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

Night had fallen, but the lights inside the Wuhou Mansion in Nanxu were still burning.

After Gu Sulin left, the civil and military officials in the hall gradually dispersed, leaving Sun Quan with only Lu Su by his side. The hall was silent, with only the soft crackling of the candlelight and the heavy breathing of the two men.

Sun Quan stood with his hands behind his back, gazing at the deep night outside the window, his brows furrowed, his voice tinged with weariness: "Zijing, what is your true opinion of what Zimao said during the day?"

Lu Su stepped forward slowly, bowed, and said in a calm tone, "My lord, after much consideration, the question of whether to lend or not does not lie with Nan Commandery, but with Cao Cao."

Sun Quan turned around and looked at him: "Tell me in detail."

"With the recent death of Commander-in-Chief Zhou Yu, the world is in turmoil. Cao Cao must believe that the morale of Jiangdong has been broken, and he will soon march south. Nan Commandery directly faces Xiangfan and will bear the brunt of the attack. With our current military strength, we in Jiangdong are struggling to maintain internal stability and defend various regions, making it difficult for us to stand alone." Lu Su paused, then continued, "Liu Bei has long resided in Jingzhou and is deeply loved by the scholars. His generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all capable of fighting ten thousand men, and he also has Zhuge Liang and Zhao Yun to strategize. If we allow them to garrison Nan Commandery, they will surely be able to withstand the first wave of Cao Cao's army for Jiangdong."

Sun Quan remained silent, tapping his fingers lightly on the table.

Seeing this, Lu Su added, "Furthermore, the Sun-Liu alliance is interdependent. If our lord insists on not lending, although Liu Bei may not immediately break with the alliance, he will certainly harbor resentment. Once the alliance is fractured, Cao Cao will seize the opportunity to invade, and neither Jing nor Yang will be able to hold out. Rather than a mutually destructive outcome, it would be better to temporarily lend Nan Commandery, allowing Liu Bei to act as our shield. Our lord can then use this opportunity to reorganize the army, strengthen the people, and wait until the situation is more stable before making further plans."

He paused, lowered his voice, and uttered the most crucial sentence:

"Moreover, as long as our lord makes it clear that Nanjun is a continuation of the previous agreement and is included in the 'borrowed territory,' Liu Bei can still return it once he becomes powerful. The right is in our hands, and the initiative is also in our hands."

A glint flashed in Sun Quan's eyes.

Lu Su's words hit the nail on the head regarding his deepest calculations.

He was unwilling to break with Liu Bei at this time, and even less willing to face Cao Cao alone; he was simply reluctant to give up the strategically important territory of Nan Commandery. Now that Lu Su had pointed out that borrowing the land was merely a temporary measure, and that the alliance and legitimacy were still firmly in his grasp, the hurdle in his heart finally eased.

After a long while, Sun Quan let out a long breath, his gaze gradually settling:

"What Zijing said hits the nail on the head. My mind is made up—Nanjun can be borrowed."

Lu Su bowed deeply and said, "My lord is wise."

Sun Quan then said, "But there is one thing I must clarify with Zimao. The written agreement we made in the past clearly stated that 'the land borrowed' must be returned in the future. Today, we are borrowing Nan Commandery, and we will not draw up a new agreement; it will simply be included in the old agreement. Tomorrow, summon Gu Sulin to see me, and I will personally tell him to convey to Liu Bei: Today, we are borrowing Nan Commandery to preserve the alliance and jointly resist Cao Cao. When we succeed, the borrowed land must be returned in its entirety."

"Understood," Lu Su replied in a deep voice.

The next morning, as dawn broke.

Gu Sulin received a summons from the palace attendant and stepped into the Wu Hou Palace once again.

He was still dressed in plain clothes, his expression calm, and he bowed to Sun Quan, saying, "Gu Sulin greets Lord Wu."

Sun Quan sat upright in the main seat, his expression calm yet imposing, his gaze fixed on Gu Sulin: "Zimao, regarding your statement about borrowing Nan Commandery yesterday, I discussed it with my ministers all night and have reached a conclusion."

Gu Sulin's heart stirred slightly, and he bowed, saying, "I humbly await Lord Wu's decree."

Sun Quan spoke slowly, his voice clear and powerful:

"Considering the greater good of the alliance and the stability of the northern frontier of Jiangnan, I grant your request to temporarily lend Nan Commandery to Liu Bei. After you return, please ask your Imperial Uncle to immediately dispatch troops to garrison the area and resist Cao Cao. There must be no delay."

Gu Sulin was secretly delighted, but his expression remained respectful: "On behalf of my lord, Sulin thanks Marquis Wu for his kindness!"

Sun Quan raised his hand, his tone suddenly turning serious, carrying an undeniable air of authority:

"Listen carefully. The written agreement from the past stated that the 'land borrowed' must be returned in full. Today's borrowing of Nanjun will not be subject to a separate agreement; it will be included in the old agreement."

His gaze was sharp; he looked directly at Gu Sulin.

"Go back and tell Liu Bei: I borrowed this land today to honor the alliance and his promise. If an opportunity arises in the future, the lands of Jingzhou and Xiangyang that I borrowed must be returned to Jiangdong. I cannot break my promise."

Gu Sulin understood, and solemnly replied:

"Lord Wu, rest assured, Su Lin will convey this message to you without missing a single word. You are always a man of your word and keep your promises. Now that you have borrowed this land from me, you will surely remember my kindness. You will certainly act in accordance with the agreement in the future, and will not fail you or the alliance."

Sun Quan looked at him, remained silent for a moment, and then slowly nodded:

"Very well. I'll trust you this once. I'll have Zijing liaise with you regarding the handover of Nanjun, and the handover will be completed on a chosen date."

"Thank you, Lord Wu!"

Gu Sulin bowed deeply, and when he straightened up, his eyes were calm.

Nanjun, acquired.

After the officials dispersed from the hall, Sun Quan went to the inner hall to rest first. Lu Su kept Gu Sulin behind and said in a gentle voice, "Zimao, please stay. I have a few private words to say to you."

Seeing this, Gu Sulin understood immediately. He stopped and bowed to Lu Su with a smile, saying, "Mr. Zijing, please speak freely. I am all ears."

Lu Su stepped forward and pulled Gu Sulin along, leading him slowly to the corridor of the side courtyard of the Wu Marquis's residence. The courtyard was lush with vegetation, and the river breeze blew through the corridor. The solemnity and majesty of the palace were gone, replaced by a more relaxed atmosphere for private conversation.

Lu Su stopped and turned around, looking at Gu Sulin with a solemn expression but no hostility, and his tone was much calmer.

"Zimao, our lord's agreement to lend Nan Commandery today was not a momentary act of weakness, but rather a consideration of the overall situation of the Sun-Liu alliance, and a testament to his trust in Liu Huangshu's integrity. We should both be clear about this."

"When Gongjin was alive, although there were many disagreements with Jingzhou, he never considered completely breaking the alliance. After all, Cao Cao was eyeing us covetously, and only by joining forces could our two families establish themselves in Jiangnan."

Gu Sulin nodded slightly, his tone sincere: "I fully understand what you have said, sir. My lord's purpose in borrowing Nanjun this time is not to covet Jiangdong's land, but to share the burden of Wu Hou's military campaign and defend the Jingxiang defense line. He has absolutely no intention of annexing it, and will certainly act in accordance with the agreement in the future, living up to Jiangdong's expectations and sir's painstaking efforts."

Lu Su sighed softly, gazing at the Nanxu River, and slowly said, "It's not that I don't trust you, my lord, nor that I don't trust you. It's just that the situation in this world is constantly changing, and Nanjun is a vital strategic location, concerning the safety of both our families. I advise you, my lord, to lend us the land, firstly to alleviate the current crisis of Cao Cao's advance, and secondly, in my hope that our two families can truly unite as one to resist the traitor Cao, instead of distrusting each other and engaging in endless internal strife."

He turned to look at Gu Sulin, his eyes filled with expectation: "You are exceptionally intelligent. Now that you have returned to Jingzhou, you must persuade your uncle to remain calm and focused on defending Nanjun and preparing your troops against Cao Cao. Do not entertain any other thoughts that could damage the alliance. In the future, if the lord issues any orders, Jingzhou must also provide its full support. Only in this way can the alliance last."

Gu Sulin knew that Lu Su was a staunch defender of the alliance, and this private instruction was both a reminder and a gesture of goodwill. He immediately bowed solemnly and said firmly, "Rest assured, sir, after I return to Jingzhou, I will convey every word to our lord, strictly abide by the alliance, garrison Nanjun to defend against Cao Cao's army, and never do anything to harm the alliance. If Jiangdong faces difficulties in the future, Jingzhou will certainly not stand idly by."

Upon hearing this, Lu Su finally showed some relief on his face and gently patted Gu Sulin's shoulder: "With your words, I am at ease. I will arrange the handover of Nanjun as soon as possible and dispatch the Jiangdong garrison to withdraw in batches. You should also return to Jingzhou as soon as possible, report to the Imperial Uncle, and send troops to take over as soon as possible, so as not to be caught off guard when Cao Cao's army hears the news and attacks."

"Thank you for your understanding, sir. I will remember it." Gu Sulin bowed and thanked him. The two then chatted for a few more minutes about the survival of the alliance and the defense against Cao Cao. Their words were sincere and without any pretense.

After finishing his words, Gu Sulin took his leave of Lu Su and quickly left the Wu Marquis's residence. Watching his departing figure, Lu Su stood under the corridor for a long time before leaving as well.