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

Chapter 289 Your Name: Cao Cao and Liu Bei Swap Fates
Meanwhile, Zhang Song passed by the Gewu Academy and was attracted by the novel objects inside.

They wanted to go in for a look, but were stopped by the gatekeeper, who said that without an imperial edict, even if General Zhang came, it wouldn't be allowed.

Zhang Fei was the governor of Xuzhou, and even he couldn't enter the academy at will, which shows how much the Qi state's high-ranking officials valued the Academy of Natural Sciences.

It was almost treated as a state secret and was never shown to the public.

Zhang Song no longer held out hope of getting in.

Unexpectedly, at this moment, Li Yi led a group of people towards them.

Zhang Song hurriedly went up to greet him.

Li Yi asked:
"Why has the Prefect come here?"

Zhang Song answered honestly:
"I just passed by the Gewu Academy and heard that it was erected by Prime Minister Li. I am very curious."

"Therefore, I stopped here just to take a look."

Li Yi smiled and said:

"Since Prefect Zhang is so pleased, how about we go inside for a walk together?"

Zhang Song was overjoyed:

"It's my wish, but I don't dare to ask for my ear."

So the two of them went to the Institute of Physics together.

As the gatekeeper said, this Institute of Natural History is a state secret of the State of Qi.

It is not shown to outsiders.

The staff in the institute undergo political vetting, which extends back to three generations of their ancestors.

Although Li Yi brought Zhang Song in, none of his own servants were allowed to enter.

This scene alone made Zhang Song secretly amazed.

Upon entering, the first stop is the military workshop.

The exhibits include various steel knives, folding ladders, and repeating crossbows, among other things.

In addition, there is research on trebuchets capable of shooting out flames.

In addition to military products, there are also agricultural exhibits.

This includes a keel-driven tilting mechanism that rotates using water power.

Improved curved plow, bronze phoenix wings for rain measurement, and so on.

The sheer variety of inventions alone was enough to dazzle the erudite Zhang Song.

What surprised him most was undoubtedly the newly built "Celestial Evolution Platform".

The rotating bronze ball demonstrates the presence of the sun, moon, and stars.

The workshops on display are from the Geography and Astronomy section.

When the head of the academy saw Li Yi arrive, he hurriedly stepped forward to pay his respects.

"...Greetings, Your Excellency. This is the Hun Tian Yan Xiang Terrace, which was created in the first ten days of the month."

"I didn't expect that the Prime Minister would be able to show it to you so soon after his return."

Why do you think the head of the academy is so attentive to Li Yi?

Of all the inventions, agriculture and military industry were undoubtedly the most valued.

For example, civil officials, led by Lu Su, placed even greater emphasis on agricultural inventions.

Because they believed that these were genuine items that could help people improve their farming and sericulture.

This should naturally be encouraged.

Even Liu Bei himself placed great importance on agricultural development.

Within the Gewu Academy, Liu Bei was the most "biased" towards the agricultural sector.

Not only does it receive the most funding, but it also offers the best employee welfare policies and the highest priority in all aspects of benefits.

This is easy to understand.

After all, rulers throughout history have placed great emphasis on agricultural development.

From the rulers' perspective, the people should be able to focus on agricultural production without worry.

Once they get distracted by other things, who will cultivate my land?

That's the logic.

Aside from the agricultural sector, the military industry is naturally the most valued.

In these chaotic times, new military inventions are naturally highly regarded by generals.

With the great general Zhang Fei stationed in Xuzhou, the military officers led by him all attached great importance to the various military inventions produced by the Institute of Physics.

Once some practical military inventions were created, Zhang Fei and his generals would immediately apply them to the army.

Thanks to its high military priority, military-grade modules are also highly valued.

So which sector is being neglected?
This is the astronomical and geographical section where the academy is located.

Because the things he studied were too obscure and impractical.

Liu Bei even considered abolishing it and allocating resources to agriculture, water conservancy, and military industry.

In the end, it was Li Yi who stepped forward to stop them.

He strongly urged Liu Bei to pay attention to astronomy and geography.

In Li Yi's view, this is a high-investment, low-return, and even long-term unreturnable investment.

But once the research is completed, it will definitely bring profound benefits to the people.

Furthermore, Li Yi himself was an astronomy enthusiast.

Otherwise, wouldn't his telescope have been brought for nothing?
It was precisely because of Li Yi's attention that the astronomical and geographical sections were preserved.

The research funding he received also included Li Yi's private investment.

They are both the sugar daddy and the second parents.

Upon seeing Li Yi in the courtyard, he was naturally very attentive and earnest.

"...Hmm, if you leave safely, I will reward you handsomely."

Li Yi praised the academy's head without reservation.

If it weren't for their efforts in cultivating a group of talents in astronomy and geography, they would have been in a different situation.

How was he able to accomplish the feat of "borrowing the east wind" during the Battle of Red Cliffs?
As the saying goes, every little bit of investment is a cornerstone on the road to success.

Seeing that he had won the leader's favor, the academy director thanked him repeatedly and said that he would definitely continue to work hard.

He glanced at Zhang Song again and asked with a smile:
"Does the Prefect know the purpose of this item?"

Zhang Song was sweating profusely.

"Could it be...could it be possible to deduce celestial phenomena?"

We walked for a while longer, but still hadn't reached the end.

Zhang Song secretly marveled at how large the Gewu Academy was.

The land area must be at least ten or twenty acres, right?

They hadn't walked far when suddenly they heard the tolling of a bell, and all the craftsmen chanted in unison:

"The nation prospers through all trades, and knowledge is acquired through the investigation of things!"

"The nation prospers through all trades, and knowledge is acquired through the investigation of things!"

These eight characters were personally inscribed by Li Yi as the "motto" for the Institute of Physics, hoping that everyone in the institute would keep them in mind.

Here, one can unleash their full potential without any constraints.

After all, making various inventions in feudal times also involved facing enormous pressure.

Zhang Song seemed to be deep in thought, though he was amazed by the various inventions inside.

Though he didn't speak, his face clearly conveyed eight words:

"Strange skills and ingenious tricks are detrimental to farming."

After the tour, Zhang Song's impression was...

There are many inventions here, and the various ideas are indeed wildly imaginative.

However, many of these things are flashy but impractical, and they simply cannot be deployed on a large scale or in an organized manner for military or civilian use.

However, researching these "showy but impractical" things often requires a large investment of funds.

In Zhang Song's view, wouldn't it be better to use your spare money and time in the civilian sector?
The common people have truly benefited from this kindness, so wouldn't they be even more grateful to the State of Qi?

Zhang Song was, after all, a guest, and dared not say these things outright.

But Li Yi was a sharp-eyed person and saw through Zhang Song's thoughts.

"...Does Ziqiao know?"

Li Yi stood with his hands behind his back and explained to Zhang Song:
"The cost of three years of trial and error is less than the amount of grain rations provided by Xuzhou for three months."

"But if it were made into a thing, the burden on all people would be reduced. Wouldn't that be a great blessing?"

In Li Yi's view, inventions inherently require trial and error.

It will take a lot of time and money.

We have never underestimated the development of agriculture, but it is not in conflict with our development of science and technology.

Upon hearing this, Zhang Song bowed deeply to Li Yi and thanked him, saying:
"...Your Excellency's insight is profound; I, Songjin, am deeply grateful for your guidance."

After leaving the Academy of Sciences, Li Yi and Zhang Song went together to the East Training Ground for drills.

Zhang Fei ordered 10,000 soldiers to be deployed in the training ground.

Indeed, the armor was gleaming and the robes were splendid.

The drums and gongs shook the heavens, and the spears and halberds gleamed in the sun.

Teams were formed from all directions.

Banners fluttered in colorful waves, and men and horses soared into the sky.

Zhang Song nodded and repeatedly praised:

"...What a mighty army! What a mighty army!"

"Entry and exit are through gates, and advance and retreat are winding and circuitous. Even if Sun Tzu and Wu Qi were reborn, or Rang Ju were to reappear, it would be no different."

"With such a mighty army, it's no wonder that His Highness Prince Qi was able to sweep across the Central Plains and conquer the world."

"The Han dynasty will rise again under the rule of the King of Qi!"

Zhang Fei finished his rehearsal and spurred his horse to arrive.

Hearing Zhang Song's words of praise, he was overjoyed and exclaimed:
"...Haha, you are absolutely right, sir."

"Who in the world does not know that wherever my Qi army goes, we are invincible and we conquer without fail?"

"All rats in the world are as worthless as weeds!"

Li Yi stroked his beard and laughed:

"Yide, don't be too arrogant in front of Prefect Zhang."

After saying that, he turned to Zhang Song and said:
"In fact, we rarely see war in Qi, but govern people with benevolence and righteousness."

Zhang Song nodded and echoed:

“…Excellent! I have long heard of King Qi’s benevolence and righteousness, which are renowned throughout the world.”

"After arriving in Qi, I saw that the people were prosperous and the country was wealthy. The elderly and children alike were all content and at ease."

"Even though Song is in Sichuan, it is rare to see such a magnificent scene."

For the next two days, Liu Bei was busy with state affairs and entrusted Li Yi to accompany Zhang Song to tour the customs and people of Qi.

Everywhere Zhang Song went, he would marvel at the prosperity of the place.

He wondered what kind of person could manage this place so well.
The following day, Zhang Song resigned.

Although Liu Bei was very busy, he still took the time to hold a farewell banquet at the Ten-Mile Pavilion.

Liu Bei personally raised a cup to Zhang Song in farewell, saying:
"I am deeply grateful to the doctor and will stay for three days to reminisce."

"We part today, and I do not know when I will be able to receive your teachings again."

Zhang Song thought to himself:

"His Majesty the King of Qi is so benevolent and loves his people, no wonder Cao Cao is no match for him."

So he said to Liu Bei:
"Yizhou is a strategically important and fertile land, with prosperous people and a wealthy nation."

"Intelligent people have long admired the virtue of King Qi."

"If we can mobilize all the troops in Jingzhou and Xiangyang, we can drive westward for a long distance."

"Then hegemony can be achieved, and the Han dynasty can be restored."

Liu Bei did not show much interest in the olive branch extended by Zhang Song.

"Liu Yizhou is also a member of the imperial family, and his favor has long been bestowed upon Shu."

"How can others be swayed?"

"I cannot bear to seize the legacy of my kinsman. Liu Jingsheng was killed by the Cai family. I will support my son Liu Qi to ascend the throne."

"Liu Yizhou is currently stationed in Shu and has done nothing wrong. How can we bear to punish him?"

"Moreover, the Jingxiang region has just been pacified, and the people's hearts are not at peace. It is not advisable to start a war so soon."

Seeing that Liu Bei did not listen, Zhang Song reiterated his advice:

"It is not that I want to betray my master for personal gain, but now that I have met you, sir, I dare not fail to speak my mind."

"Although Liu Jiyu has the territory of Yizhou, he is weak-willed and unable to appoint virtuous and capable people."

"Furthermore, Zhang Lu is in the north, and he is always thinking of invading."

"The people of Shu are already scattered and yearn for a wise ruler."

"Song's trip was solely for the purpose of paying homage to the King of Qi."

"To see you today is a great comfort to me."

"If you can take the land of Xichuan, then you can then plan to conquer Hanzhong in the north."

"Finally, we will take over the Central Plains and restore order to the Celestial Empire."

"To have one's name go down in history is a great achievement."

"Only a wise judge can determine this!"

However, no matter how earnestly Zhang Song tried to persuade him...

Liu Bei remained unmoved.

“I am a member of the same clan as Liu Yizhou, and we have no enmity between us. How can I bear to attack him?”

"As everyone knows, my greatest enemy is Cao Cao."

"If we do not attack Cao Cao now, but instead take our own clansmen first, we will surely be ridiculed by the world."

"I would rather die than do such a thing."

With the shift in the timeline, Liu Bei's mindset has also changed.

In the historical context, he would have been impoverished and destitute, with absolutely no other choice.

So what cards does Liu Bei hold in his hand right now?

The wealth of Qing, Xu, and Ji; the navy of Huainan; and the iron cavalry of Yan and Dai.

Who am I, the King?
I am the ruler of a great Eastern nation!
Even if they really wanted to take Xichuan, they had to find a respectable reason.

Where can we take advantage of someone's misfortune to attack our own kind?

Therefore, Liu Bei was not really interested in the olive branch extended by Zhang Song.

Moreover, geographically speaking,
Compared to Sichuan, the Central Plains are actually more widely recognized by the world.

Now, the Central Plains are within Liu Bei's grasp.

Why would they go to the trouble of mobilizing a large army to attack Xichuan?

Whether you call it Liu Bei getting carried away or it was a strategic consideration, it doesn't matter.

However, the Western Sichuan region is certainly not Liu Bei's first choice at present.

Because just to realize this strategic plan, an enormous amount of resources must be invested.

The Liu Bei of today is not the same as the Liu Bei of history.

Historically, Liu Bei's capital was in Jingzhou, so strategically speaking, taking over Xichuan was very timely.

However, in this world, Liu Bei's capital was located in Xuzhou.

Compared to Yizhou, it can be said to be the true easternmost and westernmost point.

Not to mention, Yizhou was a uniquely advantageous territory, perfect for separatist rule.

If a fight were to truly break out, it would have to wait until Liu Bei was free to personally lead the attack.

Where can one easily entrust something to subordinates?
Just like Sun Quan in history, who dared not let Zhou Yu attack Yizhou.

This place is just too perfect for separatism; it's impossible to control!

However, unlike Sun Ce, Sun Quan was incompetent and unable to personally lead an expedition to Shu.

Throughout his life of warfare, Liu Bei dared to personally lead troops.

Seeing that Liu Bei had suddenly cut off all his words, Li Yi whispered a reminder from the side:

"...Your Majesty, please agree for now. The matter of taking Xichuan in the future can be discussed at a later time." "Zhang Song is the Prefect of Yizhou. Using him as our advisor will greatly benefit our country."

Liu Bei nodded, readily accepting the suggestion, and immediately said to Zhang Song:
"...The matter of Xichuan is of great importance and can be discussed later."

"Your journey is long and arduous, please take care of yourself."

This……

Zhang Song was an extremely intelligent man, and he could also see that Liu Bei was not fond of Xichuan.

Now, I finally understand.

Why did Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei never mention the matter of Western Sichuan when they received him?

Because Zhuge Liang was faking it, while Liu Bei was the real one.

Zhuge Liang is now the behind-the-scenes leader of Jingzhou, so attacking Xichuan can be seen as a natural course of action.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang naturally treated him well in order to pave the way for conquering Western Sichuan in the future.

Liu Bei, being far away in Xuzhou, had weak control over Xichuan and dared not easily entrust others with this task.

It really requires careful consideration, which is why he didn't mention Xichuan; it turns out he genuinely wasn't interested.

The reason they treated me with such courtesy was entirely because I was a guest from Xichuan who had come all the way from afar.

As the ruler of a great nation, he did not want to lose face.

"……Ugh."

Zhang Song sighed, unable to hide his disappointment.

But he was still very grateful to Liu Bei for taking care of him these past few days, and bowed to Liu Bei in thanks:

“If Your Majesty truly intends to take Xichuan, I, Song, am willing to serve as your inside agent.”

"What is your opinion, Your Majesty?"

Liu Bei replied:

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness."

"But Liu Jiyu is of the same clan as Liu Bei. If we attack him, I fear the whole world will curse us."

Zhang Song continued:

"A true man should strive to achieve great things and take the lead in his career."

"If we do not take it now, it will be taken by someone else, and then it will be too late to regret it."

Li Yi seized the opportunity and said:

"I have heard that the roads to Shu are rugged, with thousands of mountains and rivers."

"Carts cannot be drawn on straight tracks, and horses cannot be ridden together."

"If the Prefect wishes to assist our lord in taking it, what is the best strategy?"

Zhang Song then took out a map from his sleeve and handed it to Liu Bei.

"I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's kindness and have no way to repay it. I can only offer this map to assist Your Majesty."

"If Your Majesty intends to take Western Sichuan, you will know the roads in my Shu region."

Liu Bei unfolded it and saw that it was filled with geographical routes.

The landscape is expansive and varied, with rugged and strategically important mountains and rivers.

Even the government treasury's money and grain were clearly recorded.

By this age, Liu Bei could be considered a politician and military strategist.

He knew all too well the value of this image.

After presenting the map of Western Sichuan, Zhang Song bowed to Liu Bei and said:

"The matter should be dealt with sooner rather than later; Your Majesty should act swiftly."

"Song had two close confidants and friends: Fazheng and Mengda."

"These two will surely be of assistance. If Your Majesty ever needs their help, you may consult with them on matters of the heart."

Liu Bei bowed and thanked him, repeatedly praising him.

But I still don't feel any affection for the land of Xichuan.

After saying goodbye, Liu Bei ordered Zhang Fei and the others to escort Zhang Song for several dozen miles before returning home.

After leaving Xuzhou, Zhang Song thought to himself:

"I originally intended to offer the prefectures and counties of Xichuan to Liu Bei, but alas, he has no intention of sending troops here!"

Zhang Song could actually understand Liu Bei's cold attitude.

After all, Xuzhou is really too far from Yizhou.

For Liu Bei at this moment, nothing is more important than recovering the Central Plains.

Strategically speaking, Zhang Song could understand Liu Bei's predicament.

But from a personal perspective, Zhang Song was undoubtedly disappointed.

Who is Zhang Song?

He was a man of great ambition, but he often lamented that his talents were not being recognized.

Historical records state, "He thought that Zhang was not capable of achieving anything and often sighed in secret."

Why would this statement make people think there's something wrong with Zhang Song?
You should know that Zhang Song is the Prefect of Yizhou.

The Prefectural Governor is the governor's right-hand man and is definitely a top-ranking official in the state.

Even so, Zhang Song still felt that his talents had not been fully utilized.

They were even in a hurry to "sell out".

To be honest, Liu Zhang treated Zhang Song quite well.

It could even be said that he was "obedient to everything"; basically, Liu Zhang listened to everything Zhang Song said.

No matter how much Zhang Song flattered Liu Bei, his actions were essentially betraying his master for personal gain.

If Liu Bei hadn't been a beneficiary, he wouldn't have had a good impression of Zhang Song.

This is the moral code of this era of dualistic monarchy.

"...Prefect, shall we return to Jingzhou?"

The attendant, recalling Zhuge Liang's instructions before his departure, asked Zhang Song.

Zhang Song sighed:

"When I arrived, I made a boast to Liu Yizhou."

"Today I return empty-handed and disappointed, and will surely be laughed at by the people of Sichuan."

After speaking, Zhang Song looked into the distance, towards the territory of Yuzhou.

Further ahead, you'll reach Yingchuan, Cao Cao's territory.

Zhang Song thought to himself:

"Lord Xuande did not want to take the land of Xichuan, but Cao Cao allied with Han Sui to attack Hanzhong, precisely to take the land of Xichuan."

"If I can help him, I will be treated very well."

"But I have failed Lord Xuande... Alas..."

How did later historians evaluate Zhang Song?
Zhang Fan's evaluation was:
—“Liu Zhang is foolish and weak but he adheres to good advice. He is like the Duke Xiang of Song and the King Yan of Xu. He is not a ruler without a master.”

"If Chen Ping and Han Xin left Xiang Yu, they would be betraying him and going to both sides, which would be considered disloyalty and a lesser crime."

This means that although Liu Zhang was foolish and cowardly, he listened to Zhang Song and was not a tyrannical ruler.

If Zhang Song was unwilling to assist him, he could have left Liu Zhang just like Chen Ping and Han Xin left Xiang Yu.

Why deceive others, act disloyally for their benefit, and violate the duty between ruler and subject?
Modern historian Cai Dongfan also made a similar assessment, namely:
"If Zhang can be assisted, then assist him; if he cannot be assisted, then remove him."

"To betray one's master and seek favor is utterly unbecoming of a subject; Song deserves to be executed!"

Basically, everyone believes that

In the late Han Dynasty, if you felt your talents were not being utilized and you turned your back on your lord, there was nothing shameful about it.

After all, wise ministers choose their lords to serve.

But if you go back and then betray your master for personal gain, then that's wrong of you.

Therefore, everyone felt that Zhang Song deserved to be killed by Liu Zhang in the end.

However, if you try to understand the issue from Zhang Song's perspective, you'll find that Zhang Song simply cannot avoid "selling out his master for personal gain"!
First of all, Zhang Song was from a prominent family in Shu County.

If you leave Liu Zhang and go to join Liu Bei.

Then he would have to abandon his family and property; how could he take his land with him?

After all, there is only one Mi Zhu in this world.

Moreover, even if we disregard the worst-case scenario, and Zhang Song were to actually decide to join Liu Bei,

All he could do was draw maps for Liu Bei, guide him, and offer advice.

How could anything compare to the great achievements he made as an inside agent?

But if we take another path, we could simply resign and wait patiently for Liu Bei to enter Shu before seeking refuge with him.

What merits does Zhang Song have to speak of?
In fact, long before Zhang Song's mission, many ministers in Shu were already flirting with Cao Cao.

Zhang Song initially wanted to join Cao Cao, but Cao Cao didn't take notice of him, so he chose Liu Bei instead.

Zhang Song did this because he was worried that once Cao Cao conquered Western Sichuan...

At that time, Zhang Song's status in Shu might not be as high as that of other ministers, including his brother.

This was absolutely unacceptable to Zhang Song, who had an extremely strong sense of self-respect.

This makes it easier to understand Zhang Song's logic.

Everything Zhang Song did stemmed from his anxiety about his future.

Anyone with a brain can see that Liu Zhang is incompetent and cannot defend Yizhou.

Yizhou will eventually belong to someone else.

In that case, as a powerful and influential family, shouldn't you find yourself a buyer in advance?

Whether the buyer was Cao Cao or Liu Bei was really irrelevant to these powerful figures.

They only care about their own vested interests.

Some say that Liu is now stronger than Cao.

Liu Bei was so much stronger than Cao Cao, how could they dare to bet on Cao Cao?
This actually underestimates Sichuan's ability to defend itself.

Although Old Li loves to boast, the saying "The road to Shu is harder than ascending to heaven" is never a joke.

The saying "One man can hold the pass against ten thousand" is not just an empty phrase.

For the local landlords and powerful families in Sichuan, as long as they have a lord who is above average, they can help him defend the land.

Moreover, precisely because Cao Cao was weaker at this time, investing in him could yield greater returns.

Liu Bei is too powerful now; he might actually take over Shu.

He would certainly bestow lavish titles upon his subordinates, while the interests of the Shu people would be left unprotected.

Just like the powerful clans of Yanzhou who welcomed Lü Bu in and rebelled against Cao Cao.

Lu Bu was much easier to control than Cao Cao, so everyone preferred to support Lu Bu as their leader.

Admittedly, Cao Cao was no pushover either.

But never underestimate the intelligence of these powerful and influential people. They must have done something right to stand at the top of the food chain.

This is easy to calculate.

Cao Cao suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs at the hands of Liu Bei and was on the verge of retreating to Guanzhong.

Do you need our help from the people of Sichuan?
If you need it, shouldn't you compromise with us and give up some of your interests?

Otherwise, why would people support you?

Zhang Song is currently in a position where he urgently wants to find a buyer for Xichuan.

He was indeed loyal to Liu Bei and grateful for Liu Bei's kindness to him.

But if Liu Bei cannot take Xichuan immediately, then he cannot wait with you.

After all, Liu Bei had more important things to do.

That is to pacify Jingzhou and recover the Central Plains.

But for Zhang Song, nothing is more important right now than selling Xichuan.

With a mix of trepidation and anticipation, Zhang Song finally arrived in Xudi, Yingchuan.

They arrived at the residence of Duke Wei and requested an audience with Cao Cao.

After Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, he carried out a large-scale relocation of the population to the Guanzhong region.

They are fully committed to the matter of "relocating the capital".

Upon hearing that the envoy from Xichuan had arrived, he said to his attendants:

“…We saw off Zhang Junjiao the day before yesterday, and now Zhang Ziqiao has arrived.”

What do you all think?

It turns out that long before Zhang Song went on his mission to the State of Qi, his elder brother Zhang Su had already been sent as an envoy to Cao Cao.

Zhang Su is a typical representative of the people of Shu.

Most people in Shu actually admired Cao Cao.

Because Cao Cao had truly begun preparations to take over Western Sichuan.

With Liu Bei far away in Xuzhou, it was inconvenient for the people of Shu to communicate with him.

How did Cao Cao treat Zhang Su?

As mentioned before, Zhang Su's appearance was described as "dignified and imposing".

As someone who was obsessed with good looks, Cao Cao had absolutely no resistance to men who were both talented and handsome.

Not only did he have a pleasant conversation with Zhang Su, but he also recruited Zhang Su to serve as an official in his government office.

This was the beginning of his entry into the household, which was an immense favor to Zhang Su.

But that wasn't the end of it. Cao Cao then appointed Zhang Su as the governor of Guanghan.

Where is Guanghan?

It's actually located in Shu County.

The two richest prefectures in Yizhou were Shu Prefecture and Guanghan Prefecture.

Cao Cao's meaning is quite clear.
I know why you people from Sichuan came to find me.

Now I, Cao Cao, will state my position.

As long as you help me enter Sichuan and take over Western Sichuan.

Then I will not only protect your interests, but also make you receive even more benefits on that basis.

The world is full of goodwill, and the world is all good.

Cao Cao's series of moves essentially won over the hearts of the Shu people.

Of course, the Shu people here refer to the landlords and powerful families.

Registrar Yang Xiu advised:

"...Zhang Song is Liu Jiyu's assistant in Yizhou. We are currently preparing to take Xichuan."

"We sent him to Zhang Junjiao the day before yesterday. If we welcome Zhang Ziqiao today, we will surely win the hearts of the people of Shu."

"Lord Wei might as well take the time to meet with him and see what Zhang Ziqiao has to say."

Cao Cao pondered for a long time before saying:
"...Very well, I will see him."

Liu Bei's mentality was the opposite of his historical self, and wasn't Cao Cao's mentality the same?
Historically, Cao Cao treated Zhang Song poorly because he felt that the world would soon be his.

I don't care about yours.
This is my arrangement, so what?

Wronged?

You'll just have to deal with it yourself.

But at this time, Cao Cao desperately desired the land of Xichuan. Did he have any right to be arrogant?
Let alone Zhang Song, anyone from Shu would be fine.

Cao Cao would arrange the best accommodations for him and send him travel expenses and valuables when he left.

For no other reason than to win over the hearts of the people of Shu.

Upon seeing Zhang Song's arrival, Cao Cao could not afford to be negligent and immediately led a group of civil and military officials out of the guesthouse to welcome him.

Upon seeing Zhang Song, one is struck by his short stature, which gives the impression of looking in a mirror.

The first impression was bad, but Cao Cao still suppressed his displeasure and greeted Zhang Song with courtesy:
"Your Excellency has come a long way and must be tired. Please come inside and have a seat."

Zhang Song thanked Cao Cao and entered the guesthouse together.

"...Since you've come from Xichuan, surely you have something to teach me about Xichuan?"

Cao Cao was quite direct; he immediately asked about the Western Sichuan issue.

Let's not mince words, I, Cao Cao, want the land of Xichuan!

If you have any conditions, just drive it!
Zhang Song stroked his beard and fell into deep thought.

……

(End of this chapter)