Chapter 8 Chapter Eight

Big rivers are the arteries of the continent. The two major arteries that nourish mainland China are the Yellow River in the north and the Yangtze River in the south. Soochow is distributed along the great river and is known as "the land of the east of the river". Time flies, and Sun Ce, the widow of Sun Jian, the prefect of Changsha in Wu County, also grew up here to be 21 years old and became an outstanding young man. "He is better than his father. The so-called Jiangdong Kirin is none other than him." In society, among his father's survivors, there are many people who have high hopes for his growth.In short, he was only seventeen years old when he buried his father Sun Jian's body in Qu'a Field and returned to Jiangdong with a disastrous army.Later, he recruited talents to train soldiers, and privately planned to revive his family business and fame.But adversity came one after another, and he never achieved anything. In the end, he encountered bad luck and failed to keep the land of Changsha.

"As soon as the weather comes, I will come to pick you up. Please live in seclusion in the countryside." He entrusted his mother and other family members to Qu'a's relatives, and wandered around since he was seventeen. He swore secretly, with great ambitions in his chest, traveled around the world, and learned about human relationships, geography, and armaments.He traveled through life and experienced the bitterness of samurai practice. More than two years ago, he stopped in Huainan, worked as a diner under Yuan Shu's family in Shouchun City, and was supported by him.Not only did Yuan Shu have friendship with his late father, Sun Jian, but Sun Jian fought with Liu Biao and died in Qu'a, and the reason for the battle was also instigated by Yuan Shu.So Yuan Shu was also very sympathetic, saying: "You can stay by my side."

During this period, he participated in the battle of Jing County and made great contributions; he went to crusade against Lukang in Lujiang and made an unparalleled record.On weekdays, he never puts down his book, behaves quietly, and is always courteous and corporal. He is known as "the mandarin fish of the great river" and has attracted the attention of the world. Sun Ce, 21 years old this year, whenever he has free time, he practices martial arts, hunts in the mountains and fields, and exercises his body and mind.On this day, with only a few entourages, he was hunting in Funiu Mountain. Sitting on a rock halfway up the mountain, looking at the magnificent sunset and red clouds, he said, "Ah, I'm tired."

From Yuan Shu's state capital, Shouchun City, to the villages and towns in Huainan, you can have a panoramic view. A river meanders by.That is the water of the Huaihe River. The Huaihe River is narrow. Compared with the vastness of the Dajiang River Basin, it is not the same.But Sun Ce still looked at the sky in Jiangdong and imagined: "Ah, when the time comes, let me ride the water of the great river and show my ambition!" "Qu'a's mother..." He fell into deep thoughts, and sighed alone, "As a son, when will I be worthy of the heaven and the earth, and pay homage to my father's tomb?!"

At this time, a follower who was resting under the shade of a tree came over and said, "My lord, why are you sighing in vain?! You are a promising young man. The sun goes down today, and it will rise tomorrow!" Sun Ce was startled and thought who it was, it turned out to be Zhu Zhi, courtesy name Junli, who used to be a retainer of his father Sun Jian. "Oh, it's Junli. Today has passed again. Hunting in the mountains and wilds, what can I do... I spend my days empty and feel sorry for the world. There is not a day when I don't feel ashamed in my heart. Of course, I am not trapped by homesickness, Cry like a daughter." Sun Ce said seriously.

After listening to Sun Ce's heartfelt words, Jun Li sighed together: "Oh, I still have that kind of thought. Youth is like a fleeting moment...It's only natural to feel depressed and sigh." "You can understand my depressed heart...Jun Li." "I have noticed it on weekdays. I am also born in Wu." "I lost my ancestral land, became someone else's foodie, I was twenty-one years old, and I was still chasing birds and beasts in the mountains, wasting time... Ah, every time I think about it, I can't bear the current situation." "Young master... Sun Ce... Now that you have thought of it, why don't you resolutely inherit the legacy of your deceased father like a real man?"

"However, I am a diner. No matter how much Yuan Shu dotes on me, let me chase wild animals with a hunting bow, and he will not let me hold a bow and arrow for soldiers and horses to make great things happen." "So don't be content to lie in the hotbed. Pampering, pampering, beautiful clothes and food, and a luxurious life are all enemies that corrode your youth." "But Yuan Shu's affection cannot be betrayed." "If you don't abandon this indecision, you will be mediocre all your life. Look, the world is turbulent. Born in such an era, but trapped by ignorance, what can you do?!"

"Yes. In fact, I also feel the pain. Junli, how can I get rid of the current hotbed and become a child of the era who struggles with suffering and has the value of survival?" "You have an uncle with a bad luck. Uh... the prefect of Danyang." "Well. You mean my uncle Wu Jing." "Yes. I heard that Wu Jing lost the land of Danyang and is in distress... You can ask Yuan Shu for leave and borrow troops in the name of helping this distressed uncle." "That makes sense!" Sun Ce stared wide-eyed, looking up at the flock of birds flying across the evening sky, deep in thought.There was a person who had been standing under the shade of a tree and listening carefully to the conversation between the two.

As soon as the two finished speaking, he stepped forward quickly and said abruptly: "Oh, Jiangdong Kirin, why hesitate? Stand up and inherit your father's career. If you are not talented, I hope you will be the first to lead more than a hundred people under you to charge into battle .” The two were shocked and asked, "Who is here?" Taking a closer look, this person is Yuan Shu's subordinate, a county official here. His name is Lu Fan, and his style name is Ziheng. "Ziheng is an excellent counselor." Some of Sun Ce's retainers recognized his talent.Sun Ce was very happy to have this confidant, and said, "Are you also secretly sympathizing with me?!"

Ziheng swore an oath, stared at Sun Ce, and said, "If you cross the great river..." Sun Ce looked into his fiery eyes, and replied: "Cross the river! Cross the river! Go up the river! Go up the river for thousands of miles! How can youth be raised in a small pond in the Keyuan, with frogs and fish mud? Be in the company, covet ease!" Sun Ce shouted, stood up suddenly, and waved his fist in the air. Zi Heng suppressed his emotions and said, "However, Sun Ce, I guess, Yuan Shu will never lend you troops. No matter how much you ask, he will not borrow troops. How to deal with this?"

"Don't worry. Since the determination is made, I, Sun Ce, have my own way." From this sentence, we can already see the signs that Sun Ce, the weak champion, can become a big player in the future. "How to borrow troops from Yuan Shu?" Ziheng and Junli asked, not knowing what Sun Ce was thinking. Sun Ce smiled confidently, and said, "As long as you give Yuan Shu what he usually covets as a pledge, he will surely be able to borrow soldiers and horses." What Yuan Shu coveted? The two were puzzled, so they asked what it was.Sun Ce hugged his body tightly and said forcefully, "Chuan Guo Yuxi!" "Ah, Yuxi?!" The two looked suspicious. The so-called jade seal is the seal of the emperor, which is an indispensable treasure for inheriting the country and inheriting the great tradition.However, it is widely rumored that the jade seal was lost during the chaos in Luoyang. "Oh, so...the Chuanguo Yuxi is in your hands now?" Ziheng asked in a low voice.He suddenly remembered the rumors at that time: During the chaos in Luoyang, Sun Jian, the father of Sun Ce, found the jade seal of Chuanguo in the ancient well of the forbidden gate, and fled back to his home country with the jade seal.This rumor was well known at the time. "Well, it's right here." Sun Ce looked around, hugged his chest tightly again, and began to narrate, "I was passed down by my late father, Sun Jian, and I often guarded it personally. Once upon a time, when Yuan Shu learned about it, he couldn't help coveting the jade seal, revealing his greed. He was originally overconfident and had the ambition to be the emperor, so he always wanted to keep the jade seal as his own." "Sure enough, I understand. It turns out that the reason why Yuan Shu loves you like a son is..." "It is precisely because I understand his ambitions, but still pretend to be completely ignorant, that I am able to be protected by him, and I am safe until now. In fact, it is this Fang Yuxi who has always protected me and raised me." "But, are you determined to hand over this precious jade seal to Yuan Shu?" "No matter how precious something is, I, Sun Ce, can't put my ambition in a small box just because I begrudge it. My lofty ideal lies between heaven and earth." Seeing Sun Ce's spirit, the two were convinced.On that day, the three made a covenant. A few days later, Sun Ce said to Yuan Shu in Shouchun City: "Unknowingly, I have been favored for three years. The favor has not been repaid, and I made a request again, and my heart is extremely painful. I heard from a friend from my hometown a few days ago that my uncle Wu Jing was arrested in Yangzhou. Liu Yao attacked, fell into adversity, and had nowhere to go. The whole family—the mother, aunt, and young children who stayed in Qu'a—are also struggling in the abyss of bad luck..." Sun Ce lowered his head and continued tearfully, "Thanks to you, I'm already twenty-one years old, but I haven't yet visited my father's grave. It's a pity that I spend my days at ease. I feel uneasy. Please lend me a team of miscellaneous soldiers to cross the river." Go across the river, save my uncle, comfort the spirit of my dead father, and at least come back after seeing my mother and sister are safe." After Sun Ce finished speaking, he respectfully placed the small case containing the Jade Seal of Chuanguo in front of Yuan Shu who was silently meditating. There is a saying that the eyes are the windows of the soul.Yuan Shu's face turned red when he saw the small box.The unconcealable joy and ambition flashed in his eyes. "I will take the jade seal as a pledge and temporarily store it in your hands. Please agree to the entrusted matter." Sun Ce said. "What? Temporarily store the jade seal in my hands?" Yuan Shu promised happily, with a tone of impatience, "Of course! Of course! I will lend you three thousand soldiers and five hundred horses... no official titles and powers, ordering soldiers and horses to be majestic Not up to." Yuan Shu's ambitions for many years were satisfied, so he gave Sun Ce the post of captain and the title of "General Executioner", complete with weapons and horse gear. Sun Ce was eager to try, and set off immediately. Among the entourage, there are Junli and Ziheng mentioned earlier, and Cheng Pu, Huang Gai, Han Dang and other reliable people who never gave up on him when he was wandering. Near Liyang, a young general came from a distance, dismounted and shouted, "Hey, Sun Ce!" From the looks of it, this young man is handsome and handsome, with a beautiful face and about the same age as Sun Ce. "Oh, Mr. Zhou. Why are you here?" Sun Ce got off his horse and held his hand full of warmth. This person was born in Lujiang (now Lujiang County, Anhui). His name was Zhou Yu, and his style name was Gongjin.He said: Hearing about Sun Ce's attack, he wanted to support him, so he came here in a hurry. "It's up to friends. You're here at the right time. Please help me!" "For you, I am willing to do the work of a dog and a horse." The two walked side by side, chatting while walking, and were very close. "By the way, do you know Jiangdong Erxian?" Hearing what Zhou Yu said, Sun Ce asked, "The two sages of Jiangdong?" "They are two sages who live in seclusion in the mountains. One is Zhang Zhao and the other is Zhang Hong. They are also called Jiangdong Erzhang." "Is there such a character?" "You must recruit these two people as your staff. Zhang Zhao is well-read and familiar with astronomy and geography. Zhang Hong is brilliant, proficient in classics and history, and talks about learning. He is second to none among all the schools of thought in Jiangdong." "How can you recruit such a sage?" "Bringing each other with power will not succeed. The wealth is piled up like a mountain, and you will not be moved. You can go there in person, with complete courtesy and respect, and truthfully tell your ambition. Maybe Zhang Zhao can come out of the mountain." Sun Ce was overjoyed, and soon went to the place, went to the countryside in person, and visited Zhang Zhao's hermitage. His enthusiasm finally moved Zhang Zhao. "I am still young, please scold me to avenge my father." It was this sentence that moved Zhang Zhao, who would never leave the mountain easily. In addition, Sun Ce used Zhang Zhao and Zhou Yu as envoys to persuade another sage, Zhang Hong. Under his account, he recruited two sages on the left and right as he wished. He respected Zhang Zhao as a long history and a general of Zhonglang, and called Zhang Hong a staff officer and a captain of Zhengyi school.The appearance of the whole army is getting more and more neat. Therefore, the first enemy Sun Ce aimed at was Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou who had harmed his uncle. Liu Yao is a famous wealthy family along the Yangtze River. He is a clan member of the Han Dynasty.Liu Dai, governor of Yanzhou, was his elder brother, and Taiwei Liu Chong was his uncle. Now he is in Shouchun (now Lu'an City, Anhui Province) in Linjiang, and he has many brave generals under his command. With him as the frontal enemy, Sun Ce's career is really difficult.