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Chapter 174
Sun Jian’s Death
With such a strong offensive from Sun Jian, Huang Zu truly had no chance to cross the river.
It wasn’t just the land forces attacking Huang Zu.
The supply fleet sailing on the water was led by Cheng Pu, who had fought alongside Sun Jian for many years.
As the large ships approached, small boats had already floated down the river, raining countless arrows upon the defending troops in Jing Province.
The soldiers from Changsha had gained considerable skill in naval warfare from over a year of training in Dongting Lake. Once they seized the initiative, they destroyed the iron chains on the river and blocked the way.
If Huang Zu attempted to cross, it would be akin to walking into a trap.
His only option was to march landward, heading straight to Nanjun, seeking refuge in a major city.
Thus, Sun Jian believed he not only had to intercept Huang Zu at the Han River but also cut him off before he entered the city.
“The nearest county city to Jiling is Dangyang,” Sun Jian commanded as he led the cavalry in pursuit, “Bofu! You take a contingent straight to Dangyang. If Huang Zu heads that way, make sure to stop him.”
Sun Ce promptly replied and turned his horse around.
Meanwhile, Huang Gai, who had intended to advise Sun Jian to slow down, felt reassured by Sun Jian’s cool-headedness in this instruction, realizing it wasn’t merely anger from repeated attacks by Huang Zu that spurred the chase.
After Han Dang was assigned to accompany Sun Ce, he exchanged glances with Zu Mao, signalling that they needed to look after Sun Jian closely to prevent him from advancing too far alone and falling prey to the enemy.
How infuriating that Huang Zu had discarded anything slow to carry and was now fleeing north!
The soldiers he left behind became obstacles, hampering Sun Jian’s pursuit.
When he finally broke through this final line of defense, he had already crossed the banks at Zhang Mountain.
Yet the day was waning, making further pursuit difficult.
Huang Gai suggested they take a brief rest before resuming the chase, stating, “Given the current situation, it seems that Huang Zu isn’t planning to deviate towards Dangyang. After being defeated by us, he likely intends to abandon Jiangxia and rendezvous with Liu Biao in Xiangyang. I think the general should wait for Bofu’s detachment from Dangyang to regroup with our infantry before advancing towards Xiangyang.”
If the decisive battle is to take place in Xiangyang, it would be impossible for Sun Jian to seize the city with only this cavalry; he must wait for the reinforcements to arrive.
It wasn’t so bad not catching Huang Zu now.
After all, if Liu Biao loses, Huang Zu couldn’t escape either.
Better to approach things more cautiously.
But Sun Jian, having already defeated several of Huang Zu’s blocks, was feeling more agitated now than ever. The quick momentum he had gained through earlier assaults had only been heightened by the irritating setbacks, making it impossible for him to calm down.
He looked ahead and said, “No, we can’t stop! Just ahead, over a hundred miles, is Lankou Ju. It’s the boundary between Jiangxia and Nanjun, a vital stronghold. If we allow Huang Zu to fortify that city, it will be much more troublesome than if he enters Dangyang. We must intercept him!”
However, casting a glance at the weary soldiers who had been following him since Yunmeng Marsh and noticing their fatigue, Sun Jian decided to let them set up camp first, have a hot meal, and rest for a while before they continued on their way.
As the entire army set off again, the sound of galloping hooves in the dim night resumed its previous thunderous state, racing towards the next city.
Yet in the same night, another group, set out early to deliver messages, was waiting for Sun Jian’s arrival.
That was Zhang Ji and Huang Zhong, who had stationed themselves at Lankou Ju.
Huang Zu, the prefect of Jiangxia, was coming in a panic, already something Jia Xu had advised Dong Zhuo to inform Liu Biao about.
Huang Zu had a mind to defeat Sun Jian directly, but seeing Sun Jian’s formidable troop formations made him acutely aware of his own shortcomings. He reasoned it would be better to follow the plan quietly.
According to Jia Xu’s analysis, this fierce tiger named Sun Jian would never easily fall into a trap. They could only spur his fighting spirit and repeatedly block his momentum until—
—the final ambush.
Twenty miles south of Lankou Ju lay a series of low hills.
Zhang Ji stroked his long spear, a sharp glint flashing in his eyes.
In Dong Zhuo’s letter to Liu Biao, he had clearly articulated Zhang Ji’s current predicament.
Zhang Ji was unaware that the letter from Zhang Xiu was intended to keep him out of Dong Zhuo’s suspicions of loyalty and ensure he wouldn’t be implicated due to his nephew’s surrender. He felt he had to achieve some solid military achievements to secure his footing within the Liangzhou army.
Guarding Chang’an didn’t prove him useful; this back and forth to Jingzhou was his best chance.
He turned to Huang Zhong and said, “I’ll need the general to support me later.”
Huang Zhong, having been promoted by Liu Biao, was entirely devoted to him, naturally eager to help counter Sun Jian’s advances.
He knew full well that if they lost Lankou Ju, it would take Sun Jian at least half a day to reach Xiangyang.
They had no retreat left!
If they couldn’t take this chance to take down Sun Jian, they would meet again outside Xiangyang.
Huang Zhong replied, “Rest assured, General Zhang. While attacking from the shadows isn’t the act of a true man, to protect Jing and Xiang, I have no choice but to turn my back on Sun Wentai.”
Sun Jian was indeed a fierce general worth reverence, but unfortunately, they stood on opposite sides.
As Zhang Ji began to hear the ground shaking from the southern front approaching, he suddenly spurred his horse forth.
Alongside him, the Liangzhou cavalry, well-trained, followed suit.
Before they traveled too far, Huang Zu, who had slowed before arriving at this location to bide his time, and the pursuing Sun Jian both came into view.
Perfect timing!
Sun Jian hadn’t noticed anything unusual.
It wasn’t uncommon for him to dominate the battlefield, and he felt more than capable of overcoming Huang Zu this time.
For him, catching up to Huang Zu’s remnants before reaching Lankou Ju seemed only natural.
The brief rest left him completely energized, as he noticed that many of Huang Zu’s guards had faltered in their defenses beside him.
Without hesitation, Sun Jian swiped at the enemy in front of him and charged straight towards Huang Zu.
Since the second year of Xiping, when he had participated in pacifying the rebellion in Kuaiji, he had always led from the front, showing his courage in every battle. That was how he became the irreplaceable core of his troops.
Today’s battle was no different!
Under the moonlight, Sun Jian stood out like a beacon, his distinct red scarf clear to those in his wake.
Zu Mao felt anxious for Sun Jian’s bold move but was also stirred by his incredible charisma, prompting him to follow suit.
That was their General, the one they rallied behind!
However, just as Sun Jian was about to strike Huang Zu, a long spear suddenly blocked his path.
Sun Jian halted his movement, casting a cold glare at the newcomer.
Yet, amidst the chaotic battlefield, the armor of the rider reflected a blinding silver light, obscuring his appearance and making it hard to identify him.
Before Sun Jian could inquire about his identity, the opponent’s assault came even more fiercely.
The cavalry that came with this man jumped into the fray at almost the same time, effectively dividing Sun Jian’s forces chasing Huang Zu.
Compared to Huang Zu’s soldiers, these new arrivals exuded the aura of seasoned warriors, making Sun Jian exercise caution.
“You damn rogue!” Sun Jian bellowed, lifting his sword to strike.
He hadn’t expected such a formidable opponent, but he welcomed the challenge!
It was just one more foe to defeat!
This rogue displayed exceptional spear techniques, and his cavalry didn’t falter amidst the melee with Huang Gai and Zu Mao’s troops, even fueling Sun Jian’s fighting spirit further.
His gaze burned with intensity, almost forgetting his earlier fatigue, fully focused on Zhang Ji.
Little did he expect that this fierce contender would retreat quickly once realizing he couldn’t win.
Sun Jian figured this guy was just another battlefield hero, turning only to catch the sight of the opponent feigning an attack before dragging his spear away.
To his surprise, the Huang Zu he had almost captured vanished amidst the cavalry’s distractions too.
Frustrated, Sun Jian unhesitatingly chose to pursue.
Whether it was Huang Zu or this newly appeared master of the spear, he was not about to let go of this tension until one of them was brought down tonight!
Zu Mao had just slain an approaching cavalryman when he glimpsed Sun Jian’s figure charging into the fray.
In a panic, he forgot to call out “General Sun,” simply shouting, “Wentai!”
But that shout was drowned out by the thundering hooves around them, along with his next comment.
“That looks like—”
It’s the Xiliang army!
Due to the surrounding trees and the sudden attack from the enemy, Sun Jian’s forces failed to recognize where this cavalry came from at first.
They thought Liu Biao was securing Lankou Ju by laying an ambush with such a strong troop.
Given the noble families of Jingzhou’s insistence on holding Xiangyang, it certainly was possible to mobilize such a cavalry force.
But as Zu Mao brought down an enemy before he could retreat, he distinctly heard the opponent cursing something.
The clash of weapons didn’t drown out that voice, and in an instant, he recognized a troubling truth.
That accent was familiar!
It wasn’t from battles in Jingzhou but from the campaign against Dong Zhuo.
His heart raced, filling him with an ominous sense.
This wasn’t Liu Biao’s army—it was more likely the Xiliang forces.
How did the Xiliang army end up here?
Regardless of whether Liu Biao requested help from Dong Zhuo or Dong Zhuo intervened in the affairs of Jingzhou, it indicated that Sun Jian was likely walking into a trap.
Thinking this, he hollered desperately, “Not good! Gongfu! Quickly, tell Wentai to retreat!”
If the area ahead was flat and open, it wouldn’t be an issue, but those trees and uneven terrain hid far greater dangers than where they were currently fighting.
This was no retreat; it was a change of battle environment!
But not only did Zu Mao’s warning fall on deaf ears, even Sun Jian himself had already disappeared from their line of sight.
Zu Mao’s anxiety peaked.
He hoped that even if Sun Jian encountered an ambush ahead, he could fight his way out and return here—waiting until dawn to act would have been acceptable.
But things didn’t go as hoped.
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But what came instead was that the Western Liang general managed to fend off Sun Jian’s assault.
At the same time, an arrow shot from the woods struck with deadly precision, piercing Sun Jian’s forehead.
This was at least an arrow released from a two-stone bow! A truly lethal shot!
Hit by the arrow, Sun Jian let out a muffled groan and tumbled off his horse!
“Wentai!”
“General Sun!”
Huang Gai and Zu Mao cried out urgently.
But just after Huang Zhong landed his hit, Zhang Ji decisively slashed at Sun Jian’s neck as if he was terrified that this fierce tiger from Jiangdong would somehow survive this battle.
This was a cut to eliminate the roots of the problem.
With his remaining consciousness, Sun Jian could only hear the enemy issuing orders for a counterattack before he breathed his last.
At nearly the same time, it wasn’t just Zhang Ji’s men luring away the Western Liang troops, Huang Zhong and his subordinates also launched a counterattack.
Let’s not forget, Huang Zhong was appointed as Middle General by Liu Biao for his prowess in assaulting the bandits of Jing Province, not just for his archery skills.
The cooperative attempt to kill Sun Jian was about striking the enemy leader first, but now it was all about facing him in direct combat!
With Sun Jian’s death, his troops instantly fell into a headless state. Even with Huang Gai and Zu Mao inspiring them with the spirit of the grieving soldiers, they couldn’t successfully retaliate against Zhang Ji and Huang Zhong’s united assault.
In the ensuing chaotic battle in the woods, Zu Mao fell to Zhang Ji’s blade, while Huang Gai managed to grab Sun Jian’s body and dashed towards Dangyang.
Leaning on his knowledge of the terrain and taking a detour, Huang Gai finally shook off the pursuing enemies by dawn and reunited with Sun Ce.
He knelt before Sun Ce, dragging his weary body and carrying Sun Jian’s corpse.
Sun Ce was struck like lightning.
He had just received a message from his father urging him to return to the troops, but he never expected that what awaited him was not further orders from his father, but the news of both his father and Zu Mao’s deaths.
This sixteen-year-old boy bit down hard on his teeth, staring at his father’s silent body and Huang Gai’s still blood-stained face, recalling how full of spirit they had been when they set out to march against Liu Biao. Tears flowed as he was overwhelmed by sorrow.
But he knew this was not the time to wallow in grief.
Liu Biao’s subordinates and the sudden appearance of the Western Liang army might be advancing cautiously, leaving them temporarily behind, but if given the chance, they would certainly aim to crush Sun Jian’s forces in the southern regions.
He needed to quickly gather his troops and retreat.
His father was dead, but Sun Ce could not fall!
While being overcome with pain, he regretted joking with his father the other day about sharing the burdens, not realizing that he would later face such a heavy distribution of fate.
But he quickly collected himself, wiping away his tears. “Uncles, my father trusted you deeply in his lifetime. Now, I, Sun Ce, am lacking, and I ask for your assistance.”
Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Cheng Pu, who had just landed by the river, clasped their fists and bowed to Sun Ce, “Just give the order, young general.”
“Right now, we have one path to take, back to Changsha. With General Zhu’s reputation and my father’s vendetta, I, Sun Ce, have the confidence to rebuild an army and confront Liu Biao once more!”
They had lost cavalry, not ships; even their infantry still held strength. Returning to the south wasn’t impossible. Liu Biao could not seize Changsha with just Dong Zhuo’s support.
This was the most secure path.
However, Sun Ce declared emphatically, “But I do not plan to do that!”
They were marching to battle with the soldiers of Changsha.
Although they had managed to fight their way up to the southern regions, they hadn’t just suffered losses; they had lost their commander Sun Jian right there.
Recovering from this setback was no simple matter of saying a few motivating words.
Liu Biao wouldn’t grant him any time to settle.
If Liu Biao established a firmer hold in Jing Province, he would never get the chance to advance north again.
So he had to break through the current predicament!
Recalling what he had said to his father, Sun Ce continued, “When my father was alive, we held respect for Yuan Shu and both he and my father answered to the court in Ye City, thus we couldn’t attack him for it would be seen as a breach of loyalty. But now, we needn’t worry so much.”
“We’re going to Lujiang!”
To attack Yuan Shu at Lujiang!
Sun Jian’s troops mourned their general’s death but felt a surge of relief to see Sun Ce displaying the commanding presence expected of a leader in this moment.
This boy, who seemed to have grown overnight, deeply bowed to them before continuing, “I, Sun Ce, am unworthy, but I ask you all to cross the Han River with me, break the siege of Shuxian, join forces with the prefect of Lujiang, defeat Yuan Shu, take Yangzhou, and then plot against Jingzhou. General Zhu is stationed in Changsha, and my mother and younger siblings are likely safe. Now, we should take a gamble and seek a way out!”
Sun Ce was certainly not someone to be restrained in a dire situation.
His strategic mind would never allow him to choose the conventional route either.
With Sun Jian gone, the title of General of Pacification no longer bound them. So why not give it a shot—first swallow Yuan Shu’s forces and then retaliate against Liu Biao!
He wasn’t afraid of Liu Biao.
So he would come back to exact revenge eventually!
A thunderclap rang outside.
Followed by rain.
By the end of September in Liang Province, the long-overdue autumn rain finally poured down.
Qiao Yan gazed out the window and saw delicate strands of rain quickly merging into a sheet, eventually turning into a torrential downpour.
Interestingly, according to the reports sent to her from various counties in Liang Province, this rain had halted at Zhangye County and hadn’t even covered the entire area of Zhangye County; even Wuwei Commandery was only half-covered.
Essentially, this was localized right at the foot of the Qilian Mountains.
The heavier rainfall was still centered in Jincheng, Beidi, and Anding.
This uneven distribution of rain further cemented Qiao Yan’s determination to be the first to execute water conservation projects in this location, to prevent the potential drought disasters in the years to come that could deal a devastating blow to the recently restored order in Liang Province.
She shifted her thoughts away from water conservation projects and back to the official report in front of her.
The upheaval in Jing and Yang provinces was truly staggering, akin to a torrential rainstorm wandering through.
Having entered Jing Province from Wuguan, Zhang Ji had successfully ambushed Sun Jian alongside Huang Zhong, the Middle General under Liu Biao, and Huang Zu, the Prefect of Jiangxia, twenty miles south of Lankou, leaving this fierce tiger from Jiangdong to die in this place.
This meant that for at least one or two years, Qiao Yan would have no chance of receiving reinforcements from the south to jointly strike against Dong Zhuo.
So she had to stabilize the situation in Liang Province even further to prevent Dong Zhuo from seizing an opportunity.
After Sun Jian’s death, Zhang Ji led Dong Zhuo’s troops swiftly back into Wuguan, re-establishing control over the Guanzhong Plain, which relieved Liu Biao, who had been worried about Dong Zhuo taking advantage to seize Nanyang County.
At the same time, Sun Ce chose not to retreat to Changsha but, relying on the stability of Sun Jian’s forces in Changsha, turned north with Sun Jian’s remains and his old troops, charging straight for Lujiang’s Shuxian.
Earlier in April, Yuan Shu had surrounded Shuxian under the accusation that Lu Kang, the Prefect of Lujiang, wasn’t providing military supplies, calling it treason.
Having failed to break through there for so long, he planned to take a breather and see what happened between Sun Jian and Liu Biao, but he had inadvertently turned himself into the ‘spectacle.’
Sun Ce, fueled by rage and grief after losing his father, burst into Yuan Shu’s main camp at midnight, nearly mistaking Yuan Shu for Liu Biao and giving him a good beating.
Yuan Shu was dumbfounded and tried to rally his troops to resist Sun Ce’s assault, but the vengeful Sun Ce beat them back, sending them fleeing back to Jiujiang County in a panic.
Sun Ce was truly no less charismatic and fierce than his father.
As Yuan Shu attacked Lujiang, the Ye City court also dispatched Yuan Yin, from the Yuan Clan of Runan, to replace the former Prefect of Danyang, Zhou Shang, who happened to be Zhou Yu’s uncle. This gave Sun Ce a perfect excuse to advance towards Danyang.
In just half a month, Sun Ce led Sun Jian’s old troops, with Zhou Yu’s assistance, firmly seizing Lujiang and Danyang, leaving Yuan Shu, who had retreated back to Jiujiang, staring across the river at each other. For the moment, neither could do anything about the other, and they were temporarily in a truce.
Until this information landed on Qiao Yan’s desk.
Guo Jia had already been assigned by Qiao Yan to trick Zheng Xuan into coming to Bingzhou, but since he still needed to go through some diplomatic formalities with the local noble families of Hexi, he couldn’t leave that quickly, which was why he remained.
After Qiao Yan passed the report to him and he read it, he was deeply impressed by the role Jia Xu played as an undercover agent in Dong Zhuo’s camp.
It wasn’t sufficient to merely have a Liang Province background to earn Dong Zhuo’s trust.
But Jia Xu not only accomplished that, he also maneuvered Dong Zhuo’s subordinates at an opportune moment to eliminate Sun Jian, granting Qiao Yan even more room for development; truly remarkable.
Just with this maneuver, originating in Chang’an yet stirring up the situation in Jing and Yang, was enough to make Jia Xu rank among the top three strategists under Qiao Yan.
No wonder when Qiao Yan received the title of the Governor of Bingzhou, she intentionally sought out Jia Xu from the Tawei’s office, and even if he had previously been slacking off under Qiao Yan’s command, it didn’t affect his importance in her eyes; she even took him hiking once.
Guo Jia stroked his chin and reread the report in hand, feeling a sense of crisis.
He couldn’t help but ask, “Does the lord think Wenhe has overstepped?”
Jia Xu’s stealthy maneuver, killing Sun Jian, was good news for Qiao Yan.
In fact, it was fantastic news.
But Sun Jian had maintained a harmonious and friendly relationship with Qiao Yan, so sending him off to see the King of Hell did carry some potential overreach concerns.
Thus, Guo Jia wanted to hear Qiao Yan’s thoughts on the matter.
Amid the sound of rain outside, she sat with her eyes closed, the rhythmic tapping of her fingers on the table remaining calm and steady.
Sun Jian, ah…
Sun Jian was a hero.
Upon hearing the news of his death, Qiao Yan recalled their first meeting.
It hadn’t been long since Qiao Yan crossed into this world, and she felt an indescribable subtlety when meeting both Sun Jian and Cao Cao.
Especially as these individuals were still in their early stages, their careers just beginning.
She couldn’t help but think back to the meeting in Luoyang during the campaign against Dong Zhuo.
As the leader of the second wave assaulting Luoyang, Sun Jian radiated undeniable fervor and could even be called one of the top figures with military talent of the day.
In her deep contemplation, she seemed to envision Sun Jian saying he would team up with Zhu Jun to take another route into Chang’an, how impressively ambitious that was.
But since she had assigned Jia Xu to stir the chaos in the south to favor their side, it seemed Sun Jian’s fate had become inevitable.
Jing Province and Yang Province could not fall into the hands of someone like Sun Jian, who possessed both might and charisma; otherwise, he would eventually become a major threat to her.
Guo Jia noticed a pause in Qiao Yan’s fingertip actions.
It was just then he heard Qiao Yan speak, “Fengxiao, I’ve always believed in one principle—”
“Mercy towards the enemy is cruelty towards oneself.”
So Sun Jian has died, and let it be; Jia Xu’s maneuver was brilliantly executed!
