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

22

What's the point of fighting for these things then?

"Of course it's necessary!"

Cai Feng frowned, staring at Cai Mao, and said decisively, "The rules remain the same; what deserves to be fought for must be fought for!"

"Otherwise, the other families will definitely become suspicious! It's especially crucial at this time; we must remain calm and composed!"

"Even if we obtain it now, we can later offer it to Lord Wu as a token of our merit!"

Upon hearing this, Cai Mao's eyes lit up: "So that's how it is! Father is truly wise!"

As expected, experience matters!

I'm still far from good enough!

"Study diligently! After I pass away, you will be solely responsible for making these decisions."

Cai Feng waved his hand.

Meanwhile, the Kuai brothers, having left the Cai residence, boarded their carriage.

Kuai Yue looked back at the Cai residence's gate and asked in a low voice, "Brother, how credible do you think Cai Mao's words are? Did that young master Cai really break with the family and leave?"

He always felt there was something fishy about this matter.

Kuai Liang stroked his beard and said, "Regardless of whether it's true or false, there's no doubt that the Cai family wants to curry favor with the Marquis of Wu. They already have the upper hand—Huang Chengyan's wife is Cai Mao's elder sister, and Huang Chengyan holds a very important position under the Marquis of Wu."

"I am also weighing whether I should take advantage of the Cai family to ally myself with the Marquis of Wu."

Witnessing Liu Biao's battle report today, he was terrified by the terrifying combat power displayed by the Yellow Sea navy.

Even a seasoned general like Huang Zu suffered a crushing defeat, yet he himself emerged almost unscathed. Moreover, Lord Wu still commanded another formidable force.

Given this situation, can Jingzhou truly withstand the pressure?

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This is clearly difficult to achieve.

Unless Wu Hou was wiped out by other forces before he even arrived in Jingzhou.

This is not entirely impossible.

However, judging from the strength of the Yellow Sea navy, how could the fighting power of Wu Hou's other troops be inferior?

Is this really true?

Upon hearing his elder brother's words, Kuai Yue's expression changed drastically, and he exclaimed urgently, "Brother, have you lost your mind? The new policies of the Marquis of Wu are at odds with the gentry at every turn, and you actually intend to serve him? What is the reason behind this?"

He simply couldn't bear to part with the land and property accumulated by his family over generations.

"My second brother has some misunderstandings about the new policies."

Kuai Liang sighed softly, "Don't be misled by those powerful clans in Jingzhou. A careful reading of Lord Wu's new policies will reveal that their true intention is not to target any specific group, but rather to ensure that everyone in the world has a fair opportunity to advance."

"It can be said that this has affected the interests of the aristocratic class. However, these rights were not originally possessed by the aristocracy; they were all obtained through the erosion of imperial power and the exploitation of the people over the years!"

"Such actions may benefit the gentry, but they harm the nation and the people's livelihood!"

"If this weren't the case, how could the aristocratic families have grown so powerful that they controlled the military and political affairs of prefectures and counties, and even deceived the emperor in the imperial court?"

"What Lord Wu seeks is nothing more than fairness. If he succeeds, the world will be transformed, the people will live in peace and prosperity, and the nation's strength will increase exponentially!"

"It's like expanding the nation's cake. Even if officials don't wield as much power as the old aristocratic families, their gains may not be less; in fact, they might even surpass them!"

"How many years has the Kuai family been rooted in Jingzhou?"

"Always confined to a corner, unable to rise to the central leadership."

"The past is hopeless, and clinging to the aristocratic stance will also lead to little progress—the foundation is ultimately too shallow!"

"But what if we were to serve the Lord of Wu?"

"It should be noted that due to its new policies, very few people have sought refuge with the gentry, leaving official positions vacant and numerous opportunities for personal gain!"

"At this moment, the Lord of Wu is probably eager for talented people, but especially lacks those capable of governing the world!"

"Brother, have you considered what high positions we will receive after we submit?"

"It's better than wasting my time under the mediocre ruler Liu Biao."

The key to success or failure lies in whether they dare to take a gamble.

Although Kuai Yue found this reasonable, he still frowned and said, "This plan is predicated on gaining the favor of Lord Wu. However, our losses are real! I..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kuai Liang raised his hand to interrupt him: "Everything in this world has its gains and losses. Does my brother perhaps believe there is such a thing as getting something for nothing?"

"Effort is inevitable; it's just a matter of different methods!"

"This is the time to make a choice!"

"Let's observe the Cai family's movements for now. If they succeed, we can follow suit! Time waits for no one!"

If you hesitate for too long, someone with discerning eyes will rush to serve you.

At that time, it will be extremely difficult to get Lu Feng to take a more important role.

"My dear brother, you should think this over carefully," Kuai Liang said, clapping his hand lightly.

"call--"

Kuai Yue breathed a sigh of relief and nodded: "Brother, rest assured, I will carefully consider it and further study the essence of Lord Wu's new policies."

This world is probably about to undergo a complete transformation!

"How hateful! Why are Lu Feng's men so powerful? They are clearly Lu Kang's former subordinates, how did they become so transformed under his rule?"

On the battlefield of Jiujiang Commandery, Tao Qian personally led a large army to attack for a long time without success.

They suffered defeats in all three battles, inflicting heavy losses, yet were unable to cross the line.

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Although Xu Chu served as the commander of the Lu Feng Guard for many years.

However, the Lu family's more than 10,000 iron cavalry were mostly trained by him.

He has deeply inherited the true essence of Lu Feng's military strategy.

Furthermore, thanks to the frequent guidance from my lord, my ability to command troops is now vastly different from what it used to be.

Tao Qian has truly met his match this time.

Tao Qian commands 30,000 elite troops from Lujiang. These soldiers, originally recruited by Lu Kang, have undergone months of rigorous training, and their combat strength is now vastly different from what it used to be.

"Father, the fortress has now been reinforced by several zhang, making it difficult for our siege ladders to reach it. Should we continue our assault?" Tao Shang asked, his brow furrowed and his voice filled with anxiety.

"How can we conquer it?" Tao Qian sighed heavily. "Not only are the city walls so high that we'd need to rebuild our siege equipment, but the enemy's powerful crossbows can fire continuously. How can we withstand such a weapon? If we could acquire this technology..."

This governor of Xuzhou was not known for his military prowess, and he was already considering retreat. He turned his gaze southeast: "Now, our only hope is that Yuan Gonglu and Liu Jingsheng can make a breakthrough. At that time, Xu Zhongkang will surely send troops to reinforce us, which will be our best opportunity to breach the city."

Just as Tao Qian decided to remain inactive, Ji Ling, on another battlefield, found himself in a similar predicament. His troops encountered Huang Zhong's Vermilion Bird Camp, which was even more ferocious than Xu Chu's forces. The crossbows on the city walls fired in unison, and Huang Zhong's archery skills, which allowed him to shoot with unparalleled accuracy, forced Ji Ling to avoid even showing his face.

After three days of agonizing waiting, a battle report arrived simultaneously at the desks of the two commanders-in-chief—Huang Zu had been killed in battle, and the 50,000-strong Jiangxia naval force had been wiped out in a single day.

"Absurd!" Tao Qian slammed his hand on the table and stood up. "Are fifty thousand troops made of paper? Does Liu Jing Sheng intend to betray the alliance?" He shouted at the messenger kneeling on the ground, but only received a silent response.

这 是

The one who broke their promise!

"He's probably too weak to send reinforcements. Lü Bu has emerged from Nanyang, and even Wu's 50,000-strong navy was annihilated by the Yellow Sea fleet. How can the remaining navy possibly fight?"

Chen Gui calmly analyzed the situation from the sidelines.

Liu Biao was not a fool. Knowing that sending more troops would be tantamount to suicide, he would not repeat the same mistake.

It is indeed true that we need to be wary of Lü Bu.

That fellow is like a fierce tiger entrenched in Nanyang, the gateway to Jingzhou, and is a major threat to our health.

If we are not careful, we may lose the entire territory of Jingzhou.

"We can't just sit idly by!"

Tao Qian's face was gloomy, and he said unwillingly, "It seems that the only option is to retreat. I'm afraid there's no hope for Jiujiang and Lujiang prefectures."

"Wu Hou only mobilized the Yellow Sea Fleet, the Vermilion Bird Camp, and 30,000 troops stationed in Lujiang, yet he managed to block the three-pronged allied forces from beyond the borders. Is his strength truly terrifying?"

"What should we do next? Should we just sit and wait to die?"

Tao Qian and Chen Gui were both well aware that Lu Feng would attack Xuzhou sooner or later.

"Your subordinate... has no good solution at the moment."

Chen Gui feigned helplessness, but secretly his resolve to serve Lu Feng grew stronger.

His son, Chen Deng, has been in Qingzhou for several days. The Chen family is about to attach themselves to the powerful Wu Hou. What does Tao Qian's life or death have to do with him?

This battle further demonstrated the might of the Lu Feng army to him.

However, the two flanking forces caused the three lords to suffer heavy losses. Is there any more powerful ruler than the Lord of Wu?

If we're talking about who can conquer the world, then Lu Feng is the only one who can.

That night, Tao Qian's prolonged siege of the Jiujiang Pass failed, and he ultimately withdrew his troops in disappointment.

"Hahaha! That old bastard Tao Qian was scared out of his wits! Brothers, we won!"

Seeing the Xuzhou army retreating, Xu Chu raised his arms and shouted.

"oh--!"

"Our lord is wise! General Xu is valiant!"

The soldiers in Lujiang erupted in thunderous cheers.

"Wow! Old Xu, you're really getting cocky!"

Guo Jia chuckled and teased from the side.

"Come on!" Xu Chu's ears burned. He waved his hand and said, "I didn't say that! It's just the soldiers laughing it off. Why are you joining in?"

Invincible? He wouldn't dare claim that!

My lord, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun, Dian Wei... aren't they all stronger than him?

His skills are far from sufficient!

The day after Tao Qian withdrew his troops, the news reached Ji Ling's ears, and he was immediately enraged, cursing, "Damn it! Liu Biao broke the agreement first, and now Tao Qian has run away too. Are you playing me for a fool?"

Vice-General Qiao Rui hurriedly advised, "General, you should inform the lord immediately! After Tao Qian and Liu Biao withdrew their troops, the Jiujiang army and the Yellow Sea fleet could reinforce us at any time. If we delay any longer, we may not be able to protect ourselves!"

At this moment, Qiao Rui's heart was also stirred.

He couldn't help but doubt his initial decision—perhaps he shouldn't have joined Yuan Shu, but instead chose Lu Feng?

In terms of strength, Lu Feng is clearly superior...

"Is it time to plan for the future?"

The thought flashed through his mind, but now was not the time to act.

"Very well! I will send someone to inform the lord immediately!" Ji Ling nodded with a stern face.

This was exactly what he was worried about—even Huang Zu and the Vermilion Bird Camp had been unable to break through for a long time, and had already suffered heavy losses after several days of fighting. If enemy reinforcements arrived, the consequences would be unimaginable.

The swift horse charged out of the military camp, its hooves kicking up a trail of dust. The messenger traveled day and night, finally arriving in Runan City at sunset.

"What?!" Yuan Shu slammed his fist on the table and stood up abruptly. "Tao Qian has retreated? Huang Zu's entire army on Liu Biao's side has been wiped out, and there are no reinforcements coming?"

"Absolutely true!" the messenger reported, kneeling on the ground. "General Ji specifically ordered me to consult with our lord—whether to withdraw the troops is your decision!"

Yuan's army is likely facing enemy reinforcements! The battle at Jiujiang and the naval battle are over, and they will surely send reinforcements!

Yuan Shu staggered and fell to his seat, exclaiming in shock, "How could this be? Are Tao Qian and Liu Biao really so incompetent?"

"Are Lu Feng's troops really that powerful?"

Huang Zu was once a fierce general who killed Sun Jian.

But now it's so vulnerable?

"My lord, order Ji Ling to withdraw the troops immediately! Delay could result in the annihilation of the entire army!"

Yan Xiang urgently offered his advice.

The opportunity to win a battle is fleeting.

He originally thought that Lu Feng's troops left to guard Lujiang were not a threat.

They never expected the Tao-Liu allied forces to be so useless.

If I had known this would happen, I would never have advised my lord to join forces to attack Lujiang.

At this moment, not only have they failed to gain an inch of territory, but they have also suffered heavy losses and lost Nanyang!

"Is it really... necessary to retreat?"

Yuan Shu gritted his teeth, unwilling to accept defeat.

"We must evacuate!"

Yan Xiang said decisively, "Lü Bu is eyeing Nanyang! If Ji Ling's troops suffer further losses, things could get complicated! We must deal with Lü Bu's threat first!"

Yuan Shu waved his hand dejectedly: "Never mind... Order a retreat."

"As for that scoundrel Lü Bu—" he slammed his fist on the table, "That traitor who has served three masters dares to seize my Nanyang? He'll pay the price!"

"Wait a minute!"

Yan Xiang advised again, "Our lord should form an alliance with Lü Bu!"

"What?!"

Yuan Shu glared: "He seized my Nanyang, and now you want to form an alliance with him? Have you lost your mind, or am I out of my mind?"

"My lord, we are both of sound mind! Allow me to explain!"

Yan Xiang responded confidently.

"Um?"

Yuan Shu immediately became interested and raised his eyebrows, saying, "Then tell me!"

"in this way--"

Yan Xiang smiled calmly, cupped his hands, and said, "Allow me to ask Your Majesty first, in your opinion, where do we fall short compared to Lord Wu?"

"What?"

Upon hearing this, Yuan Shu was immediately displeased: "How can Lu Ziyi compare to the foundation of my Yuan family, which has produced four generations of high-ranking officials?"