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

Later, he was ordered by Cao Cao to pacify the four commanderies of Jingnan, which naturally put him in opposition to his lord's forces. Because his lord occupied the four commanderies of Jingnan, he was unable to report back to Cao Cao, so he fled to Jiaozhou, and later went to Shu to join Liu Zhang. In his mind, although Liu Zhang was weak and ruled by a warlord, he was still the governor of Yizhou appointed by the court, which was legitimate; while his lord's entry into Shu, although righteous, was ultimately obtained by seizing power through rebellion, which was against etiquette.

This man was aloof and proud, with an extremely strong sense of self-worth. Liu Zhang was weak and incompetent, yet he was still able to tolerate Liu Zhang's aloofness, pride, and capricious behavior.

His concerns were threefold: first, although his lord was strict in enforcing the law and disciplined in governing the army, he was inevitably drawn into worldly struggles, and he feared that his pride would make it difficult for him to maintain his integrity; second, he believed that his lord had risen from humble beginnings and had risen through the ranks of the army, and he looked down on his lord's background and was ashamed to serve him; third, he had spent half his life avoiding his lord, moving from place to place, and even went so far as to go north to join Cao Cao and south to flee to Jiaozhou, believing that such behavior would be intolerable to his lord and that he feared his lord would settle scores with him.

Therefore, he would rather live a secluded life in seclusion than enter officialdom.

The reasons are clear and straightforward.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei suddenly realized his mistake, and his expression became solemn:

"I see.

Since this person's heart is with the Emperor and not Cao Cao, it doesn't matter if we have any grudges!

However, Liu Ba is talented, but his heart is set on the Central Plains, and he looks down on me. Such pride is hard to break; if I try to persuade him, it will be useless, and if I force him, he will probably rebel.

"Now that Yizhou is facing financial difficulties, we absolutely need this man. In Zimao's opinion, how should we subdue Liu Ba?"

Gu Sulin lowered his eyes and pondered for a moment, weighing the pros and cons, assessing Liu Ba's temperament, and considering the current situation.

Looking back at history, Liu Ba was only won over after Zhuge Liang personally visited him after entering Shu.

With Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong currently not in Chengdu, Fa Zheng, as the first Shu official to betray Liu Zhang, will likely not be well received by Liu Ba for the time being.

After a moment's thought, Gu Sulin looked up and calmly presented a complete strategy:

"My lord, people like Liu Zichu should not be persuaded, forced, or offered high positions and generous salaries."

He regards wealth and status as dust, values ​​reputation, integrity, and his true self. Ordinary recruitment methods will only make him more disgusted.

To win over Liu Ba, we must proceed step by step—

……

That afternoon, Huang Quan was ordered to set off.

Liu Ba's mansion was located in a quiet alley in western Chengdu, far from the hustle and bustle of the city. The vermilion gate was tightly closed, and the copper rings on the lintel had turned a bit of verdigris, giving it a cold and lonely feel.

Seeing Huang Quan arrive alone, dressed simply yet with a composed demeanor, the gatekeeper quickly stepped forward, bowed, and inquired, "Mr. Huang, what brings you to our residence?"

Huang Quan returned the greeting with a cupped hand, his tone humble, unlike his solemn demeanor in the imperial court: "I happened to be passing by today and came to pay a visit, just to catch up and chat, not to discuss official business. Please inform me of your presence."

The gatekeeper looked embarrassed, rubbed his hands, and said in a low voice, "Mr. Huang, please forgive me. My master has ordered that we close the door to all guests in the coming days, regardless of kinship. Please forgive me." After saying this, he was about to bow and apologize, indicating that Huang Quan should leave.

Huang Quan was not annoyed. He simply shook his head and looked into the courtyard. He said loudly, "I only ask to speak a few words with him. I will not disturb you for long. Please pass on the message again, saying that Huang Quan only asks to reminisce about old times."

Seeing Huang Quan's resolute attitude, the gatekeeper knew that he and Liu Ba had served under Liu Zhang together, and had long heard that the two were loyal ministers. He dared not make a decision on his own, so he could only bow and say, "Please wait a moment, sir. I will go in and inform the master. If the master does not wish to see me, please do not make things difficult for me." After saying this, he turned and went inside. The courtyard gate remained tightly closed, leaving Huang Quan alone standing on the steps, waiting quietly, his expression calm and without the slightest anxiety.

After a while, the courtyard gate creaked open a crack, and the servant led Huang Quan into the courtyard.

The courtyard was filled with lush bamboo, its tall, straight branches rustling in the breeze, adding to the serene atmosphere. In the center of the courtyard stood a stone table and two stone benches. Liu Ba sat upright on one of the benches, holding a scroll of the *Book of Han*, his head bowed, radiating an aura of unapproachability. He wore a moon-white long robe, his hair neatly combed, his face handsome, yet his brows held a hint of arrogance and aloofness, as if everything around him was irrelevant to him.

Huang Quan walked over to another stone bench and sat down. Liu Ba raised his hand to signal the servants to leave, and lightly tapped the stone table with his fingertips, breaking the silence of the courtyard: "Since Gongheng has already chosen Liu Bei as his master, why bother to see this useless person who stays at home? Our statuses are now different, and there is no need to reminisce about the past."

Huang Quan was taken aback, then smiled and shook his head: "Zichu, I didn't want to give you advice directly, but since you've brought up Lord Xuande, let's get straight to the point."

He glanced at the desolate scenery in the courtyard, his tone calm, "I know you don't want to be associated with Lord Xuande, you're angry that he seized Yizhou, and you're even more ashamed to submit to a Han dynasty relative who rose from humble beginnings."

But is this matter truly entirely Xuande Gong's fault?

Liu Ba paused in his flipping through the book, snorted coldly, and kept his face indifferent, but did not interrupt him.

"The former lord Liu Zhang invited Xuande to Sichuan to resist Zhang Lu; but then he secretly colluded with Cao Cao, intending to launch a sneak attack from behind and kill tens of thousands of soldiers in Jingzhou. This matter is evidenced by Liu Zhang's handwritten letter and the correspondence between the messengers, but there is always something suspicious about it. Although you and I were not present, we can guess the clues—this matter must have been instigated by Zhang Song."

Liu Zhang misjudged people, which led to this great disaster. He implicated himself in an unjust situation, as you and I both know.

He paused, softening his tone: "But after Lord Xuande captured Luocheng and entered Chengdu, he did not slaughter his former officials or plunder the people like other warlords, nor did he harm Liu Zhang's clan in the slightest. With his relatives turning against each other, he not only spared Liu Zhang's life, but also provided him with a residence in Jingzhou, food and clothing, allowing him to enjoy his old age in peace. Such magnanimity is rare in this world."

I know you value your reputation and integrity, upholding your principles throughout your life, considering yourself a scholar and disdaining to serve others. But what you should be protecting is not the incompetent and treacherous former ruler, but the people of Yizhou and the Han dynasty. Now, Lord Xuande has entered Chengdu, abolished the corrupt policies of Liu Zhang's era, implemented strict governance, reduced taxes, pacified displaced people, and rectified the city. In just a month, all the major clans have submitted, and the people are deeply grateful.

Despite past grievances, Lord Xuande (Liu Bei) reappointed many former officials of Shu. Even someone as loyal as me, who had once strongly advised Liu Zhang against welcoming Lord Xuande, was treated with respect and entrusted with important responsibilities, such as reforming the bureaucracy and pacifying the local areas. His aim was not personal hegemony, but rather to stabilize Yizhou, accumulate strength, launch a northern expedition against the Central Plains, and restore the Han Dynasty.

Huang Quan raised his hand and gently patted the stone table. "Zichu, you are exceptionally intelligent and insightful. You shouldn't be bound by old grudges and keep resisting. You don't have to surrender immediately, you can continue to observe, but please put aside your prejudices and objectively look at what Lord Xuande has done and see the changes in this Shu region."

Liu Ba finally raised his eyes, his brows furrowed slightly, his fingers twirling the pages of his book. After a moment of silence, he spoke in a cold voice: "Although Liu Bei possesses benevolence, he is ultimately a warlord who controls his own territory, with the ambition of a ruthless hero. Liu Zhang is his relative, which is why he pardoned and showed him leniency. I am not related to him, and I have offended him several times. How could he tolerate me?"