Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Noticing Liu Bei's gaze, Li Ji looked back for a moment with a sense of something, then nodded slightly, and then looked at Xu You and Guo Tu who were standing in front of him.

"Ziyuan, Gongze, I haven't seen you for many years. Are you all right?"

Guo Tu had a cold look on his face, and had no intention of opening his mouth to answer Li Ji.

Xu You showed a fake smile and spoke in a perfunctory manner.

"I miss Zikun so much. I heard that Zikun had gone to Yingzhou. I thought I would never have the chance to meet him again in this life."

Li Ji took out a folding fan from his sleeve, opened it, fanned himself with the cool breeze, and said with a smile.

"Oh? I didn't expect Ziyuan to care about me so much. It really touched my heart. It's worth it that after Ziyuan suddenly disappeared in Wu County, I sent people to look for him everywhere, fearing that Ziyuan had been kidnapped by the Shanyue and taken to the mountains."

These words made Xu You's face look a little distorted.

During the battle of Qiantang River that year, Xu You realized that something was wrong. He sent his servants outside to attract other people's attention, and he himself fled in a hurry with only his sword.

However, if you go directly north from Kuaiji County, you must pass through Wu County.

How could Xu You, who felt extremely guilty, dare to enter Wujun again?
I was afraid that if it fell into Li Ji's hands, I would be in big trouble.

To the east of Kuaiji County is a vast ocean. The only route Xu You could choose was to avoid being seen by others, go deep into the mountains to the west of Kuaiji County, first escape to Danyang County, and then head north.

However, even though Xu You was proficient in the six arts of a gentleman, traveling alone through the deep mountains and old forests was still a life-threatening experience.

Finally, at the cost of losing a lot of weight, he was lucky enough to cross the mountains, and then with the help of an old official of the Yuan family in Kuaiji County, he successfully returned to the Central Plains.

Therefore, the first moment he heard Li Ji's words, Xu You felt that this bastard Li Ji was hinting at him, and this made Xu You recall once again the fear of being crawled on by all kinds of unknown insects in the mountains.

As for the change in Xu You's gloomy expression, Li Ji remained calm and gentle, and his eyes passed Xu You and fell on Guo Tu.

Immediately, Li Ji raised his cup and gestured slightly to Guo Tu.

"Gong Ze, today is the auspicious day for all the heroes to gather and swear an oath of blood before marching west to attack the thief Dong. Why do you have such a gloomy face? Is it because you don't like to smile?"

When Guo Tu heard this, even though his mouth was tightly closed, there was still a sound of grinding teeth. He looked at Li Ji with eyes full of resentment, and then spoke in a calm voice with almost no teeth showing.

"Those who are plotting for others should be calm and steady at this time. Being too frivolous will only make mistakes easily."

"I see."

Li Ji looked as if he had suddenly realized something, then he shook his head and bowed.

"It seems that I am not as good as you. I was born to love to laugh. And today, I am so happy to see you being treated so well by all the heroes that I can hardly stop smiling. I hope you will forgive me."

The corners of Guo Tu's eyes twitched violently. Looking at Li Ji's handsome face and exposed white teeth, he wished he could remove all those teeth one by one.

When Xu You looked at Guo Tu's colorfully dark face, he suddenly felt in a good mood and started laughing as well.

"Zikun is absolutely right. Today is indeed a happy day. We should celebrate it with a smile on our faces."

Suddenly, Guo Tu's face almost completely collapsed, and the joints of the bones holding the wine cup turned pale. He forced himself not to walk away on the spot.

This is because this corner is where the scholars brought by the princes who came to the alliance gathered.

Even if he left, it would be quite rude unless Guo Tu left the central military tent directly.

At this moment, a shrill voice like a duck's voice sounded.

"I have lived in Shu for a long time and I know the name of 'national scholar'. I didn't expect that the famous national scholar was such a narrow-minded person. Everyone knows that Guo Gongze of Yingchuan was harmed by a strong man and his teeth were broken. How can a gentleman laugh at him like this?"

As soon as these words were spoken, regardless of Li Ji's reaction, Guo Tu's composure, which he had managed to maintain, completely collapsed. His face turned purple, and he cast a fierce glance at the ugly scholar who openly mocked and exposed his shortcomings, then he turned away with a wave of his sleeves.

However, the ugly scholar seemed to be unaware that it was he who had angered Guo Tu. In fact, it was he who forced Guo Tu to leave in anger.

If what Li Ji said was a metaphor, then this ugly scholar was almost standing right in front of Guo Tu.

Even if there were some people who were unaware that Guo Tu had a missing tooth, after this ugly scholar openly told the story in front of all the scholars under the command of the princes, it would probably become known to everyone.

But the ugly scholar sneered at this moment and continued to speak to Li Ji.

"Humph, Yingchuan Guo Gongze is also a man of quick wits. He might be able to help in this campaign to defeat Dong and eliminate the thieves. But now he has been forced to leave by the state scholar. I wonder if the state scholar has anything to say?"

At this moment, Li Ji turned around and looked at the ugly and short scholar. For a moment he couldn't tell whether he really had a very low EQ or was deliberately playing a cross-dressing role.

It was not until Li Ji saw that he was still glaring at him that he realized that this scholar really had a very low EQ. He had no idea that his words had a one-fold lethality to Li Ji, but a hundred-fold lethality to Guo Tu, the real victim.

Immediately, Li Ji did not get angry and asked gently, "I am Li Ji, Li Zikun from Longxi. May I ask who you are?"

Seeing that Li Ji did not look down on him or say bad things about his ugly appearance, but instead took the initiative to salute him, the ugly scholar was slightly startled. His impression of Li Ji changed drastically immediately. He quickly straightened his clothes, returned the salute with a serious face, and introduced himself.

"I am Zhang Song, Zhang Ziqiao from Shu."

(PS: In the novel, Zhang Song's courtesy name is Yongnian, but this is a mistake. The historical books record that Zhang Song's courtesy name is Ziqiao.)
Li Ji's expression changed when he heard this, and then he raised his glass to Zhang Song and said.

"I am Zhang Ziqiao, a famous scholar in Shu. I have heard that you have a photographic memory. It is a great honor to meet you today. I will drink three cups as punishment for my impoliteness just now. Please do not blame me, Ziqiao."

After that, Li Ji drank three cups in a row for Zhang Song, which deeply touched Zhang Song.

Zhang Song always felt inferior because of his mediocre appearance, which made him feel sympathy for ugly people. So when he saw Li Ji's words seemed to be disdainful of Guo Tu's shortcomings, he couldn't help but question him.

Unexpectedly, Zhang Song, who was also ugly and unknown, was treated with such courtesy by the world-famous "national hero" Li Ji. How could he not be deeply moved?

"Has the state scholar also heard of Zhang Song's name?" Zhang Song couldn't help asking.

Li Ji spoke sincerely.

"Of course, I am in Wu County, and I have heard that there is a scholar named Zhang Ziqiao in Chengdu who has a photographic memory. He can write down everything he has read and everything he has seen without any mistakes. He is truly a rare person in the world."

"I never thought that Song's bad reputation would be heard by the country's scholars. I am really ashamed."

Zhang Song spoke so modestly on the surface, but in fact he felt extremely excited and moved in his heart, as if he had met a close friend. He felt that Li Ji in front of him was perfect in every way.

As for the secret suppression of Guo Tu by Li Ji just now, it must be that Guo Gongze did something despicable, which made the state scholar unable to help but criticize him.

Immediately, Zhang Song reacted and took the wine jug without waiting for Li Ji to speak, and started drinking.

This made Li Ji frown. Others raised their glasses to invite him to drink mostly out of etiquette, but the way Zhang Song drank was, he would probably fall drunk in no time.

If it was at the banquet, Li Ji would not say much, but now was the time to swear an oath of blood. If Zhang Song did something under the influence of drunkenness, it would be a joke.

Immediately, Li Ji reminded in a gentle voice.

"The time for the alliance is approaching, Ziqiao should not drink too much. Even if you want to drink with Ji, it's not too late for you and me to drink tonight."

Zhang Song waved his hand, drank the wine in the jug, then laughed and spoke.

"It's okay, it's okay. Song drank so much this time because he felt that he could have such a conversation with a great scholar, and he felt that he had made a lot of sense."

As soon as these words were spoken, some scholars around him who were of similar reputation to Zhang Song felt that they had learned something.

First suppress and then praise!

By criticizing the "national scholar" Li Ji harshly, he attracted the attention of the "national scholar" Li Ji, and then treated him with respect. This was enough to gain fame and enhance his reputation.

With Li Ji's current status, he no longer needs to be flattered by others. Instead, just a word of praise from Li Ji is enough to brag in front of others.

Just like Li Ji had just praised Zhang Song as a genius with photographic memory, this alone was enough to make Zhang Song famous.

Suddenly, the other scholars, who felt that they had benefited a lot from Zhang Song, were ready to scold Li Ji for forcing Zhang Song to drink and apologize, and then try their best to flatter Li Ji for his fame.

"Everyone, the auspicious time for the meeting is approaching, please return to your seats."

As Cao Cao spoke loudly, everyone who was drinking and chatting in the central army tent returned to their seats.

The positions of the princes, both big and small, were also allocated in advance in the small central military tent.

The eighteen great princes were divided into two rows, sitting on the left and right;

There were also eighteen smaller princes, who also sat on the left and right, but they sat behind the big princes.

Although the central army tent was large, it could barely accommodate thirty-six seats, so the confidants brought by the princes could only sit at one seat with their respective masters and stand behind them.

Although Li Ji was talking with a group of scholars just now, he noticed that Liu Bei's position was originally at the last among the great princes.

But as Liu Bei demonstrated his extraordinary prestige, his seat was quietly moved to the front, just below the two Yuans and the two Lius representing Liu Yan and Liu Biao, and he sat opposite Gongsun Zan.

However, just as Li Ji was standing leisurely behind Liu Bei, waiting for the formal alliance to begin, a voice suddenly rang out at the table.

"How can a national scholar not have a seat? We should set up another seat for Mr. Zikun!" (End of this chapter)