Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Frankly speaking, Xun Yu was undoubtedly a formidable enemy in Li Ji's eyes.

His strengths lay in both strategy and governance.

Therefore, Li Ji was pleased to hear of Xun Yu's death. However, from a strategic perspective, Xun Yu's death at this critical juncture was something Li Ji did not like.

“Let's go inside and talk,” Li Ji said, leading Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi towards the residence.

Upon reaching the main hall, they found Jia Xu already leisurely sipping tea. Seeing Li Ji's arrival, he stood up and said,

“Zikun is back? Come, come, this tea is just right.”

This host-like behavior made Li Ji couldn't help but laugh and scold.

“Wenhe is living comfortably.”

“Very troubled, that's why I need to drink tea to calm my mind.”

Jia Xu hummed and responded, poured a cup of tea for Li Ji, and casually gestured for the two juniors, Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi, to help themselves, then continued to leisurely sip his tea.

Li Ji ignored Jia Xu's subtle complaints and requests for credit. Instead, he had Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi take their seats, then asked Sima Yi to detail the intelligence received from Yu Province.

Xun Yu's death was undoubtedly a major event in Yu Province, impossible to conceal.

Moreover, Xun Yu's residence was already one of the key targets under surveillance by the Embroidered Uniform Guard. The intelligence received was naturally quite detailed, even including records of Cao Cao and Xun You visiting for a period of time before Xun Yu's suicide.

Finally, a hint of joy appeared on Sima Yi's face as he said, “Teacher, Xun Wenruo's death can be said to have removed a major enemy.”

If Li Ji was the leading civil official of Liu Bei's group, then Xun Yu was to Cao Cao as half of Li Ji, handling all internal affairs.

Moreover, Xun You, who was appointed as Cao Cao's chief strategist, was also a member of the Xun family, and many of the civil officials under his command were recommended by Xun Yu.

Therefore, Xun Yu's death was equivalent to cutting off one of Cao Cao's arms.

“Xun Yu's death is naturally a good thing, but he died too early…”

Li Ji sighed, his brow slightly furrowed, which made Sima Yi a little unable to react, and asked.

“Teacher, why is that?”

Li Ji understood that Sima Yi had only taken over the Embroidered Uniform Guard for a short time and didn't know much about past events, so he briefly explained.

“Xun Yu can be described as a 'royalist party'. What he is loyal to is not so much the Han Dynasty, but rather the Emperor.”

In a sense, the conflicts between Xun Yu and the Han Dynasty's aristocratic lords were even greater than those between the Han traitors and the Han Dynasty's aristocratic lords.

Once the lords of the Han Dynasty grew to a certain extent, it would be natural to replace the Emperor, and the people would not raise too much protest or opposition.

Especially since Emperor Guangwu, the Han Dynasty's emperors had repeatedly died without heirs, and new emperors were repeatedly chosen from the Han Dynasty's aristocratic families, which was almost the norm.

Immediately, Li Ji dipped his finger in the tea and briefly sketched a map of the world's situation on the table, saying.

“Now the world's situation is gradually forming into three parts. Our lord is the strongest, while Cao Cao and Lu Bu form a triangular balance. Only by uniting can Cao Cao and Lu Bu resist our lord.”

“This point is clear to all insightful people in the world.”

Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi nodded in agreement upon hearing this.

Although Liu Bei was gradually gaining a dominant position, hegemony was not just about comparing figures on paper, and it did not mean that Cao Cao and Lu Bu had no chance at all.

Moreover, under the alliance of Cao Cao and Lu Bu, the figures on paper were not necessarily weaker than Liu Bei by even a fraction.

“It's just that Xun Yu's ultimate goal in assisting Cao Cao was to allow the Emperor to regain control of the court one day, but today, the Emperor was assassinated by Lu Bu in the street, which undoubtedly completely cut off all of Xun Yu's thoughts…”

“More importantly, Xun Yu knew that Cao Cao had to unite with Lu Bu to resist our lord.”

“But Xun Yu probably hated Lu Bu so much that he wanted to devour his flesh. He would rather die than ally with Lu Bu, and he also knew that he could not stop Cao Cao with his own selfish desires.”

“Because of all this, Xun Yu chose to commit suicide by taking poison in despair.”

As the saying goes, the person who knows you best is often your enemy.

Xun Yu regarded Li Ji as a formidable enemy, and Li Ji had never underestimated Xun Yu either.

Therefore, even though he was thousands of miles away, Li Ji easily deduced Xun Yu's thoughts, understanding that Xun Yu really had no desire to live and no place to stay.

After a slight pause, Sima Yi also reacted like an举一反三, understanding that Li Ji's statement that Xun Yu died too early was not a good thing.

If Xun Yu had chosen to苟活, he would have strongly opposed Cao Cao's alliance with Lu Bu, and even tried everything to persuade Cao Cao to attack Lu Bu to avenge the Emperor.

If Cao Cao and Lu Bu turned against each other, it would undoubtedly be able to fully reap the benefits of the fisherman.

At that time, Cao Cao would be caught in the middle, unable to break with Xun Yu, and knowing that going to war with Lu Bu would be courting death.

But Xun Yu's death undoubtedly put an end to everything and reduced Cao Cao's many concerns.

Jia Xu, who was listening to Li Ji's helpless and regretful tone, couldn't help but say.

“Zikun seems so helpless and regretful, as if he has fallen for Xun Yu's trick. Don't forget what caused Xun Yu's death.”

These words made Zhuge Liang a little confused.

Xun Yu's cause of death was clearly taking poison, wasn't it? How could there be another hidden story?

On the contrary, Sima Yi, who was unknowingly led astray, instantly understood. The words he originally wanted to use to comfort Li Ji were swallowed back unconsciously.

The root cause of Xun Yu's death was despair, but in the end, it was Li Ji who was behind the scenes pushing everything.

If the Emperor hadn't died, how could Xun Yu have committed suicide?

So…

Clearly, the teacher indirectly killed Xun Yu, but the teacher's regretful appearance was indeed a bit inappropriate.

Li Ji, who was exposed by Jia Xu, didn't change his expression at all, and said.

“If Wenhe is drunk, I will have someone send you down to sober up.”

Drunk?

Jia Xu, who had been drinking tea all along, was stunned, then smiled and said. “Slightly tipsy, slightly tipsy, no need to sober up.”

Li Ji didn't argue with Jia Xu, but instead gave Sima Yi a few instructions, trying to spread some rumors in Ji Province through the Embroidered Uniform Guard, to see if it could add some obstacles or variables to the alliance between Cao Cao and Lu Bu.

Even if it wasn't enough to stop it, it would be good to add some obstacles and disgust Cao Cao.

After Sima Yi noted everything down, he continued to report.

“Teacher, Zuo Ci returned to Ruyang City yesterday, and also brought a head claiming to be the head of the Old Immortal of Nanhua as a gift.”

The head of the Old Immortal of Nanhua?

This was somewhat beyond Li Ji's expectations.

He didn't expect that Zuo Ci had already brought the head of the Old Immortal of Nanhua without him even asking.

Li Ji naturally understood Zuo Ci's intentions, which were nothing more than to prove that Taoism would support the Han Dynasty in the future, and completely draw a line with the anti-Han Taiping Dao. (End of this chapter)