Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

After a long moment, Cheng Pu raised his head slightly, his face filled with solemnity. He clasped his fists and said, "Old Madam, we have followed the Sun family for many years. All we ask is to protect the great cause of Jiangdong and ensure that its people can live in peace." He paused, a hint of hesitation in his eyes, and then continued, "As for the fate of the Lord of Jiangdong, if the Governor does not act unusually, we will wait and see what the Grand Governor's investigation into the cause of our Lord's death reveals. If we can uncover the truth, we will make a decision then."

Huang Gai nodded slightly and said in a muffled voice, "Mr. Cheng is absolutely right. The situation is complicated now, and making a hasty decision may lead to unexpected events. Let's wait and see what Governor Zhou does in his investigation. If he can give justice to our lord, everyone will be convinced." Han Dang and Zu Mao also echoed and expressed their agreement with what Cheng Pu and Huang Gai said.

The old lady listened to the four veteran generals' words and sighed softly, a flicker of worry in her eyes. She understood the current situation was a thorny one, with the intertwined forces of various parties involved. A single inadvertent decision could plunge Jiangdong into irretrievable ruin. She nodded gently and said, "Well, I'll follow your advice, generals. However, I hope you will all do your utmost to safeguard Jiangdong's future and not let Bofu's hard work go to waste." With that, she leaned back in her chair wearily, her spine bent as if by the weight of the situation.

While the four veteran generals didn't explicitly declare their support for Sun Quan, their words made it clear they wouldn't sit idly by if Zhou Yu made any rogue moves. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong exchanged a glance, secretly believing this was a good situation for them. In their view, as long as these four veteran generals, longtime and respected followers of the Sun family, remained neutral, the power represented by the aristocratic generals would dominate Jiangdong. In this way, even Zhou Yu, despite his formidable abilities, would struggle to stir up any major disturbances; after all, he could only act alone.

Zhang Zhao bowed slightly, with just the right amount of concern on his face, and said, "Old lady, you are old, and your lord has just passed away. You must take care of yourself and don't be too sad. Zhongmou will do his best to maintain the foundation of Jiangdong in the future, so you can rest assured." Zhang Hong also echoed and said some words of comfort.

The old lady nodded slightly, her eyes filled with fatigue and sorrow. She looked at Sun Quan and said slowly, "Zhongmou, the future burden of Jiangdong will be passed on to you. You must not disappoint your mother's expectations, and you must not forget your brother's legacy." Sun Quan quickly knelt and kowtowed deeply. Tears welled up in his voice as he said, "Don't worry, mother. I will do my best to live up to your trust."

Then, the old lady turned to the four veteran generals—Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao—and said, "Generals, the future of Jiangdong depends on you. I hope you will diligently protect Bofu's legacy." The four veteran generals clasped their fists in salute and said solemnly, "Don't worry, old lady. We will repay the Sun family's kindness with our lives."

After saying this, the old lady waved her hand slightly, signaling the four to withdraw. The four veterans filed out and left the secret room.

After everyone left, Sun Quan carefully helped his mother to lie down on the couch. Overwhelmed by the grief of losing her son, her face was haggard and tears were streaming. Heartbroken, Sun Quan sat beside her bed, whispering solace, saying things like, "My brother's spirit in heaven wouldn't want to see her so sad, and that Jiangdong still needed her presence." It wasn't clear how long it took, but under Sun Quan's gentle soothing voice, her mother finally subsided and drifted off to sleep.

Sun Quan rose quietly, afraid to make any noise that might disturb his mother. He stood quietly by the bed, gazing at her for a moment, his eyes filled with a complex mix of heartache, worry, and a subtle determination. Then, he quietly exited the room, closing the door softly behind him.

As soon as he stepped out of the room, Sun Quan's previously gentle expression suddenly turned stern. His steps hurried, his eyes anxious, as he frantically searched for Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong. In the quiet of the mansion, his footsteps were particularly clear, as if venting his inner anxiety. Finally, he found the two in a side hall. Before even entering, he spoke, "Gentlemen, although the situation has improved, Zhou Yu remains a serious threat. I hope you can offer me advice to quickly stabilize the situation in Jiangdong." He stepped into the hall, his eyes revealing a hint of anxiety and anticipation as he awaited their response.

Zhang Hong said, "Right now, these four veteran generals are still hesitant and waiting because Sun Ce has a son. Furthermore, Zhou Yu is still investigating the murderer, making the situation quite difficult at the moment." Zhang Hong's eyes narrowed slightly, his gaze sinister. He continued, "But what if they have no choice?" Sun Quan's heart trembled, and he hurriedly asked, "What do you mean, sir?"

Zhang Hong leaned closer and lowered his voice, saying, "Just get rid of Sun Shao. The child is already weak, so it's normal for him to have an accident. As long as Sun Shao is gone, the choice of the leader of Jiangdong will naturally lean more towards you." Sun Quan heard this, a hint of hesitation flashed in his eyes, and he said in a deep voice, "That's not appropriate. If the child dies, how can others not suspect that it was us who did it?"

Zhang Zhao listened, pondered for a moment, then smiled sinisterly, his eyes gleaming as he said, "Zhongmou, what if we muddy the waters? Not only can we eliminate Sun Shao, but we can also arrange for you and Sun Yi to be assassinated at the same time. This way, we can clear your suspicion and shift the blame eastward, putting Zhou Yu in an even more difficult position. Everyone will think that Zhou Yu was unscrupulous in pursuit of his own ends. This way, his prestige in Jiangdong will be greatly diminished, and you will become the victim, earning everyone's sympathy and support."

Sun Quan's face changed suddenly and he stood up abruptly: "Why do you still want to attack Sun Yi? The assassination is just a cover, and the goal is to get rid of Sun Shao! If my own brothers are hurt, I will feel uneasy." His sleeves swept across the table, and the teacup made a harsh collision sound.

Zhang Zhao lowered his voice, a calculating glint in his eyes. "Zhongmou, only if you and Sun Yi are assassinated at the same time can we completely clear ourselves of suspicion. By then, with our deliberate foreshadowing, everyone will surely point the finger at Zhou Yu." He paused deliberately, his gaze penetrating. "And they won't suspect us, leaving Zhou Yu speechless."

Zhang Hong stroked his beard and chuckled softly, his tone tinged with sinister intent. "The beauty of this move lies in its difficulty in distinguishing truth from falsehood. The assassination of you and Sun Yi was fake, while Sun Shao's death was real. Outsiders will only think it was done by the same group."

"But Sun Shao is..." Sun Quan frowned, about to speak, but was interrupted by Zhang Zhao. The old minister leaned in, his bony fingers almost poking at his chest. "Those who achieve great things don't care about trivial matters! If Sun Shao remains, the veteran generals will sooner or later use his 'legitimate son' as an excuse to cause trouble. Eliminating Sun Shao will make them suspicious of Zhou Yu, making it easier to win him over. Only by involving Sun Yi in this turmoil can everyone be convinced that this is a conspiracy against the Sun family bloodline!"

The candlelight suddenly burst into a spark, casting distorted shadows of the three men against the wall. Sun Quan stared at the flickering flames, his nails digging into his palms until his knuckles turned white. After a long pause, he spoke hoarsely, "Make sure Sun Yi's injuries are only minor. As for Sun Shao..." Before he could finish his words, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong both bowed, their eyes flashing with knowing, sinister grins.

Inside the mourning hall, white banners hung low, the flickering candlelight casting a flickering shadow on Da Qiao's pale face. Tired of crying, Sun Shao curled up in her arms, falling into a deep sleep, tears still clinging to her eyelashes. Da Qiao numbly stroked the child's soft hair. When her fingertips touched his cool face, a dull pain suddenly rippled through her heart, like being gouged by a blunt knife.

Suddenly, hurried footsteps approached. Sally pulled aside the door curtain, her white skirt sweeping across the floor covered in paper money. Seeing Da Qiao's distraught state, she looked at her seated before the coffin, her eyes instantly reddening. She trembled and said, "If it weren't for revenge for my husband, why would Bofu insist on marching on Chang'an?! The Ma family owes your Sun family a life!" Her hoarse voice was filled with regret and self-blame.

Da Qiao slowly shook her head, a broken sigh escaping her throat. She gently pressed the back of Sally's hand, her gaze fixed on the Suhua on the coffin. "Sister, please don't say anything." Her tears silently fell on Sun Shao's swaddling clothes, leaving dark stains. "This is fate, no one else is to blame. Brother Chao's kindness to the Sun family is as great as a mountain..." She paused, her voice growing increasingly choked. "Now Bofu is avenging Brother Chao, out of brotherly duty. Gongjin said there's something fishy going on here. I just hope we can uncover the truth soon..."

Before she could finish her words, Sun Shao in her arms suddenly convulsed and sobbed, his little fists clenched tightly. Da Qiao froze in place, her fingertips still lingering in the child's hair. Sally hurriedly reached out to embrace the child, stamping her feet anxiously: "Sister-in-law! The funeral will take several days. If you keep going like this and your body collapses, what will happen to Shao'er?"

Da Qiao lowered her eyes to gaze at the struggling child in Sally's arms, tears streaming down her face. "My husband and I...are separated forever." She sobbed, burying her face in the child's neck, greedily inhaling the milky aroma. "Let me stay with him a little longer, just for one more look..." Before she could finish her words, Sun Shao suddenly began coughing violently, his face flushing crimson. Da Qiao stared blankly at the coffin. Sally hurriedly patted the child's back, cradling him in her arms and whispering sobs of comfort. The only sounds in the mourning hall were the child's intermittent cries and suppressed sobs.

Sally patted Sun Shao, who was coughing violently in her arms, and looked anxiously at Da Qiao, who was in a state of disarray. Seeing that she was still staring at the coffin, tears streaming down her face, but no longer showing any reaction, she became more and more worried.

"Sister-in-law," Sally said anxiously, "you are too sad now and it is difficult for you to take good care of Shao'er. Why don't you bring Shao'er to me to raise him first, and then I will send him back when the funeral is really held. You can also rest assured to keep vigil and have a good rest." She paused, and then said softly: "Shao'er likes to stick to me. He smiles when he sees me. Don't worry, I will take good care of him."

Da Qiao slowly turned her head, her eyes set on Sun Shao in Sally's arms. The child had stopped coughing and was clutching Sally's skirt with his little hands, his big, moist eyes gazing at her. Remembering how the child always loved to chase after Sally and cling to her, she finally nodded gently, her voice hoarse and almost inaudible: "Then...thank you, sister."

Sally's heart ached, and she reached out to gently wipe the tears from Da Qiao's face. "What's the point of talking about hard work? Shao'er is my dearest love. Just take care of yourself and stop torturing yourself like this." With that, she hugged Sun Shao tightly in her arms, turned around, and slowly left the mourning hall. The night wind swept in, carrying paper money, shrouding Da Qiao's frail figure in a pale haze.