novelAbuy Chapter 1484 Death
Chapter 1484 Death
Chapter 1484 Death for Righteousness
On the tenth day of the first month of the fifteenth year of Yanxi, the imperial edict from Jianye arrived at the Xiling Governor's Office.
Zhuge Ke received the imperial edict while on his sickbed.
He had his personal guards set up an incense table in the outer room of his bedroom, and he, supported by two attendants, with disheveled hair and bare feet, wearing only a plain white undergarment, knelt and swayed as he received the imperial decree.
When the envoy, unaware of the truth, read the imperial edict, he saw that the man's face was sallow, his cheeks were sunken, and he spoke in a weak voice, so he actually believed the claim that the man was "seriously ill" to some extent.
"Your subject... Your subject Ke, receives the imperial edict... and expresses his gratitude."
Zhuge Ke prostrated himself on the ground, and when he raised his head, there were tears in his eyes:
"Your Majesty's grace... I, your subject, even if I were to die... could not repay even a fraction of it..."
When the messenger returned to Jianye to report, he described Zhuge Yuanxun as follows: "Zhuge Yuanxun is emaciated and coughing up blood incessantly. I fear he will not live much longer."
When the news reached Jianye, Sun Jun was somewhat suspicious, but Princess Quan sneered:
"Illness? Let him be sick enough. Issue an edict to the Imperial Medical Bureau to send the best physicians to Xiling, and make sure that Grand Tutor Zhuge is cured."
Early February, Xiling.
Zhuge Ke's "illness" is getting worse.
The governor's mansion was filled with the smell of medicine all day long, and doctors came and went frequently.
When Zhuge Ke occasionally appeared in the courtyard, he was always wrapped in a thick fur coat and supported by others, and he would cough violently after saying only three words.
The people of Xiling all say: "The general has worked hard for the country and is seriously ill, which is heartbreaking."
Zhuge Rong arrived at Xiling under these circumstances.
He brought a team of about a thousand people.
According to the imperial edict, he was to come and replace Zhuge Ke.
The handover ceremony was conducted hastily in the main hall of the Governor's Mansion.
Zhuge Ke was still "unable to stand up due to illness." He was supported by his attendants, and when he handed over the tiger tally, the imperial axe, and other items, his fingers trembled so much that he could barely hold them.
Zhuge Rong appeared exceptionally submissive, even somewhat uneasy.
Throughout the entire process, the two brothers barely made eye contact, and their conversation was limited to bureaucratic platitudes.
"The Xiling Defense Atlas consists of thirty volumes, the Grain and Provisions Register is in twelve volumes, and the List of Soldiers and Officers..."
"I trouble you, brother. Rong must be careful in the handover."
The ceremony lasted less than half an hour before Zhuge Ke, exhausted, was helped back to the inner hall to rest.
Zhuge Rong, following the rules, moved into the guest courtyard on the east side of the governor's mansion.
The officials he brought with him began to "familiarize themselves with the situation" as usual, but the process was inefficient, and the questions they asked were mostly trivial.
This aligns well with Jianye's assessment of him:
A mediocre general who mishandled the Qiao County incident last year and only managed to retain his official position thanks to his elder brother's protection.
That night, at the third quarter of midnight.
The door to one of the rooms in the guest house was silently pushed open.
Wearing a cloak, Zhuge Rong, led by his confidant, passed through a hidden side gate and finally entered a windowless secret room deep inside the governor's mansion.
Inside the secret room, Zhuge Ke was already waiting.
He changed out of his daytime feigned illness and, dressed only in a plain dark-colored robe, sat behind a plan.
A huge map of western Jingzhou was spread out on the table, covered with dense markings in vermilion.
"Brother." Zhuge Rong bowed respectfully.
Zhuge Ke looked up at his younger brother: "In Jianye, besides the imperial edict, has Sun Jun given you any other instructions?"
"The letter only mentioned that my elder brother has made great contributions and is now seriously ill, and should return to the capital to enjoy his retirement. It instructed me to take over properly and not to betray the court's trust..."
Zhuge Ke sneered and asked again, "Anything else?"
Zhuge Rong glanced around instinctively, then lowered his voice to a whisper:
“Brother, when I came from Gong’an, Teng Yin sent someone to deliver a message to me: ‘The troops in Jiangling have moved, the boats in Baqiu have assembled, and the poisoned wine from Xindu has arrived.’”
“Xindu poisoned wine…” Zhuge Ke repeated these four words, a trace of pain flashing in his eyes, “Sun He… is indeed dead.”
"Brother..." Zhuge Rong's voice trembled, "Then... what should we do?"
“Sun Jun sent me here, clearly... clearly with ill intentions! How could I possibly control Xiling?”
"If it weren't for my brother's protection, I would have already..."
"It's precisely because you can't control them that they sent you here." Zhuge Ke looked up at Zhuge Rong and said coldly:
“In Sun Jun and Princess Quan’s eyes, you are a mediocre talent, an easy puppet to be manipulated.”
"Using you to replace me will not only make the court seem magnanimous, but also render the military power of Xiling nominal."
“Once you make a mess of Xiling, it will be perfectly logical for them to send their trusted men to ‘reorganize’ it.”
Zhuge Rong's face was deathly pale, and he almost couldn't stand up:
"Then... then why did you still send me, brother? What if I had claimed illness and not come, or delayed on the way..."
“If you don’t come, it will be considered disobeying the imperial decree, and Sun Jun will immediately have an excuse to send troops.” Zhuge Ke shook his head. “If you come, we will have time to maneuver.”
"Time? What time?"
"How's the time to arrange our escape route?" Zhuge Ke pointed northwest, where the shadowy mountains stretched out. "How are the arrangements going with Zigui?"
Zhuge Rong composed himself and quickly replied:
"As instructed in my brother's previous letter, the three thousand troops of the Public Security Bureau have been moved to Zigui in batches."
"However... although Zigui belongs to the Xiling defense zone, it is still a remote area. If we transfer elite troops there, what if Jianye finds out..."
"Precisely because Zigui is the bulwark of the Xiling defense zone, it is perfectly justifiable to transfer troops there."
Zhuge Ke said, "You can issue a report stating that 'to prevent infiltration by Han spies, we are strengthening patrols upstream.'"
“Sun Jun would love for you to disperse your troops to remote and impoverished areas, so why would he stop you?”
Moreover, this perfectly aligns with Zhuge Ke's style in the eyes of Sun Jun and others.
After all, he lost his position as prime minister because he had colluded with the State of Wei.
The transfer of elite troops and forces to the Yiling-Zigui area was undoubtedly sending a signal to Sun Jun:
If you push me too far, I'll fight to the death and provoke a war on the border between Han and Wu, then we'll all die together.
Zhuge Ke looked at Zhuge Rong and lowered his voice:
“In the Xiangxi River Valley north of Zigui, there is a secret camp that we established years ago. I have ordered it to be rebuilt and stocked with grain and weapons. There is a path there that leads to the Han Kingdom.”
Ironically, this secret camp was actually set up during the Battle of Yiling to lull Liu Bei into a false sense of security and launch a surprise attack.
Upon hearing this arrangement, Zhuge Rong exclaimed in shock, "Brother...you want to defect to the Han?!"
-
Three days later.
An uninvited guest claiming to be a descendant of an old friend was led into the governor's mansion.
He wore a cloak, with the hood covering most of his face, until he entered the room where Zhuge Ke was recuperating.
He then removed his hood, revealing a face that was surprisingly young.
He was about twenty-three or twenty-four years old, with clear features and a slightly weathered complexion from his long journey.
But those eyes were calm and clear, and one could vaguely see a hint of the magnanimity unique to Zhuge Liang.
He bore a striking resemblance to the young appearance of the uncle in Zhuge Ke's memory.
The young man bowed deeply to Zhuge Ke, his posture respectful yet neither servile nor arrogant.
"Zhuge Zhan greets his elder brother."
Zhuge Ke, who was originally leaning against the couch, suddenly sat up straight upon hearing this, his eyes flashing with a sharp light.
"Siyuan?" He looked the young man up and down, his voice filled with disbelief. "You...you've grown up so much? How did you get here?"
"By order of Grand Marshal Feng, I traveled from Chang'an through Nanyang, then through Xiangyang, and finally arrived here."
Zhuge Zhan said calmly, "And my elder brother (Zhuge Qiao) heard that my brother was seriously ill and was very anxious, so he specially asked me to bring a letter over."
As he spoke, he took out a letter from his pocket and handed it over.
Along with it, a jade ring was also handed over.
It was a token exchanged between Zhuge Liang and his elder brother Zhuge Jin.
Zhuge Ke took the letter and, after just a glance, knew it was indeed Zhuge Qiao's handwriting.
He stroked the familiar patterns on it, then returned it to Zhuge Zhan with a sigh:
"Grand Marshal Feng and Bo Song (i.e. Zhuge Qiao)... truly went to great lengths, even sending you here in person."
“Brother,” Zhuge Zhan looked directly at him, his young face showing a solemnity beyond his years:
“I have come here only to deliver a message: the two cities of Shangyong and Fangling in the Han Kingdom are always open to you.”
"If you wish to return west, the Grand Marshal should welcome you with the honors due to the Three Dukes. The lineage of Zhuge can continue the Han dynasty and work together to achieve great things."
Zhuge Ke did not answer immediately.
He stared at Zhuge Zhan, then suddenly smiled, slowly stood up, walked to the window, his back to the young man, his voice somewhat unsteady:
"Since you have come on Lord Feng's orders, there must be a reason. Tell me, what do you know?"
Zhuge Zhan slowly said:
“Brother, Sun Jun is determined to kill you, there is no turning back, and time is running out.”
"When I arrived in Jingzhou, I learned that Sun Jun had secretly ordered General Zhu Ji, who was in charge of pacifying Wei, to mobilize all the troops in Jiangling. If my brother disobeyed the order, we could advance westward."
"Princess Quan's stepson, Quan Xu, has led 5,000 naval troops to Baqiu and has blocked the river."
“In Jianye City, the area around my elder brother’s residence is full of secret agents from the School of Military Affairs. My two nephews (Zhuge Song and Zhuge Jian) are always being watched when they come and go.”
Zhuge Ke slowly walked back to the bedside, sat down slowly, as if his spine had been removed:
"How did the Han Kingdom learn of this news?"
Zhuge Zhan's foolish way:
"We have our own ways of finding out."
“Channels…” Zhuge Ke repeated the word, then suddenly burst into laughter:
"What a brilliant Grand Marshal Feng! What a powerful channel! I only learned about the Jiangling and Baqiu affair because someone in the central government secretly informed me..."
"I didn't expect that you, coming from the Han Kingdom, would know more details than I do."
"This is more than just a channel; this is clearly planting spies by Sun Jun's bedside..."
He stopped laughing, and tears welled up in his eyes:
"Back then...back then I thought that I was probably on par with Grand Marshal Feng."
"Now it seems... I, Zhuge Yuanxun, was nothing more than a frog in a well with a limited view of the sky."
Come to think of it, the Han Dynasty started in the land of Bashu and now it controls eight or nine tenths of the world.
Feng Mingwen deserves much credit.
Although he had won a great victory at Dongxing, it was only because he had taken advantage of the Han state's power to suppress the Wei state.
Seeing Zhuge Ke's appearance, Zhuge Zhan hesitated, but finally said in a low voice, "Brother, you are too modest. Times have changed."
"It's not about the times, it's about perspective." Zhuge Ke shook his head, closing his eyes wearily.
“My uncle sees further than I do, and Grand Marshal Feng… sees further than either of us.”
He opened his eyes again, his gaze clear now, but with a resolute air:
“Siyuan, you don’t need to persuade me anymore. If I want to leave, I can go west with you right now, cross mountains and rivers, pass through Shangyong and enter Hanzhong.”
"Since Grand Marshal Feng has arranged for you to come in person, the rendezvous route must be perfectly prepared."
"But... I can't leave."
He stood up again, turned his head, and looked in the direction of Jianye, where Sun Quan's tomb was located.
"On his deathbed, the late emperor entrusted me with the task of governing and the young emperor to him."
"Now, with traitors in power and the young emperor being held hostage, I am already ashamed to have failed the late emperor if I cannot purge the court of corrupt officials and restore order to the dynasty."
“If we abandon our land and flee to the Han state again…” he laughed bitterly, “that would be disloyal and unjust, a coward who clings to life.”
"How can I face the late emperor in the afterlife? How can I... face my father?"
Zhuge Zhan remained silent.
He knew that now that he had said this much, further persuasion would be useless.
“Brother,” he asked one last time, “what about those two nephews…”
"them……"
Zhuge Ke closed his eyes and took a deep breath:
"Siyuan, go back and tell Grand Marshal Feng that Zhuge Ke has three things to entrust to you."
Zhuge Zhan straightened his clothes and said, "Brother, please speak."
“Firstly,” Zhuge Ke turned around, took out a sheepskin scroll carefully wrapped in oilcloth from the innermost part of the couch, and slowly handed it over:
"This is a detailed map of the Xiling and Jiangling upstream hundred-mile-long river defense, marking all the water forts, reefs, flood season waterways, and granary locations."
Zhuge Zhan's eyes widened, and he quickly took it with both hands.
"Secondly," Zhuge Ke continued, "..."
"I have ordered my brother Zhuge Rong to dispatch 3,000 troops from the Gong'an Army and 2,000 soldiers from Xiling who are willing to follow, totaling 5,000 elite troops, to secretly assemble in the Xiangxi River Valley of Zigui, along with their families and supplies."
“Once news of my death spreads, they will flee north to the Han state.”
"These five thousand men are all veterans, familiar with Wu's tactics and the situation of the river and water. If Grand Marshal Feng has them, it will be like adding an arm to his arm."
He paused, then looked at Zhuge Zhan: "With these two items as proof, I ask the Grand Marshal to grant me one request."
"Please speak, elder brother."
"Save my two sons, Zhuge Song and Zhuge Jian."
Zhuge Ke said slowly and deliberately, "They are now trapped in Jianye, like prisoners. After my death, Sun Jun will surely kill me to eliminate any future troubles."
Zhuge Zhan was about to speak when Zhuge Ke raised his hand to stop him:
“I know that the Han state has an alliance with the Wu state, and it is not appropriate for the Han state to openly interfere in its internal affairs.”
"But I request that after my death, the Grand Marshal immediately issue a letter in the name of the Han state condemning Sun Jun for 'forcing the death of a trusted minister entrusted with the care of the young emperor, which is a breach of the great principle between ruler and subject,' and demanding that 'the crime be limited to him alone, and no one else be implicated.'"
At this point, a look of bewilderment appeared in his eyes:
"If possible, I hope you can send out your best agents now to secretly assist them in escaping Jianye."
“I’m afraid that if I die, before the Han state’s official letter arrives, Sun Jun will have already taken action against them.”
Zhuge Zhan paused for a moment, then finally nodded with difficulty:
“I will immediately send a messenger to Jianye and ask them to do their utmost to rescue my two nephews.”
Zhuge Ke smiled wryly: "Do your best... I will try to delay for as long as possible."
"Although I have already sent out assassins, I am afraid we are short-handed. With your people, we might be more confident."
Zhuge Zhan nodded.
Zhuge Ke continued:
"Although Sun Jun is arrogant, he is not stupid. He is now beset by internal and external troubles, with Wei coveting his territory, Han eyeing him covetously, and facing criticism from both the court and the public."
“If the Han state were to threaten to cut off border trade and station troops on the border as it did last time, it would certainly not dare to gamble the fate of the nation for two young men who are no longer a threat.”
Zhuge Zhan pondered for a moment: "The Grand Marshal may ask: Why would the Han state antagonize the Wu state over this matter?"
"Because of the general trend of the world." Zhuge Ke slowly leaned back on the couch. "Siyuan, go back and tell Grand Marshal Feng: the fate of Wu has run out."
His face was filled with sorrow:
“Sun Jun has seized power, Princess Quan has disrupted the government, the young emperor is weak, and the court is disaffected. Veteran generals and officials such as Teng Yin and Lü Ju are afraid to speak out today because of their power, but they will surely harbor rebellious intentions in the future.”
"As for the Han state... Grand Marshal Feng has reformed the government and strengthened the military. He has eight or nine out of ten parts of the country under his control, with well-trained troops and sufficient supplies, and the people are loyal to him."
"Within ten years, Han will surely launch an attack on Wu."
At this moment, Zhuge Ke appeared exceptionally clear-headed:
"At that time, the natural barrier of the Yangtze River may be able to hold back the Han army for a while, but it cannot stop the hearts of the people."
"The Kingdom of Wu has no wise ruler, no capable prime minister, and no loyal warriors—how can it defend Jingzhou and the six counties of Jiangdong?"
There was silence in the room.
“Therefore,” Zhuge Ke said softly, “what I seek today is not merely for personal reasons.”
"When the royal army marches south in the future, I beg Grand Marshal Feng to remember this river defense map, these five thousand troops, and my own loyalty, Zhuge Yuanxun, even unto death..."
He suddenly stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply towards the northwest—the location of Chang'an, the capital of the Han Dynasty:
"Treat the people of Jiangdong well."
He choked up as he uttered those four words.
"The fall of the Wu Kingdom is the will of Heaven, beyond human control. But what have the people of Jiangdong done wrong?"
"They endured war and wandered through ravines, seeking only a night's rest and a full meal."
Zhuge Ke straightened up, tears welling in his eyes:
"Please promise me, Grand Marshal: when we take Jiangdong, the army will not kill indiscriminately, the officials will not plunder, the ancestral temples will be preserved, and the people will be at peace."
"If that's the case... then my death, Zhuge Ke, will not have been in vain."
Zhuge Zhan was moved and rose to return the greeting: "I will convey your words to you, elder brother, word for word, without daring to omit anything."
"There's one more thing," Zhuge Ke said, taking a small gold locket from his robes and placing it in Zhuge Zhan's hand.
"This is the longevity lock for Consort Zhang's daughter. She is only six years old... If you can take her to the Han Kingdom in the future, I hope you can take care of her for a while."
Zhuge Zhan nodded emphatically and carefully put away the gold locket and the defense map.
Suddenly he asked again:
"Brother, why did you save only Zhang's daughter? I remember she also has children. Why not try to save them as well?"
Zhuge Ke shook his head sadly:
“Sun Hao is a thorn in Sun Jun’s side, and the guards around him are so tight that they are like an iron barrel.”
“If we rush to save him, and we fail, not only will he die, but the rescuers and even Rongdi’s plan to go to Beitou may be exposed.”
"As for the daughter... perhaps because she is a girl, the guards were a little lax. And because she is young, it is easy for her to disguise herself and she is not easily detected."
"Saving her offers a sliver of hope; saving Hao'er, on the other hand, is a near certain death."
Zhuge Zhan remained silent.
“Siyuan,” Zhuge Ke said, looking at him one last time, his gaze complex.
“Go back and tell your father… no, tell your uncle’s spirit in heaven: his arrogant and conceited nephew finally saw things clearly in the end.”
“But the price,” he smiled bitterly, “is far too high.”
Zhuge Zhan choked up, wanting to say something, but ultimately remained silent.
He bowed deeply and turned to leave.
"Wait a minute." Zhuge Ke called out to him, took a purple-haired brush from the brush holder on the desk, and quickly wrote several lines on a piece of plain silk with the remaining ink.
After writing, he took out his official seal and stamped it heavily.
"This is my last letter." He handed the silk scroll to Zhuge Zhan:
“Take this back with you. If…if Grand Marshal Feng grants my request and rescues my son, then show him this letter.”
"I have already stated in the letter that Zhuge Rong and his troops will forever be subjects of the Han Dynasty."
"If Zhuge Song and Zhuge Jian survive, they should also be loyal to the Han Dynasty and have no disloyal intentions."
Zhuge Zhan took the silk scroll, his eyes already red.
"Go." Zhuge Ke turned his back, his voice weary.
"Tell Rongdi... the grain supplies in Xiangxi Valley are only enough to last for two months."
"If the Han Kingdom fails to provide support within two months, then let them... flee for their lives."
The footsteps faded into the distance, and the door closed softly.
Zhuge Ke muttered to himself:
"The late emperor...you entrusted the empire to me, but I can only find a slightly better way out for it in this way."
"If the late Emperor has a spirit in heaven, are you angry at my disloyalty, or... do you pity my helplessness?"
-
The fifteenth year of Yanxi, the second year of Wu Jianxing.
March.
Sun Jun dispatched General Zhu Ji, who was in charge of pacifying Wei, to lead 10,000 infantry and cavalry from Jiangling westward by land, approaching Yiling.
Quan Xu led 5,000 naval troops up the Yangtze River from Baqiu, locking the river's surface.
The imperial edict reads:
"Grand Tutor Ke has been ill in the border region for a long time, and I am deeply worried about him. I hereby order Zhu Ji, Quan Xu, and others to escort the Grand Tutor back to the capital for recuperation. The prefectures and counties along the way must make proper preparations, and there must be no mistakes."
It was actually a military remonstrance.
Shi Ke had secretly ordered his brother Rong to lead 5,000 troops to migrate north, while the garrison in Xiling City numbered no more than 2,000.
Upon hearing that the two armies were approaching, Ke knew that the situation was hopeless, so he summoned more than a hundred of his trusted men and said to them:
“Sun Jun has long wanted my head. I was entrusted with the heavy responsibility by the late emperor, but I have failed to eliminate the traitor and restore order to the court, thus betraying Jiangdong.”
"If we remain trapped in this isolated city, it will only cause our soldiers to bleed and our people to suffer. I must leave the city and save this calamity from war with my own life."
Those around him wept, wishing to die together.
Three days later, Zhu Ji's army arrived ten miles east of Xiling City, and Quan Xu's navy anchored at Jiangjin.
That morning, the gates of Xiling City suddenly opened wide, and Zhuge Ke, dressed in white with his hair loose, rode in a plain carriage, leading 120 trusted men out of the city.
Ji Jun was on high alert, and saw that Ke looked haggard, but when he sat in the car, his back was as straight as a pine tree.
He ordered the carriage to stop, and had two men help him down, standing between the two armies.
The river wind was biting, making his robes flutter loudly.
Ke looked southeast towards Jianye, then suddenly raised his voice and shouted:
“Sun Jun, you scoundrel! Quan, you wicked woman! You have bullied the young and weak emperor, seized power and disrupted the government, slaughtered members of the royal family, and harmed loyal officials. The state of Wu will perish in your hands!”
"I, Zhuge Yuanxun, was entrusted by the Emperor with the care of his son. I originally intended to exert all my strength to emulate the deeds of Huo Guang and the Duke of Zhou."
"I regret that I cannot purge the court of corrupt officials and punish the treacherous ministers. Today, I will use my own blood to splatter your infamy into the annals of history!"
Having finished speaking, he bowed twice to the north (to pay homage to Sun Quan's tomb), then bowed to the west (to pay homage in the direction of the Han state), and said with deep emotion:
“Brother Rong has already gone north, but the bloodline of the Zhuge family will not be extinguished. Elders of Jiangdong, I have failed you!”
He then drew his sword, cut his throat, and died at the age of fifty.
Blood splattered on the white carriage, yet its body remained upright and unyielding.
His 120 trusted confidants were all deeply grieved, and said in unison, "We wish to follow the Prime Minister to the underworld!"
Xi drew his sword and committed suicide, his body lying prostrate around Ke, resembling flower petals protecting a stamen.
Zhu Ji, Quan Xu, and the soldiers of both armies witnessed this and were all shocked and moved, with many shedding tears.
Ji then entered Xiling, collected Ke's body, gave him a proper burial, and submitted a memorial to Jianye.
When Sun Jun heard of Ke's death, he was pleased, but when he saw the words in the merit report, "One hundred and twenty men died together, and the three armies wept for them," he also changed color.
Upon hearing this, Princess Quan remained silent for a long time before saying, "Yuan Xun has found a worthy place to die."
After Ke died, his younger brother Rong led 5,000 troops north from Zigui and arrived at Shangyong in the Han state.
Grand Marshal Feng Yong of Han accepted the offer, granted him a residence in Chang'an, and assigned his troops to the Han army.
Ke's two sons, Song and Jian, were initially placed under house arrest in Jianye. Later, Feng Yongguo sent an envoy to reprimand Wu and secretly ordered spies to rescue them.
At that time, Lü Yi, the secretary of the Imperial Secretariat, had secretly communicated with the Han envoy Mi Shiyilang. Knowing that Feng Yong would definitely rescue Kezi, he secretly plotted:
“If the two sons escape, Sun Jun will surely suspect the Office of Inspector General of the Imperial Secretariat of dereliction of duty; if the two sons die, my agreement with Grand Marshal Feng will likely be in vain.”
"It would be better to secretly create an opening and let him escape on his own. This way, I can avoid any involvement and also preserve the agreement with the Han Kingdom."
Yi then secretly ordered his trusted confidants to deliberately make a mistake while on duty at midnight, and the two managed to escape and eventually reach Han.
Using this secret skill, Lü Yi received a report from Mi Shiyi Lang: "The Grand Marshal said that the Office of the Directorate of State Affairs is deeply righteous and that the profits from raw silk and coarse sugar should be increased by half."
He was overjoyed and from then on, his secret communications with the Han state became more frequent.
With Ke's death, a pillar of the Wu state was broken.
The old ministers such as Teng Yin and Lü Ju became increasingly uneasy. Although Sun Jun and Princess Quan were increasingly wielding power, the people's hearts were gradually turning away, and the country's strength was declining.
A later generation, known as "Brother Er Ma," wrote a poem in lament:
Dongxing's achievements shook the Jianghuai region, yet slander destroyed his family overnight.
It wasn't that Yuan Xun lacked wisdom and strategy; the fate of Jiangdong had already begun to decline.