Liu Bei led an army of 100,000 to attack Eastern Wu, seeking revenge for Guan Yu.
Zhuge Liang couldn't be idle even while staying in Chengdu.
In addition to controlling the southwest region, where the southern barbarian Meng Huo was causing trouble, it was also necessary to stabilize the internal situation in Chengdu.
When Liu Bei entered Sichuan, although he gained control of Yizhou, he was merciful and did not kill Liu Zhang. Instead, he moved Liu Zhang to Gong'an in Jingzhou.
Throughout Chengdu, there was still a portion of the population who belonged to Liu Zhang's former subordinates.
Liu Bei employed many of Liu Zhang's former associates.
Liu Bei's decision to launch a full-scale attack on Eastern Wu was driven by his own impulsiveness.
I didn't think that much about it.
Zhuge Liang was terrified while guarding Chengdu.
Besides fearing Liu Zhang's comeback, they also feared Cao Cao's attack from Hanzhong, and Meng Huo's advance from Zhaotong to Rongzhou, invading Chengdu by waterway.
Zhuge Liang had many fears.
Even if Zhuge Liang were as resourceful as an octopus, he would still feel powerless to do so.
But they cannot speak of these difficulties.
As the saying goes, the art of war is to make the insubstantial appear real, and the real appear insubstantial.
The situation in Yizhou was far more complex than that in Jiangdong, which was much more peaceful.
From Sun Jian to Sun Ce to Sun Quan, Jiangdong, through three generations, finally reached an era of stability, prosperity, economic development, and relatively high level of cultural governance.
Zhuge Liang had a premonition that Liu Bei would be soundly defeated by Sun Quan if he attacked Sun Quan.
Since I couldn't persuade them...
Zhuge Liang did not dare to offer further advice.
To put it bluntly, how long have Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei been teaming up?
When Zhuge Liang came to Liu Bei, he helped Liu Bei a lot, but Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were Liu Bei's brothers who had gone through thick and thin together and had sworn brotherhood.
Can the relationship between Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei be compared to that between Guan Yu and Zhang Fei and Liu Bei?
Zhuge Liang asked himself honestly, and realized he was no match for him.
Since he couldn't compare, there was nothing he could do. Zhuge Liang then focused on handling domestic affairs in Chengdu.
We must guard against Cao Cao in the north and Meng Huo in the south.
Within Yizhou, there is also the risk of Liu Zhang resuming his rule.
And importantly, in Jianwei County, south of Jiaozhou, there are those two women from Eastern Wu!
Zhuge Liang thought of Da Qiao and Lady Sun.
Zhuge Liang really wanted to tie up the two women and send them to Eastern Wu, to the front lines of the battle between the two armies.
Zhuge Liang was indeed a man of great integrity, but he was capable of using any means necessary to win a battle. Who says he couldn't use these two women?
How could Zhuge Liang not know what his lord was thinking?
However, Liu Bei still couldn't let go of the beautiful and young Lady Sun.
After all, the two had been husband and wife for several years, their love as inseparable as fish and water. To say it outright would hurt Liu Bei's pride as a man.
Therefore, Liu Bei was unwilling to let go.
Secondly, Liu Bei was greedy. Cao Cao had wanted Da Qiao for decades without success. What if Liu Bei had gotten her? Would Liu Bei then have become superior to Cao Cao?
To be honest, Zhuge Liang thought it was nothing to mention.
All the ulterior motives in Liu Bei's mind were meaningless.
After much deliberation, Zhuge Liang decided to keep the two women in Jianwei County for the time being.
The key point is that this Da Qiao is also quite strange.
Da Qiao really didn't seem afraid, nor did she seem to want to run away.
Zhao Yun stayed in Chengdu with Zhuge Liang to guard the city.
Of the three—Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun—Zhuge Liang was the easiest to talk to, especially Zhao Yun. Naturally, Zhao Yun was also the most obedient to Zhuge Liang's orders.
Guan Yu was somewhat arrogant and conceited, Zhang Fei had a bad temper, and Zhuge Liang couldn't quite get along with them.
Only Zhao Yun was close to Zhuge Liang.
Zhao Yun was still responsible for monitoring the movements of Lady Sun and Da Qiao.
He reported to Zhuge Liang:
"Madam Sun and that Madam Da Qiao, they stayed at Shen Mi's house in Qianwei County. Earlier, they were still looking at the mountains and rivers, writing about plants and raising animals, but now they've really let loose! Today they eat hot pot, tomorrow they eat skewers, they cook meat and vegetables and soak them in the broth, calling it 'Bo Bo Chicken'!"
These ways of eating have spread throughout Jiaozhou!
People in Chengdu followed suit, and some even made special trips by boat to Jiaozhou and Qianwei County to learn how to make "钵钵鸡" (a type of Sichuan-style boiled chicken) and skewers.
Zhao Yun recounted these events.
He, a handsome and valiant man who charged in and out of Changbanpo seven times, actually had to pay attention to these trivial matters.
There's practically nothing to say!
"Where are Da Qiao and Lady Sun? They don't seem to be imprisoned; they're on vacation!"
Zhao Yun gave a summary.
On the other hand, wasn't Qiao Jingjing here on vacation?
Why is he being detained again?
Being imprisoned means that she was confined to a dark and gloomy room, where she had no freedom of movement and relied entirely on others for food.
This Da Qiao, along with Madam Sun and her guards and maids, lived in the home of Shen Mi, a wealthy family in Jianwei County.
How many guards does Shen Mi have, perhaps several hundred?
His armory contained countless weapons, and his mansion was exquisitely designed and cleverly laid out, with ever-changing scenery at every turn.
No one in Qianwei County dared to provoke Shen Mi.
When Zhao Yun mentioned Da Qiao and Lady Sun, Zhuge Liang waved his hand dismissively.
When Zhuge Liang was still incredibly handsome, he once met Da Qiao at the confluence of the three rivers at Chibi.
He gained no advantage in his confrontation with her.
I broke out in a cold sweat.
And then there was that fierce woman who, in front of all the scholars of Jiangdong, berated him severely, scolding him for being a respectable man who dared to involve women in his actions, calling him dishonest and lacking in integrity, utterly humiliating him as a man.
Zhuge Liang was utterly astonished by the impression he had of the women of Eastern Wu.
This greatly overturned his understanding of women in the world.
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