The land of Bashu, the city of Chengdu.
The prefectures and counties here were built more magnificently than palaces…
Indeed, the advantages of the Bashu region were on full display…
With the mountains high and the emperor distant, whether it was Liu Yan in the past or Liu Zhang later, they considered themselves "local emperors," with all their carriages and escorts bearing little difference to those of the Son of Heaven.
It was no wonder there had always been a legend in Shu that an emperor would emerge from this land.
As the moon rose high, countless torches were lit. Zhuge Liang followed Liu Bei, slowly ascending to the highest, empty palace. This was once the place where Liu Zhang, his father, and the civil and military officials of Yi Province deliberated, but… the items on the table were not official documents, but rather the zither, chess, books, and paintings…
It was clear that Liu Zhang was not interested in state affairs.
This made Liu Bei lament repeatedly…
Occupying a position but not fulfilling its duties…
Alas…
Gazing at all that lay before him, Liu Bei, in a moment of clarity, seemed to see his entire life of fighting and wandering.
From Xuzhou to Jingzhou, and then to this land of Bashu…
He had been repeating a cycle: obtaining, then losing, then obtaining again, and finally… losing again.
Zhuge Liang was also filled with emotion. Faced with such a powerful opponent as "Lu Ziyu," how easy was it to secure such a place of refuge?
For a moment, he seemed to see countless flying balls descending, the great fire of Bowang Slope… the ambush on the Chibi River!
Zhuge Liang couldn't help but shiver. When he looked again, the palace was empty.
The cold night was silent… only Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang stood by the bed, their robes billowing in the wind. They looked down upon the vast land of Bashu in the night, their place of refuge.
Suddenly, Liu Bei pointed to the sky and asked, "Kong Ming, if it weren't for these flying balls, would we be where we are today?"
Zhuge Liang pondered for a moment before replying, "Perhaps, perhaps not… but it certainly wouldn't have been this easy. To be precise, it was Master Lu Ziyu who helped the Lord seize Yizhou this time."
A sigh…
Liu Bei let out a breath. He turned, his eyes squinting to hold back tears, and murmured, "My strategist, you need not be so modest. If not for you and your wife successfully deciphering the method of the flying balls, how could our army have achieved such a surprise victory? Moreover, this operation would not have been possible without your efforts in mediating with the various clans of Yizhou. Is that not a great contribution?"
Liu Bei's heart was as clear as a mirror…
Huang Yueying had successfully replicated the hot air balloon, and the surprise attack by hot air balloon was key.
However, in reality, uniting the clans of Yizhou was the crucial element.
One must know that within Yizhou, there were two factions: the Dongzhou faction, led by "Fa Zheng" and "Li Yan," and the Yizhou native faction, led by "Zhang Ren," "Huang Quan," and "Ma Zhong"!
The former, the Dongzhou faction…
They had followed Liu Yan into Shu.
Even later, when Liu Yan incorporated tens of thousands of refugees from Nanyang and Sanfu into Shu as "Dongzhou soldiers," they had made remarkable contributions.
However… Liu Zhang heavily favored the Yizhou native faction, such as "Zhang Ren"…
He had even given full military authority to Zhang Ren.
This greatly displeased the Dongzhou faction, who had made significant contributions. Using this as an entry point, coupled with the diplomatic lobbying skills of Sun Qian, Jian Yong, and others, Zhuge Liang easily helped Liu Bei establish contact with the Dongzhou faction.
With a coordinated effort from within and without, taking Yizhou was a natural consequence.
It could be said that with the hot air balloon surprise attack, Liu Bei was able to launch a silent, unexpected assault on Chengdu, "capturing the king by capturing the ringleader." The Dongzhou faction's Fa Zheng and Li Yan had contributed significantly.
However…
As Zhuge Liang, he clearly saw further ahead.
This great victory and triumph masked many problems. Currently… the land of Bashu was still rife with contradictions.
Upon thinking of this, Zhuge Liang's expression grew much colder.
Because he knew that in the current land of Bashu, in addition to the opposing "Dongzhou faction" and "Yizhou faction," there was also the elder faction led by "Guan Yu" and "Zhang Fei," and the Jingzhou faction led by "Zhuge Liang," "Wei Yan," "Jiang Wan," "Fei Yi," "Ma Liang," and "Ma Su."
If divided more finely, within the elder faction, there could be a "Xuzhou faction."
Mi Zhu, Sun Qian, Mi Fang – these were the core representatives of the Xuzhou faction!
When Liu Zhang controlled Yizhou, the two factions… were still engaged in open and covert struggles, endlessly bickering. Now… with five factions bolstering Yizhou, the contradictions and conflicts would likely be even greater and more intense.
Zhuge Liang faced a complex and difficult problem.
A sigh…
With these thoughts, Zhuge Liang could not help but heave a long sigh.
Just then, Liu Bei's words reached him again, "Kong Ming, today… I have erected a plaque in the hall that reads, 'The Han and the usurper cannot coexist; the imperial enterprise cannot be confined to one region.' This is because I have never believed in fate. I have always thought that Cao Cao holding the Son of Heaven captive is unrighteous, and Lu Yu assisting Cao Cao is aiding a tyrant. I have also always believed that the chaos of the times can be ended in my hands. Now, we emulate Qin of the Warring States period, we emulate Grand Ancestor, and we have obtained this Heavenly Kingdom. Kong Ming, tell me, can I, Liu Bei, still realize the vision of 'restoring the Han dynasty'!"
This…
Zhuge Liang fell silent. He did not answer immediately; he pondered for a long time.
"My Lord summoned me three times to my humble dwelling. From that moment on, I wished to help my Lord restore the Han dynasty. But to this day, this ideal has grown further and further away. Forgive me for speaking frankly, but the Han in the Central Plains cannot be re-established. What can be established is my Lord, this 'Han.' My Lord must be clear on this!"
Liu Bei was startled.
"You mean, you want me to…"
Zhuge Liang nodded heavily. "My Lord has always presented himself as a descendant of the Han imperial family, bound by his identity and the times. However… the current world makes it impossible to reclaim the Son of Heaven from Cao Cao and Lu Yu. But the people of Yizhou need a new hope, and the loyal subjects of the Han throughout the realm also need hope!"
Liu Bei's figure trembled slightly. He thought of the hasty retreat of the Xiliang army…
They had not seized such an opportunity to advance west to Xuchang…
Then… welcoming the Son of Heaven would only become a theoretical possibility!
As Zhuge Liang said… the people of Yizhou needed a new hope!
Rumor had it—an emperor would emerge from Yizhou!
Rumor had it—Wu Yi's sister would become empress.
"My Lord…" Zhuge Liang continued, "I ask my Lord to marry the sister of Wu Yi, the Governor of Yong Province!"
At this point, Zhuge Liang emphasized his words, "The fact that Lady Gan turned into a butterfly and flew away is already a reality, and the legend of Wu Yi's sister… should align with my Lord. It will be of great benefit to my Lord's future!"
This…
Liu Bei's eyes darted away, but in his evasion, there was an undeniable flame ignited in his heart.
However, his gaze soon lowered.
"The current situation… does not allow me…"
"Naturally, not now," Zhuge Liang said. "The immediate priority is to unite all the clans of Yizhou and construct an impregnable defense!"
"While Lu Yu is busy mediating with Xiliang, and while Lu Yu still has to handle affairs in Jiangdong, our army must capture Hanzhong. With the eastern and western Sichuan as our base, we can advance offensively and defend retreat. Perhaps in ten years, perhaps twenty years, perhaps thirty years, the world will change. At that time… my Lord can emulate Grand Ancestor, pretending to repair the plank roads while secretly crossing the Chencang, and deliver a fatal blow to that Wei!"
A blueprint…
A conception!
Zhuge Liang deployed his strategies to the best of his ability…
In contrast, Liu Bei's initially wandering gaze suddenly became much firmer. He seemed to know… what he should do.
Of course…
He might not live to see thirty years, but he had his son to continue the struggle…
At least…
The land of Bashu was easy to defend and difficult to attack, solid as a rock!
Generations would continue to endure, and eventually, hope and light would appear!
"Kong Ming…"
"My Lord."
"Liu Bei thanks the strategist!"
Indeed, Liu Bei accepted Zhuge Liang's proposal and would use it as a strategic plan for a considerable period to come!
At least, a faint, unobtrusive, and not dazzling light flickered in Liu Bei's heart.
On the other side…
The night was as dark as pitch. Zhao Yun, Zhao Zilong, who had achieved great merit in capturing the king by capturing the ringleader, could not sleep.
He knew that tomorrow… Liu Bei would surely bestow great rewards upon him.
He also knew that no matter how great the rewards, his official title could not exceed that of Guan Yu or Zhang Fei, nor would he command more than five thousand troops!
In this regard, Zhao Yun was lonely.
As everyone knew, the Wei internal factions were rampant, but in reality, the Shu factions were even more complex…
The historical Five Tiger Generals… belonged to four different factions.
Liu Bei favored the Jingzhou faction and the elder faction, while the Xuzhou faction and… Zhao Yun's "Hebei faction" were all firmly suppressed.
From this perspective, when Guan Yu was on the verge of death, why did Mi Fang and Fu Shiren not provide support?
Why was the historical Zhao Yun consistently underutilized…
These were all reasons.
Of course…
These were not important to Zhao Yun.
A sigh…
Looking at the pitch-black sky, Zhao Yun let out a long breath, murmuring with emotion.
"Finally, Yun has not disgraced his mission and has completed the first step of the Southern Hunt Marquis's plan!"
…
…
In the Sanfu region, the Great Wei army had already passed Tongguan and encamped a hundred miles from the city of Chang'an.
This time, Lu Yu and Xiahou Dun led two cavalry detachments. Xiahou Dun led a hundred thousand infantry and thirty thousand cavalry, while Lu Yu led three thousand Dragon Elite Cavalry…
After passing Tongguan, Xiahou Dun encamped, while Lu Yu's Dragon Elite Camp stealthily used a small path to circle around to the north of Anding City!
This was to sever the supply lines of the Xiliang army from the rear to the front.
This time, accompanying Lu Yu on the expedition were not only the original Cao Xiu, Dian Wei, and others, but also Cao Chong, Guo Jia, Ju Shou, Zhuge Jun… and the five Xiahou generals!
Xiahou Dun brought Yu Jin, Li Dian, Cao Hong, and others. In addition, Xun You also participated in this western expedition as a strategist, offering advice to Xiahou Dun.
At this moment…
A huge map was unfurled, and Xiahou Dun and his generals were discussing military matters.
Cao Hong cupped his hands and said, "This subordinate is willing to lead troops directly to Anding and cut down Ma Chao and Han Sui!"
Looking at Cao Hong's eagerness to fight, Xiahou Dun, instead of being excited, calmly asked Xun You.
"What do you think, Gongda?"
"It is not yet the time," Xun You said, pointing to the map and analyzing, "Currently, our army is southeast of Anding City, and the Southern Hunt Marquis's Dragon Elite Camp is northwest of Anding City. This forms a pincer formation. If the enemy attacks one side, the other will reinforce; if the enemy does not move, then their supplies are also cut off by the Southern Hunt Marquis. The initiative is in our hands, so we might as well wait a little longer!"
Xiahou Dun nodded…
Indeed, after fighting so many great victories with Lu Yu, and with the deployment of the flying ball troops this time, which provided aerial reconnaissance of the enemy forces, the movements of the Xiliang army were all under their watchful eyes!
Fighting battles where they could see the enemy's underwear color, the "ever-losing general" Xiahou Dun could uncharacteristically make accurate judgments.
Ultimately, it all came down to information and intelligence…
"Gongda's words are indeed correct."
Xiahou Dun stroked his beard, "Zi Lian, do not panic. You already know Zi Yu's skill in 'attacking the enemy's mind.' With Zi Yu present, the enemy's vital points are firmly in our grasp. Haha, we just need to wait for them to make a mistake."
"In my opinion…" Cao Hong was somewhat unconvinced and immediately exclaimed, "In my opinion, we should just fly the balls over, just like we burned the stone city of the Shanyue back then, and set Anding ablaze. That will surely scare these Xiliang people to death! See who dares to cause trouble then!"
So aggressive…
Xun You quickly explained, "General Zi Lian is joking. Based on my understanding of Zi Yu, he would not use such a method as burning a city to burn Han people."
"Alas…" Cao Hong scratched his head, "Sometimes I don't understand him either. If you call this Lu Ziyu a devil, he paradoxically has a compassionate side. But if you call him compassionate, he can burn tens of thousands of people to death without batting an eye. Fight however you want, I don't care anymore!"
Cao Hong waved his hand, giving up and surrendering.
Tell me what to do, and I'll do it.
"Hahaha…" It was Xun You who laughed.
He squinted at the map…
A few days ago, when he and Lu Yu parted ways, he had asked Lu Yu about his plan.
But Lu Yu's answer was—no plan!
However, based on Xun You's understanding of him… Lu Yu would never put himself in danger alone, which meant he must have some ulterior motive. Placing the Dragon Elite Camp behind enemy lines, on the one hand, was to cut off enemy supplies.
But, conversely, what if the enemy decided to go all out? What if the enemy… was willing to abandon Anding City in order to annihilate the Dragon Elite Camp, to annihilate Lu Yu?
In that case, the pincer formation would be… somewhat perilous.
Or, was using himself as bait also part of his plan?
Xun You was certain that Lu Yu was not a reckless person; he would never place himself in danger.
Then why… why was he so "daring and presumptuous"?
What was he truly plotting?
…
…
Similarly, a large map was unfurled, and Han Sui, Ma Chao, and others within Anding City were also discussing military matters.
This time, Sima Yi stood at the front…
At Han Sui's suggestion, Sima Yi was deploying his plan.
"The Dragon Elite Camp, since its rise to fame, has never tasted defeat in so many years. Even with only three thousand men, they should not be easily engaged. On the other hand, Xiahou Dun is the 'ever-losing general' of Great Wei. He has not won a single battle in these years, yet his promotions have not stopped. Therefore, with the ten thousand troops of Great Wei invading this time, he is the only weakness of the Wei army and the breakthrough point for our Xiliang army!"
Sima Yi's analysis was well-founded and convincing.
However…
Just then.
A Xiliang soldier quietly entered the yamen and whispered something into Han Sui's ear. Han Sui gave a look, and the soldier reported the same content to Han Sui's son-in-law—Yan Xing.
As soon as this whispered conversation ended, Yan Xing abruptly stood up, "My esteemed father-in-law, General Ma Chao, I believe Sima Zhongda's move is inappropriate. In my opinion, we should use our full strength to attack Lu Yu! At all costs… let the Dragon Elite Camp—"
"—be annihilated!"
…
…