Chapter 268 – Chen Gong’s Counter Stratagem (1/2)

Chapter 268 – Chen Gong’s Counter Stratagem

Qin Huai then picked up all of his chests happily and quickly retreated to his inn. In the hall, only remained Lu Bu and Chen Gong.

Lu Bu then drink his wine and opened conversation first “Gongtai, let me hear your idea. What is Liu Xuande’s plot this time?” During their interactions, Lu Bu had never been able to discern Liu Bei. Such situation can be seen from their past interactions. At that time, Lu Bu who had just been defeated by Cao Cao from Dingtao, can be said to have no allies from all directions. Everytime he asked for shelter, he was rejected out flat, leaving Liu Bei whose only interactions was on Hulao Gate when he fought those 3 brothers together. At that time, Cao Cao had sent Liu Bei a letter, requesting him to take out Lu Bu, telling him that Lu Bu is not good to be given berth as his reputation as patricide is very big.

However, Liu Bei unexpectedly received Lu Bu and give Xiaopei for Lu Bu to stationed. Liu Bei knew that he is about to be Cao Cao’s Tiger Eats Wolf’s scheme. So, in order not to be eaten by that scheme, Liu Bei provided Xiaopei for Lu Bu with hopes that he would be his ally to hit back Cao Cao for he didn’t fear to use tiger and didn’t even fear any repercussions. After that, when Lu Bu s.n.a.t.c.hed Xiapi from Liu Bei, he had thought that Liu Bei would retaliate, but none of that transpired as Liu Bei held to his patience. Also at that time when Liu Bei was about to lose to Yuan Shu, he sent a request for reinforcement to Lu Bu asking for help. That is when, Chen Gong had a revelation that Liu Bei is extremely dangerous and requested Lu Bu to ignore his request and to extinguish Liu Bei with Yuan Shu using pincer attack. A person who can endure big humiliation like that, is a monster in disguise. This man is similar to Sun Bin who was locked in a pigsty and eat pig s.h.i.+t for food and Goujian who worked as Fuchai’s servant for three years and eat his s.h.i.+t as daily meal. Such person is really terrifying as they are similar to a hibernated poisonous snake, no one knows when they will strike back for when that moment come, you will die almost instantly and will have no grave. So, Sun Bin’s result is he got his revenge and Goujian extinguished State of Wu. So Chen Gong had the same idea with Cao Cao’s advisors, it is to kill Liu Bei to prevent big disaster in future.

But, Lu Bu is not a person who knew that thing. What he only want is to bask in victory light, so in light of that, he send his troops to mediate between Liu Bei and Yuan Shu, also hoping for Liu Bei to forget his revenge but he never did. Later, Liu Bei did something that never antic.i.p.ated by Chen Gong. He allied with Cao Cao to kill Lu Bu. Only with Liu Mang’s appearance, Lu Bu still maintain his existence, as it is certain for Lu Bu to disappear in this stage. Liu Bei also did another atrocity which is deceiving and betraying Cao Cao and killed General Che Zhou to retrieve back Xu Province. Lu Bu then said “You know Gongtai. This Liu Bei is completely unpredictable. Based from our previous interactions, there is no way that giving Liu Mang Sagely King t.i.tle would end up in good thing. But, what does he want? Soldiers? Domain? We both had similar amount of soldiers and region, then it is out of question. Then what?!” Lu Bu then put back his cup and back to his thinking while Chen Gong is also thinking really hard.

Liu Bei was always stood by his virtuous reputation, now Liu Mang who already become a Sagely King, surely had bigger reputation than his reputation. Did he not fear for his populace to go to Shouchun? Thought Lu Bu. While they are still thinking hard, the answer comes in a form of a letter from Jing Province. That letter detailed all of Sun Ce’s plan with Sun Ce’s name written in a very elaborate handwriting to emphasize that it is Sun Ce who played Lu Bu. Lu Bu then said “Gongtai, this is bad. Sun Ce is going to suffocate us with 500,000 citizens from his Jiangdong and he had sent same letters to all of neighboring warlords to let their citizens to Shouchun and Liu Mang.”

From Jiangdong comes 500,000 people, from Jing Province comes more than 500,000. That is already 1 million people. Also in the letter, they said that Sun Ce also sent to Liu Bei, Cao Cao and Zhang Xiu, added with that, you got 2 million people. Lu Bu’s hand is so trembled with fear and anger, that the letter slips down from his grip. Lu Bu then stuttered and said “N-N-Not good, not good. Gongtai, send order to halt commoners from getting into Lujiang. Set up checkpoints on every road. Stop them from entering Yang Province.” Lu Bu really gripped with fear this time. He really cannot imagine 2 million people flooded into Lujiang and Shouchun. Once they are hungry, there will be a greatest riot that this nation ever see. In the early days of Yellow Turban Rebellion, 800,000 Yellow Turbans from Qing Province almost killed Kong Rong of Beihai. Only with Cao Cao help, can he repel those Yellow Turban. However, Cao Cao’s loss also big times, otherwise, he will not give any second thoughts to recruit those Qing Province Yellow Turban as his primary force. Also from that fight, Cao Cao’s Yan Province’s grain and provisions were cut down severely, leaving they to cannibal among themselves.

Chen Gong, having read the letter as well, quickly stopped Lu Bu and said “We are too late at this point, Milord!!!” Chen Gong truly regretted that he didn’t go all out from the past two days. If only, he was faster, there will be no incident like this. Commoners flows like tidal wave and didn’t see any signs of stopping. Lu Bu then said “Aiyah, those people are staying temporarily in Lujiang, in order to be sent to Hanyang to do his farming!!!” Lu Bu predicted that outside only had around 100,000 people and Lu Bu army is the one who feeds them. Chen Gong also said “Milord, we are too late!!! The Imperial Decree has been out and we are on our way to suffocate to death!!!”

Liu Bei’s memorial to the Emperor held an extreme influence for the Emperor to issue a decree like that. Since Liu Mang sent out a very generous order, with that imperial decree declaring him to be a Sagely King, commoners will swarm toward Liu Mang and Lu Bu asking for shelter, comfort and even blessing. In these days and age, the number for uneducated people outnumbers those of educated, thus uneducated people is easily roused, easily confused, easily used. Plus with that Imperial Decree, now uneducated people will only see Liu Mang as Sagely King, no one else. If Lu Bu blocked their path, their cry will shook this nation and Liu Bei and Sun Ce will defile Liu Mang and Lu Bu’s reputation even further, turning them back into public enemy number one.

There two conditions will happen at this juncture; If Lu Bu raised his hand and send out soldiers, Lu Bu army only wound themselves and will be discredited by n.o.bles and commoners alike and truly become vagabonds. n.o.body will join Lu Bu army, no matter how good the compensation is. If, Lu Bu didn’t do anything, then 2 million people will flood into Lujiang and Shouchun like tidal wave and asking for food and water. When that happens, even if Lu Bu army goes on fasting for one whole year, it would not be enough to feed all of them, also they need also half portion of that grains as seed. Those commoners who came are definitely famine victims and definitely had rebellious behaviour. When that riot happened, everything in Lujiang will crumble into dust.

Lu Bu then asked “Then Gongtai, what should we do? I don’t blame Hanyang for his plan as Shouchun is in dire need of people to cultivate her lands. What we didn’t predict is this event. Sun Ce and Liu Bei quickly took advantage of it. Also Liu Biao himself is not a good neighbour. He should had killed Sun Ce’s messenger instead of receiving it and sending us this letter.” Lu Bu then put down the letter on the table fiercely. Chen Gong also replied “Milord, Jing Province only looks for their best interest. They are hoping we killed each other.” Chen Gong then laughed hollowly and said “Hahaha. Oh, Milord. We also had eaten strategy like this before! We also cannot think out of the box.” With Liu Mang already Sagely King, there is no way they can prevent commoners to invade Yang Province from here and there. Now, they are right in between a rock and hard place. So, with those things transpired, Chen Gong said his emergency stratagem “Milord, compile everything quickly and send them to Shouchun posthaste!!!” Chen Gong was incensed as well, then concocted a new stratagem in that spur of moments. Lu Bu is a bit confused and said “Send them to Shouchun? Wouldn’t it is too early to send them to Hanyang?”

Chen Gong then said “No, the time is ripe enough. Milord, you see, although in this letter said that 500,000 people from Jiangdong is coming. It is actually a bloated number to scare us. Jiangdong could only afford to send 300,000 people tops as losing even 10% of their population would cost them a big time. Also regarding Liu Biao, he is a third party therefore, he is playing ignorance toward us, he didn’t encourage and he didn’t prevent. Added with Cao Cao’s own people, Gong calculated there will be at least 1 million people who will arrive in this very Lujiang. As for Liu Bei and Zhang Xiu? None of them will partic.i.p.ate in this as this game is a game played by BIG WARLORDS, none of those budding warlords will partic.i.p.ate.” Chen Gong then drink his wine and said his plans “Milord, we need to deliver all of them to Shouchun, to Hanyang. After that, we need to allocate provisions for our army to survive at least for two months. The remaining, give them to Hanyang!!!”

Lu Bu asked again, as he is not clear “Gongtai, could you elaborate more?!” Lu Bu is really worried about Lujiang and Shouchun. There is not enough to feed them even if they were given half-pound of grain and provisions, the figure is too astronomical even though Lu Bu Army’s provision is in big amount. To feed commoners for one whole year, Lu Bu would need at least twice the amount of the provisions that he had now. Lu Bu also understood that he need to provide grains and provisions to Liu Mang for them to eat on the road, after all, no man can stand hunger. Chen Gong then said with confident tone “Milord, Gong knew that we are lacking in provisions. However, we need this stunt of giving rations to commoners.” Chen Gong then said his reasoning “Milord, if we were found out that we withheld our rations, what would commoners think? We need to use the will of people like Liu Bei and Sun Ce did in order to turn the favor for us.” This stratagem is also dished out by Chen Gong when he was in Zhang Miao’s employ in Puyang. Chen Gong convinced all of tribal lords to support Lu Bu. Now, with this stunt, there will only have good results as those commoners will recognize that Lu Bu and Liu Mang as benevolent lords and after a while, they will start to hate Liu Bei and Sun Ce.

Lu Bu then asked “What if in the end, there are few people whose anger will still be directed toward us?!” Lu Bu is truly worried, so he kept asking hypothetical scenarios for Shouchun is his.

Chen Gong then answered “No need to worry about anything. When those commoners approached Shouchun, they are also reach the fork where they can go to Liu Bei’s Yu Province. Once the grains are empty, we send an express message to Hanyang, to abandon Shouchun since Shouchun had yet to have provisions. So, no matter if those commoners banging on Shouchun, there is no more food for them!!!” This event was done previously by Yuan Shu. When a lot of n.o.bles abandon Shouchun, they also brought their food with them. Naturally Yuan Shu couldn’t feed his commoners, so they rebelled and scattered to 8 directions. This very scenario also was concocted by Chen Gong, in order for commoners to end Liu Bei as Liu Bei himself, will not be able to withstand 2 million people attacking them. Also, if everything goes well, Lu Bu himself will be able to withstand the remnants of those 2 million people.

Lu Bu puts his hand on his chin and said “Hmmm…. Feasible. But, Gongtai, wouldn’t Hanyang’s reputation will be ruined?” Lu Bu’s saying, it is because once those commoners reached Shucheng, it will ended up badly and it will destroys Lu Bu and Liu Mang’s reputation altogether, returning them to being a smelly reputation again. Chen Gong then said in small voice “Milord, if… you truly care about Hanyang, then there is another path that we can take.” After that, he averted his gaze from Lu Bu. This plan is too b.l.o.o.d.y and Chen Gong was unwilling to use it, but he need to put out options for Lu Bu. Lu Bu then press him further “Gongtai, just say it. I will receive any ideas.” Lu Bu saw Chen Gong’s expression and he is sure that the stratagem is good, but it will also damage him severely. Chen Gong then said it “This is the final options. By doing this, we would have cut off our ways of retreat and we will lose Lujiang and Shouchun.”

“Cuts off our retreat?!” Said Lu Bu surprised. He just settled in this Yang Province and now seeking a stable condition. He already felt tired from wandering all this time and that feeling of dest.i.tute, is already unwanted by him. Lu Bu shook his head and said “No, it is out of question.” Chen Gong then replied “Therefore we approach Jing Province.” Lu Bu who is yet not clear his intention then asked “Jing Province? Gongtai, Liu Biao also harboring evil intentions to Lujiang. If we attacked him, Sun Ce will gladly pincer attack us, finally the three of us will die together.” Chen Gong then said “Milord, we approach Jing Province not to make trouble with them, but to give them a bargain. Liu Biao only hoped to create more trouble for Sun Ce, so we help him to fight Sun Ce. Our Lu Bu army currently is 0 potential in crossing Yangtze River, but we can made Sun Ce’s side startled with this news. Gong is certain that Sun Ce will fiercely attacked Jing Province. Because he is afraid of our potential, once we are equipped again, it will be the end of Sun Ce himself.” Chen Gong then said again “Now, what we need is building s.h.i.+ps. We need to request Hanyang to create as many s.h.i.+ps as we can to be presented to Jing Province, thus made Sun Ce’s suspicion turned into semi-reality. While we took the borrowed time, to re-equip ourselves and destroy Sun Ce from behind!!!” Chen Gong really didn’t like this deliberate injury gambit, but Sun Ce had provoked him today.