Rebirth of the Three Kingdoms: Da Qiao doesn't want to be a widow anymore

Chapter 355: Retaliation is inevitable
Qiao Wei turned around and saw Sun Quan.

However, there was still a hint of redness in her eyes.

"Have you finished discussing matters with the Commander of the Central Guard?"

Sun Quan nodded, "I didn't see you when I went back to the tent. The guards said you came to see An'er off but haven't returned yet. It's getting cold, so don't always like to stand in the wind."

Military flags fluttered in the wind as a cold wind suddenly rose.

Sun Quan looked in the direction of Xinye, his eyes gleaming.

Whenever he had free time these past few days, he would accompany her to draw up the defense map of the Xinye army. Qiao Wei knew that his next step was to take action against Xinye.

"Cao Ren is outside Xinye, and General Xiahou Dun is outside Wancheng. Isn't this too risky?"

The situation often requires a balance of terror. In the years that Liu Bei occupied Xinye, he grew his army from a mere 3,000 troops to 10,000 naval forces. He had both wins and losses against Cao Ren, but he never lost Xinye.

This was because behind Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun's defensive line, there was also the threat of Jiangdong forces represented by Zhou Yu.

The mantis stalks the cicada, unaware of the oriole behind; everyone wants to be the oriole, but no one wants to be the mantis.

However, Sun Quan suddenly made a move, breaking the deadlock. In addition to facing Xinye in front, he also had to deal with Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun, who were watching him closely from behind and ready to make their move at any time.

Sun Quan wrote in bold strokes on the paper, “The enemy of my enemy is my ally.”

His eyes swept over Qiao Wei's furrowed brows, which were furrowed with worry. "How come I remember that you were the one who taught An'er those words?"

Whether An'er remembered it or not, he didn't know, but he remembered it after hearing it just once.

A few days later, Wancheng launched an attack on Xinye without warning, even using the latest improved catapults.

The sun circled halfway along the horizon, and the shouts of battle carried by the wind rose and fell in waves. The food on the table was reheated again and again until it was completely overcooked and inedible, but Qiao Wei had no appetite for it.

The crimson sunset gradually sank below the horizon, and the triumphant drums finally sounded.

Sun Quan stepped into the military camp, covered in blood and dust, yet exuding an arrogant and unrestrained air.

She tossed the banner and longbow into Yourou's hands and walked straight toward Qiao Wei. Before Qiao Wei could reach out to meet her, a force came from her wrist and she was pulled into his armor. Her hands were wrapped around his waist, and she was almost unable to breathe because he was choking her.

Zhou Yu led his troops in a powerful attack from the west gate, with wave after wave of assaults. Catapults, siege ladders, battering rams, siege engines, and crossbows were arranged in formation.

Guan Yu was training his navy in Xinye to defend against the Jiangdong army, but this time Zhou Yu chose land warfare instead. He was not in a hurry to attack the city, but instead used the advantage of Wancheng's military equipment to wear down the defending army in Xinye time and time again.

Sun Quan led his navy to attack Guan Yu's navy, and following the tactics of Gan Ning's Jin Fan pirates, they attacked and retreated intermittently, leaving the Xinye navy completely bewildered.

After Sun Quan and Zhou Yu entered Xinye, they did not lead their troops to occupy it. Instead, following the map provided by Qiao Wei, they abducted the women of the soldiers and their families in the city and then stopped pursuing them, sounding the retreat.

The three counties of Jingzhou still need to deploy troops to continue fighting and defending, and Wancheng indeed cannot mobilize more troops to extend the defense line and hold Xinye.

Sun Quan's initial goal was not to occupy Xinye.

Qiao Wei looked at the prisoners who were being led into the army with their hands bound by ropes. Except for the lady at the head of the group who was being respectfully protected by You Rou, the rest of them, both men and women, looked ashen-faced and were being whipped and pushed along by the soldiers.

Among the prisoners' faces, there were many that Qiao Wei had seen back in Xinye.

Yourou brought the leading woman to Qiao Wei, who held her hand for a long time before recognizing her, "Madam Huang?" Huang Yueying nodded.

Qiao Wei hadn't seen him for more than half a month since they parted ways in Xinye, and when they met again this time, he almost didn't recognize him.

Gone are the sallow complexion and sickly appearance; Huang Yuying now looks like a completely different person. Even in the difficult situation of being kidnapped to Wancheng, her every step still exudes the composure of a noblewoman.

"Judging from your complexion, it seems that Doctor Hua's prescription is quite effective." Qiao Wei thought for a moment and said, "Doctor Hua is currently in the camp. We will ask him to examine your pulse again tomorrow."

Huang Yueying smiled and said, "I wouldn't dare trouble you."

The Jiangdong army stormed in and abducted many women. The leading soldier held a portrait and compared it to the woman for a long time before asking if she was Lady Zhuge. He then respectfully invited her outside and even hired a carriage to escort her to the military camp.

She knew in her heart that Qiao Wei must have given the order specifically.

The good deeds done in the past are now paying off.

Youru came up behind Sun Quan to ask, "My lord, what should we do with these people?"

"Keep them for one night, and deliver them all to Xi'e County tomorrow."

Sending it to Xi'e meant sending it to Cao Ren.

Yourou didn't really understand why all the prisoners he had painstakingly captured in Xinye were to be given to Cao Ren as credit for his achievements.

But Qiao Wei immediately understood Sun Quan's intention.

Among the women in Xinye were not only Huang Yueying, but also Xu Shu's mother, and the wives and sisters of Jian Yong, Mi Zhu, and others. From a strategic perspective, sending these women to Cao Ren as hostages would both disrupt the morale of Liu Bei and his forces and shift the conflict to Cao Ren.

From a personal perspective, Sun Quan was avenging Liu Bei and others for holding Qiao Wei hostage.

Liu Bei resorted to underhanded tactics to detain Qiao Wei in Xinye as a check on Jiangdong, which could be considered as stepping on Sun Quan's red line.

Now, Sun Quan used their own methods against them, making Liu Bei and others experience the same feeling of having their wives and daughters held hostage by the enemy, living in constant fear day and night.

Qiao Wei looked in Sun Quan's direction. He seemed to sense something. He turned back and met his wife's probing gaze. He didn't forget to raise his eyebrows slightly, with a hint of showing off and wanting credit.

Qiao Wei thought to himself, "What a vindictive person."

Qiao Wei was aware of what would happen next. Cao Cao and his men had been besieging Xinye for a long time without success, suffering greatly at the hands of Xu Shu.

Xu Shu was extremely filial, and Cao Cao had Xu Shu's elderly mother in his grasp. Furthermore, Cao Cao summoned Xu Shu to Xuchang in the name of the Han emperor, and Xu Shu simply could not refuse.

Looking at the document recommending him as a filial and incorruptible official, written by Xiahou Dun, he felt that the document carried a strong sense of sarcasm.

Xu Shu was put on a pedestal in the name of filial piety and integrity. If he refused to leave Liu Bei, he would be criticized by the people of the world, and Liu Bei would also become estranged from him.

After all, who can truly trust someone who is disloyal and unfilial? At least on the surface, not everyone has Cao Cao's magnanimity to employ people based solely on their talents, let alone Liu Bei, who called upon the talents of the world with the word "benevolence."

However, if he went, it would play right into Cao Cao's trap, as Liu Bei would have no more talented people to use without Xu Shu.

It's only a matter of time before we capture Xinye and advance on Jingzhou.

What a brilliant, open scheme!