“Can strategists not ascend the throne?”
Chapter 324: Huang Zu’s Demise
The sound of hooves shattered the dark night.
Sun Ce had zero plans to give Huang Zu any chance to resist.
His troops were stationed in the great M County of Kuaiji, which is now between Quzhou and Jinhua, heading west into the Yushui River basin, straight towards Linru.
Despite the seeming commotion of the night march, it cleverly avoided detection by the locals, preventing Huang Zu’s spies in Kuaiji from catching wind of Sun Ce’s movements.
This battle was a must-win for him!
Huang Zu’s base in Yuzhang County, Nanchang, was encircled by several lakes like Poyang Lake and Junshan Lake, making them the perfect barriers against Sun Ce’s army coming from the east.
Sun Ce wouldn’t forget that his father had passed away after crossing the marshes of Dongting Lake in Jing Province, and he swore he wouldn’t follow in those footsteps.
Instead, he chose a different path to ambush Huang Zu—first taking Linru, then making a northern turn to attack Nanchang.
The defending forces in Linru were already sparse.
The journey of over seven hundred miles from M County to Linru was not exactly smooth sailing, and with cavalry, it would take at least two days, not to mention the foot soldiers, who would find almost no supply towns along the way.
Sun Ce couldn’t possibly be that thick-headed; he wouldn’t pick this route. Even skirting the Poyang Lake basin and taking cities one by one would be a better option, consuming fewer resources.
However, Qiao Yan’s successful warfare had already given Sun Ce an effective template; from the generals to the troops under his command, their desire for revenge for Sun Jian was undeniably strong.
Such a force hell-bent on raiding Yuzhang County shouldn’t be simply called a lone army; it was more akin to a dagger pierced into the heart and lung!
No cities meant the biggest advantage for them.
In this vast and sparsely populated land, it was tough to spot them.
Even if someone did catch a glimpse of Sun Ce’s unit, it had already been tipped off by its own scouts before they could warn anyone.
They’d only taken one long break during the journey; holding tightly onto his polished spear, Sun Ce gazed at the rushing Yushui, suddenly recalling a conversation he had with his father by the riverside back when his father intended to advance north.
He had been following the practical methods his father suggested step by step, all the way to the position of the Governor of Yang Province, yet his father’s life was forever lost within the territories of Jing Province.
It didn’t matter! He would carry forth his father’s ambitions, making this army a fearsome force that would win every battle in the south!
“Commander Huang, I won’t lose this fight,” Sun Ce said, turning to see Huang Gai trailing behind him.
“What I meant isn’t whether you’ll lose; it’s that…” Huang Gai started, then abruptly stopped.
From Sun Ce’s resolute expression, he realized some things didn’t need to be spoken.
If he were to suggest that Sun Ce pass the charge of the battle to them and willingly avoid the front lines, Sun Ce probably wouldn’t listen.
If he really did that, he wouldn’t be Sun Ce anymore.
Huang Gai pivoted, saying, “The general still needs his strength for the attack on Nanchang; you should let us share the credit for taking Linru. Otherwise, if we tag along without a chance to fight, it would be a shame for the salaries we’re paid, don’t you think?”
Sun Ce laughed, “Huang Gai, if that’s the case, I’ll be watching your performance closely. If the siege drags on, the cutbacks on your salary will go to those suffering flood victims this year.”
This joke lightened the weary mood as they journeyed.
Huang Gai, gazing at the youthful face of Sun Ce, couldn’t help but smile.
With such a successor, Wen Tai could surely rest in peace beneath the nine springs.
He would certainly stabilize his position as the Governor of Yang Province, gradually reclaiming the land of Yangzhou.
When this troop unexpectedly arrived at Linru, it was the dead of night.
Due to the harvest season, even the guards in the city had many asking to head home to assist with farming.
The governor of Linru thought that during this time, Kuaiji likely wouldn’t show any unusual movements, so he simply granted leave.
Yet, this relaxed defense became their fatal weakness.
Even fortified cities often found it difficult to withstand an attack from Sun Ce, not to mention the relatively weak Linru.
Sun Ce didn’t even give them a chance to send out warnings; he directly took the city.
The guards inside were Huang Zu’s trusted officer, Chen Jiu; he was executed by Huang Gai as a flag offering when the city fell.
After a brief rest, Sun Ce ordered some troops to don the enemy’s uniforms, pretending to be the defeated forces of Linru retreating to Nanchang.
In the upcoming daylight assault, they would keep the city gates ajar for his cavalry to burst in from behind.
Southern soldiers typically bore few differences—Sun Ce’s Yang Province troops and Huang Zu’s Jing Province soldiers were neighboring states, and given that Huang Zu had recruited many locals, it would seem flawless.
As those soldiers arrived at the city gates, the guards in Nanchang welcomed these disheveled comrades inside while sending word to Huang Zu.
Little did they know, just outside the city, Sun Ce’s army had arrived!
“Linru has fallen?” Huang Zu exclaimed, jolting upright.
The exotic parrot brought to entertain him flapped its wings and flew high up onto the beam due to his sudden movement.
“Yes, the fleeing soldiers said that if it weren’t for them being at the north city gate taking care of the stables, they wouldn’t have slipped past when the city fell, rushing here to tell you to prepare defenses!”
Sun Ce, Sun Ce!
Huang Zu murmured.
It had already been nearly four years since that young man set foot in Yang Province.
Even those pesky Shanyue and the aristocratic families of Wujun, no matter how they tried to stir trouble for him, this playful behavior became only small waves in the pond after his strong foundation solidified.
This young man was the very backbone that upheld his army.
And the death of Sun Jian didn’t leave them broken; it transformed them into a genuine vengeful force!
It was only a matter of time before they attacked Yuzhang!
Long before, in the early year, many regions near the borders of Yuzhang, Lujiang, Danyang, and Kuaiji had already been devoured.
Huang Zu had indeed considered ditching his position as the Prefect of Yuzhang to retreat back to Jiangxia, where at least he’d have the Huang Clan’s support and wouldn’t face the threats posed by Sun Ce’s rising power.
But Huang Zu was also reluctant to give up the life he had now.
Although still under Liu Biao’s control, being in Yang Province rather than Jing Province granted him a relatively independent status.
This made him feel freer than at any other time.
Yet, this freedom had now come at a price; Sun Ce’s impending assault was the best proof!
In the face of life, freedom, and wealth turned to nothing but a burden for Huang Zu.
“Don’t expect me to explain, quickly recall the guards from Haifeng and Yuhan to Nanchang, and send a squad south to intercept Sun Ce across the river!”
Huang Zu shot up, noticing the soldier who had brought him the news was still stunned, as if reeling from his orders; he kicked at him in frustration.
The parrot that flapped around earlier now chirped with enthusiasm, “Reinforcements! Reinforcements!”
The soldier hurriedly dashed outside, but just as he crossed the threshold, Huang Zu shouted, “Stop! Send a message in the city; anyone with able-bodied men at home needs to send someone to guard the city!”
However, during this brief pause, a chilling alarm suddenly rang out from the southern city gate, echoing throughout half the city.
And it reached Huang Zu’s ears.
His face promptly shifted into a dreadful pallor.
For he clearly heard that this alarm signaled the highest level of danger he had set for his subordinates!
At the same time, the tremors beneath him sent an unmistakable signal—Sun Ce was coming!
The fleeing soldiers from Linru arrived almost simultaneously at Nanchang!
Why were they here so fast? That was no longer something worth pondering.
Perhaps those deserters had slacked off on their way, or maybe Sun Ce, eager for revenge, had decided to go all-out cavalry just to catch him off guard.
Now the biggest issue was how to drive Sun Ce out.
“This brat really thinks I’m easy to bully, as if he can just break through any provincial seat!” Huang Zu cursed, striding out, “His father was tricked into a trap by me, does he think he can magically get smarter?”
He swaggered to give Sun Ce a show of force, but before he could step out of the government office, another person rushed in, shouting before even reaching him—
“General, it’s bad news— the southern city gate has fallen!”
Huang Zu halted, feeling as if someone had clobbered him in the head.
How little time had passed since the alarm sounded—why was he unprepared for such an outcome?
“So the south city gate we were holding has already been breached?”
Years of battle instinct suddenly hit him—this was likely because those defeated soldiers fleeing from Linru weren’t his men at all, but rather insiders that Sun Ce had sent into the city!
Realizing this so late pretty much didn’t matter anymore for the city of Nanchang.
He barked at his guard, “Get over here! Immediately reinforce the inner city walls. As long as they haven’t attacked this point, we still have a chance to counterattack.”
Huang Zu had never been so grateful as he was in that moment, thankful that he had built an inner city wall out of concern to separate himself from the common people.
Even if some soldiers had scampered over from Linru, they didn’t need to breach this inner wall just yet, leaving him with a last barrier to rely on.
He gritted his teeth and immediately issued a second order: “Send Su Xiaowei to get my son away! It must be quick!”
Huang Zu’s anxiety had reached its peak.
Sun Ce’s sudden attack had thrown all his preparations into chaos, and the unwavering determination of the enemy made him feel that he might not be able to wait for someone to issue a command to Sun Ce to retreat before the inner walls would come crashing down.
To prevent revenge from Sun Ce after the city falls, he had to ensure his son was in a safe environment!
Taking advantage of this standoff between him and Sun Ce around the inner walls, he needed to get back to Jiangxia quick!
Huang Zu knew that sending his son away at this moment would demoralize the troops tremendously.
After all, if even he, as the prefect, was sending his son away, wouldn’t that signal that holding the city was nearly impossible?
But he had to be prepared.
So, the Su Xiaowei who received his order—Su Fei, one of Huang Zu’s men—though feeling this move was poorly timed, immediately led a few people to disguise themselves and took Huang Zu’s son, Huang She, to mingle among the fleeing civilians.
Su Fei was sharp enough for a disaster; unlike his father, Huang She loved Cai Yong’s literary talent and had read quite a bit, and after a quick chat, they both knew that exiting the city now would undoubtedly make them targets in front of Sun Ce.
It would be far better to leave amidst the chaos of the opened gates and fleeing citizens.
Huang She never thought he would find himself in such a situation.
He heard the sound of the siege from the inner city, and the panic in his eyes was hard to keep at bay. “Su Xiaowei, do you think my father can withstand Sun Bo’s attack?”
Su Fei didn’t know how to answer.
If Nanchang’s outer city hadn’t been breached so abruptly, given the defensive standards here, they might have held out until nearby reinforcements arrived, coordinating with Huang Zu inside the city to at least make Sun Ce retreat.
But now, Huang Zu was in a passive position.
Those who could retreat to the inner city and launch a counterattack were few and far between, and of those elite forces, half had to stay behind. Those allowed into the inner walls weren’t as capable as the laborers from the outer city.
They might not even last two days.
All he could say was, “Junior General, we should wait for the right moment to leave the city.”
As for Huang Zu’s safety, that was no longer their concern.
Huang She remained silent for a long time, finally muttering a single word, “Okay.”
He cast a grave look toward the inner city walls, veins popping in his tense face as he heard the sounds of battle coming from that direction, but there was nothing he could do.
All he could do was wait for the most opportune moment to flee, preserving his life, and one day he would return to settle scores with Sun Ce!
Meanwhile, atop the inner city walls, Huang Zu cautiously peered outside behind the covers of his subordinates, just in time to see Sun Ce galloping toward him, showing no signs of fatigue from the relentless marching and fighting, instead radiating a decisive killing intent from the face he could only see from afar.
The next moment, he saw Sun Ce raise his hand.
Arrows shot from afar into the city, instantly carpeting the battlements.
Just as Huang Zu was being helped off the walls by his subordinates to avoid a random attack, he noticed someone discovering a paper tied to some of the fallen arrows.
When someone handed a note to Huang Zu, he was shocked to find it read: “I come for revenge against my father’s slayers, not to harm a single soul in Yang Province.”
Huang Zu had initially felt fortunate because of his subordinates’ low literacy rates, but soon heard Sun Ce’s troops all shouting that line together.
With Sun Ce’s character, he had no intention of letting someone else carry out his revenge, and he certainly wasn’t planning to bring Huang Zu to him alive.
After the shouting lasted for almost half an hour, Sun Ce suddenly led his troops and launched a fierce assault on the inner city of Nanchang.
The soldiers defending the city were already displeased with Huang Zu for sending his son away in the heat of battle. Coupled with the way Sun Ce provoked their surrender, how could they still have any fighting spirit left?
On the other hand, Sun Ce’s troops were all fired up, mere steps away from their target—the man who was one of the enemies responsible for killing Sun Jian, and the emotional tide was overwhelmingly in their favor.
Huang Zu’s subordinates were no match for such an enemy!
This inner wall that he built to flaunt wealth and power couldn’t hold them back, either!
At the moment the inner city wall was breached and climbed over, Huang Zu attempted to flee but was intercepted by Sun Ce and brought before the young general.
Sun Ce’s long spear was pressed straight against his throat.
“I’ve thought countless times about how I should act when I capture you, even imagining taking you to where my father died to execute you,”
Sun Ce’s cold gaze gazed into Huang Zu’s terrified face, suddenly feeling somewhat bored. “But you don’t even deserve the title of hero, what right do you have to make me go through the trouble?”
“You should go wait for Liu Biao underground!”
He would eventually seek revenge on Liu Biao.
As soon as Sun Ce finished speaking, he thrust his spear through Huang Zu’s throat.
As Huang Zu’s consciousness faded, he heard Sun Ce command, “Get over here, capture all of Huang Zu’s family members, and be sure to root them out completely.”
The consequence of not rooting out the roots was exactly like what he faced today seeking revenge!
It didn’t matter if Huang Zu’s son had the same capabilities as Sun Ce or could gather a force capable of threatening him in these times, the point was—
He just had to kill them first!
However, Sun Ce quickly got the news that Huang Zu’s eldest son, Huang She, had already been taken away by his subordinates when the siege began.
“He ran pretty fast,” Sun Ce’s expression darkened, “Take the soldiers who surrendered from Huang Zu and search in the direction of Yuzhang County toward Jiangxia! Be sure to bring those guys back to me!”
But at this moment, Huang She had already escaped the city as Sun Ce launched his final assault.
Guessing that Sun Ce would likely choose to hunt for survivors, he resolutely decided not to return to Jiangxia but instead head north.
The existence of the Poyang marshes greatly increased the chances of evading Sun Ce’s pursuit, and because Poyang Lake connected to the Yangtze River, if he found a boat here to head west, he could safely return to Jing Province.
Even if Liu Biao didn’t plan to seek justice for his father, he could rally the Huang Clan’s forces in Jiangxia and retaliate against Sun Ce before he firmly established himself in Yuzhang County.
But Huang She’s escape plan didn’t escape Sun Ce, who had hypothesized countless scenarios for besieging Nanchang.
Even though Huang She and Su Fei managed to reach the lakeside quickly without exposing their tracks by riding horses, they still lagged.
Soldiers had already gathered by the lake, inspecting and comparing images, some of whom were old subordinates of Huang Zu.
There was absolutely no way to survive!
Retreat exposed them, moving forward exposed them, so why not gamble everything?
Huang She scanned his surroundings, finally fixing his gaze on a merchant ship docked near the lake.
“Let’s go!”
He yanked Su Fei along and, during the moment the boatman was busy unloading goods, they hurriedly jumped onto one of the cargo ships and hid inside a cargo box.
Once settled inside the box, he let out a breath of relief.
If he wasn’t mistaken, these merchant ships had just gone through a search by Sun Ce’s men, and wouldn’t likely face a second check in a short time.
As long as these ships could set sail quickly, he’d be temporarily safe.
No matter where these ships were headed, if they could get out of this Poyang marsh and avoid Sun Ce’s eyes and ears, he had a chance at survival.
What he didn’t realize was that his and Su Fei’s escape had been clearly seen by two people on another boat anchored on the lake.
Qiao Ting withdrew her binoculars from the window and looked at her sister Qiao Lan, who was also present.
Since Sun Ce’s army had been dispatched for the past seven to eight days, the sisters hadn’t been idle either.
While they were solely responsible for intelligence work, they obviously didn’t have the capability to rescue Huang Zu. However, considering Sun Ce’s current precarious position with many internal troubles, swallowing Yuzhang County could also become a double-edged sword.
But their surveillance wasn’t completely in vain.
“Sister, it seems we’ve hooked a big fish.”
Qiao Lan adjusted her disguise as a merchant and smiled confidently, “You should be calling me ‘brother’ now.”
Indeed, they were just two sisters who had coincidentally encountered Huang She and Su Fei, having crossed paths with Su Fei due to trade in Yuzhang County.
What bad intentions could they have?
They just wanted to stir up some trouble in Yang Province.
