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

Mianzhu, Liu Bei's army.

To reward the soldiers who had fought for days and to appease the people in the city, Liu Bei ordered a victory banquet to be held in the central command tent. Inside the tent, candles burned brightly, and dozens of horn lamps illuminated the hall as if it were daytime. The tables were laden with delicacies and fine wines, and the clinking of bronze wine vessels filled the air.

Pang Tong, Fa Zheng, Huang Zhong, Wei Yan, and other civil and military officials lined up on both sides, all still in their armor, their faces beaming with joy. They toasted each other, discussing the war and celebrating the great victories of capturing Fucheng and Mianzhu. Laughter and cheers filled the tent, creating a scene of high spirits.

Liu Bei sat upright in the main seat, having shed his usual military attire and solemnity, and dressed in plain clothes, his face full of an undisguised smile. Since raising his army in Zhuojun, he had spent half his life wandering, relying on Gongsun Zan, Lü Bu, Cao Cao, Yuan Shao, and Liu Biao, moving from place to place, suffering repeated defeats, never even having a stable base of operations, and enduring the humiliation of living under the roof of others.

It wasn't until after entering Sichuan that, in accordance with the will of Heaven and the will of the people, and under the pretext that Liu Zhang was a member of the imperial clan and had secretly colluded with the Han traitors, they launched a campaign to mourn the people and punish the guilty. They advanced with unstoppable momentum, and had never won such a resounding and confident victory before.

As the wine warmed his body, the pent-up frustration and distress of half a lifetime were released after this great victory. Liu Bei gradually became intoxicated, his face became increasingly rosy, and his eyes were slightly tipsy. His usual gentle, humble, and cautious demeanor faded away, leaving only the long-suppressed joy and relief.

He raised his hand to signal for quiet in the tent, then stood up, wine cup in hand. Though his posture swayed slightly from the alcohol, his voice remained loud and clear, filled with the exhilaration and relief of a great victory: "My lords, we have won this battle in accordance with the will of Heaven and the people. It is entirely thanks to your valiant fighting that we have been able to capture key strongholds one after another. Now that Mianzhu has fallen and Chengdu is within reach, after half a lifetime of fighting, today I can finally feel truly exhilarated. My heart is filled with boundless joy!"

As soon as he finished speaking, the cheers inside the tent grew louder. The generals all stood up, raised their cups, and shouted that their lord was benevolent, bringing the atmosphere to its peak.

Only Pang Tong sat upright at the table, his brows slightly furrowed, his face showing no joy. When the noise subsided, he slowly put down his wine cup, stood up, and bowed to Liu Bei. His expression was calm, but his tone was exceptionally solemn, showing no intention of flattery.

"My lord, I have something to say that I must offer."

Pang Tong's voice wasn't loud, but it instantly silenced the noisy tent. The generals all turned to look, feeling that offering advice at this moment was rather unpleasant.

Pang Tong, however, remained oblivious, his gaze fixed on the slightly tipsy Liu Bei. His words were earnest yet direct: "My lord, in this campaign against Shu, it is true that Liu Zhang secretly colluded with Cao Cao and mistreated the people first. Our army is entirely righteous and is a benevolent force. However, military campaigns inevitably result in countless deaths and injuries, displacement of the people, and the burial of soldiers. Even if the cause is justified, it is wrong to take pleasure in destroying another's country and seizing their land. My lord, you are now arrogant after your great victory, indulging in drinking and revelry. I fear this will breed complacency and damage your long-standing reputation for benevolence. This is certainly not the way to maintain your current success."

This advice was not meant to be harsh; it was simply a reminder to Liu Bei to guard against arrogance and impetuosity. It was in line with the current situation where morality was on his side, and it also fulfilled the duty of a military advisor. However, to Liu Bei, who was in high spirits and drunk, it was still like a bucket of cold water being poured over his head.

"Shiyuan's words are perhaps too harsh. In the past, King Wu's conquest of King Zhou was an act in accordance with Heaven and the people, and he celebrated with singing and dancing before and after the victory. Now, we are leading a righteous army to attack a tyrannical ruler. Our soldiers fought valiantly and finally achieved a great victory. We celebrate with our generals, demonstrating our military might and morale. What is wrong with that? Does a righteous army not even have the right to celebrate its victory?"

Liu Bei's tone carried a hint of drunken assertiveness. His usual reliance on and humility towards Pang Tong was now masked by a touch of arrogance. Looking at Pang Tong, who remained calm, his displeasure deepened. He simply waved his sleeve, his tone utterly distant and leaving no room for argument: "Today's banquet is meant to celebrate. Since Shi Yuan doesn't understand this joy, his presence here only spoils everyone's mood. You may leave the tent for now and rest!"

Upon hearing this, the tent fell into complete silence. None of the generals dared to breathe. No one had expected that Liu Bei, known for his benevolence and humility, would expel his advisor from the banquet over such a trivial matter. Pang Tong, seeing Liu Bei's drunken and unruly state, showed no anger or explanation. He simply bowed deeply, turned, and strode out of the tent, his back view composed and without resentment.

Standing beside Liu Bei, Gu Sulin took in the entire scene. The memories of the time traveler intertwined with the present reality, stirring up a storm in his heart.

He really didn't expect this part of the plot to happen.

The great victory at Fucheng in history coincided with Liu Bei's conquest of Sichuan. Lacking any sense of righteousness, he relied on cunning and conspiracy to seize the foundation of his clan. He harbored guilt and selfish desires, and lost control after drinking, which led to his being criticized by Pang Tong. That was the only time in Liu Bei's life that he shed his veneer of benevolence and righteousness and revealed his true nature as a ruthless and ambitious hero.

But now, the situation is completely different. Liu Zhang secretly colluded with Cao Cao and framed his own relatives first, while Liu Bei's actions were justified and aboveboard. His loss of composure just now was clearly different from history.

Why did Liu Bei lose his composure?

"Zi Mao, what are you thinking about?"

Since I raised my army, I have fought against numerous warlords and suffered repeated defeats. Never before have I achieved such a resounding victory! Shi Yuan, you didn't understand my intentions and spoiled the mood of the generals. You won't follow his example, will you? Come, let's drink!"

It turned out to be the case.

Indeed, things were different. Liu Bei wasn't angry that Pang Tong had exposed his mask of benevolence and righteousness. Rather, it was because Liu Bei had experienced many setbacks and hardships throughout his life, and had never won such a decisive victory. The frustration, distress, and forbearance that had been building up for half a lifetime were finally released at this moment. Under the influence of alcohol, he couldn't help but feel proud and smug.

Anyone who has spent half their life living under someone else's roof and then suddenly achieves such a great victory would find it hard to hide their joy and would inevitably become a little arrogant; it's only human nature.

Once Gu Sulin understood this, he immediately realized that if the situation were allowed to remain deadlocked, it would be a minor matter if Pang Tong were disheartened, but a major issue if the generals mistakenly thought that their lord was narrow-minded. The newly stabilized situation could easily be shattered.

He immediately stepped forward, bowed to Liu Bei, and spoke in a calm and earnest tone, saying only the truth: "My lord, what the strategist said just now was by no means disobedient or disheartening, but rather he was wholeheartedly thinking of my lord's reputation and my lord's ambition."

"Our lord has endured a life of hardship, and today he has finally achieved a resounding victory. It is only natural for him to be overjoyed, and all the soldiers in the tent can understand this. Military Advisor Pang also knows the hardships our lord has endured. His advice is not that our lord should not be happy, but that he is worried that our lord will become arrogant after the victory and lose his usual caution and benevolence. Our army's great cause is about to be accomplished, all thanks to your planning. Just now, our lord was merely intoxicated and lost his composure for a moment. He did not truly intend to dismiss you. We must not let this small grudge chill the hearts of our loyal ministers."

Fa Zheng quickly stepped forward and advised, "Although our army is morally superior, our lord has always been known for his benevolence and virtue. The people of the world admire his kindness. Master Shi Yuan was worried that our lord would become arrogant and lose his sense of propriety after the great victory, which is why he spoke frankly to advise us. His loyalty is evident to heaven and earth. Now that the great cause is about to be accomplished, the plan to take Sichuan depends entirely on the strategist's planning. Our lord must not let a moment of drunkenness cause the civil and military officers to panic."

These words both gave Liu Bei a way out and highlighted the potential dangers. Liu Bei sobered up considerably instantly. Looking at the empty tent flap and recalling Pang Tong's advice, his anger vanished, replaced by deep remorse and regret. He slapped his forehead and sighed, "If it weren't for your reminders, I would have almost made a grave mistake!"

Having said that, Liu Bei hurriedly stood up, straightened his robes, and, disregarding his status as a lord, said urgently, "Quickly, I will personally invite the general and advisor back to their tent!"