Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

By the time Li Ji reached the front yard, he could see Sun Ce, who had already come of age and married, patiently guiding Li Xiang in sword practice from afar.

Especially with Sun Ce's heroic and extraordinary appearance, yet revealing sufficient gentleness and patience on his face at this moment, it was truly a picture of brotherly respect and harmony.

Li Ji walked over and said with a smile.

"Today is a day off, Bo Fu, why aren't you at home spending time with Madam Wu and your younger siblings? Instead, you've come to my residence."

"Teacher/Father."

Sun Ce and Li Xiang quickly saluted.

"There's no need for such formality in private. Bo Fu, please sit down and speak. Xiang'er, continue practicing your sword."

Li Ji said, then invited Sun Ce to sit on the stone bench in the nearby pavilion.

Li Xiang, with a tense little face, continued to practice his sword skills meticulously.

After Sun Ce respectfully sat down, he replied.

"Quan'er is more suited for literary pursuits than martial ones, and this disciple has nothing much to teach him. On the contrary, Ren'er is clearly a girl, but she is very interested in wielding knives and spears. How dare this disciple teach her."

"Indeed."

Li Ji smacked his lips, a somewhat strange expression appearing on his face when he thought of Sun Ren.

Sun Ren was three or four years older than Li Xiang and was very lovely, but her martial prowess had some of Sun Ce's former style.

At least among the second generation, no one could beat Sun Ren for the time being. Zhang Fei's little cub was beaten so badly that he cried loudly, then went back to complain to Zhang Fei, who beat him again, making him cry even louder.

Don't ask Li Ji why he knew; it was because the two families' residences were close, and that cub perfectly inherited Zhang Fei's loud voice. Once he started crying, it was hard for the people in the surrounding residences not to know.

"Then does Ce'er have any important matter today?"

Li Ji casually made tea, poured a cup for Sun Ce, and asked.

Sun Ce respectfully accepted the tea, took a small sip, and replied. "It's that the other junior brothers unanimously want me to invite Teacher over."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji understood Sun Ce's meaning.

Liu Bei moved the capital to Shouchun, but the Rende Academy was naturally inconvenient to move as a whole, especially the city without walls established around the Rende Academy, which could now be regarded as the commercial center of the entire Yang Province.

However, the Rende Academy was related to Liu Bei's grand plan to cultivate reserve officials. Once the Rende Academy remained in Wu Commandery, it would not be so convenient for Liu Bei to win over the students at any time.

This undoubtedly put Liu Bei in a dilemma.

In the end, Li Ji came up with an idea.

Divide the Rende Academy into grades and establish a branch in Shouchun City. Students who have reached a certain stage of their studies will be transferred to the branch for further study.

In this way, it can further stimulate the students' desire to learn and improve, and also make it easier for Liu Bei to win over the students without being restricted by the aristocratic families in maintaining the governance of the region.

The disciples that Li Ji had taken in naturally transferred to the branch in Shouchun.

"Today doesn't seem to be a day for classes. Why did you ask Bo Fu to invite me?" Li Ji asked.

"It's that the junior brothers are arguing fiercely with each other, and their judgments on the situation in the Central Plains differ, so they want to ask Teacher to make a judgment," Sun Ce said helplessly.

"Oh, that's interesting. Let's go and take a look."

Upon hearing this, Li Ji immediately became interested.

In addition to laissez-faire teaching, Li Ji would occasionally send some Central Plains warlord information that he wasn't afraid of leaking to his group of gifted disciples for research and discussion, allowing them to make their own judgments.

It would be best if they could come to some conclusions. Even if there were no gains, it would help to improve their horizons.

Moreover, as the talents of Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, Pang Tong, and Xu Shu among this group of disciples became more prominent, the conclusions drawn by these four would often tend to be consistent, forming an answer that the other disciples would believe.

Now they were arguing fiercely, and even Zhou Yu, who occasionally came to the branch to borrow books and listen in, couldn't persuade them, which was why Sun Ce had to come and ask Li Ji to judge in person.

Immediately, Li Ji left the residence with Sun Ce, sharing a carriage and heading in the direction of the branch.

When they arrived at the area in the branch specifically designated for this group of disciples, Li Ji could hear Pang Tong's loud voice slamming the table from afar.

"Shortsighted! Shortsighted! One cannot conspire with such fools..."

"Why don't you shut up? Does everyone have to be as fond of taking risks as you are?" Sima Yi retorted in a somewhat gloomy voice.

Pang Tong retorted loudly.

"This is the only way to break the situation! Cao Mengde has many resourceful and decisive people under his command, and he is definitely not willing to stay under someone else for long. Apart from this strategy, what other strategy can be used?"

Just then, Li Ji pushed the door open and entered, looking at the group of students in front of him who seemed to be arguing red-faced, and asked.

"What strategy is it?"

"Teacher."

Immediately, the group of students quickly straightened their clothes and saluted Li Ji.

Zhou Yu, who was sitting aside listening, also stood up quickly.

Li Ji nodded in return, sat down, and asked. "What are you all arguing about?"

"Reporting to Teacher, we are divided into four groups, simulating the Central Plains situation with Liu Huangshu, Wushuang Marquis, Yuan Gonglu, and Cao Mengde, and the conclusions we have reached are greatly contradictory, hence the dispute."

Zhuge Liang, who was showing his stability and maturity, stood up and explained clearly in a few words.

The students led by Zhuge Liang represented Liu Bei, the students led by Pang Tong represented Cao Mengde, the students led by Sima Yi represented Lu Bu, and the students led by Xu Shu represented Yuan Shu.

Logically speaking, the four groups, based on the known information of the Central Plains warlords, and then deducing the next step of the Central Plains situation, should not have produced irreconcilable disputes.

"Then talk about the points of contention," Li Ji said.

Immediately, the group of students looked at each other for a while, and then Zhuge Liang took the lead and said.

"Teacher, the key to the current Central Plains struggle lies in Yan Province. Only by Cao Cao, Lu Bu, and Yuan Shu obtaining Yan Province can they initially form a situation of dominating the Central Plains and compete with Liu Huangshu, is that right?"

"Yes," Li Ji replied.

Xu Shu, after listening, stood up and said.

"If I were Yuan Shu, Liu Huangshu's power is now great and difficult to contend with alone, and I would not dare to act rashly if I wanted to advance north into Yan Province..."

"Therefore, the result of my discussion with the other classmates is that Yuan Shu can only seek alliances to jointly resist Liu Huangshu and then seek opportunities to advance north into Yan Province. With the two Yuans connected, they can resist General Gongsun in the north and Liu Huangshu in the south."

"And the only alliance partner Yuan Shu can find is Lu Bu alone, perhaps exchanging Nanyang Commandery for Lu Bu giving up taking Yan Province. In this way, with Lu Bu containing Liu Huangshu, Yuan Shu will have the strength to advance north into Yan Province."

Li Ji nodded slightly, noncommittal, and then looked at Sima Yi and Pang Tong.

Sima Yi then spoke.

"Great mistake!"

"Lu Bu? Who is he, a fickle and ruthless tiger and wolf. I know this kind of person best."

"Yuan Shu's reputation as a member of a family that has produced three lords over four generations will not be taken seriously by Lu Bu."

"If Yuan Shu does this, if I were Lu Bu, I would only pretend to form an alliance to take Nanyang, and then counterattack Yan Province, tacitly dividing Yuan Shu with Liu Huangshu."

(End of chapter)