Seeing Zhang Zhao's evasion, Sun Quan glanced at Zhang Zhao: "Is it that Lord Zhang doesn't agree to peace talks with the Wei state?"
Zhang Zhao had no choice but to bow his hands and say: "If the Supreme One wishes for peace negotiations, then explain it to the Wei state's envoy. I have no personal opinions."
Sun Quan helplessly shook his head and then looked at Zhuge Jin and Quan Cong.
After hesitating for a moment, Zhuge Jin said, "Your Majesty, it is possible to make peace with the Wei state, but we cannot show weakness to them."
"Between Wei and Wu, there will always be the great river of the Yangtze as a barrier. Even if we lose Anhandu and Ankou, Wei will be unable to advance southward in just a few years."
"Your Majesty has absolutely no need to fear Wei. If the Wei envoy makes any inappropriate demands, the subject will volunteer to refuse them on behalf of Your Majesty."
Quan Cong also interjected, "Your Majesty, I share the same thought as Commander Zuo."
"If it can be done, it is certainly good. If the Wei envoy makes excessive demands and we cannot reach an agreement, we will not be afraid of Wei at all!"
Guan Yong listened with a furrowed brow on the side.
Quan Cong can say what he wants, but why are you, Zhuge Jin, still so bold in encouraging King Wu? Isn't that the mindset of a mere warrior?
In the midst of such difficult times for the people, with the state in decline and local counties struggling to cope, it would be essential to speed up negotiations, reduce military expenses, and restore people's livelihoods as a top priority.
Guan Yong spoke with urgency: "Your Majesty! Please do not act on a whim!"
Turning and furrowing his brow to glance at Zhuge Jin and Quan Cong, Gu Yong said solemnly, "How is it that both of you are so insensitive to the situation?"
"It was Your Majesty who sent messengers to the Wei state earlier, and the Wei state also sent people to Wuchang. Both Wei and Wu have the desire for peace."
"You don't want to think about how to make things work, but you're still encouraging the supreme one here?"
As Gu Yong was the Prime Minister, he had the status to openly rebuke them, and Zhuge Jin and Quan Cong couldn't easily refute him at that moment.
Zhuge Jin was originally one of Sun Quan's close advisors, and he is now a prominent military commander responsible for garrisoning a particular region. Quan Cong, on the other hand, has always been a military leader in charge of commanding troops.
Don't Zhuge Jin and Quan Cong understand the need for peace talks?
Of course, they both understand in their hearts.
If even military commanders dare not speak up to support the Wu king, then it would be the greatest disappointment for Sun Quan himself.
Sun Quan relieved the pressure from Zhuge Jin by saying, "Yuan Tan, Zi Yu and Zi Huang also have good intentions."
Guan Yong stood up, bowed, and said with a serious expression, "How can that be considered good intentions! To guess the mind of the Supreme One and help him act on a whim without considering the overall situation is harmful rather than beneficial."
"For the past twenty years, Wei envoys have visited the Great Wu many times. It has always been about discussing conditions and matters to reach a consensus."
"Today's important matter should be to discuss the bottom line that Great Wu can accept, so that tomorrow we can negotiate with Wei's envoy."
Sun Quan sighed, "Who else but Yuan Tan can be the one to advise and support the right and rectify the state?"
"Yuan Tan," Sun Quan turned to Guan Yong, "What should be decided today?"
Guan Yong slowly said, "The subject believes there are three matters."
"The first is national honor. Your Majesty founded the country with the name 'Wu.' Should we become a tributary state to the Wei?"
"The second is war and peace. Since both sides are unable to advance further, what form should we maintain peace in?"
"Thirdly," Guan Yong paused for a moment and looked at Sun Quan, "A few months ago, the supreme one sent Zhang Wen to Chengdu. The supreme one and Emperor Han called each other the East and West Emperors. If we make peace with Wei, how should we respond to Zhuge Liang?"
As Guan Yong spoke, his words pouring out, Sun Quan's face grew increasingly dark.
Sun Quan said, "If we were to consider the most ideal situation, it would be for both Wei and Wu to stop fighting, make peace, and not attack each other. However, the Wei would certainly not agree to this."
"But if Wei makes demands, such as submitting and paying tribute, it is almost a certainty. It is simply a matter of how far the Wei envoy can go this time."
"Your excellencies," Sun Quan looked around, "In name, I can accept submitting to the Wei Emperor as a subject, as long as it does not harm our actual interests."
"But the Han and Wei are in competition, and if I were to submit to the Wei again, it may break the alliance between Wu and Han."
"Is there no way to have both sides benefit?"
Upon hearing Sun Quan's words, Guan Yong, Zhang Zhao, Zhuge Jin, and Quan Cong all fell silent for a moment.
There are not so many things that we want to have and keep. Once we choose one, we must necessarily be enemies with the other, making it difficult to achieve both.
The silence continued for a long time, but finally Guan Yong broke the deadlock.
Guan Yong said solemnly, "Your Majesty, since we can't come to a decision today, why not wait until we meet the Wei envoys tomorrow and deal with their demands as they come?"
Sun Quan had to agree.
The next morning, inside the Wu palace.
As Zhang Zhao had already seen Sun Quan's cold face for quite some time, he didn't want to add to his troubles today and therefore voluntarily announced that he would be taking a day off from the Wu palace.
Upon hearing this news, Sun Quan simply nodded and continued to dress himself in his imperial robes.
In the hall, Sima Zhi bowed and said, "Excuse me, Your Majesty of Wu, I am Sima Zhi, the Imperial Steward of the Wei kingdom. I have been sent by the Wei emperor to reply to your letter of peace seeking permission from the Wei kingdom."
Guan Yong spoke in a cold voice, "If you have seen the King of Wu, why not bow?"
Sima Zhi remained dignified: "In my past, I served in the same court as the King of Wu. Why should I bow?"
Although Sima Zhi did not explicitly say the words 'big country's envoy, not to bow to a small country,' the mention of Sun Quan's historical title as 'Great Wei-Wu King' caused some embarrassment among the Wu courtiers.
Sun Quan sat on the throne and waved his hand: "Since you are the envoy of the Wei emperor, I will grant you an exemption from bowing. Does the Wei emperor have any message for me?"
Sima Zhi slightly raised the corner of his mouth and pulled out a well-pasted letter from his sleeve. Holding it in both hands, he declared loudly, "The emperor has made Sun Luo's daughter Sun Luo Bān an imperial concubine and has entrusted me, the Imperial Steward of Wei, to present this gift to the King of Wu."
Sima Zhi was in Wuchang as the envoy and did not have to listen to Sun Quan. The emperor was far away, so there was no need to follow the emperor's instructions everywhere.
Before leaving, Emperor Cao Rui entrusted Sima Zhi with three things: to have Sun Quan submit as a vassal, to send troops to Shu Han, and to deliver the marriage gift.
Sima Zhi didn't say he wouldn't do it. It was just that the order was slightly changed.
The moment Sima Zhi's words fell silent, a low murmur began to echo through the hall. Sun Quan's expression, seated on the throne, also seemed to be fluctuating between clouds and sunshine.
"Silence!" It was Guan Yong who stepped forward to maintain order, "May I ask, respected envoy, how did Princess Sun become the concubine of the Wei emperor? According to what my ministers of Great Wu know, Princess Sun was lost at Ankou, and a funeral ceremony was held for her in the court."
Such questions are not suitable for Sun Quan to ask directly, so it is more appropriate for Guan Yong, the Prime Minister, to ask.
Sima Zhi spoke slowly and clearly about Sun Luo Bān's capture, and the ministers of Great Wu listened in full until they felt Sun Quan's displeasure. From then on, there were very few people who dared to speak up.
Guan Yong sighed in his heart, it would be better if she died at Ankou! But as the Prime Minister, he couldn't say such things, so he continued to ask.
"May I ask, respected envoy, how is Princess Sun in Luoyang? And what is the position of this concubine?"
Sima Zhi replied, "The emperor is exceptionally talented and has a remarkable demeanor. Princess Sun also volunteered to enter the palace."
"Please let the King of Wu know that after the emperor ascended the throne, he simplified the palace harem to five grades: empress, distinguished concubine, illustrious concubine, concubine, and beauty. Sun Luo's daughter just entered the palace as a concubine, showing extraordinary favor."
Guan Yong took a slow step forward, drawing closer to Sima Zhi, and then reached out to take the list of gifts.
After a careful inspection of the gift list, Guan Yong squinted his eyes and looked at it again. He repeatedly confirmed that this gift list was indeed generous and had no intention of humiliating Sun Quan, before bowing to Sun Quan to request permission.
"I have looked over the gift from the Wei emperor, and it is in accordance with the ritual."
With nearly thirty years of acquaintance, Sun Quan could not have failed to understand the implied meaning in Guan Yong's words.
Guan Yong is a disciple of the renowned scholar Cao Rong during the late Han dynasty. If he said it conforms to the ritual, there would be no flaws in etiquette.
After losing Ankou, Sun Quan also thought that Sun Luo had died. Today, when he learned that his eldest daughter was not only safe but also entered the palace in Luoyang, Sun Quan's emotions were extremely complicated, and he didn't know what to say.
If we have to make a comparison, it's as if Sun Quan had prepared to engage in fierce debate with the Wei envoy, only to be told that Wei and Wu were going to become in-laws.
For a moment, Sun Quan was at a loss and Guan Yong could not make a decision for him. There was an eerie silence in the Great Wu's hall.
Time passed slowly, and Sun Quan could only cough a few times and talk briefly with Guan Yong. Then he stood up and walked to the back of the hall.
Guan Yong could only bow to Sima Zhi and apologize, saying that the King of Wu was not feeling well today and would be summoned tomorrow.
Sima Zhi naturally would not refuse.
Back in the rear hall, Sun Quan called Guan Yong, Zhuge Jin, and Quan Cong to his side.
Sun Quan asked with a look of helplessness, "Gentlemen, what are we to do?"
"Over the past nearly thirty years since I inherited the Eastern Yangtze, I have never encountered such a difficult situation!" Sun Quan asked with a look of helplessness.
Guan Yong also had no idea, and advised Sun Quan to accept it, showing that in future negotiations, they would be in a more passive position.
If they do not accept, will they not cause a stir among the entire court?
Zhuge Jin, being closer to Sun Quan, bit his lip and said with a bow, "Your Majesty should refuse this matter!"
"It would be better to claim that Princess Sun has passed away and the Wei envoy is lying. This way, we can avoid being in a difficult situation."
Quan Cong had no idea either, and when he heard Zhuge Jin's "shameless" suggestion, he thought it quite suitable and also agreed.
At this moment, Sun Quan's mind wandered back to that night last year in the city of Wuchang.
That night, after drinking too much, he returned to the rear courtyard. Dà Hǔ served him with honey water, and he asked Dà Hǔ many questions.
At that time, I even wanted to mediate between Dà Hǔ and Quan Cong. How could things be like this today?
Sun Quan stood up without interest, waving his hand and saying, "All of you go back. Let me think about it alone."
Guan Yong and the others also left promptly.
Sun Quan sat alone in the hall for a long time when he suddenly heard faint cries of a woman.
This is Sun Quan's harem! How could there be crying?
Sun Quan heard the sound and went outside. He saw Bù Lian Shī was crying alone in the courtyard. The attendants around him were kneeling in front of him, but they dared not console her.
Bu Lianshi is the mother of Da Hǔ Sun Luo and Xiao Hǔ Sun Lu Yu.
As Sun Quan approached, Bu Lianshi looked up at him with teary eyes and asked in a crying voice, "Husband, do you want to kill our Da Hǔ?" (Chapter ends)
