Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

But no matter how much Li Ji declined, he couldn't withstand the overwhelming enthusiasm, and had no choice but to reluctantly agree.

Powerful families are often like grass on a wall, falling to whichever side is stronger.

For this group of collaborators, if Li Ji didn't want to enter Xiangyang, they would probably be the most anxious.

However, for the sake of prudence, Li Ji still sent Zhou Tai to lead troops to Xiangyang first to take over a section of the city wall, to avoid encountering a Hongmen Banquet upon entering Xiangyang.

Although the possibility was minimal, that wasn't a reason to be careless.

Throughout history, many famous heroes have inexplicably lost their minds and died, often due to overconfidence, just like someone who doesn't believe that 17 cards can instantly defeat them.

Now that Jingzhou seemed to be in the bag, with no more resistance to stop Li Ji from controlling Jingzhou, a little extra caution was always a good thing.

After Zhou Tai, with the help of a group of aristocratic collaborators, directly took over a section of the city wall, Li Ji leisurely led his troops to Xiangyang.

As the chariot Li Ji was riding in slowly stopped in front of the city gate, Liu Qi and Sun Qian led a group of Jingzhou civil and military officials and aristocratic families to greet him.

"Greetings, Marquis Guoshi!"

This voice first rang out among the Jingzhou civil and military officials and aristocratic families, then spread to the soldiers guarding the surroundings, and finally, a large number of onlookers also shouted in unison.

The hearts of the people are with Liu, and Jingzhou belongs to Liu.

Nothing could be more evident.

Even though Li Ji was well aware that there must be a lot of artificial arrangements involved, he was still quite satisfied.

"Everyone is being too kind, please rise quickly."

Li Ji quickly returned the greeting, and then stepped forward to help Liu Qi up, maintaining a facade of respect for Liu Qi.

This eased the expressions of a considerable number of civil and military officials who still had some loyalty to their former lord, Liu Biao.

Li Ji then exchanged a few diplomatic pleasantries with Liu Qi, politely declining a few times.

Immediately, Liu Qi waved his hand, and Cai Zhong walked forward holding a tray covered with red cloth, on which was placed the seal of the Governor of the Province.

"What does the young master mean by this?"

Li Ji asked in alarm.

Liu Qi cupped his fist and said, "Now that my father is deceased, Jingzhou still needs the imperial court to arrange for a governor. Qi is just a commoner and has no qualifications to hold the seal of the governor."

"And the Imperial Uncle is a role model for the imperial clan, and he also helped Jingzhou repel Yuan Shu. It is reasonable that the Imperial Uncle should temporarily manage the seal of Jingzhou. Please, Marquis, do not decline."

Li Ji's expression turned solemn as he heard this, and he said.

"Does the young master want to trap me in disloyalty and injustice? What ability does Ji have to take over the seal of a province on behalf of the lord? Even if the young master is worried that this object will be seized by thieves, the young master should personally hand it over to the lord for temporary safekeeping."

Liu Qi hesitated for a moment and then said in a low voice, "Marquis, I can do everything you say, but I have a question that I need you to answer later."

"I will tell you everything I know without reservation."

Li Ji replied, and then walked side by side with Liu Qi towards Xiangyang City.

Although Li Ji declined the seal of Jingzhou, Liu Qi still relinquished military power very sensibly, and almost the entire Xiangyang was completely taken over by Li Ji simultaneously.

Taking Xiangyang undoubtedly represented that the first step towards controlling the entire Jingzhou had been taken.

Next, he only needed to follow the established plan and rely on Xiangyang to control Jingzhou.

After taking over Xiangyang, Li Ji didn't immediately attend the celebration banquet held by the Jingzhou aristocratic families, but instead asked Liu Qi about the location where Liu Zhang was being held.

… …

Inside a courtyard in Xiangyang City that was blocked off by soldiers.

After being attacked by Liu Biao's men, Liu Zhang was imprisoned in this courtyard.

Even though he had no worries about food and drink every day, Liu Zhang, who was originally a chubby man, had gained a lot of weight due to his depressed mood.

'Freedom!'

After eating today's portion, Liu Zhang slumped on the steps and looked up at the sky, a crystal tear slowly sliding from the corner of his eye.

Imprisoned in this place, living day to day, Liu Zhang couldn't even remember how long he had been imprisoned.

In his midnight dreams, Liu Zhang was worried that he would be dragged out and beheaded by Liu Biao at any moment.

All Liu Zhang could do was to finish one meal and patiently wait for the next, while imagining everything outside the courtyard.

And in this courtyard, only Zhang Song was imprisoned with Liu Zhang.

Different from Liu Zhang, who had gained a lot of weight, Zhang Song was the opposite, as if he had shrunk, so thin that the cheekbones on his face were distinct, making him even more ugly.

"My lord, the ground is cold, don't catch a cold," Zhang Song advised.

"Can the ground be colder than my heart?"

Liu Zhang replied weakly, and then subconsciously asked, "Ziqiao, do we really have a chance to get out?"

"There will definitely be, someone will definitely come to save us," Zhang Song replied with a firm tone.

Hearing this, Liu Zhang's eyes lit up for a moment, then dimmed again, and he turned to look at Zhang Song and said.

"Ziqiao, I'm lucky to have you by my side to talk to me occasionally. It's just that I don't know when my father will be able to save us."

Originally, Liu Zhang also disliked Zhang Song's ugly face. His employment of Zhang Song was only based on Li Ji's suggestion, like buying horse bones with a thousand pieces of gold, to show the attitude of valuing the aristocratic families of Yizhou.

Even such an ugly Zhang Song, I, Liu Zhang, can bear to employ him, isn't that enough to show my attitude towards the aristocratic families of Yizhou?

That was Liu Zhang's original intention.

Therefore, after Liu Zhang felt that his position in Yizhou was gradually stabilizing, he naturally became more and more neglectful of Zhang Song.

As the saying goes: adversity reveals true feelings.

Liu Zhang had been imprisoned here for an unknown number of days, with only Zhang Song accompanying him.

This not only made Liu Zhang gradually accustomed to Zhang Song's ugly face, but also felt that Zhang Song's appearance was quite unique and had a different kind of beauty, and was very moved by Zhang Song's often sharing his meals with him.

Feeling Liu Zhang's hot gaze with gratitude and trust, Zhang Song's eyelids barely lifted, his gaze only focused on the direction of the door.

Having been imprisoned for so long, the news may be blocked.

However, Zhang Song also learned a little about the current situation from the unintentional words and phrases of the guards who brought food every day, coupled with the movement caused by Yuan Shu's siege.

This made Zhang Song vaguely guess that perhaps the Marquis had already arrived in Jingzhou.

When the Marquis arrived, hope also arrived.

Hold on, hold on… …

Marquis, you must not forget me!

Just at this moment, Zhang Song seemed to be hallucinating. The courtyard gate, which had been closed for more than half a year and had never been opened, slowly opened.

Li Ji, dressed in a blue scholar's robe, with one hand on the sword at his waist and the other holding a folding fan, stood slightly sideways behind the open gate, his eyes calm and gentle, with a smile on his face, looking at something.

Zhang Song was stunned for a few breaths, then a wry smile subconsciously appeared on his face, and he muttered.

"A photographic memory is sometimes not so good, and I can always imagine the Marquis's appearance almost without any difference…" (End of this chapter)