Three Kingdoms
Episode 51
What I meant was,
if we go and demand the province,
we should first have a plan.
What should we do if we can get it back?
And what should we do if we can't?
You're right.
When I about it rationally,
it seems more likely that we cant regain it.
Jing is a piece of meat
that they've already put in their mouth
and swallowed down.
Why would they spit it out so willingly?
My lord, please forgive me for being blunt.
Judging by the current situation.
Liu Bei has just gained four commanderies in rapid succession.
His army gained much in strength and momentum.
With losses on our side and gains on theirs, our strength is about even now.
I think Zhuge Liang is counting on us not declaring war on them.
and so he will certainly put off returning Jing to us.
Kongming is guileful, and Liu Bei is a hypocrite.
My lord,
in this world of chaos.
there are no such things as guile and hypocrisy,
but only the difference between the strong and the weak.
As the saying goes, "He who is successful is a hero; he who isn't, is an outlaw."
This principle is not unknown to me.
I was just having a moment of frustration.
Zijing, I have decided.
We must demand Jing to be returned to us.
We'll demand it back even if they won't return it.
To put it bluntly,
even knowing full-well that we can't get it back, we'll still demand it.
Firstly, if we go and demand for it,
it'll prove that we have insisted all along that Jing belongs to us,
while Liu Bei is only a guest in the province.
Secondly, if we don't go demand it,
they will hold us in even more disregard.
and come to see Jing as rightfully theirs.
Thirdly,
if we ask for it and they don't give it,
the fault will be theirs.
When the time is ripe,
and we take military action to take Jing, we would simply be reclaiming what's ours.
We'd have every right and justification to do so.
Excellent!
My lord, you are exactly right!
So now, I will...
go to Jing on the excuse of paying a condolence call.
My lord. Zijing.
Jiang Qin?
Shouldn't you be leading an army at Baling?
What are you doing here?
I have come to claim our military equipment and pay.
I'm returning to Baling today, but I'd like to pay a visit to you first, my lord.
How are things at the frontline?
My lord, it's strange.
On my way here, I ran into some of our scouts.
They reported that Liu Bei has redeployed all his.men.back to Jingzhou.
It's almost like he's taking precautions against an enemy invasion.
Zhuge Liang is indeed preparing for war.
How is Gongjin's health?
The Grand Commander is better one day and worse the next.
When you departed for here, where was Gongjin located?
He went to inspect the frontlines again despite his illness.
It seems that it was Gongjin who told you to come and gather arms, wasn't it?
Yes.
Much obliged. Return to Baling at once, then.
Please excuse me.
Zijing, after Gongjin learned of Liu Qi's death.
he immediately resupplied and began preparing for war.
His mind is set on Jing.
Leave at once.
First go to Baling to check on Zhou Yu's illness.
You must make sure to prevent him from fighting Liu Bei.
After that you will cross the River to pay condolences and demand Jing.
As you wish.
Grand Commander.
Are you having a relapse?
Not all.
In fact, I've been feeling better day by day.
Grand Commander, it has already been half a month.
You have been holding that scroll constantly, reading it over and over again.
Who is the author of the scroll?
Is it really that important to you?
This/Scroll was penned by a great master.
It has enlightened me tremendously.
And now I can see through his heart,
his mind, his guile.
Who?
Zhuge Liang.
He is my nemesis.
To defeat an enemy, you must first learn from him,
and^'undersfand how his mind works,
or you will be crushed by him.
After the Battle of Jingzhou, I have reflected much.
pondering over and over how Zhuge Liang conducted war.
And now I see clearly where his strengths and weaknesses lie.
I can predict every thought of his.
I will best Zhuge Liang!
Grand Commander, you are wise.
Grand Commander, Master Lu Su's boat has docked.
I'm going to have another quarrel with him, I suppose.
Grand Commander, you could claim to be sick and not receive him.
I wouldn't dare.
Not only must I see him, I must go out and welcome him.
Listen.
If anyone dares show disrespect to Lu Su,
I will not forgive him easily.
Yes, sir.
Gongjin!
Zijing, you must be going to ask Liu Bei to return Jing.
That's right. Liu Qi passed away.
We had an agreement with Liu Bei.
For as long as Liu Qi is around, he can hold onto Jing.
Now that Liu Qi is gone, he should return the province to us!
That was simply Zhuge Liang's excuse.
Zijing, do you really think it's possible retrieve meat from the dog that stole it?
As always, Gongjin, you've spotted the key point.
However, our lord has decided that
we'll have to demand for it even if we can't get it back.
Good! That's the spirit!
Gongjin, what brought you to the frontlines here at Baling so suddenly?
To inspect the army.
When I don't hear the military drums, I just don't feel right.
Is that really so?
But you just had Jiang Qin go collect pay and supplies for 20,000 troops.
Lord Sun worries that I will take military action against Jing, right?
Oh, Gongjin.
Whether or not we can demand Jing back this time,
we must not declare war on Liu Bei.
Why?
Gongjin, do you know?
Liu Bei has just annexed Changsha and three other commanderies.
Morale is high among his ranks.
Whereas we have suffered heavy casualties at Hefei,
and even our chief commander, Taishi Ci, fell in battle as well.
With losses on our side and gains on theirs,
the forces of Sun and Liu have all but become even.
In addition, Zhuge Liang
has long since gathered most of their military force in Jingzhou.
This goes to show that they have been on their guard for some time.
Rightly said.
But do you know, at this very moment,
what is on Zhuge Liang's mind?
Pray instruct me.
Zhuge Liang has seen through your thoughts.
and has predicted that we wouldn't dare declare war on them.
Zhuge Liang believes that,
for as long as Cao Cao is alive,
the Southland would not allow the alliance to disintegrate.
and Lord Sun and you would not turn against Liu Bei for a mere province.
Therefore, your trip to Jing will certainly be in vain,
and Zhuge Liang will be sure to temporize and not return Jing.
That's right.
That's exactly what Zhuge Liang is thinking.
You've hit the nail on the head. Impressive.
However, Gongjin,
please grant me an honest answer.
Are you really going to mobilize the army and invade Jing?
I want to.
I want to so much.
I think about it day and night.
I've already told Lu Meng, Can Ning, and Jiang Qin
to train soldiers and prepare for war here.
It's been over three months.
Morale is high among our ranks,
and they want nothing more than to avenge that insult at Jingzhou.
To be honest with you,
I've already given orders
to approach Baling from two flanks.
An army of 30,000 and a navy of 50,000 will proceed separately,
and in three days we will reach the gates of Jingzhou.
You have no right to do this.
Don't you forget, I am the Grand Commander.
But it's not up to you to decide on war or peace!
We have to obey our lord's decision on this!
Don't you forget,
this Grand Commander before you is wont to abuse his power and be insubordinate.
Sometimes, he just wouldn't obey his lord.
Gongjin. You...!
Oh, Zijing.
I won't really declare war on Liu Bei.
Because the prime opportunity has not arrived.
Oh, Gongjin.
If you won't declare war.
why are you still mobilizing towards Jing?
If you can't make them hand Jing back.
why are you going over to ask anyway?
Oh, Gongjin.
Could it be...
you are using a diversion ruse?
Precisely.
Zhuge Liang believes that we won't dare to fall out with them,
so HI just have to put on a big show of force.
and show them that we would rather die in glory than to live in dishonor.
When dealing with a man like Zhuge Liang, what's the use of plain speech?
That master of debate distrusts the power of speech, of all things.
We must resort to arms.
Zijing, you can tell him,
if they don't return Jing,
I, Zhou Yu, will not begrudge war!
Zijing.
I'm doing this for your own good.
Only with me holding the blade of war high behind you
can you tell them in no uncertain terms that they must return Jing.
I see.
Please accept my gratitude for your help.
Besides, the troops have been training hard,
and it's time for them to test their skill in battle.
Strike the mountain to startle the tiger...
we'll see how Jing will respond to this.
We'll have to fight a war over Jing sooner or later.
Hurry and board the boats!
This route of mine will be useful one day.
That's right.
Zijing.
On this trip, even if you can't get Jing back, you must make them understand
that this is a debt they owe us.
The longer they put it off.
the more they'll pay.
Good.
Oh, Gongjin.
Please go back. I won't come into the camp this time.
Then what are you going to do?
Gongjin, look.
The moon is bright and the breeze is pleasant.
I'll go ahead and cross the River now.
By tomorrow I'll arrive at the city of Jingzhou.
You've just arrived. Isn't that too tiring?
Why don't you rest here tonight?
Goodbye.
Zijing, after you.
Please.
Zijing.
My nephew passed away, and you traveled overnight to attend his funeral.
What great kindness and friendship!
Thank you.
Imperial Uncle, don't thank me yet.
Because now it will be my turn to see
if you honor kindness and friendship.
There is one matter on which I would like your opinion, Imperial Uncle.
Please.
Earlier, you said that once the young master is no more, you would return Jing.
Now that the young master has passed away,
you can make good on your promise, Imperial Uncle.
How soon can the handover be?
About that...
Could we... give it a day or two
and discuss it later?
Later?
This later
when will it be?
Oh, Zijing.
That's quite insensitive of you.
Today is a day of mourning. Why bring up this old business?
Exactly.
On a day of mourning, one can only speak honest words.
Besides,
to discuss this old business before young master Liu Qi's memorial tablet
would demonstrate our sincerity.
All under Heaven is the king's realm,
All who dwell in the realm are the king's subjects.
Who does Jing belong to?
Does it belong to your lord, the Marquis of Wu, or to Cao Cao?
Neither of them.
It belongs to the throne.
After the Supreme Ancestor took up arms,
he spent immeasurable efforts in the establishment of the great Han.
Unfortunately, traitorous men of ambition rose in power and divided the realm.
and that's how the province of Jing fell into the hands of Cao Cao.
No matter who occupies this land in what manner.
it should be ruled by a Liu, because the emperor's surname is Liu.
My lord is a descendant of Emperor Jing,
an offspring of Prince Jing of Zhongshan,
and the uncle of our emperor.
My lord holds onto Jing Province by his birthright as a scion of the Han.
Your lord...
is just the son of a minor official of Qiantang.
He occupies all of the Southland,
and yet he is not satisfied?
He would even annex the lands of the Han, and deny my lord a place to call his own?
How does that make any sense?
Kongming, enough of your sophistry.
It is only because I believe the Imperial Uncle to be a kind and just lord
that I implore him today to make good his promise.
Besides,
when I made this agreement with the Imperial Uncle,
you were present as well, friend.
Would the Imperial Uncle demean himself to be an untrustworthy man today?
Zijing, you are one of the more clear-thinking men in the realm.
That my lord declined Xu Province thrice should be known to you.
My lord has always been a lord of kindness and justice.
He was, he is, and he ever will be.
He has always valued compassion and righteousness more than his own life.
Ever since he took over the governance of Jing,
he has been putting up with vilification by the Southlanders.
Does he feel good inside?
Absolutely not!
But no matter how it makes him feel, he must put up with it! Why?
Because in his heart there is something more important than honor or even his life.
May I ask what that is?
The restoration of the House of Han.
Perhaps you would laugh at the Imperial Uncle.
What times do you think we live in?
Why keep babbling on about the fortunes of the Han?
However,
the Imperial Uncle is a scion of the Han.
Even if everyone else in the world has forgotten about the Han, he cannot.
And now, the emperor is held hostage in Cao Cao's hands,
suffering under threats and intimidation.
Every day the Imperial Uncle's heart is pained by the thought of that.
Pray do not be angry, Imperial Uncle.
I have always known that you are a lord of honor and righteousness.
Zijing.
I am a servant of the Han.
You are a servant of the Han too.
Both our families have enjoyed the bounty of the Han for generations.
Even if we are not servants of the Han, we are people of the Han.
But Zhou Yu has forgotten his roots.
He does not understand.
You have always been an understanding man.
Imagine.
If the Imperial Uncle doesn't have a foothold,
how would he restore the Han?
How could he save the emperor from his sufferings?
Furthermore, how could he stand up to the villain Cao Cao?
Well said.
From what I know,
Cao Cao is most untrustworthy.
If you truly are concerned for the realm,
you have even more reason to abide by trustworthiness.
Besides, for the Imperial Uncle to uphold the Han,
his own strength alone, I fear, may not be enough.
Consider.
If it weren't for the efforts of my lord, the Marquis of Wu,
would you be where you are today?
That is true.
Zijing is a trustworthy man.
The fact that I am able to join the Marquis in repelling Cao Cao
is partly due to your wisdom and foresight.
Imperial Uncle, you flatter me.
To be honest,
for the past two years,
I have spared neither thought nor effort
in maintaining this alliance between Sun and Liu.
In order to do this,
I have made exhortations to my lord
to make certain concessions to you.
However, there should be a limit to everything, shouldn't there?
Forgive my impudence.
Should the Imperial Uncle breaks his word,
and insists on his occupation of Jing,
then...
even if my lord the Marquis of Wu could put up with it,
I fear there would be someone else who couldn't.
Who?
The Grand Commander of all Southland Zhou Yu, Zhou Gongjin.
So Zhou Yu wants to fight?
For a man who's not fully recovered, he sure is getting hot tempered.
My friend, I'm glad you know about Zhou Yu's temper.
It's true that
in the campaign of Jing, he was so upset he spat blood.
However, as soon as there is an opportunity
for him to redeem himself
or should I say, to avenge this insult
I fear not even our lord could hold him back.
The day before yesterday, he went so far as to order
30,000 infantry and 50,000 marines to move east.
Your scouts must have given reports regarding this, haven't they?
Most fortunately, our lord made a sagacious decision right then
and relieved Gongjin of his command.
and ordered the army and the navy to halt and standby where they were.
Imperial Uncle, man resents deception.
If they feel cornered,
the soldiers of the Southland will stop at nothing, even if it costs them their lives.
Zijing, your words are most sincere.
In your opinion, how should this business with Jing be resolved?
That is a question I should be asking instead.
Well, in your opinion, Imperial Uncle,
how should this business with Jing be resolved?
Zijing, what about this?
The province of jing is yours.
We'll borrow it temporarily as a foothold.
Today, my lord shall personally write you a document pledging that
once we have conquered another province,
we'll return Jing to the Southland.
Conquer where?
Liu Zhang of the Riverlands is fatuous and worthless.
My lord plans to annex the Riverlands.
Once it's taken, we shall return Jing Province.
Fine, then.
With such a document,
I'd have something with which to report back to my lord.
However, whether or not my lord accepts it—that is not for me to say.
Imperial Uncle, Kongming, would both of you please sign this document?
Very well.
Kongming, thank you for seeing me off.
Zijing, in our current situation.
there are some words that we can't say directly to our lords.
However, given our friendship,
we should be able to speak our minds to each other, shouldn't we?
It is so.
As long as Cao Cao is alive,
the Sun-Liu alliance must not be broken.
If our forces are to clash with each other, Cao Cao will certainly conquer the land.
It is true.
Zijing, when you return to the Lord of Wu,
please be sure to put in a good word for my lord,
so that he may lend us Jing as a foothold, and not threaten us with the sword.
What if my lord does not permit it?
Then he would be robbing us of our place of refuge.
And those who have no place of refuge
may become desperate enough to do battle with the Southland,
in order to have a home to call their own.
And when that happens, none of the 81 counties of the Southland will know peace again.
Kongming,
I, too, have some words that I ask you to keep in mind.
Please go ahead.
Once you've conquered the Riverlands,
please return Jing without fail.
Otherwise, my lord will definitely take military action.
And by then,
not only will you, lord and subordinate alike, have no more place to call home,
but will also, I fear,
have not a moment of peace in life, and not an inch of land to be buried in after death.
I shall dutifully remember that.
Farewell.
Oh, Zijing, you've been fooled.
Kongming said they'll return Jing Province after taking the Riverlands.
But when will they take the Riverlands?
If they put it off for ten years, won't that mean they'll hold Jing for another ten years?
What's the use of such a document?
But it is useful!
Gongjin, think about it.
In the past, Liu Bei kept insisting that Jing belonged to the court
that it belonged to Liu Qi.
But now, he finally acknowledged that Jing is ours,
and that we loaned it to him.
This was the most I could do.
You had a difficult mission.
Why don't you rest for a few days before returning to Chaisang?
How long has it been since we last drank together?
We don't see each other often. Let's drink-our fill together today.
Great!
Even though Cao Cao is a great villain,
he has said something that is quite excellent.
What is it?
Let's fill our cups and drink to song,
For life's such joys do not last long."
Tonight, you and I will share a couch.
We'll chat the night away!
Great!
Here.
Cheers.
Great wine indeed.
Zijing, do you still remember?
Back then, the first time I led an army,
I suffered a great defeat.
I escaped by the skin of my teeth and arrived at your home.
By then, my men and I hadn't eaten for three days.
We were going to borrow two measures of rice from you.
Back then you were quite the wealthy man
you had two whole granaries at home!
You pointed to one of them, and said,
Take it.
Heavens!
A granary holds 3,000 bushels.
Think of all the lives it could save!
In those days,
grain meant troops.
With that granary-full of grain.
I recruited 3,000 troops.
Oh, Gongjin.
That day,
when you came to my door,
I could tell with one look that
in the future you would surely become a great leader of men.
I used to believe, too, that I had the ability to restore order to the kingdom,
but I did not expect...
I did not expect there would be a Zhuge Liang.
That man...
is my nemesis.
Oh, Gongjin.
Do you hate Zhuge Liang from the depths of your heart?
Let's put it this way.
In this world,
the man I hate most is not Cao Cao,
but rather, Zhuge Liang.
The man I respect most
is not Cao Cao,
but Zhuge Liang as well.
Zhuge Liang and I...
cannot exist together in the same world.
My lord!
Lad Can ..
the lady, she...
passed away.
Sir, our spies reported that the camps in Jing are in mourning.
Apparently Liu Bei's wife, Lady Can, died.
All right. You can go.
Gongjin.
Are you all right?
I just came up with a plan.
Liu Bei will be easily captured,
and Jing taken with little effort.
Oh?
Please do tell me.
As Liu Bei just lost his wife, he will be looking to remarry.
Lord Sun has a younger sister who has just come into marriageable age.
We can advise our lord to have Liu Bei come get married in the Southland.
As soon as he sets foot in in Jiankang, we'll detain him.
and force Zhuge Liang trade Jing for his safe return.
That...
that doesn't sound appropriate.
Are you worried that Liu Bei wouldn't do it?
Let me tell you.
He'll give anything to be joined to the Southland by marriage!
Liu Bei isn't the problem.
Then who is?
The State Mother.
The young lady is 30 years younger than Liu Bei.
How would the State Mother agree to it?
You're worrying too much.
We won't have to let her know about this in the least,
because we won't have the young lady marry Liu Bei at all.
It's only an excuse
to lure Liu Bei into a trap.
Well, then...
how should we bring this up with Lord Sun?
Ill write a letter to him.
If Sun and Liu can really become one family, bound by marriage,
united in the desire to repel Cao Cao,
that would be terrific, of course.
But Liu Bei is half a century old, after all,
and I have just this one little sister.
Furthermore, my mother dotes on this daughter of hers.
How are you going to get my mother to consent to this willingly?
If we tell her the truth,
Her Ladyship will naturally not consent.
Gongjin's suggestion is that
we don't have to let her know.
We're only using this as an excuse to lure Liu Bei into a trap,
arid use him to barter for Jing.
Zijing, what is your opinion?
We could give it a try.
Would this not lead to war?
Once Liu Bei falls into the trap, he'd be our hostage.
With Liu Bei here, Guan, Zhang, and Zhuge Liang would worry about his safety,
and not dare to take military action.
My lord,
the Southland troops at Baling have withdrawn.
Our scouts counted their cooking pits.
There were 4,000 of them.
Based on that,
Zhou Yu already has 80,000 troops under his command.
Eighty thousand?
So, if we add to that all the other units in the Southland,
the Marquis of Wu has an army
no smaller than 120,000 men.
My lord, a Southland envoy has arrived.
He is waiting outside the hall for an audience with you.
Prepare tea for the guest.
Yes, sir.
I suppose...
this man is here because of Jing again.
Could it be...
the Marquis of Wu wouldn't let us borrow Jing?
It's hard to say.
What about this, my lord?
No matter what he says, just agree to it.
Do not argue with him.
After that, send him to rest in the guesthouse.
HI take care of everything else.
Master Lu,
what did the Marquis of Wu say regarding our desire to borrow Jing?
Imperial Uncle, my lord has already consented to your borrowing Jing.
We only ask that you return Jing as soon as you've subjugated the Riverlands.
You must not go back on your word and renege on your promise anymore.
Our thanks to the Marquis.
However,
I have come for an altogether different purpose today.
Please tell me.
It's said that you were just bereaved of your spouse.
There is a most perfect match for you.
and, at the risk of being inappropriate, I came to propose it.
Would you be inclined to hear it?
I have been drifting hither and thither, without a place to call home.
and my late wife was lost on account of that.
It was a great misfortune.
How could I bear to discuss marriage again, and drag someone else down?
A man without a wife is a house without a beam.
Imperial Uncle, you are a hero of our times.
How can you be without that most fundamental relationship in the middle of your life?
The Marquis of Wu has a younger sister.
She is fair and chaste, and worthy to serve you as your wife.
If our two houses join together by marriage,
then that villain Cao Cao will not dare to have designs on the south.
This tea is really hot.
Master Lu, this really came as a surprise to me.
I am already half a century old,
and my hair is graying.
While the Mar...Marquis's sister
is in the spring of her youth.
How could I be a good match for her?
This sister of my lord's,
while a woman, is stronger in will than any man.
She once said,
Anyone short of a true hero is not fit to be my husband.
Imperial Uncle, your name is praised throughout the land.
As the saying goes, "A noble maiden should wed a true gentleman."
How could the disparity in age
be of any consequence?
Master Lu,
may I ask
if this is the Marquis's idea?
Part of the reason why he's doing this
is to demonstrate his resolve in allying with you to oppose Cao Cao.
This will be beneficial both to our families and to our states.
Imperial Uncle, please consider it.
Good, good.
Good.
I thank the Marquis for his kindness.
How about this?
Sir, why don't you go rest at the guesthouse for now,
and I shall give you a reply tomorrow?
Is that acceptable?
Sun Qian, take good care of Master Lu.