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

Chapter 262 Guan Yu's values ​​were shaken; he never imagined that there was so much to learn about human relationships.

Bohai, the Prime Minister's Residence.

Meanwhile, Li Yi joined forces with Liu Bei and occupied most of Wei's territory in Hebei.

This forced Cao Cao to shrink his defenses and cede all the territory north of Qinghe.

However, the land occupied by the State of Qi was all wartime territory, not directly possessed.

This is because the State of Qi could not digest all of it at once and turn it into profit.

Just like when Cao Cao launched his second campaign against Xuzhou, he once occupied most of the counties and prefectures in Xuzhou.

However, on both occasions, after looting, the troops withdrew and did not directly annex the territory of Xuzhou.

Annexation and temporary possession are two different concepts.

The former requires a lot of time and cannot generate immediate local revenue.

in contrast,

There's even a possibility of incurring losses due to replacing administrative personnel, appeasing the public, resuming production, rebuilding infrastructure, and so on.

Both require a large amount of money and supplies.

The latter, on the other hand, seeks short-term, temporary gains without worrying about the local mess.

The downside is that this is like drinking poison to quench thirst.

It's easy to offend the locals.

A similar situation can be seen in the attitude of the people of Xuzhou towards Cao Cao.

Li Yi clearly wanted the territory in Hebei.

As the governor of Ji Province, how could he not have a complete Ji Province?

As a result, the war between the states of Qi and Wei in the Hebei region has entered a stalemate.

There are no large-scale battles at present, only small-scale military conflicts in the war zone.

However, it's not a big deal.

Therefore, Li Yi simply withdrew his troops and retreated to Bohai.

Together with Lao Liu, they focused their attention on the war in the south.

Their plan was to win the Battle of Runan and force Cao Cao to sue for peace.

At that time, it will be a welcome scene of ceding territory and paying reparations.

After all, the battlefield between countries is no longer a simple war between feudal lords, a battle for cities and territories.

Establishing regulations and gradually annexing land is the best strategy.

is the day.

Li Yi was reading a book in the Prime Minister's residence.

As usual, Zhen Mi, the secretary, was organizing documents for him from the side.

Suddenly hearing the warbling of orioles outside the window, Zhen Mi covered her mouth and laughed, saying:

“Prime Minister, listen, this oriole seems to be saying, ‘Early mornings are too bitter.’”

The two had known each other for a long time, and although they were in a superior-subordinate relationship, they were not too reserved in their daily conversations.

Zhen Mi's words were meant as a joke, implying that Li Yi was up so early to read.

Li Yi then put down his pen on the table, smiled, and said:

"You understand bird language, why don't you translate the whispers of the swallows nesting under the eaves?"

The two looked at each other and smiled, then chatted about some everyday things.

Suddenly a servant arrived and presented the urgent message from Huainan.

Zhen Mi stepped forward, took the envelope, and carefully opened it.

Upon seeing the six characters "General Chen Deng, Conquering the South" on the mud seal, he composed himself and presented it to the emperor.

Li Yi unfolded the silk and read it carefully, his brows gradually furrowing.

Zhen Mi, standing beside him, asked softly, "Has something happened in Huainan?"

Li Yi sighed:
"...I had expected this to happen."

After speaking, he casually handed the silk scroll to Zhen Mi, who was standing to the side.

Zhen Mi took it, unfolded it, and read that the book briefly stated:
—"Yuanlong bows again to Your Excellency the Prime Minister:"

"The dispute between Guan Yu and Gan Xingba is indeed debatable."

"While it was excessive to kill Cheng He's orphan, Yun Chang publicly humiliated him, almost to the point of drawing his own weapons."

"Jiang Qin, Zhou Tai and others are all indignant, which is probably not a good thing for the country."

"I believe that Guan Yu has made great contributions, but his arrogance and pride have gradually caused him to lose the support of the people."

"Back in Guangling, we had already developed a grudge with Eastern Wu; now that we've arrived in Huainan, we've stirred up our soldiers once more."

"If this continues, we fear that Cao Cao will pose a threat in the north, and internal conflicts will arise among our generals. Wouldn't that be dangerous?"

“Deng was appointed to lead the southern expedition, while Guan Yu, as the military supervisor, acted arbitrarily, and all matters, large and small, were decided by Guan Yu.”

“This is not a lighthearted act, but rather a disregard for the King of Qi’s command.”

"Your Excellency, as the supreme ruler, should employ both authority and virtue."

"I hope you will temper Guan Yu's momentum to reassure the soldiers of Huainan."

"In this way, harmony will prevail between superiors and subordinates, and great achievements will be within reach."

"Autumn is deep and the dew is heavy; please take good care of yourself."

"In the ninth month of the tenth year of Jian'an, Deng paid his respects again."

At the end of the book, there was another line of tiny print:
"Back in Xuzhou, you and I together supported the King of Qi."

"Now that Hebei has gained power, how can we allow the people of Qingzhou to monopolize all the glory?"

The last line of text has a slightly different ink color, indicating that it was added later.

Li Yi, with his hands behind his back and a deep frown on his face, sighed:
"Guan Yu possesses both courage and strategy; he is a military genius of his time."

"However, he was stubborn and arrogant, frivolous and lacked foresight."

"My failure to manage relationships with subordinates led to this disaster, which was entirely within my expectations."

Although Guan Yu sympathized with the common people and got along well with the lower-ranking soldiers.

However, most of the mid-level and high-level officers disliked him.

It was precisely because Guan Yu was too dignified and incorruptible that he failed to consider the feelings of his subordinates.

He is not tactful enough in dealing with people.

There is a big difference between the world of martial arts and the workplace.

Zhen Mi pondered for a long time, glanced at the silk scroll again, and then spoke to Li Yi:
"...General Guan was stubborn and arrogant, and did not care about the plight of his subordinates. This was indeed his fault."

"However, Chen Zhengnan's book is not without its flaws."

Zhen Mi was bold yet meticulous, and there was nothing she dared not say in front of Li Yi.

She immediately realized that Chen Deng's letter was intended to incite trouble.

"When it comes to Gan Ning's crimes, it is described in a light and glossed-down manner, while Guan Yu's faults are described in great detail. This is a technique of avoiding the important and focusing on the trivial."

"Instead of seeking the King of Qi's judgment, they want the Prime Minister to mediate this matter; their intention is quite clear—"

"If the General Who Conquers the South and the Chancellor speak in unison, their authority will almost supersede the Emperor's decree."

"In my humble opinion, this matter is of great importance, and the Prime Minister should think it over carefully before acting."

After Zhen Mi finished speaking, she slowly put away the letter, her eyes filled with deep meaning.

It was pointed out that Chen Deng's letter immediately sought to establish a friendly relationship and that he intended to pull Li Yi into his camp.

After all, the political impact of the General Who Conquers the South and the Chancellor appearing at the same time is something even the King of Qi would have to consider.

Especially since this matter involved the Qi King's brothers, Zhen Mi advised Li Yi not to get involved.

It would be better to play it safe and observe the situation calmly.

Li Yi sensed the implication in Zhen Mi's words and asked:
"Your words seem to have a deeper meaning?"

"Judging from your extensive reading of history books, what good advice do you have for me?"

Zhen Mi then took out a volume of the Book of Han from the bookshelf and slowly opened it.

Pointing her slender finger at Huo Guangchuan, she read aloud with profound meaning:

"Xuan's ascension to the throne was due to Guang's merit in setting the policy, but in the end, his clan was wiped out. Was it not because his power was too great?"

"The position of the current prime minister is quite similar to that of the past."

"I urge the Prime Minister to reconsider..."

That concludes my remarks; I will stop here.

Li Yi pondered for a moment, then smiled and said:
“Your words are very good.”

"But am I Huo Guang, and is the King of Qi Emperor Xuan?"

“Yuanlong is an old friend of mine, while Yunchang is the King of Qi’s trusted advisor.”

"Yun Chang's authority in Huainan is too great, which has caused dissatisfaction among the generals in Huainan."

"If I do not intervene, there will be internal discord in the South. How can the matter of Runan be resolved?"

Li Yi's strategic plan was to force Cao Cao to surrender and cede territory by winning the Battle of Runan.

He didn't want this matter to cause any problems or mishaps.

Moreover, Li Yi had always known that Guan Yu had personality flaws.

Zhang Fei's situation was more serious than his, so Li Yi prioritized counseling him.

The most time was spent on Zhang Fei.

Although Zhang Fei's habit of whipping his soldiers remained unchanged, he at least heeded Li Yi's advice.

The athletes who had been beaten were left by his side.

As for Guan Yu.

He had an even smoother life than his historical counterpart, which made him even more arrogant.

Because of his high military standing in the State of Qi, everyone respected and feared him.

Even those who dislike Guan Yu can tolerate him to some extent.

At worst, we can just keep our distance; if we can't afford to offend them, we can avoid them.

Therefore, the previous conflict was not deep.

However, Guan Yu has now taken the authority of the emperor to supervise the generals in Huainan, which means he has kicked a hornet's nest.

After all, the generals of Huainan were backed by General Chen Deng, who held a high position in the State of Qi.

Even though you are a leader sent down from the central government, you cannot treat us with condescension.

As your superior, we can cooperate with your work.

Everyone should do their job and do what they are supposed to do.

Let's finish this Battle of Runan well, and then reward those who have contributed. Everyone will be happy.

But if you become arrogant and look down on our Huainan generals, then we won't give you a friendly look either.

Zhen Mi saw that Li Yi's mind was made up, and knew that she could not persuade him otherwise.

Still somewhat worried, he couldn't help but speak up again to offer his advice:
"The Prime Minister's desire to mediate the dispute between the generals is indeed a sign of his loyalty to the country."

"However, throughout history, powerful ministers who were involved in factional struggles rarely met a good end."

"This is not something that can be avoided by human effort; it is simply an inevitable consequence of being in a high position."

As the saying goes, "the higher you climb, the colder it gets," and some things you can't avoid just because you want to.

When you are in a high position, you are destined to be watched by millions of eyes.

Your every move will be magnified infinitely.

Li Yi calmly sipped his tea and smiled, saying:

"You are overthinking it. I am only trying to reconcile the situation, not to favor anyone."

"What danger could there be?"

Zhen Mi frowned, "I fear the tree may wish to be still, but the wind will not cease..."

Li Yi suddenly became serious, stood up, and pointed to the map on the table:
"Cao Cao now occupies the Central Plains, while Liu Biao is eyeing the Jianghuai region."

"Han Sui, Zhang Lu, Liu Zhang, Sun Quan and others all carved out their own territories and did not covet the Central Plains."

"If internal strife causes the soldiers to become disloyal, how can we achieve great things?"

"It is not that I am unaware of the dangers, but the world is not yet at peace. How can I, like a mediocre official, seek to protect myself?"

Seeing his unwavering resolve, Zhen Mi felt both admiration and anxiety, and sighed softly:

"The Prime Minister is truly a man of great character..."

"Since you are determined to do so, I hope you will be extremely cautious."

"Do not let this matter become too complicated, causing panic and making everyone want to protect themselves."

"...You can rest assured, I know what I'm doing."

After saying this, Li Yi took Zhen Mi's hand and comforted her, saying:

"Although Guan Yu was arrogant, he understood the greater good."

"Although Yuanlong is powerful, he knows the general picture."

"The two had no prior animosity, but their discord arose from a conflict of interest."

"I have my own way of mediating."

Zhen Mi opened her big, watery eyes and asked Li Yi what his solution was.

Li Yi stroked his beard and paced back and forth.

"I am currently in Hebei, and the affairs here are troubling me, so I cannot easily leave."

"It is advisable to select another person to mediate between us."

Zhen Mi then asked Li Yi who he planned to choose.

Li Yi pondered for a long while, then said slowly:

"Lu Zijing is in Xuzhou, not far from the front line."

"He was a kind and honest elder, and had a good relationship with Yun Chang."

“I intend to write two letters, one to Zijing, asking him to advise Yunchang on my behalf.”

"A suicide note to Yuanlong made him aware of my sincerity."

Upon hearing this, Zhen Mi finally realized what was happening.

No wonder Li Yi was so confident.

They were not at all worried about the political impact and consequences of the Prime Minister and the General Who Conquers the South joining forces against the former General.

So they're just passing the buck and trying to pin the blame on Lu Zijing.

Wonderful, wonderful.

It just so happens that Lu Su is the Grand Tutor and Military Supervisor, a man of high status, so it would be perfect for him to handle the matter.

"...Alright, it's settled then. You may grind the ink for me."

“…Here you go.”

Zhen Mi did as she was told, and Li Yi picked up his pen and quickly wrote two letters.

Then he handed it over to a fast rider and ordered him to deliver it to Lu Su and Chen Deng overnight.

……

Two flowers bloom, one branch each.

Meanwhile, Lu Su was working with Zhuge Liang in Xiapi, constantly monitoring the situation on the front lines.

The two had only heard a little about the internal strife.

This was because Chen Deng didn't want to make a big fuss and intentionally prevented the matter from getting out.

Lu Su and Zhuge Liang should not have known about this matter.

On this day, an envoy from the Hebei Prime Minister's Office suddenly arrived.

It is said that he came specifically to see Lu Su.

Lu Su took the letter and read it, only to find out that something had gone wrong on the front lines.

As prime minister, Li Yi ordered Lu Su to go to the front line to mediate the conflict between Guan Yu and the generals of Huainan.

Although Lu Su was known as a kind and honest elder, he was actually quite cunning and ruthless.

He saw through Li Yi's intention at a glance.
Well, Chen Deng asked you to mediate, and you're shifting the blame to me.

I, a dignified Grand Tutor, have become embroiled in the struggle between the former General and the Huainan faction.

If one is not careful and gets deeply involved, it could become a political stain.

If things go wrong, I might not even have a chance for promotion in the future.

What kind of heart do you have, Li Yi'an?
Unfortunately, Lu Su was the military supervisor for this battle, and he was indeed obligated to go to the front lines.

Not to mention that Li Yi, as the prime minister and the second-in-command of Qi, directly issued the order to him.

Besides having Lu Su mediate the matter, Li Yi also...
Even the specific steps, such as how to persuade Guan Yu, were clearly written out.

If you're so well-prepared, why didn't you go yourself instead of asking me?
Lu Su scratched his head, exclaiming that this matter was not easy to handle.

He knew Guan Yu's temper.

One was a former general of the State of Qi, and a close brother of the King of Qi.

One was the leader of the Huainan faction, the General Who Conquers the South, and a favorite minister of the King of Qi.

Chen Deng's Huainan region sends so much money to the central government every year that the King of Qi is extremely fond of him.

If this matter is not handled properly, it could offend both sides.

If this really gets out of hand, it might even alarm the King of Qi.

Even if it was to pose a difficult question to the King of Qi, Lu Su was a seasoned veteran in the workplace, so how could he make such a basic mistake?
The clerk standing nearby advised Lu Su:

"Grand Tutor, this matter is not easy to handle."

"The Prime Minister's power is so great in the State of Qi that he still refuses to personally appear."

Why bother getting involved in this mess?

"You only made excuses, saying that you had something to do in Xiapi and could not leave, and that General Guan was acting on behalf of the emperor to supervise the generals at the front."

"General Guan can make the decisions, and you can stay in Xiapi without going to the front line."

"I doubt the Prime Minister will say anything about this."

Ugh……

Lu Su sighed, his brows furrowed.

Admittedly, he didn't want to get involved in this mess.

He also thought to himself that, given Guan Yu and Chen Deng's abilities, even if conflicts arose due to disputes over interests, they would be able to overcome them.

But the battle on the front lines is going smoothly, so there shouldn't be any problems.

Thinking of this, Lu Su subconsciously shook his head again.

When you don't want to do something, you'll only believe what you want to believe.

At this moment, a servant came to report that the military advisor and general Zhuge Liang was requesting an audience.

"...Kongming?"

Lu Su worked with Zhuge Liang in Xiapi for several years, and the two were quite compatible and had a good relationship.

They are both colleagues and friends.

When Kongming requested an audience, Lu Su immediately ordered someone to invite him inside.

"...Zijing, the Prime Minister orders you to go to the front lines to supervise the army."

Why aren't you getting up yet?

Zhuge Liang got straight to the point.

Lu Su frowned and sighed:

"It is not easy to defy fate; I will set off soon."

"What I am worried about is the matter entrusted to me by the Prime Minister."

After some consideration, Lu Su decided to go to the front lines.

After all, he was the military supervisor.

Honestly, I don't want to get involved in this conflict.

Because neither side is easy to deal with.

Although Guan Yu had a good relationship with him, he was too stubborn, arrogant and self-important.

Chen Deng had absolutely no contact with him, and was backed by the wealthy Huainan.

Even when he needed money and grain from Huainan, he had to be mindful of Chen Deng's attitude. Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan and said:

"...The Prime Minister has his reasons for making this arrangement."

"Zijing only needs to follow the Prime Minister's instructions."

Lu Su smiled wryly:
“Kongming, I know that you have always respected the Prime Minister and take him as your role model.”

"However, the complex web of interests and disadvantages involved cannot be explained in just a few words."

Zhuge Liang blinked, and the corners of his mouth slightly turned up:

"The Prime Minister has personally written a letter and sent it to Chen Zhengnan."

"Given the relationship between the two, Chen Zhengnan would certainly not make things difficult for Zijing."

"As for General Guan, I think that although he is arrogant, he knows the big picture."

“As long as Zijing explains the situation to him with reason and emotion, this matter can be easily resolved.”

Actually, this matter itself is not a big deal and can be easily resolved.

The person involved in this matter is of very high status.

It's a situation where a small change can have far-reaching consequences, and it's easy to offend many people.

That's why this matter is so difficult to handle.

Lu Su suddenly remembered something and hurriedly asked Zhuge Liang:

"Kongming, I am the only one who has read the Prime Minister's letter."

How did you find out about this?

Zhuge Liang explained:

"The envoy from the Prime Minister's residence has already explained this matter to Liang."

Lu Su nodded, suddenly realizing what was going on.

It seems that Li Yi anticipated that he would hesitate about this matter, so he asked Zhuge Liang to persuade him.

Zhuge Liang continued speaking:
"In addition, the Prime Minister also wrote a piece of calligraphy and ordered me to give it to Zijing."

"Word? What word?"

Zhuge Liang then took out a note from his sleeve and handed it to Lu Su.

Judging from the handwriting, it was indeed written by Li Yi himself.

The content consists of only one sentence:

"If it benefits the country, I will risk my life; how can I avoid it because of fortune or misfortune?"

……

That night, it rained.

After several days of busy salvage operations, Guan Yu finally captured all the Wei soldiers in Anyang City.

Now, he can finally enjoy the fruits of his victory in flooding the seven armies.

Inside the tent, Guan Yu sat high on the commander's tent.

He ordered his men to escort Yu Jin, Hao Zhou, Dongli Gun, and other high-ranking Wei officials up to the capital.

A short while later, a group of swordsmen escorted the prisoners into the tent.

Yu Jin was disheveled and looked utterly wretched.

He prostrated himself on the ground, sighing repeatedly, begging for his life.

Guan Yu, his face flushed and radiating power, questioned:

"I have been ordered to suppress the rebels and come to take back Runan."

"How dare you overestimate yourselves and send troops to resist me?"

Yu Jin smiled wryly:
"...I was ordered to do this, and I had no choice but to comply."

"I beg the general's mercy, and I swear to repay him with my life."

Guan Yu, stroking his beard, laughed and said:

"I have heard that you are a veteran general of Wei and a trusted minister of Cao Cao."

“What kind of person are you to refuse me with your life?”

"Why did you kneel down and surrender?"

Indeed, Yu Jin's surrender has always been a controversial issue.

Everyone felt that Yu Jin's personality had changed drastically.

They don't even seem like the same person.

He was a dignified, resolute, incorruptible, and selfless general in the early days.

How did he end up so weak-willed, kneeling down and surrendering, thus ruining his reputation in his later years?
There weren't any major changes or setbacks in between.

In the anime/manga series *Rakshasa Street*, Yu Jin has a line that has become incredibly popular:
"This humble general, Yu Jin, is willing to go through fire and water for the Cao family for generations."

Don't say that.
In the historical Battle of Bowangpo, Liu Bei burned down his own camp and fled.

At the time, Yu Jin and Xiahou Dun had no suspicions and happily went after them, only to fall into Liu Bei's ambush.

The fire caused by Liu Bei resulted in heavy losses for the enemy.

Yu Jin's battle can be considered a life-or-death struggle.

Are we to go to the boiling water?
Believe it or not, we actually ended up with a big soup.

So Yu Jin really did go through fire and water for the Cao family.

Of course, ridicule is ridicule.

The motives behind Yu Jin's surrender remain a mystery to this day.

It is widely speculated that Yu Jin surrendered to protect his soldiers.

But that doesn't make sense.

Even if Yu Jin dies on the spot, Guan Yu will not kill the prisoners.

Everyone knows that Guan Yu loved his soldiers.

How could they possibly commit indiscriminate killing?
in fact,

The most reasonable explanation is that Yu Jin was used to being an official.

It wasn't just him who surrendered; Hao Zhou, Dong Li Gun, and a host of other high-ranking officials also surrendered without resistance.

The situation was critical at the time, and the bigwigs, having become accustomed to their official positions, were only thinking about how to survive.

Surrender first, and then we can consider how to mediate.

For example, through diplomatic negotiations, they could get us to go back.

After all, given the status of Yu Jin and others, they were considered important bargaining chips between countries.

Therefore,
It really was just a momentary lapse of judgment; I didn't think that much about it.

But it was this one wrong thought that led to...
That's why Yu Jin's carefully cultivated persona, built up over a lifetime, collapsed overnight.

In Cao Cao's eyes,
You are a loyal subject of our army, a model of seriousness, dignity, and courage to take responsibility.

To prove their loyalty, they would even kill their friends.

When it was his turn to lose, he surrendered.

This persona collapsed instantly.

If you don't die, it will really embarrass me.

And how would the soldiers view Yu Jin?
Good heavens, our Wei State's Left General is the number one general in foreign armies.

He voted immediately!
Tsk tsk~
He's truly strict with others but lenient with himself.

They're really strict with us, it's hilarious!
Therefore, from the moment Yu Jin surrendered, he was doomed for life.

Guan Yu also disliked people without integrity. Seeing Yu Jin's obsequious manner, he rebuked him:

I have heard that jade can be broken, but its whiteness cannot be altered.

"Bamboo can be burned, but its joints should not be destroyed."

“Your lord has fought against my lord, and though he has lost more battles than he has won, he has never knelt before my lord.”

"Now that you have surrendered without a fight, killing you would be as easy as killing a dog or a pig."

"Air pollution axe!"

"Retreat quickly, and I will deal with you after I have killed Cao Ren."

After saying this, he ordered everyone to take Yu Jin and the others to the ship.

They were taken by waterway and temporarily bound and sent to the Huainan prison for imprisonment.

Then, seeing that everyone had been busy all day and it was getting late, Guan Yu ordered them to go back and rest.

When dawn breaks, while the waters are still high, we will take advantage of the floodwaters to attack the new city.

Capture Cao Ren in one fell swoop!
Everyone obeyed and withdrew to their respective camps to rest.

Guan Yu had a habit of reading the Spring and Autumn Annals before going to bed.

He then stroked his beard with his left hand and leaned against the table under the lamp to read a book.

A moment later, a servant came to report that the military supervisor Lu Su had arrived.

"Zijing?"

Guan Yu then stood up and personally came out of the tent to greet him.

It was indeed Lu Su, the military supervisor.

After exchanging pleasantries, Guan Yu invited him into his tent.

"Why have you come here, Zijing?" Guan Yu asked.

"General Guan flooded the seven armies, his might shook the land of China, and I have come to offer my congratulations."

Lu Su spoke slowly.

He was deeply moved after reading the note written by Li Yi.

Without further hesitation, he led a few riders to the front line in Runan.

Regardless of whether he could reconcile the conflict between Guan Yu and the generals of Huainan, he had to ensure the success of this campaign.

Guan Yu thought to himself that it was not inappropriate for Lu Su, as the military supervisor, to come to the front line.

But the fact that someone would come to find me alone late at night suggests that it's probably not just about catching up.

Then he asked in confusion:

"Zijing, is there something else important to discuss with you so late at night?"

Seeing that Guan Yu was as clear-headed as a mirror, Lu Su said solemnly:
"Hearing that you are at odds with the generals of Huainan, I, Yi Xiang, am worried and have specially sent Su to mediate."

Guan Yu frowned and asked in surprise:

"Guan has always acted with integrity and uprightness, so how can there be any talk of discord?"

That's right,

In Guan Yu's view, he didn't even feel that he had any conflicts with the generals of Huainan.

He was unaware that his arrival under false pretenses had stolen the limelight and credit from the generals of Huainan.

He also failed to realize that his excessive pride had aroused the dissatisfaction of the generals in Huainan.

Guan Yu simply felt that he was here on Liu Bei's orders to punish the traitors.

I, the former general, am acting on my behalf; you just need to listen to me.

It's that simple.

They were completely unaware of the interests involved, and failed to take care of the feelings of their generals.

If this were a person in the workplace...

He will definitely start by trying to get close to the generals of Huainan, saying that he is not here to steal their thunder, but to work with them to achieve great things.

If there are any lucrative job opportunities in the future, people from Huainan will definitely be given priority.

In this way, all the generals in Huainan will respect you, because you have protected their interests.

But Guan Yu didn't think of this, and even if he had, he wouldn't have done it.

Lu Su shook his head repeatedly, marveling at how spirited and vigorous Guan Yu was on the battlefield.

How can you be so naive and childlike in the workplace?

"You claim to be able to distinguish right from wrong, but in interpersonal relationships, how can one only consider right and wrong?"

"We must also consider people's feelings and leave some room for maneuver."

"Gan Ning shot and killed Cheng He's orphan, although he was guilty."

“However, Chen Zhengnan has already led the generals of Huainan to admit their mistake to the general in public. Why should the general continue to pursue the matter?”

"It should be noted that Chen Zhengnan and his men also need to save face."

Guan Yu was taken aback and said, "Zijing, you came here for this very reason."

Then, with a righteous and awe-inspiring air, he said to Lu Su:
"Guan acted with a clear conscience."

"Right and wrong, truth and falsehood, can all be clearly distinguished."

"Never wrong an innocent person, nor let a guilty person go unpunished."

Lu Su became anxious and shouted:
That's not what I meant! This isn't a matter of right or wrong.

"Why can't the general understand?"

Ouch!
Lu Su was so anxious that he kept scratching his head, wondering how he should tell Guan Yu about this.
Logically speaking, some things in the workplace cannot be said openly.

At most, I can only offer a few pointers and then let you figure it out on your own.

Lu Su never expected that Guan Yu had absolutely no talent in this area.

Left with no other choice, Lu Su had to explain to Guan Yu in a tactful way.

Jianghu is not about fighting and killing; Jianghu is about human relations.

After much effort, he finally managed to make Guan Yu understand his meaning.

Although he understood, Guan Yu was still unhappy.

He stood up unhappily, flicked his sleeve, and said:
"Isn't it exhausting to engage in such hypocritical maneuvering?"

"A true man should be straightforward and honest in his dealings with others; there's no need for flattery or obsequiousness!"

Lu Su looked distressed and said urgently:
"Like a sharp sword, it is strong but easily broken."

"Though water is weak, it can wear away stone."

"Why don't you, General, tone down your brilliance a little?"

No matter how much Lu Su tried to persuade Guan Yu, Guan Yu refused to listen to his advice.

Just as he was feeling troubled, Lu Su suddenly remembered Li Yi's plan and said to Guan Yu:

"...I have heard that the general has always been considerate of his soldiers."

"However, when I entered the tent just now, I saw that the general's men and women were all wearing tattered clothes and old robes."

"What is this?"

Guan Yu then said proudly:
"My men are all men of high moral character; why would they value gold and jade ornaments?"

In Guan Yu's view, the reason his men wore tattered clothes and old robes was because they were influenced by him.

He influenced those around him through his diligence and thrift.

People admire their own character and therefore strive to emulate it.

Lu Su shook his head, clapped his hands, and laughed:
"In my opinion, it is not because the person is of particularly high moral character."

"I am truly in awe of the general's might!"

Guan Yu was taken aback and quickly asked:

What does Zijing mean by this?

Lu Su then pointed to Guan Yu's clothes and said:

"Even a general of the four directions wears simple clothes all day long, so how dare those people wear fine clothes?"

The reason is simple.
If your boss drives a Wuling Hongguang, would you dare to drive a Maybach or a Porsche?
You're saying that a national marshal's subordinates can't afford to drive many luxury cars?

Is it because they can't afford it?
of course not.

Similarly,

Even you, Guan Yu, a former general, wore tattered clothes and old robes.

If any of us subordinates dared to wear fine clothes, we'd be asking for trouble!

Lu Su wanted to tell Guan Yu.

I know you are a person of high moral character and have high standards for yourself.

You can choose not to enjoy certain material needs.

But you can't let your subordinates suffer along with you.

Not everyone is a noble gentleman.

In this world,
There will always be people who want to eat delicacies, live in luxury apartments, and marry beautiful wives and concubines.

Otherwise, what's the point of them fighting under your command?

Look at your colleague, Lao Li.

Although they don't care about material needs,
They could still dress their family members in fine clothes and feed them delicacies.

Because Lao Li knew that there were people in this world who needed these things.

I may not enjoy it myself, but I cannot prevent my subordinates from enjoying it as well.

This is one of the ways to manage relationships with subordinates.

Guan Yu was taken aback upon hearing this.

But he still refused to believe Lu Su's words.

He didn't believe that his men wore tattered clothes because they were afraid.

Lu Su had anticipated Guan Yu's response, so he took out the clothes he had prepared beforehand.

"This is……?"

"This is woolen goods from Youzhou."

Lu Su smiled slightly and explained to Guan Yu:
"This is a priceless treasure of our time, a gift from the Prime Minister."

"Since General Guan refuses to believe it, why not put on this fur coat and brocade robe?"

"Let's wait and see if your men will take off that old robe after some time."

Guan Yu was skeptical, but did as he was told.

The next day, she wore this designer outfit to meet people.

When everyone saw Guan Yu wearing new clothes and brocade robes, they all showed expressions of surprise and delight.

However, they did not act out and continued to perform their duties.

At the end of the day, Guan Yu saw that everyone was as usual.

He then found Lu Su and said to him with a smile:

"...Zijing has miscalculated today."

Lu Su also smiled and said, "General Guan, please wait two more days and see."

Two days later,

When Guan Yu went out, he saw that his men had all changed into fine silks, satins, and brocade robes.

Although not as expensive as my designer clothes, they are far better than my old clothes.

"This……"

Guan Yu was dumbfounded; he hadn't expected Zijing's words to come true.

The reason why the subordinates dare not wear nice clothes is because their own clothes are not nice enough.

They dared not wear anything better than themselves.

Now that he's dressed in designer LV, his underlings have also undergone a complete makeover.

"General Guan, how did things go today?"

Lu Su strolled up behind Guan Yu and said to him with a smile.

Guan Yu remained silent for a long time, then sighed:
"Unexpectedly, even in clothing and appearance, there lies the art of managing people..."

"I have learned a great deal today."

This was the first time Guan Yu's worldview had been challenged.

Because before, no one had ever gone to such lengths to teach him the intricacies and nuances of this subject.

……

(End of this chapter)