Chapter 129: Setting Out for Guandu

"Your Majesty, Your Majesty, there is movement from Jiangdong."

Jia Xu hurried in that day to report.

"Oh? Movement from Jiangdong? Let Me guess what kind of movement it is."

"I suspect Sun Ce must be mobilizing his troops."

"And he likely intends to strike at Xuchang," Liu Xie said with a calm expression.

"Er, Your Majesty, how did you know he was targeting Xuchang?"

Indeed, the report he intended to deliver was precisely about Sun Ce mobilizing his forces. However, he did not yet know where Sun Ce intended to strike. That Liu Xie could pinpoint Xuchang immediately caught many by surprise.

"Heh, it is because Cao Cao’s attention is currently fixed on Guandu, and he is preoccupied with how to deal with Yuan Shao."

"Furthermore, Cao Cao has concentrated almost all of his troops in one place. Xuchang is practically an empty city now, which presents a golden opportunity for Jiangdong."

"That is why I say Sun Ce must be aiming for Xuchang."

Liu Xie explained his reasoning. The others nodded repeatedly; they had to admit his analysis was spot on. Yet, what they found baffling was how calm Liu Xie remained, as if he felt no concern at all. Although Sun Ce attacking Xuchang might seem unrelated to them, if he were to actually capture the city, it would undoubtedly pose a threat to them as well.

"Indeed, Xuchang is an empty city, and Sun Ce will not let this opportunity slip by. Your Majesty, perhaps we should seize Xuchang before Sun Ce does? It is Cao Cao's base of operations; if we take it, his strength will surely be diminished," Jia Xu suggested.

Liu Xie shook his head gently. "No, that will not do. As long as Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are locked in conflict, it is a perfect opportunity for two tigers to fight. If we move on Xuchang, Cao Cao will inevitably return, and we would lose the benefit of sitting on the mountain and watching the tigers fight."

Hearing this, Zhuge Liang and Jia Xu exchanged glances.

"But Your Majesty, if Sun Ce advances on Xuchang, Cao Cao will return in that case as well. The outcome would be the same," Zhuge Liang argued, feeling that there was no difference whether it was Liu Xie or Sun Ce who launched the attack.

"You are right, there is no difference in terms of the effect of the attack itself. However, Sun Ce will never reach Xuchang."

Liu Xie spoke with immense confidence, showing no trace of worry, as if the matter were of no consequence.

"Er, Sun Ce will not reach Xuchang? Your Majesty, why is that?" Zhuge Liang and Jia Xu were both bewildered.

Liu Xie smiled enigmatically. "Trust Me, Sun Ce will not reach Xuchang. Moreover, he will die in Dantu."

Upon hearing this, the two were even more confused. "Your Majesty, are you saying... Sun Ce will die in Dantu?" It took them a long while to process this, as they simply could not believe it.

"Yes, he will die in Dantu. He will be assassinated by his enemies. You shall both know the truth before long. Also, I am preparing to depart. It is time for us to make our entrance in the great battle of Guandu."

Liu Xie took a deep breath and dismissed Jia Xu and Zhuge Liang to begin his preparations.

A few days later, Jia Xu brought news once more. "Your Majesty, just as you predicted, Sun Ce is dead! He was assassinated in Dantu by the disciples of Xu Gong."

The room was stunned. They remembered clearly that only a short while ago, Liu Xie had foretold exactly this: that Sun Ce would die in Dantu at the hands of his enemies. Seeing it come to pass, even a genius like Zhuge Liang found it unfathomable.

"Your Majesty's foresight is truly admirable," Zhuge Liang said respectfully.

"Enough, Kongming, there is no need for such humility. With Sun Ce dead, the command of Jiangdong will fall to his brother, Sun Quan. Compared to Sun Ce, Sun Quan is still lacking; the expansion of Jiangdong ends here. Let them focus on internal development for now; we have no time to bother with them. I announce that in two days, I shall depart for Guandu, accompanied only by the Wolf Shadow Guard!"

In the end, Liu Xie announced his intention to head to Guandu alone. Zhuge Liang sighed and shook his head. They had discussed this, and he had opposed it, but it was futile; he knew full well that once Liu Xie made a decision, no one could change it.

"Your Majesty, if you go yourself, the journey is long and fraught with danger!" others echoed, clearly anxious.

Liu Xie shook his head lightly. "You worry too much, my ministers. I have faced far greater dangers than this in the past. We have survived until now; this will be no different. The decision is made; there is no need for further persuasion. We must not take too many men, or our target will be too large and compromise our safety."

Seeing his resolve, they fell silent. Though they were worried, he was the Emperor.

Two days later, Liu Xie mobilized his forces, taking over seven hundred members of the Wolf Shadow Guard, along with his eighteen elite Wolf Shadow warriors, and departed Jingzhou in secret. Only Zhao Yun and Gao Shun accompanied him.

Along the way, both Gao Shun and Zhao Yun remained visibly concerned. "Your Majesty, is this not too risky? If something were to happen, I would be guilty of an unforgivable crime," Zhao Yun said, deeply worried for the Emperor's safety.

"Zilong, you worry too much. Have you forgotten how I once took the eighteen Wolf Shadow warriors to Xuzhou to rescue Lu Bu? Rest assured, we are not going to fight with brute force. With only seven hundred men, we must use our wits. Besides, we are going to weigh the balance of their power; we will not be participating directly in the main battle."

Indeed, they had only a few hundred men, while Yuan Shao and Cao Cao commanded hundreds of thousands. Even though the Wolf Shadow Guard were formidable, they could not fight hundreds of thousands. Their mission was to exert a subtle influence—a "four-ounce force to deflect a thousand pounds"—rather than foolishly involving themselves in the main slaughter, which would be nothing but a path to self-destruction.