Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Chapter 119: Occasionally Not Acting Human

[Scheme Evaluation: ... To achieve your goals, everything is just a chess piece in your eyes. Will you ever regret it, or will you occasionally dream of that elegant woman begging bitterly?

Furthermore, after thousands of years, when people accidentally excavate your former residence in Wu County, they will discover traces of Cai Zhaoji's 《Poem of Sorrow and Indignation》, used to accuse you.

Let the world know that a pitiful woman was silently buried beneath the great achievements you accomplished, adding many blemishes to your originally glorious and great image left to the world.]

After reading the deduced information that surfaced in his mind, Li Ji, who usually cared a lot about his image, couldn't help but twitch the corners of his mouth repeatedly.

In terms of not acting human, the 'Scheme Simulator' is indeed qualified...

Capturing a woman of both talent and beauty like Cai Zhaoji into a small dark room, just to force her to transcribe classics? ? ?

Suddenly realizing this, Li Ji quickly shook off the evil thoughts that followed that line of thinking, and self-corrected.

'No, no, no, what I mean is, how could there be such a vicious scheme?'

However, Li Ji had to admit that this choice was indeed 'tough enough' and indeed maximized efficiency.

As long as Li Ji acted quickly, he could easily deceive everyone and abduct Cai Zhaoji to the dungeon's small dark room within three days.

Even without using torture like candles and small leather whips, Li Ji's silver tongue could make Cai Zhaoji beg for mercy and obediently start transcribing water conservancy classics day and night in an instant.

Unfortunately, although this choice was full of feasibility and temptation, Li Ji still decided to put this choice aside and ignore it for the time being.

[After your human-based consideration, you decided to treat Cai Zhaoji in a more gentle way. You chose the 'soft' approach.

Perhaps you don't understand women, but you undoubtedly understand men very well.

And in this era of arranged marriages, if you want to get Cai Zhaoji's full assistance, obtaining Cai Yong's approval and directly marrying Cai Zhaoji is undoubtedly an efficient and gentle way.]

[As for so-called feelings, they are not a factor you consider when measuring choices in the face of the great trends of the world.

Only marrying those who are helpful is the valuable wife in your eyes.

And after getting along for a long time, feelings will inevitably develop over time.]

[Afterwards, you visited Cai Yong multiple times under the guise of seeking advice, easily gaining Cai Yong's approval and appreciation with your deduction ability and unique later-generation thinking and overall perspective.

Immediately afterwards, you asked your lord to propose marriage to Cai Yong on your behalf.

Based on his appreciation for you and your reputation, and the fact that you, who had never been married, did not have the slightest disdain for the remarried Cai Zhaoji, this made Cai Yong even more satisfied. He agreed without the slightest hesitation, believing that you would be someone Cai Zhaoji was worthy of entrusting herself to.]

[With the title of fiancé, although the wedding still needed to be held on an auspicious day, it was no longer difficult for you to visit Cai Yong's residence to see and communicate with Cai Zhaoji.

And Cai Zhaoji did not resist your request for her to transcribe and summarize water conservancy-related content, and soon provided you with a large amount of water conservancy-related content.

Finally, you successfully completed a satisfactory plan within three months.

Having achieved your goal, in order to avoid possible hidden dangers, you quickly found a perfect reason to cancel the marriage.]

[Scheme Evaluation: Between acting human and not acting human, you chose to occasionally not act human.

You deceived Cai Yong and Cai Zhaoji with your reputation and talent, but in reality, you only regarded Cai Zhaoji as a tool.

When Cai Zhaoji's value was mostly lost, you chose to abandon Cai Zhaoji without hesitation, and Cai Zhaoji's already terrible reputation due to her late husband's early death suffered another blow.

Perhaps, only after you meet Cai Zhaoji again in middle age, who has never remarried in her life, will a wave of guilt rise in your heart.]

...

Li Ji.

At this moment, Li Ji couldn't help but suspect whether he was really that shameless?

No, no, no, the shameless one is definitely the 'Scheme Simulator'.

Originally, when Li Ji saw more than half of the deduced content, he thought he would get married, but he didn't expect that in the end, he would choose to cancel the marriage directly.

From a rational point of view, that was indeed the best choice.

Setting a wedding only gave Li Ji a title that allowed him to contact Cai Zhaoji smoothly and get Cai Zhaoji's wholehearted help.

After Li Ji completed the water conservancy plan, Cai Zhaoji's value naturally declined.

"Marry or not"

In the interests measured by the Scheme Simulator with absolute rationality, abandoning Cai Zhaoji was undoubtedly more suitable.

After all, Li Ji would continue to improve, and the vacant position of the first wife could also seek greater political benefits.

Only...

This so-called 'soft' approach this time might not be illegal, but it was indeed a bit problematic.

Li Ji's mind couldn't help but reappear with that elegant figure, and a few hesitations flashed in his heart.

Currently, that was undoubtedly the best choice for Li Ji to get Cai Zhaoji's full help as soon as possible and complete the plan in time.

However, what Li Ji was hesitating about... did he really want to marry Cai Zhaoji?

First wife!

Li Ji knew very well that he had indeed reached the age to marry in this era. Originally, Li Ji avoided talking about Liu Bei's occasional hints, for fear that Liu Bei would rashly arrange a marriage with some young girls.

Even every time Liu Bei continued to ask, Li Ji would express his appreciation for some mature women.

And now, compared to facing Liu Bei's forced marriage sooner or later, perhaps choosing Cai Zhaoji was also a good choice.

Furthermore, Li Ji couldn't do such a thing as using the other party and then finding an excuse to abandon a woman who had a marriage contract.

"Mingzheng!"

Immediately, Li Ji, who had made a decision in his heart, shouted, and then asked Xiahou Lan to prepare gifts and a visiting card.

After taking a bath and changing clothes, Li Ji once again sat in the four-wheeled carriage and headed towards Cai's residence.

Well...

Doesn't this count as having a car and a house at least?

Isn't a wheelchair also a car?

Of course, the real reason was that there were many people outside, and Li Ji was only injured about ten days ago. In order to avoid unnecessary suspicion, Li Ji naturally tried to avoid this problem as much as possible outside.

Cai Yong was also happy to receive Li Ji's solo visit.

And under Li Ji's deliberate request for advice and demonstration, Cai Yong quickly realized that Li Ji, who was famous all over the world, was indeed worthy of his reputation.

Perhaps, in terms of Confucian classics alone, Li Ji was only at the level of an ordinary scholar.

However, Cai Yong, who had experienced so many waves in the court, was not the kind of stubborn person who blindly followed Confucianism. On the contrary, Cai Yong's philosophy of learning was based on Confucianism as the bone and miscellaneous schools as the flesh.

Otherwise, Cai Yong's collection of books would not be all-encompassing, involving all aspects of content.

However, in terms of military strategy, astronomy, geography, governance, and caring for the people, the abilities displayed by Li Ji made Cai Yong admire him.

And Li Ji, who had secretly regarded Cai Yong as his father-in-law, under deliberate agreement and cooperation, both sides temporarily served as teachers to each other, and both felt benefited a lot.

That was, Li Ji was not very interested in the three aspects that Cai Yong was best at: classics, calligraphy, and music. Otherwise, Cai Yong really wanted to accept Li Ji as his personal disciple.

It was just that Cai Yong didn't know at all that his friend was purely coming for his daughter.

After Li Ji had three days of communication with Cai Yong, he had already determined that the old gentleman Cai Yong's memory was not very good, and he was not like Cai Zhaoji, who was a walking library.

Otherwise, Li Ji might have directly targeted Cai Yong and developed those water conservancy classics from Cai Yong.

And as Li Ji finished his visit to Cai Yong on the third day, when Li Ji was pushed away from Cai's residence by Xiahou Lan, Li Ji felt that it was almost time, and turned to Xiahou Lan behind him and said.

"Mingzheng, go and invite the lord over."

"Ah? !"

Xiahou Lan seemed to be startled by this sudden sentence, and the whole person suddenly became a little flustered.

"Hmm?"

Li Ji heard Xiahou Lan's slightly strange reaction, turned his head and glanced at Xiahou Lan behind him, and Xiahou Lan showed a somewhat stiff smile and said.

"Sir, is there anything you need the lord for?"

Li Ji heard this, took a deep look at Xiahou Lan, and immediately felt that Xiahou Lan seemed to be hiding something from him, and it was likely related to Liu Bei.

In the end, Xiahou Lan was still too young, so young that he didn't know how to hide his thoughts at all, so that people could often guess them at a glance.

This was also the main reason why Li Ji kept Xiahou Lan by his side.

In addition to Xiahou Lan's loyalty, it was that Xiahou Lan would not hide anything he did secretly.

A bit silly...

However, Li Ji did not expose Xiahou Lan, but directly said. "Don't talk too much, just go."

"Yes, sir."

Xiahou Lan quickly agreed, and then went to find Liu Bei.

And Li Ji, under the protection of the other guards, returned to the mansion.

However, after Li Ji walked away, Xiahou Lan, who was supposed to invite Liu Bei, came out of a blind spot, with Liu Bei, Jia Xu, Xiahou Bo, and Zhao Yun squatting beside him.

"Did Zikun discover us? Or did Mingzheng tell Zikun?" Liu Bei asked Xiahou Lan.

Xiahou Lan raised three fingers and swore, "My lord, I absolutely did not betray you. Even when the strategist pressed me, I didn't say anything."

Jia Xu, standing to the side, said meaningfully, "Zikun likely guessed something, but that's not important, is it? Visiting Lord Cai for three consecutive days, even while still recovering from injuries, doesn't fit Zikun's usual behavior."

"So, Wenhe, your meaning is indeed…" Liu Bei asked with some anticipation.

At that moment, even Zhao Yun, usually the most composed, couldn't help but quietly prick up his ears.