Episode 85
Three Kingdoms
Dear sirs, the border regions reported that Zhuge Liang raised an army of 350,000 for a northern expedition.
They are now stationed in Hanzhong.
Their forces are aimed straight at the two capitals.
Zhao Yun, their vanguard leader, has already entered Wei territory.
What do you think?
How shall we resist the enemy?
Your Majesty,
Zhuge Liang is stationed in Hanzhong in order to observe our movements.
Uh, I suggest that Your Majesty order the commanders of our border commanderies to increase security,
meeting action with non-action, and then send a general to fight Zhao Yun.
Zhao Yun is one of Shu's five Tiger Generals, the bravest in the lands.
Who is willing to fight Zhao Yun?
Your Majesty,
my father died in battle at Hanzhong.
I hate the Shu army with a vengeance.
Your Majesty, please.allow me to take the Western Army to battle Zhao Yun,
so that I may obtain glory for my country and avenge my father.
Your Majesty, Prince Xiahou's spirit is admirable. but he is untried in battle.
He may not be a match for Zhao Yun, or Zhuge Liang, who is backing him.
I suggest we assign General Cao Zhen as Chief General
and Regent-General Cao Xiu as his assistant,
and mobilize the entire country's troops to meet the enemy.
Wang Lang, I've studied strategy since I was a child.
How can you look down on me due to my youth?
Are you perhaps colluding with Zhuge Liang
and acting as his spy from within?
Just listening to your words,
I can tell you are extremely anxious.
This in itself is a recipe for disaster in battle. Your Majesty.
If I cannot catch Zhuge Liang alive.
I vow to never return to court.
Your Majesty,
unparalleled in loyalty and courage.
General Xiahou is His Late Majesty's son-in-law,
If we send him to battle Zhao Yun,
he will surely manifest the might of our great kingdom
General Xiahou.
Here.
I confer on you the title of General who Conquers the West,
and command you to lead 200,000 men from the Western Army to meet the enemy.
You must make sure to capture Zhuge Liang alive
to appease to His Late Majesty's spirit in Heaven.
As you command.
Your Excellency.
What is this for?
Your Excellency, according to the military secretary.
there was a Wu emissary here three days ago.
He came under Sun Quan's order
to bring us 100 jugs of fine wine and 100 quality steeds as a sending-off gift.
He also brought word from Sun Quan, wishing,you a swift victory and success in the Northern Expedition.
Very well.
Take it.
Are you aware of Sun Quan's unspoken message?
Sun Quan is using this gift to tell you
that none of our army's moves escape his surveillance.
That's why he left this wine here thr£e days ago on the route that our troops would take.
As for wishing us immediate victory and other such words,
they are most likely insincere.
He wishes neither to see us triumph.
nor to see us fail miserably.
What he wishes most
is for both Shu and Wei to suffer heavy losses.
Indeed.
We will let them wait and see then.
Report.
Sir the van has reached a fork in the road. General Zhao wishes to know which way he should take.
Bring me the map.
Aye.
Fetch the map.
There are two paths for attacking the Central Plains.
The Tight path passes the Xie Valley,
and the left path brings us out of the Qi Mountains.
Give orders to split our forces in two.
One will take the Xie Valley path. and launch a mock attack on Mei County.
One will cross Qi Mountain, march to Longyou,
set a base there and then attack Chang'an.
As you command.
Your Excellency, why not take the third way?
There is no third way out of Hanzhong.
Not on the map, but there is one outside the map.
Wenchang, what do you mean?
Here.
Your Excellency, if you grant me five thousand elite troops
and allow me to march across the Qin Range, through Ziwu Valley and then straight to Chang'an,
I can win the battle within ten days.
The Qin Range is rugged and difficult to traverse.
If you are discovered by enemy troops,
you will be trapped. and your bodies will be strewn in the valleys below.
No.
Cao Rui would never guess that our troops will cross the Qin Range.
The most dangerous place is also the safest.
With just a force of 5,000, I can catch them by surprise before the gates of Chang'an.
A force of surprise trumps a force of many.
If we go according to Your Excellency's plan
and march through Qi Mountain to reach Chang'an, we will need several months' time to get there.
Besides, there will be enemy defenses along the way. forcing us to attack them stronghold by stronghold.
The war would thus be drawn out. When then will we ever conquer the Central Plains?
The Northern Expedition will make or break our empire.
We absolutely must not take any risks.
Our troops will proceed along the level and even path of Longyou,
advancing according to plan, and taking caution each step of the way.
This way, even though we will not win a quick victory.
we will certainly not be defeated either.
Its decided. We'll take the main path.
Issue the orders.
Aye.
This is a Heaven-sent opportunity to take Chang'an.
I cannot believe the Prime Minister is so cautious.
Wei Yan, remember this.
The Prime Minister does not play with risk.
That's why he wins every battle.
Military strategy boils down to one thing: surprise.
If we do not dare to risk, how can we launch a surprise attack?
Your Excellency, our spies report
that Cao Rui named Prince Xiahou as Grand Commander who Conquers the West and sent him to lead the Xiliang troops to war.
That man is an idle son of the rich.
great in name only, and not one to be worried about.
Also,
it's said that Sima Yi has been ostracized out of Luoyang.
He was sent off to be Commander of Yong-Liang.
What?
Yong-Liang is the key strategic passage to guarding Charig'an.
Could it be that Cao Rui has seen through our plan of attack?
I don't think so.
If Cao Rui had seen through your plan of attack.
he would station more troops at Yong-Liang.
But our scouts said that Yong-Liang only has 8,000 men guarding it.
and no additional troops were sent there.
Sima Yi is a master at the art of war.
With him there, there might as well be a force of 100,000.
Then, in your opinion we should...
kill him.
With an assassin?
One does not need an assassin to kill.
Sometimes words can kill just as well.
Killing without bloodshed, no less.
Aren't Cao Zhen and Cao Xiu suspicious of Sima Yi?
They are.
Otherwise they wouldn't have gotten him exiled to the borders.
Father.
Are these our newly-conscripted men?
How many?
As of today, there are a little over 15,000.
Within two months we must expand the army by 30,000 men.
Zhuge Liang has set forth already.
I suspect that he will make for Chang'an via the Qi Mountain route.
Yong-Liang is the key defense point of Chang'an. Sooner or later a bloody war will take place here.
But our scouts said that
Zhuge Liang was marching via the Xie Valley and aims to attack Mei County.
There are no Shu troops at Qi Mountain.
Those adept at warfare can make their armies invisible as if by magic.
The Shu army went to the Xie Valley Road
for luring our main forces out to combat.
At that time, the Shu Army will emerge from Qi Mountain
But what if Zhuge Liang is not marching out from Qi Mountain?
You are drafting tens of thousands of troops in secret. How will we explain ourselves to the Court?
If this leaks out, at best, we would only receive Cao Zhen's accusations,
but at worst, the Emperor would become suspicious of us.
Why don't you send a memorial to the court and notify them of this.
Its not as if you do not know the culture at court.
After we send the memorial. His Majesty will summon all the officials to discuss this.
But by the time they're done,
Zhuge Liang will be at our doors.
How can a mere 8,000 soldiers resist him?
But if the Court charges you with the offense of unauthorized military recruitment,
what will we do then?
I am the Commander of Yong-Liang. I bear the responsibility of defending our cities.
Just think, is recruiting an army or losing our cities the worse offense?
I, Sima Yi, Chief Commander of the Elite Cavalry and Grand Commander of Yong-Liang,"
proclaim this in good faith to the world."
When the Late Martial Emperor founded this empire,"
he intended to make Cao Zijian his heir to the throne."
Unfortunately, due to wicked slander..."
The royal grandson, Cao Rui, is lacking in virtue."
He took the throne unlawfully, against his ancestors wishes."
In accordance to the Founding Emperor's mandate, I hereby launch a campaign against the traitor."
All soldiers and civilians would do well to declare fealty to the new ruler."
Your Majesty, did you hear that?
Sima Yi is rebelling!
Fourth Uncle, you've said that Sima Yi is reservedly .nature. .
Would he write such a flamboyant notice?
Could this be one of Zhuge Liang's tricks to sow dissension?
With only the few thousand soldiers guarding Yong-Liang, how. would Sima Yi dare to revolt? -
Your Majesty is right in having doubts.
But what if Sima Yi recruited solders in secret?
How would he dare to? l did not order him to recruit troops.
I received a secret report that Sima Yi has secretly recruited tens of thousands of troops in Yong-Liang.
His clan can be exterminated for that. How dare he not report it?
That is the crucial point. Why, indeed, did he not report it?
Your Majesty, Zhuge Liang's army has entered our borders.
If Sima Yi coordinates with him from the inside...
Mobilize 20,000 troops from the Tiger Camp immediately. I will go to Yong-Liang and indict him myself.
As you command.
Report! His Majesty is coming in person with 20,000 Tiger Troops. They are now 10 miles from here.
Father,
They are now 10 miles from here.
His Majesty is coming in person with 20,000 Tiger Troops.
Prepare to receive His Majesty.
Sire, Sima Yi has received your orders
and will come to see you at once.
How many guards is he bringing?
It's just himself and his son.
Your Majesty, the Tiger Troops have taken up the key positions.
Two hundred executioners are hidden outside the royal tent.
Only the two of them, father and son, are coming.
If he is truly treasonous, why does he not flee for his life?
I think that if Sima Yi did recruit men in secret,
we should behead him at once according to the law.
Father please think about this some more.
Enough! Father, please think about this some more.
If we run away, the entire Sima clan will be exterminated.
I leave my fate in the hands of Heaven.
#unrecognized text#
Your servant, Sima Yi, pays respects to Your Majesty.
Sima Yi, did you recruit soldiers?
I did.
How many?
30,200 men.
How dare you!
Did I ever grant you permission to do so?
Your Majesty,
by your benevolence I was sent here to defend Yong-Liang.
But when I arrived, I found that the soldiers here are few and the generals weak.
If Zhuge Liang attacks from Qi Mountain,
I would not be able to resist.
So I thought,
rather than being guilty of losing in battle. it would be better to recruit soldiers to resist him.
Why didn't you report this to me?
It's complicated.
I was thinking that if I sent a memorial.
it would most likely be rejected.
Even if it were approved, it would take three months to be ratified.
The military situation was very urgent, and;there could be no delay.
Since I was away from court, I had no choice but to act first and report later.
I humbly await Your Majesty to punish me.
What lies!
Sima Yi, you claim that you recruited soldiers to resist the enemy.
But Zhuge Liang is attacking from the Xie Valley route.
There is no battle here. What enemy do you want to resist?
Regent-General, the attack from Xie Valley is just Zhuge Liang's decoy.
Sooner or later the Shu army will march out from Qi Mountain and make for Chang'an.
If Zhuge Liang does not march from Qi Mountain,
what punishment would you deserve then?
Then it's off with my head!
In Luoyang there is a rumor that you plan to use the mountains here as a natural barrier
and declare yourself king.
Your Majesty,
is is Zhuge Liang's scheme to sow<dissension
I was entrusted by His Late Majesty to look after you.
Even if my body were shattered into pieces, I cannot repay His Late Majesty.
How would I dare harbor disloyal thoughts?
I beseech Your Majesty to judge sagely. Judge sagely!
Your Majesty,
the Heavens can testify to my father's loyalty!
When I knew that Tiger Troops were coming. I advised my father to flee.
But my father drew his sword and rebuked me.
saying that he would kill me if I dared to flee.
and then present my head to Your Majesty to beg for forgiveness.
Sima Yi,
because of your services to the late emperor and the royal founder,
I will spare your life for now.
Nevertheless I shall strip you of all your titles.
You will return to your hometown.
Without my edict, you are not taking a single step away from it.
Thank you. Sire.
Hand over all your troops to Cao Xiu.
Fourth Uncle, I command you to guard Yong-Liang.
As you command.
Father do you really plan to live your remaining years back home?
Why not?
There I was born, and there I shall die.
To live to old age in peace is a rare fortune.
A few decades of hard work, destroyed in an instant.
We're lucky enough to make it back alive!
Look at this! Look at this! All reports of defeat!
Xiahou kept saying he would capture Zhuge Liang alive, but then what?
He suffered huge casualties,
and even he himself has been captured by Zhao Yun.
We've lost the honor of our country and our army. And I have completely lost face!
Also! Shu sent a detachment as a decoy at Xies alley, while Zhuge Liang led he main force
over Qi Mountain and the Wei River, heading straight for Chang'an.
Jiang Wei, commander of Tianshui, went over to Shu.
All of Nan'an, Meicheng, Shanggui, and Tianshui fell into the hands of Zhuge Liang.
Regent-General Cao Xiu has run away and abandoned Yong-Liang
Right now the Shu army is within a hundred miles of Chang'an.
At this rate, in just a few months' time I will become the emperor of a fallen state!
Your Majesty, as I have said before.
Prince Xiahou is no match for Zhuge Liang.
To win against Zhuge Liang, we will need Commander-in-Chief Cao Zhen.
Your Majesty, my abilities are limited. l am unfit for such a great task.
Third Uncle, His Late Majesty entrusted his child into your care
Right now we're threatened with the destruction of our country and the annihilation of our people.
Can you just sit idly by?
Commander-in-Chief, you are an Important officer of our empire. You must not decline.
If you do not mind.
I am eager to accompany you into battle against Zhuge Liang.
Sir, if you are willing to assist me.
please assume the post of Chief Advisor.
Dear sir, you are already seventy-six years old.
How can I have the heart...
Your Majesty, How can I have the heart...
I may be old, but I am not old in spirit.
People say that Zhuge Liang is a cunning demon.
I don't believe that.
I've always wanted to catch some demons myself. I will contend with him before the armies.
We shall see whether the wicked or the virtuous will triumph.
Splendid.
We appoint Cao Zhen as Grand Commander,
and Wang Lang a! Chief Advisor.
I give you the token of imperial authority and 200,000 men-to battle Zhuge Liang.
As you command.
Zhuge Liang is indeed worthy of his reputation
There are profound complexities in his formations.
Chief Advisor, what is your plan?
I hear that Zhuge Liang is an adept debater.
General, please ask him to come out.
Let me first give him a sound tongue-lashing.
After the edge has been taken off the enemy's spirit,
General, you can then proceed with the battle.
Good. Go issue the challenge!
Aye.
Wang Lang, Minister of the Interior of Wei...
You must be Minister Wang?
I have long heard of your great reputation.
I am pleased to meet you today.
You often say that you are attuned to the will of Heaven and acquainted with the ways of the world.
Why then, do you launch a campaign without just cause?
On imperial orders I come to destroy rebels.
How is this without just cause?
Heaven's course alters. and the Imperial Instruments may change hands.
A virtuous sovereign replaces the one without.
This is the natural law of the universe.
During the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling,
the Yellow Scarves rose in rebellion, and the world was in turmoil.
Rebels swarmed everywhere as frenzied wasps. and warlords soared like vultures.
The empire was at the brink of destruction,
and its people were desperate for help.
Our founder, the Martial Emperor,
strove to sweep the realm clean of traitors. and to take the world under his control.
All hearts turned toward him in gratitude. and all within the Four Seas held him in awe.
His successor, the Literary Emperor, acted in accordance to Heaven's will and men's wishes.
He took as example the story of Yao abdicating to Shun,
and inherited the throne.
They have both acted by Heavens Mandate.
You are a bright man, sir.
You consider yourself an equal to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi.
Why, then, would you act in defiance of Heaven?
Have you not heard it said,
those who obey Heaven prevail; those who defy Heaven perish?'
Today, our Great Wei
commands millions of soldiers and thousands of able generals.
We have horses enough to level the mountains,
and such swords and sabers that can pierce the skies.
Sir, if you know what is best for you,
you would do well to throw down your weapon, cast off your armor, and surrender.
I will guarantee you an elevated rank at court.
And I was expecting some profound speech from you, a long-time servant of the Han Dynasty.
Never have I imagined that such an elderly gentleman as yourself could utter such foul words.
I have something to say. Men of arms, heed it well.
You, Wang Lang, and generations of your family have enjoyed the bounty of the Great Han.
You were,recommended to imperial service due to your good conduct. If you had a shred of conscience,
you should have assisted your sovereign and state. eradicated traitors and upheld the Han.
But instead, you were greedy for position and abetted the villain in treason.
Now, you ought to just lie low and preserve your fortunes.
or hide in dark places and commit petty crimes befitting of the rat you are.
What nerve you've got to come forth before the armies and rant about the Will of Heaven!
Hoary-headed cretin!
Gray-bearded traitor!
You!
How will you stand before the Great Han's twenty-four emperors?
You...
Retire, old villain!
I shall not sully my weapons with your blood.
Hurry! Retrieve Minister Wang!
Retreat!
Minister Wang! Minister Wang!
How is Minister Wang?
He's dead.
General, please excuse me.
Zh... Zh... Zhuge Liang is truly a demonic creature.
With mere words, he managed to kill my Chief Advisor!
Wang Lang is one of the Three Excellencies at court.
What will I tell His Majesty?
Grand Commander, after Minister Wang fell off his horse, morale in our camps plummeted.
I believe that Zhuge Liang will raid us in our time of crisis.
Grand Commander, you must guard against that.
Must guard against that..
Rather than preparing a defense,
why don't we use Wang Lang's death as a bait to lure the Shu army into attacking.
When they come, we'll make sure this is the last trip they ever take.
Jiang Wei pays respects to you, Your Excellency.
Boyue.
Wei troops have taken position along the Wei River. We cannot break through their defense easily.
You are a local here. I'd like to hear your description of the terrain here.
Your Excellency, the Wei River is fickle in this season.
An overnight storm upriver would raise the water level by ten spans downriver.
Our men will not be able to cross the river.
Which is to say, if we risked an attack,
Cao Zhen may raid us mid-crossing.
That is correct, Your Excellency.
I do have an idea, but...
Go ahead.
When I went to observe the enemy camps.
I noticed that the entire Cao army is in mourning. .
Who died? I noticed that the entire Cao army is in mourning.
Chief Advisor Wang Lang.
He died?
I must say I did not-anticipate that.
Your scathing rebuke of the old fool before the armies struck him as sharply as steel.
It will go down in history.
But I find this suspicious.
Wang Lang is one of the Three Excellencies. and Cao Zhen's Chief Advisor.
If he died, they should keep it a secret, lest it affect morale.
Why would Cao Zhen make such a grand display of his funeral processions?
Boyue, your insight is extraordinary.
Could this be Cao Zhen's trick?
This must be Cao Zhen's trick to lure us into raiding his camps.
Let us think a bit deeper.
If Cao Zhen lures us to attack, where would he stage the ambush?
Boyue, you are familiar with the terrain here.
You tell us.
The ambush must be set by the side of Fish Hill.
Good.
We will play along then.
Cao Zhen fell victim to Zhuge Liang's ruse, and lost over half his men. He is now begging for assistance.
Even more worrisome, Wang Lang actually died
from a tongue-lashing right before the army!
Now, our troops are completely routed.
The court is in turmoil.
Grand Tutor Zhong,
Hua Xin petitioned for me to march to battle myself.
What do you think?
If your old servant may be so bold to ask Your Majesty one thing.
Even though you are the exalted emperor.
how certain are you of your own ability to defeat Zhuge Liang?
I don't know about military affairs. I fear that l may not be able to.
Your Majesty's words show your wisdom in understanding yourself.
Your Majesty is a virtuous and wise ruler indeed.
The only piece Your Majesty lacks is the wisdom in judging people.
Grand Tutor, what do you mean?
I believe that Grand Tutor, what do you mean?
he who is Sovereign, ruling the Middle Palace,
needs not understand military affairs, but must know human ones.
In particular, he must know who to send to war,
and who to use for defending the country.
Who?
I am willing to vouch for one person with the lives of my entire family.
If Your Majesty can make use of this person,
Zhuge Liang will be doomed to defeat
Who is it?
He has served three successive rules of Wei.
Zhuge Liang fears neither Cao Zhen nor Cao Xiu,
but fears this man only.
Because of that, Zhuge Liang spread rumors widely to sow dissension, so that he may be destroyed.
After that, Zhuge Liang is free to drive his army straight through.
Are you talking about Sima Yi?
Exactly.
Of all the officials at court.
only Sima Yi predicted that Zhuge Liang would head out from Qi Mountain.
The reason he recruited soldiers in Yong-Liang
was to defend against Zhuge Liang.
I have mistakenly believed slanderous words and wrongly accused Sima Yi.
How I regret it!
Your Excellency, since the beginning of our expedition,
we have scored victory upon victory.
I have not been so happy in a long time.
Your Excellency, the Wei forces in the Central Plains are terrified of us.
Why not take this opportunity and split our forces to conquer Chang'an and Luoyang?
No hurry.
Let us first rest for a few days,
and replenish the food supplies and weaponry.
Afterward, Zilong will lead 100,000 men to attack Chang'an,
and Wei Yan will lead'80,000 men to attack Luoyang.
I will lead the main forces and follow behind you.
If all goes well, in half a year's time,
we can conquer the Central Plains.
As you command.
Your Excellency,
Li Feng, son of Li Yan, has come from Chengdu to see you with an urgent report.
Could it be that Sun Quan breached our agreement and is attacking us?
Admit him at once.
Come in.
Li Feng, is Wu advancing towards us?
When did they attack?
Is their commander Lu Xun?
Where are they now?
Your Excellency, Wu did not attack.
I was sent by my father to deliver this confidential letter to you.
Where is the letter?
Oh, Li Feng, your father, has rendered the state a great service!
Your Excellency, what is the good news?
Could you tell us?
I never would have guessed.
Li Yan has managed persuade Meng Da to rebel.
Now, Meng Da is willing to surrender to us along with 120,000 troops of Xincheng.
He asks me to set a date for him to attack Luoyang
and capture Cao Rui, Emperor of Wei, to deliver to us.
Meng Da also said,
now that all the Wei troops are away at battle.
Luoyang is only defended by the Royal Guards.
Once he rebels,
he would be able to take over the city in an instant.
Your Excellency, is this to be believed?
Absolutely!
Meng Da only surrendered to Wei back then because he had no alternative.
After the death of Cao Pi,
he has often been the target of Cao Xiu and Cao Zhen's distrust and suspicions.
Meng Da fears for his life and has long wanted to rebel against them.
Now that our Northern Expedition has seen victory upon victory,
it is the perfect opportunity for him to redeem himself.
If he doesn't do it now, he'll not have another chance.
In that case,
since Xincheng is not far from Luoyang,
if Meng Da attacks now, he can catch them off guard.
The Wei court will be taken by surprise.
With Meng Da's help,
seizing the Central Plains will be as easy as turning one's hand over.
Cao Wei will fall and Shu-Han will rise.
Li Feng, your fathers merits
shine as brightly as the sun and the moon, and will go down in history forever.
Ma Su, write a letter to Meng Da for me.
Have him lead troops from Xincheng and nearby areas to attack Luoyang on the tenth day of the ninth month.
On the same day, I will also mobilize my army to attack Chang'an.
As you command.
Actually, let me write the letter myself.
Generals, return to your own camps.
Rest well and await orders.
As you command.
Father,
Xiahou has been captured and Cao Zhen has lost troops and land.
Important strongholds of Xianyang have fallen to Zhuge Liang.
Do you suppose that
the Court will be forced to relocate the capital?
His Majesty listens to slander and forsakes the loyal in favor of the wicked.
And the nobles from the Cao house have lost battle after battle.
At this rate, the Great Wei will not last for long.
Father, will you not even submit one memorial?
Father, what are you thinking?
Do you know this piece?
High Mountains, Flowing Waters, a classic piece.
Father is awaiting a kindred soul.
However, the current emperor is not your kindred soul,
but instead he is your nemesis.
So-called nemeses are often one's kindred souls.
If two men do not understand each other deeply,
how can they be each others nemesis?
Are the dates in the orchard ripe?
Uh... I think they should be.
Go fetch some dates. I want a bite of something fresh.
Father, are you waiting for the edict from Court?
Father.
Father, an imperial envoy has come to our village with an edict from the emperor.
Who is the envoy?
Prime Minister Hua Xin.
Sima Yi, receive the imperial edict.
By the grace of Heaven, the Emperor thus decrees.
Sima Yi was a victim of slander and was wrongly persecuted.
The faults rests entirely with Us."
Now, a great enemy Is upon our borders and the Court is danger."
Only you can bear the great responsibility
to drive away this danger, and to protect this country and her people.
We appoint Sima Yi as Chief Commander of the Elite Cavalry
and Grand Commander Who Subdues the West.
He shall have control over all military personnel in the central lands, and lead them to war."
Thus We have decreed."
Your servant humbly accepts the edict.
Zhongda.
Grand Tutor Zhong has vouched for you with the lives of his entire family of fifty-three.
I, too, have vouched for you with the lives of the forty-seven members of my family.
It adds up to exactly one hundred living souls.
Prime Minister Hua,
some have said that I had preying eyes and wicked intentions.
Because of that, I was almost unable to preserve even the lives of my own family.
How would I dare to be responsible for another hundred lives?
Zhongda, what need is there for such sarcasm?
Allow me to apologize to you.
The military situation is urgent. Please excuse me for not offering tea.
Return to Luoyang at once and report to His Majesty that
I will set out today for Wancheng to assume my post at the General's Office.
As you command.