Honey Water Balloon (5)
Through the night, Sun Jian's army merely hesitated beyond the darkness. There was no sign of a full-scale siege.
Good thing they overestimated Xuzhou Castle.
In truth, Xuzhou had few soldiers and scant proper siege equipment.
It's Liu Bei's doing...
It wasn't that Liu Bei was incompetent or malicious.
It was simply a matter of priorities. Liu Bei had made stabilizing the lives of Xuzhou's people his top concern. Most warlords would implement something like the tun tian system, conscripting masses to bulk up their forces—but that wrecked civilian life.
Though in this era, that's just how it is.
In an age where exploitation was the norm, Liu Bei's mindset was extraordinary.
His army was somehow scraped together through voluntary enlistment. Being a soldier wasn't a bad gig in these times, so there were plenty of recruits, but still far fewer than a mass conscription like ten-thousand-man drafts.
Naturally, they hadn't ground people down to build siege engines either. The tragedy was, all they had to hold the walls were bodies.
During the day, Sun Jian might have sized up the defenses and pondered an assault, but the cover of night had bought them time. They just needed to hold until morning and see how things played out. Fire a few arrows if they approached.
After that... maybe try persuasion. No choice. In this pinch, that was the best Hail Mary they had.
For now, they kept a sleepless watch on the walls.
"Quick on the uptake, aren't they."
"Not to be trifled with, as expected."
Sun Jian's fierce generals, Cheng Pu and Han Dang, clicked their tongues as they eyed Xuzhou's walls, unbound from their ropes. In fact, Sun Jian's detachment had already set up in the woods near Xuzhou. Seeing the gates wide open with no guards, they'd planned a stealthy rush—but then Kim and Mok Lan showed up, and the defenses snapped tight.
"Sorry about that. Got spotted."
Huang Gai rubbed his sore shoulder and neck, grimacing from his recent tumble. His eyes burned with frustration.
"You clashed with this Kim fellow?" Han Dang asked.
"Yeah. Ran into him with his adjutant, Mok Lan. Tried to slit their throats quick and quiet, but they were too damn fast. Slipped away."
Huang Gai spat the words bitterly.
"He showed real prowess in that last battle too." Cheng Pu nodded.
"To escape General Huang no less." Han Dang muttered in genuine awe, not just to boost morale.
Yeah. Huang Gai wasn't weak in Sun Jian's ranks. If even he was overwhelmed... even their lord Sun Jian might not manage it. Han Dang caught himself in that irreverent thought.
"...Hmph. Guess we wait then. Lord Sun said not to gamble without certainty." Huang Gai signaled his men to hold position.
...Humiliating.
Huang Gai ground his teeth, nursing a misery Cheng Pu and Han Dang couldn't know.
Last time, he'd barely held the edge on Kim. But he'd grown stronger prowling battlefields since.
Kim's growth, though? On another level. Unrecognizably stronger now.
What the hell happened...
Huang Gai shook off a wave of self-mockery, gripped his iron mace, and stared at the castle. He'd rolled in enough wars to know hesitation meant death. Calming himself, he steeled his nerves.
And the next day.
Yuan Shu's main force marched in at the head of his army.
"Hey!! Sun Jian!! Didn't you say you'd crack Xuzhou by nightfall?!!"
Yuan Shu, clad in golden armor, lit into Sun Jian the moment he spotted him.
When pleased, he'd lavish Sun Jian with praise. But any hitch, any sour mood, and out came the abuse. His refined looks clashed oddly with the gilded plate that suited him too well.
"The enemy sniffed out our ambush and barred the gates."
Sun Jian replied with a stiff face.
"Argh!! So it's a full-frontal now?!" Yuan Shu kicked a nearby rock in rage.
He griped like it was a hassle, but inside, fear flickered.
Yuan Shu had no real talent for warfare. Even conquering Nanyang had been a slog. Most of his early feats were Sun Jian's doing; his own military skill was lackluster.
As a brigand, he'd swung a blade up front—but warlord clashes weren't brawls.
How he'd taken Nanyang? Massacred civilians outside the walls until the governor tearfully surrendered. Hardly a tactical win.
And now it was devolving into siege warfare—his worst suit.
"Sun Jian. Can you take the castle?"
"Hrm." Sun Jian said nothing more.
"Hey!! I asked if you can take it!!"
"Storming a fortress they're openly guarding tight... that's no easy task."
Sun Jian drawled slowly.
"What?! Hulao Pass! You smashed that easy!" Yuan Shu snapped.
"That was when Dong Zhuo's generals fell and morale cratered among the Xiliang troops mid-retreat. Different story."
"Find a way to take it!! Or else..." Yuan Shu was already at war with Yuan Shao's faction. Gongsun Zan's collapse left him isolated. He'd cobbled a shaky alliance with Jing Province's Liu Biao, but Liu Biao hunkered down. Snagging Xuzhou would shore him up for the fight.
"Set up a siege ring first, then play it by ear. Lure out a general for single combat, break their spirit..."
"Listen!! Do it right. You know what happens if you don't?" Yuan Shu cut him off with a threat.
In crisis, he'd hysterically lash out—a boss from hell. No matter how subordinates soothed, he'd take offense.
"Yes, yes. Go sip your precious honey water. I'll handle it."
Sun Jian retorted with deliberate snark, drew his sword, and took position.
Meanwhile.
"How dares he... dares kick me out?!!"
Lu Bu seethed over Yuan Shu's rejection. Like being spurned by someone she'd dismissed.
"Hey!! Teacher Jin!! What do we do?!"
She yelled at the bearded man stroking his chin afar.
"Ahem. Yuan Shu refused because he already has Sun Jian, that fierce general, under him."
Chen Gong explained methodically, his deliberate, plodding tone a bonus.
This Lu Bu... speak too fast or use tough words, and she flips out clueless.
An adult mind stuck at child level. That was Chen Gong's read on her. He'd regretted tailing her at times... but she was strong enough to offset it.
Might as a strategic asset. Chen Gong planned to leverage her into an anti-Cao Cao coalition and claim Cao Cao's head himself. Cao Cao was the one he least wanted surviving. He'd play dung-collector for this woman if it meant that.
"Sun Jian? You saying this Lu Bu is weaker?!"
"No, not at all. But Yuan Shu and Sun Jian go way back; he trusts him. Fengxian has no such trust. Yuan Shu picked the safe bet."
"...Right. So where to now."
Lu Bu deflated, eyes misty as she gazed at Chen Gong. Sulking like a kid.
"Yuan Shao... might work."
"Yuan Shao? Isn't he Cao Cao's buddy?"
"Cao Cao and Yuan Shao have soured some. The Zhang Miao business was the flashpoint, but they're both ambitious warlords. Yuan Shao wants Cao Cao firmly under thumb; Cao Cao chafes. Plenty of jobs in Yuan Shao's camp. Not VIP treatment, though."
Chen Gong concluded.
"Why no VIP?! This Lu Bu is matchless under heaven!!" Lu Bu flared.
Sigh... how to handle this brat...
Chen Gong inwardly sighed, then launched into measured explanation.
"Yuan Shao already felled his lifelong foe Gongsun Zan. Now he's focusing inward. Strategists outvalue swordsmen these days."
Chen Gong preached talent economics—supply and demand.
Yeah. Yuan Shao planned no wars soon. Three years building quietly in Ji Province. Generals wouldn't get prime gigs then.
"No thanks!!"
Lu Bu, hating anything but star treatment, ditched the idea.
"...If you want to be the star, go to Xuzhou's Liu Bei."
Chen Gong pulled Plan B.
"Yuan Shu and Liu Bei must be clashing over Xuzhou now. Means they need good blades. Intervene, join Liu Bei's side—secures your safety at least."
"Oho... Liu Bei’s army."
Plenty of strong warriors there. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei... even Liu Bei fought well.
Kim.
That enigmatic swordsman who'd perfectly read her strike with insight. One of Liu Bei's. The thought set Lu Bu's blood boiling.
Best as foes.
"Yes!! Let's turn back!!!"
Lu Bu wheeled her horse, grinning like she'd found fun.
"Yuan Shu's probably thrilled with Sun Jian? Let's snag his head as a gift and enlist in Liu Bei's like triumphant generals!!!"
Lu Bu hefted her Fangtian Hu Ji, smile brimming with ambition.
"..."
Chen Gong wished she wouldn't overreach for glory, but sighed in relief that she sought his counsel at all. Parents of problem kids rejoice at small virtues.
Thus, Lu Bu's force wheeled about to strike Yuan Shu's rear. Xuzhou's balance would shatter.