While he was talking, Zhou Shang sent someone to invite him, so Zhou Yu got up in full clothes and went to the yard, suddenly remembered, and turned to straighten Sun Ce's collar again. Sun Ce was a little taller than Zhou Yu, and his clothes were covered with snow all the way. After melting, they hung them beside the stove to dry. At this time, he hurriedly put them on and had no time to clean them up. Zhou Yu walked behind Sun Ce, turned out his mink fur lining solemnly, knelt down on one knee, and straightened the hem of his robe. Sun Ce hurriedly said, "Don't worry about it, I will teach your cousin to see you later." I'm about to be told..."
"The old man hasn't come yet," Zhou Yu said, "Don't be nervous, he..."
"Zhou Yu!" A majestic voice said from the corridor.
Zhou Yu shivered suddenly, Sun Ce didn't expect that even Zhou Yu was afraid of someone, so he stood awkwardly, unable to think of a word to greet him for a long time. I saw a civil servant with a big arm and a round waist standing in front of the corridor, his eyes were not angry and prestige.
Zhou Yu hurriedly stood up and bowed, and said, "Cousin Uncle."
That person was Zhou Shang, so Sun Ce smiled neither humble nor overbearing, cupped his hands and said, "Prefect Zhou."
"Hmm." Zhou Shang knew Sun Ce's identity, which was clearly written in Zhou Yu's greeting card, so he looked the two up and down, and finally said, "Come in."
Sun Ce entered and took his seat. Zhou Yu walked behind Sun Ce, knelt and sat a little later to Sun Ce's left, took the cup from the maidservant, and made tea for Sun Ce. Zhou Shang hadn't seen Zhou Yu, his nephew, for many years. Four years ago, when Zhou Yi was at the funeral, he met him in a hurry. Sun Ce was also there that day. Now Zhou Yu has become Sun Ce's subordinate, and he was immediately surprised.
Even Sun Ce himself was a little surprised. When he looked back, Zhou Yu gave him a look, which reassured him a little.
"A few days ago, I heard about your father's recent situation." Zhou Shang asked about Sun Jian straight to the point, and then said, "Shu County also sent a letter. A few years ago, your uncle passed by Danyang and had a small gathering to talk about your hiding your strengths and biding your time. , it’s not easy to say.”
"Your Majesty Zhou is too famous." Sun Ce raised his eyebrows and said sincerely, "Father passed away, and all thoughts are lost. I just want to keep my filial piety for my father for three years."
Zhou Shang sneered and said, "Zhou Yu is so pedantic, you are also pedantic? If I go to the west one day, I don't have to keep my son for three years."
Sun Ce smiled embarrassedly, and Zhou Shang said again, "Zhou Yu, how is your mother?"
"Hello TOEFL."
When Zhou Yu saw his cousin, his whole demeanor calmed down, with a youthful look in his eyes, and his words and actions were very measured, only when he was holding a cup to Sun Ce, he was somewhat nervous, and replied: "Mother and Sun Ce Madam lives in the same place, and usually has a companion, and talking can also relieve fatigue."
A civil official bowed, handed a wooden box to Zhou Shang, and opened the lid with both hands. Inside was a letter. Zhou Shang took out the letter, put it aside, and said to Sun Ce: "Sun Bofu, your father is It's the Tiger of Jiangdong, General Polu, although he was wrapped in horse leather and buried in Xianshan Mountain, but now that his subordinates have defected and returned to Shouchun, you have no plans?"
"My nephew ordered them to leave." Sun Ce explained, "Instead of living in Shu County, it's better to find a way out early."
Zhou Shang snorted again and said, "Then what about you?"
Zhou Shang's words were like a knife's edge, he didn't give Sun Ce a chance to think, and he was not polite at all. Sun Ce had learned the lesson, and he didn't even dare to look at Zhou Yu. He looked up at Zhou Shang's face and said sincerely: "If there is a good opportunity, Try to get up again."
"How to rise up?" Zhou Shang said coldly, "There are no soldiers, and no money."
"My father was able to rise up when the crowd was in turmoil," Sun Ce said with a slight bow, "So can Sun Ce, but the mistakes of the predecessors cannot be repeated. Gong Jin taught me that it is better to see the situation clearly first."
"Forget it." Zhou Shang said, "I've often heard that you are casual and frivolous. When I saw you today, you have calmed down a lot. Only when you calm down and cultivate your character can you lead troops into battle."
Zhou Yu grinds the tea leaves silently and attentively, soaks them in hot water, and sifts out the broken tea leaves. Zhou Shang glances at Zhou Yu and says, "This is a letter of condolence from Chang'an. Please let me pass it on to you. How many years ago Daxue was bothered by chores, so I delayed for a while, let's see for myself."
Zhou Shang's subordinates handed over the letter, Zhou Yu put down the teacup, took it with both hands and took it out to unfold.
Sun Ce glanced at Zhou Yu, and Zhou Yu read the beginning. It was a letter written by Lv Bu. Lv Bu had entered Chang'an with Dong Zhuo and occupied the city as king.
Zhou Yu read the beginning, and Sun Ce understood, and said, "I'm not going to Chang'an."
"Why don't you go?" Zhou Shang asked slowly while drinking tea by himself.
Sun Ce replied: "Differences of Tao do not conspire with each other."
Zhou Shang didn't speak any more, and after a stick of incense passed, Zhou Shang said again: "If you don't get rid of the thief Dong, it's hard to feel at ease for a day."
"Dong Zhuo must be eliminated." Sun Ce said, "There is also Shouchun and Yuan Shu watching over him."
"That's right." Zhou Shang let out a long breath and said, "Trouble is in chaos, traitors are everywhere, it's difficult."
Zhou Shang shook his head, and Zhou Yu said, "I'm here to ask you for this."
"What use can I be?" Zhou Shang replied, "I'm already half buried."
Sun Ce said: "The prefect of Zhou has governed Danyang for a long time, and people's hearts are against each other. It is clear at a glance. If Jiangdong is to be pacified, the help of the prefect is indispensable. This is actually for this purpose."
Zhou Shang slowed down his tea drinking and didn't look at Sun Ce directly. Zhou Yu's palms were sweating, but he didn't expect Sun Ce to cut straight to the point so quickly and express his intentions.
"I will hand over the soldiers from Danyang to you." Zhou Shang said, "Take them out to fight, can you bring them back safely?"
Sun Ce didn't speak.
Zhou Shang said again: "Yuan Shu will attack in the future, can you protect the people in Danyang?"
Sun Ce still didn't speak.
Zhou Shang said again: "If I entrust Danyang to you, will you be kind to all people?"
After a silence, Sun Ce opened his mouth and replied, "Prefect Zhou, life and death are determined by God. Gouquan is not easy in this chaotic world. Sun Ce can't guarantee that he won't hurt a single soldier, and he may not be able to protect the whole city. But if someone from another dynasty wants to take Danyang by force, Sun Ce can only promise to live and die with this place."
Zhou Shang raised his eyes, squinted them, and looked at Sun Ce fiercely.
Zhou Yu acted as if he hadn't heard anything, and put a cup of tea in front of Sun Ce's table.
"To live and die together?" Zhou Shang squeezed out a sneer.
Sun Ce said: "Danyang is rich and fertile, and the flames of war are about to start. There are tens of thousands of fertile lands in the world. It is difficult for Jingzhou to be alone. Zhou Taishou, like Liu Biao, cannot do it."
Sun Ce's words were obviously very straightforward, and Zhou Shang was slightly displeased. Zhou Yu hurriedly gave him a wink, signaling not to show a preaching tone. Sun Ce also indicated with his eyes that it's okay, and patted the back of Zhou Yu's hand to express his comfort.
Zhou Shang said: "Your father's temperament is too aggressive. Right now, the whole Jiangdong is talking about this battle. Don't blame me for saying something bad. Nephew, it's good to be brave, but a brave person is easy to use his own way. Now Changsha Army It has been incorporated, and it is very difficult for you to make a career."
"No matter how difficult it is, my father will lose, but I won't. Everywhere in Jiangdong is planning for a rainy day." Sun Ce said, "Chaos will arise, it is inevitable. If you don't fight others in this world, others will come to fight you." You, Lord Prefect, please think twice."
Zhou Shang said coldly: "It seems that Nephew Sun is here to teach the old man a lesson instead."
"Don't dare." Sun Ce hurriedly said, "It's just that I suddenly felt emotional recently."
"That's all." Zhou Shang stood up and left the table, Zhou Yu's heart skipped a beat.
"You guys have a drink." Zhou Shangshi hurriedly left.
"I just said, don't talk nonsense!" Zhou Yu gritted his teeth.
Sun Ce looked bewildered.
"I've... refrained from speaking. Oops! Oops! Don't!" Before Sun Ce could finish speaking, Zhou Yu pinched his ears with his fingers.
Zhou Yu said: "Your last words are obviously superfluous. He even promised to hand over Danyang's troops to you!"
Sun Ce drooped his head by the side, and Zhou Yu was constantly scolding him, and Zhou Yu was so angry. After a while, the steward of the prefect's mansion came in, and Zhou Yu and Sun Ce immediately fell silent.
"The eunuch asked Mr. Zhou to talk in the back garden." The steward said with a low eye.
Zhou Yu passed through the fine snow that was flying all over the sky, and saw Zhou Shang standing in the back garden, followed by a servant holding a lantern.
Zhou Yu first bowed to his father, and stood aside in a respectful manner. Zhou Shang was serious and strict, and he paid attention to etiquette. If he didn't speak, Zhou Yu would not speak.
After a long time, Zhou Shang let out a long breath.
"Aside from Danyang this time, where else are you going?"
"Li Yang."
"Wu Jing's side is ready?"
"Never." Zhou Yu said respectfully.
"After Sun Jian died, I thought his two sons would behave better." Zhou Shang said in a deep voice.
Zhou Yu didn't answer, Zhou Shang said again: "Do you think you two can beat Yuan Shu?"
Zhou Yu thought for a while, and replied: "There is Congfu, and there is Wu Jing, the prefect. Yuan Shu's vain attempt to proclaim himself emperor based on the jade seal is the time to win the hearts of the people. I think he will not rush to deal with my nephew."
"What do you think of Sun Ce?" Zhou Shang asked again.
This time Zhou Yu didn't dare to answer rashly. After a long time, he thought carefully and answered eight words.
"Frank and magnanimous, brave and good at planning."
Zhou Shang said: "I think he is a general. I'm afraid it will be difficult to continue. Now that you are helping me, let's take a gamble. What he said is right. When there is chaos, no one can survive alone. My old man Now, Danyang will be handed over to you two."
When Zhou Yu heard this, he finally let go of his heart.
"Tomorrow, the boy will set off for Liyang."
Zhou Shang nodded, and Zhou Yu bowed to leave. When he returned to the living room, Sun Ce still didn't know what he was gesticulating. When Zhou Yu entered the hall, his smile was all over his face, and then he kept a straight face.
Sun Ce raised his head and asked with a smile like a big boy, "How is it? It's done?"
"I was almost made obscene by you!" Zhou Yu reprimanded.
Sun Ce laughed loudly, got up and hugged Zhou Yu, and did not stay in the mansion that night, but went out to find a place to stay. At night, thousands of houses in the city were lit up, Zhou Yu washed his face with hot water, and with Danyang as his backer, the future would be much easier to talk about.
The next day, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce walked around the city, not disturbing Zhou Shang, but just inspecting the local people's livelihood and guarding the city. Zhou Yu estimated the local money and food, while Sun Ce inquired about the strength of the troops. When the two of them traveled to the east of the city, someone from the prefect's mansion came to hand over the money, food and military pay ledger. One should check with Zhou Yu.
Danyang will be their first stronghold. In order not to conflict with Zhou Shang, Zhou Yu bought a mansion in the city for his daily work. In this way, the prefect was separated from the two of them, and if Yuan Shu sent someone to investigate, it would be easy to explain.
Fei Yu screamed and came through the new snow.
Zhou Yu was writing a notice, planning to recruit troops in the city, with strong handwriting. Sun Ce stood in the yard for a while, but did not speak.
"What's wrong?" Zhou Yu asked.
"A letter from Lu Zijing." Sun Ce replied, "Chang'an sent it to Shu County, and Shu County sent it back."
"Let me see." Zhou Yu said.
Sun Ce unfolded the letter, put it on the table, took out his own seal, and pressed it on the letter. On the seal was "Sun of General Polu".
Zhou Yu glanced at the letter and was stunned. This letter is a talisman from Luoyang, bestowed by the emperor. After Sun Jian died, the position of General Polu was inherited by his son Sun Ce.
"The mansion can be opened." Zhou Yu said, "Great! But why would Dong Zhuo..."
Sun Ce motioned him to look at the place where the letter was signed. On it was the seal of General Fenwu Lu Bu and the emperor's seal. The Chuan Guo Yuxi is in Yuan Shu's hands, and Fu Jie can only do so much.
Sun Ce said with a smile, "Now, in favor of him, we can't go to Luoyang."
"It would be nice to settle here." Zhou Yu said, "If you want to fight Luoyang, Lu Fengxian will guard you. I don't dare to mess with him."
That afternoon, Zhou Yu sent a stack of notices to Sun Ce, and the two went to the city to post the notices separately, without any help, and did everything by themselves. At the market in the afternoon, the people saw the announcement, and the people who came to participate in the recruitment lined up. Zhou Yu sat upright and asked everyone about the situation at home.
"Is he the son of General Sun?" said one of them.
Sun Ce sat on the side with a smile and let Zhou Yu organize the team for him.
Zhou Yu picked up a pen and wrote a note, and replied, "Yes."
The man said again: "When Changsha prefect crossed the border, he saved the villain's family from the murderous hands of the Yellow Turban Army. Now the whole family, old and young, all came to repay their kindness."
Sun Ce sighed and stood up to worship, but the man hurriedly greeted Sun Ce.
"In Changxian County, when they heard that the prefect was shot and killed by an arrow, they all said, let the villain join the army and avenge the prefect." Commanded by the general."
Sun Ce's eyes were red immediately, he nodded and said, "I will live up to the trust of my elder brother with his life."
Zhou Yu handed over the note and asked those who remained to go to the prefect's mansion to get the cards, leather armor and weapons.
By the time of sunset on the western mountain, more than 400 people had been recruited from outside the mansion, all of whom came in the name of Sun Ce.
"The door is closed!" Zhou Yu said, "Come back tomorrow."
"Young Master Zhou!" Someone said at the door with sleeves tucked in, "Brothers who can't make it in time, can you have a meal alone? I heard the news in the morning that we came all the way from the suburbs and counties, and we can't leave the city even after dark."
Zhou Yu went in to get the money, and one of them distributed some, and asked them to find a place to stay and rest.
Sun Ce was practicing sticks in the yard, while Zhou Yu was doing calculations on the porch. Sun Ce said, "Four hundred people are enough. I will take Shangliyang with me tomorrow. Don't worry too much about the military salary. You will have to find my uncle then. I'll assign some people to train soldiers."
Zhou Yu said: "There is no rush for tomorrow, no matter what, it will take ten and a half months. Things in one place must be settled in one place before we can set off."
Sun Ce said, "After staying here for a long time, I'm afraid something will change."
"What are you in a hurry for?" Zhou Yu put down his pen and looked into Sun Ce's eyes.
Sun Ce thought for a while and said, "I'm afraid it will be delayed until February and March. Liyang can't be controlled by Wu Jun."
"Really?" Zhou Yu said, "Xu Gong, the prefect of Wu County, although he didn't make it clear, received Yuan Shu's food and salary. Now you have 400 recruits, and you haven't even practiced. You rush to Liyang rashly. You Aren't you afraid that Xu Gong will secretly report to Yuan Shu and detain your soldiers in Liyang?"
"Never." Sun Ce waved his hand, went to Zhou Yu's side, and said casually, "My uncle can hold on."
"I'm afraid you are in such a hurry because you want to take revenge?" Zhou Yu said, "After finishing the army in Liyang, are you going to secretly report to Generals Cheng Pu and Huang Gai on the way and bring the soldiers back to avenge your father?"
What Sun Ce was thinking was immediately guessed by Zhou Yu.
Sun Ce said, "Nothing can be hidden from you."
Zhou Yu said, "I saw that you were writing letters before spring began."
Sun Ce replied: "When you go to Jingzhou, you need a navy. Now that you have a navy and people have returned, why not ask Cheng Pu to bring out Yuan Shu's soldiers and horses?"
"Talk about it yourself, there's nothing wrong with it." Zhou Yu replied, "Trust me, I've already withheld it."
Sun Ce said, "I said why there is no movement."
Sun Ce got up and walked to the yard, the sky was covered with fine snow.
"Angry?" Zhou Yu asked.
Sun Ce said nothing.
"Haven't you ever thought about it?" Zhou Yu said, "You stole Yuan Shu's soldiers to take revenge. The big revenge is revenge. After returning from Jingzhou, Yuan Shu will let us go? That guy will hold grudges the most, and you will be in a dilemma when the time comes. I won't allow you to stay in Danyang any longer..."
Sun Ce said: "After taking Jingzhou, do we still need to go back to Danyang?"
"Do you think Jingzhou is so easy to manage?"
Zhou Yu dropped the pen and got angry too.
"Think clearly about everything." Zhou Yu frowned and said, "Jingzhou is full of nobles, and even Jiangdong can't clean it up. We, a group of outsiders, have entered Jingzhou, and we will definitely not be able to please them."
Sun Ce did not answer directly, but only replied, "I want revenge."
Zhou Yu said calmly: "My father died at the hands of Hua Xiong, and now that Hua Xiong is dead, I don't know how to avenge my father."
"So." Sun Ce glanced sideways at Zhou Yu and said, "It's time to kill your enemies as soon as possible."
"Is the enemy more important or the cause is more important?" Zhou Yu said the last sentence patiently.
Zhou Yu didn't want to talk about this with Sun Ce. After all, Sun Jian had passed away less than three years ago. He thought that Sun Ce had finally forgotten about it, but he couldn't help but bring it up. This was definitely not his intention. However, Sun Ce has never said a word. It turns out that in the six months since last summer, he has never forgotten anything.