Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

The air in the secret room seemed to freeze instantly, and the oppression was so strong that it made people breathless. The old lady's face was as gloomy as ink, and her eyes were full of doubts, as if she was shrouded in a heavy haze. Sun Quan lowered his eyes and remained silent, but his sharp eyes quietly swept over everyone, as if capturing every subtle change in expression. Zhang Hong narrowed his eyes slightly, with a cold light flashing in his eyes, and looked thoughtful, as if he was secretly plotting some hidden conspiracy. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai looked at each other, and they saw deep uneasiness in each other's eyes, as if they had a premonition that a bigger storm was coming.

At this moment, Zhang Zhao straightened up suddenly, a gleam in his eyes, as if he had discovered a key clue. He said with a firm tone, "That's right, old lady! Considering all the signs just now, I believe everyone here has their own conclusions. In my opinion, Zhou Yu is probably a man with evil intentions!"

Han Dang and Zu Mao's expressions suddenly changed as these words were spoken, and they hurriedly spoke up to defend Zhou Yu. Han Dang stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said loudly, "Old Madam, General Zhou is the Grand Commander of Jiangdong. With the recent death of our lord, the people of the city are in a state of panic. He has deployed troops to guard the mansion so that he can handle any emergency at any time. This is his duty and is understandable!"

Zu Mao also echoed, "Yes, Commander Zhou fought bravely for Jiangdong and was loyal to the end. He is definitely not someone with ulterior motives!"

However, Zhang Hong remained unmoved. A scornful smile curled his lips as he sneered, "I'm afraid the two generals didn't see what happened in the mourning hall? To protect Wei Yan, the thief who plotted to murder our lord, Zhou Yu actually roared openly in the hall, fiercely confronted everyone, and risked his life to defend Wei Yan. If he didn't have something to hide, why would he do this?"

Han Dang and Zu Mao's eyes widened in disbelief. They eagerly turned to Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, trying to find any evidence of rebuttal in the eyes of these two old brothers. Cheng Pu and Huang Gai sighed slightly and nodded silently, their eyes full of helplessness and entanglement.

In the secret room, although everyone still had doubts in their hearts and wanted to say a few words to defend Zhou Yu, before they could open their mouths, the old lady slowly raised her hand and stopped everyone from speaking.

The old lady's gaze was deep as she surveyed the four veterans before her. Her voice, weary and seasoned, she spoke slowly, "Now, my concern is no longer simply to find Bofu's murderer. Bofu is gone, and the foundation of Jiangdong is now facing chaos. Generals, you are all veterans who followed my father, Sun Wentai, and you are elders like uncles to Bofu and Zhongmou. Whether Jiangdong will enjoy peace and stability in the future, or descend into chaos and turmoil, depends entirely on your thoughts and actions."

She paused, her gaze falling on the faces of Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao in turn, and continued, "The current situation requires someone to step forward and stabilize the situation. If internal suspicion and fighting begin, Jiangdong's years of hard work will be destroyed. You have all experienced countless storms and should understand the interests involved. I only hope that you can put the overall interests of Jiangdong first and make the right choice."

After the old lady finished speaking, she slowly leaned back in her chair and closed her eyes, as if unwilling to continue watching this complicated situation, yet also as if waiting for everyone's response. The secret room fell silent again, with only the crackling of the candlelight making it particularly clear in the silence.

The four veterans exchanged bewilderment, unable to fathom the deeper meaning behind the old lady's words. Cheng Pu stepped forward, cupped his fists, and respectfully asked, "Old lady, what you just said? According to you, the main purpose of our gathering here today is to discuss the future succession of Jiangdong's legacy."

The old lady nodded slightly, but didn't answer immediately. The four veterans exchanged glances, and Han Dang spoke first, "Although the lord has passed away, he still has a son, Sun Shao. Isn't it enough to let Sun Shao succeed him? What's so controversial about this?"

At this moment, Zhang Zhao's eyes were sharp, his words blazing. "Four veteran generals, look at what's happening today. Zhou Yu is only the Grand Commander of Jiangdong, yet he's acting so arrogantly before a new lord is established. If your lord's son, Sun Shao, is enthroned, how can he, still young, check Zhou Yu? Wouldn't that make Zhou Yu an incredibly powerful official?"

Upon hearing this, the four veteran generals' expressions changed slightly. Although they harbored some doubts, they couldn't help but defend Zhou Yu. Huang Gai spoke in a deep voice, "Commander Zhou has followed Lord Bofu through thick and thin, working tirelessly to establish the foundation of Jiangdong. He is deeply loyal to the Sun family and is by no means a man who harbors disloyalty!"

Zu Mao also echoed, "Yes, Commander Zhou's contributions over the years are obvious to all. He has devoted so much effort to Jiangdong. How can we doubt his loyalty just based on what happened today?"

However, Zhang Hong sneered disapprovingly and retorted, "What you say is nothing but sweet talk. If the power of Jiangdong really falls into Zhou Yu's hands in the future, then whether the Jiangdong foundation will be under the Sun or Zhou family will depend entirely on his will. The human heart is unpredictable, and who can guarantee that he won't harbor ulterior motives?"

The atmosphere in the secret room grew increasingly tense, with each side arguing, neither able to convince the other. The old lady sat quietly by the side, watching the debate, an unreadable look in her eyes, as if she were weighing the pros and cons, or perhaps waiting for the right moment to make a crucial decision that would determine the future of Jiangdong.

Zhang Zhao seemingly casually nudged Sun Quan, who understood. With a thump, he dropped to his knees, his eyes filled with sorrow. He tilted his head slightly, gazing at the old lady, and spoke in a trembling voice, "Mother! My brother passed away in his prime, leaving behind this nephew in his infancy. Even if Zhou Yu has no ulterior motives, how can this young nephew shoulder the heavy burden of Jiangdong's cause?"

He choked slightly and continued, "Now Jiangdong is surrounded by powerful enemies on all sides, and the situation is already precarious. If my nephew succeeds to the throne, how can he deal with the situation of internal and external troubles? I am afraid that Jiangdong's foundation will be destroyed!" As he spoke, Sun Quan's tears burst out and dripped onto the cold ground.

Listening to Sun Quan's lament, the old lady's heart ached, her eyes instantly reddening. She recalled Sun Ce's voice, his smile, and all he had sacrificed for Jiangdong over the years, and tears streamed down her wrinkled cheeks. She lamented Sun Ce's untimely death, his unfulfilled ambitions, and worried about the young Sun Shao's inability to shoulder the responsibilities of Jiangdong. Her heart was filled with helplessness and sorrow.

"Bofu, oh Bofu, why did you leave in such a hurry..." The old lady murmured to herself, her voice full of grief and reluctance.

Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and the other four veteran generals watched the old lady's grief, their hearts awash with emotions, and for a moment, they didn't know how to comfort her. The old lady wiped tears from her eyes and said with a trembling voice, "Now, according to the descendants of the Wentai, Sun Ce's son is too young. His other sons, Sun Quan, Sun Yi... well, Sun Quan has experienced the baptism of war over the years and is often praised by everyone."

Hearing the old lady's words, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, as if they had found an opportunity, quickly chimed in. Zhang Zhao bowed and said earnestly, "Old lady, you are absolutely right. Zhongmou is always courteous to the wise and humble, making friends with heroes, and has demonstrated extraordinary strategy and courage in numerous battles. He is truly the perfect choice for the position of Lord of Jiangdong."

Zhang Hong echoed, "Indeed! Zhongmou is in his prime, full of energy and strength. The current situation in Jiangdong is complex, and we need someone as capable and prestigious as Zhongmou to take charge. Only then can we lead Jiangdong through this difficult time and ensure the stability of our Jiangdong foundation."

The four veteran generals listened to Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong's praise of Sun Quan, though they remained somewhat hesitant. After all, they still had a certain degree of trust in Zhou Yu's character and loyalty, and felt that the traditional "father's death, son's succession" was more appropriate. However, given the current situation in Jiangdong, facing internal and external troubles, they had to admit that Sun Quan's succession might be an option. Cheng Pu frowned slightly and glanced at Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao beside him. Their eyes met, and they all saw a hint of helplessness and entanglement in each other's eyes. The fate of the Jiangdong lord was of great importance and could not be sloppily handled.

Sun Quan burst into tears, his knees rubbing against the blue bricks with a dull thud, and he suddenly hugged the old lady's clothes. His hair was disheveled, a few strands sticking to his watery cheeks. His voice was as broken as a candle in the wind: "Mother! The position of the Lord of Jiangdong is clearly a heavy yoke for me!" His trembling fingers clenched the fabric of his clothes, as if he wanted to rub all his grievances into the folds. "My brother has passed away, and my nephew is still a child. How can his delicate neck withstand the noose of this chaotic world?"

He suddenly coughed violently, a few traces of blood seeping out from between his fingers. His appearance was so miserable that it made people shudder. "You know best that I have been obsessed with poetry and books since I was young. I can't even draw a bow and arrow with a stone. How could I have the slightest thought of fighting for power and profit?" He knocked his forehead heavily on the ground with a dull sound. "When King Wu passed away, Duke Zhou Dan devoted himself to assisting King Cheng and stabilizing the Zhou Dynasty. I also want to follow the example of the sage and be the Duke Zhou who protects the young lord!"

At this point, Sun Quan suddenly looked up, his red eyes burning with "anger and indignation": "But now Jiangdong is surrounded by enemies on all sides, the imperial court is eyeing us covetously, Liu Biao has stationed troops in Jiangxia, and the Shanyue banditry is still troubling..." He suddenly choked with sobs and beat his chest, "If you retreat now, the Jiangdong foundation that your brother risked his life for will be destroyed!"

The old lady's trembling hands caressed his back, and Sun Quan fell into her arms, weeping bitterly: "I only ask to take over the management of Jiangdong temporarily. When my nephew comes of age, I will return the throne with both hands! Only then can I rest in peace in peace!" Suppressed sobs echoed in the secret room. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong looked at each other, the candlelight illuminating their upturned lips.

The old lady looked at the people in front of her with expectation and said, "Everyone, what do you think of Zhongmou's heartfelt words?"

The four veterans, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao, exchanged glances, their brows furrowed, and then lowered their heads in silence for a moment. The atmosphere in the chamber grew increasingly solemn, with only the gentle crackling of the candlelight echoing in the silence.