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

The news that Jiameng Pass had remained inactive for a year finally caused a huge uproar in Chengdu. Liu Zhang ascended the throne to discuss matters, and the civil and military officials lined up in two rows. The atmosphere in the hall was heavy, and before Liu Zhang could speak, the hall was already in an uproar.

The trusted messengers of Yang Huai and Gao Pei, the garrison commanders of Baishui Pass, stepped forward first, knelt, and presented a secret report. Their voices were impassioned: "Your Majesty! Liu Bei has been stationed at Jiameng Pass for over half a year, and instead of discussing the northern expedition against Zhang Lu, he has been pacifying refugees, befriending gentry, and reducing taxes. His soldiers eat and live alongside the common people, spreading kindness and winning their hearts. This is not merely a matter of defending against the enemy. We implore Your Majesty to immediately reclaim military power and recall Liu Bei from Jiameng!"

No sooner had the words been spoken than Zhang Ren, a veteran general from Shu, stepped forward, his face grim, and loudly echoed, "My lord, what General Yang and General Gao said is absolutely true! Liu Bei is a hero of our time, with generals like Pang Tong, Huang Zhong, and Wei Yan under his command, none of whom are ordinary men. Now he has been stationed in the northern border of Yizhou for a long time, without engaging in warfare, only winning the hearts of the people. His ambition is obvious! I urge my lord to quickly set up defenses to prevent any unforeseen events!"

These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall, with many former officials from Shu echoing the sentiment and strongly advocating for vigilance against Liu Bei.

Ling Bao and Deng Xian stepped forward and said, "My lord, Liu Bei came under the pretext of helping us defend against Zhang Lu, but he has entrenched himself in Jiameng and refused to leave. He is clearly plotting to seize Yizhou! If we continue to allow him to win over the people, the people of Shu will only know Liu Bei and not you, my lord!" Some radicals even said that they should immediately send troops to drive Liu Bei out of Yizhou and eliminate future troubles.

Huang Quan also stepped forward and earnestly advised, "My lord, Liu Bei's army receives all its provisions from Chengdu. If we continue to supply them in full, their well-trained and well-supplied troops will surely become a major threat! It would be better to first reduce their provisions and weapons, cut off their supply, and force them to retreat. If they refuse to retreat, then we can know that they harbor ulterior motives!"

Inside the hall, voices advocating war and caution rose and fell, but Zhang Song stood at the end of the procession, head bowed and silent, brows slightly furrowed. He neither participated in the debate nor uttered a word in defense, as if it were none of his business. Only his fingertips clenched slightly, concealing the anxiety in his heart. He remembered Gu Sulin's earlier instructions not to reveal the slightest disloyalty. At this moment, any word spoken in Liu Bei's favor would backfire, so he could only nod and remain silent.

Liu Zhang sat upright in the main seat, his expression shifting between light and dark. Listening to the advice of the ministers in the hall, and recalling Liu Bei's various actions over the past year, his doubts had long since outweighed his former kinship.

He was by nature weak and indecisive, and after being persuaded by his ministers in turn, he became even more flustered. Looking at the ministers below, his voice was hesitant, but it already revealed his wariness: "I am not unaware of what you gentlemen have said, but Liu Bei has just entered Sichuan, and if I suddenly cut off his provisions, I fear it will give people something to say and chill the hearts of the people."

Huang Quan immediately bowed again: "My lord, this is merely a temporary measure! Reducing the supply of provisions is not a break with him, but a test of his heart! If Liu Bei truly cares for Yizhou, he will understand your predicament. If he harbors ulterior motives, the lack of supplies will surely expose him, and then our Yizhou troops can annihilate him in one fell swoop!"

The ministers echoed their sentiments once again, and their voices of advice continued unabated.

Liu Zhang pondered for a long time, observing the attitudes of the court officials, before finally making his decision. He waved his hand and said in a deep voice, "Very well, then so be it. Issue an order to reduce the amount of grain sent to Jiameng Pass by 30%, and temporarily suspend the distribution of military supplies, to see how Liu Bei reacts. Furthermore, order Yang Huai and Gao Pei to strictly guard Baishui Pass and closely monitor Liu Bei's movements. If there are any unusual activities, report back to Chengdu immediately!"

Once Liu Zhang had made up his mind, the dispute subsided. The ministers who had strongly advocated for caution all showed joy on their faces. Zhang Song's hands, hanging by his side, grew increasingly cold. He was secretly anxious, hoping that the opportunity Gu Sulin had mentioned would arrive soon.

……

Liu Zhang's decree to reduce grain supplies and temporarily halt military equipment delivery reached Liu Bei's camp at Jiameng Pass within a few days.

The amount of grain sent from Chengdu was 30% less than usual, and the escorts were cold and indifferent, unlike their previous submissive manner. It was clear to everyone that Liu Zhang had become suspicious and had begun to take precautions.

When the news spread, Liu Bei's generals were in an uproar. Outside the central command tent, the soldiers discussed it amongst themselves, each with a look of indignation on their faces.

Wei Yan, known for his impetuous nature, stood in the tent with his hand on his sword, his face flushed, and loudly complained, "My lord! How heartless Liu Zhang is! We traveled thousands of miles into Sichuan to defend against Zhang Lu for him, guarding Jiameng for half a year without taking a single thing, yet he not only shows no gratitude but also cuts our provisions for no reason. This is clearly a sign that he doesn't trust us and sees us as enemies!"

Although Huang Zhong was usually calm, he frowned and echoed in a deep voice: "Wen Chang is absolutely right. Our soldiers are stationed here and train for battle every day. We already have just enough food and supplies. Now that we have lost 30%, our livelihood will be in trouble. Liu Zhang's actions are truly disheartening."

The other officers and captains echoed this sentiment, each expressing their dissatisfaction with Liu Zhang. They all advised Liu Bei not to tolerate it any longer, but to simply send troops to attack Chengdu and seize Yizhou.

Liu Bei sat upright in the main seat, his face somber. He raised his hand to suppress the clamor of his generals and sighed softly, "Please calm down, everyone. Ji Yu is weak and indecisive by nature. He may have been instigated by his subordinates, and it was not his own intention. We came here with benevolence and righteousness in mind. We cannot betray our promise and give others ammunition because of a momentary grievance."

Before the soldiers could even grumble, someone outside the tent whispered, "My lord, a secret envoy from Jingzhou has arrived with a letter personally written by Military Advisor Zhuge."

Liu Bei's heart tightened, and he immediately said, "Bring it here quickly."

A trusted aide handed over a sealed letter. Liu Bei opened the letter and read it carefully. His expression gradually changed, first becoming solemn, then sighing softly, and finally nodding slightly, his expression complex.

Gu Sulin, Pang Tong, and Fa Zheng all stood quietly to the side, not asking any questions first.

Liu Bei slowly put down the letter, looked up at everyone, and said in a slightly deep voice:

"It was indeed an urgent letter sent by Kongming from Jingzhou, mentioning two things."

The tent fell silent instantly.

"Kongming said that Sun Quan secretly sent people to the border of Nan Commandery to welcome Lady back east, fearing that if I stayed in Yizhou for too long, there might be trouble in Jingzhou, so he took Lady hostage. Before Lady left, she visited Kongming, and Kongming personally saw her off. Lady then openly told him:"

"The Marquis of Wu's original intention was for me to bring A Dou back to Jiangdong as a hostage."

At this point, Liu Bei clenched his fist slightly.

"But my wife, knowing that I had dedicated my life to restoring the Han Dynasty and was a hero of our time, and also considering the alliance between Sun Quan and Liu Bei, disdained to use such a despicable scheme, and could not bear to harm my offspring. She entrusted A Dou to Kongming to be raised in Jingzhou, and then she herself boarded a boat and returned to Jiangdong."

Everyone was taken aback upon hearing this.

Liu Bei sighed deeply, his tone filled with respect and regret:

"Although she is a woman, she is discerning, righteous, and considerate. She is not swayed by personal feelings or resorts to trickery. She is truly a heroine among women. I have wronged her greatly."

No one in the tent dared to speak.

Gu Sulin stood quietly to one side, her eyes lowered and silent, but her heart was already churning with emotion.

As someone who had traveled from another time, he already knew about Lady Sun's return to Wu and her interception of Liu Shan on the river. Now, seeing the letter, he realized that it was exactly the same as the historical events, except that it lacked the thrill of Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei intercepting Liu Shan and instead featured Lady Sun's righteousness and openness. He couldn't help but feel a sense of admiration.

History was subtly altered in its course by his planning, but its fundamental nature remained unshaken; this balance was just right.