kingnovel Chapter 793 Jiangdong Foundation Bewitches Sun's Mother
Chapter 793 Jiangdong Foundation Bewitches Sun's Mother
Although Zhang Zhao knelt on the blue bricks, his back was straight, his eyes were as bright as torches, and he looked straight at the old lady: "Old lady, although it is inappropriate to bring up this proposal at this moment. However, the situation in Jiangdong is changing rapidly. If the succession is not decided soon, chaos may occur. The great cause is more important. I hope Old Lady will think carefully!"
The old lady leaned on her gilded cane, her cloudy eyes filled with confusion, her voice trembling: "Although Bofu died young, his son is still alive. The Sun family's bloodline is well-established. Why does Zibu say this? Could it be..." She suddenly started coughing violently, her knuckles turning white from the exertion, and stared at Zhang Zhao intently, as if trying to see through his thoughts.
The blue bricks at Zhang Zhao's knees were cold, but his straight back remained unmoved. He said in a deep voice, "Old Madam, please understand. Young Master Sun Shao is still in his infancy. How can he shoulder the great cause of Jiangdong? Now that our lord has passed away suddenly, the Shanyue tribes are bound to be ready to make a move. Powerful enemies like Yuan Shao and Liu Biao are eyeing them covetously, and the generals of Jiangdong have different thoughts. If we establish a young master, not only will it be difficult to resist the invasion of foreign enemies, but even the people of Jiangdong will be in panic, causing many troubles. Relying on a baby to rule is undoubtedly putting Jiangdong in a dangerous situation!"
The old lady frowned slightly, a hint of hesitation flashed in her eyes, and although her voice was somewhat firm, she could not hide the uneasiness in her heart: "Zi Bu, you are always resourceful, and I naturally trust your judgment. But now in Jiangdong, we have you and Zi Gang in literature, both of whom are knowledgeable and loyal ministers; we have Gongjin as the governor of military affairs, who is able to make plans and win battles thousands of miles away; we also have four veteran generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao, who have followed Bo Fu in his battles for many years and have made great achievements. With such a team assisting the young master, I think there will not be any big chaos, right?" After that, she raised her head slightly, looking into the distance, as if expecting Zhang Zhao to give a positive response, and as if looking for a little comfort for herself.
Zhang Zhao suddenly looked up, the candlelight burning scarlet in his eyes, and his voice was like cold iron: "Old Madam, do you understand the weight of the four words 'the young master is young and the country is in doubt'?" He knelt half a step, and his wide black sleeves swept away the unburned incense ash on the desk. "The young master is still in his infancy, and all military and political affairs rely on powerful officials. Although Zhou Yu and the master are sworn brothers, he now commands 100,000 soldiers in Jiangdong and holds the seal of the governor-general—" His voice stopped abruptly, and only the muffled sound of nails digging deep into his palms could be heard. "In the past, Huo Guang abolished Changyi and Wang Mang usurped the Han Dynasty. Which one of them didn't seize power first? If Zhou Yu has other intentions, Jiangdong may change hands!"
The old lady clenched her gilded cane tightly, the dragon-shaped pattern on the cane's tip rubbing her palm painfully. Her cloudy eyes were filled with shock and anger. "Gongjin and Bofu are as close as brothers. How could they do such a disloyal and unrighteous thing!" Before she could finish her words, a violent coughing fit suddenly broke out, and the handkerchief she was covering her mouth was stained with blood. But Zhang Zhao's words were like a hammer hitting her heart, causing her hand holding the cane to tremble slightly.
Zhang Zhao kowtowed heavily, his forehead hitting the blue bricks with a dull sound. "Old Madam, it's not that I'm judging others by my own petty mind, it's just that the situation is pressing!" When he raised his head, his eyes were full of worry. "Right now, Jiangdong is in trouble both internally and externally. Only by establishing a wise leader who can control the four directions and shoulder the heavy responsibility can we protect our foundation!"
At this point, he straightened his back and spoke in a suddenly heated tone: "Although General Zhongmou is young, he has great ambitions and is well-known for his virtue. He is respectful to the wise and humble, and he is willing to recruit talents. Many outstanding people in Jiangdong are willing to join him. He is thoughtful and decisive. Moreover, he is good at using people. He can control generals like Zhou Yu and get civil officials like Zhang Hong to assist them wholeheartedly. If Zhongmou is made the new leader, he will surely stabilize the situation in Jiangdong and lead us to defend our territory and expand our borders!"
The old lady stared at Zhang Zhao, her mind reeling from the image of Sun Quan's exceptional intelligence as a child, and his recent achievements in military and political affairs. As the candlelight flickered, the balance in her heart began to slowly tilt. After a long pause, she spoke with difficulty, "But...but Bofu..." Tears streamed down her face before she could finish her words.
Suddenly, there were chaotic footsteps outside the mourning hall, followed by a burst of sobbing. The old lady trembled as she wiped the tears from her eyes with a handkerchief, slamming her gilded cane on the ground. "I'll take note of what Zibu said for now. But Bofu has just returned home, and this Jiangdong foundation..." A sweet taste rose in her throat, and she forced herself to swallow back the sobs. "Let me think it over carefully."
As Zhang Zhao kowtowed and stood up, his wide black sleeves swept across the plain silk on the ground. He knew there was no time to rush this matter. He looked at the old lady's hunched back and said in a deep voice, "Everything is entirely up to you, old lady. In that case, there seems to be something wrong outside. I will accompany you to check it out."
Inside the mourning hall, white banners hung low, candlelight flickered, and the silence was suddenly shattered by the sound of hurried footsteps. Sun Quan, dressed in black robes and a plain cap, stumbled into the hall. Behind him, Lü Meng, Lü Dai, and other generals were clad in mourning clothes. Frost frosting on their armor shone coldly in the candlelight. Zhang Hong, clutching his untied mourning sash, hurried after him. His pale face, reflected against the ever-burning lamp before the coffin, only added to his sorrow.
"Wait a minute!" A loud shout shook the mourning hall. Sun Quan stopped abruptly, staring at the palace door with bloodshot eyes - Taishi Ci supported Wei Yan, who was covered in blood, and stepped through the threshold. "The thief who poisoned his brother is also worthy of being so hypocritical here?!" Wei Yan suddenly broke free from Taishi Ci's arm, and the phoenix-beaked knife "clanged" on the blue brick, splashing a few sparks. "That day I risked my life to save my lord, but I only dozed for a moment, and now I see my lord bleeding from all seven orifices! If it wasn't you who poisoned the medicine, who else could it be?!"
Sun Quan's pupils suddenly constricted, and he stumbled back half a step, knocking over the altar. Yellow and white paper money flew like snowflakes. "Ridiculous!" His voice suddenly rose, and he pointed at Wei Yan with a trembling voice. The hem of his mourning robe swept the candlestick, which was stained with candlelight. "The medical officer was about to examine the body when you struck him dead in the chest! It's clear that you have something to hide and are trying to divert attention by slandering him!" The veins on the young man's forehead bulged, and the sword at his waist made a clear sound as he gasped heavily. "While my brother was recovering from his injury, you and I were the only ones present on the main ship. You killed our lord and now you want to throw dirty water on his own brother. How vicious!"
"Shut up!" Zhou Yu's black cloak fluttered as he strode out from behind the spirit tent, the sword at his waist clanging. His hawk-like gaze swept over the two of them, finally landing on Sun Quan's red eyes. His voice was as cold as ice: "Didn't we make it very clear at the dock that we shouldn't make a fuss until this matter is investigated?" He strode forward, his iron boots crushing the paper money on the ground. "Zhongmou, do you know that the altar you overturned was for your brother Sun Bofu?"
Entering the mourning hall, Zhou Yu's face was as cold as ice. His iron-clad boots crushed the paper money scattered on the floor, and every word he uttered was as sharp as a knife as he rebuked Sun Quan. The candlelight cast a huge shadow behind Zhou Yu, completely shrouding Sun Quan's frail figure. The old lady's grip on her cane suddenly tightened—the scene coincided with Zhang Zhao's description of "powerful ministers coercing the young master."
Her cloudy pupils trembled violently, the memory of Zhang Zhao's words, "If Zhou Yu harbors ulterior motives, Jiangdong might change hands," still ringing in her ears. The image of Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, once close as brothers, now seemed so illusory. Sun Ce's body was still warm, and Zhou Yu had so brazenly denounced the Sun family bloodline. Wasn't this simply trampling on the Sun family's dignity? A sweet, fishy taste welled up in the old lady's throat. She suppressed the rage rising in her throat, her gaze fixed on the governor's seal on Zhou Yu's waist. The gilded inscriptions stung her eyes in the candlelight, causing pain in her eyes.
"Shut up, everyone..." The old lady's voice was colder than ever, and she slammed her gilded cane to the ground, startling everyone present. She looked at Zhou Yu with eyes no longer filled with the kindness and trust of the past, but now shrouded in a frost of suspicion. "Gongjin, no matter how disrespectful Zhongmou may be, he is still a member of the Sun family. By scolding him like this, do you think you have no regard for an old woman like me, or for the reputation of the Sun family?" Before she could finish her words, she coughed violently again, her knuckles turning white from the exertion, and she clutched the cane tightly, as if it were her last resort.
Zhou Yu's expression suddenly changed, and he knelt heavily on one knee, his armor making a dull sound as it hit the blue bricks: "Old Madam, please understand! I have no intention of disrespecting the Sun family!" When he looked up, his eyes were burning with anxiety, "This matter is complicated and confusing. Wei Yan and Zhong Mou were both present. I am only advising you not to jump to conclusions!" The corner of his robe swept across the messy offerings on the ground, and his voice trembled, "If I favor either side due to personal feelings, it would be a blasphemy to Gongjin's spirit in heaven!"
The old lady seemed oblivious, her cloudy eyes fixed on the governor's seal on Zhou Yu's waist. The gilded dragon pattern shone coldly in the candlelight. She turned her gaze towards Sun Quan with trembling eyes, and a sigh escaped her throat: "Zhongmou...you're back."
The call sent a shudder through Sun Quan. Zhang Hong's words on the way home suddenly echoed in his ears—"Young Master, remember this: only by showing weakness can you survive." The young man's knees buckled, and he fell heavily to his knees on the cold blue bricks. He crawled to the old lady's feet and suddenly hugged her legs. Burning tears fell on the hem of her gold-embroidered skirt. His voice was heartbreaking: "Mother! Mother! I am useless... I couldn't protect my brother... and he died tragically at the hands of a traitor!" His cries echoed in the empty mourning hall, intertwining with Wei Yan's heavy breathing and Zhou Yu's suppressed excuses to form a suffocating lament.
Dusk deepened, and the green gauze curtains swayed gently in the draft. The old woman's bony fingers clenched her red sandalwood cane. Her cloudy eyes looked past Zhou Yu, who stood with his head bowed, and stared straight at Sun Quan: "Zhongmou, your brother's death was strange. Please tell me in detail - was Bofu's death truly destiny?"
Sun Quan's Adam's apple rolled, and his palms, clenched beneath his wide, dark sleeves, were clenched with blood. Memories surged like a tide, and he stumbled half a step, holding onto the table. "These days, I've been standing by your bedside, unbuttoned. After each bowl of medicine was brewed, I'd personally test the temperature and poison, only bringing it to your lips when it was just the right temperature." The candlelight flickered, illuminating the bloodshot veins in his eyes. "That day, I was incredibly sleepy, but I just leaned on a low stool for a nap... It lasted only a cup of tea, and when I opened my eyes again..." His voice trailed off, his sobs piercing the silence.
老妇人手中玉镯&34;当啷&34;撞在拐杖上：&34;当真如此？&34;她猛地撑起身子，银丝乱发垂落额前，&34;当时何人在侧？&34;
Sun Quan turned abruptly, his fingers like withered branches pointing directly at the shadows in the corridor. Moonlight flashed across the man's cold face, and the veins in Wei Yan's sword-gripping hand bulged. "That's him!" Sun Quan roared, rustling the window paper. "Wei Wenchang appears submissive, but in reality he harbors wicked ambitions! When his brother died, he was the only one guarding the tent!"
"Someone come!" The old woman stood up suddenly, the golden beast on the staff looking ferocious and terrifying. "If such a jackal remains in the army, he will become a serious threat in the future! Take him to the camp gate and behead him immediately, and hang his head for public display!" Zhou Yu was shocked and was about to speak out to dissuade him, but he saw Wei Yan sneer, put his hand on the hilt of his sword and slowly retreat, the moonlight flowing on the sword edge with a chilling coldness.