For Ma Liang, an honest subordinate, Liu Bei patiently analyzed the mentality of Jiangnan people for him.

"The Sun family father and son have been running Jiangdong for many years, although they have the ability of their father and son to work diligently and open and close, but the fundamental reason is that they can have such a great development in Jiangdong is because they have the support of a huge interest group in Jiangnan behind them, the family, represented by Zhang Zhao, and the military generals have Huang Gai Han as the foundation of the four ministers, which is the foundation of the Sun family."

Ma Liang deeply agreed with this analysis and continued to listen respectfully.

"But it is precisely because of this that it also restricts the motivation of the Sun family to develop outward."

Ma Liang asked suspiciously: "What is this?" ”

Liu Bei said affirmatively: "This is because the family in Jiangnan doesn't want to move. ”

Ma Liang pondered for a moment, and then suddenly.

Liu Bei's analysis is correct, the Jiangnan family represented by Zhang Zhao is all rooted in Jiangnan, hundreds of years of development and reproduction, the power has been extremely huge, in the fog of Jiangnan, they have developed a character of being at ease with what they encounter, they just want to maintain the existing status quo foundation, and do not expect to develop in the north, because in their opinion, the north is bitter and cold, where is the comfort of the south?

Another point, the character of the southerners has always been weak, they are much higher than the northerners in their brains, war, the trick is not actually the root of victory, the trick can only win a temporary victory in tactics, but in terms of the whole strategy, it is still a small road, the key to the final decision of strategic victory or defeat is still by strength, and in this era of cold weapons, the only thing that represents strength is the fierceness of the soldiers.

Northerners eat steamed buns, which not only carry hunger, but also strengthen the body, coupled with the cold environment, so that the northerners have a strong body at the same time, and have a strong and tenacious character, and in this regard, it is incomparable to the southerners in any way.

This is why several dynasties in Chinese history moved south, at the beginning of the northerners dominated the southward migration regime, they were still able to have the ambition to restore the Central Plains, and with the migration of time, the southerners slowly dominated the southward migration regime of the Central Plains, and the ideal of the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains was replaced by the idea of peace and governance by the river.

Looking at the thoughtful Ma Liang, Liu Bei continued to teach: "The foundation of the existence of Sun Quan's group lies in those Jiangnan families, but this time Sun Quan put forward such generous conditions, it may really be the same idea in Sun Quan's heart, but it touches the fundamental interests of the Jiangnan family. And this is just one of the sides, the most important thing is that under Sun Quan, Huang Gai, the original minister of the four great families of the Sun family, who represented the generals, if Sun Quan really handed over Jiangdong in this way, then the current situation that those four people followed his father and brother for two generations of desperate work will disappear. So emotionally speaking, those four people thought that they were sorry for his original two masters, so the army would definitely not follow Sun Quan.

In other words, Sun Quan wanted to do this, but his subordinates would never agree, and if Sun Quan really did it, I can guarantee that Sun Chuan's subordinates would be able to kick Sun Quan away immediately.

From the analysis of the above reasons, it is not realistic for us and Sun Quan to reconcile with such conditions, so it is not that I am reluctant to reject Sun Quan because of my children. Then my eyes were red, and tears couldn't help but fall again: "I started from the ordinary, led two brothers, 500 villagers to devote themselves to this rolling chaotic world, regardless of life and death, and fell into a desperate situation several times, but what am I for?" Isn't it for the revival of this big man? I have already paid so much, how can I give up the opportunity to unify the Han because of the safety of one of my sons? You people really misunderstood me. ”

Ma Liang suddenly realized that his lord should indeed be his own lord, because he said that his thoughts were indeed far-reaching than himself, and he really couldn't compare with himself.

So Ma Liang stood up and sincerely bowed to Liu Bei: "My subordinates have been taught." Then he knelt down again and said ashamedly: "For our colleagues, I don't understand the good intentions of the lord to restore the Han and revitalize the Han, and I really feel ashamed, and I ask the lord to punish him." ”

Seeing the subordinates who were impressed by him, Liu Bei's heart was quite satisfied, as the so-called salt he ate was dead, isn't it easy to educate your gang of people?

Stretched out his hand to pull Ma Liang and patted him on the shoulder: "It's good that everyone can understand me, I'm used to being misunderstood in my life, it doesn't matter, as long as everyone is in the same boat and revitalizes this Han Dynasty, I can bear more grievances and pain." ”

After the two of them staged a good drama of getting along with the monarch and the minister, Liu Bei said solemnly: "Some civil and military generals always think that after our repeated wars with Cao Wei and Dongwu, the treasury has been empty and exhausted, so we should sit down and take a breath first, and wait until three or five years later, to recover and recuperate, enhance our strength, and then we will compete with Dongwu." ”

Ma Liang said: "My subordinates also have this heart, and they are trying to persuade the lord. ”

Liu Bei shook his head and sighed bitterly: "Actually, your good intentions are good, but things can't be realized. ”

"But why?"

Liu Bei patiently explained: "The fall of Jingzhou has caused us a great loss of strength, and we must take Jingzhou back, which is an irrefutable truth." ”

Ma Liang nodded: "This subordinate understands that now that we are facing the powerful Lu Peng, if we want to compete with him, we must expand our occupied area, but it is not realistic to grab the land and population from Lu Peng, with our current strength, so the direction of our future expansion is only the weak Sun Quan." ”

Liu Bei nodded with satisfaction: "Ji Chang can have such a vision, I am very relieved." But the conversation changed: "Jingzhou has just been lost, but my benevolent reputation is still there, as long as we launch an attack, the people in Jingzhou will be able to respond to me again, so it will be twice the result with half the effort." And once three years later, under Sun Quan's rule, the people will be in their hearts, and then we will attack him again, and we will get twice the result with half the effort. How big is the gap between this anti and positive? ”

Ma Liang nodded in admiration.

"And the most critical point, now we are actually competing with Lu Peng for time, Lu Peng has launched an attack on Jingzhou, once he occupies Jingzhou, we want to take it back, it is almost one, an impossible task, time is not waiting, so we must grit our teeth to overcome the difficulties, we must take Jingzhou."

Ma Liang couldn't help but ask suspiciously: "Since we are irreconcilable with Jiangnan, and a tragic battle cannot be avoided, why is the lord so relaxed?" ”

Liu Bei laughed: "If he does this, it proves that he is really weak-hearted, and if he is weak-hearted, he has no courage, and we will achieve an easy victory." ”