Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

The spring breeze in Nanxu has long since dissipated, and the warm wind is gradually growing stronger. The branches and leaves are lush and verdant, and sunlight filters through the gaps in the leaves, casting dappled shadows. In the blink of an eye, it is already early summer.

Since his wedding day, Liu Bei has been confined to this magnificent mansion for more than three months.

During these three months, Liu Bei's residence remained as prosperous as ever, with a large retinue of servants and undiminished courtesy. However, the number of hidden sentries and guards surrounding the residence and the spies from Jiangdong who followed him every step of the way never decreased in the slightest.

Following Gu Sulin's plan, Liu Bei never revealed the slightest flaw from beginning to end.

During the day, he drank wine, enjoyed dancing, and chatted idly about romance. He praised the prosperity and stability of Jiangdong and was deeply grateful for Sun Quan's kindness. He seemed to be enjoying himself so much that he forgot about his homeland and was completely immersed in the pleasures of life.

When the news reached the Wu Marquis's residence, Sun Quan, Zhang Zhao, Lu Su, and others heard it repeatedly, and their vigilance gradually relaxed as the days became more and more peaceful.

This long-term forbearance and restraint might just be seen as laziness by others, but it had a completely different meaning in the eyes of Madam Sun, who observed the situation with a cold eye every day.

She simply observed from the sidelines, watching quietly.

She observed things more meticulously, for longer periods, and with greater accuracy than anyone else.

On this afternoon, the sun was scorching, and the courtyard was sparsely populated. The servants all hid under the eaves to escape the heat, and all was quiet.

Liu Bei dismissed his attendants and sat alone on a stone bench by the water, with an old book in front of him, which he did not open.

He sat there quietly, gazing due west, motionless for a long time.

There were no smiles, no languor, no drunkenness, no formalities.

His brows betrayed a deep concentration, his gaze was far-reaching, carrying a hint of concern, a trace of worry, and a quiet, unwavering resolve.

That was the true Liu Bei, the kind of person he only dared to reveal when no one was watching.

Behind the artificial hill not far away, Madam Sun stood quietly in the shadows, taking in the whole scene.

She didn't speak, didn't approach, but just watched silently.

She had seen him chatting and laughing at banquets, seen him being humble and gentle in front of Sun Quan, and seen him being kind and easygoing with his servants, but what she saw most often was this way of him when he was alone.

Due west is Jingzhou.

It is his foundation, his people, his old subordinates, and the small piece of land he earned through a lifetime of hard work.

He never dared to look westward in front of others, never dared to show his sorrow, and even less dared to reveal his ambitions.

In a corner where no one can see him, he would gaze at his homeland in a daze, gently stroke a book, or sit silently for half an hour at a time.

There is no fine wine, no beautiful women, only calmness, perseverance, and forbearance.

As Madam Sun stood in the shadows, her mind gradually cleared.

She was finally absolutely certain—

All of Liu Bei's indulgence, ease, and reluctance to return home were an act for the sake of Jiangdong.

A breeze swept across the water, bringing a touch of summer. Liu Bei remained seated, seemingly one with the plants and trees in the courtyard.

This kind of tranquility and focus when alone is not something that is deliberately cultivated, but rather a habit ingrained in one's very being.

He never indulged himself, never became depressed, and never gave up on himself because he was in a predicament. He simply silently guarded the undying ambition in his heart.

Such composure is something an ordinary person can fake for three to five days, but to maintain it consistently for three months leaves no room for pretense.

A gentle embrace in public, a man of strong will in private.

Such forbearance and restraint, with one's heart yearning for the world while imprisoned, is something no good-for-nothing could achieve.

She had practiced martial arts since childhood and could clearly distinguish between the strong and the weak. She could tell at a glance: this is a true hero.

A gentle breeze blew past the artificial hill. Madam Sun slowly turned around, her face still cold and expressionless. But the ice in her heart had quietly cracked a little in the quiet observation she had been doing day after day.

She didn't go up to disturb them, but left silently.

As evening approached and the courtyard quieted down again, Lady Sun dismissed her maids and walked alone to the waterside pavilion where Liu Bei often sat in quiet contemplation.

Liu Bei was reading military books in the pavilion when he saw her arrive. He was slightly taken aback, then stood up and bowed. He remained gentle and polite, but did not try to be overly friendly.

"lady."

Madam Sun nodded slightly, her gaze falling on the open book he had laid out, then sweeping lightly across the western view outside the window, her tone calm and even.

"Does Your Majesty often sit here in meditation during the day?"

Liu Bei paused slightly, knowing there was something more to her words, but he didn't hide it and nodded gently: "When I have nothing to do, I just sit here to enjoy the breeze, read a book, and appreciate the scenery."

Madam Sun raised her eyes, her clear gaze meeting his directly. Her voice was soft, yet every word was precise:

"They're not looking at the scenery, they're looking at Jingzhou."

Liu Bei was taken aback, then fell silent.

He knew he could no longer hide it from her.

Madam Sun spoke slowly, her tone calm, yet carrying the certainty born from three months of observation:

"You pretended to be drunk in front of my brother, lazy in front of the ministers, and carefree in front of the servants. Everyone believed you, but only I know that you never really relaxed for a moment."

She paused, then said, word by word:

"You revel in public, but stand facing west in private; you laugh in public, but sit alone in deep thought in private. Uncle, you're getting tired of pretending."

Liu Bei was deeply moved. Looking at the aloof and insightful woman before him, he sighed softly after a long while: "My lady is wise. I have no words to refute her."

He stopped pretending and his expression became calm and frank: "I am trapped here and have no choice but to do this. If I hadn't done this, Jiangdong would have already seen through my treachery. Not only would I not have been able to protect myself, but I would have also destroyed the Sun-Liu alliance."

"I know," Madam Sun said calmly. "I've seen it all."

She looked at him, her gaze clear and calm:

"You are not someone who craves comfort, nor are you a person who indulges in wine and women. You are simply enduring, waiting, and considering the bigger picture."

Liu Bei looked at her, speechless for a moment.

Madam Sun slowly turned around, gazing at the darkening sky, her voice soft yet firm: "My brother uses marriage to bind you and wealth to soften you. I disdain to help him, much less expose him."

You feign your ease, I'll remain indifferent; your forbearance, your clarity, your longing—I will not utter a single word to my brother.

Liu Bei looked up abruptly, his eyes filled with surprise and gratitude.

Lady Sun, however, maintained her distance, her tone cold and her stance clear: "You don't need to thank me. I'm not helping you, I'm helping the Sun-Liu alliance, and I'm upholding my own bottom line."

I am still a daughter of Jiangdong. I will not help you escape, I will not tip you off, and I will never betray my mother's family.

All I can give you is to not expose them, not report them, and not frame them.

She turned around, her gaze meeting his, clear and open:

Between you and me, there's no need for closeness or confiding; we only need to understand each other and refrain from harming one another.

Liu Bei bowed deeply and said solemnly, "Your Excellency is so wise and righteous; I will never forget you in this lifetime."

Madam Sun nodded slightly, said no more, and turned to leave slowly.

His posture remained upright, and his expression remained aloof, as if his words were nothing more than casual conversation.

As dusk fell, only Liu Bei remained, standing alone in the small pavilion by the water, his heart filled with mixed emotions.