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

Back to the present.

"The strategist has worked so hard these past years."

Xiang Lang sighed sincerely, "Especially in the selection and appointment of officials, the gentry were stabilized and true talents were promoted. Jingzhou's prosperity today is entirely due to the strategist's prudent judgment."

Zhuge Liang withdrew his gaze, his expression returning to composure, and waved his hand: "It's all part of my duty."

With the lord's northern expedition imminent, Jingzhou is the front line of the expedition and of paramount importance.

After I enter Shu, General Yun Chang will command the army, and the three of us will jointly govern. You must diligently assist him until our lord returns with his troops. No mistakes must be made during this period.”

He paused, then added, "Pay special attention to maintaining proper boundaries with Eastern Wu. The alliance demarcating the Xiang River must not be forgotten. We must be wary of their ambitions, but we must not easily escalate the conflict. We will make further arrangements once the lord's plan for the Northern Expedition is finalized."

In addition, I have already compiled all the household registrations, grain registers, military reports, and official selection lists of Jingzhou. I will hand them over to the three of you tomorrow, and then set off for Shu.

"Please rest assured, strategist, we will certainly do our duty to guard Jingzhou and await the news of victory in the Northern Expedition from our lord and strategist!" Ma Liang, Xiang Lang, and Jiang Wan bowed in unison.

Zhuge Liang nodded slightly, his gaze returning to the military report from Jingzhou on the table. He had already made his decision—Jingzhou was now secure, so he could enter Shu with peace of mind, stabilize the rear of Yizhou, and coordinate with Liu Bei, Pang Tong, Gu Sulin, and others to jointly embark on the Northern Expedition, thus fulfilling his lord's trust.

The following day, at the Jiangling headquarters, Zhuge Liang completed the handover of government affairs with the three men, entrusting them with all matters concerning the civil administration, military defense, grain storage, and selection of officials in Jingzhou. He also sent a special letter to Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun, who were stationed in various places, instructing them to strictly guard the borders, reconcile the gentry, and not to be hasty.

With everything arranged, Zhuge Liang, dressed in a plain cloth robe, along with several trusted advisors and dozens of personal guards, boarded a carriage bound for Chengdu and slowly departed from Jiangling City.

……

At the end of the nineteenth year of Jian'an.

Zhuge Liang arrived in Chengdu, travel-worn, and went straight to the mansion that Liu Bei had prepared in advance.

The courtyard was elegant and simply furnished, with meticulous attention to detail everywhere, clearly showing that Liu Bei had made careful arrangements long ago.

That night, under the cover of darkness, Liu Bei deliberately dismissed all other people and, accompanied only by his trusted advisors such as Pang Tong and Gu Sulin, went to his residence to meet Zhuge Liang.

After several years apart, the group reunited, exchanging pleasantries and reminiscing about the past, asking about the hardships they had endured along the way, and sharing their recent experiences in Jingzhou and Yizhou. The atmosphere was warm and harmonious.

After a brief pause in the conversation, everyone composed themselves, their smiles fading, and returned to their seats.

Zhuge Liang, with a calm and composed expression, slowly recounted his duties to Liu Bei, detailing his years of service in guarding Jingzhou.

From the time when the gentry were deeply entrenched and the people were restless when they first entered Jingzhou, to the initial forbearance of continuing the old system and appeasing the powerful families;

Then, they secretly stockpiled land and grain, repaired water conservancy projects, rectified military discipline, and improved weaponry;

Then, taking advantage of Liu Bei's entry into Shu, he restrained his private troops, intimidated rival powerful clans, and purged disloyal officials.

He also gradually reformed the selection of officials, added the system of assessment for the staff, promoted talented people from humble backgrounds, and dismantled the power of local gentry.

Finally, the border defenses were reorganized, the Eight Formations were practiced, and provisions and armor were stockpiled. Each task was carried out in a clear and orderly manner, with detailed explanations from beginning to end.

Liu Bei sat quietly listening, and the more he listened, the more shocked he became, his eyes filled with amazement.

After Zhuge Liang finished speaking, Liu Bei sighed deeply and repeatedly praised him:

"The situation in Jingzhou was extremely difficult at the time, with powerful families occupying the area internally and the Eastern Wu lurking outside."

During his years in command, Zhuge Liang quietly and effectively brought about a clean government, peaceful and orderly gentry, abundant food supplies, a well-trained and elite army, a wealth of talented individuals, and a stable border defense.

The Jingxiang region is now as stable as a rock, ready to advance northward or retreat and defend itself.

Zhuge Liang's talent is truly admirable!

Zhuge Liang bowed slightly, his expression humble and calm, not taking credit for anything: "My lord is too kind."

The peace and stability of Jingzhou today is not due to the efforts of Liang alone.

Many long-term considerations, policies to consolidate the foundation and ensure the people's well-being, to check and balance the aristocratic families, and to cultivate talent for the long term, cannot be fully implemented by Liang alone.

Many things that I hadn't considered, hadn't looked far enough ahead, and hadn't seen the root of the problems were things that Zimao had filled in before.

It is thanks to the foresight and assistance of many that numerous policies have been implemented steadily and effectively, with few oversights.

Upon hearing this, Gu Sulin quickly cupped his hands in a humble gesture.

"Mr. Kongming, you flatter me."

I only have a few scattered opinions and fragmented thoughts, which are really not worth mentioning.

Truly masterful planning, balancing of interests, application of both kindness and severity, and effective implementation—with a perfect sense of proportion—ultimately demonstrates Zhuge Liang's breadth of vision, methods, and governing prowess, far surpassing that of ordinary people.

After everyone exchanged polite and courteous remarks, the atmosphere inside the tent became increasingly harmonious.

Liu Bei hesitated for a moment, then asked:

"Kongming, now that you have entered Shu to oversee the administration of Yizhou, Jingzhou is the gateway to the Northern Expedition and is of paramount importance."

"If you leave, when we launch our Northern Expedition, Jingzhou will be a vast territory with complex military, political, and civil administration. Who will we entrust with its management?"

Zhuge Liang calmly replied:

"Rest assured, my lord, I have already properly handed over and made thorough arrangements for all matters in Jingzhou."

The administration of state affairs and the management of the gentry were entrusted to Ma Liang.

The administration of laws and regulations was entrusted to Xiang Lang to oversee.

Jiang Wan was in charge of coordinating and linking household registration, finances, and grassroots scheduling.

The three men were all highly talented, with distinct personalities and strengths, yet they complemented each other perfectly. They catered to the needs of aristocratic families, commoners, and those involved in border defense and civil administration, ensuring social stability, smooth policy implementation, and absolute success.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt a great weight lifted from his heart. He expressed his admiration and gratitude once again, realizing that from now on, both Jing and Yi provinces had pillars of strength to hold them in place, and he had no more worries about the future.

As night deepened and the lights flickered, the group chatted for a while longer, discussing the defense of the northern frontier, the layout of Hanzhong, and the future situation. Afterwards, they took their leave and quietly dispersed to rest, leaving only Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang sitting alone.

The tea on the table was slightly cool, with steam rising gently. Liu Bei suddenly remembered something and asked Zhuge Liang, "Kongming, how did you deal with Zhang Song and Zhang Yongnian?"

This expedition to Sichuan was planned by Zi Mao; only through him could we have a legitimate reason to launch it.

However, this man had previously intended to give Yizhou to Cao Cao, but Cao Cao would not tolerate him, so he turned to me instead, ultimately earning the reputation of betraying his master for personal gain.

Looking back now, he realized he could no longer return to Yizhou.

Zhuge Liang gently waved his feather fan, his expression calm, and nodded in reply: "My lord is wise. I also feel that although this man has contributed to the surrender of Shu, he has lost the integrity of a subject. He should not be kept by my side for long, let alone placed in Yizhou."

Zhang Song was different from Fa Zheng. He first served Cao Cao, but was slighted by Cao Cao, so he switched to his lord. His heart was set on seeking fame and fortune, not on being truly for the Han Dynasty and the people.

The lord should not keep him by his side or entrust him with important tasks.

Firstly, Zhang Song's disloyal act angered a group of loyal and righteous officials in Yizhou. Huang Quan, Liu Ba, and other gentlemen were all men of integrity and regarded him as a disgrace to the scholar-official class.

When our lord launches his northern expedition, Yizhou is the foundation. If he remains by our side, he will disrupt the harmony of Yizhou and further alienate the loyal ministers there.

Secondly, although our lord has established a legitimate claim to power in entering Shu, the scholars of the world see this clearly.

In the future, when we launch a northern expedition to conquer the Central Plains, we will need to win over the hearts and minds of the people. If we were to give important positions to a traitor like Zhang Song, it would only give others ammunition to accuse us of colluding with internal spies and coveting the foundations of our own clan.