Three Kingdoms: Zhang Fei was sent flying by a single spear thrust, leaving Liu Bei stunned.

The atmosphere inside Yuan Shu's residence was heavy.

All the civil and military officials in the hall lowered their heads, none daring to speak first. Zhang Xun's messenger, who had come to plead for help, knelt in the center of the hall and recounted the dire situation in Runan with embellishments, making Yuan Shu's face turn ashen.

"Useless! A bunch of useless trash!" Yuan Shu smashed the jade cup in his hand to the ground, shattering it into pieces. "My 300,000-strong army in Huainan, which was once known as a powerful force, has now been driven to our doorstep by a mere Cao army! Zhang Xun, that fool, with 50,000 troops guarding a single prefecture, didn't even know who the enemy commander was before being forced to cower in Shangcai, afraid to venture out. What use is he!"

Despite the criticism, Runan was the foundation of the Yuan family. If Runan were lost, Yuan Shu would become a laughing stock among the warlords of the land.

"Have you all become mute? You're all usually so eloquent, why are you all silent now?" Yuan Shu's gaze swept over the crowd below. "Let's discuss this. Who can lead the troops to relieve the crisis in Runan?"

Those below were all whispering amongst themselves.

Zhang Xun is your confidant. If we speak ill of him, and he comes back alive and complains about us to you, who can bear the consequences? Besides, Cao Cao's army has always been known for its fighting prowess. We have no idea who is leading this army or how many troops they have. How can we fight this battle? Who is willing to take that risk?

For a moment, the entire council chamber was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

In the midst of this awkward silence, a burly man suddenly stood up, clasped his hands in a fist salute, and stepped forward.

This man was nine feet tall, with a robust physique, and a face covered in bristles of steel needles. His voice was like a booming bell, making people's ears ring.

It was Ji Ling, Yuan Shu's top general.

"My lord!" Ji Ling shouted, his voice brimming with confidence. "The mere Cao army is nothing to worry about! This humble general is willing to share your burdens! Please grant me 50,000 troops, and I will personally lead the expedition to annihilate that arrogant Cao general and lift the siege of Shangcai!"

Ji Ling's request to fight eased the tension in the hall. With him as their pillar of support, everyone felt more confident.

Yuan Shu's expression softened considerably. He trusted Ji Ling the most, and with him in charge, the siege of Runan could be lifted.

"Good! As expected of my supreme general!" Yuan Shu was about to make the decision.

To everyone's surprise, just as Ji Ling finished speaking, a clear and somewhat arrogant voice rang out.

"Why use a sledgehammer to crack a nut?"

A tall, handsome young general stepped out from the ranks. He had a heroic face, sharp eyes, and an air of valor that others could not match.

He cupped his hands in a respectful gesture towards Yuan Shu, but his tone remained neither humble nor arrogant: "My lord, why do we need 50,000 troops? Cao Cao's army has come from afar and must be exhausted. Just give me 30,000 troops, and I, Sun Ce, will surely quell the rebellion in Yu Province and relieve the crisis in Shangcai within a month!"

The one who stepped forward was none other than Sun Ce, Sun Bofu, the eldest son of Sun Jian, the Tiger of Jiangdong.

After Sun Jian's death, he led his father's former troops to join Yuan Shu, hoping to use Yuan Shu's army to fight back in Jiangdong and avenge his father. However, Yuan Shu only valued the Imperial Seal left by his father and did not treat him well, so he was reluctant to give him an important position.

Sun Ce didn't want to miss this opportunity again.

As soon as he spoke, all the officials and soldiers in the hall turned their attention to him.

Ji Ling frowned, turning to look at the arrogant young man, feeling quite displeased. He, a high-ranking general, had volunteered for battle, and this brat jumped out and said so many men weren't needed—wasn't this a public slap in the face?

"Bo Fu, matters of state and military affairs are not to be taken lightly," Ji Ling said in a deep voice. "You are young and impetuous, unaware of the strength of Cao Cao's army. Cao Cao has many fierce generals under his command, making him no small matter. It would be better if I went personally."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce smiled slightly, but remained unyielding: "General Ji Ling is mistaken. The quality of an army is more important than its quantity, and the general's strength lies in strategy rather than bravery. If Cao Cao's army were truly that formidable, how could General Zhang Xun have held out until now? In my opinion, the invading enemy is merely a detachment intended for harassment. To attack them with a large force would be a poor choice, making the world laugh at the lack of talent in Huainan."

These words were well-reasoned and supported by evidence, which made many civil officials nod in approval.

Yuan Shu, sitting in the main seat, hesitated somewhat.

He glanced at the loyal and brave Ji Ling, then at the spirited Sun Ce, and began to make his own plans.

Ji Ling is his confidant, loyal and reliable, so sending him is a safe bet.

But Sun Ce, being Sun Jian's son, seems to be quite capable, like father, like son. And he's right; sending 50,000 troops to attack a small flanking force wouldn't look good. Most importantly, 30,000 troops are much cheaper than 50,000.

With this in mind, Yuan Shu made a plan.

He cleared his throat, adopted a humble and courteous demeanor, and said to Sun Ce with a smile, "Hehe, Bofu has such ambition; he truly is worthy of being Brother Wentai's son. Excellent, excellent!"

Sun Ce was overjoyed, thinking that Yuan Shu was about to agree.

Unexpectedly, Yuan Shu changed the subject: "However, you are still young and inexperienced. How about this, for this expedition, Ji Ling will still be the commander, leading 50,000 troops. As for you, you will lead the few thousand old troops left by your father as the vanguard, accompanying Ji Ling on the expedition. This will allow you to gain more experience on the battlefield and learn how to lead troops in battle."

After saying that, Yuan Shu looked at Sun Ce with an expression that said, "I'm thinking of you."

The joy on Sun Ce's face instantly froze.

He understood perfectly well what Yuan Shu meant. It was ostensibly a training exercise, but in reality, it was a means of monitoring and weakening him. Making him the vanguard was a way to send him to the front lines, to tackle the toughest challenges and deplete his father's most elite troops. If they won, the credit would go to Ji Ling; if they lost, he would take the blame.

That's a truly cunning and ruthless scheme!

The veteran generals behind Sun Ce, such as Han Dang and Huang Gai, also showed anger on their faces.

But Sun Ce remained silent for only a moment before suppressing all his emotions. He raised his head and bowed deeply to Yuan Shu.

"Thank you for your guidance, my lord! Your humble servant obeys!"

When you're under someone's roof, you have to bow your head. Without Yuan Shu's troops, he couldn't even muster enough boats to return to Jiangdong. He had no choice but to take on this vanguard role, whether he wanted to or not.

Seeing that Sun Ce was so "sensible," Yuan Shu nodded in satisfaction and immediately gave the order.

"Good! Ji Ling, listen to my command! You are hereby appointed commander-in-chief, leading 50,000 troops. Set off immediately to reinforce Runan! Sun Ce will be the vanguard, accompanying the army and awaiting orders!"

"Your subordinate obeys!" Ji Ling and Sun Ce replied in unison.

Ji Ling's voice was loud and clear, filled with a desire to achieve great things; while Sun Ce's voice was calm, yet it concealed a hidden forbearance and sharpness.

The meeting concluded, and the generals dispersed.

Huang Gai, following behind Sun Ce, finally couldn't help but speak up: "Young Master! This Yuan Shu is going too far! Sending you as the vanguard is clearly a sign of ill intentions!"

Sun Ce didn't stop walking, but simply said, "Uncle Huang, I know."

"You knew that, yet you still agreed?" Han Dang exclaimed anxiously. "This is clearly a trap!"

Sun Ce stopped and looked back at his old subordinates who had followed his father and him all the way. A deep look, beyond his years, flashed in his eyes.

"Even if it's a fire pit, we have to jump in." He said, word by word, "If we don't jump, we'll be stuck in Shouchun forever, watching Yuan Shu, that mediocre talent, run rampant. If we jump, even if it's a mountain of knives and a sea of ​​fire ahead, there'll always be a glimmer of hope."

"We're not going there to be cannon fodder for Ji Ling," Sun Ce said, a confident smile returning to his lips. "We're going to fight, to earn merit. As long as we fight well, no one can steal our credit. Then, let's see what Yuan Shu has to say!"

Seeing Sun Ce regain his spirits, Huang Gai and Han Dang exchanged a glance, both seeing relief in each other's eyes.

Young master, you've really grown up.

Three days later, outside Shouchun City, an army of 50,000 men had assembled, their banners obscuring the sun, and marched in a grand procession toward Runan.

Ji Ling rode a tall horse, clad in heavy armor, and wielding a three-pointed double-edged sword, walking majestically in the center of the army.

Sun Ce, leading several thousand Jiangdong men, silently walked at the forefront of the army, acting as the eyes and sword of the entire force.

A major battle that will determine the fate of Runan is about to begin.

However, neither the overconfident Ji Ling nor the preoccupied Sun Ce knew that outside Shangcai City, a carefully woven net had already been quietly unfurled for them.