NOVPUBActually, Zhou Yu least liked to employ unusual stratagems, as the need for such tactics only suggested that his side was weaker than the enemy’s. Zhou Yu preferred to thoroughly overpower the opposition, and to achieve this, he diligently trained his command abilities. With more troops at his disposal and ample food supplies, the stage was set for a full-frontal assault to crush the enemy.
"This strategy is indeed ingenious," said Cheng Pu and the others, who were quick to grasp the benefits of the proposal. Some things become clear to everyone once pointed out, but the difference between genius and ordinary people becomes vast when separated by that thin layer of paper.
"In that case, I would like the three generals to prepare two thousand soldiers each for rotating rest and be ready to start acting tonight," Zhou Yu nodded and said, "As for Bofu, let him continue to lead the troops in battle. I will keep an eye on him to prevent any further chaos; with Bofu in front, Lul Kang must be cautious."
"Acknowledged!" The three of them bowed in unison to Zhou Yu, "We will now go to arrange the troops and prepare for the rotation of the siege."
"Ah, if only we had ’che nou’, we could simply attach crossbow bolts to the city walls. Several hundred soldiers with inner qi and agility would suffice to scale the walls instantly. With such an approach, as long as we have the support of archers, we are almost assured of taking the wall," Zhou Yu sighed, for they hadn’t brought such devices, as Sunx Ce was in a hurry to leave and had not equipped them.
"There’s no need for Gongjin to be so concerned; having a strategy capable of breaking through Lujiang County is sufficient," Cheng Pu said, viewing Zhou Yu as a perfectionist. Zhou Yu was handsome, intelligent, both literate and martial, skilled in music, chess, calligraphy, and painting, and had an exceptionally beautiful fiancée; it seemed as though all the good things had been claimed by him alone.
"Alright, let’s proceed with that, swiftly conquering Lujiang, sweeping through Jiangnan, and establishing the foundation for a dominant empire. I have been recently contemplating how to subdue the Shanyue. With a population over a million and their fierce customs, fighting them would be troublesome, yet not fighting them means we must find a way to subdue and assimilate them as an aid. Some ideas are finally taking shape," Zhou Yu said with a sigh, preoccupied with many matters of late.
"The Shanyue People..." Huang Gai frowned. Remembering those barbarians who lived in the mountains always gave him a headache; he had fought them before. Although their military discipline was lacking, they fought fiercely and fearlessly, which indeed made them excellent soldiers, yet it was a pity they were uneducated.
"Yes, the Shanyue People. They seem very capable of fighting, and I’m considering how to subdue them. Their current leader is Yan Baihu, who must certainly be eliminated, but such an act makes it difficult to subdue them, and that’s why I am quite vexed. Lately, Liu Xuande’s power has been increasing, and though a battle with Yuan Benchu is inevitable, it still leaves me feeling uneasy," sighed Zhou Yu, a rare show of frustration. Once the strength and foundation reached the level of Liu Bei and Yuan Shao, even a major defeat wouldn’t result in their collapse.
"Let’s not talk about this anymore. Has anyone come to join us recently?" Zhou Yu put aside his troubled expression and looked up to ask.
"Lyu Zijing, a friend of our Lord, came and then left again, and I don’t know why," said Cheng Pu, somewhat displeased.
"Zijing has been here," Zhou Yu nodded, confident that Lyu Fan would return soon. "With him back on our side, we can truly say that our soldiers are elite and our generals valiant. It’s just a pity about Lub Zijing; we should have brought him with us from the start." As Zhou Yu mentioned Lub Su, it was evident he was moved, as Lub Su’s ability had become widely recognized. Whenever Liu Bei had to deploy his troops, Lub Su was the one left in charge at home—an indication of the trust and value placed in him.
The three men said nothing more, but their expressions brightened considerably. Since Zhou Yu said Lyu Fan would come again, they were sure he would indeed return.
Three days later, Zhou Yu, taking advantage of his superior troop numbers, harassed them at night and mobilized as many as tens of thousands of auxiliary soldiers, forming a battle array that seemed poised to attack the city at any moment. This forced the seventy-year-old Lul Kang and the ailing Lul Jun, who was not in good health, to stay awake for three consecutive days. Whenever they began to feel sleepy at night, Huang Gai and others would assemble their troops and charge towards the city walls to the beat of drums.
After enduring this for the first night, Lul Kang and Lul Jun realized it was merely a strategy to exhaust the enemy, but they dared not let their guard down. After all, that very night, Huang Gai had received orders from Zhou Yu to attack the city amidst the chaos during the Hour of the Ox.
Though they did not succeed in taking the city, the attempt served as a wake-up call for Lul Kang and Lul Jun. They knew that if they showed the slightest negligence and Sunx Ce saw even a glimmer of hope for victory, Sunx Ce wouldn’t care whether it was day or night. When the time came to strike, he would not hesitate.
As a result, Lul Kang and Lul Jun had to muster their energy and patrol throughout the night. After three days like this, the united and determined spirit of the soldiers in Lujiang County had been worn down by sleepless nights.
That morning, Sunx Ce led his army to approach Lujiang City, stopping within an arrow’s range, "Lul Jining, come out and respond." Hearing this, Lul Kang naturally leaned out to look, but Sunx Ce dismissively ignored him, "Soldiers on the city walls, listen up! Capture him now, and I, Sunx Bofu, will reward you handsomely. Moreover, your previous offenses will be disregarded. Otherwise, on the day the city falls, all of you will be required to die as sacrifices for the Lul Family!"
This time, the soldiers defending Lujiang were involuntarily swayed as they glanced back at Lul Kang. The physical and mental fatigue, coupled with the chest of jewelry that Sunx Ce had ordered to be spilled on the ground, shook the soldiers’ resolve.
"Merely treasures! Whatever Sunx Ce has, my Lul Family shall not be lacking!" Lul Kang sneered as he leaned forward. He then glanced at Zhou Tai, who was beside Sunx Ce, and sure enough, Zhou Tai involuntarily avoided Lul Kang’s gaze when their eyes met, giving Lul Kang a sense of relief.
Soon, Lul Kang ordered his family’s private guards to bring out several chests of jewels from their home and dump them on the city walls, "Listen up! Hold the city today, and everyone will have a share of these jewels. Even if you fall in battle, I, Lul Kang, with the honor of the Lul Family, guarantee that each portion will be delivered to your family. Children of the fallen will have the chance to receive an education, and we will take care of your parents, wives, and children."
At this critical moment, Lul Kang was no longer concerned about gold and silver jewelry. When his family had dwindled to just four members, he was in business merely to cultivate relationships. Furthermore, with their survival on the line, the wealth Lul Kang tossed down even made Sunx Ce below envious.
"Sunx Bofu, I want to see whether you can bribe the soldiers of Lujiang County. When my Lul Family could once buy the loyalty of the entire Yangtze River Route, do you think you can now bribe the soldiers of Lujiang County? Soldiers below, listen! If my Lul Family stands firm today, each one of you can come to the Lul Family to collect a handful of money tomorrow! For every day we stand, count one day! The ten ships of snow salt from my Lul Family at Chaohu Lake can serve as collateral!" Lul Kang roared with his beard pointing up.
Enraged, Sunx Ce almost drew his bow and shot an arrow, breaking the rules to kill Lul Kang right then and there. Fortunately, Zhou Tai quickly ran over and grabbed Sunx Ce, preventing a reckless act that would have certainly ruined Sunx Ce’s reputation.
Lul Kang might have also felt that words alone were not satisfying enough and ordered his private guards to throw down several more chests of jewelry. The filled-in section of the moat immediately glittered with the scattered jewelry. And, tauntingly yelling towards Sunx Ce, Lul Kang added, "Consider these as a down payment. Soldiers under Sunx Bofu, you just need to not put in your best effort to earn a handful of money each day. I, Lul Kang, always keep my word!" (To be continued. If you like this work, you are welcome to vote for it with recommendation tickets and monthly tickets on Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)
