Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Zhou Yu frowned slightly after hearing Sun Quan's words, pondering inwardly. He knew full well that what Sun Quan described about the situation in Jiangdong was true. If civil unrest truly broke out at this moment, Jiangdong would be doomed. However, Sun Quan's past actions made it difficult for him to trust him. After a moment's silence, Zhou Yu said coldly, "Do you think I would trust you? How can you expect me to trust someone who killed his brother and would do anything to achieve his goal?"

Sun Quan's face showed despair. He said, "Gongjin, I know my crime is unforgivable, but for the sake of Jiangdong and my brother's legacy, I beg you to give me one more chance. I am willing to sign a written agreement. If I go back on my word today, I will be at your mercy."

Zhou Yu waved his hand in disgust and shouted, "Put aside your pretense and stop telling me these lies. If you want to attack Jiaozhou, I promise not to intervene. But let me be frank: I'm only responsible for the safety of Wujun. If any foreign enemy attacks Jiangdong from other lines of defense, I will not help."

Upon hearing this, Sun Quan's face lit up with delight. He quickly said, "Nothing, no problem. For this attack on Jiaozhou, I will retain two veteran generals—Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Zu Mao, and Han Dang—to command Jiangdong. As long as you, Gongjin, hold your troops still and don't attack me, and with the great Yangtze River as a natural barrier, Jiangdong will be as secure as Mount Tai."

Zhou Yu looked at Sun Quan like this, and his disgust grew stronger. He really didn't want to look at him any longer. After a cold snort, he turned away. Sun Quan looked at Zhou Yu's departing back, and the smile on his face gradually froze.

Four veteran generals watched Zhou Yu emerge from the tent in a rage. Cheng Pu wanted to approach Zhou Yu and called out, "Gongjin..." However, Zhou Yu simply bowed to them, his face gloomy, and without saying a word, he walked away.

Confused, the four generals hurried into the camp to inquire about Sun Quan's situation. Sun Quan, with a look of relief, replied, "Zhou Yu has already agreed not to interfere with our attack on Jiaozhou." Upon hearing this, the four generals secretly wondered if this conversation might have led to a positive outcome. They had been deeply concerned, unwilling to see Zhou Yu and Sun Quan continue their conflict, leading to internal divisions within Jiangdong.

Huang Gai spoke first, "My lord, we are truly fortunate to have Zhou Yu agree. However, he has harbored a long-standing grudge, so we must be vigilant and ensure he doesn't allow it to cause any further trouble." Sun Quan nodded slightly and said, "General Huang is absolutely right. This outcome is entirely thanks to my mother's mediation. Although Zhou Yu has agreed not to obstruct the attack on Jiaozhou, he is only responsible for the safety of Wujun. He will not assist any other lines of defense should an enemy attack."

Han Dang frowned and said, "This means we must be even more cautious when deploying our forces. We must mobilize sufficient forces to attack Jiaozhou while also ensuring the safety of Jiangdong's other defenses." Zu Mao echoed, "General Han is right. Sending troops to Jiaozhou is already fraught with risk, and now with these uncertainties, we must plan carefully."

Sun Quan looked at the four veteran generals with a firm gaze and said, "My dear generals, this attack on Jiaozhou is related to the rise and fall and survival of Jiangdong. I intend to leave two of the four generals to stay in Jiangdong to ensure the stability of the rear. I wonder which of the four generals is willing to stay?" After hearing this, the four generals looked at each other and saw determination in each other's eyes.

Cheng Pu was the first to step forward and said, "My lord, I wish to remain. Jiaozhou's terrain is complex, and the campaign requires the young and strong. I will stay in the rear and will be able to protect the defenses of Jiangdong." Huang Gai immediately said, "General Cheng and I will stay together. We have been in Jiangdong for many years and are familiar with the various defenses. We will be able to fulfill our mission."

Sun Quan looked at Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, his heart filled with gratitude. He said, "With you two generals in charge of Jiangdong, I feel relieved. This time, I will attack Jiaozhou with Generals Han and Zu. We must capture Jiaozhou and create opportunities for the development of Jiangdong." Han Dang and Zu Mao responded in unison, "We are willing to serve our lord!"

Then, with Sun Shangxiang's support, Mother Sun slowly made her way toward the rear courtyard. Arriving at the gate, she saw Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao standing side by side, with six or seven children playing and laughing behind them. Da Qiao, with her sharp eyes, spotted Mother Sun being supported by Sun Shangxiang. She bowed gracefully from a distance, calling softly, "Mother." Then, turning to the children, she called out, "Stop messing around! Come and greet Grandmother." Upon hearing this, the children immediately stopped playing and, in unison, bowed in unison to greet their grandmother.

Seeing Da Qiao, whose face was still slightly haggard and whose figure was even thinner than before, her mother felt pity. She hurried forward, took Da Qiao's hand, and whispered, "You've suffered so much here these days." Da Qiao's lips moved slightly, but she didn't say anything. Her eyes instantly reddened. Seeing this, Xiao Qiao smiled and tried to smooth things over. "Mother, please don't say that. We sisters are here together, so how can it be considered hardship? Come, come, children, come and let Grandma take a look. See if Grandma can recognize who is who."

Sun's mother and Sun Shangxiang were both a little confused. After all, Sun Shao was just a toddler in their arms when they separated. Now, with all the kids jumping around on the ground, they really couldn't tell which one was Sun Shao. Sun's mother smiled and said, "Oh, there are so many kids. My old eyes are blurry. I can't even recognize which one is Shao'er." When the kids heard this, they all burst into laughter. One of them, who looked quite clever, stood up and said crisply, "Grandma, I'm Shao'er." Sun's mother took a closer look and saw that the kid had some of Sun Ce's old shadow in his eyes. She couldn't help but sigh. She reached out and gently touched Sun Shao's head and said, "Shao'er has grown so big. Grandma can hardly recognize him."

Sun Shangxiang, watching from the side, also smiled and said, "Shao'er, do you still remember your aunt?" Sun Shao blinked his big eyes, smiled and nodded, "I do, aunt." Seeing this, everyone laughed again. Sun's mother looked around at the children, then at Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao, and said, "With you here to take care of Shao'er, I feel relieved. It's just hard for you two sisters." Da Qiao quickly said, "What are you saying, mother? Taking care of Shao'er is our responsibility. Besides, Zhou Lang also takes good care of us."

Grandma Sun looked at the group of lively and lovely children with a smile on her face. She said repeatedly, "Okay, okay." At this time, Xiao Qiao gently pushed the children and said, "Come and get to know grandma and introduce yourselves."

There was a boy among them who looked very clever and full of energy. He had a naturally unruly temperament, like a child king. He said openly, "Greetings, Grandmother. I am Ma Yue, and my father is Ma Chao."

Then, another well-behaved child came forward. He was also handsome and well-mannered, and he was immediately pleasing to the eyes. He bowed respectfully and said, "Greetings, Grandmother. I am Zhou Xun, and my father is Zhou Yu."

Then, the children introduced themselves one by one: "I am Gan Xiang." "I am Wu Niu." "My name is Pan Hu." "My name is Ling Tong." ...

Sun's mother beamed and nodded repeatedly. Sun Shaoze excitedly pulled his brothers beside him and said, "Grandma, these are all my good brothers." Sun's mother lovingly pulled Ma Yue and Zhou Dun over, holding them in her arms, and said, "Shao'er, look, your fathers were sworn brothers and loved each other like brothers. Now seeing you all so close and playing together, I'm so happy."

Ma Yue and Zhou Dun smiled at each other and snuggled up to Sun's mother. Sun's mother felt a warm surge of joy as she watched the joyful scene unfold before her. Despite the complex and volatile situation in Jiangdong, seeing the innocent smiles of these children gave her hope for the future. She knew these children were the future pillars of Jiangdong, and if their friendship could continue, it might bring a new dimension to the region.

Mother Sun looked at Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao again and said, "You two have taught these children so well. You've worked so hard. I can rest assured knowing you're here." Da Qiao smiled and said, "Mother, you're so kind. This is what we should do. It's a blessing for the children to be together, to accompany each other and grow together."

As soon as Sun Shangxiang laid eyes on Ma Yue, her thoughts drifted back to the past. She vividly recalled the radiant figure of Ma Yue's father, Ma Chao. In his early years, Ma Chao had conquered Jiangdong alongside his brother. Back then, Ma Chao was full of vigor and ambition, like a brilliant star, radiant and dazzling. Though still young, Sun Shangxiang was captivated by Ma Chao's demeanor and publicly declared her intention to marry him when she grew up. Ma Chao, knowing her feelings, did not refuse, much to the young Sun Shangxiang's delight.

Later, upon hearing the tragic news of Ma Chao's sudden death, Sun Shangxiang was struck by lightning, heartbroken. She cried countless times in secret, the grief surging like a tide, unable to subside. Later, her brother, Sun Ce, embarked on a journey of no return to avenge Ma Chao, ultimately dying in the process. This series of events hammered Sun Shangxiang's heart, and even now, when she recalls them, she still feels a mixture of emotions.

She slowly reached out and gently touched Sun Shao and Ma Yue's heads, her eyes filled with complex emotions. Looking at the two children before her, she seemed to see Ma Chao and his brother from the past. Suddenly, her heart was filled with a mixture of longing for the past, grief for the loss of her loved ones, and pity for the children before her. She knew that these children carried the hopes and mission of their parents, and that the future of Jiangdong would be written by them. But, in these troubled times, what fate would they face?

After Sun Quan finished his business in the tent, he also arrived at the inner courtyard. The children's cheerful atmosphere instantly cooled at the sight of Sun Quan. Ma Yue, in particular, was not at all happy with Sun Quan, his eyes gleaming with dissatisfaction. Xiao Qiao and Da Qiao bowed slightly out of courtesy, then fell silent, creating an awkward atmosphere.

Seeing this, Sun's mother felt a little helpless. She had been hoping that Sun Shao and Sun Quan would get closer and improve the relationship between uncle and nephew. So, she called out softly, "Shao'er, your uncle is here to see you. Come over quickly." However, Sun Shao acted as if he hadn't heard her. Not only did he not move closer to Sun Quan, but he hid behind Da Qiao instead, with a hint of fear and resistance in his eyes.

This scene made Sun Quan feel uncomfortable, and his smile faltered. But he still feigned affection, saying, "Shao'er, don't be afraid. It's just been so long since I've seen you, and I wanted to take a good look at you. Look, you've grown so tall." He reached out to touch Sun Shao's head, but Sun Shao tilted his head, avoiding his hand. Sun Quan's hand faltered awkwardly in mid-air, then slowly withdrew after a moment.