"How big a cow did the eldest brother brag for me, such courtesy, it's hard to explain if you don't have some skills."

After returning to the cabin and calming down a little, Zhuge Liang was still a little nervous.

Although Liu Bei personally greeted him from afar, there was a good reason - because Yuzhang and Guangling belonged to enclaves, and they were separated by hostile princes in between, it was very reasonable to provide escort in order to ensure safety, and it was not a blind show of goodwill.

But in any case, the naval army of thousands of people sailed up the Yangtze River for three days to greet them, which was really a big battle.

Fortunately, after entering the cabin, Liu Bei was not busy asking for advice. He has an old and spicy eye, and he can already see that Zhuge Liang doesn't want to owe favors to others, so he just relaxes one by one, and only chats about some irrelevant words to ease the atmosphere.

also asked Chen Zhi to fetch good wine, and talked about the past when Zhuge Jin helped him through the crisis, which seemed to be gracious to him.

Then he talked about his former nominal uncle Song Xin and Cao's performance as a guest in Yangzhou in the past few months, all of which were housework, trying to dilute the pressure in Zhuge Liang's heart a little.

Zhuge Liang finally adjusted his emotions completely, and then he spoke: "The general's ambition to serve the country and the heart of courtesy and virtuousness, Liang has heard a lot from his brother, and when I see it today, it is better than my brother's relay." I only hate Liang when he is young, and he asks the wrong general. ”

Liu Bei responded gently: "What Brother Ling and Ling Tang said, is it false? ”

Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "It's not vain, when Liang was young, he was indeed a little anxious, and his mother and brother also had a lot of expectations." But I heard that Kong Shaofu once said: When you are young, it may not be good to be big, and no matter how strong your wisdom is, it is limited to years and experience after all, and it is not a gift from God.

My brother often instructed me to 'hear the Tao in order and specialize in the arts', and I often took this as a warning. In recent years, he has specialized in it, but the small roads such as arithmetic financial management, astronomy and geography, and skillful water control are not of great use to Kuang Shi Jimin.

As for the general strategy of the world, the art of war, the knowledge of governing the country, and the formulation of policies and legislation, Liang really does not know anything, and these aspects are really inferior to his brother at present. ”

Zhuge Liang hurriedly emphasized that he and his eldest brother now belong to their respective states of "specialization in the art industry", and even if the eldest brother and stepmother originally said "ten times more than Jin", it was only ten times that of the areas of expertise that Zhuge Liang just mentioned.

In other areas that he didn't dare to say, let Liu Bei not expect too much, and tacitly acquiesce that he is not as good as Zhuge Jin, or at most a similar level.

However, after listening carefully to these words, Liu Bei was not only not disappointed, but became even more excited.

With his emotional intelligence, he originally guessed that Zhuge Liang could not really be ten times more talented, and it was already good to be stronger than Zhuge Jin.

After all, the age is there, if after ten or eight years of training, it would not be surprising if he surpassed Zhuge Jin in an all-round way, or even several times.

But after listening to Zhuge Liang's personal admission just now, it is obvious that he is already confident in some aspects, and now he is stronger than his eldest brother.

Then Liu Bei must use his strengths, and ask for more advice in these fields in the past few years.

As for other areas that are not good at, just avoid them, Liu Bei is not completely unavailable, and he has to consult the Zhuge family for everything.

"There is a precedence in hearing the Tao, and there is a specialization in the art industry...... said it well, it really looked like Ziyu said it. Liu Bei praised sincerely, and then followed the other party's words.

"In this case, in the future, I will have to consult more Mr. in arithmetic and financial management, water control and other aspects. However, Ziyu sent Mr. here this time, it should not be just for his appointment with Chen Changwen, right? Can there be another teaching? ”

Zhuge Liang saw that the other party had adjusted his originally high expectations, so he completely relaxed and entered the rhythm of normal communication.

He immediately remembered his eldest brother's entrustment, turned around and took out a sealed bamboo tube from the cabin cabinet, opened the seal with a knife, and handed it to Liu Bei: "This is a handwritten letter from my brother, and some confidential matters are discussed with the general." ”

Liu Bei took it, took out the letter written on silk paper from the bamboo tube, and looked at it briefly.

Of course, Zhuge Jin wrote very simple in the letter, just mentioning the outline of the follow-up plan. And those details that might cause Liu Bei's moral hesitation were not said, and it was completely up to his younger brother to relay them.

Liu Bei glanced at it and was slightly surprised: "Ziyu persuaded me to further marry Liu Xuan?" Persuade him to leave Dantu Gu County and move to another place, not to compete with Sun Ce for a day? Why is that? ”

Zhuge Liang explained: "In my brother's letter, there are some words that have not been written - I don't know if the general knows who Xu Shao and Xu Zi will be?" ”

Liu Bei blurted out: "Xu Shao, Xu Zijiang? Who in the world doesn't know who doesn't know, isn't it the person who did the Yuedan Commentary back then, saying that Cao Cao was 'a capable minister who ruled the world and a traitor in troubled times'. ”

Zhuge Liang: "Xu Zijiang died in Yuzhang last year, and it can be said that he died indirectly at the hands of Zhenrong, he was friendly with Liu Xuan and Zhu Hao, and went south to avoid disaster together. After Zhu Hao was killed by Zhen Rong, Xu Zijiang was also placed under house arrest and then died of poverty and illness.

Before he died, he hated Zhu Hao and Liu Miao for having no eyes, luring wolves into the house, drinking water to quench thirst, and the world was unwise. So my brother thinks that Liu Miao may not be able to stay in his position for a long time - this day Yangzhou is also a general, how can the general care? ”

Liu Bei's face turned red unnaturally, and then he seemed to be ashamed, and finally the heavens and men fought, and sighed:

"But Liu Zhengli is also a relative of the Han family, and he is prepared to endure and seize the foundation of the same clan. If he himself is incompetent and dies at the hands of Sun Ce, he will not be destroyed by me. It is understandable that I will support the Han family again and attack Sun Ce, who is rebellious, to avenge him. ”

Zhuge Liang had never been in contact with Liu Bei, so he still had some reservations in his words, and the two of them were in a process of testing and familiarizing themselves with each other's character and tolerance.

Hearing this, Zhuge Liang roughly understood the other party's scale: he is not a pedantic person, but he does have a limit, and he can't bear to directly take the foundation of the same sect. But if the same sect is destroyed by a foreign enemy, he can still take revenge......

It sounds like it has been deeply influenced by the big brother's preach in Xu Du last year, "It is not advisable to take it directly, it will not last long, but it is advisable to defend itself and be a bounty hunter." Gaozu avenged the righteous emperor, and he won the world without flaws".

In Yangzhou, there may be another tripartite bureau of Emperor Liu Xiangyi, Liu Bei is Liu, Sun Ce is Xiang, and Liu Miao is Emperor Yi.

Perhaps the whole world can be summed up by the tripartite model of "the original orthodox, the usurper, and the rebel reaper" with layers of large traps and small circles.

However, Zhuge Liang is also keenly aware that Liu Bei's application of his eldest brother's theory is still a bit blunt, and he can't let go.

At this time, he needs the help of his younger brother: "The general is benevolent, if Liu Miao learns about it, he will be ashamed and embarrassed." But my brother and I did not persuade the general to seize the inheritance of the same sect, but expected that he would be shameless to serve as the pastor of Yangzhou again after a long time, and perhaps he would resign on his own when he died, what does this have to do with the general?

If the general doesn't believe it, he will not return like this, and go to Dantu County by the way to meet with Liu Miao and Captain Taishi. In this way, it also just conceals the general's true intention to welcome the 300 miles with a naval army. It will not spread to Cao Cao's ears in the future, causing him to have more suspicions about the relationship between the general and our Zhuge family. ”

Liu Bei is still a little afraid of "self-defeating" in his heart, he thinks that Liu Xuan's current situation may be destroyed by himself in a short time, if he intervenes, what if the other party can't die?

However, the Zhuge brothers have talked about this, they have no friendship with Liu Xuan, it is impossible for Liu Xuan's good, in view of Ziyu's credit that has helped him save the day many times, Liu Bei also accepted it calmly.

"That being the case, when I return to the south of the Yangtze River, I will meet Liu Zhengli in person for a while." Liu Bei finally made a decision.

……

In the next two days, the fleet sailed down the river and sailed safely along the Yangtze River for more than 200 miles, turning along the way to Dantu County, which was later near the Zhenjiang River.

As mentioned earlier, since Danyang County was occupied by Sun Ce, there was no foothold for Liu Xuan around Nanjing in later generations, and he only had this last Dantu County left.

Originally, in history, when Dantu County couldn't hold on, Liu Miao almost took Tai Shici and a few henchmen to flee against the Yangtze River, wanting to contact Zulang in the name of Yangzhou Mu, and then destroy Zhenrong, and then occupy the six counties in the south of Danyang and Yuzhang as a base, and then resist Sun Ce.

It's just that Liu Miao didn't live to that time, and in the original history, after he finished fighting Zhenrong, he was also seriously ill and died, so the follow-up task was undertaken by Tai Shici alone.

In this life, Zhuge Xuan's butterfly effect can be regarded as a halfway kill in advance, cutting off Liu Xuan's luck of trying to make a second comeback. The Zhuge family took all the credit for Yuzhang's merit, and the Zhuge family received all the orders, and the follow-up plan to fight Zulang and get the springboard for the second counterattack against Sun Ce, the Zhuge family also had to grab it.

Therefore, if the Zhuge family did not invite him, when Liu Xuan was defeated this time, he was afraid that he would die on the spot in the city, and there would be nowhere to return - unless he dared to sail and sail along the coastline to join Wang Lang, who was still loyal to Yangzhou Mu.

And Zhuge Jin instructed his younger brother to pry up this matter, it is nothing more than to see that Tai Shi Ci is loyal and righteous, and Liu Miao Tai Shi Ci has thousands of henchmen under his command after all, and there are still some talent teams that can be accepted, plus it is expected that Liu Miao will not live long, so he will make a good fate in advance.

In this way, the day of Liu Miao's death was the time when Liu Miao's team completely switched to Liu Bei's allegiance.

On the fifth day of the third month, at noon.

Nearly 10,000 sailors, divided into more than 100 warships, came to the Yangtze River wharf outside the north gate of Dantu County. Liu Bei greeted Zhuge Liang this time, which can be regarded as another layer of cover.

The defenders of the city have been very tired, surrounded by three sides for more than half a year, if it were not for the Yangtze River in the north to enter and exit, I am afraid that the heart of the city army would have collapsed long ago.

Seeing the army coming, the officer guarding the gate was naturally very shocked and frightened, and immediately went to inform Tai Shici.

Tai Shici has also been very haggard recently, but he has worked tirelessly, and hurriedly rode his horse to the north gate and climbed the tower to look.

"General Zhengnan's banner? Could it be Xuande Gong? Back then, in Kong Beihai, he fought side by side with me to help Kong Beihai, and then helped Tao Gongzu, didn't he think that he would finally come to help us? Prepare a few warships and wait for me to go out of the water to meet the reconnaissance. After reading it, Tai Shi Ci immediately ordered.

"Captain, no! If that Sun Ce dog thief pretends to be the general of Zhengnan and earns you to get out of the city, how can it be good? The little school next to him was frightened and hurriedly persuaded him.

Tai Shi Ci waved his hand: "It doesn't matter, if the thief dares to approach my ship, but with my bow, it is easy to shoot with an arrow, and it is easy to get out." Prepare the ship! ”

Soon after, the jack gate of the Dantu North Water Gate was hoisted, and a brisk ship sailed out at a high speed, heading towards Liu Bei's boat.

Liu Bei was also frank, and directly bowed his hand at the bow of the boat: "Ziyi? Don't come unharmed! Although the foolish brother was forced by Yuan Shu, he was powerless to rescue. However, recently, he still divided his troops and pulled out Yunchang, leveled Yuzhang for the state pastor, and wanted to enter the six counties of Zulang.

Thinking that Brother Zhengli was still trapped in Dantu County, I was afraid that this place should not be kept for a long time, so I made a special trip to persuade Brother Zhengli to transfer to Yuzhang, and then make plans, and ask Ziyi to pass it on! ”

Tai Shici hadn't seen Liu Bei's face yet, so he listened to Liu Bei's voice first, then believed it a little and put down the bow and arrow in his hand.

After Liu Bei finished speaking and showed his face, Tai Shici hurriedly bowed respectfully across the boat:

"Xuande is righteous and rare. Back then, he saved Kong Beihai, then he saved Tao Gongzu, and now he saves my family envoy, it is Qi Zhi Lu Zhonglian, and he is not as good as it! Please follow me into the city, and I will introduce you to the envoy at the end. ”