Inside the quiet room.
Luo Yi was recommending Han Xin to Liu Bang, making no secret of his admiration for him. "Duke of Pei, you praised me before, saying that with me at your side, you would never make another mistake. I dare not accept such praise, but as for Han Xin, if you gain his service, you need not worry even if you do make a mistake."
Liu Bang asked in astonishment, "Ziyu, is this Han Xin truly so extraordinary? I have never seen you praise even Zhang Zifang so highly."
Luo Yi smiled faintly, because Zhang Liang and Han Xin possessed two different kinds of talent. Zhang Liang excelled at devising plans, which was itself the highest level of design and planning for the strategic and tactical direction of struggles between powers.
But plans still had to be put into practice. Only with a lord's decisive judgment and the cooperation of his own forces in carrying them out could they achieve their greatest effect.
This was why so many advisers had countless brilliant schemes in their bellies yet spent half their lives in hardship, frustrated and unfulfilled, only to don robes of vermilion and purple and stand before dukes and ministers once their fortunes turned.
But Han Xin was different. His talent was like the sun in the sky, dazzling beyond measure. Give him a sum of starting funds, and he could carve out a world of his own.
Recruiting soldiers, training their abilities, expanding an army, commanding troops in battle, opening up new horizons with brilliant stratagems-there was nothing he could not do. With just a little initial investment, he could keep opening second and third fronts without limit.
Had Han Xin's political abilities not been so poor that he simply could not serve as a lord,