I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

"I am Zhuge Jin. I have come here on the orders of Sun Quan, the General Who Subdues the Barbarians, the Prefect of Kuaiji, and the Governor of Yangzhou, to negotiate a ceasefire with Lord Liu. Please convey my message." Zhuge Jin arrived alone in a small boat at the ruined ferry crossing in Juchao City and spoke loudly to Zhou Cang, who was guarding the place.

Zhou Cang stared wide-eyed at the man on the ship, who was the elder brother of the Crouching Dragon. He was tall, with a long face, deep eyes, and a high, straight nose...

Unexpectedly, the first person I met was not the Prime Minister, but the Prime Minister's brother. I wonder when I will be able to meet the Prime Minister again.

It wasn't until the other person coughed softly that Zhou Cang, who had been lost in thought, quickly looked away.

"Mr. Zhuge, please rest in the city for a while, I will inform the lord immediately!" Zhou Cang bowed and said.

After the soldiers brought the planks to take Zhuge Jin to Juchao and led him into the city, Zhuge Jin realized that his defeat in this battle was not unjust.

The short stretch of road between the ferry and the city wall was almost completely filled with large stones and logs prepared by Liu Bei's army on one side, while the other side was filled with tinder. Inside the city wall, things were very busy. Not only were civilians mending clothes for the soldiers and giving them food and drink, but craftsmen were also helping to produce new trebuchets, more than a dozen of them.

"When did you arrive at this city?" Zhuge Jin asked the soldier who was leading the way.

"I've been here for two days."

"Oh? You've only been here for two days?" Zhuge Jin said in disbelief.

"You have only been here for two days, and these people do not know you. Why are you helping them?" Zhuge Jin asked in confusion.

"As soon as General Zhou arrived, he said that because it was a rash decision to come here to fight, it would inevitably affect the lives of the people. Therefore, he reduced the taxes for the people in the city by half this year. When the people heard that it was Liu Huangshu's army and that the taxes had been reduced, they were all grateful and came to help him spontaneously." The soldier did not hide anything.

"Who came up with the idea of ​​blocking the river with boats?" Zhuge Jin inquired.

"I don't know. It must have been a discussion between General Zhou and General Zhang of Jingzhou."

"General Zhang? Which General Zhang?" Zhuge Jin asked curiously. As far as he knew, there was no general with the surname Zhang in Huang Zu's navy in Jiangxia.

"So it was General Zhang Liao under Cao Cao's command." The soldier said, having already entered a building.

"Sir, we have arrived. General Zhou has already sent someone to inform the lord. Please rest here." The soldier said respectfully as he left the inn, leaving a shocked Zhuge Jin sitting blankly at his desk.

What kind of enemy is Jiangdong fighting?

With the help of all the people of Juchao, defensive fortifications were built in two days and one night. Also, when did Cao Cao's beloved general Zhang Liao become a general in Jingzhou?

Zhuge Jin was baffled by the numerous questions.

Zhuge Jin waited for most of the day, until late afternoon, when Liu Bei's plenipotentiary representative, Xu Shu, finally arrived.

"Mr. Ziyu, you've been waiting for a long time," Xu Shu said as he entered the room, bowing.

When Xu Shu was in Jingzhou, he had dealings with Zhuge Liang and naturally met Zhuge Jin.

"Yuanzhi, it's been a long time." Zhuge Jin smiled and returned the greeting.

"We had a small gathering in Longzhong under Zhuge Liang in the past, but I never imagined that we would be in such different positions today," Xu Shu said with emotion.

"Yuanzhi's plan is brilliant, it has severely weakened Jiangdong!" Zhuge Jin brought the topic back.

"It is not my doing. Let's get back to the main topic. I wonder how General Sun intends to end the war?" Xu Shu said with a smile.

"How to stop the war? It's simply a matter of both sides ceasing hostilities and turning swords into plowshares," Zhuge Jin replied after a moment's hesitation.

"Is that really the case? Could it be that they are using this as an excuse to make our army less vigilant in order to break through?" Xu Shu said sternly.

"Absolutely not! How could we not know that Chaohu Lake has been sealed off by you in layers? Besides, General Sun is not a man of his word. Why is Yuanzhi so suspicious?" Zhuge Jin said helplessly.

"If that's the case, why did General Sun launch a surprise attack without declaring war, and instead mobilize 20,000 troops to besiege Hefei?" Xu Shu glared at Zhuge Jin, quite annoyed.

"Lord Liu's construction of Hefei is like hanging a sharp blade at the gateway to Jiangdong. General Sun is concerned about the safety of the people of Jiangdong, worried about the country and the people, and taking precautions. What is wrong with that?" Although Zhuge Jin knew he was in the wrong, he did not mention Liu Ye's instigation of Sun Quan and tried to argue his case.

"Oh? Brother Ziyu, your words will surely make the villagers laugh. Who doesn't know that the Battle of Hefei was caused by General Sun being unjustly appointed Governor of Yangzhou by Cao Cao, colluding with Liu Ye and the bandit Zhang Xun to seize Hefei?" Xu Shu's tone became calm as he spoke.

Zhuge Jin was speechless after Xu Shu exposed his secret.

"Brother Ziyu, I have only one question: Is General Sun's desire to negotiate peace a sign of realizing his mistake or a temporary expedient?" Xu Shu questioned.

Zhuge Jin slowly lowered his head and remained silent.

"Our lord, Lord Liu, is a descendant of the Han imperial family and is known throughout the land as a benevolent and righteous ruler. For the sake of a mere imperial edict, he disregarded his own life and safety, devoting himself wholeheartedly to punishing the traitor!"

Xu Shu paused, looked at Zhuge Jin, and continued, "The land of Huainan was ravaged by the usurper Yuan Shu, leaving it desolate for hundreds of miles and the people suffering."

"Lord Liu, for the sake of the people of Huainan, has rebuilt Hefei City. This matter has been commended by the Emperor. General Sun has raised this unjust army and regards the lives of the people as nothing. How can he talk about caring for the country and the people?" Xu Shu became more and more angry as he spoke. In the end, he gripped the sword at his waist tightly, stood up, and glared at Zhuge Jin.

"Yuanzhi, do not be angry. General Sun was misled by Liu Ye and damaged the harmony with Lord Liu. It was indeed our fault to begin with. Lü Fan, Cheng Pu and I advised him day and night. General Sun realized his mistake and sent me to negotiate peace with you." After the conversation, Zhuge Jin's attitude became much more humble.

Seeing that Zhuge Jin was finally showing some sincerity in his conversation, Xu Shu immediately smiled and said, "General Sun, having Ziyu is truly a great fortune for Jiangdong."

"Yuanzhi, you flatter me. But I wonder what Lord Liu desires?" Zhuge Jin took the opportunity to inquire about Liu Bei's conditions.

"What Lord Liu seeks is nothing more than national stability, the people's well-being, and the absence of rebellious officials above and petty villains below," Xu Shu replied without hesitation.

Zhuge Jin was completely unprepared for Xu Shu's reply. He had expected Xu Shu to make a direct request, but instead, the other party threw over an incredibly grand vision.

"Well, what are your requirements, Lord Liu? Yuanzhi, please speak frankly so I can inform General Sun." Zhuge Jin said with difficulty.

"Instead of asking what Lord Liu wants, you should ask General Sun what sincerity he has that would allow the people of Hefei to forgive past grievances and let you leave." Xu Shu skillfully deflected the question back to Zhuge Jin.

It looked like a negotiation tactic to let the other party make the first offer, but in reality, Liu Bei, Pang Tong, and Xu Shu couldn't reach a conclusion on the issue at all.

After Pang Tong launched a surprise attack on the Jiangdong navy yesterday, he headed to Liu Bei's army camp on the Shu River. Today, upon learning that Sun Quan wanted to make peace, Pang Tong directly suggested rejecting the peace talks. He argued that the Jiangdong army still had nearly 10,000 men, and that they should fight until the Jiangdong army was out of ammunition and food and had no chance to fight back before discussing the peace.

Xu Shu believed that negotiations were possible, but not only should Hefei's future security be guaranteed, but Jiangdong should also compensate for military provisions and warships, and political consistency should be ensured. If the other side did not accept these terms, the fighting should continue.

Liu Bei believed that the objective of defending Hefei had been achieved, and there was no need to cause any more meaningless casualties.

As the discussion progressed, the issue evolved into Pang Tong wanting to completely eliminate Sun Quan in one battle, while Liu Bei and Xu Shu believed that they currently lacked popular support in Jiangdong, and their strength was insufficient to deal with the potential harm brought to them by Zhou Yu's navy in Chaisang and the Yue tribes in Jiangnan should Sun Quan really die.

Pang Tong countered that the Jiangdong gentry might not necessarily be unwilling to see a change of ruler.

The three men each held their own opinions, and ultimately no conclusion was reached. That's why Xu Shu arrived late to see Zhuge Jin. The final solution was to observe the conditions proposed by Sun Quan before deciding on the next course of action.

Seeing that Xu Shu had passed the buck back to him, Zhuge Jin thought for a long time before replying, "It was Jiangdong's fault for invading Hefei. If Lord Liu is willing to make peace with my lord, Jiangdong is willing to offer twenty warships, 50,000 bushels of military rations, and can guarantee that it will never invade Hefei again within three years."

After Zhuge Jin finished speaking, Xu Shu pursed his lips, clearly not satisfied.

"Thirty warships and one hundred thousand bushels of military rations." Zhuge Jin gritted his teeth, feigning difficulty, and put forward his conditions for the second time.

At this moment, snowflakes suddenly began to fall from the white sky over Juchao.

"It's snowing! It's snowing!" the people outside the building shouted excitedly.

Xu Shu did not reply to Zhuge Jin, but looked out the door and suddenly asked, "Brother Ziyu, I wonder if it's snowing in Jiangdong right now?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin immediately looked disappointed.

Yes, has it snowed in Jiangdong?

For the soldiers waiting to withdraw on the warships in Chaohu Lake, has it snowed in their hometowns?

"Fifty warships and 150,000 bushels of military rations—that's all we can get!"

"Yuanzhi, my lord has always loved the people. Now, he has only been in charge of the family business for half a year, and the mountain tribes in Danyang and Kuaiji are constantly causing trouble, and the people are not at peace. You must have also noticed this matter..." Zhuge Jin said, stating the highest condition that Sun Quan was willing to offer.

"Ziyu, that's not the case," Xu Shu said, shaking his head.

Zhuge Jin looked completely bewildered. What did he mean by "not so"?

"Warships and military provisions are indeed what I need, but I have already told Ziyu what you require," Xu Shu said thoughtfully.

Upon hearing this, and recalling Xu Shu's words, "When the country is stable, the people live in peace, and there are no rebellious ministers above or villains below," Zhuge Jin asked in surprise, "Does Your Excellency intend for me to march north from Jiangdong to attack Cao Cao?"

"The traitor Cao Cao forged the emperor's edict, ordering my lord to withdraw his troops. However, my lord is, after all, the emperor's uncle, and there is no reason for him to disobey the imperial decree. Moreover, the traitor Cao Cao has demoted himself three ranks and arbitrarily granted fiefdoms throughout the land, causing turmoil within the country. At this time, the most important thing is to quell the rebellion and bring peace to the people," Xu Shu explained.

Zhuge Jin nodded, agreeing with Xu Shu's point of view, and then asked, "If that's the case, how can Yuanzhi persuade Lord Liu to negotiate peace with Jiangdong?"

Xu Shu turned around, cleared his throat, and said:

"One hundred warships, two hundred thousand bushels of military provisions, and one hundred households of craftsmen will be dispatched to assist in the construction of Hefei."

"Within five years, the Jiangdong army must not attack Hefei again. If they break their promise, our army will cross the river to punish them."

"Furthermore, General Sun, please submit a memorial to the Emperor recommending my lord for the position of Governor of Yangzhou. If Cao Cao invades Huainan in the future, Jiangdong must join forces with my lord to resist Cao Cao. Please, Ziyu, return to the ship and discuss this with General Sun as soon as possible." Xu Shu put forward his conditions in one breath.

"Yuanzhi... you make it sound so easy." Zhuge Jin was so angry that his hands were trembling when he heard Xu Shu make such an outrageous demand.

Xu Shu turned around and said with a smile, "Mr. Ziyu, time is precious. If you hesitate for even a moment, the young men of Jiangdong will have to endure the cold in Chaohu Lake for even a moment."

At this moment, Zhuge Jin disregarded their old friendship, pointed at Xu Shu, cursed, and left the inn, heading straight for the ferry to return to the ship.

Xu Shu leisurely put on his cloak and followed behind Zhuge Jin, reviewing the proposed conditions as they walked, and also checking the defenses of Juchao.

"Yuanfu has made another great contribution in this battle," Xu Shu joked, looking at Zhou Cang who was carefully inspecting the trebuchet.

"Has the strategist reached an agreement with Mr. Zhuge?" Zhou Cang asked, standing up.

Xu Shu nodded: "Everyone says that Sun Quan has the bearing of a great ruler. Great rulers are often able to bend and stretch, just like you, my lord. This peace negotiation is a good opportunity to test his strength and weakness."

As the two were talking, Zhang Liao also came down from the warship into the city to inquire about news.

"Yuanzhi, does that scoundrel Sun Quan really want to negotiate peace?" Zhang Liao asked Xu Shu, bowing.

"Indeed, I suspected that there was not much food or provisions on their ship, so there was no deception."

"Wen Yuan's strategy of linking ships to block the river is truly ingenious." On his way here, Xu Shu happened to encounter soldiers clearing away the wreckage of Jiangdong warships and the corpses of Jiangdong soldiers, so he observed the design of linking ships to block the river with great interest.

"If it weren't for General Zhou's reminder, I would never have thought of such a brilliant plan," Zhang Liao said modestly.

"I never expected Yuanfu to be so meticulous despite his rough exterior. It was I, the strategist, who failed to notice! Hahahaha!"

The three of them chatted and laughed as they walked toward the ferry, their footsteps crunching through the shallow snow on the ground.