Chapter 351 Troubled Sun Jian (1/2)

Chapter 351 – Troubled Sun Jian

While Tong and everyone were busy with Gongsun Du's sudden betrayal, movements at Wu Pass Battlefront got more active.

As Sun Fang's mentality was unstable, Sun Jian ordered Huang Gai to watch over him at Wan City.

An order came from Yuan Shu the same day that Gongsun Du killed Gongsun Zan. He wanted Sun Jian and Liu Biao Army to occupy the Wu Pass.

Both warlords barged into Yuan Shu's command tent later to question his plan.

Yuan Shu sat on his seat, relaxed and laid back.

”Oh, my. Both of you are looking perturbed. Sit and relax, and I'll let my maids serve you.”

Liu Biao grimaced, ”There is no need. I'm here for a quick question. Why aren't your platoon in the deployment list? I see that only sir Sun and I are dispatching, but you are staying in the backline. Are you taking advantage of our troops?”

Sun Jian glared at the thin warlord Yuan Shu, who sat on the throne, ”Mobilization is an important matter. You should have consulted us before any deployment. Besides, we don't know about our battle policy. Are we going to take the pass? Are we trying to wither their number, or are we going all-in? We don't know anything about this at all!”

Liu Biao nodded, ”That's correct. In a grand mobilization like this, we need a clear policy and a clear objective. We've gathered here for months, yet you kept saying you didn't have enough provisions or you were waiting for Zhang Tong's supplies. Since last week, we have enough supplies, yet you avoided all of our war planning meetings. Now, you want to send us to battle without telling us anything? How are we going to work with you with your attitude like this!?”

Listening to these warlords, Yuan Shu chuckled.

”Oh, dear. All of you misunderstood me. You see, I've sent a diplomat to negotiate with the Xiongnu, and they agreed to return Hongnong and Wu Pass to us. We're going to march in there, reclaim the Wu Pass, and we'll repair whatever they had ruined.”

Liu Biao's frown deepened.

'This stinky rat is scheming something again. I can't trust him on this.'

As Liu Biao had once disputed with Yuan Shu regarding supplies and military campaign against Dong Zhuo, he did not trust this petty warlord.

Liu Biao shook his head, ”Since you've successfully negotiated with the Xiongnu, I'll withdraw my troops to Jing Province. My duty ends here.”

Sun Jian turned to Liu Biao in shock, ”Wait, sir Liu! We haven't driven these barbarians out of our country yet! Our Liang Province is still under the Xiongnu's control!”

”You and sir Yuan can continue fighting if you want to. You see, I have an entire province to manage, and I'm wasting my times here enough already. Besides, sir Sun, you've abandoned your Changsha post, and you didn't leave anyone to protect the commandery. I had to assign a new governor there, and I need to go back to inspect how the new governors are doing in the southern areas. You know that Xiongnu is not the only threatening barbarians to our country, right? You faced the Shanyue yourself.”

Sun Jian was taken aback. He did precisely, as Liu Biao said, abandoning his post. He was supposed to come here with a portion of his forces while his main army should have stayed in Changsha. Instead, he mobilized everyone, including his family, to Wan Commandery.

Now, everybody could say that Sun Jian was relying on Yuan Shu.

Liu Biao did not waste his times as he said. He stormed out of the tent, going back to his camp.

Sun Jian swallowed his words. He had many things to explain Liu Biao, but he could not utter a word of excuse.

Currently, Sun Jian's mind was not himself. His adopted son had become mentally ill, and he lost his daughter-in-law. It disrupted his thought processing and his ability to think straight.

Yuan Shu clapped his hands, ”Well then, Sir Sun Jian. Since it's just us, could you lead your men to occupy the Wu Pass? Once we reestablish and repair the check-point, we'll move on to Hongnong later.”

Sun Jian gazed at Yuan Shu with a complicated thought. It was good that they did not have to fight, but they still had to reclaim Liang Province from the Xiongnu in the end.

Chang'An, Anding, Tianshui, Jincheng, and Wuwei were still under the control of Xiongnu. These five significant commanderies were important cities for their country's western trade route, which spices and warhorses were the specialties of this business.

Though Sun Jian still doubted Yuan Shu, he accepted the task anyway.

”Alright. I'll prepare my men.”

”Very good! Oh hey, since you've abandoned your post, why don't you work for me? If you're my official subordinates, I can protect your family and your men in the open. Right now, our positions are kind of awkward, you see?”

Sun Jian's face contorted, yet he cupped his fist and bowed, ”Please take care of my men and me.”

”Hahahaha! Good, good! Take this token with you. From now on, you're working for me.”

.

Ten minutes after Sun Jian left Yuan Shu's camp, Liu Yang revisited this thin lord.

Yuan Shu looked at this little otherworlder with a wry smile.

”My apologies, dear guest. We are going to change our agreement.”

Liu Yang sneered, ”Ah, I saw the movements in Liu Biao's camp. I already figured that he wouldn't have taken the bait.”

”Indeed. Also, can you spare Sun Jian? He has just sworn allegiance to me, and I don't think it's necessary to kill him anymore.”

”Oh, is that so? Unfortunately, I still want to kill all of his sons though, especially Sun Ce and Sun Quan.”

”I'm afraid Sun Jian won't send those two to a battlefield. They are still underage, no?”

”What about Sun Fang? Do you think you can make him lead a battalion?”

”That's also impossible. My spies reported that Sun Fang has become insane. His wife was also killed by Hua Shi if my info wasn't wrong.”

Liu Yang's eyes gleamed as she was pleased with the development.

'So the previous two deaths were Li Jing and Hua Shi! Ahahaha, this is good. For days, I thought they were Te Langpu or Li Feihong.'

As Liu Yang's mood brightened, she did not mind the policy changes.

”Ah, forget it then. We'll give Hongnong to you as promised. However, I hope that we can maintain our alliance for another ten years.”