"Ah, a leaf knows that autumn is coming." Zhou Yu thought silently. He had long realized that Liu Bei would be extremely difficult to deal with, but seeing him in person made it even more daunting.
"No wonder the aristocratic families have been restraining themselves lately, no wonder many unprincipled actions have gradually been curbed, the source lies here." Zhou Yu pondered silently, his heart filled with deep admiration.
It is indeed difficult to make the aristocratic families empathize with the common people. It is even harder to make them appear upright and honest. But compared to the strength Liu Bei is showing now, all of that seems much easier.
The aristocratic families seek survival, and better survival, not destruction in the manner of a fish in a net. In the face of Liu Bei's absolutely powerful position, the aristocrats must display goodwill; without such goodwill, survival is impossible.
