Chapter 214 - Diplomatic war (2) (1/2)
Chapter 214 Diplomatic war (2)
Translated by Gamer @ endlessfantasytranslations.com
Yang Hong woke up early the next day. He did not go straight to Zhang Zhao but instead wrote calligraphy and carve tortoise sh.e.l.ls in the courtyard. After that, he ate lunch and took a short nap. After his nap, he walked leisurely towards Zhang Zhao at a different courtyard. He knows that now is the time to leave. He also knows that both of them are going to remain silent. If he is late, it is possible for Zhang Zhao to go and find the governor. He is after all, the messenger. In the end, the Lu Bu’s Army would have no choice but to be polite. They could not make the world think that the Lu Bu’s Army are barbarians.
Now is the best time to arrive. Not late, not early. Yang Hong eventually arrived at Zhang Zhao’s mansion. Zhang Zhao on the other hand could not use such a method. This is because he is under heavy pressure. He is not only at Wan Cheng for Sun Ce but also for all the other n.o.ble families. The suffering of the n.o.ble’s children would only be longer for each day delayed. Although pressured, Zhang Zhao still remained calm as he needs to obtain the most out of the Lu Bu’s Army in the diplomatic meeting.
“Yang Hong has arrived!” Zhang Zhao who was sitting at the courtyard looked at Yang Hong. Although his heart was anxious, he gave an indifferent expression. He merely looked at Yang Hong without moving forward meaning that he would not entertain Yang Hong.
Such amazing willpower! Yang Hong raised his opinion of Zhang Zhao. If it was a normal messenger, he might have already gone to the government office or be very irritated. For this Zhang Zhao to still be indifferent, he is truly a top advisor of Jiangdong.
However, the one in control is still Yang Hong. If Zhang Zhao wants to be indifferent, Yang Hong will let him continue to be indifferent. Yang Hong also did not mind Zhang Zhao’s rudeness and said “Come, help me get a cup!” The servants had a natural understanding and after a command from Yang Hong, they immediately prepared a cup and a teapot.
This time, the tea was different. It was a tea made with longan, salt, and other seasonings. It was more of a dessert than tea. It was a kind of drink that only people with peculiar drinking habits like Yang Hong could swallow. Other people like Liu Mang would only feel nauseated.
(TN: The dessert, ‘Tong sui’, literally means ‘sugar water’. It is a collective term for any sweet, warm soup/custard.)
Yang Hong sat there and drank it. He squinted and continued to be silent like yesterday.
“This Yang Hong!” Zhang Zhao wrinkled his eyebrows without paying attention to the time. Isn’t this Yang Hong supposed to be an oaf? Why is he the one leading the discussion? What is Chen Gong thinking?
Among the people in the Lu Bu’s Army, Chen Gong is the main figure in terms of strategy. He thought that Chen Gong is guiding Yang Hong as to how to make him start the discussion. However, Zhang Zhao remained calm because he believed the guard. That guard was one of Sun Ce’s followers and was trusted by Sun Ce. Otherwise, this person would not be a guard in the first place.
“Drink tea! Drink tea!” Zhang Zhong continued to drink the tea. He does not believe that Yang Hong could endure not speaking. Time flew by quickly and the end of the day arrived. Yang Hong looked at the sky and stood up.
“Zhang Zhao, I have been a bother. This sky is dark. This Hong will take leave!” Yang Hong said and left.
*Groan* Zhang Zhao groaned loudly after he watched Yang Hong leave. This happened again. What is the Lu Bu’s Army trying to do?
(TN: Trolling you and the readers while getting more wordcount for the author.)
“Zhang Zhao, it is time to eat.” The guard reminded Zhang Zhao. The day is over and it is also time to eat.
But how could Zhang Zhao be in the mood to eat? “Not eating, not eating!” He wanted to say that but stopped himself. This is because he knew he was in a bad mood and to the extent that he did not want to eat. Isn’t it like telling his opponent his state of mind? The place he is staying at and even the courtyard was arranged by Yang Hong and the Lu Bu’s Army. It is not known if there are anybody keeping an eye on them.
“Go, go, Let us go an eat!” Zhang Zhao said as he pulled up the guard. He also wanted to eat with the guard and show Yang Hong and Chen Gong that he is not in a hurry. To tell them that he is here to pay respects to the Lu Bu’s Army and not for any other purpose.
“He can still eat! Not bad!” Zhang Zhao guessed right. There were many people observing his movements for Yang Hong in the prepared courtyard. Zhang Zhao’s every move was in Yang Hong’s control. If Zhang Zhao was demoralized, he would get angry at night. However, Zhang Zhao was a chief advisor which is equal to Chen Gong. Sun Ce really had so many talented officers compared to Lu Bu. Although Yang Hong treated Zhang Zhao politely, his behavior has shown disdain. The purpose was to enrage Zhang Zhao, so that Zhang Zhao would make a mistake and Yang Hong will be able to lead him by the nose.
But now Zhang Zhao is eating happily while chatting with the guards according to Jiangdong’s customs. Some of them even drank wine in their enemy’s city. Rather than negotiation, it was more like a vacation.
If it was any average person, they would have been tricked by Zhang Zhao.
“Still composed? I want to see how long you can keep it up!” Yang Hong sneered. He may be inferior in strategy and resourcefulness. However, in diplomatic affairs, Yang Hong considers himself the best and no one would dare say otherwise. Even the others in the Hezhong Lianheng is a joke!
(TN: Hezhong Lianheng are some kind of diplomatic strategy/school. Can’t find much because the tool translated name, Vertical and Horizontal Alliance, clashed with actual marketing strategies.)
After four days, Yang Hong continued to act this way and Zhang Zhao continued to persevere and eat with his guards. However, Zhang Zhao is starting to reach his limits and his expression is becoming more stiff. (TN: Yang Hong and Zhang Zhao. You are both fired for slacking.)
Yang Hong wanted to continue doing this but he was interrupted by Liu Mang. This is because Liu Mang is about to leave. Liu Mang was going to take Huang Zhong, Huang Xu, Gan Ning, Cheng Yu, and Xu Sheng with him to Shouchun. Huang Zhong and Huang Xu were originally by Liu Mang’s side. Xu Sheng’s Black Flag Army was already prepared. While the strength of Cheng Yu and the Urban Army was unknown, they could not avoid fighting.
Gan Ning and the navy was also leaving with Liu Mang to Shouchun and as a result, Yang Hong’s plans needed to be faster. Although Gan Ning’s navy did not receive much casualties, it was small and requires time to expand. His few thousand soldiers would not be of any use if there happen to be any large-scale fighting. Although the ballistae would help, when the Jiangdong Army gets angry and decided to send their whole army, the ballistae would not be able to save then. Even if Gan Ning soldiers destroyed 10 s.h.i.+ps each, they would still be defeated.
Besides that, the Jingzhou Navy was also eyeing the place. That is why, Liu Mang must take Gan Ning and his navy to Shouchun. There are also 2 rivers at Shouchun that Gan Ning could use to train the navy during preparation period. But Gan Ning’s navy is currently placed at Jingzhou and Jiangxia as a deterrent for Sun Ce’s Army and to make Sun Ce worried. When Gan Ning’s navy unite together, they could capture Zhou Yu. This was one of Yang Hong’s chips and this big chip was about to disappear. This is why Yang Hong must change his plan.
On the fifth day, Zhang Zhao could no longer hold out. That is because he received a message from Jiangxia that Gan Ning’s navy and Jiangdong’s navy has come into contact. They were so near each other that the people on the boat could see each other’s face. What is this Lu Bu’s Army doing? Do they want to go for an all-out war against Jiangdong!? If Zhou Yu’s navy was also destroyed, Jiangdong would be in grave danger as their position in the river will be shaken. Now they only had 2 main forces to deal with the Jingzhou navy’s counterattack. If one of their main force disappears, they would not only lose Jiangxia but also Panyang. After that, Wuchang would also be left exposed. Although Liu Biao was not particularly ambitious, only an idiot would give away free food. This is why Zhang Zhao became anxious.