Chapter 26: A Hundred Men Are All I Need

In the side hall of the Shi family estate, Zhao Shaojie was summoned. Upon arrival, he was struck by the sight of Shi Xie, whose face was etched with profound grief. Filled with suspicion, Zhao asked in a low voice, "Lord Shi, has some great misfortune occurred?"

Shi Xie gazed deeply at Zhao Shaojie. The youth had arrived at a truly timely moment, coinciding exactly with the sudden passing of Shi Wu, making it feel as though fate had intervened.

"Shi Wu, the Administrator of Nanhai, has passed away," Shi Xie said, his piercing gaze fixed on Zhao. Shi Wu had been so young that Shi Xie even suspected he might have been secretly harmed by Liu Bei’s men.

Zhao Shaojie, unaware of the history of the Nanhai administrators and knowing only that Bu Zhi would later develop Panyu City, was genuinely astonished by the news. "That is impossible! How could such a thing happen so coincidentally?"

Shi Xie nodded inwardly, concluding that the man truly knew nothing of Shi Wu’s death. Composing himself, he said sternly, "With Shi Wu gone, the Nanhai commandery has already nominated their local official, Er Xiaode, for the position of Administrator, and I have decided to approve it. If you have other designs, you are free to pursue them yourselves."

Zhao Shaojie felt a surge of joy. The Panyu City he had been longing for was finally within reach! Better yet, he would not need to come into conflict with the Shi family, the most powerful force in Jiaozhou.

"May I ask, Lord Shi, who is this Er Xiaode? Is he loyal to the Han court, or does he lean toward Cao Cao?" Zhao could not help but ask, knowing that as the local hegemon, Shi Xie was well-acquainted with all the prominent figures in Jiaozhou.

Shi Xie, however, had no heart to strategize for Zhao and replied coldly, "Once you arrive, you need only inquire to find out. Now, my family must hold the funeral."

Zhao, understanding the weight of losing both a brother and a territory, did not take offense and said solemnly, "Lord Shi, please accept my condolences."

***

"What? Such a stroke of good fortune?" Wei Yan burst into a loud laugh.

"Keep your voice down! We are in the house of the Shi family. If you laugh like that, be careful you don't leave Jiaozhi alive!" After returning, Zhao Shaojie relayed the news of Shi Wu’s death and Shi Xie’s non-interference regarding their entry into Nanhai.

Wei Yan immediately straightened his face, stopped laughing, and whispered, "Then what are we waiting for? Let us attack Nanhai at once! A newly appointed administrator will surely lack prestige. Once our army arrives, we can replicate our success in Yulin and win without a fight!"

Zhao Shaojie nodded. "That makes sense. However, we must not appear too heartless. Send word to Mi Fang and Xu Shu immediately, and have them move our forces into Nanhai as quickly as possible."

Wei Yan agreed and immediately went to dispatch a messenger.

***

After several days of waiting, Shi Wu’s coffin was transported from Nanhai back to Jiaozhi. Zhao Shaojie witnessed a spectacle of unprecedented scale.

From the moment the coffin reached the wharf, every barbarian along the way was forced to kneel in homage. A thousand mourners played funeral music, and countless spirit coins were scattered along the path. The grandeur was unlike anything Zhao had ever seen in his life. He was even surprised to find that spirit coins existed in the ancient era—they had them even during the Three Kingdoms period!

When the coffin entered Longbian, the entire city of barbarians knelt and wailed, the resonance of their cries so intense it felt as if the city walls might collapse. Every aspect of the display left Zhao speechless.

Once inside the Shi estate, Zhao Shaojie followed the other guests in paying his respects. Though he had never met the man, he wore an expression of deep sorrow. This sincerity made a favorable impression on Shi Xie, who thought to himself that this was a decent and loyal man, not one who would rush to seize territory the moment his brother died.

The day after the funeral, Zhao Shaojie went to bid Shi Xie farewell. While waiting for an audience, a young man wearing mourning clothes approached him and hissed, "Liu Bei shall never establish a foothold in Jiaozhou! You would do well to leave at once!"

Zhao recognized him immediately as Shi Hui, the man who would eventually bring about the total destruction of the Shi family. Furrowing his brows, Zhao replied, "Master Shi, hear me: I know you are ambitious, but Jiaozhou is, and will always be, territory of the Han. No matter which northern warlord unifies the world, they will never allow the Shi family to dominate this region. Even if it is not Lord Xuande, Cao Cao or Sun Quan will occupy this place. Do you truly believe Jiaozhou can defeat them?"

Shi Hui paused, then retorted defiantly, "My family’s foundations are deep. The hearts of the people and the terrain are in my hands. With the chaos in the north, the timing is on my side as well. We may well be able to defeat them!"

Seeing that Shi Hui was stubborn and foolish, Zhao Shaojie shook his head, unwilling to engage further. Shi Hui sneered, his gaze as venomous as a serpent’s as he stared at Zhao.

At that moment, word came that Zhao could enter. Upon seeing Shi Xie again, Zhao noted that the man had grown thin and weary, losing the refined air of a celebrated scholar he had once possessed.

"Lord Shi, do not grieve too deeply. Life and death are the laws of nature; they cannot be changed by human effort," Zhao consoled him.

Shi Xie nodded and sighed. "I know this, but how can one think according to reason when the heart is overwhelmed?" He then focused his gaze. "What did Shi Hui say to you just now?"

Zhao hesitated, then spoke plainly: "He threatened me to leave Jiaozhou."

Shi Xie let out a long sigh, his face showing his inner turmoil. Shi Hui was his son, after all, and it was difficult to take action against him.

Zhao thought for a moment and whispered, "Since Shi Hui is so ambitious, why does Lord Shi not do as I suggested earlier? Send him to the barbarian lands to expand the territory, and let him rule over them as a civilizing force."

This time, Shi Xie did not refuse, though he said with a complex expression, "He may not be willing."

Indeed, who would willingly go to the wild lands of the barbarians? Even as a king, it would not compare to the comforts of living in the Han heartland. Zhao Shaojie had no further solutions and could only remain silent.

"Enough, let us speak no more of this. You are leaving to serve a great cause for Lord Xuande; I wish you success and a smooth career!" Shi Xie said with a smile.

***

"What? These are all for me?" Zhao Shaojie was stunned. Three entire carts of gifts were loaded onto his ship, occupying the vessel entirely.

"Please convey my thanks to Lord Shi. When I have time in the future, I shall certainly visit again!" Zhao bowed toward the city of Longbian.

***

In Yulin Commandery, after days of drilling, the troops were finally beginning to look like a proper army. Shi Ren had intended to continue the training, but Ma Su could no longer endure the wait. He was desperate to prove that he was not merely a man who could only talk on paper—that he could fight, was capable of war, and could win victories!

"You say this group of rebels is the largest?" Ma Su asked.

A local official replied, "Yes. These bandits are fierce and well-organized. The county troops have attempted to suppress them several times but suffered heavy losses. They are estimated to be three or four hundred strong."

Ma Su laughed heartily upon hearing this. "They are but mere petty thieves! Watch as I crush them!"

Shi Ren asked, "Young Chang, how many men will you take?"

Ma Su answered nonchalantly, "With three or four hundred bandits, one hundred men of mine will be more than enough!"