My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 183 Treating Envoy Yuan with Courtesy
If Cheng Yu, Cao Cao's envoy, was engaged in a fierce confrontation, then Xin Ping, Yuan Shao's envoy, felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze.

Liu Bei not only personally went out of the city to greet Xin Ping ten miles away, but also invited Xin Ping to ride in the same carriage as the Earl of Dengzhou, showing Xin Ping great courtesy and making Xin Ping feel good about Liu Bei.

In this situation, Guo Jia, lacking the status of a deputy envoy, could only retreat to the latter part of the caravan.

Guo Jia was both surprised and somewhat envious of the courtesy Xin Ping received.

If Guo Jia had been somewhat hesitant at Xin Ping's house earlier, he was now ready to accept Liu Bei's invitation and try his luck serving in Xuzhou.

Xin Ping strongly supported this, because when Dong Zhuo's army arrived so quickly, most families in Yingchuan were caught off guard, losing not only a lot of wealth but also the lives of their clansmen.

In haste, these families could only flee to Hebei and seek refuge with their fellow villagers and the local leader, Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was naturally very pleased with this, but at the same time, the Xin family's defection meant that they were now completely bound to Yuan Shao.

Without unexpected circumstances and opportunities, it would be very difficult for the Xin family to get off Yuan Shao's ship, not even by placing bets separately.

One very important reason why the Xun family was able to place bets separately was Xun Yu.

Xun Yu had already foreseen this before Dong Zhuo's army swept through Yingchuan, and mobilized his family to go to Hebei.

Intermarriage was common among the gentry of Yingchuan, and Xun Yu naturally wouldn't keep it a secret from his in-laws. He not only informed the Xin family, but also various other families such as Chen and Han.

However, only a very small number of families were willing to give up their land and property to leave with him at that time; most families suffered heavy losses in this sweep.

Another important difference is that Xun Yu sought refuge with Han Fu, not Yuan Shao, so the favor he owed was to Han Fu, not Yuan Shao.

Other families hastily sought refuge with Yuan Shao, and the mere fact that he took them in bound them to his cause.

Tying it up has both advantages and disadvantages.

The advantage was that Yuan Shao trusted them more. Firstly, they were from the same hometown, and secondly, the fact that the entire clan was on his side naturally made them more trustworthy.

The downside is that you can't change ships or diversify your investments.

Therefore, Xin Ping gradually became more enthusiastic than Guo Jia about going to Xuzhou.

Xin Ping didn't pay much attention to Liu Bei before, but as intelligence continued to spread north, Liu Bei's performance over the past six months was extremely impressive. Not only did he unify Xuzhou, but he also had the strength to develop Yuzhou. He even snatched food from Cao Mengde's mouth and took the key place of Rencheng Kingdom. Yet Cao Cao still couldn't do anything about him.

The better Liu Bei performed, the more Xin Ping valued Guo Jia's choice.

Since there is an opportunity, it would be a good thing to let Guo Jia, a junior colleague who is not highly regarded in Hebei, go to Xuzhou to make a name for himself.

Even if the other party doesn't achieve anything in Xuzhou, they will still be a reliable mouthpiece for the future.

Therefore, Xin Ping changed his previous attitude and strongly urged Guo Jia to accept Liu Bei's offer of service.

Guo Jia had a very good impression of Xin Ping and trusted this capable brother-in-law. Although Xin Ping had his own opinions, his words still had a lot of influence.

Just as Guo Jia was sitting in the carriage thinking about how to go to the prefectural capital to see Liu Bei, a voice suddenly came from outside the carriage.

"Is Mr. Guo Jia in the car?"

Guo Jia was startled and lifted the carriage curtain, where he saw three people standing outside.

The leader was a young man with a friendly smile that made him instantly likable.

The young man was none other than Liu Feng, and behind him stood Dong Xi and Gan Ning, both of whom were tall, strong, and fierce. Even in Hebei, a province teeming with talented people, it was rare to see such valiant warriors.

Guo Jia was greatly surprised. To be surrounded by such fierce warriors, this young man must be of noble birth and wealth, and far beyond that of an ordinary nobleman.

Guo Jia was simply magnanimous and unconcerned with trivial matters; he wasn't truly foolish. Having already guessed the other party's extraordinary status, why would he remain seated high in the carriage, making him appear arrogant and disrespectful?

Guo Jia quickly got out of the carriage and bowed to Liu Feng, saying, "I am Guo Jia, a native of Yangdi in Yingchuan. May I ask how you should address me, sir?"

Liu Feng quickly returned the greeting: "I am Liu Feng. My father's surname is Liu, and he is the temporary governor of Xuzhou."

Having said that, Guo Jia naturally understood the identity of the young man before him: Liu Feng, Liu Bei's eldest son.

"So it's you, young master."

Guo Jia bowed again, his attitude even more respectful: "I was unaware that you were here, young master, and failed to alight from the carriage sooner. Please forgive me."

Liu Feng laughed. Who said Guo Jia was unruly and dissolute? He was clearly a model scholar who knew proper etiquette and manners.

Liu Feng stepped forward and helped Guo Jia up, then explained, "Just now, when I was with my father, Envoy Xin told him that you, sir, had traveled south with him to my Xuzhou. My father was overjoyed to hear this, and upon learning that you were following behind the caravan, he immediately sent me to fetch you. Today's banquet would be a pleasure to have you join us."

Guo Jia then understood the reason, and Xin Ping's recommendation was naturally not unexpected.

Since Xin Ping strongly urged Guo Jia to serve in Xuzhou, he would naturally try his best to praise him in front of Liu Bei.

However, Liu Bei's eagerness to seek out talented people greatly surprised Guo Jia.

Putting everything else aside, this attitude alone surpasses Yuan Shao's by far.

However, what Guo Jia did not tell Xin Ping was that although he had agreed to let him serve in the Xuzhou group, like Xun You, whether he would continue to stay after joining the group depended on Liu Bei's arrangements for him and his attitude towards his subsequent advice.

If one is like Yuan Shao, only knowing how to recruit talent but not being able to use them, it will only cause subordinates to form factions and fight each other.

Xuzhou is just a smaller version of Hebei, so why should Guo Jia stay here for long?

Liu Feng was naturally unaware of Guo Jia's thoughts, but he was very welcoming of Guo Jia's arrival, even somewhat overjoyed.

The reason is simple: Guo Jia's personality would inevitably make him and Liu Bei hit it off immediately, as if they were long-lost friends.

In essence, Guo Jia and Fa Zheng are the same kind of people; both are open-minded, magnanimous, and unconcerned with trivialities.

Historically, Fa Zheng and Liu Bei were so close they were practically inseparable; Liu Bei was so devoted to Fa Zheng that he would listen to him without question.

For example, as is well known, Fa Zheng made great contributions in the Battle of Hanzhong.

In fact, the entire plan for the Battle of Hanzhong, as well as the strategies for bypassing Yangping Pass and launching a surprise attack on Dingjun Mountain, were all devised by Huang Quan.

Two years before the Battle of Hanzhong, Huang Quan strongly urged Liu Bei to launch a northern expedition against Hanzhong.

If Liu Bei had listened at the time, Shu Han could have easily taken Hanzhong, preserved its 50,000 to 60,000 households and hundreds of thousands of people, and even directly intervened in the Guanzhong War between Cao Cao and Ma Chao the following year.

But Liu Bei wouldn't listen at all, saying, "Huang Quan, what you said is very good, but I need to rest now."

Fortunately, Huang Quan and Fa Zheng had a good relationship. Two years later, Fa Zheng took Huang Quan's plan to Liu Bei again. Liu Bei immediately changed his tune and praised Fa Zheng highly. He then decided to launch a northern expedition to compete with Cao Cao, who had occupied Hanzhong and Yongzhou for a year, for Hanzhong.

This shows how much Liu Bei knew how to treat people differently.

Don't be fooled by Liu Bei's current affection for Liu Feng and his obedience to his every word.

However, Liu Feng was actually very worried about Chen Deng's influence on Liu Bei.

If Liu Bei's opinion differs from Chen Deng's, and both sides are very insistent, which side will Liu Bei lean towards? Although Liu Feng is very confident, he still has some concerns deep down.

Now that Guo Jia has arrived, Liu Feng can undoubtedly use Guo Jia to check Chen Deng and use Chen Deng to balance Guo Jia.

Then Liu Feng can hide behind the scenes and act as a mediator whose word is law at crucial moments.

As for whether Liu Bei and Guo Jia would hit it off immediately, Liu Feng was quite confident.

Firstly, there is the law in place, and secondly, there is Cao's operating license.

In essence, Liu Bei and Cao Cao were quite similar.

If they weren't alike, Cao Cao wouldn't have projected his own feelings of being the General Who Conquered the West of the Han Dynasty onto Liu Bei, thus creating a compensatory mentality and resorting to various ways to win him over and bestow favors.

Cao Cao and Guo Jia, Liu Bei and Fa Zheng – these two pairs can be switched almost seamlessly. Even Cao Cao and Liu Bei respected each other. If it weren't for the chaotic times, the two would have been like-minded friends.

"Sir, please follow me into the car."

To welcome Guo Jia, Liu Feng brought his own carriage, allowing Guo Jia to enjoy the privilege of traveling in the same vehicle. Guo Jia was particularly touched by Liu Feng's courteous treatment of him.

After being thoroughly impressed by Liu Feng's model of treating scholars with respect, Guo Jia's mindset subtly shifted. Perhaps it wasn't necessary to blindly follow his advice; as long as his suggestions were valued, it was reasonable for his lord to make reasonable choices.

Liu Feng and Guo Jia felt right at home, while Liu Bei and Xin Ping were chatting and laughing in front of them.

Liu Bei personally drove the chariot for Xin Ping, which made the latter feel flattered.

Xin Ping was well aware of Liu Bei's current strength. Even if Yuan Shao came in person, it would be a foolish move for Liu Bei to drive for him.

But Liu Bei did this for his own sake, which made Xin Ping feel that he was a wise ruler.

To be fair, Xin Ping's ability to befriend Guo Tu shows that he himself valued family background and social standing. Given Liu Bei's origins, he wouldn't have been considered a suitable candidate by Xin Ping.

Although not as blatantly expressed as Guo Tu, Xin Ping initially neither disliked nor liked Liu Bei.

Even though Liu Bei's current situation is promising, Xin Ping still believes that Yuan Shao is much stronger than Liu Bei.

But at this moment, Xin Ping wavered.

He had known Yuan Shao for many years; they were colleagues in the General's mansion, so he naturally understood Yuan Shao's temperament very well.

Xin Ping knew very well that Yuan Shao's courteous treatment of scholars was an act, a performance; Yuan Shao's true nature was actually quite suspicious and petty.

But Liu Bei gave him a completely different feeling. This was heartfelt, and Xin Ping felt as if he were bathed in a spring breeze, receiving meticulous care.

Compared to Liu Bei, Yuan Shao's eagerness to recruit talent was clearly inferior.

After entering Tancheng, the carriage drove directly into the prefectural capital.

Then Liu Bei led everyone up to the hall with Xin Ping, including Liu Feng and Guo Jia who had caught up.

Inside the hall, Liu Bei introduced everyone present to Xin Ping.

The more Xin Ping explained, the more surprised he became.

He was so surprised when he saw Xun You that he almost cried out.

He naturally knew Xun You, and he was even more ashamed of his own talent compared to Xun You's.

Xin Ping knew that Chen Qun was now under Liu Bei's command, but he never expected that Liu Bei would recruit Xun You as well.

It seems that this move to persuade Guo Jia to take up an official post in Xuzhou was the right one.

"I never imagined that after our parting, I would be able to see Changwen and Gongda again today."

Xin Ping looked at Chen Qun, and Xun You cupped his hands in greeting: "Seeing my old friend safe and sound, Ping is overjoyed."

Chen Qun and Xun You smiled and returned the greeting: "Uncle Xin, you've come from afar, you must have had a long journey."

Despite his advanced age, Xun You is actually quite junior in terms of seniority, and he and Chen Qun have to address Xin Ping as "uncle."

After catching up with Chen Qun and Xun You, Xin Ping turned to Liu Bei and bowed. He then said, "I have come to Xuzhou on the orders of my lord. There are a few things I would like to ask Lord Liu for his opinion on."

Liu Bei's expression turned serious, and he slowly nodded: "I wonder what matters Brother Benchu ​​needs to discuss?"

Xin Ping said solemnly, "Gongsun Zan openly murdered Bo'an Gong, which is an outrage against both gods and men. The people of the north are all filled with hatred and want to avenge Liu Gong. It is because of this that Liu Shijun has become estranged from Gongsun."

Xin Ping briefly mentioned Liu Bei's defection to Xuzhou with the phrase "disloyalty and estrangement," and emphasized: "My lord ordered me to come here today, also to pay my respects to the Liu family in Tancheng."

Gongsun Zan's killing of Liu Yu was truly a major blunder.

Liu Yu was from Tancheng, Donghai, Xuzhou, and was a descendant of Liu Qiang, the King of Donghai.

Liu Qiang was no ordinary man; he was the eldest son of Empress Guo Shengtong, the first empress of Emperor Guangwu, and the undisputed first crown prince of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

However, Liu Qiang was reasonable and knew when to advance and retreat. After his mother was deposed, he not only did not harbor resentment or dissatisfaction, but also took the initiative to abdicate and give the position of crown prince to Yin Lihua's son, who later became Emperor Ming of Han, Liu Zhuang.

Therefore, the lineage of the King of Donghai was extremely favored in the Eastern Han Dynasty, a stark contrast to Liu Bei's background.

Liu Yu's family was a truly prestigious clan; his father and grandfather were both high-ranking officials with salaries of two thousand piculs of grain. In addition, Liu Yu himself was a renowned scholar who had cultivated his career in Youzhou for many years and was widely loved by the people of Youzhou.

Liu Yu's greatest political achievements were twofold: first, he won the respect of both Han and non-Han peoples.

In Youzhou, not only the Han people, but also the Hu people were very grateful to Liu Yu. Regardless of whether they were Xiongnu or Xianbei, they all obeyed Liu Yu.

At the same time, Liu Yu also made great achievements in the economy. In the past, Youzhou had to rely on Jizhou, Bingzhou and Qingzhou in the south to support its finances.

However, Liu Yu turned the tide, enabling Youzhou to achieve a fiscal surplus for the first time without external assistance.

Gongsun Zan killed such a virtuous and talented scholar without hesitation, and even tortured him to death. Liu Bei simply couldn't understand how Gongsun Zan was thinking.

There was no threat involved, because Liu Yu was already under the control of Gongsun Zan at that time. It was practically a Youzhou version of "holding the emperor hostage to command the feudal lords," and the effect would be even better.

Because Li Jue and Guo Si immediately sent Gongsun Zan the title of General of the Vanguard, the title of Marquis of Yi, and the authority to oversee the four provinces of You, Bing, Qing, and Ji. At the same time, they also put Liu Yu in charge of the administration of the six northern provinces.

This is like a pillow being delivered to you just when you're about to fall asleep.

With Liu Yu in his grasp, Gongsun Zan effectively controlled the military and political affairs of the six northern provinces.

But he just had to throw away such a good hand. If he doesn't die, who will?
They brought this upon themselves and deserve to die.

"In addition, Tian Kai, a remnant of Gongsun Zan, is still stubbornly resisting in Qingzhou. He has also colluded with Kong Wenju and has repeatedly launched military raids on western Qingzhou. My lord is willing to attack and destroy him, but he is afraid of causing misunderstandings with Prefect Liu. Therefore, he specially sent me to communicate with him."

Xin Ping knew in his heart that this job would be difficult.

Yuan Shao naturally wanted Yuan Tan to completely eliminate Tian Kai and Kong Rong and unify Qingzhou.

However, this would mean that Yuan Shao's power would directly border Xu Province, which was something neither side wanted to see.

Yuan Shao, especially, who was initiating the conflict, was naturally worried that Liu Bei might overreact, given the extraordinary relationship between Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan.

After hearing Xin Ping's words, Liu Bei's heart was in turmoil.

Liu Bei had deep feelings for Gongsun Zan.

This emotion contains gratitude and closeness, but also misunderstanding and resentment.

This is also closely related to Gongsun's character.

You might say that Gongsun Zan valued Liu Bei, but in reality, Gongsun Zan never kept Liu Bei by his side. He always assigned Liu Bei to his subordinates, making him their underling.

You might say that Gongsun Zan looked down on Liu Bei, but he did indeed help Liu Bei when he was down on his luck, and later, when they parted ways amicably, he even gave him a lot of resources.

This shows Liu Bei's resilient character; otherwise, he would have been driven mad by Gongsun Zan long ago.

The biggest conflict between the two was still about Liu Yu.

It wasn't that no one under Gongsun Zan tried to persuade him not to kill Liu Yu, but Gongsun Zan killed all those who tried.

This made Liu Bei quite disappointed in Gongsun Zan, realizing that his elder brother was not a capable person, and for the first time, he had the thought of breaking away from Gongsun Zan.

But now, he has become the governor of a province, while his former brother is aging. How could Liu Bei not feel a deep sense of emotion?

Among the assembled strategists, including Chen Deng, Lu Su, Liu Ye, Xun You, and Guo Jia, all felt that Gongsun Zan's downfall was imminent. However, only Liu Feng knew that the ill-fated relationship between Gongsun Zan and Yuan Shao had only just begun.

The two sides had to fight back and forth several times, and finally, because of Gongsun Zan's own brain-dead behavior, Yuan Shao was able to wear down his opponent in the fourth year of Jian'an.

The funniest thing is that in the spring of the fourth year of Jian'an, Yuan Shao even sent an envoy to Gongsun Zan to seek peace.

After being sternly rejected and humiliated by Gongsun Zan, he finally decided to fight.

This shows how helpless Yuan Shao was in dealing with Gongsun Zan.

Yuan Tan, on the other hand, was indeed unstoppable in Qingzhou; Tian Kai, that good-for-nothing, couldn't hold him off at all.

Liu Bei pondered for a moment, and then brought out the speech that they had already discussed.

"I intend to recommend Yuan Xiansi as an outstanding talent and then appoint him as the governor of Qingzhou. I wonder what your opinion is, Your Excellency?"

Upon hearing this, Xin Ping was overjoyed, his mind racing.

Yuan Shao's growing favoritism towards his youngest son, Yuan Shang, is causing great unease among Xin Ping, Guo Tu, and others.

Because they were all from Yuan Tan's faction, and the entire Henan faction almost entirely supported the eldest son, Yuan Tan.

Therefore, he desperately hoped that Liu Bei could make some concessions in Qingzhou, as this directly affected Yuan Tan's strength.

Unexpectedly, Liu Bei threw out such a generous gift.

Not only was Yuan Tan recommended as an outstanding talent, but he was also willing to recommend him as the governor of Qingzhou.

Although nominally the power of the Governor of Qingzhou is far less than that of the Prefect of Qingzhou.

But we are in a chaotic world now. As long as there are enough troops, how can the governor of Qingzhou not act as the governor of Qingzhou?
(End of this chapter)