Hepu County, Jiaozhou

Now it can be said that Liu Bei is the center of his power, after striking out with the imperial court, Liu Bei began to develop southward, constantly migrating from Jingnan to increase the proportion of Han people in Jiaozhou. After several years of development, with the wide spread of Han culture, Jiaozhou has changed the original barbarian style, and Han people who speak Han can be seen everywhere.

Most of the people who came to Jiaozhou with Liu Bei have accepted their fate and made Jiaozhou their second hometown with peace of mind. But there are also people who are unwilling, some choose to resign from Liu Bei, return to their hometown and join the arms of the imperial court, and some are in a stage where it is difficult to choose.

Among them, Zhuge Liang is the latter type of person. Zhuge Liang's character is still good, and he was not dissatisfied because Liu Bei took them to Jiaozhou to "open up wasteland", but he hoped that Liu Bei's coming to Jiaozhou was just an expedient measure, and he would have to return to the Central Plains sooner or later in the future. But Liu Bei's performance disappointed Zhuge Liang, and the attitude of intending to take root in Jiaozhou made Zhuge Liang very worried that he might not be able to bury his homeland in his lifetime.

Zhuge Liang still has some racial discrimination in his bones. This is normal, the Han Dynasty was in the stage of cultural export at that time, and the various ethnic cultures around it were not comparable to the Han culture. This also leads to the fact that in the eyes of many Han people, the aliens living around them are savages who do not know the etiquette.

The rich look down on the poor, and the smart look down on the stupid, this is a common phenomenon in society, although this kind of discrimination itself is not right, but this phenomenon originates from the inferior nature of human beings compared with each other, so it is basically difficult to eliminate.

Jiaozhou has developed and prospered little by little under his own governance, and he has won the respect of the people around him, but Zhuge Liang still has a little regret in his heart. Especially after a bath, when he saw his own reflection in the water, Zhuge Liang almost didn't recognize that the reflection in the water would be himself.

With dark skin and a mouthful of small white teeth, is this still the suave Mr. Wolong back then? Regarding the changes in his appearance, Zhuge Liang knew in his heart. At the beginning, in order to govern Jiaozhou, I ran around and stayed in the wild all day long, so I couldn't let the sun tan. It's not just that Zhuge Liang is very different from back then, everyone who followed Liu Bei to Jiaozhou, except for Zhang Fei, if anyone else meets an old friend in the past, they will not be easily recognized.

The reason why Zhang Fei doesn't care about his appearance is not that he has given up the pursuit of beauty, but because he was born black, when the three brothers were together, Liu Beibai, Guan Yuhong, Zhang Feihei, these three faces can attract the attention of others no matter where they appear. But now in Jiaozhou, Liu Bei's little white face has also become a little black, Zhang Fei is very happy about this, and no one says that he looks black.

The change in appearance is still secondary, what really worries Zhuge Liang is that Liu Bei seems to have lost his enterprising spirit, and now he only has the idea of wanting to hold on to Jiaozhou, which is a third of an acre, and be a soil emperor.

Maybe it is Liu Bei's wish to be a prince of one side, but this is by no means Zhuge Liang's. Zhuge Liang was arrogant, and chose to assist Liu Bei back then, firstly, he was moved by the sincerity shown by Liu Bei at that time, and secondly, he had the intention to try it out with Sima Yi, who had taken refuge in the imperial court.

A natural enemy and a fateful rival, Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi are like cats and dogs who can't get along, staying together and fighting. When he chose Liu Bei, it was because Liu Bei had the ambition to replace the Han Dynasty, and that was precisely where Zhuge Liang proved that he was stronger than Sima Yi.

didn't expect Liu Bei to have stamina but no stamina, and after the failure of the three-point world plan, that enterprising spirit seemed to disappear. Especially after Guan Yu's death, Liu Bei became even more timid. Jingnan's strength is not good, and the steady development strategy is not suitable for Liu Bei at all, and only by winning by surprise can he have a chance to turn defeat into victory. But Liu Bei refused to listen to Zhuge Liang's correct opinion, and Zhuge Liang couldn't abandon Liu Bei because of this.

"Military division, military division......" Just when Zhuge Liang was thinking about how to rekindle Liu Bei's ambitions, Zhang Fei's loud voice came from outside.

"Why are the three generals yelling?" Zhuge Liang frowned lightly and asked Zhang Feidao, who broke in.

"Don't ask, come with my old man." Zhang Fei seemed to be in a hurry, grabbed Zhuge Liang's arm as he spoke, and dragged him out.

Zhuge Liang was dragged out, and asked as he walked, "Third general, what happened?" ”

"Hey~ Didn't we send someone to explore the big island opposite Zhuya County a few days ago, but the person sent fled back, saying that there were natives living on the big island opposite. After the eldest brother found out, he planned to lead the army to recruit in person, didn't I ask you to join me to persuade him. Zhang Fei explained as he walked.

The big island opposite Zhuya County that Zhang Fei said was Hainan Island in later generations. After Liu Bei stabilized Jiaozhou, he set his sights on the big island. Some time ago, a scout team of 100 people was sent to cross the sea by boat to explore the way, but today they escaped back with two survivors, saying that they had encountered an ambush on the island, and the two of them escaped alive. It was also their fate, and they were chased by the natives on the island and jumped into the sea with a log, and just floated back here.

Liu Bei is not afraid of natives, those barbarians who used to live in the dense forests in Jiaozhou have already let him conquer by force, and there are only some islanders, what can he do? After hearing about this, he planned to take command of the expedition himself. However, Zhang Fei heard from the two people who fled back that the natives on the island were good at using poison, and Liu Bei was in trouble, so he persuaded Liu Bei to send a general to lead the troops, and he could not take the risk himself. It's just that Liu Bei didn't listen, and Zhang Fei had no choice but to come to Zhuge Liang to persuade Liu Bei to give up the original plan.

Zhuge Liang understood the cause and effect of the matter, and his brows couldn't help frowning even tighter. To be honest, he didn't want to persuade Liu Bei at all. At this time, Liu Bei was no longer the indomitable Liu Bei in Zhuge Liang's impression, and Zhuge Liang just didn't say anything to anyone about Liu Bei's disappointment.

"Third general, since the lord insists on going, let him go, why should you and I persuade him." Zhuge Liang stood still and refused to leave, and opened his mouth to Zhang Feidao.

“…… Strategist, how do you say such things? Zhang Fei looked at Zhuge Liang with some surprise and asked.

"Third general, even if I go with you to persuade you, if the lord doesn't listen, what are you going to do then?"

"Uh......"

"He is the lord, he is your brother, can the three generals still forcibly not allow the lord to go? Instead of wasting time on persuasion, it is better to arrange in advance the person responsible for protecting the lord, and there is a candidate for the three generals? ”

"This ...... I plan to accompany me personally. Zhang Fei thought for a moment and replied.

"No." Zhuge Liang shook his head when he heard this, and explained: "Three generals, although this Jiaozhou is now occupied by the lord, the people's hearts have not yet been attached, and the general is still needed to sit in the town, so as not to make trouble." ”

Zhuge Liang said this is very reasonable, Jiaozhou was the territory of the Shi family before Liu Bei's arrival. After Liu Bei led his troops to come, the Shi family naturally refused to give up, and the two sides fought several battles, all of which ended in a fiasco for the Shi family. After successive failures, the Shi family also turned their resistance from light to dark, taking advantage of the painstaking management of the Shi family in Jiaozhou over the years, and hiding in the dark to deal with the powerful Liu Bei. Although Liu Bei's dominance in Jiaozhou could not be shaken, there was always a fly buzzing around him, and from time to time it landed on his body and jumped twice. Although it won't cause any harm, it's enough to make people feel disturbed.

The specialty of Hepu County is Hepu Zhu, which is also one of Liu Bei's financial resources. Of course, it's not just pearls that are seductive, pearl divers are also seductive. Although Liu Bei is not a human trafficker and will not sell pearl divers in exchange for gold and silver, the problem is that some people have not resisted the temptation of huge profits, and often secretly take pearl divers and sell them to the Central Plains for others to enjoy.

Liu Bei has always been ruthless in the fight against human traffickers, killing one when he catches one, but even so, there are still people who will take risks for the sake of rich returns. In order to deter those Xiaoxiao, Liu Bei transferred Zhang Fei to Hepu, and as long as this fierce general is in Hepu for a day, those Xiaoxiao will not dare to act rashly for a day.

However, blocking people's financial path is like killing their parents, Liu Bei caused some people to lose their financial way, and those people are naturally dissatisfied with Liu Bei, as long as they have the opportunity, they always want to cause some trouble.

Respect is not the same as obedience, with his own ingenuity, Zhuge Liang has won the respect of many people in Jiaozhou, but what Zhuge Liang said will never be as deterrent as what Zhang Fei said. The more backward and barbaric the place, the more people advocate force, and wisdom can only be willing to be the foil of martial bravery, and can never become the leader.

"Then you can find a way to persuade my brother with me to dispel the plan to take command himself." Zhang Fei couldn't think of the best of both worlds, so he simply pushed the problem to Zhuge Liang. And what Zhuge Liang wanted was Zhang Fei's cooperation, and when he heard this, he immediately said: "It's not impossible to convince the lord, but you need the cooperation of the three generals." ”

"Oh, Strategist, you had an idea to say earlier, why do you have to go around in circles? What's the idea? When Zhang Fei heard this, he agreed to Zhuge Liang's conditions without hesitation.

"The three generals came over with their ears."

……

"Big brother, big brother, it's not good, Jingnan Li Zhengfang ordered someone to come and report the emergency." Zhang Fei was sweating profusely, rushed into Liu Bei's residence and opened his mouth and shouted.

"What? Yide, Hugh is going to talk nonsense, what the hell is going on? Liu Bei was taken aback when he heard this, and hurriedly asked.

"Big brother, there is an urgent report from Li Zhengfang, saying that there is an abnormal movement in the Jiangling Navy and that troops are being dispatched, asking us to send reinforcements quickly to deal with all changes."

"Show me." Liu Bei stretched out his hand to Zhang Fei and said. Zhang Fei hurriedly sent the urgent letter that Zhuge Liang had just finished writing not long ago to Liu Bei.

Liu Bei took it and looked at it carefully, he never dreamed that his henchmen and the sworn brotherhood would join forces to deceive him. After reading the urgent letter, he didn't doubt the authenticity at all, but when Zhang Fei urged Liu Bei again to make a decision to send people to rescue Jingnan, Liu Bei did not answer immediately, but was silent for a moment before asking Zhang Fei: "Yide, do you say this Jiaozhou is good?" ”

"......" Zhang Fei didn't expect Liu Bei to suddenly ask such a question, and couldn't help but be stunned for a while, and then reacted when Liu Bei asked again, and asked Liu Bei tentatively: "Big brother, aren't you going to ask for Jingnan?" ”

“…… Yide, Jingnan and Jingbei are one, as long as Jingnan is in our hands for a day, the court will not be at ease with me for a day. ”

"Big brother! What about the vows you and my three brothers made back then? Zhang Fei's face was a little ugly, and his already black face was a little black and translucent at this time.

“…… Yide, you and I are not young anymore, as soon as Yun Chang is gone, half of my life will be lost, and the ambition of the year ...... Alas~" Liu Bei sighed at the end.

"Big brother, although the second brother is gone, I am still here. And it is precisely because the second brother is no longer there that you and my brother can't give up easily, otherwise if we meet the second brother under Jiuquan in the future, how will you and I talk to the second brother. ”

“…… Yide has a point. In this case, who do you think should be sent to lead the troops to save Jingnan? ”

"This, what does my brother think of Shamoko?" Zhang Fei asked tentatively when he heard this.

The lack of talent is Liu Bei's biggest headache at this time, and after seizing Jingnan back then, he can still win the support of some families, and the children of those families can also be used by Liu Bei. But as Liu Bei shifted the focus of development to the south, those families who supported Liu Bei at the beginning also began to disobey Liu Beiyang. Jiaozhou is far away from the Central Plains, and the family is unwilling to go to this barbarian place to develop, although there are more opportunities here, but it will also be alienated from the Central Plains family and become a barbarian in the eyes of others.

The lack of talents in governance is not the most serious problem, the key is the scarcity of talents, and this problem has been plaguing Liu Bei. Successive defeats led to Liu Bei's subordinates, except for Zhang Fei and Li Yan, who can be called generals, and the rest of the people were not to worry. Bao Long and Chen Ying have been promoted to become the second generals beside Liu Bei, and they are not worthy of the big task, while Sha Moke and Xing Daorong only have the courage of a horseman, and it is appropriate to charge into battle, and the leader of the troops is to kill them. In the second generation of generals, Zhang Fei's eldest son Zhang Bao and Guan Yu's second son Guan Xing were not yet adults at this time, so naturally they could not come in handy.

The lack of green and yellow is the current situation of Liu Beijun. In the process of attacking Jiaozhou, Liu Bei also took some barbarians with excellent martial arts for his own use, but in order to avoid leaving future troubles, plus the role that those barbarians can play is similar to that of Shamoke and Xing Daorong, Liu Bei did not consider these people.

Hearing Zhang Fei's proposal to Shamoke, Liu Bei's brows couldn't help frowning, Zhang Fei also knew that the candidate he proposed was not very suitable, but he could ask him to recommend others, and he really couldn't think of anyone else who could recommend it.

"Big brother, do you want to ask the military advisor?" Zhang Fei cautiously proposed.

"Hmm...... Hurry up and invite the military advisor to come. Liu Bei nodded, agreeing to Zhang Fei's proposal.

Not long after, Zhuge Liang appeared in front of Liu Bei with his feather fan, Liu Bei was also accustomed to Zhuge Liang's usual style, and asked Zhuge Liang to sit down disapprovingly, and then talked about business. It's just that what Liu Bei said was that Zhuge Liang and Zhang Fei conspired in advance, and there was no such thing as an urgent letter at all. Zhang Fei wanted to use this matter to divert Liu Bei's attention and prevent Liu Bei from taking the risk himself, while Zhuge Liang wanted to take this opportunity to test Liu Bei's attitude towards Jing Nan.

"Strategist, I wonder if you have a suitable candidate?"

"......" looked at Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang was silent for a moment before he opened his mouth and asked Liu Bei: "Does the lord know how to pet?" ”

"To the pet? Where did this person come from? ”

"This man is the son of Xiang Lang's brother, now twenty years old, quite brave, and more importantly, proficient in strategy, good at leading troops. If the lord asks who can lead troops to rescue Jingnan, Liang recommends this person. ”

"I wonder where this person is now?"

"Right now, I'm serving as Ryo's personal guard. But the lord, Liang still has a question, ask the lord to solve Liang's doubts. ”

“…… Strategist, please speak clearly. ”

“…… Dare to ask the lord, does the ambition of the past still exist today? ”

Liu Bei was stunned when he heard this, he didn't expect Zhuge Liang to suddenly ask about this. Seeing Zhuge Liang looking at him with a serious face, Liu Bei subconsciously understood that this question must be answered well, and he can't talk casually like he did with his third brother Yide.

"Why did the military advisor say this? Naturally, I never forgot it. Liu Bei replied to Zhuge Liang with a straight face.

"That being the case, then why is your lord sitting in this Jiaozhou and not thinking of making progress."

"Military advisor, you must know that you still need to be hard to strike iron, and our own strength is not good, and it is difficult to fight against the imperial court, so we have to take Jiaozhou as the foundation to recuperate, and when the sky changes, I will wave the army to the north and fulfill my long-cherished wish."

"When does the lord think the sky will change?" Zhuge Liang asked again.

"Uh...... This one...... Just be patient, you will always wait. Liu Bei didn't dare to make a premature conclusion on this issue, so he could only prevaricate.

Zhuge Liang is very intelligent, good at observing words and feelings, and when he saw Liu Bei's eyes flashing, he had the answer in his heart. It's a disappointing answer, but it's an answer.

"Strategist, right now, it's just that you and I are unlucky, as long as we persevere, there will always be a time when we can see the bright moon." Seeing that Zhuge Liang was silent, Liu Bei, who was uneasy, couldn't help but have nothing to say.

“…… The lord, Liang lied about the military situation, and asked the lord to punish him. Zhuge Liang suddenly bowed to Liu Bei Shen and asked for sin.

"Strategist...... Well? What does this mean? Liu Bei wanted to persuade Zhuge Liang a few more words, but when he suddenly heard this, he couldn't help but ask.

"There is no urgent letter, and there is no change in the Jiangling Navy Army, this matter is just Liang wants to test the mind of the lord." Zhuge Liang was honest at this time, but his honesty made Liu Bei angry enough, pointing at Zhuge Liang for a long time without speaking. Zhang Fei on the side looked at Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang worriedly, and was ready to persuade him for a while.

"You, hello......" Liu Bei pointed to Zhuge Liang's nose and said.

"The lord forgives the sins, Liang just wants to know if the lord really wants to settle down in Jiaozhou from now on." Zhuge Liang was unmoved, and said in a calm tone.

"You, you, step aside!" Liu Bei flicked his sleeves fiercely and shouted angrily.

"Lord ......"

Without waiting for Zhuge Liang to finish speaking, Liu Bei angrily ordered Zhang Fei on the side: "Yide! Drag him down and lock him up! No one is allowed to visit without my permission! ”

Zhang Fei was also afraid that Zhuge Liang would say anything to anger Liu Bei at this time, so he really didn't dare to guarantee that Liu Bei would be so angry that he would kill Zhuge Liang with a sword. After Liu Bei's order, Zhang Fei immediately rushed to Zhuge Liang's face, covered Zhuge Liang's mouth with one hand, hugged Zhuge Liang's waist with the other, and directly took the person down.