With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 156, Sun Ce's Death and Taishi Ci's Decision

Dan moved down the mountain!

Sun Ce, dressed in full armor and looking dashing, was leading several of his men here to hunt.

On a whim, Sun Ce ignored his subordinates' advice and chased after a deer. Before he knew it, he had chased it into the forest. The deer was agile and kept changing direction in the bushes, as if it was playing tricks on Sun Ce.

After chasing for a while, the deer ran far away. Sun Ce rode on his horse, letting it run free, and enjoyed the scenery in the mountains as he made his way back.

Danxi Mountain is covered in lush greenery, with birds chirping merrily in the forest and the sound of flowing water ringing in the air.

Sun Ce couldn't help but feel a little intoxicated. In the past two years, he had been busy with battles and had no time to spend with Da Qiao.

Suddenly, a cold arrow shot out from the bushes, its speed completely catching Sun Ce off guard, and instantly pierced through his forehead.

Sun Ce cried out in surprise and fell off his horse. Several figures emerged from the bushes. There were three people in total, each holding a bow and arrow. They quickly approached Sun Ce while continuing to shoot arrows.

Blood immediately streamed down Sun Ce's face as the merciless arrow pierced through it, making him look horrific. Yet, Sun Ce stood stubbornly, not only refusing to fall, but his eyes flashed with a terrifying ferocity.

Sun Ce swiftly fired an arrow back, felling an assassin, then quickly discarded his bow and arrows and drew his ancient sword from his waist.

This knife is a relic left by Sun Jian. It gleams with a cold light and can cut through iron like mud. It is a rare and powerful weapon.

As soon as the two assassins approached, about to attack Sun Ce, Sun Ce suddenly sprang up, brandishing his sword and leaping towards them.

In an instant, the sound of blades whistling filled the air, figures crisscrossed, and the intense battle was breathtaking. Sun Ce was as ferocious as a beast; his swordsmanship swept in like a storm, each strike a deadly blow, leaving the assassins no room for carelessness.

With a soft thud, an assassin was caught off guard and stabbed in the heart by Sun Ce's blade. The assassin stared wide-eyed in terror, his face filled with disbelief.

The assassin couldn't understand why Sun Ce could still retaliate and display such ferocious skill, even though the arrow had pierced his cheek and he was so badly injured.

Filled with resentment, the assassin's vision blurred rapidly, and he collapsed to the ground, powerless.

The intense pain, coupled with the repeated battles, had made Sun Ce's consciousness somewhat blurred.

The last assassin hesitated, startled, unsure whether to continue the assassination or flee immediately.

Sun Ce gave him no chance. He staggered forward and approached again with an astonishing aura, like a mad tiger. Even though he was so badly injured, his aura was still terrifying and chilling.

The assassin was terrified and broke out in a cold sweat. He turned and ran. He finally made the right decision, but it was too late!

Sun Ce gritted his teeth, a cold glint flashed in his eyes, and with the last of his strength, he hurled the ancient sword fiercely.

The ancient sword, imbued with boundless killing intent, pierced the assassin's back with a powerful force with a soft "thud."

Until his opponent fell, Sun Ce could no longer hold on and collapsed to the ground with a thud.

The news of Sun Ce's assassination was of great importance, and only a few people knew about it, including Taishi Ci.

Upon receiving the message, Taishi Ci was completely stunned and stood there for a long time, unable to react.

The letter was very brief, containing only six characters: "My lord has been assassinated; return immediately!"

Taishi Ci hurriedly put down what he was doing and rushed back. When Taishi Ci saw Sun Ce, Sun Ce was already able to get out of bed, although his face was covered. Taishi Ci breathed a sigh of relief and realized that he had worried too much. "I'm afraid this time it was just a close call."

A few days later, Sun Ce's injuries improved. Although he still couldn't drink alcohol, Sun Ce, who always loved lively gatherings, still hosted a banquet for many guests, including many civil and military officials from Jiangdong.

However, during the banquet, while everyone was chatting and laughing, they suddenly heard a great commotion on the street outside. Sun Ce hurriedly asked what was going on, and someone replied, "It is the immortal Yu Ji who is passing by on the street."

Yu Ji was proficient in magic, Taoist arts, and medicine. He could turn talismans into medicine and cure all kinds of diseases. He was happy to do good deeds and had a high reputation in the Jiangdong region.

The guests all left their seats to pay their respects to Yu Ji in the street. As the ruler of Jiangdong, Sun Ce was suddenly silenced by the crowd and outshone by Yu Ji. Enraged, Sun Ce ignored everyone's advice and killed Yu Ji in a fit of anger.

After killing Yu Ji, Sun Ce was always in a daze, and would suddenly wake up at night and see Yu Ji's shadow appear before his eyes.

Sun Ce was already known for his violent temper and unstable emotions, and before long, his arrow wound reopened, causing him to bleed profusely.

Lying on his sickbed, knowing his end was near, Sun Ce hurriedly summoned Sun Quan and entrusted him with the responsibility of establishing the Jiangdong region.

This also left behind the famous saying, "For internal affairs, consult Zhang Zhao; for external affairs, consult Zhou Yu!" Because Zhou Yu was too far away, he ultimately did not have time to see Sun Ce one last time. By the time Zhou Yu rushed back, Sun Ce had already passed away!

Sun Ce's life was very short, but it was also quite remarkable.

At only twenty-six years old, he pacified the six counties of Jiangdong and established a vast empire.

Taishi Ci returned home and discussed the matter with his mother. His mother asked him again, "Now you should make a decision: go to Xuchang or stay in Jiangdong?"

Jiangdong has changed. It is obvious that the person who once shared a deep friendship with Taishi Ci is no longer there. Although Taishi Ci did not have any intention of underestimating Sun Quan, it is clear that things are different now than before.

After pondering for a long time, Taishi Ci made up his mind, "Mother, I've made up my mind. I want to go to Xuchang to see His Majesty!"

Having received six letters in total, Taishi Ci felt more guilty with each rejection, but also gained more respect for Liu Xie's sincerity.

Taishi Ci packed his bags and quietly left while Jiangdong was busy preparing for Sun Ce's funeral.

However, not long after they left, they encountered soldiers sent by Lu Xun to scout ahead. Subsequently, Lu Xun personally brought Taishi Ci to Mangdang Mountain.

"General Taishi Ci, I am Lu Xun, Lu Boyan. I have come here on His Majesty's orders to await your arrival."

Lu Xun was very polite, and in just half a month, he had completely transformed Mangdang Mountain. "What's going on? Didn't His Majesty want me to go directly to Xuchang?" Taishi Ci asked in confusion.

Lu Xun dismissed the others and said, "General Taishi Ci, you should have guessed some of the situation in Xuchang before you came, otherwise you wouldn't have repeatedly refused His Majesty's recruitment."

Taishi Ci felt somewhat embarrassed that his secret thoughts had been exposed.

Taishi Ci said, "I previously thought that although Your Majesty was in Xuchang, Cao Cao must be in control of everything, so I hesitated and did not dare to rashly agree to Your Majesty's request."

Lu Xun smiled and said, “It is only natural for General Taishi Ci to have such concerns. However, the situation is not as bad as you imagine. Otherwise, you would not have received His Majesty’s personal letters time and time again. For the next two days, General Taishi Ci may stay in Mangdang Mountain for the time being. I will report this matter to His Majesty immediately.”

There were also wandering knights sent by Xu Du to Mangdang Mountain, responsible for gathering information and delivering letters. Lu Xun immediately wrote a letter and sent it to Xu Du.

After receiving the letter, Liu Xie discussed it with Jia Xu. Jia Xu shook his head and said, "Your Majesty, Taishi Ci must not come to Xuchang. He previously followed Sun Ce and is a very famous figure. Once he comes to Xuchang, he will definitely be targeted by Cao Cao. Although Cao Cao will not make things difficult for him, once Taishi Ci is exposed, many things will become more inconvenient."

"I suggest that we leave him in Mangdang Mountain for now, and let him and Lu Xun recruit and train soldiers in secret as mountain bandits. If necessary, they can serve as a surprise force for us."

Liu Xie nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking too. If he comes to Xuchang, he'll end up like Lü Bu and Zhao Yun, only able to stay by my side. Whatever he wants to do will be under Cao Cao's surveillance."

Liu Xie already has enough people around him; he can't let everyone be idle all day long.

Having people like Lü Bu, Zhao Yun, and Guan Yu is enough.

Jia Xu said, “Your Majesty, don’t forget that Cao Cao’s target is Yuan Shao, while our most important target is Xuchang! Once the Battle of Guandu begins, both Your Majesty and Cao Cao will leave Xuchang. At this time, the more surprise troops we have, the more advantageous the situation will be. Tian Yu is training elite soldiers, and the excavation of secret passages is ongoing. We can’t rely on Prince Chen for the time being. As for Mount Mangdang, Lu Xun also needs a capable general to command troops.”

Jia Xu took out a chessboard, set out a few chess pieces, and said, "In the war against Yuan Shao, Your Majesty will have many things to deal with and must have reliable forces by your side. In addition, Cao Cao has always wanted to weaken Your Majesty, so people like Lü Bu and Chen Wang will all go on the expedition. The Battle of Guandu is of great importance. Even if Your Majesty asks me to make the plans, I cannot bear to draw manpower from Your Majesty's side."

After careful consideration, Liu Xie also felt somewhat worried. Although he seemed to have a lot of men around him, once a war broke out with Yuan Shao, the number of men around Liu Xie would not be enough.

They had to defend against Cao Cao and fight Yuan Shao, which meant fighting on two fronts. Then, considering Xuchang, it became a three-front war.

After a moment of contemplation, Liu Xie said, "After I go on my campaign, I entrust the entire situation in Xuchang to Wenhe."

Jia Xu nodded. "Your Majesty's safety is far more important than Xudu. I will keep in touch with Your Majesty at all times. Without thorough preparation, I will never rashly launch a mutiny in Xudu."

Even if Xu Du is well prepared, a mutiny cannot be allowed to occur so easily; Liu Xie's safety must be ensured first.

If a mutiny were to break out in Xuchang, and Cao Cao were to learn of it and take Liu Xie into custody beforehand, the mutiny would become meaningless.

Liu Xie said, "There's no need to be too anxious. Even if Cao Cao wins the Battle of Guandu, it doesn't mean that Yuan Shao's power will be destroyed immediately."

Jia Xu nodded. "Your Majesty is absolutely right. The outcome will not be decided in one battle. This is also very advantageous for us. It will take Cao Cao at least several years to gradually annex Yuan Shao's forces."

Liu Xie immediately wrote a reply to Taishi Ci. At the same time, in order to further strengthen the forces of Mangdang Mountain, he also wrote a letter to the King of Chen, asking the King of Chen to secretly mobilize two thousand men to reinforce the troops there.

Upon receiving the letter, Taishi Ci excitedly unfolded it. The familiar handwriting, the familiar font, and even the concerned tone between the lines all felt familiar.

Ziyi, I was overjoyed to learn that you were coming to Xudu and to my side. Zilong and I had a rare and hearty drink together.

With loyal ministers and fierce generals like Ziyi assisting us, how could we worry about the revival of the Han Dynasty? How could we worry about the unrest in the world?

I even did a special investigation and found that the surname Taishi has a very important origin. This surname was originally an official title established by the Western Zhou Dynasty. Taishi was in charge of drafting documents, issuing decrees to feudal lords, recording historical events, compiling historical books, and many other matters. It was an important position in the court.

The person in charge of this important position is granted a surname based on their official title, so I and Ziyi are destined to be together.

Ziyi is not only loyal and righteous, but your surname was also established by the imperial court. Although we have never met, I am willing to entrust you with important responsibilities!
Next, Liu Xie briefly described the situation in Xudu. Since Taishi Ci was willing to come to Xudu, Liu Xie no longer needed to hide it.

If Taishi Ci hadn't come to Xuchang, Liu Xie wouldn't have said anything he shouldn't have.

"Although we have never met, I have entrusted you with an important task."

After reading the letter, this sentence repeated itself in Taishi Ci's mind several times. Taishi Ci's heart was in turmoil, and he was extremely excited.

"What a magnanimous heart and what a broad mind Your Majesty possesses!" After a long while, Taishi Ci looked at Lu Xun and exclaimed sincerely.

Before even meeting him, the emperor entrusted him with such an important matter. If it were anyone else, they might say the emperor had gone mad and acted too rashly.

Taishi Ci, however, did not think so. He believed that Liu Xie's sincerity, evident in those six letters alone, had already moved him.

This time, although Liu Xie did not specify when he would take action, it was clear that the forces of Mangdang Mountain could be aimed at Xuchang at any time.

Taishi Ci was honored to lead this force and to become the emperor's vanguard in turning the tide!
Lu Xun glanced in the direction of Xudu and said, "General Taishi Ci, His Majesty is the Son of Heaven. His Majesty's magnanimity is naturally far beyond that of ordinary people. The Son of Heaven's capacity is naturally sufficient to encompass all things in heaven and earth!"

“You’re not an outsider either, so I can give you a few examples. You’ve probably heard of Gan Ning, the commander of the Jin Fan. He wasn’t given important positions by Liu Biao, but His Majesty invited him to the State of Chen. As soon as he arrived, His Majesty ordered the King of Chen to hand over all his troops to Gan Ning for command.”

"Hiss!" Taishi Ci opened his mouth and couldn't help but gasp.

Has His Majesty gone mad?
King Chen's military strength was renowned throughout the land; his crossbowmen alone were the envy of many feudal lords.

Cao Cao initially coveted Chen Wang's troops, but now he is extremely wary of them and wishes someone would quickly wipe them out.

Taishi Ci said, "I remember that when the Yellow Turbans were rampant in Yuzhou, the Yellow Turbans within the territory of Chen were the only ones that were quickly quelled. Those Yellow Turban bandits gained almost no advantage. They were completely defeated and terrified by the army of the King of Chen!"

Lu Xun nodded, then pointed to himself, his mood becoming somewhat excited. "General Taishi Ci, take me for example. I have been following His Majesty since I was fourteen. His Majesty personally taught me and designated me as the future heir of the Lu family. Although I am still young, I know that this kindness is greater than heaven and thicker than earth!"

Thank you to all my friends for your support.
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(End of this chapter)