At that time, Sun Ce discovered that Huang Zu had fled alone.
He immediately reorganized most of his troops and ordered Xu Kun, Zhou Yu, and other naval forces to pursue Huang Zu and avenge his father.
News came from over there that Qiao Jingjing had fallen into the water.
He had no choice but to rush back.
When he arrived, Qiao Jingjing was standing on the deck unharmed, wrapped in a cloak.
Sun Ce's heart was pounding like it was on a rollercoaster.
Huang Zu's wives, concubines, and children have been captured by Sun Yi and his men.
Liu Biao's nephew Liu Hu and Han Xi from Nanyang, along with Huang Zu's 20,000 troops, had already either killed or fled. Many people jumped into the water to escape, and in the ensuing chaos, many drowned.
Settle the spoils of war.
Sun Ce won a great victory, capturing all of Huang Zu's ships and seizing all of Huang Zu's property in Shaxian.
Piled up like mountains.
However, Sun Ce's favorite general, Ling Cao, led the vanguard and, together with Xu Kun, launched a surprise attack on Huang Zu's ships. He advanced lightly but was already shot and killed.
His son, Ling Tong, had just recovered his body and was vowing to avenge his father.
Upon hearing this, the Jingzhou soldier kneeling on the deck looked up and burst into laughter.
"It was your grandfather Gan Xingba who killed your father! Come on, kill me now and avenge your father."
"Ah—it's you!"
Ling Tong put down his father's body and rushed over.
Ling Tong's eyes were bloodshot, and he gripped a bloodthirsty weapon in his hand.
"Come! Prepare to die!"
"etc."
Sun Quan has just returned.
On the way, he heard that his sister-in-law had been tricked into the water by a soldier from Jingzhou. Then the soldier from Jingzhou was unlucky; his sister-in-law entangled his feet and captured him, putting him on the deck.
Sun Quan wanted to see what kind of Jingzhou soldier he was, that he could still find a way to capture the queen first when Huang Zu's empire was about to collapse, all by his own fighting spirit.
This dispute attracted both Sun Ce and Qiao Jingjing.
Upon seeing Sun Ce, Ling Tong immediately knelt down.
"I implore Lord Wu to allow me to personally avenge my enemy!"
Qiao Jingjing looked at the kneeling Jingzhou soldier who claimed to be Gan Xingba.
Isn't that Gan Ning, one of the Twelve Tigers of Eastern Wu?
Xiao Luobing brought Qiao Jingjing some charcoal, and she warmed her hands over the fire.
As a result, Gan Ning became arrogant.
"Why ask so many questions? I shot and killed Ling Cao, and I also dragged this woman into the water. I originally wanted to take her hostage to force Sun Ce to surrender, but she outsmarted me instead."
Speaking of being schemed against by a woman.
Gan Ning found it hilarious.
He laughed heartily, looking up at the sky.
"When I was young, I, Gan Ning, was a reckless and unruly man, harassing respectable women and earning the nickname 'Jin Fan Thief.' At the age of twenty, I suddenly reformed and decided to join the army to serve my country. But I never imagined that I would be ruined by a woman. It's fate, it's fate! Come on, kill me! Kill me!"
Qiao Jingjing looked at Sun Ce.
Sun Ce looked at Gan Ning, and Sun Quan also looked at Gan Ning.
No one spoke for a moment.
Only Ling Tong was furious. He pleaded again, "Lord Wu, General, please allow Ling Tong to personally kill his father's killer!"
Qiao Jingjing then spoke.
"There's something I don't understand! Since you've already reformed and severed ties with the Jin Fan bandits, why were there still people in Lujiang City using your name to do bad things half a year ago?"
Gan Ning found this strange.
Then he laughed heartily:
"Although I, Gan Ning, have reformed, my gang of cronies from my youth still committed many evils! Enough, enough, madam, since I have fallen into your hands, I have no choice but to accept it, I am completely convinced."
Madam reminded me, and I understand what she meant. She was referring to the bad things I did when I was young, which I have not stopped doing!
Very well! I humbly request Lord Wu to temporarily record Gan Ning's head, a symbol of his ambition. While I…”
Sun Quan had already reached out to stop Gan Ning from saying anything more.
"If you want to take responsibility for the mistakes you made in the past, it's easy for you to go back to the Sichuan-Chongqing region alone and wipe out all your cronies!"
But the mistake you made today is not something you can simply accept and forgive! You dragged my sister-in-law into the water, and if she hadn't been a good swimmer, she would have been killed by you.
You even killed my elder brother's beloved general!
"How can your death resolve this?"
Gan Ning was so pressured by Sun Quan that he didn't know what to do.
Do they want him dead, or do they want to keep him alive even after he's dead?
Sun Ce said, "From now on, you should wholeheartedly serve me, work under my command, and work with the generals around me to restore the Han Dynasty and bring peace to the world."
“This is the kind of magnanimity and behavior a true man should have to atone for his sins,” Sun Yi added as he came over.
Gan Ning suddenly understood.
He kowtowed to Sun Ce:
"I am deeply grateful to Lord Wu for sparing my life and for his sincere treatment of me. I will repay Lord Wu and his wife, as well as all the generals, for their kindness and favor."
Sun Ce personally went over and untied Gan Ning.
"We all knew that we were each serving our own masters before, and that it was something we had no choice but to do."
Sun Ce then summoned Ling Tong.
“Your father sacrificed his life heroically, and I hereby order him to be given a grand burial. Gan Ning is a rare and outstanding general, and you are young and ambitious, having followed my army since childhood. Both of you are indispensable talents by my side. The two of you shall now reconcile.”
Ling Tong was furious, but dared not retaliate out of respect for Sun Ce.
But if he looked at Gan Ning even once more, the hatred for his father's murder would choke him like a lump in his throat.
Qiao Jingjing had already gone back to her cabin to change her clothes.
She had just fallen into the water and was only now feeling the cold all over her body.
Ling Tong and Gan Ning were at odds for a long time afterward, as Qiao Jingjing had read in historical records.
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