Chapter 108 – Da Qiao Declared As Dead
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
“Is this worth it to die like this?!” Said Liu Mang while holding his bloodied sword.
“There is nothing in this world that has no worth. I am just doing my task, which is to not let you enter Wancheng city!” The commander said it with much difficulty, he has been coughing blood all this time.
“Because you ask them to do commit suicide, none of them survived!!!!” Those troops who are following the gate commander totaled 110 soldiers. They are now lying dead bloody in front of the city gate. It can be said it is a bloodbath at the gate.
“Yes, they died. However their family members can live because of their sacrifice!!!” The gate commander smiled. His vision is blurred and he as if seeing his family that is still inside Wancheng city. His wife, his child that is crying for food and his old mother.
In these times of chaos, ambitious people are not lacking, but more than ambitious people, are those who want to grasp a chance to survive.
The Front doors of Wancheng city closed slowly. Liu Mang stayed with the gate commander who is currently in a very painful state because Liu Mang stabbed his lungs earlier. Not long after that, he breathe his last, on his face there is a smile.
Liu Mang looking at that gate commander's corpse for a very long time while maintaining silence. Liu Mang does not take back up his long sword, but makes his long sword as a grave marker for this nameless gate commander.
“I am sorry that you have to die!!!” In Wancheng city, sound of battle was resounding again. Although the city gate that Liu Mang passed through has been closed, the other three city gates were forced through. Some people can die for their family but a lot of them prefer to live rather than dying. Of all four city gates, except the one that Liu Mang passed through, all of remaining three gate commanders escaped and surrendered. They even led Liu Mang to Wancheng cities Administration Office.
“So, I am back here again, huh?!” Liu Mang is no longer that drunk man from that night; who was so drunk he couldn’t even find his location. Today he can observe and watch the scenery of this Wancheng city Administration Office.
“I am coming to you!!!” The Administration Office was really in a really big confusion. Servants and servant girls are trembling profusely, fearing that they will be punished by the owner, Sun Ce. Liu Mang currently are looking around this familiar place.
Wancheng city Administration Office was once occupied by Lu Kang. He is the patriarch of Lu clan of Yang Province and Lujiang Prefect. Naturally his mansion will not be in bad shape.
Afterward when Liu Xun and Sun Ce occupied this Administration Office successively, they expanded this office. Even though this Lujiang was a location of 4 battles and the people occupying it kept changing, it actually did not affect this Administration Office. Therefore Liu Mang can compare this Administration Office with Yuan Shu's Shouchun Imperial Palace.
After he passed through Administration Office, he came across a stone garden. After the stone garden is a lobby, but he avoided it to go quickly to the backyard which had ponds in it.
Wedding decorations from weeks ago has not been cleaned, therefore this place has not changed. But Liu Mang’s status has changed today, from honored guest to master of this city.
“I must see her!!!” Liu Mang did not know why his heart had this kind of anxiety. He quickly shook his head to dispel his anxiety and asked the servant girl who quickly bent on her knees, he asked for directions to the place that he has been anxiously wanting to go.
The scenery on the road is familiar with him but also not familiar. Liu Mang can remember the place that he had peed on, but soon, he reached THAT place.
Liu Mang hesitantly placed his hand on the door. Properly speaking that he is the victor, so he can burst in directly, but Liu Mang actually held his urge and feelings and politely knocked on the door.
“Who is it?!” That familiar sound said with a cute voice.
“It is me!” Said Liu Mang while suppressing his excitement in his heart.
“Come in!” Liu Mang push the door. Just like that day, she sat on the bed and said it casually “You came back!”
“Un, I came back!” Liu Mang also sat down on nearby chair.
“Should I call you Da Qiao, Madame Sun or Miss He Yu?!” Liu Mang's eyes a bit complicated.
“Does that make any difference?!” Da Qiao looks at Liu Mang “I am me, and will always be me. In your mind, what is she? Is she different in your mind?!”
Both of their eyes met. Suddenly Liu Mang laughed “No difference at all!!!”
“Today, you came back, is there anything at all?!”
“Today, I need to kill you!!!”
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Lu Bu's army gradually advances toward Wancheng city one after another. Lu Bu army when they first come, they are just passing through but now Lu Bu has become de facto master of Wancheng city. Occupying a city, naturally there are a lot of things that need to take care of.
First they must reassure the public. This place is not Huangzhou city. Huangzhou city is only a place for Lu Bu’s army to recuperate a while, that place is impossible to stay for a long period of time. Therefore when Lu Bu’s army arrived there, they did not try anything to reassure the public, making all of Huangzhou city's citizens increase their anxiety. Here is Wancheng city, this is where Lu Bu will set up his true homebase. Therefore they needed to reassure the public.
Second is examination of Wancheng city internal affairs. To govern a homebase, there are lots of things that needed to be taken over. They needed to be clear in order to know more about this Wancheng city.
Currently Lu Bu sat in the Administration Office hall, along with all of Lu Bu’s army’s civil and military officials to discuss official business.
Finally after being expelled from Xu Province. Lu Bu had a nice domain, no longer travelling in four directions.
“Gongtai, the matter to reassure the public. I am counting on you!” Lu Bu said toward Chen Gong.
“Yes, sir!” Chen Gong nodded. From when at Yan Province until Xu Province, Chen Gong's role is not strictly only as a military strategist, but his role also to reorganize all of the internal affairs after conquering a territory. It can be said that Chen Gong was the entirety of Lu Bu’s shadow. He controlled everything from the shadows, he even controlled everything for internal affairs. Having Chen Gong take care of internal affairs, made Lu Bu's mind at ease and can keep thinking about battle.
“Milord, although our army has conquered Wancheng city, we are still surrounded by Qianshan County, Jiashi County, Shiting County and Shucheng County. These four counties need to be conquered and pacified as soon as possible, in order to avoid another chaos. The news of Wancheng city's fall will spread across all of Jiangdong like wildfire. It is only a matter of time before all of Jiangdong is in full alert. Although Jiangdong is scarce in troop numbers, if they close the door to defend, then Lu Bu’s army will need to do siege. Such loss is unnecessary, therefore they must be conquered swiftly.
Lu Bu thought for a while. He also knows that this is a danger that must be solved ASAP. All of his generals right now are looking at Lu Bu with a profound gaze. Chen Gong has said four counties, so the newly surrendered generals which are Huang Zhong, Su Fei and Gan Ning want those merits so they can quickly be entrusted by Lu Bu with heavy responsibility.
But they are doomed to be disappointed because Lu Bu's next words are “Is Zhang Liao and Gao Shun present?!”
“This general is present!” Gao Shun and Zhang Liao come out from formations, those people who were not chosen are oozing with envy.
“Zhang Liao, you bring your Bing Province Heavy Cavalry. Day and night travel with double speed to capture Shucheng County and Shiting County!!!” Bing Province Heavy Cavalry have speed and mobility. They can travel 100-li in one day, so they are able to take down these two places quite quickly.
“This general complies with the order!” Zhang Liao receive the order and retreated.
“Gao Shun, you bring your Formation Breaker to attack Qianshan County and Jiashi County. After you take Qianshan County regroup with Zhang Liao and take Jiashi County.” Jiashi County and Shucheng County is near. With the news of Shucheng County having fallen, Jiashi County will surely closed their door and defend themselves and our army will have to siege. With the Formation Breaker and Bing Province Heavy Cavalry the ones who are doing the siege, the result is obvious. Jiashi County will fall.
Zang Ba is to stay within Wancheng city to practice and train his new recruit. Chen Deng go with Zhang Liao. Shucheng County is not smaller than Wancheng city, therefore it needs a senior general to guard and govern. Chen Deng is capable in military and administration skills, therefore he is the most logical choice.
As for Huang Zhong, Gan Ning and Su Fei. Lu Bu assigned Huang Zhong as the one responsible for the longbow division that has been left by Chen Deng. Huang Zhong’s archery skill is truly terrifying. The rest of the army was given to Gan Ning.
Gan Ning quickly chose his navy units along with Su Fei. Lu Bu’s army generals for land was already too much, but for naval warfare, he only had Su Fei, Gan Ning, two people.
“Okay then, all of you already have your own tasks, please proceed with them! Hanyang, you stay here!” Lu Bu had said all of his plans and then wave to signal them to leave. Everyone else also has something to do, so they quickly held their fist and excuse themselves.
“I heard that Da Qiao died?!” Said Lu Bu casually while waving for servant to fill in his wine glass.
“Um!” Liu Mang also sat down, not waiting for Lu Bu ask him to sit-down.
“You killed her?!”
“Yes, I personally hung her to death!”
Lu Bu watch Liu Mang, his face is really complex, because he was disappointed. Liu Mang just maintained his calmness. Actually Lu Bu did not care whether Da Qiao was alive or not, what Lu Bu is disappointed at is that Liu Mang did not speak the truth with him. He thought “Hanyang, what is a woman's worth in your eyes?!”
“Okay then, I have no more inquiries, you go back!”
Liu Mang also saw Lu Bu's disappointment in him, but he truly tells the truth.
Da Qiao really died and the one who survived is He Yu.