Brother, stop curling up! You're curling up like the founder of the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 215 Psychological Warfare is the Best Strategy: Liu Bei's Eloquence (Seeking Subscriptions and Monthly Tickets)
"Hey, which one is Liu Bei?"

"It should be the one in the red robe, right?"

"I've heard that Liu Bei has never been defeated, and now he's personally coming to attack Puyang. Can we hold it?"

"Look, that man in the red robe is riding over. He doesn't look fierce at all."

"Hmm, he's much kinder than Lord Shen."

"."

The soldiers on the city wall whispered among themselves, pointing and talking about Liu Bei.

Liu Bei looked up at Shen Pei and Chen Gong in the middle, then at the soldiers on both sides, and laughed loudly, shouting, "Do you gentlemen wish to see Lord Liu?"

"I am the Imperial Uncle of the Han Dynasty, but I am just an ordinary person! I don't have four eyes or two mouths, I just have a little more wisdom than ordinary people."

Hearing Liu Bei's gentle voice and seeing his kind smile, many soldiers on the city wall felt as if they were bathed in a spring breeze.

I only felt that Liu Bei had a kind and gentle appearance, unlike the vicious and evil person in the rumors.

Seeing that Liu Bei had won the favor of many soldiers on the city wall with just a few words, Shen Pei and Chen Gong's expressions changed drastically, and they hurriedly ordered their men not to speak recklessly.

Shen Pei then shouted at Liu Bei below the city walls, "Liu Bei, stop trying to incite the people's hearts again. If you have the guts, then attack the city!"

Liu Bei pointed at Shen Pei and asked, "Who are you?"

Shen Pei shouted in a fierce voice: "I am Shen Pei of Wei Commandery, the Prefect of Dong Commandery and General Who Pacifies the West! Liu Bei, I swear to capture you!"

Liu Bei laughed loudly: "I thought it would be Qiao Mao in Puyang, but I never expected that it would be you, a fool, who became the governor of Dongjun. When you were the governor of Hanoi, you were tricked out of the city by Min Chun with just a few words, allowing me to take Hanoi without bloodshed."

"When Qiao Mao was the governor of Dongjun, I tried several schemes but failed to cause him to lose any soldiers. Now that you are the governor of Dongjun, I will kill both Yan Liang and Wen Chou."

"An incompetent general can lead to the death of an entire army. Instead of committing suicide to apologize to Yan Liang and Wen Chou, you shamelessly ask me to attack the city. Do you want all the men of Puyang to be buried with you?"

When it comes to arguing, Liu Bei never lost to anyone.

After a few words, Shen Pei was both ashamed and angry, yet unable to refute them. The soldiers on the city wall also began to whisper among themselves again.

"Liu Bei, stop with your words!" Chen Gong shouted, and immediately drew his bow and shot an arrow at Liu Bei.

Seeing this, Zhao Yun also shot an arrow, which hit Chen Gong's arrow directly. Both arrows landed in front of Liu Bei.

Looking at Liu Bei, he neither dodged nor showed any surprise, clearly not taking Chen Gong's sneak attack seriously at all.

Zhao Yun's archery skills, which allowed him to strike from behind, astonished Chen Gong.

The soldiers on the city wall also looked at the fallen arrows, their hearts filled with both shock and fear.

Upon seeing this, Liu Bei laughed loudly: "I never expected someone to show off their archery skills in front of me. It would be impolite not to return the favor, so who will shoot an arrow back at me?"

The voice just fell.

But then Huang Zhong drew his bow and shot an arrow that struck Chen Gong's helmet.

Even though Chen Gong quickly ducked, the force of the arrow still made his head buzz, and blood seeped from his scalp, which had already been injured by Gao Shun's arrow.

Then he heard Lü Bu laugh loudly: "Hansheng, your archery skills are not good either. I thought you could kill him with one arrow."

Upon hearing this, Huang Zhong feigned a loud shout: "It's my poor archery skills. I didn't expect him to back down. I thought he was like the Imperial Uncle, able to remain calm and composed even if someone ambushed him!"

Lü Bu chimed in, shouting, "Hansheng, what you're saying is too hurtful! Doesn't that make him look like a coward? Let's see if I can retaliate with an arrow!"

After being mocked by Huang Zhong and Lü Bu, Chen Gong on the city wall was filled with rage. Just as he was about to shout an insult, he heard Lü Bu about to fire back, so he quickly squatted down and dared not raise his head.

Not long after he crouched down, another arrow pierced the air and shot down the "Shen" flag on the city wall!
"This distance???"

Not only was Chen Gong astonished, but Shen Pei and the soldiers on the city wall were also completely astonished.

Chen Gong dared not raise his head any further.

Chen Gong was already shocked when Huang Zhong shot the helmet, but now Lu Bu was able to shoot down the "Shen" flag from an even greater distance!
Were all the men under Liu Bei's command monsters?
Thinking of how he had just shown off his archery skills in front of Liu Bei, Chen Gong felt even more embarrassed.

Shen Pei clenched his fists tightly.

Chen Gong's arrow not only failed to drive Liu Bei away, but also boosted Liu Bei's morale and diminished the prestige of his own side.

"Defend the city well, and do not engage in battle without my order!" Shen Pei dared not speak to Liu Bei again, fearing that saying more would only bring further humiliation upon himself.

Chen Gong did not want to continue to be humiliated on the city wall, so he lowered his head and followed Shen Pei down the city wall. After getting off the city wall, Chen Gong could no longer hide his anger and slammed his fist hard against the city wall.

"Liu Bei, you scoundrel! I swear I will kill you!"

Shen Pei was also indignant: "Puyang is a high-walled city with deep waters, so Liu Bei can only rely on his words."

However, Shen Pei and Chen Gong were unaware that Liu Bei had indeed come specifically to use "verbal wits" against them.

Seeing the soldiers on the city wall whispering amongst themselves again after Shen Pei and Chen Gong left, Liu Bei's smile became even more gentle: "Gentlemen on the city wall, now that your Prefect Shen has left, I'll have a few words with you."

Why do you want to join the army?

The city walls fell silent.

The soldiers looked at each other, some rubbing their hands, others glancing around furtively, but no one answered.

Seeing this, Liu Bei said knowingly, "I guess you joined the army not for titles and honors, nor for empty fame and righteousness, but simply for a full meal and to survive!"

These words were met with murmurs of discussion from the city walls.

One soldier couldn't help but mutter in a low voice, "I'm a farmer. If I don't join the army during a famine, I'll starve to death."

Some whispered, "Liu Bei understands us. Who would want to be a soldier just to have a full meal?"

Liu Bei's honest words made the soldiers on the city wall feel like they had found a kindred spirit.

If there were enough to eat, no one would want to be a soldier and fight a war. No one would want to live a life of constant fear and anxiety. They would rather stay at home to take care of their parents and enjoy the company of their wives and children.

However, reality is cruel.

The grain grown in the fields was not enough to eat, so people either became Yellow Turban rebels or joined the army in response to the recruitment drive.

The titles and honors bestowed upon them, the empty titles and lofty ideals, had nothing to do with these soldiers who couldn't even get enough to eat. Seeing that the atmosphere had been stirred up, Liu Bei shouted again, his voice booming like thunder: "Survival is certainly important, but as men, how can we only care about a full meal?"

“I am a soldier just like you, but I joined the army so that all the people in the world could have enough to eat and not have to worry about being killed.”

"Therefore, I killed the corrupt officials, the lawless tyrants, and the rebels who bullied the common people. I also confiscated their money, grain, land, and houses and distributed them to those who were starving and cold."

"This is why I, Liu Bei, can win every battle and be invincible. It is because there are too many people like you who joined the army because they couldn't get enough to eat and chose to surrender to me."

"Why should you be my enemy? As long as you surrender to me, I will kill all the corrupt officials and lawless tyrants in Puyang. You can then divide their money, grain, land, and houses and live a peaceful life together."

Liu Bei spoke frankly and revealed what the soldiers on the city wall truly wanted. Immediately, the soldiers on the city wall all pricked up their ears.

Seeing this, Liu Bei spoke even more bluntly: "What do you gain by risking your lives for Shen Pei? Isn't it just for a meal and to survive? But has Shen Pei really fed you enough? When you lose a battle, who dies? It's you! Shen Pei eats meat and drinks soup in the city, while you fight and die. I feel sorry for you!"

"I, Liu Bei, am different!"

“I can not only ensure that the soldiers who follow me are well-fed, but I also teach them to read, teach them martial arts, and give them the best armor and weapons. Look behind me, half of the soldiers are wearing iron armor, and the other half are wearing bronze armor.”

“Look at you all. Some of you don’t even have leather armor. Shen Pei doesn’t treat you like human beings. Shen Pei’s horses eat and dress better than you.”

"Look at the land I've conquered! Those corrupt officials who bully people, those tyrants who seize land and grain, I'll cut them down one by one! I'll confiscate their homes, and distribute their money, grain, land, and houses to the poor and to soldiers like you who risk their lives to fight!"

"In Puyang City, those officials and the wealthy and powerful have granaries overflowing with clothes and grain! But what about you? What do your parents, wives, and children eat? What do they wear?"

"Yan Liang and Wen Chou were formidable, weren't they? And what happened? They all died when they ran into me! You're all following a piece of trash like Shen Pei to defend the city, do you think you can hold it? If you keep going, you'll only face certain death!"

"Open the city gates! Surrender to me, Liu Bei!"

"Once I get into the city, I'll first chop off Shen Pei's head! I'll ransack the homes of those corrupt officials and tyrants in the city, and distribute all the money, grain, land, and houses I steal! I'll distribute them to you! I'll distribute them to poor people like you."

"We'll make sure you have enough to eat every day! We'll make sure every family has land to cultivate! We'll make sure your parents, wives, and children have houses to live in! We'll let you live upright, honest lives and a peaceful existence! You'll no longer have to risk your lives to work for others!"

"Is it better to follow that good-for-nothing Shen Pei, where we'll never even get a full meal and will eventually be killed; or to follow me, Liu Bei, to kill those corrupt officials and tyrants, divide their property, and live a good life together?"

"The city gates are in your hands! You choose your own path!"

Liu Bei's straightforward speech left the soldiers on the city wall both surprised, astonished, and moved.

Behind Liu Bei, the Lingyan Army shouted "Royal Uncle is mighty!"

Liu Bei spoke with great passion, and Shen Pei and Chen Gong, who had come down from the city wall, were terrified upon hearing the news.

"Liu Bei, you scoundrel, are still indulging in empty talk! How hateful!" Shen Pei was both angry and furious. He immediately ordered the soldiers on the city wall to be replaced with a new batch of soldiers. He then threatened the soldiers who had been replaced, saying that anyone who spoke recklessly would be beheaded.

Just when Shen Pei thought he had ruined Liu Bei's psychological warfare strategy, he saw Liu Bei start calling out to the newly replaced soldiers: "Gentlemen on the city wall, I am Liu Bei. Since this is the first time we have met, I will chat with you for a few minutes."

Why do you want to join the army?

Hearing Liu Bei repeat his words with renewed force, Shen Pei was so angry that his scalp tingled, and he had no way to vent his anger.

"I refuse to believe that Liu Bei can keep shouting like that forever!"

Enraged, Shen Pei dispatched another batch of soldiers to replace those on the city wall. He also threatened and intimidated the soldiers who were replaced and forbade the soldiers on the city wall from listening to Liu Bei's shouts.

However, Shen Pei had no idea that Liu Bei could give speeches and shout slogans for a month without getting tired of it.

To ensure that the soldiers of the Lingyan Army knew why they were fighting, Liu Bei would give a speech at the training ground every month, and apart from the main theme, he would never repeat himself.

Today, I'm just giving the same speech to different soldiers guarding Puyang. I don't need to think of any new words; just shouting it out again is enough.

Hearing Liu Bei say, "Gentlemen on the city wall, I am Liu Bei. Since this is our first meeting, I'd like to chat with you for a bit."

Why do you want to join the army?

Seeing that replacing the soldiers was ineffective, Shen Pei had no choice but to personally come to the city wall to supervise.

But once Shen Pei arrived, Liu Bei's speech became even more enthusiastic, and he immediately began to explain the court's new policies to the soldiers on the city wall.

Whether it was issues related to slavery or land, the soldiers on the city walls were educated in the most straightforward language.

Shen Pei felt like he was going crazy!
They wanted to block out Liu Bei's voice but couldn't. They wanted to ignore it but were afraid that some soldiers on the city wall might be swayed by Liu Bei and actually go to open the city gate.

Shen Pei felt an irritation that made him want to stab his own ears.

Liu Bei, standing below the city, was like Tang Sanzang in "A Chinese Odyssey," endlessly lecturing Shen Pei, the little demon, until he wanted to vomit blood.

However, Liu Bei's speech was quite humorous, and the examples he used were easy to understand. Shen Pei found it tedious, but the soldiers on the city wall found it interesting.
From morning until noon, Shen Pei felt his head was filled with useless words, and he had a splitting headache and wanted to bang his head against the wall.

The soldiers on the city wall listened with great interest, as if enlightened, hearing a truth they had never heard before, and understanding that people are not cattle or horses, but should live human lives and not be treated like cattle or horses.

However, threatened by the supervisory team personally led by Shen Pei, the soldiers on the city wall did not dare to actually go and open the city gate.

After glancing at the city wall, Liu Bei called out to the soldiers on the wall, "Brothers, it's noon, time for lunch. I'll go back and eat first, you all go and eat too, and we'll continue our chat after lunch!"

Watching Liu Bei ride back, Shen Pei, who had been on edge, let out a long sigh of relief, feeling as if the world had suddenly become quiet.

But the thought of Liu Bei coming again in the afternoon made Shen Pei feel restless and uneasy.

"Liu Bei is supposed to be a self-proclaimed Grand General, yet he's so disregarding his status, chatting with a bunch of lowly soldiers for two hours right outside the city! A commoner is indeed a commoner; even if he proclaims himself a Grand General, he's still not worthy of respect!"

Shen Pei racked his brains but couldn't come up with a way to deal with Liu Bei.

What great general from what dynasty would go to the enemy city and talk on and on for two hours without getting tired of it?

Chen Gong also looked worried and helpless.

Chen Gong's limited knowledge prevented him from understanding the significance of Liu Bei's speech, which disregarded social status. Did Liu Bei really think he could turn the soldiers on the city walls against his will with just a few words?
Chen Gong had never seen how exaggerated the speeches of later generations were, nor had he ever seen that the spread of ideas required constant exposure to the ears in order to truly resonate with people.

Liu Bei's speech was only average, not a great one.

"Perhaps Liu Bei won't come this afternoon," Chen Gong guessed uncertainly.

However, to Chen Gong's astonishment and Shen Pei's frustration, Liu Bei actually arrived after finishing his meal.

His first words were, "Brothers on the city wall, have you eaten?"

(End of this chapter)