Chapter VII: Renewal

The alliance between Liang Meng and Liu Zhang was cemented. But when Meng returned, he found his son had disobeyed his order to abandoned Chang Sha. "Why did you disobey my order! How dare you!" Liang Xiu did not flinch while his father beat him with a cane. He did not whimper and waited until his father's rage passed. Liang Xiu shifted as he said, "Father, this one day will be mine... I want to make decisions now. I will be the lord of the south one day. And when I am... I want to be someone to make you proud." A tear formed in Liang Meng's eye as he embraced his son, "I'm sorry, I just need loyalty right now."

And loyalty is what Cai Mao didn't have for Sun Ce. Zhao Yun came to him with an offer to join him and immediately took it. He saw first hand the power and passion within Liang Meng's soldiers, especially his son. Soon Cao Xiu was persuaded to join. While the domestic skills of Liang Meng's men were top notch, the military skills of his men were lacking. He knew he needed more commanders and warriors, but they were far and few in between.

Liang Xiu, Zhao Yun, and Cai Mao with Cao Xiu marched out from Chang Sha to attack the city of Chai Sang. The biggest problem they had faced since they took Chang Sha. Soldiers led by Chen Dao and Lei Bo marched out of Wu Ling to take Jiang Ling. The battle for Jiang Ling was intense, and it had Sun Ce's full attention. He wasn't fully aware of the small force from Chang Sha working its way towards Chai Sang.


The battle raged on for Jiang Ling and Liang Meng's troops couldn't get substantial ground until Liu Zhang's troops provided support, breaking up the enemies lines and allowing his troops to land and establish a hold on the ground. While in Chai Sang, Sun Ce's troops marched out to expel the invaders but were quickly stamped out. Sun Ce was so set on taking Wu Ling and Chang Sha that he left little time for the troops to replenish. Liang Xiu's troops ran out of food and retreated.

But the assault on Jiang Ling took a turn for the better. Liang Meng's troops landed and demolished the defenders. While more marched out of the walls, Liang Meng's troops prepared for the siege on the city. It seemed that Jiang Liang would fall to Ling Meng. It seemed there was a renewal in spirit for Liang Meng's troops. They had finally brought blood to Sun Ce's soil, and it unnerved the Little Conqueror, a man who had truly no nobility or any family of note is now rising up and showing up the great Sun family. He didn't enjoy it.  Jiang Ling fell to Liang Meng. But while there was a victory at Jiang Ling, Xiang Yang reinforcements moved south to retake the city. The decisive battle was now. Will Liang Meng be able to keep Jiang Ling? Or will it fall to the onslaught of Sun Ce?