Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 255 Thirteen Sisters of Diaozhou

Wherever Sun Ce's gaze fell, cavalrymen retreated to the sides, making way for a passage.

He mounted his horse, took the spear and sword handed to him by his guard, and rode to the outer edge of the formation, scrutinizing the approaching general with great interest: "Who are you?"

Du Yun faced hundreds of enemy soldiers alone, his heart pounding uncontrollably. A hint of determination shone through his tense expression as he pointed his iron halberd at Sun Ce: "I am Du Anbang of Nanyang! Sun Bofu, do you dare to fight me to the death?"

"So you are a descendant of Lord Du of Nanyang." Sun Ce pondered for a moment, then lightly spurred his horse's flanks and came to within ten paces of Du Yun, pulling on the reins: "Since you bear the name of our valiant ancestors, I, Ce, shall accept this battle. Within fifty rounds, I shall capture you alive."

Du Yun flew into a rage, ignoring the enemy cavalry that had surrounded him, and spurred his horse, sending his iron halberd flying straight for Sun Ce's heart.

Seeing that his moves were very methodical and his strength was not weak, Sun Ce immediately abandoned his contempt. He used his strength to shake off the iron halberd, twisted the spear shaft to dislodge the halberd tip to his side, and then flashed a cold light as he launched a fierce counter-thrust straight at Du Yun's face.

The two exchanged blows with spears and halberds, fighting for forty or fifty rounds. Cold light flashed, and warhorses neighed, yet they remained evenly matched, unable to determine a winner.

As the fifty-round duel was about to begin, Sun Ce's competitive spirit was aroused. He let out a long roar and used his life-long ultimate skill, channeling all his strength into his spear. The spear's momentum suddenly changed, unleashing three consecutive strikes like crashing waves.

The first shot, "Severing the River," sent a sharp pain through Du Yun's hand.

The second shot, "Chasing the Moon," forced him to stagger backward.

When the third spear, 'Shattering Star,' was thrust out, the spear tip was already three inches from Du Yun's throat, and the steel spearhead was still humming incessantly.

"Good marksmanship!" Du Yun looked up at the sky and smiled bitterly, the iron halberd in his hand clattering to the ground.

Several menacing cavalrymen rushed forward, binding him tightly with layers of leather ropes, and in the blink of an eye, they had him all tied up.

A cavalryman came galloping from a distance, clasped his hands and said, "Reporting to the Commandant, enemy traces have been spotted on the hill ahead. There are about forty infantrymen, and they have already fled two or three miles away."

Sun Ce instantly understood why Du Yun had come alone to challenge him. He couldn't help but feel a little admiration for this man, but he didn't show it on his face. He coldly shouted, "Chen Xian, take a hundred cavalry and go after them."

Chen Xian accepted the order and left. A hundred riders galloped toward the distant hills and disappeared at the end of the mountain road in the blink of an eye.

Du Yun sneered, "Chasing now? Too late! The scouts have already returned to the camp. I advise you not to waste your time. Before Generals Zhang and Fan arrive with their troops, retreat quickly."

“If Zhang Ying and Fan Neng had dared to come, how could you two have fallen into my hands?” Sun Ce smiled faintly and ordered a squad leader beside him, “Take the two of them back to the camp first.”

The captain clasped his hands in greeting and led fifty riders to escort Taishi Ci and Du Yun back to the camp.

After returning to the camp, Taishi Ci and Du Yun had their armor removed and were taken to a guest tent.

A moment later, Sun Ce strode into the tent, personally untied the two men from their ropes, returned their swords with both hands, and then ordered a feast to be prepared. He was extremely respectful, saying, "Ziyi is a true man, possessing the courage of ten thousand men; he protected the country and its people in times of crisis, sacrificing his life for righteousness. With your talents, how can you waste your precious gems? Xu Gong and Liu Yao are nothing but withered bones in their graves, destined to perish sooner or later. Now our lord is acting on Heaven's orders to punish the guilty, and the pacification of Jiangdong is just around the corner. Why do you two serve a mediocre ruler and abandon a wise one? Why not join our lord, work together on great matters, and contribute to the peace and stability of the people!"

Taishi Ci and Du Yun exchanged a glance and remained silent.

Sun Ce took out a scroll and handed it to the two men, his expression earnest: "To be honest, before this expedition, my lord personally wrote a letter, repeatedly instructing me to treat him with the respect due to a national hero. This is my lord's handwritten letter; please take a look."

Taishi Ci and Du Yun took the letters one after the other and read them carefully. They found that every word was earnest and every sentence was heartfelt, and they were both deeply moved.

Recalling Liu Yao's numerous foolish actions, Du Yun was already utterly disappointed. After pondering for a long time, he suddenly stood up, walked to the tent, and solemnly knelt down: "I am but an unknown person, yet I have received such kindness from you, my lord. I have no way to repay you, so I wish to serve under your command and follow you to the death!"

Sun Ce laughed loudly, helped him up with both hands, and looked intently at Taishi Ci: "Ziyi, what do you think?"

Taishi Ci lowered his tiger-like eyes slightly, his face hesitant: "I originally joined Lord Liu out of loyalty. If I betray my lord and join another today, I fear I will be laughed at by the heroes of the world."

"You joined Liu Yao out of loyalty, yet Liu Yao only holds you a nominal title, granting you the sinecure of Sima, with neither the power to command troops nor the authority to offer advice. How disrespectful and contemptible he is! How can such a mediocre ruler be worthy of your sincerity, Ziyi?" Sun Ce raised his eyebrows and said with conviction, "Your Excellency has said that if you can get Ziyi's help, you are willing to make an exception and allow Liu Yao to leave unscathed. This would both honor Ziyi's loyalty to his former lord and demonstrate my lord's virtue in valuing talent. It would be a win-win situation. What doubts could Ziyi possibly have?"

Taishi Ci looked up in surprise, his hesitation vanishing. He stood up, clasped his hands in a deep bow, and said, "Though I am crude and uncouth, I know the principle that 'a scholar will die for one who understands him.' I am willing to serve under Your Majesty and offer my humble service!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce was overjoyed. He gripped Taishi Ci's wrist tightly with his left hand and took Du Yun's hand with his right, laughing loudly, "With the help of the two of you, what worries do we have about the peace of Wu Commandery?" He turned to his personal guards and ordered, "Quickly prepare wine and food! Today I want to drink and chat with the two generals."

Taishi Ci's expression turned serious, his eyes flashing as he stared directly at Sun Ce: "Remember this wine, we can drink it another day. Now that Zhang Ying is about to withdraw his troops, his soldiers have no will to fight, this is the perfect opportunity to use force. Bofu, you should quickly send out elite troops and strike with thunderous force, we will surely win in one battle!"

Upon hearing the words "withdraw troops," Sun Ce's expression turned solemn, and he asked Sun Ce for clarification.

Taishi Ci then informed Zhang Ying of the true situation within his camp.

Sun Ce, a man skilled at seizing opportunities, immediately recognized this as a golden opportunity. Without the slightest hesitation, he ordered the entire army to assemble and change their strategy from interception to pursuit.

Shortly afterward, the entire army was assembled. Chen Xian and Du Yun led six hundred cavalrymen to set off first, intending to slow down Zhang Ying's retreat, while Sun Ce personally commanded the main force of the central army to pursue them swiftly.

At this time, Zhang Ying had already received news that Taishi Ci and Du Yun had fallen into a trap and been captured. He was even more afraid of Sun Ce. Without hesitation, he ordered the entire army to break camp and retreat hastily to Yuting.

The army had only marched a few miles when dust billowed up behind them as hundreds of cavalrymen galloped towards them.

Zhang Ying stared intently, only to see the pursuing troops with their banners fluttering in the wind. They were none other than the mighty Longxiang Iron Cavalry, which had shaken Jiangdong. His expression changed drastically, as if covered in frost.

At this moment, the entire army was in a flat plain, with open fields on all sides, no natural defenses, and no strategic passes to intercept enemy cavalry attacks. Clearly, their own four hundred cavalrymen were no match for the Dragon Cavalry.

Left with no other option, Zhang Ying ordered all his troops to converge on the central army, form ranks, and head towards Cangshui Pavilion, several miles away, in an attempt to escape the threat of enemy cavalry.

Unexpectedly, before they even reached Cangshui Pavilion, they were overtaken by Sun Ce's army.

On the vast plain, Zhang Ying's four thousand soldiers formed an impenetrable circle, adopting a clear defensive posture. Sun Ce's three thousand troops, on the other hand, deployed a flanking formation, completely ignoring their numerical disadvantage and attempting to rout the enemy in one fell swoop.

Zhang Ying ordered all the army's transport wagons, deer carts, and supplies to be piled up on the north and south flanks of the formation, forming a natural fortified wall. He and Fan Neng each led a unit to defend the key points on the east and west.

After doing all this, his heart, which had been pounding in his chest, gradually calmed down. Just then, his gaze swept across the enemy ranks and he caught sight of a familiar figure.

Zhang Ying's eyes were bloodshot, his long sword pointed straight at the enemy ranks, and he cursed loudly: "Taishi Ci! You eat the food of the Liu family, yet you serve the Yan family, betraying your master for personal gain, which is intolerable to Heaven and Earth! One day you will surely die under a hail of arrows, and your body will be forgotten!"

Since the withdrawal, he had been puzzled as to why the enemy had been able to pursue him even though his army had retreated so quickly. It turned out that there was a traitor in his own ranks, and the culprit was right in front of him.

Sun Ce snorted coldly, and before he could utter another harsh word, he drew his sword, the blade pointing directly at the enemy formation: "All troops, listen to my command, charge!"

Five hundred archers, under the cover of an equal number of swordsmen and shieldmen, charged out first, nocked their arrows, and lit the oil-soaked linen and mugwort at the arrowheads. The next moment, hundreds of fire arrows, accompanied by the sound of piercing the air, rained down on the enemy's flanks.

Boom!

Rockets were driven into the transport wagons and deer carts, and the flames began to spread in all directions as soon as they touched the dry wood.

If these wagons and carts loaded with grain and supplies had been scattered, the fire might have been extinguished in time. However, at this moment, the closely packed vehicles became the perfect ignition source. The fire was fueled by the wind, and the wind fanned the flames, soon turning into a raging inferno that was difficult to contain.

Seeing that there was no hope of extinguishing the fire, the soldiers on the north and south flanks of Zhang Ying's troops were thrown into chaos. They rushed back to the central army's main camp, and the once orderly formation was thrown into disarray in an instant.

Zhang Ying stared in disbelief at this sudden turn of events, feeling as if she had been struck by lightning.

He originally intended to use the two flank cities to reduce the defensive pressure on his own army, but it backfired.

"Contract your formation! Each unit must hold its ground! Anyone who disobeys will be executed on the spot!" Zhang Ying shouted, galloping back and forth through the chaotic army, his whip lashing the panicked soldiers as he tried to reorganize the ranks on the north and south flanks.

Just then, a thousand enemy heavy infantrymen, wielding specially made five-foot-long ring swords, launched a charge from the east and west flanks.

These thousand heavily armored infantrymen were the absolute elite of Yan Yi's army. Once they launched an attack, they were truly like two iron walls that devoured flesh and blood, crushing everything in their path with overwhelming force.

Wherever the blade strikes, flesh and blood fly.

Zhang Ying's meticulously constructed defenses crumbled under the unexpectedly fierce offensive.

"It's over! How can I face the magistrate again!"

Witnessing the utter devastation of the army's defeat, Zhang Ying couldn't help but look up to the sky and howl, his voice hoarse and filled with boundless despair.

Liu Yao was fully aware of the effort he had put into creating this regiment. He had hoped to use it to expand his territory and establish a great empire, but unexpectedly, the first battle became a disastrous failure.

"Bowei, the situation is hopeless, leave quickly!" Fan Neng's shout suddenly rang in his ears.

The instinct for survival replaced his chaotic thoughts. Without thinking too much, Zhang Ying joined forces with Fan Neng and led several hundred defeated soldiers eastward, attempting to fight their way out.

Just as they were about to fight their way out of the mountain of corpses and sea of ​​blood, a towering figure suddenly appeared in front of them, like an insurmountable mountain, blocking their path.

Sun Ce!

Zhang Ying and Fan Neng exchanged a glance, both reading undisguised fear in each other's eyes.

kill!

The two roared almost simultaneously, slamming their legs into the horses' bellies, and charged straight at Sun Ce like arrows released from a bow.

Sun Ce raised his spear expressionlessly, precisely parrying Zhang Ying's powerful crescent blade. At the same time, his body swayed like a ghost, causing Fan Neng's cunning spear tip to miss its mark and barely grazed past his armor.

Zhang Ying's pupils contracted sharply, his eyes filled with disbelief, as if he hadn't expected Sun Ce to be able to so easily neutralize his and Fan Neng's combined attack.

He swung his broadsword, about to slash at Sun Ce's neck, when suddenly he heard the other man shout, "Let go!"

The angry shout was like a thunderclap from the heavens, exploding in his ears and making his eardrums ache, his mind buzzing incessantly.

To his utter astonishment, Sun Ce reversed his spear, and the hilt struck Fan Neng squarely in the wrist.

With a sharp crack, Fan Neng's wrist immediately bruised, and in the intense pain, his fingers loosened, causing the spear to fall to the ground.

Sun Ce brandished his spear, parrying the crescent blade once more. With a slight twist of his wrist, he deflected the force transmitted through the blade. Then, with a flick of his wrist, the spear tip pierced Zhang Ying's throat.

Bang!

The crescent blade fell to the ground.

Zhang Ying clutched her throat with both hands, blood gushing from between her fingers, and a strange 'hoarse' sound came from her throat.

He stared wide-eyed at Sun Ce, his gaze a mixture of horror, resentment, and despair. His pupils dilated, and his body tumbled from his horse like a puppet with broken strings.

Fan Neng stared at the scene in horror, his whole body trembling uncontrollably.

Sun Ce rode past him, his long arms outstretched, and lifted his burly body off the horse as if he were a child, then threw him to the ground.

Fan Neng was so shocked by the fall that he saw stars. Before he could get up, several soldiers pinned him down and tied him up.

With the execution of the commander Zhang Ying and the capture of the deputy commander Fan Neng, Zhang Ying's troops completely collapsed, and the remnants scattered like birds and beasts.

In less than an hour, the fields near Cangshui Pavilion went from deafening battle cries to deathly silence. Liu Yao's four thousand troops, on which he had placed high hopes, vanished into thin air amidst the smoke of war, as if they had never existed.

Sun Ce ordered his men to quickly clean up the battlefield. As night was approaching, he rested overnight at Cangshui Pavilion and returned to Piling at noon the next day.

Piling is what later generations called "Diaozhou, Yizhou, Zhou, Shisanmei", and it is also a vital strategic point in the northern part of Wu County.

To ensure the safety of Piling, Ling Feng, a general under Xu Gong, personally led 8,000 elite troops to guard the area.

Ling Feng had been defeated by Sun Ce in the Battle of Jurong and feared Sun Ce like a tiger. Although his troops were about the same size as Sun Ce's, they remained holed up in the city day and night, refusing to leave the city to fight despite the enemy soldiers' provocations. They only hoped that reinforcements would arrive soon.

The annihilation of Zhang Ying's forces was a devastating blow to Ling Feng.

At this time, Piling was completely surrounded by Sun Ce's troops. The people inside the city were in a state of panic, and the reinforcements outside the city had been cut off. It was already an isolated city.

Forced by Yan Yi's military order to breach the city in three days, Sun Ce dared not delay in the slightest. After all the siege equipment had arrived, he first used various weapons to bombard the city for half a day, and then began the attack on the city without regard to the cost.

Although the defending soldiers numbered eight thousand and were the elite of Xu Gong's army, their combat strength was still significantly inferior to that of Sun Ce's forces. Under the enemy's relentless offensive, the city fell after only five days, and the defending general Ling Feng led his remaining troops to surrender.

Sun Ce wrote a letter to Yan Yi to apologize, while simultaneously ordering the entire army to rest and recuperate. After receiving reinforcements of three thousand soldiers from Jurong, Moling, and other cities, he immediately led his army south, his forces pressing directly towards Yuting!
(End of this chapter)