Welcome to the Romance of the Three Kingdoms podcast.

This is episode 75.

Before we pick up where we left off,

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All right, so last time, Zhang Song, an official serving under Liu Zhang, the ruler of Yi province

in the Riverlands, had volunteered to go to the capital to dissuade Cao Cao from having any designs

on the region.

But, in reality, Zhang Song was planning to offer the riverlands to Cao Cao,

because he thought Liu Zhang was weak and undeserving of such a prized piece of real estate.

Zhang Song even brought along a map of the region, containing all the key information one would need to plan an invasion. However, Zhang Song got a rude reception from Cao Cao, thanks in no small

part to Zhang Song's own rude and arrogant display. Cao Cao threatened to kill him before letting

him off with a beating.

Thus snubbed, Zhang Song was slinking back to the Riverlands when he got it into his head that,

Hey, if I can't betray my lord to Cao Cao, maybe I can betray him to Liu Bei.

Funny enough, Liu Bei had the exact same thought at the exact same time, and he rolled out the red carpet for Zhang Song,

welcoming him with great ceremony and humility, just to show his admiration for the man, of course.

But while they feasted for three days in Jing province, not once that Liu Bei so much has mentioned the riverlands.

On the fourth day, it was time for Zhang Song to go, and Liu Bei saw him out.

No, not out of the house or out of the neighborhood or out of the city.

...