Pang Tong leaned back a little, tapping his fingers slowly against the table like he was flipping through old memories one by one. At last he spoke in a steady, thoughtful voice, and you could just feel that faint hint of satisfaction peeking through now that even Zhuge Liang was listening properly.
"I know a bit about Cao Zihuan."
Zhuge Liang tilted his head, attentive.
"Before Cao Cao set out to conquer Zhang Xiu, he frequently took his sons along on his expeditions. In the second year of Jian'an, after Zhang Xiu first surrendered and then revolted, Cao Zixiu lost his life in the chaos. Cao Zihuan only managed to survive by fleeing on horseback."
Zhang Fei snorted immediately, unable to resist.
"Shiyuan, what do you mean first surrendered and then revolted? Did that Cao dog ever act like a decent human being? He brought that on himself!"
"Yide, enough," Liu Bei cut in, keeping the conversation from derailing. He gestured for Pang Tong to continue.
Pang Tong nodded.
"After Cao Zixiu died, Cao Zihuan was kept in Xuchang and raised there. From what Kongming told me earlier about his internal power struggles, this man has never truly seen battle. He does not understand warfare."
He paused, then lowered his voice slightly.
"Our lord marched alone to Yiling, but in the north there is no seasoned warlord like Cao Cao. Only a young emperor who lacks experience. If Sun Quan feigns submission and delays him, while court scholars flatter and confuse him, then this man will simply sit back and watch the fire burn across the river."
Zhang Fei blinked, then grinned.
"So, what you are saying, Shiyuan, is that this Cao Pi is nothing but a homebody tyrant who only knows how to act tough behind his own walls?"
The room went still for half a breath.
Then, one by one, heads nodded.
Yes. That was exactly it.
[Lightscreen]
[The brotherhood of Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei is known throughout the world.
In late October of 220, Cao Pi formally usurped the Han throne and proclaimed himself emperor. During a court assembly, a question was raised:
Would Liu Bei actually mobilize his entire nation to attack Wu simply to avenge the death of Guan Yu?
The ministers of Wei quickly reached a consensus:
Shu is but a small state. Their only general of renown was Guan Yu. With Guan Yu dead and his army shattered, the country is gripped by fear and sorrow. They have no reason to ever emerge again.]
Wei Yan's eyes filled with a trace of reverence. Though the servants of the Cao dog were insolent in their phrasing, they at least acknowledged the General's terrifying prowess.
A General of Renown indeed!
Zhang Fei, on the other hand, let out a dry laugh.
"Big Brother, it seems the treacherous ministers under that Cao dog are quite full of themselves."
Liu Bei said nothing for a moment, his gaze fixed and dazed upon the words Usurped the Han.
In the eyes of future generations, was this truly the moment the Latter Han ceased to exist?
He let out a soft scoff.
"To commit such an act of treason and yet lack the courage to admit it? To refer to the Han as Shu is nothing more than self-deception."
Guan Yu spoke calmly, voice steady as steel.
"When our brother leads troops to Xuchang, I will personally draw my blade and ask those officials. Are we Shu, or are we Han?"
[Lightscreen]
[Yet, in that court of unanimous voices, only Liu Ye stepped forward to disagree. This man understood Liu Bei's character very clearly.
First, he argued that Liu Bei was a man of iron will, stubborn, unyielding, and completely lacking in political flexibility.
This assessment was not wrong. After all, Liu Ye was a direct descendant of Emperor Guangwu, a true legitimate of the imperial bloodline.
His internal logic was likely: I, a legitimate imperial prince, have already bowed to the Mandate of Heaven and the new order. You, a distant relative whose connection is so thin it is practically invisible, what on earth are you putting your life on the line for?]
Liu Bei merely smiled faintly, no longer clinging to the title of Imperial Uncle. There was no anger, only a trace of regret.
"Ziyang has courage and insight. It is a pity he serves Cao."
Jiang Wan could not hold back.
"A descendant of the founding emperor serves a usurper, while our lord, who rose from nothing, performs the great works of Guangwu himself to restore the Han. Which side truly honors the dynasty?"
"Indeed, it does not compare," Zhuge Liang said calmly. "During the chaos in Yangzhou, Cao Cao did rescue him from the warring armies, so there is a debt of gratitude."
He paused, then added with firmness,
"However, as a member of the imperial clan, to abandon righteousness for personal debt is still unwise."
Zhang Fei waved his hand dismissively.
"Hey! The Cao family literally dug up his ancestors' graves right in front of him, and he still plays the loyal minister. What a fine minister indeed."
[Lightscreen]
[Liu Ye further analyzed Liu Bei's personality.
The more desperate Liu Bei's situation became, the more extreme his actions would be, in order to prove he still had control.
Second, the bond between Liu Bei and Guan Yu. Though nominally ruler and subject, their relationship was closer than father and son.
Now that Guan Yu had died, if Liu Bei did not take revenge, how could he face him?
Liu Ye understood Liu Bei completely.
Later, the famous Western Jin minister Fu Xuan analyzed Liu Ye with equal precision:
If a man of Liu Ye's brilliance and strategic wit possessed virtue and loyalty, he would be no different from the Great Sages.
In other words, he was calling Liu Ye a man who possessed a sage's brain but lacked both a heart of virtue and the soul of loyalty.
Yet, from another perspective, even such a renowned minister had to admit: Liu Ye's intellect was truly formidable.]
Zhang Fei scratched his head, completely baffled.
"Wait, is this guy praising him or insulting him? Why am I confused here?"
Zhuge Liang chuckled softly, waving his feather fan.
"Since ancient times, death comes to all, but a people without trust cannot stand. Loyalty, trust, and virtue are the foundations of one's existence. If these are entirely absent, what use is mere talent?"
"Ah, now that Kongming explains it, I get it!" Zhang Fei punched his palm. "This person is basically saying that Liu Ye does not even count as a human being, right? Hahaha! What a talent!"
Pang Tong, however, looked impressed.
"This Liu Ziyang truly has an eye for people. To predict our lord's move toward Yiling so accurately... But given the harshness of the historical judgment, I suspect Liu Ziyang did not meet a pleasant end."
[Lightscreen]
[Unlike strategists like Guo Jia or Kongming, who could secure a state with a single plan, Liu Ye is famous in history mainly because his brilliant strategies were never actually used.
The first example came after Cao Cao took Hanzhong. Liu Ye urged Cao Cao to keep pushing. He argued that since they had just won a major victory, they should take advantage of the chaos in Yizhou and march straight in. The people of Shu, he said, would surrender the moment they saw Wei banners.
He also warned Cao Cao that if they hesitated, Liu Bei would have time to stabilize the region. With Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng handling civil affairs, and Guan Yu and Zhang Fei leading the military, Shu would become impossible to conquer once they dug in behind their mountain defenses.
But Cao Cao made his famous decision: "I have already taken Longyou. I cannot reach for Yizhou just yet."]
Zhuge Liang shook his head slightly.
"One plan to secure the realm is an exaggeration. Without our lord's perseverance and the generals' sacrifices, even the Longzhong Plan would remain mere theory."
Zhang Fei suddenly remembered something.
"It was because our blue-eyed brother-in-law was busy trying to earn his title of Sun Shiwan, was it not? If Cao Cao had known about the Zhang Babai legend, he probably would have forced the attack on Yizhou anyway."
Guan Yu considered carefully before speaking.
"This strategy also reeks of being a paper general theory," Guan Yu remarked, carefully analyzing the terrain in his mind.
"Attacking Yizhou from the north allows one to use the Baoxie Road and waterways for supplies. However, entering the heart of Shu via the Jinniu Road is treacherous. Furthermore, Cao Cao had no surrendered Shu generals in his ranks and did not understand the geography. How could he possibly launch a lightning strike?"
Jiang Wan nodded decisively.
"His talent does not match our Strategist."
Both Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong nodded instinctively.
Then they paused, looked at each other, and slowly turned back to Jiang Wan with the exact same expression.
"Which Strategist were you referring to?"
[Lightscreen]
[The second example was the Battle of Yiling. Seven months after Liu Ye predicted in the Wei court that Liu Bei would move, the invasion began exactly as he said.
Facing the Shu Han offensive, Sun Wu did two things at once. On one hand, they prepared for war. On the other, they sent envoys to Wei, declaring themselves vassals.
Sun Quan actually surrendered. Well, on paper.
This was huge news. The Wei court officials lined up to congratulate Cao Pi. Even his father had never managed to make Sun Quan kneel.
But right in the middle of the celebration, Liu Ye showed up again.
He saw how happy Cao Pi was, so he picked his words carefully.
First, he pointed out that Sun Quan had a long history of rebelling against whoever was in charge. The only reason he would ever surrender was because he was scared. Liu Bei was attacking him, and Sun Quan was terrified that Wei would also strike from the north. So he offered a fake surrender to keep Wei off his back while he dealt with Shu.
Then Liu Ye laid out his real plan.
He argued that of the ten parts of the world, Cao Wei already controlled eight. Sun and Liu each held one.
Before, those two kept each other in check. That made them hard to defeat. But now they were fighting each other like dogs in a kennel. This was the perfect chance to unify the land.
No need for complicated schemes. Just gather the army and march straight into Jiangnan.
While Shu Han attacked Wu from one side, Wei could hit them from the other. Wu would collapse within ten days. And once Wu was gone, Shu would be left all alone. Wei could simply grind them down until they withered away.]