After the battle of Jiujiang, the Jiangxia Navy, under Zhou Yu's command, trailed behind Gan Ning's navy, maintaining a distant pursuit without engaging. Whenever Gan Ning's fleet stopped, so did the Jiangxia Navy, until they reached the mouth of the Yangtze River, where they reunited with Gan Lan. Only then did the Jiangxia Navy slowly turn around and depart, leaving both Gan Ning and Chen Xi to breathe a sigh of relief.
Every time they saw the enemy navy, with its unified cloud formations and the four legion abilities—one large, three small—both Gan Ning and Chen Xi felt a sense of helplessness. That kind of imposing military presence rendered tricks like cold fog ineffective. Indeed, most mental abilities were more about catching the enemy off guard than anything else.
"Finally, they're gone. I thought they were really going to engage us," Chen Xi exhaled, leaning against the side of the ship.
"The Jiangxia Navy is truly formidable!" Gan Ning remarked with admiration.
"Send orders to Zilong and Shuzi to return to Xuzhou, Xiapi, and continue with the garrison and training. Xuzhou has vast plains, so have Zilong select and train cavalry extensively, especially around the borders of Xuzhou, Yuzhou, and Yangzhou. Also, have Shuzi intensify the training of the Danyang troops and remain vigilant while guarding Xuzhou," Chen Xi commanded, feeling more at ease now that they were safe, and sent messengers to inform Zhao Yun and Chen Dao, who had been lying in ambush along the shore.
"Ships are just one part of the equation, but we in the Lu family will strive to improve them further," Lu Jun said, still shaken by the display of the Jiangxia Navy's military power. The difference between bandits and regular soldiers was immense.
"I'll handle the training of the troops. The psychological pressure from those soldiers was intense. No wonder Zhou Gongjin personally selected them as elite soldiers," Gan Ning said with a hint of envy as he looked back at the Jiangxia Navy disappearing into the horizon.
"The Jiangxia Navy has a long history. After Zhou Gongjin defeated Huang Zu, he absorbed 90% of Huang Zu's navy and then selected the most elite 8,000 soldiers from both the Jiangxia Navy and the thousands of bandits under his command. He trained them rigorously. If they weren't this strong, I'd have to question it," Chen Xi reassured them with a smile.
Huang Zu was a capable commander in naval warfare, but unfortunately, he faced Zhou Yu. Underestimating the young Zhou Yu, Huang Zu repeatedly suffered defeats. Zhou Yu, taking advantage of this, never gave Huang Zu a chance to recover and eventually killed him.
Throughout those battles, the Jiangxia Navy suffered minimal losses, only losing their commander. Most of the navy was absorbed by Zhou Yu, who selected the elites and dismissed the rest to join the ranks of river bandits. This tactic allowed Zhou Yu to control most of the bandit groups along the Yangtze River, leading to the rapid expansion of Sun Ce's forces. Without this, Zhou Yu wouldn't have been able to maintain control over the Yangtze.
"Hmph, let him enjoy his success for a few years. In time, I'll return to the Yangtze and challenge him again!" Gan Ning coldly remarked, his eyes filled with determination. Zhou Yu's military prowess inspired him, and he was determined to rise to that level.
"That's the spirit! Keep it up, Xingba. If you need anything, I'll make sure you get the support you need," Chen Xi encouraged with a smile. "Our navy can't be weaker than theirs, can it?"
While Chen Xi was boosting Gan Ning's morale, Sima Lang had already made his way through Henei to the current capital of the Han Dynasty—Chang'an.
Gazing at the blood-stained city walls, Sima Lang couldn't help but feel bitter. The lower part of the wall, stained with dark red marks, was still somewhat visible. Sima Lang knew well that this was the spot where Minister Wang Yun had leaped to his death—a place that left the hearts of loyal men cold whenever they thought of it.
Sima Lang pondered silently as he entered the city, paid the entrance fee, and presented his credentials to enter Li Jue's residence.
"Sima Lang of Henei greets General Cheqi," Sima Lang greeted with a smile that immediately put Li Jue at ease.
"Please, take a seat, take a seat, Nephew Sima. No need for formalities. How is your esteemed father?" Li Jue asked with a broad smile as he had someone bring a chair. "What brings you to Chang'an, Nephew Sima? We haven't seen each other in years. Back when Prime Minister Dong was still with us... Alas! Nephew, would you be interested in serving as an official? My Cheqi General's residence just happens to be short of a Sima."
Li Jue's words carried a dual meaning.
Back when Dong Zhuo was still alive, there wasn't much connection between the Sima family and Dong Zhuo. In fact, Dong Zhuo initially intended to deal with the Sima family but, after meeting Sima Lang, was reminded of his deceased son and, moved by the encounter, decided not to trouble Sima Fang. Instead, he even extended some care.
"Thank you, General, for your kindness. I am deeply grateful," Sima Lang said, flattering Li Jue. "However, I came to Chang'an this time with another matter that requires your assistance."
"Tell me about it," Li Jue said, delighted by Sima Lang's acceptance.
"My younger brother, Sima Zhongda, is only fifteen years old. He went out to travel and... got lost..." Sima Lang said with some embarrassment, blushing slightly. "I hope the General can help me find him."
"Hahaha, that's a trivial matter. Leave it to me," Li Jue laughed heartily. "Rest assured, you'll have news soon."
"Thank you, General," Sima Lang said, bowing deeply. After sitting down again, he noticed a troubled expression on Li Jue's face. "General, when I entered, I sensed some concern in your expression. If there's anything troubling you, perhaps you could share it with me. I've heard it said that two heads are better than one. If you trust me, we could discuss it together, and perhaps a fresh perspective might help."
Li Jue thought for a moment, agreeing that Sima Lang had a point, and began to explain, "Ah, Nephew, you wouldn't know, but the situation in Sili is dire. After all the recent conflicts, our food supplies are running low. Guo Si, Fan Chou, and Lao Zhang are all asking me for grain, but where can I find any to give them?"
Li Jue went on to detail the situation, and Sima Lang quickly grasped the context. Originally, there had been a surplus of grain hoarded by Dong Zhuo, and the Xiliang soldiers had managed to scrape by through looting. However, the prolonged standoff with Ma Teng had drained much of their resources, and now their supplies were nearly depleted. But reducing the number of Xiliang soldiers was out of the question for Li Jue, leaving him in a dire situation.
"So that's the issue. Perhaps you could negotiate peace with Ma Teng?" Sima Lang suggested cautiously. "Though it may hurt your pride, it's the quickest solution."
"I'm afraid that won't work. Ma Chao and Han Sui are both determined to drag this out until we're dead! It's a matter of who blinks first!" Li Jue replied, his tone full of frustration.