With Zhou Yu's perceptive abilities, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, who had never witnessed such capabilities and had no concept of concealing their spiritual talents, were unsurprisingly found by Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.

Regarding the pairing of Sun Ce and Zhou Yu, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong's first impression was merely that of a young nobleman out on a journey. Although there wasn't a grand entourage, their demeanor was not something ordinary people could emulate. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong both hailed from aristocratic families, but unfortunately, they did not have such a bearing in their youth.

"Is it these two?" Sun Ce asked curiously while stroking his chin. Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong didn't seem particularly heroic; in fact, they looked like two old men. In this era where the average age was thirty, two forty-year-olds could already call themselves elders.

"Yes, it's them." Zhou Yu searched his mind for matching figures, as by now, notable and named individuals had emerged across the land, and even those not yet serving had gained their reputations.

"They don't look the part. They're not as handsome as you, nor as ugly as Shiyuan, nor as proud as Gong Yuan, nor do they have Ziyu's long face, nor are they as stubborn as that guy," Sun Ce remarked while observing Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong up and down, looking puzzled. It's true, Sun Ce is eccentric, and his capable ministers all have distinctive traits.

As for the one Sun Ce mentioned, it's naturally Zheng Du, who refused to surrender, stating it was either kill him or let him be. Sun Ce had no way with him. He was a troublesome captive, but on the bright side, his three suicide attempts had failed, seemingly losing the desire for immediate self-harm.

"Those two are looking at us." Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong, casually chatting, naturally noticed Sun Ce and Zhou Yu.

When Sun Ce and Zhou Yu made their simultaneous entrance, even without revealing their identities, their powerful aura surely positioned them as the center of the world, unlike Liu Bei and Chen Xi, who could blend into the crowd without notice. These two stood out wherever they were, like cranes among chickens.

"Do not judge by appearances, Bofu. Those two opposite are genuine top-tier civil officials; regardless of their specialty, bringing them under our banner would benefit us greatly now." Zhou Yu rolled his eyes at Sun Ce's words, feeling speechless, though upon reflection, his logic seemingly held water!

In fact, Sun Ce's side was critically short of high officials to handle administrative affairs. Neither Zhou Yu, Pang Tong, nor Zhuge Jin were suitable for the task. The first two were battlefield strategists, while Zhuge Jin, the only one able to manage affairs, was not inherently good at governance; his strength lay in managing relationships, forcefully resolving administrative matters through powerful connections.

This was clearly a workaround, but it was a situation beyond their control. Sun Ce truly lacked competent civil officials skilled at governance, which was also a major reason Zhou Yu found himself in the ragged state of having to personally take the stage for development.

"What should we do, go straight to the point?" Sun Ce asked. He had never personally invited someone before; typically, people suddenly came to join him, so he had no experience in this situation.

"We've seen them already. Let's prepare gifts, investigate their backgrounds, and then pay them a visit," Zhou Yu suggested with a smile. Indeed, neither of them truly had any experience with this sort of task.

"Oh, shall we then head back first?" Sun Ce raised an eyebrow and asked, "What about Liu Xuande in the North? How should we handle that?"

"First, we clear up internal issues and then proceed. I imagine it won't be long before you inherit a marquisate, Bofu." Zhou Yu chuckled, saying no more.

Zhou Yu was well aware that for someone with Sun Ce's temperament to reach a compromise and ally with Cao Cao wouldn't be a quick decision. Regarding the matter with Yuan Yao, Sun Ce had always intended to give an explanation to Yuan Shu, and after all, Cao Cao was the executor.

"Do we not need to defend on the river?" After dispatching Liu Biao and sending a decoy to Yongzhou, Sun Ce felt relieved, with a slight increase in his intellect.

"No need. Liu Xuande also needs to recuperate. Their territory has already expanded to its limits in the short term," Zhou Yu said indifferently. River defenses were already in place, but the kind of high-density defense Sun Ce mentioned seemed completely unnecessary to him.

"No, they committed only 150,000 troops to defeat Yuan Shao and have been amassing forces along the way, capturing large numbers of prisoners. With Jizhou in their grasp, Yuan Shao's forces should still be considerable, right?" Sun Ce looked at Zhou Yu in surprise, his IQ having risen to the point of knowing to ask questions.

"You misunderstood. Their current military strength is even less. Though their territory is larger, there are more places that need defense. More importantly, all levels are facing increased talent demand. They seek speed, a single decisive battle to avoid tearing the land apart," Zhou Yu shook his head, feeling satisfied with Sun Ce for asking questions. It was progress.

"I don't understand at all," Sun Ce muttered with a dazed look, entirely missing Zhou Yu's point.

"What it means is, their territory is too vast, with too many areas needing administration. The demand for talented individuals is high, but there's a shortage of people. While the aristocratic families have manpower, Liu Bei's standards are too high, leading to a temporary suppression of the families. He requires a large number of people to manage these areas. Knowing whether the fruits of war can be harvested is the meaning of warfare," Zhou Yu explained slowly.

Seeing Sun Ce still confused, Zhou Yu felt a bit frustrated. Had he overestimated Sun Ce's intelligence?

"To put it another way, the battle between Liu Bei and Yuan Shao dealt minimal damage to the entire North, which is exactly what Liu Bei desired. If Liu Bei couldn't achieve this, the battle would have dragged on, giving rise to deserters and roving bandits, causing immense trouble for his rule afterward," Zhou Yu noted with a hint of admiration.

"If such a situation occurred, the damage to his governance would be devastating. So unless he's confident in maintaining stability, he wouldn't expand his territory. By my estimate, it would take about a year to solidify his control," Zhou Yu speculated.

"What does this have to do with not attacking us? Can't they develop after fighting?" Sun Ce queried, perplexed.

"Because Liu Bei has grand ambitions. He currently has the strength to unify the land, but if the Feudal Lords unite against him, even if Liu Bei wins, it would take considerable time, and the entire realm would remain chaotic for five years. Neither we nor Cao Cao share Liu Bei's vision. Five years of chaos among over twenty million people could result in ten million deaths, which Liu Xuande cannot afford!" Zhou Yu sighed deeply.

"He doesn't seek a stalemate but a thunderous strike, leaving us no chance to resist. For the people of the Han Dynasty, that would be the greatest benevolence!" Zhou Yu said, his eyes gleaming brightly. (To be continued. If you like this work, welcome to Qidian (qidian.com) to vote for recommendations and monthly tickets. Your support is my greatest motivation. Mobile users, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)