Chapter 361 Lobbying Failed
When Zhou Yu led the fleet north, the Han River flooded, so he had no choice but to disperse the fleet to Hanjin and Caizhou to avoid the flood.

Caizhou, in the courtyard arranged by the Cai family.

It was drizzling outside. Zhou Yu, wearing a sheepskin coat, sat by the window and carefully examined a scroll of golden books. This was a gift from Sun Quan, who had entered Guanzhong first.

The original manuscript was carved on a stone stele and printed on plain silk, with a total of twelve pictures.

The plain silk is framed with blue silk and made into scrolls for easy collection and reading.

While reading, Zhou Yu coughed from time to time.

He had been coughing incessantly ever since he fell into the water during the night battle at Chaohu Lake, otherwise he would not have been able to deceive Jiang Gan by pretending to be sick in person.

The sound of wooden clogs stepping on the wooden planks of the corridor was very crisp. The guard came straight to the window and said, "General, Liu Fubo sent Pang Shiyuan to deliver a visiting card. Pang Shiyuan wants to see you."

As he said this, he handed Liu Qi's visiting card to Zhou Yu, who took it and glanced at it: "Prepare some tea and bring Pang Shiyuan to see me."

"Here."

After the guards left, Zhou Yu put away the silk scroll and took out the bronze mirror to look at himself. The man in the mirror had a layer of powder on his face and his complexion could not be seen.

Zhou Yu looked at his stern self in the mirror, calmed down a little, put the bronze mirror down, and stood up with his hands on the table.

Less than a cup of tea after he arrived in the front hall, Pang Tong was brought in.

In the corridor in front of the door, Pang Tong took off his straw hat, raincoat, and slightly wet outer robe, and took off his soaked clogs before entering.

"Pang Shiyuan from Xiangyang has been ordered to pay his respects to the general."

Pang Tong saluted. Zhou Yu wanted to say something, but suddenly he raised his hand, half-clenched his fist, covered his mouth and nose and started coughing. Zhou Yu's forehead and cheeks were covered with a layer of fine sweat, which wet the powder on his face.

After the coughing barely stopped, Zhou Yu said, "I'm sorry to have made a fool of myself, sir. It rains a lot in Jingshan, and my illness from falling into the water has become more serious."

"Don't dare."

Pang Tong sat down, bowed and said, "The Zhang family in Nieyang in this state is quite good at medicine, and there is a successor in Xiangyang. You may stay in Jingxiang until you recover from your illness before deciding whether to stay or go."

"Excuse me for being rude."

Zhou Yu took out his handkerchief and wiped the sweat off his cheeks. He also wiped off a lot of powder, revealing his waxy white skin. He said in a normal tone: "The Sun family will go with me. I will escort them to the Grand Marshal of Guanzhong, and then I can think about my own affairs."

Pang Tong's eyes lit up. He had heard that before Zhou Yu left, he mobilized some of Sun Ce's former generals and took Sun Ce's family with him.

It was also for this reason that Taishi Ci led his army to follow.

If we can get Sun Ce's son, it will be of great benefit to Jingzhou.

But judging from Zhou Yu's attitude, there is almost no possibility of obtaining Sun Ce's son peacefully.

Pang Tong decisively gave up the topic and said, "My lord Liu Fubo is a benevolent man of the time. I have heard of your name for a long time and regret not being able to meet you. So I have sent Pang to pay a visit to you. I wonder if you have any inconvenience in your daily life, and if the soldiers accompanying you have any shortage of anything?"

"I have the Bachu navy and the stored goods. We are not short of food and fodder at the moment."

Zhou Yu covered his chest with his right hand, veins popping out on his forehead as he tried to hold back a cough. "I am a defeated soldier who has surrendered and will soon serve under the Grand Marshal. It is inconvenient for me to contact any party now. I hope Mr. Pang will forgive me and speak a few good words to General Fubo for me."

Pang Tong nodded slightly and asked again: "In your eyes, does the General think that my land of Jingchu has no chance at all?"

"If Sun Huiji had not coveted the land of Xu and Huai, how could our Jiangdong cause have fallen to this point?"

"Cough cough cough."

Zhou Yu covered his mouth with a handkerchief, and after a few breaths, he said, "Let alone Jingnan. Just the father and son of Huang Zu and Huang She in Jiangxia cannot be dismissed or transferred by Liu Zhennan and his son. Jingzhou cannot be established without destruction. In my opinion, it will be under the control of the Grand Marshal in the future."

Pang Tong remained silent. Huang's grandfather and his sons divided Jiangxia County and Zhangling County. These two counties were adjacent to each other and it was indeed not something Liu Biao could dispose of at will.

Before, Cai Mao was in the middle and Huang Zu was on the outside, and in fact, Cai Mao and Huang Zu checked and balanced each other.

Later, Liu Qi replaced Cai Mao and almost placed Liu Biao under house arrest, but he still could not do anything to Huang Zu and his son.

Zhou Yu added: "Now that the Jiangdong Army has been incorporated into the Huainan King's command, the threat to the southeast has been eliminated, and it is time to eliminate the Huang family's military power. If Liu Zhennan and his son want to do something, whether they are kings or not, they must first seize the power of the Huang family. I will tell Liu Fubo this as a token of my appreciation."

Could it be that Liu Qi and Pang Tong couldn't see what he could see?

It's just that he said it now to give Liu Qi and Pang Tong a reason to get angry. As the actual leader of the Jiangdong Army for two years after Sun Ce's death, Zhou Yu's opinions are of reference value.

With Zhou Yu's advice, Pang Tong felt that the trip was worthwhile.

Seeing that Zhou Yu had no intention of keeping him, Pang Tong simply stood up and left.

Zhou Yu forced himself to escort Pang Tong out of the courtyard, where the light was better.

Pang Tong also completely believed that Zhou Yu was indeed sick.

However, this disease is as good as non-existent in the hands of the miracle doctor in Guanzhong.

But now Zhou Yu is sick...

Pang Tong walked and thought, got on the carriage outside, and walked away gradually.

Zhou Yu stood in front of the door, watching the carriage disappear in the light rain. He sucked his gums and spat out a mouthful of not-so-sticky bloody phlegm onto the ground.

Then, with the help of two guards, Zhou Yu returned to the courtyard.

I went back to the couch by the window, took a sip of hot tea, turned my head to look at the rain curtains on the eaves outside the window,
Footsteps were heard, and they entered the house along the corridor. Zhou Yu turned around and saw that it was Sun Shao, who was holding a plate of steaming meat soup. "Guardian, the ginger soup is ready, why is Pang Shiyuan not here?"

"This man is young and energetic, unseasoned, and lacks patience."

Zhou Yu tidied up the clutter on the table, and Sun Shao placed the pottery jar of bone soup in the middle of the table, and used small bowls to scoop soup for each other.

Seeing Sun Shao skimming away the ginger slices, Zhou Yu said, "Give me a few more slices of ginger."

"Yes."

Sun Shao quickly prepared bone soup for each other, and then asked: "Liu Jingsheng and his son are ambitious, I am afraid that in addition to here, they will also visit General Taishi."

Taishi Ci's troops were stationed at Hanjin to avoid flooding. Zhou Yu just smiled and said, "General Taishi doesn't think highly of Liu Biao and his son. If he was interested, he would have agreed to Liu Ba, Liu Xian and others long ago. Why would he follow me north?"

Taishi Wengong is such a famous person, even though he comes from Langya; but Taishi clan is a small family in the world. How could Taishi Ci not be curious?
The rumor that Taishi Wengong is an extraordinary person has begun to spread in the Jiangdong area, which worships Taoism. The two Taoist organizations, Ganjun Dao and Lijia Dao, also believe so.

They believed that Tai Shi Wengong’s name could be identified from his surname, Tai Shi Tai Shi, whose ancestors were historians. There must have been ancient books on strange arts passed down, which Tai Shi Wengong was able to successfully practice by chance.

In terms of surnames, the cultural heritage of the Taishi family is much deeper than that of the Wen family.

Zhou Yu blew on the ceramic bowl, took a sip, then picked up a piece of ginger with chopsticks and put it in his mouth to chew.

Then he took the initiative to say to Sun Shao: "Changxu, the closer we get to Xiangyang, the more we can feel the awe and fear of the people of Jingxiang towards the Grand Marshal. Now that Changsha is about to be established, Liu Biao and his son have no way out, but they still dare not take the initiative. This shows their strength."

Sun Shao nodded and handed Zhou Yu a steamed rice cake ball, the size of an egg, held up by a folded green leaf.

Zhou Yu took the rice ball, took a bite, and after swallowing it, he expressed his own judgment: "Liu Biao is a decisive person. Although he is old, he is not stupid. If Liu Xuande is defeated in the Central Plains and retreats to Nanyang, Liu Biao will definitely send people to persuade him. If Liu Xuande can defend Nanyang for him, Liu Biao will immediately send troops to Jingnan."

He looked at Sun Shao: "Pang Tong will not give up easily, and will also wait for an opportunity to contact Chang Xu. Chang Xu should pay attention to this matter. If Liu Biao takes action, I will not be afraid of him, but there are still Fu Xun, Pei Qian and others in Xiangyang City. We must warn them."

Upon hearing this, Sun Shao proposed: "Why don't the guards unite with Fu Xun, Pei Qian and others to take the initiative and seize Jingxiang as a gift?"

This proposal made Zhou Yu look sideways, but Sun Shao took it indifferently.

He was from Beihai, a member of the same clan as Sun Qian, and a Gongcao of Kong Rong. Later, Liu Yao of Donglai became the governor of Yangzhou and invited Sun Shao to come. Sun Shao followed Liu Yao south with the intention of starting a business.

After Sun Quan succeeded to the throne, Sun Shao suggested that Sun Quan obtain the court's approval as soon as possible. Because of his close friendship with Taishi Ci, Sun Quan arranged for Sun Shao to assist Taishi Ci in handling local government affairs.

When Zhou Yu sent people to persuade Taishi Ci, Sun Shao also came forward to assist in lobbying.

Sun Shao and Taishi Ci followed Liu Yao to Yangzhou with pure motives, which was to do something.

It was like this in the past and it remains the same now.

Zhou Yu was very tempted by Sun Shao's proposal, but after thinking about it, he refused: "Our army is weak and the offensive is not going well, so we are in danger of collapse. I see that the Grand Marshal has no intention of interfering with the foundation of Jingxiang. If I attack Jingxiang, it will not only undermine the Grand Marshal's strategy, but also arouse suspicion."

Seeing Sun Shao's unwilling expression, Zhou Yu guessed that Taishi Ci might be behind this proposal, so he tried to appease him: "Liu Biao is a cunning old villain, how could he be unprepared? This matter ends here. When the weather clears, I will explain it to General Taishi in person."

(End of this chapter)