Chapter 100 – Jiangxia’s Downfall (1)
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
TL: Never thought that Bloodfalcon, James, TearsofLoki, Tchu and Krayto would reach this 100th chapter. But finally we did it, 1/9 out of a total 900 chapter journey has been achieved.
“BUMP!!! BUMP!!! BUMP!!!” The sound of the battle drums reverberated throughout the field. Two huge square formations gradually forming by themselves. War banners are fluttering on both sides
Huangzhou city’s wetlands made the Bing Province Heavy Cavalry unable to show their true might, so Lu Bu's army can only send infantries to do battle with Jiangxia's army.
“Milord, Zhang Liao requests to join the battle!” Said Zhang Liao half-kneeling while holding his fist.
“Milord, Zang Ba request to join the battle!” Zang Ba also made the same gesture.
“Milord!!! Battle!” Gao Shun also unexpectedly opened his mouth. Yesterday, the enemy only sent out 2000 people. Insufficient to sate Gao Shun’s appetite. Now, the enemy is fighting them all out, how can this veteran general keep silent now?
“Do not quarrel, today I will make sure all of you get your portion until full!” Said Lu Bu while staring at that veteran general with a longbow.
If possible, Lu Bu wants to fight with him once again, fair and square. It is a pity that he did not have this opportunity.
“Is Zang Ba present?!” Lu Bu shouted in a clear voice.
“This general is present!” Zang Ba quickly half-knelt on the ground, shouting with a nice face.
“Like yesterday's battle, you cannot win against Xu Zhi!” Lu Bu said loudly.
“Eh?!” Zang Ba’s is showing a mixed complexion. Yesterday, he did that to feign defeat, but what use is it for today?
“Relax, today you only maintain the rhythm for a while, I will signal you when to counterattack, earn your revenge!” Said Lu Bu to comfort Zang Ba.
The enemy has naval units, which is their big advantage. Lu Bu’s army cannot do anything to those naval units, but on the contrary naval units can deal serious damage to Lu Bu army. Especially that giant crossbow, the threat is really huge, even with Lu Bu or Liu Mang’s armor, it can still kill them.
Once Lu Bu’s army is in a deadlocked by Jiangxia navy, their damage will be very serious, therefore they must spread their forces.
To separate Jiangxia's navy and army, one must lure them to Huangzhou city's border and that is Zang Ba’s role.
“Yes!” As soon as Zang Ba learned that he got the opportunity for revenge, naturally he received the order gleefully.
“Is Zhang Liao present?” Lu Bu shouted again.
“This general is present!”
“Wenyuan, go prepare your boys for a big feast! You are to stay at Huangzhou city’s border, wait for the prey to come!”
“Yes, sir!” Zhang Liao and his Bing Province Heavy Cavalry cannot show their prowess in this battle, stuck in the main camp all the time.
A few days ago, even the supply troops had the opportunity to help siege, but Bing Province Heavy Cavalry still had not been dispatched at all. So their belly is boiling with bloodlust, after Zhang Liao heard Lu Bu’s order, his heart is really happy.
“Is Gao Shun and Liu Mang present?!”
“This general is present!” “Present!” Gao Shun and Liu Mang responded. Gao Shun half-kneeling but Liu Mang only held his fist respectfully.
“Both of you are to detour Huangzhou city, stay at their flank, I want those Jiangxia soldiers cut off when they are at hard retreat!” Lu Bu does not want Jiangxia's army to run away. If half of Jiangxia's army is able to enter Huangzhou city, then it will become a disaster for Lu Bu's army as they will stay on the defense the whole time.
“Yes, sir!” Although Liu Mang was paired up with Gao Shun, Liu Mang’s mind was actually distant from Gao Shun. Although they both got along pretty well, Liu Mang still had grudge against this crazy Gao Shun who did not help him when he was pinned down by that tiger.
“Gongtai, How is Hanyang’s medicine?!” Lu Bu asked after all people had been assigned to their tasks.
“Do not worry, Milord. Huang Xu’s breathing is already stable!” Replied Chen Gong. Chen Gong is a Confucian scholar, but he has also studied medicine a little in his youth. He really felt this pill was magical.
When he saw Huang Xu brought into their medical camp, he diagnosed that his disease is very hard to cure. But this medicine brought by Liu Mang is actually able to treat Huang Xu’s disease, that medicine called Qingmei tablet.
TL: Qingmei tablet http://www.google.com/patents/CN103751350A?cl=en . Liu Mang brought modern Chinese medicine and also a book containing method on how to create them.
Chen Gong really did not understand, this Qingmei tablets base is sour plum which is usually used only for snacks. Can this raw material really be used for medicine?
TL: How plum can be used to treat lung disease http://straightbamboo.com/how-to-stay-healthy-in-autumn/
“That is good, then!” Lu Bu smiled very happily. Oh Huang Zhong, since you are mistreated by Huang Zu and his family, come to me and be my familial general.
“Xu Zhi, you go out and challenge the enemy to battle!” Commanded Huang She while sitting on a warhorse. This feeling of being a commander-in-chief is really, really good. Huang She intoxicated with this feeling.
“Yes, little lord!” Huang She really thought this Xu Zhi is an outstanding person, adding little lord on every sentence, making Huang She really happy.
“Hear me Lu Bu’s army. Your grandpa Xu Zhi is here, who dares to come out to fight 300 bouts with me?!” Being a winner of two consecutive battles, made Xu Zhi really confident, as long as Lu Bu did not accept his challenge.
TL: Comment from James: Chinese people love to refer themselves as grandpa, father, granny, old lady, etc as a sign showing their status is higher than yours, or showing superiority.
Even if Lu Bu is the one who answered his challenge, there is Huang Zhong with his longbow standing by, what need is there to be afraid?
“Hey, your grandpa Zang Ba Zang Xuangao is here, Xu Zhi, you will suffer before death!” A valiant general comes out from Lu Bu's army answering Xu Zhi’s challenge, it is Zang Ba who came out.
Seeing that Zang Ba is the one who answered, Xu Zhi smiled because he remembered him. Heh, this war’s victor is already decided and then sneered “Heh, is there nobody in Lu Bu’s army worthy enough to challenge me? Sending you out again to die!”
“HUMPH, yesterday I was not in a good condition, today I will surely take your head!” Zang Ba who also refused that he is inferior also retorted back.
“Fine then, since you seek death, do not blame me!” Xu Zhi’s hand already gripped his spear and then he hit his horse to go toward Zang Ba.
Zang Ba’s anger is getting bigger and bigger, making Lu Bu frown. He is afraid that Zang Xuangao will be unable to control himself and kill this Xu Zhi.
If that deed was done, surely the enemy’s morale will be in chaos, but it will be difficult to wipe them out completely.
“Why did this Xu Zhi begin the duel with so little impact?” In the army outpost, Huang She looks at Xu Zhi fighting Zang Ba. Huang She began to be impatient, he want this duel to end quickly to boost morale.
“Huang Zhong, shoot your arrow towards the enemy!” Huang She shouted an order toward Huang Zhong.
“Yes!” Huang Zhong pulled an arrow from his quiver! Although Huang Zhong is unhappy, he obeyed Huang She’s order and shouted to Zang Ba in his heart “Please be careful!”
Zang Ba’s heart is burning, he wanted to kill this clown. But no matter how unbearable Xu Zhi’s insult, Zang Ba must endure in order to ensure his lord’s stratagem a success.
Failure to do so would mean that Zang Ba has to face execution by military law. But right now, Zang Ba found it unbearable and wanted to kill this clown.
“YOU DIE!!!” Zang Ba gathered his strength in his hand, but suddenly Zang Ba hesitated. “Hnh?!” Zang Ba felt a very cold gaze piercing his head, making his heart agitated all of a sudden.
“This feeling!!!” Zang Ba quickly glanced at Jiangxia's army main camp. He then held his breath, secreting cold sweat profusely, because he saw Huang Zhong already locked on him with his ballista arrow.
Oh no, Huang Zhong! Although Zang Ba did not know this veteran personally, he has seen this veteran and Lu Bu duel each other. It made Zang Ba stunned during the whole duel. That ballista which made Lu Bu severely wounded was now aimed at himself!
“Milord, that is dangerous!!!” Chen Gong who had seen Huang Zhong want to unleash his ultimate move, warned Lu Bu quickly. If that arrow was unleashed, it is the end of Zang Ba!
Lu Bu is also master archer, if not how can he shoot his own Sky Piercer from far away at that time? Chen Gong then said “Hurry, give lord a bow and arrow!” Why Chen Gong said that was because only Lu Bu can stop Huang Zhong’s arrow.
“It is okay, he doesn't intend to harm Xuangao!” Lu Bu waved his hand to stop Chen Gong. He and Huang Zhong both are pinnacle of super-class generals. So naturally, he can see that Huang Zhong did not have killing intent or we should say it that Huang Zhong has lost his fighting spirit.
So that bow is just for show only. If one pays attention from his position from tower outpost, it is impossible for Huang Zhong to hit a target, his field of vision is too small.
But Huang Zhong who had held a longbow, naturally will shift to his fighting stance, emitting killing intent with full focus. But his gesture right now, is for announcing to Zang Ba. Telling him that I will shoot, please deflect it.
Sure enough, Huang Zhong shot his ballista arrow, speeding toward Zang Ba.
“That arrow is really fast!” Zang Ba has not seen the trajectory of the arrow, but his talent as a senior general made him swing his broadsword to deflect Huang Zhong’s arrow reflexively.
“Clang!” Zang Ba felt that he is also affected by Huang Zhong’s ballista arrow, so he retreated a few steps and that ballista arrow fell to the side of his warhorse.
His arm is trembling intermittently, because of the big strength.
“Zang Ba, GIVE ME YOUR LIFE!!!” Xu Zhi who looked for an opportunity, did not want to lose this chance. So he went forward, and tried to stab his spear on Zang Ba’s flank.
“Today I will spare your life!” Zang Ba who has gotten angry because of Xu Zhi’s attack, suddenly was suppressed again by Huang Zhong who has reloaded his bow with another ballista arrow.
Luring the enemy further, Zang Ba then retreated quickly along with the following Bing Province Heavy Cavalry who also had been informed of the ploy.
“Where do you want to run away, huh?!” Xu Zhi really thought that Zang Ba already feared him. So he wanted to take Zang Ba’s head in front of Huang She to gain more credit, so how can he let Zang Ba run away?
After Zang Ba distanced himself further away, Huang Zhong puts down his longbow.
“All army onward, press further!!!” Huang She who has seen Zang Ba retreating exclaimed in a happy tone and he thought in his heart “Today, I will make Lu Bu’s army regret that they attacked my Jiangxia!!!”