Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 257 The Siege of Suzhou
After breaking through the encirclement, Zhou Tai led his men straight to the western camp of the city.

Now that his identity has been exposed, the only option is to strike first and start an uprising ahead of time.

Although there was still half a day before the agreed-upon start time, the distance between Youquan and Yuting was two hundred li. Even if they rode fast horses day and night to deliver the message, it would still take a whole day to arrive.

Therefore, his early uprising will not have a negative impact on Jiang Qin.

Instead, capturing the West Gate and holding it until Yan Yi arrives with his army have become the top priorities.

Zhou Tai was anxious and repeatedly lashed the horse's rump with his whip.

A moment later, the western camp of the city came into view.

The western camp was where his troops were stationed and was also the only way to the west gate. About a thousand soldiers took turns resting and repairing there.

Of his three thousand troops, one thousand were stationed at the north gate. Only one thousand remained at the west gate.

With only a thousand men, it would be difficult to hold out until Yan Yi led his army to arrive.

Therefore, the thousand soldiers in the western camp became a crucial force that he had to hold firmly in his grasp.

Zhou Tai spurred his horse and galloped quickly toward the camp gate.

Suddenly, he abruptly pulled on the reins, abruptly stopping his galloping warhorse, and looked solemnly at the official road ahead.

Dust billowed on the official road as a retinue of six or seven hundred men ran toward the camp gate, which was only four or five hundred paces away.

A large white flag with red lettering appeared and disappeared in the dust, fluttering in the wind. This indicated that the troops were led by members of the Lu family.

Lu Shao!

A name suddenly flashed through Zhou Tai's mind.

Lu Shao was Lu Jun's younger brother, and was ordered to guard the north and west gates. The incident happened so suddenly that only he could appear at the western camp so quickly.

Zhou Tai's mind raced. He yanked the reins sharply and hissed, "To the South Gate!"

More than a dozen knights followed closely behind him, rushing towards another camp gate.

Not long after Zhou Tai left Dongyingmen, Lu Shao led his troops to Dongyingmen.

He was on his routine inspection of the West Gate when he unexpectedly received a military order from Li Yi and Lu Jun on horseback, instructing him to immediately take control of the western camp, defend the West and North Gates, and then await further orders.

Knowing the urgency of the situation, Lu Shao led his troops into the camp without waiting for the guards to report, shouting, "Where is Zhou Tai? Where is the garrison commander?"

One by one, soldiers rushed out of the barracks, watching him and his men warily.

The western camp was under Zhou Tai's jurisdiction. Lu Shao's act of leading his troops directly into the camp without prior notification was a clear overreach.

The soldiers in the camp knew the gravity of the situation, and they all glared at Lu Shao with hostility.

If it weren't for the bronze seal and ink ribbon representing the fake captain's rank swaying around Lu Shao's waist, and the hundreds of his men following him, these soldiers would probably have already swarmed forward and subdued him.

Soon after, Wang Peng, Li Bao, Zhao Zhi, and Zhou Miao arrived with their respective groups.

Each side had six or seven hundred men, and they faced off on the main road in the camp.

Lu Shao's scrutinizing gaze swept over the faces of Wang Peng and the other three, noticing that Wang Peng, Li Bao, and Zhao Zhi were all looking at him with hostility. He frowned and raised the military order in his hand: "I am Lu Shao, the Commandant of the City Gates. I have come here to take over the western camp on the orders of Supervisor Li and General Lu. All soldiers in the camp, obey my orders immediately!"

Among Wang Peng and his two companions, Zhao Zhi was clearly the leader. Zhao Zhi stepped forward and bowed respectfully, saying, "The western camp only obeys General Zhou's orders. Now that the general has not returned, we dare not accept any further orders."

"Insolence!" Lu Shao roared in fury, spurring his horse forward and looking down at Zhao Zhi: "Zhou Tai has been dismissed from his post, and you, a mere military commander, dare to defy my military orders?!"

Zhao Zhi said expressionlessly, "Commander Lu's sudden arrival is a military order. Please forgive my poor eyesight; it needs to be verified by General Zhou himself."

Wang Peng and Li Bao stepped forward, flanking him from the left and right.

Zhou Miao unconsciously took a half step back, looking at the tense backs of Zhao Zhi and the others, cold sweat slowly sliding down his neck.

"Zhou Miao, bring your men here!" Lu Shao glanced at him, then suddenly drew his sword and pointed it at Zhao Zhi and the other two: "Disobeying orders will be considered treason. You should think carefully!"

Zhou Miao subconsciously took a step forward, but stopped involuntarily when Zhao Zhi glared at him like a hawk.

Lu Shao was extremely assertive, ignoring the troops behind Zhao Zhi and others, and loudly ordered his troops to form ranks.

A hint of panic flashed in Zhao Zhi's eyes, unsure of how to react. Wang Peng and Li Bao beside him were even more nervous, their palms sweating.

Zhou Miao gradually grasped the situation and secretly winked at his two squad leaders before heading towards Lu Shao. Suddenly, a familiar voice came from the crowd behind him: "Who dares to cause trouble in my camp?"

As the words fell, soldiers parted like waves, clearing a path to both sides of the road.

Zhou Tai, clad in armor and wielding a long spear, rode his horse to Lu Shao's side.

Lu Shao felt his breath catch in his throat under the oppressive, sharp gaze. A sense of crisis suddenly rose in his heart, and he hurriedly pulled on the reins, retreating back to his own lines.

"Form ranks!" Zhou Tai's roar suddenly exploded like thunder, echoing between the barracks and making everyone's eardrums buzz.

As if they had found their backbone, Zhao Zhi and his two companions did not hesitate at all and immediately began to command their soldiers to form ranks.

The chaotic thoughts in Zhou Miao's mind seemed to be instantly dispelled by this loud shout, leaving his mind blank. He reflexively and hastily straightened the ranks.

In the blink of an eye, the soldiers on both sides had formed their ranks and were facing each other in a tense standoff at opposite ends of the road.

drive!
Suddenly, a knight galloped from the direction of the camp gate, pulled the reins beside Lu Shao, handed him a scroll of documents, and then whispered a few words in his ear.

Lu Shao hurriedly unfolded the document, glanced at it, and his expression changed.

He glanced warily at Zhou Tai, his heart pounding so hard it felt like it would burst out of his chest. He spurred his horse back two steps and gritted his teeth, saying, "Zhou Tai, the Lord has treated you with the greatest kindness, yet you dare to plot rebellion!"

To his surprise, Zhou Tai did not defend himself, but instead laughed loudly, "I have always been loyal to you, my lord. Obeying orders is a matter of course. How can this be considered treason?!"

Upon hearing this, everyone present except Zhao Zhi was dumbfounded, even Wang Peng and Li Bao showed surprise.

Zhou Tai's tiger-like eyes swept over his surrounding troops, and he raised his voice: "Xu Gong is muddle-headed and tyrannical, treating you like dogs and pigs. This is truly the time for divine punishment. Our lord has personally led a large army here, and the city is about to fall! Are you willing to die for this rotten wood, or are you willing to follow me to kill the enemy, capture the city, save your lives, and achieve merit? Life, death, wealth, and honor are all in your hands!"

Zhao Zhi was so excited that his face turned red: "This humble general swears to follow the general to the death and be loyal to the lord!"

Wang Peng and Li Bao quickly reacted, raising their arms and shouting, "Brothers, Xu Gong's life is nearing its end! Only by following our lord can we survive! Wealth and honor are right before us; let's follow General Zhou to the very end!" "Follow the general, be loyal to our lord!"

After a brief silence, dozens of soldiers shouted in unison, their shouts like a surging torrent, instantly engulfing the remaining soldiers around them. Soon, the entire camp was filled with a deafening roar.

Zhou Tai, like a beast poised to pounce, raised his spear and glared at the bewildered Zhou Miao, his eyes flashing with ferocity.

Zhou Miao was sweating profusely. His eyes were fixed on the gleaming spear tip. He trembled as he said, "This humble general will follow the general's lead and swear to serve you to the death!"

Zhou Tai nodded in satisfaction, pointing his spear at the pale-faced Lu Shao: "Lord Lu, the Lu family has been a distinguished family for generations, and I have always respected them. At this time of upheaval, a wise man should act in accordance with the trend. Your Excellency will soon pacify Wu County, and the Lu family's century-old foundation rests on your decision."

After saying this, he gently pulled on the reins and led his troops slowly back towards the west gate.

Lu Shao's expression was extremely complicated. He was both afraid of Zhou Tai's power and worried about the fate of his family. Several times he wanted to give an order, but he stopped himself and watched Zhou Tai lead his men away.

Soon after, Li Yi led his troops to the scene.

After learning the whole story, Li Yi flew into a rage and lashed out at Lu Shao with his whip: "How dare you ruin the Lord's important affairs!"

Lu Shao took a hard lash and groaned as he argued, "Zhou Tai is fierce and invincible. I only have six or seven hundred men under my command. How can I possibly keep him here? Only when the supervising officer arrives and we join forces can we kill this traitor."

Hearing his sophistry, Li Yi's anger flared even more. Just as he was about to lash out with his whip again, he saw Lu Jun leading his troops towards them. He had no choice but to suppress his rage and force out a military order through gritted teeth: "Are you all deaf?! Reorganize the troops! Pursue the enemy! If Zhou Tai escapes, I'll skin you alive!"

He then joined forces with Lu Jun and Lu Shao, totaling three thousand troops, and hurriedly pursued Zhou Tai in the direction he had fled.

At this time, Zhou Tai had already led his army to the west gate and occupied the city gate without bloodshed.

The city gate was destroyed immediately by the axe blows and fire, revealing a dark, gaping opening. However, the iron-clad hanging gate was difficult to deal with in a short time.

"Wang Peng, you lead your troops to defend the gate tower and protect the hanging door pulley and winch!"

"Li Bao, take this military order and summon as many soldiers as you can from the north city. If things don't go well, return immediately!"

"Zhao Zhi, Zhou Miao, follow me to set up defenses!"

Zhou Tai issued three military orders in quick succession, and at the same time ordered a messenger to ride out of the city at full speed to report this sudden change to Yan Yi.

Shortly after, Li Yi led his army to the city. Seeing the city gate wide open, he was as anxious as an ant on a hot pan. He hastily formed his battle formation and then launched a tidal wave of attacks on the city gate, trying to recapture it and bring it down.

Zhou Tai, clad in double armor, personally led over 1,700 soldiers to intercept an enemy force twice their size.

The two sides engaged in fierce fighting within a few hundred paces in front of the West Gate, fighting for every inch of ground, with corpses scattered all over the ground like fallen ears of wheat.

Although Zhou Tai was the bravest warrior in the army, his spear and sword felled enemy soldiers like mowing grass wherever they went. However, his soldiers were inferior to Lu Jun's troops in both number and elite status. After a quarter of an hour of fierce fighting, their formation began to break down, and they were forced to retreat step by step.

Zhou Tai, his eyes bloodshot with rage, knew he couldn't possibly defeat them. He loudly urged Lu Jun to surrender, trying to demoralize him, while simultaneously ordering his entire army to retreat two hundred paces, relying on the archers on the gate tower and city walls for defense. Once the enemy's offensive faltered slightly, he immediately led his troops in a charge, recapturing the lost ground.

The two detachments were like two bloodthirsty wild beasts, tearing each other apart under the city gate, both covered in wounds.

Just as the battle for the West Gate was in full swing, Yan Yi, who was making final arrangements for the siege the next day in his command tent, received a military report from Zhou Tai.

After reading the military report, Yan Yi abruptly stood up: "Cheng Pu and Han Dang, you two will immediately lead a thousand cavalry to reinforce Zhou Tai. The rest of the generals, follow me and lead the army towards Youquan!"

The generals responded in unison and hurried out of the command tent.

A moment later, the sound of rapid hoofbeats rose from the camp, rolling like muffled thunder towards Youquan, and gradually disappeared.

Yan Yi personally led 8,000 infantrymen, wearing only leather and foot armor, and without even bothering to arrange their formation, towards Youquan City.

A thousand supply troops drove horses and pushed wagons, following closely behind the main army.

The 10,000 troops were divided into three echelons and advanced straight towards Youquan!

At this moment, the west gate of the right fist was already a river of blood. Urged on by Li Yi, Lu Jun launched a fierce attack with his troops regardless of the cost, forcing the defending troops inch by inch toward the city gate.

Seeing that the assassins had rushed up the steps on both sides of the gate tower, Li Yi breathed heavily, his face flushed with a sickly redness. He personally donned his armor, took up his sword, and led his personal guards in a final attack.

At this critical moment, the ground beneath their feet suddenly trembled slightly, and the sound of drum-like hooves came from outside the city, rapidly approaching.

"It's over!"

Lu Jun listened intently for a while and roughly estimated the number of enemy cavalry. In an instant, his face turned pale, and his body under his armor trembled uncontrollably.

"General Zhou, Lu Jun is willing to surrender!"

After a moment of stunned silence, he suddenly let out a trembling roar, snatched a hard bow from the hand of his personal guard, and nocked an arrow.

call out!
The moment his fingers loosened, the arrow shot out, leaving a blur before piercing Li Yi's back.

Li Yi's body swayed suddenly, and he staggered around with his bloodstained body. His bloodshot eyes stared intently at Lu Jun, his pupils filled with shock and pain.

puff puff!

Several more arrows pierced his chest.

Blood and foam gushed from Li Yi's mouth, his eyes filled with deep resentment, before he fell backward.

"Your Excellency... I cannot forgive you any longer."

With a soft murmur, this man, who had once been loyal to Xu Gong because of a single meal he had been given, used his last strength to turn his body to the side, facing the direction of Wu County, and exhaled his last breath.

With Li Yi's death and Lu Jun's defection, this fierce battle to seize the gate abruptly ended at its most intense moment, leaving only tattered flags and still-warm corpses scattered on the ground, telling the cruelty of war under the setting sun.

Yan Yi led his troops into the city and saw Zhou Tai lying on a stretcher, his battle robe stained with blood. He solemnly dismounted, personally carried the stretcher, and walked towards the military camp.

The next morning, news of the fall of Youquan, a key town in Wu County, reached Wu County.

Just six hours later, Xu Gong, bewildered and helpless, received news that the imperial pavilion had fallen.

This former lord of Wu County, who once held the power of life and death over hundreds of thousands of lives, collapsed to the ground, utterly distraught and filled with fear and unease.

Having fully grasped Xu Gong's army's deployment, Yan Yi did not delay at all. After only staying in Youquan for one night, he led his troops north to join forces with Sun Ce, who was heading south. They surrounded Wu County and blocked the reinforcements from Shazhong, Lou County, and other cities that were heading towards Wu County.

Wuxian, a bright pearl in southern Jiangsu that has stood on the land of Jiangdong since the Spring and Autumn Period, has become a completely isolated city!
(End of this chapter)