Chapter 20 7. The Knot Hidden in My Heart

Now let’s go back to the topic, putting aside the external factors of the strategists, we can see the difference between Liu Bang and Xiang Yu just by looking at their practices.That is, their understanding and grasp of the current situation are different, or in other words, their ideals are different.Liu Bang thinks more about the overall situation, and Xiang Yu thinks more about himself; Liu Bang has the demeanor of a king, and Xiang Yu has a strong color of humanity. It should be said that both of them have lofty ambitions. Xiang Yu may not be as ambitious as Liu Bang, but he also wants to be the overlord of Western Chu who commands the world.Xiang Yu's ambition has actually been realized. The main force of the Qin army was wiped out, and the princes from all walks of life followed suit. They also occupied Guanzhong, killed Prince Qin Ying, and burned the Xianyang Palace, which symbolized the imperial power of the Qin Dynasty.So he was very satisfied, so he didn't want to stay in Guanzhong, so he didn't listen to Han Sheng's advice.

Liu Bang wanted to enter Guanzhong wholeheartedly, and wanted to become the king of Guanzhong who dominated one side according to the agreement of King Chu Xiongxin.This goal is very clear, and he is very eager. At that time, Liu Bang's entry into the customs was not smooth, especially when he encountered obstacles in Chenliu, and his future was uncertain. Therefore, he would listen to any suggestions that would help him enter the customs. This ideal and belief would make him ignore some things. Small details - such as Li Shiqi's attitude towards him, so that he can listen to other people's opinions.

These two things played a vital role in both sides. Liu Bang was able to enter the customs smoothly in the end. Although listening to Li Shiqi's opinion was not the key reason, its role was obvious.However, Xiang Yu did not enter Guanzhong and stayed away from Liu Bang since then, which gave Liu Bang a chance.For Liu Bang, leaving Xiang Yu's sight range is equivalent to being far away from the emperor, and it is easier to develop power. Some people say that Xiang Yu made a strategic mistake and did not realize the strategic significance of Guanzhong, or what would happen if Xiang Yu occupied Guanzhong.I think it's just talk on paper and hindsight.Guanzhong has a geographical advantage. I don’t deny this, but it’s not so necessary. The Qin Dynasty made Guanzhong the capital. Wasn’t it defeated by Liu Bang with a small number of troops?It can be seen that Qinchuan at eight hundred miles is not a myth of strong defense. After the Tang Dynasty, I have never heard of any other dynasty that established Guanzhong as its capital. Wouldn't it still win the world?So what strategy is not strategic, it is all nonsense behind closed doors, just like some military experts talk with eloquence when analyzing the international situation. Standing up and talking does not hurt your back, and you don’t have to bear any responsibility. You let him command the war and try it. Definitely fucked.The war is changing rapidly, and the terrain and geography can only be regarded as an external factor. During the liberation war, Chiang Kai-shek possessed the natural danger of the Yangtze River, which he claimed was impenetrable. Wouldn't he be rushed to the beach and landed by my heroic People's Liberation Army?And the Dadu River, which was a dangerous place on the Long March, was not taken by our Red Army in the same way?

Xiang Yu's mistake actually lies in his heart. He is overconfident. If he thinks his idea is correct and others cannot give him a convincing argument, he will be stubborn and go all the way to the dark side.Xiang Yu's final defeat to Liu Bang was also due to this self-confidence.Xiang Yu didn't take Liu Bang seriously at all, so he would cede Hanzhong to Liu Bang later, and he could even defeat the brave and powerful Zhang Han, let alone the fledgling Liu Bang?This is not to underestimate or ignore Liu Bang, but another form of self-confidence.Xiang Yu did not pay attention to the princes of the world, so he would not settle in Guanzhong.It can be said that Xiang Yu's success stems from self-confidence, and failure also stems from self-confidence.

Corresponding to Xiang Yu is Liu Bang's lack of self-confidence. He is not confident in his own strategy, so he has to rely on others and external forces, so many capable people will join him, and his power will become stronger and stronger.In the end, he could also become confident, and finally sent 500,000 troops to compete with Xiang Yu.