Winter, 208 A.D.
[...]Jiang Gan had been tricked once by Zhou Yu, and that had ended in the death of his Master's top two naval commanders, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. Upon returning for a second time, he had been sent to the wilderness until the remainder of the battle. But lo! His luck changed as he found none other than the famed Young Phoenix himself, studying near the hut to which he had been sent to by Zhou Yu! The conversation between both was as described:
Jiang Gan said, "How often have I heard you talked about! You are famous. But why are you hidden away in this spot?"
Pang Tong replied, "That fellow Zhou Yu is too conceited to allow that anyone else has any talent, and so I live here quietly. Were I to find a fitting Lord to serve, I would do my utmost to aid his cause."
Jiang Gan quickly interposed, "With your gifts, you would succeed anywhere! If you would enter Cao Cao's service, I would recommend you to him."
"I have long desired to get away from here." Young Phoenix responded "And if you, Sir, will present me, there is no time like the present. If Zhou Yu heard of my wish, he would kill me, I am sure."
Thus Jiang Gan fell for the trap and soon enough he had brought Pang Tong right to the middle of Cao Cao's gigantic camp. Originally, the plan devised by Zhou Yu consisted on advising Cao Cao to chain his navy together, so his army from the north of the Middle Kingdom would suffer less from navy related illnesses. Afterwards it would be a question of waiting for the wind to change and attack Cao Cao's navy with fire.
However, Pang Tong thought it was ridiculous and highly dangerous to commit the strategy of an entire kingdom on a leap of faith towards a manifestation of Heaven. Also there was a high probability that Cao Cao would survive such an attack and manage to retreat back to Xu Chang, remaining as the most powerful Chinese Warlord. As such, Young Phoenix thought it much wiser to infiltrate as Cao Cao's advisor and assassinate him during the night. Thus the morale of his armies would collapse at the news of his death and an immediate attack would follow in a great victory. Without Cao Cao's leadership, his domains would break apart, allowing for the establishment of Sun Quan and Liu Bei in Cao Cao's former lands.
When Cao Cao heard that the newcomer was Master Young Phoenix, Cao Cao went to meet him personally, made him very welcome, and soon they sat down to talk on friendly terms.
Cao Cao said, "And so Zhou Yu in his youth is conceited and annoys his officers and rejects all their advice: I know that. But your fame has been long known to me, and now that you have been gracious enough to turn my way, I pray you not to be thrifty of your advice."
Thus Cao Cao and Pang Tong went 'round the camp, and Young Phoenix praised him so greatly as they spoke of military matters that Cao Cao was content with his new adherent and his abilities and treated him with great honor.
Thus Cao Cao brought Pang Tong into his inner trusting staff, and was given lodging in the camp. Pang Tong went to his tent for the night quite satisfied with his plans being carried out accordingly. Over the next week, several written admoestrations and protests flew across Cao Cao's camp, all for the soldiers to read. They protested against Pang Tong, using claims of inaptitude, inexperience, lack of knowledge of the army's situation, and that the Prime Minister was losing confidence in his own staff.
The memos were written with very aggressive, borderline mutinous, and erudite language, which made it seem like it was written by one of the more intelligent men. This gave way to rumors as to who was writing the circulating papers. Of course, the soldierly, began pointing fingers at the original staff, that they were dissatisfied with the importance that the Prime-Minister was giving a newcomer, and that they were becoming mutinous.
Pang Tong and Cao Cao himself said to his staff that this was probably some kind of plot by Zhou Yu to sow dissention among Cao Cao's high ranks. As such, nothing was done against the advisors in the camp. The advisors themselves began to suspect of one another, lest they wished to overthrow Cao Cao and become the leaders themselves.
At dusk, during one of days where the rumors were at the peak, Young Phoenix was returning once again back to his tent after checking naval preparations for a sortee when he was intercepted by a man.
The man said, "You are very bold. Using a ruse by Zhou Yu to gain access and the trust of Cao Cao. And forging papers to cast doubts among Cao Cao and his staff of each other's intentions. You certainly intend to kill the Prime Minister. This sort of mischievous work may have been enough to deceive Cao Cao and the others, but I saw it all."
Pang Tong become helpless with fear---his viscera flown away, his spirit scattered.
Upon turning to look at the man, Pang Tong saw it was Xu Shu, an old friend, and his heart revived.
Looking around and seeing no one near, Pang Tong said, "It would be a pity if you upset my plan. The fate of the people of all the eighty-one southern counties is in your hands."
Xu Shu smiled, saying, "And what of the fate of these eight hundred thirty thousand soldiers and horse of the north?"
"Do you intend to wreck my scheme, Xu Shu?"
"I have never forgotten the kindness of Uncle Liu Bei, nor my oath to avenge the death of my mother at Cao Cao's hands. I have said I would never think out a plan for him. So am I likely to wreck yours now, brother? I have been wanting to kill the tyrant ever since I left Lord Liu, but so far I had not had the chance to do it. Now the situation that you have created is most propituous, and together we can easily dispose of his close staff and murder him."
Pang Tong nodded, saying "It is necessary that we kill his entire close staff since otherwise if Cao Cao dies, they will be able to organize a careful and methodical retreat to attack at a later time, and one of them will take Cao Cao's place. Thus this opportunity will be forever lost. Otherwise, if there are only brute headed generals left, with little grasp of the Art of War, simple plots will break up their demoralized army and their fate will be sealed here in the South."
Xu Shu nodded. "Very well. Let's start tonight."
Pang Tong gave a nod as a sign of agreement and both went back to their tents until night arrived.
The Red Phoenix [Concluded]
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