Chapter 33: 三顾茅庐
First Visit:
Zhuge Liang knew that there would be visitors on the day Liu Bei came with his brothers, and went for a long trip.
Zhang Fei was complaining throughout on the need to visit him, the scholarly ways were useless, when proud they were so, when humble, they were so humble, as a warrior, he thinks scholars are based on talking and hunting a panther was so much more interesting haha. He called them rotten beancurds (Fu Lu). It was a funny portrayal!
He met Chui Zhou Ping, Zhuge Liang's student, on the roads as they were leaving, and had tea together, his views were that there is since ancient times, there is no order without disorder, it is the natural order of things.
A simple summary to the version in the serial, Chinese is a beautiful language, 4 words as idioms, a sense of deeper meaning, reinforced with another idiom, was the way of the ancients, Zhou Ping told Liu Bei (an attempt at translation):
''Since ancient times, when there is order, there is chaos, Chaos and order are coexistant,
It rises and subdues, never to cease, Our ancestors rised in revolt against the Qin,
The world was chaotic and order permeated, After which there was peace for 200 years.
As such, chaos and order, is a cause and effect. Chaos is natural, and so is order.
In fact, it would be funny if it were not chaotic. (Zhou Ping smiles)
On politely refusing Liu Bei's offer of service, he said, there are no Gods on earth, but
there are God-like days.''2nd Visit:
During Winter, they stopped by a tavern and met （Yan Chuan) 石广元, (Lu Nan) 孟公威, famous scholors and Kongming's friends. Liu Bei offered to pay for their meal.
Went to Kongming's place to look for him, but met up with his brother Zhuge Jun. There are 3 brothers, Zhuge Jin, Liang and Jun. Came across his father-in-law Huang Cheng Yan as well.
Liu Bei left a written message for Kongming.
Naturally to Zhang Fei, Liu Bei's respect and courteous ways in those he met whom he thought was Kong Ming was even more respectful to praying to the goddess of mercy, Guan Yin
3rd Visit:
Guan Yu spoke up this time, that if Kongming is a learned refined man, he would have paid his respects and visited Liu Bei instead of hiding, to which Liu Bei said:
齐Huan公见东郭先生， 五次往返方得见一面，
孔明远胜东郭先生，而我求贤之心，反倒还不及齐Huan公吗？
Zhuge Liang's first advice:
Your heart is troubled for you have great ambitions, without your ambitions... You'd have no troubles now, would you?
Cao Cao initial power was much lesser than Yuan Shao, but he won because of 2 reasons: 1. 天时2。人谋. Today he has over a million men, with the backing of the emperor, do not go heads on with him.
Ally with Sun Ce in the South, they have generations in Jiang Dong, the citizens are affluent, troops well trained and brave, you may only ally them, do not think about their land.
荆襄九郡 is a strategically located area, the citizens are well to do, but Liu Biao is weak, he cannot defend the city, and this shall be your opportunity to obtain Jing Xiang. Liu Biao will not last long, if you do not obtain it, do you want to wait for Cao Cao to come?
Once you obtain Jing Zhou, avoid the middle plains, move your army towards the west, attack Yi Zhou (Xi Chuan). It is invulnerable ground, easy to defend and hard to attack. The saying goes that it is the Heaven of Cities, crops are fertile, and you can raise an army of 1 million.
The emperor Liu Bang raised his army here and became king.
Once you obtain Si Chuan, Jing Xiang, the world will be akin to divided into two. For internal affairs, foster your army and people, for external ally with the Suns and wait for an opportunity. Once changes come, you may lead your army to Xu Chang and get rid of Cao.
If you follow my advice, I'd reckon you will succeed in 10 years, and in another 10, the stage shall be set. By then, you can fulfill your dreams to restore the Han Dynasty and your desire to repay your gratitude to the nation.
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