February 18th, in Jianye City.

Sun Quan, who had just taken over for more than 20 days, lives in anxiety every day. During these days, some bad news will come from the front almost every two or three days.

Either a few counties were captured by Li Su Taishi Ci and Zhao Yun, or how far the enemy's main force advanced along the Yangtze River waterway. Or a certain Zhuge Xuan, Wang Lang's disciple, or the chief of the Shanyue tribe, surrendered to the enemy.

Before Sun Ce's expedition to the west, there were 150,000 regular troops in the entire Jiangdong regime, but now most of them were lost, with only 72,000 people remaining.

Zhu Zhi and Huang Gai from the north of Jiangbei joined forces with 60,000 troops sent by Cao Cao, and strayed defending the coasts along the south of Lujiang and Huainan.

Zhou Yu from the south of the Yangtze River led 30,000 troops to defend Hulindu on the other side of Anhuikou, and across the river from Huang Gai and Cao's army, blocking the river surface. Therefore, Sun Quan's own total strategic reserve team had only 20,000 people.

10,000 people were deployed in the capital Jianye, and the remaining Wu County, Wu County and Kuaiji County, Shanyin County, were each deployed 5,000 people, and they were also cooperated with some local auxiliary soldiers to defend.

The 10,000 yuan that Wuxian and Shanyin must be released, otherwise Gan Ning would have only brought three thousand pirates and would have completely eaten up the land on the south bank of Qiantang River.

Sun Quan was also mentally prepared for the humiliating result of "may be puppetted by Cao Cao". After all, the environment he took over now is far worse than when Sun Ce died in history.

Sun Ce died two years ago, and Sun Quan was transferred from taking over from the age of nineteen to the age of seventeen.

Of course, the benefits are not completely gone.

For example, in history, Sun Ce's eldest son, Sun Huan, was born in 198. (It was not born on Daqiao. In history, Sun Ce only captured Lujiang in 199 and captured Yuan Shu's remnants and the big and small bridges) So in history, Sun Quan later had to deal with some internal orthodox issues. He secretly suppressed Sun Huan for many years, and did not posthumously title Sun Ce when Sun Quan became emperor.

Now, Sun Ce died early, which means he was completely defeated. Before his eldest son was born, the beautiful concubine in history had never met him and became Li Su's slave. Sun Quan's inherited orthodox character in the Sun family had completely lost any flaws.

Unfortunately, this "flawless orthodoxy" is useless, and only one acre of three parts is left. Apart from this improvement of inheritance legality, everything else is bad news.

Faced with this situation, as early as the late lunar month, that is, Zhou Yu had just returned, and Sun Ce had just taken over the position a few days ago, Sun Quan made a quick decision and used his diplomatic talent to think of a way to save the gap between "Ji Chu":

Sun Quan sent Zhang Hong, the top diplomat under his command, to work tirelessly and go to Yecheng, the capital of the country to pay tribute as quickly as possible, and wait for an opportunity to request a puppet directly under Yuan Shao.

It can be seen that Sun Quan is not good at fighting, but he is indeed talented in playing balance and diplomacy. He is even better than his brother in this regard. He can come up with such an idea at the age of seventeen.

He knew that Yuan Shao was beyond his reach and it was impossible for him to completely puppet him. Even if he sent generals to assist in defense and master military locations, he would rely on the Sun family to provide military supplies. At that time, Sun Quan's independence would be higher than Han Fu, the master of Jizhou in 190.

Han Fu was unable to commit suicide and was completely undermined. Sun Quan asked himself that he had higher political wisdom, and that Yuan Shao's core team would not come to Jiangdong, so he could not completely undermine him.

Unfortunately, Zhang Hong was unable to reach Yecheng at all, and Yuan Shao was unwilling to meet Sun Quan's mission at this time. Zhang Hong was unable to cross the Yellow River north and was blocked near Dongjun. The entire Yellow River was in wartime state at that time, and all ferries were blocked.

Zhang Hong tried to inquire secretly, but there was no accurate message. He just heard some rumors: the war in Bingzhou has been in a stalemate since the start of last winter, and has been in a stalemate recently.

It seemed that after the beginning of spring, Liu Bei adjusted his tactics, listened to some suggestions from advisers such as Xun You and Zhuge Liang, and found an opportunity to let Guan Yu and Zhang Fei force Yuan's main force to fight to the decisive battle.

Yuan Shao did not want the rear to be unstable, nor did he want Cao Cao and Sun Ce to feel that Yuan Shao's prestige of the leader declined.

So on the one hand, I just sent someone to urge Cao Cao recently. Sun Ce increased his attack on Liu Bei, urging Cao Cao to immediately remove Yuan Shu's last blow and then draw the main force against Liu Bei. (When Yuan Shao did this, he didn't know that Sun Ce was dead because the distance from Hebei to Jiangdong was too far, and the message was transmitted slowly)

On the other hand, it is to block the military news of Hebei, so that Cao Cao and Sun Ce will not be allowed to know the unfavorable trends on his front line for the time being. Yuan Shao felt that he was strong and powerful, Lu Buwen, Qiu Feng, Tuo Yi and Zhang He were both powerful generals, and he would definitely be able to turn the tables.

Yuan Shao's temporary blockade of illness and avoiding the doctor was just aware of Sun Ce's death, which made Sun Quan extremely passive. Sun Quan wanted to find the leader to be fair, but what he waited for was "the matter in the south made me worry about Gu for a few months first."

Don’t think that Yuan Shao is short-sighted. Yuan Shao has also done this kind of slutty operation in history. For example, before the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao’s main force went to fight Liu Bei in Xuzhou, leaving Yuan Shao with a few months window to fight the Battle of Guandu early. But Yuan Shao was procrastinating due to some strange reasons.

In Yuan Shao's opinion, it's not that he doesn't do it, but that he just delays for a few months. Perfectionists are not in the mood for the unfavorable situation, and it's no big deal. Little do they know that sometimes at a historical node, in just a few months, can lead to major changes in the forces and relations of all parties.

...

Sun Quan asked Yuan Shao for direct subordinates but failed, and then Cao Cao's puppet conditions followed one after another.

During lunch that day, Zhang Zhao, the top civil servant of Sun Quan, came to Wuhou Mansion to meet with a serious expression. After Sun Quan summoned him, Zhang Zhao had no time to speak nonsense and said something bad news directly:

"Lord, Cao Cao sent an envoy Sima Lang to ask for a meeting today, bringing Cao Cao's latest conditions: either formally ced the three counties of Lujiang, Huainan and Guangling, the north of Jiangbei, to him, and these territories became directly under Cao Cao, so he would naturally defend and prevent Li Su's southern army from crossing the river.

However, if the lord chooses this condition, he only guarantees to defend Wankou and not to assist in defending the tiger forest on the south bank of the Yangtze River. If the governor Zhou cannot defend the tiger forest, Li Su's fleet will continue to advance along the south bank of the Yangtze River in the future. As long as he does not invade Jiangbei, he will not guarantee it."

The three counties were officially cedeed for free, and they only guaranteed to defend them well and did not assume much responsibility for assisting defense. Sun Quan was of course very angry when he heard this condition that capitalists and vampires burst into tears.

However, the situation is stronger than that of others, so there is no need to reveal it completely.

A few days ago, Cao Cao had actually sent someone to talk to him, but the level of the messenger was still low. It was just one of Cao Cao's entourage. At that time, Sun Quan chose to wait and see and wait for Yuan Shao to give feedback.

This time, Cao Cao sent Sima Lang, and his background was much better than a cruel and cruel official like Man Chong. Moreover, he was responsible for the mission when Cao Cao surrendered to Yuan Shao a few years ago. Using the envoy to Yuan Shao to serve Sun Quan again was also giving Sun Quan his sincerity.

Sun Quan took a deep breath in a torment and asked slowly: "Then there must be another choice."

Zhang Zhao: "The second condition that Sima Lang brought this time is that he could allow the lord to not formally ced the county to Cao Cao, but he hoped that the lord would carry out Brother Ling's last words and 'step back to Huai Si'."

Sun Quan raised his eyebrows: "Cao Cao asked me to retreat to Huai Si? Wouldn't that give up Jiangdong? He did not let me sever the three counties of Huai Si, but instead wanted my three counties of Wuhui? That would be better than the first condition. When I arrived in Huai Si, facing Cao Cao's infantry and cavalry freely, it would be equivalent to not having his own direct territory."

Zhang Zhao also smiled bitterly, but he still had to finish the message: "No, Sima Lang said that as long as the lord personally moved the capital to Huainan, Cao Cao would represent Zhou Yu as the governor of Yangzhou and continue to stay in the three counties of Danyang, Wu County and Kuaiji. The northern army would never be able to do anything in the river, but ensure comprehensive defense of Ankou and Hulin.

But at the cost, the lord's capital should be moved from Jianye to Hefei. Except for Hefei City, the rest of the garrisons in Lujiang County must be handed over to Cao Cao's people to take charge. The lord can ask Zhu Zhi to lead the Hefei guards.

In addition, Cao Cao heard that his lord, who was 17 years old, had not married yet, so he asked you to marry his oldest daughter, who is still alive. He also said that his lord was young and was not good at managing all kinds of government affairs. He could send a famous teacher to teach his lord. If his lord doubts, he could let his second son, third son Cao Pi and Cao Zhi also come to Hefei to study with his lord."

When Sun Quan heard this, his face turned a little dark. Cao Cao forced him to be his son-in-law. As for letting thirteen-year-old Cao Pi and Cao Zhi, who was only seven or eight years old, study with him, it was nothing more than showing that Cao Cao was willing to let his two sons be in the city defended by Zhu Zhi's army, so that Sun Quan could feel at ease.

However, in this life, because the family of Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu's uncle, nephew and aunt died when Liu Bei was in the northern expedition to Guanzhong, Cao Cao did not get the opportunity to advance to Nanyang County from beginning to end, so the battle of Wancheng naturally had no way to start.

Cao Cao's eldest son Cao Ang is still alive, so Cao Pi and Cao Zhi are not worth anything at all. Although Cao Ang was born by Liu, he was adopted by Cao Cao's wife Ding after all, and his direct lineage is very high.

The daughter Cao Cao planned to marry Sun Quan was not the daughter Cao Xian and Cao Hua and others who had given to Emperor Xian of Han in history. In history, they were all sent to the palace by Cao Cao after returning from the Battle of Red Cliff. Cao Cao was the oldest at that time, Cao Xian was only twenty years old, and Cao Hua was only fourteen or fifteen years old.

In this life, Cao Cao gave it to Liu Xie a few years ago and was poisoned to death. He was just a concubine daughter born by Liu, who was about the same age as Cao Ang. Now he wants to marry Sun Quan is the youngest of the children born by Liu, who is the Qinghe Princess in history, who should have married Xiahou Qing.

Princess Qinghe (of course not a princess now) was born by Liu, so she is two or three years older than Cao Pi, the oldest among the Ding family’s children. She was just fifteen years old in 198 and it was time to get married. Sun Quan’s seventeen is quite matched.

Moreover, on the eve of the Battle of Guandu in history, when Sun Ce rose rapidly and was not assassinated, Cao Cao was also worried that Sun Ce would stab him when he fought with Yuan Shao, so he asked his younger brother's daughter (I don't know if it was Cao Ren or Cao Hong's daughter) to marry Sun Kuang. Now that Sun Ce died early, the Sun family fell, the marriage partner naturally jumped directly from Sun Kuang to Sun Quan himself.

Sun Quan repeatedly planned and discussed with Zhang Zhao in a controversial tone: "Zhang Gong, is Cao Cao doing this a judge of a gentleman by his villain's heart? He thought that Brother Gongjin's loyalty and righteousness towards our Sun family could be alienated? He asked Brother Gongjin to independently guard the three counties of Wuhui, and in the future he hoped to turn Brother Gongjin into his direct subordinate?

If Brother Gongjin is unshakable to our Sun family's loyalty, he will slowly plan to use me as a puppet in the future to ensure that Brother Gongjin's troops are still the only one who is Cao Cao's order?"

Zhang Zhao: "That should be true."

Sun Quan closed his eyes in pain: "Well, at least choose this. In name, the three counties of Huainan and the three counties of Wuhui are all from our Sun family. So, if you reply to Cao Cao, the marriage must be regular, the emperor will be one year, the princes will be half a year, the doctor will be three months, and the scholars will be one month.

If he was sincere and felt that both sides were princes, he would let our army retain the appointment of officials from Lujiang County and control it locally. I would first get engaged with his eldest daughter and get married half a year later. I would naturally study with my two brothers-in-law, so that my father-in-law would temporarily serve Jiangbei government affairs until he was officially crowned."

Sun Quan can delay it if he can. If he can't hold on for half a year, it's better to delay it for three months. Maybe Yuan Shao will free up his hands in three months to interfere in this puppet marriage?

For the sake of the Sun family's great cause, Sun Quan had to sacrifice his lust and endure humiliation and marry Princess Qinghe in history.

PS: It is becoming more and more difficult to bridge the timeline. The transition chapter is a bit card-text. I don’t know how to draw the perspective to the battlefield in Bingzhou, Hedong. Li Su has made great achievements here, but he cannot write about him reporting merits and rewards to Liu Bei, and getting promoted and wealth.

Because when it comes to Liu Bei, he must first finish writing the war to restrain Yuan Shao, otherwise the plot will be very broken, resulting in "Liu Bei at the same time, appearing separately after more than ten chapters."
Chapter completed!