Trương Giang was domineering and autocratic, causing his subordinates to tremble in fear. Suddenly, a low-ranking soldier rushed in from outside, knelt, and shouted, "Lord Governor, disaster strikes! Tôn Nghĩa is leading an army toward Trường Lạc, only thirty miles away!"
Upon hearing this, Giang, unable to contain his rage, cursed, "See, the traitor Tôn Bặc has brought his army right to our doorstep! Our enterprise hangs by a thread! If the nest falls, will the eggs survive? If any of you harbor disloyal thoughts, I'll have you executed here and now!"
With that, Trương Giang's murderous aura swept through the hall, his gaze piercing each person. His terrified subordinates could only bow and pledge, "We humbly vow to follow the lord and resist the rebels!"
Giang nodded and shouted, "Where is Trương Quyền?"
Trương Quyền, courtesy name Thúc Văn, was Giang's younger brother. While Trương Giang treated his subordinates harshly and dictatorially, he was exceedingly lenient with his kin. When Giang declared himself governor, he appointed Quyền as his left and right guard, serving as his protector.
Hearing Giang's call, Trương Quyền stepped forward, clasped his fists, and shouted, "Your general is here!"
Giang smiled and issued his command, "Thúc Văn, I appoint you as Military Advisor of Trường Lạc, replacing Quách Kiệm, to defend Trường Lạc. Furthermore, I specially appoint Trương Quyết, Văn Ôn, and Lưu Di as deputy generals to assist you!"
Quyết and Di, overjoyed at being entrusted with important roles, stepped forward and shouted in unison, "Rest assured, my lord! We will exhaust all efforts to assist General Thúc Văn!"
Only Văn Ôn stepped forward, clasped his fists to accept the appointment, and then retreated with Trương Quyết and Lưu Di. Giang stepped down, took Trương Quyền's hand, and entrusted him, saying, "Quyền, my brother, I entrust Trường Lạc to you. For military matters in the city, you may consult Trương Quyết and Lưu Di."
Quyền bowed in gratitude and said, "Rest assured, elder brother, I will manage Trường Lạc's military affairs with utmost care!"
Giang nodded with satisfaction, then sternly called, "Where is Quản Vân?"
Hearing his name, Quản Vân stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Reporting to my lord, your servant is here!"
Giang said in a deep voice, "Trọng Nhan, I know Tề Uy once promoted you, but the past is gone. Trường Lạc now belongs to me! You've been idle for too long. I now appoint you as Chief Clerk to manage the city's internal affairs!"
Quản Vân bowed and said, "This servant obeys."
Giang continued, "I also appoint Vương Khiêm as Scribe of Works and Lữ Tu as Chief Secretary, temporarily serving as advisors in the Chief Clerk's office, to assist Quản Vân in handling administrative matters!"
Upon hearing this, Quản Vân understood that Giang did not fully trust him with authority. Appointing trusted confidants like Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu as advisors in the Chief Clerk's office was a pretext; their true role was to monitor him.
Behind Quản Vân, Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu stepped forward with smug satisfaction, bowing and saying, "We humbly obey!"
Having made his arrangements, Trương Giang stepped forward and said gravely, "All of you are the pillars of Trường Lạc. Fulfill your duties diligently. Today, I will personally lead the army to slay Tôn Nghĩa!"
His subordinates, inspired, shouted with fervor, "The lord is mighty! The lord is mighty!"
At this moment, Trương Quyền bowed to Giang and said, "Elder brother, Tôn Nghĩa is merely the vanguard; Tôn Bặc remains in the rear. I sense something amiss in this. Please reconsider."
As Quyền finished, Lưu Di stepped forward and added, "Our army has just suffered a defeat, and morale is low. By all logic, the traitor Tôn should lead his entire force personally to boost morale and seize Trường Lạc in one strike! Yet he does not. There must be a plot! I beseech my lord to investigate!"
Trương Giang laughed arrogantly and said, "Thúc Văn and Tử Kiện, do not bolster the enemy's prestige while dampening our own army's spirit! These are mere speculations—speak no more of it!"
Lưu Di wished to persuade further but, seeing Giang's resolve, relented. Giang waved his hand and said, "The meeting ends here! Disperse."
The subordinates withdrew to their residences. Trương Giang donned his helmet and armor, a short blade at his waist, and strode like a dragon or tiger to the command platform. There, seven hundred soldiers stood in neat ranks, hands on their swords, gazing straight at Trương Giang.
Giang drew his treasured blade and shouted, "The rebels invade our home! As men of Trường Lạc, we must rise to defend it! Follow me to slay the enemy, achieve glory, honor your ancestors, and fight for Trường Lạc!"
"For Trường Lạc!" the soldiers roared in unison, their low morale from the defeat at Uyên dispelled. Seeing their spirit, Giang shouted, "All troops, march to battle!"
At his command, ranks of armored soldiers marched out of the city. Trương Giang, mounted at the forefront, led the army like a storm, intent on crushing Tôn Nghĩa and killing Tôn Bặc. From afar, Tôn Nghĩa, now ten miles from Trường Lạc, sent scouts to gather intelligence.
Soon, a scout returned and reported, "General, seven miles ahead, an army approaches."
Tôn Nghĩa asked gravely, "Who is their commander? How many troops?"
The scout replied, "The commander has a fierce appearance, a short blade at his waist, exuding a murderous aura. From what I know, it is Trương Giang. The enemy numbers roughly six to seven hundred!"
Tôn Nghĩa laughed heartily, saying, "Heaven aids my elder brother!"
He then ordered, "Relay my command: follow me to engage the traitor Trương. Instruct the soldiers not to overcommit to fighting—retreat when I give the order!"
The scout acknowledged and withdrew to relay the command. Tôn Nghĩa spurred his horse forward, soon spotting Trương Giang's army. Charging ahead, he shouted, "Traitor Trương, dismount and surrender! Out of respect for your surrender, I, Tôn Nghĩa, will grant you a swift death with one strike, no torment!"
Trương Giang, enraged, spurred his horse forward, drawing his treasured blade to strike. Tôn Nghĩa drew his sword, charging like lightning to meet him. Giang's blade and Nghĩa's sword clashed, sparking fiercely in a heated struggle.
At the same time, the two armies collided in a chaotic melee. Tôn Nghĩa channeled inner energy into his sword, deflecting Giang's blade, then unleashed a sword aura that slashed with deadly precision. Giang, no ordinary foe, wielded his blade like a shower of falling blossoms, countering Nghĩa's sword aura.
Undeterred, Tôn Nghĩa struck with the Weak Water Sword. Though it appeared ordinary, the technique concentrated inner energy into a single point, capable of cutting through anything like a blade through mud, unstoppable and unbreakable!
Trương Giang, a seasoned warrior, recognized the extraordinary nature of the Weak Water Sword and unleashed a grand technique. His blade struck like a raging sea, ferocious and overwhelming, capable of destroying all in its path.
The Weak Water Sword clashed with this strike, quickly revealing the superior force. Trương Giang's single blow shattered Tôn Nghĩa's Weak Water Sword, the residual force throwing Nghĩa and his horse back.
Seeing this, Trương Giang laughed wildly, "Tôn Nghĩa, don't think defeating Quách Kiệm makes you invincible! That was merely one technique of my Raging Sea Blade Art!"
Unfazed, Tôn Nghĩa smiled and said, "Raging Sea Blade Art? Traitor Trương, I've felt its might!"
Suddenly, Nghĩa shouted, "Retreat!"
At his command, his troops swiftly withdrew. Trương Giang, laughing arrogantly, shouted, "The rebel general has been defeated by me! Follow me to pursue and slaughter them!"
Trương Giang's army, morale soaring, charged like wild beasts, eager for glory. Seeing the enemy's fervor, Tôn Nghĩa smiled inwardly.
In Trường Lạc city, at the Chief Clerk's residence, Quản Vân, Vương Khiêm, and Lữ Tu handled administrative affairs and planned provisions. Vân bowed to Khiêm and Tu, saying, "Brothers, the lord governor seized power from Tề Uy not long ago, yet we've faced two wars. The treasury and provisions will soon be depleted. As Chief Clerk, I wish to ease the lord's burdens and humbly invite you both to my residence tonight to discuss strategies."
Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu narrowed their eyes, silent. Khiêm signaled Tu to speak first. Lữ Tu stepped forward, smiling, "Lord Quản is too courteous. Công Dịch and I will visit tonight."
The three exchanged friendly smiles and focused on administrative tasks. By late afternoon, Quản Vân left first, leaving Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu behind. Khiêm looked at Tu and asked softly, "Hiếu Nhân, Quản Trọng Nhan, who resents us as flatterers, invites us to his home. Is there something strange here?"
Lữ Tu replied, "Whether it's strange or not, we'll know when we get there! Quản Vân was talented years ago. Tề Uy recruited him to boost his own reputation. During Tề Uy's rule in Trường Lạc, many were demoted, but only Vân remained favored, showing he's no simple man. We'll adapt as needed!"
As for these two, Vương Khiêm, courtesy name Công Dịch, was Trương Giang's childhood study companion, promoted to Scribe of Works when Giang rose to power. Lữ Tu, courtesy name Hiếu Nhân, a friend of Khiêm, sought favor through him and was made Chief Secretary by Giang. Khiêm and Tu were Giang's loyal allies, working with Quách Kiệm to kill, oppress, and eradicate Tề Uy's remnants. Vương Khiêm excelled at flattery, while Lữ Tu was skilled at sycophancy, their actions perfectly aligning with Trương Giang's desires.
That night, Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu rode in sedans to Quản Vân's residence. Quản Vân stood with hands clasped behind his back, greeting them, "Brothers, please come in."
Quản's residence was simple, without servants. Vương Khiêm glanced around, narrowing his eyes, and said, "Lord Quản lives frugally, truly a model scholar."
Lữ Tu quickly added, "Lord Quản achieved fame young, and now at thirty, your future remains bright. Favored by the lord governor, your scholarly path is promising."
The two sang in harmony, their words laced with mockery. Vương Khiêm's praise of Quản Vân's frugality as a model scholar was followed by Lữ Tu's sarcastic remark, implying, "Quản Vân, you gained fame young, yet only now, at thirty, are you barely favored under the governor's command—what a promising career." The implication was clear, and Quản Vân, being astute, understood perfectly.
Quản Vân smiled lightly, calm and composed, saying, "The lord governor's favor is a grace I cannot fully repay. Even serving under him, I am wholeheartedly willing."
Lữ Tu narrowed his eyes, saying nothing, inwardly cursing, "Let's see how long you can endure."
Vương Khiêm studied Quản Vân's expression for clues but found none and gave up. Before coming, Khiêm had devised a plan with Tu to probe Quản Vân, but seeing Vân's composure, they were at a loss.
Quản Vân led them to the main hall, where dishes were laid out on trays along both sides of the table. Two small chests were also placed there. Curious, Vương Khiêm asked, "Lord Quản, what are those chests?"
Quản Vân smiled, "A token of my sincerity toward you both."
Vương Khiêm smiled but said nothing, approaching to open a chest. The contents left Khiêm and Tu stunned. Inside were a hundred gold ingots and about seventy silver ingots. Vương Khiêm swallowed hard, exclaiming, "Quản Vân! You dare embezzle?"
Lữ Tu's eyes gleamed like a specter from the underworld, smiling as he said, "Quản Vân, Quản Trọng Nhan! Everyone has misjudged you. To think you'd embezzle public funds! If Công Dịch and I accept this, wouldn't we be acting unjustly and disappointing the lord governor?"
Quản Vân, alarmed, said, "Hiếu Nhân, that's not my intention…"
Vương Khiêm sneered, "Lord Quản, what is your intention?"
Quản Vân replied to Khiêm and Tu, "Công Dịch, Hiếu Nhân, I offer this as a gesture of goodwill, hoping you'll guide me in the future. Please… accept it."
Quản Vân's sincerity slightly moved Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu. Khiêm glanced at Tu, nodding slightly, and said, "Lord Quản shows such sincerity, so Hiếu Nhân and I understand. Let today's matter be forgotten, and we'll look out for each other henceforth. How about it?"
Overjoyed, Quản Vân said, "My thanks to you both. I'll never forget this kindness!"
Lữ Tu laughed, "Lord Quản is a gentleman of refined temperament. With so much food and drink here, it'd be a shame to let it go cold. Let's treat this as a casual feast and discuss serious matters later."
Quản Vân bowed, saying, "You both speak wisely. Please, partake."
The three sat down, enjoying wine and food, laughing and chatting amicably. Unbeknownst to Vương Khiêm and Lữ Tu, Quản Vân regarded them as if they were already dead.