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

Chapter 267: Li, Guan, Zhang, and Chen—Four Great Generals—Were Not Liu Bei's Choices for His Southern Expedition (with Current Power Map)

Meanwhile, Liu Qi of Jingzhou, fearing betrayal by his brothers, fled to Jiangxia and sought help from Liu Bei, the King of Qi.

Faced with the olive branch extended by Jingzhou, the ministers of Xuzhou each harbored their own thoughts.

Without exception, they all hoped that Liu Bei would not let go of this golden opportunity.

Immediately send someone to Jiangxia to connect with Liu Qi, so as to facilitate future administration of Jingzhou.

Liu Bei did not immediately respond to Liu Qi and the officials of Xuzhou, but instead sent a letter urging Li Yi, who was in Ye City, to come forward.

He was urged to quickly reach a peace agreement with Cao Cao.

Li Yi had been locked in a stalemate with Cao Cao in Hebei for several months.

Neither side can afford to continue this stalemate.

Therefore, Li Yi sent an envoy to Wei again to invite Cao Cao to final negotiations.

Regarding the initial terms, Li Yi said sternly:
"Since the Duke of Wei has been defeated, the land north of the Yellow River should be ceded to Qi, except for Wei Commandery, and all of it should be returned to Qi!"

“Runan is divided by Ancheng, with the west belonging to Wei and the east belonging to Qi.”

"However, the control of the Huai River should also be under the control of our Qi state!"

This was the biggest concession Li Yi had made.

He can choose not to annex all of Hebei, but leave Wei Commandery to you.

But the remaining land in Hebei must be handed over.

As for Runan, they pushed the battle lines forward even further.

The reason is that Cao Ren is still trapped in Xincheng, and to rescue him, all the land east of Ancheng must be ceded.

The cession of territory was the core of the negotiations, so Li Yi brought it up first.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao's face darkened, and after pondering for a long time, he finally said:
"The land of Hebei can be ceded."

"However, Runan is an important area for our military farms; how can we easily give it up?"

Cao Cao was willing to accept the situation in Hebei.

After all, Cao Wei had already lost control of the lands outside of Wei Commandery.

However, Runan was very important to Cao Wei, as it was his granary in the rear.

Runan was to Cao Wei what Huainan was to Qi.

These were all sites for land reclamation and water conservancy.

Seeing that Cao Cao refused, Li Yi slammed his fist on the table and stood up, coldly rebuking him:
"If Lord Wei does not agree, then please return immediately."

"Gather your troops and fight me again!"

Having fought against Li Yi for so long, Cao Cao knew his temperament very well.

Seeing his tough attitude, I knew he wasn't faking it; he was genuinely in a bad mood.

Even if he didn't agree, Li Yi would still go all out and continue fighting.

Seeing this, Cao Cao had no choice but to back down, saying:
“In that case, Runan can be divided according to your suggestion.”

"However, all the soldiers of my Wei state who have been captured shall be returned."

Li Yi nodded and smiled, saying:

"……Can."

"All 37,000 Wei soldiers were released and returned home."

"However, Duke Wei must abolish the factories within his territory and pay a million indemnities to compensate for the losses suffered by my Qi army!"

After discussing the land division, Li Yi began to discuss other reparations.

The standards were lowered based on whether Wei could afford to offer such a gift, given its current national strength.

The compensation can be less, but the workshops that produce the machinery must be abolished.

Li Yi knew that Cao Cao had been imitating Qi weapons, and his order to abolish them was also to increase Wei's research and development costs.

Cao Cao's expression changed drastically:

"The workshops are the foundation of our Wei Kingdom; how can we abandon them lightly?"

"We cannot agree to pay compensation!"

Li Yi was also furious and refused to budge an inch:

"If the workshops are not abolished, then we request the cession of Wei Commandery!"

Cao Cao was so angry that he laughed instead.

"Wei Commandery is the foundation of our nation. If we lose it, how can the state of Wei survive?"

The two sides once again engaged in a heated argument over this issue.

The two sides were locked in a dispute, and the peace talks nearly broke down.

At this moment, Sima Yi secretly offered a plan to Cao Cao:
"Wei Gong may temporarily grant Li Yi permission to cede Wei Commandery, but the handover will only take place after our army has captured Hanzhong."

"In this way, we can both buy time and take the opportunity to rest and recuperate."

"We will wait until our troops are well-trained and our supplies are plentiful before making any further moves."

Cao Cao agreed with his words, and then said to Li Yi:
"Wei Commandery can be ceded, but only after I have taken Hanzhong."

Li Yi knew that this was Cao Cao's delaying tactic.

However, Liu Bei had repeatedly urged him, saying that the matter of Jingzhou was urgent and could not be delayed any longer.

After much deliberation, he finally sighed:

"In that case, we shall follow Lord Wei's advice."

"However, if the cession is not completed by the deadline, do not blame Qi and Wei for starting another war!"

Cao Cao smiled and agreed, then ordered someone to draft a peace treaty, which both parties signed.

The two sides formally signed the Treaty of Ye in Ye City.

Historical records indicate that this was the first treaty in the history of the State of Wei that resulted in the loss of its sovereignty and national humiliation.

……

Afterwards, his attendants all approached Li Yi and offered their advice:
"Now the Wei forces are weakened, while our army is at its peak."

"Why did the Prime Minister so readily grant the Cao family's request, instead of taking all of their land?"

Li Yi smiled and Xu Ying said:

"Those who negotiate peace must first demonstrate their power before taking concrete action."

"The agreements we have now reached are all things I have long desired; how could they be made so easily?"

The crowd was still puzzled, so Li Yi patiently explained to them:
“In the past, merchants would ask for double the price, but in the end, the transaction would be completed at the normal value.”

"Now I have searched for the entire land of Hebei, and I have actually obtained eight or nine tenths of it."

"They demanded the abandonment of workshops, but in reality, they seized control of the Huai River."

"They demanded Wei Commandery, and the Cao family was already afraid."

"Although the handover has been temporarily suspended, Hanzhong is dangerous and far away; how can they take it so easily?"

"When their troops are exhausted and weary, Wei Commandery will eventually fall into our hands."

"This is what is meant by 'aiming high and getting somewhere in the middle,' so what have I lost?"

The crowd listened respectfully, then bowed in admiration, praising Li Yi's insightful opinion.

Li Yi, perhaps intrigued, couldn't help but say a few more words:

"You are all trusted confidants of my Prime Minister's residence. Now that we have reached a peace agreement, I will teach you a few more words."

Everyone bowed their heads and listened attentively.

Li Yi spoke slowly:
"The way of war is not to annihilate the enemy completely."

"Knowing when to stop is the key to wisdom."

"Now we have the wealth of Hebei and the benefits of controlling the Huai River."

"Release the prisoners of war to demonstrate benevolence, and exhaust the Cao family in the western frontier."

"This action achieves multiple benefits; is it not the best of all good deeds?"

Everyone then bowed in unison:
"The Prime Minister's insight is far beyond our reach."

Li Yinai got into the carriage, preparing to return to Bohai.

Guan Ping, who was serving at his side, cupped his hands and asked:
"...Prime Minister, why is the Prince of Qi so eager to urge peace talks? Is there perhaps another important matter at hand?"

Li Yi smiled slightly and stroked his beard, saying:
"There may be unrest in Jingzhou. The King of Qi wants to pacify Hebei as soon as possible in order to expand southward."

Upon hearing this, the generals on either side all showed delight and offered their opinions one after another:

"If we take Jingzhou, the Prime Minister will have made a great contribution and will surely be in charge of the military and political affairs of Jiangnan!"

Li Yi's expression suddenly changed, and he said to everyone in a serious tone:

"...Your words are wrong."

"Having already conquered Hebei, how dare I yearn for Jiangnan?"

"Greed for more and the desire to gain more is what the ancients warned against."

"You should all keep this in mind at all times."

Everyone apologized, saying that the Prime Minister's reprimand was correct.

Anyone could see that the Prime Minister's achievements were already quite remarkable.

Let alone Li Yi himself?
Once the Jiangnan region is pacified, two-thirds of the country will be under control.

Li Yi's pacification of Hebei was already a remarkable achievement, worthy of being recorded in history.

Let him go and pacify Jiangnan, then his achievements will be so great that they will overshadow the emperor.

Even if Liu Bei didn't suspect him, the question was how he should reward Li Yi.

How can we appease Li Yi's men?
As I said before, don't present your boss with problems that they can't solve.

"But with the Prime Minister's talent for governing the country and his outstanding achievements, why would the King of Qi abandon you and appoint someone else?"

Guan Ping asked, puzzled.

Because he knew that the trip to the south of the Yangtze River was of great importance.

If a person of high status is not sent, it is very likely that the situation will not be managed.

Li Yi did not answer Guan Ping's question.

He simply gazed southward without uttering a word.

……

They traveled in silence until the carriage returned to Bohai.

When he got home, it was already late, and Li Yi returned home in the twilight.

As soon as one enters the central courtyard, the tinkling of jade pendants can be heard.

But then Yuan Ying, dressed in an apricot-red silk robe, leaned against the corridor, holding a round fan to half-conceal her delicate face, and said with a smile:
"...The Prime Minister is so busy with state affairs, yet he still remembers which way his front door faces?"

Li Yi unfastened his sword and threw it to a servant, feigning anger, saying:

"What an ill-mannered girl!"

But then Yuan Ying took a light step and suddenly threw something over.

Li Yi reached out and caught it; it was a sachet embroidered with twin lotus flowers.

Although the stitches are not very neat, they have a charmingly naive quality.

"I spent three sleepless nights embroidering this..."

Yuan Ying blinked her almond-shaped eyes, "If my husband dislikes it—"

"I have never complained."

Li Yi immediately tied it around his waist.

Suddenly, a soft cough was heard coming from the main hall.

Mi Zhen, dressed in a moon-white robe, stood under the lamp holding a scroll and said gently:

"Yingmei, don't be naughty. Your husband has been dealing with Cao Cao for months, using both wit and courage."

"You must be tired after your long journey."

Yuan Ying stuck out her tongue and hid behind Mi Zhen.

Li Yi saw that hot soup had been prepared on the table, and several delicate side dishes were all stir-fried in an iron pot.

Everything suited his taste, and he couldn't help but sigh:
"My wife understands me best."

Mi Zhen poured him a cup of chrysanthemum wine:

"I've heard that Cao Cao promised Hanzhong?"

Li Yi nodded, but Yuan Ying interrupted, "That old thief is definitely going to cheat!"

Mi Zhen gently stroked Yuan Ying's hair:

"Yingmei, go to the kitchen and check on the hangover soup."

After he left, she whispered to Li Yi:
"The King of Qi summoned you urgently; is it because of the matter in Jingzhou?"

Li Yi took her hand and asked in surprise, "How did you know about this, Madam?"

Mi Zhen smiled faintly, "Yesterday, my elder brother sent a letter through someone, saying that the King of Qi must have something important to entrust to my husband."

Oh?
Li Yi raised an eyebrow. It was good to have a brother-in-law in Xuzhou to keep in touch.

It allows you to prepare in advance for major events that may occur in the future.

Mi Zhen looked at her husband and said earnestly:

"Now that my husband has reached the highest position in the government, it is best for him to get as little involved as possible in the affairs of Jiangnan."

Li Yi nodded. "That's exactly what I was thinking, but... alas..."

He couldn't help but sigh, "There are some things I may not be able to escape."

That night, all was quiet.

Li Yi sat by the window, and Mi Zhen combed his hair.

Li Yi is usually too busy, so the couple rarely have anything to talk about.

Not to mention, Mi Zhen was a traditional lady from a prominent family in ancient times.

I don't actually have much in common with Li Yi.

Mi Zhen was simply trying her best to be a good wife and fulfill her family responsibilities.

"When we first met in Xuzhou, my husband's hair hadn't even reached his shoulders yet, and now..."

Li Yi grasped her soft hand in return, and smiled, saying:
"What's going on now?"

Mi Zhen smiled, pursing her lips.
"Now his hair is as black as ink, and he looks like a god."

Just as the two were enjoying their intimate moment, they suddenly heard a rustling sound coming from outside the window.

The two exchanged a knowing smile and opened the door.

Yuan Ying quickly straightened up, holding the tray in her hands, and coughed softly:

"...Okay, the hangover soup is ready."

As he spoke, he placed the soup on the table.

He plopped down on the bed, seemingly with no intention of leaving.

Li Yi smiled and said:

"It's getting late..."

Before she could finish speaking, Yuan Ying peeked out, holding an embroidered pillow:

"I'm afraid of thunder!"

Li Yi laughed loudly:

"With stars filling the sky, where did the thunder come from?"

But seeing that the young woman's eyes were slightly red, his heart softened, and he sighed:

"Alright, you two can both stay here tonight."

The two women smiled at each other and then put their hair up in a bun.

……

The next day, early morning.

Early in the morning, Li Yi received a message from Xuzhou.

Liu Bei, in his capacity as King of Qi, directly ordered Li Yi to go to Xuzhou immediately.

However, Liu Bei did not specify what he was sending him to do.

This move has raised concerns among many people.

They speculated that perhaps Li Yi held too high a position in Hebei and was suspected of having too much military power.

Is the King of Qi about to make a move?
Li Yi smiled and said to everyone:

"Gentlemen, you are overthinking this."

"...Would the King of Qi be someone who would be discarded after the hunt is over?"

"Even if he truly had this intention, Yi should go to Xuzhou."

"To go is to demonstrate loyalty."

"If you don't go, it will confirm your rebellious intentions."

So he took only a hundred followers with him to Xuzhou.

He also instructed Xun You and Xu Shu to jointly handle the affairs of the state.

As for military power...

Only four people held significant military power.

They were Zhang He in Hejian and Gao Lan in Julu.

These two men were traditional Hebei generals and former generals of Yuan Shikai.

Others who commanded significant military forces included Xu Huang in Zhangwu and Zhang Liao in Zhongshan.

These two men were former officials of Xuzhou, and because they followed Li Yi on his northern expedition, they stayed in the north for a long time.

So he stayed in Hebei.

Li Yi has also been working hard to maintain such a balanced relationship in Hebei.

The goal was to avoid overly suppressing former officials from Hebei, while also preventing former officials from Xuzhou from becoming too powerful in the north.

By decentralizing power, it also prevents anyone with disloyal intentions from visiting when Li Yi is not around.

After all, he only controlled a quarter of the troops in Hebei, so he couldn't cause too much trouble.

Li Yi's arrangements sparked much discussion among the crowd.
"Judging from the Prime Minister's handling of various affairs in Hebei, he is very organized and efficient. It seems that he knows that this trip to Xuzhou will not be a matter of days or nights before he can return."

"Indeed! With the Prime Minister's brilliant strategies, how could he not know that something was about to happen in Xuzhou?"

Amidst the discussions and speculations of the crowd, Li Yi embarked on his journey to Xuzhou.

……

Xuzhou, Xia Pi.

Meanwhile, Liu Bei, at his residence in Xuzhou, received news that Li Yi had already set off and would arrive in Xiapi soon.

He then secretly summoned Zhuge Liang to the back garden.

As spring arrives, all things flourish.

Xuande personally held the whisk and sat opposite Kongming in the stone pavilion.

"...Does Kongming know that Liu Qi, the young master of Jingzhou, has sent a letter seeking help more than a month ago?"

Liu Bei suddenly spoke, lightly tapping the map of Jingzhou on the table with the whisk in his hand.

Zhuge Liang paused slightly with his feather fan: "Seeing that my lord has been pondering these past few days, I dare not presume to make any predictions."

Liu Bei sighed deeply and took out several silk scrolls from his sleeve:
"This is a letter from a group of ministers, urging me to quickly take Jingzhou."

"They're also pressing hard in Huainan."

Having said that, he threw the scroll into the brazier beside the pavilion, the firelight illuminating his resolute face:
"However, I have hesitated to make a decision, not because I do not wish to take it, but because it is difficult to determine the right person!"

Just as Kongming was about to speak, Liu Bei suddenly stood up:

"This trip to Jingzhou is solely for pacification; it doesn't necessarily mean we'll have to resort to arms." "Yun Chang is impetuous and arrogant, while Yi De is rough and irritable."

"Neither of these two individuals is the best choice to pacify Jingzhou."

Liu Bei explained to Zhuge Liang why he did not intend to send Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to Jingzhou.

Although these two were fierce fighters, they found it difficult to contend with the local gentry and powerful clans.

The powerful and influential families in Jingzhou were arrogant and domineering, and Liu Biao couldn't control them even after twenty years of trying.

Liu Bei didn't think Zhang Fei and Guan Yu could control him either.

After all, it is unrealistic to expect to gain someone's loyalty through violence alone.

This is what is meant by,
Those who subdue others by force do not win their hearts.

Those who win people over with virtue will win their hearts and minds.

Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were Liu Bei's original followers and absolute fans.

Since these two people have been excluded, it seems there aren't many candidates left.

"...Does the King of Qi intend for Prime Minister Li to go to Jiangnan?"

Zhuge Liang asked earnestly.

"…Yes and no."

With keen eyes, Liu Bei solemnly addressed Zhuge Liang:

"Li Xiang controls the land of Hebei and also controls Youyan and Liaodong."

“When I was in Xiapi, I heard rumors more than once that Prime Minister Li was holding military power in Hebei and wanted to establish himself as emperor.”

Zhuge Liang hurriedly said, "Your Majesty, Prime Minister Li is absolutely not—"

"Let me finish speaking."

Liu Bei reached out his hand to interrupt Zhuge Liang, and then said:
“Ziyu and I met in times of hardship, and our friendship is stronger than gold.”

"But...sigh..."

"As the ruler of a country, I sometimes have to think about the well-being of the nation."

"Prime Minister Li has already achieved unparalleled merit. If he were to achieve the same feat of pacifying Jingzhou, there would be no reward left to bestow!"

"Moreover, the generals in Hebei are the most arrogant. Previously, Prime Minister Li wanted to ask me for the position of general of the four directions."

"I do not agree, and this is the reason."

Zhuge Liang shuddered, lamenting the helplessness between Liu Bei and his minister Li Yi.

The two are close friends and mentor and student in private.

In the imperial court, the two figures represent the emperor and his subject, the emperor and his father.

However, what truly amazed Zhuge Liang was Liu Bei's honesty towards him.

It is said that a ruler's heart is hard to fathom, and serving a ruler is like serving a tiger.

Few monarchs would speak so frankly to a subject.

Zhuge Liang was deeply moved, while Liu Bei continued speaking.

"If Prime Minister Li cannot go to Jiangnan, then Chen Yuanlong is the only option."

As mentioned before, the only person who could travel south of the Yangtze River was Liu Bei's personal retainer.

Because only Yuan Cong could keep the situation under control.

Whether Huang Zhong and Bu Zhi, who are not from the Yuan Dynasty, are capable enough is another matter.

Just considering this great achievement of pacifying Jiangnan, can you handle it?

Look at Chen Yuanlong, he prepared for nearly ten years to annex Jiangnan.

Would you, Huang Zhong or someone like that, dare to compete with the leader of Huainan for the credit of conquering Jiangnan?

Don't think that just because you're a general, you can actually be like Guan Yu, the general who commanded four directions.

No matter what you say or do, Chen Deng always defers to you.

Power is never granted by status.

It's simply that once you possess a certain power, you need an identity.

"Huainan is rich and prosperous, and is the granary of our Great Qi."

"Chen Yuanlong also commands the Huainan navy. If he were to pacify Jiangnan, I fear that the generals of Huainan would become too powerful to control."

Liu Bei said to Zhuge Liang earnestly:
"Therefore, in accordance with my wishes, I hope to send a promising young talent to Jiangnan."

A spring breeze swept by, scattering the ashes.

Liu Bei suddenly grasped Kongming's hand:

"Having examined all the talented individuals in my Xuzhou, I find only you capable of this task!"

Zhuge Liang was greatly surprised, rose from his seat, and bowed, saying:

"...Your Majesty, I am young and lack virtue, how dare I compete with my seniors?"

"Precisely because you are young!"

Liu Bei spoke solemnly, gradually lowering his voice.

"The pacification of Jiangnan was a struggle between the old and the new, and you should understand that."

The feather fan in Kongming's hand fell to the ground, and he instantly understood.

The lord does not doubt the old ministers, but he fears that their merits will overshadow his authority and cause infighting between the old and new ministers!

"General Zilong was steady in his work, but he had never achieved any outstanding feats."

"Why doesn't Your Majesty send him there?"

"...Zilong is too kind and benevolent, and may be bullied by the gentry."

Liu Bei bent down, picked up the feather fan for Zhuge Liang, and gently brushed off the dust.

She returned it to Zhuge Liang, took his hand, and invited him to stroll around the backyard with her.

As the sun was setting, the shadows of the trees swayed, casting an uncertain glow on their faces.

As Liu Bei walked up to a tree, he suddenly stopped.

"Does Kongming know this?"

Liu Bei gently stroked the tree trunk and sighed:

"This cypress was planted when I first arrived in Xuzhou, and now it stands tall and spreading like a canopy."

As he spoke, he looked at Zhuge Liang.

"Just as your talent and virtue have grown quietly and steadily."

“I observe this every day and am always pleased.”

Just as Zhuge Liang was about to humbly decline, Liu Bei took out a stack of silk letters from his sleeve:
"These are all secret memorials submitted by Prime Minister Li over the years, each one praising your talent and strategy."

Unfolding the oldest letter, one can see the twelve characters "Zhuge Liang possessed far-sighted vision and was truly a talent fit to assist a king" prominently displayed.

“At that time, you had just returned to Xuzhou, and Prime Minister Li praised you so highly.”

Liu Bei lightly tapped the latest letter:
Last year, it was said that "Kongming's ability to govern was unparalleled in his time."

Then, the tone suddenly shifted:
"Yet I will deliberately neglect you for three years!"

Upon seeing this, Kongming prostrated himself and bowed twice.

Liu Bei helped him up and patted him on the shoulder:

"It's not that I doubt you, it's just that..."

His gaze shifted, pointing to the bow on the armory, and he said:
"For example, in archery, one must first consider the target in order to hit the bullseye every time."

"Moreover, this is a strategically important place in Jiangnan; how could I not investigate it thoroughly?"

"All these years, Kongming, you have stayed in Xuzhou, and I have never sent you to any other place."

"Firstly, to test your talent and virtue; secondly, to temper your character."

"Judging from your current situation, you already possess the ability to govern a region on your own!"

Actually, there is a third point, which Liu Bei did not explicitly state.

That is, although Zhuge Liang had made no mistakes over the years, he had not made any great contributions.

However, the official positions and noble titles bestowed upon them were all quite high.

The title of Marquis of Langya County caused Zhuge Liang to be questioned by many people.

Zhuge Liang was aware of this and feared he would fail Liu Bei's trust.

He also followed the example of Li Yi, taking him as his role model, working tirelessly day and night, fearing that he would fail in his duty.

But no matter how hard Zhuge Liang tried, the doubts never ceased.

The reason is simple: Li Yi had long since turned Xuzhou into a paradise.

The political environment is stable, agriculture is developed, the economy is prosperous, and schools and hospitals are numerous.

The people live in peace and happiness, and the government is efficient and the people are harmonious.

Even if Zhuge Liang possessed extraordinary abilities, how could he possibly advance Xuzhou to a higher level?

It's not that Kongming didn't work hard; it's just that he was standing on the shoulders of his predecessors and couldn't reach a higher level!
Therefore, the only way is to do what Chen Deng did back then.

Leaving Xuzhou, I raised my head.

Only young people can have a wider world.

...Liu Bei has already paved the way for Zhuge Liang; it's up to you how you choose to walk it.

In fact,
Both Li Yi and Liu Bei groomed Zhuge Liang to be their second prime minister.

Although Li Yi did not say it explicitly, Liu Bei could tell that he wanted Zhuge Liang to succeed him in the future.

To promote Li Yi, Liu Bei offered up Hebei.

Now, in order to promote Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei plans to give up Jingzhou.

Hebei was conquered bit by bit by Li Yi back then.

Jingzhou, too, requires you, Kongming, to fight for it yourself.

As the evening drum sounded, Liu Bei suddenly unfastened his sword and presented it to Liu Bei.

"This is my personal sword, named the Twin Swords of Male and Female, also known as the Mandarin Duck Swords."

"When I conquered Hebei before, I appointed Prime Minister Li as the commander-in-chief and presented him with a pair of mandarin duck swords."

"In the end, Prime Minister Li lived up to my expectations and successfully pacified Hebei."

As he spoke, Liu Bei handed the sword to Zhuge Liang.

"...Kongming, I now present you with the Yang Sword."

"I hope that your trip to Jiangnan will be as successful as Li Xiang's journey to Hebei back then!"

Liu Bei raised his hand in mid-air, his face resolute, revealing an expression that brooked no refusal.

Zhuge Liang accepted the dappled sword with trepidation.

"...Your Majesty has placed high hopes on me; how could I not be willing to die for you?"

Zhuge Liang prostrated himself on the ground and kowtowed, saying:
"...However, the matter in Jiangnan is of great importance."

"I fear that I may have the will but not the strength."

As previously analyzed, only a few Yuan Cong were capable of pacifying Jingzhou.

Because only they can keep their subordinates in check.

Zhuge Liang joined the party late and did not achieve any great feats.

They also failed to cultivate their own loyal followers.

Sending him alone to Jingzhou would only lead to the same fate as Liu Biao back then.

Just then, the sound of horses' hooves could be heard outside the wall.

"Prime Minister Li must have arrived!"

Liu Bei straightened his clothes and laughed, "Kongming, do you now know why I summoned Prime Minister Li to Xuzhou?"

Zhuge Liang raised an eyebrow; as intelligent as he was, he immediately understood.

"So that's what Your Majesty wanted!"

"Exactly."

Liu Bei nodded, his hands behind his back, his brow furrowed in discontent.

"I summoned Prime Minister Li back precisely to leverage his prestige and achieve your merits!"

"Currently, Guan Yu is in Qingzhou, Zhang Fei is in Xuzhou, Zhang Fei is in Huainan, and Li Xiang is in Hebei. They are all regional commanders."

"Tomorrow at the court meeting, I will appoint you as the governor-general of the military and political affairs of Jiangnan, and Prime Minister Li will accompany you."

"All important military and political affairs..."

As he spoke, he pointed to the two-pronged sword in Zhuge Liang's hand, emphasizing each word:
"The decision rests entirely with you!"

That's right, Liu Bei summoned Li Yi back so that he could "assist" Zhuge Liang.

Strictly speaking, the person who went to pacify Jiangnan was Li Yi.

But the main character can only be Zhuge Liang.

Liu Bei asked Li Yi to step down from the limelight and become the "retired emperor".

It is said that all matters are decided by Zhuge Liang, but when Li Yi really wants to give a speech, everyone has to listen attentively.

Only by bringing Li Yi out can we silence the various factions in Qi.

However, in this way, it is actually Li Yi who is "sacrificed".

Liu Bei sighed; this was the reason for his recent bad mood.

"Does Kongming know this?"

"Li Ziyu is a rare talent in this world; wherever he goes, he is sure to be the best."

"But today, I wish to make it a supporting role."

He was a legend his entire life, always the protagonist wherever he went.

But this time, Liu Bei had no choice but to let Li Yi play a supporting role.

On the other hand, in order to promote Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei even brought out Li Yi.

This naturally moved Zhuge Liang to tears, and he immediately bowed deeply twice.
"...Your Majesty, I will certainly live up to your kindness and trust!"

Liu Bei gently stroked Kongming's hand and solemnly said:

“…Good, you have not failed me, and I will certainly not fail you.”

The following day, a meeting was held in the hall.

In front of all the civil and military officials, Liu Bei officially announced that the person chosen to go and pacify Jingzhou was Zhuge Kongming!
This proposal caused an uproar.

Zhuge Liang?
Who does he think he is?
That's right.

Lu Taifu, Chen Zhengnan, Zhao Yijun, and General Zang—who among them didn't have higher qualifications than him?

How could such a momentous task as pacifying Jiangnan be left to a junior like him?
Everyone assumed that Prime Minister Li had returned to Xuzhou last night.

Liu Bei intended to send him to pacify Jiangnan, but no one expected that this important task would ultimately fall to Zhuge Liang.

Faced with the crowd's doubts, Liu Bei continued:

"Prime Minister Li, you will go to Jiangnan with Kongming."

"...Your subject obeys."

Li Yi stepped forward, holding his tablet, and bowed to receive the order.

Just last night, Li Yi himself figured out the key to the matter.

Today, his guess has indeed come true.

Liu Bei summoned him back to use his prestige to help Zhuge Liang maintain order and control the situation.

Zhuge Liang was capable, but he lacked experience and couldn't control his subordinates.

Sending someone else risks usurping the role of Zhuge Liang and rendering him powerless.

It even stole his thunder, which was not good.

The most suitable person to send is Li Yi, this old minister who is both a mentor and a friend.

"Kongming is a descendant of the Prime Minister and has many shortcomings."

"As a senior, the Prime Minister should offer more guidance."

Liu Bei appeared to be giving instructions to Li Yi, but in reality, he was reminding him that Zhuge Liang was the main figure in the southward journey.

Your role is that of his "teacher," primarily to correct his mistakes.

"...Your Majesty, please rest assured, your subject and Kongming will certainly live up to your expectations."

"We are determined to pacify Jiangnan."

"Eliminate the treacherous officials and protect the king's brothers."

Li Yi quickly got into character and immediately started shouting political slogans.

Liu Bei was very satisfied and nodded with a smile:

"I am at ease with your handling of matters."

"Then please—"

Liu Bei stopped mid-sentence and turned to Zhuge Liang, saying:
"...Kongming, please select the person to go down to the south of the Yangtze River."

Just now, Liu Bei almost let Li Yi make the selection.

He paused for a moment, then quickly turned to let Zhuge Liang choose.

"I have entrusted all matters concerning Jiangnan to Kongming."

"All orders shall be issued as if I were personally present!"

Liu Bei loudly instructed everyone to give Zhuge Liang a heads-up beforehand.

Outside the hall, the north wind howled, while inside, armored soldiers stood solemnly.

Zhuge Liang glanced around and then began to take his seat and appoint his generals.

First, summon General Huang Zhong to step forward:
"The old general killed Xiahou in battle in Hebei, and he was also from Jingzhou."

"You can go to Jiangnan with Liang."

Huang Zhong thanked him and readily accepted the order.

He also appointed Zhao Yun, the General of the Right Army:

"Zilong is exceptionally brave and resourceful; he should command the central army."

Zhao Yun readily accepted the order.

Zhuge Liang was also very shrewd in his choice of personnel.

Either it's someone like Huang Zhong who joined late and, like himself, lacked support from others.

Or it could be someone like Zhao Yun, a man of noble character who never forms cliques.

Working with such a person would greatly reduce the obstacles Zhuge Liang would encounter in accomplishing his tasks.

There's no need to hesitate or worry about affecting others' interests.

After considering the candidates, Zhuge Liang basically decided on the people to go to Jiangnan.

He then approached Li Yi and, with remarkable emotional intelligence, bowed and said:
“Liang is young and lacks virtue. Although he has received the king’s command, he is truly afraid that he cannot fulfill it.”

"Your Excellency's strategic plans are profound. May I ask among the generals, are there any overlooked talents?"

The implication is that I just selected people based on my own needs.

Prime Minister, have you thought of inviting some people to go together?
After all, going to the south of the Yangtze River is a great opportunity to gain prestige.

There must be quite a few noble children who want to squeeze some people in.

By then, you can easily earn some military merits and get a promotion and a raise.

Zhuge Liang voluntarily handed over this opportunity to Li Yi to gain favor.

……

(Current power distribution map of Cao Cao and Liu Bei)

(This is just a sketch and contains many minor errors. Please do not scrutinize it too closely.)

(This only applies to Cao Cao and Liu Bei; other factions may have changed, and we haven't had time to update it yet.)
(End of this chapter)