Reborn In The Three Kingdoms

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Shi Xie’s army was closing in, and the fragile trust he had built with the people of Lingling could shatter the moment soldiers appeared on their borders. Late one evening, Zhou Yu sat with Chen Qian in his quarters, poring over maps and reports. ”Shi Xie is no fool,” Zhou Yu muttered, his voice heavy with concern. ”If he suspects the Sun Clan’s innocence, yet still marches, it means his ambitions go beyond defending his domain.”

Chen Qian furrowed his brows. ”You think he aims to seize Lingling for himself?”

Zhou Yu nodded grimly. ”Lingling is a strategic prize. Whoever controls it has a direct path into Jing Province. Shi Xie may be using this chaos as a pretext to expand his territory. We cannot allow that to happen.”

As they strategized, a messenger arrived with urgent news that Shi Xie’s army, though visibly fatigued, had accelerated its pace and was now less than a week from Lingling. Zhou Yu’s heart sank.

”We’re running out of time,” he said, rising from his seat. ”Prepare our envoys. I will send one last appeal to Shi Xie. If he refuses to listen, we will have no choice but to call upon our army for reinforcements.”

The following morning, Zhou Yu dispatched a trusted envoy to meet Shi Xie’s generals en route to Lingling. The envoy carried evidence meticulously prepared by Zhou Yu, proof of Ju Shou’s manipulations, the forged letters, and the accounts of local witnesses who had come forward under Zhou Yu’s persuasion.

Alongside these documents was a letter personally written by Zhou Yu, appealing to Shi Xie’s sense of reason and urging him to reconsider his campaign.

The envoy reached Shi Xie’s camp just as the exhausted soldiers were making camp for the night. The general in charge, a grizzled veteran named Zhang Jian, listened to the envoy’s message with a skeptical frown.

”These are serious accusations,” Zhang Jian said, flipping through the documents. ”But why should we trust the Sun Clan’s word over our own intelligence? For all we know, this could be another ploy to delay us.”

The envoy remained composed. ”General Zhang, I implore you to consider the state of your men. They are weary, and were pushed beyond their limits. Marching into Lingling under false pretenses will only lead to unnecessary bloodshed. My lord Zhou Yu seeks not war, but understanding.”

Zhang Jian hesitated. The envoy’s words rang true, but the shadow of Shi Xie’s wrath loomed large. ”I will deliver this to Lord Shi Xie,” he said finally. ”But I make no promises. His mind is set on Lingling.”

When Zhang Jian sent his envoy to present Zhou Yu’s appeal to Shi Xie, the warlord’s response was swift and brutal. He barely glanced at the documents before tossing them aside. ”Zhou Yu thinks he can play me for a fool?” Shi Xie snarled. ”No matter how eloquent his words, the Sun Clan’s intentions are clear. They want Lingling, and I will not let them have it.”

”But my lord,” Zhang Jian’s envoy ventured cautiously, ”the evidence—”

”Enough!” Shi Xie thundered, slamming his fist on the table. ”This is not about evidence or truth. It is about survival. If we hesitate now, we show weakness. Do you think the Sun Clan will spare us if we falter? No, we press on. Lingling will fall, and with it, our enemies’ ambitions.”

With that, Shi Xie ordered the army to resume its march at dawn, despite the protests of Zheng Jian’s envoy and his officials about the soldiers’ deteriorating condition. ”They will fight,” Shi Xie said coldly. ”Because they must.”

As Shi Xie’s army neared Lingling, Zhou Yu prepared for the inevitable. He sent urgent messages to Cheng Pu, Han Dang, and Zhou Tai, who lead the Sun Clan’s army in the southeast requesting reinforcements, while fortifying Lingling’s defenses as best he could. The townsfolk, though still wary, began to rally behind Zhou Yu, swayed by his tireless efforts to protect their city.

Late into the night in Xiangyang, Ju Shou paced the chamber where Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue, and Wang Xiu sat in thoughtful silence.

The sudden convergence of multiple armies on Lingling had complicated his plans. Shi Xie’s relentless march, Zhou Yu’s desperate call for reinforcements, and the growing unrest among Lingling’s people had turned what was meant to be a careful manipulation into a chaotic web. Ju Shou turned to the other three of Liu Bei’s advisors, his voice tense.

”Shi Xie was meant to be a tool, not to develop the situation into this situation,” Ju Shou muttered. ”His aggression should have destabilized the Sun Clan without dragging us into the fray so soon. Now Zhou Yu has summoned reinforcements, and the Sun Clan’s position strengthens. What do we do?”

Kuai Liang, the elder of the two Kuai brothers, folded his arms. ”The time for subtlety has passed. Diplomacy cannot contain this any longer. If we delay, the Sun Clan will solidify their defense, and Shi Xie’s forces may falter under their fatigue.”

Kuai Yue added, ”The people of Lingling, too, are beginning to side with Zhou Yu. His actions have shown them his dedication to their safety. If Zhou Yu’s reinforcements arrive before Shi Xie breaches the city, it will embolden the Sun Clan further.”

Wang Xiu nodded in agreement. ”We have no choice but to act decisively. The army prepared for Lingling must march.”

Ju Shou frowned but nodded. The others’ reasoning was sound. He took a deep breath and strode out of the chamber, determined to persuade Liu Bei. Within the hour, Liu Bei was brought to the council room.

Draped in modest robes, his expression was one of sorrowful resolve as he listened to Ju Shou’s explanation. Yet beneath his veneer of righteousness, Liu Bei’s thoughts churned with satisfaction.

”This is a sad day for the people of Lingling,” Liu Bei said, his voice heavy with feigned sorrow. ”But I cannot stand idly by while they are caught between such ruthless forces. We will send the army.” He looked to Ju Shou. ”May Heaven forgive us for the bloodshed that will follow.”

Despite his words, Liu Bei’s inner elation was unmistakable to those who knew him well. The opportunity to secure Lingling under the guise of protecting its people was too valuable to ignore. Soon after, the army of 170,000 soldiers, commanded by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, began their march south.

Meanwhile, in Xiapi, Jia Xu sat in quiet frustration. His intricate plan to expose Ju Shou and Liu Bei’s machinations in Lingling had been thrown into disarray by the sudden mobilization of armies.

The Oriole agents that had been stationed in Lingling and the surrounding areas were meant to operate discreetly, gathering evidence and turning public opinion against Ju Shou. But with three armies converging on Lingling, there was no time to wait.

Jia Xu summoned his most trusted aides. ”The Oriole agents must act now,” he said firmly. ”Their mission is no longer limited to gathering intelligence. They must tip the scales in Zhou Yu’s favor.”

His orders were clear, sabotage Shi Xie’s supplies and spread misinformation among his ranks to sow distrust and confusion. Against Liu Bei’s forces, the agents were to target key commanders and supply lines. Lingling itself would become a hub of clandestine resistance, with agents working to bolster the city’s defenses and undermine the invading forces from within.

As the sun rose over Lingling, Zhou Yu stood atop the city walls, his sharp eyes scanning the horizon. Reports from scouts indicated that Shi Xie’s army was less than two days away. The townsfolk, who had initially been skeptical of Zhou Yu’s intentions, had begun to rally behind him. His tireless efforts to protect them, coupled with his calm and decisive leadership, had won their trust.

Chen Qian approached, his expression grim. ”The defenses are as ready as they’ll ever be,” he said. ”But against Shi Xie’s numbers, we’ll need those reinforcements sooner rather than later.”

Zhou Yu nodded. ”Cheng Pu and Han Dang won’t fail us. Until then, we hold. Lingling must not fall.”

That evening, as the city braced for the impending siege, Zhou Yu received a cryptic message. It bore no signature but detailed plans for sabotaging Shi Xie’s supply lines and spreading discontent among his troops. Zhou Yu’s instincts told him this was the work of someone behind the scenes. Though wary of trusting such shadowy assistance, he knew they had no choice but to seize every advantage.

Shi Xie’s army was in disarray. Days of forced marches and dwindling supplies had pushed his soldiers to their limits. Morale was plummeting, and whispers of desertion spread like wildfire. To make matters worse, unexplained fires had destroyed several key supply wagons, and poisoned rations had sickened dozens of troops.

One of Zhang Jian’s commanders confronted Zhang Jian in the command tent. ”My lord, we cannot continue like this,” he argued. ”The men are exhausted, and our supplies are vanishing faster than we can replenish them. Someone is sabotaging us.”

Zhang Jian’s face darkened. ”Cowards and traitors,” he spat. ”They will pay for this. But we press on. If we falter now, we show weakness.”

Zhang Jian’s commander sighed but knew better than to argue further. As he left the tent, he couldn’t shake the feeling that they were marching into a trap.

Meanwhile, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei’s forces moved swiftly, their disciplined soldiers cutting through the southern roads. Though their progress was steady, they too began encountering unexpected resistance.

Bridges collapsed mysteriously just before their arrival, and scouts reported enemy skirmishers ambushing supply convoys. Guan Yu, ever cautious, tightened security around their supply lines, while Zhang Fei bristled at the unseen foe.

”These cowards hide in the shadows,” Zhang Fei growled. ”Let me take a detachment and root them out!”

Guan Yu shook his head. ”We cannot waste time on distractions, third brother. Our goal is Lingling. Stay focused, brother.”

In Lingling, the Oriole agents worked tirelessly. Under the cover of the night, they sabotaged Shi Xie’s siege equipment and spread rumors among his ranks of a Sun Clan counterattack. Within the city, they rallied the townsfolk to support Zhou Yu, using their influence to turn public opinion firmly against Shi Xie and Liu Bei.

When news of Liu Bei’s army reached Lingling, Zhou Yu’s concern deepened. ”Two armies converging on us,” he murmured to Chen Qian. ”The odds grow longer.”

Chen Qian frowned. ”And yet, something doesn’t add up. Why would Liu Bei send such a massive force now? He claims to protect Lingling, but his true intentions...”

Zhou Yu nodded. ”He seeks to claim Lingling for himself. We must be prepared for treachery from all sides.”

As the three armies converged on Lingling, tensions reached a boiling point. Shi Xie’s forces, weakened by sabotage and low morale, arrived first, setting up camp outside the city. His officers urged caution, but Zhang Jian was determined to attack before the Sun Clan reinforcements could arrive.

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Name: Lie Fan

Title: Overlord Of The Central Plains

Age: 32 (199 AD)

Level: 16

Next Level: 462,000

Renown: 1325

Cultivation: Yin Yang Separation (level 9)

SP: 1,121,700

ATTRIBUTE POINTS

STR: 951 (+20)

VIT: 613 (+20)

AGI: 598 (+10)

INT: 617

CHR: 96

WIS: 519

WILL: 407

ATR Points: 0