Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Sun Quan said slowly, "Time flies by. I am younger, not even fifty years old today, but Liu Xuande passed away long ago in Baidi City, and the green pines on his mausoleum should be several feet tall."

"Yuanzhi has come to Jingzhou again today. Do you remember your former master?"

Xu Shu had served in the Wei Dynasty for more than 20 years and had a standard answer for such questions by muscle memory. He had also encountered more intense questions than this more than once.

Xu Shu bowed and replied, "The Yellow River twists and turns, but it eventually flows into the sea. In the chaotic times at the end of the Han Dynasty, many dragons and snakes arose, but they will eventually merge into the mainstream of the Wei Dynasty. No matter how fast or slow it goes, it will not be able to stop the trend of the world."

A man in the tent shouted provocatively: "You finally betrayed your old master. How can you be so shameless!"

Xu Shu, however, did not even look at the man, and said in a loud voice: "Who is the master? The emperor is the master! It is not just Xu Shu who thinks this way, Hua Ziyu and Huan Boxu are both like this!"

Huan Jie was a former official of the Sun family, and after joining the Cao family, he became the Minister of the Chancellery. Not to mention Hua Xin, who is still alive and well in Luoyang and has become the Grand Tutor Hua, a position even higher than the Three Dukes!

Sun Quan stared at Xu Shu's face for a few moments and laughed: "As an envoy, you should tell people the truth. It's better not to say these empty words."

"Yuanzhi said in his letter at noon that Cao Yuanzhong has a letter for me?"

"Yes." Xu Shu carefully took out the letter from his arms, bowed slightly, and handed the letter forward.

Sun Deng walked forward with steady steps, took the letter from Xu Shu, and handed it to Sun Quan.

"Can your son help your father open the letter?" Sun Deng asked tentatively.

"Give it here." Sun Quan took the letter, looked at the words on the envelope, and put it back on the table.

Xu Shu hesitated to speak, but still bowed and said: "I have come here from afar to deliver a letter. Please take a look at the letter, King Wu."

Sun Quan said softly, "No need. I have exchanged many letters with him, and I can almost guess what is in the letter."

"However, I have lost contact with Wei this year, so there are many things that I still need to ask in person. How is Gongsun Wenyi doing in Liaodong? In the summer, an envoy from Liaodong sailed to Jiangdong to ask for help, saying that the Wei army was approaching Liaosui. I was busy with affairs in my country and could not take care of him. There has been no news for the past two months."

Gongsun Wenyi? Xu Shu thought for a moment before connecting this name to the dead Gongsun Yuan, and then he saluted and said:

"Gongsun Yuan is dead."

"How did he die?" Sun Quan asked.

"This..." Xu Shu thought for a moment, then answered slowly, "Gongsun Yuan led 30,000 rebels to flee the Wei Dynasty, intending to go to Goguryeo, east of Liaodong. He was defeated in a battle by the former generals of the Wei Dynasty, Man Chong and Man Boning. He fled with the rebel army, and was later beheaded by a squad leader of the central army in the mountains of Liaodong. The entire Gongsun family in Liaodong was killed, and only Gongsun Gong and Gongsun Huang, who had once accused Gongsun Yuan, survived."

Sun Quan opened his eyes slightly wide when he heard this. He was somewhat prepared for the Liaodong incident, but hearing that Gongsun Yuan's entire family was killed in this way still shocked Sun Quan.

People's hearts are like iron, and the laws are like a furnace. But what is even more powerful than the laws is the army that the court uses to suppress the world.

With Sun Quan's wisdom and vision, it is clear that the Gongsun family has been entrenched in Liaodong for nearly fifty years. While solving the problem of Gongsun Yuan, it will inevitably bring stability to the borders of Youzhou and Bingzhou, and the entire Hebei province of Wei will become an undisputed rear area.

This also means that the State of Wei can concentrate the country's strength without any worries and accumulate strength on the southern borders of Wu and Shu.

After thirty years of separatist rule, the death of thousands or tens of thousands of soldiers brought less shock to Sun Quan than the death of Gongsun Yuan, who also ruled a certain region.

"I know." Sun Quan said slowly, his voice was a little weaker, and his eyes became a little anxious. He no longer looked directly at Xu Shu as calmly as before, but looked left and right from time to time.

Gongsun Yuan's death not only made Sun Quan a little out of control, but also the other Wu ministers in the tent showed some surprise and shock.

After a brief exchange of pleasantries, Xu Shu realized that Sun Quan had lost interest in talking, so he bowed and said, "I came here on the orders of the Emperor to deliver a letter to the King of Wu. Now that the letter has been delivered, please take your leave."

Sun Quan nodded slightly and glanced at Hu Zong: "Wei Ze, send the envoy back to Fancheng for me."

"As you command." Hu Zong saluted and then calmly left the Wu army's central camp with Xu Shu. Xu Shu noticed from the corner of his eye that Sun Huan was staring at him provocatively, but he didn't even look at him.

Sun Quan did not say much. He picked up the letter sent by Xu Shu by Cao Rui with his right hand. His eldest son Sun Deng put on a fur coat behind him. He walked out from the side of the big tent and went to another military tent where he usually stayed.

After Shi Yi saw this, he ordered everyone to go back, and followed Sun Huan, Zhuge Jin, and Bu Zhi, heading in the direction Sun Quan left. When the three of them entered the military tent again, after paying their respects, they saw Sun Quan still holding Cao Rui's letter between his two fingers, sitting behind the desk in a daze.

"Your Majesty." Zhuge Jin bowed and said, "I would be relieved if I read what the Emperor of Wei said in the letter." "Relieved?" Sun Quan stared at the three characters "Wu Wang Qi" on the envelope and said softly, "How can a letter from him determine whether I am at ease or not?"

After saying that, Sun Quan held the letter above the oil lamp. The bright yellow flame suddenly grew larger, swallowing up a corner of the letter, and then gradually ignited the entire letter.

"Zigao." Sun Quan called Sun Deng in a low voice and glanced at the bronze tripod used for warmth in the tent.

"Yes." Sun Deng did not dare to delay, and hurriedly took the letter from Sun Quan's hand. In order to prevent his fingers from being burned, he even ran. However, the burning paper dropped some scattered paper ashes while he was running. The red light was still floating and had not burned out until it fell to the ground and went out.

In this era, paper was too precious and there was no custom of burning paper money.

Sun Quan exhaled heavily, and at first a trace of imperceptible frustration appeared on his face, but then he became determined: "I don't need him to teach me how to act."

"Zi Yu, Ji Ming, Zi Yu." Sun Quan's chest rose and fell for a few moments, then he stood up and looked at everyone with his head held high: "This time I led the army to Xiangfan, besieged Fancheng, conquered many counties, and annihilated the Wei navy. My merits are already clear and obvious. After two months of marching, the soldiers are homesick, and it's time to return."

"Today is the second day of the eleventh month. Three days later, at the hour of Chen on the fifth day of the eleventh month, the army will return to Wuchang from Xiangfan."

"Ji Ming is responsible for the deployment of the army, Zi Yu is responsible for the relocation of the camp and the fleet, and Zi Yu is responsible for the rewards according to merit. The generals have worked hard in this battle, so they should be given titles of nobility or additional fiefs. Be lenient with them."

This kind of words cannot be said casually.

When Sun Huan heard what Sun Quan said, he lowered his head slightly and burst into tears: "My lord has humiliated me and I am dead. Your Majesty, I failed to capture Fancheng and Xiangyang during this expedition. I am guilty, I am guilty!"

"Ji Ming, there is no need to do this. We have gained a lot this time. We have trained our soldiers and generals, and have taken control of the Han River. Haven't we achieved our goals this time?" Sun Quan's voice remained calm. "After we return to Wuchang, you will still lead the central army."

"Also, I will choose an auspicious day next spring, and I will follow the example of Cao Zihuan and Liu Xuande in Wuchang and face the destiny."

"We are willing to die for the Supreme!" Shi Yi, Zhuge Jin and Sun Huan all prostrated themselves on the ground.

This was no longer a hint, but a clear statement. How else could he face the destiny? Wasn't there only one way left, to become emperor?
However, for the officials of Wu, this was an acceptable result. In short, Wu had been suppressing the Wei army in Jingxiang. Although the Wei army had built a fortress in Ruxu, Ruxu Fortress was not lost!

It's just a loss, not a defeat. It's much better than the battle with Zhang Wenyuan in Hefei that year!
Hu Zong was a prudent person. He said he was ordered to send Xu Shu to Fancheng, so he led people to send Xu Shu to a place three miles east of Fancheng. This distance was acceptable to Hu Zong. He was reluctant to go any further.

"I will escort you here." Hu Zong stopped his horse and bowed.

"Sorry to trouble you, General Hu. Thank you for your care in the Yukou camp just now." After Xu Shu left the Wu camp, his arrogance disappeared completely and he became kind again.

Sun Huan stayed in Sun Quan's camp on Yuliangzhou Island, while Hu Zong personally escorted Xu Shu back. In Yukouwu, he ordered the soldiers to return all the confiscated horses, swords and spears to Zuo Shi and his cavalry, and also said a few words to comfort Zuo Shi.

Compared with Sun Huan just now, he can be regarded as a first-class decent person. However, Xu Shu did not blame Sun Huan. Fuchun Sun family was born into a military family. It was understandable that they were rude and uncultured. There must be a way to comfort themselves.

"General Xu."

After the two men said goodbye, Hu Zong seemed to have something more to say, and said, "I have an unwelcome request, and I hope General Xu will give me a favor for the sake of our friendship just now."

"Oh?" Xu Shu turned his horse back again and asked, "General Hu, what do you want to say?"

Hu Zong paused and said carefully, "When General Xu led his army to relieve the siege of Fancheng, one of our generals was missing and his body has not been found yet. I will not beg for the remains of the other soldiers for now. I only hope that General Xu will help to send this man's body back, which will also relieve the Supreme's worries."

Xu Shu suddenly realized: "I just remembered, is it the bones of Quan Xu, the son of Quan Cong, that the King of Wu had sent people to ask for?"

Hu Zong nodded slightly: "That's right."

"Zuo Shi, go call Lu Shi, and take ten cavalrymen to find some tools to find the place where this man is buried." Xu Shu gave the order.

Hu Zong bowed repeatedly: "Thank you, General Xu."

Xu Shu sighed, "Once the war breaks out, we won't be able to take care of all these things. Whose son is not his son? In consideration of the courtesy shown by the King of Wu and General Hu today, I will allow you to bring him back."

"General Hu, compared with the Kingdom of Wu, the Great Wei is like the bright moon and the firefly. This is what I say from the bottom of my heart, and I won't say anything more. I hope General Hu will think about it."

Hu Zong nodded silently in response. (End of this chapter)