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 assistance 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 class, and he broke one step further to reach the pinnacle of super class! Ahhhh, Sun Ce is very envious with Lu Bu. His strength also has reached super-class but he is far from reaching pinnacle of super-class. 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-class!” 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 glass 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 glass 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!”

Qin Song, courtesy name Wenbiao, is a native of Guangling. He is Sun Ce’s advisor and also one of Jiangdong noble families. His merit is ensuring Jiangdong’s stability after being pacified by Sun Ce.

TL : Qin Song https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Qin_Song

“If you want to consult, I do not dare to give you advice. Please speak frankly what is in your mind!” Lu Bu who has discovered his fault, also opened his mouth to Qin Song

True enough, Qin Song then sneered “I would like to ask General Lu one thing only. Due to your vast experience wandering in four directions, you must have known who in this nation deserved to be called a hero right? Please mention one of them!”

“Discussing heroes over wine?! Is this the same like Cao Cao and Liu Bei’s conversation?!” Liu Mang froze for a moment, and then he looked at Lu Bu’s face which showed very complex reaction, a mixture of feelings hurt and angry. He know that this is not a simple matter.

“Vast experience wandering in four-direction?!” This old bastard actually says something this degrading??? Sun Ce is a warlord, Lu Bu is also a warlord. A warlord who is someone who occupy one area, and this bastard just said Lu Bu is warlord who has a vast experience in wandering. That old bastard just insulted Lu Bu by saying that he is a stray dog without no any place to put down his roots.

“Wenbiao put down your opinion!” Sun Ce brows wrinkled, because he did not ask Qin Song to satirize Lu Bu. “Marquis of Wen, please do not blame him!”

Insulting Boss Lu for having no domain, eh? Liu Mang also understood Qin Song's intention. It is a pity that old man Chen Gong is not here, due to other businesses that Boss Lu ordered for him to take care of. If he was here, naturally he would rebuke Qin Song's statement. With Chen Gong in the middle of his work, Lu Bu asked Zang Ba to be present as Chen Gong's stand-in for the banquet.

So Zang Ba also listened to that insult. As he is a combat general, he did not have any eloquence to rebuke Qin Song, so he wanted to do what was natural for him to do. Cut down the one who insulted his lord.

But, Liu Mang blocked him.

Want to start fight in Sun Ce's hall? Ha. In this hall, there are at least five of Sun Ce's generals already in state of alert, let alone those bodyguards standing outside. So, even though Liu Mang, Zang Ba and Lu Bu received an insult until it becomes unbearable, they still needed to maintain their manners. We do not want to show to others that our Lu Bu army is a bunch of barbarians’ right?

“Mr. Qin Song, Mr. Qin Wenbiao. If you asked about who is deserving to be called a hero in this chaotic time, then we must ask a hero to answer the question right?! Therefore, may I ask Mr. Qin Song, are you a hero?!” Qin Songs question wouldn’t be met with a simply reply. If you answer that you are a hero, it means you accept Qin Song's satire. And if you say, you are not a hero, then it will reveal that you travel in four-directions just for pleasure and will reveal that you do not have big plans.

Therefore Liu Mang can only try to smooth things over with him, he asked back at that Mister, is he a hero?! If Qin Song answers yes, he is a hero, then he is truly a shameless person. Heroes are evaluated by other people not claimed by oneself. If Qin Song said no, then his topic ends here, and there was no longer any need for discussion.

What Liu Mang hadn’t thought of was that this old bastard Qin Song was a narcissist. “Boy, perhaps you should rephrase your question. You should ask, “What is a hero to me?” Then I will answer that question. A hero for me, is someone who has read all Confucius books and also understands what the sage king is saying and holds it deep his heart. Also he must have only one surname and respectful to his ancestors.”

TL: Confucius is regarded as sage king

Have only one surname? Also respectful to ones ancestors? This old man has not forgotten how to taunt.

The title which really defamed Lu Bu is a slave of three surnames which Zhang Fei shouted back at Hulao gate. Qin Song now is saying that a hero has only one surname, is this not another way to insult Lu Bu's who has the slave of three surnames title?

Liu Mang already saw Lu Bu complexion which gradually became cold, and his hand also rested at his sword hilt.

Oooohhhh, okay then! Mr. Qin Song, since you do not appreciate the chance that I have given you to rescue your face, then I will show you, how shameless you are.

Liu Mang who was also infuriated by this old bastard, actually started to praise and laugh at Qin Song and then said in his praise “I have heard so much about you Mr. Qin Song, Qin Wenbiao of Guangling, he is a very talented scholar. In the whole world, no one can match your prowess, today I really see that the rumor is true!”

“Hanyang, what are you doing?!” Zang Ba really do not understand Liu Mang. Hey, this Qin Song insulted your lord, your father-in-law, why did you Liu Hanyang not help Milord to counter-attack with a rebuke, but instead praised Qin Song.

Liu Mang did not respond to Zang Ba, but continued smiling at Qin Song.

“Oh, has this old man name become so famous?!” Qin Song really looking down at Lu Bu’s army. Lu Bu is a person whose reputation is already half destroyed, but some scholars can tolerate and see him as a great man. Such as Chen Gong, Chen Deng and even Zhou Yu. In their eyes, Lu Bu is very pleasing.

TL: He said his name as “Lao Fu” which translated as Old Man (it is a very respectful tone). Liu Mang's affectionate call to Chen Gong is Chen Old Man, but written as Lao Tou (a disrespectful tone)

However some people actually couldn’t tolerate him, especially those moralist scholars. For example: Kong Rong. This Qin Song really is one of those characters.

“If you are studious chap and have eagerness to learn, this old man can actually teach you two a thing or two!” Qin Song touched his beard. Qin Song then thought “This Lu Bu’s army did not have any people who are intelligent enough, I insult them, still nobody reacts they are even while smiling accepting my insults!”

Smile, just smile right now! I will make you cry profusely after this.

“I have heard that Venerable Mr. Qin Song had cultivated Confucius virtues. I would like to explain to you gentlemen who are here today what those are!” Liu Mang's mouth showed a big smile. Others could not see it, but Lu Bu who is sitting at the honored seat can see it clearly, Liu Mang is fuming with rage.

This is Qin Song's bad luck. Lu Bu has seen how bad Liu Mang can insult people. At Kaiyang, he insulted Cao Cao so much that his rage was fuming and he wanted to kill Liu Mang personally. Thus one can see, how profound his skill at insulting.