Waiting for the Time 4

“Has the Prime Minister come in person?”

“The situation was so grave and urgent that I could not but come.”

I’m not sure exactly what situation Zhuge Liang is referring to, but there were a few things that came to mind. It probably wasn’t Guan Yu’s death right away, but was he concerned about Liu Bei holding a revenge war right next year?

Even for Guan Yu’s death, with whom he was close enough to use nicknames, Zhuge Liang had sent a letter of condolence with an elegy while mourning, yet stayed in Chengdu saying state affairs were busy.

The fact that he came all the way to Chang’an Castle means state affairs arose that required him to meet Liu Bei in person.

Anyway, since Zhuge Liang had come all the way from Chengdu to Chang’an on a long journey, I couldn’t just leave him standing, so I regretfully postponed my next meeting with Zhang Yi and Fei Yi.

“If you go find Jiang Wei, the Deputy General of the Guards, he should guide you well.”

“Hmm, Jiang Wei. I’ve been wanting to meet him sometime since I heard he came in as my successor. This works out well.”

“Next time I’ll come visit you with a Go board.”

As Zhang Yi and Fei Yi withdrew, a conversation between me and Zhuge Liang took place.

Since he said it was urgent state affairs, he would have exchanged opinions with Liu Bei, Pang Tong, or at least Liu Ba, Huang Quan, Ma Liang, etc. first rather than consulting with me if possible.

‘But why did he specifically seek me out? It doesn’t seem like he came to the wrong place.’

I revealed my puzzled look and said:

“But what brings the Prime Minister to me?”

“Do you remember the conversation we had when I said we should attack Sun Quan to reclaim Jingzhou before?”

“The conversation…”

“About why you were certain Sun Quan would attack Cao Wei.”

“Ah, I remember.”

Sun Quan will attack Wei. Because he desires to become emperor.

He who lacks justification and popular support will attack us to take Jingzhou, and strike Wei to obtain Huainan, seeking to build the foundation for proclaiming himself emperor through achievements and authority.

But the fact that Zhuge Liang brought this up again means…

“Don’t tell me, Sun Quan…”

“That’s right. Sun Quan has finally proclaimed himself emperor.”

“How could… Didn’t Sun Quan lose Jingzhou and fail to completely conquer Huainan?”

“If internal authority is lacking, one can borrow authority from the outside, can’t they?”

“…Are you saying Cao Pi recognized Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation?”

Zhuge Liang nodded with a gloomy face.

Cao Pi recognized Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation. That was a sign that they would shake off the resentment from Huainan and form a definite alliance system against us.

I understood why Zhuge Liang urgently left Chengdu and came all the way to Chang’an Castle to see Liu Bei.

“I expected that if we fought against Cao Wei, Sun Quan would watch for an opportunity and move. Since the war in Huainan where Sun Quan moved directly ended inconclusively, I thought Sun Quan might aim for Huainan again, targeting when Cao Wei wavers, considering his own authority.”

Not just expecting, but if it’s Zhuge Liang, he would have prepared plans to induce Sun Quan to act that way.

However, if Cao Pi recognizes Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation and adds to his authority, Sun Quan cannot attack Wei. It’s different from when he was enfeoffed as the King of Wu.

Only after Sun Quan achieves a great victory and truly proves his own authority himself would it be possible to turn hostile towards Wei.

“But if this happens, Sun Quan will help Cao Wei attack us.”

“That’s right. Though our country has prospered by recovering Guanzhong and Jingzhou, there are still ups and downs in facing both Cao Wei and Sun Quan forces simultaneously. I believe it is right not to start this war.”

As the situation seemed to be following the Battle of Yiling, my expression darkened as well. Did Zhuge Liang seek me out because even he, Liu Bei’s restraint, judged it impossible to control him?

It seemed like he was seeking collaborators, thinking it possible to dissuade Liu Bei if the current top-ranking officials of Han like Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Father, myself, Ma Liang, etc. circulated a joint petition to gather intentions.

“Have you come to find me to ask that I also join in dissuading His Majesty?”

“…It’s as you think. I’ve already spoken with Ziyuan.”

“If you want to block His Majesty’s will, you should have sought the General of Chariots, not me.”

If even Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, Liu Bei’s brains, couldn’t stop him, only Father, who is like Liu Bei’s heart, remains.

No matter how much I am favored by Liu Bei, how could it match his love for Guan Yu? Only Father could cover Liu Bei’s desperate feelings for Guan Yu.

However, Zhuge Liang shook his head as if he hadn’t come to the wrong person and said:

“Of course, your words are correct too. I’m also thinking of going to the General of Chariots after you. But I thought your opinion was important.”

“My opinion?”

“Do you perhaps know a person called Li Yiji?”

Li Yiji. I know Li Yimin, but Li Yiji is a name I’m hearing for the first time.

“I’m sorry, but I don’t know.”

“That’s possible. Li Yiji is a famous Daoist in Sichuan.”

Zhuge Liang’s explanation of Li Yiji was full of fantastic stories. From being able to travel a thousand li round trip in one night by attaching some kind of talisman to both feet to become like a thousand-li horse, to being able to make clay figures exactly like real people which later naturally disappear.

Anyway, I understood he was an extraordinary Daoist. But it felt strange that Zhuge Liang, who takes a stance of rejecting supernatural powers like Pang Tong, would mention Li Yiji.

However, there was a clear reason for Zhuge Liang explaining about Li Yiji.

“Before raising an army, His Majesty sought to have Li Yiji divine the success or failure, so he inquired about him.”

Though it doesn’t seem like Liu Bei, people of this era would often undertake divinations of good or bad fortune before major events, as they typically do.

Even before the battle for Hanzhong, he had asked the opinions of those adept at predicting the future like Zhou Qun or Zhang Yu. Since Zhou Qun and Zhang Yu had died, he was trying to invite Li Yiji, who is said to be currently the most knowledgeable in divination.

But what correlation is there between Liu Bei calling for Li Yiji and Zhuge Liang seeking me first?

“Have you perhaps already heard Li Yiji’s divination?”

“I couldn’t help but ask. I sought him out after hearing of Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation. If he was going to present a divination to His Majesty saying it would succeed, I had to prepare for that.”

For Zhuge Liang, who couldn’t dare go against Liu Bei’s orders and divert Li Yiji or give instructions to change the divination, that was the best he could do.

“Some divination related to me, or something connected to me, came out in his divination.”

“That’s right.”

“May I hear it?”

“He drew three pictures. He drew a red circle in the center and colored the surroundings yellow. This means the sun is inside the earth, also called ‘in the earth’, referring to Luoyang.”

“I think the same.”

“The second was a drawing of troops and horses. He drew all sorts of soldiers, war horses, and weapons on dozens of sheets of paper, then tore them up and threw them in water.”

Does tearing up the papers with drawings of troops, horses and weapons mean losing them all?

It didn’t seem like a good meaning, so my brow furrowed.

“What’s the last one?”

“He drew a blue phoenix. Then he set it on fire and threw it into the sky.”

“A phoenix. So that’s why you sought me out.”

If the second picture means the mass death of troops and horses and loss of weapons due to defeat, wouldn’t the third picture of burning the phoenix have a similar context?

“The interpretation is up to the individual. The troops and horses appearing in the second picture might be those of the enemy, not our country. But regardless of the divination results, this war seems like it will have more losses than gains.”

Zhuge Liang doesn’t trust divinations. That’s why, regardless of what result it predicts, he judged based on rational analysis that it would be better not to wage this war.

However, he intends to use the authority divination gives to persuade Liu Bei. Since Li Yiji’s divination hints at my importance, he’s trying to use my and Father’s power to make Liu Bei postpone the revenge war.

“Though the Grand General’s death was by Sima Yi, Sima Yi wouldn’t have carried out such a great matter on his own. It must mean he had prior discussions with Cao Pi. And Sima Yi would have calculated what impact the Grand General’s passing would have on His Majesty. I see Cao Pi recognizing Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation as part of this as well. They have dug a trap to mire our country.”

As Zhuge Liang said, Sima Yi must have committed this act hoping we would devote all our efforts to a revenge war.

He must be thinking of focusing entirely on defense until our strength is drained, then joining hands with Wu to attack from all directions and bring us down in one swoop. Zhuge Liang is opposing the war out of concern for that.

However, after hearing of Sun Quan’s imperial proclamation, I felt even more that we couldn’t miss this war.

“If Sun Quan has proclaimed himself emperor, he will set out on a personal campaign to fill his lacking authority.”

If he had won the Huainan war it would be different, but it stagnated with a half victory and Jingzhou was almost halved. In such a situation, Sun Quan must be thirsting for achievements worthy of ascending to the throne.

‘And Sun Quan is more belligerent than expected. In terms of numbers alone, Sun Quan waged more wars than Zhuge Liang.’

Han Emperor Liu Bei and Wu Emperor Sun Quan are setting out. Would Cao Pi, with his strong desire for display, be left out? This is the ambitious Cao Pi who personally led southern campaigns three times.

Since Sima Yi, whom he trusted, achieved less than expected results, he must have thought he should take the field himself, and above all, to match the prestige of Han and Wu whose emperors personally took the field, he will surely lead a personal campaign.

“Cao Pi and Sun Quan. If they lead personal campaigns, our country should go out to fight.”

Sun Quan, who had extraordinary military talent in defensive battles but couldn’t achieve decent results whenever he went on the offensive.

Cao Pi, whose military talent was even inferior to Sun Quan’s, with ambition preceding but ability not supporting it, who wrapped up wars hastily even with great generals.

If they are the opponents, we can win.

“I’m sorry, Prime Minister. I cannot follow the Prime Minister’s intention.”

The war must proceed.