The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 2 A Second Life Cannot Repeat the Same Mistakes

Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong were cousins, and Xu Shu was on good terms with Zhuge Liang.

It was common for scholars to travel together, so persuading the two to go together was not difficult for Zhuge Liang.

The difficulty lies with Huang Zhong!

Huang Zhong is now the General of the Central Army in Jingzhou and is also stationed in You County, Changsha with Liu Pan.

It's virtually impossible to recruit generals in Zhuge Liang's name!
Thinking of his elder sister Zhuge Lan, who was to marry Kuai Qi, Zhuge Liang immediately had a plan in mind.

After the rain stopped, Zhuge Liang bid farewell to Cui Jun and went to the Kuai residence in Xiangyang City.

Kuai Qi came from a prestigious family and was the nephew of Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue, two famous scholars in Xiangyang. Although he was only twenty years old, he was already the magistrate of Xiangyang, a position of considerable importance.

"The world is a dangerous place. If Kongming returns to Langya to pay respects to our ancestors at this time, there may be unforeseen circumstances. If he is kidnapped by villains again, as he was in Shouchun, how can I face my uncle's dying wish?" Zhuge Lan, the eldest sister, was extremely anxious upon hearing that Zhuge Liang was going to return to Langya.

The old days.

Zhuge Xuan died from his injuries. Before his death, he married Zhuge Liang's eldest sister, Zhuge Lan, to Kuai Qi, and Zhuge Liang's second sister, Zhuge Mei, to Pang Shanmin. He also instructed the two of them to help each other as much as they could.

Zhuge Lan also kept in mind Zhuge Xuan's dying wish and took good care of Zhuge Liang and Zhuge Jun after marrying Kuai Qi.

If it weren't for the help of his two older sisters, Zhuge Liang wouldn't have been able to settle down and study peacefully in Longzhong.

Zhuge Lan's concern deeply moved Zhuge Liang.

But the thought that his brother-in-law Kuai Qi would be killed by Meng Da's rebel army twenty years later, causing Zhuge Lan to cry every day and avoid seeing Zhuge Liang, made Zhuge Liang even more unwilling to repeat the past.

If Zhuge Liang wanted to break the deadlock and change his fate, he couldn't stay in Jingzhou and waste his time!

"Filial piety cannot be neglected, please forgive my foolish younger brother for not being able to listen to my elder sister." Zhuge Liang politely declined Zhuge Lan's offer under the pretext of filial piety.

Seeing Zhuge Lan pacing anxiously, Zhuge Liang felt even more apologetic.

Scheming against one's own elder sister for the sake of a plan is ultimately a low-level tactic.

But Zhuge Liang had no choice but to do this. If he didn't scheme against his own sister, he wouldn't be able to take the person he wanted with him!
The plan proceeded as Zhuge Liang had predicted.

After learning from Zhuge Lan that Zhuge Liang was going back to Langya to pay respects to his ancestors, Kuai Qi personally went to find Zhuge Liang.

Kuai Qi did not dissuade Zhuge Liang.

When Zhuge Liang said, "Filial piety cannot be neglected," Kuai Qi knew he could not persuade Zhuge Liang otherwise.

A brother-in-law who often compares himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi cannot be persuaded by Kuai Qi with just a few words.

“I have a few loyal guards who can accompany you.”

Without saying a word, Kuai Qi directly stated his position.

Although persuasion may fail, the number of guards will not be reduced.

Zhuge Liang was waiting for Kuai Qi to say this, and seized the opportunity to say, "It's not that I look down on my brother-in-law's guards, but now that I am the Prefect of Xiangyang, I need loyal guards by my side even more. Why don't you recruit someone for me separately?"

Kuai Qi's lips twitched.

Will I lack guards?

Recruiting individuals separately?
Doesn't that still mean they look down on you?
"I wonder who Kongming wants to recruit as a bodyguard?" Kuai Qi secretly calculated whether he had enough money to recruit people for Zhuge Liang on his own.

Zhuge Liang did not hide anything and said frankly, "I will not make things difficult for my brother-in-law. I would like to ask Huang Zhong, the General of the Central Army of You County, to accompany me for protection."

"Isn't this difficult?" Kuai Qi's eyes widened.

What right do I, a mere magistrate of Xiangyang, have to appoint a lieutenant general as my brother-in-law's bodyguard?
"Alas. I don't want to put my brother-in-law in a difficult position, but the world is dangerous. If I were to be held hostage by villains again, as I was in Shouchun, how could my sister face my uncle's dying wish?" Zhuge Liang sighed to the sky, seemingly on the verge of tears.

Kuai Qi hesitated, as if he wanted to say something but then stopped.

He wanted to refuse, but if something really happened to Zhuge Liang, Kuai Qi wouldn't be able to explain it to Zhuge Lan.

But he couldn't refuse. Recruiting Huang Zhong wasn't something Kuai Qi could do. If he wanted Huang Zhong to be Zhuge Liang's bodyguard, Liu Biao had to give his approval!

"Alright! Alright! You wait here, I'll go and consult the magistrate. I can't guarantee whether it will work out." Kuai Qi sighed softly, ultimately still worried about Zhuge Liang's safety.

Watching Kuai Qi's departing figure, Zhuge Liang's eyes regained their resolve.

It was not Zhuge Liang's original intention to scheme against Kuai Qi. However, if Zhuge Liang had succeeded in his campaign in the Central Plains, Kuai Qi would not have had to die in Fangling.

It seems like he's scheming against Kuai Qi, but in reality, it's all part of Kuai Qi's plan.

Zhuge Liang did not want Kuai Qi to be drawn into the vortex of the Han-Wei conflict again.

By evening.

Kuai Qi dragged his tired body back and said, "Kongming, you're in luck! The General of the Central Army just returned to Xiangyang to visit his family a few days ago and wanted to go to Qiao County to find a famous doctor. The magistrate has instructed the General of the Central Army to escort you to Langya to pay respects to your ancestors on the way."

Zhuge Liang was overjoyed upon hearing this: "I will never forget my brother-in-law's kindness."

Kuai Qi glared at Zhuge Liang: "If you really remember my kindness, next time pick one that I don't need to ask for permission from."

Zhuge Liang readily agreed.

Subsequently.

Zhuge Liang then went directly to find Pang Tong.

Pang Tong is currently twenty years old.

Those who possess great wisdom often exhibit signs of great foolishness.

Pang Tong is also not very well-known today.

In the minds of most scholars in Jingzhou, Pang Tong was a dull and taciturn man.

And in fact.

It wasn't that Pang Tong was dull and taciturn, but rather that he disliked talking with fools and pedantic scholars.

"Kongming, I heard you're going back to Langya to pay respects to your ancestors. Why don't you take me with you? That way, we can look out for each other." Pang Tong leaned against the table, a half-smile on his face, as if he could see right through the illusion.

Zhuge Liang was slightly surprised: "Where did Shiyuan know that I was going back to Langya to pay respects to my ancestors?"

Pang Tong scoffed: "Your eldest sister came to see Brother Shanmin and his wife early this morning, saying that you insisted on returning to Langya to worship your ancestors, and you are so stubborn that even ten oxen couldn't pull you back."

There was a pause.

Pang Tong then calculated with his fingers as if divining: "I've done some calculations, and I'm certain that Kongming's journey to Langya is far more than just a simple ancestral worship ceremony. Without my accompaniment, Kongming, you will find it difficult to achieve great things!"

Looking at the easygoing, witty, and spirited Pang Tong, and thinking about Pang Tong's future death in Xichuan, Zhuge Liang simply decided not to hide it anymore.

"On my way to Langya, I intend to choose a wise ruler to serve."

A good bird chooses its tree to perch on, and a wise minister chooses his lord to serve; this is generally the pursuit of scholars.

Pang Tong was well aware of Zhuge Liang's talent, and also knew that Zhuge Liang was not a free spirit.

Then he asked, "Does Kongming wish to choose Cao Cao or Yuan Shao?"

Zhuge Liang gently shook his head: "Cao Cao slaughtered my ancestral land, and I am irreconcilably opposed to him. Yuan Shao is a fame-seeking man, not a wise ruler."

This answer surprised Pang Tong: "If you don't choose Cao Cao, and you don't choose Yuan Shao, then who else in the Central Plains can be a wise ruler?"

"General Zuo, Liu Bei!" Zhuge Liang's tone sharpened as memories of his time with Liu Bei flooded his mind: the three visits to Liu Bei's home, the harmonious relationship they shared, and the entrustment of his son to him.
"Liu Bei?" Pang Tong pondered, looking down. "But I've heard that Liu Bei was treated with great courtesy by Cao Cao in Xuchang. They rode in the same carriage and sat at the same table together. How could a former hero of his time be Cao Cao's henchman?"

Previously, Cui Jun also believed that Liu Bei had become Cao Cao's henchman. It's no wonder that Pang Tong and Cui Jun had such thoughts. Given the current "close" relationship between Cao Cao and Liu Bei, it's hard not to make people misunderstand.

If Zhuge Liang had not returned from Wuzhang Plains, he too would have mistakenly believed that Liu Bei had become Cao Cao's henchman.

"I believe that General Zuo is not one to remain subservient to others for long. His allegiance to Cao Cao is merely a temporary measure. Given the right opportunity, General Zuo will surely be able to return to the world like a fish in the ocean or a bird soaring to the heavens, no longer bound by Cao Cao's control." When mentioning Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang subconsciously used the respectful title "General Zuo" instead of addressing him by his full name.

The change in address surprised Pang Tong.

How could someone who compared himself to Guan Zhong and Yue Yi hold one of Cao Cao's henchmen in such high esteem?
interesting!

Kongming was not a man of empty words; a hero who could be so highly praised by Kongming must have had something extraordinary about him.

This trip to Langya will definitely not be boring.

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(End of this chapter)