Chapter 645

Chapter 645

Zhou Yu furrowed his brows the more he thought about money. The government only had about twenty thousand gold left. It was barely enough money to do anything. He could not even pay pension to the families of the casualties at the Yangtze River. On top of that, he would still need leave enough money to form a new army.

“Master Zhang Zhao. What do you think about giving each soldier a hundred coins?” Zhou Yu asked. Zhang Zhao was one supposed to do the accounting. Zhou Yu had to help out because the accounts were in such a rotten state that Zhang Zhao alone would not be enough.

“Grand Governor. Isn’t that too little?” Zhang Zhao found himself in a difficult position. These were human lives. The soldiers died for your cause and you only give them a hundred coins? On top of that, with the trade route to Jingzhou cut off, the prices of food had increased. A hundred coins was only worth a little amount of grain.

“I know but...! Sigh!” Zhou Yu sighed as he suddenly put down the scroll in his hand. It was hopeless without resources. In the past, they had never lost so badly in the war against Jingzhou. There were spoils every time and even when they lose, it was not too bad a loss. But now they have experienced consecutive heavy losses. Jiangdong’s weakness is immediately laid bare. They were weak internally. This is unlike Liu Biao who could afford to lose more than half of his territory and still make a comeback because he was rich.

On the other hand, the whole of Jiangdong would become crippled if they lose in a war.

“Master Zhang Zhao. Is it possible for us to borrow money from you? Don’t worry, Jiangdong will repay you next year.” Zhou Yu asked. Zhou Yu wanting to borrow money from Zhang Zhao is equivalent to Jiangdong borrowing money from the nobles. This is because Zhang Zhao was also a noble.

How could Zhang Zhao not feel worried? It was still more than half a year before they get tax money again. On top of that, who would pay him back if Jiangdong gets wiped out before they could? Even if Jiangdong manages to collect tax, it would only be enough to support their own army. How could they pay him back?

As a result, Zhang Zhao immediately showed a mournful expression. “Grand Governor. It is not that I don’t want to lend you money. It is just that we too do not have much provisions left. We nobles of Jiangdong had accompanied the Lord for the battle at Wancheng. We sent hundreds and thousands of men but in the end only a few managed to return. These were all personal troops so we had to compensate their families as well.

Zhou Yu’s face turned cold when he hear Zhang Zhao talk about his own poverty. Saying that the nobles help Jiangdong fight at Wancheng was just the nice way of saying it. In actual fact, the local tyrants were wiped out by Liu Mang, creating a power vacuum. These nobles just wanted a piece of it so they all sent troops.

However, Zhou Yu did not say anything because in the end, it was still true that the nobles had suffered losses there. They also needed to spend money to redeem their children.

“Grand Governor. This aside, have you forgotten that we also help fund the Second Lord’s expedition? After these two events, we would not have enough money left.” Zhang Zhao grumbled.

At that time, Sun Ce ripped off the nobles but Sun Quan had still lost.

“Sigh. The Second Lord...” Zhou Yu stamped his feet. He had told Sun Ce before that Sun Quan’s existence was at best, like trying to tame a wild animal in a cage. It was better to just cage him or send him away as a hostage. This is because Zhou Yu could not help but feel worried especially since Sun Quan was capable.

“We really cannot help the Lord at all? Now is an extremely important moment for Jiangdong. All of us are together with Jiangdong and the Lord.” Zhou Yu persuaded patiently.

“In that case, my Zhang Family can take out five hundred gold.” Zhang Zhao said to Zhou Yu.

“Haha.” Zhou Yu became angry instead of happy. “Master Zhang Zhao. Do you think Jiangdong are beggers?” Five hundred gold was a lot to but to the influential noble families of Jiangdong, it was only a small amount.

“Since Master Zhang Zhao says this, then I will speak plainly. The Zhang Family, the Wu Family and even my Zhou Family, must each take out two thousand gold! The Zheng Family, the Hao Family and the Cheng Family must each take out one thousand five hundred gold. The other small noble families must each take out eight hundred gold!”

“Grand Governor. How are we going to get the money!” Zhang Zhao replied bitterly. That year’s income did not even add up to two thousand gold.

“I don’t care how you get the money! However, if you don’t take it out, I will personally send people to collect it!” Zhou Yu said ruthlessly. Before this, he was afraid of offending the nobles but now, Jiangdong would be finished if he could not get the money.

“This servant is just saying...” Zhang Zhao sighed. He too knows that Zhou Yu was left without any option.

“In that case, Master Zhang Zhao. Please hurry.” Zhou Yu said as he gestured.

***

Zhang Zhao was the noble’s representative just like the Kuai Family from Jingzhou. So naturally he would discuss with the others about Zhou Yu’s words.

The moment he relayed Zhou Yu’s message, the other nobles immediately objected.

“Hm?” Zhou Yu looked at them and furrowed his brows. These men were his subordinates that gathered intelligence. If they appeared personally, it meant that something urgent has happened.

“Report. Information from the bird.”

“Bring it here.” Zhou Yu said after leading the men into a secret room. After reading the letter, he realized that something big had really happened.

“Xu Gong? Wasn’t he dead?” Zhou Yu thought to himself.

Many people in Jiangdong knew the name Xu Gong. This is because Xu Gong was the governor of the Wu County. When Sun Ce arrived, everyone surrendered except for Xu Gong. He was rebellious and sent a letter to Cao Cao in hopes that Cao Cao would do something about Sun Ce. In the end, Sun Ce ruthlessly wiped out the Xu Family.

Zhou Yu was there the day Xu Gong’s entire family was executed.

“It is not a mistake. The bird says that they weren’t mistaken. It is really Xu Gong!” The soldier said to Zhou Yu.

Xu Gong was not dead? What kind of joke was this? It does not matter what the initial reason was. It remains a fact that Xu Gong’s hatred for Sun Ce was something that cannot change.

“Where did this person go?” If Xu Gong was not yet dead, then he needed to die.

“Xu Gong took a squad of soldiers with him out of the city.”

“Out of the city? Which direction?”

“They headed West.”

“West?” Zhou Yu’s eyes grew wide. He then sat back down. “Go and find out where the Second Lord has gone to. Then bring him to me.”

The soldiers did not know why Zhou Yu wanted Sun Quan investigated but they followed their orders anyway.

“Xu Gong is not dead? Did the Second Lord neglect his duty or did Xu Gong escape?” Zhou Yu thought to himself. He wanted to ask if Xu Gong was really dead as Sun Quan was the one in charge of the execution.

Soon, the soldiers returned.

“Where is the Second Lord?”

“Report. The Second Lord was not at home!”

“What? Did you ask the housekeeper where Sun Quan had gone?”

“Apparently, the Second Lord had left the city!”

Zhou Yu suddenly stood up. Sun Ce and Xu Gong had left through the West gate. The one involved in Xu Gong’s execution also left the city.

“Not good!” Zhou Yu was intelligent so he could tell that something was very wrong. Xu Gong being alive was Sun Quan’s responsibility. If Xu Gong had escaped before, then he shouldn’t be at Jiangdong now. Yet, Xu Gong was around and had just left the city. Sun Ce and Sun Quan had also left the city. Zhou Yu could clearly tell that there was a connection.

“Quick! Get the troops to follow me!” Zhou Yu stood up. He wanted to wear his armor but it was too troublesome to wear. So he simply grabbed his sword. “Prepare the horse and move out!”

“Grand Governor. What’s wrong?”

“The Lord is in danger!” Zhou Yu immediately kicked his horse and rode off. He was followed by his soldiers.