Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator.

In Li Ji's view, this was undoubtedly the best option for capitalizing on the current situation.

What if the two Yuans joined forces?

Even if the two Yuans temporarily united due to external pressure, their internal conflicts would inevitably arise once they gained power. Moreover, Li Ji had previously taken steps in Youzhou to hinder Yuan Shao's rise, so they were not a significant threat at all.

On the contrary, now was the time to seize the opportunity. While the two Yuans were occupied with taking Yanzhou and unable to attend to Xuzhou, they should find a way to seize Xuzhou. The significance of this to Liu Bei's group would be unimaginable.

The importance of Xuzhou almost determined who had the qualifications to contend for the Central Plains.

Even the later Chairman set out on the Northern Expedition from Xuzhou, eventually unifying the Chinese autumn begonia leaf.

The fact that he was willing to risk all his advantages by staking eight hundred thousand troops rather than give up Xuzhou shows how important Xuzhou was.

Therefore, Li Ji looked at Liu Bei with burning eyes, waiting for Liu Bei's reaction.

However, after a moment of stunned silence, Liu Bei waved his hand, turned his back to Li Ji, and slapped the pillar beside him, saying.

"Absolutely not! Absolutely not!! I can promise Zikun everything else, but this is absolutely impossible."

"Lord, opportunities are fleeting. While Xuzhou can only be defended by Tao Qian, once Xuzhou is obtained by the Lord, contending for the Central Plains will be within reach."

Li Ji blurted out his persuasion.

But Liu Bei gritted his teeth and said.

"I have known Tao Qian for many years, and we have always supported each other. Our correspondence has never ceased."

"Although Tao Qian is old and frail and can hardly accomplish anything, he still has the heart of a Han臣 and has repeatedly helped me in assisting the Han Dynasty. How can I do such a disloyal and unjust thing?"

This question seemed to be questioning Li Ji, but it was more like Liu Bei questioning himself.

"I have never acted against benevolence and virtue in my life. If I attack Xuzhou now, even if Zikun has a brilliant plan to convince the world, I know in my heart that I have already been disloyal and unjust. How can I still face the people of the world?"

"Inappropriate! Impossible! Unacceptable!"

It wasn't that Li Ji didn't know that Liu Bei would oppose this matter, but he couldn't help but persuade him.

"Upholding a temporary alliance is a minor virtue. Pacifying the chaotic world and assisting the Han Dynasty is a major virtue. Why does the Lord abandon the major virtue for the minor virtue?"

"If the Lord feels guilty towards Tao Qian, you can spare the lives of Tao Qian and his son and grant them generations of wealth and honor."

"Moreover, given the strategic importance of Xuzhou, Tao Qian is probably unable to defend it. If the Lord does not take it today, it will be taken by others in the future. Please think again, Lord."

Liu Bei had always trusted Li Ji's advice, so even though he was reluctant in his heart, he took a few deep breaths and, after some deliberation, replied.

"I once said: Do not fail to do good because it is small, and do not do evil because it is small."

"If I can convince myself today to abandon minor righteousness and take Xuzhou, I will be able to convince myself to abandon major righteousness and harm the people of the world in the future."

"This step, I will definitely not retreat."

"Even if there is no suitable opportunity to launch the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains for the time being, I would rather wait patiently. I will never take Xuzhou."

Liu Bei's answer did not exceed Li Ji's expectations.

There was no dejection on Li Ji's face, and even a hint of a smile couldn't help but appear at the corner of his mouth.

Liu Xuande is still Liu Xuande.

"Since the Lord's mind is made up, I will no longer persuade him. As for the strategy for the Northern Expedition to the Central Plains, please allow me to think about it for a while," Li Ji replied with cupped fists.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei suddenly woke up, quickly turned around, held Li Ji's hands, and apologized.

"I know that your heart is to assist the Han Dynasty, but I really don't want to do anything disloyal and unjust, which would ruin your brilliant plan. I hope you don't blame me."

In the end, Liu Bei's face was filled with shame.

How could Liu Bei not know that what Li Ji said made a lot of sense? Taking advantage of the fact that the various lords were unable to attend to Xuzhou, as long as he occupied Xuzhou, with Jing and Yang provinces as his foundation, contending for the Central Plains would be within reach.

However, Liu Bei was unwilling to do anything disloyal and unjust.

If the two armies were facing each other, Liu Bei would have a clear conscience no matter how treacherous and cunning the enemy was.

But Liu Bei felt guilty for stabbing his friend Tao Qian in the back.

And Li Ji naturally wouldn't mind such a trivial matter. After discussing with Liu Bei for a while, they finally decided to send a message to Guan Yu, asking Guan Yu to be prepared for any changes in Nanyang at any time.

Today, Nanyang Commandery is almost completely in Yuan Shu's hands, with only Xinye City belonging to Liu Bei.

In addition, Huang Zu of Wancheng was afraid that surrendering to Liu Bei would be harmed by Sun Ce, but he was unwilling to join Yuan Shu and bear the reputation of betraying his old master, so he maintained independence in the cracks.

However, once Yuan Shu decides to cede Nanyang to Lu Bu, Nanyang will inevitably fall into a period of chaos during the handover between the two sides.

During this period, it would undoubtedly be the best time for Guan Yu to take the opportunity to send troops to recapture the Nanyang area adjacent to Xiangyang.

Moreover, in this way, even if he fought against Lu Bu in the future, he could leave enough buffer for Xiangyang, so that Lu Bu's Bingzhou wolf cavalry would not reach Xiangyang in an instant.

In addition, Liu Bei also ordered a large-scale mobilization of troops to be stationed in Shouchun to deter Yuan Shu and frighten Yuan Shu as much as possible from daring to move his troops to attack Yanzhou.

And when Li Ji and Liu Bei initially discussed and decided on all military affairs, and were arranging troop deployments while continuing to pay attention to the changes in the Central Plains situation in the next period of time.

A piece of information that was not valued by the Brocade-Clothed Guards, but made Li Ji couldn't help but ponder secretly, was sent to his desk.

[Cao Song, the former Grand Commandant who moved his family to Langya State, Xuzhou, for fear of being retaliated against by Dong Zhuo when Cao Cao raised troops to attack Dong Zhuo, is preparing to move his family to Qingzhou at Cao Cao's invitation.]

Cao Song?!

Li Ji was naturally familiar with this name.

The former Grand Commandant Cao Song was a notoriously greedy official. He obtained his position as one of the Three Dukes by bribing the Ten Attendants with 100 million coins, and he was dismissed after only five months.

(PS: It is indeed 100 million, as recorded in the "Book of the Later Han Dynasty: Biography of Eunuchs.")

More importantly, seeing this information, Li Ji almost instantly had the idea of giving this information to Jia Xu and letting Jia Xu find a way to kill Cao Song in Xuzhou.

At that time, once Cao Cao launched an attack on Xuzhou out of anger, wouldn't Liu Bei have an excuse to enter Xuzhou openly?

It's just that after estimating the time, Li Ji sighed and gave up on this idea.

It wasn't kindness, but Cao Song's relocation didn't take long, and Langya State and Qingzhou were adjacent to each other, and didn't even need to pass through Taishan Commandery.

It had already taken a lot of time for the information to be sent back to Shouchun. Even if Jia Xu was entrusted to find a way to kill Cao Song, it would be too late to do it in Xuzhou and pin the blame on Tao Qian.

However, after Li Ji looked through the information about Cao Song's relocation, he found that he was accompanied by nearly a hundred carts of money and belongings, and even lacked beautiful maids to serve him along the way.

'Cao Song is probably only now fully betting on Cao Cao, and his family wealth is really rich. I really don't know how he got so much oil and water back then...'

'It's just that if this money falls into Cao Cao's hands, it can probably greatly relieve Cao Cao's urgent needs.'"

Li Ji thought to himself. (End of this chapter)