Chapter 33: Bowin, I Have Captured Yu Jin Alive; Where Is the Surprise?

The welcome banquet at the provincial government office in Xiangyang City was still underway.

Lu Su sat with his mind elsewhere, absentmindedly turning a wine cup in his hands, his eyes heavy with hidden concerns. Guan Yinping’s bright eyes darted toward the entrance from time to time, her worry clearly etched upon her face. Even Zhao Yun, usually the most composed and unruffled among them, was beginning to lose his patience. With no news yet on the outcome of the naval battle, they found it impossible to enjoy the food and drink.

"Hmm, this braised lamb is truly tender today. Excellent, simply excellent..."

Only Xiao He was focused entirely on the delicacies before him, eating with great relish and offering frequent praise. It was as if the world outside could collapse, and it would not affect his appetite in the slightest. It couldn't be helped; the psychological trauma of starving when he first arrived in this world had left its mark. Regardless of the chaos outside, he had to fill his stomach first.

*The battle on the Han River is a matter of life and death, yet this Xiao Bowen can still maintain such an appetite and remain calm in the face of danger. His composure is truly admirable,* Lu Su thought, observing Xiao He with secret wonder.

After a hearty meal, Xiao He let out a satisfied belch and gently patted his stomach.

"You certainly have a good appetite. Are you not even slightly concerned about the battle outside?" Seeing his "heartless" demeanor, Guan Yinping could not help but mutter under her breath.

"Why, are you afraid your father cannot defeat Yu Jin?" Xiao He countered with a smile, rinsing his mouth with a cup of wine.

"Of course not! I just... I just..." Guan Yinping denied it immediately, though her stammering betrayed her insecurity. It was, after all, their first naval engagement, and apart from Xiao He, no one dared to make a definitive judgment on Guan Yu’s naval prowess. As a daughter, no matter how much she admired her father, how could she be without worry? But for the sake of appearances, she could not admit it in front of Lu Su.

"Brother Zijing must be concerned about this battle as well. I recall there is a tower in the residence that should overlook the Han River. Shall we go up and observe?" Xiao He, having seen through their hearts, rose with a smile.

Guan Yinping’s eyes lit up, and she leapt to her feet.

Lu Su, however, was stunned. They were deep within Xiangyang City, a considerable distance from the Han River. Even with a high vantage point, how could one possibly see the progress of the battle on the river? Confused and skeptical, he had no choice but to follow.

A short while later, the group reached the high pavilion. Looking out over the city walls, they could indeed see the Han River. Lu Su squinted, but he could only barely discern the silhouettes of ships clashing; he could not even make out the banners, let alone the progress of the battle.

"Assistant Xiao, this place is too far from the Han River to see—"

Before he could finish, Xiao He pulled a strange object from his robes as if performing a magic trick. No sooner had it appeared than Guan Yinping snatched it and eagerly pressed it to her eyes to scan the river. Lu Su’s eyes widened, staring fixedly at the telescope in her hands, his expression one of confusion and astonishment.

The sun was setting, and the battle on the river had already concluded. Through the telescope, Guan Yinping clearly saw that Guan Yu had won a great victory, with the Cao army’s fleet in total retreat.

"Bowen, Father has won! Father has won! Come look!" Guan Yinping was ecstatic, a radiant smile blooming on her face. In her excitement, she reached out and pulled Xiao He toward her without thinking. As she went to hand him the telescope, she suddenly realized that in her haste, she had grabbed his hand. A faint blush crept across her cheeks, and a flicker of embarrassment flashed in her eyes as she quickly let go.

"The outcome so soon? Faster than I anticipated," Xiao He remarked, not noticing the change in her expression as he took the telescope to look toward the Han River.

Indeed, the river was littered with captured Cao vessels—by a rough estimate, at least thirty or forty of them.

"The Cao army has been effectively wiped out. General Guan fought a magnificent battle," Xiao He said, nodding in approval.

Guan Yinping, her blush fading, looked at him with an expression bordering on reverence. "To be honest, I never expected Father’s naval prowess to be so formidable. Xiao Bowen, how were you so certain that he would win?"

Xiao He merely smiled. How could he explain? He couldn't tell her that her father possessed a "hidden skill" in naval warfare that only activated after following Liu Bei to Jingzhou.

"The Lord should be returning soon. Come, let us go back to welcome him," Xiao He said, using the excuse to deflect the question. He turned to Lu Su with a smile, "Brother Zijing, General Guan has won the naval battle; you can rest easy now. Let’s head back and wait for the Lord to return with the news of victory."

With that, Xiao He packed away the telescope and descended the tower.

"And he says he isn't a disciple of an immortal? Says he can't predict the future? One day I will get to the bottom of this..." Guan Yinping muttered to herself, her nose slightly tilted as she followed.

Lu Su was left behind, his face a mask of utter astonishment. *What was that strange object Xiao Bowen took out? How could one see the battle on the Han River through it? Could I have underestimated Guan Yunchang? A man of the North, yet proficient in naval warfare? And what did the young lady of the Guan family mean by saying Xiao Bowen is a disciple of an immortal who can predict the future?*

His head was spinning with countless questions. Only when his attendant reminded him did Lu Su snap out of his daze, suppressing his shock as he hurried down the stairs.

Still filled with suspicion, they returned to the hall. Before long, Liu Bei and Guan Yu entered, chatting and laughing.

"Congratulations to General Guan on his first naval victory, and congratulations to you, my Lord, for blunting the Cao army’s edge and raising the morale of our forces," Xiao He said with a smile, rising to offer his congratulations.

Guan Yu stroked his long beard, smiling faintly without a word. Liu Bei quickly helped Xiao He up, sighing, "Bowen, if you hadn't insisted that Yunchang lead the naval forces, while we might have held Fancheng, the outcome of today’s battle would have been uncertain. The credit for this victory belongs equally to you and Yunchang."

Xiao He, naturally, could not claim the credit and humbly declined as usual. He then glanced at Lu Su.

"This battle was of great importance. I was watching from the city walls, so please forgive the delay in receiving you, Zijing," Liu Bei said apologetically, then added with a smile, "Fortunately, Yunchang won the fight. The Cao army's fleet has been destroyed, and Yunchang even captured Yu Jin alive. After this, Cao Cao will have no power to threaten the Han River. Zijing, you can surely rest easy now."

The last shred of doubt in Lu Su’s mind vanished at Liu Bei’s words. Not only had Guan Yu won the battle, but he had also captured Yu Jin, one of Cao Cao’s most prominent generals. Liu Bei had proven with hard facts that he had the capability to defend the Han River. With that, what reason did Jiangdong have left to suggest sending their own naval forces to assist in Jiangxia?

"I truly did not expect that General Guan, while peerless in land warfare, would also be so proficient in naval tactics!" Lu Su said, bowing to Guan Yu with genuine respect. "Today’s battle has truly opened my eyes. It seems that the Lord of Yuzhou indeed has no need for Jiangdong’s naval assistance for the Han River defense."

Liu Bei, in high spirits, ordered a banquet to be held in Guan Yu’s honor. Xiao He, having just eaten his fill, had no choice but to eat again, and he inevitably had to toast Guan Yu several times.

After a few rounds of wine, Liu Bei suddenly remembered something and asked, "Bowen, you said that capturing Yu Jin alive would be of great use and provide me with a surprise. What kind of surprise is it?"