Zhang Zhao crossed his arms and pondered Sun Quan's words, finding them quite reasonable.
So, while Sun Ce and his brothers were fighting Lujiang City and Lu Kang, Zhang Zhao was diligently searching for Qiao Jingjing by the water and in the mountains, carrying torches and lanterns.
This time, Zhang Zhao found a piece of silk stained with blood and mud by the river, and the footprints of a wild beast could be vaguely seen by the water.
Zhang Zhao immediately recognized the skirt as the one Da Qiao wore that day, and was overjoyed.
This demoness may have already perished in the jaws of wild beasts.
Very good.
Zhang Zhao took the silk ribbon and returned to the general's tent in Sun's camp, thinking all the way about how to report to Sun Ce and how to provide him with psychological support later.
Sun Ce, as a leader, cannot be confused when it comes to women.
Therefore, it is essential to conduct post-incident education regarding this matter.
Zhang Zhao studied the map in his tent, listening to the latest military intelligence reports coming in from the front.
Everything else is normal, except for one thing that is quite novel: it is said that Qiao Xuan led all the male members of his family to fight alongside Lu Kang against Sun Ce.
Zhang Zhao suddenly recalled that year in the north, when Wang Situ's family held a grand banquet in Luoyang. Qiao Xuan attended the banquet in a long robe, looking dashing and upright, with two adorable little girls beside him.
Qiao Xuan!
Was that woman really Qiao Xuan's daughter?
That seems a little regrettable.
More military intelligence continued to arrive from the front.
Besides the Qiao family, more and more families joined Lu Kang's defense forces, and the entire city put up a tenacious resistance.
Sun Ce's attack was unsuccessful; despite a long and persistent assault, he made no progress.
Zhang Zhao pinched his fingers and rubbed his forehead.
The reason he and Sun Ce decided on this strategy of a direct assault was indeed because it was feasible. Sun Ce had repeatedly infiltrated Lujiang City to investigate and was aware of its fighting capabilities. Zhang Zhao, however, hadn't anticipated that so many people would join the battle and resolutely support Lu Kang.
If the war continues in this stalemate, it will be disadvantageous for Sun Ce.
Lujiang City was not only well-fortified, but also well-stocked with provisions. However, Sun Ce's time was running out. Yuan Shu was suspicious and wary of him, and if he couldn't take it this winter, Yuan Shu's attitude would change faster than the weather.
Zhang Zhao was anxious, so he left the military tent and looked around.
As soon as I walked to the tent of the cooks, I saw the cooks gathered in a circle, listening intently and admiringly to what the person in the middle was saying.
Upon closer listening, Zhang Zhao realized that the person in the middle was none other than that person!
"Brothers, this is how you deal with the pig."
Zhang Zhao's heart pounded.
He seemed very excited because the woman was still alive.
"Bone soup, hind leg meat boiled in water, pig's head salted, pig offal stir-fried—different parts, different cooking methods, understand? Just one thing, please be gentle with these piglets, don't hurt them."
Qiao Jingjing's eyes were full of light as she looked lovingly at the group of adorable little ones in the cage.
Zhang Zhao was excited for a second, but then felt extremely indignant.
This woman is making a fool of him, and he's getting excited? What a load of rubbish!
“Vegetable scraps and swill are enough for one meal, and leftover cornbread and rice porridge can feed another. The food for the thousands of people in our camp can easily feed ten or so piglets. In three to five months, they will be big pigs, and big pigs can have piglets. Fighting is fighting, but we also need to keep up with logistics. Don’t expect to rob from everywhere. What you rob can’t compare to what you raise yourself.”
Qiao Jingjing finished speaking with a smile, then looked at Zhang Zhao with a smile as well.
Zhang Zhao had a dark expression throughout.
Hey. You damn woman, are you mocking him and Sun Ce?
Sun Ce attacked Lujiang simply to seize territory, so what!
The cooks dispersed and began to prepare the fat pigs according to Qiao Jingjing's method.
Taking advantage of the situation, Zhang Zhao grabbed Qiao Jingjing and tied her up without any pity, then threw her at the tent entrance and interrogated her.
"You cunning woman! We couldn't find you anywhere in the camp, neither alive nor dead, and now you've reappeared! What evil intentions are you hiding? Confess from the beginning, or don't blame me for using torture."
In front of the general's tent of the Sun-character battalion.
The soldiers held up bright torches, and Zhang Zhao, his face dark with anger, pressed him for answers.
Qiao Jingjing was tied up like a pitiful dumpling and thrown on the ground, unable to even get up.
"Hmph! You woman, you're young but have a bewitching beauty. What you said to the cooks was probably just another trick to seduce them. Bo Fu is young and inexperienced, and those cooks are even more naive. You can fool them, but you can't fool me. Tell me, who sent you here, and what is your purpose?"
Qiao Jingjing finally managed to stagger to her feet, but the man called Zhang Changshi was shoved hard by the soldiers.
She rolled onto the ground again.
He rolled around and his face was covered in mud.
"Quick, speak!"
Qiao Jingjing rolled around a few times, but couldn't get up.
She simply stopped moving and lay face down on the ground.
They were in a very sorry state.
Zhang Changshi, Zhang Zhao, right? He was known for his bad temper and dared to confront Sun Quan, who later became a powerful and ruthless ruler.
Legend has it that Zhang Zhao argued with Sun Quan, who later became the Great Emperor of Eastern Wu. Unable to win the argument, Zhang Zhao went home and pretended to be ill. Enraged, Sun Quan sealed the gate of Zhang Zhao's mansion with earth. Zhang Zhao went even further, sealing the gate again from the inside. The two men, ruler and minister, were locked in a battle of wills to see who had the bigger temper.
Qiao Jingjing also happened to run into this madman here.
After several attempts to quell the rage within her, Qiao Jingjing, under Zhang Zhao's persistent questioning, began to recount her life story.
"My Lord Chief Secretary!"
In fact, he was Sun Ce's chief secretary and number one advisor.
"My family lives in Peach Blossom Lane in the south of Lujiang City. Since Dong Zhuo's rebellion in the capital seven or eight years ago, my family has fled here and now runs a mulberry orchard and three fish ponds... Lord Chief Secretary, please understand! To be honest, I don't really understand why I came here! But I do understand one thing very well: I want to survive, so I will never act recklessly on your territory or do anything detrimental to you. Also, I am not a spy sent by Lu Kang!"
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