My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 177 Welcoming the Envoy in the Main Hall
Hearing Mi Zhu's question, which sounded like a request for advice, Liu Feng was already prepared.

"Elder brother, you have two paths to take."

"The first option is Guangling. To this day, no one has been appointed as the governor of Guangling. Previously, it was because of the protracted war, but now it is because my father has not yet made a decision. With my elder brother's qualifications, abilities and merits, it is not impossible for him to be appointed as a governor of a prefecture outside the capital."

Mi Zhu's contributions were immense. First, he helped Liu Bei establish his rule over Xuzhou. Then, he contributed to the grain and money donated for the military farms. Later, when he was attacking Zang Ba, he and Lu Su each contributed a large sum of money.

Although this money was only a temporary loan and not a donation, it was still a great help.

Liu Bei's decision to appoint Mi Fang as the governor of Langya Commandery was clearly a way of repaying him for his contributions.

However, if you really think about it carefully, a smaller version of the Langya Prefect is still not enough to reward him.

Upon hearing the position of the Prefect of Guangling, Mi Zhu's heart stirred, and his eyes filled with a hint of eagerness.

Clearly, Mi Zhu was very interested.

After all, Guangling County is a large county and a front line, so there will obviously be no shortage of opportunities to make meritorious contributions.

More importantly, she can spend a lot of time with Liu Feng, which will help them get to know each other better—it's a win-win-win situation.

However, Mi Zhu did not make a decision immediately, but continued to ask, "What is the second path?"

"Prime Minister of Pengcheng".

Liu Feng explained, "With Lu, Pei and Rencheng, Pengcheng is no longer part of the Xuzhou area, so we can't let it fall into disrepair."

According to Liu Feng's investigation, Pengcheng Kingdom was indeed massacred, but that does not mean that there were no people left in Pengcheng Kingdom.

Cao's army then massacred the city and looted the outskirts.

Those living in the city couldn't escape, but those in the rural suburbs could, so there were still quite a few people left.

Despite being a tiny place with the smallest area and number of counties in Xuzhou, Pengcheng Kingdom has a population of 500,000, which is 80,000 to 90,000 more than Guangling County.

At present, some of the residents of Pengcheng have moved into the mountains. At this time, Pengcheng is the future Xuzhou. There are mountains around it, but they are not high.

In later times, the hills surrounding Xuzhou were about 100 to 200 meters high, protecting the city center. However, during the Eastern Han Dynasty, due to the lack of subsidence, the surrounding hills were much higher, reaching 300 to 400 meters, and occupied a larger area, accommodating many Pengcheng residents who sought refuge within them.

It was because of the existence of these mountains that Pengcheng was known as easy to defend and difficult to attack, becoming the only barrier in western Xuzhou during the Han Dynasty.

After Cao Cao defeated Tao Qian at Pengcheng, he completely seized the initiative in both strategy and tactics, sweeping across the entire Xuzhou. Tao Qian had no power to resist and could only hide in Tancheng, barely surviving, while Cao Cao burned, killed, and looted throughout Xuzhou.

Another group hid in Weishan Lake, which is located in the northern part of Pengcheng Kingdom. There is a super large lake, the southernmost part of which is called Weishan Lake. There are some islands in the water where people can settle down. The lake is rich in aquatic products, enough to support many people.

Another group returned to the ruins of cities and villages. After looting, Cao Cao's army would continue its campaigns and would not remain in Pengcheng indefinitely. So, after Cao Cao's army left, these people secretly returned to their homes.

The last group went to various surrounding areas to become refugees, relying on begging and selling themselves to survive.

All things considered, there are still tens of thousands of people in Pengcheng. If someone goes to gather them, these people can be organized quickly and their homes can be rebuilt.

"Although Pengcheng was massacred by Cao Yanzhou, tens of thousands of people still did not leave their homeland. My father always worried about Pengcheng."

Liu Feng sighed, "As you know, elder brother, we were powerless to help last year. This year, the situation is gradually improving, and my father intends to increase the scale of land reclamation, adding five to seven thousand households. Originally, he planned to place it in the three counties of Xiang and Ben for easier management. However, if elder brother is willing to go to Pengcheng to serve as the Pengcheng Chancellor, I can strongly persuade my father to transfer these resources to Pengcheng first."

Mi Zhu, sitting opposite him, fell into deep thought. In his view, Guangling was good, but it had many competitors, while Pengcheng was inferior, but it was easier to rise to power.

After all, his official position was only that of a minor official. If he wanted to directly take over as the governor of Guangling, there would still be some obstacles. But if he wanted to go to Pengcheng, he would probably not only face no obstacles, but would also receive a lot of unexpected "assistance".

Liu Feng glanced at the silent Mi Zhu and continued, "The Ironworks camp mentioned earlier, although located in Xiapi, can be transferred to my elder brother for management. This will allow young men to mine during the off-season to supplement their family income."

Mi Zhu nodded, knowing that Liu Feng was genuinely helping him plan for the future, and felt very grateful.

After much hesitation, Mi Zhu finally decided to hear Liu Feng's opinion: "In your opinion, young master, where should I choose?"

Liu Feng hesitated.

In fact, no matter which option Mi Zhu chose, he would personally offer his full support, because it would be of great benefit to him.

If Mi Zhu were to choose the position of Prefect of Guangling, given Mi Zhu's temperament and personality, Liu Feng would obviously receive his full support and it wouldn't be surprising if he became the shadow prefect. Moreover, in times of crisis, Liu Feng could obtain emergency resources such as money and food from the Mi family, providing an extra layer of insurance.

However, if Mi Zhu had chosen Pengcheng as the prime minister, it would have been a good choice for Liu Feng and his son.

In order to achieve results, Mi Zhu will certainly not rely solely on the help of Liu Bei and his son. He will inevitably draw resources from the Mi family to increase the number of refugees and expand the scale of land reclamation. In this way, the recovery speed of Pengcheng Kingdom will obviously be faster, and starting next year, it will be able to support the Xuzhou Prefecture. Isn't that a great thing?
After considering it for a while, Liu Feng made a decision that was more beneficial to the overall situation, a win-win situation.

"Let's go for the position of Chancellor of Pengcheng. After all, there may not be any major wars in the next two years. On the contrary, Pengcheng's efforts to gather refugees and develop agricultural settlements are undeniable achievements. My elder brother can achieve great success as Chancellor of Pengcheng and then be transferred to the position of Prefect of Guangling."

Mi Zhu nodded and readily agreed: "Alright, I will appoint you as the Prime Minister of Pengcheng tomorrow and submit a memorial to you requesting an appointment outside the capital."

Pengcheng is now nothing but ruins. If Mi Zhu is willing to go to Pengcheng to serve as the prime minister, it is to share the burden of the lord. Liu Bei is overjoyed, and no one else will have any objections.

Then Mi Zhu asked another question: "To whom will the position of Prefect of Guangling be given?"

Liu Feng smiled. Although Mi Zhu was kind, he was not stupid, so he did not intend to hide it from him and answered directly: "It may be Mr. Changwen's father, Lord Chen, or it may be Mr. Xun, or there may be other more suitable candidates."

Mi Zhu suddenly realized.

After finishing his business, Liu Feng intended to leave.

But Mi Zhu would never let Liu Feng leave so easily, so he warmly tried to persuade him to stay, and in the end, Liu Feng could only have dinner at Mi's residence.

At 9:00 AM the following day, the high-ranking officials of Xuzhou met with Liu Yao's envoy in the main hall.

Liu Bei naturally sat in the main seat, with a seat reserved for Liu Feng to his side and behind him.

The civil and military officials of Xuzhou sat in two rows.

Mi Zhu, Chen Deng, Chen Qun, Lu Su, Liu Ye, Jian Yong, Sun Qian, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Gan Ning, Dong Xi, and others were all present.

Xu Shao then led Teng Zhou into the main hall.

In private, many people in the main hall were fans of Xu Shao, and seeing him was like fans seeing their idol in later generations.

However, since the matter pertains to both prefectures, it is natural to prioritize public affairs over private ones within the main hall.

Liu Bei straightened his posture, revealed a kind smile, and invited, "Mr. Zijiang, please take a seat."

"I thank you, Lord Fang."

Xu Shao and Teng Zhou bowed to Liu Bei first, then walked to the empty seats to the side and sat down.

Silence fell over the main hall. After a moment, Mi Zhu, as the Prefect, took the initiative to ask, "Master Zijiang, what brings you to Xuzhou?"

Xu Shao straightened up, bowed to Liu Bei, and then said, "General Yuan Shu is highly regarded by the court and has been granted titles and honors, but instead of serving the country, he has invaded Yangzhou. He has not only carved up the territory but has also repeatedly raised troops to attack my lord, showing no regard for the laws and regulations of the court."

"I have long heard that Prefect Liu of Xuzhou is kind and benevolent, loves the people, is selfless and devoted to public service, and is loyal to the court and the emperor."

Xu Shao first flattered Liu Bei, then continued, "Governor Liu, with your loyalty and filial piety, you will certainly not sit idly by while General Zuo runs rampant and oppresses the local people. My lord has risen up to fight for the people of Yangzhou, but he cannot hold up the battle alone. The people of Yangzhou are now suffering terribly, and my lord is powerless to help them. Therefore, I have specially sent an official to Xuzhou to ask Governor Liu for help."

"I earnestly request that Governor Liu, for the sake of the millions of people in Yangzhou, send out righteous troops to Jiangdong, support the legitimate dynasty, and resist Yuan Shu."

After Xu Shao finished speaking, he looked at Liu Bei, waiting for the other party's decision.

Unexpectedly, Liu Bei remained silent for a long time, as if he were deep in thought.

Instead, Liu Ye stepped forward first: "Mr. Zijiang, it's been a long time." "So it's Liu Ziyang. I saw your talent for assisting the world back then, but your brilliance was hidden and you couldn't find a worthy ruler. I never expected that you would join Lord Liu's ranks and that you and your ruler would get along so well. I really envy you."

When Xu Shao saw Liu Ye, a slight smile appeared on his thin face. Back in Lujiang, it was thanks to the care of Liu Ye's family that he was able to live a stable life without worrying about food and clothing for a period of time.

Therefore, he also praised Liu Ye highly, saying that the other party had the talent to assist the world, and the two families actually had a good relationship.

Seeing that Liu Ye was now sitting upright in the main hall, clearly holding a high position within the Xuzhou Group, Xu Shao hoped that the other party would put in a good word for him.

If it were Liu Ye during Cao Rui's time, Xu Shao would definitely have succeeded. But now, Liu Ye is young and impetuous, full of vigor, and is highly valued by Liu Bei and his son. He successfully persuaded Guangling to rebel. Although the process had some flaws, it was still a good ending in the end.

At this point, how could Liu Ye allow Liu Bei and his son to misunderstand him for prioritizing personal matters over public duty because of past relationships?
In fact, Liu Ye spoke first because he was afraid that if Xu Shao spoke to him first, he would appear to be in a passive position.

"You flatter me, sir."

Liu Ye first responded with a smile, then his expression turned serious as he said, "Sir, since Ziyang has already submitted to Xuzhou, he should naturally prioritize the interests of Xuzhou. If my words have been offensive, please forgive me."

Xu Shao's heart skipped a beat. He hadn't expected that Liu Ye, the only person he had any connection with, would be so cold and even act as the vanguard. Did Liu Bei of Xuzhou not want to rescue Zheng Li? Otherwise, why would Liu Ye have such an attitude?

Before Xu Shao could come up with an answer, Liu Ye continued, "Master Zijiang, I have heard the sage say, 'Cultivate oneself, regulate one's family, govern the state, and bring peace to the world.'"

"Xuzhou is now exhausted. Within two years, it has suffered two wars. Pengcheng was destroyed, and the states of Xiapi and Donghai are more than half scorched earth, with refugees everywhere. Our lord is benevolent and kind. He spared no expense in using military rations to relieve the people. He lived frugally, eating only simple food and drinking only water, and that's how we survived last winter."

"I'm not afraid of being laughed at by Your Excellency, but the military rations we used to recapture Langya in the first half of this year were all lent out by Your Excellency's family."

Liu Ye shook his head and sighed, "Even if Prefect Kuang is rich enough to support such a war, how could he possibly sustain it? If Prefect Zang hadn't been moved by your kindness and surrendered, we don't know if Langya would still be under our command."

"Given the current situation in Xuzhou, the only solution is to reduce taxes and corvée labor, and to allow the people of Xuzhou time to recuperate and rebuild, so that Xuzhou can be stabilized."

"To send troops from Xuzhou to rescue Yangzhou at this time is tantamount to asking the people of Xuzhou to save someone from the jaws of a tiger."

"Master Zijiang, you are a renowned scholar. How can you bear to save one person and kill another?"

Liu Ye's words were reasonable and well-founded. He first complained and then reasoned, leaving even Xu Zijiang speechless for a moment.

Before Liu Ye could finish speaking, Chen Deng straightened up and cupped his hands in greeting to Xu Zijiang: "Master Zijiang, although Xiapi and Donghai are devastated, the people still have the help of the prefecture and officials. But Pengcheng was slaughtered by Cao Cao. From the prefect to the common people, everyone has lost their families and lives. At this time, there are still tens of thousands of people left in Pengcheng, with no one to rely on."

"I ask you, sir, should our lord first deal with Pengcheng and provide relief to the victims of the disaster there?"

Chen Deng's support made Xu Shao realize that this mission might be more difficult than he had imagined.

After a moment's thought, Xu Shao directly cupped his hands to Liu Bei and said, "My lord, Xuzhou was once invaded by Cao Cao, resulting in widespread suffering and misery. Fortunately, Lord Xuande took over, won over the hearts of the people, and provided relief to the disaster victims, ultimately restoring the scorched land to its former glory. This is your great merit and virtue."

"Yangzhou today is just like Xuzhou in the past. Your Excellency saved Xuzhou from peril, how can you bear to see the people of Yangzhou fall into a sea of ​​fire?"

"Moreover, Yuan Gonglu, relying on his noble lineage, looked down on the governor."

At this point, Xu Shao added a further explanation: "This is not a scheme to sow discord. You, my lord, can send someone to investigate yourself. When you took control of Xuzhou, Yuan Shu disregarded the facts and spoke arrogantly, even slandering you, saying, 'Who is Liu Bei? He falsely claims to be a member of the imperial family, deceiving the world and stealing fame. Does he even deserve to take control of Xuzhou?' This man has long coveted Xuzhou. If it weren't for my lord's valiant resistance, leading the people of Jiangdong to resist tyranny, and if Yuan Shu had occupied all of Jiangdong, would Xuzhou still be at peace?"

When Xu Shao mentioned that they were falsely claiming to be members of the imperial family and deceiving the world to steal a reputation.

Sitting behind Liu Bei, Liu Feng clearly saw his father's fist harden.

Xu Shao wasn't finished yet; he continued, "Your Excellency is wise. At this time, Yuan Gonglu still calls himself the Earl of Xuzhou, and his wolfish ambitions toward Xuzhou are obvious."

"Therefore, my lord and the envoy are not only relatives of the royal family, but also close friends. Xuande Gong's assistance to my lord is tantamount to self-help."

Xu Shao's words first affirmed and praised Liu Bei's achievements and merits in taking control of Xuzhou, then described Yuan Shu's actions to incite antagonism, and finally explained the reasoning behind the words, clarifying the interdependent relationship between the two sides.

It must be said that Xu Shao's appeal was quite effective.

At least quite a few people in the audience were moved by it.

However, while it may have touched me, it's still a far cry from genuine agreement.

Seeing that Xu Shao only pleaded his case but offered no benefits, Chen Qun, being a fellow townsman, stood up and hinted, "What Lord Xu said is truly invaluable advice. My lord is also worried about the situation in Yangzhou and is constantly thinking about providing assistance."

As fellow natives of Yingchuan, how could Xu Shao not recognize Chen Qun?

He knew this was Chen Shi's grandson and Chen Ji's son, so he dared not be negligent and listened attentively to what the other party had to say.

The first half of the other party's sentence seemed to be speaking for himself, but Xu Shao still dared not be negligent.

Chen Qun continued, "However, Xuzhou is in ruins and lacks both money and food. Even if my lord wanted to help Yangzhou, I'm afraid he would be powerless. If we can have two or three years to recover, Xuzhou can send troops south to help Lord Zhengli."

Xu Shao frowned. Chen Qun's words seemed flawless on the surface, but the underlying meaning was quite clear.

Xuzhou is demanding a return.

Xu Shao was very indignant, but there was nothing he could do.

What the other party said was all true; Xu Shao and Liu Yao had both heard about the situation in Xuzhou.

Xu Shao and Liu Yao were also puzzled as to where Liu Bei got the money and supplies to recapture Langya and march south to Guangling. They also couldn't understand why the Xuzhou army had suddenly become so powerful.

But they always understood that Xuzhou itself was still short of money and food.

Before Xu Shao arrived, Liu Yao had naturally given him leverage in negotiations, but people always think that if they can get something for free, why pay for it? He wanted to see if he could persuade Liu Bei to send troops.

It now seems that these people in Xuzhou are the type who won't act until they see a clear benefit.

Xu Shao pondered for a moment before speaking again: "After the matter is accomplished, Yangzhou is willing to repay with two hundred million coins and one million shi of grain, which can be repaid in ten years."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng almost burst out laughing.

It seems Liu Zhengli is planning to pass Yangzhou on to his son.

Ten years to repay? Xu Shao really had the nerve to say that.

Moreover, a mere two hundred million coins and one million shi of grain might not even be enough to cover the cost of the Xuzhou army's aid to Yangzhou.

According to the original plan, Guangling would expand its army by 20,000. That year, it would require 500,000 to 600,000 shi of grain to stay in Guangling. If the movement were to take place, even if there were many floods in Jiangdong, the grain consumption could increase by 30% to 50%, or even double.

Xu Shao knew that the conditions were not very sincere, but he deliberately threw them out to test the attitude of the people in Xuzhou.

His gaze swept quickly across Liu Bei's face, then he scrutinized the important officials of Xu Province one by one. When he noticed that most of them had anger on their faces, he continued, "Furthermore, my lord only asks to retain Jiangdong and is willing to cede the two counties north of the river."

The moment those words were spoken, the atmosphere in the hall shifted instantly.

Chen Deng and Liu Ye, who were about to stand up and angrily rebuke Xu Shao, almost lost their composure.

Xu Shao was also helpless. His earlier probing made him realize that not only did the people of Xuzhou have huge appetites, but they were also definitely coveting the land of Yangzhou.

This is quite obvious; if they didn't covet Yangzhou's land, there would be no reason for their reaction to be so intense, with everyone displaying anger.

Everything can be discussed further.

If they are dissatisfied with the money and provisions, they can continue to communicate. As long as Yangzhou can afford it, neither Liu Yao nor Xu Shao will refuse.

But since the other party wouldn't even talk and was so angry, it could only mean they wanted the territory of Yangzhou.

(End of this chapter)