I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 42 Alliance

Sun Quan's greatest strength was his willingness to listen.

However, he was not indecisive; rather, he sought the best answer among many responses.

This is why Sun Ce said before his death, "If we were to lead the troops of Jiangdong, make decisive moves between the two armies, and contend with the world, you are not as good as me; but in selecting the virtuous and capable, and ensuring that everyone does their best to protect Jiangdong, I am not as good as you."

Think thrice before you act.

Seeing that Sun Quan was wavering, Zhang Zhao stepped forward, cupped his hands, and was about to speak when Deng Zhi spoke first.

Deng Zhi knew that Sun Quan wouldn't make up his mind unless he silenced this old minister of Jiangdong with a snort.

"I came here to forge an alliance between our two nations and to relieve the predicament of Eastern Wu. Little did I expect that the entire court would be so petty and narrow-minded, displaying their troops and swords to reject sound advice. If the world knew this, wouldn't it make them a laughingstock?"

"Deng Zhi will return to Yizhou now. If the King of Wu draws his sword against me, I will gladly accept my fate, even if it means I am blind and deaf. I will have no complaints and will show the world that no one should come to Eastern Wu to offer advice or suggestions."

"It would also help clear my name as a pundit."

Having said that, Deng Zhi flicked her sleeve, turned around resolutely, and strode away.

Sun Quan's head was spinning. He hurriedly stood up and shouted, "Stop him! Stop him!"

Xu Sheng mistakenly believed that Sun Quan was furious and wanted to kill Deng Zhi, so he immediately drew his sword and pointed it at Deng Zhi's throat.

"Be careful, sir..."

At the same time, Chen Hu and Zheng Chuo drew their longswords.

Deng Zhi shouted angrily, "Stop!"

Although the voice was not loud, it was extremely authoritative.

"I have made it clear that I will not give up today. You may leave."

Chen Hu and Zheng Zhuo looked at each other, took a half step back, but still gripped their sword hilts tightly.

After slightly adjusting his clothes, Deng Zhi took a step forward and brought his throat to the tip of the sword.

Overwhelmed by his imposing presence, Xu Sheng, a veteran of countless battles, trembled slightly and involuntarily took a step back.

Sun Quan knew that if he killed someone, he would be in the wrong.

Moreover, Xu Sheng was also intimidated at this moment and did not dare to make a move. He immediately shouted, "Stop! Put down your sword!"

How can a person be so stupid?

I need you to bring him back!

"Special Envoy, please wait."

At the critical moment, someone stepped forward and stood between Xu Sheng and Deng Zhi.

Xu Sheng smoothly sheathed his sword, defusing the tense atmosphere that had just been drawn.

"Special Envoy, our lord has long desired to establish friendly relations with the Han. When Emperor Zhaolie of Han was alive, he also sent envoys across the Yangtze River. Now that the new emperor has ascended the throne, I fear that he is young and inexperienced and may not be able to see things through to the end."

Although the man was young, Deng Zhi noticed that he had a spirited demeanor and a familiar appearance.

"This is Zhuge Ke, son of Zhuge Jin, the Left General of Eastern Wu, who holds the official rank of Cavalry Commandant."

Deng Zhi nodded. No wonder this person looked familiar; it turned out he was Prime Minister Zhuge's nephew.

"He was appointed Cavalry Commandant at a young age; his future is limitless."

Deng Zhi bowed to Sun Quan and said, "King of Wu, although my lord is young, his courage and strategic acumen are extraordinary."

"Huang Yuan rebelled and burned down Linqiong City. At that time, our lord was still the crown prince, stationed in Chengdu. He had few soldiers and generals, and the people were in a state of panic. In such a critical moment, our lord made a decisive move and sent his personal guards to quell the rebellion. Such courage is beyond the reach of ordinary people."

"When the rebellion broke out in the south, my lord launched a surprise attack, with eight hundred elite troops swiftly capturing Yong Kai. Then, he used Li Yan's letter to persuade Gao Ding to surrender. The victory was achieved without bloodshed, and his military tactics were divine."

"With the assistance of Prime Minister Zhuge Liang and Li Yan, what is there to fear from Cao Wei?"

"Our lord is young and wise, and the King of Wu is a man of great talent and ambition. Han has natural defenses with its mountains and rivers, and Wu has the strategic advantage of the three rivers. We can either conquer the world or stand as equals. We should cherish each other and join forces to resist Wei."

"If the King of Wu submits to Wei and becomes a vassal, Cao Pi will surely send the King of Wu to pay homage and send the Crown Prince as a hostage."

Sending the crown prince as a hostage deeply struck at Sun Quan's sore spot.

He could temporarily humble himself and accept Cao Pi's investiture.

But he would never agree to send his crown prince as a hostage.

"If the King of Wu does not obey, Cao Pi will surely send troops to attack, and our Han Dynasty will also sail down the river to take Jingzhou and Xiangyang. With the strength of Eastern Wu's forces, can we withstand a two-pronged attack and protect the land south of the Yangtze River?"

Although Deng Zhi's words carried a coercive tone, Sun Quan was not angry at all; instead, he stroked his beard and laughed.

Because Deng Zhi's words were entirely from his perspective.

"Zhuge Liang truly had a discerning eye, sending you, sir, to Eastern Wu to dispel my doubts and bring clarity to my mind."

"I will ally with the Han and join forces to resist the Wei."

The civil and military officials of Eastern Wu were all stunned.

What happened to the promise that it couldn't be shaken?

Zhuge Ke reacted swiftly, immediately proclaiming loudly, "The King of Wu is wise; he has allied with Han against Wei."

The courtiers then realized what was happening and bowed in agreement.

There's no way around it; the boss has already made his stance clear, so we can't go against it.

Sun Quan was very pleased with Zhuge Ke's quick wit and intelligence.

"Sir, Yuan Xun loves horses and is also the nephew of your Prime Minister Zhuge. After you return to Shu, please tell Prime Minister Zhuge to select a good horse for his nephew."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Ke immediately knelt down and said, "Thank you, King of Wu."

Sun Quan asked in surprise, "The horses haven't even been delivered yet, why is Yuan Xun thanking you in person?"

"Since Shu is Your Majesty's outer treasury, and now there is an imperial edict, Ma will surely come. How dare he not express his gratitude?"

Upon hearing this, the ministers of Eastern Wu all chuckled.

Although they had allied with the Han, they suffered a crushing defeat under the sharp words of Deng Zhi and Zong Yu, and they were filled with resentment that they had to vent.

Now that Zhuge Ke has regained face and vented their anger, how could they not be happy?

Moreover, they were certain that Deng Zhi and the others would not be angered by a joke and would not damage the alliance that the two sides had just established.

Seeing Deng Zhi's face suddenly fall, Zong Yu immediately couldn't sit still.

"The alliance between the two countries was originally intended to resist Wei. If we use the analogy of the horse stables, the people of Wei will laugh at the mutual contempt between Han and Wu. How can we then talk about fighting a common enemy?"

Zhang Zhao snorted and said with a contemptuous and arrogant look, "It was just a joke. Sir, don't make alarmist remarks that could affect the alliance between our two countries."

Although Zong Yu is courageous and resourceful, he is straightforward, easily angered, and lacks flexibility, and still needs to be refined.

Upon seeing this, Deng Zhi interrupted.

"Wu and Shu are like brothers, interdependent as lips and teeth. If Shu becomes a granary, then all the people of Wu will become granary officials, which is not in accordance with the etiquette of an alliance."

"Yizhou is a fertile land with countless fine horses. Yuan Xun is the Prime Minister's nephew. If he wants a horse, he should pay a visit to the Prime Minister. This is the proper etiquette."

With just the word "etiquette," Zhuge Ke was placed on a moral high ground.

If you want a good horse, go ask your uncle yourself.

Do you expect your uncle to deliver it to you personally? That would be utterly disrespectful.

Zhuge Ke's attempt to steal a chicken backfired, and he slunk away with his head down.

Sun Quan was also losing face.

He originally thought that Zhuge Ke's quick thinking would make him look good, but Deng Zhi turned the tables on him.

"In that case, Yuan Xun, would you be willing to serve as an envoy to Yizhou?"

Zhuge Ke looked around, and Zhang Zhao and the others immediately turned their gaze elsewhere, acting as if it were none of their business.

This is your own fault, it has nothing to do with us. We don't want to be beaten by Zhuge Liang again.

Seeing this situation, Zhuge Ke had no choice but to agree.

"King of Wu, Zhuge Ke wishes to go to Yizhou to establish friendly relations between our two countries."

Sun Quan laughed heartily.

"Excellent! Let's prepare a feast!"

"To celebrate the establishment of diplomatic relations between Wu and Han, and to permanently end the war."