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

Chapter 360 Offering Jingzhou (3)

"Didn't my brother entrust this matter to us? For internal affairs, consult Zhang Zhao; for external affairs, consult Zhou Yu. Has Your Excellency written a letter to the Commander of the Central Guard to discuss this matter?"

Liu Qi's desire to surrender Jingzhou presents both a great opportunity and a hidden crisis.

If Jingzhou cannot be captured in time, Cao Cao in the north will surely take advantage of the situation and move down, then Jiangdong will be in danger. This will be a huge gamble.

“Mr. Toru has already written a letter to my brother, and we should receive a reply soon.”

A cup of warm wine quickly dispelled the coldness in his limbs. Sun Quan noticed that Qiao Wei didn't have a hand warmer today, but his hands and feet weren't as cold and weak as in previous years. Nevertheless, he still held him in his arms and gently rested his chin on his shoulder.

He was enjoying the lazy and comfortable feeling of Qiao Wei feeding him.

"But since you've decided to keep Liu Qi, it proves that you're not entirely unmoved by this matter."

If we could take over Jingzhou with Liu Qi's help, it would be better than fighting one battle after another. It took a lot of effort and energy to capture the three counties. Besides, to the west of Jingzhou are Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu of Yizhou, and Cao Cao to the north.

"That's not all." Sun Quan wanted to seize Jingzhou, and even without Liu Qi, he was not without the strength to fight back. "Today, seeing Liu Qi kneeling in front of me, I suddenly remembered when my father was killed, and my brother led me to kneel and beg Yuan Shu to send troops to avenge my father."

Back then, my elder brother, leading the remnants of our father's forces, expressed his willingness to lead the Sun family's descendants in a full-fledged loyalty to Yuan Shu. My brother, such a proud man, knelt before Yuan Shu, weeping bitterly, begging Yuan Shu to avenge the Sun family, out of consideration for his past friendship with our father.

At that time, Sun Quan knelt beside Sun Ce, watching his arrogant elder brother humbly beg Yuan Shu.

Yuan Shu made the brothers kneel outside the military tent for a whole day to "wake up." As a result, the brothers felt as if they were being whipped under the indifferent gazes of the passing soldiers.

He heard the mocking laughter coming from the main tent; each laugh was like a slap in the face to the two brothers. Sun Quan's fists clenched until his knuckles turned white, but they could only kneel.

Sun Ce gritted his teeth, but tears still fell from his eyes onto the moss in front of his knees.

"I beg the general..." the boy cried out through gritted teeth, his voice trembling like a candle flickering in the wind, but in his bloodshot eyes burned a flame that refused to be extinguished.

I knelt from morning till night. The night dew was really cold, chilling me from head to toe. Even the water on the moss was covered in frost.

Sun Quan's knees were numb, making it difficult for him to even get up. Leaning on Sun Ce's arm, he said, "Brother, let's go. We will avenge Father on our own."

When Sun Jian was alive, Yuan Shu could treat him like family and call him brother. But how could Yuan Shu, who came from a family of four generations of high-ranking officials, really look down on Sun Jian, a commoner who only made his way up through military achievements?

The Sun family? In Yuan Shu's eyes, they were nothing more than pawns at his beck and call.

So what if he's dead? Why go on to attack Jingzhou for the sake of a mere pawn? We'd suffer heavy losses and still might not win. Even a fool would know which choice to make.

Sun Ce held his younger brother's hand, bid farewell to Yuan Shu, and returned to his uncle Wu Jing's home in Qujiang to observe three years of mourning for his father.

When Qiao Wei spoke of that past event, she could clearly feel the hands around her waist tightening, as if on that kneeling night, the cold dew, carried by the river of time, once again seeped in with chill, making her shiver.

"So, does Your Excellency wish to help the eldest son?" Sun Quan remained noncommittal, but when he spoke of Liu Biao, his tone carried a hint of disdain. "Liu Jing Sheng is a disgrace to the title of a hero. He is old and senile, unable to even manage his own household affairs. He is being manipulated by the Cai siblings without even realizing it. Father and son are at odds. He deserves his fate today."

If we're talking about blood feuds, I'd rather he died like this than let it all go. But sometimes I feel resentful. My father died with his eyes wide open, and we almost couldn't even get his body back. If he had to die, he should have died at my hands, Sun Zhongmou, to atone for the hatred of my Sun family.

But Sun Quan knew very well that even if he really sent troops to Jingzhou to rescue Liu Biao, in order to win the hearts of the people of Jingzhou, he would have to put aside his personal grudges and treat Liu Biao with great respect.

This reflects the ambition of a ruler, and it is also a change that Sun Quan had to make if he wanted to contend for the world.

As dawn broke, a carriage departed from Sun's residence and slowly made its way to Jingkou Post Station. Upon hearing the announcement from the post station staff, Zhuge Liang showed no surprise.

"Sir, you knew I would come."

Zhuge Liang nodded, "It seems that you, my lord, are also interested in entering the Jingzhou situation and vying for a share?"

"Your Majesty's intentions are still uncertain, and entering Jingzhou is not something that can be accomplished by Your Majesty alone. Moreover, the situation in Jingzhou is complicated. Even with the addition of the eldest son as a bargaining chip, it is difficult to have a legitimate reason for the expedition. As for that so-called defense map, it is an old thing. Things can change during the march, so it may not be of much help."

Qiao Wei was being realistic; the bargaining chips Liu Qi offered wouldn't be of much help to Jiangdong.

Moreover, Liu Biao did not value this son highly, and there was still much to be said about the title. Liu Qi's understanding of Jingzhou affairs might not even be as clear as that of the outsiders in Jiangdong.

"The negotiation hasn't even started yet, and Madam is already planning to overturn the table?" Zhuge Liang wasn't annoyed by Qiao Wei's words and chuckled as he spoke.

Qiao Wei accepted the tea offered by Huang Yueying and thanked her softly, "Since you knew I would come, you must also know why I am here. I don't care what the eldest young master seeks; all I want to confirm is your stance."

She wanted to know which side Zhuge Liang had bet on in this game.

"Madam once said that our friendship is that of gentlemen, regardless of our political stance."

Back in Xinye, Qiao Wei had said this before: whether Zhuge Liang served under Liu Bei or was willing to enter Jiangdong, Qiao Wei believed that she and Zhuge Liang could always be friends.

Therefore, when Xinye was captured, Zhuge Liang would set aside his own position to protect Qiao Wei's personal safety. When Xinye was captured, Qiao Wei would also urge him to protect Huang Yueying.

Even when Zhuge Liang entered Xiangyang to help Liu Bei secure the governorship of Jingzhou, Qiao Wei still regarded Huang Yueying as a close friend, bringing her to Jingkou and treating her as an honored guest.

"But today, I want to know your position, sir, because it concerns Your Majesty."

Was the move to enter Jingzhou Zhuge Liang's territory a scheme or Liu Qi's own initiative?

Zhuge Liang took a sip of tea. This tea was used at the post station. Although it was slightly bitter at first, it had a refreshing and sweet aftertaste. Drinking a cup of it when feeling drowsy in the morning could clear one's mind.

"If I am plotting for the eldest young master, are you planning to kill me, madam?"

Upon hearing Zhuge Liang's question, Qiao Wei stared into Zhuge Liang's clear eyes. After a long while, his previously furrowed brows slowly relaxed. "I no longer need an answer to this question."