It was decided immediately that Xu Shu and Ma Le would go to Jincheng first to rescue Ma Chao when the opportunity arose, and Liu Qi would dispatch troops from Hanzhong to be ready to provide support at any time.
Liu Qi smiled and said, "As the ancients said, 'People are never satisfied. After conquering Long, they look forward to Shu. Now that Shuzhong has been conquered, it is just the right time to do the opposite. Conquer Long and then conquer Guanzhong."
Pang Tong could no longer sit still and said, "I have been feeling bored these days. Since the war in Guanzhong is about to start, why don't I go to Hanzhong and lend a helping hand to Wen Chang?"
"This time, we should take advantage of the situation to attack Qishan, take Longshang, pacify Xiliang, and stabilize Guanzhong. I am willing to serve you."
Pang Tong said dissatisfiedly: "The Central Plains still needs Kong Ming's mediation, and Nanyang cannot do without you. For the battle in Guanzhong, please don't compete with me for credit!"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "You two don't have to argue. It will take years to march out of Qinchuan. It's not enough to use only the troops from Hanzhong. We need to transfer troops from Yizhou. I will go there myself, and my second uncle and the military advisor will be in charge of Jingzhou. Waiting for an opportunity to advance into the Central Plains is the safest plan."
Pang Tong nodded and smiled, "Now that Jiangdong has become an ally, there is no need to worry. This is in line with Kong Ming's plan to divide the world into three parts: General Guan will lead the army of Jingzhou to the Central Plains, and we will march out of Qinchuan from another route. Kong Ming has achieved his wish, and when his hegemony is about to be accomplished, it is safer to guard Jingzhou."
Zhuge Liang sighed, "The lord is worried and the ministers are tired. It is the duty of the generals to lead the army to a distant place, but the generals are asked to fight hundreds of battles in the south. We cannot share the lord's worries. Will we be laughed at by others for having no one in Jingzhou and no one in the Han Dynasty?"
Liu Qi laughed and said, "That's wrong. When it comes to internal governance, no one in the whole of Jingzhou can compare to my military advisor. Only when you are in charge of Jingzhou can I send troops with peace of mind. Ma Chao has a rebellious character, and the people of Xiliang are not loyal to him. If I don't go there in person, I'm afraid it will be difficult to convince them. I need to stabilize Qinchuan as soon as possible so that I can compete for the Central Plains."
Now there is only Han Sui in Xiliang and only Xiahou Yuan in Guanzhong. Cao Cao and Sima Yi are not here. Liu Qi is confident that he still has the strength to fight.
Zhuge Liang's role is not only to be a military advisor, but also to take care of the rear and coordinate all political affairs. During this period in Xiangyang, Liu Qi was basically a hands-off boss.
If the two positions were switched, Zhuge Liang's going to Qishan would have made up for the historical regret, but if I stayed in Jingzhou, whether I could do better than Zhuge Liang is another matter, but wouldn't that be asking for trouble
Zhuge Liang frowned and said, "General, you need to split your troops into two groups. One group will act according to the situation in Hanzhong, and the other group will go to Qishan to pacify Longyou. I'm afraid it will be difficult for Shi Yuan to split the troops alone."
Pang Tong said with a smile: "Don't forget that Fa Xiaozhi is still recuperating in Lingling. He is almost recovered now. The two of us will go together. Kong Ming, just relax."
Zhuge Liang then nodded and said, "With Fa Xiaozhi accompanying me, I have nothing to worry about!"
Liu Qi said: "The situation in the Central Plains is very treacherous now. Only with the military advisor in Nanyang can we find opportunities to fight. I think General Guan can't hold back any longer and needs your comfort. As the saying goes, great accumulation leads to great success. The two of you, the civil and military officials, will be in harmony. When you go out to fight, it will surely shock the world and turn the situation around."
Liu Qi also knew that Zhuge Liang had been managing internal affairs since he came out of seclusion, from governing the people to laws, and even opening up fields and making water wheels, all of which were praised by people.
The only thing he has not really shown his strengths in the military field. Even though he is indifferent to fame and wealth, in the turbulent times when everyone is trying to make achievements, he is also itching to show his talents.
Zhuge Liang clasped his fists and said, "General, rest assured. I am not a man who acts on impulse. I will never take risks before the time is right. In the battle of the Central Plains, if we do not move, it will be fine. If we move, Cao's army will have no chance to fight back."
Liu Qi nodded and said, "Jingzhou has sufficient money and food, and the troops are well-prepared. The war in the Central Plains depends entirely on the military advisor's planning and dispatching. If you can ask Xun Yu to come out and dispatch the rear before this, we can go all out and have no worries!"
Pang Tong laughed when he heard this and said, "In the past, the general visited Zhuge Liang twice to invite him to come out of seclusion. I didn't expect that Zhuge Liang would visit him again today. It really is a matter of fate!"
Zhuge Liang shook his head and smiled bitterly. Although Xun Yu was disappointed with Cao Cao's behavior, he did not actually usurp the throne. If he asked Xun Yu to make plans for Liu Qi again, it would mean changing the master to two ministers, and he was unwilling to destroy his reputation.
Liu Qi added: "Zhou Yu has secretly gone to Qu'a and is preparing to go north. He has entrusted me with the investigation of Sun Ce. I will also ask the military advisor to make comprehensive arrangements for this matter. When Sun Quan leads his troops north and Jiangdong is empty, we will investigate this matter as soon as possible."
Zhuge Liang nodded and said, "General, rest assured. With Taishi Xiang in Jianye as an insider and Gongjin keeping people to assist, this matter will be investigated thoroughly."
Pang Tong also sympathized with Zhou Yu and sighed, "Gongjin and Sun Bofu were close friends and built such a great foundation. Just when they were about to realize their ambitions, they were destroyed by the conspiracy of a villain. It is really a pity."
Zhuge Liang sighed, "Zhou Lang is a man of great military and literary talents, with a broad mind and the ability of Han Xin. If this incident had not interfered, he would have led the people of Jiangdong and would have been able to dominate the world. What a pity!"
Liu Qi nodded and said, "Although Sun Jian and his son were my enemies, they once served the country and pacified the country, and they are still heroes of the time. I didn't expect that the foundation of the Sun family would be destroyed not because of the war, but because of conspiracy. I think the father and son will not be able to rest in peace in their graves."
Liu Qi never imagined that during his diplomatic mission to Eastern Wu, he would uncover such a shocking secret, which would completely change the fate of Eastern Wu.
Zhou Yu no longer devoted himself to planning and working for the Sun family. The entire Eastern Wu had actually withdrawn from the struggle for hegemony and turned into a palace drama full of mysteries.
After sighing, Pang Tong smiled and said, "But now Zhou Lang and Taishi Ci are loyal to you. Once the matter of Jiangdong is investigated, we can reap the benefits and take this place into our hands. By then, Qinchuan will be settled, and the world will be divided into two. We will be able to compete with Cao Cao and compete for supremacy in the Central Plains. The day of reviving Han is not far away!"
Liu Qi clasped his fists towards Zhuge Liang and said, "My military advisor is responsible for commanding Jingzhou, plotting against the Central Plains, and planning for Jiangdong. Who else can be his advisor but Zhuge Liang?"
Zhuge Liang also realized the great responsibility, and stood up to return the greeting, saying: "I am deeply honored by your trust, General. I will do my best to serve you until my death."
Pang Tong pulled his beard and pouted: "In fact, Fengchu can also do it."
Zhuge Liang was startled and said: "Why not let Shi Yuan take over the position of Chief Clerk and Deputy Driver, and I can lead the troops to Qishan."
Pang Tong waved his hands lazily and said, "It's just that I am used to being idle and free, and I don't want to get entangled in mundane affairs. Kong Ming is cautious and prudent, and he is a prime minister. It's a waste of his talent to be a military advisor."
"What kind of bird are you?" Zhuge Liang said with a smile, "You are clearly a phoenix chick!"
Pang Tong frowned and said, "Kong Ming, are you cursing me?"
Zhuge Liang shook his head and said, "Birds fly high with the phoenix, and those who are mediocre below the phoenix are just ordinary birds."
Pang Tong snorted. Although he enjoyed it, he still felt uncomfortable in his heart.
It was rare for Liu Qi to see Zhuge Liang bickering, so he laughed out loud. He also invited Yi Ji, Liu Xian, Mi Zhu and others to discuss matters, and explained the affairs of Jingzhou and selected generals for the Northern Expedition.
When the civil and military officials saw this situation, they knew that a new war was about to break out, so they all cheered up and worked hard.
The next day, during the banquet, the garrison reported that Guan Yu had arrived in Xiangyang. Liu Qi hurried out to greet him and asked, "My second uncle is training his troops in Nanyang, why did he come uninvited?"
Guan Yu has been studying the Spring and Autumn Annals with Li Dian for the past two years and has gained a lot of experience. His demeanor has become more calm and elegant. He clasped his fists and smiled, "Guan came to visit you all!"