Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 220 Governing by Taking Control of the River
As the weather grew colder day by day, and frost began to form in many places, the official roads in Huainan were busier than ever. Carriages and horses rumbled, and dust billowed everywhere, carrying migrants moving south with their families.

Hengjiangjin was a major ferry crossing for migrants to cross the Yangtze River to the south. Located 25 li southeast of Liyang, opposite Niuzhuji to the east, it was a crucial crossing point for crossing the Yangtze River.

Niuzhuji and Hengjiangjin are both historically famous.

During the Eastern Wu period, Niuzhuji was renamed Caishiji after a monk unearthed a five-colored gemstone while digging a well there. Over the next thousand years, this strategically important location on the Yangtze River crossing route witnessed numerous major battles, including the Sui Dynasty's conquest of the Chen Dynasty, the Northern Song Dynasty's conquest of the Southern Tang Dynasty, the Southern Song Dynasty's defeat of the Jin Dynasty by Yu Yunwen, and the Yuan Dynasty's defeat of the Yuan army by Zhu Yuanzhang and Chen Youliang.

Hengjiangjin was the starting point for Sun Ce's sweep across Jiangdong. Here, the Little Conqueror of Jiangdong defeated Liu Yao's generals Fan Neng and Yu Mi, and successfully crossed the river.

However, Yan Yi's time travel changed everything; this area is now under the control of the Yan family. As long as Yan Yi can occupy Moling, which is later known as Nanjing, he can completely control this river region.

At midday, a tide of migrants poured into Hengjiangjin Wharf from the official road, crowding the muddy tidal flats and craning their necks to look towards the south bank of the Yangtze River.

The Qiantang Navy ended its blockade of the Yangtze River and began to take on the task of transporting and protecting migrants.

"Those holding certificates are on the left! Those registered in exile are on the right!"

“Don’t push!”

"Full, wait for the next ship!"

Boarding planks were erected on both sides of the dock, with more than ten burly soldiers standing in front of each plank, doing their best to maintain order during boarding.

A hot-tempered soldier raised his whip, about to lash out at several burly men who were shoving him forward, when he suddenly remembered the military order against harming civilians. His arm, raised in mid-air, froze, and he stepped in front of the men, gripping his sword and shouting, "Get to the back of the line! If you disrupt the order, don't blame this sword at my waist for not recognizing anyone!"

The men retreated dejectedly.

Another soldier spotted a woman carrying a baby, swaying back and forth in the crowd. He rushed forward, helped her onto the deck, and shouted, "Don't push! Let the women, children, and the elderly board first!"

"Raise the sails! Prepare to set sail!"

A moment later, commands rang out, and the boarding planks were pulled away from the dock one after another. Twenty lead-gray riverboats broke through the waves and slowly sailed towards the opposite bank.

On the opposite bank of the Hengjiang River, hundreds of Yan soldiers are shuttling back and forth between Yuhu County and the ferry crossing, escorting batches of immigrants into the city.

Yuhu is located forty li north of Chungu. It was the first city to be occupied by Yan Jun after Yongping.

Yan Jun was so eager to control Yu Lake for two reasons. First, he wanted to prevent Zu Lang from taking advantage of the Yuan army's defeat to expand his power to the north. Second, Yu Lake was also the only route for immigrants entering the cities under Yan Yi's rule.

The second city that urgently needs to be captured is Jurong.

Jurong is strategically located east of Moling and west of Qu'a and Wujin, controlling the throat of three cities and guarding the northern border of Dan and Wu prefectures. Its strategic position is of paramount importance.

After Yan Yi captured Yongping, he appointed Zhou Ang as general to attack Yuhu to the west, while he himself led the main force straight to Jurong.

But not long after he left Yongping, another army began to stir, attempting to carve up Yuan's territory.

Wu County, Wu County, official temple.

The candles in the main hall of the front yard were lit one by one, and the orange light instantly dispelled the darkness and illuminated the four corners.

Xu Gong, dressed in a loose robe, gripped a scroll of bamboo slips tightly in his hands with slightly bulging veins. His flushed face was filled with excitement as he strode into the hall.

Upon seeing Li Yi's figure, he impatiently issued an order: "Send word to Gu Cheng, the Colonel of Piling, and Ling Feng, the Colonel of Hengjiang, ordering them to immediately lead their troops to capture the three cities of Qu'a, Jurong, and Wujin!"

Xu Gong was loyal to the Han Dynasty and adhered to his duties as a subject, never overstepping the official system. Among the military officers under his command, there was only a Commandant to lead the troops of the prefecture, and below the Commandant was a Colonel, whose rank was no more than a thousand shi.

However, his troops were all expanded, with a single battalion having six or seven thousand soldiers, almost two or three times the size of other forces' armies.

Although Gu Cheng and Ling Feng were only captains, the total number of their troops was as high as 12,000.

Li Yi bowed and stood up. Looking at Xu Gong, who was in a state of excitement, he felt a pang of anxiety and advised, "My lord, Yan Yi's military strength is at its peak. It would not be the best course of action to clash with him at this time."

He agreed with Xu Gong's decision to send troops to attack Yan Yi, but that was on the premise that Wang Lang would also send troops, not that Xu Gong would act alone.

Xu Gong was in high spirits when he was suddenly doused with cold water. After a slight pause, anger flashed between his brows, and he said sternly, "All three cities are former territory of Wu Commandery. As the governor of Wu Commandery, it is only right and proper for me to reclaim my own territory! Even if I were to speak to His Majesty, it would be perfectly reasonable! What does it have to do with Yan Yi?"

Ever since Wu Jing captured Qu'a, he has been filled with worry and remorse, feeling ashamed for failing His Majesty's trust. Now that the rebel Yuan has been defeated and the three cities are empty, this is a heaven-sent opportunity to reclaim our territory. How can we let it slip by?
Once he recovers Qu'a and Wujin, Wu Commandery can be connected with Xuzhou, providing mutual support. Furthermore, by controlling the strategic pass of Jurong to choke Yanjun, he can effectively attack and defend, keeping all military strategies firmly in his grasp.

Seeing that he was determined to reclaim his homeland without considering the actual situation, Li Yi was even more worried. Ignoring his rebuke, he advised again, "My lord, please think it over. The time for a major battle is not yet ripe. If we anger Yan Yi and he launches an attack, even if we take three cities, we will not be able to hold them and will only damage our army's morale."

"I've already planned this!" Xu Gong snorted coldly, looking confident. "Winter is coming, and bandits will ravage the land. If Yan Yi acts against the will of Heaven, ignoring internal troubles, he's only courting defeat. If he's a smart man, he would never start a war at this time. By next spring, when everything is ready, what do I have to fear from him?"

Li Yi was taken aback upon hearing this, his lips unconsciously opening and closing twice. For a moment, he felt that Xu Gong's words made some sense, and he stammered, "Your Excellency is wise and far-sighted, I am in awe."

Seeing the admiring look on his face, Xu Gong was extremely pleased with himself. He stroked his long beard and laughed loudly, "Go and get on with your business!"

Li Yi bowed and withdrew.

That night, several fast horses galloped out of Wu County, heading straight for Piling and Wuxi.

The next morning, as dawn broke, Gu Cheng led six thousand elite troops northward, heading straight for Qu'a and Wujin. Ling Feng, on the other hand, led six thousand troops westward, intending to capture Jurong.

Yuan's elite troops were wiped out, and the combined garrison of the three cities numbered less than five thousand. They had all gathered in Moling, waiting to return to Huainan by boat. Faced with such weak defenses, Gu Cheng's forces easily captured Qu'a and Wujin with almost no bloodshed.

Ling Feng's troops encountered no resistance from Yuan's army and advanced straight towards Jurong.

When the news reached Yan Yi's central command tent, it immediately drew shouts of battle.

Chen Gan's hair stood on end, his face instantly turning purplish-red. He abruptly stood up and shouted, "Xu Gong, you old dog! We fought a bloody battle in Guangde for a month, and you're hiding here reaping the benefits! Young Master, I am willing to be the vanguard and capture three cities for you!"

Zhao Cuo spat out the blade of grass he was holding in his mouth and stomped on it twice: "Shameless scoundrel, daring to call yourself a renowned scholar of Wu County!"

Lu Fan knew Xu Gong's background quite well, and chuckled, "What you may not know is that Xu Gong's ancestors started out as tomb raiders, and they were most skilled at doing such petty theft."

Sun Ce gripped the hilt of his sword tightly with his five fingers, remaining silent, but his tiger-like eyes burned with suppressed rage.

Xu Sheng pursed his thin lips into a sharp line, his eyes fixed on Yan Yi, as if he would tear Xu Gong apart at the slightest command.

The other generals were also filled with righteous indignation and loudly requested to fight.

Yan Yi skillfully toyed with a military tally in his hand, his expression calm and composed, except for his thick, bushy eyebrows, which were slightly raised, like two sharp blades thrusting upwards. When his fingers stopped moving, the previously noisy tent instantly fell silent.

"Zhou Yu and Lü Fan, you two will lead two thousand troops to take over Moling."

"Sun Ce, Xu Sheng, and Chen Gan, you three will lead 5,000 infantry and the Longxiang Battalion to raid the area north of Piling, control all key roads, and prevent any enemy reinforcements from passing through."

"The rest of the generals, follow me to capture Jurong."

His stern and sharp gaze swept across the left and right before he gave the order in a deep voice.

The generals responded loudly and filed out of the military tent.

Shortly afterward, the army split into three parts. One part turned east and headed towards Piling, another part turned onto another official road and headed straight for Moling, while the central army continued to march towards Jurong.

At 9:00 AM, the central army approached Jurong, less than ten li from the city.

Three miles southeast of Jurong, Ling Feng reined in his horse and stopped on a low hill, his warhorse snorting restlessly.

He gazed at the outline of the city so close at hand, his face showing no joy but rather a hint of fear, as if the empty city before him were a primordial beast.

Entering the city is easy, but leaving is difficult. Although our army was able to seize Jurong first, we did not set up any reinforcements. How can we resist Yan's army of tens of thousands of elite troops?
Xu Gong was unfamiliar with military affairs and may lack sufficient understanding of the enemy's combat capabilities, but he was aware of the disparity between the two armies. Once the enemy surrounded Jurong, even if he grew wings, he would not be able to fly away.

However, if he passes through the city without entering, and this gets back to Xu Gong, he will surely be punished.

Ling Feng's brows furrowed more and more, caught in a deep dilemma. Just as he was in a dilemma, a scout suddenly came galloping towards him. From the frequent waving of the whip, he knew it must be urgent military news.

"Reporting to the captain, the enemy force of over five thousand has turned east and is heading straight for Piling. The generals leading the army appear to be Sun Ce and Xu Sheng."

Ling Feng's expression changed drastically, and the hesitation in his eyes turned into fear. His fingers nervously rubbed the riding whip, and he secretly felt a bit resentful towards Xu Gongsheng.

My lord is not prepared for a major battle at all. Does he think he can easily capture three cities with a mere 12,000 troops? Does he really think the enemy is a clay puppet?

Admittedly, with winter approaching, the enemy is unlikely to launch a major offensive. However, the ten days or so before the north wind rises are enough to deal with our mere ten thousand or so troops.

A general should know when to advance and retreat, and the best strategy is to protect his soldiers and the entire army. It is essential to understand that military strategy states: "If you are few, you can escape; if you are weak, you can avoid." Passing a city without entering is not cowardice, but rather the wisdom of knowing both oneself and the enemy.

Ling Feng silently comforted himself, but the thought of retreating surged within him like a tidal wave. He gritted his teeth, about to give the order, when suddenly he remembered something: 'If I retreat, what will happen to Gu Cheng?'

Gu Cheng is a member of the Gu family of Wu County, a noble family with a distinguished lineage. If I were to sell him, what good would come of it when I returned home?
Ling Feng was caught in a dilemma, extremely conflicted. After much deliberation, under the watchful eyes of his subordinates, he finally clenched his fist and ordered, "The entire army marches south at full speed to intercept Sun Ce's forces. Immediately report the situation at the front to the Prefect and request him to reinforce Piling to prevent the enemy from advancing south. Also, notify Gu Cheng to retreat immediately!"

After the military order was issued, he relaxed completely, a ruthless look appeared on his face, and he led his troops westward towards Piling.

So what if it's Sun Ce? So what if it's Xu Sheng? I, Ling Zhongwei, am not easily intimidated!
Two hours later, Ling Feng's troops arrived at a camp seventeen miles west of Piling and hastily set up a defensive line before the enemy arrived.

Fifteen minutes later, the ground began to tremble slightly, and a muffled rumble of thunder could be heard.

Ling Feng's heart clenched instantly, knowing that the one coming must be the renowned Longxiang Battalion, famous throughout Jiangdong.

He had no idea how to deal with this cavalry force, and for now, the only option was to hold the camp.

Soon, dust rose on the horizon, and iron cavalry appeared like a surging tide, sweeping in without pause, heading straight east with the force of thunder.

Ling Feng's face turned pale instantly, and his hand holding the riding whip trembled uncontrollably. The enemy cavalry circled around the stockade, clearly intending to cut off his escape route and trap him to death in this isolated stockade.

But he had no time to think too much or make any adjustments, because a dark mass of infantry was rapidly approaching from the west of the camp, stopping at point 500 and beginning preparations to attack the camp.

Sun Ce rode his horse to the front of the formation, turned to look at Chen Gan beside him, and asked with a slight hesitation, "Young Master and Xu Gong are allies, do you really intend to attack the camp?"

Chen Gan drew his sword, gazed at the camp ahead, and said nonchalantly, "Since Young Master has ordered us to blockade the northern route of Piling, then we're serious. Let's attack! If the sky falls, Young Master will hold it up!"

Sun Ce nodded slightly, said no more, and said in a deep voice: "It's just a small outer stronghold, it won't be difficult to take it. You lead your troops to feign an attack on the north gate to lure the enemy to reinforce. After I start attacking the west gate, you must fight to the death to entangle the enemy and prevent them from returning to reinforce. Leave the rest to me."

Seeing the raging flames of war in his eyes, Chen Gan couldn't wait to clasp his hands in salute and lead his 2,500 troops north of the camp, leaving his most elite 2,500 troops to Sun Ce.

Two quarters of an hour passed in the blink of an eye, and suddenly a deafening battle cry erupted from the north of the village, gradually escalating into a fierce battle.

Troops within the stronghold began to be mobilized.

Sun Ce waited another quarter of an hour before shouting, "Put on your armor!"

Fifteen hundred infantrymen in lamellar armor quickly took pieces of double-layered armor from their packhorses and put them on over their lamellar armor, completing the heavy infantry's uniform in the blink of an eye.

"Attack! No retreat, advance!"

Sun Ce suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at the south gate of the camp.

Fifteen minutes later, Sun Ce's troops stormed into the south gate of the camp.

Sun Ce did not rush to annihilate the enemy, but maintained a tight formation and drove the enemy troops toward the east gate.

Faced with the obvious disparity in combat strength and the fear of death, the morale of Ling Feng's soldiers crumbled like a tide, and they retreated eastward from the camp, ignoring Ling Feng's loud orders.

Sun Ce forced the enemy out of their camp before joining forces with Xu Sheng's troops to annihilate them.

As dusk fell, Ling Feng's troops went from retreat to rout, with soldiers scattering in all directions under the cover of night, their ranks completely broken.

Ling Feng, disheveled and covered in blood, led several hundred fleeing soldiers as they fled towards Piling City.

All the way, his heart was still bleeding. He wondered if it was worth it to do so hard and risk his life to cover Gu Cheng's retreat.

Fortunately, Gu Cheng withdrew to Piling in time, preventing his sacrifice from being in vain.

The feeling of gaining and then losing Qu'a and Wujin is truly heartbreaking.

For the next two days, Gu and Ling, who were terrified, held their ground in the city and stayed inside, watching helplessly as Yan Yi's army captured several cities around Jurong one by one.

The eight cities left behind by Yuan's army after their withdrawal fell into the hands of the Yan family, and Yan Yi's sphere of influence extended to the south bank of the Yangtze River, firmly controlling the lower reaches of the Yangtze River with Moling as its center.

(End of this chapter)