With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Each person has a clay pot in front of them, with charcoal burning underneath, essentially making each person their own hot pot. Each person's table is also set with fresh vegetables, fruits, and various kinds of meat.

At this stage, the soup ingredients are relatively simple. Fortunately, Liu Xie doesn't have a strong palate, so a lighter flavor is better for his stomach.

Xun Yu, Jia Xu, and Zhuge Liang all found this way of eating novel.

After taking a few bites, Zhuge Liang praised, "Your Majesty, putting so many different ingredients together, I initially thought the flavors would mix, but unexpectedly, it tastes quite unique."

Liu Xie laughed and said, "Don't just focus on eating. You are all highly valued talents of mine. Quickly help me consider Cao Cao's idea. Should we lure Zhou Yu to Xichuan?"

Jia Xu quickly ate a piece of fish, smiled and nodded, "Your Majesty, according to my estimate, Jiangdong's military strength is only about 40,000 combat-ready soldiers. If Zhou Yu enters Sichuan, he may bring about 10,000 men in the early stages. However, we can appropriately increase the difficulty for Zhou Yu. In this way, Zhou Yu will be in a dilemma. He can only continue to reinforce his troops. Then, at least half of Jiangdong's military strength, or even more, will be deployed to Western Sichuan."

At this point, Jia Xu stopped speaking and looked at Liu Xie with a half-smile.

It's already quite clear: if Zhou Yu had committed half of Jiangdong's forces to Xichuan, or even more, then Jiangdong would have been finished.

Sun Quan also had to divide his troops to guard Jiangling, Jingnan, and his main base in Jiangdong. How could he possibly hold them all?

Xun Yu did not forget to say some good words for his nephew Xun You, saying, "Gongda said before that what Jiangdong needs most now is to consolidate its foundation, not to expand its territory. But now, Zhou Yu has first seized Jingnan, and now he has occupied Jiangling. He is also going to wage war against Xichuan. The temptations ahead are one after another. Jiangdong will be destroyed by Zhou Yu sooner or later."

Jia Xu scooped up a piece of mutton, ate it while it was still hot, smacked his lips for a long time, and then swallowed it.

After a while, he said, "We can't entirely blame Zhou Yu. Cao Cao and His Majesty are on good terms. Not to mention that he couldn't have imagined it, even we are still dreaming about it. Besides, Xichuan is right in front of us. How could Zhou Yu not be tempted by such a good opportunity? If he hesitates even slightly, I'm afraid the opportunity will be lost."

Liu Xie praised, "As long as Zhou Yu is brought to Xichuan, the forces of Jiangdong will suffer a heavy blow. Then, taking over Jiangdong will be just around the corner."

Good news kept coming from Liaodong, and a great opportunity was also presented to Jiangdong. Liu Xie was in a great mood, and everyone else smiled and ate with even greater enthusiasm.

As Zhuge Liang ate his hotpot, savoring each bite, he pondered deeply. After a while, a hint of worry crept onto his brow.

"Kongming, what are you thinking about?" Liu Xie noticed and asked curiously.

Zhuge Liang shook his head. "It's nothing. Perhaps I'm overthinking it."

Zhuge Liang also had a deep understanding of astrology and divination. His predictions were different from Liu Xie's. Liu Xie's predictions relied entirely on his advantage as a time traveler. He knew the plot in advance, which allowed him to accurately predict certain events, such as Yuan Shu's potential ascension to the throne.

But Zhuge Liang was indeed quite capable in this regard.

It was a rare and wonderful atmosphere for everyone to gather together, and Zhuge Liang couldn't bear to spoil it. Besides, he himself couldn't be 100% certain about his calculations.

After the banquet ended, Liu Xie kept Zhuge Liang behind alone.

Zhuge Liang said somewhat helplessly, "Your Majesty, there are some things I cannot be sure of. Even if you ask me, it would be difficult for me to give you a satisfactory answer."

Before Liu Xie could even speak, Zhuge Liang had already guessed what he wanted to ask.

Liu Xie smiled and said, "Between ruler and subject, we should speak our minds freely. I know you must have something to say to me."

Zhuge Liang nodded, his handsome brows furrowing slightly. "Your Majesty, I have previously predicted that a three-way power struggle would occur, although it did not last long."

Back then, Liu Bei visited Longzhong several times, hoping to invite Zhuge Liang to come down the mountain. He inquired about the general situation of the world, and Zhuge Liang did not hide anything from Liu Bei and told him.

At the time, Liu Bei did not believe it. In fact, Zhuge Liang had no evidence for such a mysterious matter.

"A three-way power struggle? Could it really happen? But Cao Cao has clearly reconciled with me!" Liu Xie was somewhat skeptical.

Cao Cao's family was all in Xuchang, right under his nose. After so many years and so much turmoil, Liu Xie believed that Cao Cao had exhausted himself.

Zhuge Liang smiled and said, "I suppose I've been overthinking things this time. I also hope that the world can be at peace soon. If Liaodong and Jiangdong can be pacified as soon as possible, the restoration of the Han Dynasty will be just around the corner."

…………

Jiangling!

"Gongjin, the lord has sent a letter."

On this day, Lu Su came to see Zhou Yu and said directly, "Our lord is very happy that we have captured Jiangling, but the Zhang Zhao family was killed right under our noses. This matter has indeed made our lord very worried. Our lord asked if you could go back and give him some advice to stabilize the people's hearts."

Zhou Yu paced back and forth in the room a few times, shook his head, and said, “Zijing, it’s not that I don’t want to go back, but now is the perfect opportunity to seize Xichuan. Cao Cao has no intention of fighting us. Look, even after losing Jiangling, he is still holding back his troops in Xiangyang. The imperial court is also reinforcing its troops in Xudu. The two sides are on the verge of war, and a major battle is about to break out.”

"Zhang Song of Xichuan has several friends who have long been dissatisfied with Liu Zhang and his son and want to make a name for themselves in this chaotic world. We can also rely on Liu Bei's strength. I am worried that if we miss this opportunity, we will never have another chance."

Zhou Yu's words were reasonable and well-founded, leaving Lu Su with no room for rebuttal. However, Lu Su, always composed, couldn't help but remind him, "Gongjin, what you say is indeed reasonable. However, we have now captured Jingnan and Jiangling, expanding our territory so much all at once. This is certainly a good thing, but it has also scattered our forces. We need to station troops in Jingnan, we need to station troops in Jiangling, and we will also need to send a large army to capture Xichuan. As a result, we will face the predicament of insufficient troops. Dividing our forces in multiple places is a major taboo in military strategy."

Zhou Yu said, “Zijing’s words make a lot of sense. In fact, after the Battle of Red Cliffs, we should have consolidated our foundation. However, Jiangdong is weak and isolated. To reverse this situation, we should know how to leverage our strengths and seize every opportunity we can.”

"Take Zhang Zhao's case as an example."

Zhou Yu analyzed, "The reason why the emperor insisted on making an example of him is naturally to kill one to warn a hundred. He wanted to use Zhang Zhao's death to deter others, thereby disrupting the foundation of Jiangdong and shaking the hearts of the people. Ultimately, it is because our strength is too weak that this kind of thing has happened. If the situation were reversed and we were strong, who could do anything to us?"

“However, sending troops to Xichuan is no small matter, and I’m afraid our lord will not agree to it.” Having just conquered Jingnan and Jiangling, Lu Su felt that Zhou Yu was moving too fast and needed to catch his breath and steady himself.

Zhou Yu smiled and said, “Fortune favors the bold. We are already weak, and if we want to turn the tide, we can only look for a good opportunity to win by surprise. And now, the opportunity is right in front of us. Of course, don’t worry, I don’t fight unprepared battles. I have already asked Zhang Song to write to his friend Meng Da and Fa Zheng. First, to find out about the situation in Xichuan so that we can know ourselves and our enemy. Second, to see if Meng Da and Fa Zheng can provide us with support. If we can cooperate from the inside and outside, taking Xichuan will be a piece of cake.”

As Zhou Yu spoke, he said to Lu Su earnestly, "Zijing, if we take Xichuan, not only will our territory double in size, but more importantly, our unfavorable situation will be completely reversed. We can launch a northern expedition from Xichuan to take Hanzhong and occupy Guanzhong; Jiangdong and Xichuan can also support each other, giving us an extra layer of protection."

Zhou Yu took a piece of paper, picked up a pen and simply marked Xichuan and Jiangdong on it. Then he said with great interest, "If the imperial court marches into Jiangdong, Xichuan can launch a surprise attack and form a pincer movement against the enemy. If the imperial court marches into Xichuan, Jiangdong can do the opposite and make them be attacked from both sides. If Xichuan and Jiangdong are connected, the entire Yangtze River waterway will be ours. We can deal with any powerful enemy with ease. Zijing, I am doing this entirely for the sake of our lord's hegemony."

Lu Su wasn't stupid; he naturally understood the benefits of seizing Xichuan. However, Lu Su kept frowning and sighing, "Gongjin, I understand your intentions completely, but could we postpone it for a while?"

Zhou Yu turned his head and looked towards Xiangyang. "Zijing, you saw it too. Even when facing Cao Cao alone, we still lost at Chibi. Moreover, Cao Cao didn't go all out. The reason why Jingnan and Jiangling went so smoothly is because Cao Cao's mind wasn't on our side. Such opportunities are rare."

Lu Su sighed; he was now caught in a dilemma as well.

…………

Soon, Fa Zheng and Meng Da received a letter from Zhang Song, and the two met together to discuss the matter in secret.

Meng Da was somewhat worried. "Xiaozhi, Yongnian has been gone for more than half a year without any news. Now he has suddenly contacted us and asked if we want to help Zhou Yu by offering Xichuan to Sun Quan. I think this is too risky."

Fa Zheng stroked his chin and smiled slightly, "Zhou Yu is not only young and promising, but also very bold. He dared to tell us his purpose before even conquering Xichuan. He is indeed extraordinary."

Fa Zheng stood up. "If we refuse Zhou Yu, Xichuan can indeed remain safe, but we will probably have little to achieve in the future. Xichuan is like a stagnant pool now, and we can only waste our time day after day. What joy is there in such a life?"

Fazheng didn't care who would ultimately control Xichuan; he was more concerned with whether he could make a name for himself in this chaotic world.

After glancing at Meng Da, Fa Zheng said again, "Zi Du, I've had enough of these boring days all these years, how about you?"

Meng Da's eyes darted around a few times. "To be honest, Liu Zhang is weak and incompetent. Serving by his side is indeed very boring. But if we switch allegiance to Sun Quan, will Zhou Yu be able to take over Xichuan smoothly? I think we must be cautious."

"Hehe, Zhou Yu asked Yongnian to write a letter, which is also a test of us. If we cannot show our determination, Zhou Yu probably will not dare to easily lead his troops to Xichuan."

"So what do you mean?" Meng Da knew he was no match for Fa Zheng in strategy, and he and Zhang Song had always been willing to listen to Fa Zheng's advice.

Fa Zheng pondered for a moment before saying, "I think this is an opportunity. Why don't we agree to Zhou Yu's request on the surface and observe him secretly? If everything goes well for Zhou Yu, we can lend him a hand. If Zhou Yu fails to take Xichuan, we don't need to hang ourselves on his tree."

"Okay, it's settled then." Meng Da thought this was a good idea.

If Zhou Yu has the opportunity, help him; if Zhou Yu doesn't, remain on the sidelines and even help Liu Zhang fight Zhou Yu if necessary. In any case, Fa Zheng will never suffer a loss.

So Fa Zheng had Meng Da write two letters, one to Zhang Song and one to Zhou Yu.

After Meng Da finished writing, he was sweating a little. "We have to be careful. This letter must not fall into Liu Zhang's hands."

Fa Zheng smiled and reassured him, "Don't worry, I will have a trusted person deliver the letter to Jiangling."

Fa Zheng was very clever; he knew that such a letter should never be written by himself, so he had Meng Da write it.

Even if something really happens and the letter falls into Liu Zhang's hands, Fa Zheng will be safe and sound.

Brothers are meant to be betrayed!
Fa Zheng was shrewd and calculating. Although he and Zhang Song and Meng Da were very close, Fa Zheng always kept a trick up his sleeve.

Zhou Yu was overjoyed to receive the reply.

In his letter, Meng Da deliberately exaggerated, saying that they had several thousand men and would definitely lend Zhou Yu a helping hand.

Someone came in to report, "Grand Commander, Liu Huangshu requests an audience."

Zhou Yu quickly waved his hand, "Please come in."

A short while later, Liu Bei walked in. Zhou Yu noticed that besides Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, there was another person beside Liu Bei. Upon closer inspection, he was somewhat surprised to see that it was Pang Tong, Pang Shiyuan!

Pang Tong made his first official appearance at the Battle of Red Cliffs by cleverly devising the chain strategy. In fact, he and Zhou Yu had known each other for a long time and had a good relationship. Zhou Yu had even recommended him to Sun Quan. However, Sun Quan did not have a good impression of Pang Tong after meeting him.

Zhou Yu wanted to find an opportunity to recommend Sun Quan again, but Pang Tong had already lost interest and patience in him.

Zhou Yu's expression was somewhat complicated; he still admired Pang Tong's abilities.

"Please sit down, Shiyuan, what brings you here?" Since there were no outsiders present, Zhou Yu asked directly.

Pang Tong didn't shy away from the topic and smiled at Zhou Yu, saying, "Uncle, you are wise and respectful to scholars. I hit it off immediately with you and we get along very well. I am willing to stay by your side and lend you a helping hand."

Zhou Yu nodded, feeling somewhat disappointed. He glanced at Liu Bei again, who remained as composed as ever, showing no emotion.

Zhou Yu couldn't understand why someone like Pang Tong would willingly choose Liu Bei, given how badly Liu Bei was already struggling. (End of Chapter)