My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 125 The Threat of Cao Cao and Lü Bu
At this point, counting Liu Feng's generals, he had Xu Sheng and Pan Zhang on land, and Zhou Tai and Jiang Qin on water, but he lacked cavalry.

Uncle Zhao and Uncle Tian are certainly good candidates, but Liu Feng's current status is not high enough, and Liu Bei may not be willing to let him go, as there are emotional ties involved.

Since that's the case, Liu Feng simply set his sights on Taishi Ziyi.

This man was a master archer, skilled in mounted warfare, possessed a strategic vision, and could command large armies independently. He was also calm, loyal, and later became a self-taught mountain general, truly a rare and exceptional commander.

Liu Feng naturally wanted to get such a person into his own fold as soon as possible.

As for Taishi Ci's untimely death, it was partly due to the rampant epidemic in the harsh climate of the Yuzhang forest, and partly due to the hardships he endured while serving Liu Yao.

With Hua Tuo by his side, and with his own extraordinary abilities, Liu Feng was confident he could change Tai Shici's tragic fate of dying young.

In fact, since Liu Feng arrived in Xuzhou, he and Liu Bei have had a deep and loving relationship, like father and son.

However, this relationship is also intertwined with a lot of vested interests.

It can be said that Liu Feng is now Liu Bei's angel investor, and he even holds a large portion of the original shares.

Besides the natural share that the eldest son has, there are also returns from various investments, such as helping Liu Bei to divide Cao Bao, and helping Liu Bei to win over the Mi family and increase investment. Before Liu Feng came, although Mi Zhu tried his best to help Liu Bei, he did not intend to take out tens of thousands of shi of grain and millions of coins of supplies to help him to settle down and cultivate land. If this merit is not attributed to Liu Feng, can it be attributed to Liu Bei himself or Mi Zhu?

When Cao Ren invested in Cao Cao, he brought eight or nine hundred followers north to join him.

Not counting Cao Bao, Liu Feng had recruited Lu Su, Xu Sheng, Zhou Tai, Jiang Qin, and others, bringing his total to four or five hundred men. Not to mention the more than one hundred highly qualified members of Liu'er Camp.

Not to mention that Taishi Ci had several hundred men already on their way.

This merit, coupled with Liu Bei's favor towards Liu Feng and Liu Bei's inherent tolerance, combined to give Liu Feng the confidence to openly demand military power.

Moreover, the Three Kingdoms period is very different from the period after it, and whether military power is sensitive depends on what kind of military power it is.

During the Three Kingdoms period, powerful clans and noble families were allowed to raise their own armies and openly possess their own retinues, as this was permitted by the state.

Even in Cao Wei and Shu Han, powerful clans could still have their own retainers. As for the Great Wu Kingdom, it was an empire formed by a coalition of small warlords.

Only the true imperial guards and central army—these military powers are sensitive and would arouse the emperor's suspicion and distrust.

"You do know how to pick the good ones."

Liu Bei leaned against the armchair and laughed, scolding, "Ziyi is a general of great talent. How can you, a mere child, possibly control him?"

Liu Feng chuckled and said, "Then how about we make a bet? If I can gain your loyalty, Father, you can give me ten sets of armor."

"fart!"

Upon hearing that Liu Feng was actually eyeing his armor, Liu Bei was furious: "You brat, you've only just returned and you're already eyeing my precious armor!"

Seeing Liu Bei's furious expression, Liu Feng secretly rejoiced.

On his way back, he had already intercepted more than seventy sets of lamellar armor from Mi Fang's caravan using Mi Zeng's letter, a fact that Liu Bei was unaware of.

Because the caravan was carrying a large amount of goods and supplies, Mi Fang could only follow behind at a slow pace. Although he left a few days earlier than Liu Feng and the others, it would still take him several more days to reach Tancheng.

I just hope Mi Fang doesn't let the news leak out, or it would be bad if my father came after me.

This is a full seventy-eight sets of armor plates, almost exhausting the Mi family's stockpile of iron armor plates. It could really cause a bloodbath.

After Liu Feng returned, he began to work on improving the efficiency of blast furnaces, the steelmaking process, assembly line production lines, and other secret techniques related to the steel military industry.

Once everything is ready, he will discuss it with Liu Bei and then call upon the Lu, Mi, and Chen families to jointly manage and integrate the entire pig iron industry in Xuzhou.

The conservative goal is to more than double the short-term iron smelting output in Xuzhou and triple it in the long term.

In this way, it is estimated that Xuzhou can produce 300 to 400 sets of iron armor every year, and in three to five years, this will increase to 800 to 1,200 sets, which is almost enough to equip an entire Sima tribe. This is quite astonishing.

"I'm your father, why should I bet against you?"

Liu Bei knew that Liu Feng was young and cunning, and he was not about to fall for Liu Feng's tricks: "You have to try your best with Ziyi yourself. If you can persuade Ziyi, then I will not stop you. If you can't persuade Ziyi, then I will not help you."

"There's another matter I'm waiting to discuss with you when you get back."

Liu Bei quickly changed the subject: "Ziyang came to see me a few days ago and told me that I cannot sit idly by and watch Lü Wenhou suffer a defeat in Yanzhou. Cao Cao is a hero with lofty ambitions and outstanding talent. Once he regains control of Yanzhou, he will definitely expand outwards, and our Xuzhou will be the first to bear the brunt."

"Mr. Ziyang is right."

Liu Feng nodded in agreement, but he wasn't too worried: "Does Mr. Ziyang have any specific concerns?"

"Ziyang was worried that Lü Wenhou was no match for Cao Mengde, so he suggested that I not take Guangling first, but take down Cao Cao directly, form an alliance with Lü Wenhou, and isolate the north and south."

Liu Bei frowned; his troubles stemmed from his own attraction to Liu Ye. If he had thought Liu Ye's claims were nonsense, he wouldn't have discussed them with Liu Feng in the first place.

Liu Feng found it amusing. What was wrong with Liu Ye? When he was with Cao Cao, he desperately tried to persuade Cao Cao to kill Liu Bei.

Now that he's in Liu Bei's camp, he's advising Liu Bei to stab Cao Cao in the back.

You know what, this suggestion is actually quite tempting, no wonder Liu Bei was so conflicted.

However, after careful consideration, Liu Feng decided to persuade Liu Bei not to adopt this suggestion.

It wasn't that Liu Feng had any special feelings for Cao Cao, but rather that Lü Bu was even more despicable than Cao Cao.

Regardless of what Lü Bu did before or after, given that Liu Bei was the only person in the world willing to take him in and settle him in Pei, Lü Bu could not betray Liu Bei no matter what.

This is not just about interests and morality, but also about thinking.

Guo Jia criticized Yuan Shao for being shrewd but indecisive, risking his life for petty gains, and hesitant to commit to great things.

Actually, these words are the most apt description of Lü Bu.

Moreover, Cao Cao was at least a normal person in terms of diplomacy, and he was able to reach and abide by some contracts.

But Lü Bu was truly devoid of integrity and didn't care about his reputation at all. Not to mention Liu Bei, Yuan Shu was tricked by Lü Bu several times in history.
He treats diplomacy like a child's game. Being neighbors or allies with such a person is even more terrifying than having a terrible teammate. At least a terrible teammate won't be fooled into betraying you with just a few words.

"I think there are three things that are unacceptable."

Liu Feng thought this way, but he couldn't say it directly to Liu Bei. He could only try to embellish the situation before giving his advice.

"Although Lü Bu had rendered meritorious service to the Han Dynasty, he was a wolf in sheep's clothing, greedy and treacherous, truly a beast. Ding Yuan appointed him as his chief clerk, a sign of great trust, yet he turned around and murdered Ding Yuan, betraying his master for personal gain."

"Later, he followed Dong Zhuo and they were like father and son. Due to personal grudges, he betrayed Hu Zhen in battle, which led to Xu Rong and the Liangzhou army suffering a great defeat."

"Afterwards, he turned against Dong Zhuo. Although he was worthy of the Han Dynasty and the common people, his nature was not righteous, but rather driven by profit."

Liu Feng objectively analyzed Lü Bu's motives without intentionally slandering him, which made Liu Bei nod repeatedly.

“Father, such a person, from a distance he looks like a human, but up close he is a beast.”

Liu Feng didn't dislike Lü Bu. He knew very well that Lü Bu's actions were simply the helpless and forced actions of a frontier warrior.

Of all the warlords, perhaps only Lü Bu was truly loyal to Emperor Xian of Han. From beginning to end, he only had the desire to establish his own regime, but no ambition to become emperor.

But now, Lü Bu has become a threat to Liu Bei's Xu Province, making him a potential enemy that cannot be ignored.

"The second thing is that Xuzhou has just formed an alliance with Jizhou and then made peace with Yanzhou. It is inevitable that we will play some tricks and conspiracies behind the scenes. Even if we report it to Yuan Jizhou, we will only be underestimated and despised by Yuan Jizhou. But there is only one thing, and that is that we cannot directly take military action. With Yuan Jizhou holding us back, whoever turns against us first will be the culprit and will definitely attract Yuan Jizhou's full force."

Liu Feng, with malicious speculation, said, "That's not right. Perhaps I'm wrong. Only if we turn against Yuan Jizhou first will we attract Yuan Jizhou's full-scale attack. But it's different for Cao Yanzhou. After all, his relationship with Yuan Jizhou is incomparable to ours, and his status in Yanzhou is the result of Yuan Jizhou's full support."

"To put it bluntly, even if he turns against us first, Yuan Jizhou might still try to smooth things over. But if he gains the upper hand, Yuan Jizhou is even less likely to stand up for us."

"I'm afraid Cao Yanzhou saw through this long ago, which is why he's so fearless."

Liu Bei's face was also extremely gloomy, clearly agreeing with Liu Feng's opinion. Back then, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were so close they could share a pair of pants, and now the two sides were supporting each other, forming a defensive alliance, and were resisting the attack of Yuan Shu's camp along the Yellow River. There were even signs of a reversal.

It is no exaggeration to say that at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, after the uprising of warlords against Dong Zhuo, the entire Central Plains was a civil war fought by the Yuan family.

Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao formed one faction, with Yuan Shao as its leader, against the faction led by Yuan Shu, Tao Qian, Gongsun Zan, and Sun Jian. The Zhong family, the most powerful clan in the land, truly deserved their position.

Liu Bei was both angry and furious; he never really hid his emotions in front of Liu Bei.

"Is there really no other way? Are we just supposed to watch Cao Mengde be so smug?"

"Of course not."

Liu Feng promptly relieved his father's worries: "Father, there is no need to be angry. I have also prepared gifts for Cao Yanzhou, which will be sent to Marquis Lü Wen soon."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's eyes lit up, and he asked curiously, "Oh, what gift is it? Tell your father about it?"

Liu Feng was dumbfounded. Wasn't his gift just a warning to Lü Bu about an ambush inside the dike during the decisive battle between Cao Cao and Lü Bu a few months later?

How can I tell Liu Bei this? I can't just say that the immortal told me that such a thing happened, can I?
Liu Feng wasn't worried about scaring Liu Bei. Right now, Big Ears treated him like a treasure, and even if he found out, he would only think that his son's encounter with the immortals was too amazing.

But Liu Feng was worried that if he overdid it and nothing happened, how would he explain it when Liu Bei asked?

Is it because you say that heavenly secrets cannot be revealed, and you've talked too much, that your prayers have stopped working?
Isn't this blocking your own future path?

After a quick mental search, Liu Feng managed to come up with a reason: "Cao Cao of Yanzhou is fond of taking risks and using deception in his military campaigns, employing the tricks of war. Therefore, Cao Cao of Yanzhou will either win a great victory or suffer a great defeat. Except when supplies run out, there are very few times when the battle is evenly matched. I wrote these conclusions on silk and sent them to Lü Bu and Chen Gong in Yanzhou, falsely claiming that they were written by my father, hoping to give them a warning."

The reason it's said to have been written by Liu Bei is simply because there's no other way. If he had really said it was written by himself, probably neither Lü Bu nor Chen Gong would have even glanced at it.

Even if they don't listen, that's fine; we can use that to teach them a lesson and suppress them later.

Although Lü Bu was foolish, he still possessed quite a few valuable items.

Whether it's iron armor collars, Liang and Bing warhorses, or Gao Shun and Zhang Liao, these are all good things.

Zhang Liao had no idea that the other party was actually a major shareholder and the master of Lü Bu's group.

Who ever tries to poach a major shareholder?

Gao Shun, on the other hand, might be able to come up with a solution.

However, this effort should be directed at Lü Bu. Gao Shun himself is extremely loyal, so trying to exert effort on him would only make him look down on you.

"Hmm...this plan is acceptable."

Liu Bei thought it was a good idea. Although the chances of success were slim, if either Lü Bu or Chen Gong believed it, Cao Cao would suffer a major defeat.

Even if it fails, we will still benefit. It's like we've done Lu Bu and Chen Gong a huge favor in advance. It's your own incompetence that has let down my brilliant strategy.

Liu Bei became interested, and also deeply resented Cao Cao for not showing any mercy and for being too ruthless: "You send this letter back later, and I will personally copy it, affix the seal of Xuzhou, and send it to Lü Bu."

Liu Feng quickly added, "Father, aren't you worried that if you use the governor's seal, it might fall into Cao Cao's hands..."

"Why should we be afraid of him!"

Liu Bei said with great confidence, "Even if Cao Mengde finds out, what can he do to me?"

This familiar scene reminded Liu Feng of the time when Liu Bei first abandoned his wife and children, with the same triumph and arrogance.

Fearing that Liu Bei might make a rash promise, Liu Feng quickly changed the subject: "The third thing we can't do is that Xuzhou is already at odds with Yuan Shu. If we turn against Yuan Shu as well, we won't have any allies left to rely on in this vast country. Moreover, once Xuzhou is caught in a north-south stalemate, if Lü Bu suddenly turns against us and attacks from east to west, we will lose everything."

Both major factions in the land belonged to the Yuan family. If Liu Bei were to offend both Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu at the same time, his only option would probably be to surrender to the Liang dynasty.

But Guanzhong is so far away, it's really beyond the reach of Xuzhou.

Not to mention that Emperor Xian of Han will successfully escape by the end of this year. At that time, Li Jue and Guo Si will immediately become traitors. If they form an alliance with the Liangzhou army at this time, wouldn't that be the same as becoming traitors in 1945 and joining the National Revolutionary Army in 1949?

Liu Bei nodded and sighed, "Alas, it seems we have no choice but to let Cao Mengde go. Cao Mengde is a hero; we cannot pursue him relentlessly while he is down on his luck. Once he recovers, he will come looking for trouble."

Liu Fengshen agreed, but he was also at a loss for what to do.

If possible, he would also like to take out Cao Cao first.

But if we act now, we will not only ruin our own strategic plan, but we will also be very likely to fail to kill Cao Cao, allowing him to escape across the Yellow River and join forces with Yuan Shao.

By then, Yuan Shao's strength will have greatly increased, and our side will have become a laughing stock, having harmed ourselves while helping others.

Liu Bei listened to Liu Feng's advice and finally made a decision: "Alright, in that case, I will summon Ziyang tomorrow and tell him about your suggestion. Let's see what his strategy is. If it is feasible, we can discuss it further. If not, or if it is not feasible, then let's give up."

Liu Feng nodded in agreement.

The father and son then chatted about some things, and when Liu Feng was about to leave, he realized that he had almost forgotten to mention the most important thing.

So he sat back down in the same spot.

"Father, there is something else that requires your approval."

Liu Bei was somewhat surprised. His beloved son seemed a little hesitant and timid, which piqued his curiosity.

I remember the last time my son looked like this, it was after I found him a daughter-in-law, right?
One concubine changed four thousand chapters... no, now it should be twenty thousand chapters.

Surely such a good thing shouldn't have to happen again?

Liu Bei gathered his scattered thoughts and asked, "What is it?"

Liu Feng coughed lightly: "This time, I went to Qu County to discuss salt administration with the Mi family. Suddenly, the old patriarch of the Mi family, Elder Zeng, asked me about Cao Jianwei."

"When elders ask, I cannot refuse; I can only tell them the truth."

"But unexpectedly, Elder Zeng actually..."

Liu Bei's expression grew increasingly strange as he listened, and he was just thinking that he shouldn't have to do it again.

Is this coming?

Seeing that Liu Feng hadn't come up with anything after all this time, Liu Bei grew impatient and interrupted, "So you're thinking of marrying off a daughter to you as a concubine?"

Liu Feng seemed to breathe a sigh of relief and nodded repeatedly: "Father is wise, that's exactly right."

After a long while, without hearing any further words from Liu Bei, Liu Feng quietly raised his head and was startled to find Liu Bei looking at him with a complicated expression.

At that moment, Liu Bei's somber voice rang out.

"How much dowry did the Mi family promise you?"

Liu Feng's expression changed, and he stammered, seemingly unwilling to speak.

You have to understand that he just hacked into nearly eighty sets of iron lamellar armor. Feeling guilty, he didn't dare to say anything more.

As the saying goes, no one knows a son better than his father, and Liu Bei is now understanding Liu Feng more and more.

Liu Bei frowned even more: "Did you do something behind your father's back?"

"Absolutely impossible!"

Liu Feng knew he would have to pay a price today, but he had to prioritize the less important matters. The armor-piercing issue was the most important, and everything else was secondary.

"Master Zeng promised a dowry of 80 million coins, of which 40 million coins were converted into the salt industry shares that the Mi family was entitled to, and the young lady of the Mi family was to bring them over."

"Eighty million coins?"

Liu Bei, unusually, broke down in his guard, his face filled with disbelief.

You should know that the state government only has a few million coins left, and that's all thanks to Xiao Jian and Zang Ba, who managed to save up a large sum of money.

The Mi family actually gave 80 million for marrying off their daughter; no wonder they're called richer than a country.

(End of this chapter)