Now, after Sun Ce learned where Zhou Yu had gone, he abandoned the army and headed toward Wuhu County with several dozen guards.
Wuhu in the Eastern Han stood roughly where it did in later generations, but it was not by the river then, instead lying farther inland.
The moment Sun Ce arrived, he saw several dozen vessels of all sizes moored along the riverbank. Among them was the tower ship Zhou Yu had used to help him journey south several years earlier.
This tower ship was also Zhou Yu's favorite. He had always loved drifting along the river aboard it, playing the zither.
At the sight of the ship moored here, Sun Ce's eyes immediately reddened.
He was not grieving over the complete annihilation of the naval forces under his command. He was grieving that his brother Zhou Yu, defeated in battle and reduced to this place with only such a remnant of troops left, must have been suffering beyond measure.
Had Zhou Yu not joined him, with Zhou Yu's abilities, how could he have ended up in such misery?
Thus, the instant he saw the ships, he ordered someone to summon the generals.
Since their defeat that day, Han Dang, Deng Dang, Lu Meng, and the other generals had remained here with Zhou Yu. Hearing that Sun Ce had arrived, they were all greatly startled and hurried out to receive him.
Yet the instant they saw Sun Ce, he strode forward with an anxious expression and asked:
"Generals, where is Gong Jin now?"
Seeing Sun Ce's face, the generals were overcome with shame.
But seeing how deeply he worried for Zhou Yu, Han Dang clasped his hands and said gravely:
"My lord, the Commander is currently resting within the residence!"
"After the defeat that day, the Commander fainted