Chapter 111: The Weight of Liu Xie

“Ah? This... of course I cannot forget,” Zhou Yu said, but his hand never ceased its work skewering the meat—his words were firm, yet his actions betrayed a certain sincerity.

“Enough talk, eat now. It won’t stop us from discussing these matters between sovereign and subject. I know Bofu’s temper well, and you should know it better. Guan Yu has been at Xiangyang for so long without news; it’s natural for him to be anxious. But surely, you, Gongjin, should not be anxious as well?”

Zhou Yu savored the delicious morsel in his mouth, a faint bitter smile crossing his lips.

Liu Xie truly overestimated him. It was true that Sun Ce was anxious; Zhou Yu was anxious too. Though Zhou Yu could discern a few more layers of meaning than Sun Ce, some matters were just like that—the more one understood, the harder it was to find peace.

Liu Xie’s approach was for the good of Jiangdong, and Zhou Yu understood that, but it was undeniably risky.

“How could I not be anxious? Your Majesty has never commanded an army and naturally doesn’t understand our difficulties. Though you have not spoken it outright, Zhou Yu knows you intend to use this matter involving Guan Yu and Lady Mi not only to sow suspicion between Guan Yu and Liu Bei but also to create distrust between Liu Bei and Liu Biao, stirring unrest in Jingzhou so that Jiangdong may reap the benefits. But if even one link falters, the war between Jiangdong and Jingzhou will be inevitable!”

At the thought of the impending war, Zhou Yu found the lamb in his mouth suddenly less appetizing.

“Isn’t it precisely because Gongjin is wise? But why haven’t you shared your suspicions with Bofu?”

Liu Xie’s question caught Zhou Yu off guard.

Indeed, why hadn’t he told Sun Ce? After all, Sun Ce was the true lord of Jiangdong. Perhaps because the matter was still uncertain?

Zhou Yu did not probe deeper, and even Sun Ce himself had not dwelled on it profoundly.

Sun Ce trusted the veteran ministers and generals left by his father but kept his distance from the civil officials.

Previously, Zhou Yu was the only one Sun Ce trusted completely. Yet when Liu Xie arrived in Wujun and Sun Ce realized how sharp his mind was, Liu Xie gradually became a pillar for both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.

Although Sun Ce and Zhou Yu thought Liu Xie, confined deep within the palace, only knew information that could aid them, with no access to troops or generals, making him little more than a well-informed puppet, they did not realize how much knowledge Liu Xie possessed—the geography, the temperament, and ambitions of every person in this era, including their own.

Unwittingly, both Zhou Yu and Sun Ce had fallen into Liu Xie’s scheme, devised by only one mastermind—Liu Xie himself.

“Bofu’s military affairs are complex. I think it best to wait until matters become clearer before informing him, lest he lose his composure. This is a critical time for Jiangdong’s naval training and warship construction.”

At these words, Zhou Yu suddenly felt he might have revealed too much to Liu Xie and hurriedly fell silent.

Liu Xie sat on a stone bench, his casual yet self-assured demeanor unchanged. He did not pursue the previous topic but instead cut straight to the matter of Guan Yu.

“Guan Yu returning with Lady Gan, coupled with his own fighting prowess, is already a surprise for Liu Bei. Liu Bei is not Bofu; he can endure much. Even if you deliberately spread the rumor of Lady Mi and Guan Yu’s affair in Xiangyang, it will not immediately shatter the brotherly bond between Liu Bei and Guan Yu.”

“Then what use is spreading such news?” Zhou Yu asked.

“It may have little effect on Liu Bei, but for Liu Biao, it is significant. Everyone calls Lü Bu a traitor of three surnames, but Gongjin, consider how many factions my imperial uncle has pledged allegiance to so far.”

Zhou Yu thought briefly and grasped Liu Xie’s intent.

“Your Majesty means that Guan Yu leaving Lady Mi in Wujun will make Liu Biao suspect that Liu Bei has conspired with Guan Yu—or even with Jiangdong—keeping Lady Mi there as a token for future exchanges?”

“Exactly. Liu Biao is old, and when I was in Xuchang, I heard his two sons were fiercely competing for succession, with Lady Cai’s elder brother, Cai Mao, being the most aggressive. With Liu Bei in Xiangyang, he will surely gain favor with Liu Biao’s eldest son, Liu Qi. Given the opportunity, Cai Mao will want to eliminate Liu Bei—especially with such an obvious chance.”

“What good would killing Liu Bei do?”

“Killing Liu Bei would free Guan Yu’s mind of many concerns, allowing us to use him again. More importantly, Liu Bei’s seeking refuge with Liu Biao doesn’t mean he’s truly loyal; he’s merely after a chance to rise again. So, whether it’s Liu Biao or Cai Mao, they are not wrong to be wary.”

Zhou Yu stared at Liu Xie for a long moment, thinking, This is truly a cruel, ruthless tactic.

No matter why Liu Biao and Cai Mao want to eliminate Liu Bei, if Liu Bei harbors ill intent, their suspicion is justified.

“What if Liu Bei dies? If Liu Biao believes he was truly colluding with Jiangdong, what then?”

“I’m not skilled in warfare; you should ask Bofu.”

“But... Jiangdong’s navy cannot yet match the Jingzhou fleet trained by Cai Mao!”

Liu Xie rolled his eyes, clearly implying, I didn’t expect you, the esteemed Zhou Gongjin, to be such a coward.

“Liu Bei isn’t someone who can be easily killed. Otherwise, Cao Cao would have had him executed in Xuzhou long ago. I can almost guarantee Cai Mao can scatter Liu Bei’s forces, but he cannot kill Liu Bei himself. If Liu Bei is to die, Jiangdong must play a part. Moreover, this will not happen overnight. Liu Bei’s arrival in Xinye is like letting a tiger return to the mountain. For at least half a year, Jingzhou’s attention won’t be on Jiangdong!”

Liu Xie spoke with absolute certainty, and Zhou Yu finally relaxed.

“This matter must be told to Bofu. If war with Jingzhou breaks out, we must be prepared for every contingency to secure a decisive victory.”

Whether Zhou Yu said this to himself or to Liu Xie was unclear.

“Liu Biao has been quietly building strength in Jingzhou for over a decade, but his forces have never faced a real battle—they are nothing but ornamental pillows. Bofu should have confidence in this, just as he surely observed how Cao Cao defeated Yuan Shao at Guandu despite being outnumbered many times over.”