Chapter 95: Sun Ce Lost His Composure [Please Subscribe]

Before long, several days had passed.

Outside the stockade, Sun Ce was exultant beyond measure.

According to the latest report, Ji Ling had been struck by a stray arrow, morale among the troops was wavering, and the garrison inside the stockade had already been reduced again and again. In at most another hour, the place would surely fall.

“So Chu Feng is only this much,” he said.

“Someone, bring me my armor. I will personally cut down Ji Ling and make Chu Feng watch with his own eyes as one of his great generals dies!” Sun Ce shouted with fierce excitement.

“My lord, the Chu army has lost all its spirit in this battle. I beg to be given command. Let me take Yuzhang directly, and I swear I can seize the entire commandery within half a month!” Jiang Qin said, cupping his fists.

“My lord, I need only three thousand men, and I can pacify Yuzhang in no time!”

“My lord, I only need to lead my own troops, and within ten days I will seize Yuzhang for you!”

One general after another spoke up, their fighting spirit blazing. The battle had gone splendidly; they had beaten Chu Feng so badly that he did not even dare move, and could only stand helplessly across the river and watch.

“Ha ha! Good. First take this stockade with me, and when the day comes, we will march on Yuzhang, cross the river northward, and kill Chu Feng in one stroke. Then I will command all six commanderies of Yangzhou and accomplish a kingly feat of greatness!”

Sun Ce laughed heartily. He had already begun imagining the scene after unifying the six commanderies of Yangzhou. By then, if he conquered Jing Province as well, who in the world would not know the name Sun Ce?

As he spoke, he took the heavy armor handed to him by his personal guards and prepared to lead the assault himself.

He was already wearing armor, and with double protection for a siege he was almost invulnerable to stray arrows. He had just been about to put it on properly when—

“My lord, urgent report! A message from Governor Zhou!”

Sun Ce paused in the act of donning his armor. Another message from Zhou Yu? Could it be more good news? Thinking this, the corner of his mouth lifted as he accepted the letter.

But after a glance, Sun Ce’s eyes darkened at once.

His iron grip clenched, and he crushed the letter in his palm. Throwing his head back, he roared, “Chu Feng, you despicable villain! I, Sun Bofu, swear I will tear you to pieces!”

Seeing Sun Ce’s face contorted with such fury, the generals quickly fell silent. None of them had ever seen him this enraged. Had Chu Feng done something else?

Yu Fan narrowed his eyes and asked, “My lord, what does Gongjin’s letter say?”

“Chu Feng led troops in a surprise attack on Dantu.”

“Dantu, Qu'a, and Jurong counties have all fallen. Right now Zhu Zhi is defending Wu County, Sun Quan is holding Piling, and Gongjin has already led the army back to reinforce them.”

Sun Ce ground his teeth so hard it seemed he might break them.

“Why? Why!” he cried in his heart. Hadn’t Gongjin said Chu Feng was still north of the river? And now, instead, he had already taken Dantu.

How hateful. Why was this man’s way of waging war so strange?

If a forced crossing at Dantu failed, the stockade would be lost, and with troops being moved away, even Yuzhang might well be in danger. How dare he act like this?

To be honest, Sun Ce’s mentality collapsed in that moment.

Earlier, Chu Feng had attacked Niuzhu and forced him to withdraw. Now Chu Feng was attacking Wu Commandery and forcing him to pull back again. It was as if he was either on the road to returning to defend, or already returning to defend.

What kind of war was fought like this?

He did not clash head-on at all. What was this, a duel to see who stabbed first? The root of it all was the warships Jing Province had provided.

The generals, who had been laughing and speaking freely just a moment ago, were suddenly overtaken by panic. Piling lay practically next door to Wu Commandery, and all their wives, children, and families were there.

If Wu Commandery were lost, where were they supposed to go?

How ridiculous that only an instant ago they had been talking grandly, mocking Chu Feng for knowing nothing of military affairs, even boasting that when they one day took Shouchun they would personally kill Chu Feng themselves.

And yet in the blink of an eye, Chu Feng had reached Piling and was already threatening their families. The reversal was so abrupt that all of them darkened in the face and fell silent.

“Withdraw the army.”

The endless fury had turned into one unwilling command. They had fought so long and were just about to reap the fruits of victory, yet their homeland had been stolen from under them by Chu Feng.

“My lord, we’re only a little short of—”

“I said withdraw the army,” Sun Ce barked, glaring.

Then, realizing his tone was too harsh, he added, “Pull back. Wu Commandery is the foundation of our power. We cannot lose it.”

“Also, do not let word of Dantu’s fall spread. Tell the men we are returning to rest and recover, and to campaign against the Mountain Yue tribes instead.” Sun Ce’s voice had grown noticeably weak.

“Yes, my lord!”

All the generals nodded. They had no choice but to rush back to defend their base.

Though unwilling, there was nothing they could do.

At that moment, that unwillingness became the clang of bronze gongs. Countless armored troops who had already broken into the stockade looked south in bewilderment, waving their arms.

They were about to take the stockade, and now they were sounding the retreat?

In the past, they had always loved the retreat signal. But today, with victory practically in hand, they were withdrawing instead. Had the commanders lost their minds?

Still, once the gong sounded, they could not linger in battle. The countless soldiers who had charged up onto the stockade walls began to fall back like a tide, and then withdrew in an orderly retreat.

“They’re pulling back! The enemy is withdrawing!”

A soldier whose eyes had already dulled with despair suddenly erupted in boundless joy. It had been a matter of life and death; he had thought he would not survive, yet a miracle had occurred.

In the next instant, cheers rose from countless soldiers.

As for Ji Ling, his armor was smeared with filthy blood, his sword had been worn nearly to a jagged edge, and his eyes were ringed with bloodshot veins from too many nights without rest.

Watching the enemy withdraw, he felt an indescribable sensation, as though a crushing burden had finally lifted from his shoulders. The corners of his mouth lifted.

At last... at last they had held.

Then, utterly spent, he simply collapsed.

Several days later.

Outside Piling City, inside the commander’s tent of the encampment.

After hearing the scouts’ report, everyone fell into thought, because Zhou Yu was almost here. He was still a hundred li away, no more than three days’ march.

“My lord, I never expected Zhou Yu to move so quickly!” Chen Ji said with a frown.

“My lord, Zhou Yu’s army has come from afar, and the men are exhausted. Our own troops have rested for many days and are fresh and ready. Since we have the advantage of waiting for the weary, why not strike first and annihilate Zhou Yu?” Zhao Fan said in a cold, narrow-eyed voice.

“No. Zhou Yu is exceptionally skilled in warfare. If we fail to annihilate him, our own army will surely be dragged down. By then, even retreating to Qu'a will be difficult,” Liu Ye hastily advised.

“Then what do you suggest?” Chu Feng asked.

“Fall back to Qu'a, strengthen the city defenses, and establish ourselves in Wu Commandery. In this way, we can threaten Sun Ce’s foundation when advancing, and defend the three cities when retreating. That is the best course,” Liu Ye said solemnly.

Over the past ten days, their army had either been sending challengers or building siege engines, yet no matter how they tried to lure the enemy out, Sun Quan had remained unmoved.

“The strategist is right. Since Sun Quan has shut the gates and refused battle, there is nothing we can do to him. Better to retreat to Qu'a and then plan for Danyang and the surrounding lands,” Chen Ji said as well.

The other generals nodded one after another, all of them agreeing it was feasible.

“Just retreat like that?” Chu Feng asked, unwilling to accept it. They had finally fought their way into Wu Commandery, only to be blocked by that brat Sun Quan.

“My lord, if Zhou Yu arrives, he and Sun Quan will form a pincer attack. At that point, it will be hard even to leave. And if Sun Ce returns with his army, he will surely cut off our rear.”

“In that case, not only will the three counties of Qu'a be lost, even our own lives may be in danger. And with Zhou Yu coming back to reinforce them, our forces are already too few. How could we hope to defeat the enemy?” Liu Ye said in a deep voice.

Chu Feng frowned tightly. After hearing Liu Ye out, he closed his eyes and thought.

After a long while, his gaze sharpened. Looking at Liu Ye, he asked urgently, “What was that you just said?”

“Hm?” Liu Ye froze. “I said that if our army does not withdraw, Zhou Yu and Sun Quan will surely form a pincer attack. Then, when we try to leave—”

“Ha ha, I’ve got it!”