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

Chapter 270 Two brilliant minds at the same time, Zhou Yu meets Zhuge Liang

Liu Qi does understand the basic rules of the workplace.

Although Zhuge Liang was nominally the top leader during this trip to the south of the Yangtze River.

But anyone with eyes can see that Li Yi is the real "retired emperor" behind the scenes.

Moreover, Li Yi was the most senior among them.

Both out of courtesy and reason, Liu Qi should first bow to him.

It was just a small detail, but it left a good impression on everyone.

I know this kid is pretty good at getting things done.

Subsequently, Liu Qi invited Zhuge Liang and others into Xiling City.

After exchanging pleasantries, the guests and hosts took their seats.

While ordering the dishes to be served, Liu Qi also expressed his gratitude to everyone.

“Now that the Cai family is in power and my father is dead, I, as the eldest son, am unable to fulfill my filial duties as a son.”

“Every time I think of this, I am heartbroken,”

As she spoke, Liu Qi covered her face and wept, tears streaming down her face.

Zhuge Liang then spoke up to comfort Liu Qi, saying:
“My lord, do not worry. The King of Qi sent us to Jiangnan precisely for this matter.”

"I wonder who is in charge of Jingzhou now?"

Liu Qi then explained the current situation in Jingzhou to everyone.

At present, Jingzhou is mainly controlled by ministers Cai Mao and Zhang Yun, who hold military power and jointly supported Liu Cong's ascension to the throne.

Liu Cong was already the nominal ruler of Jingzhou.

However, as Cao Cao's army rushed to Xiangyang, the two major companies, Wei and Chu, completed their merger.

Including the four commanderies of Jingnan, they all sided with Cao Cao.

In other words, eight of the nine commanderies in Jingxiang have already sided with Cao Cao.

Although many of these counties are neutral observers, none of them seem to have a strong pro-Qi bias.

Everyone is watching and seeing which large group they should align themselves with.

If Liu Qi hadn't fled to Jiangxia in time to avoid disaster and saved the last of the nine commanderies, it would have been a disaster.

Then Zhuge Liang and his entourage didn't even have a place to stay in Jingzhou.

"...Alas, all eight counties of Jingzhou have all allied with Cao Cao."

"I heard that Cao Cao has personally marched south with a full 50,000 troops."

"How many troops did Mr. Kongming bring on his southward expedition?"

Zhuge Liang replied, "I also have fifty thousand."

what?
Upon hearing this news, Liu Qi showed no joy whatsoever.

"But the Jingzhou region still has more than 100,000 armored soldiers."

"If they were to join forces with Cao Cao, they would have at least 200,000 men."

"How can fifty thousand contend with two hundred thousand? Sir, could you please inform the King of Qi's uncle again?"

"Should we ask him to send some more troops?"

Liu Qi actually meant to exaggerate the strength of the opposing team.

Although Jingzhou was said to have over 100,000 armored soldiers, it was not enough to say that they could actually muster 200,000 men together with Cao Cao.

Even so, the current disparity in strength between the two sides remains significant.

Liu Qi knew that with Liu Bei's current strength, the number of troops he could mobilize was definitely more than 50,000.

Even if we don't talk about it, we can still take out 200,000 and send another 50,000 to make a 100,000-strong army.

In response, Zhuge Liang calmly stated:

"Although Jingzhou is said to have more than 100,000 armored soldiers, Liu Cong and Cai Mao can only command at most 50,000."

"At Xiakou, there is still a garrison of 20,000 men under Zhou Yu's command."

"Based on this calculation, our army has at least 70,000 men, so the strength of the two sides is not disparate."

As he spoke, Zhuge Liang methodically analyzed the advantages and disadvantages of both sides for Liu Qi.

"With our homeland still unsettled, Cao Cao is already heading south to contend for the territory of Jingzhou. How can this be allowed to drag on for long?"

"Furthermore, Han Sui is still in Guanzhong, posing a threat to Cao Cao's future."

"I predict that Cao Cao will find it difficult to hold out in the south for long."

Because of the vastness of his territory, Liu Bei dared not send too many people to the south of the Yangtze River.

Cao Cao also needed to retain people in the north and guard Han Sui in Guanzhong.

Furthermore, the deployment of personnel is actually very complicated.

Because each unit is controlled by a general, you can't really move them around like you would in a video game.

For example, when attacking Jingzhou, you can only send generals who are nearby.

This situation has occurred in every dynasty.

For example, when a ruler wanted to attack Liaodong, the generals all complained that it was too cold there and refused to go.

At this point, rulers often had to withstand enormous pressure and forcefully send them over.

The reason it is said to be under tremendous pressure is because it was the result of overcoming all opposition and making a decision unilaterally.

If you lose, it will damage your prestige as the ruler.

Similar cases can be seen in the cases of Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

After Yuan Shao lost the Battle of Guandu, a large-scale rebellion immediately broke out in Ji Province.

After losing the Battle of Red Cliffs, Cao Cao immediately fled back to Xuchang, fearing trouble from the rear.

Therefore, unless absolutely necessary, it is best to send out troops within one's own control.

That is, even if you lose a battle or fail, the situation will not completely spiral out of control.

Liu Bei is currently in this situation.

The troops he sent were mainly composed of the Huainan Army and the Xuzhou Army.

One force came from the Central Army, and the other from the Huainan Army, which was eager to attack Jingzhou.

Even if these two armies were to ultimately fail, Liu Bei would still be able to maintain control of the situation.

Because this is in the interest of both legions.

The Xuzhou army was directly under Liu Bei's command, and they could directly benefit from fighting for Liu Bei.

The Huainan army viewed Jingzhou as their backyard, believing that capturing Jingzhou would allow them to directly benefit from it.

At this moment,
If you send the Qingzhou Army or the Hebei Army over again, they definitely won't be willing to fight.

Even if they fight, they won't put in their best effort.

The reason is simple: the two places are too far apart, and it is troublesome to travel back and forth between home and work.

Furthermore, they will not be able to take over the territory of Jingzhou that they have conquered.

The damage to equipment and the loss of troops were not proportional to the direct gains.

"Cao Cao could not hold out in Jiangnan for long. I wonder how long you, sir, can stay in Jiangnan?"

Liu Qi looked at Zhuge Liang and asked earnestly.

Zhuge Liang smiled and replied:
"The King of Qi sent me here to pacify the south of the Yangtze River."

"If the Jiangnan region is not at peace, Liang will never return to the country."

This……

Despite having Zhuge Liang's protection, Liu Qi remained deeply worried.

I think Liu Bei sent too few men, even though you and Cao Cao both sent 50,000.

But we can't ignore the local forces in Jingzhou!

At this moment, Li Yi, who had been resting with his eyes closed and had not uttered a word, suddenly spoke:
“In the past, Sun Tzu defeated Chu with 30,000 troops, because the quality of the army is more important than the quantity.”

"If more troops are deployed, Hebei will be left vulnerable and the supply lines will be difficult to maintain."

"Fifty thousand men consume six thousand shi of grain per day. If that is doubled, an army could cut off our supply lines."

"The entire army perished in the river!"

"Moreover, our army has brought a large number of naval troops with us."

"Cao Cao is a northerner, and he is not skilled in naval warfare. How could he be a match for our army?"

Li Yi himself did not want to speak.

I just couldn't help but complain about Liu Qi's excessive rambling.

Do you think we don't want to send more people over?

Isn't it because the objective conditions don't allow it?
Since you asked us to come and help, then stop talking nonsense.

Leave the professional tasks to the professionals; you just need to focus on how we defeat the enemy.

Liu Qi sensed the displeasure in Li Yi's words and then shut up.

They then respectfully asked them what their needs were.

Zhuge Liang immediately made the following arrangements.

First, send spies to find out what's going on in Xiangyang.

Has Cao Cao's army already entered Xiangyang? Have the four commanderies of Jingnan been pacified by imperial decree?

Secondly, he sent someone to contact Zhou Yu in Xiakou to agree on a joint plan to defeat Wei and Chu.

Third, repair the city defenses, deploy ships, and expedite the supply of provisions.

This was the first time in Zhuge Liang's life that he had complete control and was in charge of commanding an entire region.

Everyone saw that he was meticulous in his work and that all the arrangements he made were proper, just like Li Yi in his prime.

Therefore, they all admired him.

Just as Zhuge Liang was busy preparing for military affairs.

Li Yi was not idle either; he was never one to stay idle.

If it weren't for the fear of overshadowing Zhuge Liang, Li Yi would have loved to take over Zhuge Liang's military affairs right now and help him command the generals.

However, given Liu Bei's prior instructions, Li Yi had no choice but to step back and remain behind the scenes.

Since Zhuge Liang is busy with military affairs, let him take this opportunity to rectify the administration in Jiangxia!
Later generations likened Jingzhou to a semi-automatic knife.

Its defense is decent, but you can't expect it to actually cut through enemy lines.

Because you have to discuss it with the knife before you start cutting.

If the knife disagrees, you're out of options.

This was actually because the local power in Jingzhou was too strong, and instances of subordinates rebelling against their superiors occurred frequently.

My purpose in going down to Jiangnan was to reach Jingzhou.

Therefore, it is imperative to reclaim power from local authorities and strengthen central authority.

Inside the Jiangxia military headquarters, the candlelight flickered red.

Li Yi told Chen Deng about his plan to reclaim local power in Jiangxia.

Chen Deng frowned, pointed to the map of Jiangxia, and advised:
“The gentry of Jingxiang are deeply entrenched, and the local powerful families are very powerful and deeply rooted.”

"Now Cao Cao has Liu Cong in his grasp, and he is in cahoots with the Cai family, gathering the forces of the eight commanderies of Jing and Xiang to take Jingzhou."

"We should first unite with powerful clans to resist Chu and Wei, why should we instead seize their power?"

In Chen Deng's view, dealing with the local forces in Jingzhou should not be rushed.

Our greatest enemies now are Cao Cao and Cai Mao.

They gathered eight counties in Jing and Xiang and united to resist Qi.

If we seize local power right from the start, won't that only strengthen the resolve of the scholars in Jingzhou to resist us?
"Yuanlong, you are mistaken!"

Li Yi, with his hands behind his back, sneered:

"The people of Jingzhou had no intention of joining Qi."

"Now that our army has arrived, they will surrender to Wei."

“If I first show favor to the local people, it would be a sign of weakness.”

“I’ll make an example of him first, so that the local scholars will know my strength and abilities.”

Chen Deng repeatedly emphasized:

"...Brother, you should think it over carefully. My army has just arrived in Jingzhou and is still a guest general."

“It is not good to overpower the host when the guest is powerful. If we offend all the local powerful families, the two armies may not even start fighting.”

"And then chaos and turmoil will arise."

Li Yi repeatedly reassured Chen Deng that he was well aware of the situation.

Chen Deng had no choice but to agree in the end, and sighed:

"...Alright, I know you are ten times more intelligent than me."

"Since you have your own ideas, you must know what you're doing."

"If you have any needs, just say so."

Li Yi thanked him and immediately ordered that the county magistrates and county constables of Jiangxia be summoned to Xiling to see him.

They said they would assess the performance of each county.

Of course, the order was issued in Liu Qi's name.

After all, Liu Qi was the governor of Jiangxia.

Once the order was issued, the local counties and towns hesitated only slightly before sending people.

The main reason was that Liu Qi, as the governor of Jiangxia, had this power.

Not to mention that they now have the King of Qi as their backer, and 50,000 troops are stationed in Xiling.

Do you dare not cooperate with the government?

The only strange thing is that

Since Li Yi wanted to summon local officials to assess their performance.

Logically, they should have summoned the local county magistrate directly.

However, Li Yi ingeniously summoned the county magistrate and the county constable, but made no demands on the county magistrate.

This also piqued Chen Deng's curiosity, and he immediately asked him why.

Li Yi smiled slightly and explained to Chen Deng in an orderly manner:

“County Commandant and County Assistant are both officials who assist the county or prefecture.”

"How can someone who has long been subordinate to another not desire to take their place?"

"How could a chief official not fear that his subordinates might betray him and seize his position?"

It turns out that the county magistrate and the county commandant were the second or third most powerful people in the area.

Li Yi was convinced that no second or third son didn't want to be the leader.

No leader is unafraid of being replaced by someone else.

"Therefore I summoned only the county magistrate and the county constable, and they will surely vie to offer their loyalty."

“If the county magistrate is not summoned, he will be anxious all day long, fearing that his subordinates will expose his shortcomings.”

"If I am not mistaken, the county magistrates have already secretly written letters to each other."

"They offer their loyalty and devotion in order to submit to my command."

Chen Deng was enlightened and suddenly realized the truth.

Only then did I realize that Li Yi had orchestrated this whole thing with malicious intent.

By summoning the second and third-ranking officials in the local area, ostensibly to assess their work, they were actually giving them an opportunity to betray their superiors.

Their elder brother, having not been summoned, must also be feeling anxious and uneasy.

Fearing betrayal by his subordinates, he would certainly write letters to Li Yi to express his loyalty.

What a clever way to manipulate people's hearts.

High, it is high!

Chen Deng secretly admired Li Yi's political skills; after more than ten years of honing his abilities, this young man had far surpassed his appearance when he first entered Xuzhou.

He handles heavy tasks with ease and effortlessness, which is truly admirable.

While expressing his admiration, Chen Deng couldn't help but also complain:
"...Brother Ziyu, are you so confident that the local county magistrate and county commandant will side with you?"

"Isn't there anyone who would collude with others, betray their superiors, and fight to the very end?"

Li Yi had also considered Chen Deng's question.

But in his opinion, this was no big deal.
"Even if the county magistrate and other officials are in cahoots and vow never to betray each other, they will not sell out one another."

"However, I only need to use a little trickery, such as sowing discord and testing, to sow the seeds of suspicion among them."

"The greater the suspicion, the more divided the local power becomes."

"When local power is divided, central power is concentrated."

"In this way, our foundation in Jiangxia will be more solid, and our position will be more secure!"

First intimidate their courage, then win their hearts; hence this is called the art of controlling people.

In fact, simply decentralizing local power indirectly strengthens central authority.

Li Yi's move was intended to sow suspicion among local powers.

Ultimately, he played a mediating role in the central government of Xiling.

This makes local governments dependent on the central government, thereby achieving the effect of centralization.

Within two days, county magistrates and county constables from various counties entered the city one after another.

Liu Qi stood in the main seat, with Li Yi sitting beside him.

A servant came to report that all the officials from the counties of Jiangxia had arrived and were asking the Prefect to give his orders.

Liu Qin then looked at Li Yi beside him, bowed slightly, and said:
"...Prime Minister, all the officials of Jiangxia County have arrived. Do you have anything to say?"

Li Yi's gaze swept around the city, then he looked down at the officials, his eyes sharp as knives.

All the officials were trembling with fear, wondering what the prime minister meant.

After a moment, Li Yi slowly spoke, smiling as he addressed the crowd:

“Jiangxia is the gateway to Jingzhou. Now that Liu Jingsheng has just passed away, Cai Mao has seized power.”

"As officials appointed by the imperial court, you should think about serving the country, not about attaching yourselves to the powerful and wealthy."

Upon hearing this, all the officials prostrated themselves on the ground and kowtowed, not daring to raise their heads.

Li Yi then ordered someone to bring the account books and check the amount of money, grain, and soldiers in each county one by one.

The county magistrate and the county constable were sweating profusely and reported the truth.

Meanwhile, the magistrates of various counties noticed that Li Yi summoned local county assistants and county constables, but did not mention a single word to them.

As a result, they all felt like they were sitting on pins and needles, and were covered in sweat.

Someone might advise:
"Today, Prime Minister Li has personally come to Jiangxia to examine the officials."

"As a local official, why don't you go to Xiling in person?"

Answer:

"Since Prime Minister Li has not summoned me, I dare not go."

Or he might remonstrate again:

Although the Prime Minister did not explicitly issue an order, you should not take it literally and sit idly by.

"We should hurry to Xiling to show our loyalty."

The county magistrate agreed, and so local officials quickly reached a consensus.

They rushed to Xiling in Jiangxia, knelt before Li Yi, and begged for forgiveness in fear.

Li Yi had already finished his assessment. Seeing everyone arrive, he smiled and asked:
Why are you all so late?

Faced with Li Yi's probing questions, the county magistrates were drenched in sweat and repeatedly kowtowed:

"This humble official is foolish and failed to pay his respects to the Prime Minister sooner; I deserve to die!"

Li Yi spoke calmly and indifferently:
"Gentlemen, do not worry. I have thoroughly investigated the finances, soldiers, clan records, and households of all counties."

"You can rest at the post station first, and return to your hometown tomorrow. There is no need to worry about the affairs here."

Upon hearing this, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

Judging from Li Yi's tone, it seems like this has nothing to do with them anymore?
But the more this was the case, the more uneasy the officials felt.

They discussed it privately:

"Today, Prime Minister Li has come here on his southern tour, specifically to visit Jingzhou."

"The eight counties of Jing and Xiang have already surrendered to Cao Cao."

"If Jiangxia is willing to submit to the State of Qi, it will surely be treated generously!"

In Jingzhou, those who could become local officials all had powerful and influential families backing them up.

Many of them were even born into scholar-official or powerful families.

Therefore, these local officials have the right to choose sides.

Li Yi's rebuke filled everyone with fear and unease, and they all pledged their loyalty.

Thus, power in Jiangxia was quickly centralized.

Upon seeing this, Liu Qi couldn't help but sigh:
"I have been in Jiangxia for half a year, and none of the local officials have cooperated with me."

"As soon as Prime Minister Li arrived, all the officials submitted memorials to congratulate him and presented their family registers and population records."

"...No wonder Prime Minister Li is relied upon by the King of Qi!"

It's impossible not to be jealous.

Liu Qi was the governor of Jiangxia and the eldest son of Jingzhou.

I've been in Jiangxia for half a year, and I still can't get the local officials to do anything.

As a result, Li Yi only stayed for a few days before taking back local power.

It's hard not to admire that.

However, what Liu Qi wouldn't understand is...

Li Yi's efficiency is due to both the harsh measures and the sweet rewards.

The 50,000-strong army of Xiling was the source of Li Yi's confidence when he summoned the local officials.

Preserving everyone's official positions was a sweet treat offered by Li Yi.

After the round trip, there were almost no changes in local personnel.

The only thing that has changed is that everyone's mindset is different now.

Leaving aside other places in Jingzhou, at least in Jiangxia, the gentry and powerful families have already taken him under their wing.

It was acquired by the State of Qi.

For the people of Jiangxia, isn't this also an opportunity to go public?
Cao Cao, who was on the opposite side next door...

On the surface, it seems as if they have gained control of the eight prefectures of Jingzhou in one fell swoop.

In reality, how many counties can truly be effectively controlled?

If Cao Cao and Cai Mao were to be defeated, local powers would immediately withdraw their investment if they saw any signs of trouble.

In that case, you'll vomit up everything you eat.

Jiangxia is different; Jiangxia Group was acquired by Qi State, a listed company.

Their interests are now intertwined; they share both glory and shame, and advance and retreat together.

This is what we often call "digesting the land".

For Cao Cao, the eight commanderies of Jingzhou and Xiangyang were like something he had in his mouth but couldn't swallow.

Jiangxia, on the other hand, has already been completely swallowed and digested by the State of Qi.

In the following days, everyone in Jiangxia was busy.

They were waiting for Xiangyang to take action.

Not to be discussed.

……

On this day, a messenger reported that Zhou Lang from Jiangdong had arrived.

The men around Zhuge Liang asked him:
"Zhou Yu was the commander-in-chief of Eastern Wu and Sun Quan relied on him."

"We have come here today to discuss the division of Jingzhou."

"Should we report this to Li Chushi?"

Zhuge Liang replied, "Let's go and meet this Zhou Yu of Jiangdong first. If things get to a critical point, we can report back to the Prime Minister later."

Therefore, Zhuge Liang, along with his civil and military officials, went to the river mouth and met Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu arrived with Chen Wu, Lü Fan, Dong Xi, and others.

Zhuge Liang continued, saying:
"...Commander, you have come from afar, is it for the sake of Jingzhou?"

Zhou Lang returned the greeting and replied:
"...I came here specifically to discuss matters concerning Jingzhou. I wonder where Prime Minister Li is?"

Zhuge Liang replied:
"Prime Minister Li is very busy with government affairs, so Liang has been in charge of all matters, big and small, in the military."

"The Governor may discuss any important matters with me."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu looked Zhuge Liang up and down.

After a long pause, he slowly spoke:
"The matter of Jingzhou is of great importance."

"Since Prime Minister Li is here, could you please ask him to spare a moment to meet with me?"

"Yu only asks for half an hour. Once the matter is settled, he will leave immediately."

"We will not stay any longer!"

Zhou Yu insisted on seeing Li Yi because he believed that only Li Yi could make the decisions here.

He is an efficient person and doesn't want to waste time.

If we discuss and finalize all the matters with Zhuge Liang...

In the final approval stage, Li Yi disagreed.

Wouldn't that just be a waste of time?
Zhuge Liang saw through Zhou Yu's thoughts and immediately said sternly:
“I have been ordered by the King of Qi to pacify Jiangnan.”

“My lord has not abandoned me and has appointed me as the Governor-General of Pingnan, overseeing the military and political affairs of Jiangnan.”

"Now that Governor Zhou has come here to form an alliance, he should finalize the details with Liang."

"If not, return immediately!"

"Watch how I defeat the armies of Wei and Chu."

Having said that, Zhuge Liang turned and left.

Zhou Yu was taken aback. Seeing that this was a tough opponent, his goodwill towards him increased.

He was used to being domineering and rarely saw someone with such a strong personality like Zhuge Liang.

At first, they took advantage of his youth, but now it seems this kid has some temper and is someone they can work with.

So Zhou Yu strode forward, grasped Zhuge Liang's sleeve, bowed and apologized:
"...Please calm down, sir. I was just joking."

"Since you are the master, you can finalize the matter in Jiangnan. I will discuss it with you."

Zhuge Liang then invited Zhou Yu inside to discuss strategies for defeating the enemy.

Zhuge Liang went straight to the point, asking:
"How many troops did the Governor bring with him to Jingzhou?"

Zhou Yu was very frank and immediately replied:
"There are 20,000 elite troops at Xiakou, all of whom are the best of the Eastern Wu and skilled surfers. They will surely be of great help to your country."

Zhou Yu's attitude can be described as quite humble.

After all, Eastern Wu was weaker, and it would be difficult for them to take Jingzhou, which had received aid from Wei, on their own.

Only by following the State of Qi can one obtain the spoils.

It's worth noting that the historical Zhou Yu was a complete domineering CEO.

How did Zhou Yu treat Liu Bei when they formed an alliance?
At that time, Liu Bei was comparable to Sun Quan, both being rulers, and Liu Bei held the official position of General of the Left of Han.

As Sun Quan's subordinate, Zhou Yu should have been the one to take the initiative to visit Liu Bei.

However, the domineering CEO Zhou Yu stated:
“I am busy with official duties and cannot leave my post without permission. I hope that Governor Liu can condescend to come to me for discussions.”

It can be said that Zhou Yu gave Liu Bei a rude awakening right from the start.

At that time, Liu Bei was even weaker and could only travel by small boat to meet Zhou Yu.

Then they asked Zhou Yu how many men he had brought, and Zhou Yu replied that he had 30,000.

Liu Bei said that 30,000 was too few.

Then Zhou Yu calmly said:

"Thirty thousand is enough. Liu Yuzhou, just watch how I defeat the enemy."

It can be said that Zhou Yu's performance in this scene was quite domineering.

At the same time, Zhou Yu also sent a strong and important political signal.

That was not long ago, when Zhuge Liang went to see Sun Quan, he said:

"The country was in chaos. General Liu raised an army in Jiangdong, and Liu Bei gathered troops in Hanzhong. They fought with Cao Cao for the world."

Zhuge Liang's words were extremely clever, as they not only praised Sun Quan.

It is said that he raised an army in Jiangdong.

In fact, Sun Quan had absolutely nothing to do with the uprising in Jiangdong.

But Sun Quan couldn't help but appreciate these words.

The following sentence places Liu Bei on an equal footing with Sun Quan.

Our two families are fighting alongside Cao Cao for the throne, not here to become vassals of your Sun family.

If the Sun family were to refute this on the spot, it would appear petty.

However, if this statement were to be passed over, it would be tantamount to acknowledging that Liu Bei was of equal status to them, which would be a loss for the Sun family.

Zhou Yu deliberately humiliated Liu Bei to show him that he was not on equal footing with Liu Bei.

I only listen to my boss; other big bosses are nobody to me.

If you have any requests, go to my supervisor, don't come to me.

Asking for help requires the attitude of the person.

This incident demonstrates that Zhou Yu was also extremely skilled in political maneuvering.

They not only see problems clearly, but also have a long-term perspective.

Unfortunately, this was supposed to be the highlight of Zhou Yu's history.

However, Luo Guanzhong portrayed him as a villain who wanted to kill Liu Bei but was so frightened by Guan Yu that he broke out in a cold sweat and dared not kill him.

On one hand, it says that Zhou Yu supported the Sun-Liu alliance, and on the other hand, it says that he wanted to kill Liu Bei even before the alliance was formed. The logic behind these two statements is obviously inconsistent.

However, this time and that time.

Historically, Zhou Yu, with the advantage of being weaker than Liu Bei, was able to be arrogant and domineering towards him.

Now that Liu Bei is strong and Sun Quan is weak, Zhou Yu has no choice but to change his attitude.

They hoped to gain a share of the benefits of Jingzhou by cultivating good relations with the State of Qi.

Zhou Yu knew that Liu Bei had only sent 50,000 men to Jiangnan, which was already within his capabilities.

Sending more personnel would deplete the nation's resources.

Moreover, northerners are not skilled in naval warfare.

The large-scale southward march of troops from Qing and Xu provinces may lead to them suffering from acclimatization problems.

Even if he doesn't die, returning with a host of illnesses will greatly reduce his fighting ability.

Clearly, Liu Bei did not want to do this.

As a result, Zhou Yu's 20,000 Jiangdong naval troops became a highly sought-after asset.

The South mainly relies on naval warfare, and Zhou Yu's 20,000 men can not only be fully committed to naval battles, but are also all skilled naval warriors.

Of Zhuge Liang's 50,000 troops, only Chen Yuanlong's Huainan navy was capable of naval warfare.

The remaining troops from Xuzhou were truly only there to cheer them on.

……

(End of this chapter)