Battle Royale of the Sinners

Kong Rong watched them from the top of the wall while he requested advice from Tong's strategists.

Kong Rong: "Cao Ren has arrived. He doesn't form a battle formation."

Jia Xu: "Plan A. We allow them to reenter the city."

Kong Rong: "We're not fighting them? Not the plan B?"

Jia Xu: "Wrong. We can derive our next moves depending on their response. Plan A-1, we'll retreat everyone to Beihai with Sun Jian if Cao Ren doesn't cause a scene. Plan A-2, we'll assassinate Cao Ren and his aides if he shows a sign of resistance or retaliation. Plan A-3, wage war with them inside the city if they managed to kill Wei You and Sun Jian."

Jia Xu and other strategists had concluded their ploys to deal with Cao Ren's return. As Tong and other civil officers still required more time to improve their economic stability, all advisors agreed that they would continue putting on a politic mask and be friendly with Cao Cao.

Kong Rong: "What about the Chen Family? They seem useful in domestic affairs."

During these days, Kong Rong had monitored the works of Chen Gui and Chen Deng. Both of them were elites in domestic affairs. They had already developed Langye to a peak level, which could self-sustain in both taxes and harvest while supplying an army of 20,000 men. The order of this city was also high even though the management teams changed sides frequently.

Jia Xu: "Is that your evaluation?"

Kong Rong: "Yes. Their methods of handling civil management are efficient. They don't embezzle, and they are cultured. I think this family has a good upbringing."

Tong: "Bring them to Beihai with us. Force their family to move to any of our cities. You could promise them that I'll appoint them a governor position and give them another city if they agreed to join us."

Jia Xu: "Are you sure? They surrendered their city without much thought. Are they trustworthy?"

Tong: "Just don't let them govern a city that connects with our enemy's border. We can give them the developed Nanpi and move all Nanpi's elites to the border cities."

Xun You: "Your majesty, I'm against this move. Those men are looking forward to their promotion and career advancement. The elites will misunderstand that they are demoted instead of getting a promotion."

Xun You was a cousin of Xun Yu. At the moment, he was instated as the head strategist of Zhang He's Ghost Legion. As a new strategist in Tong's ranks, he did not have many chances to display his abilities among other veterans like Jia Xu, Xun Yu, Ju Shou, or Li Feihong.

Tong: "This is where I'm different from other warlords, Xun You. Talented people deserve more chances to display their abilities in rural counties instead of getting stuck inside a developed city without anything to do. Although their position and noble tier don't increase, I can always increase their wages."

Xun You: "I still disagree with this. They might suffer psychological damage from parting with their hard work. Your majesty, please imagine that you have built a castle with your own hands, but then someone appears and claims it as his own. What will you think of this person? Your action is comparable to an achievement thief right now. Please reconsider this plan."

Tong: "Indeed, you have a point. How about this, we will ask craftsmen to sculpture all civil officers that helped to develop Nanpi. We'll place these statues along with their achievements and their name on the government hall's courtyard. All latter generation officers will have to worship their predecessors that it was because of them that they get to enjoy that peaceful city."

Xun You and other members in the clan chat were in awe.

Ju Shou: "Great idea!"

Li Feihong: "Noice."

Tong: "Any objection, Xun You?"

Xun You: "… No objection, your majesty. Please forgive me for my ignorant."

Tong: "Alright. Then, this matter passed. By the way, Mr. President. How is our finance doing?"

Te Langpu: "What do you want to know? Overall performance, results, or our problems?"

Tong: "Give me the overall results."

Te Langpu: "I'll make it short for newbies. Gold income, plus 50,000 a month average. Provision, minus 40,000 tons a month."

Tong: "Our food is not in the surplus yet? Are we still relying on Feihong and Diaochan's magic?"

Te Langpu: "Yes. We need more time to develop farmlands and impart agriculture knowledge to the local people. It takes years to develop. Pingyuan, Ganling, Ji, and Xiangping are still relying on the capital's supplies. Also, our military expansion to Xiongnu's territories increases our consumption rates. I suggest that we should slow down the conscription quotas for a few months to cut the cost."

Tong: "Can we increase our workers' wage then?"

Te Langpu: "Yes, but our tax income will get cut down by half if you're talking about increasing the wage of Nanpi elite officers."

Tong: "Just do it. Prepare for our worker allocation again, please."

Te Langpu: "Will do."

Tong: "There you have it, Xun You, Kong Rong. Get Chen Family here and promise him a position of Nanpi Governor."

Kong Rong: "Understood, your majesty."

Xun You: "I understand, your majesty."

Kong Rong closed the clan chat. Although Tong and others had not finished talking about their allocation plan, it did not involve Kong Rong and his matter anymore.

Kong Rong turned to Taishi Ci, "Open the gate and allow them to enter. Do not fight them."

.

Cao Ren met with Kong Rong for the first time in front of the gate. Although he wanted to kill Tong's officers right away, he swallowed his anger and pretended to be friendly.

"Thank you for allowing us to get back in. We promise to cooperate with your business here. By the way, you didn't inform us why you visit our city."

Kong Rong grinned, "We're merely here to inspect the Xu Province. Since Sir Cao Cao has just defeated the traitor Yuan Shao, we wish to help the local people. Please don't mind us during our stay."

Cao Ren retorted in his mind, 'Inspection my foot! Had we retreated in panic, you would have claimed the city as your own!'

Yue Jin noticed how frustrated Cao Ren was. He inserted, "Thank you for your hard work. Do you mind if we return to our post?"

Yue Jin hinted if they could get their position back and regain the city control.

Kong Rong raised his eyebrows, amused.

"Yes, of course. However, we have to escort a few officers and their families back to our territories. I hope you don't mind."

Cao Ren's face twitched, "Who are you bringing back?"

"The Chen Family and their servants."

Yue Jin and Cao Ren scoffed. They did not like this betrayer family.

"You can have them. They are useless here anyway."

"Thank you for your understanding. Please come inside. We'll transfer back the authority of this city to you, and we'll proceed back to our territory later."

Yue Jin raised his hand, "Please wait. Our lord is currently looking for a group of fugitives. We hope that you can also cooperate with us in this searching."

Kong Rong sneered, "Oh? Who are you looking for?"

"…"

Both Cao Ren and Yue Jin could not answer. They could not tell Kong Rong that they were searching for the eunuch Wei You, and Sun Jian. Had they confessed, a war might break out right here.

Still, Cao Ren had his wits.

"There is a con artist merchant that pretended to be one of the royal eunuchs from Ye and their bandit bodyguards. Unfortunately, we believe that they might have been wandering around in this territory."

"Ah, that must have been bad for the locals. Have you caught them yet?"

"… No."

"I see. Well, good luck."

"…"

Kong Rong cut the conversation and guided them into the city. All his soldiers and knights took the [Kong] banners down and returned to their camps, getting ready to leave the town per Taishi Ci's order.

.

.

December 1st, 190 A.D.

Winter had hit Langye in full swing. Snow covered all roads and forests, which seemed impossible for anyone to travel.

This was a season that all warlords refrained themselves from mobilizing an army. Yet, Kong Rong ordered his soldiers to leave Langye for Beihai.

Sun Jian and his men blended in Kong Rong's soldiers, leaving the city along with the marching troops.

Wei You also joined with Taishi Ci, disguising as his strategist. As for the latter, he wore a full plate mail, the standard knight uniform that covered his face.

The cold winter tortured all soldiers in the imperial armor. As a result, they wore extra clothes and cloaks to cover their bodies.

The Chen Family had it easy. They traveled along with the logistic forces, so they could use their carriages and wagons to hide from the cold.

From the onlooker's perspective on top of the wall, the marching army looked like a large group of poor refugees from a random city.

Cao Ren and Yue Jin stood in front of the north gate to send them off.

Kong Rong bowed at them, "Thank you for your hospitality. We'll return to Beihai from here."

Both generals bowed, "Take care of yourself. The weather is harsh this season."

"I know. Goodbye."

Cao Ren watched Kong Rong and his men leave with a long sigh.

In the end, both Cao Ren and Yue Jin did not dare to assassinate Kong Rong and others since it would trigger a full-scale war between Tong and Cao Cao. They also did not have the courage to report their failure of their assignment, hunting Sun Jian and Wei You.

Cao Ren gritted his teeth, "We're fucked."

Yue Jin bit his lower lips, "At least, we didn't lose Langye. Had we not talked our way inside, our lord would have killed us."

Cao Ren had goosebumps when he imagined a scenario where both of them lost the city and failed the task. This failure would have been a disaster to Cao Cao's forces.

In the end, Cao Ren mustered his courage and reported everything to Cao Cao via the clan chat.

.

Cao Ren: "I'm very sorry."

Cao Cao: "Don't worry about it. Good job for taking Langye back without harming anyone."

Cao Ren: "You're not mad, Mengde?"

Cao Cao: "I'm fucking pissed, you idiot! Had you lost Langye, I would have killed you on the spot!"

Cao Ren: "Sorry …"

Cao Cao: "Anyway, Kong Rong has probably secured Sun Jian and the eunuch with his army. We can't attack him either since we'll be branded a rebel to the public. For now, we'll prepare for the politic games that Zhang Tong will press on us because of Sun Jian."

Cheng Yu: "I also have something to report, my lord?"

Cao Cao: "It is about Sun Jian's family, I assume."

Cheng Yu: "Yes."

Cao Cao: "Have they escaped?"

Cheng Yu: "Yes. However, we found that they fled south to Wan City of Yuan Shu instead of heading north to Ye."

Cao Cao: "Predictable. Their destination is Lujiang, if Putin's story is correct. Their back-up army is hiding in there. Miaocai, take 20,000 soldiers and capture Shouchun and Lujiang ASAP. Find the [Two Zhangs] and Zhou Yu. Don't let Sun Ce and Sun Fang unite with them."

Xiahou Yuan: "Aye. Can I take Guo Jia with me?"

Cao Cao: "No, I need him here for other tasks. Go alone. Once spring arrives, march south immediately!"

Xiahou Yuan: "Okay!"