Chương 449: Marching Towards Yangzhou

Liu Ce stood up and walked to the huge map of the thirteen provinces of the Han Dynasty on the wall.

On the map, twelve prefectures have been circled in red, except for Yangzhou, which is in the far southeast.

With one last heavy stroke, he placed the charcoal pencil in his hand on the grounds of Yangzhou.

His eyes were sharp as an eagle's, and his voice was firm and resolute.

"Good! For over a year, we've fought countless hard battles and lost countless brothers, all for this day! Issue my order: the three armies will march out immediately! We will take Yangzhou, unify the world, and bring this chaotic world to a complete end!"

Subsequently, Liu Ce summoned the generals in Luoyang to the Prince of Yan's residence.

In the council hall, Liu Ce announced to his generals: "Li Jing, Zhang He, and Yu Jin, lead 20, 000 elite soldiers to remain in Luoyang to protect the capital. Do not fail in your duty!"

Li Jing, Zhang He, and Yu Jin clasped their hands in a fist salute: "Your subordinates obey!"

Liu Ce paused, then looked at Zhao Yun, Lü Bu, Xue Rengui, and the others, and said:

"I personally led Zhao Yun, Lü Bu, Xue Rengui, Gongsun Zan, Qu Yi, Xu Huang, Chang Yuchun, and Li Wenzhong, with 50, 000 soldiers to pacify Yangzhou."

The generals responded in unison.

Liu Ce then made detailed arrangements for the three armies:

"The first route: Yue Fei, as commander-in-chief, will lead the Jiaozhou army northward from Jiaozhou to capture the two prefectures of Kuaiji and Yuzhang, blocking Chen Wen's escape route to the south!"

"The second route: Commander-in-chief Qi Jiguang will lead the navy down the Yangtze River from Jingzhou to capture Danyang and Wu County, cutting off their eastern route!"

"The third route: Led by the lone leader, the main force will march south from Xuzhou and Yuzhou, directly attacking Shouchun and annihilating Chen Wen's main force!"

"The three armies will converge at Shouchun! We march out today, and we swear we will not return until Yangzhou is captured!"

"Yes, sir! We will obey your orders! We will not return until Yangzhou is captured!"

The generals answered the order in unison, their voices deafening.

...

A week later, on the drill ground outside Luoyang, 50, 000 troops stood in neat rows.

The armor gleamed coldly in the sunlight, swords and spears stood in a forest, and banners blotted out the sky.

The most elite troops of the entire Han Dynasty have gathered here, waiting to fight the final battle to end this chaotic era.

Liu Ce, clad in black gold armor and riding a black horse, slowly walked through the army formation.

Wherever they went, the soldiers raised their weapons in unison and shouted in unison:

"Unify the world! May the Han Dynasty triumph!"

The sound shook the earth and even shattered the clouds in the sky.

Dian Wei, standing nearby, was so anxious he kept wringing his hands. He nudged Xu Chu with his elbow and said in a low, urgent voice:

"Old Xu! Do you think your brother will let me be the vanguard this time? This is the last battle! If I don't get to fight, I'll just be able to stay home taking care of the kids and competing with you to see who can carry the heaviest load!"

Xu Chu rolled his eyes and said irritably:

"Stop dreaming! We are the commanders of the lord's personal guard, and our duty is to protect the lord's safety! You should just follow your elder brother to the central army and stop thinking about those other things."

Upon hearing this, Dian Wei's face immediately fell, and he drooped his head, muttering:

"Why should I get away with this?! I, Old Dian, am no slouch in battle either! They didn't even let me have my fill in the last battle, it's too unfair!"

Xu Chu ignored him, standing there with his belly sticking out, his eyes fixed straight ahead.

Liu Ce happened to be passing by them and overheard their whispers. He couldn't help but laugh, reined in his horse, and shouted loudly to the entire army:

"Soldiers! It's been over a year! We've fought valiantly, slaying the traitor Dong Zhuo, pacifying the various warlords, and saving the people from suffering! Today, only Yangzhou remains!"

"After this battle, the world will be at peace! Your parents, wives, and children will be able to live peacefully at home, no longer having to hide from war or famine! Tell me, do you have confidence?"

"Yes! Yes! Yes!"

The soldiers roared in unison, their momentum soaring to the sky, shaking the very ground beneath their feet.

Liu Ce waved his hand dismissively: "Let's go!"

With a command given, the army broke camp and marched in a mighty force toward Yangzhou.

Dust blotted out the sky, and iron hooves trampled the earth.

...

On the river in Jingzhou, there is a naval camp.

The warships were densely packed, covering the entire river surface, stretching as far as the eye could see.

The towering ships were majestic and imposing, the speedboats were nimble and swift, and the warships exuded a menacing aura.

Banners fluttered in the river wind, and bugle calls rose and fell.

Qi Jiguang, clad in silver armor, stood on a high platform, surrounded by naval commanders such as Gan Ning, Cheng Pu, and Cai Mao.

He looked down at the dark mass of naval soldiers below, mustered all his strength, and spoke in a voice that pierced the river wind:

"Brothers! Our navy, built from nothing to something, from weak to strong, is finally ready to show its true colors today! Our lord entrusted us with the task of the eastern route, which shows he trusts us! We've trained and built ships over the past six months, and today it's time to take them out for a spin!"

"Our naval mission is to sail down the river from Jingzhou, capture Danyang and Wu County, and cut off Chen Wen's retreat! This battle doesn't necessarily have to be a hard fight, but it must be fast! We must catch Chen Wen off guard and trap him in Shouchun!"

"Taking Danyang and Wu Commandery will cut off Chen Wen's retreat. That would be the greatest achievement for us! Do you have confidence?"

The naval soldiers shouted in unison, "Yes! Yes! Yes!"

The naval soldiers shouted in unison, their voices echoing across the rivers.

The waves on the river surged and rolled, as if cheering them on.

Gan Ning stood at the bow of the first warship, grinning as he said:

"Rest assured, Commander Qi! I've never met my match in naval warfare! If that brat Chen Wen dares to send his navy, I'll feed them all to the fish!"

Cheng Pu, though more composed, was also beaming with excitement.

"Our lord has treated us well; in this battle, we must demonstrate the might of our navy!"

Cai Mao stood behind, feeling secretly pleased.

Since joining Liu Ce's forces, he has not only escaped being purged, but has also become the deputy commander of the navy. Now he finally has the opportunity to make a name for himself.

He secretly vowed that he must perform well in this battle and not disappoint his lord.

Qi Jiguang gave the order: "Let's go!"

A thousand sails race, a hundred boats contend.

The warships sailed down the river, riding the wind and waves, vast and majestic, with an imposing momentum.

...

The same applies to Yue Fei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhang Liao from Jiaozhou.

Yue Fei spread out a map of Jiaozhou in his command tent and said to the men:

"Our lord has already ordered a three-pronged attack. Our side will head north to capture Kuaiji and Yuzhang, blocking Chen Wen's escape route to the south. Remember, use diplomacy first, then force. Persuade those who can surrender to surrender; only attack those who don't know what's good for them."

Zhang Fei patted his chest and said, "General Yue, don't worry! I've been itching for a fight for ages! Shi Xie is no match for me, so this time I'll have a different opponent and have some fun!"

Guan Yu stroked his long beard and said calmly, "Yide, we must not underestimate the enemy. Although Kuaiji and Yuzhang are weak, we cannot let our guard down."

Zhang Liao nodded and said, "Yun Chang is right. A steady and cautious approach is the best strategy. Besides, the journey from Jiaozhou to Kuaiji is not short, so we must hurry."

Yue Fei smiled and said, "Don't worry, the provisions are ready, and the post stations along the way have been arranged."

Guan Yu stroked his long beard, his phoenix eyes slightly narrowed: "General Yue, Jiaozhou is as hot as a steamer, but the soldiers are used to it. This trip north will be a good opportunity to cool off."