Zhou Yu looked at Sun Ce's confident expression and couldn't help but feel a headache coming on. Without lowering his own intelligence through his reverse mental ability, it was almost impossible to have a pleasant conversation with Sun Ce. Sun Ce had loyalty and could heed advice, but when it came to strategic vision, he was completely lacking! "What he means is that you should pay more attention to Liu Zhang, see if it's possible to annex Yizhou, then use Yuzhou and Yangzhou as the head, Jingzhou and Yangzhou as the waist, and Jingzhou and Yizhou as the tail, to launch a three-pronged campaign to unify the world," Pang Tong remarked as he passed by, looking at Sun Ce with a face full of disdain.
"Yes, that's exactly it. Shiyuan, make sure to keep an eye on things," Zhou Yu sighed, acknowledging Pang Tong's ability to grasp the full meaning with just a brief explanation.
"Your ambitions are too large. First, stabilize Jingzhou and Yangzhou, then eliminate the internal troubles in Yuzhou before even considering taking risks. A solid foundation is necessary," Pang Tong bluntly refuted, not sparing Zhou Yu's feelings.
"Make early plans. You handle Jingzhou while I oversee Yuzhou to clear out the internal threats," Zhou Yu had grown accustomed to Pang Tong's rebuttals. After all, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce's handsome appearances were a constant irritation to Pang Tong, and while Pang Tong held an intellectual advantage over Sun Ce, he had none over Zhou Yu.
"Hmm. You handling internal affairs is pleasing to me, but it's not your strong suit. You'll be wasting your talents," Pang Tong criticized without hesitation.
"There's no other choice," Zhou Yu replied with a bitter smile. "Look at Yuan Gong's subordinates. Who among them can manage central development? Who has that capability?"
"That's true," Pang Tong thought for a moment about the people under Sun Ce's command and realized that none of them could match the likes of Chen Xi, Lu Su, or Xun Yu, who were skilled at managing central development, building the economy, and ensuring a prosperous domain.
"Gu Yong might be barely capable after a decade or so of tempering, but right now, asking him to manage the central administration is less effective than having me do it," Zhou Yu said, clearly exasperated. War requires resources, and without someone capable of managing the central administration, even the strongest foundation will eventually crumble.
"Hmm. There's one person who might be suitable. I saw him frequenting the taverns in Shouchun not long ago. He mentioned something about seeking refuge and continuing his studies in Jiangdong," Pang Tong recalled, frowning as he thought of someone.
"Why didn't you mention such a capable person earlier?" Zhou Yu glanced at Pang Tong, his tone tinged with dissatisfaction.
"It's not that I didn't want to mention him, but it seemed like he was also searching for a worthy master and hadn't found one yet," Pang Tong said nonchalantly. "Moreover, my relationship with him isn't exactly good. He's too smooth for my taste. If there's anyone in this world who can avoid making enemies for a lifetime, it's definitely this guy."
"That can't be right. Your evaluation of him is too high," Zhou Yu said in disbelief. Avoiding making enemies for an entire lifetime seemed impossible.
"His mental ability gives people a sense of mental expansion, and he can subtly guide others to say what he wants to hear. As a result, those who converse with him often feel they've benefited from the exchange, leaving them with a warm and pleasant impression," Pang Tong explained, recalling his interactions with Zhuge Jin. It was Zhuge Jin who had managed to mediate between him and Zhuge Liang, preventing them from coming to blows.
To be honest, Pang Tong had never met Sima Lang. That man truly had an innate ability to make people feel a sense of warmth and friendliness just by his presence. This was why when Zhuge Jin and Sima Lang encountered each other, their mental abilities naturally made them close friends.
"What's his name, and where is he?" Zhou Yu immediately recognized that Zhuge Jin would perfectly meet his requirements. Even if Zhuge Jin didn't excel at handling administrative tasks, as long as he could harmonize the factions, Yuzhou's strength would see a significant boost.
"He's Zhuge Liang's elder brother, Zhuge Ziyu. He's probably still in a tavern somewhere in Shouchun, but I'm not sure if he'll agree to join us, given the way Yuan Gong... well..." Pang Tong trailed off, disparaging Yuan Shu without a shred of decency.
"He'll definitely agree," Zhou Yu said with a confident smile. He had heard of Zhuge Jin before. Although Zhuge Jin wasn't particularly famous, if he was as Pang Tong described, then he must be one of the few rare talents of their time.
Pang Tong sneered. If he hadn't noticed the shift in Yuan Shu's camp, he might not have cared much. Even though he wasn't sure how Zhou Yu had managed to help Sun Ce seize power, the current situation was highly favorable for Pang Tong. He realized he might now have the means to compete with Zhuge Liang.
About half a year ago, Pang Tong had learned that Zhuge Liang had become the Chief Clerk of the General Who Pacifies the East, working under Lu Su to handle administrative affairs and sitting in Taishan. At that moment, Pang Tong realized Zhuge Liang was on the verge of rising to great heights.
At the time, Pang Tong was in the midst of being sidelined while Sun Ce was under house arrest. One was in the sky, the other in the dirt—the difference between them was as vast as heaven and earth. Pang Tong was acutely aware that if he had any rival in his life, it would undoubtedly be Zhuge Liang. Zhuge Liang had already started to show his brilliance, while Pang Tong remained obscure. By then, he was already sixteen years old and fully capable of serving any warlord.
Now, an opportunity had presented itself in the form of Sun Ce. Sun Ce was beginning to display the qualities of a hegemon, and after being released from house arrest, Pang Tong felt a renewed determination, sensing that Yuan Shu had started grooming both Sun Ce and Zhou Yu. Though it seemed unbelievable, to Pang Tong, this was an opportunity—an opportunity to compete on equal footing with Zhuge Liang.
For this reason, Pang Tong spared no effort in planning for Sun Ce's future. He didn't want to fall behind Zhuge Liang; he wanted to prove that he was more talented. If he couldn't match Zhuge Liang in height or appearance, then he would outshine him in wisdom. Let's see who will ultimately become the true hegemon. The victor will write history, and Pang Tong's fighting spirit rekindled as he recognized that Sun Ce might indeed have the potential to contend for the dominion of the world.
When Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, accompanied by Pang Tong and bearing gifts, appeared before Zhuge Jin, Zhuge Jin was indeed surprised. Although he had no intention of serving under Yuan Shu, he still extended an invitation for Sun Ce and Zhou Yu to come inside for a discussion, not wanting to cause trouble on their territory.
While Sun Ce's approach to attracting talents relied on pure charisma, Zhou Yu preferred to win people over with his intellect, essentially saying, "Someone as brilliant as I am is following Sun Ce—don't you think you should trust my judgment?"
However, this tactic didn't work as well on Zhuge Jin. Although Zhuge Jin wasn't as cunning as Zhou Yu, Zhou Yu couldn't easily overpower him either. Instead, their conversations frequently sparked new ideas and insights, which only increased Zhou Yu's appreciation for Zhuge Jin, making him even more determined to recruit him. Yet, Zhuge Jin's skillful conversation subtly steered the discussion away whenever Zhou Yu was about to ask him to join Sun Ce's camp, clearly signaling that Zhuge Jin wasn't eager to accept such an offer.