Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 254 Taishi Ci Battles Sun Ce
"What strategies do you have to repel the enemy?"

Inside the council hall of the official temple in Wu County, Xu Gong walked unsteadily past the rows of mats. His usual composure had vanished, replaced by a face full of anxiety.

Liu Yao, Sun Xiao, Gu Cheng, and twenty or thirty others accompanied him, but they could not bring him the slightest sense of security. The entire Wu Commandery, spanning hundreds of miles, seemed to have transformed into a giant cage, trapping him inside and making it hard for him to breathe.

Liu Yao sat motionless on the couch, like a lifeless puppet. Only his furrowed brows and gloomy eyes revealed a glimpse into his inner thoughts.

Like Xu Gong, he was in an extremely bad mood.

He had originally intended to adopt Taishi Ci's suggestion to lead his army north to seize Jiujiang while Liu Biao was attacking Yuan Shu. However, within a few days, the favorable situation took a sharp turn for the worse. Yan Yi used two unexpected offensives to eliminate the threat of Xu Gong's two important allies, Wang Lang and Zu Lang, and then advanced by land and water, surrounding the entire Wu Commandery like an iron barrel.

Now, even if he immediately leads his troops away from Wu County, it is too late.

The regret of missing the chance to escape and the fear of closing his eyes and waiting to die overwhelmed him. He let out a long sigh, looked around, and complained with resentment, "If I had listened to Ziyi's advice, I wouldn't be in this situation today."

Taishi Ci was sitting right next to him at that moment. Upon hearing this, his eyelids twitched slightly before closing again.

He was invited back by Xu Gong, but he was disheartened and unwilling to say another word.

Damn it, if I had known Wu County was like this, I must have been crazy to come here.

Xu Gong, like a drowning man who sees a ship sailing by in the vast ocean, cast a hopeful glance at Taishi Ci and shamelessly asked, "I regret not listening to Ziyi's advice. Now the enemy army is pressing in, and Wu County is in grave danger. I hope everyone will work together to overcome this difficulty. Ziyi, do you have any plan to repel the enemy?"

Taishi Ci remained as still as a cold, aloof statue, showing no reaction to his words.

Liu Yao glanced at Xu Gong, whose face was full of embarrassment, and couldn't help but cough lightly.

Taishi Ci slowly opened his eyes and said calmly, "The situation is dire and irreversible. There are only two options now. First, send an envoy, Yan Yi, to discuss surrender. Second, abandon the cities of Piling and Youquan, gather all the troops, collect provisions and weapons in Wu County, build deep moats and high walls, and wait for a change in the times."

Upon hearing this, Xu Gong's face showed disappointment. What he wanted to hear was a brilliant strategy that could turn the tide, not discouraging words that would boost the enemy's morale and demoralize his own army.

Commandant Sun Xiao glanced sideways at Taishi Ci, then stood up angrily and said, "Your Excellency must not believe Taishi Ci's cowardly words. In my opinion, although the enemy's advance is fierce, they do not have the advantage in terms of troop strength. Your Excellency can mobilize all the troops of Wu Commandery to defend the city and wear down their morale with a scorched-earth policy. On the other hand, you should quickly send an envoy to Xuzhou to request reinforcements, and at the same time urge Wang Lang and Zu Lang to send reinforcements immediately. Although Wang Lang and Zu Lang are constrained by the obstacles and the natural barrier of the Qiantang River, making it difficult for them to launch a full-scale attack on Yan Yi, they can still send a brigade of elite troops to harass Yan Yi's rear."

Xu Gong nodded subconsciously. Sun Xiao's strategy remained the same: unite all sides to resist Yan Yi, only now it had shifted from offense to defense. He was also trying to bring Xuzhou into his camp to reverse the unfavorable situation after Wang Lang and Zu Lang's setbacks.

In the past, he thought that the combined forces of Xu, Wang, and Zu would be enough to wipe out Yan Yi, so he did not try to win over Xuzhou at any cost. Now, however, he wished that Xuzhou would join the war immediately.

“Tao Gongzu is seriously ill and unlikely to recover, and Liu Xuande’s mind is focused on stabilizing the internal affairs of Xuzhou. I’m afraid it will be difficult to persuade these two.” Xu Gong’s face was worried, and his voice grew weaker.

Gu Cheng smiled and cupped his hands, saying, "Wang Jingxing has a long-standing friendship with Tao Gongzu and Mi Zizhong. We might as well ask him to write a letter to persuade them. With the abundant resources of Wu County, if we make every effort to befriend Tao and Liu, this matter may not be impossible. To ensure a foolproof plan, Your Excellency can also request the Emperor to issue an edict ordering Liu Bei to lead his troops to our aid. Liu Bei prides himself on loyalty and righteousness and will certainly not dare to disobey the Emperor's command."

Xu Gong's tense nerves relaxed slightly, and an excited look appeared on his face. Suddenly, he frowned again: "To request the Emperor to issue an edict... I'm afraid that won't be easy."

Gu Cheng stroked his long beard, appearing confident: "The Emperor's entourage is about to return to Luoyang, but the national treasury is empty and the journey will be arduous. If Your Excellency can share His Majesty's burdens, this matter will be half accomplished. As for the other half..."

He stopped speaking halfway through his sentence, but Xu Gong understood his unspoken meaning: to obtain His Majesty's decree, one must still get past Li Cui.

In the past, Xu Gong would never have wanted to have any dealings with Li Cui, but now that life and death were at stake, he couldn't care less about that. After a moment's thought, he resolutely said, "I understand Bo Ming's meaning. I will entrust this matter entirely to you."

Gu Cheng bowed and accepted the offer. Then, a thought flashed through his mind, and he suggested again, "Wang Jingxing is constrained by the natural barrier of the Qiantang River and cannot effectively support our army. Your Excellency might as well let him turn his attention to attacking Zhu Zhi's troops, following Sun Bin's strategy of 'besieging Wei to rescue Zhao,' which may relieve our army's urgent crisis."

These words moved everyone present. Their hearts were suddenly enlightened, as if the clouds had parted and the sun had appeared. Their joy was evident on their faces.

Yes, although Wang Lang may find it difficult to cross the Qiantang River, there are no major rivers between Yuzhang and Kuaiji. If he were to turn his attention to attacking Zhu Zhi's forces, once successful, Zu Lang would be free to target Yan Yi, thus relieving much of the pressure on Wu Commandery.

Xu Gong suddenly stood up, took three steps in two to come to Gu Cheng, and tightly grasped his hand: "Bo Ming's strategy is better than a thousand troops, Wu County is saved!"

Gu Cheng smiled modestly, stood tall in the hall, and calmly accepted the admiring gazes cast upon him. At this moment, he seemed no longer to be the ordinary Gu Boming, but rather Sun Bin reborn, having already devised a strategy to defend against the enemy with a few words!

The previously dejected atmosphere in the main room was effectively alleviated by his speech, and everyone offered suggestions to improve every detail of the plan.

However, to everyone's surprise, just one day later, their meticulously crafted battle plan was placed in Yan Yi's command tent.

At this time, Yan Yi had personally led his army to the city of Youquan, but did not launch an attack. Instead, he ordered his troops to surround the city.

After reviewing the intelligence delivered by his spies, he pondered for a moment, then spread out a piece of silk on his desk and wrote a military order for Sun Ce's forces: "Capture Piling within three days, advance to defend the fortress, and there must be no delay!"

This campaign against Xu Gong involved a two-pronged attack from the north and south. One force, led by Sun Ce, captured Youquan, Huating, and Kunshan, while the other force, led by Sun Ce, captured Piling and Yuting. The two armies eventually converged at Wu County.

The reason he surrounded the enemy without attacking was that he was waiting for Sun Ce to conquer Piling first.

This arrangement was not made out of any tactical considerations, but purely because of Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin.

Currently, Zhou Tai has stationed his troops at Youquan, while Jiang Qin has stationed his troops at Yuting. If Zhou Tai were to defect before Piling has been captured, it would inevitably put Jiang Qin, who is situated between Piling and Wuxian, in a perilous situation.

Therefore, when formulating the battle plan, Yan Yi made it a prerequisite for Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin to launch their uprisings simultaneously by having the northern and southern armies arrive at Youquan and Yuting respectively.

In this situation, whether Sun Ce could lead his army to quickly break through the Piling defense line became a key factor in determining the speed of the Wu Commandery campaign.

Wu Commandery, Piling.

When Yan Yi's military order reached Sun Ce's troops, Sun Ce was personally leading three thousand elite troops around Piling City, heading northeast towards Baishitan, thirty miles away.

His purpose in this trip was to intercept Liu Yao's army, which was rushing to the aid of Piling.

This reinforcement force of about four thousand men was composed of Liu Yao's former subordinates, retired soldiers from Wu Commandery, and villagers from the surrounding villages. The leaders of the force were Zhang Ying and Fan Neng, generals under Liu Yao.

Sun Ce didn't take Zhang Ying and Fan Neng seriously at all. However, Yan Yi had written to him, instructing him to be wary of Taishi Ci and Du Yun, who had recently joined Liu Yao's forces. He was told to capture the two alive if the opportunity arose, and Taishi Ci and Du Yun happened to be with Zhang Ying at that moment.

Sun Ce also disregarded Taishi Ci and Du Yun, but he dared not disregard Yan Yi's instructions. After careful consideration, he finally decided to personally lead his troops to intercept them.

After the entire army arrived at Baishitan, they quickly set up camp.

When the camp was almost completed, Sun Ce, as was his usual practice, personally led several dozen cavalrymen to the southern area of ​​Baishitan to survey the terrain.

The news quickly reached Zhang Ying's camp.

Inside Zhang Ying's command tent, Zhang Ying, Fan Neng, Taishi Ci, and Du Yun were arguing fiercely about how to carry out Xu Gong's military orders.

Xu Gong's battle deployment was clearly unfair. His troops retreated to defend the cities, while Liu Yao's forces were used as mobile field troops to reinforce the northern and southern fronts. It was common knowledge that Yan Yi's troops were highly skilled in field battles and virtually invincible in Jiangdong. Xu Gong's actions undoubtedly treated Liu Yao's army as cannon fodder.

Zhang Ying and Fan Neng, as Liu Yao's confidants, were filled with resentment about this arrangement. After receiving the military order, they adopted a passive attitude, marching only fifteen li a day and being extremely cautious, for fear of being ambushed by the enemy in the wild.

Taishi Ci, however, held a different view. He believed that Moling was the gateway to Wu County and could not be lost. His army should prioritize the overall situation and rush to Moling's aid. As long as Moling was not lost, Wu County would be as secure as Mount Tai.

The two sides argued heatedly because of their differing opinions.

Du Yun had just come of age and was in the prime of his life. He was greatly disappointed to witness Zhang Ying and Fan Neng's cowardly avoidance of battle. However, he was still relatively inexperienced in the army, and even if he agreed with Taishi Ci's words, he was ultimately too insignificant to have a say in military discussions.

Just as the four were at an impasse and were about to part on bad terms, scouts discovered Sun Ce's whereabouts at Wohu Mountain, seven miles northwest of the camp.

Taishi Ci was overjoyed upon hearing this and clenched his fist tightly: "Sun Bofu is reckless and unprepared. In the battle of Guangde in the past, it was his arrogance and recklessness that led to the collapse of the battle. Now, seeing him revert to his old ways, this is truly a golden opportunity. If we can capture and kill this man, the enemy army will collapse on its own, and the northern front can be secured!"

Upon hearing that Sun Ce had personally led a large army to the front, Zhang Ying had already considered retreating, wanting only to preserve his hard-won troops. He immediately waved his hand and said, "Ziyi, you are mistaken. Sun Ce has the bravery of Xiang Yu, and his troops are all battle-hardened elites, far beyond our capabilities. Now that Sun Ce's troops have already secured the southern pass of Moling, it is impossible for our troops to reinforce Moling. We should immediately retreat to Yuting, report the battle situation to the lord, and then make further plans."

Taishi Ci's knuckles cracked as he clenched his fists. Seeing Zhang Ying's cowardice, he knew it was too late to persuade him. He abruptly gripped his sword hilt, turned, and flung open the tent flap, his furious roar echoing throughout the command tent: "This brat is not worth discussing things with! Since you all fear Sun Ce like a tiger, I will go and take his head myself!"

Du Yun glanced coldly at Zhang Ying and Fan Neng, a hint of disdain flashing in his eyes. He immediately drew his sword and chased after them out of the tent: "Grand Historian, please wait! Although I am not talented, I am willing to follow you to kill this scoundrel!"

Taishi Ci stopped in his tracks, his stern face softening slightly, and patted his arm with satisfaction.

The two hastily mustered their hundred-plus guards, rushed out of the camp, and headed towards Crouching Tiger Mountain.

Due to a shortage of horses, most of the guards had to proceed on foot, with soldiers frequently falling behind due to exhaustion. By the time they reached Wohu Mountain, panting heavily, only seventy or eighty men remained of the original hundred-plus men, barely managing to keep up.

Taishi Ci ordered everyone to rest where they were, while he and Du Yun rode their horses up a small hill to enjoy the view. Before long, they spotted a group of more than thirty riders surrounding a dashing young man in silver helmet in a dense forest ahead, looking around as they walked along the wild path between the hills and forests.

"This man is dashing and has an extraordinary bearing; he must be Sun Ce!" Taishi Ci's eyes flashed like lightning as he stared at the young man for a moment.

Du Yun tightened the reins, eager to try: "Before they realize it, we can have the infantry guard this mountain path, and then lead the cavalry to circle around along the woodcutter's path to cut off their retreat. When we surround them from both sides, no matter how brave Sun Bofu is, he will have to surrender!"

He was two years older than Sun Ce, but his fame was far less than Sun Ce's. If he could capture Sun Ce this time, he would surely become famous throughout Jiangdong.

“Anbang’s words make sense.” Taishi Ci nodded slightly: “You lead the infantry to defend this road, leave twenty archers to lie in ambush on the high hills on both sides, and I will personally lead the cavalry to flank them from behind and drive them here. When the fighting starts, you can act according to the situation.”

Du Yun clasped his hands in acceptance of the order.

Taishi Ci, fearing that Sun Ce might escape, dared not delay any longer and immediately led forty cavalrymen along a woodcutter's path on the left side of Wohu Mountain to sneak into the forest ahead.

The operation went smoothly, and the enemy cavalry were completely unaware.

Taishi Ci's fighting spirit surged, and he brandished his spear, leading forty riders to suddenly charge out from the forest path: "Sun Ce, don't run!"

This roar was like a thunderclap, shaking the mountains and forests and causing wild animals to scatter.

Forty horsemen, with the force of wind and thunder, charged straight at Sun Ce!
Despite being ambushed, Sun Ce showed no sign of panic. Seated upright on his horse, he slowly raised his iron spear, its tip pointing directly at Taishi Ci, and declared loudly, "Just as you predicted, my lord, is this Taishi Ci of Donglai? Liu Yao sent you here to die, saving me the trouble of searching for him myself!"

Bang bang!

As soon as he finished speaking, a series of rapid clanging sounds suddenly rang out from the dense forest behind Taishi Ci, and in an instant, shouts of battle rose from all sides!
Chen Xian led three or four hundred elite cavalrymen, bursting out of the forest, their swords flashing in the sunlight, and charged straight at Taishi Ci!
"Oh no, we've fallen into their trap!"

Taishi Ci reined in his warhorse, glanced behind him, and his heart sank to the bottom.

He gritted his teeth, his veins bulging as he yanked the reins taut, and shouted at the forty guards who were in disarray around him, "Follow me and fight your way out!"

Having said that, the man and his horse shot off like arrows released from a bow.

Forty guards rallied and followed closely behind.

"I've heard that Taishi Ci of Donglai can draw a bow with a draw weight of three stones and single-handedly charge into enemy lines as if they were nothing. Seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved!"

Sun Ce's voice shook the surrounding area, his eyes burning with fighting spirit. Suddenly, he spurred his horse, and the warhorse reared up. As its hooves landed, it charged straight at Taishi Ci like lightning.

In the blink of an eye, the two horses clashed and fought for more than ten rounds without a clear victor.

Hearing the thunderous sound of approaching hooves behind him, Taishi Ci's forehead veins bulged, and he channeled his strength into his arms, unleashing three consecutive thrusts with his spear, each aimed to kill, in an attempt to force Sun Ce to retreat.

If it were someone else at this moment, they would surely find it difficult to withstand his attack.

But Sun Ce didn't even blink. His spear seemed to come alive as it wrapped around Taishi Ci's spear blade. The shaft and blade intertwined, sparking a string of dazzling sparks, completely neutralizing Taishi Ci's attack.

At the same time, he squeezed the horse's belly with both legs, and the warhorse neighed and moved three steps to the side, once again blocking Taishi Ci's path.

Taishi Ci's eyes were bloodshot, and his spear thrusts were like a raging storm, yet he could not break through Sun Ce's iron-clad defense. In desperation, Sun Ce seized the opportunity and swept his spear across, the shaft slamming heavily into the foreleg joint of his warhorse.

Click.

With a cracking sound, Taishi Ci's warhorse let out a mournful cry, its front hooves buckling to the ground, instantly throwing Taishi Ci off its back.

Taishi Ci almost instinctively grabbed Sun Ce's spear and used the force to pull Sun Ce off his horse.

Sun Ce leaped into the air with a somersault, drawing his sword from his waist with a clang. Just as he was about to strike, he saw Taishi Ci lunge at a nearby cavalryman, attempting to seize a horse and escape.

He glanced at Taishi Ci's wide-open back, swung his arm, and suddenly threw out his sword.

puff!
The blade pierced the warhorse's belly, and scalding blood gushed out, instantly turning Taishi Ci's face crimson.

Taishi Ci shuddered, stopped moving, slowly turned around to face Sun Ce, his expression complex and unreadable.

If that knife had been thrown at his back, he would probably be dead by now.
As their eyes met, the rapid sound of horses' hooves approached, and long spears gleamed coldly, pointing at Taishi Ci.

"Sun Ce!" Taishi Ci looked around at the layers upon layers of enemy cavalry, his voice hoarse: "Today I have met my end. Kill me or torture me, it's all up to you. Don't put on any pretense!"

Just as Sun Ce was about to speak, he suddenly saw a rider galloping towards him from afar along the mountain path: "Sun Ce! Winning with numbers doesn't make you a hero. If you have the guts, fight me for three hundred rounds!"

(I apologize to everyone. I wanted to take a break recently, and my father also had a motorcycle accident and fractured his collarbone, requiring surgery. That's why I haven't updated in a long time. I'm sorry, everyone. Those who have subscribed can join QQ group 720536435 for a refund. Updates will be slower going forward, with an estimated one chapter every two days.)
(End of this chapter)