Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

This still led to such a conclusion, which couldn't help but make Cao Cao sigh. He also had to dismiss the idea of imitating and implementing "Taxing People by Land," and instead said,

"Zhi Cai seems to be coughing frequently lately, you must pay more attention to your health. Later, I will have servants send some tonics and medicinal materials to Zhi Cai's residence."

Xi Zhicai, whose physique looked quite thin, quickly replied, "These are just minor ailments, nothing serious, and I am troubling Your Majesty."

Seeing Xi Zhicai's insistence, Cao Cao didn't say anything more. Moreover, Xi Zhicai had indeed been like this for many years, entirely due to his poor family background when he was young, which had damaged his health and made him weak.

Immediately, Cao Cao picked up the intelligence document that Xi Zhicai had just handed over and began to read it.

Now, it was true that Xun You was Cao Cao's chief strategist, but the strategist Cao Cao trusted the most was undoubtedly Xi Zhicai, who came from a humble background, and he placed great hopes on him.

Cao Cao even couldn't help but harbor some hope that Xi Zhicai could also be like Li Ji, who also came from a humble background, and help him achieve great things.

For example, the secret agents and spies deployed in various places were all entrusted to Xi Zhicai to be responsible for.

And looking at the intelligence document in his hand, Cao Cao's brow furrowed unconsciously.

The feigned border incursions did not affect Liu Bei's ceremony of offering sacrifices to heaven and proclaiming himself king. This was not a disappointment for Cao Cao.

On the contrary, if Liu Bei had postponed or even canceled the ceremony because of this, Cao Cao would have really lost sleep.

But what alarmed Cao Cao was that the small "newspaper" played an unimaginable role in manipulating public opinion and controlling people's hearts.

In the past, the common people only knew the reign title but did not know who the Son of Heaven was.

Today, who doesn't know the name of Liu Bei?

Given the martial and unyielding nature of the Han people, as long as they received Liu Bei's benevolence and great kindness, when Liu Bei was in trouble in the future, countless Han people might spontaneously protect him.

At this moment, the reputation that Cao Cao had previously ignored suddenly seemed to transform into an unimaginable foundation, causing Cao Cao to suddenly feel a bit of despair.

So deeply loved by the people, united from top to bottom...

And with the "newspaper," which allowed the people to know Liu Bei's name and allowed Liu Bei to make the people know his words, how could the great Han be defeated?

Cao Cao couldn't find any solution for a while.

Such a great enemy, unless it collapsed from within, it would be extremely difficult to break it with external force.

Cao Cao, who was well-versed in politics and understood what people's hearts and minds were, was stunned and hesitated for a long time before asking,

"Zhi Cai, can this newspaper be promoted in our territory as well?"

When Cao Cao raised this question, he undoubtedly had the answer in his heart, but seeing Xi Zhicai shake his head, Cao Cao was momentarily unable to hold the document in his hand steadily.

Even if Xi Zhicai didn't say the reason, Cao Cao could get the answer.

It was Liu Bei who controlled the printing technology and the improved papermaking technology, not the newly established Wei State.

Even using Yangzhou paper required purchasing through the Mi Clan Merchant Guild.

A piece of white paper was not expensive for aristocratic families and powerful clans, only five coins.

But compared to the price of one coin per sheet under Liu Bei's rule, this figure was already five times the price, and it was an astronomical figure that the people of Wei could not afford.

Such profit had secretly spawned many private paper dealers seeking price difference profits.

Moreover, this did not even include the cost of printing. If Cao Cao wanted to imitate printing newspapers, could he ask Liu Bei to do the processing?

All of this suddenly made Cao Cao understand what a technological barrier was.

Such a small thing, behind it, hid a technological barrier that the Wei State could not break through and imitate for a while.

"Your Majesty, there is also one more thing. The newspapers under Liu Bei's rule are constantly being introduced, scholars are vying to read them, and the people are also very curious."

Xi Zhicai mentioned this, which immediately made Cao Cao realize the hidden dangers behind it.

The great Han had not really perished yet, and it was a time when everyone was thinking of the Han. Once the newspapers were allowed to enter, it would undoubtedly greatly shake the people's hearts.

"Immediately order that newspapers be listed as prohibited items. Anyone who secretly hides newspapers will be punished with castration, and their three clans will all be changed to military households."

Cao Cao immediately made a decision.

Newspapers bewitched people's hearts and must not be allowed to spread into his territory.

Even if there were few literate people among the common people, it would undoubtedly be a great hidden danger.

"Yes, my lord."

Xi Zhicai accepted the order.

However, even if he prevented newspapers from entering his territory, Cao Cao also knew that it would not affect the overall situation between the two sides.

Liu Bei had his son Kun governing the country, and was growing stronger day by day. It would not take long for him to have the ability to sweep the world like the powerful Qin State of the past emerging from the pass.

At that time, even if he joined forces like Lu Bu, he would probably only be able to resist for a while.

This made Cao Cao even have the idea of immediately sending troops to attack, even at the cost of mutual destruction, to prevent Liu Bei from constantly accumulating national strength.

But Cao Cao understood that Liu Bei was not ready, and he was far from ready himself.

In order to seek a solution to break the situation, Cao Cao immediately summoned his strategists to discuss it.

After discussing for a long time, there was only one feasible direction, which was to find a way to disintegrate it from the inside and alienate Liu Bei and Li Ji.

Li Ji, who held the two positions of Prime Minister and Chief Commander and held military and political power, undoubtedly possessed all the prerequisites to become a powerful minister, lacking only some seeds of suspicion.

As long as suspicion arose between Liu Bei and Li Ji, it would be enough to make this overlord quickly disintegrate and collapse from within.

…

Li Ji naturally did not know the results of the discussions that took place in the Wei State, but the mutual deception between countries was a normal thing.

Now, Liu Bei was standing in front of Li Ji with a document and a wry smile, feeling helpless and wanting Li Ji to help him out.

Li Ji took the document, opened it, and glanced at it, immediately understanding Liu Bei's dilemma.

This document came from Guan Yu, the General of the Flying Cavalry who guarded Jing Province. The content of the letter can be summarized in a few words:

Big brother, if you give Guan a higher official position and title, Guan will repay you with his life.

Then, he first expressed that he had no objection to Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun being listed as generals.

Guan also strongly supports Li Ji's qualifications to receive the positions of Prime Minister and Chief Commander, overseeing military and political power, and will definitely listen to the Prime Minister's teachings.

But Guan is very dissatisfied with letting that old fool Huang Zhong and that junior Sun Ce be listed as the "Five Tiger Generals" alongside Guan.

For Liu Bei, Guan Yu was not a subject, but a brother.

Liu Bei didn't know how to deal with this brother's complaints and grievances.

Even when asking Mi Zhu and Xu Shu for advice, they didn't know the depth of the relationship between the two sides, and mostly suggested suppressing him with the righteousness of a ruler and subject, which naturally did not satisfy Liu Bei.

As a result, after thinking hard for a night, Liu Bei simply ran to Li Ji for help.

"Yun Chang has an arrogant personality, and Hansheng's qualifications and achievements are ultimately a bit low, and Bofu's age and prestige are indeed somewhat insufficient..."

Liu Bei said somewhat helplessly.

But raising and promoting Huang Zhong and Sun Ce was a decision Liu Bei had to make.

Guan, Zhang, and Zhao were all Liu Bei's direct descendants, who had followed him in the Yellow Turban Rebellion and fought in the north and south, all occupying high positions in the army.

If there were no generals from other backgrounds in the high-level military, it would undoubtedly greatly打击the enthusiasm of non-direct generals, and even create criticism that Liu Bei only used his relatives.

Among them, Huang Zhong was a surrendered general from Jing Province, and Sun Ce was from an aristocratic family, vaguely representing two different factions.

In terms of merit, Huang Zhong had repeatedly made great contributions since his surrender, and Sun Ce had followed Li Ji since he was a child, fighting in the north and south, and Liu Bei remembered these merits.

Sun Ce and Huang Zhong were promoted to General of the Vanguard and General of the Rear, respectively, and their merits were undoubtedly sufficient.

But being listed as the "Five Tiger Generals" together was indeed a bit of a political purpose to raise Sun Ce and Huang Zhong to激励non-direct generals.

And Li Ji smiled after a little thought.

"This matter is easy..." (End of this chapter)