The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 181 The only heroes in the world today are Xuande and Cao

The manifesto spread quickly.

Both Cao's camp and Liu's camp tried their best to downplay the political impact of this manifesto.

The most urgent task at the moment is to resist the influx of troops from Hebei.

Cao Cao and Liu Bei soon led their troops and gathered at the court in Chen in the name of serving the king and protecting him.

On the surface, they were blaming Yuan Shao for his mistakes to the emperor, but in private the two families were discussing together how to fight against the powerful enemy.

After the court session, both parties brought their trusted civil and military officials to a backyard.

When they reached the pavilion, they sat down.

Cao Cao led Xun Yu, Guo Jia, Cao Ren and Xiahou Dun at his side.

Liu Bei led Li Yi, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun on his left and right.

Zhao Yun has been transferred back from Jiujiang to prepare for the war in Hebei, while Xia Pi will be guarded by Lu Su personally.

Although the two sides do not interact often, they are not strangers.

Cao Cao knew everyone around Liu Bei like the back of his hand.

Li Yi is a man of genius, he is the enemy of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei who can defeat thousands of people. Even Zhao Yun is brave and loyal.

This made Cao Cao really jealous.

He was in no hurry to get down to business, but instead asked Zhao Yun beside him about his well-being and said:

"...General Zilong, are you well?"

Zhao Yun nodded and replied, "Thank you for your concern, Minister Cao. Everything is fine."

Cao Cao smiled calmly, frowned and said:
"I still remember that several years ago, you and I were fighting for the throne on the bank of the Yellow River."

"Now you have become a shepherd, I congratulate you!"

After he finished speaking, Cao Cao handed the cup filled with wine to Zhao Yun.

Zhao Yun evaded the question:
"Thank you for your kindness, Sikong Cao. However, I still have official business to attend to, so it is not convenient for me to drink."

The official duty naturally refers to protecting Liu Bei.

Zhao Yun's words were neither humble nor arrogant, which not only saved Cao Cao's face but also provided sufficient reasons.

"……Um."

Cao Cao looked Zhao Yun up and down and said, "He is indeed a man of talent."

After saying this, he knocked the cup on the table.

He stroked his long beard, looked towards the north, and said:
"The reason why Yuan Shao moved south so quickly was because Gongsun Zan was defeated and burned himself to death."

"...Alas, think of Gongsun Bogui, who was known as the White Horse General in his early years and guarded against the Wuhuan in the north."

"He is the commander of the four states' troops, and he is considered a top hero."

"It ended up like this."

Having said this, Cao Cao suddenly turned his gaze towards Zhao Yun and said with a half-smile:

"... Well, I just remembered that General Zilong seems to be from Changshan, Jizhou."

"I heard that you have a reputation for loyalty and righteousness. Why did you join Gongsun Zan before, and why are you following Xuande now?"

"Changing masters twice, isn't that disloyalty?"

As soon as he said this, the expressions of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei behind him changed.

It seems that Cao Cao mentioned Gongsun Zan before in order to introduce the second half of this sentence.

After being together for so long, Guan and Zhang have already regarded Zhao Yun as their own brother.

But it is an indisputable fact that Zhao Yun’s former master was Gongsun Zan.

Just now Zhao Yun refused Cao Cao's toast, but he didn't expect that this guy was so narrow-minded.

Which pot does not open which pot.

"...Haha, I'm afraid what Cao Sikong said is wrong."

The person who spoke was Li Yi.

When Cao Cao saw this, his expression changed slightly, but he still had a smile on his face.

Liu Bei also smiled. He knew that with Li Yi's talent, this kind of situation would not be a problem for him.

"...Oh? Does Ziyu have any other ideas?" Cao Cao asked with his lips raised.

"I don't deserve such high words."

Li Yi waved his hand and smiled:
"Yi heard that a good bird chooses a good tree to roost in."

"Although Gongsun Zan was from a high-ranking family, he did not care about the people's livelihood and indulged his subordinates in greed and disorder, causing widespread grief and the people were intolerant."

"Liu Bo'an of Youzhou has always been kind and generous to his people. When Zilong was in Youzhou, he promoted benevolence and justice."

"It's not to vote for Gongsun Bogui."

Li Yi cleverly removed the moral shackles that Cao Cao had put on Zhao Yun.

It points out that Zhao Yun joined the cause of benevolence and righteousness, not for any particular person.

"... Hou Zilong is not as kind as Lord Xuande, but just as kind as Liu Bo'an."

"Although Liu Bo'an is dead, our lord should also carry out his will in order to rectify the world."

"So what Zilong was loyal to was benevolence, so he was not disloyal."

gentlemen……

Zhao Yun looked at Li Yi with gratitude. What Li Yi said was exactly what he was thinking.

What Zhao Yun pursued throughout his life was benevolence and righteousness.

Even if Liu Bei betrayed his original intention one day, Zhao Yun would still leave him.

"...Haha, Ziyu is really smart."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed, praising Li Yi's quick thinking.

However, his eyes were looking at Guo Jia behind him.

This person is also a young genius, resourceful, and roughly the same age as Li Yi.

Cao Cao often said to those around him, "Liu Bei has Li Ziyu, and I also have Guo Fengxiao."

Because Guo Jia entered officialdom later than Li Yi, his reputation was inferior to his.

Cao Cao compared him with Li Yi, which was naturally a compliment to Guo Jia.

However, Guo Jia is a proud and arrogant person after all. How could he be willing to live under the shadow of others?

Seeing Cao Cao looking at him, although he didn't say anything, he knew he wanted to tell him something.

Fengxiao, please don't embarrass me in front of so many people!

Guo Jia then stepped out and said with a grin:

"The world is in chaos today, discipline has collapsed, and people's hearts are not here."

"Isn't Li Tanhou's so-called benevolent government just empty talk and high-sounding words?"

Li Yi looked serious and said loudly:

"Although Yi is insignificant and his words are not taken seriously, he also knows that success depends on human effort."

"As Guo Jijiu said, people's hearts are alienated from virtue."

“It is for this reason that we need to practice benevolence and justice.”

"Liu Bo'an loved his people like his own children, and Lord Xuande also personally practiced benevolent governance. These are all things that the people of Xuzhou have personally experienced."

"Everyone has seen it, it's not just empty talk."

"Only sitting and talking is high-sounding, but it is useless to the country."

“Nothing can go as planned, but it is good enough to have a clear conscience.”

"As long as you work hard, you will succeed sooner or later."

Li Yi is also a man of strong and upright character. If you ask me one question, I will answer it a hundred times.

When it comes to eloquence, Li Yi does not take even the most eloquent person in the world like Ni Heng seriously.

Cao Ren over there hummed:

"Did Marquis Tan just mention Liu Bo'an of Youzhou? Humph, he is just a corrupt scholar."

"It was because they were too weak in foreign policy that the Hu people dared to invade the border repeatedly."

"It was Gongsun Bogui who upheld a tough policy and attacked the Wuhuan several times, which made them dare not look south to the Han people."

"If you ask me, it was Liu Yu who betrayed Gongsun Zan first."

"Even if Gongsun Zan has his faults, the men of Youzhou will go through life and death with him."

"Only by resisting the Wuhuan in the north and Yuan Shao in the west can Youzhou be kept peaceful."

"But Liu Bo'an just sat back and reaped the benefits, earning a good reputation as a benevolent and righteous man who loves the people."

When these words came out of Cao Ren's mouth, benevolence, righteousness and love for the people became inappropriate.

Although Cao Ren was scolding Liu Yu, some people at the scene looked unhappy.

Liu Bei and Liu Yu were both relatives of the Han royal family, and both had a good reputation for being benevolent, righteous and loving the people.

Xiahou Dun, perhaps touched by Cao Ren's words, also chimed in:

"That's right, Liu Yu refused to give Gongsun Zan money and food. He is just a scholar and doesn't understand the importance of military affairs in troubled times!"

"If Gongsun Zan hadn't defended the country from foreign enemies, how could Liu Yu have sat back and enjoyed the reputation of his benevolent rule?"

"That's all. Liu Yu would rather give his money to the Donghu than to support the soldiers in Youzhou!"

"If this isn't a corrupt scholar, then what is it?"

Xiahou Dun's proposal that scholars are useless undoubtedly directed the spearhead at Li Yi.

However, as a military man, it is normal for Xiahou Dun to dislike Liu Yu's behavior.

In the past, Youzhou had huge annual expenditures because it was located in the frontier and bordered foreign ethnic groups.

Therefore, the more than 200 million tax revenues from Qing and Ji states were often used to supplement Youzhou's finances.

In order to maintain stability on the border, Liu Yu took out a lot of money to appease foreigners.

This was of course unacceptable to warriors like Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren.

They believed that instead of giving the money to foreign races, it would be better to use it to reward border soldiers.

Gongsun Zan’s idea was the same as theirs, which was to adopt a high-pressure policy and not make any compromises.

Although Gongsun Zan did manage to suppress the foreign tribes, he directly dragged down the entire Youzhou's economy and people's livelihood.

In the past, when the Han Dynasty still had control over the local areas, it was able to use the taxes from Ji and Qing states to subsidize Youzhou's finances.

But now was an era of division among warlords, and Gongsun Zan simply could not afford to fight two wars at the same time, internally and externally.

"You only know one side of the story, but not the other; you only know the surface, but not the inside."

Li Yi put his hands behind his back and said in a clear and serious voice:
"At that time, Youzhou was suffering from bitter cold, internal and external difficulties, and Gongsun Zan had been waging war for years, which not only delayed the farming season, but also caused loss of population."

"Nine out of ten houses in Youzhou are empty, and there is no human habitation within a hundred miles."

"When Liu Bo'an was in power, he developed salt and iron, traded with foreigners, lived in harmony with the people, and the people began to recover."

Li Yi pointed out Liu Yu's considerations.

The policy of appeasement towards foreign tribes was also a result of a specific analysis of the specific situation in Youzhou at that time.

In fact, the money Liu Yu used to appease foreign tribes was far less than the money and food consumed by Gongsun Zan in fighting a battle.

Instead, it aggravated Youzhou's exhaustion.

Everything has its pros and cons. What those in power should consider is what is most beneficial to their own people.

"The land of the Hu is barren, and conquering them will not bring any benefit, and it will only waste the people's efforts."

"The imperial court is unable to take care of itself, and has no help."

"So Liu Bo'an used the land of one state to resist the Hu people. He could not force them by force, but could only soften them."

"So if we can make other ethnic groups feel sympathetic towards China and not harbor rebellious thoughts, and even use them for our own benefit, there will naturally be no trouble."

Unless they have no other choice, who would be willing to give money to foreigners for nothing?
Li Yi pointed out incisively why Liu Yu wanted to adopt a conciliatory strategy in Youzhou.

He is a politician, so naturally he considers issues from the perspective of interests.

However, it is still incomprehensible for barbarians like Xiahou Dun and Cao Ren.

"I know Mr. Li is a man of great eloquence, but I cannot agree with this."

Xiahou Dun knew that Li Yi was an eloquent man and did not want to argue with him.

But the explanation given by Li Yi could not convince him.

"Yes, I also think Mr. Li's words are pedantic."

Cao Hong also stood up and echoed.

"The Hu people are jackals!"

"If you can feed them, that's fine. But if you can't, they'll resort to cannibalism!"

"What Liu Yu has done since taking office is like cutting off his own flesh and feeding it to wolves."

"I heard that whenever the Hu people sent envoys, they would give them food and silk. You must know that the soldiers in the border areas have never been treated so generously."

"As for the claim that the Hu people did not rebel when Liu Bo'an was in power..."

"They just think there is still profit to be made, and they are intimidated by Gongsun Zan's military might."

"If we cut military supplies and dismiss soldiers like Liu Bo'an did, it would be like cutting off our own limbs."

"If the Hu people become greedy and rebel again someday, what will Liu Bo'an do?"

What Cao Hong accused was that after Liu Yu took office, he cut a large number of troops in order to save costs.

This led to the relaxation of Youzhou's military preparedness for a time.

"Besides, Youzhou is the northern gate of the Central Plains, facing the border barbarians directly. How can we allow ourselves to be unprepared?"

Seeing that the people in Cao's camp were getting more and more excited, they didn't wait for the people in Liu's camp to react.

Cao Cao, however, was a little embarrassed and shouted:
"Gentlemen, please be patient. We have come to Chendi to discuss a strategy to defeat Yuan Shao, not to argue about who is right or wrong between Gongsun Bogui and Liu Bo'an."

"Besides, it's a rare occasion for Xuande and I to get together, and we haven't even had time to reminisce about the past." In fact, Cao Cao and Liu Bei had known each other for a long time.

The original words in the history book are, "In the last years of Emperor Ling, Bei was in the capital for a while, and later he and Cao Gong returned to Pei State to recruit and unite the people."

That is to say, when Cao Cao fled the capital, Liu Bei recruited soldiers with him, and the two must have known each other at that time.

Although nearly ten years have passed and things and people have changed, the ambitions hidden deep in the hearts of the two have never changed.

At this time, the cook had prepared the wine and food and placed them on the stone table.

Cao Cao took a look and saw that it was green plum wine, so he said to Liu Bei:

"Looking at this green plum wine, I remembered the time when we were fighting Zhang Xiu. There was a shortage of water on the road and all the soldiers were thirsty."

"I came up with a plan, pointed with my whip and said, 'There is a plum forest ahead.'"

"When the soldiers heard this, they all started saliva-filled, and they were no longer thirsty."

Liu Bei praised Cao Cao for his extraordinary intelligence, but he was thinking in his heart that the last time he drank plum wine was with Li Yi.

Drinking green plum wine, eating white snake meat, and imagining the great achievements to be made in the future.

What a happy and leisurely life.

At that time, Liu Bei had not yet firmly established his control over Xuzhou, but now he has control over four states and has an army of nearly 100,000.

This was the promise Chen Deng had made when he had persuaded him to take over Xuzhou:

——"I am willing to unite 100,000 infantry and cavalry for you!"

Afterwards, Cao Cao and Liu Bei sat opposite each other and cooked wine, drinking happily.

When we were half drunk, suddenly dark clouds appeared and it was about to rain.

There was a follower nearby, pointing to a dragon hanging in the sky.

Cao Cao and Liu Bei both stood up and leaned over the railing to watch.

Cao Cao suddenly became romantic and pointed to the sky and asked Liu Bei:
"Does Xuande know about the dragon's transformation?"

Liu Bei replied, "I don't know the details."

Cao Cao stroked his beard and laughed:

"The dragon can be big or small, it can ascend or hide."

"If it's big, it stirs up clouds and spits out mist; if it's small, it hides its form."

"When rising, it soars into the universe; when hiding, it lurks in the waves."

"Now that spring is deep, the dragon takes advantage of the changing times, just like a man who has achieved his ambition and travels across the world."

"The dragon is comparable to the heroes of the world."

"Xuan De has traveled a lot and must know the heroes of the time. Please try to tell me about them."

Li Yi, who was standing by, saw this and didn't expect that Cao Cao would suddenly think of discussing heroes over wine.

Could it be that he was preparing for the battle against Yuan Shao and to give himself courage?

Sure enough, Liu Bei mentioned several people in succession, but Cao Cao looked down on them all and did not take them seriously.

Li Yi was listening intently at the side when suddenly a man walked up to him.

He was the military advisor and chief priest of Cao's camp, Guo Jia of Yingchuan, Guo Fengxiao.

He came over with a smile on his face and said:

"Mr. Li, I have long heard of your name. Nice to meet you."

Li Yi remained calm and immediately returned the greeting:

"Guo Jijiu, you are polite."

Guo Jia raised his lips slightly, raised his eyebrows and said:
"When Jia was in Yingchuan, he had already heard of Mr. Li's eloquence."

"I just didn't have a debate with you. Would you be so kind as to allow me to have another debate with you?"

Li Yi lowered his head slightly and sorted out his thoughts.

He then looked at Cao Cao and Liu Bei who were still discussing the heroes of the world fiercely.

Then he understood, his brows softened a little, and he nodded gently:
"...Good, there is nothing to do around here. It would be good if you could listen to the wise words and advice of Master Guo."

"I just don't know what Master Guo wants to talk about?"

Guo Jia paused and turned his gaze to Cao Cao and Liu Bei who were in heated discussion.

Suddenly a plan came to his mind, and he smiled at Li Yi and said:
"My Lord was just discussing the heroes of the world with your Lord."

"My Lord said that Yuan Benchu was good at making plans but had no decision, while Liu Jingsheng was just a name with no substance."

"Liu Jiyu is a guard dog, and Sun Zhongmou is a man who uses his father and brother's names. They are both mediocre people and not worth mentioning."

"I have heard for a long time that Mr. Li is a man of great strategy, knows everything in the world, and knows all the heroes in the world."

"Since my Lord and General Liu have failed to come up with a hero, Jia would like to ask Mr. Li for advice."

"In Mr. Li's eyes, who can be regarded as a hero in the world?"

Li Yi's eyes paused on Guo Jia's face, and he looked at him quietly for a moment before he laughed and said:

"I heard that Guo Jijiu once worked for Yuan Shao. There are many famous scholars in Hebei. Guo Jijiu must know more people than me."

"May the chief wine officer Guo speak first."

Ha ha……

Guo Jia raised his lips slightly, and said without hesitation:
"...Good, then I'll speak first."

After saying this, he turned his gaze towards Cao Cao who was not far away and said:

"Sikong Cao recruited many talented people, praised the humble and the ugly, and did not offend or rebel against them."

"Only the talents are selected. Isn't this the legacy of Emperor Gaozu?"

Ha ha……

This time it was Li Yi's turn to laugh out loud. He waved his hand and said:

"Otherwise, people with talent but no moral integrity will be despised by the world."

"Even if he has talent, the harm he causes is even greater. How can this last long?"

Ok.

Guo Jia nodded, as if thinking about something. After pondering for a long time, he continued.

"Cao Gong started an uprising in the tiny country of Chenliu, occupied Yanzhou, defeated the Yellow Turbans, saved the emperor, defeated Yuan Shu, and destroyed Li Jue and Guo Si."

"He used his military skills like a god and wiped out the invaders everywhere."

"Now I am one of the Three Dukes, and the whole world looks up to me."

"This is unsuccessful. Does Mr. Li still think so?"

Li Yi shook his head and said:
"Although Cao Gong was a master of military strategy, he was defeated in Xingyang, fled to Puyang, and fled across the Yu River."

"Guo Jijiu is also a man who has read many classics and military strategies. How can a victory or defeat at one time determine one's success or failure in life?"

"The King of Chu conquered all the other princes and controlled nine out of ten of the world, but where is he now?"

"General Liu had few soldiers and generals in the past, and his only generals were Guan Yu and Zhang Fei."

"But now it also occupies four states."

"Today in the court of Chen, General Liu and Minister Cao serve in the court, both of them are Han officials."

"Why must we discuss this in terms of land separatism?"

"Moreover, General Liu is a descendant of the imperial family and is related to the Yuan family. In terms of status, isn't he superior to Minister Cao?"

Considering that it was a friendly debate, Li Yi did not expose the fact that Cao Cao was a eunuch.

Guo Jia laughed loudly and said:

"What good is it to follow worldly etiquette when one is of low status?"

"Sikong Cao is devoted to the great Han Dynasty, not to his own selfish desires."

"When Dong Zhuo rebelled, Cao Gong called on all the heroes to fight against him."

"The princes hesitated to move forward, so Cao Gong pursued them alone."

"Now that the Han dynasty is divided, it is Cao Gong who is clearing the world, and he is truly dedicated to the public."

Li Yi raised his eyebrows and said seriously:
"All for the public good, what is the public good?"

"I heard that Guo Jijiu is also a well-read person. He must remember that 'the sage has no fixed mind and takes the people's heart as his own.'"

"Why did Qin fall? Was the Han Dynasty the Han Dynasty for the princes or the Han Dynasty for the people?"

“The world does not belong to one person, but to everyone in the world.”

"I just want to ask you, when Cao Sikong massacred people in Xuzhou, was he wholeheartedly working for the Han Dynasty?"

"What happened to the 100,000 people in Xuzhou?"

Li Yi gets angry whenever this matter is mentioned.

He had just crossed over and was almost chopped to death by Cao Cao's cavalry.

At that time, we were all confused and just thought we were lost.

As a result, a tall and strong man rushed out inexplicably and wanted to kill him without asking any questions.

He had never been so embarrassed in his life.

This is unacceptable to Li Yi.

Seeing that Li Yi had raised the topic to a new level, Guo Jia's expression became heavier.

After a pause, there was a hint of awe in his eyes:

"Today, is it better to divide the world in three to five years, or ten to a hundred years?"

"With Cao Sikong's military and literary skills, we can eliminate the princes and restore the unity in no time!"

"If the chaos lasts longer, there will be countless disasters like those in Xuzhou and tragedies like those in Huainan."

"The thief is definitely not Cao Sikong, but a group of people with different intentions!"

Guo Jia’s argument is also very clear: it’s not me, it’s the soldiers.

If you want to blame someone, blame this cannibalistic world.

Li Yi shook his head slightly, snorted, and raised his eyebrows:

"Sikong Cao follows the ways of a king and a tyrant, and can sweep the four seas clean."

"General Liu may be able to implement benevolent governance and the kingly way."

"The disaster in Xuzhou happened only a few years ago, but it is still fresh in our minds."

"If the people in front of us can be sacrificed without being saved, I don't know when Cao Sikong will restore the unity of the Han Dynasty."

"…How much is left in the world?"

After a pause, he couldn't help but sigh.

"Dong Zhuo was unkind before, so the whole world should punish him."

"Yuan Shu was disloyal and was defeated overnight."

"The lessons of the past are still fresh in our minds."

"I wonder if using tyranny to seize the hearts of the people of the world can last for another three to five years?"

Having said this, Guo Jia finally stopped refuting immediately.

He was not convinced by Li Yi, but he knew that no matter what he said today, he could not convince Li Yi.

This person is unyielding and has an extraordinary willpower.

"...That's all."

Guo Jia stretched and his mood quickly returned to calm.

"I already know what Mr. Li said about General Liu's benevolence and righteousness."

"However, in times of chaos, we must ultimately use military strategy to control them."

"Even if there are thousands of words and tricks, how can they resist a few swords, spears, bows and crossbows?"

These last few words were the most heartfelt words that Guo Jia said to Li Yi.

He told Li Yi his true thoughts truthfully, hoping that he could change his mind.

At this point, Guo Jia said nonchalantly:
"Mr. Li just said that Cao Sikong and General Liu both served in the court. Since you are under General Liu, there is not much difference between you and being in Sikong's mansion."

"Why not transfer him to the government? Firstly, it will be more convenient to issue imperial edicts, and secondly, you can discuss the situation of the world with Jia again."

“Isn’t that the best of both worlds?”

Hahaha……

After saying this, both of them laughed.

"Li appreciates the kindness of Guo Jijiu."

"If the chief priest really wants to debate with me again, he can come to Xuzhou. I will certainly welcome you."

"...Haha, then it's a deal."

Although Li Yi and Guo Jia had just debated and neither of them convinced the other, there was no conflict between them.

The conversation continued as before, without any impact.

They each returned to Cao Cao and Liu Bei.

Cao Cao said over there:
"A hero has great ambitions and good plans."

"He has the power to contain the universe and the will to swallow up the heaven and earth."

Liu Bei asked seriously: