Chapter 1057

The envoys, carrying news of Jiangdong’s victory and the warnings from Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, set out on their journey to the north. As they passed through each city along the way, they made sure to widely broadcast the news of Cao Pi’s capture and Jiangdong’s assertive stance. Upon hearing the news, the northern warlords were all shocked; they one after another reined in their restless ambitions and began to re-examine this rising power of Jiangdong.

At the Jiangdong main camp, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu continued to discuss their next strategic moves.

"My lord, although we have achieved a temporary victory, the situation in the north remains complex." Zhou Yu tapped his fingers lightly on the desk, his brows slightly furrowed. "Cao Pi’s influence is deep-rooted; we must not take it lightly. Next, we must not only stabilize Jiangdong’s defensive lines but also begin preparations for further actions against the north."

Sun Ce’s gaze was firm as he said in a deep voice, "Gongjin’s words are absolutely correct. Our Jiangdong men have never feared a challenge. Since we have already broken with Cao Pi, we might as well go all the way and completely eliminate the threat from the north."

Zhou Yu nodded, a glimmer of wisdom shining in his eyes. "I have a plan that might allow us to gain a greater advantage in the northern situation."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce leaned forward, signaling for Zhou Yu to continue.

"We can take advantage of Cao Pi’s capture to unite those northern warlords who are dissatisfied with the Cao clan and fight against them together," Zhou Yu said slowly. "In this way, we can not only disperse the Cao clan’s military strength but also establish more allies in the north, laying a foundation for the future cause of unification."

Sun Ce’s eyes lit up, and he slapped the table in admiration. "This plan is brilliant! Gongjin, you truly are my strategist; you can always come up with such marvelous schemes."

The two looked at each other and smiled, then began to plan the implementation steps of this strategy in detail. They decided to first send secret envoys to the north to secretly contact those warlords dissatisfied with the Cao clan, sound out their opinions, and seek the possibility of cooperation. At the same time, Jiangdong would also strengthen military training in preparation for the larger-scale war that might come.

A few days later, the secret envoys returned with good news one after another. There were indeed many warlords in the north who felt dissatisfied with the Cao clan’s rule, and they were willing to form an alliance with Jiangdong to fight against the Cao clan together. Among them, Yuan Shao’s son, Yuan Shang, in Jizhou and Gongsun Zan in Youzhou were the most enthusiastic; they expressed their willingness to send troops to help and jointly crusade against the Cao clan.

Upon learning this news, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were overjoyed. They immediately dispatched envoys to Jizhou and Youzhou to sign alliance treaties with Yuan Shang and Gongsun Zan, and agreed upon the dates and plans for their joint military campaign.

With the alliance between Jiangdong and the northern warlords, the situation in the north began to become delicate. Although the Cao clan’s power was strong, under the joint strikes of Jiangdong and the northern warlords, they began to appear overstretched. The news of Cao Pi’s capture further threw the Cao clan’s military into chaos and lowered their morale.

At the Jiangdong main camp, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were closely monitoring the movements in the north. They knew that the true decisive battle was about to arrive.

"My lord, now that we have formed an alliance with the northern warlords, it is time for us to show our skills." Zhou Yu’s gaze was piercing, and his fighting spirit was high.

Sun Ce laughed heartily, his spirit soaring. "I have been waiting for this day! Gongjin, let us lead the Jiangdong men to conquer that world that belongs to us!"

The Jiangdong army pressed toward the border, and the flames of war ignited across the northern land. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu divided their forces into two routes, each leading elite troops like two sharp swords pointed directly at the heart of the Cao clan’s power.

Sun Ce’s route was like a hot knife through butter, with cities along the way surrendering at the mere sight of his approach. He rode on a tall warhorse, his gaze like a torch as he looked ahead. "Men, our Jiangdong sons never fear battle! Today, let us use our flesh and blood to carve out a world for Jiangdong!"

The soldiers behind him shouted in unison, "We swear to follow our lord to the death! Long live Jiangdong!"

At the same time, Zhou Yu’s route was also progressing smoothly. He was full of wisdom and strategy, winning against superior numbers and repeatedly neutralizing the Cao army’s sieges. In a valley, Zhou Yu stood on high ground, looking at the fierce battle raging below, and said to the deputy general beside him, "Although the enemy is numerous, they lack unified command; this is a good opportunity for us to defeat them one by one."

The deputy general nodded, his eyes full of admiration. "The Viceroy’s strategy is unparalleled; we are willing to follow the Viceroy’s orders and go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Zhou Yu smiled slightly and waved his hand gently. "Pass the order: the left-wing troops are to feign retreat to lure the enemy deep; the right-wing troops are to ambush on both sides of the valley and launch an attack immediately after the enemy enters the ambush circle."

Following Zhou Yu’s order, the Jiangdong army moved quickly. Soon after, the Cao army indeed fell for the trick and pursued the "defeated" Jiangdong troops into the valley. Just then, the Jiangdong troops ambushed on both sides suddenly charged out; the Cao army was caught off guard and fell into immediate chaos.

Seeing this, a cold glint flashed in Zhou Yu’s eyes. "Now, it is our turn to close the net." He waved his hand, led the main force to charge down the valley, and launched a fierce attack on the Cao army together with the ambushers.

The Cao army retreated steadily, suffering countless casualties. Zhou Yu pursued the victory, pressing directly toward the Cao army’s main camp. By this time, the news of Cao Pi’s imprisonment had already spread through the army, and the Cao army’s morale was low, with no heart left to fight.

When Zhou Yu led his army to appear before the Cao army’s main camp, the Cao army’s commander was terrified and hurriedly sent someone to sue for peace. Zhou Yu sneered and said to the envoy, "Sue for peace? When your Cao clan was bullying Jiangdong, did you ever think of suing for peace? Today, let you taste the power of Jiangdong!"

After speaking, Zhou Yu ordered the entire army to attack. The Jiangdong army’s morale was high, and they fought bravely, soon breaking through the Cao army’s main camp. Seeing that the situation was lost, the commander drew his sword and committed suicide.

Zhou Yu looked at the smoke-filled battlefield, his heart filled with mixed emotions. "In this battle, we of Jiangdong have finally held our heads high. However, the battle is far from over. The real challenge is still ahead."

At this time, Sun Ce had also captured many cities and joined forces with Zhou Yu. When the two met, they looked at each other and smiled; there was no need for many words to understand each other’s intentions.

"Gongjin, your route was fought beautifully." Sun Ce patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder and praised him.

Zhou Yu smiled modestly. "It is all due to the lord’s wise leadership and the soldiers’ dedication. What should our next move be?"

Sun Ce’s gaze was firm as he looked into the distance. "Now, we have occupied a portion of the northern territory. However, to completely defeat the Cao clan, we must take their capital—Xu Chang."

Zhou Yu nodded in agreement. "Xu Chang is the Cao clan’s lair and their final line of defense. This battle will surely be exceptionally difficult."

The two began to plan the attack on Xu Chang in detail. They knew that Xu Chang had high walls and thick ramparts with sufficient troops; to capture it, they had to be fully prepared.

In the following days, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu reorganized their troops while sending spies to Xu Chang to gather intelligence. At the same time, they actively contacted northern allies to seek more support.

Finally, on a dark and windy night, the Jiangdong army and the northern allied forces launched a full-scale attack on Xu Chang together. The battle was exceptionally fierce, with both sides trading blows in a deadlock.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu personally took to the field, leading elite troops to attack the gates of Xu Chang. They led by example, fighting bravely and inspiring the soldiers’ morale. Under the fierce assault of the Jiangdong army, the gates of Xu Chang were finally breached.

The Jiangdong army and the allied forces poured into the city like a tide, engaging the Cao army in street fighting. The battle lasted until dawn, and the Cao army, unable to hold out any longer, fled in defeat.

Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stood on the walls of Xu Chang, looking at the smoke-filled battlefield below, their hearts filled with the joy of victory. They knew that in this battle, Jiangdong had finally completely defeated the Cao clan’s power and become the hegemon of the world.

"Gongjin, we did it!" Sun Ce excitedly grasped Zhou Yu’s hand, tears shimmering in his eyes.

Zhou Yu also responded excitedly, "Yes, my lord! Our Jiangdong sons have finally used their flesh and blood to conquer this world!"

The two looked at each other and smiled, their hearts filled with anticipation for the future. They knew that although the world was now pacified, the road of Jiangdong’s rise was far from over. They would continue to lead the Jiangdong sons toward a more glorious tomorrow.

Inside Xu Chang, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu began to handle the aftermath. They pacified the people, restored production, and rebuilt homes. At the same time, they sent envoys to various places to proclaim Jiangdong’s victory and invited all the warlords to attend a grand celebration.

On the day of the celebration, warlords from all sides arrived to congratulate Jiangdong on its victory. Sun Ce and Zhou Yu stood on a high platform, accepting the congratulations and reverence of the crowd. They knew that at this moment, Jiangdong had become the focus of the world.

"My lord, Viceroy!" An envoy suddenly hurried onto the platform and presented a secret letter. "This is an urgent report from the north."

Sun Ce took the secret letter, unfolded it, and his expression immediately turned grave. He looked at Zhou Yu and said in a deep voice, "Gongjin, it seems our battle is not yet over."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu furrowed his brows and took the secret letter to read carefully. It turned out that there were still some remnants of the Cao clan’s forces in the north secretly stirring, attempting to make a comeback.

"These fellows really don’t know when they are beaten." Zhou Yu snorted coldly. "My lord, how should we respond?"

Sun Ce’s gaze was firm as he said in a deep voice, "Since they want to die, we shall grant them their wish. Gongjin, you immediately lead a force of elite troops to the north and completely eradicate these remnant forces!"

"As you command!" Zhou Yu bowed, accepted the order, and turned to leave. He knew that although this battle would be difficult, the Jiangdong sons never feared battle. They would continue to use their flesh and blood to guard this hard-won land.

Sun Ce stood on the platform, watching Zhou Yu’s departing back, his heart filled with emotion. He knew that Zhou Yu was not only his strategist and comrade-in-arms but also one of the most important people in his life. They had experienced countless storms and battles together to reach this point today.