Chapter 80 - War of Words (1/2)
Chapter 80 – War of Words
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Zhang Liao, Gao Shun and Chen Deng were ordered to stay behind by Lu Bu. Although in case something happened, they were ordered to be on full alert. Chen Gong could rely on Zhang Liao's a.s.sistance as secondary commander-in-chief when that time comes.
Sun Ce and Zhou Yu led Lu Bu, Chen Gong and Liu Mang to enter Wancheng city’s administration office. Inside the building, Sun Ce’s army was very busy because of his orders to treat Lu Bu and Co as honorable guests. When they were seated Sun Ce deliberately put his seat below Lu Bu to further emphasize Lu Bu as an honored guest. This overtly gesture, made all of Sun Ce's civil and military retainers very unhappy.
After a few small talks, the banquet finally began.
Sun Ce really didn’t pull any punches when he threw the banquet. From beautiful dancers to good food and good wine, one can say that this is the best banquet they’ve attended since Liu Mang followed Lu Bu.
Liquor was also served in three rounds. Lu Bu was really satisfied with how Sun Ce entertained him.
“Marquis of Wen’s strength is unmatched in this world, and your army is the pinnacle of military forces. Our army cannot hope to match your prowess, those achievements that you achieved, really made me admire Marquis of Wen greatly!” Sun Ce had long since admired Lu Bu’s prowess, so he set Lu Bu as his goal. Who else could have pinned down those eighteen warlords at Hulao Gate, throwing them into disorder and plucking their generals heads as if they are paddy stalks?
Lu Bu’s strength has could only be described as super cla.s.s, and he broke one step further to reach the pinnacle of super cla.s.s! Ahhhh, Sun Ce is very envious with Lu Bu. His strength also has reached super-cla.s.s but he is far from reaching pinnacle of super-cla.s.s. Therefore Lu Bu’s strength is really to be respected.
“Um!” Lu Bu nodded “You are also very good, Sun Ce, Sun Bofu, Jiangdong’s Little Conqueror. Still young, but your strength has entered super-cla.s.s!” Lu Bu also admired Sun Ce to a certain degree, because if his strength was no good, how could he possibly be Sun Ce the Little Conqueror? So his strength was definitely not small.
Also because Lu Bu at Sun Ce’s age, still do not have any home base compared to Sun Ce who has pacified Jiangdong which is his home base.
“Your strength is just like your fathers, in fact you are stronger than him slightly!” Lu Bu also admired Sun Jian. It can be said that he is the one that made Dong Zhuo restless day and night, because he is the only one who managed to defeat Dong Zhuo’s Western Liang Cavalry in DIRECT confrontation.
TL: I want to change Western Liang to Xiliang, because it is cooler to said Xiliang rather than said Western Liang.
The familiarity in their speech had risen to a new level. It was as if they were an uncle and a nephew. Because of that familiarity, if anyone saw this they would have certainly thought they were related. Only those who followed Sun Ce from the very beginning, knew that these two were complete strangers.
“In Marquis of Wen’s opinion, what kind of man is my father?!” Everyone in this nation knows about Sun Jian’s insatiable greed and delusions. In his eyes, once he got the Imperial Seal, he could rule this nation, but who knew he was to be eaten by his own oath to those 18 warlords and die a dogs death? But for whatever the reason, Sun Jian is still a very big figure in Sun Ce’s eyes.
TL: Sun Jian found the Imperial Seal in the well after Luo Yang was burned to the ground by Dong Zhuo. But when he was inquired by Yuan Shao and 17 warlords, he denied and he swore to heavens “If I possess Imperial Seal, may my death will be a violent death” aka died like a dog. So, you can say, he was eaten by his own oath.
“Your father, eh?!” Lu Bu drank another gla.s.s of wine. Lu Bu thought “Should I say that, Sun Jian is a patriot? He indeed defeated Dong Zhuo and liberated Luo Yang, but at the same time, he also possessed the Imperial Seal, which destroyed his patriot image turned it into a usurper?!”
“Should I say that he is an ambitious and formidable character during the chaos of time? This is also wrong, because when those 18 warlords, except Cao Cao, were thinking of their own benefits whether to continue or not. Sun Jian was the one who was still thinking to continue to Chang’an and kept pressing their crusade against Dong Zhuo.”
“This person is very difficult to judge. After pondering for a long time, Lu Bu finally responded with these words “Polaris has fallen!”
TL: Actually what Lu Bu said is “A star has fallen” it is a proverb, which means: A person who led a bright life like a star has died. So I use Polaris (North Star / Pole Star) as a stress in this sentence.
“Polaris has fallen!” Sun Ce chewing Lu Bu’s words carefully. The ancients are in awe regarding stars. If a person was compared to stars in the sky that means that person has been fully recognized by the other person.
Lu Bu and Sun Jian were originally enemy but now Lu Bu said “Polaris has fallen” in regard to Sun Jian, does not this mean that Lu Bu has recognized Sun Jian wholly as a worthy opponent and a person?
“Oh, father. You can rest in peace now, for your enemy also has recognized you!” Thought Sun Ce.
Because of Lu Bu’s word for Sun Jian, it made Sun Ce’s feelings surge to the top. Their familiarity goes deeper beyond of one’s uncle and one’s nephew. This is a very harmonious feeling of happiness.
With Sun Ce complimenting Lu Bu and Lu Bu accepting his compliment, both Jiangdong’s civil and military officials found this situation become unbearable, because Lu Bu did not show politeness toward their lord.
Usually when people were praised, the other will naturally said “You are too kind” and decline overpraise. But Lu Bu here, he did not decline any overpraise, he just swallowed them all up.
Regardless if those words that were spoken are or aren’t facts.
Finally a Jiangdong scholar could not tolerate any longer, he hold his gla.s.s and stood up “General Lu, as a teacher in Confucian lessons, today I, Qin Song, would like to consult a question that is been bothering my mind!”