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“I’d lend my own voice willingly, but I won’t have a place in your
court, will I…?” Sun Jian retorted.
“…Probably not, no,” Zhu Jun admitted. “I’ll certainly petition for you
to receive rewards for your service, but I’ll be honest, you’ll be lucky if
they partially reimburse you for your outlays, especially if I’m slandered for
challenging the eunuchs.”
That’s more important,” Sun Jian insisted. “Even if it means I get
nothing, fighting the ‘Ten Attendants’ is more important than anything. If they
are not removed from the court, this will all happen again.”
A messenger entered the tent before Zhu Jun could reply and said, “The
officers are gathered for the meeting, Commander.”
“…I should go, then,” Sun Jian said as Zhu Jun dismissed the soldier.
“I’ll leave you to prepare for your entrance.”
“My thanks, Wentai, for everything,” Zhu Jun replied.
Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun had decided to convene one last joint officer’s
meeting in Yu Province to announce their next moves; Sun Jian left his would-be-benefactor
and journeyed to the command tent, where a host of other officers - including
the infamous Cao Cao - were waiting patiently. Sun Jian joined his peers, and
after a short time, the two commanders arrived to begin their announcement.
“We need to divide our forces now and deal with these last two problems
that face us,” Huangfu Song explained. “I shall go north and aid Hè Jin in
defeating the Yellow Turbans in Ji and Yòu Provinces. While recent reports
suggest that Zhang Bao and Zhang Liang have rightly joined their wretched
brother in the netherworld, we can be sure of nothing.”
“But Zhang Jue is dead…?” Cao Cao prompted.
“His head has been put on display for all to see in Julu, and it has
been confirmed that it is he,” Huangfu Song promised. “That monster is now very
dead.”
The militia leaders expressed their relief.
“But his brothers may still live,” Zhu Jun noted. “One or both of them
might have fled southward, to aid the frustratingly resistant forces in Wan.
We’ll know more soon, we hope. But Hè Jin has requested help, and Commander
Huangfu has volunteered to go north. I, therefore, shall go west to Nan County,
and help to aid the relief of Wan. Of course, that means that you gentlemen
will need to divide and accompany us; I request Mister Sun Jian’s assistance at
Wan, if that is not being presumptuous.”
Huangfu Song laughed and said, “I will not argue, Commander Zhu.”
“Jing Province…”
Cheng Pu pondered the move as he shared heated wine with Sun Jian in the
latter’s tent on that same evening.
“The Yellow Turbans in Jing Province are no worse an enemy than the ones
in Yu were,” Sun Jian proposed.
“Ah, but they differ in one way,” Cheng Pu retorted. “They’ve got the
advantage of holding Wan City. A smaller, weaker force of men held the place against
them for a long time… so how can we hope to uproot them any time soon…?”
“I vowed to my family that I would be home quickly, and I intend to keep
that vow,” Sun Jian replied. “I promised the men that this campaign would be
quick; I will make it quick if it is at all within my power. I have no
intention of letting Jing be our burial ground, Demou. We’re going to kill the
ones that are lost, and save the ones that can be saved, and then we’re going
home.”
“Do me a favour,” Cheng Pu said. “In fact, do me two favours: firstly,
tell that to the men tomorrow. Secondly… run it past me again. I’m hoping it’ll
help me get through this myself.”
“We’ll be fine,” Sun Jian promised. “I just know it: we’ll be fine.”
*************