Youzhou.
Inside the mansion of General Gongsun Zan, the White Horse General.
Gongsun Zan was dressed in a white light armor, his face extraordinarily handso, and he looked kindly at the young scholar standing in the main hall before him.
"Zijing! Think of my place as your own ho. After all, your lord and I are close friends!" Gongsun Zan said with a smile as he raised his cup.
Lu Su quickly clasped his hands in salute, smiling slightly as he spoke, "General Gongsun, you’re too kind. I ca today to pay my respects to you on my lord’s orders."
As he spoke, Lu Su revealed a aningful smile, clasping his hands as he exclaid, "But now that I’ve t General Gongsun in person, I realize there are no heroes in the world greater than you!"
"Oh!" Gongsun Zan quickly waved his hand modestly, though the smile on his lips refused to fade. "I don’t deserve to be called a hero; your praise is too much."
Just as the exchange of pleasantries flowed, the doors to the hall creaked open, and a gust of cool wind swept in. A servant approached carrying an old, worn-out map of the northern territories, placing it on the table before the two n. The atmosphere in the room shifted slightly. Gongsun Zan glanced at the map, then back at Lu Su, as if gauging the weight of his words.
"Tell , Zijing," Gongsun Zan said, his tone taking on a more serious edge. "What do you think of the situation in the north? The barbarians at our borders are growing restless, and I have heard troubling rumors about alliances forming in the shadows."
Lu Su’s eyes flicked to the map briefly before returning to Gongsun Zan. He maintained his easy smile, though his thoughts were racing. "General, your vigilance is well-placed. However, with a man of your skill and vision standing guard, I have no doubt that any threat from the north will be swiftly dealt with."
Gongsun Zan nodded thoughtfully, his expression softening once more.
Clearly, Gongsun Zan was quite pleased to be referred to as a hero by Lu Su.
After all, Lu Su was an advisor under the current Grand General Long Chen. Receiving such a complint from him was sothing to take pride in.
"General, you’re being too modest," Lu Su said with a bow, then pointed toward the north with admiration. "General Gongsun, you are truly a pillar of the state and a hero of the nation!"
"You don’t seek fa or fortune, yet you remain stationed here in the desolate and cold land of Youzhou, defending against the barbarian invaders to the north. You also stand firm against the ambitious warlord Yuan Shao, who has the backing of generations of high officials. If soone like you doesn’t count as a hero, then the world has no heroes!"
Upon hearing this, Gongsun Zan’s eyes imdiately lit up with a brilliant gleam, and the way he looked at Lu Su changed dramatically.
It was as if he had found a kindred spirit.
"From now on, don’t call General Gongsun!" Gongsun Zan said earnestly.
"Why?" Lu Su asked, his heart skipping a beat.
He thought to himself, "Could it be that Gongsun Zan’s personality doesn’t match the intelligence reports? Why has his expression changed?"
However,
In the next mont,
Gongsun Zan’s words dispelled Lu Su’s doubts.
"Calling General Gongsun sounds too formal. From now on, just call Bo Gui! It will feel much more personal."
Gongsun Zan flashed a bright and sunny smile.
Lu Su, feeling relieved, raised his wine cup and toasted Gongsun Zan, saying, "Then I shall take you at your word, Bo Gui! This cup is for you, Bo Gui, for staying true to your principles during the country’s ti of crisis, guarding the northern frontier of Youzhou, repelling barbarian invasions, and protecting the people!"
Now, this is why Lu Su was regarded as one of the top diplomats and strategists of the Three Kingdoms.
Just look at how he speaks.
Every word highlights Gongsun Zan’s great deeds and expresses deep respect.
This directly earned him a huge amount of goodwill from Gongsun Zan.
Gongsun Zan even thought to himself, "If only Zijing could beco my advisor! Ah... what a pity, what a pity!"
Lu Su took a small sip of the strong northern wine and felt a strong, spicy sensation flooding his mouth, as if a blade were dancing on his tongue.
Two words ca to mind:
Refreshing!
Five words:
Truly incredibly refreshing!!
With the emotional groundwork laid, it was ti to discuss matters.
This was Lu Su’s diplomatic skill and strategy—finding the breakthrough point based on the other person’s personality, building rapport, and then moving on to business.
After several rounds of drinks, the conversation between the two n flowed like an opened floodgate.
When Lu Su subtly shifted the conversation to the issue of Yuan Shao’s army in Ji Province,
Gongsun Zan’s expression imdiately grew stern, his face cold as frost. He sighed, "Ah! Yuan Shao may appear to be a gentleman on the surface, but in reality, he’s as cunning as a fox!"
"I trusted him so much back then, willingly raising an army to attack Han Fu of Ji Province, and we agreed to share Ji Province between us." As he spoke, Gongsun Zan’s teeth clenched, and his fists tightened. "But that son of a b**** went back on his word, taking all of Ji Province for himself and pushing aside!!"
"How despicable!!" Lu Su exclaid, standing up in shock and anger. "How could such a shaless man exist in the world! What a disgrace to the Yuan family!!"
Of course, this display was all an act to win Gongsun Zan’s favor.
Sure enough,
Gongsun Zan, feeling that he had t a kindred spirit, saw that Lu Su shared his sentints and even denounced Yuan Shao, which instantly filled him with joy.
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