Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

The next morning, as dawn broke, the weather in Nanxu City was fine and sunny.

Inside Liu Bei's residence, everything had already been prepared, with carriages and horses ready, and his personal guards lined up in an orderly fashion.

Gu Sulin cupped his hands and said, "My lord, the land route has many passes and is prone to complications. I have already arranged for ships. We will board directly at Nanxu Wharf and return to Jingzhou by water."

Liu Bei nodded slightly: "Zimao is absolutely right. With the waterway open, we can reach Gong'an sooner."

Madam Sun, standing nearby, simply said, "I will go with you. If anyone causes trouble at the dock, I will handle it."

Before long, the group set off from the mansion gate, their carriages and horses moving smoothly and successfully out of the city.

Upon reaching the dock, although boats were already prepared on the shore, Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, under Zhou Yu's command, had led their troops to guard the shore, blocking the way for boarding with solemn expressions. The two stepped forward, bowed to Liu Bei, and spoke with a deliberately firm tone: "Lord Xuande, the Commander-in-Chief has ordered that the winds and waves on the river are currently severe. To ensure the safety of everyone on board, all boats are not allowed to leave the shore. Please return to your residence for now and wait for the Commander-in-Chief's further orders before setting off."

Gu Sulin looked up at the river and saw that the water was calm and still. It was clear that Zhou Yu was deliberately making trouble for them by finding an excuse to forcibly detain the boat and keep the people there. He remained calm, turned his head slightly, and gave Lady Sun beside him a subtle wink, indicating that the princess should step in to break the deadlock.

Lady Sun immediately stepped forward and said in a calm tone, "Xu Sheng, Ding Feng, my elder brother, Marquis Wu, has personally agreed to the Imperial Uncle's return to Jing. You must let us leave immediately."

Xu Sheng and Ding Feng exchanged a glance, still unwilling to back down an inch, and bowed, replying, "Princess, this humble general is only acting on the orders of the Commander-in-Chief. The Commander-in-Chief has not given any instructions to release the ships. Without the seal of Marquis Wu or a personal document, this humble general would not dare to release the ships without authorization. I hope that the Princess will not make things difficult for this humble general."

Upon hearing this, Lady Sun's eyebrows shot up instantly, her almond-shaped eyes flashed with anger, and she immediately rebuked him sharply. Her clear voice was so loud that the soldiers on the shore dared not even raise their heads:

"presumptuous!

"Zhou Yu, you traitor! When has Eastern Wu ever wronged you? You only know Zhou Yu, but not the Lord of Wu? Since my brother has agreed, how dare you obstruct him? You fear Zhou Yu will kill you, but aren't you afraid I will kill Zhou Yu?"

With a furious shout, her imposing manner revealed a fierce and unyielding spirit that rivaled any man's. Xu Sheng and Ding Feng instantly broke out in a cold sweat, trembling all over, and dared not insist any longer. They knew Lady Sun's temperament well, and they knew that she was the younger sister of the Marquis of Wu, and that she always kept her word—if they really made a big fuss, Zhou Yu would never offend the princess for their sake, and their own lives would be in danger.

The two hurriedly bowed and retreated, waving their hands to signal the soldiers to move to the sides: "This humble general dares not! This humble general will now step aside, please, Princess and Lord Xuande, board the ship!"

The soldiers immediately made way, and Liu Bei, Lady Sun, Gu Sulin, Zhao Yun and others boarded the boat in turn. The boatman poled away from the shore, the sails were slowly raised, and the boat slowly sailed away from Nanxu Wharf, going against the river, heading west towards Jingzhou Gong'an.

……

Within the city of Nanxu, at Zhou Yu's residence.

The guard strode into the hall and whispered, "General, Liu Bei and his entourage have boarded the ship and left the shore. The princess personally reprimanded Generals Xu Sheng and Ding Feng, and the two generals dared not stop them and had no choice but to let them go."

Zhou Yu stood by the window, gazing at the river. He remained silent for a long time, his fingers unconsciously clenching. His tone was full of helplessness and resentment: "My lord has already given his consent, and the princess is personally accompanying me. No matter how many schemes I have, I cannot overstep the emperor's command and the authority of my relatives. In the end, I cannot stop him."

……

On the river, sails flutter gently in the wind, and the blue waves surge.

Liu Bei stood at the bow of the boat, letting the river breeze caress his face, watching the Nanxu pavilions gradually disappear into the distance, and let out a long sigh of relief. Half a year of confinement, like a cage binding his body, could not extinguish his lofty ambitions; today he had finally broken free and returned to freedom.

"Finally, I'm going back to Jingzhou." Liu Bei thought to himself with a sense of relief, but also with a long-suppressed sense of pride.

Gu Sulin stood beside him, his gaze fixed on the surging river, his eyes calm: "Our lord's return is like a bird soaring into the sky or a fish returning to the sea. The old troops of Jingzhou have been eagerly awaiting it. Master Kongming has been stationed in Gong'an for half a year, and should have already stabilized the foundation of Jingzhou. They are just waiting for our lord to return and take charge of the overall situation."

Madam Sun stood on the other side, her coldness from the dock gone, her tone calm yet insightful: "Although Nanxu has gone, after my husband returns to Jingzhou, he still needs to make proper adjustments in order to cope with the subsequent changes."

Liu Bei turned his head and looked solemnly at Lady Sun: "This escape was entirely thanks to your help, Lady Sun. I will remember it forever."

Lady Sun shook her head slightly: "Uncle, there's no need for thanks. I accompanied you back to Jingzhou for the sake of the Sun-Liu alliance, to avoid the two sides going to war. I only hope that after you return, you will stabilize Jingzhou and assist your brother in his campaign against Shu, so as not to have wasted this effort of escaping." After saying this, she turned and entered the cabin, saying no more.

Zhao Yun stepped forward and bowed, saying, "My lord, I have ordered my personal guards to be on high alert. Although Zhou Yu has sent scouts along the river, they dare not approach the ships. I have arranged for fast boats to scout ahead to ensure a safe journey. They can also return to Jingzhou before us to report to the strategist."

"Zilong, you've worked hard." Liu Bei nodded, his eyes full of praise.

A strong river wind blew, the sails billowed, and the ship sailed westward for three days, gradually entering the territory of Jingzhou. On the river, more and more merchants from Jingzhou came and went, and the air was filled with the familiar scent of the land. Liu Bei looked at the faint outline of the riverbank ahead, his expression growing more eager.

Gu Sulin pointed into the distance: "My lord, the territory of Gong'an is just ahead. If we travel for another half a day, we will be able to see the Gong'an city gate."

A glint flashed in Liu Bei's eyes, and his tone was firm: "Alright, back to Gong'an!"

As the boat approached the Gong'an Wharf, a gentle river breeze stirred, and banners fluttered along the shore. The civil and military officials of Jingzhou, who had been waiting for some time, bowed deeply upon seeing Liu Bei's ship slowly dock, their expressions filled with respect and joy at their long-awaited reunion. Zhuge Liang, holding a feather fan, stood at the head of the procession. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, clad in armor, exuded an imposing aura. Behind them, civil officials such as Mi Zhu, Jian Yong, and Sun Qian, along with a host of military generals, lined up to welcome him; not a single one was absent.

Liu Bei steadily stepped off the ship's railing. Gazing at the familiar faces and his homeland, he was overwhelmed with emotion. The oppression and hardship he had endured during his six months of captivity in Nanxu vanished in that moment. He first stepped aside, gesturing for Lady Sun to step forward, and said gently to the crowd, "This is the sister of the Marquis of Wu, and from now on, she will be the mistress of Jingzhou. My safe return to Jingzhou is largely thanks to your assistance, Lady Sun."

Lady Sun, dressed in simple, elegant clothes, stood tall and dignified, her brows bearing the cool and aloof air of a princess of Jiangdong. She nodded slightly to the crowd without saying much. Liu Bei immediately instructed his attendants, his tone solemn: "Lead Lady Sun to a separate courtyard in the mansion and settle her in properly according to the etiquette due to a princess. Her daily needs must be met with utmost care and consideration."

The attendant obeyed and respectfully led Lady Sun into the city first. Only then did Liu Bei feel relieved and turn around to meet Zhuge Liang, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and others.