Chapter 121: The Echo Arrives

In Xiangyang, the news did not reach Liu Biao first; instead, it arrived at the residence of Cai Mao.

This was the outcome Cai Mao had been awaiting. He did not know exactly what had transpired between Guan Yu and Liu Bei, but he understood one thing clearly: Guan Yu’s departure for Jiangdong was effectively an invitation for Liu Bei to leave his own gates wide open. Having spent significant time in Xiangyang and Xinye, Guan Yu had undoubtedly gained access to many of Jingzhou’s core secrets. For him to return to Jiangdong now was an act of espionage.

Upon receiving the intelligence, Cai Mao immediately contacted his close associate, Kuai Yue.

"This is a heaven-sent opportunity! Once we present this news to the Governor, Liu Bei is finished! Liu Qi will naturally fall back into isolation, and Liu Cong’s position will be firmly secured." When Cai Mao spoke to Kuai Yue, his entire demeanor was charged with excitement. The fact that a mere figure like Guan Yu could serve such a pivotal role was exhilarating to them.

"Do not be hasty," Kuai Yue replied. "Do you not have undercover agents in Wu Commandery? Have them keep a close watch. It will not be too late to approach the Governor once confirmation of Guan Yu’s arrival in Wu reaches us."

"Oh? Is such caution truly necessary?" Cai Mao was clearly growing impatient; he longed to petition Liu Biao to annihilate Liu Bei immediately, thereby extinguishing any hope for Liu Qi.

However, Kuai Yue possessed a more mature and prudent plan. "We cannot afford to underestimate the cunning of Liu Bei. If we inform the Governor prematurely and fail to produce concrete evidence of Guan Yu’s arrival in Wu, Liu Bei and Liu Qi could easily turn the tables on us. Once we are on the defensive, our position becomes precarious. As the saying goes, one must catch the thief with the stolen goods. Once this is proven, no one in Jingzhou will dare to protect Liu Bei."

Cai Mao nodded repeatedly. Without a second thought, he agreed, "I shall do as you say! I will contact our people in Wu at once. As soon as Guan Yu crosses into Jiangdong territory, we will take this matter to the Governor!"

Kuai Yue nodded, then added, "You and Zhang Yun must also keep a close watch on the Jiangdong navy. Sun Ce is surely keeping an eye on Guan Yu and Liu Bei’s affairs. It is said that when Guan Yu previously visited Wu, Sun Ce attempted to persuade him to stay on several occasions. Now that he has returned, if Sun Ce discovers the nature of his dealings with Liu Bei, he will not let it slide. That man, Sun Ce, is capable of anything."

Kuai Yue did not state it explicitly, but it was certain that if war were to break out between Jiangdong and Jingzhou, it would be a battle of naval forces. They did not know the current state of Jiangdong’s navy, though they knew their own had historically been more elite.

Kuai Yue never underestimated Jiangdong. He constantly reminded Cai Mao that Jiangdong’s greatest advantage over Jingzhou was the youth of Sun Ce. As long as no accidents befell him, Jiangdong’s military strength would only continue to rise, rather than stagnate due to shifts in power. Jingzhou, however, suffered from exactly that hidden danger. It was this foresight that led Cai Mao and his confidant, Zhang Yun, to maintain a tight grip on the navy—Jingzhou’s greatest asset. Controlling the navy meant holding Jiangdong by the throat.

"Zhang Yun is stationed at the naval camp. We must not only guard against Jiangdong but also prevent Liu Qi’s loyalists from infiltrating our ranks," Cai Mao remarked. "But tell me, sir, if we were to use the Guan Yu-Liu Bei affair as a pretext to strike at Jiangdong, what are the chances we could bring Wu Commandery under our control?"

Cai Mao’s ambitions were vast, and he harbored a grand blueprint that Liu Biao had never endorsed. He knew that to realize his ideals, he had to wait for his nephew to inherit Jingzhou. Yet, given the speed of Sun Ce’s development over the past few years, the future remained uncertain. Thus, Cai Mao began to wonder if he could seize this opportunity to take down Jiangdong. Historically, there was bad blood between the two regions; although the man who killed Sun Jian was not a direct subordinate of Liu Biao, he was technically under his command. Initially, Sun Ce was too weak to challenge Liu Biao, and as the incident was not directly Liu Biao’s doing, Sun Ce had not treated him as a primary enemy.

Liu Biao had once dismissed Sun Ce due to his youth, but in recent years, Sun Ce’s progress had far exceeded their expectations. If this trend continued, it would only be a matter of time before Sun Ce surpassed Liu Biao.

Cai Mao could not dictate the length of Liu Biao’s life. Even if they were to dispose of Liu Qi, they could not bring themselves to commit such an act of treason; after all, Liu Biao had been their patron since arriving in Jingzhou, a debt of gratitude that, in this era, could never be fully repaid. Even if Liu Cong were to ascend, he was still Liu Biao’s son; to them, assisting him was no different from assisting Liu Qi. This was how Cai Mao and his associates sought to balance their consciences. They never considered that the choice of an heir was Liu Biao’s prerogative, not theirs.

Kuai Yue, however, found Cai Mao’s proposal tempting. There was no doubt that Sun Ce’s capabilities were growing daily, while Jingzhou’s navy, though seemingly powerful, had seen no significant progress in years. If things continued this way, they could not predict the outcome in a few years’ time.

"What are our chances? Once we clash with Jiangdong, it will be a fight to the death with no room for mediation. Either Jiangdong will occupy our Jingzhou, or we will swallow their Jiangdong. They currently hold the Emperor; if we can defeat them, the Emperor himself will be at our disposal!"

Hearing this, Cai Mao licked his lips in excitement. "I will return and explain the stakes to Zhang Yun. I will have him prepare. Once there is a chance to confront the Jiangdong navy, we must seize it!"

Kuai Yue nodded and took a deep breath. "That is a matter for another day. For now, let us handle the affair of Guan Yu first. Only by eliminating Liu Bei will Jingzhou find peace, and only then will we be free of future worries."