Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator.

Chapter 35: Heavily Guarded "Preparedness"

In the end, this discussion ended without a conclusion. Only, at Li Ji's suggestion, more scouts were dispatched to patrol the surrounding area to prevent the army from being unknowingly discovered by the Yellow Turbans wandering nearby.

Afterwards, Li Ji returned to the independent tent arranged for him.

Before long, Liu Bei came to visit him specifically.

When Liu Bei pulled open the tent curtain and entered, he found that Li Ji was not as restless as Zhang Fei, but was holding a bamboo scroll in his hand, seemingly reading it with relish.

Moreover, Li Ji had already poured two cups of hot tea in front of him, and was sipping them from time to time.

Looking at Li Ji's leisurely and calm appearance, Liu Bei felt a sense of peace for some reason, and the anxiety in his heart completely subsided.

"Zikun, was the other cup of hot tea prepared for me in advance?"

"Naturally, Brother Xuande, please sit down."

Li Ji stood up and bowed to Liu Bei, then gestured for Liu Bei to sit down in the seat in front of him.

Liu Bei sat down happily and asked, "Zikun, how did you know that Bei would visit?"

Li Ji smiled without saying a word.

Seeing this, Liu Bei sighed slightly and then said, "Since it's just the two of us here, Bei will speak frankly."

"Brother Xuande, feel free to speak."

Liu Bei pondered for a moment and said, "Just now, during the discussion in the camp, I saw the changes in Zikun's expression and felt that Zikun had some ideas in his heart, but also had some reservations. Could it be that there is something difficult to say?"

As soon as these words came out, Li Ji's hand holding the teacup paused slightly, and a trace of surprise appeared in his eyes as he looked at Liu Bei.

Li Ji believed that his acting skills were acceptable, at least he wouldn't easily show his thoughts on the surface, but he didn't expect Liu Bei to be so敏锐 to feel this.

Immediately, Li Ji didn't deliberately hide it and nodded in acknowledgment.

"Just now, Ji did consider 'fire attack' as an idea and deduced it in detail. Although this plan has a chance of success, the price to be paid is too heavy for you and me."

"What price needs to be paid?" Liu Bei hesitated for a moment and asked.

Li Ji closed his eyes slightly and then replied, "Yunchang and Yide enter the game with their deaths, burning all the money, food, and weapons in Julu, and the Yellow Turbans will collapse on their own."

Immediately, Liu Bei's expression changed obviously, and he exclaimed.

"Absolutely not! Bei would rather enter the game himself, and would never agree to use Yunchang and Yide's lives to promote this plan."

After saying this, Liu Bei realized it, sighed, and slowly said.

"What Zikun said is very true, this plan is too heavy. Since I have made the Peach Garden Oath with Yunchang and Yide, to share life and death, how can I abandon Yunchang and Yide's lives to achieve this plan? Even if this plan can give me the credit for defeating the Yellow Turbans, I will not take it."

Li Ji naturally knew that once this plan was revealed, Liu Bei would definitely make this choice.

The primary condition for promoting the success of the plan was to hide it from Liu Bei and secretly let Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Xiahou Bo enter the game.

From a rational point of view, Liu Bei undoubtedly has a bit of womanly benevolence. How can someone who achieves great things惜 the lives of his subordinates?

If it were Cao Cao, he would probably think twice and then happily adopt it.

However, from an emotional point of view, Li Ji also didn't want Liu Bei to adopt this plan. Today, Liu Bei can abandon Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and tomorrow Liu Bei can abandon Li Ji's life.

Li Ji sighed and said.

"I also know that this plan is not appropriate, so I didn't say it during the discussion. Otherwise, with Yunchang and Yide's personalities, I'm afraid they may not cherish their lives and may forcibly demand to carry out this dangerous plan, which is not impossible."

Liu Bei was stunned for a while as he looked at Li Ji upon hearing this.

'Zikun, you are truly a considerate and gentle person, and you know my thoughts like the back of your hand. Is this what the Book of Documents·The Great Oath says about being of one heart and one mind?'

Suddenly, under Li Ji's somewhat puzzled gaze, Liu Bei slowly revealed a meaningful smile.

This made Li Ji's gluteus maximus, which had been trained by marching and riding horses during this period, tighten immediately, and he unconsciously wanted to move back a little more.

The so-called: Heavily Guarded “Preparedness”!

Liu Bei said somewhat embarrassedly, "Zikun, I have an unreasonable request."

"If it's really difficult, Brother Xuande shouldn't open your mouth."

Li Ji replied quietly.

This made Liu Bei, who was about to continue, freeze for a moment. He didn't expect Li Ji to not follow the normal routine.

'Really… Truly worthy of being Zikun, it's not easy to figure him out!'

"Actually, it's not a very difficult request," Liu Bei said.

"Really not difficult?" Li Ji asked.

"Yes."

"Is it not difficult for Brother Xuande? Or is it not difficult for me?" Li Ji confirmed.

"It should be not very difficult for Zikun," Liu Bei said.

"Then Brother Xuande, feel free to speak," Li Ji said easily.

Liu Bei looked at Li Ji with炯炯 eyes and said.

"Then it is that Xuande has great ambitions in his heart, but he hopes to achieve his ambitions together with Zikun, Yunchang, and Yide, and none of them can be missing. Therefore, in the future, Zikun's good strategies must not harm yourself."

After saying this, Liu Bei's eyes looking at Li Ji almost revealed undisguised fervor, and Liu Bei felt that the atmosphere at this moment was also excellent.

Zikun, you should be able to understand my intentions!

Zikun, your importance to Bei is no less than that of Yunchang and Yide. Can you worship me as your lord and work together to achieve great ambitions in the future?

Of course, Liu Bei didn't really say these real thoughts, for fear that doing so might force Li Ji, and even more afraid that once he opened his mouth and was rejected by Li Ji, the two sides would completely part ways.

He could only imply it in this way that was so strong that it was almost explicit.

However, what Liu Bei didn't know was that Li Ji had undergone high-intensity deduction during the discussion, and his spirit had already produced an extremely heavy burden, otherwise he wouldn't have hurriedly returned to his tent to rest.

Therefore, Liu Bei's affectionate implication was not something Li Ji had the energy to interpret at all, tantamount to casting pearls before swine.

When Liu Bei entered Li Ji's tent, he was somewhat anxious in his heart; when he left the tent, he was惆怅 in his heart…

'Could it be that Bei still has something that Zikun is not very satisfied with?'

The only thing that made Liu Bei a little gratified was that Li Ji briefly analyzed the current situation for Liu Bei before leaving the camp.

Now, the biggest advantage of the army hidden in Gaoyi is that the enemy is in the open and we are in the dark.

If there is any action or gain, there is only one chance.

Therefore, before there is considerable certainty, doing more is worse than doing nothing.

'Wait for the opportunity, send more cavalry disguised as Yellow Turbans to sneak into Julu County to collect information, preferably to confirm the battle situation on the Guangzong line…'

Recalling Li Ji's suggestion, Liu Bei immediately went down to make arrangements.

After Liu Bei left the camp, Li Ji took out a bamboo scroll from his sleeve and spread it out in front of him. After thinking for a while, he began to write on the bamboo scroll.

The result of the previous deduction, "Fire Attack Surprise Attack", was undoubtedly unacceptable to both Li Ji and Liu Bei.

However, the content deduced in that special state is not only valuable in the result, but also some important information that Li Ji may not be able to notice under normal circumstances is also quite valuable.

First, the grain and grass piled up in Julu City are the grain and grass of the entire Jizhou Yellow Turbans, which is especially important;

Second, General Zhang Liang is not a straw bag. He is cautious and careful, and cannot be underestimated;

Third, the solidity of Julu lies not in the city walls, but in the hearts and beliefs of the Yellow Turbans in the city. To break Julu, you must first break the hearts of the Yellow Turbans.

"There is no unbreakable situation in the world, it's just a limitation of ability, or a lack of information, and the conditions to break the situation have not been gathered…"

Li Ji murmured, rolled up the memo bamboo scroll in front of him and put it in his sleeve, and picked up the military book to study again.

Li Ji, who had been reading in the camp, felt that his spirit had recovered a lot, and then continued to deduce another option that the previous "Strategy Simulator" showed.

[Before you feel that you have not grasped enough opportunities to lead to victory, you decide to choose "Wait for the opportunity to move."

The premise of waiting for the opportunity to move is undoubtedly how to hide the army's whereabouts and obtain enough food to maintain the army.

Therefore, under your proposal, in addition to sending out ten groups of ten cavalrymen to act as scouts to continuously investigate news around Guangzong and Julu, Zhang Fei personally led nine hundred cavalrymen to change their costumes and pretend to be horse thieves and bandits wandering around Yuanshi, the ruling place of Changshan State, to rob and attack the Yellow Turbans.

With Zhang Fei's bravery and the advantage of the cavalry, the Yellow Turbans were troubled by the cavalry led by Zhang Fei, which also attracted the attention of some Yellow Turbans, who tried to encircle and kill Zhang Fei.]

[And this is exactly the situation you want to see.

Zhang Fei made enough noise in Yuanshi, which is a certain distance from Gaoyi, which is enough to attract the attention of the surrounding Yellow Turbans, but not enough to attract the attention of the Yellow Turbans in Julu City.

And by taking advantage of Zhang Fei's cavalry to rob the Yellow Turbans from time to time, through the way of supporting the war with war, it can not only train the army, but also ensure the grain and grass needs of the army to a certain extent.]

[Soon, time passed.

You have become more and more aware of the current situation in Julu and Guangzong. Just as you were planning to contact the General of the Northern Central Army, the scout sent back a message:

Because the General of the Northern Central Army, Lu Zhi, had been attacking Guangzong for a long time without success, he was dismissed from his post by the Emperor's edict and escorted back to Luoyang in a prison car to be questioned.

Then, Dong Zhuo, the General of the Eastern Central Army, took over the army from the General of the Northern Central Army, Lu Zhi.

You know that perhaps the opportunity you have been waiting for is finally coming!

You urgently ordered Zhang Fei to lead the cavalry to return to Gaoyi, and sent more scouts to Guangzong to investigate the news.]

[After Dong Zhuo, the General of the Eastern Central Army, took over the army from Lu Zhi, Dong Zhuo still besieged Guangzong according to the original strategy of the General of the Northern Central Army and tried to find a way to break Guangzong.

However, when the Yellow Turbans learned that the Han army had replaced its commander on the battlefield, and that Lu Zhi, the General of the North Central Army, had been escorted back to Luoyang by the imperial court, they abandoned their previous defensive posture. Instead of holding their ground, they mobilized their elite forces, including the Yellow Turban Warriors, to counterattack the Han army.

Dong Zhuo had not anticipated that the Yellow Turbans, who seemed to be easily manipulated like toys in Lu Zhi's hands, would still have the morale to launch a counteroffensive. As a result, the Han army besieging Guangzong was completely unprepared.

In a short time, the Han army suffered heavy losses and retreated thirty miles in defeat.

Subsequently, Dong Zhuo, in a fit of rage, reorganized the Han army and led them into another direct field battle with the Yellow Turbans, only to be defeated again...

The Yellow Turbans even managed to pierce through the Han army's formation with their overwhelming numerical advantage, dividing and encircling a large portion of the Han forces. Dong Zhuo was on the verge of a humiliating escape.

Having foreseen that the Yellow Turbans would launch a counterattack against the Han army, Liu Bei, who had been advised to march urgently to the Guangzong area, led his army and arrived in time to launch a surprise attack on the weakly defended central camp of the Yellow Turbans.

Even though the Yellow Turban central army had a large number of Yellow Turban Warriors who hastily formed ranks to resist, they were still no match for the charge of the thousand elite cavalry led by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei.

Instantly, the Yellow Turban central army collapsed, and the Han army seized the opportunity to counterattack, completely reversing the situation. The battle ended with a complete rout of the Yellow Turbans, who were pursued and killed for thirty miles.

In this battle, Zhang Jiao was killed in action by Zhang Fei, and countless high-ranking members of the Way of Peace also died or were wounded.

As Zhang Jiao's head was displayed in all directions, the Yellow Turban's faith completely collapsed wherever it was shown, and Julu surrendered without a fight!

After this battle, although Dong Zhuo secretly bribed the eunuchs, attributing the credit for defeating the Yellow Turbans to himself and being appointed as the Governor of Liang Province, Liu Bei's name still appeared in the imperial court with the help of Liu Yan. Liu Bei was also appointed as a Prefect of a commandery after the battle.

However, without Dong Zhuo's humiliating defeat, Dong Zhuo's victory over the Yellow Turbans made the Emperor believe even more that Lu Zhi was incompetent or secretly colluding with the Yellow Turbans, which was why he had been unable to break the stalemate with the Yellow Turbans.

In the end, Lu Zhi, the General of the North Central Army, was beheaded!

Strategy Evaluation: The strategy you employed perfectly embodies the principle of "accumulating strength and waiting for the opportune moment."

Because you knew that without your intervention, Lu Zhi, the General of the North Central Army, would be slandered by the petty eunuchs and subsequently stripped of his office and imprisoned by the imperial court.

The one who would replace the General of the North Central Army would be Dong Zhuo.

Although this man possesses courage and strength, he lacks Lu Zhi's ability to overcome the strong with the weak. Moreover, Dong Zhuo is eager to prove himself to the imperial court and gain military merit, and he also despises the Yellow Turbans. Defeat is inevitable for him.

Therefore, you seized the best opportunity, when the Yellow Turbans thought they could defeat the Han army in one battle.

You launched a surprise attack on the Yellow Turban central army, and with the bravery of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, you killed Zhang Jiao in battle, completely securing the overall situation.

However, without Dong Zhuo's defeat to highlight Lu Zhi's ability, you also caused Lu Zhi's death.

Every time I think about this in the future, I will still have many regrets.

Moreover, Dong Zhuo's promotion to the Governor of Liang Province has given him far more power than you anticipated, and it may unleash even greater disasters.

As the simulated scenario came to a complete end, Li Ji suddenly widened his eyes, abruptly realizing a detail that he had previously subjectively overlooked.

In the original timeline, Lu Zhi, the General of the North Central Army, would be impeached by the eunuchs around June and imprisoned by the Emperor for failing to conquer Guangzong for a long time.

This caused Li Ji's eyes to narrow slightly involuntarily.

This time, the result of simulating "waiting for the opportune moment" was much better than Li Ji had expected. The simulation almost fully exploited Li Ji's known advantages of foresight, as well as the advantage of Liu Bei's army being hidden in the shadows.

Taking Dong Zhuo's defeat, who originally replaced Lu Zhi, as the turning point, the situation was instantly reversed, and the Yellow Turbans were defeated in one battle.

However, Dong Zhuo is not a modest gentleman, and he does not need to cooperate with Liu Yan like that. Instead, he crudely and directly bribed the eunuchs, almost taking all the credit for himself.

If it weren't for Liu Yan speaking out for Liu Bei, Dong Zhuo's personality might not have even reported Liu Bei's name to the imperial court.