Two Against the Surrender Faction
We exchanged candid conversations.
Lu Meng asked why I'd been granted the title of Inspector, along with tales of managing Soyang and holding off Cao Cao's massive army—ten times our numbers. It was praise worthy of Han's Zhang Liang; he had me sweating bullets when he put me on such a pedestal.
I know it's all flattery. The real question is why the over-the-top hype?
Is it because they're in a position where they desperately need Shu's forces?
Whatever the case, the two of them didn't treat me any differently for being a woman or so young.
In that warm, friendly atmosphere, if Lu Meng hadn't brought up the main issue, I would've just thought they were good people.
"I'd like to hear the lady's intentions as well. If Cao Cao raises his army and marches all the way to Jianye here, where would you meet the enemy?"
I pondered deeply.
This was different from the Battle of Red Cliffs.
With sturdy Soyang holding the line, Cao Cao wouldn't dare gamble on the dangerous route through Jingzhou.
He knew Wu and Shu had joined hands, yet he still started the war. That meant he was that confident.
"I'd meet them along the Yangtze, where they could advance to Hefei or Xiaopei. But... before that, don't we have other matters to discuss first?"
Zhou Yu asked, coughing.
"Yushugou, then. It matches my thinking—a marvelous coincidence."
"I don't know what your thinking is, but Cao Cao knows Wu's political situation inside out, which is why he played the war card." It had to be. The cliché of sowing chaos in the command structure before attacking was already well-established in history—Cao Cao wouldn't pass that up. "With sycophants already urging surrender based on assumptions, for him, a declaration of war costs nothing."
I saw the declaration as bluffing to induce division in Wu, so untangling that knot came first.
Zhou Yu agreed with my view.
"Exactly. The surrender faction dominates among the ministers. Only Lu Su and I, along with Lu Meng, Huang Gai, and a few military officers like him, push for war—but the outlook is pessimistic."
Out of pure curiosity, I pressed.
"Even if the war faction wins, if the surrender advocates don't follow, you can't raise an army, right?"
Lu Meng answered this one.
"If our lord makes the decision." He mimed slitting a throat. "Those fools will have to provide the soldiers and funds for the war."
I could interpret that as them dragging Shu in to convince those guys, but I let it slide.
Suddenly, the door burst open. Lu Meng eyed Zhuge Liang as he entered.
"Why have you come alone, sir?"
"My wife and Lord Lu Su had matters to discuss, so I stepped out. I overheard your earlier talk. You said the surrender faction is strong and you're trying to break them, didn't you?"
"That's how you heard it, eh?"
Cough—Zhou Yu spat up phlegm laced with blood.
"Before my life ends, Sun Gan's rule won't falter. That's why I've chosen to ally with Liu Bei, even if it means bending low. So, teacher, have pity on this inadequate Zhou Gongjin and offer your counsel."
Zhou Yu was pleading.
Normally, we'd be the ones ignored, but we'd taken Jingzhou with over 80,000 troops.
It was only natural Lu Meng and Zhou Yu were desperate—Jingzhou's 80,000 outstripped what Sun Wu could muster by far.
As if understanding that, Father Kongming's expression didn't change as he grilled Zhou Yu.
"And you're saying you'll just hand back the land you gained?"
Zhou Yu replied.
"Because we have nothing to lose."
There was the land in Henan we'd gifted Wu as alliance proof.
Returning it was a strong show of intent for total war against Cao Cao.
Saying they had nothing to lose made sense—even if they gave back the land, the Shu-Wu alliance fact remained.
Refusing this proposal would shatter the alliance between Wu and Shu—that was my read.
Dad Kongming glanced between Zhou Yu and Lu Meng.
"Refusing this would crack the alliance, wouldn't it?"
How does his thinking match mine so perfectly?
Lu Meng nodded.
"Precisely. And if things go that way, whose throat will Wei's blade turn to next?"
"Your position is sound, Governor. However, military matters are beyond my authority, and Lord Liuqi, who holds full command of Jingzhou's forces, is in mourning for three years. My lord hesitates to wield Lord Liuqi's troops lightly."
Dad Kongming fanned himself with his white feather fan.
"Then what is your opinion?"
????
"My opinion, sir?"
"That's what I asked. In this situation, what would you do?"
I thought it over.
No, for the past year, I'd mulled this crisis night after night, layer upon layer. I laid it all out, unfiltered.
"Detaching 30,000 to aid Wu would alert Cao Cao for sure. He might see it as provocation and turn his blade on Jingzhou."
Zhou Yu cried out amid a fit of harsh coughing.
"Is that a refusal, Inspector?"
"Hear me out. I'm just saying. Since the question touches on military matters, I can't speak freely."
Dad Kongming patted my shoulder, urging me on.
"Speak without reserve. This is all hypothetical, isn't it?"
Fine, then I won't hold back.
"If you insist, I'll say it. Take 30,000 to 40,000 of our troops to attack Yizhou, while sending another 30,000 to support Wu. Disperse the remaining 10,000 for security. I'm advocating total war."
"How did you reach that conclusion?"
"Because Cao Cao's fronts aren't just us—he's also in Liangzhou." With northern expeditions done, Cao Cao's expansion targets were down to three. "He'll consolidate his fronts: hit Wu, Jingzhou, or Liang. He'll pick the most distant—Wu."
"If we move as you say and Cao Cao doesn't attack Wu, we lose Jingzhou?"
True, but we're here because he's attacking Wu.
"Probably. But then we'd lose Jingzhou and gain Yizhou. Cao Cao knows that." So the real target is Wu. Zhang Lian's intel said Cao Cao's blade points to Wu. Not assumption—certainty. If Wu surrenders, Jingzhou falls. The Three Kingdoms Division dies forever. "Since you said speak freely: even if Wu surrenders, Cao Cao will exterminate Sun Gan. Surrender is the worst choice."
Lu Meng's forehead flushed red amid coughs.
"Watch your words! How dare you so casually spout such treason!"
"My apologies. But you said speak without reserve, so I laid out my true thoughts."
Cough—cough—
Zhou Yu suddenly stopped coughing.
His eyes blazed like massive flames, staring me down—fire incarnate.
"Mutual destruction, then?"
I sensed the fierce intent in Zhou Yu's gaze and parried calmly.
"If so, we wouldn't be here."
Zhou Yu reined in his fiery momentum and resumed coughing.
"Then it's truly fortunate. Preparations to welcome guests are complete—let's go together."
And so, we implicitly affirmed the alliance.
Neither side wanted mutual destruction.
*
"You've had a long journey—well done. It's a modest banquet, but for now, set aside military affairs and welcome our honored guests."
The banquet began with Zhang Zhao's toast. Pretty words, but it felt like sitting on a bed of nails.
Anyone could see this was a lively roasting session.
The room was packed with surrender faction only.
Zhou Yu, Lu Meng—these traitors.
They didn't want to get involved, so they tossed us two into the lions' den.
"But how did you come all this way? Zhuge Liang, was it?" Zhang Zhao stroked his beard arrogantly.
"Yes. And who might you be? I was distracted and missed it."
Dad Kongming's words enraged the old man.
"Wha—what?! You impudent whelp with a loose tongue! I am Zhang Zhao, a key minister to our lord—nothing in Jianye escapes my grasp."
Saying it himself made him sound even more pathetic. Dad Kongming seemed to think so too; he didn't spare Zhang Zhao a glance.
"Is that so? Then why the anger?"
"Have you ever seen such a clueless fool? Look here—how could we ally with these people? Liu Bei has never fought properly, just fled his whole life. Even if he opportunistically stabbed Liu Biao in the back to take Jingzhou, his character is utterly untrustworthy!"
Father Kongming burst into booming laughter.
"Hahaha! News travels slow in Jianye, it seems—haven't you heard of Boyang? Repelling 100,000 with 5,000—what do you call that?"
At Father Kongming's inflated lie, Zhang Zhao glared scornfully.
"What's the point debating a bookworm ignorant of the world! If that's the nonsense you came to spout, even a stray dog would laugh!"
Zhang Zhao sneered, but it felt premeditated from the start. Reading the mood, Father Kongming seemed genuinely serious.
"You're just a petty villain with flowery words and whispers. Even if Cao Cao raises an army, you huddle like a patriarch, urging surrender and thinking only of your own safety—how pathetic!"
I chimed in.
"He's older, Teacher. Folks get stubborn with age... I respect Zhang Zhao's view. Isn't it the one-book wonders who scare most? Zhang Zhao's no such fool; he'll understand your words."
"Kuh..."
As Zhuge Liang stifled a laugh, Zhang Zhao's face turned beet red. Unable to calm his rage, a man in a scholar's cap spoke up.
"Then how do you plan to defeat Cao Cao's 800,000-strong army, Lord Liang?"
"And who are you?"
"I am Wu Fan."
Father Kongming shrugged and brushed it off lightly, as if absurd.
"I'll tell you. No need to fear. That's why I'm here—I know we can stop them."
"Ha! If you could stop them, this meeting wouldn't exist! Why bring it up at a banquet like this?"
"Our lord faced Cao Cao without fear, fought, and fully secured Jingzhou. Jianye is prosperous and a natural fortress—petty types like you urging surrender are the useless ones cowering on assumptions."
I added my bit.
"People can be scared, Teacher. The unknown terrifies. No real clash with Cao Cao, so that's why. Shouldn't we praise that spirit as brave?"
"Kuh..."
As Dad Kongming and I kept needling, Wu Fan shot to his feet.
"You...! You!!! Outrageous villains!"