With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Liu Xie nodded with satisfaction, handed the letter to Lu Xun who was standing beside him, and instructed, "Boyan, keep this letter safe; it will be very useful in the future."

Lu Xun nodded seriously and took the letter.

Upon learning that Cao Cao was constantly mobilizing troops and increasing his forces, Sun Quan could no longer sit still. He hurriedly traveled from Wu County to Chaisang, hoping to be closer to the front lines. Liu Bei also came along.

On this day, Sun Quan summoned all the civil and military officials of Jiangdong to discuss countermeasures.

Zhang Zhao, Yu Fan, Lü Meng, Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, Lu Su, Zhang Hong... all these people were present, and the gathering of civil and military officials in Jiangdong truly impressed Liu Bei.

Liu Bei couldn't help but make a simple comparison between Sun Quan's subordinates and the people around him.

Besides Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, Liu Bei had no other notable talents by his side. The more he compared them, the more frustrated he became. He had long heard that Sun Quan valued talent highly.

Not only did Sun Quan not neglect the former subordinates of Sun Jian and Sun Ce, but he also discovered and promoted many rising talents over the years. With his extraordinary courage and magnanimity, Sun Quan integrated these people into a force that could not be ignored.

Liu Bei could clearly sense that the atmosphere today was different from what he expected. The seemingly magnificent and spacious council hall felt extremely oppressive and suffocating!

The wind howled as a storm was brewing. Liu Bei, a seasoned warrior, knew this was the kind of atmosphere that only existed when a great battle was about to begin—an atmosphere that made people tense and uneasy!

Jiangdong, relying on its natural defenses, had never encountered such a powerful external enemy before.

Liu Bei's gaze swept over these people one by one. He noticed that many of them had changed their expressions, were restless, and looked fearful. Even Zhang Zhao and Yu Fan, who were usually highly regarded by Sun Quan, found it difficult to remain calm.

Only a few generals, such as Huang Gai and Han Dang, were full of vigor and high spirits, eager to fight Cao Cao right now.

Sun Quan took in everyone's expressions, sighed inwardly, and a trace of worry gradually crept onto his brow.

"Everyone!"

After a while, Sun Quan finally spoke, "Cao Cao has deployed his forces in Wulin, amassing no less than 150,000 troops, and his strength is still increasing. Cao Cao's navy has also begun training. What exactly is Cao Cao's intention in preparing for war? I don't need to say more; you all understand. What do you think about this?"

With a major battle imminent, Sun Quan faced a tremendous test, after all, he was only 23 years old.

If everyone is hesitant and lacks confidence before even starting, then we're in trouble.

Zhang Zhao sighed. He was the head of the civil officials and served as the chief clerk, assisting Sun Ce and Sun Quan in succession.

Before his death, Sun Ce left behind the famous saying, "For internal affairs, consult Zhang Zhao; for external affairs, consult Zhou Yu."

Sun Quan held Zhang Zhao in high esteem and treated him as his teacher.

When Sun Quan saw Zhang Zhao step forward, a glimmer of hope ignited within him. At this critical moment, he desperately wanted someone to stand up and support him, helping him to stabilize the morale of the people.

However, Zhang Zhao spoke up, saying, "My lord, Cao Cao is on the emperor's orders to attack Jiangdong. We have just received news that the emperor has personally arrived at Wulin. Cao Cao has a legitimate reason for his attack. Although we have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, we are going to fight against the imperial army. Although we have the advantage of terrain, we do not have the advantage of timing and popular support. I am afraid we will not be able to win this battle."

Sun Quan listened with feigned composure, but his heart was in turmoil. He looked at Zhang Zhao with some astonishment.

He never dreamed that his teacher, Zhang Zhao, the person he respected most, would be the first to stand up and pour cold water on his enthusiasm.

Sun Quan was aware that the emperor had come to Wulin, but he tried his best not to mention words like "emperor" and "court" because it would affect the morale of Jiangdong.

Even a fool knows that Cao Cao came on behalf of the imperial court. He couldn't possibly ask Sun Quan to admit that he was opposing the imperial court, could he?

Zhang Zhao knew Sun Quan's thoughts, but Zhang Zhao was more focused on his own perspective. He believed that there was no chance of winning against the imperial court; it was like throwing an egg against a rock.

If he loses, his entire family will be implicated. Zhang Zhao is from Xuzhou. He came to Jiangdong to avoid trouble. Now, he doesn't want to move again. Since he can't win, he might as well surrender. That way, the court won't treat him unfairly.

As soon as Zhang Zhao finished speaking, Yu Fan also stepped forward and echoed, "What the Chief Secretary said is very good. I hope that my lord will consider the overall situation. Cao Cao is the Chancellor of the Han Dynasty and has been ordered to advance into Jiangdong. If we raise troops to resist, it will surely anger the court and bring about a great disaster. His Majesty is magnanimous and hopes that the world will be at peace as soon as possible. My lord must think it over carefully."

Immediately afterwards, one civil official after another emerged from Jiangdong, and these people seemed to have agreed in advance, speaking with one voice.

They not only disapproved of fighting, but also had absolutely no confidence that Jiangdong had a chance of winning.

Sun Quan grew increasingly frustrated. Zhang Zhao and his group's commotion had affected many people, even before they had spoken. They all lowered their heads, avoiding Sun Quan's gaze.

The military generals, Huang Gai and Han Dang, were furious, their cheeks puffed out, and they glared angrily at Zhang Zhao and the others from time to time.

Sun Quan suddenly noticed that Liu Bei was sitting there calmly and composed, so he asked curiously, "Xuande, what do you think?" All eyes immediately fell on Liu Bei.

Liu Bei smiled faintly and said, "Lord Wu, Cao Cao is Cao Cao, and the emperor is the emperor. Cao Cao is arrogant and domineering, and he has no respect for the emperor. As long as I have a breath left, I will be Cao Cao's sworn enemy!"

Yu Fan found it laughable and couldn't help but tease, "Uncle Liu, if it weren't for my lord providing you with protection, you would be in dire straits yourself. Yet you still dare to utter such arrogant words. Cao Cao commands nearly 200,000 troops. Do you want Jiangdong to be buried with you?"

Yu Fan harbored deep resentment towards Liu Bei, believing that all the calamities in Jiangdong were brought about by Liu Bei.

Liu Bei was a jinx to Jiangdong; Sun Quan shouldn't have taken him in out of kindness.

Since receiving the emperor's reply, Liu Bei is now very confident. Not only has the emperor forgiven him for his past actions, but he has even been asked to act as an inside agent. Therefore, Liu Bei is now very at ease.

He no longer had to live in fear, so Liu Bei sneered, "That's right, it was indeed Lord Wu who sent people to bring me to Jiangdong, but I, Liu Bei, am not a coward. Even if I have few soldiers, even if I only have three brothers, I will not be afraid of Cao Cao."

As Liu Bei spoke, he stood up, cupped his hands to Sun Quan, and thanked him. “I am grateful to Lord Wu for taking me in, but even if Lord Wu did not make a move, I would rather fight to the last man than surrender to Cao Cao. As for you in Jiangdong, although you have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River and tens of thousands of elite troops, the war has not even started yet, but so many people are advising my lord to surrender. This has truly broadened my horizons.”

"You..." Yu Fan's face turned pale and then red, glaring at Liu Bei, gritting his teeth in anger. Although Sun Quan also felt that Liu Bei's words were largely unfounded, for example, taking being trapped in Xiakou as an example, Sun Quan did not believe that Liu Bei would be determined to fight Cao Cao to the death.

But now, Sun Quan also urgently needs Liu Bei to boost his morale and suppress the arrogance of these surrender faction members.

Next, Huang Gai couldn't hold back any longer, "My lord, what the Imperial Uncle said is absolutely right. Cao Cao is Cao Cao, and the Emperor is the Emperor. Defeating Cao Cao is also helping the court to cleanse the court of corrupt officials. Cao Cao is arrogant and domineering, and he doesn't respect anyone. Why should we surrender before we've even fought him?"

Han Dang immediately chimed in, "That's right. Cao Cao's idea to run rampant in Jiangdong is wishful thinking. We must teach him a lesson he won't forget."

Sun Quan was unwilling to surrender from the bottom of his heart. He was the ruler of Jiangdong. It would be too shameful to surrender without lifting a finger.

Huang Gai and his men were straightforward and passionate, their enthusiasm and heroic spirit not only dampened the morale of the surrender faction but also gave Sun Quan a slight sense of relief.

Every family has its own difficulties, and every community has its own difficulties.

Despite his seemingly glamorous life, Sun Quan was under immense pressure.

Take this incident for example. So many people advised him to surrender and didn't think Sun Quan could stop Cao Cao. This made Sun Quan very upset, and he even had murderous intentions towards Zhang Zhao and the other leaders.

But Sun Quan's greatest strength was his ability to endure and his understanding of tolerance.

In this situation, getting angry or furious won't solve anything; if you try to resolve it in a violent way, you'll only make things worse!
Zhang Zhao countered again, his tone resounding, "My lord, Cao Cao has well-trained troops and ample supplies, and has just wiped out the remnants of Yuan Shao. His momentum is at its peak. Regardless of his relationship with the emperor, he does represent the court, and that is an undeniable fact. He can mobilize the entire nation to fight against us, but how can we possibly win with only the Yangtze River? In the end, war is all about strength."

That's a very pertinent question. Sun Quan was also a little unsure of himself. Did Jiangdong really have any hope of winning?
Fighting a war isn't about talking!

How much of a role could the natural barrier of the Yangtze River play, and could it help Sun Quan completely turn the tide and transform a disadvantage into a victory?
Just then, someone came in to report, "My lord, the Grand Commander has returned!"

Sun Quan suddenly stood up, his eyes shining as he looked towards the entrance of the council hall. Zhang Zhao and the others were also stunned, and everyone focused their attention on the entrance.

Despite being the head of the civil officials, Zhang Zhao's influence was slightly less than that of Zhou Yu.

The soldiers of Jiangdong, from top to bottom, held Zhou Yu in the highest esteem, and many even worshipped him to the point of fanaticism.

Huang Gai and the others' eyes lit up; Zhou Yu was their pillar of support.

Under the watchful eyes of so many people, Zhou Yu walked in calmly and gracefully. He had a handsome face and a free and easy temperament, as if every step he took had been planned in advance. Every move he made seemed approachable, yet it exuded an irresistible power.

It was as if as long as he came, there would be no more problems to worry about.

Liu Bei looked Zhou Yu over and nodded repeatedly.

This is an era that values ​​appearance, and Zhou Yu was not only handsome but also exceptionally capable, which is why Liu Bei genuinely admired him.

Liu Bei had a terrible standard for choosing his employees: he preferred to appoint good-looking people; he was definitely obsessed with looks!

People will find that, apart from Zhang Fei, who was rather rough and not particularly handsome, the others around Liu Bei, even if they were not conventionally handsome men, were all quite good-looking.

Cao Cao employed people without regard to background. His subordinates, such as Yu Jin, Dian Wei, Yue Jin, and Xu Chu, had very different appearances, and there were not many good-looking ones. Cao Cao always valued ability first, then character, and lastly appearance.

Liu Bei was obsessed with looks, and so was Sun Quan, but only Cao Cao truly promoted people based solely on their talent!
A clear example is that when Pang Tong came to join Liu Bei in the official history, Liu Bei did not take a liking to him from the beginning, even though he had heard of Pang Tong's great reputation and even though Zhuge Liang recommended him to him many times. Liu Bei just didn't take Pang Tong seriously and coldly dismissed him as a minor county magistrate.

Later, Pang Tong gradually revealed his amazing talent, and Liu Bei finally put away his contempt. But even so, his attitude towards Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong was still worlds apart.

Zhou Yu was dashing and handsome, with an upright posture. No amount of words could describe his temperament. The key was that Zhou Yu always maintained a friendly demeanor and did not have the arrogance that comes with a high position.

Sun Quan, as if seeing a savior, placed all his hopes on Zhou Yu, "Gongjin, you've come at the right time! Cao Cao's army is attacking. Do you have a plan to repel the enemy?"

Zhou Yu cupped his hands in greeting, first bowing to Sun Quan, and then nodding to Zhang Zhao and the others. Despite holding military power, Zhou Yu was completely unpretentious.

"Gentlemen, the reason I have returned to Chaisang is precisely for this matter."

Zhou Yu's voice was loud and clear, as if it had some kind of magic. The two groups that were about to start arguing all calmed down and listened attentively.

Zhou Yu pointed towards Wulin and said, “Although the emperor ordered Cao Cao to attack Jiangdong, I have already found out that Cao Cao has only mobilized his own troops. It is clear that we are only fighting against Cao Cao this time. This is the emperor’s cleverness. He wants to use Cao Cao to deal with us, and at the same time, he is also using us to fight against Cao Cao.”

Zhang Zhao retorted, "Grand Commander, if that's the case, then the court will ultimately benefit. In that case, we and Cao Cao will both be severely injured, and once the emperor intervenes, we will undoubtedly still be defeated."

Zhou Yu smiled confidently, “The emperor wants to use our strength to dampen Cao Cao’s momentum and then completely control the situation. Unless Cao Cao wins, the emperor can’t extend his reach to Jiangdong. If we win, they will be unable to cross the natural barrier of the Yangtze River.”

Zhou Yu and Guo Jia were the same kind of people. What they wanted was not high-ranking positions and generous salaries, but to choose a wise ruler and give full play to their talents.

Cao Cao provided Guo Jia with a stage to showcase his talents; similarly, Sun Ce and Sun Quan provided Zhou Yu with the best stage.

They are all exceptionally talented individuals; they would not be happy if they were directly given high-ranking official positions.

Their pursuit is to be able to fully display their talents.

Zhou Yu continued, “We not only have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, but also a well-trained navy. Most of Cao Cao’s troops were conscripted from the north, and these men are not accustomed to water and are not skilled in naval warfare. Although Cao Cao’s army is large, I am confident of victory in battle on the river. As long as we defeat Cao Cao, even if the emperor wants to intervene, he will be powerless without a usable navy.”

Zhou Yu was neither domineering nor forceful, but the confidence he exuded with composure was all the more infectious, like a warm current flowing into everyone's hearts, making them feel at ease. (End of Chapter)