When an ordinary man is enraged, blood will be spilled within five paces.

“Ling Cao, damn you!” Su Ming squeezed out a curse through gritted teeth.

In the original host’s memory, the night before Sun Ce was assassinated, it was Ling Cao who had poisoned his wine, killing him with venom. Who would have thought they would cross paths here today? Truly, enemies are bound to meet on a narrow road.

When Ling Cao saw Su Ming, he felt a wave of panic inside. He too was puzzled—he’d used enough poison that it could have felled an ox. How had Su Ming survived?

Without a word, Su Ming spurred his yellow steed forward like a bolt of lightning, charging straight at Ling Cao. In the blink of an eye, he was upon him, silver spear in hand, thrusting at Ling Cao.

Ling Cao tried to defend himself, raising his own spear in a desperate block. But what kind of fighter was Ling Cao, after all? A second-rate general at best—how could he be a match for Su Ming?

A crisp clang rang out as Su Ming’s spear struck the tip of Ling Cao’s weapon, twisting it upward and sending it flying from his hands. Then, with a swift backhanded sweep, Su Ming struck Ling Cao’s breastplate, knocking him clean off his horse.

No sooner had Ling Cao hit the ground than Su Ming leveled his spear at Ling Cao’s throat, ready to run him through.

“Spare him!” cried a voice from behind—Sun Quan could no longer sit by and watch.

Ling Cao had defected to Sun Quan and was now one of his trusted aides. If Su Ming killed Ling Cao here, before all these witnesses, what face would Sun Quan have left as Lord of Wu?

Su Ming’s eyes narrowed, a glint of killing intent flashing within. But he had no intention of showing mercy. The silver spear drove forward, piercing Ling Cao’s throat.

A spurt of blood, and Ling Cao was dead in an instant.

Sun Quan’s eyes reddened at the sight—not from grief over Ling Cao’s death, but from fury at Su Ming’s audacity. He had shouted to spare Ling Cao, but Su Ming had ignored him and killed Ling Cao anyway, not showing him the slightest respect.

“Su Ming, you have murdered a comrade without cause. Are you plotting rebellion?” Sun Quan thundered, pointing at Su Ming in outrage.

While Su Ming was busy killing Ling Cao, Zhang Zhao had already fled in disarray to Sun Quan’s side. Now he shouted as well, “Men, seize this traitor!”

The mourners accompanying the funeral quickly formed a barrier in front of Sun Quan and Zhang Zhao, their weapons pointed directly at Su Ming.

At this, Su Ming stopped his advance. It seemed he had no intention to kill further, for now.

He glanced around and called out in a loud voice, “I am Su Ming, sworn brother to the Lord of Wu—many among you here in Jiangdong must know me!”

“Over a month ago, my elder brother Sun Ce was ambushed while hunting in Dantu. But do you know the truth? My brother was not killed by Xu Gong’s retainers, but by traitors within!”

“That traitor is none other than Sun Quan—Sun Zhongmou himself—and the four great clans: Gu, Lu, Zhu, and Zhang!”

“When my brother ruled, he suppressed these four families. So they conspired with Sun Zhongmou to murder his brother and seize the throne!”

“I speak not a word of falsehood—if I lie, may the heavens strike me down with thunder!”

As Su Ming’s declaration rang out, even the usually composed Sun Quan began to panic. The funeral procession was flanked on both sides by crowds of Jiangdong’s common people, drawn to pay their respects. Now, murmurs of unrest rippled through the throng.

“What? The Lord of Wu was murdered by his own people?”

“Sun Zhongmou killed his brother for the title?”

“If that’s true, our lord died unjustly!”

The bystanders whispered among themselves, their words striking Sun Quan like a series of slaps to the face.

Su Ming’s lips twisted in a grim smile as he heard the murmurs. Neither of his earlier plans—using Zhou Yu or Taishi Ci—had succeeded. Today, this was all he could accomplish. But it was enough.

He had planted a seed of doubt in the hearts of the people. Sooner or later, that seed would take root and grow.

Now, he would let Sun Quan and the four great clans learn the true meaning of a commoner’s rage—a single man’s wrath, and blood would flow within five paces.

“Sun Quan!” he shouted, “Guard your head well!”

With that, Su Ming charged at Sun Quan.

Zhang Zhao whispered urgently in Sun Quan’s ear, “My lord, at this point, we must cut the weed at its root! If he dies, his words today are nothing but lies. If he lives, he will surely cause chaos.”

Sun Quan made up his mind, waved his hand, and commanded, “Kill him!”

At Sun Quan’s order, the surrounding soldiers closed in on Su Ming. As the fighting broke out, the crowd of onlookers scattered in terror. In an instant, Su Ming was surrounded on all sides.

But Su Ming boasted a martial prowess of ninety-one—at the threshold of a first-class general. These soldiers were no match for him.

On the narrow street, his silver spear spun and danced like a dragon of the sea. With each sweep, soldiers were sent flying like kites with cut strings.

The troops of Wu County were mere garrison soldiers, never tested in battle—no match for him at all. Moreover, military power had always rested solely in Sun Ce’s hands. Sun Quan and the four great clans had yet to extend their reach into the army, and had no capable generals at their disposal. The only one who could fight—Ling Cao—had just been killed by Su Ming.

This was why Sun Quan so urgently sought to win over Zhou Yu. Even after inheriting the title of Lord of Wu, he would need Zhou Yu’s help to gain control of the military.

Su Ming already possessed the strength of a top-tier general, and now, driven by fury, he was unstoppable—no one could stand against him.

“Archers, shoot him down!” Sun Quan ordered grimly.

At his command, a volley of arrows rained down upon Su Ming.

But Su Ming was not Lü Bu—he could not hold out forever. Soon, beset by arrows and countless soldiers, he was grievously wounded.

He no longer knew where his silver spear had fallen, nor where his yellow steed had been slain. Now, he wielded only a pair of golden maces, driving back the soldiers who pressed him.

But blood loss was taking its toll—Su Ming’s head spun, his vision reddening.

At the very rear of the crowd was Sun Ce’s coffin, surrounded by the Sun family’s women come to pay their respects. Near the coffin stood a valiant young woman of sixteen or seventeen, clad in mourning white. Turning to the graceful woman beside her, she asked, “Elder sister-in-law, is what Brother Su Ming said true? Was it really Second Brother who…?”

This young woman was Lady Sun, also known as Sun Shangxiang. The dignified beauty by her side was Sun Ce’s widow, Qiao Ying—known to history by another famous name: Da Qiao.