Chapter 174
Chapter 174 – A Breathing Room, Sun Ce Army Is Preparing Decisive Weapon
Translated by Bloodfalcon
Liu Mang then returned Sun Ce’s sneer while thinking “Choose, eh? Oh, Sun Ce, you truly think too highly of yourself, you arrogant, overbearing prick!!!!” Sun Ce truly overestimate him by a big margin . Liu Mang already admitted from the bottom of his heart, that he is one-fifth of Sun Ce if the comparison is based on wushu skill, commanding ability and if the scenario of Battle of Wancheng city switched with Liu Mang given 100,000 men, Liu Mang will not last even a day against him even if given 3 times more soldiers and in achievement, Sun Ce already boss of Jiangdong and his domain consists of Warring States period, Wu country, Yue country and Sanjiang region with hundreds of thousands troops under him, ready to help him conquer this nation at any times . Liu Mang? He only have 3,000 Urban Army elite troops and Cheng Yu as his lieutenant . The comparison is as high as sky and earth, it is not even funny to joke about . If one followed normal logic, Liu Mang should never ever challenge Sun Ce with his current status .
Nevertheless, two people whose strength differ like that, attacking each other with mutual hatred .
Sun Ce must have his revenge, he must regain Wancheng city in order to exact his blood for blood debt with Lu Bu army for taking his belongings and precious wife’s life .
Liu Mang also want to take revenge as Sun Ce planned for him and his father-in-law to be a borrowed knife to kill Huang Zu and Liu Biao, he also want revenge for killing Su Fei . Moreover, Liu Mang’s burden is greater than Sun Ce as he is also required to persevere as Lu Bu’s army rations all stored in this city also he need to secure his and his troops’ families safety .
“Boom!!!!” Battering rams started their assault again and this time, Wancheng city’s mighty main gates already unable to withstand the assault and will be broken in one more assault .
“HAHAHAHAHA!!!! IN JUST MOMENT, YOU WILL DIE, TOUGH GUY!!!” Thought Sun Ce while his eyes is showing extreme satisfaction . Sun Ce’s troops who accompany battering rams all eager to rush in to avenge the death of their comrades, all fuming with rage similar to their commander .
Earlier when Huang Zhong requested to destroy battering rams, he was approved by Liu Mang but he can only assigned 50 soldiers to accompany him . Liu Mang already have no more resources to spare, he only have 4000 troops and they are decreasing with every minutes passing . Sun Ce smiled victoriously as he see that Liu Mang did not make any movements to counteract his stratagem, instead Liu Mang just focused to defend city wall . With only 4000 troops and no more horse, Liu Mang can only think this way to defend and is unable to allocate more resources to attack battering rams .
Liu Mang then gritted his tooth loudly and muttered “Darn, if only I have more soldiers… Main gates will be breached any time now!!!!” Sure enough, with his last sentence, main gate is destroyed and raising lot of dust .
“HA HA HA!!!!” Lu Su also laughed . The battering rams really did their job as apparatus in sieging a city . In just 2 hours, the mighty gates of a city fall like domino .
In these 2 hours of battering rams assault, Sun Ce army also suffered big casualties as those soldiers who climbed up ladder unable to withstood Lu Bu army’s defense . The view on the city wall, is absolute bloody as the corpse from morning assault is not yet cleaned up .
Sun Ce army’s loss is very big, but worth the loss . Because of their sacrifice on the city wall, battering rams managed to break city gates smoothly . Sun Ce then gripped his Conqueror’s Spear and yelled loudly while his heart is smiling “ALL TROOPS, BREACH WANCHENG CITY!!!!!” Sun Ce quickly move to the front in order to join the charge in order to take that damned Prince of Shu’s head, but he and his troops suddenly stopped their advance . They saw a big surprise, because even though the gate is broken but there is no way, they can enter Wancheng city, as the entrypoint is blocked completely by debris mixed with corpse, sack of stones and anything else that is solid .
Sun Ce looked to his men and said “How can this be?” and continued to be stunned . Then he thought “How could this happened? This Wancheng city is a very strategic place that I personally acquired for my plan to attack Xu Du and all places . I personally supervise the building of the main gates . I even put flaw in the main gates in case there is an event like this for goddamned insurance!!! But now, it is fucking blocked, nothing could get in, nothing could get out . SCREW YOU, LIU MANG!!!!” The flaw that Sun Ce talked about is, the gate is intentionally made weak on the hinge . The material is made of copper rather than steel, so with 3 or 4 strike from a battering ram, it will go down . But now? There is no way in hell, any of them can enter the city through city gate
Huang Zhong himself is pretty surprised . When he asked to destroy battering rams, he kept pondering why he was given so little men . Huang Zhong already resolved to die, but when he saw that the gates is already blocked, his heart is a little relieved but also questioned Liu Mang “When is the gate blocked?” He really surprised because during yesterday skirmish, when he led Urban Army, the gates still able to be accessed .
On the other side, Sun Ce’s expression can be said that he had dropped his shoulders . His whole scheme to make Liu Mang choose and die within his plans are shattered in an instant . Liu Mang has chosen to block his escape route in order to stop Sun Ce’s army advance, to stop them from gaining easy access to Wancheng city . Thus, the only viable way to assault Wancheng city, is to climb city wall . Sun Ce admired a little of Liu Mang’s courage now, because the Venerable Prince of Shu actually chose to fight to the bitter end by sealing his exit .
On Liu Mang’s side, he just casually answered Huang Zhong “Last night, we did it!!! After we subjugate Black Flag! I ordered all of them to bring anything solid to build a wall behind gates!” Last night, Liu Mang really resolved to annihilate Black Flag with starvation as their master is already enemy with Lu Bu’s army . With Black Flag subjugated, he quickly put them to use by doing heavy labor to build barricade . Sun Ce who heard Liu Mang’s response glared back toward Liu Mang . “Goddamn you, Liu Mang!!!” With self-blockade strategy like this, Liu Mang has sealed off his chance to escape, but at the same time, he has bought enough time for Lu Bu’s Bing Province Heavy Cavalry to arrive and smite Sun Ce .
The execution of this stratagem is thanks to Liu Mang’s rigid military training of his Urban Army and also thanks to Black Flag who obeys orders no matter how insane it is, then again, if Liu Mang use reserve soldiers to do his order, the final outcome will be Liu Mang tied up and brought against Sun Ce . “GODDAMMIT, LIU MANG!!!!” Sun Ce cursed Liu Mang . In his eyes, Liu Mang who had calm expression felt like an insult to his failure . Again and again, he tried to destroy this monkey, but again and again that monkey thwarted every single of his plan like it is a plaything .
Sun Ce, already outraged, started gripping his Conqueror’s spear tightly and squeezed his warhorse and want to do decisive battle with Wancheng city defender . When he start to speed up, Lu Su quickly stand in front of him . Lu Su reminded him, that the day is already at dusk and it is impossible to do further battle, lest Sun Ce want his newly formed mixed soldiers to perish because of fighting each other .
“Zijing, get out of my way!!!! Today I must retake Wancheng city!” Sun Ce voiced his discontent . Sun Ce cannot waste any more time as Bing Province Heavy Cavalry is getting nearer and nearer with every second wasted . In his mind, no Wancheng city today, no Wancheng city again in the future .
Lu Su quickly countered with his reasoning “Milord, the time is already dusk, it is not favorable for us to attack the city . If we continue this fight, we will only taste defeat that hit us yesterday, they are also better equipped than us and if we persist to prolong the battle today, all they need is to provoke us against each other and gather the spoil for themselves . Su implore Milord to stop the battle for today!!!”
Sun Ce then calm himself down and get down from his horse and said “Zijing, your saying is reasonable, but another danger is looming upon us . We no longer have any resource to repel, lest defeat, Bing Province Heavy Cavalry!!!!” Lu Su can hear a desperation tone in Sun Ce’s voice . This campaign is one big fiasco for Jiangdong army . 4 out of 6 mighty generals fallen in this battle, from 100,000 troops reduced to less than 70,000 troops . Even if they returned victorious, Sun Ce’s shame will be unfathomable . If Sun Ce is defeated, it will compromise Sun clan’s rule in Jiangdong . Those nobles, those fucking nobles will shift their interest from Sun to Lu and that event is not wanted by Sun Ce .
“Please be patient, Milord!!!” said Lu Su hastily . Lu Su already fed up with Sun Ce’s violent temper . Lu Su’s mind kept flying toward Sun Quan and wondering what is the outcome of this battle, if he is the one in charge . Sun Quan’s demeanor much more calm than his brother’s fiery temper and thus, he will be able to think stratagems calmly and may achieve victory in this campaign .
He criticized Sun Ce in his heart “Oh Sun Ce, if you are only a general . I will let you fight as you please . Even if you die, I will praise your name in front of your lord endlessly . But you are not only a general but also a warlord . Be more wise in your decision and employ patience, PLEASE!!!!! Goddamn, even Emperor Wu of Han Dynasty who loves to pick a fight here and there, only send Huo Qubing and Wei Qing to fight his battles . ”
“NNNNGGGGHHHH!!!!” Sun Ce gripped his Conqueror’s spear as hard as he can to sate his disappointment . Lu Su then comforted him while holding his fist on the other palm “Milord, when I said tomorrow to do assault, Su has a plan to take down the city tomorrow as well a killing device!!!!”
Sun Ce’s eyes brightened when Lu Su said that and asked “Zijing, do you really have strategy and a device to win tomorrow?” An advisor is a priceless commodities during times of war because they can win the war with their mind . When Sun Ce is still starting, Sun Ce only have few soldiers and Zhou Yu with him, none of his late father’s generals are willing to serve under him . Zhou Yu then proposed to Sun Ce to barter Imperial Seal with soldiers to Yuan Shu, and now, by doing that, Sun Ce regained Sun Jian’s foundation . And this Lu Su is a person who was recommended by Zhou Yu personally and even said that Lu Su has great ability even though he also added that in some places, he is inferior to him but nevertheless, Zhou Yu’s words made Sun Ce paid attention to Lu Su’s words .
One must know that Zhou Yu is a person who hates a person below his appraised worth . Such person were Chen Duan and Han Dang . Zhou Yu assessment for Chen Duan is “a person with average talent, but was given responsibility beyond his capabilities . An emotional person” And Zhou Yu was right, Chen Duan acted emotional in front of Lu Bu and was killed for it .
Han Dang is the second one . Zhou Yu’s assessment for Han Dang is “an experienced general but unable to do quick thinking and slow reaction . He is at best can only be a lieutenant general . ” But the thing is, Sun Ce respected him as he helped Sun Jian to clear pirates from Changsha during his days as Changsha governor . He is also close to Sun Ce, close enough for Sun Ce to call Han Dang, uncle . Since Zhou Yu came much later into the army than Han Dang, he always act cynic toward him . Only after Han Dang’s unit was routed by Yan Bai Hu, he start to be respectful toward Zhou Yu . From the beginning of battle with Yan Bai Hu, Zhou Yu already given out his planning, but Han Dang's pride did not let him to hear any advice from people lower than him . So the result is, Han Dang was routed and was separated from main army, cut off from escape route and unable to think clearly . After the battle, Han Dang was too ashamed to meet Zhou Yu face to face, as he ignored Zhou Yu’s careful planning and advance his unit on his own . When finally met face-to-face, Han Dang lowered his pride and started calling Zhou Yu “Young Teacher” .
TL: Yan Bai Hu, one of Sun Ce’s foes during his time pacifying Jiangdong .
While both people above got bad evaluation from Zhou Yu, Lu Su was given positive assessment . Zhou Yu assessed that Lu Su is great in governance . And now hearing Lu Su said, he had a certain weapon that will give him decisive victory tomorrow, how can Sun Ce not excited?
“Zijing, please do tell the good word!!!” Said Sun Ce while having happy expression . His gesture changed so sudden that when regular people see, will assess that Sun Ce is a mild-tempered man .
Lu Su then respond “Milord, then allow Su to go all out this time!!!”
Hearing good news from Lu Su, made Sun Ce’s heart happy but he also had doubts and asked “Zijing, if you have decisive killing device and stratagem . Why not tell Ce earlier? If Zijing had told Ce earlier, we can prevent unnecessary casualties from today and yesterday . ”
Lu Su then responded promptly “Milord, it is not Su want to use the stratagem as early as possible, but Su simply cannot execute the stratagem and weapon is not yet ready . They are currently being built and need at least three days to complete . Su had been personally supervised them and they will be ready for tomorrow’s battle!!!” Lu Su really felt the need to end this battle as quickly as possible as this battle already took many casualties with both sides are fuming with rage with extreme killing intent .
With that last word, Sun Ce become interested and said “Oh, I want to see you try, Zijing!!! DRUMMER, BEAT SIGNAL TO RETREAT!!!!”
