Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 727: Wen Pin retreats and Zhang Ji dies

The emperor glanced at his ministers with a determined look as he continued, "As for Zhou Yu, he assisted Sun Ce in achieving numerous remarkable feats. His talents should not be underestimated. I enfeoff him as a marquis and extend his fiefdom to his hometown. This is not only a recognition of his achievements, but also a message to the world that I am eager to seek talented individuals. As long as they possess talent and have made contributions, I will not treat them unfairly. Now is the time to recruit talents. Only by ennobling meritorious officials can I inspire more soldiers to fight bravely and ensure the stability of our Han Dynasty."

After hearing the emperor's words, the court officials still had some doubts in their hearts, but seeing that the emperor had made up his mind, they did not want to refute him any further. The hall gradually quieted down, and everyone silently accepted the emperor's decision.

The emperor sat high on the dragon throne with a calm expression. After glancing around the court, he said in a loud voice: "In this battle, all the soldiers fought bravely and made outstanding contributions. I have announced to the world that all the meritorious officials who participated in this battle and whose contributions are recorded in the battle report will be rewarded according to their merits. I will not let down all your passionate and loyal souls!" After that, the ministers were excited and knelt on the ground to express their gratitude, shouting "Long live the emperor", and their voices echoed throughout the hall.

The emperor raised his hand, motioning for everyone to stand. His expression softened slightly as he spoke, "I will convey my decree to Ma Chao and the other generals. Yuan Shu's crimes are heinous, condemning them to the wrath of both gods and men. However, I have compassion and cannot bear to see his suffering. There is no need to exterminate him. Ma Chao and the others are to receive this decree and immediately return to Chang'an to report. Do not attack Shouchun; return to Chang'an first. I have important military and national matters to discuss with them."

As soon as the emperor's words fell, the court was abuzz with discussion. The ministers whispered to each other, secretly trying to guess the emperor's intentions. However, the emperor's order was so majestic that no one dared to disobey. They could only obey and wait for further instructions.

After the court meeting, the emperor sat in his study, contemplating for a moment. Then, summoning a trusted eunuch, he whispered to him to secretly travel to Wujun and seek out Zhang Hong. The emperor's tone was filled with undeniable urgency: "You must find Zhang Hong and secretly inquire about the progress of their arrangements. Ma Chao and Sun Ce are now at the height of their power, and the time for action has almost arrived. This matter is of grave importance; no word of it must leak." The eunuch, receiving the order, hurriedly withdrew, disguised himself, and rode at full speed towards Wujun.

At the same time, the emperor wrote three more decrees, dispatching them by express horse to Liu Bei, Lü Bu, and Gongsun Zan. These decrees specifically ordered a temporary halt to the military campaign against Ji Province. Gongsun Zan was ordered to immediately lead his army back to You Province to consolidate the northern defenses; Liu Bei and Lü Bu were to withdraw their armies to Chang'an and await further deployment.

Once everything was settled, the emperor slowly rose, walked to his inner chamber, and reclined on a soft couch, closing his eyes to rest. Soft light streamed through the window lattice onto his weary face. Now that all he needed to do was wait patiently for feedback on these instructions. Then, he could proceed methodically with his next plan. Everything was proceeding step by step according to his meticulously laid plan.

The emperor lazily leaned on the luxurious couch, his face filled with fatigue and weariness. He gently raised his hand to the eunuch beside him, and his voice, though soft, was filled with unquestionable authority: "Go, have Concubine Wang bring the little prince here."

Back in the day, Concubine Wang successfully gave birth to a prince. Although the emperor was addicted to elixirs and frequently favored concubines, Concubine Wang was no longer as favored as before. However, this prince she gave birth to was the emperor's only child, so his status was naturally very important, and the emperor would occasionally summon her to meet him.

Wang Yue, who had lost the emperor's favor due to a scheme by his apprentice Shi A, had since devoted his attention to the newborn prince, taking on the role of secret guard. Upon hearing the emperor's decree requesting Concubine Wang to bring the prince to an audience, Wang Yue took no chances and personally led a group of guards to greet him.

Soon, Concubine Wang, flanked by guards, carefully cradled the infant prince into the inner hall. Her figure was graceful, and her eyes held the tenderness and apprehension of a new mother. However, the emperor didn't even glance at her, his gaze fixed squarely on the little prince in her arms.

A gentle smile instantly appeared on the emperor's face. He gently waved his hand, motioning Concubine Wang to come closer. After taking the prince, the emperor enthusiastically teased him, and the little prince giggled, and the crisp laughter made the emperor even more cheerful.

After teasing for a while, the emperor gradually felt tired. He waved his hand and said to Concubine Wang, "You go down and take good care of yourself and take good care of the prince." Concubine Wang knelt slightly in salute, a trace of loss flashed in her eyes, but she could only retreat silently.

The emperor watched Concubine Wang depart, thinking to himself, "My child, when I have brought the Han court into perfect order, you will be able to live a peaceful and secure life as the Emperor. Then, I will emulate the Yellow Emperor, recruiting beauties and seeking the path to immortality. You only need to safeguard this land and lead a smooth life."

But as soon as the thought came to his mind, the emperor felt a strong sense of drowsiness. He frowned slightly and quickly waved his hand, signaling everyone to leave. Then, he couldn't wait to ask the eunuch to quickly bring the elixir. He tilted his head back, swallowed the elixir, leaned back on the couch, closed his eyes, and waited for the elixir to take effect.

Soon, the elixir's effects began to take effect within the emperor's body. He, originally exhausted and sleepy, suddenly felt refreshed, his eyes gleaming with a strange light. He waved to the eunuch beside him impatiently, his voice tinged with urgency, "Hurry, call a few beauties over."

The eunuchs obeyed the order and hurried away without delay. A moment later, several beauties of stunning beauty and graceful figures were brought before the emperor. It was daytime, and sunlight streamed into the hall through the window lattices, but the emperor paid no heed to the broad daylight, his eyes revealing an irrepressible desire.

He made no secret of himself, beckoning the beauties closer. Then, within the palace, he began his absurd act. The entire palace was permeated with an atmosphere of extravagance and indulgence, and the emperor, absorbed in it, had long since forgotten his proper dignity as an emperor and his responsibilities to the government. At this moment, as if bewitched by the elixir, he acted recklessly, driven by desire and allowing himself to be lost in this fleeting pleasure.

Ever since receiving the order to lift the siege of Wancheng, Zhang Liao had led his cavalry, galloping through the dusty streets towards Wancheng to reinforce it. The clatter of horse hooves shattered the silence of the plains, and the dust they kicked up formed a long, yellow dragon behind them.

Meanwhile, Wen Pin, a general in Liu Biao's army surrounding Wancheng, also received the news. The entire Yangzhou region had been pacified. This news was like a hammer, hammering home to Wen Pin that Jingzhou would not dare to start a war at this moment. Furthermore, Ma Chao was currently at the height of his power, renowned far and wide, and his troops were exceptionally brave and skilled. How could he dare to provoke such a formidable foe? It would be like pulling teeth from a tiger's mouth, courting disaster. Before Zhang Liao and his men could arrive, Wen Pin hastily ordered a withdrawal.

Soon after, Zhang Liao arrived at Wancheng. The sight before him was shocking: Wancheng was draped in white, a scene of mournful solemnity. Zhang Xiu's uncle, Zhang Ji, had been forcing himself to hold on despite his illness, relying on his tenacious will to persevere during the siege of Wen Pin's army. Now that Wen Pin's army had retreated, he finally breathed his last and passed away.

Looking at the scene in front of him, Zhang Liao looked solemn. He knew that this was undoubtedly a heavy blow to Zhang Xiu, and the subsequent situation in Wancheng would be full of more variables.

Zhang Liao looked solemnly at Zhang Xiu and said sincerely, "We absolutely cannot conceal such a serious matter now. We must inform our lord, Ma Chao. He may be heading for Wujun right now. Troops march at different speeds, so we must quickly send a messenger to pursue him. Even if we can't catch up, we must find him in Wujun and make sure he takes charge of the situation. After all, General Zhang Ji's dying request was that you abandon Wancheng and return to Xiliang with him. This matter is of great importance, and only our lord can make the final decision."

Zhang Xiu's brow furrowed as he listened, his heart filled with conflict and turmoil. He sighed deeply and spoke slowly, "Wenyuan, you're absolutely right. However, my uncle's funeral arrangements haven't been taken care of yet, and I can't bear to leave him like this. Wancheng may be small, but it's the fruit of my uncle's years of hard work. Now that he's gone, I wouldn't be willing to give it up so easily."

Zhang Liao nodded in understanding and patted Zhang Xiu on the shoulder. "I understand your concerns, but the situation is complex right now. We can't afford to lose sight of the bigger picture. Our lord, Ma Chao, possesses extraordinary strategic vision, and only he can guide us. Furthermore, returning to Xiliang isn't a bad idea. The terrain there is strategic and easy to defend, yet difficult to attack. Under our lord's leadership, we can gather strength and pursue greater goals in the future."

After a long moment of deliberation, Zhang Xiu finally made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and said, "Very well, I will do as you say. I will immediately arrange for the personnel to take care of my uncle's funeral, and I will also send my most capable messenger to find our lord as soon as possible."

The messenger galloped all the way, sleeping in the open air and eating and drinking from the river when he was hungry, just to catch up with Ma Chao as soon as possible.

Far away in Yangzhou, Ma Chao and his companions were completely unaware of Chang'an's decision and the events unfolding in Wancheng. Having already made all necessary arrangements, Ma Chao decided to travel light, still relying on Gan Ning's Jinfan Army for protection. By this time, Yangzhou had been pacified, and Ma Chao, uninterested in competing with Sun Ce for power, simply entrusted all matters to Sun Ce.

He, Sun Ce, and Zhou Yu traveled to Wu Commandery, sailing down the river. It was September, the flood season long past, and the river was clear and crisp, with sunlight gently shimmering on the shimmering waters.

Ma Chao stood at the bow, letting the river breeze caress his face, his hair flowing in the wind, his eyes radiating contentment and relaxation. Sun Ce, beside him, laughed heartily, excitedly chatting with Zhou Yu about the scenery and past anecdotes along the way. Zhou Yu waved a feather fan, a gentle smile on his face, and his occasional witty remarks drew laughter from the crowd. Along the way, the brothers were free and unfettered, savoring this rare leisure time to the fullest, feeling incredibly comfortable, as if they had forgotten the conflicts and troubles of the world.

Finally, not far from Wujun, the messenger found Ma Chao and his entourage. He ignored his fatigue and rushed towards Ma Chao with all his might.

At that moment, Ma Chao was chatting and laughing with Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, discussing future strategic plans. Suddenly, a soldier hurried over and said in a panic, "General, there's an urgent messenger requesting an audience!" Ma Chao was startled, sensing something was amiss, and immediately ordered the messenger to come in.