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

The news of Liu Qi's sudden death struck like a thunderbolt across the recently stabilized Jingxiang region.

It was the winter of the fourteenth year of Jian'an. The cold wind, carrying frost and snow, swept through the streets and alleys of Gong'an City, spreading this sorrow throughout the military camps and the prefecture.

Upon hearing the devastating news, the former subordinates of Jiangxia were filled with unease, and the gentry of Jingxiang were also in turmoil. Although Liu Qi was frail and sickly, he was Liu Biao's eldest son and the nominal master of Jingzhou. With his departure, Jingzhou would be completely without the support of "legitimate succession," and its future would be uncertain.

Liu Bei, dressed in mourning clothes, personally held a ceremony to mourn Liu Qi.

In the military camp, the soldiers removed the decorations from their armor and hung white silk on their heads; in the prefectural government, the officials wore plain clothes, closed their doors to visitors, and the atmosphere was one of grief and solemnity. Liu Bei personally went to the coffin every day to pay his respects, weeping bitterly, and his words were full of regret. He said frankly, "Brother Jingsheng entrusted me with the care of my nephew, but now he has passed away. I have failed my brother's trust."

The former Jiangxia troops, who were initially filled with anxiety, gradually calmed down after seeing Liu Bei's deep sense of loyalty and righteousness.

In chaotic times, there is little room for sentimentality. Liu Qi's funeral was not extravagant and was completed hastily in just a few days. It was not that Liu Bei was heartless, but rather that dark clouds were already gathering over Jingzhou, Zhou Yu was eyeing Jiangling City with predatory intent, and Cao Cao was preparing his troops north of the Yangtze River. With Jingzhou without a ruler, every day of delay brought more danger, and they could not afford to immerse themselves in grief.

The funeral had just ended that day, and only Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Gu Sulin remained in the tent.

Liu Bei, his face still etched with grief, sat in the main seat and sighed deeply: "My nephew has passed away at a young age. In addition to my sorrow, I am even more worried about the future of Jingzhou."

After the funeral, Liu Bei summoned Zhuge Liang and Gu Sulin to the tent for a discussion. The flickering candlelight in the tent made the three men look rather solemn.

Before Liu Bei could speak, Zhuge Liang lightly waved his feather fan, preemptively pointing out the imminent crisis, his tone tinged with melancholy:

"My lord, with Liu Qi gone, Jiangdong has no more concerns. Zhou Yu has always been wary of our growing army. He was hesitant to act rashly before because of Liu Qi's status. Now that Jingzhou is without a master, he will not let go of such a good opportunity. In a few days, the envoy from Eastern Wu will surely cross the river and demand the four southern counties of Jingzhou on the grounds that 'Jingzhou is without a master and should rightfully belong to Wu.' At that time, our army will be weakened in terms of status."

Liu Bei frowned: "The four commanderies of Jingnan were acquired through our own conquest, not borrowed from Jiangdong. How can they demand them so forcefully?"

"That is true, but in chaotic times, might makes right," Zhuge Liang said in a deep voice. "Zhou Yu is determined to trap us and will not let go of such a good opportunity. If we do not handle this properly, the Sun-Liu alliance will be in danger of breaking down in an instant."

Liu Bei was disheartened and at a loss for words: "Then may I ask the strategist, how should we respond?"

Zhuge Liang was confident: "My lord, there is no need to worry. If anyone comes, I will have something to say."

Gu Sulin stood to one side of the tent, dressed in plain clothes, with his eyes lowered, and did not utter a word from beginning to end.

But he had a clear understanding of the current situation: Liu Qi's death, which seemed to be a crisis for Liu Bei, was actually the biggest turning point in terms of status.

History has progressed to the point where Liu Bei, with the joint support of the people and soldiers of Jingzhou, has assumed the position of Governor of Jingzhou.

The people and soldiers of Jingzhou had just emerged from the chaos of war and were now reeling from the death of their lord. They desperately needed a strong leader to stabilize the situation. Liu Bei, known for his benevolence and possessing the status of a Han imperial uncle, was a natural fit for the throne; no one needed to intervene or push things along. However, he also knew that while it was easy to claim the governorship of Jingzhou in Gong'an, gaining recognition from Jiangdong would be far more difficult—Zhou Yu wouldn't give up easily, and Sun Quan would never allow Liu Bei to establish a firm foothold in Jingzhou.

Sure enough, within just two days, undercurrents were already stirring inside and outside Jingzhou.

Led by the gentry of Jingzhou and Xiangyang, generals in the army, and officials of the prefectures and counties, they jointly submitted a petition and came to pay their respects to Liu Bei.

Mi Zhu, Sun Qian, Jian Yong, Yi Ji, Ma Liang and others led the crowd in and bowed in greeting.

Mi Zhu, holding the memorial, said loudly:

"My lord, with Governor Liu gone, Jingzhou is without a ruler, the people are in a state of panic, the people are displaced, and the soldiers have nowhere to go. The Imperial Uncle is a member of the Han imperial family, and his benevolence is widespread in Jingzhou. For many years, he has implemented benevolent policies and is deeply loved by the people and supported by the soldiers. We earnestly request that you, my lord, assume the post of Governor of Jingzhou, establish your own government, and govern the region to bring peace to the people of Jingzhou."

The civil and military officials under his command all bowed down:

"We humbly request that our lord assume the post of Governor of Jingzhou!"

Upon seeing this, Liu Bei quickly stood up and waved his hands repeatedly:

"No, no. My nephew has just passed away. How can I take the position of governor while his body is still warm? This would be unfair to my nephew and also inappropriate for the people of Jingzhou. This matter is absolutely unacceptable. Please discuss it again later."

The crowd refused to leave. Guan Yu stepped forward and said in a deep voice, "Brother, Jingzhou cannot be without a ruler for even a day. I urge you to prioritize the greater good and accept the post of Governor of Jingzhou, so as not to fail the trust placed in you by the people and soldiers!" Zhang Fei followed closely behind, loudly echoing, "Second Brother is right! Your benevolence is known throughout the land. Just accept the post; who dares to disobey? I, Old Zhang, will be the first to object!"

Ma Liang stepped forward and bowed, advising, "My lord, it is not that we are eager for quick success, but the situation in Jingzhou is critical. Cao Cao and Zhou Yu are both eyeing us covetously. If Jingzhou is without a ruler, internal strife will surely break out. At that time, not only will the people suffer, but our army will also be in dire straits. My lord, you have accepted the position of Governor of Jingzhou not for your own selfish reasons, but for the sake of the people of Jingzhou and for the restoration of the Han Dynasty. Please do not refuse."

Liu Bei shook his head again, his expression still firm: "I am of meager virtue and talent. I am grateful for your kindness, but I am afraid I am not capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility and will fail the expectations of the people and the soldiers. Please postpone this matter for a while."

The crowd persisted in their insistence.

Zhuge Liang knew the time was ripe. He slowly stepped forward, gently waving his feather fan, his tone gentle yet earnest, hitting the nail on the head: "My lord, it is not that you covet fame and position today, but that you act in accordance with Heaven and the people. As the Governor of Jingzhou, you can pacify the people, prepare the army, and stabilize the situation in Jingzhou. Externally, you can legitimately negotiate with Jiangdong and confront Cao Cao. If you keep making excuses, it will only alienate the people and give Jiangdong and Cao Cao an opportunity to take advantage of you. By then, it will be too late to regret. Once the position is secured, Jingzhou will truly belong to you, and the restoration of the Han Dynasty will have a solid foundation."

Looking at the earnest expressions below, and then at Zhuge Liang before him, Liu Bei remained silent for a long time before finally letting out a long sigh, his expression filled with helplessness and determination: "Since you all have shown such great favor and prioritize the well-being of the people of Jingzhou and the restoration of the Han Dynasty, Liu Bei will no longer refuse. I will temporarily accept the position of Governor of Jingzhou and will certainly do my utmost to appease the people, reorganize the military, and live up to your trust and the expectations of the Han Dynasty."

"Our lord is wise!" All the civil and military officials in the tent knelt down and cheered, and the solemn atmosphere in the hall finally dissipated a bit.

After Liu Bei officially took over as governor of Jingzhou, he immediately ordered the rectification of the local government, the pacification of the people in the four southern counties of Jingzhou, the improvement of military discipline, and the repair of city defenses. The situation in Jingzhou gradually stabilized, and the morale of the army and the people became more and more united.

With the overall situation settled, all the officials dispersed, leaving only Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Gu Sulin inside the tent.

Liu Bei had just breathed a sigh of relief, his face showing signs of fatigue, when Zhuge Liang stepped forward again to offer his advice:

"Although our lord has already assumed the position of Governor of Jingzhou, his title has not yet been recognized by the court, and Jiangdong may not be willing to accept it either. In my opinion, our lord should formally submit a memorial to the court requesting the appointment of Governor of Jingzhou; at the same time, submit a memorial at the same time requesting Sun Quan to be appointed Governor of Xuzhou. Sun Quan has always coveted the land of Xuzhou, and if he can obtain our lord's recommendation, he will be very satisfied. If he accepts our request for Xuzhou, he will have no choice but to acknowledge our lord's position in Jingzhou. This move is mutually beneficial, which can temporarily stabilize the Sun-Liu alliance and buy our army a chance to breathe."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei suddenly understood and nodded repeatedly, "Kongming's plan is brilliant!"

Gu Sulin understood that this mutual recommendation could only temporarily stabilize Jiangdong, but it couldn't fundamentally resolve the conflict over the ownership of Jingzhou. Once Sun Quan recovered and sorted out the internal situation, he would still come to demand Jingzhou back.

That will be the moment he has long planned to break the deadlock.