Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 272 Heaven's justice will prevail, and retribution will not be unjust.

Wushan Port.

The docks are bustling with activity, and thousands of sails are aboard.

Eight giant rafts that had rendered extraordinary service to the Han Dynasty were now quietly stranded on the shallows of the lower reaches of the Yangtze River.

The iron spikes attached to them weighed approximately one million kilograms.

As for the iron chains that sank to the bottom of the river and are difficult to retrieve in a short time, they also consist of an incalculable amount of cast iron.

These iron artifacts are far more valuable spoils than carts, boats, cattle, and horses, saving countless hours and manpower in mining and smelting.

Time is the most precious asset.

Wu County itself had an ironworks office established by Sun Wu, and furnaces, charcoal, and blacksmiths were readily available. They could directly melt and cast these iron materials into weapons and armor needed for the campaign against Wu.

Unfortunately, the two-liquid quenching method requires a large amount of animal urine.

In Wuxian, where livestock are scarce, it is difficult to forge more Su Ironclad Soldiers in a short period of time.

Prefect Yan Yu of Badong stood on a high point at the dock.

The man had already deployed all available warships according to the emperor's plan.

Although the former commander Fu Qian had fought a bloody battle and most of his soldiers were exhausted, he still had nearly two thousand soldiers who were ready to fight. These two thousand soldiers were boarding ships under Fu Qian's command.

Two hundred Longxiang soldiers and over nine hundred Yingyang soldiers under General Zhao Guang, having suffered relatively few losses in yesterday's battle and whose fighting strength was well preserved, silently and quickly assembled and boarded the ship.

Guan Xing's Tiger Warriors, exhausted from repeated battles, stayed at Wushan Port to rest, along with Zhang Gu and Lei Bu's troops, who had also fought fiercely.

After conquering Wu County and taking over its defenses, we will select brave warriors to continue our eastward advance.

It took more than two hours to board the ship, and it was almost midday. The infantry of the Han River sailed eastward downstream, heading straight for Zigui.

The port therefore appeared much emptier.

However, in Wushan Port and in the many small bays and tributaries along the downstream coast, there are still four or five hundred large and small Wu warships moored.

However, in Liu Shan's view, while these warships were indeed valuable, the spoils of war that were even more valuable were the hundreds of shipwrights and watermen from Jiangdong and Jingzhou whom his soldiers had captured at the port yesterday.

The Jiangdong Navy was renowned for its prowess on the Yangtze River not only because the men of Jiangdong were skilled in navigation, but also because it possessed the world's most advanced shipbuilding technology.

For example, Jiangdong was able to build giant warships capable of carrying 3,000 soldiers.

Now, Liu Shan's flagship "Yanwu" can only carry around two thousand people at full capacity.

If you build something even bigger, the risk of it tipping over increases significantly.

Moreover, warships cannot be built simply by wanting to be large. In an era without knowledge of mechanics, the ability to build a giant warship that would not collapse and could withstand naval battles depended entirely on the skills and experience of the craftsmen.

The saying goes, "Wang Jun's warships sailed down to Yizhou, and the imperial aura of Jinling faded away." Wang Jun's ability to quickly destroy Wu was precisely due to the large number of shipbuilding craftsmen and advanced and mature technology he acquired from Eastern Wu and Jingzhou over the decades of the Wei and Jin dynasties.

The shipbuilding craftsmen in Sichuan, both in terms of quantity and skill, could hardly compare with those in Jiangdong.

Now that he had suddenly acquired hundreds of experienced shipwrights, Liu Shan, who always valued technological innovation, regarded them as a treasure.

If they can build keel-hulled warships, then even if they reach Jiangdong in the future, they may not be afraid of Sun Quan's navy.

When these Wu shipwrights were first captured, they were all pale-faced and huddled together, trembling.

However, what awaited them was not the whipping and slaughter of the Han army.

The Han medics treated their injuries first, and when they ate, the food they were given was the same as what the Han soldiers around them ate.

Although it was coarse, it was a real meal that could fill your stomach, along with a little bit of pickled vegetables.

At noon, these shipwrights gathered at the dock, ready to return west to Baidi with the wounded soldiers of the Han Dynasty and the civilian laborers and auxiliary soldiers whose service was about to end.

Liu Shan carried the dragon banner to the riverside dock.

The most skilled old shipwright was led to Liu Shan by Long Xianglang.

“You are all subjects of the Han Dynasty. You have served Sun Quan because of war or for livelihood. This is not your fault.”

"Unlike Sun Quan, I know that a skill is hard to come by."

“Your shipbuilding skills are of great use to the country and the people.”

"Stay in the Han Dynasty with peace of mind, and I will certainly not treat you unfairly."

"If your families are in Jiangdong, they will be reunited once the royal army has pacified the east."

“Serve my great Han well, and you will receive the same treatment as my great Han shipwrights in terms of money, grain, land, houses, and even wives and concubines.”

After Liu Shan finished speaking, he turned and left, leaving behind several Xuanyi Lang (a type of official) to patiently explain the policies of the Han Dynasty to the shipwrights, and to explain why they were going to launch a military campaign against Wu.

This unexpected respect and tangible treatment left the shipwrights still uneasy, but their will to survive and faint hope gave them a slight boost.

Whether these claims are true or not is another matter, but they certainly ate more at their two meals last night and this morning than they usually did under Sun Quan.

Before Cen Shu, the Salt Commissioner, was about to leave, Liu Shan summoned him and specifically instructed him to ensure the safety and well-being of the shipwrights.

ashore.

Grand Commander Chen Dao, along with generals Guan Xing, Zhang Gu, Lei Bu, Zheng Pu, and Wang Chong, were directing their troops to form ranks and prepare for an attack on Wuxian City.

The city wall of Wuxian.

Grand Master of Ceremonies Pan Jun, Bandit Suppressor Sun Xiu, Pan Jun's trusted lieutenant Liao Shi, and Colonel Li Su, among others, stood together behind the battlements.

They kept a close eye on the movements of the Han army outside the city and the fleet of ships sailing away on the river, each one of them filled with anxiety and despair.

Pan Jun's eyes were vacant, and he seemed unsteady on his feet as the river wind blew, only able to support himself by holding onto the wall.

"The people of Shu... how come most of the people of Shu have left?" Liao's voice was somewhat incredulous.

Sun Xiu gripped Sun Shao's Tiger Tally of the General Who Guards the West tightly, his face still showing astonishment:

"This must be a trick by the people of Shu!"
"Liu Shan is cunning. He must be deliberately showing us weakness, pretending to divide his troops and go east, but in reality he wants to lure us out of the city to harass us!"
We must not fall for their trap!

"Wuxian County is well-fortified and has sufficient provisions. We...we can still hold out!"

The man's voice was initially intense, but it involuntarily lowered towards the end, revealing a clear lack of confidence.

Shou?
The navy was completely lost, and the river defenses were completely breached.

With reinforcements nowhere in sight, morale among the troops was low.

What can we use to defend it?

Pan Jun's eyes were unfocused, and his lips trembled as if he wanted to say something, but in the end he remained silent, casting his empty gaze at the Han army formation below the city that was preparing for battle.

He could clearly see that the Han army was probably heading straight for Zigui, because the Han army arrayed below the city, in terms of both formation and morale, was indeed far inferior to what he had seen before.

But... he no longer dared to make any decisions.

Even now, he still doesn't understand how the Shu people managed to break through the Jiang-sinking iron cone in one fell swoop.
If the people of Shu had not broken through the sinking cone, their situation would never have reached this point.

He didn't know what other ingenious schemes or tricks the people of Shu could come up with.

He was fearful, as if any decision he made would lead to a crushing defeat.

Under the city.

More than 10,000 Han soldiers lined up in battle formation.

Guan Xing pushed the Eight-Ox Crossbow forward.

Pan Jun has never witnessed the power of the Eight-Ox Crossbow. Perhaps by some twist of fate today, he will be shot into the wall with a single crossbow bolt?
After the son of the traitor Fu Shiren was killed by the first crossbow bolt, many Han soldiers who believed in prophecies and omens believed that Heaven truly had eyes and that good and evil would ultimately be rewarded.

Suddenly, a small group of people headed straight for the location of the Emperor's dragon banner from the direction of the dock.

General Fu Kuang of Andong looked exhausted from his journey.

Upon seeing the Emperor, he hurried forward, sleeves fluttering, and reported:
"Your Majesty, I pursued the remnants of Sun Shao's forces last night and encountered them this morning in the dense forests of the mountains south of the Yangtze River."

"Wu general Sun Shao led several dozen of his personal guards in a desperate resistance, and fought to the death!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Shan was slightly taken aback. He then praised Fu Kuang for his hard work and finally asked Fu Kuang about Sun Shao's matter that morning.

Fu Kuang then briefly explained the pursuit process.

Liu Chan suddenly realized.

It turned out that Fu Kuang's eastward search along the river's course had been unsuccessful.

Then, Zhang Biao, who was ordered by Liu Shan to escort two thousand soldiers to the capital, arrived. Based on the terrain and Sun Shao's possible mindset, he judged that Sun Shao would go against the grain and try to take a detour to the west.

Finally, Fu Kuang turned to pursue them into the deep mountains and forests to the southwest, and sure enough, he found traces of Sun Shao.

Zhang Biao added from the side:
"Your Majesty, Sun Shao fought to the death and refused to surrender."

"Where he died, there happened to be a red horse boat that had fallen into the mountain and was damaged. It was lost by Liu Xiuran, the commander of the Expeditionary Army under Gongquan."

"Sun Shao was greatly shocked when he saw this Wu boat."

"Only in desperation did they fight to the death."

"More than ten of his personal guards have been captured. What should be done with them?"

Liu Shan pondered for a moment, then asked Zhang Biao, "Where is Sun Shao's body now?"

Fu Kuang immediately bowed:

"Your Majesty, although Sun Shao was captured by the enemy, he fought bravely to the death and can be considered to have some backbone. I have ordered that his body be collected and preserved."

"Hmm." Liu Shan nodded.

"Immediately select six of Sun Shao's personal guards."

"Then find four of Sun Jun's personal guards from the group of surrendered soldiers from yesterday."

"Have these ten men change into Wu people's armor and carry the banners of Sun Shao and Sun Jun."

“Carry Sun Shao’s body again and take a walk around the city of Wu County.”

"Yes, sir!" Fu Kuang understood and left to carry out the order.

Before long, ten dejected prisoners, dressed in Wu army uniforms, were selected.

Six of them carried a stretcher covered with a tattered, earthen-yellow battle flag, the shape of which was faintly visible beneath it.

The other four men were carrying the banners of Sun Shao, who was in charge of "Zhenxi" (镇西), and Sun Jun, who was in charge of "Jianwu" (建武).

The flagpole was leaning, and the flag was drooping.

A group of Han infantrymen escorted them slowly to a point outside the range of arrows fired from the walls of Wuxian.

The Wu soldiers on the city wall immediately noticed this strange scene and began to stir.

"Look... what's that?"

"It is the banner of the General Who Guards the West!"

"And there's even General Jianwu's banner?!"

"What...are they carrying?"

Before long, the basket was dropped from the city wall.

Ten Wu prisoners, along with Sun Shao's corpse, were hoisted up the city wall by the Wu people.

When the Wu army on the city wall saw Sun Shao's corpse, they immediately erupted in chaos.

Exclamations and screams filled the air.

"General Zhenxi!!"

"It's Sun Zhenxi!!"

"How...how could he?!"

Pan Jun stared intently at the corpse before him, utterly bewildered.

Sun Xiu was struck dumb, his face drained of color, and he could barely hold onto the Zhenxi Tiger Tally from Sun Shao.

He stared silently at Sun Shao's corpse. After an unknown amount of time, his legs suddenly went weak, and he only managed to stay upright by holding onto the city wall.

At this time, the prisoners released by the Han army onto the city wall described the situation to Pan Jun, Sun Xiu, and other Wu people in a tearful and bewildered voice.

How did they escape into the southwestern mountains with Sun Shao, and how did they originally intend to detour westward, but instead discovered the Great Wu's Red Horse Boat deep in the dense forest?

"The Red Horse Boat?!"

"My Great Wu Red Horse Boat?!"

"In the deep mountains and dense forests of Jiangnan?!"

Pan Jun was so shocked that he stumbled backward and almost fell, but was caught by his confidant Liao Shi.

"Impossible! Absolutely impossible!"

The man slammed his fist on the wall and screamed.

But reason told him that it was true.

what does this mean? !

Without a doubt, it's crystal clear.

“Zigui…Zigui is finished…” Sun Xiu, standing beside Pan Jun, was deathly pale.

"In debate... he is no match for the people of Shu."

"In terms of strategy... he is even less capable than the people of Shu."

"Is this the will of Heaven?! Is Heaven truly going to destroy my Great Wu?!" At this moment, his will completely wavered and collapsed.

Just as the Wu army on the city walls were gripped by panic, dozens of powerful warriors in the Han army below roared in unison, their voices like rolling thunder, pressing down on Wu County:
"Your General Sun Shao, the General of Zhenxi, is dead!" "Your General Sun Jun, the General of Jianwu, has surrendered!"

"What's the point of your resistance?!"

"Surrender immediately and we will spare your lives!"

"Our Han soldiers are moving by land and by boat, while our navy has already reached the downstream to cut off the connection between Wuxian and Zigui. News of the defeat at Wuxian will not reach Zigui. Zigui will fall in a day or two. There is no need to wait for reinforcements!"

"Those who surrender live! Those who resist die!"

The calls for surrender were like the last straw, breaking the already fragile nerves of the Wu army on the city wall.

Pan Jun looked around, his face growing increasingly pale.

Suddenly, a commotion broke out in front of the Han army.

The Eight-Ox Crossbow was brought out once again!

The huge crossbow bolts gleamed coldly, pointing towards the city walls.

Upon seeing this, the guards of Sun Shao immediately recalled the terrifying scene at the fortress the day before, and were so terrified that they screamed in horror:

"not good!"

"It's a Shu demon crossbow!"

"Run!"

"Hide now!"

These people's reactions were inexplicable, but they exacerbated the panic among the Wu people on the city wall.

Pan Jun stared at the giant crossbow with suspicion and uncertainty, a strong sense of foreboding rising in his heart.

"Release them!" Guan Xing ordered in a cold voice.

"Boom—!" A deep yet penetrating roar echoed over Wuxian County.

"Whoosh—!" A huge black shadow broke through the air and rushed towards the city wall with an almost imperceptible speed.

The Wu people on the city wall only felt a blur before their eyes and heard a fierce wind howling in their ears!

next moment!
"boom!!!"

An even deeper, louder explosion resounded through the city wall!

Brick and stone fragments flew everywhere!

Everyone looked on in shock.

One of the personal guards sandwiched between Pan Jun and Sun Xiu was smashed straight into the rammed earth wall behind them by a huge... spear shaft!

The iron fletchings of the giant crossbow were still trembling violently, emitting a chilling buzzing sound.

Blood, like spilled ink, gushed from the torn chest and back of the soldier, instantly staining a large area of ​​the rammed earth wall red, and then gushing down the wall.

The guard's head slumped to one side, his eyes wide open, his face frozen in the extreme horror and bewilderment of his final moment.

The entire city wall fell into a deathly silence in an instant.

Everyone was stunned into silence by the sudden, horrific massacre that occurred so close at hand.

Time seemed to freeze.

Pan Jun and Sun Xiu stood frozen in place, their faces drained of color, their pupils dilated to the extreme.

That giant crossbow bolt just barely grazed Pan Jun and Sun Xiu's bodies!

General Sun Xiu, who was tasked with suppressing the bandits, trembled violently uncontrollably, his inner shirt instantly soaked with cold sweat.

The shadow of death had never loomed so vividly over him.

The Han soldiers outside the city cried out again for surrender.

This time, it came with the chilling force of an ultimatum:
"You have one last half day!"

"If you do not surrender the city before sunset!"

"When the city falls tomorrow, except for the local people of Wu County who can be pardoned after verification, all the rest will be slaughtered! Not a single chicken or dog will be spared!"

The terrifying declaration of death, coupled with the gruesome corpse nailed to the wall, finally shattered Wu Jun's last shred of will.

Someone in the Han army formation shouted again:
"Pan Chengming!"

"My Chief Secretary Jiang of the Grand Chancellor's Office has already sent a letter here, begging His Majesty to spare your life! If you can repent and surrender, His Majesty will surely ensure your safety!"

All the surviving Wu soldiers' eyes instantly focused on Pan Jun!
His gaze was complex, filled with fear, despair, resentment, and hatred.

Pan Jun felt the gazes directed at him from all around, as if he were being pricked by needles.

Finally, however, he suddenly straightened his back, as if seizing this opportunity to prove his integrity, and roared hoarsely towards the city below:

"I, Pan Chengming, have been deeply indebted to Wu! I am a subject of the Great Wu! I am ready to die! Enough talk! Attack me!" Although his voice was loud, anyone could tell that he was all bark and no bite.

However, he had just finished speaking.

"Pan Jun! You traitor who has brought disaster to the country and its people! How dare you speak so arrogantly here!" A loud shout suddenly rang out from the side!

Several captains and military officers suddenly drew their swords, their eyes red, and led hundreds of soldiers who were completely devastated and only wanted to survive to surround them.

Poon Jun and his few close associates were surrounded!

The atmosphere on the city wall instantly became tense, with swords drawn and weapons poised to strike.

A lieutenant turned directly to Sun Xiu, who was terrified out of her wits, and demanded in a stern voice:

"General Who Pacifies Bandits!"

"General Jianwu has surrendered!"

"The General Who Guards the West is dead!"

"Pan Jun is the man the Han army below the city hates the most!"

"If it weren't for his repeated miscalculations, we wouldn't be in this situation!"

"But if we can capture him and surrender the city, the Han army... might keep their promise and spare our lives! General! Please make a decision quickly!"

Sun Xiu looked around at the eyes around him, filled with a will to survive and almost spitting fire, and then at the imposing Han army and terrifying giant crossbows below the city. He was so frightened that he almost collapsed.

As a member of a collateral branch of the Sun family, am I really going to die here with that scoundrel Pan Jun for the sake of that so-called Emperor of Wu, who is far away in Wuchang, and even cause the entire city to be slaughtered?!
The will to survive finally overwhelmed everything.

Sun Xiu, his face deathly pale and drenched in sweat, gripped the Tiger Tally of the Western Garrison tightly. His lips trembled for a long time before he finally managed to utter a single sentence to the lieutenant:
"You...you all, just tie me and Pan Jun up together."

These words were like a pardon, instantly freeing the "uprising" from its final constraints.

Upon hearing this, Pan Jun looked at Sun Xiu in astonishment, trembling with anger:
"Sun Xiu?!"
"You! How is this any different from treason?!"
"To live a life of ignominy is unworthy of being a member of the Sun family!"

At this moment, Sun Xiu, having given up all hope, spat fiercely at Pan Jun's face and shrieked:

"Bah! You two-faced, treacherous, shameless old thief! How dare you speak to me like that?! If it weren't for your incompetence and misrule of the country, would we be in this situation today?! Tie him up! Tie him up now!"

The surrounding Wu soldiers rushed forward and, without any hesitation, knocked Pan Jun and his confidants, including Liao Shi, to the ground and bound them tightly with ropes.

Pan Jun struggled and cursed, but his mouth was quickly gagged, his eyes filled with anger, despair and humiliation.

Before long, the city gate of Wuxian, bathed in the afterglow of the setting sun, creaked open slowly with a heavy, hesitant sound.

Sun Xiu, the General Who Pacifies Bandits, and Pan Jun, the Grand Master of Ceremonies, the General of the Vanguard, and the Acting Commander-in-Chief, all had their arms tied behind their backs and were pushed and shoved by a group of Wu soldiers out of the city gate and toward the Han army waiting in battle outside the city.

Wuxian County.

This western barrier of the Wu Kingdom has now changed hands.

Sunset.

Pan Jun and a group of surrendered Wu generals were captured and taken to Liu Shan's tent.

Liu Shan looked at Pan Jun, a half-smile playing on his lips:
"You are Pan Jun?"

"Do you have a map of Jingzhou's defenses to present to me?"

"If you can help me quickly seize Jingzhou, I will also remember you as a great contributor."

Upon hearing this, Pan Jun blushed instantly, both angry and annoyed, and was speechless.

The group of surrendered people from Jingzhou present all knew that this Han emperor was clearly humiliating Pan Jun for presenting the Jingzhou defense map to Sun Quan years ago.

Seeing the looks from the Wu people around him, Pan Jun still stubbornly insisted: "Hmph, enough nonsense, I am a subject of Wu, I am ready to die! Don't even think about getting a single word out of me!"

Liu Shan still seemed to be smiling:

"Kill you? I won't kill you."

"I heard that you wrote a letter in blood to Sun Quan yesterday?"
"The book says that if Wuxian is lost, the only way to repay the emperor's kindness is to die. It seems that Sun Quan treats you much better than the late emperor did."

The people of Wu looked at each other, not daring to utter a sound.

"Anguo, bestow upon him a ring-pommel sword." Liu Shan beckoned to Guan Xing in front of all the surrendered Wu soldiers.

"I will grant you the right to serve as a subject to your ruler."

All the Wu generals who surrendered were horrified.

Pan Jun was the most outstanding scholar in Jingzhou. Keeping him alive would certainly be useful in pacifying the scholars of Jingzhou. Now, this Emperor of Han has killed him so easily.

Some people also discerned the meaning behind it, especially those who had seen the blood-written letter Pan Jun wrote to Sun Quan.

Although Pan Jun said that the only thing left was death.

But does someone like him truly possess the integrity to die for his country?
If he were truly that inflexible, why did he resort to the performance art of "weeping on the bed" when Sun Quan came to welcome him?

Isn't it just about wanting to save face in this world?
After the fall of Jingzhou, his surrender to Wu was understandable. Since ancient times, the only way out of hardship is death, and no one can demand that he die for his country.

However... as Liu Bei's trusted confidant in charge of the finances and administration of Jingzhou, it would have been one thing for you to surrender to Sun Quan, but after surrendering to Sun Quan, you turned around and presented him with a map of Jingzhou's defenses.

Afterwards, he quickly severed ties with a group of generals and ministers who were defending Jingzhou and loyal to Liu Bei, even resorting to ruthless measures. Wasn't this too obsequious and too eager to express his loyalty to Sun Quan?

Back then, Liu Bei recommended Yuan Huan as a man of outstanding talent.

Later, Lü Bu defeated Yuan Shu at Fuling. Yuan Huan followed Yuan Shu to fight against him and was detained by Lü Bu in the army.

Lu Bu was initially on good terms with Liu Bei, but after seizing Xuzhou from Liu Bei, Lu Bu wanted Yuan Huan to write a letter to vehemently insult and humiliate Liu Bei.

Yuan Huan believed that this should not be done.

Lu Bu pressed him repeatedly, but he refused.

Enraged, Lü Bu raised his sword to threaten Yuan Huan.

"Do it and you live; don't do it and you die."

What was Yuan Huan's answer?

"It is said that only virtue can be used to insult people, but not to curse them."

“If he is truly a gentleman and does not feel ashamed of the general’s words, or if he is truly a petty person and intends to retaliate against the general, then the disgrace lies here, not with him.”

"And what General Liu will do in the future is just as he will do today."

"If you leave here and then curse the general again, is that acceptable?" Bu stopped in shame.

Lu Bu felt ashamed and gave up.

And what about Pan Jun?

Liu Bei trusted Pan Jun so much that he entrusted him with all the finances and administration of Jingzhou. The bond between the two was far deeper than that between Liu Bei and Yuan Huan, while Pan Jun was far inferior to Yuan Huan.

There are also the Xi brothers.

Sun Quan sent Pan Jun to attack Xi Zhen. Wherever Pan Jun went, Xi Zhen surrendered, except for the few hundred men led by Xi Zhen who climbed the mountain.

Pan Jun sent envoys to surrender several times, but received no response.

Pan Jun then dismissed his attendants and went down the mountain himself to speak with Xi Zhen.

Zhen then said, "I will be a ghost of Han, not a subject of Wu. You cannot force me!"

After Pan Jun's attack lasted for more than a month, Xi Zhen ran out of food and arrows. He said to his men, "I have received great kindness from the Han Dynasty, and I must repay it with my life! What are you all doing?!" He then drew his sword and committed suicide.

After Xi Zhen's death, his younger brother Xi Hong was taken to Eastern Wu. For six years, Sun Quan often asked him about it, but Xi Hong never said a word on Sun Quan's behalf.

Since Pan Jun surrendered to Wu, many Wu officials praised him as "strict in his conduct, averse to evil, righteous in his expression, and unwavering in his principles," and hailed him as "a trusted advisor and pillar of the state."

But who doesn't know?
These were merely attempts to cater to Sun Quan's desire to support the Jingzhou faction, to flatter Pan Jun, and to prevent Pan Jun, who was "crying on his bed," from becoming too embarrassed within the Wu Kingdom.

As for his true nature, most of the civil and military officials in Jiangdong knew the truth in their hearts. He was just a cowardly old man who was all bark and no bite. Because of Sun Quan's favor, no one dared to offend him.

Pan Jun looked at the ring-pommel sword that Guan Xing had presented to him, raised it, his hand trembling slightly. Finally, he gritted his teeth and held it across his neck, but for several breaths he couldn't bring himself to strike.

The Wu generals who had surrendered and were inside the tent, though feeling a pang of sympathy upon seeing this scene, couldn't help but secretly mock Pan Jun.

Seeing Pan Jun's actions, Liu Shan gestured to Guan Xing to step forward and seize the ring-pommel sword, thus giving Pan Jun no further chances.

This scene alone is enough.

"Fine, I'll help you then."

"To preserve your good reputation and fulfill your duty as a subject to Sun Quan."

To Pan Jun's astonishment, Guan Xing and two Tiger Guards dragged him out.

Not long after, Guan Xing returned carrying the man's bloody head.

“He is truly a loyal minister of Wu. His head will be made into a paste and presented to Sun Quan. As for the other half of his body, it will be buried in Wu County. His life story will be engraved on a stele and erected at the gate of Wu County for future generations to admire.”

(End of this chapter)