Although we have seen through the real intention of Cao Cao's "secret letter", which is to provoke a fight between two tigers in order to kill someone with a borrowed knife, how should we deal with it next?
These tactics of sowing dissension are not aimed at one party, and the key is not whether Wang Zheng falls into the trap, or whether Lu Bu falls into the trap.
It depends on whether there is hostility or trust between the two parties, whether they regard each other as a threat or whether they regard each other as friends.
Wang Zheng had heard of a rather interesting term in his previous life, which came from game theory, called the Prisoner's Dilemma.
Two suspects were caught by the police after committing a crime. The police knew that the two were guilty, but lacked sufficient evidence. So they chose to lock the two in separate rooms for interrogation.
Then they were given the same three choices.
1. If you both deny and refuse to comply, you will each be sentenced to one year in prison.
2. If you confess at the same time, you will each be sentenced to eight years in prison.
3. If one of you confesses and the other denies, the one who confesses will be acquitted and the one who denies will be sentenced to ten years.
Among these three choices, the first one can be seen by anyone with a discerning eye, the second one is naturally the worst option, and the first and third ones are the best choices from different angles.
The former is the collective optimal solution, with the smallest total prison term; the latter is the individual optimal solution, with the accuser not guilty.
If analyzed from a rational perspective, choosing the first one is the most appropriate and fair. Since the two of them work together to commit crimes to gain benefits, they naturally act as a cooperative group and choose to deny and disobey to gain collective benefits, which is the so-called "win-win". It is the most appropriate and has the lowest risk.
But there is a big problem, that is, the two of them are in an environment where they "cannot communicate with each other".
At this time, the so-called three choices turned into two.
Because what lies between everyone is actually only denial or confession.
Denial, which was originally the "best collective choice", has now become the possible "worst individual choice".
Because if another person chooses to confess and you choose to deny, the result will be that the other person is acquitted and you are sentenced to ten years!
On the contrary, "confession" has become another form of the best result.
If the other person denies it, you are acquitted.
If the other person also confesses, it will only be eight years in prison.
It’s better than the ten-year sentence for “denial”, right?
It was in such a situation that the last two suspects chose to confess!
The result was the worst result collectively, both of them received eight years in prison at the same time!
What the prisoner's dilemma expresses is the game between people. Sometimes individual rationality can lead to collective irrationality. Smart people often get into trouble because of their own intelligence, or harm the interests of the collective.
To a certain extent, due to the existence of Cao Cao, the so-called enemy of the enemy is a friend. The current positions of Wang Zheng and Lu Bu do not conflict, and are even consistent.
And as Cao Cao fawned over the emperor, his momentum became stronger and stronger, and the possibility of cooperation between the two people also increased.
But the key is that the appearance of this secret letter directly made the biggest problem between the two people obvious.
That is to say, there is a lack of communication and a lack of trust between each other.
The most troublesome thing is that even if two people communicate, there is no guarantee that they will be able to confide in each other.
In the original history, Cao Cao also used the "two tigers competing for food" strategy against Lu Bu and Liu Bei, but Lu Bu immediately felt relieved after receiving Liu Bei's promise and had no worries anymore.
Because Liu Bei was both an imperial uncle of the Han Dynasty and a well-known benevolent and righteous gentleman, his personal reputation was very good.
Now if Wang Zheng, a yellow turban bandit, were talking nonsense, would Lu Bu still believe it?
"General, after a long discussion, there is no good way to win Lu Bu's trust. In that case, why bother?"
After a while, Wu Sheng was the first to speak, with a fierce look on his face: "We are going to fight sooner or later anyway, why not take advantage of the emperor's excuse and strike first!"
"We just take the opportunity to kill this hungry wolf, and we can get a country lord in exchange!"
Before Wang Zheng could reply, Xu Fang on the side shook his head: "How can Lu Bu be so easy to deal with?"
"With this man's bravery, if he wants to kill him, he will definitely have to ambush and surround him from all sides, and the troops and horses dispatched will be indispensable."
"And Wu County is on the border between Henan and Xuzhou. When the army makes a sound, it will be difficult to hide it, and it will also alert the enemy. Not only will the encirclement and suppression be unsuccessful, but if this person is allowed to escape early, it can be said that he has created a huge enemy out of thin air!"
This analysis was quite reasonable and everyone believed it. Wang Zheng also nodded and said: "What General Xu said is true. What's more, if we turn against Lu Bu, wouldn't we be fulfilling Cao Cao's wishes?"
"Gentlemen, never do what your enemies want you to do!"
Looking around the audience, Wang Zheng said loudly: "The reason is very simple, because the enemy wants you to do this!"
"But there is some truth in what General Wu said." Yu Jin on the side said in a deep voice: "We don't want to start another war, let alone fall into a trap, but who knows what Lu Bu is thinking?"
"Who can guarantee that Lu Bu will not fall into the trap?"
"If there is bound to be a battle sooner or later, it would be better for us to take action first!"
This is also true.
If there is a fight, it will definitely take place in Xuzhou. This overlord's hometown has been plagued by wars in recent years and can no longer afford to suffer much.
Only by allowing the royal government to take the initiative can the damage and negative impacts caused by the war be controlled as much as possible.
The topic went round and round and returned to the original starting point. It was neither a fight nor a fight. Both Wang Zheng and the important civil and military ministers under his command found this matter quite difficult.
It's not complicated to say. The best way is to gain Lu Bu's trust and make him believe that Wang Zheng will not do anything to him!
But how to gain trust has become the biggest problem.
The hall fell into silence for a while, everyone lowered their heads and frowned in silence.
After a long time, Zhang Zhao was the first to raise his head, glanced at Wang Zheng, opened his mouth, as if to say something, but suddenly lowered his head again.
Wang Zheng, who was deep in thought, didn't notice, but Wu Sheng saw it.
"What, Mr. Zhang?" Wu Sheng didn't have any scruples and just called him by name: "But you have an idea?"
The whole place was so quiet that there was absolutely no sound. This sudden sound made everyone's eyes turn to Zhang Zhao.
"I do think of something. If you do it like Zhou Mu, you may be able to win the trust of Marquis Wen." Seeing this, Zhang Zhao had no choice but to say, "But I don't know whether I should talk about it or not."
Wang Zheng was startled when he heard this. This was not the first time this kind of meeting had been held under his rule. He always spoke freely. Zhang Zhao had been a member for a long time, so how could he still have such concerns?
When to say it or not...
What could it be?
As his mind was spinning, Wang Zheng remained calm and said with a smile on his face: "Sir, whenever you have something to say, it always makes Zheng enlightened and enlightened. I wish I could listen more, so why shouldn't I explain the truth?"
"Please come quickly!" He waved his hand casually and said, "I am all ears!"
Even with this statement, Zhang Zhao still hesitated for a moment before bowing and handing over his hand again: "If I remember correctly, it seems that Zhou Mu has not married yet?"
Um...why did you suddenly mention my personal affairs?
Wang Zheng was greatly surprised and blinked, his eyes filled with confusion: "So what?"
"Cao Cao's plan is to drive a wedge between Zhou Mu and Wen Hou." Zhang Zhaodao: "In the past, Guan Zi once had a famous saying, saying that the old cannot be separated from the new, and the old cannot be separated from the alienated!"
Naturally, people who are estranged from each other cannot alienate those who are close to them, and it is not even appropriate to talk about them. Wang Zheng naturally knows this.
But he and Lu Bu have never even met each other. If we say they are far from each other, I'm afraid he is not as good as Cao Cao, right?
"Sir..." Wang Zheng vaguely guessed something, and couldn't help but raise his eyebrows: "What do you mean?"
"I heard that Bu's wife, Mrs. Yan, has a daughter. She has reached the age of hair this year. In terms of age, she is suitable for the state pastor. It would be like marrying her as a wife..."
Before he finished speaking, there was an uproar in the hall.
The first person to take the lead in opposing was Yu Jin.
"My lord has already become a state shepherd before he even reaches the crown. How promising is his future?"
"Lü Bu, a defeated general, is even more weak and weak. Now he relies on his master to survive and survive in Xuzhou. Since Zhang Gong knows that he is alienated and does not want to be close to each other, doesn't he think he is humble and does not seek respect?"
"What's more, this man is ambitious and unwilling to be inferior to others. There will be a battle in the future. The day our army rises will be the day of his defeat. His daughter will be a sinful daughter. How can she be a wife?"
"This matter is inappropriate." Mi Heng also shook his head repeatedly and echoed: "Lu Bu is a barbarian. If he marries a barbarian girl because of a war with Xiu, isn't it an act of reconciliation?"
"Yes, the general marries a wife. This is a family matter. How can it be discussed in court?" Wu Sheng also said: "What kind of thing is Lu Bu's daughter? Even if the general marries a wife, he still wants to marry Sister Si..."
Before he could finish speaking, he let out an ouch and was kicked hard by Xu Fang who was standing beside him.
You should shut up, Huo Si is even more impossible.
At this time, in the hall, except for Wang Zheng and Xu Fang who remained silent, most of the people who spoke out were refuting objections, but Zhang Zhao felt more confident.
In the past, such proposals related to the royal government and private matters would never have come from his mouth.
Although it was his first time to serve as an official, Zhang Zhao had already known the secret to establishing himself in the officialdom. Apart from his ability, he only tried to figure out his intentions.
In many cases, the latter is more important than the former.
Just like for ministers, many times the relationship with the master is actually more important than merit.
Zhang Zhao is confident that his ability is by no means weaker than anyone else, but he is very clear that when it comes to his friendship with Wang Zheng, not to mention Wu Sheng and Xu Fangyuan are incomparable. Even compared to Mi Heng, who joined later, Yu Jin is not as good as him.
He also understood that although Wang Zheng treated him as a courtesy and gave him enough respect on any occasion, deep down in his heart he never truly trusted Zhang Zhao.
Today's reuse seems to be due to the needs of the situation. After all, there is a shortage of civil servants.
But as the Heavenly Army gained momentum, Zhang Zhao knew that this situation would not last long.
So on the way from Pengcheng to Xiapi, he made up his mind. Next, he not only had to show his abilities and talents, but also gain Wang Zheng's true trust!
This is why he hesitated for a while today and still spoke boldly!
Just now, he had been paying attention to Wang Zheng's reaction, and when he saw that he was just silent, he felt happy in his heart.
The only thing Zhang Zhao was afraid of before was that Wang Zheng himself rejected this kind of political marriage.
It is said that when a young person is young, he admires his parents, and when he is a lustful person, he admires Shaoai. Zhang Zhao was also young, so he naturally knew that a young man of Wang Zheng's age still had some beautiful fantasies about the opposite sex, especially his partner.
The children of aristocratic families would compromise because they were parasitic on the family, but Wang Zheng was self-reliant and independent, which gave him the ability to be willful.
"General Wu's words are wrong." Zhang Zhao said, bowing his hand to Wu Shengxian: "Since my lord is the lord of Xuzhou, how can he talk about family affairs? It's not just official business! For the millions of people in Xuzhou, it is even more important.
thing!"
"What Zhengping said is also wrong. Lu Bu is from Wuyuan County, Bingzhou, and the Hu people's claims are nothing but rumors. This is nonsense."
"As for what General Yu said..." Zhang Zhao smiled, stroking his beard and straightening his clothes: "It is precisely because Lu Bu is so poor now that it is appropriate to take the initiative to ask his daughter to be his wife!"
"Oh?" Wang Zheng said nothing when everyone was arguing just now, as if he turned a blind eye. Now he asked calmly:
"How to say?"
"Why did Cao Cao resort to alienation? From what I can see, it is precisely because he knew Lu Bu's abilities and was even more worried that my lord would take this brave tiger under his command!" Zhang Zhao said: "Now that the world is in chaos and all the heroes are rising together, these tiger generals,
Who doesn’t want to be a general?”
"It's just that Lu Bu first surrendered to Ding Yuan, then served Dong Zhuo, and then submitted to Yuan Shu, Yuan Shao and others. It can be said that he changed his masters several times. Although his bravery was the best in the world, his body and reputation were ruined!"
"The world regards him as disloyal and unjust, and the princes are also deeply suspicious of him!"
"Running eastward in a hurry is a helpless move, because although the world is huge, there is no place for it!"
"At this time of life and death, my lord has given me a helping hand and taken her in. This is an act of kindness. If we marry him again, we will have blood ties and become a real family!"
"First gain kindness, then show affection. If you accept him as a minister, you will have no worries." Zhang Zhao said with a smile: "Given Lu Bu's current situation, I expect that there is a high probability that he will join the lord."
"Not to mention the most crucial point!"
"Which point?" Wang Zheng looked sideways after hearing this.
"Lord," Zhang Zhao said with a serious look on his face, "Lü Bu has already passed by and stood up, but he still has no children!"
As soon as he finished speaking, everyone was moved.
As the saying goes, "There are three types of unfilial piety, the greatest is not having offspring."
Lineage inheritance is extremely important in the hearts of the ancients, sometimes even more important than the glorious ancestors.
Only when you have children and grandchildren can you honor your ancestors. Without children and grandchildren, what is the use of honoring your ancestors?
If the common people are like this, let alone those heroes who have ambitions to compete?
Without heirs, the civil servants and generals under his command will work hard and sacrifice their lives. Not to mention the turmoil in the dominance of the master a hundred years later, who will they ask for their glory and wealth?
Being childless at the age of thirty was actually an extremely dangerous sign in ancient times.
The implication of Zhang Zhao's words is that not only Lu Bu himself may not have much ambition at this time, but also his subordinates are probably panicked, right?
This is a strong reason.
There is no doubt that if a marriage can make Lu Bu and Wang Zheng turn enemies into friends, or even recognize them as their master, it will definitely be a profitable deal!
Even though they had never really fought against Lu Bu, they had seen with their own eyes how powerful Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were before, and he was truly an enemy of ten thousand people!
As for Lu Bu, who could not defeat two thousand enemies together, no one could imagine the extent of his bravery, let alone think about it in detail.
In ancient times, a son-in-law was a true brother-in-law.
Once Lu Bu dies, his military and horse subordinates will be fully accepted by the royal government without any hindrance. It is a matter of course.
As a later generation, Wang Zhengze thought more.
The main reason why Lu Bu died in Baimenlou was because of the rebellion of Hou Cheng, Wei Xu, Song Xian and others.
However, these people are all eight talented generals who have followed Lu Bu for many years. Not only do they have many years of friendship, but they all come from Bingzhou and are considered the same hometown as Lu Bu.
If we are in a dangerous situation, we have experienced it many times before. Why did we suddenly betray?
After Zhang Zhao's reminder, Wang Zheng suddenly realized something.
Could it be because Lu Bu is getting older and older, but he has never solved the biggest problem in his camp...
No successor?
If so, you might as well give it a try...
Having made up his mind, Wang Zheng stood up and said loudly: "What you said is true, you should follow it!"
"If you don't bother the two masters, it's my master's plan. Are you willing to take the trouble to go to Wu County to seek the tiger girl for the government?"
"My lord is wise!"
Zhang Zhao was overjoyed when he heard this. If Lu Bu's daughter really became the official wife of Zhou Mu, the matchmaker would have done a great job.