My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 251 Luozhong Agreement
Everyone present, including Emperor Liu Xie, was somewhat shocked and apprehensive.

Anyone with a discerning eye could see that the entire army in Luozhong was under the control of Cao Cao and Liu Feng.

Previously, there were minor warlords such as Dong Cheng, Han Xian, Yang Feng, and Zhang Yang, but in the past month or two, these minor warlords have completely lost their independence and have each sought out Cao Cao and Liu Feng as their backers.

Once Liu Feng agrees to Cao Cao's request, the emperor and the court will face the threat of the entire Luozhong army.

This situation is even worse than in Chang'an. The last time the court encountered such a situation was when Dong Zhuo deposed and installed the young emperor.

"Liu Jianzhong, the Emperor has repeatedly bestowed favors and honors upon you."

Zhong Yao was the first to step forward and advised Liu Feng, "The general is confused for a moment. You should dissuade him in time and reason with him. You must not blindly follow others."

"This……"

Liu Feng seemed to be swayed by Zhong Yao's words and hesitated before saying, "Your Majesty, please forgive my bluntness, but the request of the General to appoint the Commandant of the Capital Region is not excessive. Currently, the Imperial Guards in Luozhong are all under the General's control. Without the cooperation of the Commandant of the Capital Region, many things are difficult to implement and promote."

Yang Biao's face was flushed, not from happiness, but from anger.

However, he was still able to control himself. After all, compared to the warriors of Xiliang, Liu Feng was indeed very submissive, and he did not want to push Liu Feng to Cao Cao's side because of his excessive words and actions.

Therefore, although Yang Biao was anxious, he remained silent and simply listened to Liu Feng's explanation.

"Furthermore, I have consulted General Yang, General Zhang, General Han, General Dong, and General Dong, and they all agree with this and are willing to follow suit and submit a memorial to the court."

Liu Feng continued hesitantly, "Especially Han Zhengdong, who is more willing to resign as Commandant of the Capital Region. If I do not support him, I am afraid it will create a rift between me and the General, which would be detrimental to the unity of the court."

"Han Zhengdong, you and Dong Anji had a conflict that lasted for days and almost came to blows. At that time, you kept saying that the General was protecting Dong Anji and asked the Emperor to do justice for you."

Yang Biao finally couldn't hold back, but the person he approached was not Liu Feng, but Han Xian. He rebuked him with a righteous expression: "Why has your attitude changed so drastically now? You were arrogant before but now you're obsequious. Is there some other reason behind this?"

Han Xian avoided eye contact, looking guilty.

However, in Liu Feng's eyes, this acting was full of flaws; there was no way he could be so stoic and guilty.

However, the emperor and his ministers were not suspicious but rather pleased. Liu Xie and Yang Biao became even more convinced that Han Xian had been forced to resign.

If that's the case, then there's room for maneuver.

Situ Zhao Wen then spoke up: "If Han Zhengdong has any grievances, he can tell the Emperor everything. You have rendered great service to the court, and the Emperor will surely uphold justice for you."

Seeing Han Xian hesitate, Guo Gong delivered the final blow: "What are you worried about, Han Zhengdong? You should know that Liu Jianzhong is also here. If you are truly wronged, the Emperor will uphold justice for you, and Liu Jianzhong will certainly not stand by and watch you suffer humiliation."

As if the words of the Three Dukes had taken effect, Han Xian raised his head angrily and said to Emperor Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, my resignation as Commandant of the Capital Region is from the bottom of my heart and is absolutely not a lie."

Emperor Liu Xie and the three dukes were all taken aback, and then their eyes dimmed.

They've all made it so clear, yet Han Xian still doesn't dare to speak ill of Cao Cao behind his back. If even a military leader like Han Xian is so afraid of Cao Cao, then Luozhong will become Cao Cao's personal fiefdom.

But the next moment, Han Xian gave them a huge surprise.

"But the General once humiliated me. If this position of Commandant of the Capital Region is transferred to the General, I will not accept it!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Xie, Yang Biao, and the others felt as if they had ridden a rollercoaster, their mood soaring from the trough to the peak.

Yang Biao stepped forward and raised his hand, saying, "Han Zhengdong, you can't talk nonsense. The position of Commandant of the Capital Region is a crucial position in the central government. How can it be privately bestowed upon someone? The Emperor naturally has his own considerations. What do you mean by that?"

As expected, Han Xian tearfully pleaded, "Your Majesty, I dare not. I only wish to recommend Zhong Shizhong for the position of Commandant of the Capital Region! Zhong Shizhong escorted the Emperor on his return journey eastward, facing numerous dangers along the way, yet remaining calm and composed. If he were to serve as Commandant of the Capital Region, I would have no further complaints!"

Han Xian's words immediately aroused the suspicion of everyone in the hall, but after Emperor Liu Xie and the three dukes carefully considered it, they felt that Zhong Yao was indeed a good candidate to serve as the Commandant of the Capital Region.

His relationship with Cao Cao and Liu Feng had always been quite good, so even if Cao Cao knew that Zhong Yao had taken the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, he probably wouldn't take any strong action.

At the same time, his good relationship with Liu Feng also helped him resist pressure from Cao Cao.

Finally, Zhong Yao was the emperor's most trusted confidant. Over the years, he had served as the Yellow Gate Attendant and the Palace Attendant, accompanying the emperor and being one of the emperor's most capable men. He also served as the emperor's advisor.

If he were to be appointed as the Commandant of the Capital Region, it would be a great victory for the court officials.

Therefore, the emperor, Yang Biao and others turned their attention to Liu Feng. If Liu Feng could support Zhong Yao, then the matter would be a done deal.

Emperor Liu Xie personally inquired, "Minister Liu, Han Zhengdong has so strongly recommended Minister Zhong. If we were to refuse him outright, it might discourage Minister Han. You have always been farsighted and resourceful; what do you think should be done in this matter?"

The question of the emperor was exactly what Liu Feng wanted to hear.

After all that buildup, isn't this what we've been waiting for?
Liu Feng hesitated and advised the emperor, "Your Majesty, Han Zhengdong is indeed loyal, and Zhong Shizhong is diligent, but the general's will should not be easily disobeyed. Moreover, the general previously requested the court to appoint Xiahou Yuanrang as the governor of Henan, but the court favored Che Shirong, which has already greatly disappointed the general. If even the position of Sili Xiaowei is transferred to Zhong Shizhong, I fear the general will have many concerns."

Che Zhou, courtesy name Shirong.

Emperor Liu Xie hurriedly went to see Yang Biao, clearly frightened by Liu Feng's words.

After all, in recent years, martial artists have been so arrogant, domineering, and disrespectful.

If you meet their requirements, they'll at least put on a show of politeness. But if you compromise even slightly, they'll immediately change their attitude.

The emperor was also worried that Cao Cao might take some extreme actions after his plans failed.

"His Majesty!"

Guo Gong suddenly stepped forward and bowed to the emperor.

The emperor's spirits immediately lifted: "What brilliant insights does the Minister of Works have? I humbly request Minister Guo's guidance."

After a humble remark, Guo Gong advised, "Han Zhengdong strongly recommends Zhong Shizhong. If we rashly refuse, it would hurt Han Zhengdong's desire to advance his career. Moreover, although the Grand General holds all the reins of government, he is still only His Majesty's subject. I believe that both the Grand General and Han Zhengdong are acting out of public interest. In that case, Your Majesty should choose the better one from the two, and the Grand General will not be dissatisfied."

After hearing Guo Gong's words, Emperor Liu Xie smiled bitterly to himself. If the Grand General really has no complaints, then what am I worried about?
Just as the emperor was feeling somewhat disappointed, Guo Gong suddenly changed the subject: "Your Majesty, regarding the Grand General's recommendation of Xiahou Yuanrang, I also implore Your Majesty to choose the best option and not disappoint the Grand General."

Liu Xie then realized that Guo Gong had proposed a strategy of focusing on the major issues and letting go of the minor ones.

This is undoubtedly much more practical than the previous platitudes.

Liu Xie thought about it carefully. Logically speaking, the position of Governor of Henan was not a very important one, because in the past he could only manage the area outside Luoyang.

Although Luoyang was nominally under the jurisdiction of the Governor of Henan, even throwing a brick into the city could hit a powerful figure, and his direct superior, the Commandant of the Capital Region, was also in charge. How could he possibly stand up for himself?

But the situation is different now. The central system of the entire Han Dynasty has been largely destroyed, especially its military capabilities. The Northern and Southern armies, which were relied upon for protection, have long since vanished.

In this way, the importance of the Governor of Henan became even more apparent.

If the emperor could control the governor of Henan, then he would have a certain amount of power.

On the contrary, the Sili Commandant's value actually decreased because he lost military support.

For example, after Zhong Yao took the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, could he really arrest Xiahou Dun, the Governor of Henan?

In the peaceful times of Emperors Huan and Ling, the Commandant of the Capital Region could arrest the Governor of Henan with a flick of his finger. But now, even if Zhong Yao had the intention, did he have the ability?

But this doesn't mean the position is unimportant. If the Commandant of the Capital Region fell into Cao Cao's hands, the royalists in the court would probably have to sleep with their eyes open.

With Cao Cao's Yanzhou army as a backing, the power of Cao Cao's Sili Commandant was probably much stronger than during the reigns of Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling. He could truly arrest whomever he wanted.

The emperor, Yang Biao, Zhong Yao, Zhao Wen, and others exchanged glances for a moment.

The emperor saw only approval in the eyes of the three people behind him, and he himself was also very tempted by Guo Gong's proposal.

Therefore, the emperor praised, "Minister Guo's words are truly wise and insightful for governing the country, and I will accept them!"

However, the emperor had not forgotten Liu Feng. He then turned to Liu Feng and asked, "Minister Liu, do you think what the Minister of Works said is feasible? Will the Grand General be satisfied?"

Liu Feng was naturally quite satisfied with this outcome, and immediately pretended to ponder, saying, "In that case, I should persuade the General to accept this situation."

"good!"

Liu Xie was overjoyed and naturally praised Liu Feng profusely.

Liu Feng then continued, "Your Majesty, the Grand General has already lost his position as Commandant of the Capital Region. Even if the Governor of Henan were to compensate him, I fear he would still harbor resentment. The best course of action now is for Your Majesty to grant his request and appoint Yuan Shu of Ji Province as Grand Marshal. In this way, he will surely be content." Upon hearing this, Liu Xie fell silent.

The emperor's hatred for Yuan Shao was almost common knowledge.

In this day and age, Yuan Shao could be ranked among the top five on the list of those most hated by the emperor.

Besides Li Jue and Guo Si firmly holding the top two spots, Yuan Shu, who despised the imperial court, looked down on the emperor, and allied with the Liangzhou warriors, was able to rank third. Yuan Shao could have been ranked fourth, but who could have predicted that Cao Cao would be so ambitious and eventually surpass him?

In any case, Yuan Shao was always among the top five, and was deeply hated by Liu Xie.

However, Liu Xie was also very clever, rational, and selfish.

Faced with the temptation of the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, Liu Xie finally nodded in agreement.

"Since Minister Liu and the General insist on this, I am sure that Governor Yuan Ji is capable of the task. In that case, I will grant your permission."

Liu Feng was overjoyed and quickly thanked and flattered the emperor.

In this incident, Emperor Liu Xie gained the position of Commandant of the Capital Region for free, Cao Cao gained the position of Governor of Henan for free, Yuan Shao gained the position of Grand Marshal for free, and Liu Feng gained the two-year lease rights to Hanxian and five counties in Yingchuan for free.

It can be described as a model of win-win situation where all four parties are happy.

After leaving the "palace", Han Xian followed Liu Feng and listened to the latter's instructions.

"Chaojing, I will be leaving Luozhong again soon. You stay here and interact with the carriages and horses as much as possible. If you have any questions, you can consult Dong Shizhong."

Han Xian, courtesy name Chaojing.

Liu Feng addressed Han Xian by his courtesy name to show his closeness.

Han Siam was very submissive at this moment, showing no trace of his usual impatience and arrogance.

"Yes, Jianzhong's words, I will never forget."

Liu Feng nodded: "That's good. If there is a shortage of military rations, we can ask the cavalry to allocate them. The same goes for salt."

At this point, Liu Feng paused, then said with a hint of displeasure, "Chao Jing, if you want to continue commanding troops and making meritorious contributions, you can't be so lax about military discipline anymore. I've already discussed it with the cavalry commander, and we'll transfer two hundred veteran soldiers from my unit to help him rectify the discipline of his troops. If you're interested, you can go and take a look."

"Thank you for your guidance, Jianzhong!"

Han Xian's face lit up with joy upon hearing this.

This time, Cao Cao truly terrified Han Xian. Although he didn't abandon all his retainers and titles and flee like in history, he was genuinely frightened. Especially when he went to Yang Feng, even this elder brother was helpless, and Han Xian felt he had nowhere to turn.

Under these circumstances, Han Siam was already planning to risk fleeing back to Hedong.

Fortunately, Zhang Yang came up with an idea and introduced him to Liu Feng.

Now, seeing how Liu Feng had managed to save him through his scheme and even gain the favor of Emperor Liu Xie, Han Xian was truly convinced of Liu Feng's abilities.

"Alright, thank General Cheqi and General Wei properly later. They really went to great lengths for you."

Instead of taking credit, Liu Feng instructed Han Xian to thank Yang Feng and Zhang Yang.

Han Xian seemed quite obedient, nodding repeatedly.

When Liu Feng said he was leaving Luozhong, he wasn't lying to Han Xian; he really was leaving.

He was eager to return to Liang to see Liu Bei and discuss future plans.

The situation has changed so much that the original plans must be modified, or even drastically altered, otherwise serious problems will inevitably arise.

Putting aside everything else, Liu Bei is now under the emperor's command to govern three provinces. Yu Province is a gift from heaven, especially Runan. With the emperor's name, it can largely offset the prestige of the Yuan family.

In this way, the Xuzhou army of 70,000 to 80,000 men would not be enough, and at least another 30,000 men would need to be added, which would result in a huge loss of money and supplies.

Then there's the issue of the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan.

Having made a deal with Cao Cao, the Yellow Turbans of Yingchuan have ample time to relocate to Runan, where there is also enough land to accommodate them.

But what should we do with all that stored grain?
The most advantageous plan would naturally be to use all the resources in Runan, and simply recruit refugees to settle and cultivate land there.

Unlike Yingchuan, Runan was far less devastated. Apart from the northwest being affected by the disaster and the central region being ravaged by the Yellow Turbans, most other areas remained unscathed. Only the south was subtly influenced by Yuan Shu, and its population still exceeded one million.

Like the gentry of Yingchuan, the gentry of Runan deeply resented the Yellow Turban Rebellion. If Liu Feng wanted to establish military farms in Runan, this was an unavoidable problem that had to be resolved.

With spring approaching, war in Jiangdong could break out at any time, and Liu Feng urgently needed to take measures to respond to these situations.

Therefore, he had to have a long talk with Liu Bei to make a decision.

On that day, the emperor issued an edict accepting Han Xian's resignation, dismissing Zhong Yao from his position as Attendant-in-Ordinary and appointing him as Commandant of the Capital Region. He also dismissed Xiahou Dun from his post as Governor of Juancheng and appointed him Governor of Henan. Finally, he dismissed Che Zhou from his position as Attendant-in-Ordinary and appointed him Governor of Hongnong.

At the same time, the emperor issued an edict to Hebei, appointing Yuan Shao as Grand Marshal, enfeoffing him as Marquis of Ye, placing him above the Three Dukes and Grand Generals, granting him the authority to establish his own government, bestowing upon him bows and arrows, a staff, axes and halberds, and a hundred elite tiger guards, appointing him as Governor of Ji Province, and making him the governor of the four provinces of Qing, Ji, You, and Bing.

However, the emperor did not forget to plead poverty in the end, and ordered Yuan Shao to supervise the transfer of taxes from the four prefectures in Hebei to Luozhong.

In order to demonstrate the prestige of the imperial court and to show the importance of the pardon, the court specially dispatched Minister Zhao Wen as an envoy to Yecheng in Hebei to deliver the imperial edict.

Yuan Shao learned of this news first and was overjoyed. He said to his attendants, "Liu Xuande is loyal and righteous, Cao Mengde is grateful and repays kindness. The Emperor's favor is as heavy as a mountain, which has given me this honor."

While Yuan Shao was overjoyed, Liu Feng received a letter from Liu Bei.

In his letter, Liu Bei inquired about Yuan Shao's affairs and questioned Liu Feng about why he had framed Cao Cao.

Liu Feng was speechless; his father was truly kind-hearted.

But it doesn't matter. The answer is that Cao Cao framed us first. As for whether he actually framed us, only God knows.

Surely my own father wasn't so kind as to actually ask Cao Cao for advice?
After dealing with matters in Luozhong, Liu Feng had planned to leave.

As it turned out, the emperor gave him an unexpected surprise.

The emperor issued an edict recognizing Liu Feng's military achievements in Yingchuan and promoting him to the rank of General Who Conquers the South.

Previously, the imperial court had conferred the titles of the three generals of the White Wave Army as the Three Generals of the East, West and North Expeditions, and the title of General Who Conquers the South was still in effect.

At this time, Liu Feng made new achievements in Yingchuan. Within a month, he swept through the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan, killing and capturing many, which can be described as a great victory.

This greatly enhanced the prestige of the imperial court, which made the emperor very happy.

Furthermore, Liu Feng's subsequent efforts persuaded General Cao Cao to relinquish the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, allowing Zhong Yao to assume the post, which the emperor considered an important step in centralizing power.

Therefore, the emperor greatly praised Liu Feng and rewarded him for his merits. Coincidentally, the position of General Who Conquers the South was still vacant, so the emperor simply bestowed it upon Liu Feng. In addition, he retained many honors such as being equal to the Three Dukes, having his own government, and holding the imperial insignia.

The emperor also bestowed titles and rewards upon the generals of the Xuzhou army who marched south to Yingchuan.

However, the generals in the Xuzhou army did not value these rewards.

For them, the emperor's titles and ranks were no longer as reliable as the rewards bestowed by their own lord.

Before leaving Luozhong, Liu Feng hosted a banquet at his home, inviting Zhong Yao, Guo Gong, Dong Zhao, Yang Feng, Zhang Yang, Han Xian, and others.

He instructed everyone that they could consult with Zhong Yao and Dong Zhao if they had any problems.

At the same time, in front of Dong Zhao, he instructed Yang Feng, Zhang Yang, and Han Xian to listen to Dong Zhao's decisions in all matters, and that Dong Zhao could act on his behalf if necessary.

The fat man was very moved, but Liu Feng couldn't guess what he was really thinking.

However, judging from the historical Dong Zhao, although he had low morals, poor character, and bad conduct, he was actually quite loyal to Cao Cao and was not a fickle person.

(End of this chapter)