"Is this true?"
Sun Ce clenched his fists and glared at the audience.
"How dare you talk nonsense?"
"Everyone in Fuling City has already known about this matter!"
A Zanghou knelt on the ground and said in fear.
Everyone in the hall lowered their heads, not daring to look directly into Sun Ce's eyes.
They all knew that Sun Ce was about to explode.
Stupid!
Bang!
Sun Ce suddenly stood up and pulled out the sharp sword from his back, splitting the wooden case in front of him into two halves.
"Yuan Shu..." Sun Ce gritted his teeth, "How dare you do this to me!"
"Generals, listen to the order and order your troops immediately. I will send troops to Huainan to recapture my mother and brother!"
Cheng Pu and others were about to obey the order, but a middle-aged scribe stepped in first.
"No general!"
It turned out to be Zhang Zhao, a famous scholar from Pengcheng who was deeply valued by Sun Ce during this period.
Zhang Zhao is not an ordinary celebrity. He is as famous as Wang Lang, the prefect of Kuaiji, and Zhao Yu, the prefect of Guangling. However, after Sun Ce crossed the river, he was willing to be used by Sun Ce. This also made Sun Ce powerful in Jiangdong and won the favor of many scholars living in exile.
Seeing that the highly respected Zhang Zhao came out, Cheng Pu and others had no choice but to stand back.
But Zhang Zhao, who looks upright on the outside, has an unknown side inside.
When you are weak, you will be strong; when you are strong, you will surrender!
"General, calm down."
"The current situation is unclear and the whole story is unclear. How can we rashly launch an army?"
Sun Ce's chest heaved violently: "Where is the situation unclear?"
"My mother and brother were kidnapped by Yuan Shu and were taken to Shouchun. This is a fact! Why can't we raise troops to save my mother and brother?"
Zhang Zhao shook his head, pointed to Zang Hou who was frightened to death on the ground and said: "As Zang Hou said, now we only know that the wife and the disciples were taken to Shouchun; but I don't know whether it was Chen Bao who was so unjust that he saw profit and neglected his duty. Killing the master to seek wealth; Yuan Shu sent Han Yin to kill Chen Bao and kidnap the general's mother and brother."
"Which of the two statements is true or false is yet to be known! If the situation is really the first, then when the general goes to war with Yuan Shu, wouldn't he not only have the reputation of repaying kindness with hatred, but also ignore his wife and disciples?"
Everyone was talking a lot, and there were many generals who had served Yuan Shu. Naturally, no one believed that Yuan Shu was really a good man and had good intentions.
In particular, Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and others had long been dissatisfied with Yuan Shu and were about to join Sun Ce.
But when Zhang Zhao said this, everyone hesitated.
If the first situation turns out to be true, it would be unwise to launch an army rashly.
If things go wrong, your young master will lose his reputation in front of the world and become an unfaithful, unjust and unfilial person!
Sun Ce was sure that it was Yuan Shu who sent people to commit the murder.
"Yuan Shu was arrogant and unruly. He kidnapped my mother once because he didn't get along with my father."
"And Chen Bao has been with me for several years and has received many favors from my Sun family. Everyone has witnessed his loyalty. How could he betray me for no reason?"
"I conclude that Yuan Shu sent people to kidnap my mother and brothers this time!"
Zhang Zhao said unhurriedly: "This matter is Yuan Shu's way of doing things... I also believe that this matter was probably ordered by Yuan Shu. He first framed Chen Bao and then kidnapped his wife and his disciples."
"It's just that there is no basis for this matter. Even if we find Yuan Shu, he will never admit it."
Sun Ce said angrily: "Are you going to let me do nothing and just watch my mother and brothers and sisters behind bars?"
Zhang Zhao said forcefully: "The fourth generation of the Yuan family in Runan is the third prince, and his reputation is very valuable in the world. Now Yuan Shu has spread across the country to connect counties, and he has more than 100,000 soldiers under his command. Everyone in the world says that 'the two Yuans are the ones fighting for the world'!"
"The general only occupies one county now, and has only 30,000 newly recruited men under his command. He doesn't even have control over Jiangdong. How can he be an enemy of Yuan Shu?"
"When the golden drum shakes and the war begins, the general and Yuan Shu will have no room for maneuver."
"In my opinion, the general should first understand the ins and outs of the matter before making any calculations."
Although everyone was dissatisfied with Yuan Shu, they could not refute the fact that Yuan Shu was now powerful and could only look at Sun Ce.
When Zhang Zhao poured cold water on him, Sun Ce's anger suddenly weakened by three points.
Although Sun Ce did not want to admit it, his ability to take control of Jiangdong so smoothly was inseparable from Yuan Shu's support.
Although it was more of a nominal support, Yuan Shu granted him the positions of Lieutenant Zhechong and General Xingtou, which gave him the legal basis to lead the military in Jiangdong.
If we break up with Yuan Shu now, those local wealthy families who have just settled down will inevitably start another rebellion.
By then, even if you really have the courage to be a king, you will be exhausted and unable to save your mother and brothers!
Taking a deep breath, Sun Ce suppressed his anger and said, "I wonder what Zibu has up his sleeve?"
Zhang Zhao said calmly: "In my opinion, I can only show weakness to Yuan Shu at the moment, so that the general can suffer hardships in Jiangdong!"
Sun Ce frowned: "Showing weakness?"
Zhang Zhao nodded: "Just assume that Yuan Shu saved the general's mother and brother. The general can send an envoy to Shouchun to offer gifts, thank Yuan Shu for his help, and then ask Yuan Shu to let the general's mother and brother return home."
"It would be best if Yuan Shu releases him, and the general will have nothing to worry about from now on!"
Sun Ce said dissatisfied: "What if Yuan Shu refuses to let him go?"
Zhang Zhao smiled bitterly and said: "If Yuan Shu doesn't let him go, he must have something up his sleeve!"
"If we could know what Yuan Shu was up to, we might be able to bring my wife and disciples back safely."
Everyone suddenly had a bad premonition.
Lu Fan on the side changed his expression: "Could it be that Yuan Shu wants to summon the young master back to Shouchun and send his cronies to take over Jiangwu County just like the previous times?"
Zhang Zhao smiled calmly: "The general is only in his prime, he is still very young, so a moment of flattery is nothing."
"Where there is a will, things can happen! In the past, Gou Jian suffered hardships while lying on his back, and finally became a tyrant in the Spring and Autumn Period. According to the general's heroic style and military strategy, sooner or later he will be successful!"
Cheng Pu, Huang Gai and others could no longer bear it and stepped forward one after another.
Cheng Pu cupped his hands and said, "Young Master, you must never listen to Zhang Zibu!"
Huang Gai said anxiously: "Young master, please send me a thousand elite soldiers. I am willing to gallop to Huainan at starry night, attack Shouchun secretly, and vow to win back my mistress for you!"
Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin looked at each other and stood up together: "Both of my brothers are from Jiujiang. They are familiar with Shouchun and outside. We are willing to go with General Huang!"
The rest of the generals shouted in unison: "We are willing to serve as generals and honored ladies and fight Yuan Shu to the death!"
Everyone in the hall was convinced, but Sun Ce hesitated.
He was not afraid of becoming an enemy to anyone, but he was only afraid of losing his mother and brothers.
Creating a foundation and even achieving hegemony has always been Sun Ce's life goal.
This is my father's legacy, and it is also a career that I must complete!
But if my father is alive in heaven, he must not want to see his mother and brothers get hurt, right?
Sun Ce leaned on his sword and sat helplessly on half of the collapsed wooden table.
Do you really have to choose between Jiangdong Jiye and the lives of your mother and brothers?
Zhang Zhao looked at the main war faction around him, then looked at the hesitant Sun Ce, and sighed: "Whether it is war or peace, the general needs to make a decision early!"
"If Yuan Shu wants to threaten the general, then Shouchun's envoy will surely arrive in the next couple of days."
"If you want to fight, you must send a capable person to investigate the whole matter now. If you can collect favorable witnesses and personal evidence, even if you go to war with Yuan Shu in the future, the general can still have great justice in front of the people of the world."
"If it's peace, hehehe..."
Zhang Zhao smiled and said nothing.
After a while.
A long sigh.
Hu~
Sun Ce stood up again with his sword in hand.
Everyone knew that Sun Ce had made a decision in his heart, and they all looked at him nervously.
Compared to failing in life and failing to achieve hegemony, Sun Ce is more afraid of becoming a lonely person.
The father's revenge has not been avenged, and the mother's worries come again.
Sun Ce can't bear the pain of bereavement again!
Great things can be accomplished sooner or later, but people cannot be resurrected after death.
Even if you have great righteousness, what's the point if you don't have any relatives alive?
So what if I give you Yuan Shu and Jiangdong? Is it true that your Runan Yuan family can definitely conquer the world?
Sun Ce gripped the sword tightly, his fingers turning white from the force, and he swore a deep oath in his heart:
Yuan Shu, you will definitely pay the price for what happened today!
Just when Sun Ce was about to issue an order, an announcement came from outside the door.
"The messenger of Shouchun has arrived!"
