NOVEL NEXT WORLD Chapter 19 - Consecutive Defeats, and Then
Chapter 19: Consecutive Defeats, and Then
As the snow melted and the sunlight began to warm the earth, the coalition army advanced toward Luoyang.
Their objective: the capture of Si Shui Gate and Hu Lao Gate.
If these two strategic points could be seized, it would be easy to break through to Luoyang, and finally, they could bring down the traitors, bathing this warm spring in the blood of their enemies.
Thus, Sun Jian was placed in charge of capturing Si Shui Gate.
However,
“I do not doubt Lord Sun’s abilities, but wouldn’t it be overkill to use a tiger to catch a chicken? I, Bao Xin, the Governor of Jibei, volunteer to lead the vanguard and open the way.”
As Bao Xin stepped forward to volunteer as the vanguard, the mood grew somewhat tense.
Still, it was not something that could easily be rejected.
Bao Xin had raised the status of Sun Jian while humbly lowering himself, displaying an air of humility that made it difficult to refute his request.
While everyone wrestled with Bao Xin’s bold proposal, Yuan Shu stepped forward and clapped his hands.
“Isn’t his courage commendable? I support this.”
Why does Yuan Shu keep changing his tune?
At first, he seemed to support Sun Jian, but now, he looked quite pleased with Bao Xin’s suggestion.
“What are your thoughts?”
Yuan Shao asked.
Sun Jian glanced briefly at Yuan Shu before lowering his head and clasping his hands together.
“How could I, Sun Jian, stand in the way of a man acting righteously?”
“Truly, the Governor of Changsha is wise and thoughtful! A true hero! The term ‘Divine Beast’ suits you well!”
Yuan Shu laughed heartily as he rose to his feet, clapping enthusiastically.
Yuan Shao, though not pleased, sighed and nodded.
“Then it is decided. Governor Bao Xin of Jibei will take Si Shui Gate. Once that is done, we will combine our strength and launch a full-scale assault.”
With that, Bao Xin, together with his brother Bao Zhong, assembled an army of 13,000 soldiers and prepared to march on Si Shui Gate.
I could only sigh at the sight.
No doubt, Bao Xin’s bold actions would end in failure.
Why?
Because the one defending Si Shui Gate was none other than Hua Xiong.
Hua Xiong’s encounter with Guan Yu is famous.
Even someone like me, who doesn’t know much about ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’, is familiar with this legendary scene.
“I’ll be back before this wine cools!”
This event marked the rise of Guan Yu’s fame, earning him the favor of Cao Cao.
It was from that moment that Cao Cao’s admiration for Guan Yu began.
“You don’t look too pleased.”
Whoa, whoa! Why does she always pop up out of nowhere?
I nearly had a heart attack.
Though her small stature made it understandable, I still wished she’d at least raise her hand, like a kid in class, before she spoke.
“What startled you so much?”
“Please, give me some warning next time. You almost made my heart stop.”
“Hmm, I thought I had tried to be subtle, but I suppose it wasn’t enough.”
Cao Cao was standing on her tiptoes.
Seeing her serious expression while doing so was kind of funny.
“So, why the long face? Are you unhappy with Governor Bao Xin taking the lead?”
“No, well… It’s not about what I want. If I’m told to follow orders, I will.”
Even as I cracked a joke, Cao Cao’s narrowed eyes showed she wasn’t entirely convinced.
“I thought I had a decent sense of insight, but perhaps I misread you.”
“If you could tell what someone is thinking just by looking at their face, life would be a lot easier.”
“I see. I must have been mistaken.”
Cao Cao’s tone was still dry and emotionless.
I couldn’t tell what she was thinking at all.
Despite her attempts to remain close, I tried my best to avoid making eye contact with her.
Then came the sound of horses’ hooves.
It seemed the march had begun.
In the distance, I could see silhouettes appearing through the rising dust.
Two days passed.
It took only two days for the news to reach us.
What we received wasn’t the head of Hua Xiong, but the head of Bao Xin.
“Hah.”
The first to snort was Cao Cao.
She glanced at the severed head from a distance, then turned to look at me, though I quickly avoided her gaze.
“How could this happen! Our loyalist army suffers this humiliation at the hands of some nobody, not even Lü Bu!”
Yuan Shu slammed his knee in frustration, his fury palpable.
“Governor of Nanyang, please remain calm,” Yuan Shao said, maintaining his composed demeanor, though it was clear he, too, was displeased.
After all, this was the coalition’s first battle.
They needed to boost morale and take down their most dangerous enemy, Lü Bu, but instead, the first report they received was of a defeat.
Of course, this would upset them.
“In that case, allow me to take action,” Sun Jian stepped forward, and Yuan Shu, who had previously supported him, clicked his tongue loudly, as if annoyed.
It was as if he had never intended to support Sun Jian from the start.
“Go ahead,” Yuan Shao said coldly, his expression indifferent, as if he had already accepted defeat.
Honestly, I couldn’t imagine Sun Jian losing.
That aura, that movement.
He was clearly strong, possibly even a match for Lü Bu.
Having seen Lü Bu myself, and being able to sense qi, I could tell.
This is why he was called the Tiger of Jiangdong.
He was more like a beast than a man, a force that ordinary people couldn’t hope to face.
As I watched, Zhang Yang approached me.
“We will lose again.”
I knew it.
Sun Jian would surely be defeated.
Otherwise, Guan Yu wouldn’t need to step in later.
Yet, no matter how much I thought about it, I couldn’t imagine that man losing.
Seeing my doubtful expression, Zhang Yang sighed.
“Do you know who is in charge of supplying our army’s provisions?”
“Well, it’s Yuan Shu… the Governor of Nanyang, right?”
“Yes, exactly. That’s why I believe Governor Sun Jian will lose.”
“What does that have to do with anything?”
I asked, and Zhang Yang furrowed her brow.
“The relationship between the Governor of Nanyang and Governor Sun Jian is quite complicated. While they appear to be on friendly terms, they are also constantly trying to keep each other in check. From Yuan Shu’s perspective, Sun Jian’s victory wouldn’t be all that favorable.”
Ah, now I understand.
“If the supply lines are cut, no matter how great the general, they cannot win.”
“Exactly. You’re surprisingly quick to catch on—uh, no! I didn’t mean it that way!”
What does she take me for?
I’ve been living in this world for ten years now.
It’s not difficult to piece together something as simple as that.
“But if they are on friendly terms, wouldn’t Yuan Shu have no reason to undermine Sun Jian?”
“It’s because of Yuan Shu’s relationship with the coalition leader, Yuan Shao. Yuan Shao likely understands this as well, which is why he has already resigned himself to defeat.”
So that’s why Yuan Shao had that calm, resigned expression earlier.
He must have known from the start, even when Bao Xin stepped forward.
“What exactly is that relationship?”
“Both are members of the Yuan family, but their positions are vastly different. While Yuan Shao is revered by the people for his bravery, he technically holds only half the status of a legitimate noble. Meanwhile, Yuan Shu, though a direct descendant of the Yuan family, lacks the same public support.”
So Yuan Shu is highly sensitive about anything that might threaten his position.
Yuan Shu really is as petty as the rumors suggest.
“This is getting complicated.”
“Indeed. So, how about you take action next?”
“…What?”
Her sudden suggestion left me so stunned that I slipped back into my old speech pattern.
Zhang Yang didn’t seem to mind and continued speaking.
“It’s not such an unrealistic idea. If you were to step forward, I’m sure the ‘General Who Fights to the Death’ would support you. I, too, would stand by you.”
“No, no, that’s not right.”
Hey, I still need to see the famous scene!
The one where Guan Yu says, ‘I’ll be back before this wine cools!’ I can’t miss that!
Even if I don’t know much about the ‘Romance of the Three Kingdoms’, right?
“I trust you. As you said before, I’ve also come to not dislike you as much.”
Zhang Yang, seemingly unaware of my thoughts, gently placed her hand on my shoulder.
Of course, that didn’t last long.
She quickly withdrew her hand, trembling slightly, before scurrying away.
But this still isn’t right.
It’s not just about wanting to see a famous scene.
If Guan Yu doesn’t make a name for himself here, what will happen to Liu Bei?
In the worst-case scenario, Liu Bei might not accomplish anything in the coalition.
If that happens, even my limited knowledge could become useless.
After all, Liu Bei is my favorite of the warlords.
Although I don’t know much about him, what comes to mind when you think of Liu Bei?
It’s righteousness, right?
He’s like a fellow man of chivalry, except now they call me a gangster.
In any case, I didn’t want to interfere in this situation.
It wasn’t my time to step up yet.
So, time passed again.
***
As predicted, Sun Jian was defeated.
Yuan Shu had failed to supply the troops with enough provisions, leading to a drop in morale. To make matters worse, they were ambushed at night, causing the army to collapse completely.
Sun Jian looked devastated, but his eyes burned with smoldering anger.
How could he not be furious when his most cherished soldiers had died?
A dark mood settled over the coalition.
“Come out! You cowards!”
Finally, Hua Xiong stood before them.