Chapter 395 Sun Ce and Zhou Yu in Lujiang (1/2)
Chapter 395 – Sun Ce and Zhou Yu in Lujiang
December 15th, 190 AD.
As conflict at Xiapi and Langye temporarily settled, a new storm was brewing at the west.
Vida watched the west border on the top of the Wuwei County wall.
The last quarter provision supply from their home country was due last month, but no one appeared to deliver the goods. Without food and products to trade, the civil officers kept bugging him that the city suffered a deficit, and they did not have enough gold or food to pay their employees or officers.
Vida, too, would not get paid!
'Did something happen back home?'
He was afraid of a coup d'etat among the Xiongnu Tribes under Khan. Had someone overthrown Khan's regime in their mainland, they could have also stopped sending supplies here, leaving Khan and his army to die by the Hans.
As Vida's worries grew, he assembled his army and all mercenaries.
In December, the weather was harsh in this region. As an arid land with mostly desert and sand, the winter and the snow hindered all travelers.
The average temperature of this region was minus 10 degrees Celsius or 14 degrees Fahrenheit. The lowest could even drop to minus 20 Celsius.
As such, mobilizing any army this month would be foolish. However, Vida had no choice. Had they not moved, they would die starving!
When all Vida's cataphracts and hoplites heard the bad news, they panicked.
”Should we desert here and go home?”
”What about our pay!? We haven't gotten this month's pay yet.”
”Don't bother about the wage. We'll die if we stay.”
”Can't we plunder the locals and wait for the spring? We can't move in winter!”
”We can, but it will be tough.”
All opinions were varied. However, most of them were against retreating or deserting this winter.
Vida made his decision, ”Let's start robbing the local people. Kill all elders and children. Sell the women and enslave the men for manpower. We'll prepare to go home.”
”What about Khan? Won't he return to retaliate?”
Vida grinned, ”He'll be busy fighting with the Hans. He can't do everything by himself.”
.
This winter was a nightmare to the Wuwei population as the garrison soldiers turned rogue on them. All soldiers with odd faces slaughtered peasants, adducted women, and enslaved helpless farmers.
March 10th, 191 AD.
Spring arrived.
The mercenaries survived despite the lack of food supplies. As they had stolen everything from the locals, they were happy with the loots, wealth, women, and additional provision.
Vida gathered his cataphracts, hoplites, and the new recruits out of the city. Today, they scheduled a departure trip back to the west, hoping to return to their kingdom.
With the recruits from the local militias, desired to abandon their farmer life for the sake of wealth and freedom, Vida gained more soldiers.
8,000 Mercenaries and 20,000 militias marched west along with 50,000 slaves, men, and women. Their first destination was Gan Zhou.
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Han Sui and Ma Chao were stationing in Jincheng, a county south of Wuwei and west of Tianshui. Both of them had been enslaved by Khan's brainwashing skill, and they were protecting the commandery in their lord's stead.
Early this year, they had heard about the lack of supplies commotion from the refugees and reported this matter to Liu Yang and Khan in their clan chat.
Khan also gave them an order.
”Ignore Wuwei and gather at Tianshui. All forces will mobilize to Yi Province of Liu Yan.”
This was a move that Liu Yang and Khan had envisioned ages back, but they did not have enough resources for a large scale expansion.
Like Tong had suspected, Khan did not lay a good foundation on his kingdom's economy. He overly relied on system skills that it hindered his training, growth, cultivation, and reputation as a lord.
But now, Khan had collected enough lifespans to produce all resources required for another expansion.
Unbeknownst to everyone, Lu Bu was lurking behind their territories, watching the preys left its nest.
.
Sun Ce, Sun Fang, and all family members of the Sun Clan reached Lujiang without being stopped by the local lords. Wan of Yuan Shu was in chaos, and the order was lax, so they crossed the territory with ease.
Liu Biao was also too busy dealing with the southern tribes below Jing Province. He also did not pay attention to Sun Fang and Sun Ce's movements.
March 25th, 191 AD.