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Ma Su glanced at Lu Qian, who had come with the army and entered the camp.

Since Lu Qian has joined the army, it means that Lu Qian has already entered officialdom.

Ma Su recalled Lu Qian's advice to prioritize winning hearts and minds before the campaign to conquer the south was formulated.

"The barbarians are fickle and capricious, causing the Grand Commandant to fall seriously ill. I request the Prime Minister to grant Su ten thousand troops; Su will surely be able to decisively defeat Meng Huo and kill him, thus venting the anger of the Grand Commandant and the Prime Minister!"

Since the promise was to appoint Ma Su as the governor of Yuexi, it was essential for him to make a name for himself in the south.

He instilled fear in the barbarians at the mere mention of his name, thus facilitating Limasu's subsequent governance.

"Youchang's idea surprisingly coincides with what Gonghe said earlier."

Ma Su was startled. Had this kid beaten him to it again?

Zhuge Liang looked at Lu Qian.

Previously, Lu Qian had added a combination of kindness and severity to his strategy of winning people's hearts.

It's suggested that one person play the "bad cop" and the other the "good cop."

Zhuge Liang needed to show kindness to the people of Nanzhong, so he certainly couldn't be the villain.

It's quite reasonable for Ma Su to volunteer to play the villain.

"What does Gonghe think?"

Seeing Lu Qian bow respectfully, and without showing any fear in front of many generals and strategists in the army, he said, "This is inappropriate."

"Um?!"

Ma Su was stunned, feeling a surge of anger at being inexplicably targeted by Lu Qian.

"Didn't Gonghe previously suggest using both kindness and severity? Why is that no longer appropriate?" Zhuge Liang was also curious as to why Lu Qian had gone back on his word.

Lu Qian explained, "Prime Minister, I have always insisted on using both kindness and severity, but I do not believe that Military Advisor Ma is the right person to use severity."

"Oh? Who is that?"

"The most suitable person to be this villain is Li Hui, the governor of Yijiang."

"Li De'ang? Why is he the most suitable?"

Lu Qian analyzed in public, "Governor Li is a native of Nanzhong. He once recommended himself to the late emperor to serve as the second Governor of Yijiang. Governor Li's understanding of the situation in Nanzhong is far superior to ours. Moreover, if we want Nanzhong to have long-term peace and stability, we need to make the empty title of Governor of Yijiang a powerful and influential one."

"Once Governor Li's name resounds throughout the south, everyone in the south will know of the prestige of Governor Yijiang. In the future, if there are personnel changes, there will be no situation where the person leaves and the government collapses."

Zhuge Liang understood; Lu Qian was suggesting creating a target for the enemy. He wanted to mold the Governor of Yijiang into a "Zhang Liao," the Zhang Liao who could stop the crying of children in Jiangdong.

The governor of Yijiang used force to suppress the southern region, seizing all of the southern region's oxen, warhorses, gold, silver, and rhinoceros hides, thus erasing his bad reputation.

Zhuge Liang, representing the Han Dynasty, came to bestow favors and give hope to the barbarians.

Even if the barbarians have rebellious intentions, they will only target the Governor of Yijiang, not the imperial court.

If an uncontrollable riot occurs, they can also shift the blame onto the Governor of Yijiang.

However, this problem is unlikely to occur, because all the resources, people, and livestock in the south have been taken away. Given enough time, it will be impossible for them to rebel.

Politically speaking, this means long-term stability and security.

"Excellent. If we follow this plan, the south can be pacified."

Zhuge Liang's acceptance of Ma Su's proposal left Ma Su feeling resentful.

Lu Qian was shifting the credit that should have belonged to Ma Su to Li Hui.

Now that Zhuge Liang has adopted Lu Qian's suggestion, Ma Su, no matter how unwilling he is, can only swallow his words.

A few more days

Zhuge Liang launched an attack on Meng Huo.

The army deployed its forces along the mountainside.

Lu Qian led a small team on the flank, with Guan Feng, who was disguised, beside him.

Lu Qian managed to suppress Guan Feng, but he couldn't resist Guan Feng's pleas, saying he would just watch from a distance and wouldn't participate.

Since we're already here, let's take a look and let her know how cruel war is and how rivers of blood flow.

It would be best to scare her into staying home and taking care of her husband and children.

Lu Qian reminded her, "Third Sister! You can only look, not touch!"

"Okay, okay."

This was the first time Guan Feng had been so close to the front lines of the battlefield.

She felt restless and hot inside her body.

At this moment, Shang Wu's heart was restless with anticipation.

The barbarian soldiers arrived, led by a general who was nine feet tall with a blood-stained face. The barbarian soldiers he led were all clad in rattan armor and wielded poisoned arrows, and they were menacing in their presence.

"Today I'll show you the might of the warriors of the South!"

Seeing this, Lu Qian remarked, "The barbarian soldiers rely on rattan armor and poisoned arrows; they do have some discipline. It's a pity..."

"What a pity?"

Before Lu Qian could explain, the bugle sounded and the barbarian soldiers charged toward the Shu army with strange cries.

With rattan shield soldiers in front and archers behind, arrows flew into the Shu army's formation like locusts.

The shield bearer easily deflected the poisoned arrow.

As far as the eye could see, the Shu army's flag bearers waved their command flags.

The Shu army's formation suddenly changed.

The shield bearers in the front row quickly crouched down and withdrew their shields, revealing hundreds of small carts behind them, loaded with straw, sulfur, saltpeter, and other materials.

The soldiers lit the straw, and thick smoke billowed up, rolling down the mountain towards the barbarian soldiers.

The sudden fire attack caught Meng Huo off guard.

Although those oil-soaked rattan armors are impervious to swords and arrows, they are most afraid of fire, and will burst into flames at the slightest spark.

The battlefield situation was basically one-sided.

Meng Huo was greatly alarmed and was about to regroup his army for another battle when suddenly shouts of battle arose from both the left and right flanks.

"Third Sister?!"

Guan Feng, wielding a sword, rode his horse and joined the flank troops.

……

"I refuse to accept this!"

Bringing Meng Huo before Zhuge Liang, he held his head high and declared defiantly, "Is Shu Han out of talent? They're actually sending women into battle! I was just careless for a moment, that's why he managed to subdue me!"

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly but did not answer the question.

They ordered someone to bring wine and food, and invited Meng Huo to have a hearty meal, saying, "Perhaps the barbarian king is hungry and lacks strength; let him eat first, and then we can discuss other matters."

This is a clever joke, it means: Meng Huo, you can't even beat a woman, are you not full?

Meng Huo didn't understand the implied meaning. Since he was already captured, eating a meal with Zhuge Liang was a win-win situation.

Seeing this, Ma Su asked Zhuge Liang to speak in a side tent.

Meng Huo was left alone to enjoy a hearty meal.

"Prime Minister! Gonghe brought his female relatives with him to the army, which violates military regulations! Now, because of this woman, the barbarian king is dissatisfied. How can we pacify the southern regions?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang felt it was necessary to summon Lu Qian and the other man to his tent to explain the matter clearly.

Before long, Lu Qian and Guan Feng entered the tent.

Ma Su was away on a military expedition and was unaware that Zhuge Liang had arranged a marriage for Lu Qian.

He didn't know Guan Feng either.

Now, Ma Su felt he had caught Lu Qian by the tail and was determined to make good use of this opportunity.

"Prime Minister, please calm down. It is because I am incompetent in managing my wife."

"Prime Minister, it's my fault. I couldn't control my fighting spirit. This has nothing to do with my husband."

Seeing that the two men admitted their mistakes, Ma Su snorted, "How can one bring one's wife on a campaign? If she disrupts the morale of the army, what crime should one be punished for? Now look what's happened! Your old wife charged into the enemy lines and, although she captured the barbarian king Meng Huo, she has caused the barbarian king to be dissatisfied, laughing at the lack of talent in our Han Dynasty. She has completely disgraced the Han army's prestige! And how are you going to carry out your plan of using both kindness and force?"

Old wife?

Lu Qian hissed as he inhaled the cold air.

He could feel the sudden surge of anger from someone behind him.

Lu Qian hurriedly said, "The follow-up is simple: release the barbarian king and then recapture him. We'll eventually bring him under control. As for my wife's behavior, that's for the commander to handle. It's not my place to deal with her, is it?"