Chapter 83: Completely Giving Up
Madam Sun and Xu Zhen sat silently in the inner hall for a long time before Madam Sun asked in a trembling voice, “Was it really the Marquis of Wu who did it?”
Xu Zhen nodded lightly. He had long seen that Sun Quan was a cold and ruthless man who would never consider family ties for the sake of seizing power. He might not have participated in his elder brother Sun Ce’s death, but he must have known about it; otherwise, why would he have laid plans in advance and bribed Chen Wu?
So the first condition he proposed to him was not to kill Sun Yi. Although he agreed at the time, once the situation stabilized, he still struck, thinking it was undetectable, but everyone knew it was him.
Madam Sun’s eyes turned red. “How could he… That was his own brother! How could he be so ruthless?”
“Since ancient times, imperial families have been heartless. Alas!”
“But how can his mother bear it? And what about Wei’er? Won’t she become a widow awaiting remarriage?”
“No need to worry about Wei’er. She has already fled her marriage. With Yi’er’s death, she must be relieved. As for Fen’er, she is about to marry the Marquis of Wu, and I feel somewhat uneasy about that!”
“Then what should we do? Cancel this marriage?”
Xu Zhen pondered for a long time and shook his head. “Their brothers turning on each other has nothing to do with the Xu Family. No need to cancel it. Let Fen’er marry as planned.”
Gan Ning received the special envoy sent by Huang Zu in Nanchang. Huang Zu’s son and family had all become prisoners of war, leaving Huang Zu no choice but to brace himself and negotiate with Gan Ning.
What made Huang Zu relieved was that he had no deep enmity with Gan Ning, unlike Jiangdong’s vendetta for killing his father. Paying some money and grain should redeem them.
In the official residence, Gan Ning paced a few steps with his hands behind his back and said to Lu Su, “No need for money and grain. I only need Huang Zu to agree to three conditions. First, formally acknowledge Wuchang Commandery as my land; second, promise never to attack Wuchang Commandery and Xunyang County; third, never obstruct normal trade and civilian exchanges between Yuzhang Commandery and Jingzhou under any circumstances. Does the strategist have anything to add?”
Lu Su shook his head. “This subordinate fully agrees with the Lord’s three conditions. Compared to hard conditions, soft conditions are the powerful weapon to restrain Huang Zu. If he breaks his word, he will be despised by the world and lose the support of Jiangxia’s noble families.”
Gan Ning said coldly, “It’s not just disdain from noble families. We also need restraining measures. The strategist might as well tell Huang Zu’s envoy that if they dare to go back on their word and violate the three promises, I will seal off the Yangtze River, and their people and ships will never cross it again.”
Lu Su bowed in salute. “This subordinate will go negotiate with them right now!”
As soon as Lu Su left, Xu Shu came in excitedly, cupped his fists in salute, and laughed, “Congratulations, my Lord, on gaining more talent!”
Gan Ning’s eyes lit up. “Who has come?”
“Two good friends of this subordinate, Cui Jun and Shi Tao, have come to pledge themselves to the Lord.”
Gan Ning was overjoyed. Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan had come. He hurriedly asked, “Are they at the Recruitment Hall now?”
“Exactly!”
“We must not neglect talented people. I will go meet them right now.”
What Gan Ning really wanted was Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, but Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan were not bad either. In history, they fled to Xiangyang to seek refuge and yearned to achieve merit and establish a career. Although Liu Biao took them in, he did not use them, delaying them for over a decade. In the end, when Cao Cao’s army advanced south, they still pledged loyalty to Cao Wei but received no heavy appointments, merely ordinary prefectural officials.
In the Recruitment Hall, Gan Ning listened with a smiling face as Cui and Shi described the situation in Jingxiang. Gan Ning suddenly caught a clue and smiled as he asked, “Brother Cui says Liu Huangshu has a narrow gaze, is timid and overly cautious, and inflexible. What makes you say that?”
Cui Jun rose slightly and said, “Nanyang Commandery was originally Liu Jingzhou’s territory. When Zhang Xiu surrendered to the south, Liu Jingzhou lent Wancheng to him. After Zhang Xiu surrendered to Cao Cao the year before last and was kept by Cao Cao to garrison Wancheng, a month ago Zhang Xiu was transferred by Cao Cao to join the Battle of Guandu, so he returned Wancheng to Liu Jingzhou.
Liu Jingzhou then sent Liu Bei to garrison Wancheng and defend the Yecheng line, but Liu Bei actually refused to go to Wancheng, preferring to stay in the small Xinye county. Guangyuan and I advised him to take Wancheng. Currently, Cao Cao’s energy is focused on Hebei with no time to look south. Once Wancheng is taken, he could follow the Han River into Guanzhong, occupy the fertile lands of Guanzhong, and rebuild the great cause of the Han Dynasty. But Liu Huangshu refused this opportunity on the grounds that his own strength was insufficient to handle Wancheng, which is truly regrettable.”
Gan Ning smiled. “Who is the garrison commander of Wancheng now?”
“After Zhang Xiu left, Great General Wen Pin has been stationed there. Liu Jingzhou wants to arrange for Wen Pin to attack Jingnan, so he asked Liu Huangshu to take over.”
Gan Ning nodded with a smile. “So it’s Wen Pin!”
From Cui Zhouping’s words, Gan Ning gleaned much important information. Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan had previously gone to pledge themselves to Liu Bei, but Liu Bei did not use them, so they had no choice but to come south to him.
In history, Liu Bei used Xu Shu, Zhuge Liang, and Pang Tong, but not Sima Hui, Cui Zhouping, or Shi Guangyuan. There must be a reason for that.
Now Gan Ning somewhat understood. Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan were merely pale-faced scholars. They could barely manage government affairs, but for planning strategies and contending for the world, they really wouldn’t do.
Even he could tell that Liu Biao sending Liu Bei to garrison Wancheng was just a test. How could he possibly give Nanyang Commandery to Liu Bei?
If Liu Bei had eagerly gone to Wancheng, not only would Wen Pin not hand over power, but Liu Bei wouldn’t even be able to return to Xinye. Liu Bei saw through Liu Biao’s test and feigned weakness to avoid going.
It was laughable that Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan didn’t see it and even called Liu Bei narrow-minded and timid. These two indeed had average ability, no wonder Zhuge Liang said they could at most reach positions like governor or prefect.
Liu Bei did not use Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan because he had no suitable positions for them, but Gan Ning was different. Gan Ning had just established Wuchang Commandery and was in need of manpower. He immediately appointed Cui Jun as Sima of Wuchang Commandery and Shi Tao as Literature Clerk of the Advisory Office.
The Prefect of Wuchang Commandery was concurrently held by Gan Ning, the Prefectural Assistant was Yin Mo, and Cui Jun as Sima would be Yin Mo’s deputy. Shi Tao had helped Sima Hui run a school in Xiangyang with rich experience in education, so appointing him as Literature Clerk of the Advisory Office to supervise education in the three commanderies would suit him perfectly.
Of course, there was an even more important reason. Gan Ning valued the families behind them. Both were from northern noble families. In the future, for his Northern Expedition, he would need the support of northern noble families, so he needed to keep all outstanding sons from northern noble families.
Liu Bei of course did not need that. He himself had enough halos, so he could disregard Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan, but Gan Ning was different.
Coming out of the Recruitment Hall, Gan Ning asked Xu Shu, “Is Yuanzhi familiar with Zhuge Liang?”
Xu Shu nodded. “We are close friends. I previously wrote to invite him to Yuzhang Commandery, but he replied politely declining.”
“Why?”
Xu Shu smiled wryly. “The reason? He said his uncle Zhuge Xuan died miserably in Nanchang County, so he does not wish to set foot in Yuzhang again.”
Gan Ning of course knew this was just Zhuge Liang’s excuse. Zhuge Liang was a man of great affairs; how could he care about such minor details?
Gan Ning pondered and asked, “You should know the real reason, Yuanzhi!”
Xu Shu said indifferently, “Kong Ming has close ties with Jingxiang noble families and will not come to Yuzhang.”
Xu Shu spoke tactfully, but Gan Ning immediately understood. Zhuge Liang looked down on him.
It was no wonder. His grandfather was a Colonel of the Han Dynasty’s Supervisor of the Masters of Writing, his father was Prefectural Assistant of Taishan Commandery, his wife was the daughter of the prestigious Huang Family, his mother-in-law was the eldest daughter of the powerful Cai Family, his two brothers-in-law were direct heirs of noble families—one Kui Qi, one Pang Shanmin—Cai Mao was his wife’s cousin, and Liu Biao was his wife’s uncle. What commoner of Nanyang was Zhuge Liang?
What Zhuge Liang valued was Liu Huangshu, not the Brocade Sail Bandit. Even Cui Zhouping and Shi Guangyuan only came reluctantly because he had greatly defeated Huang Zu, his fame shaking Jingxiang, and the Imperial Court had enfeoffed him as Marquis of Wuchang. If Liu Bei had wanted them, they might not have come.
Having figured this out, Gan Ning completely gave up on Zhuge Liang.
Thinking of the world’s great talents, Gan Ning suddenly thought of Taishi Ci—the fierce general Liu Bei had missed, whom Liu Yao and Sun Quan did not cherish. He absolutely could not miss this opportunity again.
