Three Kingdoms: Ancestors of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 80 Deng Zhi Makes Wu
While the Shu Han was recuperating, the city of Wuchang in the Eastern Wu was surging.Sun Quan led Soochow to defeat the continuous large-scale attacks of the Han Dynasty and Cao Wei. The two victories also pushed Sun Quan's prestige in the country to the peak.

In order to express his prestige across Jingzhou, Yangzhou, and Jiaozhou, and at the same time demonstrate his desire to compete with Cao Wei for Jingzhou, Sun Quan established the capital in E County, Jiangxia County, and renamed it "Wuchang", which means "prosperity by governing the country with martial arts"; After building a city for defense, Sun Quan built a tall building, the Yellow Crane Tower, to look out. Soon after, he built a city on Snake Mountain, which was called Xiakou.

Deng Zhi had been in Wuchang, Eastern Wu for ten days, and was not allowed to be summoned by Sun Quan.Although Deng Zhi was charged with the mission of being a great man, Deng Zhi was not in a hurry, but rested in the post in a leisurely manner, ordering the servants in the city to inquire about news.

Regarding Sun Quan's thoughts, Deng Zhi also guessed a little bit in his heart. Sun Quan was worried that the current Shu Han building would collapse, Nanzhong would rebel, and Yizhou scholars were panic-stricken, and they had doubts about the strength of Shu Han.If it fits with the Shu Han, it will definitely be the enemy of Cao Wei. Cao Wei occupies the Central Plains, has a vast land, abundant resources, and a large population... and it is not clear about the true diplomatic attitude of the Shu Han.

After thinking about it for a few days, Deng Zhi wrote a table and said to Sun Quan: "I am here now, and I also want to be Wu, not just Shu...."

Sun Quan took Deng Zhi's watch and frowned in thought. When he saw the word "Shu" on the watch, he couldn't help smiling, and handed the Wei watch on the table to Lu Xun and Zhang Zhaoxiang.

After the two checked it out, Sun Quan asked them: "I don't know what Boyan and Zibu (Zhang Zhaozi) want? Harmony with Shu or Wei?"

"Cao Pi sits in the Central Plains. If he makes peace with Shu, he will be an enemy. Wei and Wu may not be peaceful in the future. But Yizhou is in danger of mountains and rivers. Zhuge governs the country. If the king has the ambition of the world, he can help." Lu Xun answered with hands clasped.

Sun Quan nodded slowly and did not speak.

"My lord, today Wu killed Guan Yu and took Jingzhou, and Yiling defeated Liu Bei. Shu and Wu have a deep enmity. If we don't know Shu's true intentions, and we continue to enmity with Wei, I'm afraid our country of Wu will be in danger!" Zhang Zhao persuaded.

Sun Quan Fuxu did not answer, but ordered his attendants to meet Deng Zhi in the palace tomorrow.
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Soochow, Wuchang Wu Palace.

"The envoys of the Xuanxi Kingdom enter the palace!" the attendants shouted.

Deng Zhi tidied up his clothes and went to the front of the hall. The soldiers on both sides were majestic and serious, standing with spears and halberds, glaring at Deng Zhi, not abiding by etiquette.Deng Zhi's face was as usual, without fear, he strode forward.

Going to the hall again, I saw a tall man with big mouth, blue eyes and purple beard sitting in the hall, with a few civil and military officials sitting on both sides.

"Deng Zhi, the envoy of the Han Dynasty, has seen the king." Deng Zhi replied without bowing.

Sun Quan said with displeasure, "Why don't you kneel down? Are all the people in the Western Kingdom like you who don't know how to be polite?"

"I heard that there are many sages in Eastern Wu, and there must be people who know the etiquette. Wu people don't observe etiquette, so how can they ask the big men to observe etiquette?" Deng Zhi replied loudly.

Sun Quan was speechless, waved his sleeves and ordered the troubled soldiers to retreat, gave Deng Zhi a seat, and asked, "Gu sincerely wishes to make peace with the Western Kingdom, but I am afraid that your lord is young and weak, and the country is small and weak, and Cao Wei will take advantage of it. There is no way to preserve the Western Kingdom, so Gu is hesitant about it!"

"I once heard that the fifteenth year of the king was the county magistrate. At the nineteenth, he helped Eastern Wu in times of crisis. He expanded its territory outside and subdued the people internally. Most of the scholars joined him. In the seventeenth year of my lord, I rescued the late emperor from Yiling. The flag was forced to surrender to Sun Huan. The wise eye knew the pearl, pulled Wang Ping into the army, and settled the Huangyuan Rebellion in ten days. Although your majesty is young, the king has not heard that Emperor Wu has ascended the throne at sixteen."

"What's more, my lord has the prime minister to assist the government, and my lord regards the prime minister as the father of the prime minister. Prime Minister Zhuge has the talents of Guan Zhong and Le Yi. The king is also a hero who lives in the world; Han has the danger of mountains and rivers, and Wu has the strength of three rivers. If I The two kingdoms are united, lips and teeth are interdependent, our two kingdoms can swallow the world if we advance, and we can stand together if we retreat. What worries does your majesty have?" Deng Zhiang said.

Sun Quan stroked his beard and remained silent, "May I invite Zhi into the hall to speak?" Seeing that Sun Quan was still hesitant, Deng Zhi continued to speak.

Sun Quan invited Deng Zhi into the palace, and Sun Quan stroked his beard and asked, "I don't know what the Han envoy said, so that it should not be known to outsiders?"

"The king's foundation has more than three generations, and he sticks to the southeast. The king may be called a widow, and it is unknown if he will become emperor one day. But with Cao He, after the destruction of my great Han, Cao Wei went down the river, and took the soldiers of the Central Plains to the south. How can Soochow resist."

"Besides, everyone in Jiangdong can make peace with Wei, but the king can't. Cao Wei swallows Dongwu, and the Jiangdong gentry surrenders, and the glory and wealth will not be lost. If the king surrenders to Cao, the king doesn't know the king of the subjugated country in history!"

"Even if Your Majesty is at peace with Wei now, don't forget the teacher of the past. Your Majesty is now entrusted to Cao Wei. Wei will look forward to your Majesty's entry into the court and beg for the prince's servant. If you don't follow orders, you will send troops to the south to fight against rebellion. I am a great man." It must go out eastward with the current. In this way, the land in the south of the Yangtze River is not owned by King Fu."

Deng Zhi further analyzed for Sun Quan, the pros and cons of Soochow's harmony with Han and Wei, and even pointed out the personal gains and losses for Sun Quan.

Sun Quan heard that he was no longer worried, so he asked with a stroke, "Mr.'s words are just in line with Gu's intentions. Gu wants to be reconciled with Master Xi, would you introduce me?"

Deng Zhi smiled lightly and said, "I'm afraid that the king is still undecided, can An Neng win people's trust?"

Sun Quan stood up and said solemnly, "Sir, don't provoke me. My will has been resolved. Don't doubt me, sir."

"The minister is willing to cooperate with the king." Deng Zhi cupped his hands.

Sun Quan stroked his beard and smiled, "I wonder how many talents Mr. Xi Guoru has?"

"As talented as ministers, everyone in the Han Dynasty is full of talents. Although our Han Dynasty is small, there are many talents. There are Fei Yi, Jiang Wan, Dong Yun, Liao Li, and Guan Xing in literature; Wei Yan, Huang Quan, and Wu Yi in Wu. , Wang Ping, and Deng Ai are too many to count." Deng Zzhi said slowly, with restraint in his words.

Sun Quan heard that Deng Zhi could advance and retreat freely without losing his style, and regretted that Deng Zhi's talents could not be used by the state of Wu.So he ordered Deng Zhi to retreat and wait at the posthouse for the envoys to return to Chengdu together.

Sun Quan went out of the outer hall and asked the crowd: "I am determined to make peace with Shu, but I am thinking that my country of Wu has three states, but it is not as small as Yizhou in Shu. Shu has Deng Zhi, which is not a disgrace to the mission; Wu has no one. You can enter Shu and show off the style of my Wu country."

Hearing this, Zhang Wen suddenly came out and said: "I would like to go to Shu Han to show the style of my Wu country, and not to insult the talents of my southeast scholars."

Sun Quan hesitated, and said slowly: "I am worried that Zhang Qing will not be able to express his loneliness when he sees Xizhu and Zhuge. Zhuge is eloquent. When he was sent to Dongwu in Chibi, none of the scholars in Dongwu can match him."

Zhang Wen said angrily: "Western Shu asks me from Soochow, how can we be humiliated by it, Zhuge is the prime minister of a country, how can he speak out against you. I will not disgrace my mission, my lord, don't underestimate me, Dongwu." Wu scholars are talented in communication!"

In Sun Quan's mind, Zhao Zi was originally the one he was thinking about, but it was a pity that Zhang Wen came out first, but he also considered Zhang Wen's extraordinary literary talent and ability to adapt, and expected that he would not lose the style of Soochow, so he ordered Zhang Wen and Deng Zhi to visit Han.

(End of this chapter)