My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

Huainan, Shouchun.

Sun Jian stood atop the city wall of Shouchun, gazing at the vast Huaihe Plain beyond the city, his brow furrowed.

Yuan Shu has been dead for almost a year, but his ghost still roams the land of Huainan.

Those generals who once followed Yuan Shu.

Zhang Xun, Qiao Rui, Lei Bo, and Chen Lan retreated to various places in Huainan, where they held onto their troops and refused to surrender.

They dared not confront Sun Jian directly, but instead swarmed around him like flies, occasionally flying out to bite him.

Today we'll raid a grain route, tomorrow we'll burn down a camp, and the day after tomorrow we'll launch a surprise attack on a county town.

It doesn't hurt or itch, but it's incredibly annoying.

Sun Jian slammed his fist on the battlement.

"Send the order to assemble the troops. I will personally lead the expedition to pacify Huainan!"

Han Dang hesitated and said, "My lord, the bandits in Huainan are nothing but a minor ailment. Sending a general will suffice. Why must you personally lead the campaign?"

Sun Jian shook his head, his gaze deep: "Lord Yi, you don't understand. What I want is not to sweep away Huainan, but to let the world know who calls the shots in the south."

He turned around and looked at Han Dang: "Send an order to Liu Bei to send troops from Yuzhang north to Hefei to support me. Send an order to Cao Cao to send troops from Yanzhou south to Runan to attack Zhang Xun from both sides."

Han Dang was taken aback: "My lord, Liu Bei is alright, but what about Cao Cao... will he listen to us?"

Sun Jian sneered: "He dares not listen? I only asked him to join the army because I was giving him face. If he doesn't come, he will be my enemy. Cao Cao is a smart man, he can't be unaware of the consequences."

Han Dang said no more and left to carry out his orders.

Yuzhang, Nanchang.

When Liu Bei received Sun Jian's order to transfer him, he was discussing military affairs with Jian Yong.

After reading the letter, he remained silent for a long time before handing it to Jian Yong: "Xianhe, take a look."

Jian Yong took the document, skimmed through it, and frowned deeply: "Sun Jian wants our lord to go north to Hefei to support him in pacifying Huainan. This... this is sending our lord to be cannon fodder for him."

Liu Bei stood up, walked to the window, and looked north. Outside the window, the Gan River shimmered in the summer sun.

"Constitutional peace".

He slowly began, "Tell me, what will Sun Jian do if I don't go?"

Jian Yong smiled wryly: "Sun Jian will surely be furious. At best, he will cut off our supplies; at worst, he will raise an army to punish us. Our lord is currently in Yuzhang, living under someone else's roof. If we turn against him, I'm afraid..."

He didn't finish his sentence, but Liu Bei understood.

If he falls out with Sun Jian, his three thousand men won't even be able to leave Yuzhang.

Liu Bei turned around, his gaze calm: "Then let's go."

Jian Yong was taken aback: "My lord!"

Liu Bei waved his hand, interrupting him: "No need to say more. We are going, but how we go, how long we stay, and how far we fight are up to us."

He walked back to his desk, picked up his pen, and wrote a reply.

The letter stated that he was willing to lead his troops north to support his brother, Wentai.

However, since Yuzhang has just been pacified and the mountain tribes have not yet been subdued, troops need to be left to guard the area.

I can only take one thousand soldiers with me. I hope Brother Wentai will understand.

Jian Yong's eyes lit up after reading the reply: "My lord is brilliant! Taking only a thousand soldiers is a way of telling Sun Jian that I can help you, but don't expect me to risk my life for you."

Liu Bei smiled slightly and sealed the letter: "Send someone to Shouchun."

Yanzhou, Changyi.

When Cao Cao received Sun Jian's order to transfer him, he was playing chess with Xi Zhicai.

After reading the letter, he laughed heartily and handed it to Xi Zhicai: "Zhicai, look at this, Sun Wentai is treating me like his subordinate."

Xi Zhicai took the letter, read it through, and a mocking smile appeared on his lips: "Sun Jian wants our lord to go south to Runan to attack Zhang Xun from both sides. He wants to use our lord's knife to sweep away Huainan for him."

Cao Cao put down his chess piece, stood up, and walked to the map: "Should I go, or not?"

Xi Zhicai pondered for a moment, then slowly said, "We must go. If we don't, Sun Jian will have an excuse to attack our lord. But how we go, how many people we send, and to what extent we fight are all decisions we need to make ourselves."

Cao Cao nodded, walked back to his desk, picked up his pen, and wrote a reply.

The letter stated that Cao Cao was willing to lead his troops south to support Brother Wentai.

However, Yanzhou is bordered by Ji Xuanyuan to the north and Liu Biao to the west, requiring a large force to be stationed there.

Cao Cao can only take five thousand soldiers with him. I hope Brother Wentai will understand.

Xi Zhicai read the reply and nodded, saying, "Five thousand men, no more, no less. Sun Jian can't find fault with us, nor can he expect us to risk our lives."

Cao Cao sealed the letter and handed it to his personal guard: "Send it to Shouchun."

Shouchun, Sun Jian's main camp.

When Sun Jian received the replies from Liu Bei and Cao Cao, his face was ashen.

"One thousand? Five thousand?" He slammed his hand on the table.

"Those two cunning fellows are trying to outsmart us!"

Zhang Zhao picked up the letter, read it, and advised, "My lord, please calm down. Liu Bei only brought a thousand men, and Cao Cao only brought five thousand. Although it is a small number, it is still in response to your orders. If you blame them for this, it will only make you seem petty."

Sun Jian suppressed his anger and sneered, "Fine, since they've come, I'll show them what real fighting is all about."

He stood up, walked to the map, and traced the boundary of Huainan with his finger: "Send out the order that the entire army will launch an attack in three days. I want to personally meet with those scoundrels Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui."

Wu County, on the street.

While Sun Jian was deploying troops in Shouchun, an unexpected disturbance was unfolding on the streets of Wu County.

That afternoon, the city of Wu suddenly became lively.

People, young and old, flocked to the streets and headed towards the east of the city.

Some people carried incense burners, some held offerings, and some knelt by the roadside, chanting incantations.

"The Immortal Yu has arrived! The Immortal Yu has arrived!"

The crowd erupted in cheers.

Yu Shenxian is Yu Ji.

This person, whose origins are unknown, has been preaching in Jiangdong for many years, using talismans and water to cure illnesses, and calls himself "Taiping Qingling Dao".

The people believed him to be a god, calling him "Immortal Yu".

On the day he began his ministry, the people of the city flocked to him, lining the streets and kneeling to welcome him.

At that moment, Yu Ji was walking slowly towards them.

He had white hair but a youthful face, held a nine-section staff, and wore a crane cloak, looking as ethereal as a fairy.

Behind him followed dozens of disciples, carrying scriptures, talisman water, and incense burners.

The people knelt down one after another, calling him "the immortal," creating a magnificent scene.

Yu Ji smiled and nodded frequently, his eyes filled with compassion, as if he were a true deity descended to earth.

But he didn't notice that a pair of eyes in the crowd were staring coldly at him.

Sun Jian was returning to Wu Commandery to gather provisions when he happened to pass through this area.

As he rode his horse, looking at the people kneeling on the ground and at the ethereal "deity," his expression grew increasingly grim.

He remembered someone.

Zhang Jiao.

That sorcerer who used the Way of Peace to bewitch people back then, did just that, step by step, turn the world upside down.

"Stop," Sun Jian said coldly.

The guards reined in the horse.

Sun Jian dismounted and strode toward Yu Ji.

Yu Ji was talking to an old woman kneeling on the ground when he suddenly felt a chilling murderous aura.

He looked up and met Sun Jian's cold eyes.

"So you are Yu Ji?" Sun Jian's voice was like the north wind in the dead of winter.

Yu Ji bowed slightly: "This humble Taoist priest, Yu Ji, greets the General."

Sun Jian sneered: "Yu Ji, do you know your crime?"

Yu Ji was taken aback: "What crime have I committed?"

Sun Jian pointed at the kneeling people and said sternly, "You spread heresies and misled the people, that's your first crime. You gathered people to preach and plotted treason, that's your second crime. You called yourself a deity and overstepped the bounds of propriety, that's your third crime. You deserve to die for all three crimes!"

Yu Ji's expression remained unchanged; he simply smiled slightly and said, "General, I merely use talismanic water to cure illnesses and save lives. The people are grateful to me and spontaneously kneel to welcome me, which is not my wish. As for the title of 'immortal,' it is the people's way of showing their affection, and I have never claimed it."

Sun Jian sneered, "Still dare to argue!"

He drew his Crimson Sky Sword from his waist, the tip pressed against Yu Ji's chest: "If you are a deity, why do you kneel before me?"

Yu Ji looked down at the sword tip in his chest, then looked up at Sun Jian, his gaze calm as still water: "General, I am not kneeling before you, General, but before Heaven."

Sun Jian was taken aback.

Yu Ji continued, "The sword in the general's hand is the Chixiao Sword of Emperor Gaozu. This sword slew the white serpent and revived the Han Dynasty; it is the mandate of Heaven. My kneeling before this sword is kneeling before the mandate of Heaven. Your wielding of this sword means you are acting on behalf of Heaven. What crime have I committed?"

Sun Jian's expression shifted, he hadn't expected Yu Ji to recognize the Crimson Sky Sword at a glance.

He looked down at the sword in his hand, then looked up at Yu Ji's calm face, and a strange sense of irritation suddenly welled up in his heart.

This old Taoist priest is quite the smooth talker.

If I let him continue, I'm afraid I'll get caught up in his words myself.

"Someone come here!"

Sun Jian shouted sternly, "Seize this sorcerer and throw him in jail!"

The guards rushed forward and tied Yu Ji up tightly.

Yu Ji did not resist, but looked at Sun Jian with a hint of pity in his eyes.

"General."

He said softly, "I have a word to offer you."

Sun Jian looked at him coldly.

Yu Ji said, "Whoever kills this poor Taoist priest will surely meet a bad end."

Sun Jian's expression changed drastically, and he swung his sword!

The Crimson Sky Sword sliced ​​across Yu Ji's shoulder, tearing his crane cloak, but did not harm his skin or flesh.

Yu Ji's expression remained unchanged; he merely smiled slightly, turned, and left with his personal guards.

The people knelt on the ground, trembling, and no one dared to utter a sound.

Sun Jian sheathed his sword and coldly surveyed the crowd: "From this day forward, the propagation of Taoism is strictly forbidden in Jiangdong. Anyone who dares to imitate Yu Ji will be killed without mercy!"

He mounted his horse and rode away in a cloud of dust.

Behind them, the people looked at each other in bewilderment, completely silent.

Shuntian, Tiance Prefecture.

Ji Xuanyuan sat in his study, with two secret reports spread out in front of him.

A document from Huainan states that Sun Jian summoned troops from Liu Bei and Cao Cao, but each had their own agenda and only sent a small number of troops as a perfunctory gesture.

A document from Wu County: Sun Jian arrested Yu Ji, and the people of Jiangdong were filled with resentment.

Guo Jia sat at the lower end, his peach blossom eyes curving upwards: "My lord, Sun Jian is digging his own grave. By purging the aristocratic families, he has offended the powerful clans of Jiangdong; by arresting Yu Ji, he has offended the people of Jiangdong. He thinks he is consolidating his power, but he doesn't realize that he has already lost everyone."

Ji Xuanyuan put down the secret report and smiled slightly: "Not enough."

Guo Jia was taken aback: "Does my lord mean...?"

Ji Xuanyuan stood up, walked to the map, and traced his finger across the Jiangdong region: "Sun Jian is purging the aristocratic families. They hate him, but dare not rebel. Sun Jian has arrested Yu Ji, and the people resent him, but dare not cause trouble. He hasn't driven everyone to the brink yet. When he has driven everyone to the brink, that will be our time to act."

He turned to look at Guo Jia: "Send word to Ziyi to continue contacting the powerful families of Jiangdong. At the same time, send someone to Wu County to secretly protect Yu Ji. This man will be of great use in the future."

Guo Jia clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Yes, sir!"