Chapter 110: Zhou Yu Trapped in a Predicament

"Humiliate him?"

Sun Jing paused, the corner of his mouth twitching. "General, Zhou Yu is utterly shameless; humiliating him is useless. Why not lead the army to raid the camp tonight? When we raise the fire as a signal, Taishi Ci will coordinate from within, and we can crush them in one fell swoop."

"Otherwise, if Zhou Yu discovers that I have truly defected to you, he will surely be alerted and increase his defenses, making it even harder to take him down later."

"Do not worry. Zhou Yu is a mere pig or dog; breaking him is as easy as turning over one's hand. Even if he increases his defenses, it will not matter." Chu Feng waved his hand, brooking no further argument.

"Uh, this!" Sun Jing was speechless.

"General Sun, do not fret. Since you have sincerely surrendered to me, you have nothing to fear." As Chu Feng spoke, he sneered inwardly; it was clear this man was panicking. It was likely that the original plot had not accounted for such a development.

***

A while later, outside the main camp.

Chu Feng glanced at Sun Jing and said, "General Sun, you have spent many years in the saddle and hold great prestige in the army. Since these are your Sun family infantrymen, you should be the one to expose Zhou Yu’s true colors."

Sun Jing: "???"

He wore a bitter expression. What kind of situation was this? Usually, when someone receives a feigned surrender, they keep it quiet. But this fellow—he had brought him here in broad daylight! The crucial point was that these infantrymen had no idea about any of this "fictional" plot.

Chu Feng raised an eyebrow, feigning surprise. "Why? Does General Sun have any concerns?"

"No, none at all!"

Sun Jing gritted his teeth. He understood Chu Feng's intentions well enough—it was nothing more than a test. Since that was the case, he would just have to act the part.

He immediately stepped forward two paces and shouted angrily, "Soldiers! I am Sun Jing. General Sun Ce is dead, and Zhou Yu is keeping the news secret, intending to rebel!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the soldiers on the watchtower began to whisper among themselves. They knew Sun Jing well; he was the most prestigious figure in the camp aside from Sun Ce himself. But how had he defected to Chu Feng? Was Sun Ce truly dead?

For a moment, the soldiers were filled with fear. They had indeed not seen Sun Ce for quite some time, and the rumors that had spread wildly that day had been suppressed by Zhou Yu's orders. Could it all be true?

On the watchtower, the guard commander hurried off to inform Zhou Yu.

***

Inside the main tent, Zhou Yu was discussing matters with his generals.

A lieutenant arrived and said in a deep voice, "Commander, Chu Feng has brought General Sun Jing here. Right now, General Sun is telling the troops to their faces that you are a traitor."

"The soldiers are in an uproar, and some are demanding that you come out and explain yourself. It seems they truly believe him!"

Zhou Yu’s handsome face tightened. He said gloomily, "Is Chu Feng trying to... use our own hands to verify whether Sun Jing is genuine?"

Yu Fan nodded. "Most likely!"

Zhou Yu fell into deep thought and analyzed, "Chu Feng is cunning and cautious, yet skilled at seizing opportunities. It is clear he does not trust General Sun."

"However, there is one thing: he has not rejected him entirely. Otherwise, given his methods, he would have executed General Sun immediately rather than bringing him here."

The generals nodded in succession. The reasoning was sound; after all, the only reason to verify was because one was uncertain. Now that Sun Jing had played his part, if they coordinated properly, it would not be difficult to lure Chu Feng into raiding the camp.

"Everyone, follow me. And remember, you must look deeply aggrieved," Zhou Yu said firmly.

***

A short while later, on the watchtower.

Zhou Yu arrived with several generals. As he climbed the ramparts, he and Sun Jing locked eyes. Their gaze seemed to communicate: "Let’s make our performance more convincing from here on out."

"You dog, Zhou Yu! Bofu has just died in battle, and you not only keep it a secret but also persecute the old generals, intending to usurp power! You despicable villain!"

Sun Jing was worthy of his years; his expression was filled with such genuine hatred that an ordinary person could never have pulled it off.

On the watchtower, the soldiers looked at Zhou Yu. The look in their eyes seemed to ask: "Commander, is this true?"

Zhou Yu barked, "Sun Jing! It was Chu Feng who caused our Lord’s critical injuries. Instead of seeking revenge, you use the 'greater good' as an excuse to surrender to him. How can I stand by and let you do this?"

"Hmph, you hypocrite! Men of Jiangdong, Zhou Yu acts on his own whims to usurp power. Do not fall in with him!" Sun Jing retorted, turning to address the soldiers.

The two traded barbs for a long time. In short, Sun Jing accused Zhou Yu of wanting to usurp power, and Zhou Yu accused Sun Jing of wanting to surrender to Chu Feng. Each held to their own story.

Beside Chu Feng, Liu Ye raised an eyebrow and whispered, "My Lord, this does not look like a performance. Could it be that Sun Jing truly intends to defect?"

Chu Feng chuckled. "Zi Yang, appearances can be deceiving. Or perhaps it is being performed specifically for our benefit. Since someone is willing to play the clown, we might as well watch."

"My Lord, you mean it is all a ruse?" Liu Ye found it somewhat hard to believe; this kind of fake news was an easy way to cause a mutiny!

"Of course. But we shall treat it as if it were real!" Chu Feng replied with a mocking laugh.

***

Chu Feng was certain the two were acting; the challenge was how to play along.

Seeing that their bickering had reached a peak, Chu Feng spurred his horse forward and shouted, "Zhou Yu! I thought you were a man of high ambition, but I never imagined you were such a hypocrite."

"You were the closest of friends with Sun Ce, yet before his body is even cold, you are already plotting to seize Jiangdong. If I were one of Sun Ce’s old subordinates, I would certainly make you pay!"

Zhou Yu’s eyebrows furrowed. This Chu Feng was setting traps with every word.

"General Sun, let us return. In the coming days, I shall personally slay Zhou Yu to avenge the Sun family. As for what I promised you, rest assured, you shall have it once the deed is done." Chu Feng said to Sun Jing with a hearty tone.

Sun Jing: "???"

Zhou Yu’s brow twitched as well. Was Chu Feng doing this on purpose? Or had Sun Jing actually demanded something?

For the first time, Zhou Yu began to harbor doubts. He felt that everything today was wrong, as if he had set a trap, only to find himself inside someone else’s.

With that, Chu Feng left with Sun Jing, leaving behind a restless army. The rumors spread throughout the ranks, and many began to question their leaders.

***

At sunset, Cheng Pu strode in.

Looking at Zhou Yu, he sighed. "Gongjin, how can you still have the heart to read? The rumors about you wanting to seize absolute power are everywhere in the camp."

Zhou Yu took a deep breath but did not answer.

"Gongjin, the men are panicked. If this continues, the already flagging morale will turn to dust."

"Why not reveal the news that our Lord is still alive to stabilize the army?" Cheng Pu asked, looking at Zhou Yu with urgency.

"We cannot. There are surely spies in the camp. If we reveal it, all our efforts will be in vain, and it would put General Sun Jing in mortal danger. The cost would outweigh the gain," Zhou Yu refused.

"Do this: tell the various generals to provide more comfort to the men."

"Furthermore, after today, Chu Feng should have fewer doubts. When night falls, have Taishi Ci lead his troops to fight their way out of the camp and defect to Chu Feng. That will surely make him believe it completely."

Zhou Yu narrowed his eyes as he spoke in a low voice.