Chapter 63 – Xu Province ownership change

Translated by Bloodfalcon

Current translation is MTL, it is not translation checked, proofread or heavily edited yet.

Mt. Bagong's campaign has ended with Chen Lan and Lei Bo killed. Chen Lan army was also absorbed into Lu Bu's Army. From 10,000 troops ended with only 1000 troops. Yu Province Cavalry also from 2,000 troops total, left only 800 troops severely injured, but able to escape due to Zhang Kai's quick thinking, otherwise they also will be absorbed by Lu Bu's army.

From 5,000 supply troops only less than 2,000 survived. Urban Army casualties is 50% and Liu Mang's personal bodyguards all has been annihilated.

“Milord, is Hanyang really all right?!” Said Chen Gong with brows wrinkled. He saw that Liu Mang is still kneeling in front of those corpses for quite a while. He is silent, not saying a word at all.

Lu Bu who was following Chen Gong from behind, also sighed “Let him be for now!” Chen Gong is not a general so he has not experienced the pain of losing one brother-in-arms in war. While Lu Bu understood well what Liu Mang is experiencing right now. Lu Bu has seen many of his personal bodyguards perish for just protecting him. Those who are fought side-by-side with him, those who have placed their hope and dreams with him, now become not exist.

“Hum!” Chen Gong nodded his head and moved on from Liu Mang's matter. He puts out good news now “Milord, please look. This is an account book containing all notes regarding Mt. Bagong inventory including all amounts of gold and provisions!” Due to Mt. Bagong already seized and Chen Lan dead, this place have become deserted and thus all of Chen Lan's wealth have all become Lu Bu's war spoils.

“Their inventory is this much?!” Lu Bu really surprised when he read the account book. He thought that when Chen Lan separate himself from Yuan Shu, he took with him only provisions 10,000-shi at the very most, who would have thought that he have this many.

There are golds also jewelry and jade, those three items have not yet counted but really a lot of treasure that they have accumulated. And for grains and provisions, there are at least 15,000-shi. As for treasure, Lu Bu counted them to fit at least 30 horsecarts, so one can know how much wealth these bandit brigade has.

“Chen Lan and Lei Bo is just Yuan Shu's lower general, how can they have this much wealth?!” From Yuan Shu, Lu Bu heard Chen Lan and Lei Bo robbed Yuan Shu's supply troops, but those supply troops should be just transporting grain and provisions right? And they have treasures now, where they got this? When Lu Bu still become Governor of Xu Province, he has not seen these much gold and jade.

”Milord!!” Chen Gong shook his head “Those 15,000-shi of grains and provisions was indeed robbed by Chen Lan army but those treasures were accumulated by Chen Lan and Lei Bo while they are still in Yuan Shu's service!”

“Yuan Gonglu that generous?!” Chen Lan and Lei Bo is only Yuan Shu's second level official. Naturally not so much savings, but seeing these treasures now, Yuan Gonglu must be very generous to reward his official so much. Plus, Lu Bu also knows that Chen Lan and Lei Bo have 2,000 cavalry troops. To form these 2,000 cavalry troops is equal to forming 20,000 infantries troops, so they must be very rich to be able to form those troops and with surplus of treasure.

“It is not Yuan Gonglu generosity, but these Yuan Shu's soldiers were squeezing everything from commoners, robbing everything!” Said Chen Gong angrily. “Chen Lan's treasure here is worth a treasury of a province. Even Yuan Gonglu who occupies two provinces Yu and Yang cannot is impossible to be this generous! Do Milord know why Huainan's people is so little? It is because heavy taxes implementation beside war every year. 95% of taxes goes to Yuan Gonglu, this is from common people confession. When Yuan Gonglu proclaimed himself as emperor ten years later which is today, he implemented more heavier tax to his people until his people no longer can eat, no longer can store provisions.

“Yuan Gonglu really do that?!” Lu Bu himself is also not a good warlord, because he has been engaging in war here and there. When Xu Province in his hands, it never have any stability but people still able to make a living even though hard. If you compared Lu Bu to Yuan Gonglu, Lu Bu can be seen as a wise lord. Under Yuan Gonglu's rule, these two bandit brigades can squeeze common people until they cannot live, both of them adding taxes as they like such as protection money. So it can be said, under Yuan Gonglu's rule, common people flesh already been sliced one layer, and these two bastards sliced another one layer of their flesh, how common people not crying for death at that time?

“Yuan Gonglu, Yuan Gonglu, you pissed on your reputations as third brother of Yuan Family's fourth generation!” During these chaos times will give birth to warlords. And those warlords and those warlords will give birth to several nobility children. Thus, the inheritance and reputations that those ancestors leave behind will be finished by these generations.

“Gongtai, those 10,000-shi of grain and provisions that Chen Lan robbed, send them to Shouchun to Yuan Gonglu!” Said Lu Bu.

“Milord, what are you thinking!” Chen Gong doesn't understand what Lu Bu thinking. These grain and provisions were gained by sacrificing a lot of people in Lu Bu's Army, but now his lord said to send to Yuan Shu?

“Chen Lan robbed these 10,000-shi grain and provisions from Yuan Gonglu, therefore these grain and provisions is for Yuan Shu's forces to use, so he can reach Hebei safely!” Lu Bu said indifferently “When these 10,000-shi of grain and provisions were robbed from Yuan Shu, his life already very difficult. But even though he is very difficult, he still lend me, Lu Fengxian, 5000-shi of grain and provisions. So I must return this favor to him!”

“But, we have helped him vanquish Chen Lan and Lei Bo!!!” “Those 5,000-shi of grain and provisions are his payment for vanquishing Chen Lan and Lei Bo.”

Now Chen Lan and Lei Bo has died, so this war spoils naturally will become Lu Bu Army property, but Lu Bu has send a command like that, how does it cannot make everyone confused.

“Gongtai, I never like owing people something, it is my policy! Therefore, I am leaving this matter to you to handle!” After saying that Lu Bu left. Actually some of Lu Bu not yet said is, without these grain and provisions, Yuan Shu and his army will definitely starved to death. Therefore he needs to look grain and provisions again, and where do he get grain and provisions again? By robbing common people nearby. Those people already wishing for death and if was robbed by Yuan Shu again, they will be swapping child to eat. This matter cannot be just overlooked.

Giving Yuan Shu grain and provisions also makes him do little damage to common people.

Chen Gong is also not willing to release it, but he cannot change Lu Bu's mind once he set on something. When Chen Gong preparing these 10,000-shi of grain and provisions to be transported to Shouchun, a messenger come and bring good news.

The messenger arrival bring light to Chen Gong's face.

“What? You said Yuan Gonglu left Shouchun, really?!” Lu Bu did not believe what these messenger's words so he asked him the same question many times.

“Where is his destination?!” Chen Gong asked their destination.

“He is heading toward Hebei!”

“Went to Hebei? To Yuan Shao's domain?!” Lu Bu slowly understood. After Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shu, Yu Province ownership change to Cao Cao and Yang Province also damaged beyond repair. So staying at both provinces only equal wait for death. Therefore Yuan Shu planning to sought refuge at his elder cousin Yuan Shao. Before Lu Bu arrived, Yuan Shu cannot do anything, because the deadlock caused by Chen Lan and Lei Bo!

Now, while Lu Bu dealt with Chen Lan and Lei Bo, Yuan Shu seized this opportunity to pack up and leave Shouchun.

“Does not Xu Province's master is Cao Mengde?!” The intel that Lu Bu obtained that Cao Cao and Yuan Shao have stationed troops in Guandu and will begin skirmish at any time. So, news of Yuan Shu's movement will compromise Xu Province and Cao Cao's battle. Do Cao Cao have good intention to let Yuan Shu arrive safely in Hebei?!

“Milord, ah Milord! This messenger beside noticing us that Yuan Gonglu have left Shouchun, he also bring us two other news!” Chen Gong continued his speech

“Two more?!”

“Hum! First, the master of Xu Province now is not Cao Mengde!” Said Chen Gong.

“Not Cao Mengde?!” Lu Bu stunned and then he said “Does Yuan Shao has attacked Xu Province from Qing Province?!” Now Xu Province is the place of four war because of its strategic position. It is located bordering four provinces at once, Yan Province, Yu Province, Yang Province and Qing Province. If Yuan Shao want to attack Cao Cao, he can just send troops to Xu Province and he will be right at Cao Cao's Yan Province front door.

Yu Province currently is in Old Cao's hand, Yang Province who are led by Yuan Shu currently dilapidated and unable to defend himself. The nearest threat to Cao Cao is Qing Province who is led by Yuan Tan, Yuan Shao's eldest son.

“It is also not Yuan Tan!!” Chen Gong shook his head “The current owner is someone who you least expect!”

“It is someone who I least expect?!” Lu Bu cannot think of someone in Old Cao's side seizing Xu Province now.

“It is Liu Bei! Liu Xuande, that is current owner of Xu Province now!” When Chen Gong said his name, Lu Bu really startled.

“Big-eared Liu?!” Lu Bu clearly remembered. This Xu Province initially was Tao Qian's but after Tao Qian died, Liu Bei seized Xu Province before it was seized by himself. So Liu Bei hatred to Lu Bu is very profound, he even allied himself with Cao Cao to attack Xu Province. But isn't those two relationship very well? Even Cao Mengde called Liu Bei “My worthy little brother”.

“Is not Liu Bei pledge allegiance with Cao Cao by being his swordn brother?!”

“He do not pledge allegiance to Cao Cao, that is only a cover up for himself!” Chen Gong looking at Lu Bu with complex emotion. Liu Bei and Lu Bu is very much similar. The only difference is that Lu Bu is given nickname slave of three surnames because he betray and kill his two foster father, Liu Bei do not have that kind of nickname. This Liu Bei is even more so! From Yellow Turban Rebellion, to seeking lesson from Lu Zhi. He wander everywhere and then he arrived at You Province Gongsun Zan, arrived at Tao Qian, pledge allegiance to Lu Bu. One can say, wherever Liu Bei goes, those who took him in will end up terrible death. When Liu Bei stayed at one's place, he will drain their resources slowly and without anyone noticing and left as early as possible after his shelter already sucked up dry to its foundation, just like a goddamn parasite.

The only difference between Liu Bei and Lu Bu is that Lu Bu kill their boss personally but Liu Bei killed his boss by draining all of his resources, slowly killing him

They later met up with each other at Xu Province, the one who first seeks refuge with Liu Bei is Lu Bu. Lu Bu almost killed Liu Bei to seize Xu Province foundation. Liu Bei understand this difficult situation then he sought refuge with Lu Bu while plotting with Old Cao to kill Lu Bu. And that resulted with Lu Bu almost fell to tragic death at white gate tower in Xiapi.

Now with Lu Bu gone, Liu Bei began plotting again, he killed Che Zhou using Guan Yu to sever Old Cao's ties with Xu Province in order to support himself.

TL: Che Zhou http://the3kingdoms.wikia.com/wiki/Che_Zhou

“Liu Bei! Liu Xuande!” Lu Bu's face expression is also complex. He seized Liu Bei's Xu Province, and then driven out by Cao Cao. Finally this Xu Province unexpectedly returned into Liu Bei's hand. He really is a human with a good fortune

So, Xu Province is Liu Bei again. Liu Bei himself should be impossible to stop Yuan Shu's march.

“The second news!” This is an intel from Yuan Shu.

“The news is Liu Pi of Runan has surrenderd to Yuan Shao!” Said Chen Gong.

“Liu Pi of Runan surrendered to Yuan Shao?!” Lu Bu brow wrinkled. The news of Liu Bei recaptured Xu Province is not too big deal to Lu Bu, after all Xu Province is not his. Lu Bu used to snatch region from other people no matter who the people is. He also looked forward Liu Bei and Cao Cao's fight in Xu Province, and then he will emerge to gather the spoils for himself.

However this news now making Lu Bu headache, Runan was the only land way if they want to go to Xinye. Lu Bu and Yuan Shao relationship was over a long time ago. The only reason that Lu Bu can capture Yan Province from Puyang is because he and Yuan Shao was ally. But now, this news really making Lu Bu headache.

Now Runan was occupied by Yuan Shao! This trip will be harder than expected. So land route planning can be scrapped now. The other way is to travel using water, crossing Jiangxia to Xinye! However using water, the risk is too big, because Lu Bu army never had any experience in water battle and not familiar with water. If enemy appeared on water, then it is the end for his whole army.

“Milord, what about those 10,000-shi of grain and provisions?!” Chen Gong tried to intertwine a simple matter along with difficult matter that is now they are facing.

“Grain and provisions are to be capitulated into our army!” Said Lu Bu while waving his hand.

"Yes!"Obtained Lu Bu's answer, Chen Gong has complied with a smile, but 10,000 stone grain and fodder army one month of food, give up to Yuanlu. “Yes Sir!” Hearing Lu Bu reply, Cheng Gong complied with a big smile. These 10,000-shi of grain and provisions is for army's food for one month, how can he, Chen Gong, willing to give Yuan Gonglu?!