Rebirth of the Three Kingdoms: Da Qiao doesn't want to be a widow anymore

Chapter 359 Offering Jingzhou (2)

Liu Qi's words were like a boulder thrown into a calm sea, instantly creating a huge wave among the group.

Lu Su hadn't expected Liu Qi to bring such a tempting piece of meat.

But the more tempting something is, the more dangerous it is.

Lu Su subconsciously looked at Sun Quan, only to see his lips tightly pressed together and his eyes twitching slightly.

There is no doubt that Sun Quan was determined to obtain Jingzhou. Whether for the sake of the Sun family's hegemony or for the sake of old grudges, Sun Quan would not let go of this piece of fat meat.

However, with the strength of Jiangdong, they have already seized three counties in Jingzhou, which is still manageable. But if they were to swallow the entire Jingzhou... I'm afraid they could swallow it but not be able to.

Silence filled the room. Sun Quan stared at the several rolls of maps that Liu Qi had pushed in front of him, his eyes deep and unreadable.

Liu Qi did not expect that even though he had shown the utmost sincerity, Sun Quan seemed unmoved.

But compared to a ruthless figure like Cao Cao, and short-sighted individuals like Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu of Yizhou, Sun Quan is now the most suitable choice he could find.

His tone was somewhat urgent, "Is Your Excellency so hesitant because of the old grudges between the Sun and Liu families? In the past, General Polu and my father simply had different positions, and therefore neither could give way to the other."

Qi heard that since Lord Junhou inherited his father and brother's business, he has been able to turn hostility into friendship with the various noble families in Jiangdong, which shows that he is broad-minded and not someone who holds grudges.

"If Your Excellency is willing to lend a helping hand, repel the rebels within our borders, and restore order, once Jingzhou is pacified, my father and I will jointly petition the Emperor to appoint Your Excellency as the Governor of Jingzhou, to be stationed there."

Sun Quan did not immediately respond to his request, but instead leisurely asked Liu Qi, "I am not very familiar with the situation in Jingzhou. I wonder who the rebellious person you are referring to is?"

"Cai Mao and Liu Bei."

Upon hearing this answer, he slightly curled the corners of his lips, and a muffled chuckle escaped from his throat. "I don't quite understand what you mean, Young Master."

I heard that the eldest son offered Jingzhou to Liu Bei three times just a month ago, but now he tells me that Liu Bei is a rebel in Jingzhou. I dare not believe such contradictory statements.

Besides, in terms of kinship, Cai Mao is the eldest son's maternal uncle, and I understand the principle of not interfering in family matters with distant relatives.

Sun Quan pushed the map back to Liu Qi, saying, "Young Master, these are private matters. I am an outsider and cannot accept such a grand gesture."

Liu Qi had offered Jingzhou to Liu Bei three times, but then turned around and asked Jiangdong for military assistance to eliminate Liu Bei. If Sun Quan really sent troops to help and killed Cai Mao and Liu Bei, it would firstly provoke resistance and dissatisfaction from the local powerful families in Jingzhou, and secondly, he would worry that Liu Qi would go back on his word and turn the tables on him.

Seeing that Sun Quan was hesitant and could remain unmoved in the face of the entire Jingzhou, and politely declined his conditions for sending troops, Liu Qi gritted his teeth and said to persuade him to stay, "Your Excellency is a wise man, so why play riddles with me?"
Although I am the eldest son, my father dotes on the younger son, and with the support of Cai Mao and others, and with Madam Cai stirring things up, I have long since lost my place in the household.

However, my uncle Liu Bei, under the pretext of supporting me, took advantage of the situation and seized control of Xiangyang City with his troops, placing my father under house arrest. I had no troops to help me.

The so-called three refusals of Jingzhou were nothing more than a delaying tactic devised to escape Xiangyang. If I had not been so respectful and humble in refusing the land of Jingzhou, I would probably have already died under Liu Bei's sword and axe.

Today I have come to seek your help, my lord. Firstly, it is a hasty decision, and secondly, I do have ulterior motives. I know that I am mediocre and incompetent, and I have no talent for military or political affairs. Therefore, my lord does not need to worry that I will turn against Jiangdong.

Even if I were to gain control of Jingzhou and become its rightful ruler, I would have neither the support of my maternal family nor any military force at my disposal. Aside from my father's title, I possess no other skills. Such a strategically vital location is ultimately untenable. If you, my lord, still have reservations, once things have settled, I, Qi, am willing to serve as a county magistrate in Yangzhou, to protect the people of this region and uphold your reputation for benevolence.

"I only beg you, my lord, to send troops to rescue my father from this dire situation. My father is gravely ill, and if this continues, I fear he will die at Liu Bei's hands."

Liu Qi stood up and knelt down without hesitation in front of Sun Quan. His knees slammed on the ground with a thud. His back was straight, like a reed bent by a strong wind but refusing to lie flat on the ground. His hands were pressed on the cold floor, and his knuckles turned white from the force.

"I only beg Your Excellency to send troops to save my father's life."

His voice was like a red-hot iron in his mouth, each word burning his tongue.

His eyes first welled up with tears, then quickly turned blood red. He bit his lower lip hard to keep the moisture from falling, and his nose stung and turned crimson.

Sun Quan silently helped Liu Qi up, still not giving him a clear answer. "This matter is of great importance. You should stay here for a few days!"

Liu Qi looked at Zhuge Liang, who nodded slightly. Liu Qi then stood up with Sun Quan's help. Sun Quan had not taken the map of Jingzhou with him when he left. Liu Qi looked at the map on the table, still feeling uneasy.

He was not unaware of Sun Quan's reputation. Sun Quan had ruled Jiangdong from a young age, slowly carving his way out from among the wolves of the clan and gradually establishing his prestige within the clan and the army.

He implemented reforms, waged war against the Yue tribes, recruited talented individuals, and developed military equipment, gradually gaining fame among the feudal lords of the land.

For Liu Qi, if Liu Biao was an insurmountable mountain, then Sun Quan was more like a continuous mountain range. Only those who have truly seen the mountains can understand his respectability.

Sun Quan had already informed Qiao Wei that he would not be returning to his room for dinner.

However, even after Qiao Wei coaxed Sun Deng to sleep, Sun Quan still did not return to his room.

Qiao Wei was puzzled, so he asked You Xuan for advice, and then took the food to the ancestral hall.

When Sun Quan moved from Wu County to Jingkou, he did not forget to bring the memorial tablets of Sun Jian and Sun Ce with him.

The candlelight in the ancestral hall flickered, casting Sun Quan's shadow on the wooden pillar behind him, sometimes bright and sometimes dim.

He sat there, the hem of his dark cloak hanging down on the cold floor tiles, forming stiff folds.

The food laid out on the table was still steaming, and a small pot of hot wine was placed on a small stove.

Qiao Wei was about to leave when Sun Quan gently grasped her wrist, saying, "Stay and talk to me."

She knew Sun Quan's habit: whenever he encountered a difficult decision or was in a bad mood, he would sit in the ancestral hall and stare blankly at Sun Ce's memorial tablet.

Lu Su had also spoken to Qiao Wei about Sun Quan's meeting with Liu Qi and Zhuge Liang, and had mentioned that Liu Qi wanted to borrow Jiangdong's troops to march west to Xiangyang and quell the rebellion of Cai Mao and Liu Bei.

Given the vast power involved in this matter, it's understandable that Sun Quan was hesitant to make a decision.