The most poisonous person in the Three Kingdoms, Boss Cao advised me to calm down!

Chapter 354: Pang De Has Done His Best
Pang De knew that this conversation was of great significance, so he calmed down and sat calmly.

Following custom, Sima De liked to play black first, so he naturally took the black piece.

Pang De took the white piece, and now his eyes were sharp as a torch, watching every change on the chessboard.

It seems as if there are endless mysteries hidden between the chess pieces.

After Sima De made his move, Pang De quickly responded in the northwest corner and asked:
"Why did Mr. Sima call me the wise man of Xiliang?"

Sima De witnessed Pang De placing a son in the northwest.

I couldn't help but recall Li Ru, who also worked here in the past.

I can only sigh that times have changed and fate has played tricks on us.

Now Li Ru has disappeared.

The only strategist who originated from Xiliang today is Jia Xu.

Still active in the arena of world disputes.

"Now that it has come to this, there is no point in hiding it."

"It's because you, Pound, are Ma's brain trust."

Before Sima De finished his words, he had already made a crucial move on the chessboard.

"In the Ma Teng clan, most of the soldiers they use are from the family's trusted family members."

“It’s hard to gain trust from outsiders.”

"However, among the many generals of the Ma family."

"Only you, Pang De, are deeply trusted by Ma family, which is beyond the reach of ordinary retainers."

"Just this?" Pound said as he placed another piece in the northwest corner.

He confronted Sima De and said:
"What if Pang is from a wealthy family in Xiliang and has a strong foundation?"

Sima De smiled and said:

"I have thoroughly investigated Brother Lingming's background, and you are not from a prominent family."

Sima De's layout was ingenious.

As he talked, the chess pieces in his hand had already initially restricted Pound's chess development.

The decisiveness and swiftness of the chess game caught Pang De off guard.

Indeed, one's origin is easy to verify.

Pang De found it difficult to make his move to the northwest, so he turned south.

Approaching the southwest, he said:
"What if I was known for my bravery under Ma?"

Sima De shook his head slightly, in the southwest direction of the chessboard.

Continue to fight fiercely with Pound.

"No! I have carefully studied your surprise attack on the banks of the Wei River."

"The difficulty Duke Wei experienced that day was truly thrilling."

When Pang De heard it, he remembered it clearly.

That day he followed Ma Chao in a surprise attack on Cao's army that was crossing the river to the north.

Cao Cao was chased so badly that he cut off his beard and threw away his robe along the way.

That moment was also the moment when his Xiliang side was closest to victory!

"On the battlefield, opportunities are fleeting."

"Ma Chao chose the perfect moment to launch a surprise attack."

"There must be a mastermind behind this. This person can only be the wisest one in his army!"

"At that time, the only people following Ma Chao were you and Ma Dai!"

Sima De's words are convincing and his analysis is thorough.

"Why must Ma Dai be excluded?"

"Or, it can't be Ma Chao's own judgment?"

Pang De seemed calm on the surface, but he kept making moves.

In fact, his eyes were focused on the game in the southwest of the chessboard.

"Ma Dai is still immature due to his age."

"And if Ma Chao had this realization."

"Why are you like a lost dog now?"

"Sir, you underestimate Ma Meng." Pound was not being stubborn.

I just think that Sima De's speculation is more like conjecture than empirical evidence.

There is no need for me to agree with what he says.

"In that case, let me reveal the most crucial point!"

Sima De placed a key move in the southwest, and the black chess piece landed steadily.

"I carefully planned the battle of Weishui."

"This caused disunity among the allied forces in Guanzhong, and Ma Chao was defeated and fled to Jincheng."

"Although you two went to Hanzhong together, a rift had already formed between you two."

"Ma Chao no longer has the trust he once had in Brother Ling Ming."

"So when I went to Shu, I did not bring my ill brother Lingming with me."

"But Brother Lingming was willing to stay in Hanzhong and become a discarded chess piece in the game." "But he didn't have Zhang Lu's trust, and the Yang brothers acted rashly."

"So the Yangping blockade failed, and all the hard work of the past few days wasted."

Pang De couldn't help but raise his head when he heard this, and felt that Sima De was indeed unparalleled in his wisdom!

Then he realized that the chess game was beyond redemption.

I couldn't help but sigh: "The world's genius is indeed worthy of the name!"

What Sima De said was true, he had been bedridden for a long time.

It wasn't because of the incompatibility of the local climate and environment, but because of the indifference of the Ma family.

Physical illness is easy to cure, but mental illness is difficult to cure!
"I was defeated by you in the battle of Tongguan, and Pang De was convinced."

"As you said, I am the military advisor of the Ma family."

"Today, the Ma family has abandoned me like a worn-out shoe."

"I have no desire but to die in loyalty!"

Sima De heard this and said quickly:

"I know you are a man of high character, so I came here."

"May I ask, who is your lord today?"

"It's the Ma family from Xiliang!" Pang De answered decisively.

This shows his loyalty and unwavering determination.

Then he found an opportunity in the center of the chessboard and made another move.

Sima De also laughed when he saw this:
"The Xiliang Ma family is now separated."

"Ma Teng and Ma Tie died in the chaos."

"Ma Chao has defected to Liu Zhang and is living in Shu."

"Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu are at odds with each other, and everyone knows it."

"And General Pang was captured by me while he was guarding Yangping Pass."

"If you keep saying that the Ma family is loyal, you are actually working for Zhang Lu."

“Aren’t words and actions contradictory?”

After saying that, he also followed closely behind, pressing forward step by step.

Pang De helped Zhang Lu only out of gratitude for Zhang Lu's kindness in taking him in, without giving it much thought.

Although Sima De's words seemed to be a sophistry, they were an indisputable fact.

"If you follow Mr. Sima's wishes, I will pledge my loyalty to Zhang Lu?"

Pang De asked the question even though he knew the answer, and Sima De's persuasion was also cautious.

"Zhang Lu has surrendered to the Duke of Wei. If you are loyal to Zhang Lu, you should also be loyal to the Duke of Wei."

This logic made Pound laugh.

According to this, shouldn't he submit to Cao Cao immediately?

At this moment, a hint of sneer arose in my heart.

You are here to persuade me to bow down to Cao Cao?

But then he saw that Zhongyang Qilu was also in trouble.

He couldn't help but ask, "So, should I be loyal to Cao Cao?"

However, Sima De shook his head in denial.

"Duke Wei and Ma Chao fought at Tongguan, and the two families had an irreconcilable feud."

"If you pledge allegiance to Cao Wei, you will be betraying the Ma family."

Sima De also said it clearly at this time.

Pound was completely confused by this series of reasoning and it seemed that he was in conflict with himself.

Pound's mind was in chaos.

Even his loyalty began to waver.

I couldn't help but ask subconsciously:
"I would like to ask Mr. Sima, what does 'loyalty' mean to you?"

Seeing Pang De asking questions, Sima De also smiled in his heart.

A long period of planning, just for this moment.

“Loyalty is not to others, but to yourself.”

This is Sima De's way, to be true to oneself.

When it comes to changing lords, Sima De is naturally more experienced than Pang De.

Naturally, people would scoff at the saying that a loyal minister should not serve two masters.

Pang De also understood something after hearing this.

To understand what the other person means is to be true to yourself and to your heart!

Even if he was loyal to the Ma family, hadn't he defended the loyalty in his heart?

Later he was abandoned in Hanzhong by Ma Chao and now falls into the hands of Cao Cao.

Abandon those high-sounding reasons and look directly at the true self in your heart!
Pang De has done his best.

(End of this chapter)