The Three Kingdoms: I asked you to save Guan Yu, not to destroy Sun Quan.

During wartime, food is more precious than gold. You can be without money, but you absolutely cannot be without food.

Upon learning that Dongwu had come to ransom the hostages, Guan Xing immediately dropped his work and returned to Wushang, taking the three hostages with him to Zhuji to receive the ransom.

Zhuge Ke, the hostage, expressed strong dissatisfaction with his immediate departure. How could he leave without prior notice for such a major event?

Couldn't you wait until you finished eating before leaving? Are you in such a hurry to be reincarnated, Guan Anguo? Can't you see I'm still sick?

Zhuge Ke recently caught a cold; he was chills all over, vomiting and having diarrhea, and he didn't even have the strength to lift his arm.

Faced with his protest, Guan Xing refused without any pity, saying, "You're sick, not dead. What's wrong with you not being able to walk?"

"You're so sick, why are you still eating? Will you reimburse me for the food you've consumed?"

Thus, the ailing Zhuge Ke was forcibly put on horseback and followed Guan Xing at full speed towards Zhuji.

Patients should avoid traveling, and if they must travel, they should do so by car to minimize the risk of their condition worsening.

Guan Xing said that traveling by car was too slow, and that Zhuge Ke was young and physically strong, so he wouldn't die from an occasional ordeal.

The unfortunate Zhuge Ke was led on a journey of over a hundred miles by Guan Xing, and nearly died when he arrived in Zhuji.

Seeing that something was about to happen, Guan Xing hurriedly brought Zhuge Ke to Cheng Li and instructed him, "Old Cheng, take a look quickly. Make sure he doesn't die on our territory. If he has to die, he should wait until we receive the ransom and hand it over to Sun Shao."

Listen to this, is this even human language?

Zhuge Ke was so angry he felt like spitting blood. He weakly cursed with his last bit of strength, "Guan Anguo, you're a complete idiot! You just wait, I'm not done with you yet!"

He was genuinely angry; this is no way to treat a patient.

Guan Xing said nonchalantly, "I'm already getting a doctor to treat you. Besides, I'm just trying to see Sun Shao as soon as possible and send you home. How can you be so ungrateful?"

Zhuge Ke nearly choked to death, unable to muster the strength to refute, and could only glare angrily.

You almost drove me to my death and you expect me to be grateful to you?

Is Guan Anguo's skin made of bricks? How come it's thicker than the corner of a city wall?

Guan Xing also felt that this was not a very ethical thing to do. He touched his nose and said to Gan Xun, "Old Gan, take me to see General Sun Shao. The sooner we negotiate, the sooner we can get it over with. Can't you see that Young Master Zhuge is in a hurry to go home?"

Currently, Zhuji City is garrisoned by Gan Xun and assisted by Cheng Li. As for Meng Jun, he moved to Shan County after robbing the grain transport team.

Shan County is also the gateway to the outside world for the Jinqu Basin, and it cannot function without a great general guarding it.

Guan Xing left the room but did not go to see Sun Shao. Instead, he sat in the pavilion in the backyard and waited for Sun Shao to arrive.

Negotiation requires strategy. When you have the upper hand, you have to put on airs. If you don't, you'll be looked down upon. Negotiation is not about recruiting; there's no need to be overly polite or courteous.

After waiting in the pavilion for less than a quarter of an hour, Gan Xun came over with a man in his early twenties.

Guan Xing looked up and a look of amazement flashed in his eyes. He couldn't help but sigh inwardly, "No wonder he's the son of Sun Ce and Da Qiao. He's so damn handsome. If he were in later generations, he would definitely become the nation's husband in an instant."

It was Sun Shao who arrived. Looking from Sun Shao's perspective, Guan Xing was handsome but disheveled, as if he had just come out of the mine. He looked rather dirty and unkempt.

Sun Shao was furious. The negotiations between the two sides were an important occasion, and dressing up was the least they could do to show respect to the negotiating parties. Guan Anguo was dressed like this to come to the negotiations, which was rather disrespectful.

Are you, General Guan, really so busy that you don't even have time to wash your face and change your clothes?

Sun Shao was displeased, but he knew he had no right to bargain, so he turned his attention elsewhere to avoid seeing it.

Then he saw the table and chairs in front of Guan Xing and couldn't help but frown again.

The Han people commonly knelt, and the tables they used daily were less than half a foot high. The heels under their buttocks were so low that only their feet could fit inside.

In the pavilion where Guan Xing was, there was a long table about a meter high, with water cups, a kettle, and a small stove on it. Charcoal was burning inside the stove, as if wine was being brewed.

There was a chair with a backrest and armrests on each side of the table, and Guan Xing was sitting in the chair opposite him.

Sun Shao was a bit bewildered by this setup and couldn't help but think to himself, "Guan Anguo, what are you up to? Why don't you just get a dragon throne?"

Guan Xing was unaware that he was being heavily criticized by Sun Shao. When he saw him enter the pavilion, he stood up and said with a smile, "I never expected that the heir of the Marquis of Wu would come in person this time. I am truly flattered."

The kingdom of Eastern Wu was conquered by Sun Shao's father, Sun Ce. If Sun Ce hadn't died young, and Sun Shao hadn't been so young, the position of Marquis of Wu would never have been his to hold.

Since Sun Shao and Sun Quan have this relationship, it would be a shame not to take this opportunity to sow discord between them.

Sun Shao was about to bow when he heard this, so he immediately lowered his arms, straightened his chest, and asked unhappily, "General Guan, you're trying to sow discord as soon as we meet. Aren't you being a little too impatient?"

This kind of divisive tactic is really underhanded; you should at least lay some groundwork beforehand!

Guan Xing said this only to vent his anger and did not expect to actually provoke anyone, so he was not annoyed and extended his hand with a smile, saying, "Please sit down."

Sun Shao pulled up a chair and sat down, not wanting to waste words with Guan Xing, and went straight to the point: "General Guan, we agree to redeem the people with grain, but I would like to see General Zhang Cheng before handing them over."

Guan Xing shook his head and said, "No rush, let's try the new tea I've made first. I'm sure Brother Sun will like it."

March is the tea-picking season, so Guan Xing took advantage of his spare time to pick and process some tea. He originally intended to drink it himself, but now that Sun Shao had come, he naturally wanted to promote it, since Sun Shao was also a potential customer.

Under Sun Shao's watchful eye, Guan Xing opened the bamboo tube, then took two bamboo strips tied together like chopsticks and carefully placed the dark, so-called new tea into the kettle. He then picked up the kettle, which was already boiling on the stove, and poured the boiling water into the teapot.

Guan Xing's movements were exceptionally gentle throughout the entire process, but his dirty hand, which looked like it had been digging into something, really ruined his impression.

Guan Xing waited until the tea was brewed before pouring it into a cup, then pushed the cup in front of Sun Shao and said with a smile, "Brother Sun, please."

Sun Shao looked at the yellowish tea, his lips twitched a few times, and he didn't dare to drink it.

Who knows what this is, or if it's poisonous?

His main concern was Guan Xing's character.

Guan Xing didn't mind, picked up his teacup and drank it all in one gulp, then picked up the teapot to refill his cup and continued drinking.

Sun Shao felt that since everyone else had already had two cups, it would be impolite not to drink one himself, so he picked up his teacup and took a small sip. The taste was slightly bitter.

Huh, how come there's a hint of sweetness after the bitterness?

I must be feeling something wrong. Let me try another bite.

Sun Shao drank it all in one gulp, closed his eyes to savor the taste, and after a moment opened his eyes and said, "The first aroma is delicate, the second taste is sweet, and the aftertaste is lingering. I never imagined that such a wonderful thing existed in the world. What is this?"

He then took the kettle and poured himself another cup.

Guan Xing smiled and said, "This is called tea. I came up with it by accident. If you like it, Brother Sun, you can take some with you when you leave so that your relatives and friends can also try it."

Marketing also involves strategy. In later generations, when tea merchants encountered customers who bought inferior tea, they would proactively offer them some good tea to take home and try. Once customers had tasted the good tea, they would find it difficult to drink the inferior tea again, and they would naturally buy the good tea next time they came.

The same applies now. Through Sun Shao, tea is sent to the Jiangdong gentry to cultivate their tea-drinking habits. Guan Xing doesn't believe that the gentry can still drink plain water after drinking tea.

Once they've finished their tea and developed a liking for it, you can start charging exorbitant prices.

"Then thank you very much, General Guan."

Sun Shao laughed and said, "Let's get down to business. We agree to General Guan's offer of 200,000 shi of grain per person, but we will only pay the ransom to General Zhang Cheng and General Zhou Xun."

"As for General Zhuge Ke, I believe you wouldn't dare do anything to him. How about we give him to you to do you a favor?"