Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After hearing this, Sun's mother's expression became even more solemn. She had lived in seclusion for many years and paid little attention to current affairs. After thinking for a moment, she asked, "Son, what are you going to do?"

Sun Quan hurriedly said, "Mother, Liu Biao of Jingzhou is currently locked in a fierce conflict with Liu Bei, and he won't pose a threat to us in Jiangdong anytime soon. As for Zhou Yu, I have no grudge against him, but he simply doesn't understand my difficulties. Of the three crises facing us right now, the most vexing are the Jiangdong aristocratic families. In my opinion, they are undoubtedly responsible for my brother's death. However, their influence in Jiangdong is immense, and difficult to shake. Therefore, I intend to use the Jiangdong aristocratic families to attack Jiaozhou."

Sun's mother looked at Sun Quan with confusion.

Sun Quan continued, "Mother, this strategy kills two birds with one stone. First, having the Jiangdong aristocratic families send troops to attack Jiaozhou will expand our territory while also weakening their influence in Jiangdong itself. They've been operating in Jiangdong for years and are deeply entrenched. Only by dispersing their power can we have a chance to counter them. Second, war inevitably involves losses of men and supplies, which will weaken their power. Once we successfully capture Jiaozhou, we can deploy our own forces in the newly recovered territory and gradually gain control of the situation. Over time, their influence will naturally diminish. Furthermore, while they're away, I can secretly unravel the mystery behind my brother's murder. Once their power and ours have waned, I can join forces with Zhou Yu to eliminate the Jiangdong aristocratic families' influence on our Sun family. When Shao'er is older and this matter is concluded, I will pass the throne to him. This will truly honor the spirits of my father and brother."

Sun Quan finished speaking, looking at his mother with a determined gaze, awaiting her response. His mother nodded slightly, musing to herself that while Sun Quan's plan was risky, it might actually bring a turnaround for Jiangdong. However, there were many variables involved, and a single misstep could lead to total failure. She knew that the fate of Jiangdong depended entirely on this series of plans.

Mother Sun looked at Sun Quan and said earnestly, "Son, this plan is a good one, but its implementation is fraught with difficulties. You must be cautious. The Jiangdong aristocratic families are deeply intertwined and complex, and are by no means easy to deal with. You must both persuade them to willingly send troops to Jiaozhou, and prevent them from playing tricks behind the scenes. As for Zhou Yu, you must also resolve the rift with him as soon as possible. Only if the two of you work together can this plan have any chance of success."

Sun Quan said with a worried look on his face, "Mother, the difficulty now lies in Zhou Yu's deep misunderstanding of me. I've finally managed to mobilize the Jiangdong noble families, and they'll soon be preparing to march to Jiaozhou. But Zhou Yu is stationed in Wujun, and he and the Jiangdong noble families are at loggerheads. The noble families are wary of Zhou Yu and dare not act rashly. If Zhou Yu attacks us while the noble families are out, they will surely retreat and fight Zhou Yu, and my plan will be completely ruined."

After hearing this, Sun's mother pondered and said, "Quan'er, why don't you sit down with Zhou Yu and have a proper talk to clear up the misunderstanding?" Sun Quan smiled bitterly inwardly. This was just a rhetoric to appease his mother. If he could truly explain it, why would it have dragged on until now? But he remained respectful and said, "Mother, I would like to, but Zhou Yu has a deep prejudice against me. A few days ago, I specially sent four veteran generals—Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zu Mao, and Han Dang—to persuade him to reconcile, but he refused them all. I have no other choice, so I come to ask for your help."

Sun's mother sighed helplessly and asked, "How do you want me to help you?" Sun Quan smiled fondly and said, "Mother, Shao'er has been away from us for over a year. As his grandmother, you, and Shangxiang, his aunt, must miss him terribly. I originally planned to go to Wujun to meet Zhou Yu, but I'm worried that he wouldn't want to see me. So I'd like to invite you and Shangxiang to go to Wujun with me. Even if Zhou Yu doesn't want to see me, as Shao'er's grandmother, he won't be able to refuse you if you just want to see him. When the time comes, we can find an opportunity to have a good talk with him. I only ask that he refrain from disrupting the Jiangdong aristocratic families' attack on Jiaozhou and ensure the stability of Jiangdong. As long as this condition can be met, there will be hope for peace in Jiangdong in the future."

Mother Sun looked at Sun Quan, knowing the thorny nature of the situation. However, for the sake of Jiangdong's overall interests, she nodded and agreed. "For Shao'er's sake, I'll accompany you on this journey. I hope Zhou Yu will consider our situation and prioritize the interests of Jiangdong."

Sun Quan was overjoyed and said quickly: "Thank you, mother! With your help, this matter will surely be accomplished. I will arrange the itinerary now, and we will set off as soon as possible." After that, Sun Quan hurried away and began to prepare for the trip to Wujun.

After receiving his mother's approval, Sun Quan immediately began intensive preparations for his trip to Wujun. To ensure safety, he specially arranged for four veteran generals, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zu Mao, and Han Dang, to accompany him, and the group headed towards Wujun in a mighty procession.

Before arriving in Wujun, Sun Quan dispatched a trusted soldier to meet with Zhou Yu at full speed, expressing his desire to discuss Jiangdong affairs with him. Upon hearing Sun Quan's intentions, Zhou Yu refused without hesitation, stating that he refused to see him. Undeterred, Sun Quan anticipated Zhou Yu's resolute stance and appealed to his mother's affections, sending a message that she missed Sun Shao and, as a grandmother, had come specifically to see her grandson.

Upon learning that Sun Quan's mother had also come, Zhou Yu pondered. He still harbored resentment towards Sun Quan for what he had done, but Sun Quan's mother had done him a favor, and it was only natural for her to want to see Sun Shao. He found it difficult to refuse. After much hesitation, Zhou Yu finally agreed to the meeting.

Sun Quan and his companions felt relieved upon hearing that Zhou Yu was willing to meet them. Entering Wujun, they saw the city's well-organized troops, a testament to Zhou Yu's commanding prowess. When Sun Quan and his entourage arrived at Zhou Yu's tent, Zhou Yu was already waiting. Clad in armor, his expression stern, his gaze resting briefly on Sun Quan before respectfully bowing to Sun's mother. "Greetings, Madam! You must have traveled so long, and I apologize for not coming to greet you."

Mother Sun smiled and nodded, saying, "Zhou Lang, it's been a long time since we last met. How are you? I've been thinking about Shao'er for over a year now, so I came to see him today." Zhou Yu quickly said, "Don't worry, Madam. Shao'er is doing well with me. I will definitely treat him like my own and take good care of him."

Upon seeing this, Sun Quan hurriedly stepped forward and said, "Zhou Lang, I came here with my mother. First, my mother wants to see Shao'er, and second, I do have something important to discuss with you. The situation in Jiangdong is complicated now. I hope you and I can put aside our past grudges and work together to overcome the difficulties." Zhou Yu snorted coldly and did not respond to Sun Quan immediately. The atmosphere in the tent suddenly became a little tense.

Sun's mother saw it and felt worried. She gently pulled Zhou Yu's sleeve and said, "Zhou Lang, although Quan'er did some wrong things, he was also thinking about the overall situation of Jiangdong. Jiangdong is facing many crises now. If you two can't work together, how can you protect the foundation left by Bofu?" Zhou Yu was moved when he heard what Sun's mother said. He looked at Sun Quan again, with a complicated look in his eyes.

Mother Sun looked at Zhou Yu tenderly and spoke earnestly, "Gongjin, you and Bofu were sworn brothers, as close as brothers. Now that Bofu has passed away and Shao'er is still young, Zhongmou was forced to inherit the throne for the sake of Jiangdong's stability. There must be many misunderstandings. I hope you can put aside your past grudges and sit down for a proper talk."

Zhou Yu frowned slightly, wanting to speak but stopping himself. He couldn't understand how Sun Quan had managed to persuade his mother to act as his lobbyist. But then his mother mentioned Sun Ce again, and Zhou Yu felt a pang of pain in his heart. Remembering their past friendship, he finally had to speak up. "Well, Auntie, since you've said so, I'll speak to him privately."

Upon seeing this, Sun's mother showed a relieved smile on her face, and hurriedly tried to smooth things over, saying, "Okay, okay, as a woman, I don't know much about military and national affairs, so I'll go see my poor grandson first." After that, with the help of her maid, she turned around and walked towards where Sun Shao was.

Inside the tent, Sun Quan and Zhou Yu exchanged bewildered glances. After a moment, Sun Quan broke the silence, bowing and saying, "Gongjin, I've come here with the sincere hope of resolving our differences. I know you harbor resentment towards me due to past events, but Jiangdong is currently plagued by internal and external troubles and cannot afford further disruption. My plan to capture Jiaozhou is truly intended to strengthen Jiangdong's strength and defend it against external enemies. I hope Gongjin will understand my earnest wishes."

Zhou Yu looked at Sun Quan, his expression still stern, and said slowly, "I understand your painstaking efforts? How ridiculous! Why did Bofu die? There is no result yet, and yet you are still ambiguous with the Jiangdong family."

Sun Quan's face was filled with remorse. He said, "Gongjin, the situation was extremely complex, and I had no choice. I was worried that revealing my plan in advance would provoke opposition from the Jiangdong noble families and lead to civil unrest. I know this has wronged you, and I hope you can forgive me."

Zhou Yu snorted coldly, his face filled with disdain as he said, "Put away your hypocritical face. You can deceive my aunt, but you dare to deceive me again? I have seen through all your schemes and tricks. I just don't want Jiangdong to fall into civil strife. Otherwise, I would have launched an army to attack you long ago."

Sun Quan, looking anxious, said hastily, "Gongjin, I swear by the ancestors of the Sun family that if I, Sun Quan, harbor even the slightest selfish motive, I will die a miserable death. Everything I have done is simply to stabilize the situation in Jiangdong. When Shao'er grows up, I will naturally pass the throne to him."

After hearing this, Zhou Yu threw back his head and burst into laughter, as if he had heard the most ridiculous joke in the world. His eyes were full of mockery as he said, "Sun Quan, Sun Quan, you have sacrificed your brother for your own benefit, doing such a thing that is beyond the reach of Heaven. Now you even swear by our ancestors that the Sun family's Wentai Gong and Bofu, father and son, were all heroes. How come you have such a heartless and ruthless person? Well, stop pretending and tell me directly. What exactly do you want to do by bringing your aunt here as a lobbyist? Tell me your purpose frankly."

Sun Quan's face flushed crimson at Zhou Yu's words, but shame was too much for him at this point. He gritted his teeth and said, "Gongjin, I was indeed wrong, and I know that no matter what I say, you won't easily forgive me. But Jiangdong is facing an unprecedented crisis right now. Liu Biao and Liu Bei in Jingzhou are constantly fighting and eyeing us covetously. The Jiangdong aristocratic families are also harboring ulterior motives and trying to divide Jiangdong. I want to use the power of the aristocratic families to conquer Jiaozhou, both to expand Jiangdong's power and to weaken the aristocratic families' influence in their homeland. However, I'm worried that when I send my troops, you will seize the opportunity to attack and cause chaos in Jiangdong. That's why I have begged my mother to come here. I hope that for your sake, you will not interfere while I conquer Jiaozhou, so that I can carry out my plan smoothly. As long as we can overcome this difficult time, I will definitely give you a satisfactory explanation."