"With the situation so urgent, please forgive any offense, sir. Take a look at this letter first." After speaking solemnly with cupped fists, Yu Xiu handed over Zhang Cheng's family letter.
Zhang Zhao accepted the letter with some confusion. The instant he unfolded it, it was as though he saw his son Zhang Cheng's face, for he himself had taught that handwriting.
"H-How can this be possible?" Cold sweat drenched Zhang Zhao as he read, and the hand clutching the letter trembled without stop.
Stroking his beard, Hu Ke replied, "Can you understand now, sir? If not for something this grave, this general would never have disturbed the Zhang residence in the dead of night."
Zhang Zhao paced anxiously in place, muttering to himself, "Chaisang has been seized by Gan Ning's heavy forces. How can the grain ships gathered in Jianye get through? Ziheng's stored provisions likely won't last more than a few days..."
Hu Ke remained silent. Then Zhang Zhao suddenly asked in agitation, "Does the King know?"
"Probably not." Hu Ke nodded lightly.
Frowning, Zhang Zhao said, "Chaisang is the lifeline of our Eastern Wu. We can only rely on the Grand Viceroy's naval forces."
Hu Ke gently shook his head. "Zhongsi made it very clear in his letter. Gan Ning's navy numbers tens of thousands, while the Grand Viceroy currently has only a little over twenty thousand men. In the heat of the moment, he may not be able to retake it. If we strip Ruxu of every soldier and send them to Chaisang, this general believes Jiang Ji will not stand idly by."
"Zecheng is right. If we allow Gan Ning to occupy Chaisang, Ziheng will surely be defeated once his supplies run out. Once Lan Tian swallows up Jiangdong's main force, he will sooner or