Opening Warning: These Three Types of Friends Are Not Worth Keeping Close
In life, we must choose our friends carefully. Keeping company with the following three kinds of people may bring unpredictable misfortune:
The self-serving: They fawn over you when there is profit to gain, but turn against you when benefits disappear. Always remember: "Easy to invite, hard to get rid of." The two-faced: Once their disguise is seen through, they will plot to frame you. Stay highly vigilant. The chronic complainers: They gossip about others in front of you, then gossip about you behind your back. Spending too much time with them will drag you into negative energy.
As an ancient saying goes: "Walk with the wise, and you will become wise; walk with fools, and you will become a fool."
Liu Bei's Comeback Secret: From a Down-and-Out Warlord to Ruler of One of the Three Kingdoms (I) Zhuge Liang's Strategic Blueprint: The Longzhong Plan That Shaped the World
In the winter of 207 AD, the 26-year-old Zhuge Liang presented the Longzhong Plan to the 47-year-old Liu Bei in Xiangyang, outlining three key strategic steps:
Seize Jing Province Liu Biao was incompetent and unable to hold Jing Province; it must be taken first as a foundation. Conquer Yi Province Liu Zhang was foolish and weak; the "Land of Abundance" could be captured to build a hegemonic foundation. March north to the Central Plains Use Jing and Yi provinces as a springboard to revive the Han Dynasty.
This plan gave Liu Bei, who had "wandered aimlessly for half his life," a clear goal and laid the groundwork for the Three Kingdoms.
(II) Liu Bei's Golden Brand: The Value of Being a Descendant of Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan
The core reason Zhuge Liang chose to assist Liu Bei was his legitimate imperial clan status — he was a descendant of Liu Sheng, Prince of Zhongshan (son of Emperor Jing, half-brother of Emperor Wu). Though more than ten generations removed and from a poor background, this identity became:
A key to elite circles: Attracting angel investors like Zhang Shiping and Su Shuang, and co-founders such as Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. The foundation of political legitimacy: Fundamentally different from Cao Cao, who "held the emperor hostage to command the lords," and Sun Quan, a regional warlord. It rallied elite talents to loyally follow him. (III) Taking Jing Province: A Political Journey from Borrowing to Seizing
Liu Bei did not take Jing Province in one move, but through a gradual process of borrow → seize → exchange:
After the Battle of Red Cliffs: Seized the four southern commanderies of Jing (Wuling, Changsha, Lingling, Guiyang). 210 AD: Borrowed Nan Commandery from Sun Quan, gaining the core territory of Jing Province. 215 AD: Divided territories with Sun Quan along the Xiang River, trading Changsha and Guiyang for peace, retaining Nan Commandery, Lingling, and Wuling. (IV) Taking Yi Province: A "Righteous War" After Seven Years of Patience
In 211 AD, troubled by internal and external threats, Liu Zhang invited Liu Bei into Yi Province to help fight Zhang Lu. They feasted for a hundred days at Fu City, putting on a show of brotherly affection. But Liu Bei's real purpose was to conquer Yi Province. The turning point came in 212 AD:
Creating an excuse: Liu Bei asked Liu Zhang for 10,000 soldiers and supplies under the pretense of "reinforcing Jing Province." When refused, he publicly denounced Liu Zhang as "unrighteous." Inside support: Zhang Song and Fa Zheng, subordinates of Liu Zhang who were secret collaborators, aided him from within; Pang Tong offered stratagems. Open war: Liu Bei executed Liu Zhang's generals Yang Huai and Gao Pei, absorbed their troops, captured Fu City, and finally forced Liu Zhang to surrender.
Liu Zhang once rejected the scorched-earth tactic (relocating people and burning grain to starve Liu Bei), saying "disturbing the people to avoid the enemy is not the act of a benevolent man," which indirectly helped Liu Bei's cause.
(V) The Road to Emperor: From Yi Province to the Shu-Han Kingdom 221 AD: After Cao Pi usurped the Han throne, the 61-year-old Liu Bei declared himself emperor in Chengdu, with the state name "Han" (historically known as Shu-Han). 229 AD: Sun Quan declared himself emperor (Eastern Wu), formally establishing the Three Kingdoms.
Liu Bei spent 7 years from borrowing Jing Province to conquering Yi Province, and another 7 years from taking Yi Province to becoming emperor — a perfect example of "great achievements come late."
Career Insight: No Need for Anxiety After 30
Liu Bei did not finalize his strategy until he was 47, when he met Zhuge Liang, and did not become emperor until he was 61. This proves life is a marathon.
As the video puts it: "There is no need for many people in their thirties to feel anxious." With the right direction and perseverance, a turning point will eventually come.