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

Chapter 365 Confidentiality
Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhao could no longer hold back. "Mr. Zhuge, you are eloquent. You are planning for the eldest son. No matter how you embellish your words, the eldest son will ultimately benefit from this matter."

Your words are unreliable because of your biased views. The matter between Jiangdong and Jingzhou, which we may discuss in the council hall, is an internal affair of Jiangdong and has nothing to do with you, an outsider.

"Sir, you should return to Jingzhou!"

This is already quite impolite; in other words, it's a way of telling the customer to leave.

But Zhuge Liang's expression remained unchanged. "Everyone says that Zhang Gong is the foremost talent in Jiangdong, like Xiao He of Jiangdong. But after meeting him today, I realize that this is an exaggeration."

Xiao He dared to assist Emperor Gaozu, who came from humble origins and had no power to rival Xiang Yu. Yet Xiao He remained by his side, offering advice and strategies. After their defeat and retreat to Hanzhong, they rallied their forces and met Xiang Yu again. Xiao He was so courageous that he did not even acknowledge the arrival of his men.

Although Zhang Gong has the name of Xiao He, he lacks Xiao He's courage. The mere territory of Jiangdong has trapped Zhang Gong and eroded his ambition. His determination to support you, my lord, in ruling Jiangdong when the Sun family was in peril has probably long been drowned in the praise of the crowd.

When the Marquis of Wu was in danger, his keen eye for finding rare treasures was worn away by Zhang Gong's years of self-satisfaction.

Previously, Lord Zhang questioned you, saying that the foundation of Jiangdong should not be destroyed in your hands. Then I dare to ask you, Lord Zhang, if Jiangdong does not use defense as a gateway and barrier to attack Jingzhou and defend against Cao Cao in the north, what will happen when Cao Cao finishes his northern expedition and marches south to attack Jiangdong? Jiangdong will be unable to support him and will lose the counties of Jiangdong.

Wasn't the foundation of Jiangdong destroyed by Zhang Gong?

If one day in the future, Lord Zhang enters the Yellow Springs and meets the late Lord Wu, may I ask if Lord Zhang will have the face to face the late Lord Wu's question?

Everyone in Jiangdong knows that when the late Lord Wu entrusted his son to Zhang Gong, he said, "With the people of Wu and Yue in this chaotic world, there is much we can do."

Now that the time is ripe, Zhang Gong has repeatedly obstructed us. Has he already forgotten the earnest instructions of the late Lord Wu?

Upon hearing Zhuge Liang mention Sun Ce, Zhang Zhao was deeply moved and found himself speechless.

Over the years, he had devoted himself to the strategies for Jiangdong, and his health was already quite poor. In his diligence, he never forgot Sun Ce's dying wish. Being scolded so harshly by Kongming stirred him up, and for a moment, his blood rushed to his head, and he actually spat out a mouthful of blood in public.

Everyone was shocked by this sudden turn of events. Qin Song was the first to react, supporting Zhang Zhao and exclaiming in surprise. Everyone in the hall quickly gathered around Zhang Zhao to find out what had happened.

At this moment, no one cares about arguing about Jingzhou anymore. If Zhang Zhao falls ill, the situation of whether to advocate defense or war will instantly reverse.

As a result, the scene in the council chamber immediately became somewhat chaotic.

Sun Quan immediately called out, "Youruan, quickly go and fetch a physician!"

Qiao Wei gave Youxuan a wink, and Youxuan understood. Taking advantage of the chaos, he took Zhuge Liang away.
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Zhang Zhao's illness came on suddenly. After vomiting blood and falling into a coma, Sun Quan kept him in the mansion and took good care of him. Two days later, Zhang Zhao slowly woke up, and the first thing he said was that he wanted to see Sun Quan.

Ignoring his own frail health, he forced himself to sit up, his rough, thin hands gripping Sun Quan tightly, and pleaded tearfully, "Zhuge Kongming is eloquent and persuasive; you must not listen to his deception, my lord."

Sun Quan remained noncommittal, helped Zhang Zhao lie down again, put his hands back under the covers and tucked them in, and whispered to comfort Zhang Zhao, "No matter what the arguments are outside, the most important thing now is Zhang Gong's health."

Jiangdong still needs Lord Zhang to take charge of the overall situation; Lord Zhang must take good care of himself.

The candlelight by the bed flickered in the draft, casting flickering light on Sun Quan's face. Zhang Zhao stared intently at the changes in Sun Quan's expression, his hands clenching unconsciously under the covers until his knuckles turned white.

The room was eerily quiet. Zhang Zhao could hear the two people's breathing, which had initially been synchronized, gradually becoming different.

He's old; even his breathing has become rapid.

Sun Quan, now grown up, was increasingly adept at concealing his emotions, even his breathing became long and deep. He seemed to sense something; the Marquis of Nanchang, Sun Quan, was no longer the same as before.

"So, my lord, you have already made up your mind, is that right?" Zhang Zhao suddenly reached out and grabbed Sun Quan's wrist, eager for an answer.

Sun Quan gently placed his left hand on Zhang Zhao's thin hand, without answering.

"So, Lord, you decided to take Jingzhou long ago, is that right?" Zhang Zhao's tone became more urgent.

Sun Quan's silence was his answer.

Zhang Zhao got the answer he wanted, loosened his grip, and his eyes reddened.

That's it, that's it.

“Actually, Your Majesty should have said it sooner.” Zhang Zhao said weakly, “If Your Majesty had said it sooner, I wouldn’t have been so impulsive and agitated, and I almost became an obstacle to Your Majesty without even realizing it.”

No matter how Zhuge Liang criticized him for hindering the grand plan of Jiangdong, he could ignore it because he firmly believed that everything he did was for Sun Quan's good.

But when he saw a fact in Sun Quan's eyes—that even Sun Quan believed he was hindering the foundation of Jiangdong—he felt as if he were in a cold cellar, and his whole body trembled uncontrollably.

"I have never thought that Zhang Gong has hindered me in any way. The reason I have been silent is simply because I do not want to see Zhang Gong sad. To me, Zhang Gong is both a teacher and a father."

After my brother passed away, it was Zhang Gong and Gong Jin who stabilized the hearts of the people in Jiangdong, allowing me to gain a foothold in Jiangdong with Zhang Gong's prestige when I was isolated and helpless.

"Now I also need Lord Zhang's support,"

Zhang Zhao didn't understand. "Jingzhou is like a den of tigers and wolves. Why does Your Excellency insist on wading into this muddy water?"

"Because I didn't want to sit and wait to die, I wanted to take a gamble and see if I could survive." Sun Quan spoke calmly, as if he were talking about something as ordinary as eating and drinking, something that happens every day.

"Who can kill you, my lord?"

"Cao Cao".

Cao Cao's ambition to unify the country and the warlords was already well known, and the Jiangdong region had long been considered by Cao Cao to be his own.

"Cao Cao, holding the emperor's decree, has hundreds of thousands of troops to conquer all directions. If the natural barrier of the Yangtze River cannot stop him, surrendering to him would be a foolproof strategy, thus ensuring the safety of the Jiangdong region."

Moreover, surrendering is in accordance with the Emperor's command, and one is a loyal and righteous Han official. If Cao Cao grants him a fiefdom, he can retain the title of Marquis.

So… Sun Quan smiled bitterly. Zhang Zhao had never had confidence in himself. He could not only become the emperor, but he could also contend for the Central Plains and achieve more than just regional hegemony.

Sun Quan used a needle to poke at the wick of the lamp beside him, and the candle burned a little brighter, illuminating Sun Quan's face. "The counties and prefectures of Jiangdong can be protected, and you gentlemen can also be protected. Only I will die."

So, Zhang Gong thinks it doesn't really matter whether I live or die, is that right?

Or perhaps Zhang Zhao never considered whether Sun Quan would die.

"Your Excellency is the son of General Who Destroys the Enemy. When you were ordered to kill the traitor Dong Zhuo, only Cao Cao and General Who Destroys the Enemy fought bravely and loyally. With such loyalty and righteousness, Cao Cao will honor Your Excellency with high esteem in order to win the hearts of Jiangdong and the Han officials."