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

Chapter 43 Precise Score Control: This Zhuge Liang is Too Cautious
Wang Zhong certainly didn't want to die.

With a monthly salary of only a few dozen bushels of grain, why risk your life!
"I beg to live!"

Guan Yu used the back of his sword to strike Wang Zhong, and Zhuge Liang gave Wang Zhong a chance to live.

Although he didn't know the reason, Wang Zhong was pragmatic and directly lowered his head to express his attitude.

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan and slowly stated his terms: "As long as I capture it, you and your men can leave."

Wang Zhong couldn't help but wonder: "Forgive my ignorance. I am already a prisoner. If they want to seize something, why do they need my permission?"

"That's not how it works," Zhuge Liang said with a gentle smile. "General Zuo wishes to unite like-minded people to support the Han dynasty. How could I possibly act like a bandit?"

"Please have Wang Zhonglang sign and affix his seal to the handover order. If the Minister of Works inquires in the future, the General of the Left may also reply."

Wang Zhong looked up in astonishment, feeling as if he were hallucinating.

They seized my food supplies and weapons, and I still have to sign and stamp the handover order?
Isn't this an act of robbery?
"Why bother with all this?" Wang Zhong murmured.

"No!" Zhuge Liang said gently, "My actions were also to save General Wang's life."

"If the Minister of Works learns that General Wang has been defeated and captured, he will surely punish him; moreover, Liu Dai, in order to save his own life, will surely slander him to the Minister of Works."

"When the Minister of Works is enraged, how will General Wang handle the situation?"

"General Wang Zhonglang has been in Changlu for a long time and must know that the Left General was wronged and sent north, not because he betrayed the Minister of Works, but because of Yuan Shao's treacherous scheme."

"However, Liu Dai, the Chief Clerk of the Minister of Works, was arrogant and rude, and refused to listen to the good advice of General Wang. He wanted to kill Liang and others to take credit, which led to a misunderstanding with Liang and others."

"General Wang Zhonglang, not wanting to escalate the misunderstanding, pretended to have a secret order from the Minister of Works and presented the Left General with generous gifts, just like the old story of Xian Gao rewarding his troops."

"With a handover order signed and sealed by both parties in hand, given Sikong's magnanimity, he will not only not punish him, but will also praise him."

Wang Zhong felt dizzy and confused by Zhuge Liang's words.

Guan Yu, who was guarding Zhuge Liang's side, had a strange expression on his face.

This is the first time I've ever heard of such a thing: after capturing enemy supplies and weapons, the enemy still needs to sign and stamp the handover order.

Thinking that Zhuge Liang must have had his reasons for acting, Guan Yu suppressed his curiosity and said nothing more.

A few moments.

Wang Zhong signed and stamped the delivery order, and each party kept a copy as proof.

Although the handover order only mentions weapons and armor, in reality, there were other spoils such as provisions, gold, silver, and money that were not recorded in the handover order.

Zhuge Liang didn't mention it, and Wang Zhong didn't dare to ask any more questions.

After signing and stamping.

Zhuge Liang kept his promise, not only releasing Wang Zhong and all the prisoners, but also providing enough grain for Wang Zhong to return to Changlu.

He even personally escorted Wang Zhong out of the city, saying sincerely, "Liang and General Wang hit it off immediately and wished they could drink and chat together."

"However, Liang must rush to Pingyuan to see General Zuo and tell him of the kindness of the Minister of Works in gifting him weapons and armor, so as to prevent General Zuo from being misled by Yuan Shao again."

"Liang will not keep General Wang."

"If I have the time in the future, I will definitely come to Changlu again. I hope that General Wang will be as generous and hospitable as he is today."

Wang Zhong couldn't help but shudder.
Why are you still worried about Changlu?

Don't come!
I'm scared of you!

Wouldn't it be better to just stay in Changlu and be a general?
Why bother trying to take me away again!

Wang Zhong, who had developed a deep-seated fear of Zhuge Liang, exchanged a few polite words and hurriedly took his leave, wishing he could fly directly back to Changlu.

The remaining troops, also trembling like startled birds, fled in close following Wang Zhong. "I am foolish and do not understand why the strategist ordered Wang Zhong to sign and stamp the handover order. He was defeated and captured, and the spoils will naturally belong to us."

Guan Yu finally voiced the question that had been lingering in his mind for so long.

Zhuge Liang waved his fan and laughed, "The Book of Rites says: A teacher must have a name."

“In the past, Emperor Gaozu adopted Dong Zhongshu’s strategy, publicly exposed Xiang Yu’s evil act of killing Emperor Yi, and held a three-day mourning ceremony in the name of ‘releasing mourning for Emperor Yi’ to unite the feudal lords. Only then did he gain the advantage in reputation in the struggle against Xiang Yu.”

"General Zuo has always been known for his benevolence, integrity and righteousness, and he is determined to restore the Han Dynasty. Therefore, General Zuo cannot stand against the Emperor."

“Wang Zhong led his troops to Xiaopei under the pretext of punishing the guilty in accordance with the will of Heaven. If we regard Wang Zhong as an enemy, wouldn’t we be willingly degenerating into traitors?”

"Whether it was sending Liu Dai to deliver a letter to Cao Cao or having Wang Zhong sign and stamp the handover order, it was all to vindicate the Left General."

"We are not traitors, so what have we seized? Commander Guan, please do not have any doubts."

“The military officers may be ordered to copy the handover order and post it in the northern counties of Pei State, and to collect weapons and armor from the counties.”

Guan Yu was stunned again.

Copy the delivery order?
Posting notices in the northern counties of Pei State?

To collect weapons and armor from various counties?

Guan recognizes every single character, so how can they be put together in such a puzzling way?
Seeing Guan Yu in a daze, Zhuge Liang smiled again: "Commander Guan, do not hesitate!"

"If General Zuo wants to establish himself in the north, how can he do so without weapons and armor? General Wang alone has donated a great deal of weapons and armor. How can the counties not contribute even a penny?"

Although the northern counties of Pei State did not have a large stockpile of weapons and armor, and the quality was not high, every little bit helps, and having some is better than having none.

Even if all else fails, it's still more convenient to melt down and recast the weapons collected in the future than to directly mine and smelt iron to make weapons.

Only after Zhuge Liang reminded him did Guan Yu realize what was happening.

If Liu Bei had had enough weapons and armor, Xiaopei wouldn't have been so impoverished that only two hundred White Feather Soldiers had complete sets of weapons and armor.

Fortunately, it was Liu Dai and Wang Zhong, both of whom were not good at leading troops, who came.

Otherwise, even if Guan Yu possessed unparalleled martial prowess in the Three Kingdoms period, it would have been difficult for him to defeat the invading Cao army on his own.

Furthermore, hindsight is always 20/20 and cannot help.

It’s hard for a clever woman to make a meal without rice!
Under Zhuge Liang's strategy of "courtesy before force," within ten days, the northern counties of Pei State successively surrendered their weapons and armor.

With the weapons and armor "delivered" by Wang Zhong, Xiaopei's inventory of weapons and armor is enough to arm another two thousand able-bodied men.

"Commander Guan, Commandant Xiahou, prepare to evacuate Xiaopei."

After defeating Wang Zhong, Zhuge Liang could have actually retreated.

Zhuge Liang stayed in Xiaopei for ten more days only because he needed to collect weapons and armor from the northern counties of Pei State.

"Weapons and armor for two more counties haven't arrived yet. Why don't we wait a few more days?" Guan Yu, having tasted the benefits, wanted to bring Liu Bei even more weapons and armor.

Zhuge Liang said solemnly:
"Commander Guan, I have a word of advice for you: Never underestimate your enemy, and never take chances."

"Although Liang had schemed against Liu Dai, Wang Zhong and the northern counties of Pei State, Cao Cao in Xuchang and his strategists would also scheme against Liang."

"If Liang were Cao Cao, he would have urgently dispatched a general to Xiaopei on the very day Liu Dai returned to Xuchang."

"If it were Xiahou Yuan, who is skilled in rapid marches, or Cao Ren, who is skilled in cavalry raids, and we had not left Xiaopei in advance, we would have to abandon our weapons and armor and flee in panic."

"If the situation were worse, Cao Cao might come in person!"

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(End of this chapter)