Zhang Zhao's words made Sun Quan feel depressed. Over the years, the military power was in the hands of Zhou Yu and other generals. He relied on the loyalty of his generals to rule Jiangdong.
In recent years, he has been busy appeasing the aristocratic families, selecting their sons and daughters to serve as officials, stabilizing the territory and winning the hearts of the people. Even Cao Cao has repeatedly requested to send a hostage to Xuchang, which shows his fear of Jiangdong.
When marching to Hefei, Sun Quan discovered that the soldiers did not obey his orders directly, and that the generals in Jiangdong all had their own private soldiers, which was a huge hidden danger.
As he grew older, this sense of crisis became stronger. It was not that he did not trust Zhou Yu, but that he had no military power and always felt like he was being sidelined.
Especially after the defeat in Hefei, Sun Quan's prestige in the army plummeted to the bottom. Today, everyone unanimously recommended Zhou Yu to lead the troops, but no one thought of letting him lead the army in person to motivate the three armies.
Now Zhou Yu is in charge of the three armies. If one day Zhou Yu falls ill or even dies, who can Jiangdong rely on
The reason why Sun Quan was able to take control of Jiangdong and become a hegemon at the age of 18 was not only due to the team left to him by Sun Ce, but also because he had his own political strategies. Otherwise, how could Sun Ce be confident in handing over the foundation to him
Being prepared for a rainy day is one of Sun Quan's strengths. He always employs people after careful consideration. The safety, prosperity and decline of Jiangdong cannot depend entirely on Zhou Yu alone.
His mind raced, but his face was sincere. He clasped his fists and said, "Brother has entrusted you two with important matters. As ministers who assist him, we should put the cause of Jiangdong first and handle matters impartially. You have always been a man of integrity and outspoken, and all civil and military officials respect you. But today you are trying to save yourself. If you really make a mistake, it will be too late to regret it."
Zhang Zhao sighed, "I am not afraid of what people say, but I am worried that rumors of discord between civil and military officials will spread in Jiangdong. This will be detrimental to the morale of the army. The army is about to be dispatched, which is a big taboo! Zhao has a history of generals and ministers getting along well. Am I not as good as Lian Po, a warrior?"
Sun Quan suddenly realized and praised with emotion: "Mingsong is truly a great man!"
Zhang Zhao added: "Liu Qi can still defeat Cao Ren in Nanyang. If the Grand Commander fails to take Huainan, he will not be able to lead the troops of Jiangdong if he is not lazy. We should choose another capable person to replace him. Otherwise, he will never be able to plot against the Central Plains!"
"Although Gongjin is warlike, he is also working for the great cause of Jiangdong. He is not afraid of wind and frost, and he braves arrows and stones. He serves his country with all his heart and is ready to die. I know what I am doing, so don't worry!" Sun Quan waved his sleeves and went into the back hall.
Zhang Zhao was stunned. Sun Quan was obviously quite afraid of Zhou Yu holding military power, so why did he change his attitude
Are you moody at such a young age? I suddenly feel like living with a king is like living with a tiger.
While Zhang Zhao was at a loss, Lu Su followed Zhou Yu closely after leaving the house and invited him to his home to sit and relax.
As soon as he entered the study, he asked directly, "Why did Gongjin remain silent during today's discussion?"
During this period, he was busy arranging the marriage. Zhuge Jin, as the matchmaker for the woman, accompanied Qiao Xuan to his hometown in Lujiang. He was very busy and only then did he realize that Zhou Yu was a little abnormal.
Zhou Yu smiled faintly and said, "Liu Qi and the other generals all have profound opinions. The Lord of Wu has already made a decision. Why should I say more?"
Lu Su frowned and said, "Bofu entrusted foreign affairs to you. In the past, all wars were decided by the governor. Today, it is completely different from the norm. Zhang Zibu took the lead and planned, and it seems that he is deliberately targeting the governor. Why is that?"
Zhou Yu sighed, "I have been so busy lately that I have neglected one thing. I asked Mr. Zhang for help at Ganlu Temple, but was humiliated by Liu Qi. Afterwards, I forgot to explain and apologize to him. I think Zi Bu must have misunderstood me, so he bears a grudge. I was careless."
Lu Su hurriedly said, "The discord between civil and military officials is not a blessing for Jiangdong. If the governor is unwilling to condescend, I would like to set up a banquet and invite the two of you to come to my house to meet and discuss this matter."
"Some things cannot be explained clearly!" Zhou Yu sighed and shook his head, then suddenly laughed and said, "If there is really someone who can lead Jiangdong, I would like to retire to the mountains and forests, take Bo Fu's spirit tablet with me, and sail on the Yangtze River and the sea."
"Why do you say that, Commander?" Lu Su was shocked and looked at Zhou Yu in disbelief. "Bofu entrusted me with the affairs of Jiangdong. How can I retreat after a slight setback?"
Zhou Lang, who was full of high spirits, lofty ambitions and looked down upon the world, actually uttered such bleak words
"I have been entrusted by Bo Fu to protect Jiangdong. I will do my best to protect it, even if I die!"
Zhou Yu raised his fist to the air, looked at Lu Su and chuckled, "Zhou Lang is still the same Zhou Lang, but the Marquis of Wu is no longer the ignorant 18-year-old boy. He has grown up!"
Lu Su's heart was moved, and he sighed: "The Marquis of Wu has great ambitions and is determined to expand the Jiangdong base. At this time, the monarch and his subjects should be united. If the governor has any unspeakable secrets, I would like to explain to the lord and the Marquis of Wu. Don't let personal loyalty make a mistake in important matters."
Zhou Yu shook his head and smiled, "My heart towards Jiangdong is as clear as the sun and the moon. The Lord of Wu knows that, so why should he be afraid of what others say?"
Lu Su frowned and said, "Bofu entrusted his son to the governor and Zibu. If you two harbor resentment, how can Bofu feel at ease if he knows about it in the afterlife?"
Zhou Yu raised his head to the sky and sighed, then slowly said, "A true man should live his life with a lord who understands him. He should trust the loyalty of a ruler and his subjects, and the kindness of a family. He should follow the lord's words and actions, and share the good and bad times. What regrets should I have in this life? I look up to heaven and earth, and I will be loyal to him. I just want to have a clear conscience!"
Lu Su was silent. He was also a close friend of Zhou Yu and knew Zhou Yu's character. Since he had made a decision, it would be difficult to persuade him. So he asked, "What do you think of the Huainan war?"
"This plan is feasible!" Zhou Yu nodded without hesitation and said, "Although Liu Qi is afraid that our navy will covet Jingxiang, he is actually planning for Jiangdong. He has a plan to take Guangling!"
Lu Su thought for a moment and said, "When Ziyu arrived in Xiangyang, he heard that Zhang Lu sent an envoy to make friends with Liu Qi and conspire to seize Xichuan. Today, Liu Qi said that he was sending troops to rescue Liu Zhang. I think there must be a trick. The troops sent by Jingzhou are fake. I am afraid that Zhang Lu will attack Yizhou and Liu Qi will attack from behind. Hanzhong will not be saved!"
Zhou Yu looked a little stern, frowned and said, "Nanyang and Hanzhong are separated by mountains and rivers, and the roads are difficult. There are also Shangyong and Xicheng. Zhang Lu retreated after hearing the news, and he returned before Liu Qi. How can he launch a surprise attack on Hanzhong?"
Lu Su stroked his beard and said, "Liu Qi's actions have always been unpredictable. With the help of Crouching Dragon and Phoenix, it is hard to predict the truth. I just feel that this matter is a bit strange, so I guess a few things. Liu Qi's capture of Hanzhong is far better than attacking Yizhou directly. If Hanzhong is captured, Xichuan will be in his pocket!"
Zhou Yu paused for a moment and sighed, "Liu Qi has risen in power in Jingzhou. It is hopeless for me to take Xichuan. I can only march north to the Central Plains, take Guangling, and settle Huainan to repay Bofu's unfulfilled ambitions!"
Speaking of Guangling, Lu Su also sighed. This was a sad place for the Sun family. First, Sun Quan was scared away by Chen Deng, and then Sun Ce was killed while preparing for war.
If he had succeeded at that time, Sun Ce would have taken advantage of the confrontation between Yuan and Cao at Guandu to march straight into Xuzhou and sweep across the Central Plains. What would the situation be like now
But it was all just a thought. Lu Su said, "If Liu Qi really wants to stay in Hanzhong, he may not have any intention of advancing to the Central Plains. What he said in the hall today cannot be fully trusted."
"How can we rely on outsiders to achieve the hegemony of Jiangdong?" Zhou Yu smiled coldly and said, "Tomorrow I will invite Liu Qi to a banquet alone to discuss this matter, so that Cao Cao will have no time to look east."
Lu Su was relieved then, so he invited Zhou Yu to have lunch, drink with him and talk with him to help him relieve his worries. After seeing Zhou Yu off, he went straight to see Sun Quan to clear the rift between the monarch and his subject.