Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Once again, Sun Ce was brought back by the waiter with gentle, cautious care. Generals Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao watched as Sun Ce, lost in his drunken stupor, their brows furrowed, their faces filled with anxiety and worry. With gloomy faces, they stood by Sun Ce's bedside, sighing endlessly. Each heavy sigh seemed to come from the depths of their souls, silently expressing their endless disappointment and helplessness. In their eyes, Sun Ce's current passivity, complacency, and complacency were truly a cause for deep regret, like watching a bright star gradually dim.

Sun Ce had just woken up from a hangover, his head was dizzy, and he held his forehead with his soft hands. Before his eyes were fully open, he shouted impatiently and weakly: "Water, bring me water." The four generals were depressed at this time, immersed in deep sorrow, as if they were in a dark abyss and couldn't extricate themselves, so no one responded to Sun Ce's urgent call.

Sun Ce couldn't help but lean sideways. The movement suddenly sent a tumbling wave through his head, and he felt another wave of dizziness. After struggling to open his eyes, he was startled by the sight before him. He saw four generals kneeling in a neat, orderly formation before his bed. Sun Ce exclaimed in surprise, "Four uncles, why are you still awake so late at night? What are you doing guarding my bed?"

General Cheng Pu spoke first, his words earnest and sorrowful, his voice tinged with deep sorrow: "My lord, your father's death remains unrequited, your brothers and sisters are scattered and nowhere to be found, and even your old lady has yet to be found. Yet you spend your days living a life of drunkenness and debauchery in this land of Xiliang. Have you truly forgotten this deep blood feud?"

General Han Dang spoke up next, his tone urgent and passionate, "My lord, the situation is difficult now. We must prioritize revenge and restore our family's glory. We must not continue in this state of despair! Remember how brave General Sun was back then, dominating the battlefields and commanding great power. How can we let him feel disheartened even in his grave?"

General Huang Gai then urged, his expression excited and his voice high, "Lord, the people of Dongwu are still looking to you to lead them out of their predicament and restore their former peace and prosperity. If you continue to be so listless, how can you live up to the earnest expectations of the people of Jiangdong?"

General Zu Mao also spoke excitedly, his eyes firm and blazing, "My lord, I am willing to follow you through fire and water, even to death. As long as you can pull yourself together, you will surely avenge this humiliation and restore the glory of our family!"

Sun Ce said with a bitter face, "Four uncles, how could I not know that I have not yet avenged my great vengeance? Now that we have been defeated and have surrendered to you, you have all seen how you have cared for us with every possible care and concern. And we have not yet accomplished anything, how can we ask you for anything? Putting aside other matters, we have only recruited a group of new soldiers, only three thousand in total, all recruited by Gongjin who has spent all his wealth. From weapons and armor to the soldiers' tents and fodder, all were provided by you. If we were to just pat our butts, take all the spoils, and leave, how could we be true men?"

Han Dang urged again, his voice filled with anxiety: "My Lord, Xiliang may be a good place, but it is not a safe place for us. How can we stand between heaven and earth when we carry a deep blood feud that has not been avenged?"

Huang Gai also spoke in an extremely anxious and fierce tone: "My lord, you are feasting and drinking every day. Can you avenge your old master in this way?" This was undoubtedly no longer a simple exhortation, but almost a stern sermon.

But Sun Ce wasn't angry. After all, these men had been by his father's side since he started his family, weathering countless wars, big and small, through thick and thin, loyal to him. Sun Ce's face was filled with shame, and he felt unsure how to respond. He stammered, "The situation in the Central Plains is chaotic right now, with all the forces intertwined. I'm afraid our three thousand soldiers alone won't be enough to stop us."

The four generals tried to persuade him, but Ma Chao, holding his forehead in pain, said, "Uncle Sun Ce has taken your words to heart. I will think carefully about how to ask my brother to leave. Please wait for a moment."

Sun Ce bore such a deep blood feud, how could he be a son if he didn't take revenge? Seeing Sun Ce's unbearable pain, the generals were helpless and could only retreat silently.

After the generals withdrew, Sun Ce lay alone in his bed, his heart awash with mixed emotions. He knew the vengeance for his father's murder was like a towering mountain, heavy and oppressive. If he didn't avenge it, how could he comfort his father's spirit? Yet, whenever he thought of Ma Chao's deep affection and generous help, he felt that leaving without a warning would be a betrayal of this sincere friendship and a betrayal of his father's kindness.

On the one hand, the unforgettable hatred for his father's murder burned like a raging fire within him, and every memory was like a sharp bayonet, piercing his fragile soul. His father's dying eyes, filled with expectation, his family's former glory, and the current separation of his brothers and sisters, all hammered at his heart like heavy hammers, repeatedly and fiercely. How could he tolerate his enemy's continued impunity while he coveted peace and tranquility here? Every thought filled him with grief and indignation, his fists clenched tightly, his knuckles white, his veins bulging, and he longed to lead his troops back to the Central Plains and fight his enemy to the death.

On the other hand, Ma Chao treated him with genuine affection, not only taking in these downtrodden, defeated generals without a trace of disdain but also providing meticulous care and attention in every aspect. The fine weapons and sturdy armor of his three thousand soldiers, along with their ample tents and provisions, were all manifestations of Ma Chao's generosity and heartfelt support. Had he simply walked away without mercy, Sun Ce felt his conscience would be endlessly condemned and tormented, and he would be despised by the world as ungrateful and bear the infamy of eternity.

Amidst this intense struggle, Sun Ce tossed and turned in his bed, like an ant on a hot pan, unable to fall asleep. The watery moonlight streamed through the window, quietly casting a shadow on his face, a look of pain, entanglement, and distortion. Over and over, he asked himself: what should he do? Should he forsake this precious favor for the sake of his family and bear the infamy? Or should he, in order to repay the favor, temporarily set aside his hatred and endure the humiliation? Sun Ce sank into a deep confusion, his thoughts a tangled mess, unable to make a decision for a long time.

The night was as deep as an endless pool of ink, and all was silent, as if the entire world had sunk into a tranquil slumber. Sun Ce's red, swollen eyes seemed to be filled with tears, flickering a mournful, faint light in the gloomy darkness, like the flame of a dying candle, about to fall but not quite.

A chill swept over him silently like a ghost. In his trance, Sun Ce heard a voice so familiar yet filled with sorrow and resentment, "Bofu, Bofu, my son." Surprised and delighted, Sun Ce called out in a trembling voice, "Father, is that you? Father."

Sun Ce suddenly sat up from the bed, his body trembling slightly with excitement. He saw that Sun Jian's face was covered in blood. The blood had dried and turned a dark color, as if telling of the tragedy of his life. Sun Jian's body trembled like a candle in the wind, and he could fall at any time, but he stood stubbornly in front of him. Sun Jian's painful and complaining voice seemed to come from the abyss of the underworld, "Bofu, are your mother and siblings okay now since I left?" Sun Ce fell to his knees with a plop, and hugged Sun Jian's bloody and cold body tightly with his hands. Tears rushed out like a flood, and he sobbed, "Father, I'm sorry. Changsha fell to the enemy, and my mother and siblings are still missing, and their lives are uncertain. I wanted to regain Changsha's foundation and restore the family's prestige, but I failed miserably and ended up in such a miserable situation."

Sun Jian's eyes widened with rage, and he roared, "Such a blood feud, shall I not avenge it?" Sun Ce burst into tears and cried out in sorrow, "Father, I have never dared to forget this blood feud." In an instant, Sun Jian's eyes revealed endless love and pity. He gently reached out his trembling hand and gently stroked Sun Ce's head, saying, "Son, I know that you are so young and have to bear such a heavy burden. All this is indeed too heavy and oppressive for you." Like a wronged, fragile and helpless child, Sun Ce hugged Sun Jian's legs tightly and cried loudly, "Father, I really feel helpless. Besides, Brother Ma Chao treats me so kindly and sincerely. If I abandon him now, how can I act as a man of integrity?"

Sun Jian held Sun Ce's face in his hands, and gently wiped away the tears that kept flowing from the corners of his eyes with his rough thumbs. He said solemnly and firmly, "Son, now you are the pillar of my Sun family. The responsibility of reviving the family's glory and bringing honor to the family depends entirely on you. I was fortunate enough to get the jade seal, and I thought it was destiny, but I never expected to be ambushed and killed by Liu Biao. Such a deep hatred is destined to make us and the Liu family irreconcilable. You must be strong, cheer up, and avenge your father as soon as possible. Otherwise, your father will not be able to rest in peace in the underworld!" After that, Sun Jian resolutely pushed Sun Ce away, and the figure gradually became blurred until it disappeared into the endless darkness.