My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 112 Liu Ye Rescues Her from Trouble
After that, Gu Jiang went directly to Xiangben County, found Jin Rui, and told him everything about meeting the Prefect in the village and being questioned by the Prefect.

Jin Rui was shocked to hear this and dared not delay. He quickly found a trusted confidant and sent him to Tancheng to report the news.

Jin Rui specifically instructed his trusted confidants to go to Tancheng to find the young master first, and if they couldn't find him, to go to the magistrate.

This matter must not be revealed without seeing the young master or the magistrate.

The confidant, who had been saved by Jin Rui, readily agreed, promising never to reveal the secret even at the cost of his life, and then rushed to Tancheng.

Although Xu Qiu and his companions had mounts, Xu Qiu himself rode in an oxcart, which, while stable, was very slow.

In addition, the large group moved slowly and had to take a detour to cross the bridge, so Jin Rui's confidants took a shortcut and overtook them.

Jin Rui's confidants arrived first, and entered Tancheng early the next morning.

By this time, Liu Feng had already left Tancheng and was heading to the Kaiyang front with Chang Xi.

Unable to find Liu Feng's trusted confidant, Jin Rui, he could only seek an audience with Liu Bei.

The gatekeeper asked Jin Rui's confidant about his purpose, but he couldn't say. After Fu Shiren was summoned, he could only say that he had something important to report to Magistrate Liu.

If this were a peaceful era, Fu Shiren would probably have kicked this person out long ago.

But now, Fu Shiren had a more cautious mind and went in to report the matter to Liu Bei.

After hearing this, Liu Bei managed to find some time and had someone summon him.

Upon seeing Liu Bei, Jin Rui's confidant didn't waste any time and immediately recounted everything Jin Rui had instructed him to do.

Only then did Liu Bei realize that Xu Qiu was coming back.

Liu Bei also had a major headache dealing with Xu Qiu.

This man was famous, senior, and known for his integrity and competence; he was one of the most distinguished officials in Xuzhou.

Even Chen Deng had to refer to himself as a junior in front of Xu Qiu.

That is, Chen Deng's father and two uncles were able to hold their own against Xu Qiu.

When Xu Qiu was dismissed, he was planning to return to Haixi to retire. However, when he passed through Tancheng, Tao Qian tried his best to persuade him to stay and even appointed him as the prime minister of Donghai State to govern Donghai County.

To be honest, Tao Qian's attitude towards Xu Qiu was less one of valuing him and more of rewarding him for his achievements.

The two had collaborated many times before, and Xu Qiu was a staunch supporter of Tao Qian.

Whether it was the second campaign against Dong or the joint anti-Liang campaign, Xu Qiu was a supporter of Tao Qian. If such a staunch supporter is not rewarded, who will support you in the future?

In the novel, the eighteen warlords who fought against Dong Zhuo included Tao Qian and others.

However, in official history, Tao Qian was not only not that crybaby, but also quite capable in battle, and his ambition was boundless.

Tao Qian disdained to participate in the first campaign against Dong Zhuo organized by Yuan Shao and his allies. Only after they failed did he organize a second campaign against Dong Zhuo on his own, and its momentum was in no way inferior to that of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu's campaign.

At that time, in addition to the five commanderies of Xuzhou where Tao Qian was located, there were also Runan Commandery, Pei State, Lu State, Yingchuan Commandery, Chen State, Liang State in Yuzhou, Lujiang Commandery and Wu Commandery in Yangzhou, Beihai State in Qingzhou, Taishan Commandery in Yanzhou, and Rencheng State, a total of sixteen commanderies and kingdoms, whose power was at its zenith.

They jointly elected Zhu Jun, one of the three great generals who quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion, as Grand Tutor, with the aim of welcoming back Emperor Xian and rebuilding the court.

Therefore, Xu Qiu's support for Tao Qian was not because he was Tao Qian's loyal follower or private minister, but because he endorsed Tao Qian's proposal to welcome back Emperor Xian. He was loyal to the Han Dynasty.

This determined that Tao Qian could not grant Xu Qiu real power in the Donghai Commandery.

Although Tao Qian appointed Xu Qiu as the Chancellor of Donghai State, he refused to relinquish power and instead used the Chief Clerk and other officials in the prefecture to sideline Xu Qiu, leaving him powerless.

However, this did not prevent Xu Qiu's reputation in Xuzhou from becoming even higher.

Although Liu Bei is currently the governor of Xu Province, he is powerless to deal with Xu Qiu and can only treat him with courtesy.

Tao Qian's death even allowed Xu Qiu to regain much of the power of the Chancellor of Donghai, leaving Liu Bei helpless.

Now that Xu Qiu has heard the news of the war, he immediately wants to rush back to Tancheng, which clearly means he wants to come back and demand an explanation.

But Liu Bei not only had no way to deal with the other party, he also needed their help.

Xu Qiu was a prominent family in Guangling, a leading family in Haixi, with a family income of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), and a very high reputation in his hometown.

With Xu Qiu's full support, Liu Bei could have even recaptured Guangling without bloodshed.

If Xu Qiu resists Liu Bei, then the entire Guangling region may rebel against Liu Bei.

Judging by the journey, Liu Bei should be able to see Xu Qiu by this afternoon at the latest. Liu Bei's head was starting to ache.

Liu Bei quickly invited Mi Zhu over to discuss the matter in detail, hoping that Mi Zhu could have a solution.

But Mi Zhu has never been quick-witted, so how could he come up with a solution in such a short time?

The result was that the two, the ruler and his minister, looked at each other, speechless.

Just as Liu Bei and Mi Zhu were staring at each other, at a loss for what to do, a close attendant suddenly came to report that the envoy who had previously gone to Cheng De in Huainan to recruit Liu Ye had returned.

Both Liu Bei and Mi Zhu were startled. The former asked, "Has Liu Ye accepted the invitation?"

The attendant hurriedly replied obsequiously, "Reporting to the Governor, it is such an honor to be summoned by the Governor. Mr. Liu Ye will naturally accept the invitation."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was overjoyed and immediately stood up, saying, "Where is Mr. Liu Ye now? I want to personally welcome him."

Liu Bei recalled that he had heard Liu Feng say that Liu Ye was resourceful and skilled in devising ingenious strategies. Later, when Lu Zijing arrived, he also praised Liu Ye as a member of the imperial clan with the talent of a king's advisor.

With Xu Gong about to be punished, Liu Ye's unexpected good fortune has left Liu Bei overjoyed.

"Outside the main gate."

"I should personally welcome him!"

After Liu Bei finished speaking, he immediately put on his shoes and ran towards the main gate.

Liu Ye had already alighted from the carriage and was waiting beside it.

But then he saw a burly man with arms longer than his knees, unusually large ears, and a kind, simple face running towards him.

Even with Liu Ye's cunning and shrewdness, he was momentarily stunned.

Who is this person who dares to act so recklessly in the prefectural capital?

Before Liu Ye could react, the burly man had already rushed up to him and grabbed both of his hands.

"Ziyang, you've kept me waiting for so long."

Liu Bei grasped Liu Ye's hands and shook them back and forth to comfort him, expressing his affection and desire for talent.

"Xuanche set off early, but Ziyang was nowhere to be seen. Bei was restless and worried that Ziyang might be unwilling to teach him because Bei was dull-witted."

Liu Bei's words were earnest and his attitude sincere. Even with Liu Ye's precocious maturity, he couldn't help but feel guilty.

This Liu Bei has managed to win over such people.

Liu Ye was truly surprised that the other party valued him so much, and he couldn't help but lower his head to return the gesture.

It would have been better if he hadn't looked down, because when he did, he saw that Liu Bei was barefoot on one foot. Upon closer inspection, he realized that he hadn't put his shoes on properly and one of them had been kicked off when he stepped over the threshold.

But Liu Bei didn't seem to notice at all. Standing outside the prefectural government gate in the freezing cold, he just kept holding Liu Ye's hand and expressing his anticipation.

Liu Ye was truly moved.

Liu Ye is a man who thinks highly of himself and considers himself to be exceptionally intelligent. He has never really looked down on others since he was a child.

He only considered Lu Su and Zhou Yu as friends, which shows his arrogance.

But precisely because of this, arrogant people are sometimes more easily deceived, because they are confident and have great faith in their own judgment.

Just like now, although Liu Ye had only met Liu Bei for the first time, he was certain that Liu Bei was truly sincere and was moved by him.

Was Liu Bei acting?

It is and it isn't.

Liu Bei indeed had high hopes for Liu Ye because of the recommendations of Liu Feng and Lu Su.

Moreover, Liu Bei was a very tolerant person when it came to talented individuals.

In this respect, Liu Bei and Cao Cao were truly brothers in spirit.

Cao Cao treated Guo Jia as well as Liu Bei treated Chen Deng and Fa Zheng.

Guo Jia, Chen Deng, and Fa Zheng all share similar characteristics: they are resourceful, disregard etiquette and law, and are quick to settle scores.

Liu Bei already had high expectations for Liu Ye, and now that he was facing Xu Qiu's accusations, he naturally placed all his hopes on Liu Ye.

The saying goes, "If you want something, you must first show courtesy to others."

In addition, given Liu Bei's usual eagerness to seek out talented individuals, this action, even if it was an act, was a natural performance; otherwise, how could it have fooled Liu Ye's eyes?

"I am deeply grateful for your invitation, Your Excellency. I only regret that I do not have wings so that I may come to Your Excellency's side as soon as possible to express my gratitude."

Liu Ye's words were obviously nonsense, but he couldn't very well tell the truth: "I actually look down on you. I even planned to give your envoy to Yuan Shu as a talisman to avert disaster. If Lu Su hadn't written to persuade me, and Yuan Shu hadn't made any move, I wouldn't have bothered to come here."

Standing to the side, Huang Li felt a million questions on his mind. He remembered that Liu An, the King of Huainan during the Former Han Dynasty, had achieved great success in cultivating Taoism, and even his chickens and dogs ascended to heaven.

Could it be that Huainan truly possesses some kind of magical ability that grants wings to those with ribs, requiring the envoy to be bound for the ritual? But I didn't see you fly over after binding me. At this moment, Liu Ye was no longer concerned with what Huang Li was thinking.

At this moment, his opinion of Liu Bei had changed drastically. He felt that what Zijing said was true, and that Liu Bei was so good at winning people over, so his future was bound to be limitless.

In particular, Liu Ye thought of someone who made him tremble with excitement.

If Liu Bei in front of us can really do what that man did, is there any hope for the Han Dynasty?

Liu Ye suddenly broke free from Liu Bei's hands and, to everyone's astonishment, turned around to pick up Liu Bei's right shoe that had been thrown away.

After he retrieved it, he held the right shoe in both hands and said to Liu Bei, "I am well aware of your desire to seek out talented people. Although I am not talented, I am willing to do my best for you to repay your kindness. However, I implore you to take care of your health and not to be careless."

Liu Bei's eyes reddened. He took the shoes from Liu Ye's hands, bent down to put them on, and then grabbed Liu Ye's hand, saying, "Ziyang's words show his love and respect for me. I will definitely remember them."

When the ruler and his ministers get along well, they naturally cannot tolerate anyone else.

Fortunately, Liu Bei hadn't completely forgotten Huang Li. He turned around and comforted him, giving him a week's leave before letting him go to rest.

Liu Ye, however, was held firmly by Liu Bei's hand and was personally welcomed into the mansion.

Huang Li stood outside the mansion, sighing. He had originally thought it was because he was magnanimous and didn't hold grudges.

But now it seems he has to pray that Liu Ye is magnanimous enough. Considering that he has not complained at all along the way, Liu Ye should not speak ill of him.

I don't know if I can keep that box of yellow qi-relieving pills.

Caught between hope and fear, Huang Li had no choice but to leave the prefectural capital and go home to rest. Liu Bei had just given him a week off.

Liu Bei welcomed Liu Ye into his residence and ordered his attendants to prepare a banquet for him that evening.

Even with Liu Ye's composure, he was somewhat flattered.

Liu Bei, Liu Ye, and Mi Zhu returned to the main hall.

Liu Bei suddenly sighed.

Liu Ye asked curiously, "Why did you sigh, my lord?"

Liu Bei raised his head, looked at Liu Ye, and hesitated.

Liu Ye suddenly realized something and asked, "Does Your Excellency have something to ask? Please feel free to ask, Your Excellency. I will answer everything I know without reservation."

Liu Bei shook his head and said, "It's not that I have something to ask you, but rather that we just encountered a difficult problem and were discussing it with you. However, after a long discussion, we are both at a loss."

"I know Ziyang is quick-witted and intelligent, and I've long wished to learn from you, but I've been too ashamed. You've come a long way, Ziyang, and haven't even had a chance to rest or prepare anything..."

"Why do you say such a thing, my lord?"

Liu Ye rose and bowed, saying, "If Your Excellency does not consider me dull-witted, may I ask you?"

"Why do you say that, Ziyang?"

Liu Bei immediately seized the opportunity and brought up Xu Qiu's question.

Upon hearing this, Liu Ye was secretly delighted. He hadn't expected Liu Bei to value him so much, not even shying away from the struggle for control of the prefectures and counties. Coming here this time was truly the right decision.

After calming down, Liu Ye began to ponder.

A moment later, an idea came to him.

Liu Ye feigned hesitation and said, "My lord, I am not talented, but I have come up with a plan. However, this plan involves some deception, and I do not know if it is feasible."

Upon hearing that Liu Ye already had a solution, both Liu Bei and Mi Zhu showed surprise and shock.

It hasn't even been that long, less than the time it takes for an incense stick to burn.

This plan doesn't need to be top-notch; as long as it's usable, Liu Ziyang is a useful talent.

Overjoyed, Liu Bei earnestly requested Liu Ye to give a detailed account.

Liu Ye naturally agreed without hesitation and presented his plan: "My lord, I have long admired Meng Yugong. He is a renowned scholar from the Huai and Si regions, who has served in various prefectures and counties for many years. He is loyal to the court and deeply hates the lawless and disorderly Yuan Shu. During his tenure as the governor of Runan, he repeatedly refused Yuan Shu's requests and restricted his protégés and former officials, preventing Yuan Shu from controlling Runan."

"When Tao Gong parted ways with Yuan Shu, Meng Yu Gong directly raised an army and drove the officials sent by Yuan Shu out of Runan Commandery. Meng Yu Gong was eventually dismissed by the court and left Runan, thanks to Yuan Shu's collusion with Li Jue and Guo Si."

"It is evident that Meng Yugong deeply hated Yuan Shu."

"If that's the case, why not make Yuan Shu our enemy and persuade Meng Yugong?"

Liu Bei and Mi Zhu understood somewhat: Liu Ye meant to have Zang Bali communicate with Yuan Shu.

Liu Bei hesitated. The plan was indeed good, but it had some shortcomings.

"Ziyang, this plan is good, but there is no concrete evidence. If Lord Meng Yu questions us, how should we answer?"

Liu Ye explained, “My lord, there is no need to worry. You can simply keep an eye on Yuan Shu’s eyes and ears. You can also inform Lord Meng Yu that Yuan Gonglu intends to offer Zang Ba the position of Prefect of Langya and Chang Xi the position of Chancellor of Donghai, and to offer the position of Prefect of Taishan to the bandits in exchange for Zang Ba and others’ help in entering Xuzhou.”

"Yuan Gonglu intends to enter Xuzhou next year, first taking Guangling. If Your Excellency sends troops to resist, Zang Ba will launch a surprise attack from behind, attacking from both inside and outside, thus overthrowing Your Excellency and destroying Xuzhou!"

Although Liu Bei's expression remained unchanged, he was inwardly horrified.

Liu Ziyang said exactly the same thing as Liu Feng had said before, that he saw the huge threat that Zang Ba's Taishan bandits posed to Liu Bei.

It was precisely by taking advantage of this point that Liu Feng persuaded Liu Bei to take action against Zang Ba first.

Now, after hearing Liu Ziyang's analysis, Liu Bei felt even more threatened by Zang Ba.

Although this is Liu Ziyang's plan to deal with Xu Qiu, who knows if Yuan Shu doesn't have someone capable of offering this treacherous scheme?

Liu Bei felt a chill run down his spine and was filled with lingering fear.

Liu Ye bowed to Liu Bei and said, "Your Excellency's ability to reorganize the army, procure provisions, and attack Zang Ba first must have stemmed from this consideration, right? In my opinion, this is truly a wise move."

Mi Zhu listened intently from the side, nodding frequently, thinking the plan was excellent. Finally, he offered his advice: "Ziyang, this plan is brilliant. Your Excellency should follow it quickly."

Liu Bei recovered and nodded in agreement: "Good, let's use Ziyang's plan."

He then turned to Liu Ye and said gratefully, "Fortunately, it was Ziyang who helped me; otherwise, I would have had no way to hold Xu Gong accountable."

Liu Ye was very pleased to see that his plan had been adopted by Liu Bei. He humbly said, "My plan is only because I am from Huaiyang and know Meng Yugong better. It is also suspected of being a frame-up. It is really not enough."

Liu Bei laughed and said, "Ziyang is too modest."

"By the way, Ziyang, you must be tired from your journey. Do you need to rest?"

Liu Bei first expressed his concern, and then said, "If Ziyang is not tired, he can come with me to visit Lord Xu."

Liu Ye now sees Liu Bei in a completely different light, believing that Liu Bei truly values ​​talent and respects virtuous men. He shows concern for Liu Ye's health and considers the trust placed in him, demonstrating remarkable thoughtfulness.

"I wish to accompany you, sir, to meet Lord Meng Yu."

"good."

Sure enough, Xu Qiu's carriage returned to Tancheng at noon that day.

Upon his return, Xu Qiu went straight to the prefectural capital to request an audience with Liu Bei.

Liu Bei dared not delay and immediately led Mi Zhu and Liu Ye to personally go out of the mansion to welcome them.

Xu Qiu, after all, respected Liu Bei and did not make trouble upon meeting him. Instead, he followed etiquette and first bowed to thank Liu Bei before being welcomed into the main hall.

Xu Qiu first reported the results of this county tour, which covered five counties east of the East China Sea. A total of twenty-seven officials, both high and low-ranking, were dismissed, and twenty-two of them were imprisoned and punished.

Liu Bei relaxed, expressed his opinion, and praised Xu Qiu for handling the matter properly and with sound reasoning.

At this moment, Xu Qiu sat up straight and changed the subject, saying, "While I was traveling through the county, I was truly concerned about the governor."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei smiled, wanting to express his gratitude.

But Xu Qiu continued, "I am overjoyed to hear that you, Lord Fang, have the ambition to establish military farms, for this ambition is what all people look up to, and it will save them from suffering. However, there is one thing I do not understand, and I would like to ask you, Lord Fang, to enlighten me."

Sure enough, it came.

Liu Bei thought to himself, but his face remained serious as he said, "Please speak, Minister Xu."

Xu Qiu said, “Since the Xingping era, Xuzhou has suffered from war repeatedly, especially the past two years. Pengcheng was reduced to a wasteland, and the East China Sea was a scorched earth. Given this, I believe that the most urgent task is to allow the people to recuperate and rebuild.”

"I've heard that the governor suddenly mobilized troops in Langya, even during this spring famine. I wonder what the reason is?"

Liu Bei glanced at Xu Qiu and saw that his expression was resolute and his eyes were piercing, showing no sign of backing down. It seemed that he was determined to get an explanation from Liu Bei.

Liu Bei felt incredibly lucky that Liu Ziyang had arrived just in time; otherwise, the scene would have ended in discord.

Now we just hope Liu Ziyang's method will work.

Liu Bei earnestly explained, "Lord Meng Yu, you may not know this, but the reason I am sending troops north this time is precisely for your hometown."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qiu was immediately puzzled: "My hometown? What does this have to do with Haixi?"

Liu Bei explained, "What I am about to say is a secret of the state, and Lord Meng Yu must not reveal even a trace of it."

Upon hearing this, Xu Qiu did not act arrogantly due to his age. Instead, he straightened his expression and bowed respectfully, saying, "Please rest assured, my lord, I will keep this confidential."

(End of this chapter)