingly exhausted. Yuan Shu's proposal was exactly what he wanted.

Now, he controls Liu Yao internally and allies with Wang Lang externally, eager to establish his authority in Jiangdong. He can take advantage of this peace negotiation to promote himself and claim credit for Yuan Shu's retreat.

Xu Gong carefully considered his words and slowly said, "Recently, Governor Liu, concerned for the common people, ordered Gonglu to cease hostilities. Now, Gonglu, understanding the greater good, is willing to follow the will of Heaven and the people and make peace. This is a blessing for the two prefectures of Yu and Yang. I, as an official, should uphold Governor Liu's love for the people and agree to this matter on his behalf."

Ji Feng opened his eyes wide and stared at Xu Gong in astonishment, stunned by his shamelessness.

Bullshit! When did Liu Yao send a letter to the Lord? And you, Xu Gong, what are you? If the Lord hadn't wanted to rescue the army of Guangde, would he have agreed to a truce with you? Keep dreaming!

Ji Feng and Xu Gong exchanged meaningful glances and gradually realized that the other party wanted to use this matter to stage a political show.

He needed a favor from Xu Gong and didn't want to waste time arguing over such matters. After giving a vague reply, he explained the purpose of his trip: "This year, Danyang has had a poor harvest, and the people are starving. Shouchun is far away, and relief grain is hard to deliver in a short time. I dare to ask the Prefect to lend me 100,000 shi of grain to help with the current difficulties. If you kindly agree, my lord is willing to repay you double within half a year."

Xu Gong then understood the other party's true intentions and sneered inwardly. Was it to borrow grain for the people or for the army of Guangde?

He pretended to think for a moment, then sighed and said, "To be honest, this year our county also suffered from natural disasters, and our granaries are empty. It's not that I don't want to help with the highway project, but I simply can't do it."

Ji Feng's face immediately darkened, but he was already mentally prepared and quickly recovered from his disappointment. He gritted his teeth and said, "If the Prefect is willing to lend grain, my lord is willing to return Qu'a to the Prefect. I wonder what your opinion is?"

Upon hearing this, Xu Gong suddenly raised his half-closed eyelids, seemingly not expecting Yuan Shu to offer such conditions, and a hint of excitement flashed in his eyes.

He pondered for a long time before picking up a teacup from the table, holding it in his hand and slowly turning it around. Finally, he sighed and said, "How could I not know the suffering of the people of Danyang? I also wish to lend grain to Gonglu, but the granaries are only enough to feed this county. I am truly powerless to do so. I hope that you, Lord Ji, will convey my shame."

Xu Gong genuinely wanted to borrow grain in exchange for the return of Qu'a. However, since welcoming Liu Yao, he had always considered himself the 'leader' of the various counties in Jiangdong, dedicating himself to resisting Yuan Shao and Wu Qi. If word got out about his grain request, his reputation and image would be completely ruined.

Furthermore, Qu'a's defenses are practically nonexistent now. After the Yuan army in Guangde is defeated, he can personally lead his troops to recapture Qu'a. Wouldn't that be ten times better than exchanging grain for the city?
Having thought of this, Xu Gong already had a plan in mind, and no matter how much Ji Feng tried to persuade him, he simply made excuses.

Ji Feng was extremely disappointed. The thought of not being able to explain himself to Yuan Shu filled him with fear. He said in a deep voice, "Our lord has been a high-ranking official for four generations, and is highly respected throughout the land. He commands 100,000 armored soldiers. If you, my lord, are willing to lend a helping hand today, he will surely reward you handsomely in the future. Wouldn't you then have gained a powerful ally? As the saying goes, 'How can one allow another to snore beside one's bed?' With Yan Yi's wolfish ambition, how could he possibly let you off the hook in the future?"

Xu Gong's expression changed drastically, and he sneered, "The affairs of Jiangdong will be handled by the people of Jiangdong; you need not worry about it."

How could he not be aware of Yan Yi's ambition? How could he not make preparations?

People only know that he and Wang Lang were in perfect harmony and exchanging glances, but they don't know that he had secretly reached a cooperation agreement with Liu Bei.

With Liu Bei about to take control of Xuzhou, and being a descendant of the imperial family and a member of the Han imperial clan, he was exactly the ideal partner in Liu Bei's mind.

Now he has Wang Lang on his left, Liu Bei on his right, Liu Yao under his control, and His Majesty behind him. Yan Yi is nothing!

As Xu Gong considered his plan, a hint of self-satisfaction appeared between his brows.

He sat upright on the mat, his back straight as a pine tree, his demeanor calm and composed, exuding an air of strategizing and winning battles from afar.

"Someone, see the guest out!" Xu Gong said calmly.

When Ji Feng saw that he had given the order to leave, he snorted coldly, flicked his sleeves, and left in anger.

After seeing Ji Feng off, Li Yi returned to the hall and stood beside Wang Lang, whispering, "My lord, this man is right about one thing: Yan Yi is a wolf in sheep's clothing, and we must be wary of him. Now that Yan Yi is leading troops outside, why don't you join forces with Wang Lang and Yuan Shu to attack him? If we use the Kuaiji navy to defeat the Qiantang navy, we can relieve Yuan Shu's siege and make him hold back Yan Yi's main force. You can then attack Wucheng, and Prefect Wang can attack Qiantang. That traitor Yan can be wiped out in no time!"

"Wang Jingxing is unwilling to send troops, what can we do? I wonder what kind of spell Xu Jing has cast on him!" Xu Gong snorted coldly, his gaze deep: "It's not too late to attack Yan the traitor after Liu Bei has taken control of Xuzhou!"

(End of this chapter)