“Father! Where you going now?” Zuo Jie could not understand. Right now, his father was injured. He should be resting instead of going out.
“You want me to rest? This is an emergency! If we don’t do anything, we would suffer a catastrophe!” Zuo Li said as he struggled to get up. He grimaced from the pain as the blood from his buttocks flowed out.
“Men! Come and help Father and prepare a carriage!” Zuo Jie immediately got someone to prepare a carriage. Since his father was injured, a cushion was also prepared.
A servant quickly arrived with the prepared carriage. Zuo Li was about to get onto the carriage when he shook his head. “No. A carriage would be too conspicuous. Use an ox carriage covered with a shed.” Zuo Li said and after some time needed to change the carriage, he left.
“Father. Where are we going?” Zuo Jie still did not know why his father is acting like there was a disaster coming.
“We are going to Zhang’s residence.” Zuo Li said to his son.
“We are going to Ambassador Zhang’s residence? Father! That man is already leaving soon. Why are you going to him?”
“Ambassador Zhang cannot leave. If I am telling you to go there, then just do it! Don’t ask so many questions!” Zhang Zhao was already distressed so his son asking so many questions only irked him more.
Zhang Zhao’s residence was on the other side of the city so Zuo Li’s buttocks felt unbearably painful by the time he reached it. Fortunately, he was able to endure the pain. Zuo Li’s ox carriage went to the back gate instead of the front. Yet, there were many other rotten carriages at the back gate.
The Zuo Family entered the Zhang Family’s residence and found out that there was already a gathering there.
“Governor Zuo is also here! Governor Zuo, how is your injury?” A friend asked.
“It’s bad but I have no choice but to come!” Zuo Li replied bitterly.
“That Zhuge Jin is truly vicious. The Lord is deceived by such a nasty person to treat the Governor this way!” Several of Zuo Li’s friends said. They were united in their anger against a common foe.
Normally, Zuo Li would join in and grumbled about it but he was too distressed about something else to have the mood to do so.
“Where is Ambassador Zhang? I have something important to inform him about!” Zuo Li was anxious. At that moment, Zhang Zhao’s housekeeper appeared.
“But the Lord is already sending me to Xudou!” Zhang Zhao said as though he wanted to but could not help them.
“Master Zhang! You cannot go! You are our pillar! You are the hope of the Jiangdong nobles!” One of them said while gritting his teeth. “Let us go and request for the Lord not to chase you away! You are Jiangdong’s support!”
“It is no use! The Lord is now callous! No matter what you say, Sun Ce has already pulled the horse of Yangzhou’s envoy. Will he care about other things? Will he listen to the other nobles?”
“Then what should we do? Are we just going to wait for our deaths?” One terrified noble asked.
“Unless...!” Zhang Zhao suddenly said.
“Unless?” The nobles were overjoyed to hear Zhang Zhao’s words but they did not know what Zhang Zhao meant.
“Unless we change Lords.” Zuo Li said.
Zhang Zhao could not help but look at Zuo Li. He never thought highly of Zuo Li before this since he was Zuo Li’s superior. He also thought that Zuo Li was old and obstinate person. Now that he saw Zuo Li’s moment of intelligence, he realized that Zuo Li only appeared to be stupid on purpose.
“Change Lords?” The nobles were shocked. These were rebellious words. If Sun Ce were to hear these words they would be treated as rebels immediately. That was why all of them stopped to look at the windows.
“Don’t worry. This is my residence. The walls will not have ears.” Zhang Zhao laughed as he dispelled their concerns.
Changing Lords was a shocking plan for them. But they soon started scheming. To begin with, they were all vicious and greedy. They were only loyal to their own Family. To the others, they were only loyal if the other party could bring benefits to them. Otherwise, they would simply part ways.
That was why when a dynasty changes, it was never because the enemy was too strong. It was because there was a traitor by your side.
“But if we change Lords, who should become the new Lord? Are we going to allow the King of Shu Liu Mang to enter Jiangdong?” One person asked skeptically. If Liu Mang were to enter Jiangdong, it would also be changing Lords.
“Master Zhang. What about the Second Lord?” Zuo Li asked Zhang Zhao with a smile.