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

Chapter 288 Liu Bei: The Prime Minister is my Xiao He, but there's no need to recount Xiao He's story.

Now, Zhang Song was sent as an envoy to the State of Qi on behalf of Liu Zhang.

Someone had already reported his itinerary to Jingzhou, and Zhuge Liang discussed it with everyone.

They all felt it was a rare opportunity and unanimously decided to go and greet Liu Bei before actually meeting him.

The plan was finalized, and instructions were given to the troops in each camp and the officials in each county to cooperate.

The following day, Zhang Song also rode a horse and led his servants, heading straight for the border of Jingzhou.

When they were on the road to Yidao, they suddenly saw a troop of soldiers, about five hundred riders.

The leading general, dressed in light makeup, with white hair and beard, was imposing and awe-inspiring.

The precious sword in his hand gleamed like snow. He reined in his horse and asked:
"...Could the visitor be none other than Prefect Zhang?"

Zhang Song replied:

"...Indeed."

The general hurriedly dismounted and said in a respectful voice:
Huang Zhong has been waiting here for a long time!

Upon hearing that it was Huang Zhong, Zhang Song was so frightened that he quickly dismounted.

He rushed to Huang Zhong with trepidation and greeted him respectfully:
"Could it be Huang Hansheng, who was killed in battle by Xiahou?"

By this time, Huang Zhong's fame had spread far and wide.

Even Zhang Song, who was in Sichuan, had heard of it quite a bit.

At least he knew that Huang Zhong was one of only four generals of the four directions in the State of Qi, and his position in Qi was certainly high, if not powerful.

Zhang Song was flattered that such a person would personally come to the border to greet him, and he quickly asked:
"Why has the old general come here to greet me?"

Huang Zhong then said:

“I was ordered by Master Kongming to travel a long distance for you, riding a horse and galloping on horseback.”

"Huang Zhong is specially ordered to serve wine and food."

After he finished speaking, the soldiers on the left and right stepped forward with wine, dishes, and cooked meat, and knelt down to offer them.

Although Zhuge Liang's reputation was not as great as Huang Zhong's at this time, anyone in politics knew him.

The nominal ruler of Jingzhou was Liu Qi's son.

But King Liu Bei of Qi had already entrusted him with the affairs of Jingzhou.

Clearly, with Zhuge Liang's intelligence and wisdom, he had already guessed Zhang Song's intentions.

Zhang Song thought to himself:

"...People say that Zhuge Liang is wise and intelligent, although I am a visitor from afar."

"Then why bother with such lavish gifts?"

"It must be that Kongming knew my intention in leaving Xichuan, and deliberately treated me well in this way."

"But the ruler of Qi was ultimately Liu Bei, not Zhuge Liang."

"I wonder if Liu Bei will treat me with any courtesy when he sees me here?"

"I will agree for now, and we will discuss it further in Xiapi later."

So Zhang Song thanked Huang Zhong and drank several cups of wine with him.

Then Huang Zhong invited Zhang Song to accompany him, and Zhang Song agreed.

The two mounted their horses together and rode side by side.

Arriving at Jiangling border, it was late that day, and we went to the inn.

More than a hundred people stood outside the post station gate, beating drums in succession.

It turned out that Zhuge Liang, along with his son Liu Qi, and a group of Jingzhou ministers including Ma Liang, Yi Ji, and Kuai Yue, had come to greet them.

Zhang Song hurriedly dismounted and stepped forward to pay his respects.

Liu Qi spoke first:
"We and Mr. Kongming have been waiting here for a long time, eagerly awaiting the arrival of Prefect Zhang."

Zhang Song bowed and thanked him.

Zhuge Liang led them inside, and they exchanged pleasantries and took their seats.

Soon, a banquet was set out, and the ministers of Jingzhou eagerly offered their toasts.

While drinking, Zhuge Liang only talked about trivial matters.

They might offer words of comfort to the driver who had traveled a long and arduous journey, or inquire about any difficulties the driver might be facing and whether they needed assistance.
The passage makes no mention of Xichuan.

Zhang Song even began to wonder if he had been judging others by his own petty standards.

They are truly warm-hearted, hospitable, and kind.

But I insisted on doubting their sincerity, thinking they had ulterior motives.

Zhang Song couldn't figure it out for a moment, but was enthusiastically urged to drink by everyone.

They drank until late into the night before stopping, and then spent the night there.

By dawn the next day, Zhuge Liang had arranged for servants to attend to him.

Zhang Song was kept in Jiangling for three days of banquets.

Every day, they would either observe the stars, discuss military strategy, or talk about the local customs and culture of Jingzhou.

In short, the matter of Sichuan was not mentioned.

Knowing he could not stay there indefinitely, Zhang Song bid farewell to Kongming.

Zhuge Liang personally went to the riverbank to see him off. When they reached the ferry, he held his hand and sighed:
"...It is a pity that I did not have the chance to perform the Eight Trigrams Formation with you."

After saying this, he untied the jade pendant from his waist and presented it to her, saying:
"When you return, please ask the Prefect to pass through Jiangling again. I will prepare a warm welcome for you."

Zhang Song thanked him, boarded the boat, and departed, heading towards Xiapi.

Zhuge Liang watched him go, and lingered there for a long time.

Seeing Zhang Song's boat sail away, the group of Jingzhou officials, looking exhausted, approached and couldn't help but grumble:
"...Why does the gentleman treat this short fellow so kindly?"

Because Zhang Songsheng was short in stature, and Jingzhou was a well-known haven for scholars.

What did scholars value?
First, family background; second, demeanor and appearance; and third, talent and knowledge.

Zhang Song's first impression was not good, and he had been drinking for several days without showing much talent.

However, under Zhuge Liang's urging and supervision,

These past few days, everyone has been busy running around, serving him like a master.

I was extremely careful throughout, for fear of making a mistake.

When it was time to send him away, everyone treated him as if he were a plague god.

Before their departure, they heard that Zhuge Liang wanted Zhang Song to return to Jiangling, which naturally displeased everyone.

Zhuge Liang then explained to everyone:

"...How would you know?"

“When Prefect Zhang came to my place, it was truly rare to find his sincerity.”

"In the end, only the King of Qi could move his heart."

"The reason I ordered him to return to Jiangling is because Xiapi is adjacent to Yingchuan."

The so-called "comparing three merchants in the market" was to prevent the Qi queen from returning to the Cao family.

"It is said that Cao Cao has recently allied with Han Sui of Xiliang, intending to take Hanzhong."

"If we obtain Zhang Song's assistance in plotting against Western Sichuan, the overall situation will be difficult to control."

"Therefore, he was specifically ordered to return to Jiangling, which was why he did not go to Yingchuan."

The saying goes, "compare three shops before buying," and Zhuge Liang was also afraid that Zhang Song would go to see Cao Cao after meeting Liu Bei.

It's important to understand that Cao Cao is currently facing a major setback.

In addition, his failure to compete with Liu Bei for Jingzhou made him extremely eager for the land of Xichuan.

It is not difficult to see this from the fact that he forcibly relocated a large number of people from the Central Plains to the Guanzhong region.

Cao Cao is currently preparing for a full-scale invasion of Western Sichuan.

Given this, Zhuge Liang naturally had to do everything he could to prevent Zhang Song from going to Yingchuan.

Upon hearing this, everyone exclaimed in admiration:
"Sir, your calculations are divine; we are utterly convinced."

Zhuge Liang gazed at the rolling waters of the Yangtze River and sighed softly:
"Now that Prime Minister Li is still in Xuzhou, he can keep Zhang Song here."

"You and I can simply wait in Jiangling for instructions from Xuzhou."

Everyone nodded in agreement.

……

Xuzhou, Xia Pi.

With the situation in Jiangnan temporarily settled, Li Yi also handed over Lujiang to Chen Deng.

With Liu Bei's permission, Chen Deng finally fulfilled his lifelong wish.

The Huainan region was merged into one.

Chen Deng was so moved by this that he even shed tears.

He earnestly invited Li Yi to stay in Huainan for a couple more days, but Li Yi insisted on taking his leave.

He was saying that the affairs of Hebei were inseparable from his own.

Moreover, he has been away from home for nearly a year, and his sister Ying has already given birth to their second child.

According to the news that came back, it was still a boy.

In this way, Li Yi had three sons, all of whom were princes.

Having been away from home for too long, Li Yi, as a father, should go home and visit.

To my shame, I don't know if it's just fate playing tricks on me.

Li Yi was not by his side when his three children were born.

Li Yi has never attended a single child's one-month celebration.

As Li Yi was the head of the family, no one could act on their own.

So they always waited for Li Yi to come back before holding a make-up ceremony for the children.

With this excuse, Chen Deng simply couldn't continue to insist on keeping him there.

He personally saw him off, holding Li Yi's hand and saying:

“My wife told me last night that she is also pregnant.”

"When the child is born, please invite my brothers to Huainan for the full-month celebration."

Li Yilian replied, "Definitely, definitely."

Only then did they board the boat and head north towards Xuzhou.

Although Li Yi's task of accompanying the "Crown Prince" in his studies was basically completed, he still had to pass through Xuzhou before returning to Hebei.

I definitely need to go see Liu Bei.

This is the basic etiquette for a subject.

When Liu Bei heard that Li Yi had left Huainan, he immediately ordered his servants to begin preparations to welcome Li Yi.

Everyone was curious: Li Xiang had been away from Hebei for almost a year, yet Your Majesty had never suggested that he come to Xuzhou to see you.

How can we be sure he will come to Xuzhou?

Liu Bei, in response, proudly stated:

"How could I not know my prime minister?"

"You all just go and make preparations, and Prime Minister Li will surely come to Xuzhou to see me."

In order to "show off" his tacit understanding with Li Yi, Liu Bei deliberately and openly ordered Li Yi to come to Xuzhou.

He instructed everyone to prepare for the welcoming ceremony.

The group was skeptical, and went about their own arrangements.

In the winter of December of the eleventh year of Jian'an, the Prime Minister returned triumphantly from Jiangnan.

Only then did everyone realize that Liu Bei truly understood Li Xiang's character.

I've actually come to Xuzhou, as they say.

Therefore, King Liu Bei of Qi personally led his civil and military officials to meet him thirty li outside Xiapi City.

Banners filled the sky, and armored soldiers stood in formation.

Having not seen each other for a long time, Liu Bei, dressed in a red-sash royal robe, took Li Yi's hand first and said:
"Your Excellency has assisted me in pacifying Jiangnan; your merit is invaluable to the nation!"

Despite having held a high position for many years, Li Yi's personality has indeed become much more unrestrained compared to when he first arrived.

But he remained as humble as ever in front of Liu Bei.

"...This is all due to the king's power and virtue."

Hahaha.

The two looked at each other and smiled.

At this moment, silence speaks louder than words, thanks to the unspoken understanding between the two.

Despite not having seen each other for a long time, the two didn't have much to say when they finally reunited.

Then Liu Bei took his hand and led him onto the jade carriage, inviting Li Yi to ride with him into the city.

Li Yi firmly declined, saying:

"Your subject shall ride in the secondary carriage."

Liu Bei was taken aback and said:
“Back when we were in Xiapi, you and I rode together in the same carriage and slept together in the same car.”

"Why are you treating me like an outsider now?"

Li Yi adjusted his hat and bowed again:

“In the past, when I was a commoner, I was able to sit knee to knee with Your Majesty.”

"Now that the kingdom has been established, the rites cannot be abandoned."

After speaking, he pointed to the kneeling people by the roadside:
"If I were to overstep my bounds and ride in the same carriage, how could I instruct the people to respect the king?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei fell silent, his heart filled with a myriad of emotions.

He couldn't help but recall the moments he spent with Li Yi in Xuzhou back then.

Indeed, the two were both teacher and friend, and the relationship between ruler and subject never changed.

Now Liu Bei has become the King of Qi and established his kingdom.

Li Yi also became the prime minister, a position second only to the emperor.

Perhaps in Liu Bei's heart, he could still regard Li Yi as a teacher, a close friend, and a confidant.

But in Li Yi's mind, no matter what identity Liu Bei had, there would always be a King of Qi standing in front of him.

If Li Yi were to act recklessly and actually cross that red line...

In the end, it will only backfire, and given his cautious nature, he would never do such a thing.

Liu Bei then rode alone in his jade carriage, and every time he passed a street corner, he would turn back to look at Li Yi's secondary carriage.

When the people saw this, they couldn't help but marvel at the harmonious relationship between the king and his ministers.

It's not that people's hearts are fickle, but rather that the land has always valued traditional ethics and morality.

The carriage soon arrived at Xiapi.

As soon as he arrived at the city gate, he was greeted by thunderous cheers. People lined the road to welcome him, eager to catch a glimpse of Prime Minister Li's demeanor.

But there was an old man with white hair, leaning on his cane, calling out:

"Lord Li, come back! Lord Li, come back!"

Previously, when Li Yi assisted Liu Bei in Xuzhou, many local people had received kindness from him.

Now that Li Yi has returned, everyone has come to visit this "old friend".

Besides the elderly man who recognized Li Yi, a young child also presented him with dates and chestnuts.

Behind the half-rolled-up beaded curtain of the embroidered chamber, countless men in red robes peered out.

According to the recollections of those involved, the scene when the people of Xuzhou welcomed Li Yi back was as follows:
The streets were deserted as everyone was saying:

"The people cherish the virtue of Lord Li's rule."

"On the day of his triumphant return, the whole city will welcome him."

"Even if Zichan went to Zheng or Yan Ying went to Qi, it would be no different."

Despite this extraordinary honor, Li Yi showed no joy whatsoever.

Instead, he frowned the entire time, remained silent, and had a solemn expression.

He never expected that even after he had been away from Xuzhou for several years, the local people would still remember him fondly.

Liu Bei, who was standing to the side, seemed to have seen through Li Yi's thoughts, so he ordered his men to drive the carriage to Li Yi's side.

Liu Bei stepped forward, took his hand, and said:
"My Xiao He truly wins the hearts of the people!"

Li Yi declined repeatedly, saying that it was all thanks to the king's power and virtue.

However, the people kept offering food, which blocked the roads.

Liu Bei clapped his hands and laughed, gently comforting Li Yi:

"Prime Minister Li is my Xiao He, so there is no need to follow the story of Xiao He."

"Otherwise, the world will look down on me."

"May Prime Minister Li not be worried!"

Li Yi breathed a sigh of relief and entered the palace with Liu Bei.

Liu Bei hosted a banquet to welcome Li Yi and wash away the dust of his journey.

During the banquet, Li Yi took the opportunity to report to Liu Bei, the senior leader, on his work in Hebei over the past few years.

Liu Bei listened attentively, praising Li Yi's work, and then asked:
"Is the Prime Minister aware of the events in Liaodong?" Li Yi raised an eyebrow and asked.

“Last year when I was in Jiangnan, the changes in Liaodong were truly unknown to me.”

Although I don't know what happened in Liaodong, it's definitely not good news.

I never expected that I would be able to get into trouble during all those years I spent in Hebei.

Why did this happen of all times when I went to Jingzhou?
Liu Bei frowned and said:

"The Goguryeo people seized Xuantu County in one fell swoop, and the Xuantu garrison commander Wang Xiong was killed in battle."

"The people of Xuantu were burned, killed, and plundered."

hiss……

Li Yi gasped, and said in a deep voice, "Such a thing has happened."

So he stood up and said to Liu Bei:
"Please do not worry, Your Majesty. I will wait until I return to Hebei."

"We will surely muster the troops of Hebei and conquer Goguryeo."

"Strike straight at their capital and wipe out their entire country in one fell swoop!"

Liu Bei waved his hand to stop him, saying:

"Minister Li, do not worry. Recently, Lu Bu, the governor of Pingzhou, has submitted a letter to me."

"It is claimed that it has decisively defeated the Goguryeo army at Changbai Mountain and recovered Xuantu County."

"Having suffered such a defeat, the Goguryeo people should not dare to advance again so easily."

She paused slightly, then smiled at Li Yi.

"In fact, the Battle of Changbai Mountain was largely due to Prime Minister Li's establishment of the Northern Garrison Commander."

"Zhang Xiu was able to arrive in time and join forces with Lü Bu to decisively defeat Goguryeo."

"...otherwise, Liaodong will surely be lost."

Li Yi thought to himself, "I have already established a special economic zone in Youzhou."

The Xianbei and Wuhuan people in the north generally coexisted peacefully with the Han people.

However, the Goguryeo people were so restless.

If I hadn't made thorough preparations in Liaodong, my reputation built up over the past decade would have been ruined by these barbarians.

Li Yi grew increasingly angry as he thought about it. He stood up, pointed to the map of Liaodong, and advised Liu Bei:
“The people of Goguryeo are arrogant and rude, and do not admire the king’s rule.”

"I wish to return to Hebei and muster 30,000 troops."

"Destroy their capital, and eliminate future troubles!"

Liu Bei shook his head and refused Li Yi's request to fight.

"Now Fengxian has defeated their army and beheaded their general."

"These barbarians can be punished; why waste the resources of Hebei to destroy their country?"

"When Emperor Guangwu abandoned the Western Regions, it was not because he could not take them, but because the losses outweighed the gains."

"If we launch a distant expedition now, I fear it will be a waste of manpower and resources, and will only jeopardize the grand plan for Jingzhou."

Li Yi pondered for a moment and said:
"But if the border troubles are not eliminated..."

Liu Bei laughed and said:

"With Fengxian stationed in Liaodong, the barbarian horses cannot cross the border to the south."

"Moreover, with Guo Rang and Zi Jing still alive in Yan, there is absolutely no chance of anything being lost."

"Prime Minister, just focus on managing the Hebei region and don't worry about the You and Liao regions."

"Now that Kongming is in Jing, he is dealing with Sun Quan."

"We should follow the example of Emperor Gaozu in managing Guanzhong, first consolidating our foundation, and then considering external threats."

Li Yi then ceased his insistence and abandoned the plan to conquer Liaodong.

In the middle of the conversation, Liu Bei mentioned again that Xin Pi from your Prime Minister's residence had already been sent to Pei State to serve as the Prime Minister of Pei.

Li Yi said that it was his honor.

Just then, a messenger arrived.

They came from Jingzhou and were sent by Zhuge Liang.

The messenger presented the letter to Liu Bei, who read it.

The book states briefly:

"Your subject Liang bows and pays homage to Your Majesty:"
"Recently, Zhang Song, the Prefect of Yizhou, brought a map of the Western Sichuan region and pretended to pay tribute, but in reality he wanted to choose a master to serve."

"Although this person is short in stature, he is full of wisdom and talent."

"Whenever Song passed through a prefecture or county, he would secretly memorize the strategic passes and dangerous points, truly making him a living map of Western Sichuan."

"When Emperor Gaozu entered Guanzhong, he obtained Xiao He's collection of Qin maps and records."

"If Your Majesty were to receive the help of pine trees, it would be like finding a torch while traveling at night."

"We beg Your Majesty to personally welcome us in the suburbs and treat us with great hospitality."

"We must be especially wary of him defecting to Cao Cao."

"Having heard that Cao Cao recently sent an envoy to befriend Han Sui, Zhang Lu in Hanzhong is already feeling fear."

"If it gains further assistance from Xichuan, its power will be difficult to control."

"By the time the letter arrives, Song will be near Xuzhou."

"May Your Majesty emulate the Duke of Zhou's sincerity in spatting out food to welcome guests, and not judge people by their appearance."

"Whether Xichuan can be captured or not depends entirely on this move!"

"Liang bows and kowtows again, in the winter of the eleventh year of Jian'an."

……

After reading the letter, Liu Bei turned to his attendants and said:
"Who is Zhang Song?"

"In his letter, Kongming advised me to pay attention to this man."

"But I only know that this person is from Shu, and I know nothing else about him."

Grand Tutor Lu Su was present at the time, and immediately explained to Liu Bei:
"Your Majesty, this Zhang Song, courtesy name Ziqiao, is the adjutant of Liu Jiyu of Yizhou."

That's right, Zhang Song's courtesy name in history was Ziqiao, not Yongnian as in the novel.

Yongnian was actually the courtesy name of Peng Yang, another famous minister from Shu.

"This person comes from a prominent family in Shu County. He is insightful, shrewd, decisive, and quite talented."

"He often thought that Liu Zhang was weak and incompetent, and therefore often sighed in secret."

"I believe that Kongming's high praise for this person in his letter must be because he can help Your Majesty conquer Xichuan."

"May Your Majesty be kind to him."

Ok……

Liu Bei nodded, then looked at Li Yi and said:
"What is the Prime Minister's view on this matter?"

Li Yi answered without hesitation:
“Yi shared the same intentions as Kongming and Zijing, and Zhang Song was the Prefectural Governor of Yizhou.”

"Regardless of their purpose in coming here, they should be treated with respect both out of courtesy and reason."

"Otherwise, it would be a loss of dignity for a great nation."

"Moreover, Your Majesty has already acquired six or seven tenths of the land under Heaven."

"Sichuan is a dangerous place. If we can get Zhang Song's help, it will be of great benefit."

"His arrival here today is a perfect opportunity to win over the hearts of the people of Shu."

Liu Bei agreed with his words and then asked Zhang Song where he had gone.

The person in question had only recently entered Xuzhou.

Liu Bei pondered for a long time before saying:
"I will first instruct him to rest at the post station, and I will personally go to greet him."

Everyone followed his advice and did as he said.

The next day, early in the morning.

After breakfast, Liu Bei led his officials to the border.

After traveling only three or five miles, a group of people and horses arrived.

It was Zhang Song who led the people of Xichuan.

Liu Bei did not expect to encounter him halfway, so he first sent Cao Bao to ride forward and report.

Cao Bao accepted the order, spurred his horse forward, and shouted:

"Is the visitor Zhang, the Prefect of Yizhou?"

Zhang Song replied, "Exactly!"

Cao Bao then replied:

"I am Cao Bao, the Prefect of Xiapi. I have come here on the orders of the King of Qi to welcome you, my esteemed guest."

Zhang Song then asked, "Where is the King of Qi?"

Cao Bao pointed with his whip and said, "That's it."

Zhang Song then dismounted and went forward to pay his respects.

When Liu Bei saw that Cao Bao had summoned Zhang Song, he immediately dismounted and waited.

Seeing that Liu Bei had dismounted ahead of time, Zhang Song quickened his pace, hurriedly approached Liu Bei, and hastily bowed, saying:
"Zhang Song, Prefect of Yizhou, greets His Majesty the King of Qi!"

Liu Bei observed Zhang Song's appearance and found him to be short in stature and poor in demeanor.

Despite his short stature, Zhang Song is actually not ugly.

He's just short, and his looks are at best average—neither handsome nor ugly.

The reason is that his older brother, Zhang Su, was described as having "a dignified appearance and a very imposing countenance."

If the older brother is a handsome man, the younger brother is naturally not ugly either.

Historical records only say that Zhang Song was short and stocky, but they don't say that he was ugly.

In ancient times, anyone who was either ugly or handsome was considered handsome.

Such distinctive features are often specifically mentioned in historical records.

Since it wasn't mentioned, it's clear that Zhang Song is simply short.

However, being short in stature still resulted in him being looked down upon within the scholar-official circle.

As the saying goes,
For girls, fair skin can cover up a hundred flaws; for boys, height can cover up a hundred flaws.

Even if you have perfectly proportioned features, you'll still look ugly if you're short.

In fact, both Cao Cao and Liu Bei were attracted to good looks.

But it's not their fault.

Because whether it's objects or people, the love of beauty is human nature.

If it weren't for Li Yi, Zhuge Liang, and others giving Liu Bei a heads-up beforehand,

When Liu Bei thought about how he had made such a big fuss and waited here so early, only to be met with this thing, he was shocked.

I was already cursing under my breath.

Fortunately, Liu Bei was prepared, and then said to Zhang Song:
"I have long admired your esteemed reputation, Your Excellency, as if thunder had struck my ears."

"I regret that Yunshan is too far away to receive your teachings."

"Now that I have heard that the Prefect is about to send an envoy to the State of Qi, I have come here specifically to receive him."

"If you would not mind staying in my country for a short while to express my longing for you, I would be extremely grateful!"

Zhang Song was overjoyed, having long heard of Liu Bei's kindness and hospitality.

I never imagined that both the emperor and his ministers would be like this.

Zhuge Liang was alright, but Liu Bei was the King of Qi!

He has every right to give me attitude.

But not only did he not greet him, he also went out of the city to welcome him and treated him with the utmost courtesy!
Putting everything else aside, wouldn't it be incredibly prestigious to return to Sichuan?
Zhang Song repeatedly thanked Liu Bei for his kindness, then mounted his horse and rode side by side into the city.

Upon arriving at the palace, everyone exchanged greetings, and the guests and hosts sat down in order of seniority for a banquet.

During the drinking, Liu Bei, just like Zhuge Liang, only talked about trivial matters and did not mention the matter of Xichuan.

Zhuge Liang didn't mention it, and Zhang Song didn't bother to ask.

But Liu Bei didn't mention it, so Zhang Song's trip was in vain.

Left with no other option, Zhang Song took advantage of the clinking of glasses to probe him with a question:
"Now Your Majesty controls six or seven of the nine provinces of the world."

"I recently heard that Your Majesty once again defeated Cao Cao at the Battle of Red Cliffs and seized the land of Jingzhou."

"Songcheng congratulates Your Majesty!"

Liu Bei humbly declined, saying:
"This is largely due to the efforts of my wise ministers."

"If it weren't for the soldiers' bravery and the unity of the ruler and his subjects, how could Jingzhou have been so easily obtained?"

"How could I, the ruler, possess the kingdom of Qi today?"

"In the future, we must constantly strive to improve ourselves."

Zhang Songnai seized the opportunity to say:
"Your Majesty also possesses more than half of the land under heaven, and your people are strong and your country is rich. All the feudal lords under heaven look up to you."

"Is Your Majesty still not satisfied?"

Upon seeing this, Li Yi loudly proclaimed:

"Our lord is a member of the Han imperial family and has been granted the title of King of the Kingdom and Commander of the Eastern Region by imperial decree."

“The bandits of today’s Han rely on their strength to seize territory.”

“Our lord should reclaim the Han Dynasty’s lands for the country. How can there be any talk of being content or not content?”

Seeing that the two were arguing, Liu Bei pretended to be drunk and said:

"...You two, please stop talking."

"I am already very satisfied with the country I have today."

"What virtue do I possess that would presume to hope for more?"

Zhang Song hurriedly said:

"No, Your Excellency is a member of the Han imperial family, and your benevolence and righteousness fill the four seas."

"It is not unreasonable for someone who occupies a prefecture or county to usurp the throne and become the legitimate emperor."

Upon hearing this, everyone at the table changed their expressions, but none of them showed any emotion.

He pretended to be drunk and didn't hear clearly.

Liu Bei's eyes flickered, and after a long pause, he cupped his hands in thanks and said:

"Your words are too much; how dare I accept such praise!"

"Let's just drink today and not discuss anything else."

Seeing this, Zhang Song knew he shouldn't say anything more.

From then on, Zhang Songlian was kept at the banquet for three consecutive days, and the matter in Sichuan was never mentioned.

One day, Zhang Song was strolling leisurely in the western suburbs of Xuzhou when he suddenly came across a place.

Above the vermilion gate hangs a golden plaque with the three characters "Gewuyuan" (Gewu Academy).

The guards were all dressed in strange, light armor, and the sound of thunder could be heard from time to time within the courtyard.

Zhang Song stopped and asked the people around him what place this was.

The attendants on either side replied that they did not know, so they asked the gatekeeper, who replied:

"This is the Institute of Natural Sciences established by Prime Minister Li, which gathers the most skilled craftsmen in the world here."

Gewu Academy?
Zhang Song is also a very talented person, but this is the first time I've heard of this novel name.

He hurriedly asked the gatekeeper:
"May I go in and have a look?"

The gatekeeper replied:

"The Academy of Natural History was established by the Prime Minister. In principle, apart from the Prince of Qi, the Prime Minister, and the Director, no one else is allowed to enter."

Zhang Song then asked:

"Who is the director of this Academy of Natural Sciences?"

"...When it was first established, King Qi wanted to appoint Prime Minister Li to the position."

"However, the Prime Minister declined, saying that the affairs in Hebei were too heavy, and thus recommended Mr. Kongming."

"Later, when Mr. Kongming went to Jiangnan, the King of Qi appointed Lu Taifu to take over the position."

Zhuge Liang was the first dean, and after he left, Lu Su became the second.

In addition, the renowned scholar Kong Rong was also an honorary professor at the Institute of Natural History.

For no other reason than that Liu Bei wanted the prestigious title of being a 20th-generation descendant of Confucius.

This would make it easier for him to recruit more talented and extraordinary people.

Filled with curiosity, Zhang Song couldn't help but peek into the house a few times.

Upon seeing this, the gatekeeper said:
"If Prefect Zhang wishes to enter this Academy of Natural History, he can seek a written order from Prince Qi, Prime Minister Li, or Grand Tutor Lu."

"Only with the written orders of the three of them did I dare to let them pass."

Zhang Song helplessly spread his hands, indicating that he couldn't possibly accept this.

This is a state secret; it would be too presumptuous and abrupt.

Just then, Li Yi walked in this direction.

……

(End of this chapter)