Guide:
Jiang Gan lobbied for Zhou Yu's vivid description of Battle of Red Cliffs in The Romance of the Three Kingdoms. According to Pei Songzhi's Zhou Yuchuan in Romance of the Three Kingdoms, Cao Cao sent Jiang Gan to lobby Zhou Yu. The content is as follows:
Hearing that Zhou Yu was young and promising, Cao Cao thought that Zhou Yu could be persuaded by lobbying, so he secretly sent Jiang Gan from Jiujiang to see Zhou Yu. Jiang Gan met Zhou Yu in his personal capacity, and Zhou Yu warmly received him. He immediately said to Jiang Gan, "Ziyi is a good man and a lobbyist for Cao Zhi." Jiang Gan denied that Zhou Yu was also in this state. Many years later, he came to catch up and visit. After entertaining Jiang Gan, Zhou Yu left to do business, leaving Jiang Gan alone for three days. Before he left, Zhou Yu invited Jiang Gan to visit the military camp and arsenal, and held a farewell dinner for him, saying that he had met a bosom friend and was closely related to the monarch and his subjects, and would never waver. Jiang Gan just smiled and listened to Zhou Yu express his ideas, but didn't say a word of lobbying. Looking back at Cao Cao, Jiang Gan said that Zhou Yu was so generous that no words could separate him. The above is the whole process of Jiang Gan lobbying Zhou Yu. Judging from this process, Jiang Gan just made a trip in vain. Jiang Gan, a native of Jiujiang, was Cao Cao's guest at that time. Jiujiang and Zhou Yu's hometown, Shu County and Lujiang County, belong to Yangzhou. Jiang Gan claimed to be a fellow countryman and had contacts with Zhou Yuyou. This may be one of the reasons why Cao Cao sent him to lobby Zhou Yu. And Jiang Gan, who has a good eloquence. Said he was good-looking, because he was eloquent. He is the best in Jianghuai. Cao Cao's talents chose Jiang Gan to lobby Zhou Yu alone. It was hard, but he didn't get what he wanted.
This is the basic historical fact that Jiang Gan lobbied Zhou Yu. The question is when and where Jiang Gan met Zhou Yu. There is no clear record, so there are three versions. Just like after Battle of Red Cliffs. It was recorded in December of the 14th year of Jian 'an, that is, at the beginning of 2 10. By this time, Zhou Yu had occupied Jiangling and brought Wu's Taishou County. So when Zhou Yu was in Jingzhou, Jiang Gan lobbied Zhou Yu. According to the records in Biography of Jiang Biao, there are also some books that record Zhou Yuling's story in Biography of Jiang Biao, such as Biography of Jiang Biao. After Battle of Red Cliffs was recorded in Shangshu, Cao Cao adopted the strategy of dividing the enemy politically and sent Jiang Gan, a native of Jiujiang, to see Zhou Yu, but Zhou Yu refused.
Just like before Battle of Red Cliffs. As Liu Yisheng said in Zi Tong Zhi Jian. Teacher Liu thinks that it is unreasonable for Sima Guang's Zi Jian to lobby Zhou Yu in Jianggan in the winter of the 14th year of Jian 'an. Because Zhou Yu made great contributions at this time and became the first person in Wudong, Cao Cao did not agree with the lobbyist. After the defeat of Chibi, Cao Cao was unwilling and advised Zhou Yu to surrender. If so, Cao Cao is really a fool. This is the view of teacher Liu Yisheng. There is also "Southern Prefecture", where Jiang Gan lobbied Zhou Yu when he was in Battle of Red Cliffs. Obviously, this is contrary to Zhuge Liang's record, and it is only the novelist's artistic technique. The purple sword in Jiang Gan's Romance of the Three Kingdoms originated from the Romance of the Three Kingdoms in the Yuan Dynasty, not all of which was invented by Luo Guanzhong. Luo Guanzhong just made some changes to Biography of Jiang Biao to make the story vivid and reasonable. Jiang Gan is the immortal leader in Pinghua. Cao Cao worshipped him as a teacher and sent him to lobby Zhou Yu. As a result, he fell into the trap of Zhou Yu. Battle of Red Cliffs removes immortal leaders and masters, and elaborately embellishes stories, which makes Jiang Gan, the winner of The Romance of Three Kingdoms, colorful and beautiful, while Jiang Gan becomes a bookish, accomplished and miserable clown, just like in the TV series The Romance of Three Kingdoms.
So, before and after Battle of Red Cliffs, did Jiang Gan lobby Zhou Yu? If it was before Battle of Red Cliffs, it was only in Bachu, Zhouyu Town. In the early years of Jian 'an, Zhou Yu and Sun Ce pacified Jiangnan, captured Changyu and other places, and set up garrisons. This Bachu is located in Xiajiang County, Jiangxi Province, rather than Cuba Mountain in Yueyang, which is closer to Jiujiang. Zhou Yutun Bachu was built in Jian 'an for four years. In the fifth year of Jian 'an, Sun Ce was stabbed to death, Sun Quan stayed with Zhou Yu, and Zhou Yu and Zhang Zhao were in charge of everything. Basically, he always fights or negotiates with Sun Quan. Eleven years only spent in Jian 'an court, thirteen years ago Battle of Red Cliffs spent in Poyang Lake. Cao Cao heard that Zhou Yu was young and talented, and Jiang Gan lobbied Zhou Yu, as if Zhou Yu should have lobbied when he was young, that is, when he was in Bachu. Cao said that at this time, with Yuan Shao, the battle of Guandu was imminent. It seems that Jiang Gan can't be sent to lobby Zhou Yu. In the eleventh year of Jian 'an, the chariot stayed in the palace for a short time. Battle of Red Cliffs couldn't have stayed in Poyang all the time, because Cao Cao went south in August this year and soon occupied Jingzhou. He didn't take Sun Quan seriously at all, and it was impossible to send Jiang Gan to lobby Zhou Yu.
Teacher Liu Yisheng said that it was unreasonable for Cao Cao to send Jiang Gan to lobby Zhou Yu after Battle of Red Cliffs. However, he said that Zhou Yu made great contributions at that time and became the first person in Wu Dong. Cao Cao is by no means a lobbyist who can impress him. The more important this person is, the more likely he is to become the main object of resistance. Cao Cao suffered losses under Zhou Yu and figured out a way to deal with Zhou Yu. If he succeeds, he can save face. The questioner is Sima Guang, who is famous for his rigorous scholarship in history. Why did you write this in the winter and December of the fourteenth year of Jian 'an after Zhou Yu captured Jiangling? I'm afraid it's not negligence. According to records, Cheng Pu improved his relationship with Zhou Yu and praised Zhou Yu. Cheng Pu felt old and didn't take Zhou Yu seriously. He humiliated Zhou Yu several times, but Zhou Yu never cared. Battle of Red Cliffs, both left and right governors, was still very nervous and almost missed this great event. Lv Meng told Sun Quan in Pinghua that attacking Jingzhou needed a coach, not two coaches like Battle of Red Cliffs. Because when he decided to attack Jingzhou, Sun wanted Zhou Yu to be the governor with him, but when he was reminded, he was only made the commander in chief. Legend has it that after the relationship between Cheng Pu and Zhou Yu improved, Jiang Gan lobbied Zhou Yu, so it was impossible for Battle of Red Cliffs to lobby Zhou Yu before. Jiang Gan probably said that Zhou Yu was in Jingzhou.
When and where did Jiang Gan lobby Zhou Yu? Because there is no clear record in the history books, people can only judge from different angles. At least, Jiang Gan was one of the people who lobbied Zhou Yu in Jingzhou.