Upon hearing that Liu Wu wanted to see Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang did not dare to neglect him and quickly sent someone to bring Zhou Yu over.

However, Pang Tong looked at Dong Zhao with a look of confusion, as if he understood something.

Zhou Yu had actually been in Xiangyang for quite some time, but Liu Wu did not meet him.

But now, Dong Zhao has arrived and the banquet is already halfway through, but Liu Wu actually wants to meet Zhou Yu. This is obviously not normal?

Pang Tong didn’t think too deeply about it. As Liu Wu returned after defeating Cao Cao’s 100,000 cavalry, his power as a superior became even greater. In addition, Liu Wu had fought hard all the way to become the King of Chu. He was very scheming, wise, and resourceful. Liu Wu’s image also made his civil and military officials more respectful of him.

The banquet continued, and the singers and dancers kept by the Prince of Chu’s Palace were already dancing.

Each of them has a beautiful face and graceful figure. In later times, any one of them would be a lady from a noble family, with dowries worth hundreds of thousands. However, they are all tools for the entertainment and enjoyment of those in power.

Everyone didn’t have to wait long, and soon the waiter came to report that Zhou Yu had arrived!

“Let Zhou Yu in!” Liu Wu asked the singing girls and dancers to go down and said.

Zhou Yu, the former Jiangdong hero, now an abandoned man, slowly walked into the hall. But his handsome appearance was still hard to ignore.

The sunlight shines through the window lattice and falls on him, adding a bit of soft brilliance to his slightly tired face. Zhou Yu’s facial features are deep and three-dimensional, and his eyebrows reveal an unyielding heroic spirit. Even at such a moment, it is still difficult to conceal his natural Confucian temperament. Although his eyes seem a little dim, they are still as clear as water, as if they can see into people’s hearts.

Everyone in the hall looked at Zhou Yu, especially Huang Zu, whose eyes were flashing with sighs and mockery.

It seems to be saying that after fighting for several years, he has now become an abandoned child of the Sun family.

“Zhou Yu, Zhou Gongjin, greets the King of Chu!”

Zhou Yu stood in the center of the hall, looking at Liu Wu who was radiating majesty in the main seat, and bowed neither humbly nor arrogantly.

Liu Wu was also looking at Zhou Yu.

It has to be said that Zhou Yu was very heroic and handsome in appearance, worthy of being called the Beautiful Zhou Lang.

“Zhou Yu, do you admit your guilt for destroying the relationship between me and Marquis Peng?”

Liu Wu looked down at Zhou Yu and asked calmly. Although Zhou Yu was not an ordinary person, and even famous in history, but now he was the swordsman and Zhou Yu was the fish, he would not lose his composure.

In the hall, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Dong Zhao, Cai Mao, Huang Zu and others listened to Liu Wu’s questions, and their eyes flickered as they looked at Zhou Yu.

They could guess Liu Wu’s attitude towards Zhou Yu from the words and tone of his speech.

Zhou Yu’s face remained expressionless. He bowed to Liu Wu and said thoughtfully:

“In the past, when Wu Hou Sun Quan wanted to join forces with Cao Cao, the King of Chu supported Peng Hou and split Wu Hou’s forces into two, in order to resolve the crisis in Xiangyang. Then, the King of Chu wanted to win over Peng Hou to fight against Wu Hou, and to gain another ally. He even offered more than 100,000 grains, just to win over Peng Hou.”

“When Cao Cao sent troops from two directions to attack the King of Chu, everyone in the world knew that the King of Chu was in a bad situation. At that time, if Marquis Peng really sent troops and responded to the King of Chu’s order, it would be tantamount to seeking his own death. I wonder what crime Zhou Yu committed by offering advice to my lord to preserve Xuzhou?”

In the hall, Zhou Yu looked calm, looked directly at Liu Wu, and said.

Zhou Yu’s words instantly made Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Cai Mao and Huang Zu all look ugly.

“Zhou Yu, do you know that Penghou and Xiangyang are allies? During the war, Xiangyang was in crisis, but Xuzhou abandoned the alliance at your suggestion. How do you explain this?” Cai Mao immediately shouted at Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu glanced at Cai Mao and suddenly laughed:

“You also said that it’s just an alliance. Does Xuzhou have to listen to you just because we’re allies?”

“Pong!”

“How brave!”

Cai Mao and Huang Zu were so excited by Zhou Yu’s words that they slammed the table.

“okay!”

Liu Wu, who had been sitting in the main seat and had been silent, stopped everyone and spoke.

Liu Wu looked at Zhou Yu, who was calm and reserved, and said bluntly:

“Zhou Yu, you are a smart man. You have provoked the relationship between me and Marquis Peng. I will not care about how Xuzhou is doing. I will only care about Xiangyang and myself. You must admit your mistakes if you are wrong.”

When Zhou Yu heard Liu Wu’s overbearing and powerful words, a trace of helplessness appeared on his face, and he said:

“I understand what the King of Chu means. If the King of Chu wants any punishment, just tell me!”

Liu Wu’s words were very clear. No matter who was right or wrong, you, Zhou Yu, persuaded Sun Shao, which indeed offended him, Liu Wu, and harmed his interests. Now, he, Zhou Yu, has fallen into his hands, so he should bear the consequences.

After Liu Wu said this, Zhou Yu really had nothing to refute.

“You have talent, and I am a man who loves talent. If you are willing to serve under me, I will not hesitate to give you official titles and give you the command of the army. How do you think?”

Liu Wu asked Zhou Yu, and while asking, Liu Wu looked at Zhou Yu with some anticipation.

In Liu Wu’s opinion, Zhou Yu is really capable.

Historically, Zhou Yu’s ability to command troops was outstanding, as shown below:

Outstanding performance in the Battle of Red Cliffs: As the commander-in-chief of the Battle of Red Cliffs, Zhou Yu defeated Cao Cao’s army with a small force. This battle not only laid the foundation for the division of the country into three parts, but also fully demonstrated his outstanding military talent and strategic vision. He was able to accurately analyze the enemy and our situation, formulate effective strategies and tactics, and ultimately achieve victory.

Amphibious warfare prodigy: Zhou Yu was not only good at naval warfare, but also showed talent in land warfare. After the Battle of Chibi, he continued to command the Sun-Liu coalition forces to attack Nanjun, successfully defeated Cao Ren, the general of Cao’s army, and captured Nanjun, further proving his ability to command troops.

Proposed “Plan to Divide the World into Two”: Zhou Yu had a far-reaching strategic vision. He proposed “Plan to Divide the World into Two” to Sun Quan, planning to annex Zhang Lu in Hanzhong, unite with Ma Chao in Xiliang, use Xiangyang as a base, march into the Central Plains, eliminate Cao Cao, and divide the world with Ma Chao. This strategy is completely comparable to Zhuge Liang’s Longzhong Plan in terms of strategy.

Obviously, Zhou Yu’s ability to command troops was extremely rare in the Three Kingdoms period. Not only did he repeatedly achieve remarkable feats in actual combat, he also demonstrated profound strategic thinking and outstanding military talent.

【Name】: Zhou Yu, courtesy name Gongjin
[Camp]: Xuzhou Sun Shao
[Politics] (Full value 110): 98. An outstanding wise man of the time, with extraordinary intelligence and political ability exceeding that of % of the people.

[Strategy] (maximum value 110): 99. One of the world’s top wise men, advocating diversity in military tactics.

[Commander] (Full value 110): 103, the top commander in the world, good at using natural conditions such as terrain and climate, combining fire attack, counter-espionage, self-torture and other tactical means to win by wisdom. His tactics are flexible and innovative, and he can seize the enemy’s weaknesses at critical moments to deliver a fatal blow.)
【Lord】: Sun Shao
[Loyalty]: 92
[Historical evaluation: Zhou Yu has made outstanding contributions and influences in military, politics, culture and reputation. As an important general of Soochow and a close friend and counselor of Sun Quan, he played a pivotal role in the historical process of Jiangdong. Although Zhou Yu died young at the age of 36, his influence and status still remain in the historical memory of Jiangdong for a long time. His life is full of brilliant achievements and endless legends. He has become a shining star in the history of Jiangdong and has been passed down from generation to generation by later generations. 】Looking at Zhou Yu’s luxurious attribute panel, Liu Wu had to admit that he was very tempted. If Zhou Yu could vote for him, Liu Wu even wanted to push Zhou Yu to the position of Grand Marshal of his army.

The reason is that Zhou Yu’s ability is worth it for him to do so!

Inside the hall, as Liu Wu threw words to recruit Zhou Yu, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Dong Zhao, Cai Mao, Huang Zu and others all looked at Zhou Yu.

But under everyone’s gaze, Zhou Yu shook his head, cupped his hands and smiled at Liu Wu:
“I appreciate the King of Chu’s kindness, but the King of Chu should know the story of a loyal minister not serving two masters, right?”

As soon as Zhou Yu finished speaking, everyone’s expressions changed instantly.

Liu Wu, who was sitting in the main seat, also looked embarrassed.

The allusion of “loyalty does not serve two masters” mainly comes from the ancient people’s high respect for loyalty. This concept emphasizes the exclusivity of loyalty, that is, a loyal minister will not serve two monarchs.

Obviously, Zhou Yu used his loyalty to not serve two masters to show that he would never go against his own qualities and principles, otherwise he would be betraying the highest virtue of loyalty.

“I admire loyal people, so since you said so, I can no longer talk about recruiting you.”

Liu Wu took a deep breath, looked at Zhou Yu, and said.

Zhou Yu looked at Liu Wu, his eyes flickering slightly. He bowed his head and saluted to Liu Wu, and said no more.

“If that’s the case, then punish him normally. How do you think I should punish Zhou Yu?”

Liu Wu no longer looked at Zhou Yu, but turned his gaze to Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Dong Zhao, Cai Mao, Huang Zu and others.

After hearing Liu Wu’s words, everyone in the hall fell silent.

How to deal with Zhou Yu?

In fact, according to Huang Zu’s subconscious idea, he would just drag him out and chop him up.

But this was just a subconscious thought. After all, Zhou Yu was the Grand Commander of Xuzhou. Even though he was handed over by Sun Shao, he still had a certain status in Xuzhou.

If they took Zhou Yu back to Xiangyang and then killed him, then Sun Shao and the civil and military officials of Xuzhou would definitely hate Xiangyang.

For a moment, everyone frowned. Dong Zhao’s eyes flickered between Liu Wu and Zhou Yu. Suddenly, he bowed to Liu Wu and said:

“Your Majesty, why don’t you hand Zhou Yu over to Zhao? Your Majesty has Zhao take charge of the Chu State’s Works, and he is still short of people to do the work.”

Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Cai Mao, Huang Zu and others all looked at Dong Zhao who spoke.

Pang Tong looked at Liu Wu with a look that showed it was true.

Dong Zhao’s status in Pang Tong’s heart is also rising, and he can guess the emperor’s intentions.

“Gongren, you just arrived in Xiangyang, why don’t you get familiar with it first?”

Liu Wu asked Dong Zhao.

Dong Zhao smiled when he heard this and said:
“It is meaningful for Zhao to come to Xiangyang if he can serve the King of Chu.”

“In that case, I will hand Zhou Yu over to you. However, Zhou Yu is capable. Although I am angry, I can reconsider if he pledges allegiance to me again.” Liu Wu told Dong Zhao that although Zhou Yu had offended him, as the King of Chu with six states under his control, he still has some tolerance for others.

“Your Majesty has a broad mind, I admire that. Please try harder to persuade Zhou Gongjin.” Dong Zhao quickly agreed.

Zhou Yu listened to how the people around him dealt with things, such as how to treat him and how to give himself to others, but the faint smile on his face remained unchanged.

It seems like I am just watching the fun, not myself.

Although Liu Wu admired Zhou Yu for his calmness in the face of a huge crisis, he did not agree with him.

Traditionally, “a loyal minister does not serve two masters” emphasizes the exclusiveness of loyalty, that is, being loyal to one monarch and not serving another. However, is tradition correct?
For example, Guan Zhong’s situation was unique.

Historically, Guan Zhong initially assisted Prince Jiu out of loyalty and duty. Later, Prince Jiu failed and Guan Zhong was captured. At the recommendation of Bao Shuya, Duke Huan of Qi put aside past grudges and reused Guan Zhong, which was based on considerations of Qi’s interests and recognition of Guan Zhong’s talents.

Guan Zhong chose to be loyal to Duke Huan of Qi, not simply to betray Prince Jiu, but based on his judgment of the reality and his responsibility for the development of Qi. He was loyal to the country and people of Qi, not to a specific monarch. Guan Zhong’s loyalty and wisdom ultimately helped Duke Huan of Qi become the first of the Five Hegemons of the Spring and Autumn Period and made Qi a strong country.

Therefore, although Guan Zhong’s behavior did not conform to the traditional sense of “a loyal minister should not serve two masters”, he demonstrated higher loyalty and wisdom under new historical conditions and made outstanding contributions to the State of Qi and its people.

This is the quality that Liu Wu believes is more feasible.

Another example is Yue Fei.

Loyalty is also a very good quality.

However, some people believe that Yue Fei’s loyalty to the emperor reached an absolute level, and even in some decisions, Yue Fei was too dependent on and followed the emperor’s wishes, even if these wishes might not be conducive to the long-term interests of the country. This absolute loyalty, in their view, is a kind of “blind loyalty.”

During the process of Yue Fei being framed, some people accused him of not being able to detect and resist the political conspiracy from the powerful official Qin Hui in time, which eventually led to his death. This failure to effectively protect himself was seen as a manifestation of “blind loyalty”.

Although Liu Wu was not quite sure whether Yue Fei was blindly loyal, he believed that loyalty was not blind. He always adhered to loyalty to the country and the nation, rather than loyalty to a specific emperor.

The same applies to Zhou Yu, nothing is absolute.

If the Sun family treats him well, he will return it in the future.

The world has not yet been unified, various princes are fighting for hegemony, the people are living in dire straits, and the Hu people in the north are slowly growing stronger, eyeing the Han people in the Central Plains.

They attempted to launch the Five Barbarians’ Invasion during the darkest moment in Han history and seize the Han people’s resources and space for survival.

As the common people of the Han Dynasty, we should unite against foreign aggression.

Of course, although Liu Wu felt that there was little hope as to whether Dong Zhao could really persuade Zhou Yu to surrender, Dong Zhao was a top strategist who was good at winning people’s hearts, so there might still be hope. However, no matter what, if Dong Zhao arrived, he, Liu Wu, would definitely get one of Xiao Qiao and Zhou Yu!

(End of this chapter)