Chapter 37: The Time to Poach Talent Has Arrived

The next morning, at the break of dawn.

A smear of morning sun touched the horizon, casting a golden glow over the pond-side grasses. In the distance, the faint outlines of green mountains stood against a sky filled with the vast radiance of the early light.

Li Yi had climbed out of bed early, despite having been swamped with work these past few days. He had never developed the habit of sleeping in; regardless of whether he had slept for one hour or two, he rose as soon as he awoke. This was a stubborn habit left over from his days of working a nine-to-five. However, the benefit was that it had instilled in him a strong sense of self-discipline.

After rising early, he was attended to by Taohong, dressed, finished his breakfast, and practiced a bit of Tai Chi. Just as the sky was beginning to brighten, he stood by the pond to watch the fish. It was less about watching fish and more about finding a quiet moment to think in peace.

"Is the Military Advisor at peace?" a voice rang out from behind him.

Li Yi stood up and, seeing it was Liu Bei, said, "So, it is my Lord who has arrived." He then turned to scold Taohong, who was standing nearby, saying, "The Governor is here; why did you not report it to me?"

Before Taohong could explain, Liu Bei stepped in first: "Do not blame him, sir. It was I who told her not to announce me."

Liu Bei had always treated people with sincerity. To his subordinates, they were superior and inferior on the surface, but in private, they were as close as brothers. This was true not only for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, but also for Zhao Yun, Tian Yu, Zhuge Liang, and others. It was precisely this humility and respect for talent that allowed Liu Bei to win the hearts of so many.

"Your old clothes have been sent for washing, and I feared you had nothing new to wear. So, when I went out yesterday, I specially purchased a new set for you." As he spoke, he handed the garments to Li Yi.

Li Yi took them; it was a light blue crane cloak, complete with a headpiece. This perfectly matched Liu Bei’s aesthetic. The Governor’s greatest hobbies were raising horses, walking dogs, and wearing fine clothes. He was quite a connoisseur of "fashion," and this set had clearly been carefully selected. Otherwise, he would not have been in such a rush to deliver it at the crack of dawn.

"...Haha," Li Yi said, thanking Liu Bei while handing the clothes to Taohong. "Such a small matter could have been handled by a servant; why did you need to come yourself, my Lord?"

Liu Bei took Li Yi’s hand, and together they walked to the edge of the small pond to admire the fish.

"I did indeed have another matter to discuss," Liu Bei began. "Early this morning, the Mi family sent over several carts of money and grain. I have reviewed the ledger, and there is as much as ten million in cash. I suspect this is the work of the Military Advisor."

Last night, while drinking with Mi Zhu, Li Yi had hinted that he should send the supplies early, as money was needed everywhere for the reorganization of Xu Province. He had not expected the Mi family to be so incredibly wealthy, gathering such a vast sum in a single day.

"...Heh, the one who provided the funds was Assistant Governor Mi, not me. You should thank him, my Lord." To Mi Zhu, ten million was merely a drop in the bucket. When Liu Bei was defeated by Yuan Shu, Mi Zhu had provided over a hundred million to help him stage a comeback. This ten million was but a modest start.

"Chen Yuanlong has also set off for his post in Guangling. With him there to keep Yuan Shu in check, I believe Guangling is secure."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt a sense of relief wash over him. He had taken control of Xu Province under immense pressure and had prepared himself for a mountain of difficulties. He had not expected that, within just two days, Li Yi would have cleared all the obstacles, bringing the Mi and Chen clans into the fold. Repressing the Danyang faction, curbing Guangling, and pacifying Donghai—it was hard to imagine that Li Yi had accomplished so many impossible tasks in such a short time. That he, Liu Bei, had actually encountered such a genius—surely the spirit of the founding Emperor Gaozu was watching over him!

Liu Bei was deeply moved. Having drifted for half a lifetime, he felt that his days of hardship were finally coming to an end.

"Following your strategy, the various factions of Xu Province have been reorganized. May I ask what our next move should be?" Liu Bei humbly sought Li Yi's counsel. He was an ambitious leader, and he certainly had his own plans, but since he had a ready-made Zhang Liang by his side, why not seek his advice?

Li Yi smiled and said, "I would like to hear of your ambitions, my Lord."

Liu Bei answered without hesitation: "Now that the Han Dynasty is crumbling and treacherous ministers are usurping power, I, though lacking in ability, wish to uphold justice for the world. I only lament my own shallow wisdom and would be most fortunate if you could guide me."

"...Good," Li Yi nodded. "With such an ambition, you should assemble a hundred thousand troops to sweep away the treacherous officials."

Liu Bei understood that Li Yi was reminding him to strengthen his military. "I have long had this intention, but..." His tone shifted, and he sighed. "Since arriving in Xu Province, there have been so many pressing matters that I have been unable to divide my attention. Were it not for you, Military Advisor, to share my burdens, I would not know when I might have found the time to reorganize our forces."

Although Liu Bei had the top-tier warriors Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, and excellent generals like Chen Dao, his overall roster was too thin. He could not compare to Cao Cao at all.

To command a vast army, a few generals were not enough. To solve this, one had to promote talent from the grassroots, but that required time—a luxury Liu Bei did not have. For him and Xu Province, the most unaffordable cost was time. Thus, they had to rely on a more direct method: the direct recruitment of talent. This required extensive connections and a keen eye for character. Cao Cao had Xun Yu, who constantly recommended new talents. Liu Bei’s side was still too lacking.

"You could write a formal invitation to Zhao Zilong and Guo Rang, my Lord, requesting them to return quickly. That might alleviate the shortage of personnel," Li Yi suggested.

"Those two have just departed; I fear they will not be able to return in such a short time." Liu Bei waved his hand, secretly worried that they might not return at all, despite Li Yi’s repeated attempts to reassure him.

Liu Bei paused for a moment, hesitated, and then spoke: "As the saying goes, 'a single thread cannot form a rope, and a single tree cannot make a forest.' I wish to govern Xu Province well, but I lament the lack of capable men to help me achieve this great cause. You are well-versed in both ancient and modern affairs, Military Advisor. Is there anyone of talent you could recommend to me?"

Heh heh heh.

The corners of Li Yi’s mouth curled upward. If Liu Bei wanted talent, he just had to ask—there was no need to be shy. Even if Liu Bei had not asked, he would have recommended them anyway.

"To tell you the truth, I do have a few talents I would like to recommend. With the current shortage of manpower in Xu Province, these individuals each have their own unique skills. If recruited, they would be of great benefit." The Three Kingdoms period was teeming with talent like carp in a river. While the world was still divided among warlords, he had to seize the opportunity to summon those currently in seclusion.

"Good! Please, tell me about them," Liu Bei asked, full of expectation.

"The first person I recommend is a native of Xu Province. His surname is Lu, given name Su, and his courtesy name is Zijing. He is a man of both virtue and talent, and his character is loyal and steadfast. Furthermore, he is known for his benevolence and charity, and he is famous throughout the region."

Following the principle of proximity, Li Yi first recommended Lu Su. Among those Liu Bei had the best chance of recruiting, he was perhaps the most prominent.