Mythical Three Kingdoms

”Xiaozhi, why did you switch to a carriage when you came under the city, when you were riding just fine before?” Gan Ning, driving his horse, inquired of Fa Zheng, who sat in the carriage without showing himself.

”To maintain an air of mystery,” Fa Zheng replied with a smile, though in reality, he just felt that a direct appearance was not sufficiently shocking.

”It would be strange if such a large carriage wasn’t attacked!” Gan Ning warned, the carriage was always too conspicuous, and it would be bad if it were targeted by a heavy crossbow.

”Don’t worry, they won’t come out of the city to fight. Gongjin is incredibly astute and naturally knows what choices to make under the current unclear situation that would be in their best interest,” Fa Zheng said with a light chuckle, ”Without the suppression of Cloud Qi, you can intercept all the crossbow bolts, I believe in you.”

”...” Gan Ning said nothing more. Fa Zheng believed in him, would this confident man tear down his own stage?

After Zhou Yu, accompanied by Zhou Tai and the others, went to the government office, Yuan Shu didn’t say anything else but directly rushed toward the North Gate of Shouchun with Zhou Yu.

”Gongjin, do you have any good strategies?” Yuan Shu asked while walking.

”Shouchun can’t be taken by force, he can only be here to show off his military might,” Zhou Yu said straightforwardly, giving Yuan Shu a reassuring pill, ”But now we need to confirm where Liu Bei’s army is coming from. I don’t believe Yu Zhou’s army of one hundred thousand could be defeated at Xiapi so quickly!”

Yuan Shu nodded. Although he was a bit panicked, years of habit prevented him from showing it, and Zhou Yu’s words had completely put his mind at ease. Shouchun, with its high walls and deep moats and the presence of a sage strategist, had almost no possibility of being captured.

Zhou Yu said he was confirming where Liu Bei’s army was from, but in reality, he already had some guesses, and just as Fa Zheng had predicted earlier, once Zhou Yu guessed the possible situation, he immediately made his choice.

When Yuan Shu and his entourage climbed the Northern City gate tower to look down, the whole lot of aristocratic families also squeezed up, looking at the not-too-large army below and feeling somewhat at a loss, they couldn’t help whispering to each other.

”Gan Xingba!” Zhou Tai said in a low voice.

”He is here too, but who is sitting in that carriage besides him?” Zhou Yu murmured with a slight frown.

”Why not gather heavy crossbows and attack that carriage?” The head of the Li family scoffed upon hearing Zhou Yu’s question.

To many of the Yuzhou aristocractic families, if it hadn’t been for Zhou Yu’s final say, they wouldn’t be in a situation with the enemy at the gates; though it had been the families that had strongly insisted at the time, who among these people would remember their own mistakes? A mistake that could be blamed on someone else didn’t count as their own!

”Gan Xingba is a peerless master in the world. In such a non-combat situation, without the pressure of Cloud Qi, mere heavy crossbows, hmph!” Yuan Shu gave Jii Ling a look, and then Jii Ling scanned the aristocratic families with a cold laugh.

”Who goes there below the city? How dare you violate the Yuzhou Governor’s jurisdiction!” Yuan Shu stepped onto the city wall with a rascal-like roar.

”Han General Gan Xingba, has come to capture the traitor!” Gan Ning was no pushover; even in this situation, he was not at a loss and struck back decisively.

”The Emperor still reigns; does Liu Xuande really intend to carry out military campaigns as a member of the Imperial Clan?” Yuan Shu sneered. No one with an aristocratic upbringing was unpracticed in sharp retorts.

”Yuan Gonglu secretly harbors the Imperial Jade Seal; how could my lord not know? He has come specifically to reclaim this treasure of the Han Dynasty and restore it to its rightful place!” Gan Ning retorted with a sneer. While Liu Bei’s actions had vulnerabilities, Yuan Shu’s weak spot was frankly indefensible.

”Restore it to the Han Dynasty? Your lord Liu Xuande is but a minor branch of the Han lineage, who rose to power with the help of the Chen Family. Can he claim the legitimacy of the Yuan Family, with its heritage of Four Generations Three Dukes? I, Yuan Gonglu, openly declare that I hold the Imperial Jade Seal. With Dong Zhuo wreaking havoc before and Li Jue holding the Emperor captive after, at least in my hands, the seal ensures the people’s tranquility! I, Yuan Gonglu, have no interest in stealthy theft!” Yuan Shu watched Gan Ning with a cold sneer.

”...” Gan Ning was at a loss for words. Yuan Shu dared to admit in front of so many that he disdained stealthy theft; while it carried an undertone of disdain for imperial authority, it was enough to make it clear he had no designs on the artifact.

Zhou Yu was also stunned, utterly shocked by Yuan Shu’s words. He had originally thought that Yuan Shu was restraining his own greed with righteousness, but now it seemed Yuan Shu was proclaiming that his pride precluded such acts.

In reality, among those present, only Jii Ling understood the meaning of Yuan Shu’s words. Did Yuan Shu need to steal such a thing? If he were to act, it would be out in the open, with dignity. Sneaking around was below the honor of the Yuan Family’s legacy of Four Generations and Three Dukes!

”Xingba, there’s no need to continue this debate with him. It seems that Yuan Shu is quite steadfast in his principles; he is only slightly unorthodox in the way he conducts himself,” said Fa Zheng, his voice reaching Gan Ning’s ear, extinguishing his desire to continue the argument.

”General, the person inside the carriage has sent Gan Xingba away,” Zhou Tai whispered to Zhou Yu. This fact made Zhou Yu’s heart clench. Gan Ning held no low rank within Liu Bei’s forces, and his retreat, without any dissatisfaction, spoke volumes of the status of the person within the carriage.

”Click~” Fa Zheng slowly extended his hand from the carriage, then unfolded the door, stood up straight with a steady expression, and slightly raised his head. As if struck by the glare of the sun, he raised his hand to shield his eyes, then after a moment, slowly lowered it.

”Yuan Yuzhou,” Fa Zheng greeted with a slight bow, like a scion from an aristocratic family, before speaking calmly, ”It’s been a long time...”

”You are...” Yuan Shu’s pupils contracted. He could sense the scholarly elegance that nearly matched Zhou Yu’s, but he could not remember who Fa Zheng was. What shocked him even more was Fa Zheng’s youthful appearance.

”I forgot to mention, the Yuzhou Governor might not recognize me yet, but you will soon,” Fa Zheng said with a light laugh, gently waving his sleeve, ”I am Fa Zheng, Xiaozhi from Fufeng, Prime Minister of Qi State under my lord Liu Xuande.”

Zhou Yu watched Fa Zheng’s light laughter with a slight chill in his heart. He was young enough, yet at this moment he found himself looking at an even younger sage outside the city walls, one who was poised to rise above Yuzhou.

On the other side of the city wall, silence reigned. Even the shortsighted nobles from Yuzhou Aristocratic Families fell silent at Fa Zheng’s appearance, feeling an overt sense of spiritual oppression the moment he showed up.

The feeling was like the terror ordinary people felt when Zhou Tai unleashed his full strength; most on the city walls felt this sense of danger upon Fa Zheng’s entry.

”The previous debate was worthless. The Yuan Family’s Four Generations Three Dukes, my lord a relative of the Han Emperor; right and wrong don’t matter. What matters is who gets to write all this,” Fa Zheng spoke calmly and confidently, directly intimidating everyone on the city walls, even making Zhou Yu look down from the walls with added caution.(To be continued. If you like this work, please visit qidian.com to vote for it with a recommendation ticket or a monthly ticket; your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please read on m.qidian.com.)