Chapter 20: The Price of Saving Your Life

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After the three men dressed as hunters realized what was happening, they found themselves quickly surrounded by dozens of mounted guards. Judging by their attire, they were clearly Sun Ce’s personal attendants.

Only then did it dawn on them that every move they thought had been so secret was already known to Sun Ce in advance. What frustrated them even more was the realization that the man who had been preparing to shoot the deer was not Sun Ce. Even if they had intended to assassinate him preemptively, they no longer knew where Sun Ce was.

The moment these dozens of riders arrived, they wasted no words and charged directly at the three men. Though the ambush caught the trio off guard, it was clear they were seasoned warriors; they immediately formed a defensive formation, drew their daggers, and engaged Sun Ce’s guards in fierce combat.

These twenty-some guards were the most elite force under Sun Ce’s command, and with their superior position atop their warhorses, it was assumed that the three assassins would be subdued in an instant. That assumption proved mistaken.

Back to back, the trio faced the oncoming steeds. As the horses drew near, each man suddenly pivoted, leaping onto a chosen target’s mount. Once astride, they began grappling with the guards in close quarters, and it became apparent to the guards that these men were masters; in single combat, most of them would not stand a chance.

Not far away, atop a tall tree, a figure sat upon a thick branch, watching the scene unfold with keen interest.

With the skills these three possessed, had I fallen into their trap, my life would indeed be under threat. But how did he know of this danger?

The observer in the tree was none other than Sun Ce himself. This was not his usual temperament, but after reading Liu Xie’s letter, he dared not risk himself so carelessly. Thus, he orchestrated this bait, and—just as Liu Xie had warned in his correspondence—three experts lay in wait for him.

Sun Ce understood that if his enemies could deploy such formidable assassins, his movements must have been under their close surveillance. Even if he did not come hunting in the mountains today, he could not remain forever in the mansion at Wu Commandery; the moment he ventured out, they would seize the opportunity to strike.

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The odds of avoiding such a meticulously planned ambush were slim; Sun Ce was acutely aware of this.

“Give the order: let none escape. Try to leave one alive!”

Seeing his guards beginning to suffer casualties, Sun Ce hastily issued his command.

Although he had narrowly escaped disaster thanks to Liu Xie’s uncanny foresight—whose origins were unknown—Sun Ce was a man who never forgave a slight. He needed to learn which enemy had sent these assassins.

He wisely refrained from joining the fray himself. Zhou Yu had recently cautioned him: if in the past Sun Ce could act as a frontline general, now he must view himself as a regional lord. Survival, at times, matters more than how many foes one can slay.

Whether Liu Xie could be trusted, Sun Ce did not know; but he was certain that Zhou Yu would never betray him. Zhou Yu was more than a confidant; he was one of the few companions Sun Ce had truly grown close to, one who had proven himself a benefactor in times of need. This bond meant more to Sun Ce than those old officials who had served his father loyally.

Cheng Pu and Zhang Zhao aided Sun Ce because he was Sun Jian’s son; Zhou Yu stood by his side because he was Sun Ce.

Watching the fierce combat nearby, Sun Ce’s previously calm demeanor began to harden. After some time, a blood-soaked guard approached him. Sun Ce had already descended from the tree, his hands clasped behind his back and his expression grave.

“My lord, these three are formidable—true experts. They have slain eleven of our men and, before exhaustion overcame them, all drew their blades and took their own lives. We are powerless, and await your punishment!”

The attendant knelt, clearly feeling deeply frustrated. Over the years, they had always protected Sun Ce, and it was usually they who killed others, never the reverse. Never before had they suffered such losses within the borders of Jiangdong.

Three men had slain eleven of their number; though the trio was nearly spent, they decisively ended their own lives before succumbing. The guards felt like they had power with nowhere to use it; facing three corpses, there was no sense of victory, especially since Sun Ce had ordered them to capture someone alive.

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“You died for me—why should I punish you? The fault lies in my lack of foresight; I did not expect these three to be so formidable. They were thoroughly prepared. You have done well; earlier, when they each seized a horse and tried to break through in three directions, you managed to confine them within the circle. That is enough. Had any escaped, it would have been disastrous for me and for Jiangdong.”

Sun Ce was not merely a warrior; a vague intuition had begun to stir within him, though he could not yet grasp its full meaning.

Looking at the three corpses on the ground, Sun Ce understood that, had it not been for Liu Xie’s secret letter—one he had not shown even to Zhang Hong—he himself, the newly unified ruler of Jiangdong, would likely be lying here instead.

“Take the bodies. Return to the city!”

With these words, Sun Ce turned away. He felt genuine gratitude toward Liu Xie, yet he also remembered clearly the last sentence in Liu Xie’s letter:

“If my words prove true, as a token of thanks, do not keep the two women of the Qiao family you brought back to Wu Commandery. When my palace in Wu is finished, let them await me there.”

Sun Ce could not fathom how Liu Xie, far away in Xu Chang, knew about the two peerless beauties he had painstakingly found. He had not yet touched either; one was meant for himself, the other for his good brother Zhou Yu.

He had refrained from taking them for two reasons: he had only just returned to Wu and was busy building the palace for Liu Xie’s impending arrival, and he had not yet decided whether he wanted the elder sister or the younger.

Now, there was no need to choose. Whether elder or younger, neither would remain with him.