Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Chapter 463 What's Shameful About It?

(PS: In the previous chapter, I neglected to mention that the calendar of the Han Dynasty is very different from the current one. On average, a month has 29 or 30 days. Therefore, I have made detailed revisions to the relevant content, with the main point being that we can correct our mistakes.

At present, the corresponding content has been changed to the quoted version of the plot of "Pointing at a Stag and Calling it a Horse". Those who are interested can go back and take a look.)
"It's not like there's no chance of seeing each other again..."

Zhu Zheng agreed with an undisguised flattering attitude.

"My Lord, some of the people present here have ulterior motives even if they attend the meeting. Sending them down to meet each other would be a kind act."

"you!"

At this moment, there were many representatives of stubborn families who glared at Zhu Zheng and even wanted to kill him.

However, the blood contained in Li Ji's light words just now has not yet drained away. In the mixture of anger and fear, no one dared to be rude in front of Li Ji.

As for the hostility from those stubborn families, Zhu Zheng didn't take it to heart at all. It was hard to say how many of these stubborn old guys would be left after this meeting.

Zhu Zheng knew very well that if he retreated a little, he would be in trouble on both sides, and the first to be destroyed would be the Yuzhang Zhu family.

Only by standing on the same side as Guo Shihou can we win a glimmer of hope for the Yuzhang Zhu family and even go one step further!
"OK OK!"

Li Ji waved his hand and said.

"It's better not to say such words that are not conducive to unity. I am deeply honored that you have come here. At least it proves that you are willing to submit to my master, rather than follow the traitor Dong and become traitors to the Han Dynasty."

The words were still so calm and indifferent, but they seemed to carry a heavy weight when heard by everyone.

In the former anti-Wu alliance, too many Yangzhou families participated in it directly or indirectly, and there were very few who had no connection with it.

Of course, this does not mean that every Yangzhou family is confident that the anti-Wu coalition forces can invade Wu County.

A considerable number of noble families had a herd mentality and an investment mentality. In addition, due to the intermarriage among the Yangzhou noble families, even if some of them did not send troops directly, they chose to provide secret support in the form of money and food.

Betting on long positions is the basic practice of aristocratic families.

But the bad thing was that the anti-Wu coalition was completely destroyed in a flash, countless prisoners were taken, and the connection between the anti-Wu coalition and the Yangzhou family was clearly revealed.

Li Ji's words undoubtedly further characterized the anti-Wu coalition forces as accomplices of the traitor Dong, and the Yangzhou nobles who were dealt with first were also Han traitors.

The implication is that there may be traitors among you all here.

Immediately, under the gaze of all the noble families, Li Ji waved his sleeves and sat down, and some personal guards also came in with seats and placed them behind a very small group of representatives of noble families with official status headed by Gu Yong.

(PS: A little knowledge: Only the kneeling sitting in daily life is really sitting on the legs. In fact, the kneeling sitting in the Han Dynasty is a kind of seat called "zhizuo" placed under the buttocks. This is an ancient artifact that has been thoroughly confirmed only after being excavated from a Han tomb.)
Immediately, Li Ji raised his hand and gestured.

"These are all the seats in the governor's mansion. Please forgive those who don't have seats. Please be patient for a moment. Let's sit down and discuss first. How do you think?"

What else could the representatives of the noble families present say? Now that Li Ji had already sat down, who would dare to continue standing?

Except for some representatives of noble families who were not particular about details and simply sat on the ground, most of the representatives of noble families almost forced themselves to sit on their calves.

However, there were always smart people among the noble families present, and they understood the meaning in a flash.

Those who have seats are already serving under Liu Bei. The meaning is self-evident, and it is basically a metaphor that other Yangzhou noble families are not qualified to sit on an equal footing with Liu Bei's officials.

Some representatives of aristocratic families who were used to being high and mighty were angry but dared not speak out.

As people sat down one after another, Li Ji did not rush to speak.

Aristocratic families are not like ferocious tigers, but in a sense they are similar to hungry wolves, pursuing land, fame, and power as their main food.

Training a hungry wolf and turning it into a loyal dog is a patient job.

So after everyone sat down, Li Ji waved his hand and asked for the tea, pastries and other things that had been prepared in advance to be brought up.

This time, except for Li Ji who had a desk in front of him, everyone else was treated equally.

"Please forgive me, gentlemen. In order to fight against the traitor Dong Zhuo, and because my lord has always been benevolent and frugal, I don't have many tables to provide in the governor's mansion. I feel very ashamed for such simple conditions."

Li Ji really wasn't making excuses. It was impossible for the governor's mansion to always have dozens or hundreds of desks.

Even if preparations were made in advance, this courtyard, which could barely accommodate so many people, would not be able to accommodate so many tables and desks.

Regardless of whether Li Ji's words were sincere, Zhu Zheng naturally would not allow anyone to agree and support Li Ji faster than himself.

Almost as soon as Li Ji finished speaking, Zhu Zheng answered loudly.

"A man is born between heaven and earth, sits on the ground, looks up at the sky and eats. What is there to be ashamed of?"

After a pause, Zhu Zheng's eyes sparkled and he spoke with deep emotion.

"I recall that Emperor Liu drank all the porridge in front of the people in the refugee camp in order to settle more homeless refugees as quickly as possible. Compared with this, how can this be so shameful?"

After saying that, Zhu Zheng tasted the cakes in small bites and drank tea from time to time, just like a pilgrim.

With Zhu Zheng setting an example, there are naturally many people who follow suit.

Li Ji's eyebrows twitched when he saw Zhu Zheng's grateful expression. He thought that what he was eating was not cakes, but the ways of the world; what he was drinking was not tea, but wealth and glory.

However, people like Zhu Zheng who lick the boots are undoubtedly a minority. Most of the stubborn people just give it a try and then stop.

Not to mention that those stubborn representatives who were full of worries, fear and anxiety had no intention of eating at all, what was more important was that kneeling on the extremely hard ground was undoubtedly a huge physical test for the vast majority of the spoiled people from aristocratic families.

One moment or half a moment is fine.

But as Li Ji seemed to be holding a real tea party, he would communicate with those who agreed with him from time to time about the origins, tastes, and directions for improvement of these tea and pastries.

Many people from aristocratic families felt that they were living every day like a year, and they did not dare to show the slightest dissatisfaction or impatience towards Li Ji, for fear that they would be dealt with as well.

Zhu Zheng also changed Li Ji's opinion. Although he also had no seat, he always maintained a flattering look, as if his knees and calves were made of iron. He was completely different from the other representatives of the noble families who could not help but start to move their legs secretly.

(End of this chapter)