That afternoon, Sunx Ce carried a large pile of gifts to visit Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong. Now that he knew the identities of both men, Sunx Ce immediately packed two Jade Bi Discs, two Jade Cauldrons, and a few large pearls. With these simple gifts in hand, he and Zhou Yu headed out.

Before setting off, Sunx Ce had already prepared for direct confrontation with Liu Bei, considering that Yuan Shu's anger was evident. The opponent had even shattered his favorite screens to pieces. In such circumstances, how could Sunx Ce not prepare in advance?

However, Yuan Shu did not order an attack; instead, he found a pile of old objects from his home and sat there quietly looking at them. These were toys from Yuan Shu's childhood, things he used to play with Yuan Shao.

Since Yuan Shu remained silent, Sunx Ce just focused on preparing for war. After all, his own territory was a mess, and many troublesome issues remained unresolved. Though the previous battle could not be considered a loss—given that they eliminated the greatest threat, Liu Biao—winning was still a stretch since the flood problem in Jingzhou and the refugee situation were not yet addressed.

"Are we just going like this?" Zhou Yu frowned, feeling a bit overwhelmed as he looked at Sunx Ce carrying two Jade Cauldrons filled with various items. Visiting strangers to recruit them was something he had never done before.

"Should I not go?" Sunx Ce asked, puzzled.

"I just think it's a bit ostentatious," Zhou Yu said, staring at the two Jade Cauldrons. His head ached at the sight.

"Shouldn't we bring some gifts?" Sunx Ce rolled his eyes.

"Let's go, then." Zhou Yu said nothing more. Without experience, even the cleverest mind would find it challenging to strategize effectively.

And so, Sunx Ce and Zhou Yu boldly brought their gifts and visited directly. To be precise, even before Sunx Ce and Zhou Yu arrived, Zhang Zhao and Zhang Hong already knew someone was coming to visit them.

"It seems to be Sunx Bofu and Duke Zhou," Zhang Zhao chuckled and remarked, "Young people seem full of spirit, and indeed Sunx Ce has a heroic appearance and an impressive demeanor, truly possessing the qualities of a mighty lord."

"..." Zhang Hong ignored Zhang Zhao. How could he not know what the other was thinking? It was just because Liu Bei didn't provide any leeway, and he did not wish to go to Mount Tai.

"I'll go welcome them." Zhang Zhao smirked. Previously, he had only heard of Sunx Ce but had never seen him in person. This time, meeting him face to face, what could he say? He felt a kind of overlord's aura, with Sunx Ce walking with a certain dragon-like stride. It seemed like a good choice.

All of that was Zhang Zhao's speculation. In reality, he merely found Sunx Ce pleasing to the eye. Knowing that Sunx Ce had swiftly conquered Jing-Xiang, Zhang Zhao had a solid evaluation of his abilities. Moreover, Sunx Ce inherited Yuan Shu's legacy, with both foundational strength and reserves well in place.

Zhang Zhao really wasn't inclined to go over to Liu Bei. Ever since Zhang Hong suggested returning to Xuzhou, he had been holding to the mindset of choosing the taller of the dwarfs, and unexpectedly found a character who seemed to have the aura of a mighty lord.

"What should I do next?" Sunx Ce, facing a sage for the first time, was pondering. At least when visiting Zhuge Jin, he had a familiar face, Pang Tong, so it didn't really count as seeking out a sage. It was more a friendly visit to inquire about his well-being, and without him saying much, the conversation was set.

As for previous encounters, they often involved civil officials or valiant generals pledging allegiance without a second thought, or even leading troops to join him. This situation of taking gifts to visit was truly unprecedented. Sunx Ce was still pondering why the other party did not come to find him...

"First, present the gifts to show our admiration, then discuss topics of mutual interest," Zhou Yu suggested after thinking it over.

"I remember Ziyu. Let's just get straight to the point," Sunx Ce recalled the visit to Zhuge Jin. His roundabout way of speaking made one unable to respond, and eventually, he stepped forward with an imposing manner and instantly took control.

Zhou Yu felt helpless as well. He wasn't familiar with such tasks either, but to invite such a distinguished civil official, someone with status had to come. Yet, he felt uneasy letting Sunx Ce handle it alone, so he accompanied him.

Zhang Hong observed Sunx Ce downstairs. He could hear bits of the conversation between Zhou Yu and Sunx Ce, which made him chuckle slightly, and his impression of the two visitors improved, though it didn't sway his resolve.

Zhang Zhao opened the door and invited Zhou Yu and Sunx Ce inside. After just a few words, the three of them grew lively in conversation. Even if Sunx Ce wasn't the sharpest, he could tell that he had gained the allegiance of another capable minister without much effort.

"Please, both of you. My elder, Zhang Zigang, is inside, though his temper can be a bit harsh. I hope you'll understand," Zhang Zhao said, quickly bridging connections, then began introducing Zhang Hong. At this point, even Zhou Yu grasped the situation between the two of them.

"Greetings to Master Zhang." As the room door swung open, Zhou Yu and Sunx Ce respectfully saluted Zhang Hong as juniors, while Zhang Hong casually nodded.

In the ensuing conversation among the four, excluding the wordless Sunx Ce, Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao engaged in lively, pleasant discussions. Zhou Yu, who was somewhat inexperienced in governance, found clarity in Zhang Zhao's explanations, resolving many previously perplexing administrative issues, while Zhang Hong clearly seemed somewhat inattentive.

Over time, Sunx Ce could see that Zhang Hong was clearly indifferent, not even bothering to speak much.

Zhou Yu, however, paid no heed—pouring tea and refilling water as needed, showing not the slightest coldness toward Zhang Hong. In his view, gaining Zhang Zhao alone would already bring explosive growth to their influence, and while it was regrettable to miss out on the other, it was wise to avoid offense if possible.

"Master Zhang, seeing how much they enjoy chatting, why aren't you joining in?" Sunx Ce, feeling sleepy from listening, attempted to provoke Zhang Hong to stir himself up, showcasing his daring spirit.

"I don't feel like talking," Zhang Hong replied coldly.

So far, Sunx Ce hadn't demonstrated any astonishing traits that might have captivated Zhang Hong, so naturally, he held little interest. As for Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong felt no need to persuade him—each top sage held their own belief systems, and while not as extreme as Li Youu, who would sacrifice everything for an ideal, they were inevitably hard to sway.

"Oh, why not work with me then?" Sunx Ce blurted out bluntly, for some reason finding Zhang Hong's old face somewhat appealing.

Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao almost didn't know what to say. Was this how one issued an invitation? Starting straight with this statement?

"Give me a reason," Zhang Hong looked at Sunx Ce, now slightly intrigued.

"I find you quite pleasing to the eye," Sunx Ce candidly replied.

"I don't find you pleasing at all," Zhang Hong, being a witty figure himself, replied directly.

"That doesn't matter. As long as I find you pleasing, that's enough. After all, it's you working with me, not me with you," Sunx Ce outright dismissed Zhang Hong's proposal.

"The reason is adequate. I just don't see any significance in joining you," Zhang Hong sipped some wine, turned his gaze toward the clouds outside the window, and spoke in a calm tone filled with rejection. (To be continued. If you like this work, you're welcome to vote on it at Qidian (qidian.com). Your support is the greatest motivation for me. Users on mobile devices, please visit m.qidian.com to read.)