Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 245 On the 22nd day of the second month of spring, we took Lingyang!
The grand occasion of the Qian Yuan Society spread by word of mouth and quickly became a hot topic of conversation in the streets and alleys of Jiangdong.

Yan Yi's prowess further overshadowed Xu Gong and Wang Lang, making him a symbolic figure of Jiangdong. Whenever people mentioned Jiangdong, he was often the first person they thought of.

This situation put a lot of psychological pressure on Xu Gong, Wang Lang, and Liu Yao.

They were clearly the ones with the advantage, and most people thought they would win, so why were they in such a passive position?
Liu Yao stood on the shore of Zhenze Lake, pondering this question deeply.

A cold north wind swept across the surface of Zhenze Lake, creating ripples that stung his face like a knife.

Zhenze, with its vast expanse of blue water and misty landscape, has always been a scenic spot in Jiangdong, which is why Liu Yao chose it as the venue for the grand ceremony.

Ten days or so have passed, and the construction of the venue continues intermittently, sometimes fast and sometimes slow, just like Liu Yao's fluctuating emotions.

The craftsmen were whispering among themselves that if the construction wasn't accelerated soon, the grand Yangzhou event, which was all talk and no action, might not be able to take place.

In just over two weeks, it will be the Spring Festival. On that day of family reunion, who would be interested in attending any grand ceremony in Yangzhou?

Wu He, the junior craftsman of the Wu County Workshop, was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. The planned construction had not been completed on schedule. Should the responsibility fall on him or on the cold-faced governor of Yangzhou?

With a forced smile, he inquired, "Your Excellency, the surveying and mapping of the various branch venues, including the distance measurement drum carts, has been completed. The next step is ramming the earth. I humbly request permission to begin work today."

Liu Yao did not answer, but looked at the Zhenze Lake, where the water and sky merged into one, with a displeased expression.

Yesterday, a scout who had returned from collecting local customs reported to him that the people of Wu County had given this grand Yangzhou ceremony a four-character name during their leisure time.

"Which four characters?" Liu Yao asked with great interest at the time.

The scout avoided eye contact and stammered, "It's like Dong Shi imitating Xi Shi."

Upon hearing those four words, Liu Yao trembled with rage and tossed and turned all night, unable to sleep. He even had a nightmare in which a group of people chased after him, shouting, "Ugly monster!"

He woke up the next morning feeling somewhat lost, and it wasn't until he arrived at the shore of Zhenze Lake and felt the cold wind that he regained some of his spirits.

"If we go all out on construction, how many more days will it take to complete the site?" Faced with Wu He's question, Liu Yao remained silent for a long time before asking a question that chilled Wu He to the bone: "How much more will it cost for labor and materials?"

"Don't you know how much it will cost?" Wu He roared inwardly, suddenly recalling Liu Yao's instruction ten days ago regarding the venue construction: "No matter how much it costs, it must be completed on schedule."

Only ten days have passed, and the governor is already having second thoughts?
Wu He glanced at Liu Yao furtively, a hint of disdain rising in his heart, but his expression remained respectful as usual: "Reporting to Your Excellency, if we work at full capacity, it can be completed in twenty days, but it will still cost approximately thirty million coins."

Liu Yao was indeed scared; right now, he was like someone taking a gamble.

This gamble has barely begun, yet it's already showing signs of trouble. If he withdraws now, it's not too late; at worst, he'll only suffer some reputational damage. But if he goes all the way down this path, and the grand event doesn't go well, he'll truly lose everything.

"Why can the Qian Yuan venue be built in just over ten days, while ours takes thirty days?" He asked, his brows furrowed.

Wu He smiled bitterly: "My lord, you are unaware that Yan Yi mobilized nearly ten thousand troops to expedite the construction of the venue. We are currently only advancing this matter by conscripting laborers, which is why it has been so slow."

Liu Yao felt a surge of frustration welling up inside him, and he couldn't speak for a long time.

Perhaps because he was pessimistic about the prospects of the Yangzhou ceremony, Xu Gong remained completely uninvolved in the matter.

If Liu Yao wanted to speed up the construction process, he would have no choice but to use his own troops.

But these troops were his precious treasures, each a vital town, where a single move could affect the whole situation, and they could not be easily mobilized. How could he have time to repair the venue?

After considering for a long time, Liu Yao waved his hand impatiently and wearily: "Construction is suspended. You can leave now and wait for my notification."

Damn it, the emperor isn't worried, but the eunuch is. Xu Gong, the real person in charge of Wu County, doesn't even care, so why is he meddling in this?

He planned to return to the city and have an open and honest talk with Xu Gong. If he still couldn't get Xu Gong's support, he would have no choice but to give up.

After making this decision, Liu Yao felt as if a heavy burden had been lifted from his shoulders. He was no longer flustered, and his steps became more brisk. He spurred his horse on, taking it as a way to clear his mind, and returned to Wu County at a leisurely pace.

This world is often strange like this: the more you want something, the more difficult it becomes. On the contrary, when you lie down and relax, surprises often appear unexpectedly.

Liu Yao returned to his residence, and before he could even sit down, a servant came to report: "Your Excellency, a man has arrived outside the residence. He claims to be Taishi Ci from Donglai, saying that he and Your Excellency are from the same hometown and have come to pay him a visit."

Liu Yao was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Quickly, invite him in."

Taishi Ci and he were not from the same hometown, but only from the same prefecture. However, Taishi Ci had recently done a great thing: when the Yellow Turban rebels besieged Beihai, he rode out of the city alone, broke through the encirclement, and brought reinforcements for Kong Rong, the chancellor of Beihai, who then defeated the rebels and lifted the siege of Beihai.

This story was spread by Kong Rong, Liu Bei and others, and Taishi Ci's reputation gradually rose in the Jianghuai region.

At this time, Liu Yao was living under someone else's roof, his ambitions were thwarted, and he was in a difficult situation. However, Taishi Ci did not look down on him because of his weakness, but resolutely came to join him, which made Liu Yao overjoyed.

A short while later, a close attendant led a tall man, eight feet tall with a beautiful beard, into the main hall.

This burly man was about thirty years old, with a majestic and resolute appearance. His eyebrows and eyes were sharp and clear, exuding a piercing aura. Perhaps due to his frequent use of drawing a strong bow, his arms were exceptionally muscular, his knuckles were as thick as walnuts, and his palms were covered with layers of calluses, giving the impression that these hands, once placed on the bowstring, could hit a target from a hundred paces away.

Liu Yao had not seen Taishi Ci for three years, and seeing him as robust as ever, his fondness for him grew even stronger. Before Taishi Ci could even approach, Liu Yao strode forward to greet him, saying, "Ziyi, it's been so many years! I've missed you terribly."

Taishi Ci knelt on one knee, clasped his hands in greeting, and said, "My lord, how have you been?"

Liu Yao quickly helped him up, and after asking him about his well-being, a look of curiosity appeared on his face: "I recently received a letter from Ziyi saying that he would arrive in April. Why did you travel day and night to arrive ahead of schedule? The year is drawing to a close, and the whole family should be reunited, but because of me, your mother is left waiting anxiously by the gate. I am truly at ease."

Taishi Ci smiled slightly, an old scar running diagonally across his left forehead between his brows, trembling slightly as he spoke, adding to his battlefield fierceness: "My mother heard of your distress, my lord, and specially ordered me to travel day and night to serve under your command as soon as possible."

Although Liu Yao and Taishi Ci both came from Donglai, he had only heard of Taishi Ci's bravery and had never witnessed it firsthand, so he did not place high expectations on him. Instead, he was deeply moved by Taishi Ci's timely act of kindness. His eyes reddened, and he could barely speak. He sighed deeply, his brow furrowed with melancholy, and said slowly, "Before Ziyi, I will not speak falsely. My current situation is truly difficult to explain in words."

With long sighs and deep exclamations, he poured out all the worries that had been building up for so long.

Taishi Ci listened quietly as he finished speaking, then raised his thick eyebrows: "Your Excellency bears the weight of this region and the hopes of the people. How can you remain under Xu Gong's command for long? In my opinion, Xu Gong is timid by nature and no match for Yan Yi. I dare to suggest that Your Excellency should plan ahead and devise a better strategy."

Liu Yao subconsciously looked around and saw that he was surrounded by his trusted confidants. He let out a breath and nodded slightly: "Now that I think about it, my coming to Wu County was a mistake. Ziyi, you have a brilliant idea. Do you have any good advice for me?"

Taishi Ci, who harbored lofty ambitions, could tolerate serving under Liu Yao out of loyalty. However, he was unwilling to submit to Xu Gong's wishes and immediately said sternly, "Jiujiang originally belonged to Yangzhou, and it is rightfully yours to possess it. I recently heard that Liu Biao is about to raise an army to attack Yuan Shu. Why don't you take advantage of their battle to seize Jiujiang as your base?"

Seeing Liu Yao remain silent in thought, he continued to persuade him: "Liu Jingsheng and Liu Xuande are both descendants of the Han imperial family and have always respected the court. You, my lord, are the governor of Yangzhou appointed by the emperor. After Yuan Shu is pacified, you will divide the territory with the two Lius and they will treat you with courtesy. You can stay in the governor's office and observe the changes in the situation."

Liu Yao's face showed interest. He exchanged a glance with his confidants and said with a smile, "Ziyi's plan is indeed a golden suggestion. However, this matter is of great importance and requires careful consideration. Let's set aside politics for today and focus on welcoming Ziyi."

That evening, he hosted a banquet at his residence to entertain Taishi Ci. He also appointed Taishi Ci as a separate commander and specially assigned four hundred of his elite troops to his command.

After settling Taishi Ci in, Liu Yao went to see Xu Gong to discuss the grand ceremony.

Xu Gong was not optimistic about this matter and patiently advised, "Zhengli, it is too rushed at the end of the year to prepare a grand ceremony. Next spring, we will need to supervise agricultural work and guard against Yan Yi's invasion. Even if we do our best to prepare, we may not be able to gather guests. I think it is better to focus on spring plowing and war preparations, which is the most urgent task."

Liu Yao felt a chill run down his spine. He lowered his head, a sinister glint in his eyes, and said in a deep voice, "However, I have already dispatched envoys to all the prefectures and counties, and sent out invitations widely. If we abandon this course halfway, I fear we will lose credibility and fail to live up to public expectations."

Xu Gong's patience was wearing thin. He frowned and said, "Since the invitations have been sent, let's proceed as planned. However, there's no need to build a new venue. Horse riding, archery, and martial arts competitions can be held in the military camp. As for the poetry, music, and dance gathering, a spacious mansion will suffice. What does Zhengli think?"

Liu Yao was stunned upon hearing this, then nearly vomited blood from anger. "You, Xu Boqian, you really know how to save money!"

He took a few deep breaths, recalling Taishi Ci's suggestion from yesterday. Suppressing his anger, he nodded and said, "In that case, we will follow Boqian's advice. I still have some official business to attend to in my residence, so please allow me to take my leave first."

After saying that, he got up and left the table. Before he had even settled in, he took his leave.

Xu Gong noticed the displeasure on his face, but didn't take it seriously. He absentmindedly responded, raised his buttocks slightly as a symbolic gesture, and then sat down again.

Liu Yao was nothing more than a dog he kept. If he was neglected for a few days and fed less, he would naturally become obedient.

What worried him was something else entirely.

After Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Rui Liang, and other generals joined his ranks, his lack of capable advisors was greatly alleviated. Zhou Tai and the others were also very loyal to him and always considered his needs, which made him very gratified.

For some reason, former military officers such as Sun Xiao, Gu Cheng, and Ling Feng were very hostile to Zhou Tai and his group. The two sides had several disputes, and once they even came to blows, which gave him a lot of headaches.

Xu Gong originally intended to have Zhou Tai assist Sun Xiao, Jiang Qin support Gu Cheng, and Rui Liang aid Ling Feng. This way, he could gain the strength of the three men while also preventing them from harboring rebellious intentions, a win-win strategy.

However, at this moment, he had to make other arrangements, letting Zhou Tai and the other two guard one side alone, so as to avoid causing trouble with Sun Xiao and the others again.

However, deciding where to assign these three people to govern requires careful consideration.

The matter was of great importance, so Xu Gong pondered it while ordering someone to bring him a map of Wu Commandery, which he studied carefully, completely forgetting about Liu Yao's trivial matter.

He stared intently for half an hour, but still couldn't make up his mind, feeling his eyelids twitching violently.

After careful consideration, Xu Gong finally made a decision and issued several imperial edicts.

"Zhou Tai, the Left Sima, is commendable for his loyalty and bravery. He has repeatedly achieved great feats in suppressing bandits and has been skilled in training his soldiers. He is now specially promoted to the rank of Martial and Fierce Colonel, commanding 3,000 elite troops to guard the strategic pass of Youquan and secure the border. He is also granted 30 sets of fish-scale armor, 100 hundred-times-forged ring-pommel swords, and 300 horn bows to commend his military achievements and encourage the entire army."

"Right Sima Jiang Qin is hereby specially promoted to Colonel of Loyalty and Righteousness, leading 3,000 troops to guard the Imperial Pavilion."

"Zuo Jun Sima Rui Liang is now specially promoted to Dingwei Colonel."

Just as Xu Gong issued the imperial decree, Zhou Tai was hosting a banquet in his mansion, where he was drinking and exchanging toasts with more than ten valiant generals, including Jiang Qin, Rui Liang, Tao Ji, and Shi Fang.

Those who came to the banquet had one thing in common: they were all newly appointed servants of Xu Gong.

Xu Gong's concerns were not unfounded; Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, and Sun Xiao had indeed reached a point of irreconcilable conflict. The reason for this situation was not primarily due to the old generals' rejection of the new ones, but rather the deliberate provocation by Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin.

Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin knew very well that if they led troops under Sun Xiao and others, it would be difficult to complete the task assigned by Yan Yi.

Although Sun Xiao and his men were not skilled generals, they had deep roots in the army and many followers, making it difficult for them to cause trouble under their noses.

So, taking advantage of a dispute, Zhou Tai, in front of hundreds of people, delivered a heavy punch straight to Sun Xiao's face, causing Sun Xiao's nose to bleed profusely, and the two had a complete falling out from then on.

Besides trying every means to lead troops independently, Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin were also actively developing their network. Those attending today's banquet were all people they were trying to win over.

After some time, the two had made great gains and had gathered a group of like-minded people around them. They were just waiting for Yan Yi to raise an army to attack before they started their rebellion.

Meanwhile, Zhu Zhi, who had already led his troops to Yuzhang, was also making preparations in full swing.

Following Yan Yi's strategy, the Yuzhang army was to launch a preemptive offensive against Zu Lang, aiming to gain the upper hand. They absolutely could not wait until Zu Lang raised his army before hastily responding and passively containing him.

Therefore, after Zhu Zhi settled in Guangchangtun, which was only a few dozen miles away from Zulang's territory, he rushed to Nanchang County to visit Zhou Shu's illness and befriend the Zhou family.

Ling Cao and Liu Ye led their troops to join forces with the Yuzhang army in Guangchang, Pengze, Poyang, and other cities for joint training. This served two purposes: firstly, to forge alliances between their generals, and secondly, to integrate the two armies into one.

A few days before Lunar New Year's Eve, the three received a secret letter from Qiantang: On the 22nd day of the second month of spring, attack and capture Lingyang!
To everyone's surprise, Yan Yi chose to launch the attack on Zulang as the first battle to pacify Jiangdong.

(End of this chapter)