Crouching Dragon: The Journey of Zhuge Liang sample (Act I) -- T. P. M. Thorne
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“…It does,” Liu Bei murmured.
“…To face Cao Cao alone would be folly, true folly, at your current strength, Lord Liu,” Kongming insisted. “But then who would you face him with…?”
“I, too, wonder that,” Liu Bei sighed theatrically.
“…There is Liu Zhang, governor of Yi Province, who I know is a distant relative of yours,” Kongming suggested. “But… unlike his father, Li Yan, his grip on power is weak. The only reason he still has Yi under his control is due to the immense difficulty one might have in attacking it.”
“That has been noted by some of my advisers,” Liu Bei admitted.
“…But the enemy within is Zhang Lu,” Kongming sighed. “Zhang Lu has started to take over much of the northern Yi region of Hanzhong, something that he would not have dared to do under Liu Yan. And Liu Zhang does nothing, nothing at all, while his border shrinks. …Sadly, such a man - a man who has accepted titles from the court ruled by Cao Cao - will serve as no ally, kin of yours or not.”
Liu Bei nodded slowly and silently.
“Zhang Lu is not interested in fighting Cao Cao either… nor is Ma Teng of Xiliang, and Cao knows that,” Kongming continued. “That, of course, leaves only two warlords of any real strength: Liu Biao, and Sun Quan.
“Liu Biao was, in his day, a charismatic hero… but that day is long gone. Now, he is an old, sick man. He is, sadly, not long for this world… in a few years, his power will - like Liu Yan in Yi - need to be passed to another, and neither Liu Qi, his first son, nor Liu Cong, his second son, are fit to replace him. Liu Qi enjoys a life of indulgent pleasure, and has paid the price with disease. Liu Cong, though more disciplined, is too meek, and would capitulate to Cao Cao or Sun Quan if he were given a chance.”
“…Sadly, your analysis is accurate,” Liu Bei sighed. “Truly, it can be said that a man can know the situation of a place a thousand miles away… you, Master, could tell me of anything, I am sure.”
“No, no!” Kongming insisted. “I am based within distance of the Jing court… I know of Liu Biao’s affairs that way. …But my lord, Jing is, of course, a place of strategic importance: both Cao Cao and Sun Quan covet it, because it provides a gateway to conquering the other. …My lord, if there is ever an opportunity to receive this place yourself, it should not be ignored.”
“…You are not alone in that thought,” Liu Bei admitted. “But I refuse, on the grounds that it would be less than filial, and unpopular. He has already suggested my inheriting Jing, but I could never betray my honorary nephews, Qi and Cong, by stealing their father’s territory from them.”
“…Very well,” Kongming said with a hint of disappointment. “…But of course I now come to Sun Quan.
“His father Sun Jian was a mercenary in his last days, a hired hand for Yuan Shu to send against his enemies. And had that not been the case, who knows…? Perhaps Sun Quan and Liu Biao would now be allies, not enemies. But the fates made Sun Jian attack Liu Biao, and Biao’s men killed him. Since then, Sun Ce has waged continual war against Jing province, whilst simultaneously conquering the lands below the Great River… now, those lands… Jiangdong… are under the control of the Sun family. Poised to become a titan, Sun Ce then declared war on Cao Cao, possibly intending to join forces with Yuan Shao; and then, of course, he was assassinated.