Chapter 70: The Plan of Anhui City

  Lujiang is now the seat of Lu'an City in Anhui Province.

  Two young men in the Taishou Mansion were engaged in a drinking game, their age similar to that of Liu Mang. However, they are now commanders of an army of over 10,000 soldiers. One of them has even swept across Jiangdong and occupied numerous cities, making him unmatched among his peers.

  Moreover, all his domains were built by himself, and his father died early without leaving him anything.

  "Gong Jin, what do you think is the meaning of Lü Bu's large army approaching Lujiang?!" The movement of Lü Bu's army cannot be hidden, a force of 10,000 men, with cavalry at the forefront, this is a terrifying force wherever it goes. All the lords will be cautious in their response, as cavalry can march hundreds of miles a day, and if they are not careful, they will become a laughing stock when the enemy arrives at their gates.

  Sun Ce's face had a hint of worry, although he had already pacified Wu and Yue with the Three Rivers' stronghold, but he did not dare to underestimate Lü Bu, who was a renowned figure before his father, a war god who dared to charge into battle with his horse and weapons in hand.

  Those who underestimated Lü Bu didn't have a good ending. Dong Zhuo underestimated Lü Bu, thinking he had already subdued him, but was killed by Lü Bu's single spear thrust. Cao Cao almost lost his old nest in Yan Province because he underestimated Lü Bu. Liu Xuan De underestimated Lü Bu and directly handed over Xu State to others.

  Sun Ce thought he was very strong, but he couldn't afford a head-on confrontation with Lü Bu either, the loss would be too great.

  "What's the fuss about?" Zhou Yu spoke up, a handsome young man with a feathered fan and a heroic air, who seemed to have an instant solution to what was a worrying problem for Sun Ce.

  "Oh, Gongjin has something to teach me!" Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were childhood friends and addressed each other as brothers, so seeing Zhou Yu's casual appearance, he knew that Zhou Yu had a plan and hastily said.

  "Brother Bo, the arrival of Lü Bu's army is not only harmless to us, but also very beneficial!" Zhou Yu said with a smile. This elder brother has great ambitions and is also a man of great charm, but he is just a bit too impatient.

  "Lü Bu's military movements are unclear, how can they be beneficial to our army?!" Sun Ce was puzzled, he had just barely pacified Wu and Yue, and didn't want a fierce tiger to suddenly appear and compete with him for territory.

  "Near Lujiang, it's either Wu or Yue. If we cross the river and head to Jiangxia, we'll be heading towards Jingzhou! The land of Wu and Yue has just been pacified by us, and the people's hearts are with us. Moreover, there are many waterways in Wu and Yue, but Lü Bu's army is mostly cavalry and northerners. Before crossing the river, they may seem like fierce tigers, but once they cross, they'll be nothing but sick cats!" Zhou Yu slowly analyzed to Sun Ce.

  To contend for the land of Wu and Yue, a powerful navy is essential. Otherwise, in the Jiangdong region with its numerous waterways, it would be difficult to advance even an inch, so it was fundamentally impossible for Lü Bu to seize Wu and Yue.

  There's only Lujiang Xia below, so Zhou Yu said decisively, "This Lord Lü Bu is here to borrow a road!"

  As expected, Zhou Yu's words were not yet finished when a guard came to report that the envoy of Lü Bu's army had arrived in the city, bringing several carts of pearls worth three thousand pieces of gold, saying they wanted to borrow a road.

  "Thirty thousand taels borrowed?!" Sun Ce's heart was moved, he had the land of Wu and Yue, there were too many places to spend money, the navy and army needed to be built, and the people needed to be pacified, these thirty thousand taels could be considered a huge sum.

  "Gongjin, are we going to lend the way?!" Sun Ce's eyes sparkled as he looked at Zhou Yu. Of course, he knew that lending the way was necessary; not doing so would only trap Lü Bu in Lujiang, which would be disadvantageous for everyone. Once Lü Bu became unhappy, attacking Lujiang would become a huge problem.

  "Borrow!" Zhou Yu said what Sun Ce had been hoping for in his heart, and with just 3,000 taels of gold, he wouldn't be able to escape. Just as Sun Ce was about to feel happy, Zhou Yu's next sentence completely ruined Sun Ce's good mood.

  "We not only lend but also specially lend, to show the friendship between Jiangdong Army and Lü Bu's army. We don't want a single piece of these three thousand taels of gold back, and we'll even send someone to guide Lü Bu's army so they can arrive at Jiangxia smoothly! By the way, tell Lü Bu's messenger that our Jiangdong Army has already prepared hot meals to comfort General Wen Hou's soldiers." Zhou Yu said with a cup of wine.

  "Ah!" The 3,000 taels of gold that were almost in Sun Ce's grasp were about to disappear with just one sentence from Zhou Yu. And they still had to send a guide? And prepare hot food? Lü Bu's army was tens of thousands strong, wasn't his younger brother ill?! How much grain and fodder would this take?!

  Looking at his own brother's petty appearance, Zhou Yu wanted to laugh but couldn't, and could only hold back and patiently explain: "Three thousand taels of gold, guides, and hot food are a lot, but if these can be compared with Jiang Xia and the entire Jingzhou, then it's simply too cheap!"

  "Jiangxia Jingzhou!" A look of solemn killing intent was brewing between Sun Ce's eyebrows. He had a belly full of hatred for Jiangxia and Jingzhou. His father, Sun Jian, had died at the hands of Huang Zu of Jiangxia, and the one who gave the order was Liu Biao, the lord of Jingzhou. Therefore, Sun Ce had always wanted to conquer Jingzhou to avenge his father.

  "Can Gongjin really take down Jiangxia and Jingzhou?!" Sun Jian said with red eyes.

  "Jingzhou is hard to say, but Jiangxia must be!" Zhou Yu gave this reply to Sun Jian.

  "Jiang Xia Huang Zu!" This was the man who had killed his own father. "Alright, I'll go prepare food for a banquet tonight. Tonight, we'll meet this war god Lü Bu in Wancheng!" Sun Ce's eyes gleamed with sharpness. He was the little overlord of Jiangdong, and he was extremely proud of his martial arts skills. Now that someone known as the war god had arrived, how could he not be itching for a fight?

  Looking at the fiery and impulsive Sun Ce, Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head. "This lord of ours, with emotions written all over his face? Doesn't he know that a superior should be unfathomable in anger and stern without being severe?" Too impulsive, but isn't this impulsiveness what truly attracts oneself?

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  "General!" Cheng Yu made a fist and said to Liu Mang "We are about to arrive at Shucheng!"

  "Hmm!" Liu Mang nodded, he is now the vanguard of Lü Bu's entire army, and his troops have been replenished to 3,000 people. Except for the city guard soldiers who died in battle, Liu Mang has incorporated all the remaining heavy infantrymen who dared to charge that day into the city guard army. Lü Bu also allocated 300 war horses to Liu Mang again, adding to the 2,700 infantrymen, it can be said that the city guard army is now fully formed and can stand alone.

  Lü Bu allowed Liu Mang to be the vanguard and also had a tendency to let Liu Mang train troops.

  "Have the messenger inform Lord Yuen that we'll take the lead!" Shu County is now under Sun Ce's command, and passing through Shu County without at least paying a visit would be equivalent to directly attacking the city.

  Three hundred cavalrymen quickly mounted their horses and galloped towards Shucheng, while the two thousand seven hundred infantrymen followed slowly behind.

  "This is Shucheng?!". Before Liu Mang's eyes was an ancient city, the people here were as sparse as those in Shou Chun, but they had a bit more vitality. Yes, it was vitality, and from the eyes of the people at the city gate, there was a glimmer of hope to live on.

  "The enemy, the enemy!" The three hundred cavalry had not yet approached the city gate when Shu City's gate slowly closed, and some citizens who failed to leave in time were blocked outside the gate, shouting and panicking.

  What a chaotic world, the suffering of the common people is forever. Liu Mang led the city management army cavalry squad to guide the people under the city gate to a safe place.

  Before he could even shout, an official-looking person on the city wall shouted: "Below is indeed Lord Lü Bu's troops! I am Zhou Yu, currently the head of Shucheng. My lord Sun Ce has already learned of your arrival and welcomes you with great hospitality. A banquet has been set up in Wancheng to await your arrival!" Lujiang Shucheng was where the Zhou family lived, and Zhou Yu could be considered a member of the Zhou family. He was Zhou Yu's cousin.

  From Shucheng to Wancheng, if you hurry, you can reach it by passing through Shiting, a two-day journey. However, the sky is already late now, and the army needs to camp.

  "Lord Zhou, your reputation as a generous host has preceded you and I am grateful for the warm welcome. My name is Liu Mao, Liu Hanyang, and I lead the vanguard of our army. As night is falling, we hope to be able to stay overnight on the outskirts of the city."

  Entering the city is impossible now, this place belongs to Sun Ce's territory, it's already good if they let you pass, can only stay overnight at Shucheng border.

  After Shucheng is Shiting, which is a strategic location. Whoever controls Shiting will gain control of Lujiang.

  "Liu Mang Liu Han Yang?!" The world was already in chaos, and although the Emperor of Han was in Xuchang, his orders could not be carried out beyond Xuchang, so Liu Mang's reputation was difficult to spread.

  Stationed outside the city, mutually supporting each other, this was what friendly armies or allies would do. Although Lü Bu's army and Sun Ce's army were not friendly armies, Zhou Yu had received orders that as long as they didn't enter the city, all of Lü Bu's requests could be agreed to.

  "Let the city prepare hot meals, and the general can stay!" The city of Shucheng had limited grain and fodder. A large army could finish it off in one meal. What then? Lord Cao's orders were to entertain Lü Bu's army all along the way.

  "Is there still hot food? This is great!" Liu Mang furrowed his brow, it was already difficult to have the army camp at the city's edge, because once they had a change of heart and launched a night raid on the city, the city would be hard to defend. Now that there was still food, what exactly was Sun Ce planning?