The banquet ended and the guests dispersed. Moonlight crept into the corridor.
Yu Yi stood before the window with his hands behind his back. Every word Wang Yang had spoken at the banquet echoed in his ears:
"Ba-Shu commands the upper reaches of the Yangtze River, overlooking Wu-Chu downstream. Its position is enough to strip the Yangtze River of its natural defenses. Without Jiankang, Jiangnan has no head; without Ba-Shu, Jiangnan loses an arm. Thus Qin annexed Shu before swallowing Chu. When Jin sought to destroy Wu, it likewise destroyed Shu first. Shu lies upstream on the Yangtze River; by following the current eastward, one can divide Jiangnan's strategic strength."
"Those who wish to secure Jiangnan must contend for Shu; those who wish to set their sights on the Central Plains must also hold Shu. Zu Ti launched his northern expedition without support from Ba-Shu and ultimately could not succeed. Huan Wen took Shu and thus was able to enter Luo. Liu Yu secured Shu and then conquered Chang'an. Only with both Jing and Shu intact, linked from head to tail, can the strength of east and west be joined to resist the northern dynasty. This was why Kongming so urgently advocated an alliance between Wu and Shu!"
"For falling back to defend Jiangzuo, Xiangyang is inferior to Jiankang; for advancing upon the Central Plains, Jiankang is inferior to Xiangyang. Develop Jingxiang, mobilize the wealth of the Three Wu, nurture the strength of Ba-Shu, and use the Huai River as an outer shield. Only then will Jiangnan be capable of defending itself. There is no better foundation for a great undertaking! Only once there is strength to spare in defense should a northern expedition begin. If the time is not ripe, indulging hot-blooded impulses and throwing away a