Chapter 119: An Appointment by Sun Ce?

Therefore, Liu Xie felt highly confident in these seven hundred men. Although the others felt it was unreliable and unsettling, since Liu Xie had already spoken, they found it difficult to argue otherwise.

"However, we are not going in completely unprepared. I stated long ago that after my ascension, I would gradually reclaim the territories of the Great Han. I will personally welcome those willing to return, and for those who are not, we shall resolve it through war. This time, Kongming and I will serve as the vanguard; you all must have your troops ready. If Shi Xie refuses to see reason, then we shall use our armies to settle the matter."

Indeed, Liu Xie did not wish to resort to force regarding Jiaozhou, but if it came to that and Shi Xie proved obstinate, his great army would have no choice but to march.

"As you command!" the generals replied in unison.

Two days later, Liu Xie and Zhuge Liang departed Xiangyang with over seven hundred members of the Wolf Shadow Guard, heading out of Jingzhou. As they journeyed south, they drew ever closer to Jiaozhou.

"Your Majesty, our closest garrison to Jiaozhou is in Guiyang, led by General Liu Xun, with about one hundred thousand troops stationed there. However, our destination is Jiaozhi in Jiaozhou, which lies in the southwestern part of the region. It is a great distance from Guiyang; in effect, we are venturing deep into the heart of Jiaozhou. If something were to happen, it might..." Zhuge Liang analyzed the situation, his expression deeply troubled.

He was right. Jiaozhi was extremely far from Xiangyang; even at full speed, it would take nearly a month to arrive. Coming from Jingzhou, penetrating deep into Jiaozhou was a dangerous endeavor.

Liu Xie took a deep breath, contemplating the path ahead. "It seems we cannot continue in this manner," he mused.

"Does Your Majesty have a better plan?" Zhuge Liang asked.

Liu Xie reined in his horse and stopped. "Order everyone to change their attire. We shall disguise ourselves as commoners to enter Jiaozhou. Furthermore, from this point on, no one is to address me as 'Your Majesty'; 'Young Master' will suffice. By the way, what of the envoys we sent ahead to Jiaozhou?"

"In reply to Your Majesty, our men have been dispatched, and the authorities in Jiaozhou are aware of our arrival," Zhuge Liang replied softly. "However, they do not yet know that the envoy arriving is Your Majesty himself."

Liu Xie nodded, satisfied. "Good. Where are we currently?"

Zhuge Liang looked ahead and, after identifying the location, replied, "Your Majesty, we are approaching Nanhai Commandery; we are now heading toward its seat, Panyu."

Liu Xie shot him an annoyed look. "Have you forgotten what I just said?"

"Ah, Young Master," Zhuge Liang quickly corrected himself.

"Very well, let us proceed to Panyu and see what the situation truly is."

Liu Xie was quite curious about the territory of Jiaozhou, which he found similar to Yizhou. Beyond its significant minority populations, he knew that in the distant future, this land would become a different nation. He was eager to see what it was like. As they traveled, they eventually stopped outside a city.

"Is this Panyu? It seems there aren't many people here," Liu Xie remarked. Since entering Jiaozhou, he had observed that while the territory was vast, it was sparsely populated.

"Indeed, Young Master. The land is vast, but the people are few—a classic case of much land and few inhabitants," Zhuge Liang noted quietly. Liu Xie also observed that the region appeared somewhat underdeveloped.

"Let us enter the city and see how the people of Jiaozhou live."

They entered the city, though not all at once. Seven hundred people entering together would draw too much attention and risk unnecessary trouble. Thus, the Wolf Shadow Guard entered in batches under the command of Zhao Yun and Gao Shun, while Liu Xie and Zhuge Liang entered together.

Inside, Liu Xie found the streets to be quite peaceful. Though it lacked the bustling prosperity of other regions, there was an absence of discord. The people wore expressions of ease; the pace of life was slow, and the streets were filled with a tranquil atmosphere.

"It seems Shi Xie governs Jiaozhou quite well; the lives of these commoners are not bad at all," Liu Xie remarked.

In truth, this was expected. During the Three Kingdoms era, Jiaozhou saw relatively little warfare, being a peripheral region of the Great Han. Far from the front lines, life here remained calm.

"Indeed, Young Master. While Shi Xie is competent in civil administration and enjoys a strong, favorable reputation in these parts, he lacks ambition and a fighting spirit. My concern is that while Shi Xie may be willing to submit to us now, if Sun Ce were to strike later, he might..." Zhuge Liang’s expression grew worried again.

Liu Xie understood his meaning: even if Shi Xie surrendered now, he might defect to Sun Ce later. It was indeed a valid concern.

"Do not worry. If he is willing to submit, I will not give him the chance to change his mind. I will send men to keep a close watch on him." Liu Xie had already considered this. Shi Xie was a capable official, but his loyalties were not firm. Once he surrendered, Liu Xie would personally oversee the city's defenses.

Over the following days, Liu Xie, Zhuge Liang, and the seven hundred Wolf Shadow Guards passed through seven or eight cities across various commanderies of Jiaozhou. More than twenty days passed, and they finally arrived within a hundred miles of Jiaozhi. It was then that news reached Liu Xie’s ears.

"Young Master, we have just received word that Sun Ce in Jiangdong is also making moves. He has sent men toward Jiaozhi," Zhuge Liang said, his expression grave.

"Oh? And what is his purpose there?" Liu Xie asked, puzzled.

"In reply, Young Master, Sun Ce has not dispatched an army to Jiaozhou, but has instead sent officials to appoint leaders for the region."

"What? Appoint?" The word infuriated Liu Xie. "Heh, he wants to appoint officials in Jiaozhou? By what authority? It seems Sun Ce is also looking to establish his own independent regime."