After entering Jiankang, Liu Acheng did not go straight to the Prince of Kuaiji's residence. Instead, he first visited Huan Wen's residence in Jiankang to meet Luo You for a final discussion.
Calling it a discussion was generous. In truth, Liu Cheng was simply consulting him, asking whether the time had come to lay everything bare and hold the final negotiations.
He hesitated because, in theory, there was still a better opportunity ahead: Yin Hao, Yangzhou Governor and Central Army General, the other central figure in this maelstrom, was already on his way back... Shouchun was roughly four hundred li from Jiankang, with convenient routes by both land and water. Yin Hao had not been farming in Shouchun all this time, either. During the two months Liu Cheng had been away, the fellow had already made one round trip to Jiankang.
This man seemed even less able to withstand pressure, and he was the target of every arrow this time. If he simply buckled, that might offer a better opening.
However, after a moment's thought, Luo You still gave his judgment:
"There's no need. Cutting through tangled hemp with a sharp blade may work just as well as having Yin Hao here. The key is still to persuade Sima Yu. His attitude is what matters.
"Besides, if Yin Hao returns, he might show weakness, but the Jiankang court has no shortage of experienced, capable senior ministers. They simply haven't taken a position yet. If his weakness angers them, it could leave Sima Yu riding a tiger he cannot dismount, afraid to make peace with us."
Liu Cheng thoroughly agreed with Luo You's judgment. He had sensed it too: Jiankang's waters ran unusually deep. Men like Cai Mo, who still retained some political influence and had weathered great storms, remained both