Chapter 252 – Roast Fried Chick (1) (1/2)
Chapter 252 – Roast Fried Chick (1)
That story of borrowing arrows, of course known by everyone who loved Romance of Three Kingdoms. The way of Zhuge Liang followed and thwarted Zhou Yu’s scheme, is truly praiseworthy. The story goes like this, at that period, Zhou Yu who had recognized Zhuge Liang’s threat, began to plot on how to remove him. When Zhang Zhao reported that they are lacking arrows, Zhou Yu ordered Zhuge Liang to produce 100,000 arrows within 7 days, however Zhuge Liang only asks for 3 days. For 2 days, Zhuge Liang produced scarecrows a lot and put them in 100 s.h.i.+ps like Pang Tong just did and on the 3rd day dawn, he launched his s.h.i.+ps. As at that time, there is very thick fog, Cao Cao, being a paranoid himself when he heard war drum, he quickly ordered his soldiers to shoot until they stop beating war drums. However, when the fog subsided, his eyes opened really wide as he has been played and that he had “gave out” 100,000 arrows effortlessly to Zhuge Liang with Zhuge Liang trolling him even further “Thank you to Prime Minister Cao, for these 100,000 arrows.”
In the past, when Liu Mang read this, he just thought Pah, this is just Luo Guanzhong’s fantasy who deified Zhuge Liang However Liu Mang really believed that strategy proved to be a real thing and an effective one at that. He is being hit by stratagem of borrowing arrows, slapping his face for his trolling words 2 days earlier.
The nature is on the side of Pang Tong right now, the wind, the wetness, etc. He had been calculating Liu Mang from the very start, from his lack of naval units to weather conditions in Shouchun. Liu Mang little regretted that he send all of Gan Ning’s naval units back to Lujiang, he should have left some of them here, so he can fight back and pin Liu Bei in Runan. Liu Mang then returned to his office and said to Liu Ye “Brother Ziyang, you go to our armory, take those. I want to bring those with me!” Liu Ye quickly understand what “those” are, replied “Understood, Milord. Ye will prepare everything!!!” And quickly run to the armory. Liu Mang then pound his fist into his other palm, doing similar gesture over and over again, his face is smiling maliciously while incensed and thought This is what it feels to be hit by karma eh? Really uncomfortable!!! So that d.a.m.ned Fried Chick is trolling me, eh? Let’s see whose trolling is the best now. When Liu Mang laughed like that, Xu Sheng felt really terrified as it reminded him of Wancheng. It reminded him of that day, the day he was forced to kneel in front of Liu Mang under threat of death by starvation. It gave him so much trauma in his heart, that this sight from Liu Mang now, made him tremble a lot, combined with Liu Mang’s Murderous Rampage, made Xu Sheng did not want to think even a slight thought of rebelling against him.
Xu Sheng then kneeled down and said “Milord, Xu Sheng is a fool, tricked by the enemy. Please punish me, Milord!” w.a.n.g Wei, seeing the situation is a serious one, quickly kneeled down and added “Milord, the mistake lies not with General Xu. It is w.a.n.g Wei’s oversight. Please punish Wei together with General Xu!” w.a.n.g Wei really admitted his oversight, really had not thought that a capable person of Liu Bei Army is playing them. w.a.n.g Wei thought We first played them and then they played us. This will make us a laughing stock in this entire nation as Guan Yu got his revenge. Ai… w.a.n.g Wei then release his breath dejectedly. But even though the loss is half of ordnances, if were not for w.a.n.g Wei stopping it, they will inevitably give all of those arrows to Guan Yu. With this, I hope General Xu’s mistake can be redeemed and did not warrant his death! Thought w.a.n.g Wei.
“Get up!!!” Commanded Liu Mang while smiling. Liu Mang then said “I didn’t blame all of you. You only have each other to advise one another, how can you get a third or fourth opinions? It is OK” and said “But, don’t any of you want payback?!” As he smiled maliciously.
[TN: If you want to read further, below is a lot of bulls.h.i.+t from author, here you go, start from here. I will mark it with brackets. If you don’t want, then skip it, to below.] {Xu Sheng is a first cla.s.s general that he obtained from Wancheng and one of the two troops that he directly lead. And the Black Flag vice commander is w.a.n.g Wei, a commander of Jing Province who succ.u.mbed to Liu Mang’s mechanization and now work hard to strive for greatness. So it can be said, Liu Mang army comprised of a lot of new generals with several person will be mentioned now. Regarding Zhao Yun of White Riders. Since he was recruited, he continued to familiarize him with his troops. Also since Urban Army Cavalry comprised of Bing Province natives (northern people), a native of Changshan with northern accent will surely be accepted by them. His way of training his troops also different from Bing Province Wolf Cavalry’s regiment. If Bing Province Wolf Cavalry training regiment can be considered as raging torrents, then White Riders training regiment considered as calming water and it slowly eroded those former Bing Province Wolf Cavalry’s bloodl.u.s.t into a state of stillness.
Regarding Wei Yan, Wei The Stubborn, he was placed by Liu Mang into Urban Army foot soldier and managed to climb his way up into a small company leader. Although he is still very unhappy with him, but he had developed consideration for people and become a better person thanks to Urban Army’s training regiment where Liu Mang said that teamwork and perfect coordination is essential for this army. Liu Mang’s principle is no one is a hero, no one is better than other, everyone is a gear in one machine called Urban Army. In regards with this, Wei Yan displayed his prowess very well and can be in sync and also help them to train in martial arts, becoming a coach.
Huang Xu and Cheng Yu recommended him highly and proposed to Liu Mang for Wei Yan become a batallion leader, but rejected by Liu Mang as he need to more press his arrogance and he had no more troops to spare.
The remaining one is w.a.n.g Wei who become a vice commander in Black Flag. This person’s value lies in his adaptability. He understood why he is placed into vice commander of Black Flag, he also quickly familiarize with Xu Sheng and Black Flag. He quickly grasped the way Xu Sheng’s mannerism and way of thought and soon become the true vice commander of Black Flag, able to work with Xu Sheng in sync. Being in sync with Xu Sheng, naturally he fell into Pang Tong’s ploy much like Yu Jin and Mao Jie who “provided” Zhuge Liang what he needed, however at that time, Yu Jin and Mao Jie also did not have third or fourth opinion, so to speak.} [TN: End of bulls.h.i.+t]
“Eh, payback?!” Said Xu Sheng and w.a.n.g Wei together, stunned and then looked at each other. They really could not understand what is Liu Mang thinking right now. They had seen that Liu Bei army is linking their s.h.i.+p with iron chain, in order to stabilize their s.h.i.+p while receiving arrows and their speed is slow as they need to maneuver their flags.h.i.+p in order to retreat, but how to take revenge without even a single s.h.i.+p on them? Swim with heavy armor and die sinking?
“We shoot them with fire arrows!!!” Said Liu Mang. Heh, now I can give you your interest and your receipt. Don’t you dare to think that this Shouchun of mine, only a bank with no manners. Thought Liu Mang silently. Xu Sheng then said “Milord, both me and vice commander w.a.n.g had tried it. It is no use, this wet weather no good to do fire attack!!!” When Xu Sheng said “both”, he just smiled in his heart as he did not involved in fire attack. Liu Mang then said “If using regular fire arrows, yes, your saying is correct. But we are using MY SPECIAL ammo!!! And it had arrived” Liu Mang then saw toward his armory, there are a team of cavalry dragging his special weapon.
Zhao Yun then said “Milord, all prepared!!!” When Xu Sheng saw Zhao Yun carried ballistae, he is awestruck. Where come ballistae? Should all of them given to Jing Province and Jiangdong?! Thought Xu Sheng. Liu Mang then said while slapping his ballistae “These ballistaes, is an improved edition based on those which sank Jiangdong Navy in Wancheng. I call it Ballistae Mk. 3!!!”