Mythical Version of Three Kingdom

Although Yuan Shu had issued a gag order, news travels quickly among well-informed individuals. When one person knows something, it’s a secret; when three people know it, it’s common knowledge, and once a group of people knows it, there’s no stopping the spread.

Yuan Shu now found himself in this situation. Despite his efforts to keep the information under wraps, word had spread throughout the camp that Yuzhou had fallen. Suddenly, the morale in his army plummeted.

Surprisingly, under intense pressure, Yuan Shu’s usual dim-wittedness seemed to disappear, and his intelligence appeared to spike. He began to distribute rewards, and not just small ones—he offered a full ten percent of the spoils from conquering Jingzhou to his troops. He also declared with fierce determination that anyone who helped capture Jiangling would see their rewards tripled. Even if they tried their best but failed, they would still be rewarded, but anyone who slacked off would face collective punishment.

The icy tone in Yuan Shu’s voice as he spoke those final words made it clear to everyone that he was dead serious. For a moment, Yuan Shu’s fierce resolve and commanding presence shocked everyone, showing a side of him that rivaled Yuan Shao’s grandeur and matched Cao Mengde’s decisiveness. However...

”Yuan Gong is truly...” Zhou Yu muttered as he reviewed the latest intelligence. He had already understood the situation in Yuzhou well. Initially, Zhou Yu thought Yuan Shu’s retreat was inevitable, but Yuan Shu’s decision shocked even him. Such boldness left Zhou Yu awed, but the glaring flaw in Yuan Shu’s reasoning left him even more astounded.

”I knew Uncle Gonglu was always a bit...unusual. See? I was right!” Sun Ce said triumphantly, as if to confirm his ability to judge people. ”He always keeps his word, even if it’s sometimes unreliable. But once he sets his mind on something, nothing can stop him. Just like back when the Imperial Seal was right in front of him, and he just turned away. Once he’s decided, he won’t back down—Jiangling will fall!”

”It’s indeed surprising,” Zhou Yu nodded in agreement. ”But if Yuan Gong succeeds in capturing Jiangling, the political landscape will shift dramatically. However, even if he succeeds, it’s meaningless at this time. We should have done as Taishan’s Liu Xuande did: take the spoils back home and consolidate our base, rather than expanding our territory recklessly. The occupied areas in Jingbei still have Liu Biao’s influence.”

”Does this mean Uncle is bound to fail?” Sun Ce asked, alarmed. Although Sun Ce trusted Zhou Yu completely, hearing his assessment left him tense. ”Gongjin, what should we do?”

”There’s nothing we can do except block the Yangtze River,” Zhou Yu replied calmly. ”Send patrol boats everywhere and don’t give Liu Jingsheng any opportunities. Also, Bofu, it’s time for you to have your own personal troops.”

Sun Ce hesitated at first but eventually nodded, agreeing with Zhou Yu’s suggestion.The original three thousand soldiers under their command had grown to nearly twenty thousand waterborne troops after defeating Huang Zu in Jiangxia, with over a hundred ships. This force was equivalent to that of a major regional power.

Despite his own growing power, Yuan Shu had allowed Sun Ce to lead this force without any oversight, a gesture that moved Sun Ce deeply. Even veteran generals like Cheng Pu and Huang Gai no longer had any reason to criticize Yuan Shu. Yuan Shu had indeed done everything he could to protect the Sun family without asking for anything in return, which earned him their genuine loyalty.

After agreeing to Zhou Yu’s proposal, Sun Ce suddenly realized something. ”Wait, why are we blocking the Yangtze River?”

”To prevent Liu Jingsheng from acting out of desperation. These next ten days will be Yuan Gong’s final push. It’s unlikely that Jiangling will fall, but if it becomes endangered, Liu Jingsheng might just lose his mind and do something drastic, like tampering with the Yangtze River.” Zhou Yu explained, exasperated by Sun Ce’s slow comprehension. Despite Sun Ce’s moments of brilliance, Zhou Yu’s exceptional intellect often made Sun Ce seem lacking in comparison.

Sun Ce wasn’t stupid; he understood some things well. ”If Liu Biao did that, he’d have no future left. Jingzhou relies on the local gentry for stability. If he pulls a stunt like that, he can forget about remaining as the Governor of Jingzhou. He’d be dead either way, so why ruin his reputation for ‘benevolence’?”

Zhou Yu chuckled at Sun Ce’s sarcastic analysis. ”Liu Biao wouldn’t do it, but Kuai Yue (previously confused with Kuai Liang) might.”

Sun Ce paused, trying to understand Zhou Yu’s reasoning, but quickly gave up and simply asked, ”Why?”

Zhou Yu’s face showed his frustration. Sun Ce seemed determined to rely entirely on him, having almost stopped using his own brain since Zhou Yu’s arrival, focusing instead on physical training.

”Because you will absolutely kill Kuai Yue. His intelligence won’t save him; he has to die, no matter what,” Zhou Yu explained wearily, lamenting Sun Ce’s lack of initiative.

Sun Ce’s carefree demeanor instantly vanished, replaced by a cold, calculating expression. ”So you’re saying Uncle might fall because of him?”

”That’s why we’re going to block the Yangtze and not give him the chance,” Zhou Yu nodded. ”Also, you should pick five thousand elite troops skilled in both naval and land combat. If Yuan Gong orders a retreat, take eight hundred of them to ambush here, while the rest can cover the rear under the command of our veteran generals.” Zhou Yu pointed to a valley on the map, just a few dozen miles from Jiangling.

Sun Ce didn’t fully grasp why they needed to do this, but that didn’t stop him from following Zhou Yu’s plan—after all, Zhou Yu hadn’t made a mistake yet.

Bofu, you don’t understand, Zhou Yu thought to himself as he looked at Sun Ce. I want you to become a ruler in your own right, not just another warlord’s subordinate. Don’t blame me for this. With five thousand elite troops, prepared for both land and sea battles, you can secure your position in Yangzhou if necessary. I can’t shake the feeling that Yuan Gong will make a disastrous mistake one day. We need to be prepared in advance. Your noble bearing is that of a true leader, Bofu. Trust me, I won’t betray your confidence—I’ll help you become a king!

Unaware of Zhou Yu’s thoughts, Sun Ce remained entirely loyal to Yuan Shu. Neither Sun Ce nor his family’s retainers harbored any resentment toward Yuan Shu. They were not ingrates and never considered the idea of establishing their own kingdom.