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

The next morning.

Outside the main gate of Jiangling City, a grand spectacle had already been set up. Banners were neatly arranged, armored soldiers stood in rows, and the drums and music were solemn and quiet.

Liu Bei personally led his civil and military officials, with Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Gu Sulin following closely behind. A group of generals and officials lined up on either side, all dressed neatly, waiting for Zhang Song's arrival.

As dawn broke, carriages and horses slowly approached from the direction of the post station.

Guan Yu and Zhao Yun, one on the left and one on the right, escorted Zhang Song's carriage all the way to the city gate.

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Zhang Song stepped out. He looked up and saw—

Imperial Uncle Liu Bei personally led his officials to the city gate to greet the governor and other important officials with the same courtesy.

Zhang Song was stunned on the spot, and for a moment he was speechless.

Liu Bei strode forward, and before the other could bow, he bowed deeply, his tone earnest and sincere: "Your Excellency has come from afar, braving wind and rain. I have been waiting here for a long time, just to see your esteemed presence, to comfort you and wash away the dust of your journey, and to share my longing thoughts. It would be a great honor."

Looking at the scene before him, and recalling the humiliation he suffered in Xuchang, Zhang Song's eyes welled up with tears. He immediately prostrated himself and bowed deeply, saying, "I am but a lowly envoy; what virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such kindness from the Imperial Uncle!"

Liu Bei quickly helped him up, smiling gently, "Talented one, this is only right. Your Excellency, please enter the city!"

Liu Bei personally supported Zhang Song's arm as they entered the gates of Jiangling. Along the way, armored soldiers stood in formation, and the people stopped to watch. Everyone saw that the Imperial Uncle treated this envoy from Yizhou with the utmost courtesy, and no one dared to show the slightest disrespect.

Overwhelmed by such sincerity, Zhang Song felt both hurried and grateful throughout the journey. The excitement he felt at the city gate had not yet subsided, but he was already calculating in his mind—was Cao Cao arrogant and dismissive, and was Liu Bei's generous treatment a genuine appreciation for talent, or did he have ulterior motives? He had been sent on a mission by Liu Zhang and already harbored the intention of choosing a lord. He could not easily give his heart away because of a momentary courtesy; he had to carefully test him before making a decision.

The group went straight into the main hall of the prefectural government. Liu Bei had already ordered a lavish banquet to be prepared, and the seating arrangement was particularly thoughtful. He specially placed Zhang Song next to himself, on par with the three important ministers Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Gu Sulin, far exceeding the usual standards for foreign envoys.

Inside the hall, soft music played, and food and wine were served. Attendants moved about respectfully and in an orderly manner. Liu Bei personally poured wine for Zhang Song, speaking in a warm and earnest tone: "Prefect, you have suffered many hardships on your journey south from Xudu. Now that you have arrived in Jiangling, it is as if you are at home. There is no need for any restraint. Please relax, enjoy the feast, and take a few days to rest."

Zhang Song was an arrogant man, but he also remembered kindness most deeply.

Liu Bei's humble and courteous attitude was a stark contrast to the treatment he received under Cao Cao. He was already grateful, but with such an important matter at hand, he dared not act rashly. He still wanted to test the waters with words to confirm whether this imperial uncle was a wise and ambitious ruler or a mediocre one who only knew how to benevolent.

After several rounds of drinks, Zhang Song slightly cupped his hands in a respectful but pointed tone: "Uncle, you are currently guarding Jingzhou. I wonder how many counties are under your jurisdiction?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's hand, which was pouring wine, trembled slightly, but he said nothing more.

Upon seeing this, Zhuge Liang replied, "Jingzhou is only temporarily borrowed from Eastern Wu. It is only because my lord is the son-in-law of Eastern Wu that we are temporarily settling here."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Song looked puzzled and dissatisfied: "Eastern Wu occupies six commanderies and eighty-one prefectures, yet they are still not greedy enough?"

Pang Tong sighed and replied, "My lord, as the imperial uncle of the Han Dynasty, is not allowed to occupy any prefectures or counties. Meanwhile, the other warlords are all traitors to the Han, yet they rely on their strength to seize land. I do not understand the reason for this."

Upon hearing this, the atmosphere in the hall paused slightly. Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong exchanged a glance, remaining expressionless and waiting for Liu Bei's response.

Liu Bei raised his hand to stop the two men: "Gentlemen, there's no need for further words. I am neither talented nor virtuous; how dare I have such extravagant hopes?"

Zhang Song knew this wasn't his true feeling, and couldn't help but agree more. He shook his head and said, "Not so. Your Excellency is a member of the Han imperial family, renowned for your benevolence and righteousness throughout the land. What's wrong with you occupying a prefecture or county, or even usurping the throne?"

Liu Bei was greatly surprised: "Sir, your words are too much; I dare not accept such praise."

Gu Sulin observed the entire process but did not participate in the conversation. However, he already had another plan in mind—a larger plan that could influence the takeover of Yizhou.

Liu Bei kept Zhang Song for three consecutive days of banquets, but did not mention the matter of Yizhou.

When the wine had flowed freely, Zhang Song calmly began to speak, probing, "Uncle, you have been living in Jingzhou for a long time. To the north, Cao Cao is always eager to conquer, and to the east, Sun Quan has ambitions to seize power. I'm afraid this is not a long-term solution."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei sighed helplessly, "I am well aware that Jingzhou is surrounded by enemies on all sides. However, I have nowhere to stand, so I can only seek refuge for the time being."

Zhang Song laughed and said, "Yizhou is a strategically important and fertile land, with prosperous people and a wealthy nation. Intelligent men have long admired the benevolence of our Imperial Uncle. If our Imperial Uncle were to raise the forces of Jing and Xiang and march westward to conquer it, achieving hegemony would be just around the corner!"

Liu Bei said sternly, "How dare I do such a thing? Liu Jiyu of Yizhou is a member of the Han imperial family, a blood relative. Moreover, his favors have long been bestowed upon Shu. How could I bear to covet his territory?"

Zhang Song continued, "It is not that I, Zhang Song, am betraying my master for personal gain, but I have been treated with utmost sincerity and courtesy by you, my lord, and I cannot help but be utterly devoted. Although Liu Zhang is the ruler of Yizhou, he is inherently weak and incompetent, unable to appoint capable officials, his rewards and punishments are unclear, and the people's hearts are scattered. Moreover, Cao Cao and Zhang Lu are in the north, constantly harboring thoughts of invasion. If you, my lord, do not seize this opportunity, it will surely be taken by someone else, and by then, it will be too late to regret!"

Liu Bei cupped his hands and said, "Although I wish to take it, the roads of Shu are rugged and difficult to traverse. There is no way to do so, as it involves thousands of mountains and rivers."

Seeing that Liu Bei's words had already moved him, Zhang Song knew that Liu Bei truly intended to speak, but was unwilling to say it outright due to moral constraints.

He had already decided in his heart that Liu Bei was a true wise ruler, and seeing how respectful and courteous Liu Bei was to scholars, far surpassing Cao Cao in this respect, he no longer concealed his true intentions.

Zhang Song glanced around, dismissed his attendants, and said in a low voice, "I, Zhang Song, am willing to lend my assistance to the Imperial Uncle in our great undertaking!"

After speaking, Zhang Song took out a map of Xichuan from his bosom and presented it with both hands: "This map was hand-drawn by me. It contains all the strategic locations of Yizhou's mountains and rivers, the treasury's wealth, and the distances of roads. After viewing this map, Your Majesty, you will be able to conquer Xichuan in one fell swoop."

Liu Bei took the map and scroll, and examined it carefully. Before he could express his gratitude, Zhang Song said with great emotion, "I am deeply grateful for your kindness, Imperial Uncle. I would gladly die for you. Imperial Uncle, you should quickly prepare your troops. I, along with Fa Zheng and Meng Da, will act as your inside agents, and Yizhou will be within your grasp! After I return, I will certainly advise you, Imperial Uncle, to come to Sichuan to assist you in resisting Zhang Lu. At that time, please ask Fa Zheng and Meng Da to come to Jingzhou again, and you can discuss the matter with them further."

Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Gu Sulin stood by, exchanging smiles.

After several days of hospitality, Zhang Song took his leave and returned to Shu. Liu Bei personally led his civil and military officials to see him off outside the city walls, all the way to the ten-mile-long pavilion.

At the pavilion, a farewell feast had already been prepared. Liu Bei personally poured a cup and handed it to Zhang Song, his voice already choked with emotion: "You have come from afar, and I have not been able to fulfill my duty as host. It is truly difficult for me to part with you in such haste."

Zhang Song was also moved and stood up, cupping his hands and saying, "I am deeply grateful for the Emperor's kindness, and I will never forget it, even in death."

Liu Bei held Zhang Song's hand tightly for a long time, tears streaming down his face, soaking his clothes, and he sobbed uncontrollably: "Although I am not talented, I am fortunate to have been favored by Brother Yongnian. This journey is long and arduous, and I do not know when we will meet again... I hope you have a safe journey and take good care of yourself."

After saying this, tears fell even more profusely, overwhelmed with grief. Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Gu Sulin, and others standing nearby were also saddened.

Seeing Liu Bei's genuine and unpretentious display of emotion, Zhang Song was deeply moved and wept as well, saying, "Uncle, do not grieve. My return to Shu this time will surely be to win over the hearts of the people and forge alliances with wise strategists. If the opportunity arises, I will welcome you to Sichuan to bring peace to the people of Yizhou!"

Liu Bei could only weep, nodding repeatedly, holding hands to see Zhang Song off, each step a delay, until Zhang Song's carriage and horses set off. He still stood at the pavilion, gazing into the distance, waving goodbye with his sleeves, his eyes blurred with tears, unwilling to return for a long time.

Zhang Song bid farewell to Liu Bei and boarded the carriage to set off.

The carriage had only traveled a few miles from the pavilion and was slowly moving along the official road when suddenly a series of rapid but deliberately soft hoofbeats came from behind.

Zhang Song lifted the carriage curtain and saw Gu Sulin riding alone at full speed, dressed in plain clothes, without any attendants, hurrying after them. His expression was calm and composed, without the slightest hint of arrogance. A thought struck him, and he immediately signaled the coachman to stop the carriage and wait for Gu Sulin to approach.

Gu Sulin reined in his horse, dismounted, and quickly walked to the carriage. He first bowed slightly to Zhang Song inside the carriage, speaking in a very low voice, so that only the two of them could hear: "Brother Yongnian, please wait. I have a few important words to say to you in person. It is a matter of great importance, and I hope you will keep them in mind."