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In the battles led by Lei Bu, although defeats outnumbered victories, Lei Bu managed to preserve his forces. Such resilience was indeed remarkable. Precisely because of having such an army, ever since they were stationed in the various cities, Lei Bu began to disregard Li Shu’s orders. The soldiers under Lei Bu were not only brave and skilled in battle but also lawless, often harassing the local populace to the point of unbearable suffering. Eventually, they outright occupied Tianzhu Mountain as bandits and went on a spree of plundering in Shouchun.

Now, it was clear that Lei Bu was about to erupt in fury, and Chen Lan could not afford to remain idle. However, the situation was awkward. Chen Lan was regarded as the elder brother by Lei Bu mainly because he was older and a bit sharper-witted, and in truth, their ranks were equal. Back under Li Shu, both were generals. But now, Chen Lan was no match for Lei Bu in combat prowess, nor was he as heartfelt toward his troops. If Lei Bu gave the order, half of the forces on Tianzhu Mountain could easily desert.

What then? Fight Lei Bu? Ridiculous! Internal strife was not something anyone could afford to gamble on.

Chen Lan did not expect Lei Bu to be such a strategist—these people in the city really knew how to play the game! Would they not suppress their grievances?

“Second brother, do not be impulsive. Let us consider this carefully, take our time to plan,” Chen Lan softened his tone, but Lei Bu was relentless.

“Brother, you are a warrior, yet you always dress like a scholar. If you want to defect to Cao Cao, I will follow you. If you want to restore your reputation, I will follow you too.”

“But look now, that old dog Cao Cao does not want us. Have you restored your reputation? Are you sure that brat Li Miao will help you? Even if he does, won’t others see through it? Besides, Mei Qian was our own envoy. Could Li Miao not uncover the truth?”

“I’m a rough man, but I can see through these nonsense matters. The more I think, the more it feels wrong. Tell me, if Zhang Xun is not at Jiangting to protect Li Miao, why did he come here with Li Yin?”

“Now I understand: Li Yin brought Zhang Xun here to intimidate us. He wanted to watch us suffer and then trick us into supplying him with provisions. And what happened? We lost supplies and our dignity.”

With a sharp clang, Lei Bu slammed down his long sword, roaring, “Chen Lan! Think about it—isn’t that how it is? You’re overthinking; I, a rough man, see things clearly. Our reputation has truly fallen, and our supplies and weapons are gone!”

“We’ve been played and are still counting money for others!”

Chen Lan was struck as if by lightning.

Damn, this guy...

Made a lot of sense.

Could it be true? Oh heavens, what have I done? Chen Lan began to realize—could it be that he was trapped within the very scheme without knowing it?

The more Chen Lan thought, the more alarmed he became, his heart trembling. At that moment, Lei Bu continued.

“Brother, this time, I won’t listen to you. Let them accuse us of betraying our lord! Why live by others’ words? You can’t change it anyway. That old bastard Cao Cao sees everything clearly—no cover-ups!”

“To me, we should just wipe out that little Jiangting and take the imperial seal. Where else could we go?”

Why be obsessed with just one rotten foot of Cao Cao?

Lei Bu’s fierce outburst in the hall completely stunned Chen Lan. The more he thought about it, the more he agreed. Everyone on Tianzhu Mountain suddenly saw the truth.

Chen Lan’s face flushed crimson. He bore no grudge against Lei Bu, but Lei Bu’s words were too blunt. The assembled men were no fools; it was clear that all these so-called “real matters” were the doing of their leader, Chen Lan himself.

After Lei Bu’s outburst, Chen Lan exploded.

A roar that shook heaven and earth, terrifying even the spirits, soared into the sky.

“Li Miao! Damn you!” Chen Lan was on the verge of madness, his eyes flashing fiercely, his fury piercing the heavens. “Summon the troops! Prepare to march on Jiangting! I want Li Miao’s head!”

Lei Bu, a brute akin to the legendary Zhang Fei, always simplified matters. What is a chaotic era? It is a time when one gains fame. But for those who are not lords, such fame is useless.

Generals who cannot become warlords themselves seek only a strong patron to sell their lives to: I fight for you, you give me status. I want to become part of the gentry; I want my descendants to have a secure livelihood.

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Warlords recruit the finest talents to help them conquer the world. When I ascend the throne, I shall grant you that livelihood. It is a transaction that pleases all parties.

These warlords must have good reputations—otherwise, who would join them? Why did Cao Cao, the Minister of Works, hold the emperor hostage to command the lords? For reputation. I have reason; anyone who disobeys will be fought.

Try attacking me if you can! Ha.

And what of Liu Bei? The three visits to the thatched cottage were all for the sake of a reputation of humility and respect for talent.

Those who desire a good reputation are all warlords, men with grand ambitions and overflowing ambition.

Chen Lan was somewhat stubborn. As a warrior, he always applied the mindset of a scholar to problems, but his mind was less capable than top strategists, even inferior to Li Yin’s. With just a few words, Li Yin had him sending ten thousand dan of grain and numerous horses and weapons—how could that be a ruse?

The Black Rock Pavilion was their greatest support, for which they were grateful.

Now that Lei Bu had made things clear, Chen Lan understood: reputation sometimes mattered, sometimes it did not. When a superior wants you, he takes you; when he doesn’t, he leaves you be.

Look at Lü Bu at Baimen Tower, beheaded. Cao Cao took in Zhang Liao—was Zhang Liao of good reputation? Not really. His patron was dead; he surrendered. Not exactly a glowing reputation, but Zhang Liao was valiant, a consummate general!

Consider the suicide of Gao Shun, Lü Bu’s fearless captain. Cao Cao even killed the old Chen Gong, who refused to surrender. Had Chen Gong surrendered, even as a double agent, Cao Cao would have accepted him, given his talent.

The bottom line: Cao Cao didn’t value Chen Lan or Lei Bu. These facts could not be plainly stated, but the insiders knew. With the meager forces under Chen Lan and Lei Bu, Cao Cao looked down on them; even if accepted, they might only cause trouble.

Moreover, Cao Cao now had other worries. Li Shao, the old dog Li Benchu, had amassed 300,000 troops, wiping out Gongsun Zan’s forces and occupying four provinces, becoming the strongest warlord. Cao Cao had taken Henan County, angering Li Shao, who plotted to attack him. Cao Cao had to prepare for battle. Meanwhile, the Taozi brothers under him had been taken away by Liu Bei with 50,000 troops, capturing general Che Zhou. Soon, the classic scene of Liu Bei killing Che Zhou and recapturing Xuzhou would unfold.

If not for hearing that Chen Lan and Lei Bu intended to return the imperial seal, Cao Cao would not bother with Jianghuai’s mess. His mind was fixed on competing with Li Benchu for northern supremacy. Now, with Chen Lan sending back the seal, Cao Cao could not remain calm. Damn! With the emperor in his grasp commanding the lords, what was he playing at?

Thus, he reluctantly sent a vanguard to eliminate these nuisances. Yet Chen Lan and Lei Bu still dreamt of receiving it.

So Chen Lan and Lei Bu can play on Tianzhu Mountain; Cao Cao didn’t care. Historically, Cao Cao wiped them out afterward; this was merely an early start.

“Gather ten thousand under my command. I swear to break Jiangting.”

Chen Lan grew angrier, realizing all these blunders were his own doing, and he was oblivious.

His chest burned with raging fury, but as a general, he quickly composed himself, not wanting his troops to see such a tempest.

“Tomorrow at this hour, I shall toast with you at Jiangting!”

Chen Lan calmed his mind and said.

“Brother, I, Lei Bu, will be the vanguard! We shall break through like bamboo shoots,” Lei Bu said.

Seeing his brother resolve to attack Jiangting, Lei Bu knew he could not swallow this bitterness. After all, he had been betrayed and counted money by Li Yin—an unbearable humiliation. Thinking of Zhang Xun still at Jiangting, Lei Bu recalled his last defeat by Zhang Xun before witnesses. A warrior’s pride would not allow that; he must challenge Zhang Xun again.

“Good!” Chen Lan declared war. Once resolved, he exuded the aura of a leader. After all, he was a seasoned general, having led numerous campaigns, far more capable than someone like Mei Qian.

“Send scouts first. Report every move from Jiangting. Lei Bu, as vanguard, you must strike swiftly and capture Jiangting’s main victory!”

The next day, Lei Bu led 3,000 vanguard troops toward Jiangting, the thunderous sound of hooves shaking the earth and sky.

…

“Your Majesty! Bad news. Chen Lan and Lei Bu of Tianzhu Mountain lead 10,000 troops to assault Jiangting. Lei Bu’s 3,000 troops are already fifty li from Jiangting,” Yang Hong reported anxiously as Li Miao stepped out of the room.

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“What?” Li Miao was stunned. Ten thousand troops?

Ha! My Jiangting forces are barely a fifth of that. How to fight? How to win? How to have confidence?

Upon hearing the news, Li Miao immediately convened a council.

“Chen Lan and Lei Bu have completely broken with us, leading 10,000 troops to attack Jiangting. Lei Bu’s vanguard is fifty li away. What plans do you have?” Li Miao looked gravely at his strategists and generals.

How could he not be grave? He had a plan, but it was just a storage of hopes. Li Miao realized his predicament. Since crossing over, he had constantly worried. His father, Li Shu, died drinking honey, leaving a host of enemies and a broken city wall that could be kicked down by any grasshopper.

It terrified Li Miao.

The worst part was that even if he feared, he might follow Liu Xun like before. Liu Xun was indecisive, greedy, and suspicious, but somewhat righteous. In history, Liu Xun took Li Miao in. Later, when Sun Ce took Lujiang, Li Miao came under Sun Quan’s command. His sister married Sun Quan, his daughter married Sun Quan’s son, and he served as a gentleman under Sun Quan—a secure though diminished life.

But now, thinking of that cursed Nokia phone, Li Miao was drunk with despair.

He could not send it out; doing so would doom the owner. What a trap!

Yang Hong was also flustered but knew this was no time for panic.

“Your Majesty, in my opinion, Jiangting cannot hold. It has only 2,000 troops, 1,600 of whom are defectors. They are outnumbered ten to one by Chen Lan’s bandits. If we are to defend, it will require your strategy of total war,” Yang Hong said.

He recalled the emperor’s plan and was secretly terrified. As a member of the gentry, they had no connection with commoners beyond tax collection. Who would have thought ordinary people could muster such fighting spirit?

“Currently, the only way is to break Lei Bu’s vanguard and then retreat temporarily. That way, they won’t be so threatening.”

“But Jiangting is fundamental and must not fall. We must defend to the death,” Yang Hong’s tone hardened.

“That is the essence. A temporary retreat is only a delay tactic. Tianzhu Mountain’s bandits have at most 5,000 elite soldiers; the rest are rabble. We still have great hope!” Yang Hong bowed deeply. He had not considered that his own troops were mostly old, weak, sick, or defectors—the very definition of rabble.

Li Yin quickly stood and said, “This is impossible. Your Majesty, do not defend to the death. For now, we follow Minister Yang’s advice and strengthen city defenses. It would be better to send an envoy to Liu Xun for reinforcements. Liu Xun is greedy and lustful, but he might lend troops. Lujiang is a thousand li away; Jiangting must hold out. If the city falls, escape will be impossible.”

Li Miao was disheartened. Borrowing troops from Liu Xun was like suicide. Liu Xun might lend them, but with a thousand li distance, reinforcements would be crushed by Chen Lan and Lei Bu’s 10,000 troops.

It seemed they could only rely on themselves.

Huang Yi’s eyes brimmed with tears. Damn, 10,000 against 2,000—how to fight? The Huang family’s handsome men were not eager to die. She looked pleadingly at Li Yin.

“Prince Fu, didn’t you go to Tianzhu Mountain to borrow supplies? They agreed, yet now they attack us?”

Then she gazed at Li Miao, stammering, “Your Majesty, maybe we should surrender to Liu Xun.”

“Surrender my ass!” Yang Hong scolded fiercely despite knowing the odds. “Don’t always talk about running away; the outcome is still uncertain!”

“Besides, 2,000 can still hold the city for a while.”

“Well... I think Chen Lan and Lei Bu have realized that reputation cannot change their fate, so they cannot swallow their bitterness and are risking an attack. I am willing to send emissaries to negotiate again,” Li Yin repeated his earlier stance. “But after the envoys return, Your Majesty should reconsider. Jiangting must be held, but not to the death.”

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