Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Liu Bei, standing beside him, also encouraged Zhang Fei with a few words before speaking.

“Zikun, Yide’s thoughts are not without some merit. If we cannot completely annihilate those thirty thousand or so Yue bandits in Fuchun Mountain, even if we repel the Yue today, we will still need to deploy heavy troops to defend Fuchun Mountain tomorrow. How exhausting and wasteful would that be?”

“However, those Yue bandits number over thirty thousand. We can trap them for a while, but even a trapped beast will fight back. Once the water and food in the camp are exhausted, they might desperately counterattack, causing heavy losses to our army as well.”

“Therefore, Zikun, you still need to devise a perfect plan, preferably one that can eliminate the Yue threat in Wu Commandery once and for all.”

Listening to Liu Bei's statement, Li Ji was actually a little flustered inside.

It wasn't that eliminating the Yue bandits was difficult; Li Ji had plenty of ways to dismantle their desperate resistance.

Just starve those Yue bandits for three to five days. When they are about to risk their lives in a desperate attempt, send only enough food and water into the camp to sustain one-third of them.

People driven to extremes by hunger will not care about conspiracies, even if they know there is one.

At that time, the Yue bandits' original unified will to fight to the death will collapse on the spot. Moreover, due to the limited food, and the fact that the Yue consist of different tribes, it is predictable that internal strife will arise in order to compete for the limited food and water.

Repeat this process, sending only enough food and water to feed one-third of the Yue every three to five days. In less than half a month, without the Han army even lifting a finger, most of the Yue in the camp will die.

Even the entire process can be carried out under the banner of 'benevolence,' demanding the Yue surrender to provide water and food, while the infighting caused by the Yue's internal chaos will only highlight the brutality of the barbarians.

The entire scheme can be described as 'bloodless' and 'extremely vicious'!

When Li Ji subconsciously conceived this plan, he even found it incredible that it was a scheme he had thought of himself. This was clearly the kind of 'poisonous plan' that Jia Xu would use.

Surely, he had been contaminated by Jia Xu again.

However, in Li Ji's view, the Yue and the various southern barbarians could all be integrated into the Han Chinese family. If he were to exterminate the Yue this time, it would undoubtedly set a very bad precedent.

Moreover, Li Ji had lived in Jiaozhou in his previous life. Who knows, his ancestors might have had some southern barbarian blood. To directly eliminate his lovely ancestors would be too unfilial.

Thinking of this, Li Ji couldn't help but feel his temples throb. Then, he reached out and rubbed his forehead, saying.

“I dare not hide it from you, my lord. I do have a bloodless plan to eliminate the Yue. However, while this may save Wu Commandery from the Yue threat for the next five or ten years, the Yue threat will inevitably return after five or ten years.”

Liu Bei asked in confusion.

“Why? Didn’t the Embroidered Uniform Guard secretly investigate and discover that most of the Yue tribes in the southern part of Wu Commandery and the vicinity of Kuaiji Commandery are concentrated in Fuchun Mountain? Once we trap and kill those thirty thousand or so Yue, wouldn’t the Yue in Wu and Kuaiji be cleared out?”

Li Ji slightly sorted out his thoughts and replied.

“My lord, the Champion Marquis also traversed the northern desert, causing the Xiongnu to flee far away, and since then, there has been no royal court south of the desert. However, after the Xiongnu declined on the grasslands, the Xianbei, Wuhuan, and Xiqiang emerged.”

“As long as that grassland is still there, the grass on the grassland will naturally nurture new nomadic peoples.”

“The same is true here. Even if we eliminate all the Yue in Wu and Kuaiji in one battle, given enough time, the Yue from other places will inevitably develop towards the original Yue territory in Wu and Kuaiji, occupying everything that the Wu and Kuaiji Yue originally possessed.”

Listening to Li Ji's analysis, Liu Bei suddenly felt a sense of enlightenment.

Which Han Chinese man doesn't yearn for the achievements of the Champion Marquis?

However, Liu Bei couldn't help but wonder in his heart why, since Emperor Wu of Han, the Han Dynasty's external battles have almost always been victories, yet the barbarians on the grasslands never seem to be completely eradicated.

Now, listening to Li Ji's argument, he felt that things had become clearer.

As long as the grassland is still there, even if you kill more, isn't that also reducing the barbarian population on the grassland, allowing the remaining barbarians to survive on the originally insufficient grass and water?

When the grass and water on the grassland are no longer sufficient for the existing barbarians to survive, it undoubtedly means that the barbarian population has naturally increased to a certain extent.

In order to survive, raiding the Central Plains becomes the best solution.

Today, the situation of the Yue is also somewhat similar.

As long as the deep mountains and old forests are still there, the Yue in other areas will naturally slowly migrate to the vicinity of Wu and Kuaiji. After five or ten years, a new batch of Wu and Kuaiji Yue will form.

“Again and again, without end.”

Liu Bei couldn't help but sigh, then asked Li Ji. “Then, Zikun, do you have a good plan to solve this deadlock?”

“A combination of kindness and authority may work.”

Li Ji slowly replied.

Although the current situation of the Yue is somewhat similar to that of the northern barbarians, there are undoubtedly differences between the two.

Moreover, Zhuge Liang in the original trajectory also set an example by capturing Meng Huo seven times and subduing the barbarians in the Nanzhong region. He used both kindness and authority, so that even thousands of years later, the descendants of that region still respected Zhuge Liang as their ancestor and grandfather, abiding by the agreement he made with them to guard the border for generations.

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei asked without thinking. “Zikun, would this be considered political affairs?”

“It is military affairs, and it is also political affairs, and it concerns the long-term development of Wu and Kuaiji.” Li Ji replied.

Liu Bei suddenly showed a gentle smile, patted Li Ji's shoulder with one hand, and said.

“Then that's fine. As for political affairs, I will listen to Zikun's decisions. As long as Zikun thinks it is feasible, I will fully support it without hesitation.”

Before the stunned Li Ji could reply, Zhang Fei on the side also spoke.

“Brother is right. Mr. Zikun is sometimes too cautious and polite. As long as Mr. Zikun speaks, how could we three brothers not listen to Mr. Zikun?”

“Especially for political affairs concerning long-term development, not to mention that Big Brother and Second Brother don't understand, even I often can't figure it out. When Mr. Zikun discusses this kind of thing with me, I also listen with my eyes turning black. It's better for Mr. Zikun to directly state his decision, and I can see if there's anything I can help with.”

Zhang Fei's classic outspoken remarks made Li Ji unable to help but smile and reply.

“Alright, since my lord trusts me so much, I will certainly not fail your trust. I will definitely ensure that Wu and Kuaiji are free from the Yue threat.”

“In that case, I will leave it to Zikun.”

Liu Bei replied subconsciously, then did not forget to add.

“However, Zikun is newly married and cannot go south alone again. Just stay in Wu County and remotely direct the southern war.”

“Don't worry, my lord, I never intended to go south. This matter is important in direction. It is not important whether I personally sit in Fuchun Mountain.” Li Ji replied.

Although the Yue are still a major threat that has not been eliminated, they are already turtles in a jar. The only trouble is how to properly deal with those Yue, but it is impossible for those Yue to cause any more impact on Wu Commandery.

In this situation, Li Ji would naturally not go to Fuchun Mountain to take charge.

Liu Bei was very satisfied with Li Ji's answer, fearing that Li Ji would go to the southern part of Wu Commandery for two or three months again in order to properly deal with the Yue.

“My lord, besides the matter of the Yue, I wonder what your thoughts are on how to deal with Guo Yi, the governor of Kuaiji Commandery?” Li Ji asked again.

This time, Liu Bei had obviously learned his lesson, understanding that Li Ji must have already made a decision in his heart since he asked this question, and directly asked back.

“Zikun, why don't you tell me your own thoughts first?”

“According to the laws of the Han Dynasty, Guo Yi, the governor of Kuaiji Commandery, attacked Wu Commandery for no reason, which is no different from rebellion. He should be charged with crimes and escorted to Luoyang to await the Emperor's disposal.”

Li Ji said first, causing Liu Bei to nod slightly, and this was undoubtedly Liu Bei's original idea.

However, before Liu Bei could express his approval, Li Ji changed his tone and said.

“However, Guo Yi is backed by the Ten Attendants. Once Guo Yi is escorted to Luoyang, it will inevitably become an excuse for the General and many aristocratic families to attack the Ten Attendants, which will lead to a new round of fierce political infighting in the court.”

“In addition, in this way, my lord and Wu Commandery will also become the center of this political infighting, which is extremely dangerous and harmful to the tens of thousands of Wu Commandery people.”

“Moreover, with the protection of the Ten Attendants, Guo Yi may not be punished accordingly even if he is escorted to Luoyang. More importantly, even if the court appoints a new governor of Kuaiji Commandery, it may still be a pawn of the Ten Attendants or a greedy and evil neighbor.”

These well-reasoned speculations caused Liu Bei's brows to furrow deeply.

“In that case, Guo Yi must not be escorted to Luoyang, but can we just let go of that bandit Guo Yi?” Liu Bei said with some dissatisfaction.

“Brother is right. Even if we let Guo Yi go, that Guo Yi might still seize the opportunity to attack Wu Commandery again. It's better to chop him up with one knife.” Zhang Fei said indignantly.

“Yide, be careful! That Guo Yi is also a governor of a commandery. How can we kill him with private punishment?” Liu Bei scolded in a low voice.

Li Ji pretended to think for a while, then inadvertently suggested.

“My lord is right, so after thinking for a long time, since Guo Yi cannot be killed and cannot be sent to Luoyang, it seems that the only way is to send more virtuous people to Guo Yi's side to supervise and teach him, leading him to do good.”

“If Guo Yi can repent and reform because of this, and from then on practice benevolent governance and learn from Wu Commandery, it would also be a blessing for the people of Kuaiji Commandery.”

As soon as this statement came out, Zhang Fei had not yet realized the problem, but Liu Bei was obviously not a political idiot or a stupid person.

Li Ji's words seemed to be supervising and teaching Guo Yi, but in essence, it was undoubtedly controlling Guo Yi.

This move also touched Liu Bei's bottom line.

If it were anyone else, Liu Bei would undoubtedly have rebuked them on the spot, accusing them of harboring ulterior motives and deserving to be punished.

However, the one who spoke these words was Li Ji…

And from Li Ji's previous analysis, Liu Bei was also well aware that no matter whether Guo Yi, such a treacherous villain, was released, killed, or sent to Luoyang, it would be inappropriate. Moreover, doing so would indeed greatly benefit the people of Kuaiji Commandery.

(End of Chapter)