binnovel Chapter 1317 Victory Banquet and Further Discussion on Declaring Himself Emperor
Chapter 1317 Victory Banquet and Further Discussion on Declaring Himself Emperor
Within two days, the area around Ye City had gradually stabilized. The few remaining remnants of the Yuan clan who stubbornly resisted were wiped out by Ma Chao's divided forces, Pang De led his army south, Xu Huang marched north, and Zhang Xiu also led a contingent, following the trail of the routed soldiers. Wherever they went, they first sent envoys to persuade the Yuan clan to surrender, explaining the advantages and disadvantages: "The Yuan clan has been destroyed; resistance is futile. Those who surrender will not be punished for their past actions and can return to their hometowns to farm." Only when they encountered die-hards who refused to surrender did they launch a full-scale attack; under the sword, there was no chance of survival.
On the morning of the fourth day, as soon as the gates of Ye City opened, a cloud of dust rose from the southeast. A scout galloped to report: "Commander Zhou has arrived!"
Upon learning of the fall of Ye City from Pingyuan County, Zhou Yu immediately left the main force to take control of the area, taking only two generals, Taishi Ci and Gan Ning, and two thousand elite light cavalry, who rushed to the city day and night. Along the way, the local officials and generals of the counties they passed through, hearing of the fall of Ye City and Yuan Shang's suicide, lost all will to fight and mostly opened their gates to surrender. A few who hesitated, seeing Zhou Yu's swift cavalry and disciplined army, knew resistance was futile and simply went with the flow. Therefore, they encountered no major battles along the way and arrived at Ye City in just four days.
At the city gate, Ma Chao was already waiting with Xu Huang, Pang De, and others. Zhou Yu dismounted, his silver armor covered in dust, yet his heroic spirit remained undiminished. He strode forward and bowed to Ma Chao, saying, "Brother, congratulations on your great achievement in annihilating the false dynasty!"
"Gongjin, you've come at just the right time." Ma Chao laughed loudly and grasped his wrist. "Tomorrow is the day to commemorate the general and his soldiers. With you here, it will be a perfect occasion."
Taishi Ci and Gan Ning also stepped forward to pay their respects. Gan Ning's voice was loud and clear: "Your Majesty, all the way here, the officials of those counties and prefectures were so intimidated by our banners that their legs went weak. They didn't even need to lift a finger!"
Everyone laughed upon hearing this, the laughter dispelling the tense atmosphere of the past few days. Ma Chao patted Zhou Yu on the shoulder: "Come on, let's go into the city and talk. This wine of Ye City should be shared with Gongjin."
The sun shone brightly, illuminating the two figures and the streets of Ye City, which were gradually coming back to life. In the distance, people had dared to set up stalls along the streets, children chased each other and played, and wisps of smoke rose from chimneys. The aftershocks of a great battle were being slowly soothed by these ordinary scenes of life.
After several rounds of drinks, the atmosphere in the tent was already quite tipsy. Zhou Yu, who was sitting to the side, suddenly stood up, took his wine cup, walked to the center of the banquet, and knelt down directly in front of Ma Chao.
This action startled Ma Chao, instantly dispelling his drunkenness. He quickly stepped down from the main seat and reached out to help him up, saying, "Gongjin, what are you doing? We are brothers, why such a grand gesture?"
Zhou Yu gently pulled his hand away, his expression solemn as if facing heaven and earth: "Brother, there is something I have kept in my heart for years, and today, at this banquet, I must tell you."
"Speak, get up and talk." Seeing that he was determined not to get up, Ma Chao had no choice but to calm himself down and stand aside.
Upon seeing this, the generals inside the tent stopped laughing and joking, turned their heads to look, and even their breathing became lighter.
Zhou Yu looked up at Ma Chao, his voice steady and powerful: "Since the decline of the Han Dynasty and the rise of warlords, the world has been in chaos for more than a decade. Now, the various warlords are gradually dying out, and Yuan Shang's usurpation of the Han Dynasty and establishment of a false regime has severed the last thread of the Han Dynasty. Brother, you have raised an army to destroy this false dynasty, restore order to the world, and secure the country. Now that most of the world is in your hands, it is the time to set things right."
“Brother, you are mistaken.” Ma Chao quickly waved his hand. “Qingzhou was taken by Jiangdong, so it should rightfully belong to Jiangdong. How can you say that most of it is in my hands?”
Zhou Yu suddenly bowed his head, his forehead almost touching the ground: "Brother! Jiangdong has always followed your lead! When you married Shangxiang, the old lady made it clear that Jiangdong was your foundation. Sun Shao and I have never considered ourselves outsiders. Now that you are powerful throughout the land, it is time for Jiangdong to formally submit!"
He looked up at Ma Chao, his gaze intense: "At today's banquet, Zhou Yu has two pieces of advice to offer to my elder brother."
Seeing his resolute attitude, Ma Chao knew that it would be futile to persuade him to get up at this point, so he could only sigh and say, "Gongjin, please speak your mind. I'm listening."
Zhou Yu took a deep breath and said loudly, "Firstly, Jiangdong is willing to formally submit and be incorporated into the territory of Xiliang. From now on, the government and orders will be unified, and there will be no more distinction between us. Brother, please do not refuse any longer. This is in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people, and it is in line with the general trend of the world!"
A hush fell over the tent, followed by a low gasp of amazement. Xu Huang, Pang De, and the others exchanged glances, all seeing excitement in each other's eyes. The surrender of Jiangdong meant that there were no longer any major barriers in the south, and the hope of unifying the world was within reach.
Looking at Zhou Yu kneeling on the ground, and then at the generals in the tent, filled with passionate emotions, Ma Chao was overwhelmed with mixed feelings. He knew that Zhou Yu's words were not empty words. Over the years, Jiangdong and Xiliang had been exchanging goods and had long been interdependent. However, the word "submission" carried too much weight, so much so that he did not know how to respond for a moment.
Zhou Yu knelt on the ground, holding the wine cup high with both hands, his eyes burning as he looked at Ma Chao: "If you, brother, fulfill Jiangdong's wishes, please drink this cup to the brim. Otherwise, I will kneel and die in this golden palace."
As soon as the words were spoken, all the generals in the tent rose in unison, each raising their wine cups and kneeling respectfully: "Please grant our request, Your Majesty! If you do not grant it, we are willing to kneel here and die with Gongjin!"
Ma Chao's gaze swept over the crowd, finally settling on the expectation in Zhou Yu's eyes. He paused slightly as he took the wine cup, then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp. The wine was scalding hot as it went down his throat. He bent down and steadily helped Zhou Yu up, saying in a deep voice, "Very well, Jiangdong and Xiliang are united, and from now on there will be no more distinction between us."
Zhou Yu's face was practically overflowing with joy, and he repeatedly cupped his hands in thanks, saying, "Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The generals echoed in unison, drank their cups to the brim, and their voices resounded throughout the tent: "Your Majesty is wise!"
Ma Chao raised his hand to signal: "Everyone, please stand up. Pass down the order that Jiangdong will switch sides and all government orders will be unified with Xiliang. The appointment and removal of officials and the deployment of military equipment will all be carried out in accordance with the regulations of Xiliang."
"Yes, sir!" The generals rose to their feet, and the atmosphere inside the tent was lively.
Ma Chao twirled the wine cup halfway in his palm, looked up at Zhou Yu, and smiled: "Now, Gongjin, you should be relieved, right?" He then invited him to sit down and drink together.
Zhou Yu raised his hand slightly, signaling to pause. His gaze swept over the generals who were holding their breath in the tent, and he said in a deep voice, "No, brother, I have a second suggestion. Please listen."
The tent fell silent instantly, so quiet you could hear a pin drop. The generals, who had just relaxed, tensed up again, all straining their ears and not daring to breathe. Everyone knew that Zhou Yu's "advice" always hit the nail on the head, and this second piece of advice was probably even more weighty than the first.
The smile in Ma Chao's eyes faded slightly, and he nodded, saying, "I would like to hear the details."
Zhou Yu sat upright, his gaze calm yet carrying an undeniable power, and slowly spoke: "My second piece of advice is to ask my elder brother to ascend the throne and become emperor, so as to put the hearts of the people at ease."
The moment he finished speaking, Ma Chao abruptly stopped his wine cup in his hand. His expression changed drastically, and he shouted angrily, "Nonsense! Gongjin, you are usually so composed. How could you utter such rebellious words? If I were to truly ascend the throne and become emperor, how would I be any different from the Yuan clan that was just destroyed?"
The tent fell into a deathly silence. The generals who had just been trying to echo Zhou Yu were now frozen in place, unsure of what to do with their hands, their faces filled with helplessness. No one had expected Ma Chao to react so strongly, and for a moment they didn't even dare to breathe.
Jia Xu's hand, which was stroking his beard, froze in mid-air. Xu Shu lowered his eyes to look at the table. Even these strategists, who were most adept at understanding people's hearts, chose to remain silent. They knew better than anyone that Zhou Yu could say such a thing because of his special relationship with Ma Chao. If it were anyone else, they would probably have already touched a raw nerve.
Zhou Yu remained seated as before, showing no sign of panic despite Ma Chao's reprimand.
Looking into his open eyes, Ma Chao remembered that he hadn't seen his sworn brother for several years, and that all his thoughts were on scheming for him. The anger in his chest gradually subsided, his expression softened, and he finally sighed: "Gongjin, please speak."
Zhou Yu bowed respectfully, his voice clear and powerful: "Brother, look, the world's格局 (geju, a term referring to the overall situation or structure) is now settled. You have already seized Liang, Yong, Sili, and half of Yizhou, and recently gained You, Qing, Yan, and Ji provinces. The lands of Yangzhou in Jiangdong have also submitted, and Gongsun Zan of Bingzhou has long since surrendered. All things considered, only Yuzhou, Jingzhou, and Jiaozhou are still not under your control. With such a situation, most of the world is now under your control. Your ascension to the throne at this time is perfectly legitimate and will be enough to stabilize the hearts of the people."
He paused, his gaze sweeping across the tent, his tone growing more earnest: "The world has been in chaos for too long, and the people are suffering terribly. We need a wise ruler to stabilize the realm and end this scourge of war. If you hesitate any longer, brother, I fear that we will give unscrupulous people an opportunity to take advantage of us, and we will fail to live up to the expectations of this vast land and its people."
Seeing Ma Chao's gaze relax slightly, the generals in the tent immediately perked up and stepped forward to echo his sentiments:
"Your Majesty is wise! Gongjin is absolutely right! Your achievements are unparalleled, and you should ascend the throne as emperor to secure the country!"
"Hebei is now pacified, and the people's hearts are gradually winning over you. Now is the perfect time for you to ascend the throne! We are willing to follow Your Majesty to the death!"
"Your Majesty's benevolence is known throughout the land. If you were to ascend the throne, it would truly be a blessing for all the people!"
Ma Chao raised his hand and pressed down to silence the crowd, his expression solemn: "I understand your thoughts, all of which are for my sake and for the sake of the world. But the time is not yet ripe."
He looked out into the deep night, his tone thoughtful: "Although Hebei is broken, its foundation is not yet stable, and the people's hearts have not truly submitted; the war in Youzhou has not yet ended, and the remnants are still resisting. If we rashly ascend the throne at this time, I'm afraid that some people with ulterior motives will take advantage of the situation and cause trouble instead."
"Perhaps we should wait a little longer." Ma Chao's gaze swept over everyone, filled with certainty. "Once Hebei is completely pacified, the flames of war in Youzhou are extinguished, and the people live in peace and prosperity, it won't be too late to follow the will of Heaven. Being too hasty will only make things worse."
When the generals heard that although he had not agreed, he had not completely refused either, and instead conveyed the meaning that he would agree when the time was right, they were immediately delighted—this was a rare sign that Ma Chao had given in.
"Your Majesty is right! We are willing to wait!"
"We will wait until Your Majesty has pacified the world before ascending the throne!"
"We swear to follow our king to the death!"
Zhou Yu watched from the side, his smile deepening. He raised his cup and said, "Since you have already made your decision, we should naturally follow it. Let's not talk about these things today, but congratulate you on gaining another ally!"
Seeing everyone's excited expressions, Ma Chao smiled and waved his hand, "Alright, alright, let's not talk about these things today. I'm happy that Gongjin has come from afar. Let's only talk about brotherhood and not about politics."
The generals responded with a resounding roar, and the atmosphere in the tent immediately relaxed. The previous restraint vanished, and everyone toasted each other, reminiscing about the past. Laughter and drinking games rose and fell until the moon was high in the sky, when the banquet gradually dispersed, leaving behind a lingering aroma of wine and the joy of the occasion.