After Liu Bei established Shu Han, he always adhered to the desire to unify China.
Soochow, on the other hand, was Liu Bei's potential rival, and their control of the Yangtze River basin's important geographical location and resources made it a major obstacle to Liu Bei's unification of China. Liu Bei had repeatedly considered waging war in order to seize the territory of Eastern Wu and realize the great cause of unification.
Liu Bei's ministers raised various objections to the crusade against Eastern Wu. They were worried that Eastern Wu was strong and had obvious geographical advantages, and that there were also some problems and instability within Shu Han.
These ministers feared that if war was waged, Shu Han might find themselves in a difficult position between external wars and internal problems, losing opportunities for stability and development. They advised Liu Bei to abandon his plan to defeat Eastern Wu.
And Zhuge Liang's silence sparked widespread discussion and speculation. As Liu Bei's important advisor, Zhuge Liang was known for his superb wisdom and military prowess. His opinion was crucial to Liu Bei's decision-making. However, Zhuge Liang's silence may have multiple reasons.
Zhuge Liang has always emphasized outwitting and not attacking, and advocated keeping peace with Eastern Wu in order to concentrate on solving the internal problems of Shu Han.
He probably thought that a crusade against Eastern Wu was not a wise choice, as it would lead to needless bloodshed and sacrifice rather than solve the actual problems of Shu Han.
Zhuge Liang's silence may also reflect his respect and loyalty to Liu Bei. As a strategist, Zhuge Liang would not directly oppose Liu Bei's decision, especially if Liu Bei was enthusiastic about the crusade against Eastern Wu.
He may choose to remain silent at the decision-making stage and come up with more specific plans and recommendations in actual implementation.
Liu Bei did not immediately launch a war against Eastern Wu, but adopted a more cautious strategy, maintaining a focus on foreign and domestic affairs.
This kind of decision-making shows that Liu Bei fully weighed various factors in the decision-making process, including his own ambitions, the opposition of his ministers, and Zhuge Liang's suggestions. This also reflects Liu Bei's wisdom as a politician with foresight and decision-making ability.