Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 207 Requesting the Emperor to Grant a Marriage

"They came so fast!"

Yan Yi walked out of the room, muttering to himself. He didn't rush to see Sun Jing, but instead strolled slowly to the courtyard. He stood for a moment under a sycamore tree with its leaves falling, and a smile gradually appeared on his face.

"Take the person to the East Courtyard Guest Hall. No one is allowed to approach within a hundred paces."

Yin Li nodded slightly, and as she turned to leave, a rare smile flickered across her face. Sun Jing's position in the Sun family was far superior to Cheng Pu's. This person had come personally, disregarding the danger; wasn't he just offering himself up for the young lord to manipulate?

Soon, the sound of hurried footsteps could be heard near the East Courtyard Reception Hall, before falling completely silent.

Yan Yi stepped onto the damp bluestone after the autumn rain, slowly walked to the guest room, and pushed open the door to enter.

Sun Jing sat on a mat, resting with her eyes closed. Hearing the door open slightly, she opened her eyes, her gaze lingering on Yan Yi for a moment. She straightened her clothes, stood up, and bowed deeply, saying, "It's been over a month since we last met. How have you been, Young Master?"

Yan Yi returned the greeting with his hands outstretched, a hint of surprise still lingering in his eyes: "Forgive my poor eyesight, but I don't know when I had the chance to meet Master Sun?"

Sun Jing stroked his short beard: "The other day, when Young Master was inspecting the village pavilions in Qiantang, I happened to pass by."

Yan Yi suddenly realized that the other party lived in Fuchun, so he was his 'neighbor'. He laughed loudly and walked to the couch to sit down: "What brings you here today, Master Sun?"

Sun Jing sat opposite him, her expression solemn, and said something startling: "Yuan's army is pressing in, and you are in imminent danger. I have come here to offer a strategy to defeat the enemy and help you turn the tide."

Yan Yi glanced at him with a half-smile, picked up a tea cake from the table, put it in a copper plate, and slowly crushed it: "I wonder what brilliant plan Master Sun has? I am all ears."

Sun Jing frowned slightly, realizing that the young man in front of her was not easy to deal with, so she simply stopped hiding and said directly: "Our clan's eight thousand elite troops can remain stationary to hold back Li Feng's troops for Young Lord. I will then find a way to make Zhang Xun divide his troops. With the strength of Young Lord's army, defeating Zhang Xun's army will be a matter of days."

"Oh." Yan Yi responded indifferently, slowly placing the crushed tea cake into the porcelain cup: "There's no such thing as a free lunch. I suppose I'll have to pay a price, won't I?"

Looking at his slow and deliberate movements and indifferent expression, Sun Jing felt an urge to slap the table. She took a deep breath and said, "Young Master, you only need to release Bo Fu and the other three."

Yan Yi picked up the kettle from the stove, poured hot soup into the cup, and glanced at him sideways: "With Bo Fu by my side, what do I have to fear from the nobles' troops? In less than a month, I wonder how many of Lord Sun's eight thousand elite troops will be left? As for Zhang Xun..."

He smiled dismissively, poured water from the kettle onto the charcoal fire, and with a hiss, white smoke billowed up. "It's just a matter of using more firewood."

Sun Jing's hand, which was resting on the table, trembled slightly. Her face turned somewhat grim as she said, "Zhang Xun's army of 20,000 men, even if you can defeat them, you will pay a heavy price. I am willing to raise an army and fight them together with you. What do you say?"

Yan Yi poured tea into the teacup in front of him and sighed, "To be honest, Lord Sun, I have never taken Zhang Xun seriously, and the noble soldiers pose no threat to me. If Lord Sun has come today only to say these meaningless words, then I must admit that I have important matters to attend to and cannot keep you company. Please drink this cup of tea and return to where you came from."

"Oh, by the way," he smiled faintly, "Before Lord Sun leaves, you can meet with Bo Fu. I am not an unreasonable person."

Upon hearing this, Sun Jing's heart sank to the bottom, overwhelmed by a sense of powerlessness, like a fish on a chopping block. Seeing Yan Yi rise to leave, she opened her mouth, but as he stepped out of the room, she finally managed to utter, "If my humble tribe comes to serve the young lord, would we be willing to discuss this?"

Yan Yi strode back to his seat and sat down, his impatience and aloofness turning into a gentle smile: "Since you have such intentions, why didn't you say so earlier? If you would be so kind as to grant me this honor, I would welcome you with the utmost respect and treat you with the courtesy due to a national hero."

Sun Jing had truly witnessed what it meant for someone to change their attitude faster than flipping through a book. Her face darkened as she asked, "Young Master is willing to release Bo Fu and the others?"

"Of course." Yan Yi said solemnly, "From now on, Bo Fu is my brother."

Sun Jing secretly breathed a sigh of relief, knowing that the following conversation was the key point. She focused her attention and looked intently at Yan Yi: "If my clan comes to surrender, how does the young lord plan to settle them?"

Yan Yi pondered for a moment, but did not answer directly: "If I were to speak, I fear it would not be in accordance with Lord Sun's wishes. Please speak frankly about your requests, and I will certainly fulfill them within my power."

Sun Jing knew that the more direct the better in this kind of thing, so she didn't stand on ceremony. She stretched out her finger, lightly dipped it into the tea in the teacup, and used the water as ink to write a few words on the table.

Yan Yi leaned forward, his eyes following the movement of the finger, a thoughtful look flashing in his eyes. He sat up straight and said, "To be honest, Lord Sun, His Majesty has appointed me as the Prefect of Danyang, and the imperial edict will arrive soon. If you, Lord Bofu, do not mind, I am willing to entrust you with the position of Commandant of Danyang. As for the others, Lord Sun, you can write down a list of names and I will make arrangements accordingly."

He originally intended to appoint Xu Sheng as the Commandant of Danyang, but now he has to make other arrangements.

Sun Jing stroked her short beard with her left hand and caressed the edge of the teacup with her right, her brows slightly furrowed and her eyelids lowered.

The position of Commandant of Danyang is currently just a nominal title, because Yan Yi has only occupied a few cities in the southeast of Danyang so far, and even his position as Prefect of Danyang is not worthy of the title.

However, the position of Captain was the highest military rank under Yan Yi, which could be described as "second only to one person and above ten thousand people". Its high status and great power were beyond question.

"Let Bo Fu accept this position for now. When the territory expands and becomes fertile, he will be granted a title and appointed as a general." Seeing that Sun Jing remained silent, Yan Yi began to offer him a rosy picture.

Sun Jing nodded slightly in agreement. His thoughts coincided with Yan Yi's, and his focus was also on the future.

"However, one's current position does not guarantee one's future position. In the army, rewards and punishments are clearly defined, and the capable rise while the weak fall. Lord Sun should know this principle."

Yan Yi earnestly reminded him that if Sun Ce's abilities and military achievements did not qualify him for this position, he would not accommodate him.

“That’s only natural.” Sun Jing said calmly, as if it were the most natural thing in the world, her expression showing complete confidence in Sun Ce.

"As for the second matter that Lord Sun is concerned about," Yan Yi tapped the table lightly with his fingers, "I can grant the Sun family ten counties, but not including the prefectural capital."

Sun Jing frowned, her tone revealing obvious dissatisfaction: "Ten counties are too few; it should be at least one prefecture."

Yan Yi thought to himself, "You're dreaming!" He shook his head without hesitation and said in a deep voice, "Ten counties is already the limit. Lord Sun, make your own decision."

Sun Jing had developed a conditioned reflex to his tone and knew immediately that he was about to turn hostile. After a moment of silence, she said reluctantly, "Ten counties it is, but the regions must be contiguous, and my clan can choose for itself."

“No, I can only appoint them.” Yan Yi refused again with a firm tone: “But don’t worry, Lord Sun, I can guarantee that each of these ten counties will have no fewer than ten thousand households.”

Sun Jing was filled with resentment. The ten counties were far from what he had hoped for, but he was powerless against others and could only sigh helplessly and bow his head.

He sighed, looking dejected, and was about to agree when he suddenly heard the other party say, "There is one more thing I forgot to tell Lord Sun: these ten counties can only be used as the Sun family's fiefdom, and the Sun family must not interfere in its military and political affairs."

A fiefdom is a place where one receives a salary but does not govern the people. The person who owns a fiefdom can collect taxes in the local area as their salary and source of income, but has no administrative or military command authority.

Upon hearing this, Sun Jing's forehead veins bulged, her temples throbbed, and her usually gentle eyes flashed with a cold light as she stared directly at Yan Yi, as if she wanted to pounce on him and bite him. This is outrageous! One prefecture has become ten counties, and those ten counties have become fiefdoms! Are you treating the Sun family like pigs?!

He suddenly clenched his fists, gripping the teacup on the table so tightly it creaked. A surge of anger welled up in his chest, about to erupt, but Yan Yi's next words left him speechless: "The court is currently in disarray, and the feudal lords are fighting each other. Isn't this all because they have carved out their own territories and established their own independent rule? Now you wish to follow the example of the feudal lords, establishing a state within a state, and a prefecture within a prefecture. Aren't you afraid that one day the Yan and Sun families will rise up in war again? At that time, will it be your Sun family that dies, or my Yan family that perishes?"

Sun Jing was speechless for a moment, unable to find a rebuttal.

Yan Yi's words were not without reason. Once the Sun family seized control of the territory, sooner or later, the Yan and Sun families would once again turn against each other.

If he refuses to back down on this matter, wouldn't that be blatantly telling the other party: I'm only temporarily yielding to you, and I'll definitely rebel in the future?
This is a deadlock, and it cannot be changed by any individual's will.

Sun Jing slowly released her grip on the teacup, slumped weakly onto the tatami mat, and after a long while spoke reluctantly, "Ten counties as fiefdoms are too few."

Yan Yi seemed to see his prey stepping into the trap he had set, and a slight smile appeared on his lips: "If Master Sun thinks it's too little, I'm willing to provide the Sun family with three thousand gold pieces free of charge, how about it?"

Three thousand gold pieces was roughly equivalent to 40% of the entire Sun family's wealth.

Sun Jing's expression softened, and she pondered for a moment before saying, "If it's five thousand gold pieces, I'll agree."

“Alright.” Yan Yi nodded, his voice softening slightly. “However, I also have two requests, which I hope Lord Sun will grant.”

"Please say."

Yan Yi knew that his next two demands would enrage Sun Jing, so he softened his tone and said, "First, the Sun family must hand over their troops and is prohibited from keeping private soldiers. The number of clan soldiers must not exceed two hundred, in accordance with the law. Second, please ask Madam Wu and the Sun family to move to Qiantang."

Lady Wu was the wife of Sun Jian and the mother of Sun Ce. Historically, she was posthumously honored as Empress Wu Lie by Sun Quan.

"You...you!"

Sun Jing's finger trembled as she pointed at Yan Yi, too angry to speak. Finally, unable to bear it any longer, she abruptly stood up and stormed off.

He finally understood: the Sun family wanted power, and Yan Yi gave it to them; the Sun family wanted wealth and status, and Yan Yi gave them those too; but he wouldn't give them a single penny of their troops or territory, and he even wanted to take Madam Wu and the Sun family members hostage.

It is conceivable that once Lady Wu and the Sun clan arrived in Qiantang, and once the Sun clan lost its retainers, even if Sun Ce was a fierce tiger, he would be tamed into a docile cat.

Sun Jing was furious and stumbled toward the door.

Yan Yi sat upright on the couch, reached out and picked up a teacup, and leisurely took a sip.

He knew very well that he absolutely could not back down at this moment, because this was the time when the Sun family was at its weakest, and also the best opportunity to suppress them.

The Sun family had no idea that they had once dominated Jiangdong and formed one of the Three Kingdoms. All they knew was that Sun Jian was dead, his generals had scattered, their last remaining force was dwindling, and even their only hope—Sun Ce—could die at any moment. The clan's decline was imminent!

Sun Jing has only temporarily lost his mind. He will come to his senses and submit. The conditions I have given the Sun family are already good enough. Apart from the troops and territory, I have given them everything I could.

However, the threats still need to be made.

"Lord Sun, please lead your troops to withdraw from Guangde within three days. Otherwise, the heads of Bofu, Boyang, Gongfu, and Junli will be sent to Fuchun."

Sun Jing stopped at the door, her body trembling slightly.

Yan Yi knew he needed to give the other party a way out, so he spoke with a hint of sincerity, saying, "Master Sun, why don't you think about it? I have already offered you power, fame, wealth, and status. Why should you be so concerned about a little private army?"

"Furthermore, the families of officials of all ranks live in Qiantang, not just the Sun family."

“Madam Wu, I will treat you with the respect due to one’s own mother, and I will show you the utmost disrespect.”

"Huang Zu, I will take his head to avenge my brother!"

Sun Jing gripped the door frame with one hand, slowly turned around, her face full of disbelief: "You and Liu Biao are allies, yet you're willing to kill Huang Zu?"

Yan Yi stood up and walked to him, saying softly, "For the sake of the Sun family, I am willing to give up the alliance with Liu Biao."

Sun Jing was deeply moved. He knew that Liu Biao was to Yan Yi what two wheels of a cart were to a bird, or two wings of a bird. Without the help of Liu Biao and Yuan Shao, Yan Yi's power would not have grown so rapidly.

What he didn't know was that Yan Yi had already made a fortune off Liu Biao and was gradually gaining power. He no longer needed Liu Biao much. Sooner or later, a battle between Yan and Liu would inevitably break out, and Yan Yi's move was simply going with the flow.

Yan Yi observed his expression and timely reached out his hands to help him walk back to the couch.

Sun Jing sat down on the couch in a daze, a hint of surprise still in his eyes. He never expected that Yan Yi would be willing to give up the alliance with Liu Biao for the sake of the Sun family.

Admittedly, aside from territory and private army, Yan Yi has achieved the ultimate in everything else.

Sun Jing picked up the teacup and drank it all in one gulp. The warm tea slid down his throat and into his chest, and the warm current seemed to have a soothing effect, gradually calming his slightly rapid breathing.

After a long silence, he sighed, knowing that the Sun family had no better options.

"I have a request, if you, young lord, can grant it, the Sun family is willing to follow in your footsteps."

After making her choices, Sun Jing immediately began to think about how to gain more benefits for the Sun family.

Yan Yi thought to himself, "Are you ever going to stop?" He put on a smile and said, "Please speak, Master Sun."

Sun Jing sat up straight, met his eyes, and said solemnly, "Wen Tai has a precious daughter, who is naturally intelligent and graceful. I intend to betroth her to the young master. If the young master is willing, he should ask the emperor to grant the marriage and make her his principal wife. Then, he can announce to the world that the entire Sun family will submit to the young master!"

Yan Yi was slightly taken aback, feeling as if a million alpacas were galloping through his mind.

The "princess of literature" that Sun Jing mentioned naturally refers to Sun Jian's only legitimate daughter, Sun Shangxiang. But little sister Sun was only four years old at this time!
Such a bizarre idea, only Sun Youtai could come up with it!

(End of this chapter)