Cao Shuo led Zhang Zhao into the study, and after a while, Lu Xun and Jiang Wei also came here.

After taking his seat, Cao Shuo asked Zhang Zhao: "Since Sun Zhongmou sent Zhang Gong to sue for peace, I wonder what sincerity he has shown?" ”

Zhang Zhao had already thought of a response.

When asked about Sun Quan's sincerity, he replied: "King Mingjian of Wei, I came to Chengdu to ask for a meeting, isn't it sincerity?" ：”

"It's coming, it's coming, but I don't see where the sincerity is." Cao Shuo asked with a smile: "Since Sun Zhongmou is sincere, why don't you see him sacrifice Jiaozhou, but plan to let our army be stationed in place?" Isn't this a delaying tactic for his troops, so that our army can rest and recuperate while they are stationed, and finally raise a large army to contend with our army? ”

Cao Shuo asked, and Zhang Zhao hurriedly replied: "King Mingjian of Wei, now that Jiaozhou is sparsely populated, it is not easy to raise a large army, even if the army really stops stationing, Jiaozhou is unable to raise troops and horses to fight against it. ”

"Jiaozhou has fallen to the point where it can't even raise soldiers and horses?" Cao Shuo pretended to be surprised and asked.

"Back to King Wei's words, Jiaozhou is indeed very weak today, and it will never be the opponent of King Wei." Zhang Zhao answered Cao Shuo's question very sincerely.

"Since Jiaozhou can't even make up the wrong soldiers and horses, that is, he doesn't have the strength to fight with our army at all." Cao Shuo pursed his lips and said to Zhang Zhao: "To deal with such a vulnerable enemy, as soon as the Great Wei soldiers and horses arrive, are they still ready to capture?" ”

"That's what King Wei said." Feeling as if he had fallen into a trap set by Cao Shuo, Zhang Zhao replied: "It's just that although Jiaozhou can't recruit soldiers and horses, it can still support some time if it resists to the death." The soldiers of the two armies have families and parents, and the world is about to be pacified, and King Wei should not be able to bear to see more soldiers buried in the battlefield. ”

"Of course I don't want to see more soldiers buried in the battlefield." Cao Shuo replied: "It's just that when it's time to fight, I will definitely not have the slightest mercy." Zhang Gong may not know me yet, you can go back and tell Sun Zhongmou and ask him not to negotiate terms with me again. If you don't have enough strength and talk too much about the conditions, you will not only throw away what you should have, but you may also be ruined and die without a place to bury. ”

Cao Shuo's words were threatening, and Zhang Zhao already felt that his visit to Chengdu this time would probably not bring back too many benefits to Sun Quan.

He asked Cao Shuo: "Dare to ask King Wei, if Jiaozhou surrenders, what do you plan to do with my lord?" ”

When he saw Cao Shuo the day before, he was warned not to call others "Your Majesty" in front of him, and Zhang Zhao could avoid it when he called Sun Quan.

"As long as he sincerely surrenders, I will give him a good placement." Cao Shuo said: "He was the lord of Jiangdong, and although he was down, he was also entrenched in Jiaozhou. Now that I am willing to sacrifice Jiaozhou, I have saved the pain of the soldiers on both sides, and I have to think of him some benefits. ”

"Dare to ask how King Wei will be settled?" Zhang Zhao asked again.

Cao Shuo replied: "I will take him to the capital and choose a house for him in the capital, so that from now on, he and the Sun family can enjoy a rich and prosperous life." Sun Zhongmou is also capable, if he is willing to help me, I will arrange some things for him, but Jiangdong and Jiaozhou, he doesn't have to go back. ”

"Jiangdong was taken by General Bo Fu back then, and now it is lost in his hands, how does King Wei plan to ask him to face General Bo Fu under Jiuquan in the future?" Zhang Zhao said: "With such an arrangement, I am afraid that my father-in-law will not agree." ”

"Then let him prepare his troops and horses and wait for the fight." Cao Shuo stood up impatiently: "Gong Zhang can tell Sun Zhongmou that once the war starts, I will not keep him!" ”

His sentence of "never keep him" made Zhang Zhao shiver.

Without waiting for Zhang Zhao to speak, Cao Shuo waved his hand and said: "Zhang Gong doesn't have to say more to me, my sincerity is here, whether Sun Zhongmou is willing or not, it all depends on how he chooses!" ”

Dropping this sentence, Cao Shuo walked out of the study directly.

Zhang Zhao was still stunned in the room, and Lu Xun, who had not spoken since he came, sighed and said to him: "I have already reminded Zhang Gong, why do you still say these stupid things?" ”

"Why did I say something stupid?" Zhang Zhao asked Lu Xun with annoyance: "Isn't it okay to seek some benefits for your own father-in-law?" ”

"Of course, Zhang Gong can seek benefits, but the premise is that Jiaozhou has the strength to compete with Great Wei." Lu Xun said: "With the strength of Jiaozhou, what do you want now, why do you want to negotiate conditions with King Wei?" ”

"Fists are the truth." Jiang Wei also said on the side: "Now that Sun Zhongmou is about to lose Jiaozhou, Zhang Gong came here, not only does he not plan to give up Jiaozhou, but he also wants him to return to Jiangdong. ”

Lu Xun and Jiang Wei were one-on-one, and they didn't know how to respond to Zhang Zhao's question.

The two of them are right, today's Jiaozhou really does not have the ability to compete with Great Wei.

As long as Sima Yi and Dong Cheng's soldiers and horses come out together, it won't be long before Jiaozhou will change its flag, and Sun Quan will be cut off by someone.

"I also know that the conditions are inappropriate." Zhang Zhao said with a bitter face: "But I have no way, I can't just give Jiaozhou away without nothing?" ”

"Who said they didn't want anything?" Lu Xun asked: "Sun Zhongmou and the entire Sun family, aren't they dedicated to the benefits of Jiaozhou?" ”

After staring at Lu Xun for a long time, Zhang Zhao finally sighed: "I know from the time I left Jiaozhou that this peace negotiation must be difficult, but I didn't expect that I would encounter so many things......"

"Zhang Gong thinks that these are useless, so he still thinks about how to go back and persuade Sun Zhongmou." Lu Xun said: "I have also been an official in Jiangdong and Jiaozhou, and I still have some feelings for the Sun family, and I don't want to see the Sun family exterminated like Liu Bei's family." For Zhang Gong, this visit to Chengdu is nothing more than to explore the lord's mouth, but for Sun Zhongmou, life and death are only between his thoughts. ”

"Zhang Gong can tell Sun Zhongmou that no matter whether he surrenders or not, Jiaozhou and Jiangdong will no longer have anything to do with him from now on." Jiang Wei also said to Zhang Zhao: "One thought of life and one thought of death, whether it is life or death, it is up to him to decide." ”

After the two finished speaking, they also left the study.

When he came to Chengdu, he thought that he could get some benefits from Cao Shuo, but before he could speak, Cao Shuo had already cut off his thoughts.

The choice in front of Sun Quan suddenly became simpler.

Surrender or die......

After a long stay in the study, Zhang Zhao sighed leisurely, and then turned around and walked out.

It didn't take long for Cao Shuo to get the news that Zhang Zhao had someone to resign on his behalf, and he himself left Chengdu under the escort of the guards sent by Sima Yi.

Great Wei did not give an inch, Sun Quan failed to get benefits from Cao Shuo this time, and the situation in Jiaozhou became more and more confusing.

(End of chapter)