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

Chapter 327 Liu Bei: I offered my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shone on the gutter.
Inside the Qi King's tent, wisps of blue smoke rose from a bronze beast-shaped incense burner.

Liu's record showed an urgent report from Jingzhou.

Suddenly, he gently set down his teacup and, expressionless, asked the two people in front of him:

"Kongming has resigned to take responsibility. I wonder what you two think of this?"

Wang Lang was slightly taken aback. He and Hua Xin exchanged a glance, both seeing surprise and doubt in each other's eyes.

Outside the tent, a cold wind swirled fallen leaves against the curtain, making the stillness inside the tent all the more palpable.

This was because the two of them were not officials of Jingzhou and rarely participated in discussions about Jingzhou affairs.

Now that Jingzhou is in trouble, neither of them understands why Liu Bei doesn't ask Li Yi but instead asks for their opinions.

"In my opinion..."

Wang Lang carefully considered his words, secretly calculating the pros and cons with his fingers hidden in his sleeve.

"Since Lord Zhuge has already resigned to take responsibility, it is fine..."

He stole a glance at Liu Bei's expression to see if he was angry.

"...Let's grant the request temporarily to clarify the law."

Ok.

Liu Bei merely nodded slightly, neither agreeing nor disagreeing with Wang Lang's opinion.

He then looked at Hua Xin and asked:

"What does Ziyu think about this?"

Upon seeing this, Hua Xin immediately bowed:
"I dare to suggest that Prime Minister Li was the teacher of Zhuge Liang, and this matter..."

He paused deliberately, "Perhaps we should inquire with the Prime Minister?"

"Is this your opinion?"

The charcoal fire crackled inside the King of Qi's tent.

Liu Bei picked up Zhuge Liang's letter of apology and looked up at Wang Lang and Hua Xin, who were standing solemnly.

"In that case, I will ask you more clearly."

"Do you two think I should grant Kongming's request to resign as Governor of Jingzhou?"

Wang Lang paused slightly and stole a glance at Hua Xin beside him.

But then he saw his old friend lower his head and give Wang Lang a wink.

As the saying goes, a ruler's heart is hard to fathom.

Liu Bei summoned the two of them alone, which meant he definitely needed their help with something.

After much deliberation, the two seasoned veterans finally figured out Liu Bei's meaning.

He probably wanted to protect Zhuge Liang.

Otherwise, we can just deal with it according to the law; why bother asking for their opinions?

However, due to pressure from court officials, Liu Bei had no choice but to seek "allies" in advance.

Get as many people as possible on your side.

After the two had made up their minds, Wang Lang cleared his throat first.

"In my humble opinion, although Lord Zhuge has made mistakes, then—"

He deliberately dragged out his words, observing Liu Bei's expression, and then emphasized loudly:
"In the Battle of Runan, Zhuge Liang cooperated with Chen Yuanlong to kill generals and capture flags, thus holding back Cao Wei's Runan army in Henan."

"Although Jingzhou suffered this misfortune, it was not lost after all."

"His merits and demerits can be said to balance out."

"Why not let Zhuge Liang continue to hold the position of Governor of Jingzhou and teach him to atone for his crimes through meritorious service?"

This is a risky statement, after all, Zhuge Liang's crime of almost losing Jingzhou was very serious.

By saying this, Wang Lang was clearly indicating his intention to protect Zhuge Liang.

So he was also gambling, gambling that he had correctly guessed the emperor's intentions.

After speaking, Hua Xin quickly observed Liu Bei's expression.

Liu Bei was a man who rarely showed his emotions.

Even so, Hua Xin still felt that he had made the right bet with Wang Lang.

So he immediately replied:

“What Minister Wang says is absolutely right.”

"With the world still unsettled, it is not advisable to arbitrarily transfer governors and prefects of various regions."

"It is not that the laws of my Qi state are unclear, but that they should be changed according to the times."

“In extraordinary times, extraordinary things must be done.”

"It is not too late to clarify the laws and regulations after the country has been restored to its former glory."

"Yes, yes, yes, we can let Kongming remain in office to atone for his crimes."

Wang Lang bowed and said, "Your Majesty can send another senior official to assist in managing state affairs."

The tent suddenly became eerily quiet.

A spark flew from the charcoal fire in the stove, startling Hua Xin so much that her fingers trembled in her sleeve.

They then discovered that Liu's chief secretary had already prepared two copies of the imperial edict.

One letter of resignation, another letter of retention.

It seems that Liu Bei was also afraid that his autocratic rule would bring him immense pressure.

Only then did they have no choice but to seek help from two important ministers, Wang Lang and Hua Xin.

Don't be fooled by the fact that these two joined Liu Bei later.

However, they had a special status: they were never local lords, nor were they subordinate to any local lord.

Both of them held official positions in the imperial court and considered themselves to be officials appointed by the court.

This made it very easy for the two to pass the "political vetting," given their high qualifications.

Only then was Liu Bei able to easily grant Wang Lang a high-ranking official position, equivalent to one of the Three Dukes.

Moreover, he was someone she had promoted herself, someone who was practically her confidant.

Therefore, Wang Lang and Hua Xin were also absolute "pro-Liu" faction members.

Protecting Liu Bei's interests is protecting their own interests.

"To be honest with you two, these days, memorials impeaching Zhuge Liang are arriving at my doorstep like snowflakes."

"They all criticize Kongming for his poor judgment of character and demand that I deal with him according to the law."

"I am in a difficult situation now."

"That's why I summoned the two of you here alone to discuss countermeasures."

Liu Bei formally revealed his true intentions to the two men: he wanted to protect Zhuge Liang.

There are many reasons.

On the one hand, the influence of Hebei is too strong.

Liu Bei consistently strived to maintain a balance of power between the North and the South.

Therefore, as soon as Zhuge Liang joined Liu Bei's camp, Liu Bei placed his bet on him.

They bestowed upon him the title of "Marquis of Langya" and, against all odds, granted him the province of Jingzhou.

He also gave Huang Zhong and Zhao Yun to help him pacify the forces in Jingxiang.

He even had Li Yi of the Imperial Wall step forward as a supporting character, serving as an accompaniment to Kongming.

All of this was done by Liu Bei to promote Zhuge Liang and to create a balance of power between the North and the South.

It can be said that Liu Bei devoted a great deal of resources to Zhuge Liang.

If Zhuge Liang's martial arts skills were rendered useless because of Ma Su, then Liu Bei's efforts would have been in vain.

All previous investments have been wasted.

Liu Bei spent several years cultivating Zhuge Liang.

Having already turned fifty, he had no energy left to cultivate a successor for Li Yi.

Of course, in terms of experience, this event was indeed a very good experience for Zhuge Liang.

Liu Bei also believed that Zhuge Liang was truly able to learn from his mistakes.

But lessons are lessons, and growth is growth.

This incident left Zhuge Liang with a political stain.

Even if Zhuge Liang were to successfully succeed Li Yi in the future...

Therefore, he was destined never to reach the same level as Li Yi.

After all, once something happens, everyone can bring up old grievances and make a fuss about it.

One of the reasons is the balance of power between the North and the South.

Another reason is more of a personal and emotional one.

That is, Liu Bei secretly preferred Zhuge Liang as Li Yi's successor.

Admittedly, given Qi's current strength, there are far too many candidates.

But among all the candidates, Liu Bei liked Zhuge Liang the most.

Because Liu Bei saw the shadow of Li Yi in Zhuge Liang.

As Li Yi grew older, Liu Bei gradually forgot his youthful vigor and ambition.

But when Liu Bei saw Zhuge Liang, he felt as if he had returned to the feeling he had when he first met Li Yi.

This young man is very similar to his prime minister: humble, gentle, with high emotional intelligence, and possessing a broad vision.

He's practically Li Yi 2.0.

Liu Bei had already tasted the benefits of having Li Yi.

So naturally, he also wanted to leave his son a Li Yi 2.0.

Their generation has basically completed its historical mission of conquering the country.

The remaining task of consolidating power is to hand it over to the next generation.

If that's the case, why was Liu Bei unwilling to discuss it with Li Yi?

This is still a matter of the positions held by Liu Bei and Li Yi.

No matter how good their relationship is or how much they trust each other.

But Liu Bei was, after all, a monarch, and Li Yi was, after all, a subject.

From Liu Bei's perspective, he could choose a second-generation prime minister to assist his son based on his personal preference.

Li Yi is still alive, and the second prime minister is, to put it bluntly, Li Yi's political enemy.

Li Yi has made it clear that he is willing to retire after achieving his goals.

His statement of this idea relieved many in the government, but also made many others uneasy.

Li Yi's presence blocked many people's path to promotion.

After all, many official positions could be obtained with just a word from Li Yi.

Without joining "Li Yi's community of interests," it would be difficult to get a promotion opportunity.

But there are only so many cakes in total, first come, first served, and those with connections get them.

There aren't enough to go around.

Those who felt uneasy were naturally those who depended on Li Yi for their livelihood.

Once Li Yi steps down, they immediately lose their backer.

This is something these people don't want to see.

Therefore, ensuring a normal and safe transfer of power was a headache and a source of worry for Liu Bei.

Having chosen Zhuge Liang, he naturally had to do his best to maintain his image.

Otherwise, how will we suppress those founding heroes in the future?
Li Yi, however, was different.
Li Yi was born in Xuzhou and developed his power there in his early years.

Chen Deng, the leader of the Huainan faction, was his sworn brother.

Pang Tong of Bingzhou was his student, and Ma Chao was promoted by him.

Zhuge Liang of Jingzhou was nominally a junior of Li Yi.

Li Yi himself was the de facto leader of Hebei.

Li Yi is absolutely capable of helping Liu Bei keep the various factions and military leaders in Qi in check.

From this perspective, Li Yi had become Liu Bei's right-hand man in a true sense.

Rationally speaking, even Liu Bei himself wasn't confident that he could cultivate a second person like Li Yi, who could manage both military and political affairs and keep the major meritorious officials in check.

Even if there were a second Li Yi, it would be very difficult, because it requires you to be a first-generation entrepreneur.

He possesses undeniable military merits.

Once the country is unified,

Liu Bei was too busy appeasing the founding heroes to give you another opportunity to establish new military achievements.
But emotionally, Liu Bei hoped that Zhuge Liang could emulate Li Yi.

Therefore, resources were invested in training them very early on.

I just never expected that because of Ma Su alone, we would have to watch our efforts fail at the last minute.

"How about this, after the war is over?"

"Hua Ziyu and I jointly submitted a memorial, stating that the affairs of Jingzhou are lengthy and numerous, and personnel transfers are not advisable."

"Then Your Majesty will discuss it with your ministers. What is Your Majesty's opinion?"

Wang Lang made the suggestion to Liu Bei.

In fact, Liu Bei, as the founder of the Qi state, had been the King of Qi for many years.

Over the years, he has accumulated considerable prestige.

He could easily use his prestige to forcefully turn the page on this matter.

But this approach is depleting one's own prestige.

It diminishes the monarch's personal prestige.

Liu Bei naturally hoped to minimize the impact.

"I will consider this matter further."

"You may all leave now."

Liu Bei sighed and waved for Wang Lang and Hua Xin to leave.

The two exchanged a glance, bowed, and withdrew from the royal tent.

As they turned into the corridor, the two of them slowed down at the same time.

The early spring wind, carrying the remaining snow, made the hems of the two men's official robes flutter loudly.

"...Brother Ziyu."

Wang Lang suddenly grabbed Hua Xin's sleeve and said in a low voice.

"Your Majesty's actions today are truly puzzling."

Hua Xin squinted and looked in the direction of the Prime Minister's residence in the distance:

"Brother Ziyu, are you saying that Prime Minister Li was not summoned for a meeting?"

The two tacitly turned into a secluded side room.

After confirming that no one was around, Wang Lang suddenly sneered:

"The Qi Law is extremely strict; those who steal tallies shall be put to death, and those who lose a city shall be beheaded—isn't this precisely the law that Prime Minister Li personally revised?"

He made a throat-slitting gesture, seemingly in a teasing or amusing way.

"If we invite Prime Minister Li to discuss this, wouldn't that put him in a difficult position?"

The swaying bamboo shadows outside the window cast Hua Xin's ever-changing expression:
"Pang Shiyuan has been managing affairs in Bingzhou for many years, while Xu Yuanzhi has achieved remarkable political success in Jizhou..."

He suddenly lowered his voice, "Even Liu Ziyang is keeping a low profile in Liaodong, helping Lü Bu pacify the border."

"Shh-"

Wang Lang suddenly grabbed Hua Xin's hand.

The sound of guards changing shifts could be heard from under the corridor.

After the sound faded into the distance, he stroked his beard and smiled:

"It seems that His Majesty is still unsure about who will be the next prime minister."

Although Liu Bei specifically named Zhuge Liang.

But Li Yi himself had too many candidates he liked.

Recommending Zhuge Liang to Liu Bei was simply his duty as a subject.

But to truly rise to the top, one can only rely on oneself.

This is the principle that Li Yi practices.

When Liu Bei arranged for him to play a supporting role to Zhuge Liang, Li Yi was actually quite dissatisfied.

Li Yi was unwilling to step forward and help Liu Bei protect Zhuge Liang again.

Although Li Yi has lived like an ancient person, many of his ideas have begun to change.

However, some of his inherent modern and progressive ideas are impossible to change. As someone from a capitalist background, Li Yi's primary education in finance encouraged free trade.

Similarly, the same applies to successors.

Li Yi has always encouraged his subordinates to develop freely and compete freely.

Whoever does the best job gets promoted.

Li Yi's actions indirectly caused internal friction regarding political resources.

Therefore, Liu Bei strongly opposed this, believing that a suitable candidate should be selected and then he should be trained and nurtured.

Avoid causing internal waste of resources.

One encourages free competition, the other encourages planned training.

This was also a rare instance of political disagreement between Liu Bei and Li Yi.

……

January of the sixteenth year of Jian'an.

The Qi army officially captured Chenliu, the place where Cao Cao's dream of recruiting soldiers and horses began, and it fell completely into the hands of the Qi people.

That snowy night in Chenliu, the charcoal fire was burning brightly inside the Chenliu Prefectural Governor's residence.

Li Yi had just finished approving the land registers of Yanzhou when a personal guard suddenly reported:
"...Reporting to the Prime Minister, Mr. Lu Zijing has arrived alone on horseback!"

"Oh? Zijing?"

Li Yi put down his pen and said, "Please come quickly."

When Lu Su entered, covered in snowflakes, Li Yi had already ordered the wine to be warmed.

The two sat facing each other at the table, the mutton in the copper pot bubbling away, and for a moment it seemed as if they had returned to the time when they worked together in Xuzhou.

"Zijing accomplished a great deal in Xiapi."

Li Yi personally poured the wine, "What brings you to Chenliu to see me today?"

Lu Su suddenly put down his wine cup and sighed:

"Nothing can be hidden from you, Li Ziyu."

"...Alright, now, what are your plans regarding Zhuge Liang's matter?"

Li Yi paused with his chopsticks and put the mutton he had picked up back into the bowl.

"The matter of Jingzhou is governed by the laws of the land."

"National law?"

Lu Su took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his bosom.

"This is the revised draft of the Qi Law, and the four characters 'punishment should match the crime' that you wrote yourself back then."

He pointed to a spot, "Those who lose a city shall be executed, but Jiangling has not been lost!"

"Now that you're the prime minister, are you trying to abolish the law yourself?"

Apart from Liu Bei, the King of Qi, few people in the country dared to speak to Li Yi in such a tone.

In other words, Lu Su and Li Yi were old friends. They had worked together and started their business together since they were in Xuzhou.

Therefore, there aren't many formalities in private interactions.

The wind and snow outside the window suddenly intensified, making the windowpanes rattle.

Li Yi suddenly chuckled:

"Zijing, are you trying to exploit a loophole in my law?"

"Shi Yuan implemented the new land system in Bingzhou and made no mistakes for three years."

"When Yuanzhi governed Jizhou, all legal cases were handled fairly and justly..."

"Liu Ziyang also made many military achievements in Liaodong, and defeated Goguryeo."

He gently stroked the wine cup. "Why did Zijing (Zijing) go to such lengths for Kongming?"

"You should know that Shiyuan and Kongming are both my juniors, so why do you show favoritism towards one over the other?"

"This is not favoritism!"

Lu Su, in his haste, began to explain:

"The new land system, the peaceful handling of lawsuits, and the well-being of the people that you mentioned—Kongming did achieve these things."

"Moreover, the mistake of Lü Meng crossing the river in disguise was not entirely Kongming's fault; it was all due to Ma Su's arrogance that he squandered a good opportunity."

"Furthermore, Kongming also made military achievements in Runan, so his merits and demerits cancel each other out."

"Why keep harping on the matter of losing your job in the police force?"

As he spoke, Lu Su leaned forward, grabbed Li Yi's sleeve, and said in a serious tone:

"If you do not wish to protect Zhuge Liang, are you afraid that he will seize the throne?"

"Does he wish to retain the position of prime minister to have an heir?"

The mutton soup in the copper pot had thickened with a layer of white fat, and the charcoal fire had dimmed.

Lu Su's words were like a sharp sword piercing through me.

Li Yi's wine cup clattered onto the table, splashing half a cup of wine onto the robes of the two men.

These are actually the words that many people in junior high school questioned about Li Yi.

The higher you climb, the colder it gets; the higher your position, the more people will slander you.

Lu Su did not say this to satirize Li Yi.

Rather, it was to remind Li Yi that no matter how he tried to conceal his brilliance.

But the doubts about you in junior high school will never be small.

Why would you choose to walk right into the line of fire at this moment?

"Zijing!"

Li Yi suddenly stood up, and the bamboo slips on the table tumbled to the ground.

Lu Su remained motionless, simply looking up at his old friend.

After a long while, Li Yi bent down and picked up the wine bottle that had rolled to the ground.

"If anyone else had said these words, they would have been bleeding five steps away."

“However, I know Zijing’s temperament well, please sit down.”

Lu Su then sat down again.

Li Yi asked seriously:
"Do you have a son? Have you ever been a father?"

"The coming-of-age ceremony was just held last month." Lu Su was puzzled.

"Then you should understand..."

Li Yi's voice suddenly became extremely soft, as if afraid of disturbing the snowy night outside the window.

A father will never abandon his son.

"but--"

Then, changing the subject, she added, "I won't push him into a fire pit."

Now both of them have calmed down.

Li Yi refilled Lu Su's wine cup, "Zijing, you've come to see me today on the orders of the King of Qi, haven't you?"

"Yes."

Lu Su was quite honest and directly stated his attitude.

"The people of Jingzhou are not at peace, the situation is not stable, Eastern Wu has not been destroyed, and Cao Wei still exists."

"When Zhuge Liang governed Jingzhou, apart from the public security, everything was done well, and there were no major evils."

"Even though the law is strict, it should be adapted to the times."

"Judging from the present situation, the situation in Jingzhou is the best."

"Does Ziyu disagree?"

Li Yi remained silent for a long time before speaking slowly:
“I will handle this matter myself. Zijing, please go back in peace. There is no need to worry about the King of Qi.”

Seeing that Li Yi had made up his mind, Lu Su knew that no matter what he said next, he would not be able to change Li Yi's mind.

He then lifted his robe, stood up, bowed, and said:

“Good. You have always been prudent, and I trust your judgment.”

"But before parting, I have one more thing to say: Now that Henan is about to be pacified, I fear that trouble is just beginning."

"Your position as prime minister carries a heavy responsibility and a long road ahead."

Be careful, be careful.

After seeing Lu Su off, the servants gathered around, all asking the Prime Minister how he planned to handle the matter.

Someone suggested:

"The matter of Jingzhou has nothing to do with Hebei, and besides, the Prime Minister holds a high position."

"With millions of eyes already watching, why bother getting involved in this mess?"

"It's better to stay on the sidelines and protect yourself."

"...Indeed, if Jiangnan rises, it will weaken the voice of us northerners in the country."

"Your Excellency only needs to remain on the sidelines and observe."

The advisors all offered their analyses for Li Yi.

They believed that no matter how Zhuge Liang was dealt with, Hebei would benefit.

If Zhuge Liang were removed from his position as Governor of Jingzhou, the situation in Jingzhou would become unstable.

The distance between Jiangnan and Hebei, which had been narrowed with great difficulty, is about to be widened again.

Even if Zhuge Liang were to retain his position as Governor of Jingzhou, it would still be a political stain.

How will they compete with us Hebei people for national discourse power in the future?
Therefore, either outcome is beneficial to Hebei.

The best course of action for Hebei is to not get involved in this matter.

Originally, people from Hebei had no obligation to participate in this matter.

The people of Jiangnan should resolve their own affairs, while the King of Qi and his court officials should make the final decisions.

Why would these high-ranking local officials bother to get involved in this mess?
"……Do not."

Li Yi shook his head. "Throughout history, the problems of a nation have not been external, but internal."

"Only when we are strong internally can we unite against external forces."

"The Mandate of Heaven is now in Qi, and the revival of the Han Dynasty is imminent."

"I know that you have already begun to think about how to protect your own gains and losses as much as possible after the restoration of the Han Dynasty."

“But I am not only the person in charge of Hebei, I am also the Prime Minister of Qi.”

"Whether in Jiangnan or Hebei, which of the people here is not my subject?"

"I cannot neglect national affairs for my own selfish reasons."

The advisors exchanged glances, then asked in low voices:
"So, does the Prime Minister intend to protect Zhuge Liang?"

Li Yi shook his head.

"If you don't want to protect him, then Prime Minister, you have even less reason to get involved. Just let things take their course."

Li Yi said solemnly:

“If I don’t step in to protect Zhuge Kongming, then in the end the King of Qi will still defy the opinions of the crowd and protect Kongming.”

"In this way, not only will the prestige of the King of Qi be damaged, but it will also leave a stain on Kongming's reputation."

"As a subject, I, Li, failed to protect King Qi and also failed to protect the younger generation."

"Is this not my fault?"

The group exchanged glances, then asked again:

"In that case, what does Your Excellency intend to do?"

After thinking it over and over, Li Yi ordered someone to bring him a pen.

The others listened as instructed and fetched paper and pen for Li Yi, and prepared the ink.

Li Yi picked up his pen and quickly wrote a letter, which he then handed to his trusted confidant.

"Deliver this letter to Jingzhou as fast as you can, and make sure to hand it to Kongming personally."

“…Here you go.”

……

The letter was sent to Jiangling in Jingzhou. Zhuge Liang received Li Yi's letter, unfolded it, and read it. The letter briefly stated:
"Respectfully yours, Zhuge Liang:"

"I recently heard that you are embroiled in a political struggle, which is due to the misapplication of Youchang, resulting in the loss of public security."

"Public opinion is boiling over, and the power of public opinion can melt metal."

"The King of Qi wanted to keep you in Jingzhou, but many court officials disagreed."

“He once invited Yi to protect you, but I know that this is not what you wish for, and I do not wish to do it either.”

"Not only will it not benefit you, it will actually hinder your progress."

"Both you and Shiyuan are junior colleagues of Yi. Yi should treat them equally and not show favoritism."

"My advice to you is to retreat in order to advance. You should firmly decline your post in Jingzhou and request to be transferred to Jiaozhou instead."

"Jiaozhou is a wild and uncivilized land. If you can transform it into a well-governed place, establish a government and bring peace to the people, then the failures of the Public Security Bureau will be insignificant."

"Public opinion will eventually prevail without any further action."

"The road ahead for a great man is long and arduous; how can he give up because of a single setback?"

"The King of Qi will not betray you, and neither will Yi."

"Once you have accumulated enough experience, you will have the opportunity to make a comeback."

"I respectfully present this to you with the words of Mencius—"

"When Heaven is about to place a great responsibility on a person, it first tests their resolve, strains their muscles and bones, starves their body, and frustrates their endeavors, so as to strengthen their character, cultivate their perseverance, and enhance their abilities."

"I urge you to be careful, very careful!"

"Written by Prime Minister Yi of Qi in the spring of the sixteenth year of Jian'an."

When Li Yi's letter arrived, Zhuge Liang read it repeatedly and pondered it for a long time.

He finally closed the book and sighed deeply, then looked at those around him and said:

"Li Gong's words are indeed the most profound truth."

“If I cling to power, not only will I be unable to clear my name, but I will also arouse suspicion in the court and cause unnecessary turmoil.”

He then decided to volunteer to go to Jiaozhou.

The news shocked all the officials in Jingzhou.

Chief Secretary Jiang Wan hurriedly entered to see him and remonstrated, saying:
"My lord, Jiaozhou is a land of miasma and the people are not yet civilized. Although Shi Xie occupied it in the past, he could only control it in the end."

"If Your Excellency were to go now, it would be tantamount to being demoted and exiled, wouldn't that make the people of the world despise you?"

Zhuge Liang remained calm and slowly replied:
"Gongyan is overthinking it."

"When Yu the Great was controlling the floods, his hands and feet became calloused."

"Duke Zhou spits out food for his guests, and the whole world is at peace."

"I am highly regarded by the King of Qi and the Prime Minister. How can I shirk responsibility because of a temporary setback?"

"Although Jiaozhou is remote, its people are still ordinary citizens. If we can guide them with virtue and teach them with propriety, it may not be impossible to govern it well."

Jiang Wan wanted to persuade him further, but Zhuge Liang raised his hand to stop him, saying:
"My mind is made up, say no more."

Therefore, he formally wrote to Liu Bei, intending to volunteer to develop Jiaozhou.

This can be seen as an attempt to avoid trouble and escape the current political turmoil.

Upon hearing that Zhuge Liang had requested to govern Jiaozhou, Liu Bei hurriedly sent an envoy to summon him, saying:
"Jingzhou cannot do without Kongming. Even if he made a minor mistake, why did things come to this?"

"I wish you to stay in the town and work together to achieve great things."

Zhuge Liang solemnly replied:
"I am of limited talent and virtue, which has led to the loss of an important post. If I were to remain in a high position, how could I command the respect of the people?"

"My request to govern Jiaozhou is not to evade responsibility, but to serve the border regions."

"When I have achieved something in the future, I will repay Your Highness for your kindness."

Liu Bei knew that his will was unyielding, sighed for a long time, and finally granted his request.

They bestowed gold, silk, carriages, and horses upon him to embellish his journey.

Then he turned to the person next to him and asked:

"Was this plan to flee to Jiaozhou to avoid disaster devised by Kongming himself, or was it taught to him by someone else?"

Everyone looked at each other and then shrugged.

This means we know nothing and dare not ask anything.

Liu Bei sighed and couldn't help but softly recite a line of poetry that Li Yi had once recited.

"I originally set my heart towards the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch."

……

(End of this chapter)