Chapter 105 – The Beginning of an Event
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
TL: From this point on, the story is major battle against Sun Ce, those who were looking for NSFW chapters, must wait until 100 chapters, until the major battle end
Mighty Tiger VS Little Conqueror; Liu Mang and Lu Bu’s Illustrious Beginning
Reassigning the newly surrendered personnel into Lu Bu’s army has been done. Lu Bu did not leave anyone out including Gan Ning. Lu Bu’s principle is NEVER SUSPECT PEOPLE THAT YOU USE.
In the past, this is why Wei Xu and Song Xian were able to betray him despite many warnings, it is Lu Bu who kept hold on his principles.
Such a little move made Gan Ning and co, truly grateful
Defeating Jiangxia's army and occupying Huangzhou city is only one small step. The most important is, Lu Bu wanted to discuss with Liu Biao of Jing Province and Huang Zu of Jiangxia to let himself safely cross Jiangxia.
Although this war was caused because Sun Ce of Jiangdong having Lu Bu act as a borrowed knife, he can consider this as training for his troops and also act as a message and warning for Liu Biao of Jing Province, in order to accept Lu Bu’s request for discussion and a warning so Liu Biao does not act rashly.
Lu Bu kept staying in Huangzhou city. He did not press on to Wuchang commandery and finally to Jiangxia. This is to signal Huang Zu, that I, Lu Bu, do not want to tear up your face completely, battle to the death.
Acting as the bridge is one person, which is Huang She who is currently in Lu Bu’s hand.
With Huang She in his hand, Lu Bu believed that Huang Zu will let his army safely cross Jiangxia. After all Huang She is Huang Zu’s eldest son, it is impossible for Huang Zu to overlook Huang She’s safety and will definitely provide Lu Bu’s army a means to cross Jiangxia. So after they cross Jiangxia’s waterway, the next location is hard soil, which is definitely Lu Bu’s army domain.
Right before Lu Bu sent a messenger to Huang Zu, suddenly there is an old acquaintance with a small amount of troops coming to see Lu Bu.
That is right, Sun Ce sent a messenger to see Lu Bu, right after the news of his victory spread.
“I believe you have been well since we last met, Marquis of Wen. Milord at Wancheng city misses you so much, so he made me and the others come visit you!” The one who visit Lu Bu is Chen Duan, Jiangdong’s top adviser. It is the same Chen Duan who was made angry by Liu Mang until he wanted to vomit blood. Chen Duan’s top skill is negotiation.
“Bofu really cares much for this uncle. Bu is very moved by his feelings.” Although Lu Bu did not have a good impression about Chen Duan, he still welcomed him with a smile.
They sat in the hall. Food and wine are served.
“Marquis of Wen overpraises Milord!!! Marquis of Wen, my visit here is to discuss four matters. The first one, I request one person from Marquis of Wen.” Chen Duan spoke his words in straight forward manner.
“Request a person?! Who?!” Lu Bu inquired.
“Huang Zu of Jiangxia’s Eldest son Huang She” Chen Duan quickly responded.
“Huang She?!” Asked Lu Bu while maintaining his composure. Sun Ce’s army intelligence personnel really good. He himself just captured Huang She, and they already have news about it.
“May I know, what your lord wants with this Huang She?!”
“Huang Zu killed my old lord, so the debt is to be repaid by his son. Milord wants to use Huang She as a sacrifice to our banner!!!” Huang Zu has killed Sun Jian, therefore the Sun clan and Huang clan’s hatred are absolutely irreconcilable.
“The second matter?!” Lu Bu asked the second matter directly without agreeing or disagreeing on the first matter.
“The second matter is of course, I request that Marquis of Wen forms an alliance with Milord!” Chen Duan said it after he drank his wine.
“Form an alliance?! Although your lord called me uncle, we are not so desperate that we want to form an alliance!”
“Marquis of Wen, why should you ponder more? The matter should be really understandable. Marquis of Wen who wants to go to Xinye definitely will need to cross Jiangxia. Because of the battle, now Marquis of Wen had offended Huang Zu completely. Offending Huang Zu equates to offending the entire Jing Province. That also equals to turning all of Jing Province into an enemy. So, Huang Zu will not let Marquis of Wen cross Jiangxia. Even if Huang Zu allows you, Liu Biao will definitely not let you to go into Xinye!!!”
“Xinye is no longer my destination, I want to detour to the north!”
“Heh, detour?!” Chen Duan smiled disdainly “Is Marquis of Wen’s grain and provisions enough for detour? If you detour to the north, you have Yuan Shao and Cao Cao. Your relationship with those two is very bad already!!!”
“So, you said, the only choice is to ally with your lord, eh?!”
“OF COURSE!!!” Chen Duan nodded “Forming an alliance with Milord, will bring only advantage to you. My Jiangdong’s navy is invincible in the water but Marquis of Wen’s land force is the best in the nation. With both of us joining together, Huang Zu will be nothing! Milord has said, if we win Jiangxia, Milord will give Jiangxia as your home base personally. After all, Marquis of Wen has contributed the most in capturing Jiangxia!!!”
Sun Ce’s army really offered a big slice cake. What Chen Duan said is right, Lu Bu’s army potential currently is zero in naval warfare, but they are the king in land warfare. When Lu Bu’s army and Sun Ce’s army are separated, Jing Province will just dismiss them as a threat. Jiangdong's naval units are elite, but on land warfare, their value is much less than Jing Province’s infantries, vice versa with Lu Bu’s army.
If both united, occupying Jiangxia will not be a problem.
After that, if Lu Bu’s army wanted to continue their journey, Sun Ce’s naval units will definitely guard Lu Bu’s army until they reach Xinye. If Lu Bu’s army wanted to remain in Jiangxia, then Sun Ce will give it to Lu Bu personally. This is a really big slice cake.
“If one formed an alliance, naturally one must have a chief of this alliance. Let’s say I agree to form alliance, who will be the chief?!”
“Of course, the chief of the alliance is Milord!!!” Chen Duan spoke it spontaneously.
“Heh, your lord is the chief of the alliance eh?!” Lu Bu’s mouth formed a sneer gesture. He has been used by Sun Ce as a borrowed knife, naturally felt badly.
He actually want to still form an alliance, spouting fine and pleasant words talking about all advantages. Those words actually pierced Lu Bu’s ear because it is obvious that Sun Ce wanted to swallow his army by disguising it with pleasant words. Seriously!!! Did Sun Ce really think that he, Lu Bu, had a good temper?
“THIRD!!!” Lu Bu ask Chen Duan to continue while gulping one glass of wine.
“The third matter…!” Chen Duan suddenly made strange gesture because in his mind appeared a person that he loathe the most, the one who made him and Qin Song sick during his lord’s wedding “is that Milord wanted to propose a marriage to General Lu!!!”
“Propose marriage?!”
“Milord have long admired Miss Lu!!! If both sides can tie knot in marriage, it is a very wonderful matter. It is can be said that our Jiangdong has become General Lu’s big family!!!” Chen Duan speaks it with a happy expression, however his tone is very cold.
“My daughter has been betrothed to His Highness Prince of Shu! Bu does not have second daughter!” Lu Bu replied.
“HAHAHA, Did Marquis of Wen want to joke with me? That “Your Highness Prince of Shu” is just a title given by Cao Mengde, did you really take him seriously, mm???” Chen Duan was truly disgusted by Liu Mang’s title Prince of Shu. Lu Bu then spoke coldly and calmly “Say no more about marriage, if you speak anymore, then you have retreat from my sight!”
Chen Duan is not serious about this “knot marriage” speech. In fact, this request was just thought of by Chen Duan, in order to have revenge against Liu Mang for humiliating him at Wancheng city.
“Your lord has already gotten married, he had drinking celebration with Bu! So he already had a legal wife right?” When Lord Qiao married his daughter, he had stressed Sun Ce that his daughter must be his legal wife. So Sun Ce did not dare to refuse that great scholar’s request.
“Yes, he has a legal wife already. Therefore we can only ask Miss Lu to occupy the position as sister wife!” Chen Duan did not have an apologetic tone at all, instead he kept looking at Lu Bu. One can see how high he thought of Lu Bu by his proposal to make his daughter a sister wife.
“FOURTH!!!!” Lu Bu’s surface is very calm, but his eye has been narrowing at Chen Duan.
“Fourth, Marquis of Wen: General Lu Bu. I heard that Yuan Shu Yuan Gonglu, before his death, he gave you the Imperial Seal. I demand that General Lu, return that thing to its rightful owner, MILORD!!!!”
“CRRRAAAACCCCKKKKKK!!!!” Lu Bu pinched his wine glass. He could not control his strength so, it made cracking sound suddenly.
Where does this Chen Duan learn that news from?
“So, as long as Marquis of Wen agrees with these four matters, from now on we are one big family!!!”
”I HAVE DECIDED TO DECLINE ALL OF THOSE DEMANDS!” Lu Bu said it while putting down his wine glass.
“What do you mean by those words, Marquis of Wen?!” Chen Duan’s face become really bad.
“Are you deaf?! I SAID NO.
First, why I refuse to hand over Huang She. Your lord treat me as a borrowed knife, that itself is already a deplorable act.
Second, forming alliance is impossible. Because Sun Ce does not respect me at all. When one talked about forming an alliance, a lord must be face to face with the other lord. Sun Ce sends you, a mere dog of Sun Ce, to talk to me about allying with me, what does that mean, huh?
Third, what do you think of me, Lu Bu, huh? A servant offering his daughter to his lord??? Make my daughter a sister wife??? HUMPH, you really think highly of this Lu Bu, eh?
Fourth, I have not obtained the Imperial Seal. Even If I have obtained it, I will definitely return it to His Majesty Emperor Xian, what right does your lord have to wield it? Humph, return to its rightful owner... Did you really think your lord is the emperor?” Lu Bu said it casually.
TL: It is true, Lu Bu has not obtained it, because he returned it to Yang Hong, sometime before Jiangxia battle.
“Lu Fengxian, I will let you understand one thing!!!”Suddenly Chen Duan stood and no longer call Lu Bu, Marquis of Wen
“About what?!”
“DO NOT GIVE YOUR FACE MORE SHAME!!!” Chen Duan’s words are becoming ruder “STRAY DOG, MILORD WILL FORM AN ALLIANCE WITH YOU, IT MEANS HE ALREADY THINKS HIGHLY OF YOU!!! REALLY THINKS OF YOU AS A BIG CHARACTER!!!”
“Stray dog?!” Lu Bu’s complexion also become bad “Chen Duan, I respect your lord, so I won’t bother to argue with you any further. But you now need to return to Jiangdong, back to your domain. BEGONE FROM MY SIGHT!!!”
“HAHAHA, Lu Bu, Marquis of Wen Lu Bu. Just because your official title is big, you also consider yourself a big character?
You really think that I did not know what is in your heart? I know that you want to bargain with Huang Zu by using Huang She. That is already a fleeting dream. Do you really think swallowing Huang Zu’s generals and soldiers will make Huang Zu give you a pass? Keep dreaming.
Oh yeah, I forgot to tell you. At that time you were still doing battle with Huang Zu, Milord also moved out to conquer Sanjiangkou. So, even though you have passed through Jiangxia, you will also be blocked by Milord’s troops. Keep dreaming about your detour to the north!!!!!”
Eh, Sun Ce has conquered Sanjiangkou? Lu Bu really stunned. This is quite fast. Sun Ce calculated it well. By the time that Lu Bu launched attack on Huangzhou city, Sun Ce also made his move. So the result, they both conquered one territory at the same time.
If Sun Ce blocked them in Sanjiangkou, it is really difficult to pass them. After all, naval battle is not Lu Bu’s army’s forte.
“Are you already shivering from fear? These four conditions, you must comply it by today. Milord had even thought to knot marriage with you. It is the symbol that he really thought of you highly!!! GODDAMNED SLAVE OF THREE SURNAMES!!!!” Chen Duan’s talking more aggressively, he even said Lu Bu’s infamy title.
“HAHAHA!!!!” Lu Bu sneered while getting up “Chen Duan, do you seriously think that I do not dare to kill you!!!”
“Kill me?! HAHAHAHAHA, YOU DARE TO KILL ME, LU BU?!” Chen Duan laughs disdainly at Lu Bu. “This nation warlords. There are Cao Mengde, Yuan Shao, Milord, Liu Biao, and Liu Zhang!!! You have offended 3 of them! You kill me now, you will no longer have any place in this world!!! I DARE YOU TO KILL ME!!!” Said Chen Duan while spurting out those facts.
It is true what Chen Duan said. Cao Cao wishes for Lu Bu to be dead, for he fears Lu Bu!!! Yuan Shao also disliked Lu Bu greatly and he even surrounded Lu Bu in order to kill him. Although Lu Bu did not offend Liu Biao on purpose, he however had done it. If he offended Sun Ce, then he will truly be isolated.
“Heh, offend three only, eh?!” Lu Bu muttered to himself slowly.
"WHAT!"
“Then, I WILL OFFEND ONE MORE!!!!” Lu Bu fiercely choke Chen Duan’s neck.
“LU BU, LU BU, YOU, YOU DARE DO---!!!!” Chen Duan struggles trying to remove Lu Bu’s hands but all of his efforts are futile. Lu Bu’s hands are like pliers, when it pinched something, it is hard to remove it.
“CHEN DUAN, OH CHEN DUAN, YOUR LORD’S STRATEGY IS VERY GOOD, TAKING ADVANTAGE OF ME IN ORDER TO KILL HUANG ZU AND LIU BIAO. BUT UNFORTUNATELY, HE FORGOT THAT THIS KNIFE DOES NOT HAVE A HILT, IF ONE IS NOT CAREFUL USING THIS KNIFE, IT CAN KILL YOURSELF!!!”
“YOU, YOU, YOU!!!!” Chen Duan stopped his struggling and slowly closed his eye.
“Guards!!! Pull this Chen Duan out!!!!” Lu Bu clean his palm with cloth. He exerted too much force. Chen Duan’s Adams apple was crushed by his choking earlier.
“This, this, this!!!” Chen Gong just exited for a while and this happens.
“Milord, this?!” Chen Gong puzzled while looking at Lu Bu.
“I killed him!!!” Lu Bu just said it casually.
“Eh?!” Chen Gong’s brow wrinkled. Chen Duan is Sun Ce’s army personnel. Lu Bu’s army now has offended too many people. Huangzhou city's war offended Huang Zu and Liu Biao. Xu Province’s war, he and Cao Cao are already irreconcilable. During their stay at Hebei, Yuan Shao and he parted not in good terms.
Now, Sun Ce has joined the fray into Lu Bu’s list of offended people.
Now, Lu Bu army is the public number one enemy of the nation.
“Gongtai! I changed my mind!!!” Lu Bu already done cleaning his hand, he said these words while continue drinking “We no longer go to Xinye or Hanzhong!!!”
“Milord, what are you?!” Do not go to Xinye or Hanzhong? If this is the path, then they have gone far away from their original plan. Originally they wanted to go to Xinye and then go to Hanzhong. Hanzhong is very fertile land and easy to defend and also it is far away from chaos of this nation. They can make living there while building up their army’s strength and watch the political trend of the world.
But now Lu Bu unexpectedly cancelled their own plans.
“Milord, you must not stray away from our plan!!!” Chen Gong quickly remonstrate Lu Bu.
“Gongtai, I have decided. If I want to fight for hegemony in this nation, we can conquer other places than Hanzhong. Moreover now Sanjiangkou is occupied by Sun Ce!!!!”
“What?! Sun Ce army has occupied Sanjiangkou?!” Doesn't Jiangxia's naval units consist of 10,000 troops? How can they lose so quickly? What Chen Gong does not know is that Sanjiangkou only left 5,000 naval units because the remaining 5,000 naval units was assigned to defend Huangzhou city along with Gan Ning and Su Fei.
“Today I have killed Chen Duan, crossing Jiangxia is a dead end!” He has offended completely both two warlords Huang Zu and Sun Ce
“Since Jiangxia is impossible!!! Then we go to Lujiang, to Wancheng city!!!” Lu Bu has given his answer. Since you Sun Ce will not let me pass Jiangxia, then good. I go to Lujiang, your territory. I go to Jiangdong. Four goddamn conditions, huh? HAHAHAHAHA!!!! DO YOU REALLY THINK THAT THIS LU BU IS A GOOD PERSON TO OFFEND?!”
“Lujiang, Wancheng city?!” Is not that Sun Ce’s domain?
“Since the ancient times, people have said that Jiangdong is littered with talented people, if one conquers it, you can dominate this nation. That is what Western Chu Xiang Yu said. So today, I, Lu Bu must have a look, in the end, how good is this Jiangdong.
TL: Western Chu Xiang Yu = Liu Bang’s enemy https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Xiang_Yu
“But…!” Chen Gong wanted to say is if Jiangdong is compared to Hanzhong, Hanzhong is just a region that is led by a tame dog, which is Zhang Lu.
That guy did not have any ambition in his heart, he only wanted to maintain his inheritance from his ancestor’s. His subordinates are docile people. But Sun Ce of Jiangdong is a very ambitious person. He is truly worthy as Jiangdong’s Little Conqueror.
If Lu Bu is Mighty Tiger that conquers the land, then Sun Ce is a Great Dragon that conquers the water. If one met with each other, there will definitely a big battle. “Are you afraid against this Little Conqueror, Gongtai?!” Said Lu Bu while gulping his wine.
Afraid? How can he be afraid of this Little Conqueror? A few years ago, when Lu Bu attacked Yan Province from Puyang. At that time, Cao Cao was much more powerful than the current Sun Ce. At that time, Chen Gong is the one who challenged Cao Cao, even almost killed Old Cao. If he is afraid, how can Chen Gong be here?
“Hmph, I DARE!!!” Chen Gong took the wine jug and drank from it directly. Chen Gong suddenly realized that what Lu Bu said is right. In this nation, if one wanted to compete for hegemony, Hanzhong is not the only place to do that. If they conquer Jiangdong and conquer its rivers, they can really achieve hegemony. Essentially they can walk the path of emperor at Jiangdong.
Also Jiangdong’s population is much more than Hanzhong that is located in the middle of Sichuan. That place is covered by dense forests, not many in population. Lu Bu then patted Chen Gong’s shoulders and said “HAHAHAHA, This is Chen Gong, Chen Gongtai that I knew and recognized!!!”