Zhang Ni and Shamoke discussed matters carefully for a long time. In the end, neither could withstand the rising tide of drowsiness. Shamoke took the initiative to bid farewell, urging Zhang Ni to rest.
Whether as the King of the Five Streams Man or as the magistrate of Hanshou County, Shamoke still had many affairs awaiting him.
The entire Hanshou battlefield had already been battered beyond recognition. Corpses lay scattered across the ground.
Han soldiers and Wuling tribesmen lay side by side. Those who had faced each other with blades drawn now looked no different at all.
Shamoke patrolled once through the ruins, then let out a deep sigh.
"War…"
He murmured the word softly.
In the past, Shamoke had secretly gone to observe the struggle between Sun and Cao at Red Cliffs. Flames had scorched the heavens, the river waters dyed red.
Back then, his heart had been filled with longing. In his eyes, war was Cao Cao issuing a single command and all of Jingbei collapsing in response, eight hundred thousand soldiers marching forth.
It was Zhou Yu, heroic and radiant, destroying enemies with a laugh, men giving their lives to forge immortal fame.
But now, standing in Hanshou, Shamoke heard the true voices of war with brutal clarity.
Moans and wails spread across the plains. Silent bodies covered the mountains.
Almost instinctively, Shamoke thought of the wise Mister Ma. In the past, none of his questions had ever stumped that man. If he were here now, surely he could provide an answer.
Yet weakness and hesitation would never appear on the face of the King of the Five Streams Man. For him, no matter how many doubts lingered, they would have to wait until Lord Xuande won this battle, destroyed his enemies, and pacified the realm.
Only then would there be time to ask.
After enjoying a rare night of peaceful sleep, Zhang Ni rose and immediately received news sent by Shamoke.
"Han Dang has withdrawn?"
Breakfast consisted of a local Hanshou fruit, some steamed flatbread, and a small portion of roasted game meat. Zhang Ni accepted everything without discrimination, eating neatly but at remarkable speed.
Shamoke had clearly risen much earlier. He merely accompanied Zhang Ni while eating, recounting what the scouts had observed that morning.
According to the scouts, the Jiangdong army's camp was impeccably orderly. Nothing worth taking had been left behind. It was a perfectly executed empty camp, clearly the result of a disciplined withdrawal.
At dawn, the scouts expanded their search range and, as expected, discovered the enemy marching north.
Zhang Ni listened quietly while eating. Once everything on the table had been swept clean like clouds scattered by a violent wind, he spoke.
"There has been a change at Jiangling. It is time for us to set out as well."
The situation across Jingzhou had already become very clear. Even without the sharp minds of Mister Lu or Mister Zhuge, Zhang Ni could see it plainly.
Now that Jiangdong's attempt to concentrate its forces and wipe out the Wuling army had failed, the only remaining point of leverage was Jiangling.
As long as they could find a way to capture Jiangling and rely on that fortified city, it would be enough to make Lord Xuande feel as though a bone were lodged in his throat.
Slow encroachment, steady advance. In the end, all of Jingnan falling into Jiangdong's hands would not be difficult.
And this was a battle they absolutely had to join.
"If I were Han Dang…" Zhang Ni frowned in thought, then looked at the rough map Shamoke had provided and spoke slowly.
"If I were Han Dang, I would station a detachment north of the Li River."
"The Wuling army is not skilled in naval warfare. With just over a thousand men guarding the river crossing, they could rest easy, and the main force could rush to reinforce Jiangling without concern."
Shamoke studied the map carefully and agreed that Zhang Ni's reasoning was sound. Then he laughed heartily.
"What difficulty is that?"
"Our Wuling Man have rooted ourselves here for generations. When it comes to knowing the terrain, who could surpass us?"
"If we are to reinforce Jiangling, Brother Zhang need only lead the troops and follow us. Let those Wu men stand guard by the Li River and watch the fish swim."
Zhang Ni was overjoyed and immediately bowed.
"In that case, I will trouble Brother Sha."
Shamoke waved his hand modestly.
"We all serve under Lord Xuande. Why speak so formally? We are all…"
He sighed softly, speaking each word with care.
"…all for the Great Han."
Turning their gaze northward, Zhang Ni and Shamoke's judgment proved accurate. The struggle over Jiangling had already entered a white hot stage.
For Lü Meng, surrounding Jiangling with a great army only to withdraw without success was not a result he could accept.
Yet launching a full assault from the western lands of Jiangdong City was simply not feasible.
Compared to facing powerful crossbows, soldiers would rather secretly kill their officers and flee. A frontal assault had truly become impossible.
After receiving news that the Jingzhou navy was descending toward Jiangdong, Lü Meng prepared to return at once, even against his will.
But that very night, a secret letter sent from within Jiangling caused Lü Meng to waver.
The name signed at the end, Pan Jun, was familiar to him.
As one of Sun Quan's trusted commanders, Lü Meng had personally seen letters sent by Pan Jun back when they were in Jianye.
Although Pan Jun was not one of Liu Bei's confidants and his letters contained little useful intelligence, one detail had left a deep impression. According to him, Liu Bei and his core subordinates held secret meetings every three months.
Thus, upon seeing Pan Jun's letter again, Lü Meng believed more than half of it immediately.
The letter was filled with self praise regarding the Pan clan of Hanshou and roundabout attempts to attach themselves to Jiangdong. Lü Meng had no interest in any of that. Pan Jun's future would ultimately depend on Sun Quan's judgment.
What truly caught Lü Meng's attention were the two key pieces of information Pan Jun provided.
First, he claimed that Liu Bei was secretly raising barbarian troops in Hanshou, Jingnan. The Pan clan of Hanshou had suffered greatly because of this. If Sun Quan intended to seize Jingnan, this barbarian force could not be ignored. If it were to be eliminated, the Pan clan of Hanshou was willing to assist.
Second, he offered a suggestion for breaking Jiangling.
Holding the letter, Lü Meng vaguely recalled that earlier messages from the Yunmeng Marsh region had reported Dong Xi launching a sudden attack on Linyuan, after which no further news had arrived.
Previously, Lü Meng had not paid it much attention, assuming Dong Xi had once again gone off to secretly seize population.
Such behavior was common during campaigns against the Shanyue. The great Jiangdong clans prized Shanyue slaves highly and spared no expense. Lü Meng had assumed Dong Xi was returning to old habits.
Now, seeing this message and recalling that Linyuan was only several dozen li from Hanshou, Lü Meng guessed that Dong Xi had likely hit an iron wall.
The next morning, Sun Quan's orders arrived, commanding Lü Meng to capture Jiangling. The letter also stated that Sun Quan would personally guard Jianye, relieving Lü Meng of any concern.
Upon receiving Sun Quan's handwritten order, Lü Meng knelt heavily toward the east, kowtowing repeatedly. Tears streamed down his face as he swore to take Jiangling.
With Lü Meng's resolve set, the Wu forces near Gong'an County began to regroup and divide into three parts.
First, a naval detachment was ordered to return to Jiangdong, joining yesterday's forces to make up roughly twenty thousand to reinforce Sun Quan. Although the order said no reinforcements were needed, Lü Meng understood clearly which commands must be followed to the letter and which required discretion.
Next, ten thousand troops were split off and placed under Pan Zhang's command, joining Han Dang stationed in the Yunmeng Marsh to attack Hanshou together. Their mission was to thoroughly probe the true strength of this barbarian force.
The remaining troops would stay with Lü Meng outside Jiangling, adopting a posture of fighting to the death. As for the method of breaking the city, Lü Meng already had a preliminary idea.
The secret letter from Jiangling was actually quite simple. It merely mentioned that the Jiangling Administrator, Jiang Wan, had once joked that Jiangling was solid as iron in the west but brittle as bamboo in the east.
Pan Jun suggested that if Jiangling were to be taken, one should consider this point. He also claimed that twenty death warriors were secretly maintained within the residence and could assist in opening the gates at a critical moment.
Lü Meng had no intention of relying on cooperation with a marginal spy. However, the idea of attacking Jiangling from a different angle made considerable sense.
Inside Jiangling City, music still echoed through the residence of the General Zhenwei. Jiang Wan was still accompanied by his old friend Zhou Qun.
The arrest of Pan Jun and others had not been a major commotion, but it was no secret to Zhou Qun. Thus, during casual conversation, he asked directly.
"From what I know, there truly is a Wuling Man force in Hanshou. Would this plan not place that barbarian force in an awkward position?"
Jiang Wan replied calmly.
"A letter entirely false cannot deceive. A letter entirely true leaves no room to maneuver. Mixing truth and falsehood makes it believable."
"As for the Wuling Man…"
A hint of apology entered Jiang Wan's tone.
"They have long lived in Wuling and should be able to detect Jiangdong troop movements. They need only retreat into the mountains. What could Jiangdong do to them?"
Zhou Qun nodded slowly. Being from Langzhong, he had heard of the southern barbarians during Yi Province campaigns. Mountain tribes often enjoyed every advantage of terrain and had little to fear.
Still, Zhou Qun could not help but feel curious.
"So in that case, Gongyan has placed his hope of relief in the north?"
Jiang Wan fell silent for a moment, then answered a different question.
"At this moment, Lord Xuande should already have entered Chang'an. I truly wish I could see it with my own eyes."
Zhou Qun was stunned. He had not expected Jiang Wan to place such confidence in Lord Xuande.
Jiang Wan did not wish to elaborate. He drained his now cooled tea and stood.
"Next, Lü Meng will likely exhaust every method at his disposal."
He hesitated briefly, originally intending to tell Zhou Qun to stay in Liu Zhang's residence and study without going out. Somehow, the words became a question instead.
"Zhongzhi, I heard the General say your physiognomy skills rival those of Zhang Yu?"
That left Zhou Qun momentarily speechless. After all, Zhang Yu's head had been personally cut off by that same general.
After some hesitation, Zhou Qun replied vaguely.
"I have merely read a few books obsessively."
Jiang Wan did not mind. Turning to Zhou Qun, he said calmly.
"My appearance is not that of a short lived man. In the future, I will surely attain great rank."
Zhou Qun fell silent, studying Jiang Wan's refined bearing, then nodded.
"The Prefect indeed has the look of long life and great fortune."
A smile appeared in Jiang Wan's brows. He nodded.
"The coming battles will be fierce. If you have no business, Zhongzhi, there is no need to leave the residence."
With that, Jiang Wan laughed loudly and strode away, his steps full of vigor. Zhou Qun shook his head with a faint smile.
In order to take Jiangling, Lü Meng resolved to attack at any cost, and he truly acted accordingly.
The Jingzhou navy's successful assault on Jiangxia gave Lü Meng inspiration. At noon, the defenders at Jiangling's north gate suddenly erupted into shouts.
"Fire ships. Fire ships!"
Upon receiving the report, Jiang Wan quickly climbed to the north gate.
Jiangling's defenses were uneven. The western wall, with land access suitable for assault, was the strongest, densely packed with crossbows.
The other three walls were weaker. With no land access and the walls directly facing the river, attackers had nowhere even to stand.
The most unique was the northern side. There was a water gate allowing small boats to enter the city for trade.
What Jiang Wan saw were two warships with small flames burning, charging straight toward the water gate.
The small ships were fragile. Upon colliding with the solid gate, they shattered instantly, their contents flowing out through the wreckage.
"Fire oil."
Some soldiers even looked relieved.
"Fortunately, only two ships."
The soldier who said this immediately wished he could slap himself.
From their vantage point, they clearly saw that once the two ships shattered and erupted into towering flames, cheers broke out from the Jiangdong troops on the northern bank.
Then three more ships sailed forward, their intent undisguised. They were still aiming to crash into the gate.
Jiang Wan's expression grew serious. In the north, fire oil was a precious resource. But Jingzhou, Yi Province, and Jiangdong all produced it in abundance.
If Lü Meng was truly determined, there was no telling how many ships of fire oil he could gather.
A low buzz of unease spread among the soldiers. Some urged the crossbowmen to operate the heavy ballistae and sink the fire ships. The response was helpless.
"We already tried. The bolts either lodge in the hull or pierce straight through. To sink them will take time."
Jiang Wan frowned and shook his head.
"Bring a batch of fire igniting bolts and try."
His aide obeyed and hurried down the wall.
Soon, specially made crossbow bolts were brought up. The crossbowmen swallowed nervously as the bolts were mounted. Then the Prefect's orders rang out.
"Aim."
"Ignite."
"Fire."
The hollow shafts were also filled with fire oil. Before firing, a slow burning wick was lit. Upon impact, the bolt would burst and ignite the oil. The principle was simple.
Jiang Wan saw one bolt succeed, causing a fire ship to erupt in flames and halt before reaching the wall. It burned too quickly, and the soldiers aboard had already jumped into the water to save themselves.
Shaking his head, Jiang Wan no longer held hope in using bolts to stop the ships. He merely instructed the crossbowmen to do their best and, if they had spare strength, to shoot any soldiers who jumped ship.
He himself led soldiers to transport earth to the north gate, preparing to extinguish fires.
In the days that followed, Jiang Wan witnessed the wealth of Jiangdong firsthand. Fire oil laden ships crashed into the north gate one after another, relying on burning oil floating on the water to scorch the gate relentlessly.
The inner canal leading into Jiangling had already been blocked and filled by Jiang Wan and Zhou Qun, preventing fire oil from drifting into the city and causing greater chaos.
After several days of continuous burning, the entire north gate garrison, including Jiang Wan himself, was left covered in soot and grime.
Yet for Jiangdong, these ships seemed insignificant.
Once the small boats were exhausted, what Jiang Wan saw next were iron chains linking boats.
Medium sized ships known as mengchong were linked together with iron chains, one locking to another, forming an enormous and lengthy fleet. They surged downstream in a vast mass.
So many ships advanced that they temporarily locked the river's surface, and this was clearly the effect Lü Meng wanted.
All unnecessary structures on the mengchong had been removed, leaving flat decked vessels. Once linked together, they reminded Jiang Wan of something familiar.
A floating bridge.
Only, this floating bridge was incomparably extravagant in scale.
Using dozens of fire oil ships and hundreds of chained mengchong, the Jiangdong army finally reached Jiangling in a true sense.
A mad smile spread across Lü Meng's face.
Jiangling would belong to Jiangdong.