Chapter 054: The Storm Gathers, Winds Fill the Tower

“No!”
“I won’t leave. If we live, we live together; if we die, we die together. Wherever you go, I’ll follow!” Sun Shangxiang shook her head, tears brimming in her eyes.

Since she had been with Su Ming, Sun Shangxiang had never once seen him afraid. For something to make Su Ming so anxious, urging her to leave, she could imagine just how perilous the road ahead must be. To call it a journey with only a slim chance of survival would not be an exaggeration.

She didn’t know what she could do, but she was willing to face death by Su Ming’s side.

This trip to Jiangdong, Sun Quan and the influential families had all been far too calm. The more composed they appeared, the greater the storm that was sure to follow—like the ominous wind before a tempest.

The storm was gathering, and Su Ming could not be certain of what lay ahead. That was why he wanted Sun Shangxiang to return first.

“Shangxiang, listen to me.”

“My steed is the thunder-leopard, my hands wield the Phoenix-winged Gilded Halberd. The world is vast—there is nowhere we cannot go.” Su Ming tried to comfort her.

His words sounded reassuring, but after all this time together, Sun Shangxiang understood his temperament far too well. If Su Ming were confident he could return safely to Jiangxia, he would never try to send her away. The fact that he insisted on it meant the journey ahead was fraught with deadly peril.

With a flash, Sun Shangxiang drew the treasured sword at her waist and pressed its gleaming edge to her pale neck. “Brother Su, if you try to force me to leave again, I’ll end my life right here before your eyes.”

Seeing this, Su Ming knew he could not insist any further. Sun Shangxiang, outwardly so gentle, was in truth firm and unyielding—a trait she inherited from her mother, Lady Wu. If he pressed her, she might truly take her own life.

Though she was a woman, Sun Shangxiang was no stranger to combat, at least on par with a second-tier general. With a hundred cavalry at their side, having her along would make little difference.

If he survived, he could naturally protect her; if not, then let them become a pair of ill-fated lovers wandering the road to the underworld together.

“Very well, I won’t send you away!”

“We’ll face this together, through life and death,” Su Ming gazed at her with affection.

Ah, to have a woman willing to lay down her life for you—what more could a man ask for?

Jiangdong, Wuchang County.

The Prefecture Office.

Zhang Zhao had just returned, leading his men into the main hall, where he found Sun Quan pacing restlessly.

“Have they left?” Sun Quan asked, his face dark.

Zhang Zhao nodded. “They have.”

At that moment, General Ding Feng stepped forward, “My lord, are you truly not going to bring the young lady back?”

Ding Feng still retained some conscience. He thought, it’s one thing to kill Su Ming, but you can’t kill your own sister along with him! But as a general, he wasn’t known for subtlety. If you tried to retrieve Sun Shangxiang now, it would be as good as warning Su Ming of an ambush ahead.

Sun Quan had no intention of stopping her. Sun Shangxiang had already once rescued Su Ming, and now insisted on going with him again. In Sun Quan’s heart, any feelings of sibling affection had long faded.

“No!” Before Ding Feng could finish, Zhang Zhao quickly stopped him. “If you go after the young lady now, you’ll only be telling Su Ming there’s an ambush ahead.”

“But we can send a message to Ling Tong, telling him to make sure the young lady isn’t harmed when the attack happens.”

Sun Quan shook his head. “There’s no need. On the battlefield, blades know no kin; life and death are in the hands of fate.”

Zhang Zhao bent close and whispered, “My lord, what if the young lady is really killed?”

He meant: How will you explain this to Lady Wu?

But Sun Quan’s reply was something Zhang Zhao could never have anticipated.

“Bury them separately. One in the southern hills, one in Wuchang in the north,” Sun Quan ground out.

Zhang Zhao thought to himself—good heavens, only you, Sun Quan! Killing them isn’t enough; you won’t even let them be together as tragic lovers in death!

The southern hills marked the southernmost edge of Jiangdong, while Wuchang lay in the north. To separate their graves like this was truly cruel.

Ding Feng, standing nearby, thought: Our lord has been driven to madness by Su Ming!

On the Han River.

Ever since Su Ming had gone to Jiangdong, Gan Ning had kept the main ship anchored midstream, sending out swift patrol boats to watch the banks every day. Only when Su Ming was spotted approaching would Gan Ning bring the ship to shore.

Gan Ning was the unrivaled naval commander of the Three Kingdoms era, born with a genius for naval warfare. Better to err on the side of caution.

After all, they were deep within Jiangdong’s territory, and this vessel was their only way back to Jiangxia.

If Jiangdong launched a surprise attack and destroyed their boat, they’d be trapped.

Gan Ning’s caution was well-founded. Zhu Ran, with five thousand naval troops, had been plotting against them for some time. Yet Gan Ning’s vigilance meant Zhu Ran’s fleet never found an opportunity to strike.

About ten miles away from Gan Ning’s ship, Zhu Ran’s force of five thousand, with three flagships and more than thirty other vessels, had waited a long time.

Aboard the leading flagship of the Jiangdong navy—

“General Zhu, General Ling has sent word: Su Ming is only a hundred li from the shore. It’s time to make our move!” the messenger reported to Zhu Ran.

By Zhang Zhao’s plan, Ling Tong would lead ten thousand troops to ambush Su Ming, while Zhu Ran would encircle Gan Ning and his thousand marines with five thousand Jiangdong sailors.

Zhu Ran’s fleet would strike first, surrounding and annihilating Gan Ning’s men. That way, Su Ming would be cut off from rescue.

With Su Ming trapped on the shore, Ling Tong could lead his forces in for the kill—there would be no escape, neither to heaven nor earth.

In terms of both soldier quality and ship technology, Jiangdong’s navy was unmatched in this era. Su Ming’s new warships had not yet been built; Gan Ning’s thousand men and their vessels were still the old Jiangxia fleet.

Five thousand Jiangdong sailors against one thousand from Jiangxia—victory should be assured.

Yet, as the saying goes, a cowardly general makes for a cowardly army.

The commanders were the crux: Gan Ning for Jiangxia, Zhu Ran for Jiangdong. The outcome hinged on them.

Zhu Ran was hidden; Gan Ning was exposed. For days, Zhu Ran had searched for a chance to launch a surprise attack, but Gan Ning’s caution left no opening.

Now, with Su Ming on his way, Zhu Ran had no choice but to strike.

“If we cannot ambush, then we must attack head-on!”

“Divide thirty small boats, scatter them in formation to encircle the Jiangxia flagship. The three flagships will form a wedge and launch a frontal assault!”

“Our forces outnumber the enemy five to one, and our ships are vastly superior. Victory is certain!” Zhu Ran raised his arm and gave the order.

(Brothers, if you have monthly votes, please cast them. If you do, I’ll grant any request you make—no matter how outrageous.)

(End of chapter)