Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator.

As a dancer in Wang Yun's mansion, Diao Chan's world was small.

However, when Wang Yun invited guests, there was always plenty of eloquent discussion and commentary on the heroes of the land.

And the name of "National Scholar" Li Ji was naturally one Diao Chan had heard from Wang Yun and his other guests, and it could even be said to be one of the most frequently mentioned names.

What Diao Chan hadn't expected was that the person who saved her when Wang Yun fell would be such a famous figure in the Han Dynasty, and even more unexpectedly, that this great man seemed to be about the same age as her.

Before, Diao Chan had thought Li Ji was just an ordinary young master from a noble family.

This made Diao Chan feel a complex sense of inferiority.

Li Ji, who was about the same age, was also rumored to have come from humble beginnings, but now he was famous throughout the land, known to everyone, while she was just a dancer adrift in a chaotic world.

After a long while, Diao Chan finally replied, "Diao Chan has heard of the name of the National Scholar."

"Is that so?"

"My master often talked about the National Scholar during banquets, so Diao Chan knows of him," Diao Chan explained.

Li Ji nodded slightly, his calm gaze taking in the occasional flicker in the depths of her eyes.

Diao Chan's profession was a dancer kept by a noble family, and perhaps one of the most outstanding dancers in history, who, in the original timeline, followed Wang Yun's orders to move between Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu, ultimately completely igniting the conflict between them.

Previously, Li Ji had been somewhat puzzled as to why Dong Zhuo and Lu Bu were so obsessed with beauty, but after seeing Diao Chan's exquisite beauty and carefully trained every move and smile, he felt that it was not so strange.

Whether it was Dong Zhuo or Lu Bu, neither of them came from noble families, so they were naturally not familiar with the ways of noble families raising dancers, and it was normal to be captivated upon first contact.

This also made Li Ji consider the problem of Liu Bei's group, as there were quite a few people from humble backgrounds, and perhaps they also needed some daily temptations to temper their will.

Li Ji had previously formed the "Wu Commandery Dance Troupe," but this required time and foundation to cultivate, otherwise the level would not be sufficient.

And Diao Chan was undoubtedly a professional.

Immediately, Li Ji asked, "Can you read?"

At this question, Diao Chan looked surprised, subconsciously looked up at Li Ji, and then nodded, answering, "A little."

Immediately, Li Ji handed the bamboo scroll in his hand to Diao Chan, who subconsciously took it.

"From tomorrow on, I will teach you to read and study. If others ask, you are my distant cousin."

As the next sentence entered Diao Chan's ears, Diao Chan, who had just taken the bamboo scroll, was completely stunned, and it was not until Li Ji turned and left that Diao Chan suddenly reacted and said quickly.

"Diao Chan doesn't understand."

As a dancer raised in Wang Yun's mansion, Diao Chan had seen too much evil and filth.

There were too many things that Wang Yun and the guests he entertained would not deliberately avoid discussing in front of the dancers who entertained with their beauty.

A mere dancer was often no different from a commodity.

It was precisely for this reason that Diao Chan was suddenly surprised to hear that Li Ji was going to teach her to read and study, and treat her as a distant cousin.

This feeling was like a great man who originally only existed in legends suddenly treating her with respect, which made Diao Chan feel somewhat unaccustomed.

The reason why Li Ji gave Diao Chan an identity was very simple, that was because a mere dancer was equivalent to a commodity in this era, and was not worth much.

Li Ji was preparing to use Diao Chan to temper the will of Liu Bei's group, and to have her perform dances on certain festive days, rather than letting Liu Bei's group truly indulge in female beauty.

If Diao Chan didn't have the identity of Li Ji's distant cousin, I'm afraid that she would be a dancer today, and next year she would already be preparing for her second child.

"Without this identity, you will only be a commodity in the future. Since I saved you, then at least I need to let you settle down in peace."

This question left Diao Chan speechless.

For a dancer who had been raised by Wang Yun since childhood, her fate seemed to have been destined long ago.

Compared to other dancers, the only difference about Diao Chan was perhaps that her appearance was more outstanding.

It was precisely for this reason that Wang Yun, who believed that Diao Chan was a rare commodity, was reluctant to sell her off early.

No one willingly becomes a plaything in the hands of others, and Diao Chan was the same, but fate was never something that Diao Chan could control.

"Settle down in peace, read and understand more in your spare time, and perhaps you will be able to get rid of the identity of a dancer in the future."

Immediately, Li Ji glanced at Diao Chan out of the corner of his eye, left a sentence, and walked straight out.

In Li Ji's eyes, Diao Chan in the original timeline was undoubtedly a tragic and pitiful person.

It's just that Li Ji has never been a person who is obsessed with beauty, and he is quite indifferent to dancers and the like.

If he couldn't walk when he saw beautiful women, with Li Ji's current status, even if Zhang Zhongjing was by his side to take care of his body at all times, Li Ji would have to be exhausted sooner or later.

It was just that when Li Ji walked out of the room, he suddenly saw a dark shadow shrinking back in the corner.

This made the corners of Li Ji's mouth twitch slightly, and then he strode towards the corner, but instead of going over, he opened his mouth helplessly.

"Lord, what instructions do you have for visiting?"

As Li Ji's voice fell, Liu Bei walked out with a somewhat embarrassed expression.

What Li Ji didn't expect was that pulling the radish brought out the mud. Behind Liu Bei, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Guo Jia, and Xiahou Lan almost walked out in a line.

This made a big question mark float in Li Ji's head.

So... this group of people, squatting here, were preparing to eavesdrop?

Feeling Li Ji's strange gaze, Liu Bei smiled somewhat dryly and said.

"Zikun, how did you know it was me?"

Li Ji couldn't even bring himself to answer this question.

Being in Luoyang, Li Ji's mansion was guarded by heavy troops at all times to prevent accidents.

Who else could hide in the corner here under such circumstances, and without the guards reporting, other than Liu Bei?

"Lord, what is this?" Li Ji asked in turn.

Liu Bei looked around for a long while before opening his mouth somewhat awkwardly.

"Cough cough, the guards reported... Zikun summoned a dancer to the mansion late at night, so Bei was worried that the dancer might be an assassin, so he came over... to see..."

Li Ji looked at Guan Yu and the others, who were also avoiding Li Ji's gaze, and asked.

"Then Zilong, Yunchang, what are they...?"

Liu Bei was so embarrassed that his toes kept sliding back and forth, and said.

"Originally, Bei only wanted to bring Yunchang and Yide, but after Yide heard about it, he subconsciously roared loudly, and it became like this."

In an instant, the corners of Li Ji's mouth couldn't help but twitch.

It can only be said that Li Ji's image on weekdays was too perfect, money and beauty were all regarded as floating clouds, so when Liu Bei heard that Li Ji had summoned a dancer to the mansion late at night.

Let alone Liu, Guan, and Zhang, even Zhao Yun, Guo Jia, and Xiahou Lan, who were familiar with each other, all raised a strong sense of curiosity, and all wanted to secretly take a look at what kind of dancer could be so favored by Li Ji.

At this moment, Li Ji was glad that he was not someone who was obsessed with beauty, otherwise wouldn't his image be completely destroyed in one day?

"Everyone has misunderstood. That dancer has a very tragic background and we hit it off right away. After inquiring carefully, I found out that she is still a distant cousin of mine," Li Ji said.

"I see..."

Not knowing if it was an illusion, when Liu Bei said this sentence, Li Ji vaguely felt that Liu Bei's expression seemed a little disappointed.

"So what is he disappointed about?"

Li Ji was even a little confused for a while.

However, Li Ji didn't intend to delve into this episode, so he simply invited everyone to sit down in the courtyard, and then ordered the servants in the mansion to send over all kinds of food, wine, and fruits, desserts, and the like.

And in the banquet, everyone gradually began to talk about various things.

The "Trapped Camp," with a force of just over seven hundred, blocked tens of thousands of cavalry on the official road, eventually forcing Yuan Shao and other lords, who were in a hurry, to detour away from the official road before heading to Luoyang.

And the "Trapped Camp," which ultimately lost only about a hundred people, became famous in one battle, and gradually many people praised it as "the strongest army in the world."

Of course, there were also quite a few who scoffed at it.

In particular, Gongsun Zan was the most unconvinced, believing that he had to bypass the official road, mostly because he was blocked by the cavalry of the other lords, and the White Horse Volunteers under his command had no way to exert the advantage of riding and shooting.

It must be said that Gongsun Zan knew how to talk.

When Zhao Yun mentioned that Gongsun Zan had recently released this statement in Luoyang, Liu Bei and Li Ji looked at each other, both revealing a bit of a wry smile.

It's hard to say whether Gongsun Zan's words can save some dignity, but they will definitely offend all the other lords who regard him as a drag in his words.

"By the way, Zikun, His Majesty has sent an order, requiring the Allied forces to transport grain into the palace."

"When Bei went to attend the meeting just now, the lords were still arguing endlessly about this matter. Some agreed, and many opposed, believing that cutting off food and water might force Lu Bu to take the initiative to give up holding His Majesty hostage."

Listening to Liu Bei's words, Li Ji sneered and said.

"Those who oppose, their intentions are either stupid or bad! Even if the current Emperor's accession to the throne is not righteous, he is still the Son of Heaven of the Han Dynasty. If food and water are cut off, then the Allied forces will become rebellious parties besieging His Majesty."

"Furthermore, Lu Bu's only bargaining chip is His Majesty. If he is cornered, the first to be killed will undoubtedly be His Majesty."

"Therefore, not only can we not cut off water and food, but we must try to satisfy the requirements coming out of the palace."

Liu Bei nodded in agreement, and said.

"Bei also thinks so. Tomorrow, Bei will propose this strategy at the meeting. Even if there are still lords who oppose, then it is not hesitant to send private grain into the palace."

Li Ji smiled, and answered nonchalantly.

“Rest assured, considering the Alliance Leader's indecisiveness, I expect he will definitely take a compromising stance. As long as our lord firmly expresses his approval, our esteemed Alliance Leader will certainly be unwilling to bear the infamy of cutting off the palace's water and food supply.”

Having said that, Li Ji pointed to the venison in front of Liu Bei and said.

“My lord, this venison is from the deer of Shanglin Garden, the meat is exceptionally tender and unparalleled, a rare find, truly a superior choice.”

“Oh?”

Liu Bei picked up a slice and put it in his mouth, then nodded slightly, and then said.

“If Zikun likes this Shanglin Garden deer, why not send someone to catch a batch and send them back to Wu Commandery to raise.”

(End of Chapter)