Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 236 If I had listened to your words, I would be begging for food!

The first year of the reign of Emperor Yanwu of Han.

The third year of the Taihe era of the Wei dynasty.

The first year of Wu Huanglong.

Jingzhou, Wuchang.

Chiwu Jiarui returned to the palace and built its nest on the large pillar of the Taiji Hall.

Sun Quan, who had just changed his reign title and ascended to the throne, was overjoyed and held a banquet in the Taiji Hall to welcome all his ministers and officials.

A group of talented people are complete, and a few years old are collected together.

The Emperor of Great Wu raised his cup first, overjoyed:
"Now that it should be the time for your winter vacation, you gentlemen have temporarily left your families and come all the way from Jiangdong to congratulate the founding of the Great Wu dynasty. I will first offer you a toast!"

After speaking, Sun Quan raised his cup, drank it all in one gulp, and then gestured with the empty cup.

Seeing this, Zhang Zhao, the civil official, and Lu Xun, the military official, all raised their cups and drank respectfully with the triumphant Emperor of Wu from afar.

"Hahaha..." Sun Quan drank several cups in succession and laughed heartily.

He then looked at Zhang Zhao, Gu Yong, Chen Hua, Xu Xiang, Liu Ji, and other ministers who remained in Jiangdong.

"Since I moved here six years ago, I have been separated from you all more often than not."

"You gentlemen spend more time with your families than with me."

"Let us drink to our hearts' content today. Only when we are all thoroughly drunk and fall into the pool of wine will we be allowed to return home!"

Everyone agreed that it was the best.

So the emperor and his ministers drank heartily, and singing and dancing began.

When Sun Quan was drunk, several red crows that had built their nest in the Taiji Hall returned from foraging and flew back to their nest on the beam above Sun Quan's head.

School official Lü Yi put down his cup, looked up at the nest of red crows he had lured there, and finally bowed to Sun Quan during the banquet, saying:
"When King Wu attacked King Zhou of Shang, a red crow appeared as an auspicious omen. The king and his ministers observed this, and thus the kingdom came to be theirs."

"Later generations said that the red crow brought good news, and that this marked the beginning of the Zhou dynasty."

"Now that Your Majesty has received the mandate of Heaven and established a new empire, all disasters and calamities in the four borders and eight directions of Great Wu have vanished. Moreover, a red crow has built its nest in Your Majesty's Taiji Palace. This is truly clear proof that the Mandate of Heaven is with Wu!"

Many people in the hall, out of fear of Lü Yi's power, had private connections with him. Now that they saw Lü Yi flattering the Supreme Emperor of Wu... no, the Emperor of Wu, they immediately followed suit, offering their congratulations and doing their utmost to flatter him.

Fearing falling behind others, he was targeted by Lü Yi.

This man doesn't even respect important civil and military officials like Lu Xun, Gu Yong, Zhang Zhao, and Bu Zhi. Once the officials in charge of the investigation find evidence of their crimes, he dares to lead them directly to their door with knives to demand an explanation.

Sun Quan had declined the throne three times, which eventually led to natural disasters, forcing him to declare himself emperor.

Seeing everyone congratulating Da Wu, he didn't know how to respond and simply accepted it silently.

At the same time, these loyal individuals were included in the list of key individuals to be cultivated.

After almost all the ministers offered their congratulations, Hu Zong, the Chamberlain and Right Commander of the Army, immediately picked up his brush and wrote a congratulatory letter for the Emperor of Wu.

Amidst the watchful eyes of the crowd, he read aloud:

"The mighty Wu, its dragon coiled in the southern era!"

"The majesty of the heavens shines brightly, the sun and stars gleam!"

"The fires of Red Cliff burned Cao Cao's linked ships!"

"The flames of Yiling blaze, crushing Liu's army!"

"A miraculous attack from Canglang, annihilating the Wei invaders!"

"..."

"Alas!"

"His martial prowess is evident, and his literary virtues are equally illustrious!"

"The Mandate of Heaven has been bestowed, and auspicious omens abound!"

"Yellow dragons and phoenixes arrive in droves!"

"The whale and the salamander have vanished, and the red crow has arrived!"

"The Mandate of Heaven rests with Wu, not Wei or Shu!"

Ascend the Hall of Supreme Harmony, and gaze upon the Wilderness of Winged Chariots!

"When the cloud banners return, the land is solemn; when the emperor's voice resounds, the mountain spirits remain!"

"A purple canopy and yellow flag, a prophecy from the southeast!"

"Yellow Dragon and Vermilion Bird, protect the imperial enterprise for ten thousand generations!"

"The flames of the Han dynasty have burned out, and the Wei dynasty is about to collapse!"

"Our great Wu shines like the rising sun, as constant as the moon!"

May its light shine upon the four seas and forever illuminate the eight directions!

May our land be boundless, and our heavens limitless!

Since Sun Quan took over Jiangdong, most of the imperial edicts, decrees, and official documents sent to Cao Wei and the Han Dynasty were written by Hu Zong.

The proclamation to Heaven by Sun Quan when he declared himself emperor some time ago was also written by Hu Zong.

Now that Hu Zong has once again submitted a fine article, all the officials and ministers are praising it with delight.

A small number of people couldn't help but complain that Hu Zong's article only mentioned a few of Sun Quan's victories, but made no mention of Sun Quan's defeats at Xiaoyao Ford, Ruxukou, or the recent defeat at Xicheng.

By this time, Sun Quan was completely drunk, leaning against a low table with his upper garment half-open, showing no signs of decorum whatsoever.

Listening to Hu Zong's article, he became increasingly pleased with the three battles that established the nation: Chibi, Yiling, and Canglang. He completely forgot that Bu Zhi and Zhuge Jin had recently been defeated by the Han army in Xicheng and were still in Han hands with no news of them.

The wine is half full.

Sun Quan ordered his attendants to bring water from the "Dew-Collecting Plate" into the palace, dip willow leaves in it, and sprinkle it on the assembled officials, allowing them to absorb some of the "royal aura."

All the officials were pleased.

Only the veteran minister Zhang Zhao, with a solemn expression, stared intently at Sun Quan without uttering a word.

He stared at Sun Quan for a long time, only to find that Sun Quan didn't even notice his gaze.

Two eunuchs had already brought the water from the dew-collecting plate to his seat, intending to sprinkle the water on him with willow branches, their smiles beaming.

Zhang Zhao's expression was cold and stern as he glared at the two smiling eunuchs.

The two eunuchs were both taken aback. Although the willow branches in their hands were wet, they hesitated to sprinkle them on Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Zhao snorted coldly, gathered his clothes, and left his seat.

He walked straight to the outside of the Taiji Hall, got into his carriage, and called for his attendants to drive him home.

The entire hall was silent.

Sun Quan was about 80% sober.

After a moment's thought, he sent his guards to bring Zhang Zhao back from outside the palace.

"Lord Zhang, you have worked hard for many years, and I have not seen you for a long time."

"Tonight is merely a time to take advantage of this joyous occasion to enjoy the night with you all, relieve our fatigue, and reminisce about old times. Why are you so angry and spoil everyone's fun?"

Zhang Zhao remained calm and replied:
"In the past, King Zhou of Shang built a wine pool and a meat forest, and indulged in revelry and drinking all night long."

"At that time, King Zhou and his officials also found it enjoyable and did not find it offensive."

Sun Quan remained silent after hearing this.

The assembled officials and ministers were also taken aback.

A moment later, Sun Quan looked ashamed and ordered the wine to be taken away.

Zhang Zhao then returned to his seat.

The atmosphere became somewhat awkward after no wine was served in the hall.

Only after being reminded by the Chamberlain Shi Yi, and after Zhang Zhao's words had made him somewhat lose face, did the Emperor of Wu finally remember what he had set up for this banquet.

He then summoned his attendants and brought them the imperial edict.

The ceremony was held to receive the decree, which was then read aloud to the public.

The Crown Prince Sun Deng was granted several important ministerial positions.

Zhuge Ke, son of General Zhuge Jin, was appointed as the Left Assistant to the Crown Prince.

Bu Chan, son of General Bu Zhi, was appointed as the Crown Prince's Right Assistant.

Gu Tan, son of Chancellor Gu Yong, was appointed as the Crown Prince's assistant.

Zhang Biao, son of Zhang Wen, the Grand Tutor of the Crown Prince and the General of the Righteous Army, was appointed as the Wing Commandant of the Crown Prince.

Those below four, such as Xie Jing, Fan Shen, Diao Xuan, and Yang Dao, all became guests of the Crown Prince.

The Crown Prince will soon return to Jianye to take charge.

The chief craftsman Dong Zhi accompanied the crown prince on his return to Jianye in the east, where he built a separate palace, making Jianye a secondary capital of the Great Wu.

Upon hearing the imperial decree, the assembled officials were all taken aback.

It is not surprising that the crown prince was given important ministers, but the fact that he was given Bu Zhi, the son of Zhuge Jin, and Bu Chan, who had surrendered, to serve as his left and right assistants in the Eastern Palace was clearly intended to appease the people.

However, at this moment, Zhang Zhao, whose expression remained cold and stern, suddenly spoke up:
"Ziyu and Zishan are important generals of the country, Your Majesty's trusted advisors and pillars of the state. Now they have fallen into the hands of the Shu people. Your Majesty, I dare to ask, what should be done?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan frowned, and his drunkenness vanished.

Why did he appoint Zhuge Ke and Bu Chan as the Crown Prince's left and right advisors?
It was precisely because he was unwilling to cede territory to Shu in exchange for the surrender of Bu Zhi, Zhuge Jin, Cheng Zi, Huang Bing, and others to Wu.

Is he worried that if he were to declare himself emperor at this time, he would attract criticism for being harsh and ungrateful, so he did this to appease people's hearts?

Below the green steps of the Taiji Hall, Zhang Zhao, seated in the chief seat, and Sun Quan locked eyes.

"What do you think, Lord Zhang?" Sun Quan asked coldly.

Seeing that the emperor and his minister were outwardly friendly but inwardly at odds, and that the situation was tense enough to draw swords at each other, all the officials and ministers fell silent.

After a moment's hesitation, Zhang Zhao said:

"Your Majesty, when Wu and Wei were locked in fierce battle, all the civil and military officials believed that the people of Shu might go down the river to the east and take advantage of the situation to invade Wu."

"However, the people of Shu remained silent, letting the states of Wu and Wei fight each other."

"I believe that it is not that Shu does not want to, but that Shu is unable to."

Sun Quan had already guessed what Zhang Zhao was going to say, so his expression grew even colder: "What exactly does Lord Zhang mean?"

Zhang Zhao defied him and faced him directly:

"Your Majesty, Shu, with only one province, has exhausted its national strength by attacking Cao Wei's resources of nine provinces and luckily seizing Guanzhong."

Unexpectedly, he then led an army to Hanzhong and captured the two commanderies of Xicheng and Shangyong.

"Although Zhao Yun commanded tens of thousands of troops and approached Fangling, the last of the three eastern commanderies, he was unable to capture it for two months, and his momentum of victory was exhausted."

"Shu could neither defeat Wei nor attack Wu."

"The combination of these two points is enough to show that the Shu army has reached its limit and its strength is no longer enough to penetrate the Lu silk."

"Your Majesty, I believe that the best course of action now is to send envoys to Shu to form an alliance against Wei, and at the same time send envoys to Wei to form an alliance to attack Shu."

"Cao Wei had previously sent envoys to form an alliance with Wu."

"He wanted to join forces with Wu to attack Shu, but His Majesty refused and insisted on fighting Wei."

"Now, Wei and Wu have both ceased hostilities."

"The Great Wu persuaded Wei to attack Shu, and persuaded Shu to attack Wei."

"If we explain the advantages and disadvantages of Shu to them, we can subdue them without fighting and exchange Zishan, Ziyu and other generals for them."

"If this is true, then the people of Wu will be at peace."

"The Shu people killed Wei generals Cao Zhen and Zhang He, and defeated Sima Yi, so their hatred was immense."

"But Wu did not kill a single one of Wei's generals."

"Cao Rui was a vengeful ruler, and the people of Wei were also united in their hatred of Shu."

"If Wei and Wu temporarily cease hostilities and join forces to march west, then regardless of Cao Rui's true intentions, Wei will surely attack Shu first and ignore Wu."

"However... both Wei and Shu are currently vulnerable, and there probably won't be another major war for another year or two."

"Now that the Great Wu has been established, the people yearn for peace. Your Majesty can move between Wei and Shu. While Wei and Shu are accumulating national strength and preparing for future wars, our Great Wu can also take this opportunity to allow the people to rest and recuperate."

"There will inevitably be a war between Wei and Shu in the future."

"However, in terms of recuperation and development, Wei had seven provinces while Shu only had two. How could Shu be a match for Cao Wei?"

"Our Great Wu occupies three provinces, its wealth and power lying between Wei and Shu. If the two kingdoms were to go to war, our Great Wu's troops would be superior in quality and supplies, far exceeding Shu's. We would surely be able to seize the opportunity to gain advantage."

Zhang Zhao firmly believed that the battle in which the alliance between Wu and Shu broke down at Xicheng was entirely Sun Quan's responsibility, and that Wu should not have attempted to seize Xicheng.

Hanzhong is the heart and lifeline of the Han Dynasty. Xicheng is adjacent to Hanzhong. The story of Lü Meng crossing the river in disguise serves as a stark reminder of the past.

How could the people of Shu possibly allow the Great Wu to have another chance to threaten the heartland of Hanzhong?
Sun Quan said coldly:
"Zhang Gong is far too naive!"
"The old and new grudges between Wu and Shu have become irreconcilable!"
"Saying that you're ceding territory in exchange for Zishan and Ziyu is clearly an attempt to humiliate our Great Wu!"
"How can the mighty Wu send envoys to Shu and invite humiliation upon themselves?!"

"The only solution now is to stop the fighting with war!"

"It is advisable to ally with Wei to attack Shu."

"To unite with Shu to attack Wei?"

"It's not necessary!"

Zhang Zhao's expression hardened.

Sun Quan was a stubborn man; once he made up his mind, nothing could change it.

Regardless, he at least knew that he needed to negotiate peace with Wei and launch a full-scale attack on Shu.

But... would Cao Wei really join forces with Wu to attack Shu now, just like before?

Zhang Zhao's thoughts were in turmoil. He sat upright at the table, saying no more.

Before long, the Chamberlain Shi Yi told the assembled officials about another piece of good news.

The Wuling Wuxi Yi, who had been pacified by the Great Wu for more than three years, sent envoys to congratulate the Great Wu emperor after learning that the emperor had declared himself emperor.

The emperor believed that the Wuxi Yi had submitted to Wu, so he decided to send Generals Zhang Mi and Xu Yan with imperial credentials to Wulingyuan to appoint Yi King Sha Lie as the Miao King of Great Wu and to bestow upon Sha Lie the seal of the Miao King.

This will be the first seal of a vassal king bestowed after the founding of the Great Wu Kingdom.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Zhao's expression changed again, and he stood up to strongly advise against it:
"Your Majesty, you mustn't!"
"The Wuxi barbarians have always been happy to associate with the Shu bandits!"
"In the battle of Yiling between our Great Wu and Shu, we even killed Sha Moke, the King of the Five Streams Yi!"
"I have long heard that barbarians repay kindness and debts. Now that the Five Streams barbarians have not yet paid their blood debt to Great Wu, they will certainly not let this go easily!"

"This envoy's congratulatory message is certainly not his true intention. He has other plans, and wants to spy on the situation of the Great Wu and report back to the Han!"

"If Zhang Mi and Xu Yan, the two envoys, were killed by the barbarians, wouldn't we become a laughingstock to the world?!"

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan snorted coldly.

Afterwards, he spoke at length to Zhang Zhao, but his words contradicted Zhang Zhao's own.

all in all.

The Yi people here are different from the Yue people in the mountains. Instead, they are similar to the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan and other northern barbarians. They are all people who forget righteousness for profit.

Zhang Zhao countered sharply, his intentions were very earnest, and he strongly advised Sun Quan not to believe the words of the Wuxi Yi people.

Sun Quan grew increasingly displeased.

Finally, he suddenly changed the subject:
"The reason why I am where I am today, and why Heaven has favored Wu, is not because of the merits of this battle."

"It is the meritorious deeds of Zhou Yu and Lu Xun at the Battle of Red Cliffs, which occurred twenty years ago!"

Zhang Zhao seemed not to understand Sun Quan's meaning and once again dared to speak frankly.

He strongly advised Sun Quan against bestowing the seal of the Yi King Sha Lie upon him as the Great Wu Miao King.

Otherwise, we will surely be laughed at by the world.

Sun Quan finally lost his temper and drew his sword, roaring angrily:

"If I had listened to Zhang Gong's advice back then, I would already be begging for food in Wei!"

"All of Wu, upon entering the palace, pay homage to me; upon leaving the palace, pay homage to you!"
"I have always held you in the highest esteem!"

"Yet you have repeatedly humiliated me in public!"
"Lord Zhang, what kind of person do you take me for?!"

The officials and ministers in the hall were all astonished and fell into a deep silence, not daring to even breathe.

What the Emperor said was true. When entering the capital, one should pay homage to the Emperor; when leaving, one should pay homage to Lord Zhang. This has always been the case in Da Wu.

If the emperor had not disliked Zhang Zhao and had not been at odds with him, the prime minister of Wu would not have been Sun Shao or Gu Yong.

Even after Sun Shao and Gu Yong became prime ministers of Wu, they still treated Zhang Zhao with utmost respect, showing him the courtesy due to a junior.

Zhang Zhao was the one who was second only to the emperor and above ten thousand others.

Zhang Zhao stared at Sun Quan for a long while before saying:
"Back then, the Empress Dowager and King Huan did not entrust the old minister to Your Majesty, but instead entrusted Your Majesty to the old minister."

"Therefore, this old minister only wishes to fulfill his duty as a subject to repay the great kindness of the Empress Dowager and King Huan."

"In this way, even after the old minister has passed away, he will still leave behind some commendable deeds in history."

"I never expected that I, your humble servant, would be so short-sighted as to go against Your Majesty's good intentions."

At this point, Zhang Zhao paused, his expression becoming even more resolute:

"However... this old minister is devoted to the country with a foolish heart, and his ambition is to be loyal and seek benefit, which he will never change until death."

"If Your Majesty wishes to make this old minister change course and seek personal glory in order to please Your Majesty, this is something I cannot do!"
"Due to old age and illness, I request to resign from my official post and relinquish my seal!"

After saying this, Zhang Zhao turned and left.

Upon seeing this, Sun Quan angrily stood up.

"Somebody come!"

"Let's get some fine wine and good meat!"

"Keep the music playing...keep the dancing!"

After Zhang Zhao's figure completely disappeared.

Inside the Taiji Hall, music and dance began again.

Sun Quan poured himself a glass of wine and drank it all in one gulp.

"Hahaha..." Sun Quan laughed loudly as he looked towards the palace gate.

"Come, my lords, let us drink to our hearts' content!"

"No one shall return home until they are drunk and fall into the pool of wine!"

The officials and ministers looked at each other, and finally all poured wine and raised their cups.

"Congratulations to Your Majesty!"

"Your Majesty is victorious!"

Before long, the Taiji Hall was once again filled with a joyful atmosphere.

...

The next day.

Sun Quan sobered up.

Received a message suddenly.

Luo Tong was seriously ill and near death.

Upon hearing this news, Sun Quan was bewildered.

Luo Tong was only thirty-six years old. After Ling Tong's death, the more than five thousand men that Ling Tong had given him were put under Luo Tong's command.

However, since the beginning of this year, Luo Tong has been seriously ill and bedridden, with no cure available.

Now that he, the Emperor of Great Wu, has just ascended the throne, is Luo Tong already unable to hold on?

Following Lü Fan and Zhou Tai, is the Emperor of Wu about to lose another great general?
Sun Quan was overcome with grief and hastily went to see Luo Tong.

When Luo Tong saw the emperor coming to see him, he tried to get off the bed, but he was too weak to do so.

"Gongxu, do you have any last words to instruct me?" Sun Quan grasped Luo Tong's hand.

Luo Tong could not speak, he could only weep.

After a long while, he finally managed to squeeze out a sentence: "Your Majesty... Although I was unable to witness Your Majesty's ascension to the throne in the southern suburbs, I am still able to witness Your Majesty's enthronement before I die, and I have been granted an audience with Your Majesty. I have no regrets."

A moment later, Luo Tong breathed his last.

Luo Xiu, son of Luo Tong, collapsed onto his bed and wept bitterly.

After a long while, Sun Quan gently patted Luo Xiu on the back and said, "Shihe, please accept my condolences. I intend to give you three thousand troops from Gongxu's command, hoping that you can carry on your father's unfinished ambition."

Luo Xiu wiped away her tears and resolutely nodded:

"Your Majesty, I will certainly not fail in your trust!"

“Your Majesty, my late father…yesterday, in a moment of lucidity, he dictated a thousand words, which I transcribed by hand. He then asked me to present them to Your Majesty.”

Sun Quan was taken aback.

Then he ordered Luo Xiu to deliver Luo Tong's last will and testament.

Upon reading the letter, Sun Quan frowned deeply.

"I have heard that those who govern a country consider vast territory as wealth, the power of life and death as honor, the manifestation of virtue and righteousness as glory, and the longevity of their dynasty as blessing."

"Wealth must be accumulated by the people, strength depends on the people's power, authority relies on the people's influence, blessings are provided by the people's upbringing, virtue awaits the people's prosperity, and propriety and righteousness are practiced by the people."

"Only when these six things are fulfilled can one receive the mandate of Heaven, protect one's family, and prosper."

An ancient saying goes: "The people will not be at peace without a ruler, and the ruler will be unable to govern the four directions without the people."

Therefore, the people rely on the ruler for peace, and the ruler relies on the people for success; this is an unchanging principle.

"Today, the strong bandits have not been wiped out, and the inner peace of the world is still uncertain." 』

"The three armies have long been stationed at the border, and the Yangtze and Han rivers are guarded year-round."

Taxes and levies increased frequently, and the years deepened the burden.

"Adding to the devastation of the plague and its deaths, the counties were desolate, and the fields lay overgrown with weeds."

"I have heard that the registered households in the subordinate counties are dwindling daily, with the elderly and weak making up half the population and able-bodied men being few in number."

Hearing this filled me with dread, and my heart burned with anxiety.

"..."

At this point, the language suddenly shifts, becoming plain and simple.

"Upon closer examination, the common people are ignorant. They are inherently attached to their homeland and unwilling to migrate far away. Furthermore, those who were conscripted into the army suffered terribly while alive, lacking food and clothing, and were abandoned after death, their remains unable to return home. Therefore, they are even more attached to their homeland and afraid to travel far, regarding it as going to their death."

"During each conscription period, those with many family burdens, who are thin and cautious, are often the first to be drafted."

Those with even a little wealth would use all their possessions to bribe officials, disregarding the risk of going bankrupt, in order to avoid being conscripted into distant expeditions or forced labor.

"The nimble and fierce fled into the deep mountains and treacherous terrain, forming gangs to become bandits."

"The people have been completely exploited by the state, they are starving and suffering terribly."

"Sorrow leads to a lack of productive activity, and a lack of productive activity leads to increasing poverty."

"Poverty makes people unwilling to live any longer, so hunger and cold give rise to wicked thoughts, and more and more people lead their followers to defect."

"I have also heard that in the common people, families who are poor and unable to support themselves often do not raise their children."

"Many of the impoverished soldiers and civilians who settled in the military farms drowned their children."

"Heaven gives birth to them, and man kills them; this disrupts harmony and disturbs the balance of Yin and Yang."

"Your Highness founded the nation, and your rule will last for ten thousand generations."

"The neighboring enemy is powerful and cannot be defeated overnight."

"Defending the battlefield is not something that can be accomplished in a matter of weeks."

"The current state of our military and civilian population is dire, and our descendants are few; this is not the way to enjoy lasting peace and prosperity, or to achieve great things."

"A nation relies on its people, just as water carries a boat."

Still waters hold a boat safe; turbulent waters endanger it.

"The people are foolish and cannot be deceived, nor can they be overcome. Therefore, wise rulers value them, entrusting them with both fortune and misfortune. This is why they allow the people to rest and recuperate, and observe the times to formulate laws."

"The current prefects and magistrates, the officials in charge of governing the people, all consider it an achievement to levy taxes and collect them on time, and rarely show any kindness or favor."

"Indeed, this truly reflects Your Majesty's boundless benevolence and tireless devotion."

"Political and social customs are deteriorating daily, gradually leading to decline, and this trend cannot last."

"Your Majesty, I wished to cure your illness before it worsened and eliminate the danger before it became too deep. Unfortunately, my illness has become severe and I am nearing death. I am unable to serve Your Majesty with my utmost loyalty; this is truly my greatest regret!"

"I humbly beseech Your Majesty to temporarily cease hostilities, allow the people to rest and recuperate, alleviate their suffering, devise long-term plans, comfort and care for the people, accumulate grain and build up strength, so that your achievements may shine as brightly as the sun and moon, and your dynasty's reign may last as long as heaven and earth."

"My wish, Luo Tong, is fulfilled with these words; though I die, I live on."

Sun Quan remained silent, his brows furrowed.

(End of this chapter)