Chapter 118 – Each Sides Reaction to the Big Event in Lujiang (2)
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Due to BloodFalcon succumbing to sickness, the extra chapter will be put out for this week!
“Yes, this is indeed an opportunity!” Xun You is also a top advisor. The reason Guo Jia was unable to see through this event is because Guo Jia is from a poor family. Since his childhood he can grasp the will of the people quickly and the reassure public, but he cannot see the big picture of the problem. But Xun You is from a noble clan, he had a good education from early age. So he can see the big picture of the whole situation but he lacked the ability to grasp the will of the people, so these two advisors complement with each other.
“No matter which side wins, Lu Bu or Sun Ce, this war is an opportunity for us!” Xun You answered. “Sun Ce occupies Jiangdong as well as half of Lujiang. If our army and Yuan Shao goes to battle, we will be preoccupied with the battle, and will have no time to care for our rear. At that time Sun Ce can just go north to Xu Du from Wancheng city, when that time comes, we are in a big trouble!!!
Now Lu Bu has seized Wancheng city, and Sun Ce has become his mortal enemy. With two tigers battling it out, no matter who loses and who wins, it will require time! Now what we lack is time. We need to destroy Liu Bei of Xu Province and then deploy our army to go to Guandu and fight a decisive battle with Yuan Benchu!”
Originally Cao Cao frightened that Sun Ce will go to north himself to support Yuan Shao to fight decisive a battle with Cao Cao. This Yuan Benchu, this childhood friend of Cao Cao has pacified the entire Hebei and the four provinces is now in his hands, and it can be said that his army was well-trained and fully equipped.
Currently Cao Cao is unable to come out because he did not have confidence to defeat Yuan Shao. If Sun Ce attacked him again from behind. Cao Cao will truly die a dog's death.
But now since Sun Ce and Lu Bu are battling with each other. This event has bought Cao Cao time. Cao Cao truly needed this time, because no matter whether Lu Bu or Sun Ce wins, he must destroy Liu Bei and fight a decisive battle with Yuan Shao in Guandu.
If he lost, there is nothing left to discuss! If he won, he can rest and build up strength to pacify the entire Hebei. With Hebei in his hand, Jiangdong is nothing to fear.
“Excellent! Your words are extremely reasonable, Gongda! Beat the war drums! We march, in three days we must destroy Liu Bei!!!” Cao Cao's eyes are flashing dangerously. There is killing intent and also there is regret. At that time after expelling Lu Bu, he released Liu Bei from his employ. He was too carried away with his success in expelling Lu Bu. Guo Jia and co has already reminded him to kill Liu Bei many times but he did not pay heed to them, and as a result this Xu Province goes into chaos again.
His senior general Che Zhou was killed by Liu Bei and he himself had no choice but to attack Xu Province again.
This war is a very big dilemma for Cao Cao. There were only a little grain and provisions left for army. When Cao Cao fought the battle in Xu Province, it injured the grain and provisions for his Cao Army badly and the grain and provisions that he had in Xiapi was cut off by Liu Bei. Now, he inevitably must fight a second battle in Xu Province.
If Cao Cao did not destroy Liu Bei, he is afraid that he would lose his qualifications to have a decisive battle with Yuan Shao.
Cao Cao's eyes are filled with determination. He thought “I had made a mistake in my calculations, but so be it! Now I am going to correct it!!!” It is impossible for him to lament, for that is not Cao Cao's style.
Lu Bu and Sun Ce's battle also involved Liu Bei in the end.
Our POV now goes to Nanyang, Wan Castle.
Inside Administration Office of Wan Castle, there is a middle-aged scholar who is playing Go with his men, but his mind is elsewhere.
“Sun Ce fights Lu Bu?!” The middle-aged scholar muttered those words. “It cannot be, it cannot happen!!!” His face is full of doubt and disbelief.
The middle-aged scholars’ appearance looked-like a mild person, but his eyes made people scared. Being stared by him is equal to being stared by a poisonous snake who at any time can bite your neck and killed you with its poison.
That man is the poisonous scholar Jia Xu, Jia Wenhe. He has seen Lu Bu previously. In Chang'an, the reason that Lu Bu army was defeated and expelled from Chang'an lies on the body of Jia Xu. He is the one who urged Guo Si and Li Jue and the remnants of Dong Zhuo army to take command of Dong Zhuo remnant army to attack Chang'an. If he did not urged Guo Si and Li Jue, perhaps right now they won't ever taste richness in their lives or at the very worst, they may have died from a bandit's hands.
Jia Xu did not feel any remorse being in part to plan for Lu Bu's expulsion. This Jia Xu, Jia Wenhe although not an evil person, he is an extremely selfish person. He is a man who is willing to sacrifice any person just to save his skin, including his present lord Zhang Xiu.
Historically, Zhang Xiu has killed Cao Cao's son and nephew, Cao Ang and Cao Anmin and his favorite senior general Dian Wei. Even a fool also knows that Cao and Zhang Xiu are irreconcilable. But Jia Xu, for his family's safety, sold Zhang Xiu to Cao Cao, speaking good words and praise for Zhang Xiu to Cao Cao in order for Cao Cao receive a request to refuge Zhang Xiu.
Jia Xu said that “Lord Cao, you must know that there is no person who is as magnanimous as you, because you give refuge to your son's murderer and also the guy who almost murdered you!”
Therefore at year 200, Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao. At 207, Zhang Xiu died a violent death while on campaign to pacify the Wuhuan tribe. But our Mr. Jia Xu, lived well until 223. He Survived Zhang Xiu by more than 16 years.
In the eyes of Jia Xu, Lu Bu is not a pleasant to his eyes, he called him a foolhardy, obstinate, arrogant and opinionated person. Lu Bu is a rash fellow that did not listen to good advice, arrogant and unbearable. This type of people in times of peace, can be comparable to Huo Qubing. But in times of war, the one who employed this kind of person, will certainly die a violent death, because Lu Bu is too crazy.
If this kind of person died quicker in times of war, it can guarantee peace for at least 30 years.
This Lu Bu in Jia Xu's eyes has already exhausted his life. But, now, he is truly surprised because Lu Bu is alive, but he also occupied Wancheng city, in preparation to do battle with Sun Ce.
“Is it Chen Gong?!” Jia Xu has little doubts but immediately shook his head. Although Chen Gong is a top advisor, it was also difficult for him to see the whole situation in Wancheng city.
Wancheng city is located in Lujiang Prefecture, in Huainan area. The threat in this area is threefold. On the north, there is Cao Cao's Yu Province, if he goes south there is Jiangdong who is currently eyeing on Lujiang, at the west there is also Jing Province. When they being attacked together, it can be said that this location is a truly dangerous place but also the place of opportunity.
If one goes attack north, he can wreak havoc to Hebei and Zhongyuan. If one attacks south, it can take down Jiangdong. Their main defense is Shucheng County, Jiashi County and Shiting County. Only with 10,000 troops, they are able to defend against 100,000 troops due to its area having so many mountains.
This is why Cao Cao historically after having conquered Jing Province, chose to detour toward Chibi in order to attack Jiangdong, rather than attack toward Lujiang direction.
This Lujiang is also the place where iron mines are abundant. Having iron, we can make weapons, and if we have weapons, we can fight for hegemony. With this, Lujiang is also one of the most populous cities in this nation.
With this big advantage, one can actually make a home base in here and reach success and watch the changes quietly.
“Hahaha, suddenly this nation is become more amusing again!!!” Jia Xu smiled suddenly, a black Go piece in his hand was quickly placed on the board “Let me bear witness, to how far can you go, Lu Bu!!!”
With Jia Xu, putting his black piece, it interrupted his opponent to make a dragon character. A victory or defeat between Lu Bu and Sun Ce will soon be known!!!!
TL: A Poisonous gentleman is an advisor who only thinks about the result, never the process in order to create the best benefit for himself and his lord.