Weird Three Kingdoms

Chapter 3774 The Candlelight's Shadow Paints Its Own Form, Deep Roots Spread Through the Long Night (Bonus Chapter)

As dawn approaches, the shifting light and shadow cast varying shades of light on the eaves and brackets of Sun Quan's residence, the Wu Marquis's mansion.

Deep within the palace walls, the flickering candlelight in the inner room illuminated the map of the Nine Provinces spread out on the table.

Although Jiangdong is small, its map is not small.

On that map, the mountains and rivers outlined with vermilion and black ink seemed to transform into winding dragons and snakes in the light and shadow, poised to pounce, yet also concealing hidden dangers.

Lu Su, dressed in plain robes, hurried through the corridor. The hem of his robes brushed against the blue brick floor, making a slight rustling sound that was particularly clear in the silence.

Sun Quan liked to summon his ministers alone, which was both a good thing and a bad thing.

However, Lu Su could not speak of it, nor could he even bring it up on his own initiative. His face remained calm, but his mind was already churning with thoughts.

Jiangdong may seem to have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to protect it from the cold winds from the north, but once it's mixed with the moisture from the river, it takes on a dual nature...

Every advantage has its disadvantages.

Jiangdong is actually extremely vulnerable...

Lu Su knew this, but he also couldn't say it.

Upon entering the inner room, Lu Su saw Sun Quan standing with his back to him by the window, gazing at the first ray of dawn in the dim night outside.

It must be said that Sun Quan's posture and demeanor were quite impressive.

The Sun family members were all quite tall, and with the upright physiques of the young people, they naturally exuded an air of vigor as they greeted the first rays of the rising sun.

However, Sun Quan had been working tirelessly lately, and Lu Su could see a hint of weariness in his eyes...

Sun Quan's gaze fell on Lu Su, and a smile appeared on his face. "Zijing, please have a seat."

Lu Su thanked him, then sat down at the table, his gaze unconsciously falling on the map. The map meticulously marked the mountains, rivers, cities, and passes of the various prefectures and counties in the Central Plains…

The Central Plains were divided between the spheres of influence of Cao Cao and Fei Qian, with the two-colored markings intertwined, showing the stalemate of the war.

Lu Su glanced at it a few times, then silently looked away.

Although Jiangdong is temporarily in a state of relative peace, it is like a small boat adrift in the torrent of chaos. A slight misstep could lead to utter destruction.

"Zijing," Sun Quan's voice broke the silence in the room, "Now, Fei and Cao are fighting, the flames of war have spread, and the Central Plains are devastated. Although Jiangdong has temporarily gained peace, this peace... I've had sleepless nights thinking about preparing for the future. In your opinion, if... if Fei can truly swallow up the Central Plains in one fell swoop and unify the northern forces, how should Jiangdong position itself? If Cao is fortunate enough to hold his ground and successfully counterattack, repelling the General of the Cavalry, what should I do then? How can we preserve Jiangdong, and where can we find a breakthrough?"

The questions raised by Sun Quan truly demonstrated his responsibility as the ruler of Jiangdong.

If they were ordinary young men from aristocratic families, they would either talk big but do nothing, or they would spend their days singing loudly about how hard their dicks were...

In comparison, Sun Quan was indeed different from these aristocratic sons.

Unfortunately, Sun Quan could raise the issues, but he couldn't solve them, or rather, he couldn't solve them well...

Lu Su nodded silently, not speaking immediately. After all, these issues concerned the life and death of Jiangdong, and could not be taken lightly.

Lu Su leaned slightly forward, gazing intently at the mountains and rivers on the map, his brow furrowed in deep thought. The morning light streamed in through the window, dancing on Lu Su's face and clearly outlining every trace of worry. He recalled his first meeting with Sun Quan, when he devised the "Strategy on the Bed" for him, advocating for the occupation of Jiangdong, the alliance with Jingzhou, and a strategic northern expedition to conquer the world. But now, times had changed. Jingzhou was divided between north and south, the south was repeatedly contested, Jiangling was in ruins, and further afield in the Central Plains, two powerful forces were vying for control—the situation was a hundred times more complex than before.

After a long silence, Lu Su slowly raised his head and said in a deep voice, "My lord, in my humble opinion, if General Fei truly defeats Chancellor Cao and unifies the Central Plains, his power will be unstoppable, like the sun at its zenith. At that time, if Jiangdong were to confront him head-on, it would be tantamount to throwing an egg against a rock. In my view, we should temporarily avoid his advance, outwardly feign submission to avoid becoming his enemy, thus lulling him into a false sense of security. At the same time, internally we should reorganize our military, repair our cities, develop production, and accumulate strength, relying on the natural barrier of the Yangtze River to defend ourselves. The best strategy is to wait for the situation to change, or for Fei's new policies to lead to turmoil, before seizing the opportune moment to act."

Sun Quan frowned, seemingly wanting to say something, but ultimately didn't. He silently nodded, signaling Lu Su to continue.

The best course of action is usually to just listen to it...

Historically, when Cao Cao was at the height of his power, Sun Quan also kept quiet like this, even going so far as to act subservient to Cao Pi...

Oh, Sun Quan's surname is Sun. Then it's alright.

Lu Su paused, his gaze shifting to the area occupied by Cao Cao on the map, and continued, "If Prime Minister Cao is fortunate enough to win and repel Fei Yi, he himself will inevitably suffer heavy losses and his strength will be greatly diminished. This would be the perfect opportunity for us to advance northwards in Jiangdong. My lord, you can dispatch a large army to take advantage of the situation and march north into the Central Plains. Even if you cannot seize the entire Central Plains in one fell swoop, you should at least capture strategic locations such as Huainan and Xuzhou. These places are rich in resources and have treacherous terrain. Taking them will not only expand the territory of Jiangdong and strengthen our power, but also lay the foundation for future northern expeditions and solidify the foundation of Jiangdong. This is the middle strategy."

Take the Huai and Si rivers, instead of fighting for Jingzhou.

The situation has changed, and the strategy needs to change as well...

After Lu Su finished speaking, the room fell silent once again.

Sun Quan gazed at the land on both sides of the Yangtze River on the map, remaining silent for a long time. He stretched out his hand and gently pressed it on the spot representing Jiangdong, his fingertips turning slightly white from the pressure. This Jiangdong was the foundation of his Sun family, a land that his father Sun Jian and elder brother Sun Ce had won with their blood and lives through countless battles.

This place carries the glory and hopes of the Sun family, and there must be no mistakes.

However, as Sun Quan's finger slowly moved north, sweeping across the vast Central Plains on the map, a sense of greed arose spontaneously...

That land was vast and rich in resources, a strategic location fought over by military strategists throughout history, and a place that every ambitious monarch dreamed of controlling.

Sun Quan swallowed hard and said in a hoarse voice, "So, should we attack Jiangling quickly and advance slowly along the Huai and Si rivers? Is there a worse strategy?"

"The worst possible strategy is a desperate measure, and it should only be used as a last resort... At this time, there is no need for Jiangdong to resort to such a strategy," Lu Su said.

After a brief pause, Lu Su added the second half of the sentence, "Most importantly... it must be that Prime Minister Cao wins... only then can this strategy be implemented..."

Although Jiangdong was confined to the south of the Yangtze River and had the natural barrier of the Yangtze as a shield, the difficulty of crossing the Yangtze and reaching the Central Plains was unimaginable.

The period of weakness Cao Cao experienced after defeating Fei Qian was the perfect opportunity for Jiangdong to launch a backstab...

Oh, the opportunity to advance north.

Sun Quan, the traitor, understood that his abilities were actually limited, and that Jiangdong's current strength was also limited. To want to completely control the Central Plains in one fell swoop was nothing but a pipe dream.

Lu Su's strategy of preparing for both possibilities is undoubtedly the best option at present.

Finally, Sun Quan withdrew his hand, let out a long sigh, his voice tinged with weariness and helplessness: "Zijing, you may leave now. Let me think about this more carefully."

Lu Su rose, bowed, and slowly withdrew from the inner room.

When the room fell silent again, Sun Quan walked alone to the window and gazed at the rising sun in the east.

At this moment, the city, whether houses or trees, is still shrouded in a thin layer of morning mist, making it hazy and indistinct.

Like the future fate of Jiangdong, it is shrouded in mystery, making it difficult for people to see through.

Starting last night, Sun Quan summoned Wu Jing, Zhou Tai, and Lü Meng separately, and gave each of them a partial secret order...

Wu Jing was his maternal uncle, and he couldn't be said to be extremely loyal. However, there was a kinship connection between Sun Quan and Wu, and a basis for sharing prosperity and decline. Therefore, he ordered Wu Jing to secretly monitor Liu Bei's army stationed nearby to prevent Liu Bei from acting recklessly and causing trouble.

Zhou Tai was exceptionally brave and loyal to Sun Quan. Therefore, Sun Quan ordered Zhou Tai to strengthen the defenses of the palace and the surrounding city, and to conduct close patrols to prevent anyone from taking the opportunity to launch a coup. Only a general like Zhou Tai, who had been wounded and even nearly died for Sun Quan time and time again, could gain Sun Quan's limited trust.

Lu Meng came from a humble background, possessed exceptional military talent, and was ambitious. He promised Lu Meng that if Jiangdong were to conquer the Central Plains in the future, he would reward him with high rank and important responsibilities to inspire his fighting spirit and enable him to fight against the private armies of the Jiangdong gentry when necessary.

Sun Quan made everyone believe they knew his entire plan, but in reality, no one could see the whole picture in his mind. He dared not let anyone know everything, because even he himself could not fully predict where the upheaval in Jiangbei would ultimately lead Jiangdong. He was like a person groping forward in the dark, only able to rely on the faint light before him, carefully taking each step, not knowing whether a smooth road or an abyss awaited him.

A morning breeze blew by, ruffling a few strands of hair on Sun Quan's forehead.

So-called strategies and plans are nothing more than a die thrown in the fog in this unpredictable and chaotic world, full of uncertainty. All he can do is try to hold onto as many cards as possible before the die lands, to fight for a glimmer of hope for Jiangdong and for himself.

Including Lu Su, these people are like chess pieces. As long as he manipulates them carefully, these pieces will eventually connect to form a huge net, covering the entire Jiangdong, consolidating his rule, and even helping him realize his greater ambitions.

"My lord, shall we replace the candles?"

The eunuch tiptoed into the hall and reported in a low voice.

"No need."

Sun Quan raised his hand to stop the eunuch, preferring to immerse himself in the alternation of darkness and light. He liked these moments; in the transition between darkness and light, he seemed to feel the whole world shedding its shadows and revealing its form before him, making all people and things clear, seemingly bringing his thoughts along with it.

Jiangdong unfolded before his eyes, with its well-arranged houses and crisscrossing streets clearly visible. The sounds of people gradually grew louder, and wisps of smoke rose slowly from the rooftops.

Sun Quan recalled the image of Wu Jing secretly monitoring Liu Bei's camp, Zhou Tai leading soldiers on a tight patrol at the palace gates, and Lü Meng sending people to secretly spy on the courtyards of the Jiangdong aristocratic families...

Right now, everything is under his control.

At least that's what Sun Quan thought...

However, what Sun Quan was unaware of was that in a residence just a thousand steps away from the Wu Marquis's mansion, someone had also gone to pay a visit to another "ruler" of Jiangdong.

Gu Yong.

Gu Yong's study was decorated simply yet elegantly. No glaring candles were ever lit; only a few Yue ware celadon lamps were placed in the corner. The light shone through the celadon lampshades, emitting a soft glow that dispelled the gloom that the morning sun could not find in the corners.

At this moment, Gu Yongzheng sat upright in front of the rosewood desk, listening calmly to the reports from each of the "visitors" of the day.

The "visitor" standing before Gu Yong was an old night watchman with gray hair, dressed in simple cloth clothes, his face showing the weariness of night watch. He looked no different from other night watchmen and seemed to have no direct connection with the Gu family.

However, in reality, the old night watchman was able to buy wine and meat from the Gu family's restaurant every month at extremely low prices. The old night watchman's grandson was also receiving his early education in a village outside the city, and the instructor was a member of a collateral branch of the Gu family.

At 3:45 PM, General Zhou emerged from the palace, a smug look on his face, seemingly pleased with the lord's favor... At 2:45 PM, General Lü entered the palace... and did not emerge until nearly midnight...

Gu Yong nodded and gestured to his trusted steward to give the old watchman a wooden plaque.

The old watchman glanced at the pattern on the wooden sign, and his wrinkled face broke into a smile, revealing his broken, yellowed teeth, as he thanked him repeatedly.

Gu Yong smiled and had his trusted steward see the old night watchman off.

Then, soon more people came in with their heads down, and began to report...

Someone saw Lu Zijing enter the mansion at dawn...

At midnight, General Zhou ordered the summons of the military commanders and strategists of the four cities…

"The number of guards in the city has increased by 30%..."

General Yangwu met with Prefect Liu this morning…

As the news gradually came together, Gu Yong would either give a wooden plaque, or directly give gold and silver, or agree to something...

Those who came to report generally left with smiles on their faces.

After the last person left, the streets were already incredibly noisy, filled with the sounds of people everywhere.

Gu Yong turned his gaze to the window.

Outside the window, a century-old tree stands quietly in the courtyard, its branches and leaves flourishing. Its thick roots have long since broken through the stone slabs on the ground, winding and coiling underground where no one can see, firmly and deeply rooted in this land.

"Master, the Lord is currently making extensive preparations in the palace to strengthen defenses and is also having secret talks with various ministers. He is probably about to stir up some trouble again... Should we instruct the members of each branch of the clan to be more cautious in their actions recently to avoid causing unnecessary disputes?" Gu Mu, a cousin standing beside Gu Yong, served some tea and asked in a low voice, his tone tinged with worry.

Gu Mu was young and impetuous, and he was quite dissatisfied with Sun Quan's recent efforts to suppress the power of aristocratic families.

Gu Yong shook his head slightly, his expression remaining calm: "Sun Zhongmou has his plans. He wants to lay his net and control the situation in Jiangdong, so let him do it. We, the Gu family, only need to guard our own roots and protect our family's interests."

Gu Yong picked up the teacup, took a sip, and looked into the clear tea, where his own eyes, weathered by life's hardships, were reflected.

These eyes have witnessed the rise and fall of the Gu family of Wu Commandery over the past century. They have seen Sun Jian raise an army in Jiangdong and gradually build his own power; they have seen Sun Ce sweep across the six commanderies of Jiangdong with his extraordinary bravery, laying a solid foundation for the Sun family; and now, they are watching Sun Quan, the young ruler, try to realize his ambitions based on the foundation left by his father and brother, wanting to seize control of the entire Jiangdong region, and even attempt to conquer the Central Plains...

"hehe……"

Gu Yong smiled slightly.

I laughed at Sun Quan's youthful impetuosity...

But after a moment, Gu Yong felt a sense of confusion...

What was the difference between what he did and what Sun Quan did?

Gu Yong could imagine that from last night until this morning, Sun Quan must have been meticulously planning, by candlelight, how to consolidate his rule and how to deal with the war situation in Jiangbei.

Sun Quan would probably pat Zhou Tai on the shoulder, praising the scars Zhou Tai bore from protecting him, while outwardly declaring that he would entrust his life and fortune to Zhou Tai, all the while secretly calculating the extent of Zhou Tai's loyalty to him...

Or perhaps they would use the opportunity of promotion for generals from humble backgrounds to lure Lü Meng into serving them...

He outlined his plans for advancing north into the Central Plains to Lu Su, attempting to gain Lu Su's approval and support...

Gu Yong shook his head slightly, sighing inwardly.

He did the same.

Sun Quan, Gu Yong, Gu Yong, Sun Quan—they're like swirling coins, impossible to tell apart.

Is there a difference? Yes, but they look so similar...

In Jiangdong, the power of aristocratic families had long been deeply entrenched, like the roots of an old tree, deeply embedded in every corner. The deepest power in Jiangdong had never been the generals who openly held military power, nor the ministers who formulated policies in the palace, but rather these aristocratic families who had lived in Jiangdong for generations.

So, what about the Central Plains?

“He forgot,” Gu Yong said softly, his voice low, it was unclear whether he was referring to Sun Quan or someone else, “No matter how high or how sturdy these palace walls are, the craftsmen who built them were ultimately members of the Gu family; no matter how diligently the imperial guards patrolled, no matter how tightly they defended, their families ultimately bought their food from the restaurants run by the Gu family…”

Gu Mu listened to Gu Yong's words and smiled knowingly: "The patriarch is absolutely right. It seems that the lord's schemes in the palace are nothing but child's play in our eyes. If we wanted to cut off his intelligence sources and hinder his plans, it would be a matter of a single word."

Gu Yong glanced at Gu Mu, put down his teacup, and said, "You're wrong..."

"Huh?" Gu Mu was taken aback.

"Sun Zhongmou... is not a cause for concern..." Gu Yong said calmly. "The map on his desk is drawn on Zhang's paper, Zhu's ink... and the lines were drawn by the Chen family... Let him continue playing his game. We don't need to interfere with him now... What we need to pay attention to now is the storms outside Jiangdong, the changes in the war situation north of the Yangtze River, and the general trend of the world... Only by understanding these things can we make the choice that is most beneficial to the Gu family and to Jiangdong."

After speaking, Gu Yong stood up and slowly walked to the corridor.

A gentle breeze blew against his robes, bringing with it the dampness of the distant Yangtze River, a touch of coolness, and also a faint hint of the atmosphere of war.

Although the flames of war in the Central Plains have not yet spread to Jiangdong, the smell of gunpowder seems to have already permeated this land in Jiangnan.

He remembered what Zhong Yao had said before...

The world, the state.

nation.

Gu Yong's voice held a rare hint of dazedness: "Tell me, how will history books record us a hundred years from now? Will they praise us, or... condemn us?"

Gu Mu was stunned; he had never heard Gu Yong say such a thing before.

In his mind, Gu Yong had always been calm, composed, and confident, as if he could handle anything with ease. The confusion and感慨 that Gu Yong revealed at this moment left him somewhat at a loss, unsure how to respond.

Gu Yong didn't expect Gu Mu to provide an answer. He quickly regained his composure and said to Gu Mu, "Prepare the carriage; I'm going to visit Master Zhang."

Regardless of the future, we must continue on the path we are on.

Perhaps it's time to "make peace" with Zhang Zhao...

　Extra chapter for National Day! Happy holiday to all my dear readers!
　　(End of this chapter)