When Jingzhou is left undefended then is our chance, and the city will fall into our hands. In all these instances, he was shown as humble. At Dangyang he suffered defeat rather than allow Cao Cao to overtake the civilians who were following him. He spared the life of the inspector at Anxi, and also Cai Mao's ambassador to Cao Cao. Liu listened to his advisors just as Cao did anyway.
Strategy is just a refined version of violence.
Strategy is just a way of plotting how to slaughter people, so though Liu Bei may have been a warrior, he was no different than a man like Zhuge. But also, Liu Bei was a proficient strategist. He used strategy to defeat the Yellow Scarves in multiple occasions, and he also conducted a triple assault against Cao Cao's army. Sometimes you have to fight. I remember tht when Pang Tong presented himself to Liu Bei, the latter did not like him.