But I really ask you, do these people need to fight?
Why did the 100,000 soldiers who followed Liu Bei into battle fight? Did they fight for Guan Yu?
You know perfectly well that they have no idea who Guan Yu is; they're only fighting for their salaries and wages. And what will the price be? On the battlefield, swords and spears have no eyes, and fire and water are merciless. You know best: at best, they'll be wounded and bleed; at worst, they'll lose an limb; and some will even lose their lives, never to return. Is this what you want to see? Is this what Liu Bei wants to see?
Liu Bei worked so hard to get a territory, and after so many years he finally got Chengdu and Sichuan, was it just to raise the capital for him to fight?
So, why should the people of Sichuan and Chengdu, these ordinary folks who struggle to survive like ants, fight for Liu Bei? Why should they shed blood and sacrifice themselves for Liu Bei?
What contributions did Liu Bei make to them?
Did Liu Bei protect the peace of this region, or did he provide them with economic policies so that they had clothes to wear, food to eat, a stable house, children to raise, and the joys of family life?
None of these!
Liu Bei went to war, and why didn't he suffer defeat?
Zhuge Liang never expected that the woman in front of him would say such a thing.
Zhuge Liang still held the feather fan in his hand, but his face no longer held that inscrutable expression.
His eyebrows gradually furrowed.
Qiao Jingjing then said, "I said I wanted to make a bet with the strategist! If Liu Bei loses, the strategist will make sure that Lady Sun and I are safely sent back to Eastern Wu."
"If Liu Bei wins this battle, I, Da Qiao, can stay in Sichuan for the rest of my life, and I can benefit the people here. I will manage the local agriculture and help the people grow crops."
This is a bet between Qiao Jingjing and Zhuge Liang.
Qiao Jingjing looked at Zhuge Liang, wondering if he dared to make the bet.
Zhuge Liang naturally accepted the bet.
Qiao Jingjing pointed to the coconut flakes:
“My sister will never marry that fickle Liu Bei again! You betrayed her first. Let's make this clear: I'm in Sichuan, and it has nothing to do with Liu Bei. I'm here for the people, for the sake of the local population. Of course, Liu Bei can't win!”
After Qiao Jingjing finished speaking, she went to another longan tree to check on the pest infestation around its roots.
Many years later, Zhuge Liang would often recall Qiao Jingjing's words.
He often felt ashamed.
He compared himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi, who were renowned prime ministers, power holders, the emperor's right-hand men, and the emperor's most trusted men.
In truth, Zhuge Liang deeply craved power.
What he did was not a contribution.
Da Qiao saw through him.
When he and Liu Bei arrived in Yizhou, they did not bring any benefits to the people of Sichuan. Instead, they brought them shackles and dragged them into the war against Eastern Wu.
Many years later, if historians were to record a chapter in Zhuge Liang's life, they would say that he was a warmonger.
Later, Zhuge Liang often pondered these thoughts late into the night.
He made up his mind countless times.
After Liu Bei and Eastern Wu finish this war, regardless of victory or defeat, he will persuade Liu Bei to develop the production of Yizhou, care about the suffering of the people, reduce and eliminate war, protect the borders and the people, and make Liu Bei a qualified King of Hanzhong, a King of Hanzhong who is praised by the people.
And he, Zhuge Liang, also wanted to become a sage whose name would be remembered for all time.
The outcome of the battle between Liu Bei and Sun Quan was a foregone conclusion.
After a stalemate with Liu Bei for seven or eight months, Lu Xun finally defeated Liu Bei's Shu Han army in the Yiling area.
At that time, Liu Bei dispatched generals Wu Ban, Feng Xi, and Zhang Nan with about 30,000 men as the vanguard to seize the gorge, invade Wu territory, defeat the Jiangdong army led by Li Yi and Liu Abu in Badong, and quickly occupy Zigui.
To prevent Cao Wei from taking advantage of the situation to launch an attack, Liu Bei sent General Huang Quan to garrison the north bank of the Yangtze River, and also sent Attendant-in-Ordinary Ma Liang to Wuling to mobilize local tribal leaders, including Sha Moke, to raise an army and cooperate with the Shu Han army in fighting against Jiangdong.
It seems that Liu Bei's situation is very favorable.
But Lu Xun was no pushover.
Lu Xun was twenty years younger than Liu Bei.
In terms of military strategy, he was twenty years more experienced than Liu Bei.
It was summer, and the sun was scorching.
Liu Bei was getting old, and the thought of Guan Yu's passing made him irritable. In addition, he had never won many battles in terms of troop deployment. He just wanted to cool off a bit and ignored all the major taboos of military strategy.
Liu Bei personally selected the campsite and forbade anyone to say a word about it. The camp stretched for seven hundred li, and they moved it to a secluded spot in the mountains and forests, near a stream and brook, where they could rest and cool off by the water.
Zhuge Liang kept a close eye on Liu Bei's situation.
He even wrote a book to warn Liu Bei to be careful of Lu Xun and to establish a strong base.
After reading Zhuge Liang's letter, Liu Bei thought he had done everything perfectly.
Liu Bei also repeatedly set up ambushes in the mountains and forests, sending his men to challenge the Jiangdong troops.
Zhou Tai and others volunteered to fight, but Lu Xun, having anticipated the ambush along the mountain path ahead, resolutely refused to allow Zhou Tai to attack. Several days later, Liu Bei's ambush troops, exhausted and restless, emerged from the mountains, only to be met by Lu Xun's surprise attack, with Sun Quan also leading troops to provide support.
In addition, Cao Pi sent troops to launch a surprise attack.
Lu Xun had already grasped the true situation of Liu Bei's camp setup, and at night, taking advantage of the southeast wind, he set fire to Liu Bei's camp, burning it for seven hundred li.
Like Cao Cao in the Battle of Red Cliffs, Liu Bei suffered defeat after defeat, his eyebrows and beard burned to ashes. Fortunately, Zhuge Liang sent Zhao Yun to his aid.
Liu Bei was rescued by Zhao Yun and prepared to flee to Baidi City.
Lu Xun still had to lead his troops in pursuit.
But Cao Pi changed his tune in an instant and launched a sneak attack on Lu Xun from behind.
Lu Xun's return to attack Cao Cao's army gave Liu Bei the opportunity to retreat to Baidi City.
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