chapter 299

{Guandu}

[?]: Swarm them!
[?]: Chase the Yuan army out of Donghe!
(or “east river”)

{flag reads: Yuan}

chapter 299 The Persistence of Learned Men
(or “the persistence of men of letters”, or “The Learned Persists”; I’m not sure whether it’s noun or verb without more information)

[Xiahou Yuan]: They’ve retreated for another ten li.

[XHY]: What do you think, Counselor.
(from baidu’s translation it’s actually not clear if 军师 is “advisor” or if 参谋 is; but due to precedence already set in past chapters, I’ll use “Counselor” to distinguish Sima Yi’s current title from that of people like Xun Yu)
{Xiahou Yuan}

[Sima Yi]: The Yuan army has lost its will to fight. We shouldn’t push too far.
(baidu dictionary translates the word as “extreme/radical”, but I’m still uncomfortable with this wording; it’s unfortunate that the word is repeated in this volume like a thematic term that would be lost in translation if you accept this version)

[XHY]: They’ve been pushed back tens of li in merely a few days (of the encounter). We’re on a roll here.
(“our morale/momentum is high…”)

[XHY]: And it’s all thanks to you, Zhong Da. Why should we stop now?
(“the greatest contribution is from you…”)

[SMY]: Please accept my humble opinion and halt the advance.
(“stupid opinion…”)

[?]: Sir! Cao Hong‘s army to our west has advanced for twenty li.

[XHY]: Cao Hong is at the west while I’m at the east. If we advance together, we can look out for each other even during a withdraw.

[XHY]: War is all about territory. It would be a shame to miss an opportunity to attack. You’re way too suspicious, Zhong Da.

[?]: No, Counselor Sima has a reason to be suspicious.
(“it’s not without reason that…”)

[Man Chong]: We may have the power to charge deep into enemy lines, but we must also have the foresight to know who’s preying on us.
(reworded)
{Man Chong}

[XHY]: What do you suggest, Bo Ning?
{Man Chong’s courtesy name is Bo Ning}

[MC]: I have analyzed the situation behind our frontlines. Yuan Shu is finished, and Jiangxia – Jingzhou’s main buffer zone – has also changed hands.

[MC]: We have to be prepared if we’re to advance deeper into Yuan Shao’s territories during this battle at Guandu.

[XHY]: You mean trouble is brewing behind us?
(“…there is a concern at the rear”)

[MC]: Correct.

[MC]: The latest news is that Lujiang has been taken by Sun Ce.

[XHY]: Who’d have thought that Liu Xun is still being outmaneuvered by a much smaller force even after taking in Yuan Shu’s former troops.

[MC]: They’ve taken nearly a thousand warships, plus the six thousand from Huang Zu.

[MC]: I bet Liu Biao can no longer afford to cross the river to fight Sun Ce.

[XHY]: In other words, Sun Ce has the opportunity to hold us back?
(“…mobilize and keep us in check at the rear”)

[MC]: Just like our Lord said, that man is not to be trusted.

[XHY]: Fine. We’ll ask our Lord first.

[?]: Man Chong serves under Second Genius Xun Yu?
[?]: Yes. That guy thinks far ahead, much like his mentor.
(“…obtained the essence of Xun Yu’s (teaching)”)

[SMY]: And he shares my view that Cao Cao will be facing enemies on two fronts if Sun Ce dispatches an attack force from Lujiang.

[SMY]: I need you to go check out the situation in the Eastern Region.
(“The big picture is a priority…”)

[Jia Kui]: Having dominated the Eastern Region, the Sun clan is now rich enough to not be swayed by us.
{Jia Kui}

[SMY]: With over seven thousand warships, it certainly makes them the number one navy in the world.

[JK]: Sun Ce is no longer a dog without a master, and Sun Quan is not Lady Shan‘s obedient little brother anymore.
(or is it literally “a homeless dog”?)

[JK]: You already noticed it, Young Master. There’s no need to waste more time.

[SMY]: You’re right. His progress over these few years makes it hard to believe that he has no ambition.

[SMY]: Not to mention what a perfect opportunity this is.

[SMY]: He moves frighteningly fast.

{Jiangxia}

[Zhou Yu]: Watch them closely.
(not sure)
[?]: Yessir.

[ZY]: Huang Zu has been urging Xu Gong to mobilize his forces.

[ZY]: Looks like the loss of Jiangxia is detrimental to Liu Biao.

[?]: That was a nice trick on Lu Xun‘s part. Now we know Liu Biao’s every move.

[Sun Ce]: Stall him a bit. I want the tension at Lujiang to ease some more.
(“…Lujiang’s army to calm/balance…”)

[ZY]: Are you really planning to take advantage of Cao Cao’s predicament?

[SC]: That was my reason for opening a path through Lujiang.

[ZY]: By now the Cao army has pushed over fifty li into Guandu.

[?]: And a fighting force of fifty-thousand has been transferred away from his base.
(“…rear”)

{sfx: ta~}

[SC]: Does that mean Cao Ren has already been transferred out of Xuzhou?

[ZY]: At least for now. We’ll have our chance once Yuan and Cao clash for the second time.

[?]: Cao Cao won’t be able to stop us even if he knew our plan.
(not sure if this simplification is good)

[SC]: That was a stroke of genius, oath brother, to work with your first shixiong Yuan Fang.
(shixiong = “male upperclassman”; not sure about his tone)

[ZY]: He’s vicious, Bo Fu. I advise you to be wary of him.
(Bo Fu is Zhou Yu’s courtesy name)

[ZY]: Yuan Fang made Cao Cao a public enemy just so the world can be rallied against him.

[ZY]: Who knows what treachery Yuan Fang has in store after everything’s been decided.

[SC]: I’m not afraid of anything. But I’m worried that you can’t catch up to me.

[ZY]: Your impatience is my only enemy.
(“…extremeness…”)

[SC]: Look out, oath brother,
[SC]: I’m about to take another step forward.

[SC]: You too, Lü Meng.

[SC]: You have talent, but you lack knowledge.

[SC]: Read more so you can catch up.

[Lü Meng]: Or else I’ll just smell your fart from behind.
(“If cannot catch up…”)

[SC]: Haha, funny guy.
(“…this guy is really amusing”)

[ZY]: Our Lord wasn’t joking, Lü Meng.

[SC]: Right.

[SC]: Gong Jin, here comes my next step.
{Zhou Yu’s courtesy name is Gong Jin}

[SC]: And this step

[SC]: shall be my most impatient move to date.
(“…extreme/radical move…”)

Pang Tong steps onto shore and sneers at Zhou Yu.
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