Now the Gu family sent Gu Hui here, and he was like a fly, buzzing here every day, asking for an audience at every turn, and constantly lobbying, which made Sun Quan very disgusted.

And Sun Quan felt that whether it was because of Gu Hui's remarks or some other reason, Jiangdong Army had no interest in continuing the fight.

Sun Quan understood that he could not fight anymore.

However, this was a strategy he had laid out. If he retreated at this time, wouldn't that just prove his stupidity?

Zhou Tai was defeated, and Sun Quan understood that Zhou Tai's failure was excusable. Although there were some problems with Zhou Tai's subordinates, and Zhang Yu's escape caused the military intelligence to be leaked, and he was attacked and defeated by Man Chong, he was more or less responsible.

, but little responsibility

Xie Zan was defeated, and Sun Quan also understood that Xie Zan's failure also had objective reasons. After all, no one can handle the plague.

But the defeat of these two men was indeed felt on Sun Quan's face, a slap on the left and another on the right!

Withdrawing troops is indeed a good idea.

Guangling has achieved good results, which can be regarded as invading Cao Cao's strength. Sun Quan also knows that it is impossible to push it directly to Xu County in one go. The supply of grain and grass is a very big burden for Jiangdong, and this burden will increase with the

Time is getting heavier and heavier.

But has it really reached the point where we can no longer fight?

The civil war between the Taishan Army has shown that Cao Cao's rule under his rule is not impeccable, nor is it so powerful that it cannot be resisted. So now, while the wounds between Cao Cao and the Taishan Army have not completely healed, they are trying to make a bigger attack.

, and messing things up a bit, isn’t that what Jiangdong should do?

This battle is not only to defeat Cao Cao, but more importantly, to defeat Jiangdong!

Only when you are outside can you explain the situation in Jiangdong. If you are in Jiangdong, how can you talk about correction and governance?

Sun Quan couldn't help but sigh in his heart, why can't Jiangdong work together? Why are these Jiangdong nobles unwilling to move forward under the banner of the Sun family? Why?

current situation

If Gong Jin were here

Sun Quan murmured in a low voice, and some regrets rolled up in his heart. If Zhou Yu were here right now, Sun Quan wouldn't have to worry about military deployments or offensive plans!

Zhou Yu can definitely arrange it properly.

However, Sun Quan could only keep these regretful words in his own heart and find it difficult to express them to others.

He is the monarch and the lord of Jiangdong.

He is also a monarch who is shrouded in the authority of his father and brother.

Opening up new territories and expanding territory, and being brave enough to conquer all three armies, these two adjectives have nothing to do with Sun Quan.

It is precisely because of this that Sun Quan cannot let go of his face.

When Sun Quan was in a dilemma and didn't know what to do, another personal guard came in, presented a letter, lowered his head and reported: My lord, a letter from Governor Zhou!

Sun Quan was like a drowning man grabbing a straw. He hurriedly grabbed it and opened it immediately without even waiting to check the lacquer seal.

But after Sun Quan read Zhou Yu's letter, his expression did not improve. Instead, he remained silent. After a while, he slapped the table angrily, slapped the letter on the table, then stood up and placed it on the table.

The Chinese army was spinning in the big tent.

There is nothing wrong in the content of Zhou Yu's letter, nor is there any satire on Sun Quan's current situation. What he talks about is the battle situation in Jiangdong, military affairs, and suggestions and ideas on how to do the best in the face of the current situation.

There are a lot of them, but one thing is missing.

There was no way for Sun Quan to protect his face and invade the Jiangdong nobles!

Zhou Yu even expressed his strategy of using war to promote peace in his letters, saying that it was no longer easy to fight. It was better to use this as a threat to negotiate peace with Cao Cao. On the one hand, he could gain immediate profits, and on the other hand, he could also promote Sun Quan.

position

After all, Sun Quan is just a general in the imperial court, and he is not in the mainstream at all. The so-called Lord of Jiangdong, the so-called Marquis of Wu, etc. are all self-proclaimed.

Zhou Yu suggested that Emperor Liu Xie has always been controlled by Cao Cao and must want to obtain certain foreign aid. Therefore, as long as Sun Quan expresses some attitude, he will definitely be accepted by Emperor Liu Xie. As for the future, naturally it will be discussed in the future.

Are these suggestions good?

very good.

very good.

But what is the situation now?

It's a pity that Zhou Yu's letter was not delivered before Zhou Tai and Xie Zan were defeated!

Now when we turn to peace talks, we are no longer negotiating after winning the battle, but seeking peace after losing the battle!

After a defeat, even if you find the emperor, what will you get?

And if you do this, what will the people of the world think? Oh, as soon as you see that you can’t win, you will immediately go to the emperor to ask for peace? Will the people of the world, especially those guys in Jiangdong, talk so loudly that Sun Quan’s face will be ruined?

Trampled underfoot?!

This is something Sun Quan absolutely cannot accept.

Although Zhou Yu's letter is indeed seeking national interests, it does not take into account his face as a monarch at all. How can this be accepted?

After getting angry, Sun Quan sat down again, picked up Zhou Yu's letter and read it again. Something suddenly occurred to his mind and he couldn't help but raise his head and smile.

Zhou Yu's letter reminded him.

Withdraw your own troops, if not because you can't fight anymore?

What if the emperor thinks that Sun Quan is trustworthy and does not want to see Sun Quan and Cao Cao fighting, so what if he and Cao Cao have a truce?

Then when the time comes, it's not that he can't defeat Cao Cao, but that as a local prince, he wants to respect the emperor, so he retreats.

It's the same thing as retreating, but it has a completely different meaning.

No matter what the current situation of Emperor Liu Xie is, everyone knows that the Emperor no longer has the power to command the princes. When Dong Zhuo enters the capital, the Emperor is just a tool. Whoever takes it can become what he needs. But

No matter what, at least on the surface Liu Xie is still the Emperor of the Han Dynasty and has supreme authority!

So if Cao Cao could use this tool, why couldn't Sun Quan use it?

In the past, when Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan were fighting, didn't the emperor issue a truce edict?

When the time comes, he will be able to retreat openly and at the same time save his own face, so that everyone in the world will say that he respects the emperor and has a reputation as a loyal minister. He will win the favor of the gentry children in the north of the Yangtze River and make them seek official positions in the east of the Yangtze River.

This is truly the best of both worlds!
Chapter completed!