Zhou Yu leads the horse, while Zhang Zhao serves as the stool.

Su Ming knew well that Sun Quan was never going to lead his horse. A man with ambitions of empire would never stoop to such humiliation. The whole point was to give Jiangdong a show of force—someone needed to lead the horse so he could dismount, but it didn't necessarily have to be Sun Quan himself.

Yet what Su Ming never expected was that his third brother, Zhou Yu, would be the one to step forward.

The more Su Ming thought about it, the angrier he became. The one undermining him was his own brother.

“This horse is far too tall!” he called. “I can’t get down. Zhang Zhao, you’ll serve as my mounting block.” Su Ming waved to Zhang Zhao, who stood not far off.

At these words, Zhang Zhao’s face darkened instantly. What kind of thing was a mounting block? It was nothing more than something to step on when dismounting. Su Ming was telling him to let him use his back as a step!

Zhou Yu understood that Su Ming was venting his anger.

“Second Brother,” Zhou Yu offered, “if you need a mounting block, let me do it!” As he spoke, he bent at the waist.

Su Ming was furious—he almost wanted to kick Zhou Yu and send him flying.

“Hmph!” Su Ming snorted coldly. “I said Zhang Zhao will be my mounting block! No one else will do!”

Sun Quan, already suppressing his anger, was infuriated by the sight of Su Ming. Zhang Zhao was a high official of Jiangdong, and Su Ming demanded he serve as a mounting block—this was clearly a deliberate humiliation.

Su Ming’s first show of force was to demand a Jiangdong grandee lead his horse before he would dismount. But Zhou Yu, though important in Jiangdong, was also Su Ming’s sworn brother, so the gesture failed to achieve its intended effect.

Since his first move had been neutralized by Zhou Yu, Su Ming made a second, more direct attempt—he named Zhang Zhao specifically. Would Zhang Zhao submit or not?

“General Su, don’t push things too far!” Sun Quan’s tone was laced with venom. “You are in Jiangdong territory.”

Su Ming ignored Sun Quan and looked straight at Zhang Zhao. “Zhang Zhao, will you serve as my mounting block or not?”

“If you refuse, I’ll turn around and leave. I’ll petition His Majesty to strip Sun Quan of his Marquisate of Wu and have Liu Biao of Jingzhou take over as Governor of Yang Province.”

This was Su Ming’s way of showing Sun Quan, Zhang Zhao, and all the Jiangdong ministers that he could openly undermine them at any time.

This was where the wisdom of Cao Cao’s “holding the emperor to command the lords” became clear. In these times, when all the warlords wanted both power and legitimacy, the emperor was the source of orthodoxy and righteousness. Whoever held the emperor held the initiative.

Even if Su Ming petitioned the emperor and Sun Quan was stripped of his title, and Liu Biao was made Governor of Yang Province, could Liu Biao really control Jiangdong? Certainly not. Jiangdong was filled with Sun Quan’s people—no one could take it without a fight.

But Su Ming’s move was like a toad squatting on your foot—he wouldn’t bite, but he was irritating beyond measure. If Sun Quan really lost his title and his enemy Liu Biao was appointed in his place, Sun Quan and his ministers would be thoroughly disgusted.

At these words, Sun Quan could no longer contain his rage. “I, the Marquis of Wu, ruler of Jiangdong’s six commanderies, will not endure such insult from you!” He reached for the sword at his waist.

Zhang Zhao saw this and knew things could not be allowed to escalate. If his lord lost his temper and killed Su Ming, Jiangdong’s six commanderies would be doomed.

For a moment, Zhang Zhao wondered if this was one of Cao Mengde’s schemes—sending Su Ming to provoke his own death, so Cao could seize Jiangdong by force.

“My lord, be calm!” Zhang Zhao quickly pressed Sun Quan’s hand down and whispered, “He’s provoking you on purpose. If you give in to anger, you’ll fall into his trap.”

“For the sake of Jiangdong, I, Zhang Zhao, will serve as your mounting block, even if only for a moment!”

Having soothed Sun Quan, Zhang Zhao straightened his robe, smiled, and came before Su Ming’s horse. Bowing, he said, “General Su, please dismount.”

Seeing that Zhang Zhao could truly swallow his pride and endure humiliation for the greater good, Su Ming looked at him with newfound respect. Zhang Zhao certainly had talent. No wonder history would later say, “For domestic affairs, consult Zhang Zhao; for foreign affairs, consult Zhou Yu.”

Alas! No matter how capable Zhang Zhao was, he could not be used by Su Ming. Some things can be done once or twice, but not repeatedly. Since Zhang Zhao was willing to serve as a mounting block, Su Ming could not press further—push too hard and Sun Quan might become truly desperate.

“Haha!” Su Ming laughed heartily. “Master Zhang, you must have mastered the true spirit of King Goujian of Yue, lying on firewood and tasting gall to endure hardship.” After stepping down from Zhang Zhao’s back, Su Ming even patted his shoulder in praise.

Zhang Zhao’s face was almost black with mortification. Inwardly, he cursed: “You are shameless! When it comes to taking advantage and pretending to be generous, you are unmatched beneath heaven!”

“General Su, you flatter me,” Zhang Zhao replied, still smiling. “Let us proceed to the city.”

Damn it! What forbearance! I can’t even find an excuse to pick a fight, Su Ming cursed under his breath.

Soon, the whole party entered the city. Zhang Zhao, Zhou Yu, and the other Jiangdong officials led the way, while Su Ming and Sun Quan walked side by side through the streets of Wuchang.

Though they appeared to be walking together in harmony, both men were secretly calculating how to destroy the other.

Wuchang, due to its unique location, lay at the juncture of the nine commanderies of Jingxiang and the six commanderies of Jiangdong. Waterways were well developed and merchants thronged the city, making Wuchang a bustling metropolis.

In history, during the later Three Kingdoms period, when Wei, Shu, and Wu established their own states, Sun Quan set his capital in Wuchang and ascended the throne there. He chose Wuchang because, for Jiangdong to strike out, Wuchang was the springboard—to seize Jingxiang first, then the realm.

Although the time of the Three Kingdoms’ division and the founding of their empires was still a way off, Wuchang was already thriving.

“General Su, what do you think of my Wuchang?” Sun Quan asked, gesturing proudly at the bustling streets.

Su Ming nodded. “It is indeed impressive—very prosperous.”

“How does it compare to Xuchang?” Sun Quan pressed, growing more pleased and aggressive.

This question was truly difficult to answer. Jiangdong was a land of abundance, protected by the Yangtze and long untroubled by war; its people were well-off and commerce flourished. By contrast, Lord Cao’s territory had been wrought by years of warfare; many regions lay in ruin. In recent years, Cao had focused his resources on expanding the army, and little had been spent on the reconstruction or improvement of Xuchang.

(End of chapter)