Three Kingdoms: The Kingdom Cannot Be Partial

Chapter 319 Sun Quan's Sudden Illness, Changes Arise Across the Land

After Zhu Ran's defeat at Yiling, no matter how strong Sun Quan was during his debate with Lu Xun, when Cao Xiu led an army of 50,000 southward from Xiangyang, and Zhao Yun took the opportunity to lead his army eastward, the Great Wu emperor, who had only been on the throne for three months, finally gave in and withdrew from Jiangling to Wuchang.

Meanwhile, Crown Prince Sun Deng, who was originally stationed in Wuchang, also hurriedly left Wuchang and went to Jianye Stone City to take charge of the rear guard.

Strangely enough, as soon as Crown Prince Sun Dengfu left Wuchang, he, who had been full of energy just a few days before, suddenly fell ill and died after hunting tigers at Youjiangkou and distributing them to civil and military officials. He was confined to his bedchamber, latrine, and brocade mattress.

That's right, it's a latrine.

At first, this tiger-slaying grandson only had a dull ache in his abdomen and loose stools. The imperial physicians thought it was due to the fatigue of traveling and the change in environment, so they prescribed some formulas to warm the middle and strengthen the spleen.

Unexpectedly, his condition not only did not improve, but became more and more serious. Within ten days, the Emperor of Wu felt as if his stomach was being twisted, and he went to the toilet twenty or thirty times a day.

This diarrhea had already worn down the ruthless Sun Quan, but unexpectedly, it was complicated by other illnesses, leaving Sun Quan feeling as if his bones and muscles had been removed, weak and sore all over, and dizzy and lightheaded whenever he got up.

He was forced to drink bowl after bowl of medicine, and at first it seemed to have a slight effect, with the frequency of diarrhea decreasing slightly. Sun Quan thought that he was about to recover from his serious illness.

Just then, a royal physician presented a medicine, saying it was made from the bones, whip, blood, and flesh of a tiger that the emperor had captured at Youjiangkou. He claimed it would strengthen muscles and bones and invigorate yang energy.

Youjiangkou was where Liu Bei stationed himself after the Battle of Red Cliffs. When Sun Quan went there to hunt tigers and distributed them to his ministers, it carried a special meaning.

Upon hearing this, he ordered his men to prepare it according to the prescribed method and to take it together with the previous medicine.

Unexpectedly, his condition deteriorated rapidly in just two or three days, with his diarrhea worsening. In just a few days, the Emperor of Wu seemed to have been drained of his energy. His once robust physique, though he was nearly fifty, quickly collapsed, and he looked like a frail old man in his late fifties, which was alarming.

The imperial physician was beheaded, and the matter of Sun Quan taking the tiger medicine was suppressed. Otherwise, the people of Jingchu, who already believed in witchcraft and ghosts, might have started spreading rumors that Liu Bei possessed the spirit of a tiger and cursed Sun Quan, causing him to fall seriously ill.

Not to mention the people of Jingchu, even Sun Quan himself believed in this, so he hurriedly ordered the palace servants to bury all the items of the tiger hunted at Youjiangkou using the method of "exorcism".

This morning, Sun Quan vomited blood several times. His once bright and piercing blue eyes were now dull and pale, with dark circles around his sunken eye sockets. His once majestic purple beard had lost its luster, and new, frosty white hairs clung to his thin cheeks.

Sun Quan, the eunuch who served Hua Tuo closely, was extremely worried, so he summoned the imperial physician Zhuo A, a disciple of Hua Tuo, to his bedside.

Zhuo A carefully examined Sun Quan's pulse, complexion, and tongue, and inquired in detail about his recent life and state of mind. Finally, he knelt on the ground, speaking earnestly:
"Your Majesty's illness is not merely due to external pathogens, nor is it caused by improper diet..."

Sun Quan weakly waved his hand: "Imperial physician, please speak frankly, can my illness... be cured or not?"

This grand-disciple of Hua Tuo, who had previously cured Ling Tong and Xu Sheng—who were considered almost hopeless by others—was truly helpless in the face of Sun Quan's illness.
"Your Majesty's pulse is wiry and rapid, and your tongue coating is yellow and greasy. This is because anger has damaged the liver, causing the liver qi to flow in reverse and invade the spleen, resulting in the spleen losing its function and dampness being generated internally, which then flows down to the stomach and intestines and causes diarrhea."

"The liver fire scorches the body fluids, which is why Your Majesty often feels dry mouth and throat and has trouble sleeping at night. The root of this illness lies in your emotions."

He paused here, stealing a glance at Sun Quan's expression before continuing:

"The Inner Canon states that anger injures the liver. Your Majesty has been preoccupied with the affairs of state and the stalemate in the battle at Jiangling, which must have caused you to accumulate resentment."

"Afterwards, he rushed back to Wuchang. The boat was rocking and the external pathogens invaded his body, which aroused the latent liver fire, and he then suffered from diarrhea."

"This illness...can not be cured quickly with medicine, but only by relieving emotions and calming the mind can it be cured. Mental illness...requires mental medicine."

Sun Quan lay on the couch with his eyes closed, listening to every word Zhuo A said.

A cure for the heart? What is a cure for the heart?
Aside from the good news coming from Jiangling, the sudden retreat of the Shu army, and the Wei army's silence, what other remedy could there be?
However, now it seems that all of these are slim.

In this way, the Emperor of Wu couldn't help but think of Liu Bei, who had retreated to Baidi after his crushing defeat at Yiling many years ago.

What was Liu Bei's state of mind at that time? Was he like himself today, with his ambitions thwarted and his spirits broken, his resentment pent up with nowhere to vent?
Thinking about it made her feel even more constricted in her chest, as if a huge rock was pressing down on her, and even breathing became increasingly difficult.

Zhuo A prescribed a remedy and repeatedly instructed Sun Quan:

"Your Majesty's illness originates from the liver. You must refrain from anger and irritability for the next hundred days and rest quietly. Otherwise, the liver fire may flare up again, potentially leading to complications."

Sun Quan lay on the couch, wanting to nod but unable to, and could only close his eyes to show his approval.

Whether it was the medicine from Hua Tuo's disciple that worked, or Sun Quan's worries lessened after several days of contemplation, he was able to get up three days later.

"Change my clothes." Sun Quan, who had been lying on the couch for more than half a month, suddenly sat up, startling both the eunuch Sun Quan and his personal guard Gu Li, who were somewhat unaccustomed to it.

The two carefully helped him change into the emperor's everyday clothes. The black robes looked rather loose on him.

Sun Quan took a deep breath, struggled to his feet, and took a few unsteady steps on the ground. He subconsciously looked at the bronze mirror in the hall.

The person in the mirror had a sallow complexion, sunken eyes, and looked so haggard that he was almost unrecognizable. Where was the majestic and vigorous demeanor of the Emperor of Wu?

"I... am fine!" he suddenly said to the bronze mirror, enunciating each word clearly. "Summon all ministers to the Taiji Hall for a meeting!"

Chen Xiu, the supervisor of the Ministry of Justice, opened his mouth as if to offer some advice, but in the end he bowed deeply and said, "Your subject obeys the decree!"

However, just as Chen Xiu was about to leave, a commotion suddenly arose outside the hall, and a palace attendant rushed in with delight to report:
"Your Majesty! Great joy! The Red Crow has reappeared, circling inside the Taiji Hall and building its nest on the east beam of the Taiji Hall!"

Sun Quan's cloudy pupils suddenly widened.

The Red Crow is an auspicious omen for Wu! Before he proclaimed himself emperor at the beginning of the year, a Red Crow gathered in the palace, which was witnessed by the civil and military officials of Wuchang. Therefore, he established the era name Red Crow.

Now, at a time when he is seriously ill and the country is in dire straits, this auspicious bird has once again descended upon Wuchang and even built its nest in the Taiji Hall.

Isn't this...?

Is this not... Heaven's will not forsake Wu?!

An indescribable force suddenly flowed into the body of the Great Wu Emperor, and his heavy, sick body felt somewhat lighter.

"Go quickly!" He abruptly shook off the hand of his attendant Sun Quan, straightened his back, and gave the order to Chen Xiu outside the palace gate.

Tai Chi Hall.

Chancellor Gu Yong, Commander of the Central Army Hu Zong, Attendant-in-Ordinary Shi Yi, Secretary Lü Yi, Colonel of the Cavalry Wu Can, Minister of Justice Hao Pu, and Minister of Justice Yin Fan, renowned in Jiangdong for his talent as a prime minister…

Dozens of high-ranking officials were suddenly summoned by the emperor. Although they were puzzled as to why His Majesty was attending court while ill, they rushed to the scene as quickly as possible.

Upon entering the main hall, many sharp-eyed officials spotted the red crow flying around the beams. The crow's cry was clear and melodious, and everyone's faces showed surprise and joy.

Sun Quan slowly ascended the throne, and the officials paid their respects according to etiquette. Although Sun Quan deliberately tidied his appearance and tried to make his steps appear steady, his pale face and sunken eyes, along with the occasional small movements of using the imperial desk for support, clearly could not escape the eyes of the prince and his ministers.

Lü Yi, the Imperial Secretary and Proofreader, was the first to step out of the class:
Your Majesty, I offer my congratulations!
"The Red Crow returns, building its nest at Tai Chi!"

"This is truly a sign from Heaven! Your Majesty's health will soon be excellent! The Great Wu Kingdom will surely enjoy longevity and prosperity!"

Almost none of the court officials dared to oppose Lü Yi. Seeing Lü Yi's obsequious behavior, not a single person was willing to follow suit, and the atmosphere suddenly became somewhat awkward.

Seeing that things were not going well, Hu Zong, the commander of the Central Army, quickly stepped forward and followed closely behind: "Although His Majesty is currently suffering from a minor illness, with the blessing of this auspicious bird, he will surely be able to turn misfortune into good fortune and danger into safety!"

Seeing Hu Zong following behind Lü Yi, Yi, Gu Yong, Hao Pu, Yin Fan and other talents stepped forward to congratulate Sun Quan, wishing him good health and long life.

Sun Quan sat upright on his throne with great effort, listening to the clear, melodious cry of the red crow from the rafters and the clamor of congratulations from his ministers below. Finally, he slightly raised his hand, signaling for silence, and his gaze fell upon Gu Yong, the prime minister in name only.

"Prime Minister, how is the situation in Jiangling these days?" He deliberately raised his voice slightly to make himself sound more energetic.

Although Gu Yong was nominally in power, it was because Sun Quan had taken back the power to discuss and make decisions, and military reports from the front lines would still be sent to the Prime Minister's residence first.

Gu Yong stepped forward, paused briefly as if considering his words, and ultimately chose to speak frankly:

"Return to your majesty.

"According to the military report sent back by General of the Flying Cavalry a few days ago... Shu generals Zhao Yun and Chen Dao are launching a very urgent offensive."

"The fortified camp on the riverbank that General Fu Wu was defending... has been breached by Chen Dao."

"Although the General-in-Chief launched an attack on a rainy night and suffered a minor defeat against the Shu army, destroying one of their camps, the Shu army was ultimately too powerful."

"All the fortresses surrounding Jiangling have fallen. General Fu Wu... has retreated to Youjiangkou and joined up with the naval forces of General Piaoji."

Sun Quan paused slightly, but ultimately did not take any major action, as these were all things that had been expected.

While Cao Xiu marched south in April, and Ma Zhong, Meng Huo, Sha Lie and other generals were operating in Wuling, the Han army also began to move eastward towards Jiangling.

Generals Zhao Yun, Chen Dao, and Fu Qian advanced to more than 20 li west of Jiangling City. Lu Xun, who was left to guard Jiangling, directly led more than 20,000 troops to defend Jiangling and seven or eight fortified camps in the surrounding area.

The Han army also built several military camps more than 20 miles west of Jiangling City.

One battalion was established, and another was raised, pressing closer and closer to Jiangling. Now, they have formed a siege, eyeing Jiangling.

General Sun Sheng, who was assisting Wu, was ordered by Sun Quan to lead more than 10,000 men to build a fortified position on a river island (similar to Orange Isle) in the Yangtze River southeast of Jiangling when Sun Quan withdrew to Wuchang, as an external aid to Lu Xun.

Although General Zhu Ran was defeated by Zhao Yun and Chen Dao, and his defense of Yiling was breached by Zhao Yun and Chen Dao in a single day, he was still appointed to command more than 30,000 Wu naval troops, stationed at Jiangjin and Youjiangkou, about 20 to 30 miles southeast of Jiangling.

Unfortunately, apart from Zhu Ran, Wu's army no longer had anyone with the qualifications and abilities to command an army on the western front.

Xu Sheng and Ding Feng were only generals of ten thousand men, and their seniority was ultimately lacking. However, they had experience in fighting Cao Xiu and were victorious. Therefore, they were sent to Xiakou to guard against Cao Xiu and Hu Zhi of Jiangxia, which was equivalent to protecting the gate of Wuchang.

And it was at the end of May.

Just as Sha Lie and his men drove Jiang Mi back to Linyuan from the depths of Wuling, Zhao Yun led over ten thousand troops to the walls of Jiangling to monitor Lu Xun.

Generals Chen Dao, Chen Hu, Fu Qian, and Guan Xing led a total of over 20,000 infantry and naval troops to attack Sun Sheng, who was entrenched in Jiangzhou.

Sun Sheng was unable to resist, but fortunately Zhu Ran led the navy upstream and took Sun Sheng away. Chen Dao then personally led 5,000 troops to garrison the island, completely cutting off Lu Xun's access to external aid in Jiangling City.

Although Zhu Ran later sent Yang Can and other generals to Jiangling to relieve the siege and try to take back Jiangzhu from Chen Dao, he still failed.

Zhao Yun then led his generals to build earthen mounds, dig tunnels, and construct watchtowers, eliminating one by one the seven or eight small fortified villages that guarded Jiangling. Now, only two fortified cities and three or four camps remain in Jiangling.

Lu Xun remained calm and fearless in the city, encouraging his soldiers. Taking advantage of the tactical lapses in the Han army caused by the torrential rain, he braved the downpour to break through one of the Han army's camps, but that was all.

"Jiangzhu has fallen, and we have retreated to Youjiangkou..." Sun Quan repeated in a low voice after digesting the military report.

Jiangzhu fell, and was recaptured only to be defeated again.

This means that Jiangling has become an isolated city.

But... that's nothing.

"Hmph, back then, Cao Zhen, Zhang He, and Xiahou Shang led an army of 100,000 to launch a fierce attack on Jiangling for several months. The situation was more than ten times more perilous than it is now."
"Zhu Yifeng, with a mere five thousand isolated troops, managed to hold out for half a year and prevent the city from falling."

"Now, the city of Jiangling is more fortified and dangerous than ever before! And the general guarding the city is none other than the wise and brave Grand General Lu Boyan!"

"The population of Shu is only a little over 30,000."

"At the same time, it is already June, and the river is already at its highest point. The people of Shu are facing extreme difficulties in transporting their grain and supplies. Within three months, they will surely collapse without a fight. How can they shake the foundation of our Great Wu in Jingzhou?!"

The Emperor of Wu raised his voice, filled with confidence, and swept his gaze across the assembled officials in the hall: "What do you all think?"

Lü Yi was speechless. Prime Minister Gu Yong then spoke up at the opportune moment:

"Your Majesty is wise."

"Jiangling is a fortified city, easy to defend and difficult to attack."

"The Grand General's military strategy is unparalleled in the world, and he is good at managing the soldiers. With him around, Jiangling is as solid as a rock and there is no way to attack it."

"The Shu army is now bogged down beneath a fortified city, its supply lines stretched for thousands of miles, the heat unbearable, its troops exhausted and weary. If this continues, something unforeseen will surely happen, just like the defeat at Xiaoting in the past."

He paused, glossing over the numerous military reports from Wuling over the past few months, and said only generally, "As long as the situation in Jingnan can gradually stabilize, and Governor Jiang can quickly eliminate the bandits in Wuling and ensure the supply of provisions, then Jiangling will be safe, and Your Majesty need not worry."

Attendant-in-Ordinary Shi Yi also stepped forward to add:
"Your Majesty, the Shu army's expedition is best undertaken with a swift victory."

"Our great Wu is defending the river, and its advantage lies in its long-term defense."

"Time is in our hands, not theirs. If we can hold out in Jiangling for a few more months, the Shu people will run out of food, or there will be a change in the Cao Wei forces to the north, and then the opportunity for war will surely appear."

Yin Fan, the Chief Justice, a young official renowned for his eloquence and hailed by Wu's ministers as a talent fit to assist a king, also made a statement:
"Your Majesty, I believe that what the Chancellor and the Attendant-in-Ordinary said is absolutely correct."

"Looking at the deployment of the Shu people, their main force is tied down under the city of Jiangling, and they have no spare strength to attend to other matters. Wuling is just a band of outlaws and mountain brigands. It can be seen that their military strength is already stretched thin, and their food and supplies are insufficient to support an army of more than 30,000."

As for Cao Wei.

"Last year, the north suffered a severe drought, and the so-called prophecy of 'when the Luo River dries up, a sage will appear' stirred up the Central Plains. Now, with the Guandong region also suffering from a locust plague, these are all the thorns in Cao Wei's side."

"In my opinion, Emperor Cao Rui of Wei is probably in a terrible predicament right now, and Cao Xiu of Xiangfan and Jia Kui of Hefei will also find it difficult to hold out for long."

"As for my Great Wu, auspicious omens are frequent, the weather is favorable, and the grain supply is unobstructed. We only need to firmly defend our territory and wait and see what happens."

Listening to the arguments and proposals from his ministers, Sun Quan's pale face finally regained some color, the heavy weight on his heart eased a little, and even his physical discomfort lessened somewhat.

He took a deep breath, his voice becoming slightly louder:
"Indeed, indeed!"

"What you all say is exactly what I think!"

Last year, there was a severe drought in the Guandong region, and the Luo River dried up.

"Then came those bewitching prophecies."

"Now it seems that it is related to the locust plague in the north! Last month... was it last month? A locust plague broke out in Nanyang, and afterwards most of Guandong was affected, and the crops were destroyed. Is this not because Cao Wei has lost the favor of Heaven and has brought divine retribution?"

The more he spoke, the more logical it seemed, and the gloom in his heart dissipated considerably.

"On the other hand, although there have been some setbacks, since the establishment of the altars and ancestral temples this year, the weather has been favorable, and the crops in the lands of Jingchu and Wuyue are thriving. It looks like it will be another year of abundant harvests!"
"This is Heaven's blessing upon our Great Wu!"
"Hmph, the people of Shu, with only one prefecture, have to support Guanzhong, Lianglong, and Hanzhong, as well as a large army of over 100,000 who invade the east."

"Although Guanzhong and Longxi are occupied by them, they are already in ruins. How much grain can they accumulate? The people of Shu have long been drained of their strength!"

"And my Jiangdong region is rich in resources and prosperous in people, with grain and fodder being transported continuously from Jingnan and Jiaozhou to the front lines."

"What do I have to fear in a contest of national strength and endurance with Wei and Shu?!"

He slammed his hand on the imperial desk and leaned forward slightly:
"What our Great Wu must do now is to guard all the key passes!"

"In Jiangling there is Boyan, and in Youjiangkou there is Yifeng."

“Xiakou has Wenxiang (Xu Sheng) and Chengyuan (Ding Feng).

With Bo Shen (Jiang Mi) and Gong Shan (Lü Dai) in Jingnan, I have no worries.

"By imperial decree, all armies shall hold their fortifications and shall not engage in battle without orders!"

"I want to see how much food and supplies those two brats, Liu Shan and Cao Rui, can keep up with me!"
"Although the autumn harvest is approaching, their supplies will surely run out within half a year. At that time, it will be time for our Great Wu to launch a counterattack!"

Seeing the emperor in high spirits and offering such insightful analysis, the assembled officials bowed and offered their congratulations.

"Your Majesty's wisdom extends far and wide! Heaven blesses the Great Wu!"

Auspicious omens appear, and the predicament is resolved.

Everything is developing in a good direction.

Sun Quan suddenly felt a sense of relief, and the illness that had plagued him for months subsided slightly. Just as he was about to encourage his ministers a few more times, he saw a palace gate attendant hurrying in from outside the hall.

The prince and his ministers all turned their attention to him. They saw that the attendant had a solemn expression and went straight to the side of the throne, where he whispered something to Sun Quan.

The color drained from Sun Quan's face at a visible speed, replaced by a deathly pale ashes.

Unseen by his ministers, the veins on the back of the Great Wu Emperor's hand were bulging. Suddenly, his throat moved, a sweet, metallic taste rose in his mouth, and a mouthful of blood shot up.

He remained calm, gritted his teeth, and swallowed the blood back down. A faint trace of warmth spilled from the corner of his mouth, which he quickly wiped away with a flick of his sleeve.

The courtiers in the hall held their breath, looking at the throne with slight worry.

Sun Quan struggled to steady himself, using all his strength to keep his voice calm, and finally let out a loud laugh:
That concludes our discussion for today.

"All of you...please step down."

"Shi Yi, Hu Zong, and Lü Yi will stay."

The ministers looked at each other in bewilderment, their hearts filled with doubt and uncertainty, but they dared not ask any more questions and could only leave the Taiji Hall in order.

When only the Attendant-in-Ordinary Shi Yi, Commander of the Central Army Hu Zong, Secretary of the Imperial Secretariat Lü Yi, and Chen Xiu, Sun Quan, and Gu Li, who had been standing by his side the whole time, remained in the hall, Sun Quan finally lost all his strength and collapsed on the throne, coughing violently. Sun Quan quickly stepped forward to pat his back.

The favored minister Lü Yi cautiously stepped forward and asked in a low voice, "Your Majesty... what exactly did the attendant report just now...?"

Sun Quan closed his eyes and rested for a while before his hands trembled as he took out a military report that an attendant had secretly handed him from his sleeve and threw it on the table: "You...you can read it yourselves."

Lu Yi hurriedly picked up the military report and, together with Shi Yi, Hu Zong, and others, looked at it. After just one glance, the ministers almost simultaneously gasped, their faces drained of color.

Hu Zong gasped in shock, his voice trembling:
“This…how is this possible?!
"150,000 tons of grain and fodder were all lost along the Yangtze River?!"
"Secretary Jiang...Secretary Jiang..."

"The 20,000 troops from Jingnan entered Wuling to suppress the bandits, and now... how come more than half of them have been lost, and only 7,000 men are left holed up in Baqiu?!"

Shi Yi was also stunned: "How could it be in Baqiu? Even... even the Lin Yuan prefecture seat has been abandoned?! Absurd! Utterly absurd!"

Lu Yi, the Grand Secretary known for his loyalty and dedication to the country, who had been gathering evidence against his ministers and eliminating dissidents for Sun Quan, was now enraged.
"Your Majesty, Jiang Mi is ruining the country! Jiang Mi is ruining the country!"
"How dare they conceal military intelligence, suffer such a disgraceful defeat and loss of troops and generals... These... these... these are bad enough, but how could they allow the Shu bandits to sneak into the heart of Baqiu to plunder our grain?! They are utterly disloyal and incompetent!"
"Your Majesty! Such mediocre and incompetent individuals must not be tolerated any longer! They should be stripped of their military power immediately, arrested, and brought back to the capital to be handed over to the Court of Justice for rigorous interrogation to uphold the law!"

Sun Quan leaned back on his throne, his spirit, which he had been holding up, was now completely exhausted, leaving him only with endless fatigue and anger.

He watched as Lü Yi struggled to raise her hand:

"The draft decree...confiscates Jiang Mi's seal of office as Governor of Jingnan...and recalls him to Wuchang in a prison cart...This matter...is entrusted to you to handle."

After saying these words, the Emperor of Wu could no longer hold on and suddenly coughed, his face turning from white to blue.

Gu Li, the bodyguard who had been silently protecting Sun Quan, reacted quickly and stepped forward to support Sun Quan's almost collapsed body.

"Your Majesty, please take good care of your health!" The few close ministers in the hall spoke in unison.

Sun Quan felt dizzy and disoriented. The confidence and composure he had just displayed in front of his ministers were shattered by this military report.

If Wuling were to completely spiral out of control, Jingnan would be thrown into turmoil, and the grain supply routes to Jiangling would be in grave danger... How long could Jiangling hold out?!

He dared not think any further.

Seeing Sun Quan's state, the Chamberlain Shi Yi, though still filled with fear, forced himself to remain calm and stepped forward to speak:
"Your Majesty, the most urgent task is to quickly procure provisions to relieve the predicament of Jiangling and to rapidly stabilize the situation in Wuling."

"Jiang Mi is no longer of any use."

"I believe that we should quickly send a senior official with elite troops to Wuling to take over the military and political affairs, and use both suppression and appeasement to reverse the decline."

“Lu Gongshan, the governor of Jiaozhou, is experienced and prudent. He is already in Guiyang, which is only five hundred li away from Wuling. He is capable of undertaking this important task.”

Hu Zong and Lü Yi both looked surprised upon hearing this.

Hu Zong said urgently:

"Your Majesty, Governor Lü was originally stationed in Jiaozhou, which is crucial to the stability of the southern border. Now that he has been transferred north to Guiyang, Jiaozhou is already in danger of unrest. If he is transferred away from Guiyang as well, the former residents of Jiaozhou and even the Yue people in the mountains will be stirred up by the news, and a great upheaval may occur!"

After a moment of contemplation, Shi Yi said:
That is indeed the case.

"However, Wuling controls the waterways of southern Jingzhou, connecting the north and south. If Wuling is lost, Jiangling will be attacked from both sides and its supply lines will be cut off."

"If Jiangling falls, how can Jingnan be protected?"

"If Jingnan is not protected, how can Jiaozhou be protected?"

"Between the chaos in Jiaozhou and the chaos in Jingzhou, which is more serious?"
"Between two evils... only by relying on the north of Mount Lügong can the Wuling Rebellion be quelled quickly."

Sun Quan was suffering from a splitting headache and a dull ache in his abdomen. He had long forgotten Zhuo A's admonition to "avoid anger." He felt a strange fire coursing through his internal organs, making him thirsty and agitated.

He waved his hand weakly: "This matter...you and the Prime Minister...discuss it carefully and draft a plan...I...I'm tired..."

After saying that, he closed his eyes completely, letting Gu Li and Sun Quan help him up and move step by step toward the back hall.

Shi Yi and Hu Zong looked at each other in silence, both seeing deep worry in each other's eyes.

How could the situation in the Great Wu have deteriorated so rapidly?!
into the night.

Wuchang City, Court of Justice.

Hao Pu had just seen off the people sent by Lü Yi and returned to the hall with a furrowed brow.

Yin Fan, the Chief Justice, was organizing case files when he saw this and asked, "What troubles you, my lord?"

Hao Pu dismissed those around him and whispered:

"Lu Yi sent word that the Court of Justice should immediately dispatch a capable official to Baqiu to imprison Jiang Mi, the governor of Jingnan, in a prison cart and bring him back to Wuchang to await trial."

Yin Fan paused in his movements:
"As the governor of Jingnan, Jiang Mi should be stationed in Wuling. Why is he in Baqiu now?"

"Could it be... that something has happened in Wuling?"

He glanced at Hao Pu, and then nodded repeatedly as if talking to himself: "Indeed... I had previously felt that the battle report from Wuling was vague, and it seems that this matter is of great importance."

(End of this chapter)