chapter 352

{Yan ford}

[?]: There’re more men than ships. First battalion will cross first!
[?]: The rest… wait a little longer. More ships are coming!

{Yuan Fang‘s buqu officer, Jiang Qi}
[Jiang Qi]: There was a new twist. Time for the second plan.

[?]: Sir, some ships are docking to our right!

chapter 352 Of Wit And Credit
(“two wise(person) compete for credit”)

[?]: By banner it’s Chunyu Qiong‘s troops!

[?]: As the Chief Controller predicted, they’re here for Yuan Tan.
[?]: So many ships. Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang‘s troops must be among them.

[JQ]: Nice timing. Tell him to welcome Yuan Tan and also give him the command authority over Wuchao.

[?]: Sir, you mean…

[JQ]: The fire at our rations depot… once he gets there…

[JQ]: the blame of losing our rations for Guandu will be all on him.

[JQ]: As for the essence of the second plan…

[JQ]: Let those parties who opposed Chief Controller be the last to board.
[?]: Yessir.

[JQ]: Chief Controller thought of a backup for everything, except…

[JQ]: why hasn’t he returned yet!

[?]: Stop the ships! Stop!
[?]: We’re on the same side!
(“is our own people”)

[?]: Fuck! How could they pretend not to see us!

{Liyang’s Grand Administrator, Jiang Yi Qu}
[?]: Stop the ships – our Lord is here!

[?]: Bad news, Commander Jiang!

[?]: The Cao army knows that without rations our men have lost their will to fight…

[?]: They’re chasing our forces and have defeated our rear flank!

[JYQ]: Almost caught up…

[?]: We’ve got to send our Lord and his sons over, master Jiang, no matter what!

[JYQ]: How does it look from the nearby areas?

[?]: Sir, there’re Cao army ahead of us too!

The torrent is too strong…

[JYQ]: Hoo.

[?]: Jiang Yi Qu, accept your death!
(“…stay behind and give death”)

{Yue Jin}
[?]: General Yue, look!

[Yue Jin]: The strong torrent makes for a treacherous crossing.

[YJ]: Only death awaits them.

[?]: Pincer attack, Yue Jin.

{sfx: pa}

[Cao Cao]: “Take a bath”;
(“bath change cloths”)

[CC]: let the bloodbath begin.
(“massacre…”)

In October of year 200, Cao Cao routed Yuan Shao‘s army at Guandu.

The Yuan army retreated to the banks of Yellow River. The crumbled morale and a shortage of ships made them easy targets for the pursuers.

Of the soldiers that have traveled far only to be slaughtered, many were drowned, totaling over seventy thousand.

[?]: Jia Xu‘s report says he’s also preparing to bury the defectors.
(technically “soldiers who surrendered”)

{flag reads: Cao}
[?]: The drowned bodies all look to be opposition factions of the Yuan clan.

[?]: While Yuan Fang’s main forces have fully retreated.

[?]: They’re holding their ground at the other shore. You might’ve lost, first shixiong… but you sure were thorough.
(shixiong ~ “male upperclassman”)

[Guo Jia]: Just like you calculated, all of Hebei will be yours with the deaths of Yuan Shao and his sons.

[Cao Hong]: Except that Yuan Fang probably won’t be able to continue the fight.

[GJ]: Was there a new twist?

[CH]: You may have a winning strategy, Feng Xiao, but you were still outpaced by a little trick.

[GJ]: Did Sima Yi come up with another ingenious tactic?

[CH]: No. I mean… that Yang kid.

[GJ]: Yang Xiu… Why hasn’t he reported back?

[CH]: That guy’s meticulous and deliberate. His identity was never exposed during years of hiding.

[CH]: I think he’s up to something with this delayed return after completing your assignment.
(“now great strategy succeeded and still not returned…”)

[CH]: The way I see it, the chaos would afford him an opportunity…

[CH]: to ambush Yuan Fang.

[CH]: If so… he’ll have a greater claim to credit than you regarding the battle of Guandu.
(slightly distorted)

[GJ]: Are you concerned that his eagerness for fame will ruin my grand scheme?

[CH]: I’m concerned that our Lord won’t just be rewarding him with a high position, but a closer relationship.

[GJ]: Even you guys were fooled. I bet first shixiong wouldn’t have seen through it. This twist sure is interesting.

[GJ]: We’ve achieved victory far earlier than expected, but I’m still in control of everything.

[CH]: Sima Yi is already unpredictable, and now… we’ve got a self-important Yang Xiu. Be wary, Feng Xiao.

[GJ]: For you.

[GJ]: Be careful of these two as well, Cao Hong.

[CH]: Zhang He and Gao Lan‘s letter of surrender?

[GJ]: Haha, Sima Yi has made his move too.

Guo Jia coughed again,

then he smiled for he was pleased.