Chapter 170 The Hen Crows at Dawn

South of Xu Province, at the border between the Pei and Guangling commanderies, the armies of Liu Bei and Sun Ce had clashed several times, with neither side gaining an advantage.

Engaging Sun Ce was Guan Yu, and after a month of fighting, their supplies were running low. Guan Yu retreated to Tancheng, while Sun Ce led his army back to Guangling City, each to gather more provisions.

Guan Yu returned to the city and was greeted by Liu Bei and Zhang Fei. He sighed, "I didn't expect Sun Ce to be so difficult to deal with. I'm ashamed before you, Big Brother ."

Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Second Brother, you are not at fault. It's just that I didn't provide enough troops."

The three were in low spirits. The situation in Xu Province was not good. They had originally thought that with the alliance between Yuan Shu and Liu Bei, Xu Province could have two years of respite. However, they didn't expect that while Yuan Shao was attacking Gongsun Zan, all sorts of restless demons and monsters would emerge.

Sun Ce, this inexplicably crazy fellow, was one of them. He was supposed to be acting on Yuan Shu's orders to attack Liu Yao in the Wu and Danyang commanderies of Yang Province. They didn't know why he suddenly went north across the river to attack Guangling!

Originally, Sun Ce only occupied a few cities in the south of Guangling, posing little threat. However, Liu Bei dared not launch a full-scale counterattack because Cao Cao's army had entered Pengcheng in Yu Province from Rencheng in Yan Province, west of Pei!

Pengcheng was only about two hundred *li* (approximately 66 miles) away from Pei, practically right at their doorstep. Liu Bei and Zhang Fei had to lead the majority of their forces to garrison the west of Pei to guard against an attack from Cao Cao.

The situation among the various parties was extremely delicate. Any change on one side would determine the direction of the situation. However, Liu Bei knew that he was facing two hungry wolves at the same time, which was too disadvantageous for him!

He somewhat regretted not listening to Chen Qun's advice in the first place. With his current strength, it was indeed difficult to hold Xu Province!

Guan Yu said in a deep voice, "We need to concentrate our forces and drive one side out first. Otherwise, whether it's Cao Cao or Yuan Shu, they will only continue to reinforce their troops and drag us down."

Of course, Liu Bei knew this, but he couldn't conjure up more troops. The biggest hidden danger was that he had not yet assimilated the Danyang soldiers faction left behind by Tao Qian.

Tao Qian's former subordinates were either Danyang soldiers or remnants of the Yellow Turbans, all extremely unruly.

Not to mention the Yellow Turbans, the Danyang soldiers were mostly mountain bandits from the Shanyue region, extremely difficult to control. The former Tao Qian generals, led by Cao Bao and others, were even more unrestrained, often disturbing the people, which ran counter to Liu Bei's practices.

Although Liu Bei wanted to rectify the situation, he was afraid of provoking the Danyang generals, so he could only compromise, which was quite frustrating.

Liu Bei felt extremely uncomfortable. Two years, no, one year. If he was given one year, he would be able to sideline Cao Bao and others and replace them with his confidants. However, the enemies wouldn't even give him that much time.

He sighed and said, "Second Brother, please rest for a few days. Pei's food supply is already running low. I have sent people to Haixi to collect grain. Presumably, Sun Ce will not attack for the time being."

Guan Yu nodded, feeling somewhat regretful. He recalled the group of people he had driven away at the city gate that day. Sun Ce's family members might have been among them. If he had been able to keep them then, he might have been able to avoid Sun Ce's invasion of Guangling. It was truly a pity.

Mi Zhu returned to his residence and summoned Mi Fang, saying, "The lord is going to send someone to Haixi to collect grain. I have already suggested that you go."

Mi Fang was now an official and knew that the situation in Xu Province was not good. He immediately said, "In that case, I will set off with my men today."

Mi Zhu hesitated for a moment and said, "Take your sister with you as well."

Mi Fang was somewhat surprised, "Why?"

Mi Zhu's expression was grave, "Pei is in a bad situation now, with Cao Cao's army on one side and Yuan Shu's army on the other."

"Although it is unlikely that Pei will be captured, if something unexpected happens, I can still escape on horseback. Little Sister is a woman and has difficulty moving around. Who will be able to take care of her in the chaos of war?"

"Although I may be overthinking things, it's better to be prepared than to wait for disaster."

Upon hearing this, Mi Fang hurriedly said, "Brother is right. I will go find Little Sister now and have her pack her things."

Seeing Mi Fang leave in a hurry, Mi Zhu sighed. He thought to himself that he might really be worrying unnecessarily. Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei were all mighty generals of this generation. Surely they wouldn't be unable to defend Pei, would they?

In Guangling City, Sun Ce also returned to his residence. He took the swaddling clothes from Madam Wu's hands and teased the baby inside for a while. However, he didn't know how to do it properly, and the baby started crying loudly.

He quickly handed the swaddling clothes back to Madam Wu, saying dejectedly, "Little Sister isn't close to me."

Madam Wu scolded, "Why are you arguing with a three-year-old child?"

She looked worried, "If things continue like this, it will be difficult to capture Pei with just these few cities in Guangling. Why don't we return to Jiangdong and make plans later?"

Sun Ce shook his head and said, "No, I must capture Guangling."

"Only by occupying Guangling can I find a way to take back our father and mother's ancestral land of Wu Commandery."

"That dog thief Yuan Shu promised me that if I conquered Jiujiang for him, he would appoint me as the Administrator of Jiujiang, but he went back on his word!"

"Now that I want to conquer Guangling, he can't possibly snatch it away from me, can he?"

Madam Wu sighed in her heart. Once there was a first time, there would be a second. Yuan Shu was fickle and truly a petty person, but he happened to be the lord of her deceased husband, Sun Jian.

Back then, Sun Jian had been very ruthless in his slaughter of the gentry, doing some things that were highly criticized. Therefore, among the lords in the world who were willing to accept Sun Ce now, only Yuan Shu remained.

Thinking of this, Madam Wu felt somewhat resentful. Her husband had died, leaving behind her and her orphaned children. She didn't know how many hardships she would have to endure to raise her young sons to adulthood.

She thought of twenty years ago, when Sun Jian heard that she was both talented and beautiful, he came to propose marriage.

However, the Wu family was a large gentry family. Madam Wu's father had once been the Administrator of Danyang, while Sun Jian's ancestors were melon farmers of humble origins. The two sides were not a good match at all.

At this time, Madam Wu's parents had passed away early, and she was living with relatives. The Wu family's relatives naturally disagreed and even scolded Sun Jian out of the house, believing him to be cunning and frivolous.

However, for some reason, several members of the Wu family mysteriously disappeared within a few days, and the Wu family was in a state of panic.

Madam Wu then stood up and said, "Why should we provoke trouble for the sake of cherishing me, a small woman? If he treats me badly, it is my fate."

Thus, Madam Wu married Sun Jian, and that year, Sun Ce was born. After that came three sons, Sun Quan, Sun Yi, and Sun Kuang, as well as Sun Shangxiang, who was now in swaddling clothes.

The three sons, Sun Quan, were now left in Jiujiang. Madam Wu, bringing Sun Shangxiang, always felt that Sun Ce's surprise attack on Guangling this time was a self-imposed dead end. She had repeatedly advised Sun Ce to return to Danyang, but Sun Ce remained stubborn.

Seeing Madam Wu's expression, Sun Ce comforted her, "Don't worry, Mother, I have already found someone to come to our aid."

"I used to be on good terms with Gongjin (Zhou Yu) and Qiao Rui. Now I have already sent someone to send a letter, asking them to bring troops and supplies to help me conquer Guangling!"

Upon hearing this, Madam Wu felt slightly relieved. Qiao Rui was a great general under Yuan Shu, and Zhou Yu was even more of a strategist. With these two assisting, even if they couldn't capture Pei, defending Guangling wouldn't be a problem.

Yuan Shao's attack on Yijing caused changes in the situation in Xu Province to the east, and the same was true in Henei to the west.

Yuan Shang, inside Ye City, was now worried and troubled. He not only had to be responsible for the mobilization of troops and supplies throughout Ji Province, but also had to guard against the dangers from Xu Province and Henei.

For Yuan Shang, the problem in Xu Province was not very serious. Even if Liu Bei lost Xu Province, it would still be several commanderies away before the situation affected Ye City.

What he was more worried about now was the change in Henei Commandery!

Lu Bu was originally Yuan Shao's subordinate, but later he fell out with Yuan Shao and was assassinated by Yuan Shao. Lu Bu knew better and escaped, thus forming a feud with the Yuan family.

Originally, the Yuan family all thought that Lu Bu was a stray dog. Without his own territory, how much trouble could he cause, no matter how powerful he was?

What was unexpected was that Lu Bu actually instigated Zhang Miao, Chen Gong, and others to rebel against Cao Cao right under the noses of Ye City!

This was equivalent to a fire breaking out in the house. Cao Cao was certainly in a miserable state, and Ye City also felt threatened. After all, although Chenliu Commandery and Ye City were separated by the Yellow River, the distance was only two or three hundred *li* (approximately 66-99 miles).

Yuan Shang had long believed that he was the next head of the Yuan family and regarded Ye City as his private property, so he was extremely concerned about the movements of Lu Bu's army.

When Lu Bu and Cao Cao negotiated a peace, Yuan Shang breathed a sigh of relief. Now, Lu Bu should go to Jing Province, the most prosperous region, right?

What Yuan Shang had not expected was that Lu Bu's army would actually go to Henei in Sili, which was relatively barren!

Especially the recent news that most of Lu Bu's main force, except for some who remained to guard Chenliu, had gone to Henei to see Zhang Yang.

This change worried Yuan Shang greatly, not only because Lu Bu and Zhang Yang had a good personal relationship, but also because the north of Henei Commandery was the Tianhang Mountains, where the Black Mountain bandits were located!

If Lu Bu's army and the Black Mountain bandits joined forces, they could directly enter Ji Province from the west. Without the Yellow River as a barrier, they could threaten Ye City. Yuan Shang felt a little uneasy when he thought that he might face an army of hundreds of thousands.

Thinking that Cao Cao's army in the south was also eager to make trouble, Yuan Shang gnashed his teeth. The pressure on his side was too great!

Damn Second Brother, if he hadn't persuaded our father to attack Ji Province, we could have prepared for another year and made the situation more stable!

Now, what Yuan Shang could hope for was that the Battle of Yijing would end quickly, and Yuan Shao would lead a large army to return to Ye City for reinforcements. Otherwise, if the enemy attacked Ye City, Yuan Shang really had no confidence that he could stop them.

The more he thought about it, the more upset he became. He unconsciously pulled open the cabinet beside him, which had several more bottles in it.

He raised his hand, picked up one, pulled out the stopper, and sniffed it a few times under his nose. He immediately felt his body relax a lot, and it seemed that some things were floating around in front of him. For a moment, he forgot his worries.

After a long while, he came back to his senses and thought that these alchemists did have some skills.

Thinking of the female Taoist priest of the Taiping Dao who had been invited last time, she had used various methods to treat his hidden illness. Although Yuan Shang had not regained his virility in the end, he felt that there were already signs of stirring within his body.

Perhaps with further treatment, he could return to being a normal man!

He didn't dare let Yuan Shao know about his physical ailment at all, because once it was exposed, his position as heir would be ruined.

His mother, Madam Liu, knew a little, but as a mother protecting her son, she would naturally hide it from Yuan Shao.

However, this kind of thing couldn't be hidden forever, and he couldn't openly seek medical advice from doctors, otherwise it would definitely be leaked out.

Fortunately, Madam Liu also had some connections. Under her lead, Yuan Shang got in touch with the Taiping Dao alchemists who were remnants of the Yellow Turbans.

Yuan Shang thought that his biological mother was still reliable.

While Madam Liu, as the legal wife, was in control of Yuan Shao's inner palace, at this time in Henei Commandery, Lu Bu's legal wife, Madam Yan, was also doing similar things.