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

The Nanxu Post Station was built along the river. Its green tiles and white walls had become darkened by the continuous rain. Water droplets hanging from the eaves dripped onto the bluestone slabs, making a crisp sound.

Pang Tong stood in front of the post station, his fingertips gently stroking the cloth belt at his waist. His gaze calmly swept over the clerk on duty at the gate, and his voice was neither loud nor soft: "Please announce that I am Pang Tong from Xiangyang, here to pay my respects to Attendant Gu."

At this moment, Gu Sulin was sitting at the table in the room, looking through the map of Nanjun that had been given to him by Jiangdong.

Upon hearing that Pang Tong was requesting an audience outside the door, his fingertips paused slightly, and a ripple of emotion stirred within him.

He was all too familiar with the name Pang Tong—Pang Shiyuan, the "Young Phoenix," a peerless genius on par with Zhuge Liang, and later a core strategist who assisted Liu Bei in conquering Western Sichuan and pacifying Yizhou. Now that this man had taken the initiative to come to his door, how could Gu Sulin not take it seriously?

"Please come in, sir." Gu Sulin put down the map, stood up, straightened his clothes, and quickly walked to the door to greet him.

Pang Tong was surprised to see Gu Sulin personally come out to greet him. He had thought that since he had just been expelled from the Jiangdong lord's household, he would only receive ordinary courtesy, but he did not expect Gu Sulin to be so solemn.

He nodded slightly and returned the greeting politely: "Mr. Zimao, you are too kind. I hope you will not take offense at my unauthorized visit."

"Mr. Shiyuan, you flatter me." Gu Sulin stepped aside, his tone sincere. "Since you have come from afar, it is only right that I, Sulin, personally welcome you. Please come inside and let us talk."

The two walked side by side into the house, which was simply furnished with a small table, two wooden chairs, and a cup of tea on the table, exuding an air of refined elegance. Gu Sulin invited Pang Tong to sit down and personally poured him tea, his movements natural and without any sign of neglect.

Pang Tong picked up his teacup, took a small sip, tapped the rim of the teacup with his fingertips, and looked at Gu Sulin. He slowly said, "Mr. Zimao must have heard about what happened to me today."

Upon hearing this, Gu Sulin put down his teacup, his expression calm, and did not avoid his gaze: "I have heard a little about it. But in Sulin's opinion, this is by no means your fault, sir. On the contrary, Jiangdong has lost a pillar of the state."

Pang Tong felt a warmth in his heart, but his face remained expressionless. He simply sighed softly, "Lord Wu has just lost Gongjin and is still troubled. I may have offended him by going there rashly, and I don't know if my words might have touched a nerve."

"Sir, you are mistaken." Gu Sulin shook his head slightly, his tone resolute. "Governor Gongjin was a man of great talent and ambition. His last wish was to conquer Shu, resist Cao Cao, and consolidate the foundation of Jiangdong. You, sir, are a great sage of our time, possessing strategic brilliance. If you could assist Lord Wu, you would surely help him fulfill his last wish. However, the old officials of Jiangdong are entrenched. When Governor Gongjin was alive, he could still suppress them. Now that he has passed away, the people of Jiangdong are restless. A man as skilled in ingenious strategies, decisive, and ambitious as you is inherently difficult to tolerate in the stable situation of Jiangdong. Even if Lord Wu is not angry today, he may not be able to allow you to fully utilize your talents in the future."

Pang Tong raised his eyes and gave Gu Sulin a deep look, the inquiry in his eyes gradually turning into approval.

Pang Tong was always proud and aloof, disdaining to rely on personal connections or depend on others, much less use a letter of recommendation to gain an opportunity to serve. Having suffered humiliation in Jiangdong, he was already harboring resentment. Gu Sulin's words struck a chord with him, pointing out his predicament without exaggerating his situation, and instead revealing a genuine appreciation and respect for his talent.

"Zimao understands me better than the other ministers of Jiangdong." Pang Tong put down his teacup, his tone somewhat relieved. "Everyone in Jiangdong says that I, Pang Tong, am ugly and wild, and unfit for great things. Only Master Zimao can see through my thoughts and understand that what I seek is not just a corner of Jiangdong."

"Sir, you are far from being an 'ugly and madman'," Gu Sulin said solemnly. "Master Kongming is skilled in defense and strategy, stabilizing the overall situation of the world; while you are skilled in taking risks and making decisive decisions, establishing a foundation for your region. My lord, Liu Bei, has always had great ambitions, but he is struggling to find a good plan to expand into Western Sichuan. If you could return to Jingzhou with me, and complement Master Kongming, one steady and the other sharp, one slow and the other fast, you would surely be able to help Liu Bei achieve the great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty."

Pang Tong fell silent. He tapped his fingertips lightly on the table, his mind racing as he pondered Gu Sulin's words.

He didn't proactively produce Lu Su's letter of recommendation, nor did he mention Lu Su's recommendation. He wanted to see whether Gu Sulin's willingness to introduce him was genuine recognition of his talent, or merely out of consideration for Lu Su. At this moment, every word Gu Sulin spoke came from the heart, without a trace of falsehood, which dispelled the last trace of doubt in Pang Tong's heart.

"Since Mr. Zimao says so, I, Pang, will go with you." Pang Tong raised his eyes, his gaze firm. "I want to see what kind of person Liu Bei really is, and whether he can tolerate this madman Pang Tong displaying his talents."

Gu Sulin was overjoyed, but remained calm on the surface. He stood up and bowed solemnly to Pang Tong: "It is a blessing for Jingzhou and even more so for the Imperial Uncle to have you traveling with us. I hereby guarantee that after you return to Jingzhou, you will be highly valued by the Imperial Uncle and will live up to the name of the Phoenix Chick."

The two chatted for a while longer, discussing everything from the political landscape of Jiangdong to the development of Jingzhou, from Cao Cao's troop deployments to the geographical situation of Yizhou. Pang Tong's insights were unique and his words sharp, hitting the nail on the head every time, while Gu Sulin was able to respond calmly. The two found themselves getting along very well and felt as if they had known each other for a long time.

As night deepened, the water droplets on the eaves continued to drip, but the lights inside grew even brighter.

The next morning, just as dawn was breaking, the area outside the post station in Nanxu was already bustling with activity. Gu Sulin was already dressed in the official robes of a Jingzhou envoy, with banners waving and a retinue of attendants, making quite a grand entrance. Pang Tong had also changed into a neat blue robe and stood beside Gu Sulin, his expression calm, showing no trace of the previous day's gloom.

Just as the two were about to board the ship, they heard the sound of rapid hoofbeats in the distance. Lu Su, accompanied by several attendants, hurried over.

"Zimao, Shiyuan, please wait a moment." Lu Su called out from afar, his face showing some reluctance.

Gu Sulin and Pang Tong exchanged a glance, then turned and went to meet them.

"Mr. Zijing," the two said in unison, bowing.

Lu Su strode forward, looked at Gu Sulin, and said solemnly, "Zimao, the matter of Nanjun is of great importance. After you return to Jingzhou, you must tell the Imperial Uncle to uphold the alliance and fight against Cao Cao together. Jiangdong and Jingzhou are as close as lips and teeth; there can be no slackening."

"Rest assured, Mr. Zijing, Su Lin will convey this message to the lord without missing a single word," Gu Su Lin replied, bowing.

Lu Su then looked at Pang Tong, his eyes full of regret: "Shiyuan, Jiangdong should not have abandoned your talent. It's just that our lord is currently troubled and has failed to recognize your brilliance, which is a real pity for Jiangdong. Jingzhou has the Imperial Uncle and Master Kongming. If you go there, you will surely be able to achieve great things."

Pang Tong nodded slightly, his tone frank: "Mr. Zijing, there's no need to worry. If Jiangdong won't accept me, there will be another place that will. I know what I'm doing regarding my trip to Jingzhou."

He didn't mention Lu Su's letter of recommendation, nor did he thank him; he simply bid him farewell as a friend. Lu Su knew Pang Tong's temperament well and didn't blame him. He just gently patted Pang Tong's shoulder: "Good, Shiyuan, you have fine character. Take care on your journey. When we meet again, we'll definitely drink three hundred cups of wine together."

"I will certainly accompany you," Pang Tong said with a smile.

As dawn broke and a gentle breeze from the river caressed my face, carrying a hint of moisture, I felt a gentle warmth in the air.

Gu Sulin and Pang Tong boarded the ship side by side, and their entourage quickly hoisted the sails and set sail. The ship slowly sailed away from the dock, and Gu Sulin stood at the bow, waving goodbye to Lu Su on the shore. Lu Su also stood on the shore, watching the ship disappear into the river mist before turning away.