After arranging all matters, Xiang Yu, who was determined to avenge his father, did not delay for a moment. After the generals of various armies gathered their elite troops, he quickly pulled out an extremely powerful mobile force.
Led by the Overlord himself, they set out swiftly and secretly towards the land of East Chu under the cover of night.
Lü Bu stood on the top of the Xianyang city wall, watching indifferently the Chu army soldiers who only showed their murderous outlines in the hazy moonlight and swore to attack.
At the same time, his right hand unconsciously stroked the hilt of the Longyuan sword, and covered the pattern on the hilt with his broad palm without leaving a trace, so that others could not recognize that this was the king's sword.
Lu Bu narrowed his tiger eyes slightly, his gaze changing from uncertain to bright.
After the dark outline completely disappeared, Lu Bu didn't know what he was thinking. He stood at the back of the city wall for a while and happened to meet Zhang Han, who was in a hurry to sort out the remaining military affairs.
Zhang Han was a surrendered general of the Former Qin Dynasty, and he had a grudge against Xiang Yu for killing his uncle. Ever since he witnessed the massacre of 200,000 surrendered soldiers in Xin'an, he had been feeling uneasy.
He used to be a heroic and ambitious person, but now he has become more cautious.
He was not like Sima Xin and Dong Yi, who knew they had made contributions to the Xiang family. They chose to survive and unexpectedly gained the respect of Xiang Yu, so they had no intention of plotting anything else and causing trouble.
Sima Xin and Dong Yi were inevitably resentful of losing their throne, but he felt relieved.
He couldn't help but feel somewhat grateful to Lu Bu, who was the cause of his loss of title.
Zhang Han was still a dozen steps away from Lu Bu. After a moment of hesitation, he nodded subconsciously.
Lu Bu raised his eyebrows, moved the corners of his lips, revealed a faint smile, nodded slightly at him, and left with big strides.
Soon after learning that Lü Bu had left the city in a swift and decisive manner, Zhou Yin's face darkened slightly, and he taunted his generals, "After hearing the king's words 'adapt to circumstances', this boy has always been arrogant, and now he doesn't even take me seriously."
Zhou Yin had followed Xiang Yu for several years. As an old minister of the State of Chu and a close friend of Xiang Liang, he had always been trusted by the Overlord. After the Battle of Julu, he was appointed as the Grand Sima of the State of Chu.
Whenever Xiang Yu led his troops to battle, he would trust Zhou Yin to stay in the rear and stabilize the camp.
Logically speaking, the Chu army was strong and powerful, and Zhou Yin, as a high-ranking official of the Chu State, only needed to do his duty and perform his responsibilities to enjoy endless wealth and glory.
But Zhou Yin also had his own plans.
If Xiang Yu had always trusted and respected him and treated him with kindness, he would have been loyal and submitted to him.
But ever since this little boy named Lu showed up, the king has treated him with great regard, looking upon him with favor as if he were possessed, employing him frequently, rewarding him repeatedly, and promoting him to higher positions many times.
What made Zhou Yin most alert was that the king did not treat Lu Bu the same way he treated Ying Bu and the brave generals Long Ju, Zhongli Mei and others in the past - as soon as the time was ripe, he would dispatch his generals to various places, either to be kings or to be county governors.
But he always kept Lü Bu by his side. At a young age, he was in charge of 50,000 troops in Guanzhong. Now he was guarding Xianyang with him, and he was given an extra military order to "act flexibly".
Such importance is absolutely unprecedented and unique in the huge Chu camp.
Zhou Yin could see that if he waited a little longer, until Lu Bu had grown stronger and had more experience, it would be time for him, the Grand Marshal, to "give way to the wise"!
Since Xiang Ji did not remember the old friendship and was unkind in the first place, why should Zhou Yin have any need to be righteous!
Zhou Yin was always stationed in the rear camp and had never seen Lu Bu's true abilities with his own eyes.
He had only heard some rumors among the soldiers and Fan Zeng's occasional praise, but he did not agree with them in his heart. He thought that Xiang Yu was deliberately building up momentum for his favorite general and ordered people to exaggerate the facts.
Thinking about how he had worked diligently for the Chu army over the years and made great contributions, it was a great shame and humiliation that sooner or later a young boy would take over his position.
"Grand Marshal," Zhou Yin's face was gloomy. When he was deep in thought, his confidant suddenly came to report: "Sui He wants to see you."
Zhou Yin frowned slightly: "Let him in."
Liu Bang, who proclaimed himself King of Han, was quite resilient.
Even though he had fallen into that remote and evil place, he was still able to live a prosperous life and even sent out many strategists and debaters to disrupt the current situation.
He let the arrogant and proud Xiang Yu fall into the trap without even knowing it, which showed his confidence as a hero.
The Han envoy followed He Qu into the palace. As Zhou Yin had expected, he was urging him and repeating the old tune: "I have said before that Xiang Ji was a reckless man without any plan. His every word and action was controlled by the wise King of Han. He hurriedly marched east, and the defenders in the city were leaderless. They only had a cowardly Zhang Han and a young favorite Lu Bu. This opportunity cannot be missed. If it is lost, it will never come back. Have you considered it carefully?"
Zhou Yin said calmly, "King Xiang personally led a strong army and left in anger. How could the armies of Ying Bu and Wu Rui stop the Chu cavalry? Although your lord has some plans, he underestimated King Xiang's power."
Sui He laughed mockingly, feeling contempt in his heart.
He knew very well that Zhou Yin was extremely cunning and would not release the eagle until he saw the rabbit.
If Zhou Yin really had no intention of rebelling against Chu, why would he maintain correspondence with Ying Bu, who had an ambiguous attitude towards him
If Zhou Yin was truly loyal and sincere to King Xiang, he would have been beheaded on the first day he came here. Why was he summoned so frequently, and was secretly hidden in the hall on weekdays, and served politely by servants
It was just that Zhou Yin was slick and cunning, and was unwilling to express his position easily until Xiang Yu really showed signs of defeat, or until Liu Bang revealed a trump card that could threaten the State of Chu even more.
Having said that, Sui He had no intention of exposing Zhou Yin's shallow intentions. Instead, after chatting casually for a few words as usual, he calmly walked out while Zhou Yin responded nonchalantly.
In a blink of an eye, it was half a month later.
Xiang Yu personally led the troops and traveled day and night, but when he arrived in the territory of East Chu, he was still several days late. Pengcheng was located on a flat land, which was obviously easy to attack but difficult to defend. What's more, Xiang Yu boasted of his strong military force and always focused on attack rather than defense.
Even if Zhongli Mei, Long Ju and Gong Ao and other troops received the order and led the troops to go to war, the armies of Ying Bu and Wu Rui still took advantage of the initiative and captured Pengcheng first.
Ying Bu knew very well that Xiang Yu would definitely lead his troops to seek revenge, and he also knew that he was surrounded by enemies, so he did not even bother to fight.
He did not stay in Pengcheng for long, but just started burning, killing and looting: he took away all the military supplies that could be taken away, and burned the rest that were heavy and difficult to carry. After enjoying the beauties, he killed them on the spot, and any elders who dared to resist would have a hard time surviving.
After allowing his soldiers to do whatever they wanted in the former capital of Chu for a day and a night, Ying Bu decisively reorganized his troops and quickly left the devastated Pengcheng with his soldiers.
He wisely chose not to continue northward to avoid encountering the powerful Xiang Yu army, but chose to go south, seemingly returning, and continued to destroy the Chu cities along the way.
It was not only to draw down Xiang Yu's firepower and to replenish military rations, but also to vent the resentment of many years of being servile and obeying orders in the Chu camp.
When Xiang Yu's army arrived that night and saw the wailing and corpses everywhere in Pengcheng, they were all filled with hatred and wanted to eat Ying Bu alive!
After causing chaos, Ying Bu actually fled back towards Jiujiang. Xiang Yu would not let him hide in his old nest, so he immediately led his furious army and attacked towards Jiujiang.
Just when Xiang Yu led his troops into Jiujiang, the dormant King Xie of Dai, King Shenyang of Henan, King Sima Ang of Yin, and Zhang Er, the former King of Changshan who had hidden in Shenyang, suddenly changed their timid appearance, raised their flags at the same time, and showed their ferocious fangs!
The Chu army was eager for revenge. Except for a large army left in Xianyang to garrison, several generals led their elite troops to march out in full force from Qi, Zhao and Yan counties.
With only tens of thousands of soldiers and lieutenant generals left behind, they were no match for the princes of various countries who had planned ahead.
Especially since the Overlord of Chu had just abolished various states into counties not long ago, the people were in a panic and had not yet been completely pacified. How could they fight to the death for the State of Chu
As soon as the armies of the princes took advantage of the situation and invaded, except for a brief resistance in Qi, all other places raised the flag of surrender and reluctantly accepted the fate of changing hands again.
Military reports were delivered frequently, and Zhou Yin was excited when he read them.
Who could have imagined that Xiang Yu, who had swept across the world with unparalleled bravery and was invincible just a month ago, would be manipulated by the King of Han
The power of forming alliances and making coalitions is so terrifying!
As the princes worked together and united to fight, the once world-famous and powerful King of Chu became like a stray dog. The battle situation became critical and he lost three counties in a short time!
The Chu territory within the pass was under his control, while the Chu territory outside the pass was in turmoil and he was unable to take care of himself.
Although Xiang Yu still had 180,000 strong soldiers at hand, they were in Jiujiang.
The Eastern Chu region was in ruins due to Ying Bu's evil deeds, and the Western Chu region's main grain supply routes were cut off by the armies of the princes. Even if the Chu region was strong, it could only be temporary and could not last long.
As long as the armies of the princes can hold out for more than a month, the Chu army fighting outside will inevitably run out of food. By then, even if the Overlord of Chu is extremely powerful, his army's morale will be broken and it will be difficult to defeat them!
He was in charge of all affairs in Xianyang... If he were to turn against them, he would cut off Xiang Yu's retreat to the west.
This moment is undoubtedly the most crucial moment that can influence the outcome of the war.
Sui He, who had also received the military report, naturally came to add fuel to the indecision of Zhou Yin.
This time Zhou Yin not only summoned him immediately, but also stood up to greet him and helped him up affectionately. Sui He knew that this cunning and treacherous Grand Sima of Chu had made up his mind completely.
Even though he knew it well, Sui He still tried to give way to the enemy, and sincerely advised: "As a wise man, it is not difficult for you to see that the Chu army seems strong while the princes are weak, but they are not popular. Xiang Ji is greedy, arousing public anger, and has already made countless enemies. The reckless Xiang Ji has fallen into the trap of the King of Han to lure the tiger away from the mountain, and is trapped in Jiujiang. The soldiers are tired from the long journey, and it is difficult to get food and grass. It can be said that they are in a dilemma, and their advantages are gone in a day. On the other hand, the princes are united and united to attack Chu. Their morale is high. In less than half a month, the situation will definitely change from strong to weak!"
Seeing Zhou Yin nodded slightly, Sui He continued: "If you still insist on not changing your ways, and are unwilling to abandon the doomed Chu State, it will really make the King of Han sad! The King of Han has always been kind and fair. If you are willing to turn against Chu and join Han, and cut off the escape route for that little Xiang Ji, when the King of Han presides over the division of fiefdoms and re-divides the land to be kings, he will not be stingy and will reward the king generously. You can choose any of the old lands of Chu. Isn't it wonderful? If you are indecisive and sink with the mediocre ruler, even if the King of Han is willing to help you, you will hardly have a day to rest easy!"
Zhou Yin sighed with pretended regret, considered his words for a moment, stood up and said: "I will follow the instructions of the King of Han. Zhang Han can't tell right from wrong, but he has some skills, so we need to be careful when dealing with him. Although Lu Bu is not that good, he has elite soldiers under his command from the Former Qin Dynasty. We should not underestimate him and need to transfer him away to avoid getting in the way."
Sui He knew that Zhou Yin's words were not an excuse to refuse, and that he had made up his mind. He felt that he had fulfilled the important trust entrusted by the King of Han, so he couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. He responded in a friendly manner and did not force him.
When all the Chu troops in Guanzhong were transferred away, Wang Bao of Western Wei who had been preparing for battle outside the pass had already received the letter to be the support person. The King of Han who had been blocked in the two counties of Bashu for a long time was finally able to return to the Central Plains.
Once Zhou Yin made up his mind, he acted decisively.
He first summoned Zhang Han on the pretext of receiving an urgent decree from the king, and then ordered his strong men to arrest the unsuspecting Zhang Han and take away the tiger talisman.
Then, using the same excuse, he sent for Lu Bu, who was stationed outside the city with the army.
Zhou Yin originally wanted to use the same trick again, but after seeing Lu Bu's true appearance so close, he couldn't help but hesitate.
This boy named Lu has a fair and handsome face, but he has broad shoulders and a slim waist, long and strong limbs, steady and graceful steps, and sparkling tiger eyes.
He didn't look like the pale-faced concubine he had thought he was. Instead, he looked more like a ferocious tiger that had just entered adulthood. His posture was lazy and idle, but it contained tremendous power that could kill with one strike.
For some reason, Zhou Yin instinctively sensed some danger and felt that Lu Bu was extremely difficult to deal with.
As soon as there was a hint of hesitation in his expression, Lu Bu noticed it keenly.
"I have arrived. What do you want, Grand Marshal?"
Lu Bu bowed lazily and sneered.
Zhou Yin was full of calculations, but he was still aroused by that sneer. He frowned and said in a deep voice: "The king has issued an urgent decree, ordering you to leave at night and guard Feiqiu."
He made up a military order on the spur of the moment, thinking that Lu Bu would obey it, but he unexpectedly asked, "Where is the king's edict? Can I have a look at it?"
Zhou Yin was secretly annoyed and said with a gloomy face: "This is the king's oral order, where is the written order? Are you going to disobey the order?"
"How dare I?"
Although he said this, Lu Bu had a cynical look on his face, and it was obvious that he did not take Zhou Yin seriously at all.
Zhou Yin was about to rebuke him, but Lu Bu suddenly narrowed his eyes and said meaningfully, "There is nothing to defend at Feiqiu. Your Majesty is so wise and powerful, yet you suddenly issue such an order... I have to be a little cautious."
Zhou Yin felt a chill in his heart when he was stared at by the gleaming tiger eyes. He thought he was seeing something, so he retorted in a timid tone: "Your Majesty is very smart and has his own plans. As a general, you just need to obey your orders. Why are you raising so many groundless doubts?"
In response, Lu Bu raised his eyebrows frivolously and said "Oh" without commenting.
Before Zhou Yin could get angry and issue another order, Lu Bu did not continue to provoke him.
"I respect your order."
After he lazily agreed, without waiting for Zhou Yin to feel at ease, he changed the subject and said that Guanzhong was of vital importance and must not be lost. In order to prevent the king from holding him accountable later, he needed to leave his deputy general Han Xin and 30,000 soldiers behind.
Zhou Yin did not want to argue with him. As for the mere deputy general, he vaguely remembered that he was just a spear-bearing man who had served King Xiang for a long time. Naturally, he would not take him seriously and agreed casually.
What if he stayed? Once Lu Bu left, it would be easier to fool him.
Just call him into the palace casually, just like how you dealt with Zhang Han just now.
Lu Bu walked out in a dashing manner. Zhou Yin was secretly alert and ordered people to follow him.
It was not until the confidant came to report that Lu Bu had really led his troops to break camp and left quickly that the string in Zhou Yin's mind, which had been taut for some reason, suddenly relaxed.
He stared at the direction of the palace gate for a while and snorted contemptuously.
What kind of ruthless warrior? What kind of extraordinary warrior? What kind of brave warrior
The old man named Fan Zeng is always on his lips, and he is really regarded as some great figure.