Chapter 12 2. Zhuge Liang came out of the mountain

Zhuge Liang came to Liu Bei's side the previous year. This is another story familiar to the Chinese people: three visits to thatched cottages.This story is widely known because of Luo Guanzhong's novel, but unfortunately it is told by a novelist.The truth of history may not be so, or not quite so. So, what might be the truth? Before visiting the thatched cottage three times, Zhuge Liang had met Liu Bei. In the twelfth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao pacified the north.Knowing the situation clearly, Zhuge Liang decided that Jingzhou must be the next attack target. He also knew that Liu Biao could not be relied on. Only Liu Bei could save Jingzhou, so he went to see him from Longzhong.

Liu Bei didn't know Zhuge Liang well, and he didn't take this twenty-six-year-old young man seriously, even though he was 1.84 meters tall and had a very handsome appearance.But in the eyes of the forty-seven-year-old Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang is still a junior. That day may be Liu Bei's reception day, and many scholars came to the discussion.After talking, everyone dispersed, only Zhuge Liang stayed.Liu Bei didn't ask him what he wanted to say, just picked up a yak tail and started making handicrafts. Zhuge Liang said: Is this the general's ambition? Liu Bei said: What kind of talk is this!Let's just forget about our worries.

Zhuge Liang said: General, please measure it. How does Liu Zhennan (Liu Biao) compare with Cao Gong (Cao Cao)? Liu Bei said: "It's not as good as it is." Zhuge Liang asked again: "What about the general himself?" Liu Bei said: "It's not as good as it is." Zhuge Liang said: So, should we just wait for others to slaughter it? Only then did Liu Bei discover that Zhuge Liang was unusual, and Zhuge Liang also made suggestions for Liu Bei.His suggestion is to encourage the vagrants who flow into Jingzhou to develop production and register them in the register.Liu Bei followed his plan, and his strength really increased greatly.

But that was the end of the matter, and Zhuge Liang returned to Longzhong.He really became Liu Bei's right-hand man, probably after Sima Hui and Xu Shu strongly recommended him.Even so, Liu Bei still did not attach great importance to it. Liu Bei said to Xu Shu: Then invite him to come with one step! But Xu Shu said: Zhuge Kongming is a crouching dragon, how can he summon him casually?Let the general deign to visit him himself! Only then did Sangu thatched cottage come into existence. However, there is a problem here. Yes, isn't Zhuge Liang "you can see it, you can't bend it"?How could he take the initiative to meet Liu Bei?Since he has already met Liu Bei, why does Liu Bei still need to visit the thatched cottage?Are the above statements reliable?

reliable. In fact, it is entirely possible that Zhuge Liang went to see Liu Bei, because at that time, Jingzhou was about to rain and was in danger.With Zhuge Liang's heart on the world, he will never sit idly by.We can even speculate that it was his sense of responsibility that won Liu Bei's respect and trust from the very beginning. There is a circumstantial evidence for reference. It was also in Jingzhou, and at Liu Biao's banquet, Liu Bei once unceremoniously denounced a man named Xu Si (read as 4): the country is in crisis, the people are in dire straits, the emperor is lost, and someone is needed to share the country's worries.It is despicable to be called a scholar of the country, but not to worry about the country and the people, but only to ask for land and homes!

Of course Zhuge Liang is not Xu Si.As a person with lofty ideals who "compares himself to Guan Zhong and Le Yi every time", he takes the world as his own responsibility. Therefore, Zhuge Liang will go to see Liu Bei, and Liu Bei will go to see him. In fact, the Han Dynasty originally had a system of employing celebrities as officials (please refer to the eighth volume of the History of China, "Han Wu's Empire").Moreover, whether it is the recruitment of the emperor or the removal of states and counties, they are all courtesy appointments and cannot be summoned. Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu even encountered several obstacles.It is not surprising to look at the thatched cottage three times.

What's more, Liu Bei's visit to Zhuge Liang may not necessarily be a recruitment. This is evidenced by Zhuge Liang's own memories.Twenty-one years later, he once said: The first emperor did not regard his ministers as despicable, and he was in vain. It is very clear that when Zhuge Liang went to see Liu Bei, he was "making suggestions"; when Liu Bei went to see Zhuge Liang, he was "asking for opinions."The two talked speculatively, and then decided to cooperate.Therefore, when Zhuge Liang joined Liu Bei's army, he had no position at the beginning.It was after the Battle of Chibi that he served as a general in the army.

As for the words that moved Liu Bei, it was "Longzhong Dui". This was an extremely serious conversation, and both sides expressed their sincerity.In order to be serious, Liu Bei used the self-proclaimed "solitary".In the first year of Jian'an, he was granted the title of Tinghou of Yicheng, which can be called Gu. So Liu Bei was open and honest: the Han Dynasty was in ruins, treacherous ministers stole their lives, and the Lord was covered with dust.He is alone and overwhelmed, and he wants to bring justice to the world.However, the intellect is short and the setbacks have been setbacks, leaving only the ambition, and the husband thinks that the plan will be settled?

Zhuge Liang's countermeasures are extremely pragmatic. Zhuge Liang, who had already seen the current situation clearly, told Liu Bei that the current situation in the world is not that everyone is concerned about the Han Dynasty like a general, worrying about the master, but everyone is grabbing territory.Therefore, the top priority is to establish your own base.It's entirely possible.It is proof that Cao Cao eliminated Yuan Shao by defeating the strong with the weak. So, where can you consider? Obviously not in the North.Cao Cao "has a crowd of millions, coercing the emperor to command the princes, this is sincere and cannot compete with him."Neither is the east.Sun Quan has occupied Jiangdong for three generations, and he has both the land and the people, so he can only unite, not plot.

Those who can make up their minds are Jingzhou and Yizhou. Jingzhou has seven counties under its jurisdiction, leading hundreds of counties, and it is based on Hanmian (Han River, Mian River) in the north, benefiting from the South China Sea (Guangdong, Guangxi), connecting Wuhui (Jiangsu, Zhejiang) in the east, and Bashu (Chongqing, Sichuan) in the west. ), it can be called a "country of military use", and it happens that the master can't keep it, it's a godsend, it depends on whether the general wants it or not. The situation in Yizhou is similar.This place is a natural danger to the outside, but a paradise to the inside. Emperor Gao achieved his imperial career in Hanzhong, Yizhou.However, Liu Zhang in Chengdu is fatuous and weak, while Zhang Lu in Hanzhong has malicious intentions. Therefore, "a wise man thinks of a wise king", he just has to get it himself.

What if Jingzhou and Yizhou were taken down? Zhuge Liang said that as a general and emperor, with a reputation all over the world with faith and righteousness, and the appeal of heroes who are thirsty for talents, as long as the "Harmonize Zhu Rong in the west, caress the barbarians and Yue in the south, make good friends with Sun Quan outside, and cultivate political principles inside." "Policies, the cause can develop, the strength can grow, and it can remain invincible. As for the future, if the situation changes, the troops can be divided into two groups.One led by the general departed from Jingzhou and advanced to Luoyang via Wancheng; the other led by the general personally went north from Yizhou and arrived at Chang'an via Qinchuan.At that time, didn't the common people come to welcome them with wine and food? So Zhuge Liang said: If it is true, the hegemony can be achieved, and the Han Dynasty can prosper. After being so enlightened, Liu Bei suddenly became enlightened.He happily said to Guan Yu and Zhang Fei: I have Kong Ming, just like a fish has water! It's a pity that what Zhuge Liang did for Liu Bei was just a strategic plan. The real problem is that after Liu Bei and his party fled to Xiakou, Cao Cao did not let him go.In December, Cao Cao, who had raised his energy in Jiangling and prepared all the military supplies, led his army down the river to Baqiu (now Yueyang, Hunan).The purpose is clear: to eliminate Liu Bei. Liu Bei is in great trouble. At this critical moment, Zhuge Liang, who had no official position, stepped forward.He told Liu Bei that the situation is urgent!Please authorize me to go to Jiangdong for help. This is the correct decision, because only Sun Quan can save Liu Bei at this time.The problem is that Sun Quan and Cao Cao did not fall out, but with Jingzhou, they were feuds.At least, he can sit on the mountain and watch the tigers fight.Even if you can't reap the benefits of being a fisherman, you can't afford to come to this muddy water.Therefore, whether the two can form an alliance depends entirely on Sun Quan's attitude. So, what about Sun Quan's attitude?