The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 250 has said it countless times: when you're at work, you should refer to your job title!

The Zhuge Repeating Crossbow is undoubtedly one of the most amazing weapons invented by Zhuge Liang.

However, it should be noted that our understanding of the Zhuge Repeating Crossbow is different from the actual Zhuge Repeating Crossbow.

The Zhuge Repeating Crossbow depicted in TV dramas only appeared during the Ming Dynasty, and Luo Guanzhong wrote it according to the standards of the Ming Dynasty.

Furthermore, the repeating crossbow was invented as early as the Warring States period. The repeating crossbow invented by Zhuge Liang was actually an enlarged version of the Warring States repeating crossbow.

The quiver holds a number of mother and child arrows at a time, with the number of child arrows equal to ten times the number of mother arrows.

Suitable for compensating for insufficient troop numbers and for close-quarters combat.

Therefore, Ma Jun, a contemporary of Ma Jun, commented on this:
"It is ingenious, but not entirely good."

This means that Ma Jun believed that the repeating crossbow created by Kongming still had much room for improvement.

Li Yi, drawing on the experience of his predecessors, adjusted the size of the repeating crossbow.

To make it lighter and faster.

While it might not be able to decisively turn the tide of battle, it certainly has no problem increasing the firepower output of ranged units.

"How long will it take Kongming to manufacture this repeating crossbow?"

Li Yi asked.

Zhuge Liang observed and pondered for a long time before slowly replying, "One month is enough."

“…Good. Once the research and development is completed, the workshop can start mass production.”

“Runan is full of mountains and forests, and this thing will surely have a miraculous effect here.”

Zhuge Liang nodded in agreement.

After Li Yi handed over all matters concerning the newly built workshops in Xuzhou to Kongming,

He then sought out Guan Yu separately and asked him:
"...The King of Qi entrusted the affairs of Xuzhou to the general."

"Cao Ren is now stationed in Runan. How will you defend against him, General?"

Guan Yu replied with a sigh:

"I am willing to lead a fierce and powerful army to storm their stronghold and capture Cao Ren alive!"

Li Yi frowned and shook his head:
"...Not advisable."

"A skillful strategist first makes himself invincible and then waits for the enemy to become vulnerable."

"Wei should move its main force to the southeast. Its army is sharp and aggressive, so we should dig deep trenches and build high walls to blunt its edge."

"We can only advance when their food supplies are exhausted and their strength is waning."

Li Yi actually prefers defense to offense.

Because defense means waiting for the enemy to tire themselves out, while offense requires extending the supply lines.

When Li Yi formulated various strategic policies for Lao Liu, he always strived to nourish the country and its people.

We hope to achieve the greatest victory with the least amount of losses.

If we continue to grind things down slowly, we will eventually unify the world.

Old Liu received a man full of energy, not a burly man who was exhausted.

This is a good thing for every ordinary citizen of the Han Dynasty.

After Li Yi finished speaking, he added:
"If there are any doubts or obstacles, General Guan may consult Zhuge Liang."

"His deep understanding of the changes in military strategy, offense and defense, will surely be of great benefit."

Guan Yu immediately cupped his hands and bowed, saying:
"I will remember the Prime Minister's words."

Li Yi glanced at the map again and asked:
"Who is this Prime Minister of Pengcheng?"

The person on the left and right replied:
"It is Mi Fang, the Prime Minister's brother-in-law."

Mi Fang...

Li Yi frowned, because the Mi family had rendered meritorious service in supporting the emperor, and were also related to Li Yi by marriage.

The two brothers also got promoted and made a fortune.

Mi Zhu became the Prefectural Governor and monopolized the country's salt and iron trade.

When Mi Fang became the top local official, he had countless protégés and former subordinates under his command.

However, the two brothers have different character traits.

Mi Zhu was a truly noble gentleman, while Mi Fang was a typical commoner.

Many people are curious as to why Mi Fang ultimately betrayed them.

After all, he gave up his immense wealth and assets in Xuzhou to gamble on Liu Bei.

He even gave up the high-ranking official position with a salary of two thousand shi offered by Cao Cao in order to follow Liu Bei in starting his own business.

He has endured so much hardship and wandering for most of his life.

Just as they were about to enjoy the fruits of their labor and continue their ascent,

Why did he suddenly decide to betray us at the last minute?
Historical records say that

Mi Fang betrayed the regime because he burned military supplies and feared punishment from Guan Yu.

However, this alone is hardly convincing.

Why did you have to burn the military supplies when Guan Yu was about to go on his campaign?

Therefore, many people speculate that Mi Fang may have secretly resold military supplies to Eastern Wu.

Just before setting off, fearing that the accounts wouldn't match up, he burned everything to destroy the evidence.

This would also align with the later statement about "betraying and welcoming Sun Quan".

This indicates that Mi Fang already had contact with Eastern Wu at that time.

Do you think that at this time, Mi Fang had already considered surrendering to Eastern Wu?
That's not the case.

Actually, Chinese people are too used to reading history from a hero's perspective.

If we look at Mi Fang from the perspective of a petty person, it becomes very easy to explain.

In the eyes of a petty person, their own mistakes are trivial.

When others succeed, it's all just luck.

Mi Fang's resale of military supplies was likely driven by greed, without realizing the seriousness of the matter.

At the same time, Guan Yu also handled the matter of Mi Fang poorly.

He said directly to Mi Fang and the others, "They should be dealt with."

It means, wait until I get back to deal with you.

Guan Yu, who held the authority of a general, had the power to kill Mi Fang.

At the same time, given Guan Yu's straightforward nature, even though Mi Fang was Liu Bei's brother-in-law.

Mi Fang also had every reason to worry that Guan Yu might actually kill him.

Guan Yu was an excellent military commander, but he was extremely bad at handling relationships with his subordinates.

Both he and Zhang Fei had personality flaws.

After Zhang Fei had finished whipping his soldiers, he still wanted to keep them by his side.

Guan Yu was the same; he made harsh remarks but still continued to trust him.

That's why it's said that both Guan Yu and Zhang Fei died because of their naiveté.

Burning down military property is a serious crime; even if one is not executed, one should be dismissed from office.

You, Guan Yu, should either kill Mi Fang and Fu Shiren on the spot, or dismiss them from their posts.

But he left behind a harsh remark, and then left while still retaining his original position.

This would keep Mi Fang and the others on edge, wondering how Guan Yu would deal with them when he returned.

Even if you punish someone directly, at least give them some feedback.

At least they can finally relax.

"……inappropriate."

Li Yi frowned and shook his head repeatedly.

"Pengcheng controls the throat of the Huai and Si rivers, and is a vital strategic point for Xu and Yan provinces."

"A strategic stronghold of the wings cannot be defended without those who possess both literary and military talents."

“Mi Zifang is timid and lacks talent; I fear he is not up to the task.”

“I intend to choose someone else to succeed Mi Fang as the Chancellor of Pengcheng.”

All the officials remained silent, secretly thinking that Mi Fang was Li Yi's brother-in-law.

Ren Mifang had worked in Pengcheng for many years, and was dismissed without warning.

Li Xiang is truly a ruthless man...

Li Yi saw through everyone's thoughts and said seriously:
"The affairs of the state are of utmost importance; how can private matters interfere with public duties?"

“In the past, Rang Ju executed Zhuang Jia, and Sun Wu beheaded the palace concubines; both of these demonstrate this principle.”

"As the prime minister of a country, you should set an example in this regard."

“Pengcheng is an important town, and a person with a calm and resourceful mind should be chosen to replace it.”

"I intend to appoint Zhao Yun as the Chancellor of Pengcheng temporarily, so that he can provide support to Yun Chang from the side."

"As for Mi Fang, we can send him back to Xiapi first, and he can come back to Hebei with me."

Everyone was relieved; Hebei was Li Yi's territory.

At that time, there will be plenty of official positions to appease his wife's family.

I just don't know if Mi Fangshe will be willing to leave her own territory.

Xiapi is adjacent to Pengcheng, and the fast cavalry quickly relayed Li Yi's orders to Mi Fang.

At that time, Pengcheng Chancellor Mi Fang was hosting a grand banquet for his guests at his residence. Amidst the clinking of glasses and the exchange of toasts, a scout suddenly rushed in.

An urgent report stated: "The Prime Minister has ordered that Your Majesty be temporarily relieved of your post and return to Hebei with the Emperor immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Mi Fang turned pale, dropped her chopsticks, and was speechless with astonishment.

He was enjoying his drinks when, out of the blue, his high-ranking municipal official suddenly disappeared.

Moreover, it was his own brother-in-law who dismissed him.

This left Mi Fang completely bewildered.

Many of his close confidants relied on Mi Fang for their livelihood, and fearing that a strict and shrewd ruler would take over after he left, they all offered their advice:
"Your Excellency, being a relative of the Prime Minister by marriage, has not received even the slightest benefit!"

"Now the Zhen family controls the trade routes in Hebei, and all the power over commerce rests with them."

“The Mi family has been wealthy merchants for generations, but now they are controlled by the Zhen family.”

"The Prime Minister's intentions are truly difficult to fathom!"

Previously, the Mi family had always controlled the trade in Liu's camp.

After Liu Bei destroyed the Yuan family and occupied the northern lands...

The Mi family all believed that they would also monopolize the trade of goods in the north.

After Li Yi came to power and took charge of all affairs in the north...

The Mi family was overjoyed, believing that with their brother-in-law's support, the Hebei trade routes would surely fall entirely into their hands.

But reality slapped the Mi family in the face.

Li Yi handed over all the state-owned commercial enterprises in the north to the Zhen family.

Not only was the only male member of the Zhen family appointed as a clerk in the Prime Minister's residence.

He also used Zhen's daughter as his secretary.

Xu Peijian entered and exited the palace, and his rank was equivalent to that of a 600-stone official.

After these maneuvers, the Zhen family's reputation in Hebei was not only solidified, but also further enhanced.

Even without Li Yi's backing, the Mi family would not be able to compete with the Zhen family through normal means.

Mi Fang was already very dissatisfied that Li Yi had not given the trade routes in Hebei to the Mi family.

Now, he has been suddenly dismissed from his post.

This deeply saddened Mi Fang, who remained silent for a long time before slowly sighing:

"My sister has no children, and it is not easy for her in Hebei..."

Clearly, Mi Fang had also figured it out.

Many of Li Yi's actions in the north were secretly aimed at weakening the influence of the Mi family.

Now, they don't even act anymore.

Mi Fang blamed everything on her younger sister's infertility, which prevented her from giving birth to a son.

Otherwise, how could the Zhen family have taken advantage of us?

"...Alright, let's go and take a look!"

Mi Fang then removed the official seal and hung it on the table.

Then they ended the banquet, packed their bags, and headed towards Xiapi.

At this moment, Li Yi had already packed his things and was ready to leave.

Just then, Mi Fang returned to Xiapi and went to see him.

Li Yifang was reviewing military documents when he heard the report and immediately rose.

He personally greeted her at the foot of the steps, took her hand, and inquired about her well-being.

"...Brother-in-law, you must be tired from your long journey."

Mi Fang became indignant, bowed deeply but refused to kneel.

Shi Guanping, who was standing nearby, was greatly displeased to see Mi Fang being so rude.

Just as he was about to rebuke him, he felt that this was the Prime Minister's own family matter, and it was not his place to interfere as an outsider.

He then forced himself to remain silent.

However, the guards on both sides had received many favors from Li Yi on a daily basis, and out of gratitude for his kindness, they respected him even more.

Upon seeing this, they all looked displeased.

Li Yi then asked, "Why is my brother-in-law acting this way?"

Mi Fang asked in surprise:
"What merit or ability do I possess to be worthy of being the Prime Minister's brother-in-law?"

Li Yinai asked with a smile:

“I cannot understand what my brother-in-law is saying.”

Mi Fang grunted and said in a deep voice:

"...Prime Minister, please forgive me. I dare to speak out of turn."

“When the Prime Minister first emerged from the countryside, he was nothing more than a poor scholar with little reputation and no knowledge of the people.”

"The King of Qi acted as matchmaker, arranging for the marriage to the Panmi clan."

"By leveraging the power of my clan, we established our foundation and thus joined the ranks of the virtuous and upright in Xu."

"If the Prime Minister were not the son-in-law of the Mi family, even with the favor of the King of Qi, how could he have attained his current position?"

"I wonder if Fangyan agrees?"

Mi Fang believes that when Li Yi was powerless and without influence, he rose through the ranks thanks to the Mi family's connections.

That statement isn't entirely wrong.

Because prejudice in people's hearts is a mountain.

This was especially true of the typical scholar-official circle during the Eastern Han Dynasty.

No matter how capable you are, if you're not part of their circle, they'll find it hard to acknowledge you.

This is why Liu Bei went to great lengths to break into high society.

Although he didn't rely on the Mi family, Li Yi might not necessarily remain unknown.

But his career path will certainly not be as smooth as it is now; that's a fact.

Li Yi did not deny it, and readily admitted it:

“...What my brother-in-law said is true.”

"...Heh, then I wonder what the Prime Minister's intention is in doing this."

Mi Fang narrowed her eyes and said coldly:

"Although Fang is not talented, he has guarded Pengcheng for three years and he believes that he has not made any mistakes."

"Today, without cause, I have been stripped of my post and exiled to Hebei. Is this not an act that will make the people of the world feel disgusted?"

After speaking, his eyes widened in fury, and his fists trembled slightly in his sleeves.

It's no wonder Mi Fang was so angry; after all, such a thing as discarding someone after they've served their purpose is shameful in any era.

People value appearances in everything, especially politicians.

The worst thing is to fall out and end up losing face for both sides.

Li Yi sighed, took Mi Fang into the inner room, dismissed the servants, and personally poured tea for her.

"Brother-in-law, have you not heard that a son of a wealthy family would not sit under a dangerous roof?"

"Now Cao Ren has stationed his troops in Runan, and Pengcheng will be the first to bear the brunt."

"Brother-in-law, are you really going to defend against Cao Ren's troops on the front lines?"

"If anything happens to Brother Fang, how can I face my wife?"

what?
Mi Fang was startled and quickly asked:
"Cao Ren has stationed his troops in Runan?"

"Didn't Cao Cao mobilize the entire country and go to Hebei? Why did he shift the battle line to Runan?"

"That was false information spread by the traitor Wei."

Li Yi took a sip of tea himself and said casually:
"The day before yesterday, a spy reported that the number of troops stationed in Runan has exceeded 150,000."

"I wonder how many troops my brother-in-law has in Pengcheng?" 150,000 was indeed the information released by the Wei Kingdom.

But as we all know, in ancient times, when it came to fighting, the main factor was boasting about the number of troops.

The figure of 150,000 is definitely inflated.

No matter how shrewd the spy is, in this era of underdeveloped information technology, it is difficult to ascertain the true number of people.

Because many of the Wei generals were unaware of the exact number of troops they had.

But one thing is certain: Runan has a considerable number of troops.

"...Is this...is this really true?"

Mi Fang swallowed hard, feeling a little scared.

"...Haha, how could I not take it seriously?"

Li Yi took another sip of tea, his expression remaining calm and composed.

Well!
Mi Fang swayed slightly, feeling as if she had escaped a calamity.

If Cao Ren really had 150,000 troops in Runan, then his Pengcheng would not have been able to hold them off.

If Pengcheng is lost, even if there are extenuating circumstances, it is still a crime to lose the city.

Thinking of this, Mi Fang's anger gradually subsided, leaving only a belated sense of fear.

Seeing that his expression had softened slightly, Li Yi spoke frankly and sincerely:
"As for trade, the Zhen family has been entrenched in Hebei for a century, with deep roots and a powerful presence."

“Last year, they donated a million bushels of millet to aid the army, and also donated land and freed female servants to help me with my farming.”

“If Mi were to replace them with their rights and interests at this time, it might cause trouble from within.”

Therefore, all matters concerning trade in Hebei could only be entrusted to the Zhen family.

In this world, telling half the truth is often more powerful than telling a lie.

Li Yi said that Zhen had made contributions to Hebei, so it was true that he was giving Zhen a high position.

But one thing he didn't mention is that he did indeed want to support the Zhen family to counterbalance the Mi family.

We can't leave it unchecked, after all, we have a terrible teammate.

Li Yi maintained a clean reputation throughout his life, but unexpectedly, he lost his integrity in his later years, causing a lot of trouble.

Although Mi Fang had his own reasons for his rebellion in history.

But that doesn't change the fact that it's a terrible car.

If Mi Fang could hold the city until Guan Yu returned to reinforce it.

That would be an absolutely great achievement.

What kind of responsibility is it to burn supplies?
Wouldn't that make up for the mistake directly?

If Jingzhou hadn't been lost, Guan Yu would have survived.

Mi Fang then became a loyal minister of Liu Bei in his quest to restore the Han Dynasty.

With Mi Fang's qualifications, plus this unexpected military achievement, it was all thanks to her.

If Liu Bei had eventually gained control of the empire, Mi Fang would have been more than qualified to become a Grand Commandant.

Unfortunately, history has no "what ifs".

Back then, when Liu Bei acted as matchmaker for Li Yi, arranging for Li Yi to marry the younger sister of the Mi family.

Li Yi did not object to the marriage.

Because if Lao Liu wanted to secure his position in Xuzhou, he couldn't do without the support of the Mi family, a wealthy family from Donghai.

It will either be Li Yi or Lao Liu.

Why was Li Yi chosen in the end?

on the one hand,

Li Yi did indeed urgently need the support of the Mi family to elevate his status and increase his wealth.

on the other hand,

The Mi family is a double-edged sword, or rather, powerful and aristocratic families are inherently a double-edged sword.

It's not just because of Mi Fang, that terrible teammate.

These powerful and influential families can provide you with a steady stream of funds in the early stages, consolidating your strength.

Once you achieve great success, these families will demand corresponding benefits from you.

This is an inevitable consequence of a society based on personal relationships.

Mi Zhu, for example, held the official title of General Anhan, a position even higher than that of Zhuge Liang.

Mi Fang rose to the position of Prefect of Nan Commandery, holding the same rank as Guan Yu, and together they governed Jingzhou.

However, neither of the brothers is particularly outstanding in terms of ability.

Mi Zhu is doing well, enjoying a peaceful and carefree life.

Even though he became a general, he didn't actually command any troops; it was essentially a nominal position.

Mi Fang, on the other hand, is simply addicted to cooking.

But given Lao Liu's personality, he really does give you whatever you want.

After all, they are old brothers who have started a business together for many years, so we can't treat them unfairly.

It's not that Li Yi looks down on Lao Liu.

Instead, it turns out that Lao Liu simply didn't handle the double-edged sword that was the Mi family well.

Therefore, Li Yi finally decided to take matters into his own hands and handle this double-edged sword.

After using it to "slay enemies" in the early stages, you'll have to accept its "backlash" later on.

Historically, Lady Mi was rescued by Zhao Yun along with Liu Bei's son, Liu Shan (A Dou).

However, her later records do not show that she left Liu Bei with a son or a daughter.

Therefore, Mi Fang's kinship with Liu Bei was further downplayed.

This is also one of the reasons why many people speculate that Mi Fang betrayed the regime.

Li Yi's wife, Lady Mi, also had no children, but this gave him an opportunity to weaken the influence of the Mi family.

"Those provocative words are truly intended to ruin our kinship!"

“Brother-in-law, think it over carefully. If I have indeed treated the Mi family poorly…”

"Why not prosecute him for embezzlement? Why bother to protect him?"

As soon as he finished speaking, Li Yi suddenly took out a bundle of bamboo slips from his sleeve and threw them onto the table.

After reading it, Mi Fang was shocked and wrote down evidence of embezzlement.

It contains all the evidence of his embezzlement and bribery over the years.

Although most officials in Xuzhou became more restrained under Li Yi's strict crackdown.

However, a few people still abuse their power to skim off the top.

Even Li Yi couldn't stop this kind of petty greed.

Mi Fang was sweating profusely, his face ashen, and hurriedly tried to explain:
"...Prime Minister! This is slander, slander!"

"Someone must be framing me!"

"Only the Prime Minister can see this clearly!"

Li Yi smiled slightly and tossed the scroll into the brazier.

Then, with a smile, he helped Mi Fang to his feet and invited him to sit down.

"Brother-in-law, do not worry. How could I believe the slanderous words of outsiders?"

Mi Fang broke out in a cold sweat, and nodded repeatedly with a forced smile.

The evidence is conclusive and meticulously compiled.

How could Mi Fang not see that Li Yi knew about her embezzlement?
Seeing that Li Yi had given her a way out, Mi Fang dared not refuse.

He prostrated himself and wept, saying, "I am foolish and have failed the Prime Minister's great kindness!"

Li Yi took out a silk handkerchief to wipe away her tears and said gently:
“My residence is still short of a granary clerk. If my brother-in-law is willing, please come to my residence to apply for the position.”

"This is a fantastic job..."

As he spoke, he patted Mi Fang on the shoulder.

Mi Fang repeatedly expressed her gratitude.

By this time, the documents in the brazier had burned to ashes. Gazing at the falling embers, Li Yi reached out to warm his hands and sighed:

"Now that war is about to break out, the soldiers are sleeping in the open and their food supplies are running low."

"The day before yesterday, a military report stated that some soldiers had gone without food for three days but were still holding weapons."

"...Alas, it is all because of my incompetence as prime minister that the soldiers are suffering so much."

Mi Fang wasn't stupid; she immediately understood the hidden meaning in Li Yi's words.

He knelt on the ground, his voice ringing out as he spoke:

"Fang is willing to donate one million of her own family fortune to supplement the military funds!"

"Three thousand granaries of millet from your private treasury shall be transported to the official granary immediately!"

"To relieve the Prime Minister's worries!"

Mi Fang deliberately emphasized that it was her own private property.

That is to say, it has nothing to do with the Mi family.

Li Yi, leaning on his sword, pondered for a moment. Then, he helped Mi Fang to her feet and said gently:
"If all merchants in the world were like my brother-in-law, what would prevent us from achieving our great cause?"

So he took his hand and invited him to view the defense map of the Bohai Sea together.

Mi Fang praised him on the surface, but her fingers trembled as she drew the picture.

……

That night, Li Yi finally went to sleep and asked Mi Fang to go back.

Mi Fang felt as if she had been granted a pardon and thanked him repeatedly.

I can't help but wonder how Li Yi could concentrate on reading books and looking at pictures for several hours at a time.
Mi Fang couldn't stand working long hours at high intensity, but since Li Yi didn't let him leave, he really didn't dare to.

It is now the hour of Chou (1-3 AM), and the cattle and horses are all asleep.

After Mi Fang withdrew, he ran into his brother Mi Zhu under the corridor.

It turned out that Mi Zhu already knew about his younger brother's dismissal from office, and he saw him being pulled into a room by Li Yi for a lecture.

They trained all night and didn't come out.

Feeling uneasy as the head of the family, he waited under the eaves.

Seeing that Mi Fang looked dejected, he led her to a secret room and quietly asked her what the Prime Minister had said to her.

Mi Fang felt a pang of heartache when she thought about how much blood she had just lost, so she told her elder brother about it.

Mi Zhu then asked, "How much did you donate?"

Mi Fang beat her chest and wept, saying, "All my savings of the past years have vanished in a single day!"

Li Yi severely punished corruption and rectified official corruption.

Over the years, Mi Fang has always been careful to avoid taking bribes.

I never imagined that in just one night, all my years of hard work would be wasted.

Mi Fang then recounted to Mi Zhu how Li Yi had just used both kindness and severity.

Mi Zhu remained silent for a long time, then stroked his back and sighed:

"The Prime Minister manages his subordinates with a balance of firmness and gentleness, which even Su and Zhang Fusheng could not surpass."

Having finished speaking, he took Mi Fang's hand again and said solemnly:
"Having gone through this ordeal, you should know to restrain yourself."

"From this day forward, wherever the Prime Minister points, that is where our family will go."

"What the Prime Minister plans is what our clan is plotting."

She then whispered, "Fortunately, my sister is in the Empress's quarters, so that Lady Mi will not be lonely."

"But if you remember the two words 'respect and obedience,' how can wealth and honor ever be severed?"

Mi Zhu admired Li Yi's methods and took this opportunity to advise Mi Fang to be more restrained in the future.

Just follow Li Yi's policy.

With Mi Zhen's connection, the Mi family won't fall into poverty.

One to say one,

Influenced by the game, many people, when playing the role of the lord, truly "appoint only the talented."

We'll use whoever is most capable.

But in reality, there are many things we can't help.

China has always been a society based on personal relationships, and the essence of power is the recognition of people.

One of your trusted confidants, of average ability, but very obedient, following your policies.

The other one is not related to you, is very capable, but has their own opinions.

If faced with such a choice, most monarchs would choose the former.

Li Yi only gave him a warning this time, and did not take any serious action.

Mi Zhu saw through Li Yi's intentions and became even more determined to have Mi Fang follow Li Yi to the north.

Serve well and assist Li Yi there.

Mi Fang readily agreed, and from then on, his arrogance vanished.

……

Historical records commented on this as follows:
"Li Xiang's approach is to first seize evidence of his crimes and instill fear in him."

“Burning it again to show gratitude, so that they may feel thankful.”

"Then they subtly inquired about military supplies, getting them to offer them up themselves."

"Ultimately, they used marriage ties to bind him, thus making him give up on the idea."

"The art of combining kindness and severity, and striking a balance between leniency and restraint, is nothing more than the skill of ancient masters of political maneuvering."

"Therefore, it is said that the way to govern subordinates is not through harsh laws and severe punishments, but through a combination of kindness and authority, so that people will fear and respect you, and respect and follow you."

"This should serve as a lesson for future generations!"

……

After completing the deployment in Xuzhou, Li Yi finally felt at ease.

They set off back to the north.

He then wrote to Liu Bei to explain the matter.

Liu Bei agreed and appointed Zhao Yun to temporarily assume the position of Chancellor of Pengcheng, as Guan Yu's wingman.

Li Yi wrote another letter and sent it to Huainan.

He not only sent greetings to his old friend Chen Yuanlong, but also asked him to send Gan Ning and Zhou Tai to lead troops.

They traveled north from the Wo River and the Qu River respectively, using waterways to disrupt the Wei army's supply lines.

This kept Cao Ren busy dealing with the situation.

At that time, Chen Deng was sitting at the table, eating sashimi.

With a freshly cut sea bream in his mouth and a bamboo scroll sent by Li Yi in his hands.

His eyes quickly scanned the area.

The people below included Gan Ning, Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, Chen Jiao, and others.

They remained in Huainan to continue their duties.

Jiang Qin couldn't help but ask first:

"...Your Excellency, what did the Prime Minister say in his letter?"

Chen Deng passed the bamboo and silk scrolls around for everyone to see, and said:
"Li Xiang ordered me to send troops across the river to the north to harass Cao Ren's supply lines."

Upon hearing this, Chen Jiao, the clerk, couldn't help but laugh:

"The Prime Minister is too concerned about everything; no wonder people say he has to do everything himself."

"The King of Qi has already appointed the Prime Minister to oversee military and political affairs in the north. How come he's interfering in our affairs in the south?"

Although Chen Jiao was half-joking, there was a hint of displeasure in his tone.

Besides being the Prefect of Guangling, Chen Deng also had another identity—"General Who Conquers the South".

The title "General Who Conquers the South" means that he is the commander-in-chief of the military region in the south.

Logically speaking, all affairs in the South should be under Chen Deng's jurisdiction.

However, due to Liu Bei's temporary order, Guan Yu, who was then the governor of Qingzhou, was appointed as the Protector-General and given the authority to act on behalf of the emperor.

Guan Yu then gained the power of Commander Chen Deng.

Therefore, Chen Deng was then under Guan Yu's control.

Therefore, if an order to advance were to be given, it should be Guan Yu who gives the order.

Prime Minister Li is meddling too much.

Chen Deng laughed and said:

"I have worked with Prime Minister Li for ten years, and we are as close as brothers."

"The letter at this point is not an imperial edict, but merely a suggestion."

"Why are you all so indignant?"

……

(End of this chapter)