Chapter 130 - Drastic Changes; Wancheng City's Administration Office is in Danger

Chapter 130 - Drastic Changes; Wancheng City's Administration Office is in Danger

Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto

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Listening to Liu Neng's words, Zhou Cheng was very silent. What Sun Ce did is indeed too much. During Lu Kang's reign in Wancheng city, the Lu clan was very respectful toward the Liu clan. They even married Lu Kang's daughter to Liu Kai.

After that, Yuan Shu occupied Wancheng city. Yuan Shu is the third brother of the Yuan Family's fourth generation, naturally they knew about the Liu clan's influence, so he left them alone.

When Yuan Shu was defeated, Liu Xun came to Wancheng city. Liu Xun is one of the Han Dynasty clansmen and relative, so he naturally treated the Liu clan well. Only when it was Sun Ce's time did the situation changed.

Even though the Liu clan was once one of emperor’s royal courtier, the Liu clan was already prepared for their decadence in noble status and even wanted to hand over their status as Wancheng city's oldest noble. But the Chen clan, He clan and Yu clan were truly impatient, they wanted for Liu clan to drop their status.

All of them, performed many things to embarrass the Liu clan when Liu clan invited their guests. From boorish table manners, to bad-mouthing the Liu clan, making the Liu clan truly embarrassed. The He clan and Yu clan were originally Wancheng city's local nobles but the Chen clan, were immigrants from Guangling.

Originally they are just a small clan from Guangling but when Chen Duan tied their knot to Sun Ce's war chariot as their advisors, their status suddenly rose up and they began leeching from the Liu clan's power and influence until they became one of Wancheng city's main nobles.

Because of the He clan, Yu clan and Chen clan’s treatment of them, the Liu clan had truly become fed up and disheartened. They had already prepared themselves to become low level nobles. At worst, they will also give up their status as nobles and become commoners. As long as they can preserve their surname, it is enough for them. But when Lu Bu’s army took over Wancheng city, suddenly there a ray of hope for them. Lu Bu’s army came with a Liu clansman. That is the Prince of Shu, and this Prince of Shu truly gave the Liu clan big hopes.

Liu Mang is Lu Bu's son-in-law, in other words, he is Lu Bu’s army's little lord and his future successor, along with that the Prince of Shu is one of the Han Dynasty clansmen. He definitely will not treat us bad, because the Liu clan and His Highness Prince of Shu share one ancestor which is Liu Bang.

The Liu clan also determined to make the Zhou clan as a tribute to the Prince of Shu in order for him to accept them. So this Zhou Cheng, is one of the first tributes to him.

“Ha-ha-ha!!!” Zhou Cheng's legs lost his strength and froze up on his warhorse, his eyes lost its initial luster. Zhou Cheng has acknowledged that he had lost. His Black Flag had surrendered and his escape route had been cut off, the last path for him is death.

“Tie up our Mr. Zhou Cheng!!!” Liu Neng actually did not need to say, because two of the Urban Army soldiers already pulled down Zhou Cheng from his warhorse and tied his hands.

“Zhou Cheng, is he Zhou Yi's son?!” Liu Mang had also caught up. The Black Flag has surrendered themselves. Their heavy armor had been removed and their weapons confiscated.

They are waiting for Liu Mang to punish them. Liu Mang hit his warhorse to get closer. After that, he got down from warhorse for closer observation. This young man is really resembled Zhou Yi of Shucheng County, the one who prepared hot food for them when they just arrived in Lujiang.

This Zhou clan is Shucheng County's oldest noble and can be compared with the Liu clan as Wancheng city’s oldest noble.

Shucheng County dispatched these three thousand troops in addition to the Zhou clan's private soldiers in order to capture Jiashi County, as well intimidating Shiting County and Wuwei Village.

The Zhou clan had this much power and influence truly showing that their status is not small. No wonder in the history books, there is a footnote denoting that the Han Dynasty’s decadence was caused by these nobles are gathering their powers by themselves. If one of them revolted, nobody can hold their tide.

“HUMPH!!! ARE YOU REALLY SATISFIED BY CAPTURING ME?! EVEN IF WANCHENG CITY FEL INTO YOUR HANDs AGAIN, MY ZHOU CLAN HAS NOT YET BEEN EXTINGUISHED! My father has reoccupied Shucheng County and Jiashi County and now is fighting with Lu Bu in Shiting County and Wuwei Village. As long as we can persevere, when General Sun Ce arrives with his 100,000 troops. Your Lu Bu army will perish!!!” Zhou Cheng roared.

“Still fighting?!” Liu Mang shook his head. “That information you have is not up-to-date!!!”

“Let me tell you the most updated information. My Honorable Father-in-law has already destroyed the Zhou clan's army in Wuwei. Shiting County has also returned in our hands. As for Jiashi County, your Zhou clan cannot do anything, because they were decimated by the Liu clan!!!”

Jiashi County. Although the place is very strategic, that place is only a small county. Inside the city, there are two noble clans who had very good relationship with the Liu clan. Liu Kai, in order to build trust with Liu Mang, contacted those nobles to destroy the Zhou clan army and now in Jiashi County, the Zhou clan's city banner was changed into the black banner of Lu Bu’s army

“So, your father should be cornered in Shucheng County now!” Liu Mang sneered toward Zhou Cheng.

“WHAT, THAT IS IMPOSSIBLE!!! IMPOSSIBLE!!!!” Zhou Cheng was denial again. “YOU LIE TO ME, YOU LIE TO ME!!!! MY FATHER'S SCHEME IS PERFECT, HOW CAN HE POSSIBLY BE BESIEGED IN SHUCHENG COUNTY?! YOU DEFINITELY DECEIVE ME!!!”

“Heh, perfect?! Does perfect also means that you are defeated and have turned into a captive in Wancheng city?!”

Thinking about the Zhou clan's scheme, Liu Mang also shivered with fear because if the Liu clan did not help Lu Bu’s army, perhaps Wancheng city, Shucheng County and Jiashi County will lose because of the Zhou clan's assault.

With the Zhou clan deploying troops in Wuwei Village, they needed only to persevere until Sun Ce landed on Wancheng city. With an attack from all sides, Lu Bu’s army will be besieged from all direction and this Lujiang will be the second Xiapi.

Even without Sun Ce’s army besieging them, as long as Wancheng city was overtaken by Zhou clan, Lu Bu’s army will just need to wait until they starved to death, because Lu Bu’s army supply, grain and provisions are stored in Wancheng city.

That hypothetical scenario was now suffered by the Zhou clan. Their plan is crumbling like a house of cards. With their victory, it is impossible for Lu Bu to let the Zhou clan go.

Currently he is looking for every single Zhou clan member cutting them down, one by one. Zhou Yi's grain and provisions were already depleted. With Liu clan allying with Lu Bu’s army, it can be said that Lu Bu’s army got the justification in massacring these nobles.

The Liu clan is Wancheng city's oldest noble. They can be the representative for all the nobles. The Liu clan will just tell the truth behind the massacre. Lu Bu only wanted to kill those nobles who were against him and he definitely did not want to be an enemy for those who stood beside him.

“MY FATHER IS DEFEATED, MY FATHER IS DEFEATED!!!” Zhou Cheng looked bleak. His father was now besieged in Shucheng County. Although Sun Ce’s army has 100,000 troops, currently they had not yet arrived to support Shucheng County and so Zhou Yi right now, was stuck in Shucheng County. Once Shucheng County was broken, their Zhou clan will perish and Zhou Cheng would have fought for a lost cause.

“Please, you cannot do this, you cannot!!!” Zhou Cheng is now panicking and quickly kowtow toward Liu Mang. “Your Highness Prince of Shu, I beg you to spare my father, spare my Zhou clan. I BEG YOU!!!”

“SPARE THEM?!” Liu Mang looked at Zhou Cheng who is kowtowing toward him. This Zhou Cheng is Zhou Yu's cousin. Zhou Yu is basically Sun Ce’s number 2 man. Lu Bu’s army plans to exterminate the Zhou clan in order for Lu Bu and Sun Ce to not fight endlessly. Sparing the Zhou clan, means inviting more disaster in the future.

In addition to the Zhou clan, those who participated in this rebellion all must perish. They made Lujiang fell into chaos. If, he spared the Zhou clan, then what were these soldiers fighting for?!

Wancheng city's gate defenders died in battle, along with more than 1,000 troops. Can Liu Mang spare them while those troops are screaming to avenge their deaths from hell? Those innocent commoners as well.

As always, the commoner’s casualties are very high. Wancheng city fell into flames, weeping and wailing, sounds of begging for mercy are everywhere, because these private soldiers showed not an ounce of mercy. With these sins, how can Liu Mang spare those nobles?

“The Zhou clan must perish!” Liu Mang gave Zhou Cheng a firm reply.

“YOU!!! LIU MANG, CURSE YOU!!! YOU WILL NOT HAVE A GOOD DEATH!!! YOU JUST WAIT FOR THE REPERCUSSION FOR KILLING THE ZHOU CLAN!!! SOONER OR LATER, GENERAL SUN CE WILL TAKE HIS REVENGE FOR US!!!” Zhou Cheng yelled, because his mind is falling to pieces.

“Yes, there will be a day for that and I am looking forward to it. But what a pity, you will not live to see that day!” Liu Mang just shook his head. Zhou Cheng was no longer a noble's son, but a lost cause. He was just screaming endlessly like a child throwing a tantrum

“Hehehe, who said I cannot see that day!!! YOU KILL ME NOW!!! KILL ME!!! I WILL HAVE YOUR FIANCEE, LU BU'S FAMILY AS A COMPANION TO HELL!!!” Zhou Cheng become crazy.

“Hmm...?!” Liu Mang's brow wrinkle. What is the meaning of Zhou Cheng's words?

“Hahahahahaha, I SEE IT NOW, YOU ALSO HAD NOT YET UPDATED YOUR INFORMATION!!! I BELIEVE NOW, IT SHOULD BEGIN!!! LU BU'S ADMINISTRATION OFFICE NOW SHOULD BE BLOODY!!!” Zhou Cheng is showing his last mocking smile.

“HMPH, MEANINGLESS WORDS!!!!” Liu Mang said it coldly. “I already sent out 100 soldiers to protect my Honorable Father-in-law's family as well as my fiancée!!!” Liu Mang had sent out 100 Urban Army soldiers to protect the Administration Office to maintain his Honorable Mother-in-laws' safety. When he finished cleaning up, he will return to Administration Office again.

“ONLY 100 SOLDIERS HUH?!” Zhou Cheng quipped back. “Oh that is good, you will find your fiancé dead body in a few moment!! HAHAHAHAHAHAA!!!!”

Zhou Cheng then confessed the truth, when the Zhou clan was still planning to recapture Wancheng city, Sun Ce had send troops into the Zhou clan's mansion. Zhou Cheng was responsible for recapturing Wancheng city.

If Wancheng city cannot be recaptured, at least Sun Ce will gain something. So Zhou Cheng made a big enough noise for Lu Bu’s army to move. The leader that Sun Ce sent this time, was a person whose strength had reached superclass but still did not have enough experience to become a leader, so that is why he was still low class general.

Sun Ce will not assign noble's soldiers for they are not elite and only rabble soldiers. The leader was sent by Sun Ce personally to kill Lu Bu's family in Wancheng city.

Lu Bu’s army has captured Wancheng city, killed Sun Ce's wife Da Qiao. So Sun Ce wanted blood for blood.

“DAMN, THAT IS A FIRST-CLASS GENERAL!” Liu Mang's complexion changed. A superclass general was sent only to kill Lu Bu's family. A person like can be considered a first-class general and can command tens of thousands troops, just like Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun.

According to Zhou Cheng's words, this general is a low class general. That news is enough to make Liu Mang startled. If his Honorable Mother-in-laws run into these people, there will be at least wounds. If that happens, how can Liu Mang have face to meet Lu Bu again?

“Cheng Yu, you clean up the West Gate. Brother Ziji, you take these Black Flags into prison. Let the cavalry squadron come with me!” Liu Mang has redirected his horse toward the Administration Office.

“HAHAHAHAHA!!!! TOO LATE!!! TOO LATE!!!! THOSE WAITING FOR YOU ARE ONLY CORPSES. YOUR HIGHNESS PRINCE OF SHU LIU MANG. YOUR FIANCEE AND LU BU'S WIVES WILL FOLLOW ME FIRST TO HELL, I WILL BE WAITING FOR YOU AFTER THIS!!!”

Zhou Cheng was spouting threatening words. He knew if he was captured by Liu Mang it would not be a good ending. Maybe, he will also be taken away to threaten his father in Shucheng County for him surrender to Lu Bu’s army.

He suddenly broke away from his binds, shoved aside a soldier who was with him and quickly wanted to take a warhorse. But that warhorse was frightened, so it raised its hind leg to kick Zhou Cheng's chest as hard as it can.

Zhou Cheng falls down to the ground. He held down his chest, blood flows from his mouth.

His ribs were broken and pierced his lungs, he will not survive any longer.

Standing in front of death’s door, Zhou Cheng repeated his last sentence

“Ha-ha-ha-ha, I...will...be...waiting...for...you...down...below!!!!”

With those words, Zhou Cheng died, closing his eye forever, but on his face there was mocking smile toward Liu Mang.