Chapter VI: The Birth of Liang Xiu

Liang Meng and Ma Liang left Gui Yang to establish good relations with Liu Zhang. Now in charge of everyone, Liang Xiu sat quietly alone on the ledge of his roof. Xing Daorong called out, "Master Xiu? Where are you?" as he walked below him. As soon as Daorong got directly below him Xiu jumped down on top of Daorong, "I'm here. Go fetch Zhao Yun and meet me in the war room immediately." Daorong bowed his head and nodded.

Moments later all three were sitting quietly in the war room. The map of the area showed Sun Ce's forces moving in on Wu Ling. Liang Xiu cracked his knuckles before he continued, "My father has ordered us not to attack Chang Sha and to allow them to attack our defenses. I know this army better than probably anyone, and I tell you both, our defenses can't hold." Zhao Yun wanted to protest, but he knew Liang Xiu was right. "What do you suggest?" Daorong asked.

Liang Xiu smiled deviously, "We attack Chang Sha. All three of us. I've got good intel that Sun Quan, the younger brother of Sun Ce is himself in Chang Sha overseeing it. Let us attack and try to capture him!" Zhao Yun went to protest but Daorong beat him to it, "You would disobeying a direct order! You can't just..." Liang Xiu held up his hand, "I will do what I want. I will attack regardless. My honor says that the abandoning of Chang Sha is bullshit! I will rally my troops and fight. You shall do what you please. I will be ruler one day, you will be serving me. Now I must make the right decision, and that's fighting."

With those words Zhao Yun and Xing Daorong were inspired. Together, they rounded up 22,000 troops to march on Chang Sha. It pained Liang Xiu that he had to disobey his father to get results, but he knew that his father wouldn't be ruler forever, and it was time for him to earn his merit. He was a commander, not just the governor's son. They marched forth, and once again, Sun Ce was surprised. He heard of how the order was given to retreat and defend. Now he heard that the order was given to attack.

The pathetic force that was mustered in the defense of Chang Sha made Liang Xiu laugh. He thought Sun Ce and Zhou Yun would be smarter by now, but they were not. Ling Cao marched out with 2205 horsemen in a pathetic hope to stop Liang Xiu from marching and capturing Chang Sha. They had worked so hard to gain the city back, now they were on the verge of losing it once again. But the damage to the pride and honor of Liang Xiu and Zhao Yun fueled their resolve. Liang Xiu wiped out Ling Cao's pathetic cavalry and they marched forward onto Chang Sha. This time Chang Sha would remain Liang Xiu's, and he wouldn't let his father tell him otherwise.

As they drew closer, Cao Xiu attacked Liang Xiu. He was wiped out and then captured. The attackers from Gui Yang relentlessly attacked the city, surrounding it as well as they could with their some 20,000 soldiers. Chang Sha was theirs. They couldn't lose. They stormed the city, slaughtering all the enemy soldiers that stood in their way. When they arrived, the found only Cai Mao waiting for them. After a brief but intense battle, Liang Xiu imprisoned Cai Mao. Liang Xiu had disobeyed his father, but he had become, in his eyes, a man. Despite being unable to capture Sun Quan, it was a victory nonetheless.