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Chapter 695: An Unsettled Heart Is the Root of Chaos
🕑 Added 2024-10-04 05:08:59 +0000 UTCLü Su and his group’s planning largely avoided one critical point—Chen Xi. Although they were aware that someone had cut off Chen Xi’s supply line, they were not the least bit worried. Their trust in him had become almost blind.
In contrast to Liu Bei’s situation, Yuan Shu was now in trouble. After being driven to the south of Jing Province and suffering great hardship, Liu Biao successfully counterattacked in the northern part of Jing Province and regained his foothold. It was only then that Sun Ce managed to arrive in Xiangyang, Jingzhou, but by this time, most of Nan Commandery had already returned to Liu Biao’s control.
"Hmph!" Sun Ce slammed his fist onto the table. "Liu Jiyu, how dare you be so ungrateful and seize Lord Yuan’s land!"
"As expected, we will have to deal with two armies this time. Let’s not even talk about Liu Jingxuan—though he is indeed courageous and decisive, if he had shown such resolve back when he hadn’t lost Jingzhou, it would have been extremely difficult for us to take Jing and Xiang," Pang Tong, seated just behind Sun Ce, spoke as an advisor in his capacity as a scribe.
"Hmph, Kuai Yue is indeed a man of extraordinary ability. His repeated offensive tactics have made it difficult for our army to gain the upper hand," Liao Li sighed. "At the time, our biggest problem wasn’t that we couldn’t win but that we couldn’t command our troops perfectly. Now, though Liu Jingxuan has regained a foothold in the north of Jing, with our absolute advantage, they have little chance."
"Ziyuan is right. Back then, our greatest challenge wasn’t that we couldn’t fight, but that we couldn’t command our soldiers seamlessly. Now, although Liu Jingxuan has regained his position in the north, given our overwhelming advantage, they stand no chance," Gu Yong said, brimming with confidence. The news that Sun Ce had been named Yuan Shu’s heir had already reached their ears.
"Bo Fu, who do you consider your greatest enemy?" Pang Tong asked after listening to Sun Ce’s subordinates discuss the situation.
"Liu Jingxuan, Kuai Yue, and Cao Ren!" Sun Ce replied solemnly, though without the anger he once harbored. Burdened with heavy responsibilities, he had matured significantly, at least understanding when to remain calm.
"Then may I ask, what do Lord Yuan and Wu Chenghou expect from you?" Pang Tong asked, lowering his head in thought.
"Lord Yuan’s expectation is, of course, focused on the world’s affairs. As for my current situation, he expects me to inherit all his achievements and establish a dominant legacy for the world," Sun Ce replied without hesitation. "As for my late father’s expectations, I believe he would want me to prioritize the family’s legacy and strengthen the Sun clan."
"Then at this point, the best way to strengthen the Sun family is to base it on the foundation of the entire world, to establish a legacy for all ages," Pang Tong’s calm words echoed in Sun Ce’s ears like a thunderclap.
"A legacy for all ages..." Sun Ce murmured.
"Exactly. Bo Fu, you must now set your sights on the entire world. You are already among the strongest of the warlords in the land. You are no longer that child who lived under the protection of others. All the people before you, including myself, are your subjects," Pang Tong said, looking directly at Sun Ce with great seriousness.
"Minister Liao Li pays respect to his lord!" Liao Li was the first to stand and bow deeply to Sun Ce.
"Minister Gu Yong, Yu Fan, Ling Cao, Dong Xi, Jiang Qin...pay respect to our lord," Pang Tong’s words prompted a wave of ministers to rise and bow before Sun Ce.
"A legacy for all ages..." Sun Ce’s eyes grew brighter, and then he slowly stood up. "Gentlemen, join me in this endeavor!"
After everyone paid their respects, Sun Ce finally realized his current situation. He was no longer the small, dependent figure he once was; he was now a warlord of considerable power. No wonder, upon arriving in Jingzhou, Liu Xun and Li Feng showed him newfound respect.
To be fair, Yuan Shu was indeed an oddity—his generals might not have been the most capable, but their loyalty was beyond reproach. They obeyed only Yuan Shu’s orders, which is why, even with Sun Ce’s rise to power, the Yuan family could not sway Yuan Shu’s top generals.
After helping his subordinates rise, Sun Ce fully understood that he now represented not just himself but one of the most significant forces in the land.
"Now that you aim for the entire world, I urge you to let go of your hatred toward Kuai Yue. Back then, it was simply a matter of serving different masters; this man is a rare talent," Liao Li said seriously, glancing sideways at Pang Tong after being lifted by Sun Ce.
"No!" Sun Ce immediately rejected Liao Li’s suggestion.
"My lord, Minister Liao speaks wisely. Those who aim to rule the world should not sacrifice their greater ambition for personal grudges. When Guan Zhong shot an arrow at Duke Huan of Qi, nearly killing him, Duke Huan forgave him. This act of tolerance is what ultimately made him the leader of the Five Hegemons!" Pang Tong quickly intervened, echoing Liao Li’s reasoning.
Although Pang Tong didn’t understand why Liao Li had glared at him, his earlier questioning had been intended to convey the same idea. For someone with ambitions as grand as Sun Ce’s, he should be willing to forgive a capable adversary like Kuai Yue, as their previous enmity was simply the result of serving different masters.
"We’ll discuss this matter later!" Sun Ce’s face darkened, and he prepared to reprimand them, but then he recalled Yuan Shu’s hopeful gaze and the final words his father had conveyed through Huang Gai and others. His burning anger transformed into a heavy sense of responsibility, and he swallowed his rebuke.
After hearing Sun Ce’s words, Liao Li became even more displeased with Pang Tong. It was intolerable for him to see a newly crowned youth openly serving as a scribe but effectively acting as a military advisor. If it weren’t for Zhou Yu’s undeniable brilliance, Liao Li would have felt the same way about him too.
"Very well, we’ll discuss it later, as you wish," Pang Tong said, feeling a bit of relief when he saw Sun Ce relent. He then shot a glance at Liao Li, thanking him for his cooperation, but Liao Li ignored him entirely, leaving Pang Tong confused. They had been working well together before; what had changed?
The issue was that Pang Tong and Zhuge Liang had both entered public service at a very young age. Despite their intelligence, they hadn’t yet fully grasped the intricacies of human relationships. They understood many things in theory, but when faced with them in reality, they sometimes struggled.
After all, since Pang Tong’s debut, he first met Zixu, who solved a major problem for him for free, and then encountered Zhou Yu and Sun Ce, who showed no discrimination against him. In Pang Tong’s mind, good people were more common.
As for Sima Yi, when Hu Zhao took him to the northern frontier, it was to show Sima Yi the world’s complexities—love and hate, joy and sorrow, and the instability of human nature.
In this regard, Hu Zhao was indeed an excellent teacher. However, his method of teaching Sima Yi to observe human nature by focusing on its darker aspects was bound to lead Sima Yi down a twisted path. Of course, there was also the issue of tailoring his teachings to the individual.
"Now that we have regained our positions and no longer face obstacles, I suggest we split our forces to deal with Liu Jingxuan and Liu Jiyu," Liao Li shifted the conversation away from Kuai Yue and back to military matters.
"Our forces are indeed strong, so that’s a good idea," Pang Tong nodded in agreement. "Everyone here has fought many battles in Jingzhou, often emerging victorious, so you all have considerable experience. In that case, let us continue as we have, with me accompanying the lord to meet Yizhou."
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