CH 610

Chapter 610

After six hours, the sky turned bright. Jiangling has also started to quiet down. Dong Zhi did not sleep at the governor’s residence. He took his family with him to the Jiangling defender’s barracks where he felt it was safe enough to sleep.

“Your Excellency. The sky has turned bright.”

“Has Han Wei returned?” Dong Zhi asked his advisor.

“No. The sounds of battle continued throughout the night.”

“That’s good!” Dong Zhi smiled. If Han Wei had not returned, it was likely that he had died. All of the responsibility can be placed on him as the dead cannot speak.

“What time is it?” Dong Zhi asked.

“It is time to act.” The advisor replied.

“Good!” Dong Zhi nodded and then quickly dressed himself. He then got on a horse and took out his sword. The sword shone. The sound it made as it left the sheath was so clear that everyone could tell this sword was a masterpiece. It was a pity that its owner was not a fighter so this sword would never taste blood.

“Men! I am sure you heard the commotion last night! This is the enemy! The Yangzhou Navy has reached out city!” Dong Zhi addressed the soldiers. Though he was fat, his speech was great and the fact that he was on a horse gave others the impression that he was a great figure.

“The Yangzhou Navy?” The soldiers discussed with each other. They knew that the Yangzhou Navy was Jiangling’s enemy but they did not know how the Yangzhou Navy appear here because of Jiangling’s natural defenses such as the city moat and the Huarong Road.

“Helping the enemy is the officer guarding the East gate, Han Wei! He neglected his duty which is how the enemy broke through the East gate! According to the art of war, it is not advisable to fight in the dark of the night, which is why I waited for six hours! Now is the time for us to repel the invaders!” Dong Zhi spoke inspiritingly, yet his men were not complete fools. There was fire at the East gate so it was bright enough. On top of that, the enemy was already inside. There was no excuse to not fight. They knew that Dong Zhi actually waited to borrow someone else’s knife. Now, Han Wei’s troops should have been wiped out and the enemy exhausted. All that’s left is for them to gain merits.

“Brothers! Follow me to battle!” Dong Zhi shouted.

“No need!” Just as Dong Zhi was about to set off with his troops, he was interrupted. Dong Zhi turned around angrily only to see Han Wei who was covered in blood, and several tied up enemies.

“Han Wei? Why are you here?” Dong Zhi asked.

“Why can’t I be here?” Han Wei mocked. He had already heard everything Dong Zhi had said earlier.

“No, that is not what I meant.” Dong Zhi was shocked at Han Wei’s appearance but he quickly regained control of himself.

“Governor Dong. There is no need to dispatch troops to fight the enemy. The East gate’s defenders have already dealt with the problem.” Han Wei replied.

“The East gate’s defenders have already dealt with the problem?” Dong Zhi could not believe it. Han Wei had initially asked for reinforcements and the enemy had already gotten past the East gate.

“Haha. Governor Dong. Look at this.” Han Wei pointed at the few captives wearing the armor of the Yangzhou Navy.

“Speak plainly!”

“That’s right. I forgot to tell you. This young general here is a great figure. His identity might give you a shock!” Han Wei pointed at one of the captives.

“Oh? Who could this person be?” Dong Zhi asked.

“This person is from the Wu County. His name is Lu Xun.” Han Dang introduced.

“Oh, it is Lu Xun. What? You say he is Lu Xun?”

“Yes.” Han Wei nodded without sneering. After all, he also reacted the same way when Lu Xun appeared before them.

“What is the proof?” Dong Zhi asked while suppressing his excitement.

“Will this do?” Han Wei asked as he threw over a seal that has “Commander of the Yangzhou Navy” written on it.

“You defeated the Yangzhou Navy?” Dong Zhi asked.

“Of course. If not, how would I have captured him?” Han Wei replied.

“Good! Well done!” Dong Zhi praised. Though he praised Han Wei, he was also becoming more guarded against Han Wei. He initially thought Han Wei was just an ordinary with some martial skill. Such a person would be easy to deal with. He never expected Han Wei to be so talented. His achievements here was greater than Wen Pin’s. Han Wei really could not be underestimated.

“Come, Han Wei. Hand Lu Xun and the others to me. I will send them to Xiangyang to meet the Lord!” Dong Zhi said happily. If the prisoner was really Lu Xun, Dong Zhi would receive a lot of merits.

“Governor Dong. I am the one who caught him, so let me send him to Xiangyang!” Han Wei replied.

“General Han. You must already be tired so you should rest! Let us do the rest of the work.” Dong Zhi said.

“What about the merits?” Han Wei asked.

“Of course, you will receive your merits.” Dong Zhi placated.

“Then that’s good.” Han Wei patted his chest as though a heavy burden was lifted from him. “Men, hand these traitors over to the Governor.”

The prisoners were quickly handed over and were positioned behind Dong Zhi.

“Governor Dong. This Han Wei will go and rest now.” Han Wei cupped his fist and was about to leave but Dong Zhi refused to let him go.

“Wait!”

“What’s wrong? Is there something you need to tell me?” Han Wei asked with distrust.

“No, but you are not allowed to leave!” Dong Zhi laughed.

“Why?”

“This is because you have not yet been trialed for neglecting your duty!” Dong Zhi laughed as he spoke.

“Neglecting my duty? Why do you say that?” Han Wei asked.

“If you did not neglect your duty, how did the Yangzhou Army break through the East Gate?” Dong Zhi asked.

“That is because they use the darkness to catch us unprepared.”

“Regardless, this wouldn’t have happened if you were more careful!”

“But I already defeated the enemy and even captured their leader! It should be said that my merits offset my mistakes.” Han Wei justified himself.

“Merits are merits! Mistakes are mistakes! How could they be put together? If everyone disregards making mistakes just to gain more merits, the army would falter!” Dong Zhi spoke righteously.

“So you insist on arresting me?”

“The martial law must be obeyed!” Dong Zhi said.

“What if I refuse to be arrested?” Han Wei asked as he glared back at Dong Zhi unwaveringly.

“Then you leave me with no choice! Men! Arrest Han Wei!” Dong Zhi suddenly shouted. His guards quickly advanced towards Han Wei.

“I want to see who dares to touch our General!” Han Lei and the others took out their sword and formed a protective formation around Han Wei.

“Kill all that wish to rebel!” Dong Zhi sneered at Han Wei with killing intent.

“Governor Dong. Do you really want to kill me?” Seemingly unwilling to give up, Han Wei asked Dong Zhi.

“So what if I want to?” Dong Zhi dropped his pretense. He wanted to kill Han Wei and also obtain the merits for capturing Lu Xun. Once that happens, no one in Jiangling would dare go against Dong Zhi. The Dong Family would also become influential once Liu Pan ascends the throne.

Dong Zhi believed he had the upper hand as Han Wei had less troops. Besides that, Han Wei’s troops were all bloody and exhausted. He just needed to kill Han Wei and then blame Han Wei for failing to protect the East Gate. Dong Zhi would then be able to obtain merits without shouldering any responsibility.

“Haha. This turned out as expected.” Han Wei laughed bitterly. He was thinking of how to have an amicable relationship with Dong Zhi but ended up on the Dong Zhi’s kill list.

“Dong Zhi! Do you remember me?” Suddenly a clear voice was heard. A woman had appeared and shouted while pointing at Dong Zhi.

“And who are you?” Dong Zhi asked skeptically. He was unable to recognize the woman until she wiped the dust off her face.

“You are Wu Fan’s daughter?” Dong Zhi shouted with alarm the moment he recognized her. “Why are you here?”

“I want your life!” Wu Mi glared at Dong Zhi wishing she could just kill him right then and there.

“Haha! You want my life? What a joke! By yourself? It’s just right since I don’t need to look for you! The Wu Family? The Han Family? Today is the day both of you will die!” He was not able to find Wu Mi probably because she was being hidden by Han Wei. Yet now she wants to kill him?

“Not alone but what if we help?”

“Who is it? Quickly protect the Governor!” Dong Zhi’s advisor shouted when he realized that Dong Zhi was suddenly surrounded by the Yangzhou Navy.

“Kill! Kill!”

“How did they appear here?” Dong Zhi asked as he felt a blade pressed at his neck. He then realized that the ropes tying the prisoners earlier were not tight. That was how they easily killed the guards watching over them and quickly approach Dong Zhi.

“Do not be reckless!” Dong Zhi’s advisor shouted. As Dong Zhi’s advisor, he was fated to share the same fate as Dong Zhi.

“Have your men withdraw!” Lu Xun said to Dong Zhi’s advisor.

“Step back! Everyone step back!”

“Dong Zhi! I want you dead!” Wu Mi rushed forward. She took out a dagger with the intention of stabbing Dong Zhi over a dozen times. Fortunately, Han Wei stopped her. Dong Zhi still had his uses.

“Governor Dong. Do you still want to kill me?” Han Wei asked with a laugh.

“Aren’t you Lu Xun?” At that moment, Dong Zhi saw who was the one putting a sword to his neck.

“I am indeed Lu Xun.” Lu Xun replied.

“Well played! Han Wei! It seems that you have already long turned traitor!” Dong Zhi said ferociously. “I should have known! The Wu Family were traitors and so are the rest of you! I should have had the Second Lord wipe out the Han Family!” Dong Zhi shouted mockingly.

“Shut up!” Han Wei shouted as he punched Dong Zhi. “Dong Zhi! Let me tell you this! I wouldn’t have done this if you did not force me to! It is the same with the Wu Family! If you did not kill their entire family, Mi’er would not have taken the map of the Huarong Road to the Yangzhou Navy! You brought this on yourself!” Han Wei then added ruthlessly. “Today, I want you to learn what it feels like to be a prisoner!”

“Hahaha! Han Wei, do not be too happy yet! Look at how many men I have! You only have a dozen men so I suggest you let me go. I might still give you a way out!” Dong Zhi shouted, unwilling to give up.

“Did you really think I only have this many soldiers?” Han Wei laughed. “Brothers! Come out and show our Governor Dong as to how many of us are here!”

Lu Xun also ordered his men to come out. Soon, there were over three thousand soldiers in the area.

“How…?” Dong Zhi’s eyes grew wide. They had been fighting the whole night so how could there still be so many soldiers?

“They caused the ruckus for the first half of the night. We caused the ruckus for the second half of the night.” Lu Xun explained.

“So that is what happened.” Dong Zhi finally understood. He intended to use the Yangzhou Navy to kill Han Wei but in the end, they trapped him instead of fight against each other.

“What do you want?” Dong Zhi asked Han Wei and Lu Xun.

“I want your Jiangling City!” Lu Xun replied.

“Impossible!” Dong Zhi immediately replied. If he were to lose Jiangling, he would definitely be killed. Liu Biao would not spare him. Liu Pan would also not let him go.

“Afraid of death? Haha. If you do not surrender and hand over Jiangling to us, you will die here. We will also make the Dong Family share the same fate as the Wu Family! Do not worry. We will spare no one. There would not even be anyone left to take revenge!” Lu Xun laughed.

“You cannot do that! You must not implicate the family!” Dong Zhi argued regarding ethics.

“Then why did you eradicate the entire Wu Family? There was a total of a hundred and eighty four people!” Han Wei asked.

“I did not do that!” Dong Zhi argued.

“Then who?”

“It is the Second Lord’s deputy general! He was ordered by the Second Lord! He did it to get back at the Huang Family!” Dong Zhi then told Han Wei and the others the truth about what happened.

“Liu Pan!” Wu Mi gritted her teeth in anger.

“I do not care if it is Liu Pan who did it. All I know is that if I cannot obtain Jiangling, the entire Dong Family will die!” Lu Xun continued.

“You!” Dong Zhi glared at Lu Xun angrily.

“However, if you were to surrender, I will permit you to take your family and leave. I will arrange a ship for you. You can leave Jiangling and go wherever you want, be it Yangzhou, Jiangdong, or even the Central Plains!” Lu Xun provided Dong Zhi with two options. The first was to force Dong Zhi to his death. In the face of this struggle, the other option seemed to be filled with hope, making it more appealing.

After thinking for a long time, Dong Zhi asked. “You will keep your word? You will not attack me once you obtain Jiangling?”

“I will not!” Lu Xun replied.

“Swear!” Dong Zhi did not believe Lu Xun at all.

“Alright. I, Lu Xun, swears to spare Governor Dong if he surrenders with his subordinates! I will not attack Governor Dong in any way. If I were to break this oath, I, Lu Xun, and the Lu Family, will not have a good death!” Lu Xun swore. Dong Zhi then turned to Han Wei.

“I, Han Wei, swears not to attack Governor Dong if Governor Dong surrenders. If I were to do so, I, Han Wei, will not have a good death!”

“Your soldiers too!” Dong Zhi was worthy to be a governor. He was shrewd enough to know and fear that Lu Xun and the others could play word games with him. As a result, Lu Xun and Han Wei had to include their subordinates as well in their oaths. It was only after this that Dong Zhi felt relieved. The ancient people took their oaths seriously especially if it involved their family.

“Chen Ming1. Tell the soldiers to drop their weapons and surrender.” Dong Zhi said to his advisor.

“Master?” The advisor was shocked. What are they going to do if they were to surrender? Would the Second Lord spare them?

“Are my words useless? Do you want me to die here? Have the soldiers surrender and accept the changes!” Dong Zhi shouted loudly.

“Yes! Yes!” The advisor saw that Dong Zhi truly wanted to surrender and could only accept the order.

“Governor’s orders! Drop your weapons and surrender!”

______

Out of nowhere, the advisor finally got a name.

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