Three Kingdoms: I rely on system loopholes to survive

Located in the southeast, there is a lingering heat even at night. There is still a slight breeze in the yard, but when I return to the inner room, I feel sweat on my back.

Zhong Ping propped the window open and propped it up with a short wooden stick. After thinking for a while, he went to the outer room to get a candlestick and placed it on the cabinet near the bedside before extinguishing the remaining candles in the outer room.

Because the house was really small, although Zhong Ping bought a bed, he placed them all in the inner room and did not set aside a study room specifically for the bed.

The couch was covered with a bamboo mat, which had been wiped with cool water in the morning, and it was very comfortable to lie on.

At this time, Liu Bei was half lying on the couch, with his clothes open, his chest exposed, and fanning himself with a palm leaf fan.

"Boheng, hurry up and get on the bed. It's really cool here."

Zhong Ping did not refuse. He kicked off his shoes and collapsed on the couch, pressing his exposed skin against the bamboo mat and letting out a contented sigh.

Liu Bei smiled and fanned Zhong Ping, and the wind from the window came in. The two of them, one lying down and the other paralyzed, were both immersed in the coolness.

"No wonder there are so many hermits in the world. The cool breeze in the mountains and the bright moon on the eaves are inexhaustible. If one day the affairs of the world are over, I will take a few books, get a small boat and return to the five lakes. It will be a life well lived."

Zhong Ping could see the moonlight outside the window when he looked up, and couldn't help but murmur in a low voice.

"Bo Heng is not even an adult yet, but he's already thinking about retiring?"

Liu Bei waved his palm-leaf fan and said with a hint of joking: "Are you asking the students to take you to seek immortals and learn about Taoism?"

When Xu Shao was young, he was also obsessed with Taoism for a period of time. Hearing that there were many alchemists in Lujiang, he took a boat to the mountain to seek out immortals. Unfortunately, he wasted several months without any news. He only learned some alchemy skills from an old Taoist.

Maybe he himself had no talent, or maybe the old Taoist didn't live up to his reputation, but Xu Shao had never succeeded in making the elixir. Every time he tried, his furnace would explode and make a mess. Xu Shao himself probably realized the truth and never told anyone about this experience of visiting the Taoist.

It was only later that he devoted himself to this and finally achieved some success, and then he mentioned it to his close friends such as Zhong Ping and Liu Bei.

Zhong Ping also thought of this and couldn't help smiling. The thought of retiring from the world that had arisen in his mind disappeared.

It is easy to think too much at night. Zhong Ping turned over, avoiding the hot place under him, and changed to a cooler place to lie down. After hesitating for a while, he said: "That day I invited Lord Xuande to Jiaozhou. Although it was to temporarily avoid the chaos in the Central Plains, it also reduced the opportunity to respond..."

He still feels guilty when facing Liu Bei. After all, Jiaozhou has always been a place of exile throughout history, and no one has ever marched north from Jiaozhou to recover the Central Plains.

Even the time traveler Zhong Ping had no idea that Liu Bei was so courageous at that time that he took all his assets to Jiaozhou as soon as he said he would. Zhong Ping is still amazed by this.

When Liu Bei heard Zhong Ping's tone, he knew that Zhong Ping was still worried about this matter.

He himself was open-minded and said with a smile: "If it weren't for Bo Heng, I would be just a plain magistrate. I don't know if I can have the chance to see the emperor in this lifetime."

"Furthermore, with the situation in Xudu, your majesty secretly gave me a blood decree. Even if it was leaked, your majesty and I would both be in a hopeless situation. How could we have this conversation today? Although Jiaozhou is remote, it is also close to the land. I can govern the two counties for your majesty and educate the barbarians. How can this not be helping the country in danger?"

Zhong Ping climbed up and felt around under the small table on the couch. He soon found a rolled-up soft silk cloth. He tore it open, shook it, and then spread it out on the table.

Liu Bei tilted his head and saw another map.

The house was not big, but it contained quite a few maps in its corners. However, the size, scope, and markings of each map were different. The map that was now unfolded actually depicted all the Thirteen States of the Han Dynasty, and each state was marked with the current princes with charcoal pencils.

"Boheng, this is...?"

Liu Bei had some guesses in his mind, so he fastened his open collar and sat up. Zhong Ping walked to the bedside and moved the candlestick to the couch, and the map became clearer under the candlelight.

"In the past, Lord Xuande once said that he wanted to bring peace to the world and tranquility to the people. This aspiration remains unchanged, and I am willing to offer my humble advice and serve Lord Xuande as a loyal servant."

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu rose from Fengpei, and Emperor Guangwu rose from Wanluo. They all rose to prominence because of the times. Now, many heroes have risen up and are competing for the Central Plains. However, Jiaozhou is far away from disputes, with abundant products, a large population, and a large population. It can be the source of armor and soldiers, and the foundation of soldiers. The land is vast and the population is dense, so strong men can be recruited, trained in martial arts, and prepared with soldiers. It is indeed a resource for hegemony and the foundation for building a career."

"We should base ourselves in Jiaozhou, improve internal affairs, make alliances abroad, and wait for the right time to act. Jiaozhou is bordered by the sea in the south, Wuhui in the east, Bashu in the west, and Jingchu in the north. The terrain is strategic and easy to defend but difficult to attack. We should select virtuous and capable people, manage the army and comfort the people, so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment, and the army and horses are strong and ready to wait for changes in the world."

Zhong Ping pointed his finger to the north.

"Looking north to the Central Plains, Cao Cao commanded millions of people and used the emperor to control the princes. Although he gained fame from this, all the princes in the world hated him and regarded him as a thorn in their side. This was his shortcoming."

"Yuan Shao controlled Yuzhou, which had a vast territory and a large population, but he was suspicious by nature and was not good at employing people; Yuan Shu dominated Yangzhou and was extremely wealthy, but he was arrogant and extravagant, and lost the support of the people."

"Look at Lü Bu in Xuzhou, who is trapped in a prison. He is isolated and can hardly last long. Once Xuzhou is lost, Lü Bu will definitely go south to find a place to stand. Liu Biao in Jingzhou is seriously ill, and his son is not a good person. Internal strife will be fierce, and the chaos in Jingzhou is imminent. If Lü Bu arrives, he will take the opportunity to occupy Jingzhou and make plans for the future."

"After Cao Cao defeated Lü Bu, he took over Xuzhou, and his power grew stronger day by day. Yuan Shu had been plotting Xuzhou for a long time. If Cao Cao seized it, he would surely attack. However, Yuan Shu was arrogant and extravagant, and lost the support of the people. Although he had many brave men under his command, none of them were loyal. If Cao Cao attacked with his victory, Yuan Shu would be defeated before the battle even started."

"If Cao Cao defeats Yuan Shu, his power will be even stronger. How can Yuan Shao just sit back and watch? Therefore, I think that even if Cao Cao can win, it will be difficult for him to seize the land of Yangzhou, or it may be taken advantage of by others."

"Yuan Shao controls Jizhou, which has a vast territory and a large population, as well as strong soldiers and horses. However, he is suspicious by nature and is not good at employing people. Although he has many counselors and brave generals under his command, it is difficult for them to make full use of their talents. In the battle between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, whoever wins or loses, will win the war. "

Zhong Ping felt his mouth was a little dry. He had actually predicted this part. After all, the real reason why Cao Cao attacked Yuan Shu was that Yuan Shu proclaimed himself emperor. But this had not happened yet, so he could only use the conflict between the two in other places as an excuse.

Liu Bei was fascinated by what he was saying. He was obviously a little confused, but he did not ask any questions. Instead, he continued to listen attentively.

For a moment, apart from the crackling sound of the lamp, the only sound in the room was Zhong Ping's eloquent voice.

He pointed south again.

"Although Lü Bu is brave, he is fickle, disloyal and unjust, and it is difficult to convince the people. The people of Jingzhou have always been kind and benevolent. Lü Bu is violent and will definitely rebel against him."

"Liu Zhang of Yizhou is weak and incompetent, unable to control his territory. Zhang Lu is also in the north. If his subordinates want to abandon the unjust and seek a wise leader, they will surely be captured by outsiders."

"We should take advantage of their weakness and attack them. First, we should take Jingzhou to strangle their throat. Then we should take Yizhou to make it a rocky barrier. In this way, you will have three states. As for the rest, we will just have to wait and see what happens in the north."

Zhong Ping felt that he couldn't go on. After all, there was some basis for saying that Cao Cao could defeat Yuan Shu. But if he said now that Cao Cao could defeat Yuan Shao... he might as well change his career and become a charlatan.

At this point, Zhong Ping actually seemed to be making some big promises to Liu Bei, so he took the opportunity to add fuel to the fire and stopped talking in time.

Liu Bei looked at the map on the table silently. His emotions were surging and a thoughtful look appeared on his face.

There were too many predictions in Zhong Ping's plan, which sounded a bit like the wild imagination of a young man at first glance, but Liu Bei knew that he just needed to wait and see whether Lu Bu would really flee to Jingzhou as Zhong Ping thought...

After that, Liu Bei knew clearly whether the plan on the couch would succeed or not.

(End of this chapter)