Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

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Fa Zheng shook his head, offering no answer. He simply muttered, "Actually, I don't know either... Our lord is a mysterious person..." He seemed to realize his slip of the tongue and immediately fell silent, as Fa Zheng still didn't know the other party's background. Who exactly was he? Was he a general under Luo Chen's personal command? Or from Zhang Juzheng's intelligence agency? After all, this guy was of low rank, and might even be biased towards Zhuge Liang's faction. Undoubtedly, in Fa Zheng's view, as the ranks of Luo Chen's senior generals and strategists grew larger, factions had emerged. Zhuge Liang and Zhang Juzheng had their own supporters; for example, the latest report stated that a mysterious fellow named Lu Bing had been appointed as the deputy director of the intelligence agency.

As soon as Qi Jiguang saw the wind rise, the surrounding ships unfurled their sails and sped forward with the main force. He hurriedly said, "Let's raise the sails quickly! The fighting ahead is fierce!" He rubbed his hands excitedly as he spoke. The west was already ablaze with fire, the water fortresses and land fortresses were all ablaze, and it even seemed as if the river surface itself was on fire, probably because the large ships sailing on the river were burning.

Unexpectedly, Fa Zheng said, "No... change course immediately! Go back to Jiangxia! That Zhou Yu is no good, he might mess with me..." Without explaining to Qi Jiguang, he led his dozen or so guards and ran back to Jiangxia overnight.

Meanwhile, Huang Gai was shot down by Zhang Liao's arrow. The Cao army's naval camp was ablaze with light, and the shouts from all sides were deafening, yet no one noticed Huang Gai. Huang Gai was still wounded, and in the dead of winter, the river water was icy cold. Anyone else would have been dead after a few struggles. Unexpectedly, Huang Zhong was an excellent swimmer; he shed his armor in the water and managed to float to the surface. Huang Gai struggled to his feet, his left shoulder completely numb. The initial pain from the arrow had been excruciating, but after soaking in the cold water for several minutes, the numbness had vanished. Huang Gai was terrified that his arm was ruined.

Huang Gai emerged from the water and saw Han Dang leading his men in a fierce battle not far away. He hurriedly shouted, "General Han Dang, save me!"

Han Dang faintly heard someone calling him. He turned around and saw Huang Gai in the water. He quickly rowed his boat over and rescued him.

Chapter 217 Expansion or Restriction?

After Fazheng returned to Jiangxia, he immediately received a letter from Luochen, the timing perfect. It turned out a messenger was waiting for his return. It seemed Luochen had anticipated Fazheng's return after resolving the fire attack issue.

When Zhou Yu discovered that Fa Zheng could predict celestial phenomena, he was alarmed. Fa Zheng was a man of Luo Chen and Liu Bei, and would inevitably become an enemy of the Xiongnu. However, precisely because he was a member of Luo Chen, he couldn't be killed openly. After much deliberation, Zhou Yu ordered Ding Feng to take two ships, all disguised as Cao Cao's troops, to kill Fa Zheng. He also ordered the young general Qi Jiguang not to be spared, as he had spotted the weakness of Cao Cao's large ships and was quite a character. Unexpectedly, when Ding Feng and his men rushed in, Fa Zheng had already vanished. Zhou Yu could only sigh and give up.

Upon arriving in Jiangxia, Fa Zheng, without even meeting Liu Bei, opened and read the letter. It was handwritten by Luo Chen: "Mr. Fa Zheng, the next step is to help Liu Bei expand his power in Jingzhou. Do not compete with Zhou Yu for Nan Commandery yet; we must observe the situation carefully."

Now that the outcome of the Battle of Red Cliffs is decided, the south has escaped the danger of being crushed by Cao Cao's army, which is great news for Luo Chen. The focus of the Luo Chen group has now shifted to Liu Bei. Should they continue supporting Liu Bei? Previously, they supported Liu Bei because Liu Bei and Cao Cao were fundamentally incompatible, their fates clashing constantly. At Xinye and Hanjinkou, Cao Cao even sought to kill Liu Bei. Supporting Liu Bei was beneficial in restraining Cao Cao and counterbalancing his influence in the south. Now that Cao Cao has been defeated and his power is retreating northward, Liu Bei will inevitably take this opportunity to expand. Should they restrict him? Or tacitly allow it?

Fa Zheng saw no benefit in continuing to support Liu Bei. He envisioned the most lenient approach being tacit approval, letting Liu Bei manage his expansion of power as he saw fit. Now, Luo Chen had personally written to him requesting assistance in Liu Bei's expansion in Jingzhou. Fa Zheng was greatly perplexed. After all, Liu Bei was, in essence, a dissident. Luo Chen had repeatedly invited Liu Bei to join the Luo Chen group, but Liu Bei only wanted to operate independently… If Liu Bei's power grew, wouldn't Luo Chen find it even harder to control him?

Fa Zheng immediately wrote a letter expressing his confusion and requested that it be delivered to Luo Chen by fast horse.

After finishing writing, Fa Zheng hurriedly went to the administrative center of Jiangxia. Liu Bei was already there waiting with Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Liu Qi, and others.

"Sir, you've worked hard..." Liu Bei said, cupping his hands in greeting. "I have received the latest news from the front lines. Last night, Cao Cao's army suffered a major defeat and is currently fleeing north. Since my troops are now part of the Sun-Liu alliance... the danger at Jiangxia has been relieved, and we can send nearly 30,000 men to pursue Cao Cao's army."

Clearly, Liu Bei's words implied his intention to plan a pursuit of Cao Cao's army. It was obvious that Liu Bei had already made up his mind; he wasn't seeking Fa Zheng's opinion, but merely informing him. Whether or not to pursue them was certainly decided; the question was how to pursue them, and Liu Bei was asking Fa Zheng for advice.

Fa Zheng was conflicted and naturally extremely unwilling. In his view, Liu Bei's expansion should be restricted now. He wondered if Luo Chen had given Huang Zhong any orders; Huang Zhong could have easily taken advantage of the situation to launch an attack... However, Luo Chen clearly wrote in his letter: Assist Liu Bei in expanding his strength in Jingzhou.

"Now that Cao Cao has fled north, we can immediately set up an ambush in a strategic location and surely defeat Cao Cao's army."

Liu Bei was overjoyed. "Nan Commandery is a strategically important place that military strategists must contend for..." Liu Bei added slyly.

Indeed, Nan Commandery guards the Yangtze River. To the west lies Shu, to the east Jiangdong, to the south are Wuling, Changsha, and Guiyang commanderies, and to the north is Jingxiang. Nan Commandery alone distinguishes the north and south of Jingzhou and controls the upper and lower reaches of the Yangtze River, making it a strategically vital and extremely important location. Liu Bei certainly had foresight.

“It’s understandable that our lord is eager to seize Nan Commandery,” Fa Zheng said unhurriedly. “Nan Commandery is currently defended by two tigers, Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun, and its defenses are very tight. Let alone the difficulty of conquering Nan Commandery, even if it were easy, I’m afraid our lord cannot attack it immediately…”

"Why?" Liu Bei was not satisfied.

"Doesn't Zhou Yu want it?" Fa Zheng asked. "Zhou Yu and the Wu army will definitely attack Nan Commandery first. My lord can observe first, and then take it when the opportunity arises, and reap the benefits."

Qi Jiguang listened for a long time and said, "Fa Zheng is right. The Wu army has just won a victory and their morale is high. Taking Nan Commandery is a sure thing. However, Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun are two veteran generals, even cunning ones. Moreover, the Nan Commandery army has a force of sixty or seventy thousand, and the city is well-fortified. When two strong forces meet, they will inevitably be locked in a stalemate, and both sides will suffer losses. We should just sit back and reap the benefits. Anyone who takes the lead will definitely be in trouble..."

Liu Bei turned around and saw that it was an unfamiliar general, whose name and rank he did not know. He said, "General...may I ask you..."

"I am a junior officer under Lord Luo Chen. Lord Luo Chen sent me to await orders from Master Fa Zheng," Qi Jiguang said, handing over his military insignia. Liu Bei was astonished to see that he was only a captain. How could a captain have such profound insights, and why would Lord Luo Chen personally assign him a task?

"Young General... I didn't know you were coming, please forgive me..." Liu Bei was usually cautious and amiable, and Qi Jiguang was polite to him, so he also returned the courtesy.

As expected, following Fa Zheng's plan, Cao Cao fell into an ambush and fled back to Nan Commandery in disarray. He gave Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun a secret message and then went straight back to Xuchang. Cao Cao now felt extremely anxious. Luo Chen's campaign in the north was basically over, and his main force had been freed up. Now, the Sun-Liu alliance in the south was attacking, and if Luo Chen's main force attacked from the north, wouldn't Cao Cao be attacked from two sides? Fortunately, there was no sign of Luo Chen attacking him at present. Cao Cao left two of his veteran generals in Nan Commandery, showing how much he valued it. At present, the garrison in Nan Commandery and Yiling in the south was less than 100,000 men, and the garrison in Hefei and other places under Zhang Liao and Yue Jin was less than 50,000 men. They could barely form a southern defense line. The main force of his army had been scattered and defeated, but fortunately, some of it had recovered. With the addition of the reserve army in the north, he had gathered about 200,000 men and stationed them in the north, centered on Xuchang, as the main force to guard against Luo Chen's army attacking from the south. Meanwhile, over 100,000 of Cao Cao's troops were scattered along the defensive lines in Luoyang, Hulao Pass, and Bingzhou.

Chapter 218 Fierce Battle in Nanjun

The landscape is like a painting, and countless heroes have emerged in this era. Thinking back to Zhou Yu in his prime, when Xiao Qiao had just married him, his heroic figure was radiant. With a feather fan and a silk turban, he commanded armies with ease, and in the midst of laughter and conversation, enemy ships were reduced to ashes.

—Su Shi, "Nian Nu Jiao: Reminiscences of Chibi"

Zhou Yu had high hopes for the Wu army's fierce attack. He boasted that the Wu army could defeat the garrison of Nan Commandery within ten days, march north to recover Jingzhou and Xiangyang, and completely drive Cao Cao's army out of the south. Within a day, Zhou Yu led the Wu army to complete their battle formation in Nan Commandery. Nan Commandery and Yiling formed a defensive triangle, which also dispersed some of Zhou Yu's forces.

The Cao army in Nan Commandery refused to come out, letting the Wu army shout and curse outside.

Zhou Yu, below, squinted as he watched Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun drinking on the city wall, completely ignoring those below. His anger flared. "Gan Ning!" Gan Ning, sporting a small mustache, immediately approached. "You will lead 10,000 troops to attack Yiling."

This tactic worked, and the garrison of Nan Commandery was indeed unsettled. At dusk, Cao Chun, the garrison commander of Nan Commandery, led his troops out of the city, clearly intending to reinforce Yiling. Zhou Tai, seeing men emerge from the city, charged forward with his spear. After only two exchanges, Zhou Tai roared and thrust his spear fiercely. Cao Chun, unable to dodge in time, was stabbed twice, fell from his horse, and died, his blood flowing freely on the ground.

Cao's army scattered in disarray. Wu's army launched a series of fierce attacks, but darkness soon fell. Even with torches lit at night, it was difficult to attack the city, especially since Nanjun City was heavily fortified with 140 moats. Wu's army had no choice but to give up.

Gan Ning's actions at Yiling were clearly significant. The next day, Cao's army held out in the city for the entire morning, and in the afternoon, Cao Hong personally led his troops out of the city. Upon seeing this, Zhou Tai mounted his horse and fought Cao Hong for twenty rounds, neither gaining the upper hand. After another ten rounds, Zhou Tai's spear technique became increasingly erratic. Seeing this, Jiang Qin drew his sword and mounted his horse. The Wu army had many generals, and seeing this situation, Ling Tong, Dong Xi, and others quickly mounted their horses and surrounded Cao Hong. The Wu army surged forward. Before Cao Hong could retreat, his soldiers began shouting and running back into the city. Cao Hong, facing four opponents alone, was overwhelmed and had no choice but to turn his horse and flee back into the city.

Seeing the cowardly state of Cao Cao's army, Zhou Yu couldn't help but laugh heartily. He personally took up his spear and led the charge. The Wu army's morale soared, while Cao Cao's army collapsed, howling and screaming as they fled into the city. The city gate opened, and Cao Hong spurred his horse and slipped inside. The soldiers inside immediately tried to close the gate, abandoning even the Cao soldiers outside. But it was too late; the Wu soldiers had already swarmed to the gate. Zhou Yu, leading the charge, wielded his spear, hacking down several Cao soldiers before charging in.

Zhou Yu, full of vigor, charged into the city, ready to brandish his spear and direct the Wu army to follow. Suddenly, his horse lost its footing, and he fell to the ground with a thud. The Cao army archers, who had been lying in ambush on the city walls, sprang out and unleashed a hail of arrows. Zhou Yu was struck twice in the shoulder and body.

Upon seeing this, Zhou Tai roared, seized a round shield, and charged into the encirclement. A volley of arrows rained down from the city walls, striking the shield like a hedgehog. Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun, overjoyed to have shot down Zhou Yu, led their soldiers to seize him. Zhou Tai fought the two generals fiercely, enduring several spear thrusts, but refused to retreat. Just then, Han Dang, leading a hundred cavalrymen, charged in with his life on the line. Han Dang shouted, "Han Dang is here!" and charged forward, brandishing his sword, fighting the two generals without fear. He sternly told Zhou Tai, "Help the commander retreat! I'll hold them off here!" Zhou Tai, wounded, helped Zhou Yu onto his horse, and under the cover of the Wu soldiers, they hastily retreated. Han Dang was indeed brave, his sword still sharp, fighting two generals in succession, retreating as he fought. Once out of the city, he spurred his horse and rode away with the main army. Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun did not pursue, but simply closed the city gates and retreated back into the city.

Zhou Yu was taken back to camp by his generals, who quickly summoned a military doctor who applied medicine. The arrowhead was poisoned, and he could only recover slowly, being told not to get angry. Zhou Yu, however, refused to swallow his anger and lied, claiming he had been shot and died. His entire army donned mourning clothes, luring Cao Cao's army out in full force, only to fall into Zhou Yu's ambush. Cao Cao's army, caught in the ambush, suffered a crushing defeat. Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun, amidst the chaos, hastily abandoned the city and retreated north.

Han Dang and his troops were about to seize Nan Commandery when they discovered that Zhang Fei and his men had already taken it. It turned out that Fa Zheng had seized the opportunity and taken Nan Commandery to reap the benefits.

When the news reached Zhou Yu, he was furious. Fortunately, the Wu army had a large force and launched attacks on all sides. Gan Ning captured Yiling, and other Wu generals successively took Jingling and other places, advancing directly towards Xiangyang. Cao Cao's army in the south had no main force left. After the defeat in Nan Commandery, its remaining 70,000 to 80,000 men were also defeated. The Wu army in Xiangyang was small, and like wolves and tigers, it quickly captured Xiangyang. Liu Bei was not to be underestimated either. His army marched north and occupied large areas of Jingzhou. Thus, in northern Jingzhou, the forces of Liu Bei and Eastern Wu were intertwined, eyeing each other warily. However, since the Sun-Liu alliance was still in place against Cao Cao, they could not resort to force.

Strangely, Huang Zhong, who was stationed in places like Shangyong, was not far from Jingzhou and even Nanjun, yet he did not send troops to seize territory.

However, the mystery was soon revealed. Huang Zhong led 50,000 cavalry to southern Jingzhou, capturing Changsha, Wuling, and other places, thus occupying most of southern Jingzhou. In Changsha, however, a general named Wei Yan, who had long admired Luo Chen and Liu Bei, killed the governor and surrendered the city. Huang Zhong and his cavalry swept through southern Jingzhou unimpeded. Any resistance was met with the terrifying force of the Guanzhong cavalry, which could rout the enemy instantly. Within days, Luo Chen's army had reached Guiyang County in southern Jingzhou. The governor of Guiyang had only learned of the fall of Changsha the day before, but two days later, the cavalry was already at the gates of Guiyang. The people and soldiers of Guiyang were in a state of panic, and the governor opened the city gates to surrender.

Thus, Sun Quan, Liu Bei, and Luo Chen divided Jingzhou among themselves.

To coordinate with Zhou Yu's offensive in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, Sun Quan assembled an army of 150,000 and marched north from the east to attack Cao Cao. Unexpectedly, Zhang Liao proved to be a formidable opponent, decisively defeating the Wu army with only 30,000 to 40,000 men at Xiaoyao Ford. Sun Quan's siege of Hefei dragged on without success, forcing him to retreat in disarray. Zhang Liao's reputation soared, and Sun Quan realized he had underestimated his enemy.

Wu Jun's spies reported unsettling news to Zhou Yu: upstream in Shu, Xu Shu was personally leading a massive shipbuilding effort. It was rumored that a strange-looking general had arrived at Xu Shu's side, forming a navy that was training daily on the Yangtze River.

Unfortunately, Zhou Yu was struck by two arrows in Nan Commandery, and coupled with continuous battles, he fell ill after capturing Nan Commandery and Jingxiang. His generals hurriedly sent him back to Caisang to recuperate, and the Wu army thus halted its northern expedition. Sadly, fate was cruel; Zhou Yu, the brilliant strategist who created the glory of the Battle of Red Cliffs, soon passed away at the young age of thirty-four. The Marquis of Wu, grieving the loss of his right-hand man, appointed Lu Su as his successor as commander-in-chief.

Chapter 219 The Death of Shah

Zhong Ping and his men, who were anxiously searching near Lake Baikal, soon discovered that the Luo army, numbering over 400,000, had, after thorough searches, largely pinpointed the area of ​​their encampment. They faced a massive encirclement, and if the Luo army continued to narrow their search area, they would inevitably encounter them and be overwhelmed by a force seven times their size.

Meanwhile, most of Luo Chen's fierce generals gathered in the north, including: General Xu Da, General Lü Bu, General Chang Yuchun, Xiahou Yuan, and Ma Chao. In addition, a junior general named Huo Qubing was sent there a few days ago.

Shaha knew he had few pieces at his disposal and had to be extremely cautious. He frankly told Zhongping and Zhao Cheng, "Our goal is not to defeat the enemy, but to escape successfully." This was unpleasant to hear, but it was the truth. If they didn't surrender, they only had one path to survival: migration, migration further west, or even a northward migration. However, it wasn't so easy. Luo Chen didn't intend to give them the freedom to choose; he only wanted them to surrender or be annihilated. After all, the Luo army had been on the grasslands for too long—almost a year. They didn't care about staying a little longer; they wanted to capture the Chanyu named Zhongping themselves. Of course, most of the Xiongnu tribes had already begun to resume production, and Yesuo, having betrayed his country, had begun to lead these tribes under Luo Chen's command.

"You plan to migrate?" Shah finally confirmed.

“Yes.” Zhong Ping clenched his fist. “I will get my revenge in less than five years.”

“You can’t leave unless someone puts up a fight,” Shah said coldly.

Zhong Ping remained silent. He knew that once they were locked on, the 400,000-strong army would pounce, and then not even a fly could escape, let alone the main force. The only way was for a portion of the army to launch a preemptive strike, fight to the death, draw the fleeing enemy, and create an opportunity and buy time for the rest to retreat and escape the encirclement. Of course, the fate of those responsible for holding the line was predictable.

“I’ll take charge of resisting on the spot,” Shah said calmly.

"No! Old General, come with me!" Zhong Ping exclaimed, somewhat agitated. Shaha merely sneered and shook his head noncommittally. Zhong Ping was the kind of person who could share hardship, but not peace. Now, with disaster looming, Shaha could become a general, but if he were temporarily placed in a stable environment, would that still be possible? Shaha even suspected he would be placed under house arrest. Previously, his involvement was limited, and his timely withdrawal allowed him to patrol deep into the grasslands. Now that he had already served as a general once, a carefree life was impossible. Shaha suspected that once things stabilized, Zhong Ping would strip him of all power.

“I have feelings for the grasslands and I don’t want to see them ruled by foreigners,” Shah said lazily. “I’m doing this for the grasslands, not for you. Besides, I will never leave the grasslands. Leaving the grasslands is like leaving the earth, leaving my mother. I can’t live without the grasslands.”

Having said all that, Shaha made no attempt to hide his feelings and stated everything directly: "To be honest, I do not approve of your rule, your coup." He saw Zhong Ping's expression change, as if he were about to erupt in anger, but he remained unconcerned. Zhong Ping currently lacked any capable generals; killing Shaha would mean certain death for him as well. "However, compared to that, I dislike the rule of foreigners over the grasslands even more. I am not interested in politics, only in military affairs and hunting; I only love the grasslands. Therefore, I will help you. For a grassland man to die on the battlefield defending the grasslands is naturally my best end, and future generations will not ridicule me. I did not cower in the face of national crisis; I am still a general, whether you appoint me or not, I am still a general."

After a long silence, Zhong Ping remained silent, unsure of what to say. Zhao Cheng sensed the awkward atmosphere. After thinking for a long time, he concluded that following Zhong Ping was a dead end. The Luo army was so powerful; even in the Western Regions, there were large numbers of Luo troops. What chance did Zhong Ping have of escaping to the interior? There was no way he could succeed. But would he, like Shaha, sacrifice himself for the grasslands? Only a madman would do that. He wasn't a grassland person; he was merely a laborer for the grasslands, a Han Chinese. He didn't want to follow Zhong Ping into exile, much less die. Of course, the choice was simple: surrender.

Having made up his mind, Zhao Cheng adjusted his tone and said sorrowfully, "I will follow General Shaha. The grassland is the place that nurtured me and made me who I am. I don't want to go anywhere else. I only want to die protecting the grassland."

0 requests for flowers...

Zhong Ping didn't answer, but just stared at him coldly. Zhao Cheng felt a chill run down his spine. He tried his best to look sorrowful, and even squeezed out two tears.

"Okay," Zhong Ping finally said. Zhao Cheng breathed a sigh of relief.

Zhao Cheng was executed that night in his tent for treason. The Xiongnu soldiers were abuzz with discussion. While the incident was frightening and unsettling, the overwhelming encirclement by the Xiongnu army was undoubtedly the biggest problem. More and more Xiongnu soldiers deserted; many ran away.

A few days later, one of Chang Yuchun's search columns was besieged. The column commander immediately ordered his men to hold their ground. The search forces, naturally, formed a tight encirclement, and within an hour, nearly seven columns had launched a counter-encirclement, totaling about 100,000 men, completely surrounding the 20,000 men led by Shaha.

..... ........ 0

Sun Yuanhua's newly formed artillery column displayed its formidable power. With over 12,000 men and more than 300 cannons, it unleashed a frenzied bombardment on the Xiongnu army's concentration. The intensity of the bombardment was beyond imagination; for a moment, Luo Chen thought it was the Verdun battlefield of World War I. The brutal shelling was like a meat grinder, blasting terrified Xiongnu soldiers to pieces. Thousands upon thousands, shrouded in the shadow of the artillery fire, cried out in despair, abandoning all resistance and desperately fleeing to the outskirts. They discarded their weapons and armor, choosing to raise their hands in surrender.

"Stop, stop..." The bombardment was only halfway through when Luo Chen, unable to bear it any longer, repeatedly urged Sun Yuanhua. The artillery fire quickly ceased, and all the surviving Xiongnu soldiers surrendered. The soldiers searched the scorched earth for a long time but still couldn't find Shaha's remains. According to the reports from the previous column of soldiers, this army was indeed led by Shaha.

"Zhong Ping hasn't shown up. We don't have enough men. Is he trying to escape?" Luo Chen asked the generals around him.

"The encirclement is quite tight," Xu Da said confidently.

"Still no remains found? Alas..." Luo Chen sighed. "What a pity, we were disrespectful to the old general!" Without waiting for a reply, he spurred his horse and rode away.

Chapter 220 The Great Battle Ends

Luo Chen's conjecture was quickly confirmed. The vanguard discovered the camp on the shores of Lake Baikal, indicating that Shaha had not brought enough men. According to reports from captured soldiers, Zhao Cheng had been executed by Zhong Ping, who had led at least 40,000 troops in a breakout to the west. Shaha had originally planned to hold out for three to five days, but due to the extremely fierce artillery fire of Luo's army, Shaha's forces were annihilated in less than a day. It was estimated that Zhong Ping could not have escaped far either.

"Huo Qubing!" Luo Chen called out the name without even looking up.

"Here!" The imposing young general drew attention. "Lead 100,000 cavalry to search," Luo Chen said slowly.

"Understood." Huo Qubing did not hesitate and immediately went out to carry out the order.

"This general is quite young..." Xu Da remarked. Clearly, this young general was barely in his early twenties, but Luo Chen had immediately placed him in command of 100,000 cavalry; he would likely be promoted to Lieutenant General soon. "Should we have other generals lead troops to assist him? They're just sitting around doing nothing anyway..." Xu Da suggested.

"No need," Luo Chen said with unusual confidence. "Go and organize the soldiers to break camp. Tell them they can go home tomorrow."

Not only the soldiers, but even the generals were beaming with joy. The long-awaited return home had arrived so quickly. They had thought this enemy would take another month to defeat, but they had routed Shaha in a single day, and now Luo Chen was saying he would annihilate Zhongping in a single day…

When the news spread, the various field armies stationed on the grasslands were in an uproar. They were all waiting for the young general named Huo Qubing, waiting for him to capture Zhongping in a single day, so that the main force could return home.

However, they didn't even wait a day. Luo Chen immediately ordered Lü Bu to lead 100,000 infantry and cavalry south to rest in the Tongguan area. Under the envious gazes of their comrades, these 100,000 infantry and cavalry sang loudly as they marched south from the grasslands home. They were disheveled, their skin dark, their faces and hands often cracked and frostbitten, but once on horseback and armed, they were still fiercely aggressive, still tenacious, and as swift as lightning. The Tongguan area had dense military camps, abundant provisions, and complete rest facilities, clearly an ideal place for professional soldiers. They would rest there for several days, then the conscripted soldiers under the Fubing system would receive their rewards and return home. The professional soldiers would return to their barracks, where they could also see their families and rest.

Luo Chen sat on the grass waiting. As the sun set, a messenger rode up on horseback, shouting, "Great victory at the front! Zhong Ping has committed suicide!"

Huo Qubing caught up with the fleeing Zhong Ping in half a day. He commanded his troops to outflank and encircle Zhong Ping's army, inflicting a crushing defeat. Ten thousand Xiongnu soldiers were killed in battle, and the rest surrendered. Zhong Ping committed suicide.

The year-long Han-Xiongnu steppe war had finally come to an end. The fallen army broke camp overnight, their torches illuminating the grasslands like twinkling stars, adorning the horizon. The night was bitterly cold, but the soldiers sang songs; they didn't want to stop to sleep, they only wanted to return home as soon as possible!

All administrative regions, military districts, and generals received a brief order informing them of Huo Qubing's appointment as a Lieutenant General. Overnight, this previously unheard-of name became a high-ranking officer. Fortunately, everyone had gotten used to it.

Luo Chen didn't rest either; he mounted his horse late at night and galloped south. He was going to meet Liu Bei.

Undoubtedly, news of Luo Chen's victory in the grassland war quickly spread throughout the land. Cao Cao was most worried, followed by Eastern Wu, who were also not very happy. Liu Bei was quite uneasy about this; could he maintain his independence? What should he do next?

However, Luo Chen knew in his heart that he would never touch the main force that had just come from the Xiongnu battlefield within a month. They were too exhausted and deserved to get plenty of rest. Besides, the next wave of soldiers under the Fubing system had been in reserve for a long time, and the vacancies left by the conscripts who had completed their military service were immediately filled.

Luo Chen arrived in Jingzhou soon after. Zhang Juzheng's intelligence network provided covert protection. Gao Jianli was ordered to accompany Luo Chen after he entered Jingzhou to protect his safety. In reality, this wasn't necessary... because Luo Chen had many tricks up his sleeve.

Luo Chen's secret sacrifice greatly surprised Liu Bei. Someone came to inform Liu Bei that Luo Chen would arrive in Jiangxia and meet him. Several hours later, before Liu Bei had even had time to gather his ministers to discuss the matter, Luo Chen had already arrived at the city of Jiangxia.

"Prime Minister Luo Chen... It is a great honor to have you here to provide guidance... I have heard that you achieved a great victory on the grassland battlefield. Zhong Ping is already dead. I admire you greatly." Liu Bei said politely.

Luo Chen smiled, not intending to continue the formalities: "So... have you thought it through?"

"What have you decided?" Liu Bei feigned ignorance.

"Have you decided whether to join the Luo Chen Group or continue going solo?" Luo Chen asked coldly. "I won't force you," Luo Chen keenly noticed Liu Bei's expression. "You can answer according to your own thoughts, and I will not interfere. But if you decide to go solo, then I, Luo Chen, may not show you any mercy in the future... You know, the country must be unified."

Liu Bei understood the meaning of those words perfectly. Luo Chen had been quite righteous, having helped him a great deal previously, but if he continued to act independently, then in Luo Chen's eyes, his power would be no different from that of Sun Quan or Cao Cao. Once the time was right, Luo Chen would not hesitate to order his iron cavalry to completely annihilate him.

"I am a descendant of the Han dynasty..." Liu Bei stammered.

"So, your answer remains unchanged?" Luo Chen asked calmly.

"Yes." Liu Bei nodded slightly.

“I understand your choice,” Luo Chen said calmly. Then his voice rose slightly: “Without a doubt, I will completely crush Cao Cao next. I am very confident about it. Since you, Imperial Uncle, have chosen to stick to your principles, let us drink together one last time, and then go our separate ways!”

Liu Bei agreed. Since it was Liu Bei's territory, it was natural for Liu Bei to prepare food and wine, and Luo Chen invited all of Liu Bei's important civil and military officials.

This was probably the last time Luo Chen would use his own blood. Zhang Juzheng had done a good job, and the development of the intelligence agency truly satisfied Luo Chen. All the territories directly controlled by Liu Bei naturally became Luo Chen's.

A slightly longer order was announced directly to everyone, including Cao Cao and the people of Jiangdong:

Liu Bei was appointed Military Advisor. Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun were appointed Commandant. Qi Jiguang was appointed General of the Household. Fa Zheng was transferred to be the Prefect of Yi Province. Xu Shu was transferred to be the Prefect of Jiangxia Province.

Chapter 221 Fa Zheng's Transfer

A formal announcement regarding the appointment of Liu Bei and his generals formally declared that Liu Bei had been placed under the control of Luo Chen's group. Given the alliance between Luo Chen and Liu Bei, this news, while shocking, wasn't entirely unexpected. The unfamiliar young general was promoted directly from colonel to lieutenant general. Huang Zhong, seeing this name, felt slightly relieved; although he hadn't been overly polite when passing through the area, he hadn't caused any conflict.

The transfer of Fa Zheng is puzzling. Fa Zheng, who was doing well in Jingzhou, was suddenly transferred to Yizhou and directly appointed as its governor. Xu Shu, formerly in Yizhou, was transferred to Jiangxia, clearly indicating that Xu Shu would now be in charge of the Jingzhou issue. Correspondingly, it has been observed that the fleet originally in Yizhou has been moved south, directly to the Dongting Lake area near Changsha.

Although Fa Zheng was transferred away from the front lines, his position was undoubtedly prestigious. His predecessors as governor of Yizhou were Zhang Juzheng, a military strategist, and Xu Shu, a veteran minister with the rank of deputy military strategist. Yizhou, on par with the Guanzhong Plain, was a stronghold of the Luo Chen faction. Appointing him as the chief military and political official there was a tremendous sign of trust and a recognition of his work in Jingzhou. After all, without a main force, he relied on the fragile Luo Chen-Liu Bei alliance to extend the Luo Chen group's influence to the south, successfully forging the Sun-Liu alliance and the Battle of Red Cliffs—a feat of considerable merit.

Despite this, why was Fa Zheng, who was doing so well, removed from the front lines by Luo Chen? Fa Zheng had no idea, but bearing the high-ranking title of Prefect of Yizhou, he took office with great pride. Fa Zheng was a somewhat opportunistic man, and now that he had risen to prominence, he naturally became very arrogant. Originally from Bashu, he now governed Yizhou, and anyone who had offended him in the past was retaliated against under various pretexts, making him disliked by the entire prefecture, who all said that his magnanimity was inferior to that of Xu Shu. However, Luo Chen ignored him and immediately began the process of unifying China. Although Fa Zheng was harsh, he was capable, and Yizhou was not a problem in terms of economy and logistics under his command. Therefore, although many generals had grievances against him, Luo Chen didn't bother with him. Unexpectedly, Fa Zheng died of illness less than three months after taking office. At this time, Luo Chen was still at war and could only lament his fate.

That said, with the appointments of Liu Bei and others made public, Luo Chen's location was also revealed; he was currently in Jiangxia. The extent of Luo Chen's forces in Yizhou was largely unknown to outsiders, except that Xu Shu was recruiting heavily in Yizhou, even extending to the southeast, offering high salaries. This led many fishermen in Dongting Lake to abandon fishing and become professional soldiers in Luo Chen's army. The most disciplined cavalry was Huang Zhong's 100,000 iron cavalry, currently deployed in southern Jingzhou. A portion was stationed in Changsha, where Huang Zhong's command post was located. Furthermore, with Xu Shu's transfer to Jiangxia as governor, he entered Jingzhou, but various indications suggest he didn't immediately go to Jiangxia, but remained temporarily in Changsha. This means that a significant number of Luo Chen's naval and cavalry forces were deployed in southern Jingzhou. In northern Jingzhou, the Jiangdong army numbered approximately 100,000, occupying the strategic Jingxiang region. Only Nan Commandery and surrounding towns were occupied by Liu Bei, who stationed Guan Yu there. The Wu army was powerful, clearly possessing overwhelming superiority in northern Jingzhou. Nan Commandery became Liu Bei's isolated northern stronghold. In the east, the situation in Jiangxia was similar to that in Nanjun. Wu's front-line garrisons had reached Sanjiangkou and Wuchang, where they had stationed a large force, posing a threat to Jiangxia. Jiangxia was home to over 40,000 of Liu Bei's land and naval troops.

Sun Quan, having painstakingly won the Battle of Red Cliffs, naturally wanted to annex Jingzhou and seize all of Liu Biao's territory. Unexpectedly, Liu Bei and Huang Zhong interfered. Liu Bei went too far; while the Wu army fought valiantly, defeating Cao Hong and Xiahou Dun, Liu Bei's army reaped the benefits, effortlessly capturing Nan Commandery. Meanwhile, Huang Zhong's forces stood idly by during the Battle of Red Cliffs, showing no ambition. Now, the Wu army, having painstakingly defeated Cao's army, hadn't even had a chance to reap the rewards of their victory when Huang Zhong, faster than anyone else, swiftly seized the three commanderies of Changsha, Wuling, and Guiyang.

After Zhou Yu's death, Sun Quan ordered the 100,000 troops originally sent on the northern expedition to be stationed in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, led by the vanguard general Han Dang. He also transferred the remaining troops from Jiangdong northwards, stationing a total of 150,000 troops in Chaisang, Wuchang, Huangzhou, and other places, approaching Jiangxia, under his personal command. Furthermore, he appointed Lu Su as Grand Commander, in charge of the entire army.

Upon hearing that Luo Chen had arrived in Jiangxia alone, Sun Quan was overjoyed and immediately summoned his ministers to discuss the matter.