The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 208 Zhuge Liang's Open Scheme, Presenting a Map of Mountains and Rivers to Pang Tong (4th Update)
Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan and pointed out the key point: "Before the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao summoned Ma Teng and Han Sui to send troops to assist him. However, after Zhong Yao, the Commandant of the Capital Region, entered Chang'an, the two not only did not help Yuan Shao, but also sent a hostage to Xuchang. At that time, Yuan Shao was powerful, and Ma Teng and Han Sui still acted this way; now that the hostage is still in Xuchang, and Yuan Shao has suffered a crushing defeat at Guandu, how could Ma Teng and Han Sui easily offend Cao Cao?"

Liu Bei was immediately worried: "But if that's the case, how can I possibly befriend him?"

Zhuge Liang shook his head and then pointed to the crux of the matter: "Sending hostages was out of necessity, not Ma Teng and Han Sui's true intention. General, you can first demonstrate your strength and then show them mercy to keep them neutral. Moreover, what you seek is to open up the trade route between Youzhou and Shu, not to make them fight Cao Cao to the death. This is an inducement, not a coercion."

There was a pause.

After a brief pause, Zhuge Liang continued, “Guanzhong is a fertile land. In recent years, due to war and famine, more than 100,000 households fled to Jingzhou to seek refuge. Now that their homeland is somewhat at peace, the Central Plains are in turmoil, and many will yearn to return. However, those who return lack livelihoods and can only rely on the generals of Guanzhong. The local officials are financially weak and unable to compete. If this continues, disaster will surely follow. Cao Cao has many wise and resourceful men under his command, and they will surely see this threat. I predict that he will send special officials to supervise the salt administration, profit from salt trade, and purchase oxen to gather the returning people. With this shift, the Guanzhong generals' source of income will be cut off, and their power will gradually weaken. At this juncture, General, your proposal to open a trade route from Youzhou to Shu is a mutually beneficial arrangement with the Guanzhong generals. How could Ma Teng and Han Sui refuse? Even if they want to refuse because their hostage is in Xuchang, the other generals will cooperate with you.”

In the hall.

Mi Zhu and Cao Xuan, who already knew of Zhuge Liang's wisdom, didn't react much, taking it all for granted. Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping, who had just arrived, were astonished: a twenty-year-old youth who could lead an army, fight battles, govern a prefecture and county, and was also well-versed in the principles of doing business in chaotic times—could there really be someone in the world who was born with such knowledge?
The worry on Liu Bei's face gradually turned into joy.

Zhuge Liang used a strategy of open warfare; no amount of words could be as effective as money.

Cao Cao wanted to weaken the generals in Guanzhong but was unwilling to start a direct war, so he would definitely compete for the people returning to their hometowns; the generals in Guanzhong were unwilling to sit and wait for death but dared not start a war lightly, so they also urgently needed ways to make money.

At this time, Liu Bei's plan to open up the trade route between You and Shu was tantamount to opening up a source of wealth for the generals in Guanzhong.

As for Ma Teng and Han Sui disagreeing?

Cutting off one's source of wealth is like killing one's parents. As Zhuge Liang said, even if the two men wanted to refuse because the hostage was in Xudu, the other generals would still cooperate with the general to discuss the matter.

As for where the Shu brocade obtained by the generals in Guanzhong was sold?
Then we must consider who can make the generals in Guanzhong more profitable and who is more pleased to see them profit.

Obvious.

Cao Cao would never want the generals in Guanzhong to become too powerful, so he would definitely order a ban on their goods entering his territory and would also prevent their goods from being traded in Hebei and Jingyang.

In this way, Liu Bei, as the pioneer of trade routes, became a natural ally of the generals in Guanzhong.

"The strategist's words have enlightened me! If this plan can be successful, the generals in Guanzhong will no longer serve Cao Cao!" Liu Bei was overjoyed. Just because he proposed the idea of ​​rebuilding the priest's garden, Zhuge Liang had already figured out the trade routes in Shu and the generals in Guanzhong.

Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping exchanged a glance and stepped forward to volunteer: "Since the general wants to open up trade routes, we two are willing to follow the left general and serve him."

Liu Bei did not immediately agree, but turned to Zhuge Liang with a questioning look on his face.

Zhuge Liang nodded: "Su and Zhang have been in business for many years and are well aware of the profits that will be made by all parties after the trade routes are opened. With the two of them going, it will be easier to persuade the generals in Guanzhong."

Liu Bei then clasped his hands in a fist salute to Su Shuang and Zhang Shiping, saying, "I didn't want to trouble you two, Brother Zhang and Brother Su, but opening the trade route between Youzhou and Shu is of utmost importance. I can only ask that you two endure the hardships of traveling with my army." The two quickly returned the salute, saying, "We merchants often live a life of hardship, and it is our honor to be able to contribute to the general's great cause!"

Having set his sights on a goal, Liu Bei could no longer stay in Zhuo County.

Previously, he wasn't in a hurry because he felt there was no need to be too diligent in harassing Guanzhong for Yuan Shao; but now that Liu Bei wants to expand trade routes for his own benefit, he is naturally more diligent.

However, considering the hot weather and that most of his soldiers were on leave visiting their families, Liu Bei suppressed his urge to rush to Guanzhong.

It wasn't until after the Mid-Autumn Festival in August that Liu Bei gathered three thousand infantry and cavalry, along with civil and military officials such as Pang Tong, Xu Shu, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Huang Zhong, in Zhuo County.

"Yuanzhi, Shiyuan, on your journey to Guanzhong, I have something to give you. Please consider it carefully on the way." Zhuge Liang secretly pulled Xu Shu and Pang Tong aside and gave them a wooden box.

Seeing Zhuge Liang acting mysteriously, Xu Shu and Pang Tong couldn't help but wonder. However, after opening the wooden box, they were both shocked.

Inside the wooden box were more than ten maps of various sizes, which meticulously marked the mountains, rivers, towns, passes, and fortifications of the area from Sichuan to Guanzhong!
"Kongming, where did you get this?" Pang Tong's hand trembled slightly.

If Pang Tong hadn't known that Zhuge Liang hadn't been to Yizhou and Guanzhong, he would have suspected that Zhuge Liang had actually traveled to both places!
Xu Shu was also quite surprised. It is no exaggeration to say that this was the most detailed map Xu Shu had seen in years. Zhuge Liang even marked a mountain next to Jieting and added the words "can cut off water supply" to the mountain's icon.

Zhuge Liang remained calm and said, "This was a gift from a good friend of mine."

But as soon as he said this, both Xu Shu and Pang Tong looked on with disbelief: A gift from a friend? Which friend? Is there anyone we don't know?

Seeing the two men's doubts, Zhuge Liang didn't explain further, but added, "The map must have some flaws. The mountains, rivers, towns, passes, and forts east of Wuzhangyuan may not be entirely accurate. Shiyuan and Yuanzhi need to find a guide to consider it. General Zhang is skilled in surveying geography and drawing maps, so we can work together to figure it out."

Subsequently.

Zhuge Liang then bowed to Xu Shu and Pang Tong in farewell, saying, "I have official business to attend to, so I won't see you off. When I return in the future, I will drink and chat with Yuanzhi and Shiyuan again!"

Watching Zhuge Liang's hurried departure, Xu Shu and Pang Tong became even more convinced of their suspicions: such a guilty conscience must mean there's more to the origin of this map than meets the eye!
Although Xu Shu and Pang Tong were both exceptionally intelligent, they could never have imagined that the Zhuge Liang of today had returned from Wuzhang Plains. Zhuge Liang could draw the mountains, rivers, towns, passes, and forts of the Shu region and Guanzhong area with his eyes closed. Although the passes and forts he drew might differ from the current ones, the mountains and rivers would definitely be accurate.

Zhuge Liang entrusted the box of maps to Xu Shu and Pang Tong because he was worried that something might happen to them.

After all, Xu Shu and Pang Tong were still new to the battlefield and lacked experience. In addition, Pang Tong had the unfortunate fate of dying from a stray arrow, so Zhuge Liang had to be cautious.

　Update 4 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)