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

Chapter 21 Liu Bei presents Zhuge Liang with a hat tied around his neck.

Winter is approaching.

Zhuge Liang became even busier.

Zhuge Liang was involved in everything, from planning strategies and managing finances to procuring provisions, manufacturing weapons, and training troops.

Although he had returned to the age of eighteen, Zhuge Liang's style of doing things remained that of a fifty-four-year-old, cautious and thorough.

Whenever Zhuge Liang recalled the moment when he tearfully executed Ma Su at Jieting, he felt deeply saddened, wishing he could have considered everything more thoroughly.

The current situation appears peaceful and harmonious, but in reality, it is extremely precarious. Once the secret edict is exposed, Liu Bei will have no choice but to raise an army against Cao Cao.

Zhuge Liang never forgot Liu Bei's ambitions, and he was even more unwilling for Liu Bei to lose his wife and soldiers due to his momentary negligence.

Whether it was Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Pang Tong, or Xu Shu, although they were all outstanding figures of their time, they were still quite naive in the eyes of Zhuge Liang after his return from Wuzhang Plains.

Talent determines the upper limit, experience determines the lower limit. All the outstanding talents still need time to grow before they can truly become the humble Guan Yu and the loyal Zhang Fei that Zhuge Liang hoped for.
On the school field.

The soldiers shouted and strained their strength.

Despite the biting wind, morale was high.

Zhuge Liang stood on the general's platform, gently waving his feather fan, sometimes nodding, sometimes correcting.

But Guan Yu, who usually looked down at people with his phoenix eyes, suddenly lowered his eyes and stood beside Zhuge Liang with a piercing gaze.

Sometimes he would clasp his hands in response, saying, "I will follow the strategist's teachings," his voice booming like a bell yet containing a gentle warmth, as if a thoroughbred horse had temporarily halted its powerful hooves to listen to the imperial edict.

In the training room.

Then the sound of horses' hooves was heard, and three riders entered through the camp gate and arrived at the drill ground.

It was Liu Bei, Zhang Fei, and Huang Zhong.

Because of Yi Ji's arrival and promises, Huang Zhong nominally became a guest general under Liu Bei's command.

In this way, one can both repay Liu Biao's kindness and Liu Bei's kindness.

Liu Bei was pleased with this and spent his days strengthening his relationship with Huang Zhong.

"Uu——"

Liu Bei reined in his horse and surveyed the training ground.

Looking at the soldiers advancing and retreating with measured steps in the training ground, and seeing Zhuge Liang commanding with composure on the platform, with his usually arrogant second brother Guan Yu attending to him, Liu Bei couldn't help but sigh with emotion: "With a strategist like this, I am like a fish in water."

I thought Zhuge Liang was a hero like Xiao He and Zhang Liang, capable of governing the country, comforting the people, providing supplies and ensuring uninterrupted supply lines, and strategizing within the tent to win battles a thousand miles away.

I never imagined that Zhuge Liang's abilities were far more than that!
The training of soldiers can even make the usually arrogant and self-important Guan Yu become humble and gentle!
Zhuge Liang was not yet twenty!
This made Liu Bei sigh again: Is there really someone in the world who is born with knowledge? Otherwise, how could Kongming, at his age, be so proficient in military and political strategy?
"General!"

"Big brother!"

Upon seeing Liu Bei arrive, Zhuge Liang and Guan Yu hurriedly descended from the general's platform and approached to exchange greetings.

"Strategist, Yunchang, you've worked hard."

Liu Bei dismounted and returned the greeting with a smile.

Everyone ascended the general's platform.

Looking at the soldiers shouting their battle cries, Liu Bei was secretly pleased and praised them generously: "Their morale is like a rainbow, they are truly tiger soldiers."

Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "General, you flatter me. These newly recruited soldiers still need training before they can fight. As the saying goes, 'An army without training is worthless; but with training, one can be worth a hundred!'"

Inspired by Zhuge Liang's heroic spirit, Liu Bei was overjoyed: "Since you came out of seclusion, strategist, you have worked very hard to devise strategies and train troops. The wind is strong on the battlefield, so I made a small hat to shield you from the cold wind, as a token of my appreciation."

Zhuge Liang was deeply moved when he saw the exquisite multi-layered windproof straw hat that Liu Bei handed him.

From a personal perspective, Liu Bei's willingness to personally tie a straw hat for Zhuge Liang was an expression of his care and concern for Zhuge Liang.

Anyone else would be crying.

However, if we set aside personal feelings, Liu Bei's leisure to make a straw hat when the situation was extremely precarious was ultimately out of step with the times.

"A general should have lofty ambitions; how can he merely wear a small hat for amusement?" Zhuge Liang frowned and sighed slightly. Liu Bei was immediately taken aback.

For a moment, I didn't know how to respond.

Liu Bei enjoyed tinkering with small crafts in his spare time, and all his guards had straw hats, cowhides, and other items made by Liu Bei himself.

It's been windy and cold lately.

Liu Bei initially wanted to buy Zhuge Liang a small hat to protect him from the wind, but then felt that a purchased hat was not as good as one he made himself. So he made a small hat and came to give it to Zhuge Liang.

Unexpectedly, Zhuge Liang was not only uninterested, but also thought that Liu Bei was indulging in frivolous pursuits and wasting his time.

Zhang Fei, who was standing to the side, couldn't help but say, "The strategist is so unreasonable! My elder brother saw that the strategist was working hard day and night and couldn't bear it, so he personally made a hat for him. How can the strategist be so rude?"

"Yide, don't be rude!" Guan Yu turned to the side, pulled Zhang Fei back, and scolded him in a low voice.

"Second Brother!" Zhang Fei was about to speak, but Guan Yu's gaze silenced him.

Zhuge Liang sighed softly: "I understand your intentions, General. However, I have come all the way from Xiangyang to help you achieve your great cause, and I have never forgotten your ambitions."

"The Book of Documents says: 'Think of danger in times of peace.' If you think of danger, you will be prepared, and if you are prepared, you will have no worries. Although Che Zhou is temporarily on good terms with the general, we cannot be careless. Moreover, Dong Cheng and Wu Shuo are crude and vulgar, and Cao Cao may secretly send orders to Che Zhou at any time."

"The current situation is extremely precarious. I think the general can easily understand my thoughts."

Liu Bei was startled.

With winter approaching, Liu Bei believed that Cao Cao and Yuan Shao would not wage war in winter, and that Dong Cheng, Wu Shuo, and others would not be foolish enough to cause trouble before Cao Cao and Yuan Shao went to war.

In addition, he obtained a lot of grain and fodder from Che Zhou and recruited hundreds of soldiers, and also gained Huang Zhong's service.

and many more.

With good fortune coming one after another, Liu Bei couldn't help but feel a little smug.

Therefore, Liu Bei has become much more lax in the past two weeks.

Zhuge Liang's wise words made Liu Bei suddenly realize the truth.

Born in sorrow, die in happiness.

With current troubles still unresolved, how can we enjoy peace and happiness?

"I will heed the strategist's teachings!"

Liu Bei acknowledged his mistake and admitted it.

“I am well aware of the strategist’s concerns! However, Xuchang is far away, and I cannot find out what is happening there in time. I also do not know when Cao Cao will secretly send a message to Che Zhou.”

Speaking of which.

Liu Bei sighed deeply.

If Dong Cheng, Wu Shuo, and others were cowardly, they would lie low and wait for an opportunity when things went wrong, and Liu Bei would not be worried.

Unfortunately, Dong Cheng, Wu Shuo, and others were overconfident and believed they could easily defeat Cao Cao in terms of strategy, which made Liu Bei worry.

Upon hearing that Liu Bei was worried about Che Zhou, Zhang Fei felt a surge of resentment towards Che Zhou: "Che Zhou is causing my elder brother so much worry, it's truly hateful! I'd better go and capture Che Zhou, so we don't have to guard against him every day."

"Stop acting recklessly!" Liu Bei scolded lightly. "Che Zhou is the governor of Xu Province. How can you arrest him so easily? If you arrest Che Zhou, how is that any different from me raising an army to rebel against Cao Cao?"

Zhang Fei said aggrievedly, "Brother, since we're going to raise an army against Cao Cao anyway, it's all the same whether we arrest Che Zhou sooner or later!"

Guan Yu glanced at Zhuge Liang, then looked at Liu Bei: "Brother, I believe that what Yide said is not without reason."

"The Spring and Autumn Annals says: 'Our ancestors had the ambition to seize others, which is a skillful strategy in warfare. First, capture Che Zhou and subdue his followers, then use Che Zhou's name to spread the word. Even if Cao Cao secretly sends orders, we will be able to learn of them in time.'"

Subsequently.

Guan Yu then looked at Zhuge Liang, his tone gentle: "Strategist, do you think what I said makes sense?"

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(End of this chapter)