Sun Hao looked toward the army outside the city.
They were gathered in twos and threes, building siege engines at a leisurely pace.
So much time had passed, yet they still had not finished building what little they had.
A deep air of decrepitude pervaded the entire army.
Sun Hao put away his smile. He merely gazed calmly outside the city without speaking.
Guanqiu Jian spoke again. "I hope the Lord of Wu will put the people first. The Wu Kingdom has already fallen. There is no reason to continue fighting and cause needless casualties among the officers and men. Please make haste."
Sun Hao did not open his mouth. He simply stood silently on the city wall.
Guanqiu Jian stepped forward, took Sun Hao's hand, and strode up to the raised platform atop the wall, summoning several delivering orders soldiers.
"The Lord of Wu, Sun Hao, is here! Sun Hao decrees: the rebel Lu Kang has disregarded the safety of his former lord, colleagues, and family within the city, and seeks to murder a worthy man. I hereby order the arrest of the rebel Lu Kang! You are forbidden to follow him in rebellion!"
The delivering orders soldiers shouted the proclamation.
The busy soldiers of the Wu Kingdom raised their heads in bewilderment and looked toward the city.
Several generals' faces were filled with anguish.
Lu Kang emerged from his tent and looked toward the city wall as well.
In just a few short days, Lu Kang had undergone an enormous change. His complexion had darkened, his eyes had lost their luster, and he no longer had the bearing of a famous scholar.
Lu Kang was somewhat dazed.
Just then, a deputy general suddenly drew his sword and said, "I dare not disobey the Son of Heaven's decree."
Lu