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

Chapter 386 The New Sun-Liu Alliance 2
Therefore, the only thing Liu Qi could offer was his status as a member of the Han imperial family, which served as political capital to represent loyalty to the Han dynasty. After all, compared to Cao Cao, Liu Qi, with his natural Han imperial bloodline, had more credibility in supporting the Han dynasty.

Otherwise, Liu Bei, who appeared out of nowhere, wouldn't have insisted on claiming himself to be a descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan, a completely unverifiable member of the Han imperial family, and would have gone around swindling people.

Wen Ping originally thought that Sun Quan would hesitate, but to his surprise, Sun Quan agreed immediately.

This delighted him, and he kowtowed repeatedly.

Sun Quan then invited him to rest at the post station first.

However, the alliance ran into trouble that very night.

It is unknown where Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong and others got the news, but they suddenly sought an audience with Sun Quan overnight, and strongly demanded that Sun Quan behead Wen Ping and send his head to Xuchang.

"Cao Cao has a large army and many generals. He is also conquering in the name of the emperor. If we refuse to comply, it is to defy the emperor's name and is a crime of treason."

If Liu Biao, the governor of Jingzhou, were still alive, Jingzhou would be wealthy, have many famous scholars, and be a member of the imperial clan. Perhaps he could have negotiated peace with Cao Cao and ensured safety, and Cao Cao would have had difficulty provoking him to march south.

But Liu Jingsheng is gone, and Liu Qi is barely able to protect himself. Sending Wen Ping to form an alliance is just an attempt to use the counties of Jiangdong to shield Jingzhou from disaster.

"My lord, you should not fall into their trap. It would be better to surrender to Cao Cao, and the land south of the Yangtze River can be secured."

Sun Quan lowered his head and remained silent.

Zhang Hong immediately followed up with his statement, "My lord, there is no need for doubt. Zibu's words are in accordance with the will of Heaven. My lord must not be misled by the people of Jingzhou. The Han dynasty is the legitimate dynasty. If anyone intends to overthrow or resist it, the people of the world can kill them."

Meanwhile, Qiao Wei and Lu Su were sitting in a side room behind a screen, listening to Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, and others urging Sun Quan to surrender.

Qiao Wei asked Lu Su, "I am just a woman and don't know much about this. Cao Cao's reputation is so terrifying that people are already on high alert and ready to surrender at the mere sight of him, even before he has conquered the Wuhuan."

Lu Su did not answer Qiao Wei's question directly. Instead, he shook the feather fan in his hand and said, "That's a good question. Then why does Madam feel that we shouldn't surrender so easily?"

Qiao Wei's confidence naturally stemmed from his confidence in history. In the Battle of Red Cliffs, he was able to win even when the enemy was strong and he was weak. How could he possibly lose now that Jiangdong is not weak under Sun Quan's management?
"I have had the good fortune to witness Cao Cao's Tiger and Leopard Cavalry charging across the plains; they were truly unstoppable."

Although the Wuhuan cavalry were skilled in battle, without Yuan Shao's support, and with Yuan Shao's two sons unable to provide cover, both their forces and camps were completely exposed. Cao Zhen, Cao Xiu, and others were adept at military tactics, and the outcome of this battle was clear and undeniable.

With the addition of the Wuhuan cavalry, Cao Cao's army was like a tiger with wings, unstoppable.

“But as Mr. Ke said, that was in the plains area.” Qiao Wei did not doubt the fighting power of the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry and the Wuhuan Cavalry. “In the Runan and Xuzhou areas, the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry were indeed unstoppable, but being unstoppable does not mean being unable to withstand them.”

Moreover, once in the south, naval warfare becomes crucial, and Cao Cao lacked soldiers and generals skilled in naval combat.

Nomadic cavalry were indeed formidable, but that did not mean they were invincible. At least in the long history of history, Yue Fei's army in the Southern Song Dynasty defeated the Jin army, which was known as "invincible with ten thousand men," by using infantry to control cavalry and defensive formations.

Lu Su smiled and said, "Yes, an unstoppable force does not mean an insurmountable obstacle. Therefore, if you gentlemen wish to surrender, it is not because you cannot win. Cao Cao has the name of the emperor behind him. Based solely on the name of the emperor, the famous scholars of the world, unless they have new ambitions, cannot remain unmoved."

The gentlemen of Jiangdong were mostly renowned scholars who were wary of public opinion and concerned about their posthumous reputation.

If Jiangdong fails, the people will be suspected of betraying the Han Dynasty, which will damage their reputation among the aristocratic families.

This is the lingering power of the Han Dynasty after four hundred years. Qin Song stepped forward, his voice trembling, "My lord, Liu Qi is a member of the Han imperial family. Even if he cannot defend Jingzhou and is defeated on the battlefield, at most he will be stripped of his title as a member of the imperial family, but his life will not be in danger."

However, your situation is different from Liu Qi's; you have no imperial clan status, and if you defy the emperor's orders, you will be making an enemy of the entire world.

The council chamber was filled with impassioned admonitions.

Zhang Zhao was practically kneeling at Sun Quan's feet when he got so excited that his spittle sprayed onto Sun Quan's face like a light rain.

However, Sun Quan respected Zhang Zhao and couldn't very well embarrass himself in front of him, so he had no choice but to endure it and listen to everyone analyze the pros and cons in front of him.

"I urge you, my lord, to immediately execute Wen Ping to quell his ambitions in Jingzhou."

Sun Quan remained silent, merely glancing at the assembled officials below, his fingertips idly stroking the ground, his face expressionless, as if watching a farce completely unrelated to him, as quiet as a shadow hidden behind the crowd.

But after sitting for a while, he made an excuse that he needed to get up and change his clothes.

Qiao Wei specially brought a plate of plum blossom cakes and a cup of tea to wait for Sun Quan under the corridor, with Lu Su following behind.

"I noticed you weren't using anything, would you like to try some plum blossom cake?"

Sun Quan also enjoyed slightly sweet snacks, especially when he was under pressure, he preferred to eat slightly sweet meals.

The plum blossom cake contained some malt, giving it a sweet but not cloying taste. Sun Quan took a bite and pushed it to Qiao Wei and Lu Su, saying, "It really tastes good, let's try it together!"

Lu Su did not refuse, saying, "Thank you for the reward, my lord."

Sun Quan knew that Lu Su was following closely behind Qiao Wei, so he must have something to say from the bottom of his heart. "Zijing, you have been listening for a long time. Do you have any insightful opinions?"

Lu Su's gaze was firm. "In fact, Your Majesty knows very well that everyone's opinions are all for their own benefit and are not enough to plan for the future of the world."

After all, ministers could save their lives and families by surrendering, while feudal lords had to gamble with their lives.

Sun Quan nodded, "Among all of you, only Zijing understands my heart."

Logically, he shouldn't have rashly agreed to form an alliance with Liu Qi, nor should he have allowed anyone to easily discover this information, but he did it on purpose.

He also wanted to see how much influence the Sun family held in the hearts of people in this chaotic world, now that they had occupied the three prefectures of Jiao, Yang, and Jing.

"Liu Qi still has 10,000 elite naval troops under his command, and the garrison under Wen Ping, Liu Pan and others is no less than 10,000. Even if Cao Cao wins the campaign against the Wuhuan and marches south, the Wuhuan cavalry will not truly submit in the short term. In the west, there are also Ma Chao and Han Sui as potential threats, and the north is constantly at war, with food supplies being a hidden danger."

If Cao Cao wanted to march south, he could either use cavalry to attack Ruyang and other places, or quickly fight in Jingzhou.

If our cavalry attacks Ruyang and Xuzhou, our army will be well-rested and ready. If we launch a swift attack on Jingzhou, our forces from Jiangdong will rush to its aid. Cao Cao will then be forced to abandon his horses and rely on boats, and the northern soldiers are unaccustomed to naval warfare. These are Cao Cao's weaknesses and our army's strengths.

Sun Quan nodded, “I understand. If Cao Cao fights with his navy, I am indeed fearless. However, Jiangdong is indeed inferior in terms of cavalry, and we may not be able to win.”