Battle Royale of the Sinners

Han Dang, Cheng Pu, and Huang Gai glared at the eunuch in anger. Because of this imperial edict, Cao Cao backstabbed Sun Jian.

Still, the words of official made sense. If Cao Cao owned Xu Province and other regions, he might grow too powerful, and he could rebel against the Han in the future.

Forcing Cao Cao to rebel when he was weak would be a better choice since Tong could rally other warlords to fight the former's army. If Tong did not use this underhanded tactic, Cao Cao could have infiltrated Tong's ranks and damaged the Han Dynasty's foundation.

Sun Jian lamented to his fate. Several stalks of his hair whitened as he was disappointed in the politic world.

Taishi Ci observed Sun Jian and others. He had been thinking, 'Can we shelter these loyal officials? They are the victims of his majesty's plan, right? Can they join us?'

With such thought, Taishi Ci walked to the group, "Senior, if you don't have a place to go, how about you join us? We will head back to Ye City. Senior Sun and your subordinates could come along. 

Sun Jian and his men hated the complexity of the politic. Yet, they had to allow themselves to be swept by the flow since they had nowhere else to go.

After all, returning equaled death.

"We'll be in your care," Sun Jian bowed to the eunuch.

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After they agreed to join them on their way to Beihai, Sun Jian warned his family through the clan chat.

Sun Jian: "Situation changed. Cao Cao wants us dead! Bofu, gather your belonging and get your mother out of Xuchang, now!"

Sun Ce: "WHAT!? WHY DOES HE WANT YOU DEAD!? YOU ARE THEIR LOYAL VESSEL!?

Sun Jian: "The imperial decree is a poison! Zhang Tong wants us to fight against Cao Cao, but Cao Cao made a move on us first!"

Wu Guotai: "Then, where should we go?"

Sun Jian: "Can you head north to Ye City?"

Sun Ce: "Are we still joining Zhang Tong despite all this!?"

Sun Jian: "Me, Gongfu, Yigong, and Demou are heading to Beihai. We'll be joining with Kong Rong for now, and we'll head to Ye later. Can you head there, so we can get away from this war?"

Sun Fang, who had been quiet, finally joined the fray. 

Sun Fang: "No. That will be too obvious, father. Cao Cao has an otherworlder subordinate, so he could have used this clan chat to inform his men around the borders. If we head north, we all will die."

Sun Jian: "Are you sure, Fang'er? Is your health, alright?"

Sun Fang: "I'm fine. Father, I had sent a fast horse to Lujiang yesterday. I've asked senior Zhang Hong and Zhang Zhao to gather forces as our back-up plan. I think Bofu, mother, and I will sneak to the south and hide in Lujiang. We should be safer with senior Zhang's Clan."

Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong were elite scholars in Lujiang, known as the "two Zhangs." These men were Sun Jian's friends who also served Sun Jian as his advisors, but they remained in Lujiang along with Sun Ce's best friend, Zhou Yu, to establish their home base there. 

Should anything had happened to Sun Jian during the Yellow Turban days or the Xiongnu Invasion, these men would have rallied their forces to help Sun Ce and Sun Fang right away.

And now, Sun Ce, Wu Guotai, and Sun Fang required their aid. 

Sun Jian: "I trust you. We'll join Zhang Tong for now, but you and Bofu should also lay low. Until the conflict between Cao Cao and Zhang Tong is over, don't come out or attract any attention."

Sun Fang: "Yes. We'll be careful. Senior Huang, please take care of my father."

Huang Gai: "Not a fly can touch him, young master Fang!"

October 11th, 190 A.D.

The Sun Clan separated on this day. However, it was a turning point for a significant change.

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Langye City, Cao Ren received Cao Cao's order through the clan chat.

The order was simple. He had to kill Tong's envoy and Sun Jian.

"What the heck is Cao Cao doing over there? Hasn't Sun Jian joined us?"

Cao Ren inquired about the reason behind this, but Cao Cao replied.

"Thing has changed. Zhang Tong ordered us to hand over the entire Xu Province to Sun Jian, and that fool wants to join Zhang Tong. They have to die, or we'll be boxed by their allies."

Cao Ren was also a literate person. Upon learning Cao Cao's Intel, he redrew the map of their country.

Tong had everything north of the Yellow River, while Cao Cao controlled a portion of the central plain.

Sun Jian stole Xu Province because of the imperial decree, so he would control the east coast.

Liu Biao was still governing Jing Province while Yuan Shu owned Luoyang, Hongnong, and Wan Commandery.

With this mapping, Cao Cao's territories got stuck in the middle between these warlords. If this continued, either Tong or Yuan Shu might start moving toward them to consume everything.

Moreover, Tong had his authority as the emperor. He could suddenly announce that Cao Cao was a traitorous rebel, and all warlords would prey on them at any time.

"Got it. Sun Jian and the eunuch, no problem."

With the direct order from Cao Cao, Cao Ren gathered all of his officers and mobilized his army. 10,000 scouts left Langye, searching everywhere south and looking for the envoy caravan.

.

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Taishi Ci: "Eh, hello?"

Taishi Ci: "Is this how to use the text?"

Tong never sent someone without a clan chat on a mission. He had learned to expand his intelligence agents and workers to various regions.

Taishi Ci was one of them. Tong had placed him in his clan chat for the sake of this mission.

Tong: "Report, Ziyi. What has happened?"

Taishi Ci: "Your majesty, Cao Cao sent troops to kill Sun Jian and us. Sun Jian and his men are tagging along with us."

Xun Yu: "As planned, eh?"

Jia Xu: "Yup. Hook, line, and sinker."

Tong: "Where are you now, Ziyi?"

Taishi Ci: "We're north of Xiapi, about 2 days away to Zeng County."

Tong: "Tell my head eunuch to buy something in Zeng and disguise yourself as merchants. Don't stay in Zeng for too long."

Taishi Ci: "Yes, your majesty."

Tong: "Kong Rong, report."

Kong Rong: "This lowly servant reports to his majesty."

Tong: "Gather all your men and mobilize south. South of your county, Gaomi County is there. Fortify your troops there and forcefully draw Cao Ren from Langye to you."

Kong Rong: "Are we waging war against Cao Cao, your majesty?"

Tong: "No. Just draw them to the field. Do not engage with them."

Kong Rong: "Wouldn't they attack me?"

Tong: "Don't worry. They won't be able to afford that. Don't forget your cannons when you fortify Gaomi County."

Kong Rong: "This servant understood. I shall prepare the troops at once."

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October 13th, 190 A.D.

Taishi Ci, Sun Jian, and others reached Zeng County.

Zeng County located between Langye and Xiapi, which served as a check-point for the traveling merchants in the areas. Everybody had to journey through here if they traveled between these two cities.

As instructed, Taishi Ci passed on Tong's command and disguised the entire crews as merchants. The eunuch sacrificed his accessories and his royal carriage to fund their group, so they could buy merchant carts, pottery, and other wares, making their disguise believable.

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October 14th, 190 A.D.

The group exited the city with haste. While they were leaving the town, a group of 100 horsemen arrived at the county. 

These men glared at the group of moving caravan.

"Halt!"

Taishi Ci and Sun Jian paused and turned to the soldiers.

At the moment, they wore civilian clothes. All of their bodyguards also hid their weapons on their wagons, disguising them as their wares. However, each still hid their shotgun and a pistol beneath their robe.

"By order of the Marquis of Wei, every caravan has to be searched!"

Taishi Ci, pretending to be their bodyguard leader, bowed to the soldiers.

"What are you looking for, sir?"

"We're looking for a group of criminals! One is a eunuch, and the other is called Sun Jian. Have you heard of them?"

"Never heard of them."

"Anyway, we'll search your carts and wagons!"

The soldiers proceeded ahead and scrambled through their wares without their consent. Still, they could only find pottery, food supplies, and weaponry for sale.

"It's just a merchant caravan, sir," A searching soldier reported to their captain.

"Eh, what a waste of time. Let's go! Search the others and shut the gates. Don't let anyone leave Zeng County!"

"What about these men, sir?"

"Leave them be. They're not the fugitives anyway. All eunuchs are known to be prideful and arrogant pricks. I don't think he is among those poor-looking bastards. Let's go!"

"…"

All scouts entered the city.

Meanwhile, Sun Jian turned to the eunuch, who had disguised as an old woman.

This person had a feminine voice because of his abnormal hormone. With a female robe and make-up, everybody would mistake him for an ugly woman.

Still, the eunuch did not look perturbed by the scout's remark.

"My apologies, Lao Gonggong," Sun Jian bowed to him.

"No harm. Well, you should call me by my alias, or we will get suspicious."

"Lao Gonggong, we don't dare to call you that. Isn't that your real name?"

"Who cares! Just use my real name."

"Understood, Sir Wei You."

Wei You was a former subordinate of Liu Yu and served as his advisor. When Liu Yu went to Luoyang and got himself killed by Dong Zhuo, Wei You maintained his position as Ji's deputy governor before the barbarian tribes overtook his county.

Afterward, Wei You joined Tong's ranks. Unfortunately, he was not used to Tong's system, so he did not manage to display his talents.

When Tong ascended the throne, Wei You tried again by cutting his manhood and joined the palace as a eunuch. Using his experience in the internal affair, he finally earned Tong's trust and was sent to this mission.

In reality, Tong learned about his name later after Wei You had joined the palace as a servant eunuch. When Tong discovered Wei You's past, he promoted the man into a head eunuch, hoping to use him as a domestic assistant or a secretary.

"Let's move out."

Wei You, Sun Jian, Taishi Ci, and others continued their journey toward Langye County.

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October 30th, 190 A.D.

Winter was around the corner, but a piece of bad news arrived at Cao Ren's ears in Langye.

A force of 30,000 soldiers approached the border, north of his county. The leader of this army was Kong Rong, Tong's subordinate!

Not many warlords were willing to dispatch their armies in winter as the soldiers would consume more resources, firewood and food.

"Are they insane!? Attacking us in the winter!?"