Chapter 1266 Palace Struggle
“Your Majesty, Your Majesty, the general is back!”
In the palace of the Kingdom of Wu, the little yellow gate bowed its body, took small steps quickly, and reported to Sun Quan with a happy face.
“Oh? Are you here?”
Sun Quan, who has passed his prime of life, is more energetic than when he personally led his army north to attack Hefei last year when he was in his sixtieth year.
It seems that in less than a year, he has aged a lot.
Lu Xun's capture of Xiangyang may be the best gift for Sun Quan in his 60s.
But in this sixty-year-old year, Sun Quan also lost the prince Sun Deng who he had worked hard to cultivate for more than ten years, the most trusted clan general Sun Shao, and the undying Zhuge Jin.
Sun Deng, in particular, was not only the future king that the courtiers looked forward to, but also Sun Quan's extremely satisfied successor.
The successive deaths of these three people really hit Sun Quan extremely hard.
In Sun Quan's heart, if possible, he would rather trade Xiangyang for Sun Deng's resurrection.
Looking at Xiao Huangmen's face full of joy, Sun Quan's slightly cloudy eyes flashed with a sharp light.
But soon, he lowered his eyelids, as if trying to hide his gaze.
When Sun Quan raised his head again, his face also showed a look of great joy:
"Oh? Has the general arrived at last? Come on, please come in."
As he spoke, he stood up and said, "Forget it, I'll go and greet you personally."
“Chen Xun, pay homage to Your Majesty!”
Seeing Sun Quan come to greet him in person, Lu Xun was moved and quickly kowtowed.
“Why do you have to be like this, General? Get up, get up quickly!”
“How can I be so virtuous and capable as to allow His Majesty to come to the palace to greet you in person? I am afraid of death!”
“It should be, it should be!”
Sun Quan stepped forward and helped Lu Xun up personally, his face full of joy, "Bo Yan fought for the country, risked his own life and captured Xiangyang, so that I, Wu Jingzhou, will have no worries from now on."
“Not to mention walking a few steps to the outside of the temple, it is also appropriate to go outside the city.”
Sun Quan took Lu Xun’s hand and pulled him into the palace.
After asking Lu Xun to sit down, Sun Quan said impatiently:
"Bo Yan should hurry up and tell me carefully how you mobilized your troops and defeated the strong city in the battle of Xiangyang. This battle report is too brief after all."
Lu Xun bowed slightly and replied:
“I obey the decree.”
At that moment, he described the situation of the Battle of Xiangyang in detail.
At the same time, special mention was made of the student army of Han Dynasty.
“Your Majesty, in my opinion, these Han students are all loyal and brave people. Although they lack experience in battle, none of them are timid in battle and fear the dead. They can really be said to be the mainstay of the Han army in the future!”
"Although Wu and Han are allies today, once the Wei thieves are destroyed in the future, the two countries will inevitably fight to unify the world. By then, these student armies will probably become Wu's great enemy."
Sun Quan seemed to have expected it:
"I already know what Boyan said." But Sun Quan sighed slightly, "Zifan (i.e. Zhu Ju) went to Han to learn the art of cavalry and warfare, and traveled between Han and Wu several times."
“There have been many talks about the martial arts hall in the Han Dynasty, saying that all the students who come out of it are not only knowledgeable in literature, but also learn martial arts and military formations, and are loyal, brave and righteous.”
Speaking of this, he couldn't help but let out a long sigh and said with emotion:
“Shiyan Feng Mingwen is very far-sighted, that’s true! I heard that this man opened a school on his own in Nanxiang, Hanzhong more than ten years ago, and taught a wide range of students knowledge.”
"At that time, how many people laughed at him because he was really a crazy person who didn't understand the value of his master's knowledge. He was really a prodigal."
“But looking back now, if the world laughs at him for being too crazy, he may not be laughing at the world for being too stupid!”
From setting up a school, then to a college, and finally to a martial arts school, and even a medical school.
Even if it is a veterinary hospital that specializes in treating animals, it has a plan in place.
Otherwise, how could the Han State be able to continuously produce a large number of high-quality war horses in just a dozen years?
Even the Wei State, which originally swept the world with its fine cavalry, was far inferior to the rise of the Han State's iron cavalry.
The elite cavalry of Wei State have suffered successive defeats against the cavalry of Han State in recent years, which is clear evidence of this.
Feng Mingwen spent a full twenty years laying out all of this.
Once it becomes powerful, nothing can be done to stop it.
It can be said that it is far-sighted?
Lu Xun didn't accept the words, and he didn't know whether he didn't dare or didn't want to.
After all, whether in Wei or Wu, learning was almost monopolized by aristocratic families.
Children of poor families want to further improve their knowledge, or want to study systematically.
Everyone is prohibited from learning from aristocratic families with heirloom knowledge.
You want to learn from me, you have to show something, right?
At least he should be considered a descendant of my family, right?
When the teacher has something to do, the disciple should do his duty, isn't it wrong?
Otherwise, if you don’t follow the teacher’s teachings, how can you have the dignity to stand between heaven and earth?
Why should others teach you?
Aristocratic families used these means to monopolize learning and, by extension, intellectual resources.
The Lu family is a wealthy family in Jiangdong, how can they not know this?
Lu Xun can't stand on the opposite side of the family and praise Feng Mingwen for digging up the foundation of the family, right?
No matter how selfless Lu Xun is, he still agrees with His Majesty.
What if His Majesty also proposed to open a martial arts hall and let Lu Xun open the door to teach and teach military formations, should he or not?
After all, not everyone is like Feng Mingwen, who doesn't take knowledge seriously - he has the entire sect's knowledge as a backing, and he will never be defeated in his life, and others can't compare.
Sun Quan saw Lu Xun lowering his head and saying nothing, with a slightly disappointed look on his face. Fortunately, he had a thick beard on his face, which concealed his careless thoughts very well.
The three people he trusted the most all died of illness within a year. While Sun Quan was grieving, he also realized that no matter how reluctant he was to admit it, he was already old.
No one can say how much time God can give Himself after the age of ears.
This idea gave Sun Quan an unprecedented sense of urgency.
Because compared to the Han Dynasty, Sun Quan knew his own affairs from his own family:
The power of the aristocratic families in Wu State is really too powerful.
More importantly, when his brother took control of Jiangdong, he massacred the Jiangdong clan.
The Sun family and the Jiangdong clan formed a blood feud.
Although after so many years of resolution and the death of the person involved, both parties have tacitly agreed not to mention the past events.
But people's hearts are apart, and neither party can guarantee whether the other party really doesn't care anymore.
Don't look at Sun Quan's marriage and promotion favors to Jiangdong's wealthy families.
But deep down, he had never been completely at ease with the Jiangdong family.
Didn’t you see what happened in Jianyan and Zhang Wen’s disaster?
In the charges against the two of them, Sun Quan once cursed his fathers and mentioned the Jiangdong clan's rebellion against the Sun family.
Now he is surrounded by powerful enemies outside and powerful men at home. He is old, and his successor Sun Deng, who is acceptable to all parties, suddenly died of illness.
The sense of urgency caused by these things made Sun Quan increasingly anxious.
When Lu Xun came, Sun Quan did not discuss the Battle of Xiangyang too much, but he followed the other man's words and mentioned Feng Mingwen, which was actually intended to test.
After all, Lu Xun is a representative of the Jiangdong clan.
It's just that even if Lu Xun is Sun Quan's niece and son-in-law, he is still a minister who was promoted and trained by Sun Quan.
But when it comes to matters that shake the foundation of the Jiangdong clan, he is destined to be unable to give an answer that satisfies Sun Quan.
Seeing Lu Xun like this, Sun Quan did not force it, but changed his face to a sad one:
"I originally thought that although the ruler of Han was assisted by Zhuge Liang, Feng Mingwen and others, he was fortunately not as talented as mediocre people. But I, the great Wu, have Ming heirs and good ministers, so I may not be any worse than the Han."
"Unexpected," when Sun Deng was mentioned, Sun Quan seemed to be unable to control himself. He beat his chest and sobbed, "God will not bless me, Wu! The country mourns the death of its direct descendant, how good are the people? How good is the country!"
When Lu Xun saw Sun Quan crying, he quickly stood up and comforted him:
"Your Majesty, please give me your condolences! The prince is ill and unable to sleep. This is his fate. The land of Shuo is not yet unified, and the sea is roaring. Heaven is wearing it to Your Majesty."
“Even if the prince’s spirit is in heaven, he does not want to see your majesty like this. Therefore, I would like to ask your majesty to think about the country, be grieving and accept the changes, and take care of yourself.”
After Lu Xun repeatedly comforted him, Sun Quan finally stopped crying, wiped the corners of his eyes, and looked at Lu Xun:
“Before the prince died of illness, he wrote a posthumous memorial in order to praise the general. He said that he was loyal and diligent in his time. He was born and cared about the country, and he was still in public service. He had the habit of being a bandit."
"When I saw Boyan today, I couldn't help but think of the virtuousness of the prince, so I couldn't help myself for a moment, which made Boyan laugh."
Lu Xun replied:
“I have been ordered by Your Majesty to stay in Wuchang. I have served the Crown Prince for several years and I am well aware of the virtuousness of the Crown Prince. Your Majesty’s statement that the country has mourned the death of his direct descendant is indeed true.”
“When the prince was seriously ill, he did not forget to support his ministers. In addition to tears of gratitude, the ministers became more and more frightened, fearing that the prince’s wisdom would be damaged.”
Sun Quan stretched out his hand to signal Lu Xun to stop talking:
"Why do you need to say so much, Bo Yan? How can I not know what kind of person you are? Therefore, I know that the prince's praise for you is not exaggerated in the slightest."
After a pause, he continued:
“In his memorial, the prince not only mentioned Boyan Qin, but also suggested that I make the third prince the prince. Boyan, what do you think?”
Lu Xun said without hesitation:
"The prince has died, and the second prince died young (that is, Sun Lu, died of illness in 232). Now among the princes, the third prince is the eldest."
“I have heard that although the third prince is young, he is eager to learn and is well known as a corporal. During his lifetime, the prince had many relatives and respects for the third prince.”
“I believe that it is appropriate to establish the third prince as the crown prince as early as possible, and it will help stabilize the people of the country.”
Of course, Lu Xun had another important reason that he didn’t mention:
That is Mrs. Wang, the mother of Sun He, the descendant of the third emperor. Her popularity is second only to Mrs. Bu (i.e. Bu Lianshi).
Mrs. Jinbu has passed away. Among the many ladies in the palace, the most noble one is Mrs. Wang.
Sons are valued by their mothers, and Sun He is now the most favored by His Majesty, and his rewards far exceed those of other princes.
It can be said that, in Lu Xun's view, the third prince is both elder and virtuous, and he is simply the best candidate for the right place and the right people.
As for the direct descendants, Mrs. Wang is the most favored now anyway. As long as she is made the queen, won’t the third prince become the direct descendants?
When Sun Quan heard this, his eyes flashed and he said thoughtfully:
“So, Boyan also agrees with this matter?”
“I agree with this matter.”
Sun Quan nodded slowly, "Since Bo Yan agrees with this matter, it is the best, and I will no longer worry about it. In this way, I will choose a day to appoint the three princes as princes."
“Your Majesty is wise.”
It seemed that he had finally settled a matter in his mind, and the look on Sun Quan's face finally became a little relaxed:
“I’ve been having some doubts recently, and it just so happened that Boyan came back. God really helped me.”
“It is my duty to relieve His Majesty’s worries.”
"Okay," Sun Quan nodded, "Besides the prince's matter, I have another matter that cannot be resolved after long discussions between the court and the court. I just need Boyan's help to analyze it."
“Your Majesty, please speak.”
"When I led the army to attack the bandits in the north, General Wei (Quan Zong) of the time was the commander-in-chief. He attacked Shouchun and fought at Shaopi. The initial attack was irresistible and the bandits suffered heavy losses. Shouchun was almost defeated by General Wei."
“Unexpectedly, reinforcements from the bandits suddenly arrived, and Qin Huang, the fifth battalion general, was killed. Fortunately, Gu Zizhi (Gu Cheng) and Zhang Shusi (Zhang Xiu, Zhang Zhao’s son) worked hard to stop the enemy, and the Wei thieves were stopped."
"General Wei sent his eldest son and his subordinates to support them, and they finally drove back the bandit army." At this point, Sun Quan looked at Lu Xun and asked, "Bo Yan thought that Gu and Zhang were the most powerful in this battle. , or is the second full power great?"
Lu Xun pondered for a while and then said:
“I believe that stopping thieves will do more good than repelling them.”
Sun Quan heard this and said:
“I thought that the general would take advantage of General Wei and say that the second one was a great achievement!”
Lu Xun shook his head:
“In the army, rewards and punishments must be clearly defined. Only in this way can we serve the masses. How can rewards and punishments be different due to posthumous relations?”
“Good!”
Sun Quan praised, and then sighed, "If all the ministers in the court can be like the general, and can act impartially in the middle, what will I have to worry about?"
“Whether Gu Zhang accomplished more by blocking the enemy or retreating them completely, the court and the court had been debating for a long time and could not come to a conclusion.”
"I am afraid that my decision will be wrong, which will chill the hearts of the officers and men in the army, and I will not be able to make a decision for a long time. With the words of the general, I know what to do."
When Lu Xun heard this, his heart skipped a beat, as if something was wrong:
If what I said were spread out, wouldn't it offend General Wei?
Just remembering that he was speaking impartially and without any selfish motives, he forcibly suppressed this small worry.
Sun Quan talked with Lu Xun for a long time, until the keys to the palace were about to be handed over, and then he personally sent Lu Xun out of the palace.
Before leaving, Sun Quan seemed to think of something again and mentioned it intentionally or unintentionally:
"By the way, Boyan, after Xiangyang was captured, the land in the west of Shangyong has become an isolated land, right? Why not take advantage of the situation?"
Lu Xun said quickly:
"Your Majesty, although Shangyong is now alone, I have sent people to persuade it to surrender, but the general Shangyong refuses to surrender."
“Furthermore, Xiangyang is newly acquired, and the army of Wei thieves north of the Han River has gathered. We should not underestimate it. Feng Mingwen of the Han Dynasty turned back halfway, and the Wei thieves were able to concentrate on me."
"Although Shangyong is close, the road is rugged and difficult to navigate, so I dare not easily divide our troops to go west. We should consolidate Xiangyang first. When the weather gets warmer and Xiangyang is solidified, I will send people to attack and capture it."
"That's it." Sun Quan nodded, "As for the matter in Jingzhou to the west, I will take care of Bo Yan."
“I will do my best to live up to your majesty’s trust.”
After bidding farewell to Sun Quan, Lu Xun turned around and walked out of the palace.
Sun Quan stood at the door of the palace, looking at Lu Xun's back, and did not turn around to go back to the palace for a long time.
As the sun set, shadows enveloped Sun Quan, and the huge palace seemed to suddenly become lonely and empty.
Sun Quan stood in the shadows. The pleasant look on his face had gradually faded away, and a cold look appeared in his eyes.
Until Lu Xun could no longer be seen, Sun Quan withdrew his gaze.
He looked at the small yellow door standing at the door, suddenly pointed at one of them, and said coldly:
“Come here, drag this **** down and kill him with a cane!”
The selected Xiao Huangmen had an unbelievable and dazed look on his face, as if he was petrified by this unexpected disaster.
Other than informing His Majesty of the General's visit as per his duties, he did nothing just now!
General Shang, who had captured Xiangyang, which was in serious trouble in the west of Wu, returned to Beijing to report on his duties. For many people in the court, it was a big event.
As soon as the general came back, he was immediately summoned into the palace and had a long talk with His Majesty, which showed the respect your Majesty has for the general.
Some thoughtful people immediately tried their best to find out what exactly His Majesty had discussed with the General.
—
"Snapped!"
“Crash!”
In the residence of General Wei, a fine ceramic teacup passed down from the Han Dynasty was thrown to the ground without mercy, with porcelain shards scattered everywhere.
Princess Quan (that is, Sun Luban, the daughter of Bu Lianshi, also known as the eldest princess), who had a look of resentment on her face, still couldn't understand her hatred after smashing the tea cup.
But seeing her stand up suddenly, she said bitterly:
“Why! Why does that bitch!”
If it were anyone else, Princess Quan might not be so resentful, but the mother of the third prince is Mrs. Wang.
That **** who dared to compete with her mother for favor.
While his mother was still alive, His Majesty had the desire to make her his queen.
Unfortunately, the former crown prince only wanted to call his legitimate mother, Mrs. Xu, mother. Your Majesty was concerned about the thoughts of the crown prince and the ministers in the court, and did not establish a queen for a long time.
It was not until her mother died that she was posthumously given the title of queen.
This is a big regret for both the mother and the princess.
Now that the prince has finally died, I didn’t expect Bitch Wang to be made the queen because of the possibility of his son.
All of this should originally belong to the mother!
If the mother was still alive, not to mention that it would be Wang Bitch’s turn to be the queen, even his son might not be able to be made the prince!
In her early years, Princess Quan had extremely disliked Mrs. Wang, who often competed with her mother for favor.
Now seeing that Mrs. Wang might overpower her mother, how could she not be extremely angry?
And this is not the only thing that makes the whole princess angry.
(End of this chapter)