Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After Ma Chao's departure, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu quickly turned their attention to the aristocratic families of Wu Commandery. Previously, with the help of the Shanyue, they had thoroughly purged the aristocratic families of Xu Gong's territory, leaving those once-powerful families vanishing into thin air. However, the aristocratic families of Wang Lang's territory remained unscathed. While they had temporarily escaped disaster, they remained like frightened birds, trembling with fear all day long.

In Wang Lang's former territory, the four great families—the Du, Lu, Gu, and Zhang—were the most powerful and had become the backbone of the other clans. Since Sun Ce captured the area, they had held frequent secret meetings, and the atmosphere in the meeting hall was suffocatingly solemn.

Du Chong, the head of the Du family, frowned and tapped his fingers on the table, breaking the silence. "Everyone, Sun Ce is now very powerful. Although we haven't been affected by him before, we don't know when he will attack us. We must come up with a plan to deal with him."

Lu Yi, the head of the Lu family, sighed slightly, his expression worried. "I think Sun Ce is very ambitious and is definitely not an ordinary person. Although we have some power, confronting him head-on is probably like hitting a rock with an egg."

Gu Yuan, the head of the Gu family, looked deep and thoughtful. "In my opinion, hiding blindly is not a solution. Why not test his attitude first and see how he intends to deal with us?"

Zhang Qi, the head of the Zhang family, was rather impatient and could not help but stand up. "Why are you still testing us? Why don't we unite and secretly recruit troops? If he really dares to attack, we will be able to fight him!"

Everyone argued back and forth, but no one could come up with a perfect solution. Every meeting ended in anxiety and unease, but the problem remained unresolved.

The aristocratic families of Wu Commandery had been gripped by anxiety and fear for days. Repeated meetings had all ended in vain. The sky outside the carved window lattice gradually shifted from bright to gray, reflecting their current hopeless state. Inside the house, everyone sat in a circle, brows furrowed, the atmosphere as gloomy as the silence before a storm.

One day, Zhang Qi, the Zhang family's patriarch, hurried into the meeting room, his expression a mix of mystery and eagerness. Behind him, a tall, composed young man followed. Everyone exchanged quizzical glances, and for a moment, whispers filled the room.

Zhang Qi stood still, raised his hand to signal silence, and then said loudly, "Everyone, allow me to introduce you. This is my nephew, Zhang Yu. He previously served under Xu Gong and was a highly trusted aide to Lord Xu Gong."

Upon hearing this, everyone stood up, smiling politely, and stepped forward to greet him. When Xu Gong's demise was mentioned, everyone sighed, their faces filled with regret. Recalling their past interactions with Xu Gong, those scenes of drinking and chatting, or discussing important matters, seemed like yesterday. Now, things have changed, and everyone can't help but lament the impermanence of life.

At that moment, Zhang Yu stepped forward. His expression was stern as his gaze slowly swept over each of the family heads present. He took a deep breath and spoke in a low but clear voice, "Fellow family heads, today I bring you news that will shake your understanding." He paused, deliberately creating a tense atmosphere. "The so-called Shanyue bloodbath of the aristocratic families is nothing but a carefully planned conspiracy, and the mastermind behind it is none other than the now-powerful Sun Ce!"

As soon as these words were spoken, the room erupted in an uproar. Everyone, who had previously maintained a surface of calm, now revealed a mixture of shock and anger. Some stared with wide eyes in disbelief, others blushed furiously, their hands clenched into fists, and still others couldn't help but curse under their breath.

"How is this possible? Why would Sun Ce act like this?" Du Chong, the head of the Du family, was furious and slammed the table hard. The teacup on the table jumped up and the tea splashed out.

"Such behavior is simply cruel and vicious!" Lu Yi, the head of the Lu family, also stood up, his sleeves swaying slightly with his excited movements, his voice full of anger and unwillingness.

Before everyone's emotions had subsided, Zhang Yu dropped an even more shocking piece of news: "Not only that, this time when Sun Ce led his army to attack Wujun, a figure known for his formidable power in Xiliang was also involved. It was none other than Ma Chao, also known as Jin Ma Chao, Ma Mengqi!"

This was like a bombshell, instantly sending the aristocratic families into complete panic. The room erupted in chaos, with shouts and curses echoing from the crowd.

"Ma Chao is involved as well? How can we resist these two people joining forces?" Gu Yuan, the head of the Gu family, turned pale, beads of sweat appeared on his forehead, and his voice trembled unconsciously.

"They are going to wipe out our aristocratic family!" Someone shouted in despair, holding his head in his hands, as if he had already seen the tragic end of his family's destruction.

Zhang Qi looked at the panicked crowd and became extremely anxious. He shouted, "Everyone, calm down! Now that we know about their conspiracy, we must calm down and think carefully about how to deal with it. We can't just sit there and wait for death!"

The crowd gradually quieted down, but for a moment, no one could think of an effective solution. They looked at each other, their eyes filled with confusion and helplessness. Faced with this huge crisis, they were like a group of lost lambs, waiting in fear for their fate. The atmosphere in the room was so oppressive that it was almost suffocating.

Zhang Yu observed the panicked crowd, raised his hand, and pressed it in the air a few times. He spoke calmly, "Everyone, please don't panic. While the situation is dire, it's not hopeless. Since we know Sun Ce and Ma Chao have no intention of cooperating with our aristocratic families, and they are so powerful, we can only endure it for now. We will be at their mercy, feigning loyalty and then doing whatever they command."

His gaze was sharp as he slowly scanned the crowd. He continued, "If there are any capable individuals in the clan who should step forward to assist Sun Ce, let them go. We should carefully listen to their strategies, or even volunteer to lead the troops to lift the siege of Yangzhou. Now that Ma Chao has left, we can discuss further once Sun Ce has also left Wujun."

At this point, Zhang Yu's eyes flashed with ruthlessness. "Since such a ruthless person won't let us live, we don't need to be soft-hearted. We should secretly win over their subordinates and wait for the right opportunity. If necessary, we will even kill Sun Ce and support someone who can be used and controlled by us."

Everyone was stunned at first, then nodded in agreement. Du Chong, the head of the Du family, stroked his beard and, after a moment's contemplation, said, "My dear nephew Zhang Yu is absolutely right. However, we must be extremely careful when operating in secret. The slightest mistake could lead to disaster."

Lu Yi, the head of the Lu family, also said, "That's right, we have to take a long-term view and work it out step by step."

At this moment, Zhang Qi's eyes lit up as if he suddenly remembered something. He said excitedly, "I do have a candidate to recommend! Zhang Zhao, Zhang Zibu. He's extremely talented and strategic, and well-known in Jiangdong. If we can recommend him to Sun Ce, he'll definitely be able to pass on information to us by his side in the future, and he might even be able to influence the situation at a critical moment."

Gu Yuan, the head of the Gu family, also said, "We have news from our Gu family. There is a young man in the Lu family named Lu Meng who is quite knowledgeable about military affairs. If we can recommend him to take charge of some of the troops, it will definitely be much more convenient for us to act in the future."

Everyone chatted enthusiastically, the atmosphere of silence and despair gradually shattered, replaced by a desperate hope. While the road ahead was still filled with uncertainty and danger, at least now they had a direction and a plan.

"Okay, in that case, let's proceed according to the plan. First, stabilize Sun Ce, and then secretly make arrangements." Du Chong stood up, hands behind his back, his expression determined. "When you return, please be sure to instruct those in the clan involved in this matter to strictly keep the secret and not leak any information."

Everyone stood up and clasped their fists in response. A secret plot against Sun Ce quietly unfolded in this seemingly peaceful meeting room, and the situation in Wu County grew increasingly complex and confusing amidst this undercurrent.

Meanwhile, Sun Ce and Zhou Yu were planning the upcoming Hongmen Banquet in their mansion. Zhou Yu wore a confident smile, "Bofu, this banquet is a perfect opportunity for us to test these aristocratic families. We'll see if they truly submit, or if they harbor ulterior motives."

Sun Ce nodded slightly, his eyes revealing an unquestionable dominance: "Yes, I want to see how brave these pampered families are in facing me, Sun Ce!"

An undercurrent is quietly unfolding between the aristocratic families and Sun Ce. Both sides are secretly making plans, and a thrilling contest is about to break out.

When news of Sun Ce's invitation to the banquet spread like wildfire throughout Wujun, the aristocratic families, who should have been in a state of panic, seemed to have taken a reassurance pill in advance, displaying a surprising calm. Over the past few days, they had held frequent secret meetings in darkened rooms and quiet courtyards. Countless brainstorming sessions and heated debates had allowed them to carefully weave a network of responses. Now, they simply waited for the right moment to quietly unleash it.

Du Chong, the patriarch of the Du family, was seated in a carved sandalwood chair, sipping a cup of fragrant tea when he received the invitation. His gaze lingered on the gilded invitation for a moment, his lips curled up slightly in a meaningful sneer. Then, he gently set down his teacup and addressed the waiting members of the family, speaking slowly but with undeniable authority: "Gather all the talented and intelligent members of our Du family's younger generation. This banquet is the time for them to shine before Sun Ce and the other two. Remember, be careful with your words and actions, and do not betray the dignity of our Du family."

Upon hearing the news, Lu Yi, the head of the Lu family, immediately gathered the family's core members in the quaint and solemn meeting hall. Standing at the front of the hall, his expression as calm as water, he scanned each nervous face and spoke calmly, "Everyone, this may seem like an ordinary banquet, but in reality, it's a dangerous game. Remember, we are treating this as just an ordinary social event. Think carefully before you speak or act. Don't let the slightest flaw ruin our grand plan." Everyone nodded, their eyes gleaming with determination and resolve, a resolve to do whatever it takes for the family's honor and future.

Meanwhile, upon hearing the news, Zhang Qi, anxious and apprehensive, hurried to Zhang Yu's residence. Upon entering, he eagerly declared, "Nephew, it looks like their meticulously planned Hongmen Banquet is about to begin. It's time for the plan we've been concocting day and night to be officially unveiled." Zhang Yu raised his head, a glint of eagle-like brilliance in his eyes. He nodded calmly, "Don't worry, uncle. I've been in frequent contact with the young men of various noble families lately. Everything has been arranged, both internally and externally. We're just waiting for the opportunity at the banquet to unfold."