Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

21

Unexpectedly, Huang Gai surrendered first.

"Logically, Huang Gai should still be with the Yellow Sea navy at this moment, right? And the Yellow Sea navy should be engaged in battle with Huang Zu's navy?"

"So, Huang Zu has been defeated! Huang Gai, having avenged his great enemy, only sincerely surrendered out of gratitude and various other considerations?"

Based on the intelligence gathered by his secret guards, Lu Feng quickly deduced the whole story.

He couldn't help but chuckle: "These guys are really stubborn. But now that Huang Zu has been eliminated and Huang Gai has genuinely submitted, Cheng Pu and Han Dang should be next..."

Thinking of this, Lu Feng was in high spirits and immediately issued an instruction to the system: "Perform this special check-in."

[Ding! Special check-in by Huang Gai successful. Rewards: 3 Strengthening Pills, 2 Aptitude Enhancement Cards]

"Oh? A new reward? Let me see how it works."

Upon seeing the newly awarded reward, Lu Feng's eyes lit up, and he carefully examined the detailed description.

[Strengthening Pill: For ordinary people, one pill can increase physical fitness by 3 times. The effect is halved with the second pill, and halved again with the third pill. More than three pills will have no effect. For martial artists, the effect decreases by 10% with each advancement in their cultivation realm.]

[Talent Enhancement Card: Slightly improves martial arts talent; limited to one use per person]

"They're all wonderful treasures!"

Without saying a word, Lu Feng swallowed the three Body Strengthening Pills.

A warm current instantly coursed through his body, and he clenched his fist. With his Martial Saint realm and control over his body, he could clearly feel that his physique had improved by at least 30%.

"happy!"

Lu Feng laughed heartily.

He then took out two qualification upgrade cards and used one for himself.

The same warm current swept over my whole body, making every cell feel as comfortable as if I were receiving a top-notch massage, and even my thoughts became clearer.

After trying to circulate his internal energy, he found that his cultivation speed had indeed increased by nearly half.

This was an unexpected bonus for Lu Feng.

---

His martial arts talent had already reached its peak, and after this breakthrough, his cultivation towards the realm of supreme martial saint will surely progress by leaps and bounds.

"I wonder if I can glimpse the profound realm beyond the Martial Saint?" Lu Feng pondered to himself.

Such treasures are limited to one use per person. If they could be used repeatedly, accumulating to a hundred or so... Thinking of this, he couldn't help but feel regretful. Unfortunately, this world is bound by the rules of war, and the laws of heaven and earth have their own predetermined order.

The battle at Lujiang has come to a close.

The army dispatched by Liu Biao was completely routed after Huang Zu's death. The next day, the bad news reached Xiangyang.

"Absurd!" Liu Biao slammed his fist on the table, making it tremble. "Huang Zu led his army into battle, but before even engaging in combat, he had already lost more than half his forces, and in the end, his entire army was wiped out?"

A messenger, covered in blood, prostrated himself and reported: "The Wu naval warships are equipped with catapults with extremely long ranges, and the fire oil they use is inextinguishable by water. After three volleys, two-tenths of our warships were engulfed in flames, and countless soldiers were killed or wounded... This humble general jumped into the river to escape, but when I returned to Jiangxia, I saw only ruins. My surviving comrades told me that General Huang had died for his country..."

Liu Biao staggered backward, only managing to steady himself by grabbing the screen: "Tens of thousands of soldiers failed to inflict even the slightest damage on the enemy?" He hurriedly summoned the Kuai brothers, Cai Mao, Zhang Yun, and other trusted confidants to discuss the matter.

The staff members turned pale upon hearing the news. Kuai Liang tapped his fingertips on the map: "The most urgent task is to strengthen the defenses of Jiangling." Cai Mao suddenly drew his sword and slashed off the corner of the table: "This humble general requests to fight and avenge our defeat!" The candlelight in the hall flickered violently, reflecting the uncertain expressions on everyone's faces.

Cai Mao secretly rejoiced: "Thank goodness I found an excuse to escape this calamity, otherwise I would be the one lying there right now."

"Liu Biao is indeed unreliable; it would be better to seek refuge with the Marquis of Wu as soon as possible. The other forces are even more unbearable."

Now he is counting on his second sister to win over Lord Wu and become his concubine.

Only in this way can the Cai family truly climb the big tree of the Marquis of Wu.

"My lord! That black oil burning on the water's surface is a special product of Liangzhou called 'Fierce Fire Oil.' This substance doesn't extinguish when it comes into contact with water; it can continue burning on the water's surface with astonishing power!"

Upon hearing about the characteristics of this object, the well-read Kuai Liang immediately determined its origin.

"Fire Oil? Liangzhou? But Lu Feng is clearly in Qingzhou and Yanzhou!"

Liu Biao squinted his eyes.

"That's not surprising," Kuai Liang shook his head and said, "The Lu Clan's Chamber of Commerce was all over the world in its early years; they must have stockpiled these goods back then."

"I just didn't expect him to use it in naval warfare."

"What's even more surprising is how quickly Huang Zu was defeated. We probably all underestimated the strength of the Yellow Sea navy."

The two sides had already become enemies—after all, it was our lord who first sent troops to attack Lu Feng.

Kuai Yue also added, "It is reported that the Yellow Sea navy has also equipped itself with Lu's repeating crossbows and giant bed crossbows."

"This reminds me of the Huang family of Mianyang. Could it be that they developed it for Lu Feng?"

"The allied forces of Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were defeated by these crossbows."

"The Marquis of Wu has even extended this practice to his navy; his investment in military equipment is truly astonishing!"

However, due to the new policies, the Kuai brothers harbored resentment towards Lu Feng and naturally did not want to see this situation.

"The Huang family of Mianyang?"

Liu Biao's pupils constricted sharply: "They actually built it? Why didn't they surrender it when we were in Jingzhou?"

At that time, Liu Biao had not yet taken control of Jingzhou, nor had he assumed office.

If he had been in Jingzhou at that time, he probably wouldn't have allowed Lu Feng to take Huang away.

"We had no idea such a thing existed back then! Perhaps it was developed later."

Kuai Yue waved his hand.

The Huang family often had marriage alliances with them, but this matter should not be mentioned too much, lest Liu Biao become suspicious.

"Alas! What a pity! Why is fate so biased towards Lu Ziyi? Yidu, Zirou, in your opinion, should we continue to send reinforcements?"

Liu Biao sighed and looked at the brothers Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang.

Now he truly regrets interfering in the conflict between Yuan Shu and Tao Qian.

"I'm afraid that won't work, and I don't recommend that Your Majesty send troops again."

Kuai Yue shook his head and said, "We have lost nearly 50,000 troops this time, leaving Jiangxia's defenses vulnerable. We need to quickly deploy troops to garrison it. Moreover, Lü Bu is still eyeing Nanyang covetously, so it is not advisable to start another war."

"Exactly!"

Kuai Liang chimed in, "My lord need not worry. Wu Hou's occupation of Lujiang and Jiujiang is already the limit; he is unable to seize Jingzhou in the short term. Otherwise, Taishi Ci would not have withdrawn his troops after killing General Huang Zu."

"The people we should really be wary of are Yuan Shu of Yu Province, Tao Qian of Xu Province, and even Yuan Shao of Ji Province and Gongsun Zan of You Province."

The Central Plains was a strategically important place for military strategists, and its population and resources surpassed those of Jingzhou.

He didn't believe that Lu Feng would abandon the Central Plains and take Jingzhou first.

Although Jingzhou has the natural barrier of the Yangtze River... well, in the face of the Wu naval forces, this natural barrier has become a weakness.

However, Wu Hou will certainly not attack Jing in the short term.

"Very well! Let's call it quits! We've done our best, and Yuan Shu and Tao Qian have nothing to say."

Liu Biao had no choice but to nod.

I'm getting old, so I'll postpone it as long as possible.

Perhaps by the time Lu Feng is about to attack Jingzhou, he will already be dead.

If Liu Qi could give up Jingzhou and live a life of leisure and wealth, that would be a wonderful thing.

Given his temperament and talent, he was never destined to contend for supremacy.

"My lord is wise!" Kuai Liang clapped his hands in praise.

Assessing the situation and acting accordingly is the wise course of action.

At this point, confronting Lu Feng head-on is not the best strategy.

If the flames of war were to reach Jingzhou, it would be something they would never want.

As long as Lu Feng is too busy to look south in the short term, they can continue to live in peace for several more years.

As for the future?

Let's discuss this another day!

As Cai Mao left Liu Biao's place, the Kuai brothers stopped him: "De Gui, please wait! May we speak in private?"

Cai Mao hesitated for a moment, then said, "Please come with me back to my residence for a detailed discussion."

Inside the Cai residence, the servants finished serving tea.

Kuai Yue said meaningfully, "Did De Gui deliberately avoid the battle because he knew the Wu Marquis's navy was formidable?"

"Since raising his army, Lord Wu has never suffered a defeat, and besides..." Cai Mao gently stroked his teacup, "I have my own channels of information."

Looking back now, it was truly fortunate. Had we actually gone to war, we would probably be nothing but dry bones at the bottom of the river by now.

Taishi Ci would not show him any mercy.

"I'm afraid it's more than that?" Kuai Liang sipped his tea, his eyes sharp. "I've heard that your elder sister, Cai Ying, secretly went to Lujiang before the war."

"Since the Cai family wishes to pledge allegiance to the Marquis of Wu, why don't they tell us frankly? The Cai and Kuai families have been linked by marriage for generations; can't we trust them?"

Upon hearing this, Cai Mao's teacup trembled slightly.

This matter was extremely secret, yet the Kuai family already knew about it?

Cai Mao frowned slightly and replied, "Zirou, please don't tease me! To tell you the truth, my father originally intended to marry my second sister to Liu Biao, but she was unhappy about it, so she ran off to Qingzhou to seek refuge with her brother-in-law. The claim of a marriage alliance with the Marquis of Wu is completely unfounded!"

"Ha!" Kuai Liang's eyes crinkled with amusement. "De Gui, De Gui, do you know you're utterly incapable of lying? I didn't mention the word 'marriage alliance' just now, so aren't you just admitting it?"

Cai Mao looked embarrassed.

Indeed, when it came to cunning and scheming, he was far inferior. Having said that, he simply stated frankly, "Fine! I did indeed have that thought. The main reason is that my second sister has taken a liking to Lord Wu, which is why she eloped to Qingzhou. As her younger brother, I can't very well stop her, can I?"

"As for whether this marriage will succeed, it all depends on Second Sister's abilities. Our Cai family and Lord Wu really don't have any connection." At this point, he remembered that Second Sister was still in Lujiang and couldn't help but worry about her safety.

(May she arrive in Qingzhou soon.) Cai Mao prayed silently.

After the Huang Zu incident, he finally understood—the so-called Jingzhou navy was nothing but a bunch of clay chickens and earthen dogs in front of Wu Hou's fleet. Stubbornly resisting was unwise; surrendering as soon as possible was the best course of action. If he could surrender with the entire Jingzhou, that would truly be a great achievement!

"I see." Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang exchanged glances, confirming that Cai Mao's words were true. Was it really Cai Ying who took it upon herself to go find Lu Feng? It seemed like something that girl would do. She had been unconventional since childhood, quite different from ordinary young ladies.

Kuai Liang immediately cupped his hands and smiled, "Then I wish De Gui a bright future! If the Cai family can marry into the Wu family, when they rise to prominence in the future, please don't forget to help our Kuai family."

"Whether it will work out or not is still uncertain!" Cai Mao said irritably. "Even if it does, so what? My father found out that my second sister had run away, and he was so angry that he almost became bedridden. He even threatened to sever all ties with her!"

"Furthermore, you are all well aware of the new policies implemented by Lord Wu! How can we, the Cai family, easily relinquish the land rights we have accumulated over many years in Jingzhou!"

"At most... it's just leaving yourself a way out!"

"Besides, it's still uncertain whether Lord Wu can gain power! Discussing it now is futile!"

Cai Mao was not stupid. His words were actually a veiled revelation, all of which were advice given to him by his father, Cai Feng, earlier. At present, the Cai family still needed to establish itself in Jingzhou. If they were to get too involved with Lu Feng's faction, it would only invite suspicion and exclusion from the local gentry, which was definitely not a situation they wanted to see.

"That makes... sense!"

The brothers Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue exchanged a glance, carefully observed Cai Mao's unperturbed expression, and then nodded in agreement.

The three talked privately for a while until the Kuai brothers left. Cai Mao immediately went to the inner courtyard and told his father everything about his meeting with Liu Biao and the Kuai brothers' probing.

"Father, I've said everything you instructed me to say! There shouldn't be any problems, right?"

"There's another matter—how is my second sister doing now? Has she not yet set off for Qingzhou?"

Confusion appeared between Cai Mao's brows.

"This response was acceptable; at least there's been some improvement," Cai Feng stroked his beard and smiled. "As for your second sister? She's currently trapped in Lujiang. With the war ongoing, the navy can't provide escort, so she'll probably have to wait until the war is over before she can set off."

"However... Lord Wu probably already knew about your second sister's matter."

His spies planted around Cai Ying regularly sent messages, without interruption.

"Wu Hou's eyes and ears are so sharp?" Cai Mao could not hide his surprise.

"Don't underestimate him!" Cai Feng solemnly warned. "His victories in the previous 2.4 battles are proof of his strength!"

"That's right..." Cai Mao nodded, still shaken. "Fortunately, I found an excuse to refuse at the time, otherwise I would have perished at the hands of the Yellow Sea Navy!"

He changed the subject abruptly, lowering his voice: "With Huang Zu dead, the interests in his territory are left vacant... Father, should we intervene?"

When this matter was mentioned, Cai Mao's eyes flashed with hesitation.

He believed his family was already trying to curry favor with the Marquis of Wu.