“Zhuge Liang! Do you really want Gongfu to be your servant?” Sun Ce grumbled after watching Zhuge Liang leave. For someone that is like his uncle to become someone else’s servant, he felt as though he himself had become a servant.
“Milord. General Huang Gai becoming a servant is not without its merits.” Zhou Yu said to Sun Ce.
“Oh?” Sun Ce muttered with doubt. What benefit could there be when his navy has lost face.
“Milord. Originally, we need to dispatch someone to secretly watch over Zhuge Liang to prevent him from escaping. Now, we no longer need to. General Huang Gai alone would be enough!” Zhou Yu said. Now that Huang Gai was Zhuge Liang’s servant, they did not need to secretly monitor Zhuge Liang. On top of that, Huang Gai was extremely powerful so it would be harder for Zhuge Liang to escape.
“True.” Sun Ce nodded.
“Milord. Since Zhuge Liang won the bet, then tomorrow…”
“Yes. Tomorrow.” Sun Ce’s eyes glinted. Zhuge Liang had predicted the weather correctly so there should be no wind the next day. They could attack Yangzhou together and Sun Ce will be able to obtain the new warship. Sun Ce felt excited just thinking about it. Very soon he would be able to sleep soundly. Sun Ce would also be able to take revenge for their previous losses against Yangzhou
“Milord. Besides attacking Yangzhou tomorrow, there is also another opportunity!”
“Opportunity? What opportunity?”
“Milord. Do you want to share the new warship with Jingzhou?” Zhou Yu asked.
“Of course not!” Sun Ce shook his head. What moron would share that powerful ship with an enemy? He had already seen the might of the new ship. On top of that, as Gan Ning had taken most of the veterans with him, this new ship was mostly being operated by new recruits. The new ship was so powerful that Jiangdong faced so many problems fighting new recruits. If Sun Ce shared this ship away, he would lose any advantages he might have obtained.
“Then let us not share this ship.” Zhou Yu said.
“But if we do not share our spoils, there is no guarantee that we would obtain it.” Sun Ce replied. Sun Ce understood Zhou Yu’s intentions but there was no guarantee. Jiangdong may have more soldiers than Jingzhou but they could only defeat Jingzhou at most. They would not be able to completely route Jingzhou’s Army. As long as Jingzhou can escape, they could take the ships with them.
“If fifty thousand troops is not enough, how about sixty thousand?” Zhou Yu asked.
He suggested to hide more troops in their available ships. As Zhuge Liang was not supervising their dispatch of soldiers, he would not be able to tell that there were more. The number was just enough to fit in all the ships.
Zhuge Liang’s strategy was flawed. It would take a certain skill to disconnect the iron chains linking the ship. So, with all their ships linked together it would be easy for the soldiers from Jiangdong’s ship to attack Jingzhou’s ship. With sixty thousand Jiangdong troops fighting against forty thousand Jingzhou troops, the Jingzhou Army would be at a disadvantage. They would not have the time to seize Yangzhou’s new ships.
Sun Ce laughed after hearing Zhou Yu’s plan. “Hahaha! Gongjin! It seems that this Zhuge Liang is too smart for his own good!”
“Haha!” Zhou Yu did not say it but he also laughed.
“Sixty thousand men is not enough. Seventy thousand will be enough to destroy Jingzhou’s forty thousand!” Sun Ce added.
“Milord. What do you mean?”
“Dispatch another ten thousand elites troops from Jiujiang!” Sun Ce replied. These troops were initially left behind to help form another elite army of thirty thousand. However, Sun Ce chose to send them out now.
“But Milord…” Zhou Yu hesitated a little. If these backbone troops were dispatched, Jiangdong would be without a navy. Was this really alright?
“We must burn the bridge properly! After taking the new warship and defeating Jingzhou’s Navy, we can recruit as many soldiers as we like. Even if we run out of troops, we would not need to fear Jingzhou when we have that new ship!” Sun Ce laughed.
“True.” Zhou Yu nodded. The Jingzhou Navy would not be able to escape because of the iron chains. If they could not wipe out the Jingzhou Navy there, it would become a huge problem. Having more soldiers there would be better insurance.
“Good! Gongjin, help me write a letter. Tell them to come in secret.” Sun Ce ordered. This matter had to be kept a secret to ensure that Jingzhou do not reinforce their troops as well.
“Yes!” Zhou Yu quickly went and settled the matter. There was no time to lose as the battle would start the next day. The soldiers arrived in the middle of the night.
“Brothers. It has been a hard journey for you! All soldiers, prepare to board the ship!” Zhou Yu thanked the soldiers and then gave his order. With this, they no longer had any troops left at Jiangxia.
Zhou Yu and Sun Ce made a gamble. If they were successful, they would be able to wipe out both Yangzhou and Jingzhou’s navies while obtaining Yangzhou’s new warship. Even if they were to lose Jiangxia to Liu Biao in the process, they would have gained more than Liu Biao.
As sky started to turn bright, the soldiers also made their preparations. Several hundred ships were chained together majestically. The people stood there as though they had already conquered the Yangtze River.
“Master Zhuge. How is our navy?” Sun Ce asked as he pointed at Jiangdong’s elites.
“Wonderful. As expected of Jiangdong’s elites!” Zhuge Liang praised with admiration. As he had been amongst the Jingzhou Navy for so long, he learned to see their skill.
The Jingzhou Navy were quite evidently inferior. Zhuge Liang was unable to properly describe why Jingzhou’s navy were inferior other than the fact that the Jiangdong Navy was ruthless. The reason for this is because the people from Jiangdong lived tougher lives and had to be ruthless to survive.
“Haha how is it compared to Jingzhou’s?” Sun Ce purposefully asked.
“Jingzhou is weaker.” Zhuge Liang shook his head.
Sun Ce sneered happily until Zhuge Liang’s next words. “But smarter.” Zhuge Liang basically called them all brawn no brains.
“Master Zhuge. Liu Biao is just a dog who guards his home. How could a talented person like you not notice this?” Zhou Yu said.
Liu Biao would not be able to live long. Crisis was just around the corner. Last time, Liu Biao could do well because of the Cai Family and the Kuai Family. However, thanks to Liu Mang’s stunt, the Cai Family and the Kuai Family were implicated as well. These two families influenced half of Jingzhou. If Liu Biao does not handle this matter properly, they would become problems that would destroy Jingzhou. Even if Liu Biao could suppress them, his children could not.
Liu Qi was already working for Liu Mang while Liu Zong was still too young. On top of that, Liu Zong was Cai Mao’s nephew. That was why Liu Biao was already checkmated. He was doomed regardless of whether he actually destroys the Cai Family and the Kuai Family.
Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were outsiders in this matter and even they could see it. It was unlikely that Zhuge Liang did not.
“So what? Did you not know? There is still Liu Pan!” Zhuge Liang said.
“Liu Pan?” Zhou Yu and Sun Ce furrowed their brows. They had never heard of Liu Pan before.
“Master Zhuge. Right now, our Jiangdong is willing to vacant a spot for you. If you are willing, you can have my postion as Chief Governor. I, Zhou Yu, will become your a.s.sistant!” Zhou Yu offered sincerely. This is because after the battle, both the Yangzhou Navy and the Jingzhou Navy would be finished.
With the new ships, Jiangdong would be able to push towards the Central Plains. Naturally, they needed someone to be in charge. Zhou Yu could do it but they still lacked talented people. That was why Zhou Yu gave this offer to Zhuge Liang. Both Zhou Yu and Sun Ce could tell that Zhuge Liang was talented. Zhou Yu even had to admit that he was inferior to Zhuge Liang. That was why he wanted Zhuge Liang to work for Sun Ce.
“Oh?” Zhuge Liang showed some interest. “Are you really willing to part with your position?”
“Of course!” Zhou Yu replied. Why would he not be willing when it would help his sworn brother conquer the world? Also, it is not like there would not be any other new posts. After capturing Jingzhou, he could become Jingzhou’s governor.
“Marquis Wu is so generous, I must also give face.” Zhuge Liang laughed.
“In other words, you are willing?” Zhou Yu asked excitedly. If Zhuge Liang defected, the Jiangdong Army would become more powerful. After all, he had already managed to turn the tides with Jiangxia’s troops.
“This matter is too important. May I be allowed some time to consider this?” Zhuge Liang showed an expression filled with interest but troubled. Zhou Yu and Sun Ce were excited by Zhuge Liang’s show of interest.
“Of course! Of course!” Zhou Yu quickly replied before Sun Ce.
“It is getting noisy here. May I go to a room on the next warship?” Zhuge Liang asked.
Normally, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu would not agree to this because they wanted to monitor Zhuge Liang. However, Zhuge Liang seemed like he was going to defect so they agreed.
Zhuge Liang thanked the two with a smile and left. He went up a towered ship and entered a room that was prepared by an officer.
“Gongjin. Do you think Zhuge Liang would surrender?” Sun Ce asked. He who wanted to rule the world naturally had his sights on the Central Plains as well. That was why he, like Cao Cao, wanted talented people.
“I do not know!” Zhou Yu shook his head. “What I know is that if Zhuge Liang doesn’t surrender, he will die!” Zhou Yu replied.
“That’s right!” Sun Ce laughed. They were plotting against Jingzhou as well. Once both Yangzhou and Jingzhou’s navies were defeated, Zhuge Liang would not have any other option but to surrender.
Sun Ce was not afraid that Zhuge Liang would run away because Huang Gai was monitoring him.
“Come. Let us go join our allies.” Sun Ce said to Zhou Yu.
Zhou Yu nodded and waved his hand. Their ships moved together towards the rendezvous spot.
Meanwhile, the Jingzhou Navy’s ships were also moving together while being chained. With so many ships, they were the Han Dynasty’s biggest fleet.
“Have the mengchong been sent out?” Wen Pin had sent out these ships as scouts to see what the Jiangdong Navy was doing.
“Yes, General!” Wen Pin’s deputy replied.
“Good!” Wen Pin nodded. Now he needed to wait for Jiangdong’s navy to arrive.
Wen Pin watched the Jiangxia Navy as he waited and frowned. “Why are those guys tying the ships together so disorderly?”
“I do not know.” They did not supervise the Jiangxia Navy. The reason why they have not yet finished chaining the ships is because they lacked manpower.
“Their ship?” Wen Pin thought that something was suspicious. There did not seem to be many people on that towered ship. Yet, the ship seemed to be heavier. Just as he wanted to have this investigated he received a report.
“They are here!”
Wen Pin took a look at the large fleet heading his way.