The Red Hare's Thousand-Li Journey – Part Two
The hero of peerless valor has descended upon Lujiang and eradicated the rebel forces that troubled us. Eat and drink to your heart’s content!
Qiao Gong had prepared a feast so lavish the table legs seemed ready to snap, all for Guan Yu and his family who had risen early that morning. For the first time in a long while, Guan Yu and those who followed him could enjoy a truly sumptuous meal.
“With this, even if the army from Jiangdong advances northward, there will be no one left for them to join forces with. Defending the region will be far easier.”
“Are the forces south of the Yangtze truly such a concern?”
Guan Yu, who had been eating in silence, casually asked the question while glancing at Qiao Gong, who sat beside him with his own solitary table set.
“To be honest… they have been. The previous governor, Lord Liu, also faced constant threats from the powers south of the river who coveted this land. And after Sun Ce and Zhou Yu pacified Jiangdong, they have been looking for any opportunity to cross over through here.”
“I seem to recall hearing that my disciple took both of your daughters as wives and drove those rascals away.”
“Hahaha, that son-in-law of mine hasn’t come down to visit since the wedding, but he has been making quite the name for himself in Hebei and has even given me grandchildren. So I suppose I can let it slide.”
“Recently that friend of ours captured Yuan Tan, the eldest son of Grand General Yuan Shao, while in Hebei. They say he continues to distinguish himself by capturing many of Yuan Shao’s generals.”
“Oh? Is that so?”
“When he briefly returned to Xuchang to resupply, he caught me just as I was leaving and asked me to look after his wife’s family in this region. He was worried about them.”
“Ah, aha!”
Qiao Gong slapped his knee at that moment. In truth, he had bowed to Cao Cao after reading the tides of the era, but after that son-in-law named Cao Xiu took both daughters he had raised like precious jade, the man had shown no further interest in the area. Moreover, after learning that his youngest daughter was pregnant, he had suddenly demanded supplies and provisions for Hebei, even asking for the last of Qiao Gong’s remaining wealth under the pretext that defense south of the Yangtze was critical.
Having gained a son-in-law, grandchildren, and the governorship was all well and good, but Qiao Gong had begun to worry that his entire family fortune would be drained. Yet now that same son-in-law had sent down this peerless warrior to sweep away all the surrounding warlords who had been a constant source of anxiety.
“Indeed, he truly is my son-in-law. Now I can finally rest easy!”
Qiao Gong ultimately decided that this was simply how things were for great clans in turbulent times. Rather than begrudging his wealth or his daughters, he resolved to go all the way and continue providing support in the future.
That same evening, he received a report from a secret agent who had arrived in Lujiang.
“So my elder brother, who had taken refuge with Yuan Shao, has safely crossed the Yellow River and is taking a detour instead of heading through Xuchang or Luoyang?”
“That is correct. The general has come out under the pretext of searching for Imperial Uncle Liu, but since we cannot predict when Cao Cao might grow suspicious again and seek out the Imperial Uncle’s whereabouts, the suggestion is that you linger around the Yuzhou region a while longer.”
“Hmm. Until my brother arrives safely, I suppose I must endure the inconvenience. Understood.”
After sending the agent away, Guan Yu read the personal letter Liu Bei had written. A complex mix of emotions crossed his face as he murmured softly.
…Elder Brother, when will the three of us be able to truly reunite?
***
“Go back. Aren’t you originally soldiers of the Lujiang governor?”
“General of the Side, we have come because we were awed by your peerless martial prowess and noble character! We wish to follow you!”
“That is correct. We have already spoken with the governor, and we do not mind following you even a thousand li. Please, take us under your command!”
At some point, people began appearing in Lujiang who had been captivated by Guan Yu’s overwhelming martial might and sense of justice, wishing to follow him. Guan Yu stroked his beard with a troubled expression.
“This is the sort of thing my elder brother is good at. I have no leisure to look after others.”
“Then we shall follow you to where Imperial Uncle Liu resides.”
“Are you all out of your minds? Even if our affiliations differ, aren’t you all serving within Chancellor Cao’s domain?”
“We have no wives or children. We will devote ourselves to righteousness.”
“Indeed.”
“What troublesome fellows.”
Guan Yu deliberately avoided them, mounting the Red Hare waiting in the stable and galloping away. They, too, tried to follow despite being poor riders.
“Ah! General Guan! General Guan!”
In the midst of this, he happened to run into Qiao Gong.
“General Guan, I was just looking for you.”
“What is it this time?”
Captured against his will, Guan Yu followed Qiao Gong into a room to talk.
“According to intelligence, it seems the army from Jiangdong will soon march on this place.”
“What? Hmm…”
Guan Yu thought for a moment and shook his head.
“I am only staying here temporarily while I wait for my own objective. Having already left Chancellor Cao, I have no intention of fighting his army.”
“Yes, I am well aware of your circumstances, General Guan. Still, could you perhaps conduct a single reconnaissance to check if there are any suspicious spies along the Yangtze? I will provide you with all the soldiers and supplies you need.”
“A simple reconnaissance… I suppose I can do it just once. After that, we will head west.”
Yunam Commandery, west of Lujiang, was only a single mountain pass away. From Guan Yu’s perspective, Qiao Gong’s request was not too burdensome. Since the governor was asking him to lead the scouts and take a look, he decided to go. It would also buy time for his young daughter, who was suffering from a cold, to receive proper treatment.
***
“Haa… So I end up coming back here after all.”
A group of scouts crossed over from the Yangtze region.
“My lord, how can you undertake such a task in person?”
“Shh—”
The one who had crossed the Yangtze was Sun Ce, courtesy name Bofu. After suffering a bitter defeat in Lujiang, he had come to lay the groundwork for a comeback and to prepare an attack north of the river. Following him were Dong Xi, Zhang Xun, Zhou Tai, and Chen Wu, who accompanied their lord both to protect him and to scout.
“This is something a general must do himself. In the past, my father, Lord Wucheng, would personally lead a few thousand men on reconnaissance missions like this.”
Sun Ce’s father, Sun Jian, along with Han Dang, Huang Gai, Cheng Pu, and Zu Mao, who had always taken the lead in forward scouting. Having witnessed it since childhood, Sun Ce had chosen to step forward once again.
When he had faced Yangzhou Inspector Liu Yao in the past, he had taken only a dozen subordinates to scout and ended up dueling Taishi Ci in single combat. After conquering Liu Yao’s forces, he had taken the man under his wing. After the recent defeat, Sun Ce had returned to his former fearless self and resolved to prepare thoroughly from beginning to end.
I will wash away the shame of Lujiang with my own hands. Losing my composure over nothing more than a woman I intended to take as a concubine… I must never repeat such a mistake.
Zhou Yu, who had fought alongside him at the time, had also sworn off wine and hunting after the Lujiang incident. He had devoted himself entirely to military strategy and the art of command, honing his skills on the Jingzhou front.
“I will turn the bitter taste of our last defeat into medicine. This time, I will seize Lujiang without fail.”
The young generals following Sun Ce looked at their lord with eyes full of admiration. To them, Sun Ce was an absolute powerhouse, and the previous defeat had long been dismissed as nothing more than a momentary lapse caused by hot-blooded impulsiveness.
“There is a shortcut from here to Lujiang City. From now on, carry only your swords. Tie the horses to the wagons and hide our main weapons among the straw. We will pose as wandering folk and wandering knights.”
“Understood, my lord!”
“There is also an army under Yi Shu that has promised to respond to us. Depending on the situation, we will either attack together or buy time until the main Jiangdong force arrives for a coordinated assault.”
Having set their grand strategy, Sun Ce and his men first set out for Lujiang under the guise of a band of wandering knights drifting through the chaotic world.
Shweeee—
“Hm?!”
Sun Ce instinctively drew his sword and struck downward. He thought it was an arrow aimed at him, but—
Crack—
What he had blocked was not an arrow. Only after the fact did he realize it was an enormous crescent blade so heavy it shattered his sword and sent his body flying from the impact.
Crash! Bang! Thud!
“Ugh!”
“My lord! My lord!”
The Blue Dragon Crescent Blade that Sun Ce had barely deflected embedded itself deep into a towering tree.
“So Qiao Gong was right. The rats really are crawling up from above the Yangtze.”
From Guan Yu’s perspective, he had only agreed to help with ‘one single’ reconnaissance along the Yangtze before heading to Yunam to meet Liu Bei. Yet in that ‘one single’ outing, he had run straight into Sun Ce’s group.
Sun Ce, too, stared wide-eyed at the giant who had suddenly hurled a crescent blade at them.
Sring— Shing—
“We will step forward.”
“Do not interfere!”
Sun Ce shouted at his four subordinates—Zhang Xun, Zhou Tai, Chen Wu, and Dong Xi—then brushed the dirt from his clothes and stood up.
“A giant of nine chi in height, with a red face and long beard, wielding a crescent blade… There is said to be only one such man in the Central Plains. I wonder if it is the person I am thinking of?”
“So the young one has heard of me? Out of a sense of duty I came out to scout, but if you turn back now, I will pretend I never saw you. Return to where you came from at once.”
Guan Yu’s arrogant words pulled the final trigger on Sun Ce’s temper.
“Dong Xi, bring my halberd from the wagon.”
“…!”
“If that man is indeed Guan Yu, I do not know why he is in Lujiang, but he is clearly someone destined to stand in the way of the Sun family’s great cause. This, too, must be fate.”
“The Sun family? Great cause? Weren’t you merely the leader of a band of bandits?”
“Silence! I am Sun Ce! Son of General Who Breaks the Enemy and Lord Wucheng, and head of the great Sun clan!”
Sun Ce charged at Guan Yu with his halberd raised. Guan Yu, seemingly pleased by the young man’s spirit, dismounted and faced him on foot.
Clanggggg—
“Not bad at all.”
“I am used to this sort of thing. In the past, I defeated the valiant Taishi Ci of Qingzhou in exactly this manner.”
“For the leader of a warlord faction to move in such a way is quite unusual. And you even took Taishi Ci under your wing?”
Guan Yu immediately recalled the valiant Taishi Ci he had met while traveling with Liu Bei in Qingzhou.
“Guan Yu, your martial prowess is said to be second only to Taishi Ci’s! Let us settle this here and now. If I win, join me in my great cause!”
“The boy speaks far too boldly.”
At that moment, Guan Yu’s face twisted. With raw power, he knocked Sun Ce away.
Booom—
With a face flushed crimson, Guan Yu strode forward holding his crescent blade. He looked like a red god of war wrapped in the coils of a blue dragon.
“My lord!”
“I told you not to interfere! The Sun family’s great cause will advance by toppling even a boulder as massive as this!”
Driven by a competitive spirit that refused to yield, Sun Ce charged again. Though he was only half Guan Yu’s size and had the delicate features of a handsome youth, the fact that he dared speak of a great cause and fight Guan Yu head-on piqued the latter’s interest. Guan Yu showed no mercy and fought with full strength.
Clang— Clang— Clang!
Each strike carried enough power to tear a human body apart. Trees snapped and boulders shattered as both men fought with everything they had.
From Guan Yu’s perspective, this was the first interesting young man he had met in a long time. He observed his opponent with serious eyes. They passed ten exchanges, then twenty. At last, Sun Ce’s halberd slipped past Guan Yu’s Blue Dragon blade and flew toward his head.
Swish—
But Guan Yu lowered his head, and the blade only sliced through the green silk scarf he wore like a helmet. In that opening, Guan Yu’s foot flew forward.
Crack!
“Ugh!”
It was not a weapon but a kick, yet it came from a giant over nine chi tall. The tremendous impact felt like being struck by a horse’s hind leg. Sun Ce’s small frame flew backward and slammed into a tree behind him.
“My lord!”
At that moment, Zhou Tai and Zhang Xun could no longer hold back and charged at Guan Yu. Guan Yu steadied his stance, stroked his beard once, and casually deflected their simultaneous attacks.
“Who told you to interfere? Withdraw at once!”
Spitting blood, Sun Ce picked up his halberd and walked toward Guan Yu again. There was not the slightest hesitation. His will to fight Guan Yu head-on from beginning to end burned fiercely.
Father… Was I wrong? Did I underestimate the martial might of the Central Plains too greatly?
He had joined the army at sixteen. After his father Sun Jian was killed in Jingzhou, he had charged alone into the heart of Liu Biao’s army to recover the remains, becoming the head of the Sun clan. Under Yuan Shu, he had crushed all the surrounding warlords through sheer force. Using his father’s legacy, the Imperial Jade Seal, as collateral, he had raised a thousand soldiers and conquered five commanderies in Jiangdong. He had repelled every powerful clan and warlord in the region and become the hegemon of Yangzhou. All of it had been accomplished by advancing through power alone.
He had believed absolutely in his own strength, but for the first time in his life, he had encountered a wall. Yet he had no intention of retreating. The Tiger of Jiangdong could not possibly tuck his tail between his legs in a one-on-one duel where no one else would interfere!
“Guan Yuuuuuu!”
Creak— Creeeeak—
“Hmph!”
Boooom!
Guan Yu did not dodge Sun Ce’s desperate final strike. He met it directly with his Blue Dragon Crescent Blade. After a contest of pure strength, he knocked the weapon aside and slammed the airborne Sun Ce back down to the ground with full force.
Sun Ce vomited blood as he flew once more. His four subordinates rushed in and barely managed to catch him.
“My lord! My lord!”
“My lord, come to your senses!”
Guan Yu quietly examined his Blue Dragon blade. There was no blood on the dragon’s fangs.
“His spirit pleased me, so I struck him with the shaft instead of the blade. He should not be dead. Take him and return to Jiangdong.”
Having finished what he came to do, Guan Yu turned away indifferently. At that moment, Zhou Tai, Zhang Xun, Chen Wu, and Dong Xi rose in fury at the man who had left their lord on the verge of death.
Sensing their tremendous killing intent, Guan Yu stopped in place and spoke in a low voice.
“However, if you fools insist on seeking revenge for your lord and come at me now…”
Guan Yu turned his head. His eyes glowed with a terrifying light as he glared at the four men.
“…I will not refuse you as fellow warriors!”
Overwhelmed by Guan Yu’s absolute dominance that crushed even the killing intent of the four warriors Sun Ce himself had acknowledged, they gritted their teeth, clenched their fists, and prepared to carry their lord back.
The reconnaissance mission to cross north of the Yangtze and strike Lujiang had ended in complete failure.
In Hebei, news spread that after Yuan Shao’s death, his heir Yuan Tan had been slain by Cao Xiu of the Cao army. In Jiangdong, the hegemon of Yangzhou, Sun Ce, had personally led a reconnaissance to strike Cao Cao’s rear only to be defeated by Guan Yu and forced to retreat.
After this final act, Guan Yu no longer intervened in Cao Cao’s rear. He gathered his family and left Lujiang, heading toward Yunam.