Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Only after the footsteps of the four veterans faded completely outside the tent did Zhou Yu's tense back relax slightly. He reached out to steady himself on the table, his fingertips still trembling from the heated debate. Taishi Ci stepped forward, offering him a cup of cold tea. He frowned at the scattered maps and fragments of the secret letter scattered across the floor. "General, General Cheng Pu and the others..."

"Their disbelief is to be expected." Zhou Yu raised his head and drank the bitter tea, his Adam's apple rolling as he suppressed his exhaustion. "Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang, and Zu Mao have lived and died alongside the Sun family for decades." He set the teacup down heavily, the porcelain shards clattering against the table. "In their hearts, the Sun family's bloodline is more important than half of this kingdom."

Wei Yan silently picked up the knocked-over tiger talisman, the coolness of the metal penetrating his palm. "But Madam Sun shouldn't have…" "Zi Jing, Wen Chang." Zhou Yu suddenly turned, the candlelight flickering in his eyes. "If you and I were ever faced with fratricide, what would we choose?" He paced to the tent curtain, gazing at the shadowy camp beneath the night sky. His voice was as deep as the sound of a river. "Madam Sun, whose white hair has seen her son die, is now completely focused on protecting her only remaining son. How could she have easily believed others' accusations that Sun Quan murdered his brother?"

The veins in Taishi Ci's knife-grip bulged. "Are we just going to let the real culprit walk free?" "That's why evidence is crucial." Zhou Yu spun around, his dark robe sweeping across the bamboo slips scattered across the floor. "The fact that these four veteran generals have remained neutral is a tremendous turn of events." His gaze swept over the two men, and he suddenly chuckled, a touch of self-mockery. "If it were me, I'd punish the lord's brother without irrefutable evidence. I'd probably be a hundred times more cautious than they are."

Zhou Yu frowned, staring at the flickering candlelight, and suddenly said, "Why haven't I seen Chief Shamoke yet?" As soon as he finished speaking, the air in the tent seemed to freeze.

Wei Yan clasped his fists and saluted, his expression solemn: "Reporting to the governor, our lord passed away suddenly. We hurried back and kept the news a secret along the way. General Shamoke and the Shanyue people are hiding in the mountains and forests, and we have not received any news yet."

"I see." Zhou Yu nodded slightly, and after a moment's contemplation, his eyes were sharp. "Wen Chang, you should send someone there immediately to convey the message to General Shamoke and order him to return quickly. With General Shamoke and his brave and battle-hardened Shanyue tribesmen here, they will be enough to intimidate those aristocratic families in Wujun who have evil intentions and will not dare to act rashly."

"Yes!" Wei Yan accepted the order and was about to leave, but Zhou Yu called him back: "This matter must be kept secret, and not a single word can leak out."

After Wei Yan left, Zhou Yu turned to Taishi Ci and said in a deep voice, "Ziyi, you must immediately contact Jiang Qin and other former generals left behind by our lord. Remember, you may only contact those generals who have followed our lord in his early years and are not from the Jiangdong aristocratic families. Only these seasoned veterans can unite as one in the critical moment and compete with the Jiangdong aristocratic families."

Taishi Ci looked solemn and said, "Don't worry, Commander-in-Chief, I understand!"

"If the Jiangdong nobles force Sun Quan to succeed the throne in front of the old lady, it will be too late when we find out the truth." Zhou Yu clenched his fists, his tone becoming more serious. "By then, we might even have to go to war with them. But since the conspiracy has already begun to emerge, it's best to avoid bloodshed if possible."

He walked over to the map, his finger tracing over Jingzhou, Xuzhou, and other places: "The situation is now precarious. Liu Biao of Jingzhou is eyeing us covetously, the imperial court and Jiangdong have a deep blood feud, the remnants of Yuan Shu's army have not yet been eliminated, and Tao Qian of Xuzhou is also coveting us. If we are not careful, this hard-earned foundation of Jiangdong may be destroyed in an instant."

"I will do my utmost!" Taishi Ci shouted, turning and hurried away. Outside the tent, a sudden night wind blew, causing the lantern to sway violently and stretching the three men's shadows far longer, weaving them into an impenetrable web across the cowhide tent. Zhou Yu reached out and pressed the sword at his waist. The cold hilt instantly sobered him up—to win this battle, he had no choice but to risk his entire fortune and life, and to tear open a hole in the turbulent Jiangdong.

The east was already bright, and the morning light, like shredded silver yarn, gently spread across the land of Jiangdong. Zhou Yu stood before his desk, the flickering candlelight illuminating the fatigue and determination in his eyes. Though his all-night contemplation had given him a rough grasp of the entire incident, without solid evidence, all his speculation seemed feeble. Furthermore, he wondered how the aristocratic families, such as Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, had flattered Madam Sun, causing Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, and four other veteran generals to harbor suspicions about him and become unwilling to join him in clearing up the sinister situation in Jiangdong.

Sun Ce's passing weighed like a heavy mountain on everyone's mind. However, the situation in Jiangdong was volatile, with powerful forces surrounding it from all sides. This news couldn't be kept secret, nor could it be announced hastily. Zhou Yu knew that maintaining stability was paramount.

During the day, a solemn atmosphere enveloped Sun Ce's residence. Zhou Yu, straining against his fatigue, presided over matters both large and small. Zhang Zhao stood at the side of Old Madam Sun, his expression respectful. With the old lady at their side, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong quietly arranged Sun Ce's funeral arrangements with meticulous care. From the layout of the mourning hall to the reception of the guests, every detail was impeccable, demonstrating the prestige and competence they had accumulated over the years in Jiangdong.

Zhou Yu watched them work so methodically, his heart filled with resentment and wariness, yet he had to admit that their arrangements were flawless. He could only suppress his surging emotions, feigning ignorance of the conspiracy behind them, and devote his energy to maintaining military stability on the four borders.

Everyone gathered around the old lady, seemingly harmonious but each harboring their own agenda. Zhou Yu forced himself to play along with Zhang Zhao and the others, carefully considering every word and action. He had to maintain superficial peace in Jiangdong while secretly preparing for the opportunity to uncover the truth.

This hectic day felt exceptionally long for Zhou Yu. He navigated a maelstrom of political intrigue, managing the open and covert struggles of the aristocratic families while simultaneously trying to appease the generals. Though exhausted, he knew he held the future of Jiangdong on his shoulders and could not afford to slack off. Only by maintaining a stable foundation could he buy time and opportunity to uncover the truth and reorganize Jiangdong.

The night was as dark as ink, shrouding the city in deep shadow. Only the candlelight in the large tent on the eastern parade grounds shone brightly. Zhou Yu reclined on a tiger-skin chair, listening to the drums outside. The military report on his desk was dimly lit by the candlelight. Taishi Ci and Wei Yan, clad in the night, entered the tent. Dew still condensed on their armor, leaving dark marks on the ground.

"Generals Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai, and others have signed a blood oath." Taishi Ci knelt on one knee and presented a silk scroll stained with dark red fingerprints, "They are willing to lead their troops at the governor's command to avenge their lord." Before he finished speaking, Wei Yan strode forward and unfolded a map: "I have contacted the Shanyue tribe and have set out to retrieve their leader, Shamoke. I have ordered the post stations along the way to prepare food and fodder. However, in the direction of Jiangxia..."

Zhou Yu raised his hand to stop the two men, a bitter taste rising in his throat. The candle wick suddenly exploded, sparks splashing onto the silk scroll, leaving scorch marks on the words "Xiao Die." "If we can avoid using weapons, we will do so." He stood up, his dark robe sweeping across the bamboo slips scattered on the ground. He pointed heavily at the Jiangdong territory on the map, "The Sun family's foundation is not stable. If internal strife breaks out at this time, Liu Biao of Jingzhou and the court in Chang'an will surely seize the opportunity to march south."

Wei Yan clenched the hilt of his sword at his waist: "But Zhang Zhao and the others..." "Zhang Zhao is a shrewd man and won't act rashly." Zhou Yu interrupted him, his fingertips moving along the Yangtze River defense line, "What they want is to support Sun Quan with justification. We just need to delay for a while until Shamoke's troops arrive, and then find an opportunity to reveal the truth."

Suddenly, the neighing of war horses could be heard outside the tent, startling everyone. Taishi Ci looked at Zhou Yu's eyes, which were as dark as ink, and couldn't help but advise: "General, you haven't slept for three days..." "It's okay." Zhou Yu waved his hand, grabbed the cold teacup on the table and drank it all in one gulp. The bitter tea rolled down his throat and into his stomach. "When Bofu entrusted his son to me before his death, he held my hand and said, 'Ask Zhang Zhao if you have any questions about internal affairs, and ask Zhou Yu if you have any questions about external affairs.'" His voice suddenly choked, and he slammed the teacup on the table. "Now we are facing internal and external troubles. If I fall, who will protect the people of Jiangdong?"

On the map, the markings for Jingzhou, Xuchang, and Xuzhou hung like sharp swords overhead. Zhou Yu leaned in close by candlelight, his gaze sweeping across Ruxuwu and Chaisang, dotting each strategic location with cinnabar. In the flickering light, his shadow stretched across the tent, like a frozen god of war, guarding the precarious Jiangdong empire.

However, despite all his calculations, he overlooked one point, which would become a fatal blow.

The night, thick as ink, enveloped the Marquis of Wu's mansion. Several dark figures scurried along the walls, the moonlight casting a cold, blue gleam on their poisoned blades. They dodged the patrol's torches and crept like ghosts into Sun Ce's former compound—tears still lingering on the carved wooden windows. A faint scent of sandalwood wafted from the mourning hall, but it couldn't mask the gradually thickening scent of blood.

At that moment, Da Qiao knelt on a mat in the mourning hall, her pale face reflected by the flickering candlelight, as she gazed vacantly at the brazier. In the back courtyard, Sally gently rocked Sun Shao, wrapped in a brocade quilt. Ma Chao's son, Ma Yue, lay beside the bed, naively prodding his brother's chubby cheek with his tender fingers. Suddenly, a bronze bell on the eaves chimed quietly, startling Sally, who looked up only to see swaying bamboo shadows.

This was a vicious plot already planned by Zhang Zhao, Sun Quan and others. They wanted to kill Sun Shao and had Sun Quan and Sun Xu pretend to be assassinated in order to throw the dirty water on Zhou Yu.

Outside the courtyard, the patrol team sent by Cheng Pu and Huang Gai were mechanically repeating the route. They didn't know that what they were guarding was not only the night curfew, but also a shocking conspiracy that could subvert Jiangdong.

In the courtyard, a few green bamboos whimpered in the night wind. Amidst the rustling of leaves, several dark shadows moved quietly along the blue brick wall. They were covered with black scarves, and the ring-handled swords at their waists shone with a cold blue light, the distinctive serrations on the blades faintly visible in the moonlight.

"Squeak—" The wooden door gently opened. The leading assassin held his breath, his gaze fixed on the figure cradling a baby beside the bed. Sun Shao, in Sally's arms, suddenly burst into tears, startling the Shanyue maid who had dozed by the door. The girl jerked her head up, meeting the assassin's cold gaze. The silver bell amulet around her neck jingled, and she let out a shrill scream.