Farmers of Shu Han

Chapter 1490 Everyone has their own plans
July of the sixteenth year of Yanxi.

Pengcheng, the General's Mansion.

"Where is the Crown Prince of Han?"

Zhong Hui bowed:

"The spies reported that their entourage has already left Hangu Pass. According to the schedule and supplies, they are expected to arrive in northern Qing in mid-August. However, their vanguard cavalry has already gone out to scout around."

Sima Zhao murmured, "Mid-August... there's still more than a month to go."

His gaze lingered on the map between Pengcheng and the Huai River, his eyes filled with weariness and apprehension.

"Feng Yong has timed this perfectly, trying to force me to vacate this place within the deadline."

The agreed time was in September.

In other words, Crown Prince Liu Chen of the Han Kingdom will arrive in late August, rest briefly, and be ready to take over Qing and Xu at any time.

It was obvious that the Han Kingdom, or rather Feng Yong, was leaving himself no room for maneuver.

A sinister glint flashed in Jia Chong's eyes. He stepped forward and whispered:
"My lord, the Crown Prince of Han has come to take over Qing and Xu. He may not be prepared. If we..."

"Gonglu!" Before he could finish speaking, Sima Zhao interrupted him.

Jia Chong seemed surprised by Sima Zhao's strong reaction and was immediately taken aback.

Sima Zhao closed his eyes and remained silent for a long time. He then opened his eyes and looked at Zhong Hui, who was also silent with his head down.

He then slowly said, "Gonglu, you must not mention these words again."

Whenever Sima Zhao felt the urge to oppose the Han Dynasty, he would always recall a saying:

"Zishang, are you alright? Is the Grand Tutor's illness almost cured?"

This is a letter that Sima Zhao received before Sima Yi plotted a coup to overthrow Cao Shuang. It was a letter with no beginning or end, containing only this one sentence.

This letter has now become the biggest shadow in Sima Zhao's heart.

If he could, he would only want to leave the Central Plains far away and stay away from that person surnamed Feng.

Zhong Hui explained from the side:

“What you say is very true. Our most important task now is to move to Liaodong. There is no need to cause any more trouble.”

"If we anger the Han Kingdom and ruin our grand plan, it will be a loss rather than a gain."

Jia Chong looked somewhat ashamed: "It was my oversight that led me astray."

“However,” Zhong Hui changed the subject, “My lord, although we should not have a conflict with the Han state, we have a plan that may allow us to vent our anger.”

Sima Zhao suddenly turned his head: "Speak."

Despite his fear, he certainly wouldn't miss the chance to vent his anger.

Zhong Hui walked to the map, pointed south from Pengcheng, across a blank area, and finally placed the point on the north bank of the Huai River:
"What Your Excellency is worried about is nothing more than angering the Han state and hindering my plan to move the capital."

"However, the Han army is coming from the north, and it will take some time for them to take over the entire territory. If our main army withdraws from the sea, the area south of the Huai River will become empty..."

The reason for the route from north to south is that the area south of the Huai River belonged to the State of Wu.

If it were someone else, like Feng Yong, they might have been able to advance eastward along the Huai River without any hesitation.

His reputation alone was enough to intimidate the Wu people on the south bank.

But this time, the one who came was the Crown Prince of Han, the heir apparent, so he would definitely choose the safest path.

He paused, lowering his voice:
"During this relocation of the capital, there are still many old weapons and flags in the armory that cannot be taken with us."

"If you order your trusted generals and soldiers to abandon these weapons on the north bank of the Huai River."

"From Sikou to Xuyi, they were scattered in five places, pretending to be routed soldiers who were too hasty to take them away. What will the Wu army on the opposite bank do when they see this?"

Jia Chong was taken aback: "Does Lord Zhong mean to lure the Wu army north to collect it?"

“Exactly.” Zhong Hui smiled. “The Jiangdong rats are plunderers by nature, greedy for money, and all of them are treacherous and forget righteousness for the sake of small gains.”

"How could one not be tempted by the unclaimed siege weapons on the north bank?"

"If they send troops across the Huai River to collect the supplies, when the vanguard of the Han army arrives, what they will see is the Wu army operating in the north of the Huai River, wearing Wei armor and carrying Wei weapons."

"At that time, it will be inevitable that there will be discord between Han and Wu."

Sima Zhao's expression shifted, then he hesitated: "This plan... Feng Yong may not be aware of it at the moment while he is in Chang'an, but there may be people in the Han army who can see through it."

"So what if you see through it?" Zhong Hui bowed. "This is an open scheme. The weapons were discarded by me, not given away; the Wu army picked them up, not invited by me."

"Even if Feng Yong had come, could he prove to the world that this wasn't a case of the Wu Kingdom invading the north for profit? Besides, this was indeed a case of the Wu people invading the north for profit!"

"Moreover, this time it is the Crown Prince Liu Chen of the Han Kingdom who is in charge of the army. He is young and ambitious, but has never experienced battle or witnessed intrigue. This time, he is taking on the first major responsibility in his life."

He emphasized, "Such a young man, suddenly seeing Wu troops active on the north bank of the Huai River, dressed in Wei armor and carrying Wei weapons, what do you think he would think, my lord?"

Jia Chong hesitated and said, "Perhaps...perhaps they will be cautious and send an envoy to question the Wu Kingdom?"

Zhong Hui shook his head: "That's what Feng Yong did in Chang'an."

Not to mention the Han army, even in the Wu and Wei kingdoms, no one dared to underestimate the letter of questioning written by Feng Yong himself.

But Liu Chen is different.

"When Liu Chen was in the army, he was surrounded by veteran generals such as Zhang Yi, and tens of thousands of soldiers watched him from behind."

"If he sees the Wu army advancing north but remains inactive and only sends envoys to question them, what will the soldiers think of him?"

"Isn't he afraid that others will think he's a coward?"

Sima Zhao's eyes flickered slightly.

“That’s the first point,” Zhong Hui continued. “Secondly, Liu Chen was ordered to pacify the region, and his only wish is to quickly pacify Qing and Xu and achieve unparalleled merit.”

"If he gets entangled with Wu's army on the Huai River and delays the handover, how will he explain this to Feng Yong and Liu Shan when he returns to Chang'an?"

Therefore, it is certain that when he sees Wu's army, he will seek a swift resolution, either by harshly expelling them or by giving them a minor punishment as a warning.

"What if he really dares to use force?" Sima Zhao asked in a deep voice.

"That's exactly what we wanted!" Zhong Hui clapped his hands and laughed. "The Wu army is in the wrong for picking up weapons, so they will certainly not dare to launch a large-scale attack."

"A minor setback was enough to frighten Sun Jun and incite resentment in Princess Quan. Thus, the rift between Han and Wu was deeply sown. And I..."

He paused, then said, "We've already set sail; what does this have to do with me?"

Silence fell over the hall once again.

Sima Zhao stared at the map, his gaze sweeping back and forth between the Huai River and Liaodong.

After a long silence, he slowly sat down, his voice weary: "This plan is too risky. If Wu doesn't take it, if Han doesn't care..."

"My lord!" Zhong Hui raised his voice:
"The Crown Prince of Han has come with his imperial credentials, seeking fame. Fame for pacifying the displaced people, fame for recovering lost territories, and fame for demonstrating benevolence and virtue."

"Not to mention that the Han state has always been aggressive, how could it tolerate the Wu state's greedy actions? Therefore, as long as the Wu people go north, there will inevitably be friction between the two armies!"

Jia Chong also quickly prostrated himself: "My lord, although Lord Zhong's plan is risky, it is indeed the only feasible option at present! The people of Wu are greedy and will surely take the bait!"

Zhong Hui struck the brick with his forehead: "My lord, Feng Yongyuan is in Chang'an, and Liu Chen is at the front line. The two are thousands of miles apart, and it will take at least ten days to exchange news with each other."

"By the time Feng Yong learned of the disturbance on the Huai River, Liu Chen had either already dealt with the situation or had already caused trouble. Meanwhile, Your Excellency's fleet had already safely crossed the sea to the east!"

Sima Zhao remained silent for a moment, took a deep breath, and then spoke:
"Issue the order to double the number of palace guards. All of His Majesty's close attendants shall be replaced within three days. His Majesty's daily meals shall be tested for poison by three people."

"The relocation of the capital should be brought forward to within half a month. All ships, provisions, and personnel rosters must be submitted by noon tomorrow."

He looked at Zhong Hui and said, “Finally, following Shi Ji’s plan, I ordered three hundred elite soldiers to escort the old weapons to the north bank of the Huai River, ready to be ordered at any time.”

"Remember, you must be ready to abandon them at any time, never make contact with the Wu army, and leave immediately after abandoning them."

Zhong Hui bowed deeply: "I obey!"
-
Just as Sima Zhao was plotting how to deal with the pressure from the Han state, Sun Jun of the Wu state was also facing the strength of the Han state.

Hurried footsteps echoed outside a side hall of Jianye Zhaoyang Palace. Before the palace maids guarding the gate could announce their arrival, Sun Jun had already pushed open the door and entered.

He was dressed in a black casual suit, with no sword at his waist, and clutched a silk book tightly in his hand. His face was so gloomy it could wring water out of it.

"You all stand down."

Princess Quan waved her hand, and the palace maids and eunuchs standing in the hall bowed and withdrew as if granted a pardon.

The palace doors were gently closed, shutting out the cicadas' chirping and the summer heat from outside.

"aunt!"

Sun Jun walked to the bedside and made a gesture as if he wanted to throw the silk book onto the table.

But then, as if remembering something, he reached out and handed it to Princess Quan:

"Aunt, Feng Yong has sent another letter. It was just delivered to my residence today."

After Princess Quan took it, she did not open it immediately, but simply looked up at him.

But on that usually handsome face, the muscles were twitching slightly, as if he was trying his best to hide something.

"I can tell." Princess Quan picked up the round fan from the table, gently shook it, and said in a calm voice, "This time... you didn't break anything in the manor?"

It would have been better if Lord Quan hadn't said those words, because the moment he did, the veins on Sun Jun's forehead bulged.

"Falled?"

“I didn’t fall.” Sun Jun squeezed out two words through gritted teeth, “But I…wanted to kill someone.”

Princess Quan then unfolded the silk scroll.

After reading it, she remained silent for a long time, then gently patted the seat next to her: "Ziyuan, come and sit down."

Sun Jun did not move.

He stared at the scroll, his eyes bloodshot, like a suffering wild beast.

"Does Feng Yong really think I'm made of clay?"

His voice trembled slightly, probably from extreme anger:
"The last letter was advice. This time... it's a stern order!"

"And next time? Do I have to go to Chang'an myself, kneel before him, and listen to his lecture?!"

"So?" Princess Quan gently waved her fan, brushing away a stray hair from her temple.
"What do you intend to do? Gather your troops, cross the Huai River to the north, and wage war against the Han?"

Sun Jun suddenly looked up, his eyes blazing with fury.

He took a step forward, his fists clenched so tightly they cracked.

But in that instant, he saw Princess Quan's eyes—eyes that were staring coldly at him.

It reminded him of the lesson he learned last time, and the saying, "A person with a small capacity is easily satisfied, and his joy and anger are easily expressed on his face."

He abruptly stopped in his tracks, his chest heaving violently.

After a long while, he slowly loosened his fist, his fingers even twitching slightly from the excessive force.

“I…” his voice was hoarse, “I don’t know.”

Princess Quan then put down her fan and gently patted the edge of the couch: "Sit."

Sun Jun walked over stiffly and sat down.

His body was taut and straight, like a stone statue.

"Read the letter." Princess Quan handed the silk scroll back to him. "Read it to your aunt."

Sun Jun took the silk scroll, his fingers trembling slightly as they touched the silk surface, as if he had received a red-hot iron block.

He unfolded it and began to read.

At first, his voice was angry, but as he read further, his voice became lower and lower.

After reading the last word, the hall fell into a deathly silence.

"Did you hear it?" Princess Quan asked softly.

Sun Jun remained silent.

“He’s testing you.” Princess Quan’s voice was gentle. “Testing your limits, testing your patience, testing how much you… are afraid of him.”

Sun Jun suddenly looked up: "I'm not afraid of him!"

"Then why are you shaking!"

Princess Quan interrupted him, her gaze falling on his hands, which were trembling uncontrollably.

As if burned, Sun Jun abruptly pulled his hand back into his sleeve.

He closed his eyes, took a deep breath, and slowly exhaled.

Inhale again, exhale...

After repeating this a dozen or so times, he slowly opened his eyes. This time, his voice was much calmer:
“Aunt, I’m not afraid of him, I’m afraid that Feng Yong’s letter might confirm that the rumors the spies sent back from Pengcheng are true.”

"Sima Zhao really made a 'two-year agreement' with the Han Kingdom? Is he really going to hand over Qing and Xu... with both hands?"

"If it's true, what should we do?"

Princess Quan did not answer. She slowly stood up, walked to the window, and looked north through the bamboo curtain.

Sun Jun stood up and paced back and forth behind her, like a trapped beast, anxious and impatient.

"Furthermore, a secret report sent back from Pengcheng said that Sima Zhao is burning grain and relocating people in Qing and Xu, implementing a scorched earth policy."

"He's... he's going to burn Qing and Xu to the ground and then throw them to the Han Kingdom!"

After talking to himself for so long, Sun Jun suddenly stopped in his tracks, his eyes bloodshot:
"And Feng Yong's letter was also telling us: he was determined to have Qingxu."

Princess Quan finally spoke, saying softly, "If Qing Xu were to return to Han... wouldn't the Han cavalry be able to reach the Yangtze River directly?"

Guangling County in Xuzhou was under the control of the State of Wei.

The last section of the Huai River flowing into the sea happens to be within the territory of Guangling.

If the Han state gains control of Guangling, it means that the Han army can cross the Huai River at any time.

Then the Huai River defense line that Da Wu had painstakingly built became a joke.

Sun Jun stood beside Princess Quan, his chest heaving, his voice filled with fear:

"Excellent! At that time, our Great Wu will be attacked from three sides, and the Huai River defense line will be rendered useless!"

“I have calculated it.” Princess Quan turned around. “Ever since the rumors first started in Pengcheng a month ago, I have been calculating every night, calculating the troops, the provisions, and the people’s hearts…”

She looked up, and for the first time, a look of near despair appeared in her eyes:

"If the rumors are true, no matter how you calculate it, there is only one result: if the Han state takes all of Qing and Xu, my Great Wu... will probably not be able to hold out for long."

The hall was dead silent.

After a long while, Sun Jun slowly slumped onto the couch, his hands plunging deep into his hair:
“These days, I still clung to a sliver of hope, thinking that even if Sima Zhao was stupid, he wouldn’t be so foolish as to give away his empire as a bargaining chip!”

"Those rumors, perhaps, were just rumors spread by spies."

"But this letter is tantamount to Feng Yong admitting it himself! He's not even bothering to cover it up anymore!"

Princess Quan walked back to the bedside, picked up Feng Yong's letter, and read it carefully again.

"Do not allow a single soldier or horse to cross the border and cause trouble." Princess Quan repeated the words from the letter, murmuring, "Why did he emphasize cavalry?"

"Is he trying to tell us that Qing and Xu are mostly plains, which are ideal for cavalry to roam?"

"Now that the Han state has acquired Qing and Xu, their next step is to form the Northern Iron Cavalry and march straight towards Huainan?"

She then pointed to another spot:
"The old friendship between our two countries should be upheld together—old friendship? What old friendship? Is it the old friendship from the capture of Jingzhou, or the old friendship from the burning of the enemy camps?"

"Is he reminding us that there has never been any friendship between the Han and Wu people, only interests?"

Sun Jun suddenly looked up: "Then, according to Aunt's opinion, are we just supposed to sit here and wait to die?"

"Sit and wait to die?" Princess Quan gently put down the silk scroll and slowly waved her fan. "Of course not, but we can't fight a losing battle either."

She walked up to Sun Jun, leaned down, and lowered her voice:
“Ziyuan, listen carefully. Feng Yong’s letter, though seemingly tough, actually reveals his true thoughts.”

Sun Jun was stunned: "Your real thoughts?"

Why is he so eager for us to "strictly guard the borders"?

A glint of light flashed in Princess Quan's eyes. "Because he's afraid, afraid that my Wu Kingdom will take advantage of the transition between Han and Wei to go north and fight for territory."

"I fear that Sima Zhao's scorched earth policy is not enough, and that my Wu Kingdom will cause him even more trouble!"

She sat down next to Sun Jun, gently waving her round fan:

"What does this mean? It means that the Han Kingdom is not entirely confident in taking over Qing and Xu. It means that what Feng Yong wants most right now is a smooth transition."

Sun Jun's eyes gradually lit up: "So I should instead..."

“We should make him even more unstable,” Princess Quan interrupted him, “but not openly. Openly, that would just give him an excuse to start a war.”

At this point, she stopped fanning herself with her fan: "Have Lü Yi do three things."

Sun Jun solemnly said, "Aunt, please speak."

"First, reply to Feng Yong in the name of your Prime Minister's office. Use respectful language, saying something like—"

"The old friendship between Wu and Han is as high as the mountains and as long as the rivers. Jun must strictly instruct his troops to guard the border and not allow a single soldier to cross the river to the north."

"I have heard that a high-ranking official of the Han state has personally pacified Qing and Xu provinces. The ruler of Wu is deeply moved and has specially prepared a thousand bushels of rice and a hundred bolts of brocade from Jiangdong as a congratulatory gift."

Princess Quan stared at Sun Jun and emphasized, "Remember, the letter must be written in such a way that even Feng Yong will think that our Wu Kingdom is weak and easily bullied."

Sun Jun gritted his teeth: "Is this... a sign of weakness?"

"Only by showing weakness can we lower his guard," Princess Quan continued.
"Secondly, we secretly dispatched many spies across the Huai River to the north to spread rumors in the counties of Qing and Xu."

"What are you spreading?"

"It is said that the Han law is strict. Upon entering Qing and Xu, land is confiscated. Any land exceeding one hundred acres is confiscated by the government."

"Moreover, the Han state intends to relocate a million poor people from Guanzhong to Qing and Xu, and the local gentry and commoners must all give up their fields and houses."

"Furthermore, the Wu ruler has made a secret agreement with the Han state to divide Qing and Xu, with the area south of the Huai River belonging to Wu and the area north belonging to Han."

Sun Jun gasped, "This...this is going to stir up trouble in Qingxu?"

Princess Quan said calmly, "If the people's hearts are in turmoil, the Han army will have to divide its forces to quell the unrest, which will inevitably slow down the takeover process."

"And the third thing?"

Princess Quan gently waved her fan again:
"Third, you shall make Feng Yong’s letter public at the court assembly tomorrow."

Then, filled with grief and indignation, they declared that the Han state was aggressive and sought to devour the world. They declared that the sons of Jiangdong should be ready for battle at any moment, vowing to defend their land to the death!

She paused, then said, “If Teng Yin advocates peace, you should accuse him of colluding with the Han and betraying his country; if Lü Ju advocates war, you should praise him for his loyalty and bravery.”

"Then he was appointed to oversee the Huai River defense and given the authority to make decisions on the spot."

Sun Jun was taken aback: "Grant Lü Ju great power? What if he really clashes with the Han army..."

“That means he has provoked a border conflict without authorization.” Princess Quan chuckled. “At that time, you can capture him and bring him to justice.”

"This will not only get rid of this thorn in your side, but also give Feng Yong an explanation, just like the old story of Zhuge Ke. As a result, the military power of the Huai River defense will naturally return to your hands."

Teng Yin and Lü Ju were not only Sun Jun's political rivals, but also potential allies of Zhuge Ke.

If these two are not eliminated, the aunt and nephew will not be at ease.

Sun Jun remained silent for a long time before speaking softly:
“Aunt, sometimes I feel like we’re dancing on the edge of a knife; one wrong step and we’re doomed.”

Princess Quan said softly, "In chaotic times, who isn't dancing on the edge of a knife?"

"The only difference is that some people fall down while jumping, while others jump all the way to the top of the Heavenly Steps."

She gently embraced Sun Jun and said tenderly:

"Don't worry, I'll dance with you."

“Aunt,” Sun Jun said softly, “if one day the Han army truly marches upon our borders, and all our plans fail…”

“Then let’s fight.” Princess Quan interrupted him, her voice calm. “Fight to the last soldier, fight until the walls of Jianye are covered with Han flags.”

"it is good!"

The sweltering heat outside is unbearable and makes people easily irritable.

Both of them could smell each other's breath.

Princess Quan closed her eyes, nestled into Sun Jun's arms, and murmured almost in her ear, "Ziyuan, hold me tight..."

Sun Jun was taken aback, glancing at the tightly closed palace doors: "Aunt, this...this is daytime..."

"What are you afraid of? Nobody dares to come in!"

Sun Jun slowly wrapped one arm around Princess Quan's waist, while secretly touching his own chest with the other hand.

Thankfully, I brought it.

"Ahem, Aunt, it's too hot. I've been talking a lot. Let me have some water first."

Princess Quan opened her eyes and looked at him suspiciously: "Go quickly and come back quickly."

"Okay, okay, it'll be ready soon!"

(End of this chapter)