Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Not only Lu Bu, but the other tied generals also cursed Chen Qun, Wei Xu, Hou Cheng and Song Xian. The words were so harsh that Zhang Fei, who was listening, grimaced.

In particular, Wei Xu, who was close to Lu Bu, although his ability was mediocre, had a very high status in Zhao State and was quite trusted by Lu Bu. Even the army that had returned to Xingyang was handed over to Wei Xu for settlement.

It was precisely because Lu Bu ignored military and political affairs that Wei Xu, who held actual military power in the city, rebelled, which led to the instant change of ownership of Xingyang City, which still had more than 15,000 defenders.

Chen Qun, Wei Xu, Hou Cheng and Song Xian, who knew they were in the wrong, basically said nothing and let Lu Bu and others curse them.

"enough!"

Until Chen Gong couldn't bear it anymore and couldn't help but speak.

"Your Majesty, you have been alienated from your generals before. Did you expect this? Now that it has come to this, I will die. What is the point of saying anything else?"

After hearing these words, Lu Bu fell silent.

Li Ji heard several different meanings from it and asked.

"It sounds like Gongtai is still a little dissatisfied with what he said?"

"Humph!"

Chen Gong raised his head slightly and spoke. "I just hate that this person didn't listen to me, was impulsive and reckless, and trusted the traitor Chen Qun. Otherwise, how could this happen?"

At this point, even though Chen Gong was so disheartened that he had closed the door to visitors and stayed in bed for several days, he still couldn't let it go completely.

In Chen Gong's view, he had planned a good chess game for Lu Bu, occupying Sili, supporting the emperor, and controlling the court, and accumulating strength to go out and sweep across the Central Plains. However, in the end, Lu Bu overturned his chessboard.

What made Chen Gong most desperate was that Lu Bu believed the words of Chen Qun, who was selfish, and could not withstand the blow of defeat, so he became depressed and showed no qualities that would make him a leader.

After hearing this, Li Ji became interested and asked, "So, even if Lu Bu is trapped in this isolated city of Xingyang, Gongtai still has a clever plan to use?"

"Naturally there is."

Chen Gong's tone seemed calm, but in fact he answered with some reluctance.

Li Ji said, "Please don't reveal the answer, Gongtai. Let me guess what Gongtai's trick is."

"Please don't let Zikun delay my departure."

Chen Gong answered calmly, not thinking that Li Ji could guess the brilliant plan he had thought of all night in a short time.

"Just give it a try, just for fun..."

As Li Ji answered, he put himself in Chen Gong's position and began to think. After a brief pause, he slowly began to analyze.

"Looking at the world today, there are not many places where Lü Bu can make a comeback and temporarily avoid the threat of the Han army. They are nothing more than Youzhou, Bingzhou, Liangzhou and the Western Regions Protectorate."

"Bingzhou is an important horse breeding area for Cao Cao. I'm afraid no matter what request is made, it will not be enough for Cao Cao to cede or lend it. Moreover, it is only separated from Sili by a river. Even though this is Lu Bu's hometown, it is still not appropriate."

"Take Youzhou? It's a bit far, and General Bai Ma is not an easy opponent..."

"As for Xiliang and the Western Regions Protectorate, there is no need to consider them. They are too cold and barren to be the foundation of a hegemony. More importantly, Lu Bu cannot even return to Luoyang, let alone go to Liangzhou and the Western Regions Protectorate."

Listening to Li Ji's unhurried analysis, Chen Gong appeared calm on the surface, but his heart was filled with turmoil.

This analysis was not much different from what Chen Gong had thought about. It was a little short, but it had already pointed out all the pros and cons. However, just analyzing was not enough. Chen Gong thought about it all night, and thought about the pros and cons of each place for a long time, and then compared them with each other, and finally concluded that going to Youzhou was the best choice.

But Li Ji just paused for a few breaths, a faint smile appeared on the corners of his mouth, and asked.

"I'd like to make a bold guess. Is Gongtai planning to persuade Lu Bu to borrow the passage of Jizhou from Cao Cao, lead his troops to attack Youzhou, seize Youzhou and rebuild his empire?"

At this moment, Chen Gong was completely stunned. He looked at Li Ji's faint smile with a dull look, but he felt inexplicably glaring, and a sense of frustration like a landslide instantly pressed down on him.

Li Ji could guess it, and Chen Gong believed it.

But what Chen Gong couldn't believe was that the result of his night's hard thinking was something that Li Ji came up with in just a few sips of tea.

After a long while, Chen Gong, with a gloomy face and a stuffy heart, sighed deeply and said.

"How unfair is the heaven? Since there are already great men and nobles in the world, why should we let others show our ugliness to others? We are not as skilled as others, and this fate may be destined. It is not the king's fault."

At the end of the conversation, Chen Gong felt somewhat relieved.

Perhaps, from the very beginning, Lu Bu's character and style had always been within Li Ji's calculations, and this seemingly good plan of his had actually been impossible to realize from the beginning.

It's just a castle in the air, so why is it surprising that it has no foundation?
"Gongtai, why do you have to be so self-deprecating? This plan is not bad, or even a very good one. If you meet a wise leader like Gou Jian and get the help of the time, you may have a chance to rebuild your hegemony."

Li Ji first comforted Chen Gong, and then spoke in a gentle voice.

"I have always wanted to serve as an official with Gongtai, and work together to ensure the people live and work in peace and contentment. In my spare time, I can also drink tea and drink with friends. Isn't that wonderful?"

Chen Gong shook his head and bowed slightly, saying, "In the next life, I will be friends with Zikun, not his enemy."

Li Ji sighed, and seeing that Chen Gong was determined, he stopped trying to persuade him. Instead, he asked his attendants to untie Chen Gong's ropes, and sent someone to serve him a cup of poisoned wine, then asked.

"I know that Gongtai has advised Lü Bu to be lenient to the people and has tried his best to mediate the conflict between Lü Bu and the emperor. He has made contributions to the Han Dynasty. I wonder if he has anything else to say?"

Chen Gong held the poisoned wine in his hand, slightly dazed. Then he knelt down facing the direction of Luoyang, kowtowed three times, and then spoke.

"I have been doing nothing in my life even in middle age. I first chose the wrong person, then I chose a master but failed to achieve anything. I am really incompetent. What I am most worried about now is my mother and my wife at home."

Li Ji replied. "My Lord is a benevolent man. He wants to build a world where the old, weak, lonely and widowed can have enough food and clothing. After Gongtai is gone, they will not be in trouble."

"That's good."

Chen Gong drank the poisoned wine in the cup with a relaxed look, then subconsciously straightened his clothes and suddenly laughed at himself.

"How can I face the emperor? How can I face my ancestors? I should cover my face with my hair."

Immediately afterwards, Chen Gong bowed politely to Li Ji and walked down the stairs at a leisurely pace.

"What a famous scholar."

Zhang Fei couldn't help but exclaim in admiration.

"What a pity, Gongtai still can't let go..."

Li Ji watched Chen Gong's back disappear with some reluctance, knowing that this was their last farewell. (End of this chapter)