? To the west of Wu County is the vast Zhenze (Taihu Lake), which is hundreds of miles in a radius. There are three large islands in the lake with a triangular distribution, and many small islands exposed to the water dotted. The island is covered with trees, willows hanging low, fishing boats singing in the evening in the lake, and the setting sun is the most popular place for children of Wuyue families and girls to ride boats.

On this day, a large official ship slowly sailed out from the Wuxian Wharf and slowly rowed towards the largest island in southern Zhenjersey. Apart from Zhouzi and a few close guards, there were only Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu sitting on the top of the boat, drinking osmanthus wine, a specialty of Wuyue, while talking about the customs and customs here since King Goujian of Yue, and indescribable comfort and peace.

"Everyone says that the land of Wu and Yue is a gentle place, with beautiful women and beautiful beauties. When tourists arrive here, they will not miss their hometown. Today I believe it." After saying this, Zhuge Liang raised his chopsticks and picked up a piece of crisp bamboo shoots, put it in his mouth and chewed it slowly.

"Brother Kong Ming is only half right. The land of Wu and Yue not only has many beautiful women as beautiful as Xizi, but also men as talented and stubborn as King Yue." Zhou Yu said inadvertently.

"Hehe, Brother Gongjin's words are true. After getting to know you recently, I felt that the land of Wu and Yue is really outstanding and talented." After praising him without any pretentiously, Zhuge Liang raised his glass and signaled Zhou Yu to drink with him.

Zhou Yu and Zhuge Liang drank a cup together, turned their heads and looked at the island with outlines in the distance, and said thoughtfully: "Brother Kong Ming has been busy all the way from Luoyang. I must have seen Cao Cao, Liu Yan, and Yuan Shu of Yanzhou?" Zhou Yu asked this question, as if he had watched Kong Ming lobby all the way with his own eyes, but in fact it was from his analysis and judgment.

After Zhou Yu asked this, Zhuge Liang's expression did not change. Instead, he nodded slightly, looked into the distance, and said calmly: "The situation in the Han Dynasty is so chaotic. Although I am not talented, I was invited by the emperor's uncle Xuande Gong to enter the court, but I also wanted to do my best to the country and the country."

Zhuge Liang's answer did not directly admit that he had lobbyed for a round of lobbying, but he was much smarter. He not only acknowledged his identity as a lobbyist, but also expressed his thoughts, and would not let Zhou Yu find any excuses for ridicule or make fun of him.

Anyone who makes fun of a loyal minister who wants to contribute to the country and the country is messing around. I guess Zhou Yu will not agree to it first, so Zhou Yu naturally won’t laugh at Zhuge Liang for what he is trying so hard. Zhou Yu raised his glass to invite Zhuge Liang to drink with him, and said, “Brother Kong Ming is noble in character and has a world-renowned mind. Yu is deeply impressed and respected this cup!”

Because the two people on the ship are of similar age, they are both talented. In addition, there is no obvious conflict or competition between the two forces who are loyal to each other, so the more they chat, the more they become more and more speculative. As the conversation continues to deepen, Zhuge Liang and Zhou Yu can reach a consensus on many judgments on the situation in the world, and gradually they feel a little sympathetic.

Zhuge Liang asked Zhou Yu: "What do Brother Gongjin think about Zhao Guochang in the north?"

Zhou Yu replied: "This man was born in a humble background and had a very short rise. He could call wind and rain north of the Yellow River. He even subdued all the nomadic peoples on the grassland that had suffered from the Han for hundreds of years. He was actually a generation of talent. If he had not respected himself with the youngest son of the late emperor and gradually showed his ambition to take charge of the world. In addition, he valued merchants and profits in the north, and did not respect scholars and scholars, had no imperial power, and was arrogant. If he was the only one in the world in the future, wouldn't he be like Wang Mang?"

From Zhou Yu's perspective and background thinking, Zhao Xing really changed the social atmosphere of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce at that time, but also directly overturned all the big and small officials fans who were deeply influenced by Confucius' "learning and becoming an official" to the ground. Not only did the Jin State actually abolish the backward talent selection method of "election of filial piety and integrity" in the country of Jin, but also introduced a new way to select talents in the four major subjects, which made the useless scholars hate Zhao Xing and hate him.

As a scholar, Zhou Yu was deeply influenced by Confucianism, so he was naturally not interested in Zhao Xing's practice of "deposing Confucianism as the dominant power and encouraging hundreds of schools of thought to contend". In addition, the scholars at that time all used loyalty and filial piety as the fundamental bottom line for measuring character and morality, and were deeply influenced by the nonsense of "all the kings and earths under the world are kings and ministers in the shores of the earth are kings". Therefore, Zhou Yu was also very disgusted with Zhao Xing's approach to holding the princes Liu Rong and Liu Rong to play with power. With this prejudice in it, Zhao Xing's advantages of "strategy, proficient in military affairs, and good at commanding troops" that the generals under him became what Zhou Yu said, "no imperial power, and arrogant in possession of troops."

Zhuge Liang also agreed with Zhou Yu's comments, otherwise he would go to Zhao Xing, who was eager to seek talent. Zhuge Liang nodded and said, "Even if Brother Gongjin judged this person fairly, he is now very powerful. Jin, Youzhou and Liang Kingdom have fallen into his hands one after another. More than 6 million people in the three places are willing to bewitch him and regard him as his rebirth. If anyone from other states insults and defamates Zhao Guochang in the north, he will be scolded at the least, and be beaten and expelled at the worst."

Zhou Yu also said with emotion: "This person is really a monster. He knows everything and knows everything. Although he knows and distorts and many are unheard of, he is deeply loved and recognized by the people and is considered a top master who bewitches people's hearts. If he hadn't incited many people in the north to follow them wholeheartedly, how could he survive when Lu Taiwei led his troops to attack the enemy the year before yesterday?"

Zhuge Liang asked again: "Brother Gongjin knows about the snowflake salt in Jin State?"

Zhou Yu nodded and replied: "Although the people of Wuzhou are eating well salt transported from Yizhou, many local businessmen who have returned from the north have brought back some Xianyang snowflake salt, which has been snatched away by the people of Wuzhou."

"What do Brother Gongjin thinks about this?" Zhuge Liang asked immediately.

"The State of Jin sold its own salt in the world without the permission of the court, which obviously had touched the taboos of the court. Although Zhao Guochang was arrogant and domineering, he was definitely not a scheming person judging from his past ability to use troops and fight. Of course, he knew what consequences would be caused by acting like this. Since Zhao Guochang dared to sell salt blatantly, there was only one possibility. He wanted to deliberately anger the court and force the court to take action against Jin!" Zhou Yu said his analysis without hesitation, and it was surprisingly consistent with the results of Zhuge Liang's discussion with Liu Bei that day!

"Brother Gongjin said so well, and Liang also thinks so. Unfortunately, even though he knew that Zhao Xing was taking the strategy of throwing bricks and attracting jade, the court could not remain indifferent. After all, the profit of salt and iron was huge, and it was a very important tax revenue from the central government. If you sit and watch the snowflakes of Jin squeeze the salt pond in Hedong, Zhao Xing's strength will increase a little more in the future and the court will become weaker. If you continue this for a long time, how can you resist Zhao Xing's pace of going south?" Zhuge Liang sighed deeply and expressed his concerns.

"Brother Kong Ming is here in Wuzhou. I guess he wants to convince my lord and the court to resist Zhao Xing together, right?" Zhou Yu looked at Zhuge Liang with a smile, and then asked.

"The Ming people did not tell lies before, but what Liang did here was exactly this." Zhuge Liang did not hide his intention when he saw Zhou Yu said it for him, and admitted it calmly.

Zhou Yu then said, "I believe Brother Kong Ming also understands that Wuzhou is far away from the Central Plains, and even if it is in a corner, it can protect itself. The price of fighting against Zhao Xing of Jin State was a lesson for nearly 10,000 Wuzhou's sons who died in Jiguan and Gaolang City the previous year. In this way, it would be really difficult to convince Lord Zhou Mu."

Zhuge Liang nodded and agreed to Zhou Yu's analysis, but he did not stop there. Instead, he continued: "Your lord is unwilling to do something, not to mention that your lord is unwilling to do it. If it were me, I would have many concerns. After all, everyone is facing Zhao Xing, the Jin State. However, Brother Gongjin also said just now that although Wuzhou is far away from the Central Plains, it can temporarily avoid the disaster of war, but it is only a corner. Once Zhao Xing conquered the Central Plains, he will sooner or later drink the Yangtze River. At that time, Zhao Xing will carry the power of the ten northern states and hold a million troops north of the Yangtze River. Can Wuzhou stop Hu?"

Before Zhou Yu could answer, Zhuge Liang said again: "Although the Jiaozhou area south of Wuzhou is located in a remote area, it is vast and the Shixie clan is difficult to govern. If Brother Gongjin can persuade Sun Wentai to be the same as the court this time, he can take most of the Jiaozhou area south in the future."
Chapter completed!