My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 264 Assisting Yuanlong
Under the worried gazes of Liu Feng and Chen Deng, Hua Tuo continued, "This disease can only be treated symptomatically, not fundamentally."

After glancing at Chen Deng, Hua Tuo added, "If the Prefect stops consuming raw fish, the relapse may take a long time. If he continues to consume raw fish, the relapse will definitely occur within two or three years."

Chen Deng's face was a little pale. Although he could remain open-minded and cheerful in the face of life and death, it did not mean that he could really ignore life and death.

It's better to live a miserable life than to die a good death. Chen Deng still had many ideals and ambitions to realize, so how could he be willing to die so easily?

But... but he wants to stop eating raw fish!
It's really difficult.

Chen Deng's face was extremely grim, and he was very conflicted.

This raw fish was his favorite food, but now he had to give it up for his life.

Liu Feng spoke up at the opportune moment: "Mr. Yuanlong, fish is but a minor matter, while the world is the great path. You should be able to decide which is more important."

What decision to make?
It is natural to abandon the lesser path and embrace the greater one.

So, Chen Deng closed his eyes and pondered for a while before opening them again: "I'm truly sorry to have made you, Young Master and Physician Hua, laugh at me. In that case, from this day forward, I will never eat raw fish again."

Liu Feng was overjoyed.

Hua Tuo nodded repeatedly: "If Your Highness can stop eating raw fish, even if the illness recurs, it will not be as dangerous as it was this time."

Chen Deng glanced at the insects in the bucket, feeling both shocked and disgusted. He finally nodded vigorously and said, "Thank you, sir."

Hua Tuo smiled. He and the Chen family were old acquaintances. Chen Deng's father, Chen Gui, had done him a great favor. Given their relationship, it was only natural for him to help.

Since falling ill, Chen Deng has experienced abdominal distension and pain, chest tightness, and a complete loss of appetite. Even when he tries to eat, he vomits everything he eats.

After all that, I was quite exhausted and was feeling a bit sleepy.

Liu Feng then ordered the insects to be taken away and burned, and then arranged accommodations for Hua Tuo to rest before finally leaving Chen Deng's bedroom to let him get some rest.

Hua Tuo's medical skills were truly remarkable. The next day, Chen Deng was able to eat, and his appetite was quite good.

If Liu Feng hadn't been so worried and kept him from eating too much, he could have devoured a small pot of millet porridge in one go.

By the third day, Chen Deng, who had previously been on the verge of death, was able to get out of bed and looked almost no different from a normal person.

Once Chen Deng recovered, he first thanked Hua Tuo profusely. That evening, he specially hosted a banquet to entertain Hua Tuo and also gave him a generous gift of money to express his gratitude.

Afterwards, Chen Deng approached Liu Feng and inquired about the various matters concerning this trip north.

The two chatted quite easily. Liu Bei and his son trusted Chen Deng implicitly and were quite open with him. Chen Deng was also a clever man; he avoided crossing any lines and didn't put Liu Feng in a difficult position.

"Now the Grand General holds absolute power in the court. At first, he may be able to proceed with ease, but if this continues, given his personality, he will surely cause trouble."

Chen Deng hit the nail on the head, grasping Cao Cao's personality perfectly.

Chen Deng and Cao Cao were actually acquainted, but their relationship was not close.

When Chen Deng was studying in Luozhong, he had met Cao Cao at the residences of General He Jin, Yuan Shao, and Yuan Shu. Although Cao Cao had already held the rank of 2,000 shi (a high-ranking official), in terms of status, he was not as high as Chen Deng.

Chen Deng's great-uncle was Chen Qiu!
He was a legitimate high-ranking official who died fighting to eliminate eunuchs.

The ingredients are just too perfect; it's as red as can be.

However, Chen Gui kept a low profile, and Chen Deng did not think highly of General He Jin, so he ran away and went home.

Chen Deng's analysis of Cao Cao and the political situation was quite reliable, almost identical to Liu Feng's ideas.

So, Liu Feng's current frantic pace and strong ambition, which has frightened his father, is partly due to this.

Liu Feng nodded, agreeing with Chen Deng's words: "If the Grand General can't get the position of Commandant of the Capital Region, he'll have to wait for a large-scale reshuffle."

The Commandant of the Capital Region could directly investigate officials with a salary of two thousand piculs of grain. If he could obtain the emperor's support, he would have the dual authority of investigation and review.

This is tantamount to merging the powers of the public security, procuratorate and judiciary into one entity. Faced with this situation, who can withstand it?

This is why Liu Feng went to such great lengths to transfer the position of Commandant of the Capital Region to Zhong Yao.

The emperor now has the support of the Commandant of the Capital Region, who is backed by the military power of Xuzhou.

If Cao Cao wanted to replace officials on a large scale and promote his own confidants, he could only do so through a long and gradual process.

Liu Feng roughly estimated that it would take at least a year to gradually take over some key positions.

Liu Feng then planned to give the widow Cao a huge surprise during this year.

"I greatly agree with the young master's strategy for the south."

Liu Feng had already told Chen Deng his proposal and strategic plan for heading south, and the latter was extremely supportive of it, though he also had some ulterior motives.

"I only regret that Deng could not go south to join the battle, and could only watch as the gentlemen in the south made their achievements."

Chen Deng was determined to make it difficult to transfer.

However, he had only been in office as the prefect of Dongguan for a year, and if he wanted to move south, a lateral transfer would be a promotion.

After all, he was appointed as the Prefect of Dongguan specifically to allow Chen Deng to fulfill his duties, while Guangling was a large prefecture with more than a dozen counties.

More importantly, Chen Deng knew Liu Bei's reasons and purpose in placing him in Dongguan.

Moreover, Chen Deng had already done a lot of work around this goal in the three counties of Langya, and it was almost time to reap the rewards. He was unwilling to leave at this point.

"If you really want to go, I'll try to figure something out for you."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng chuckled and teased, "Even if we can't transfer him to a similar position, Mr. Yuanlong, if you don't mind, you can certainly join my general's staff."

Upon hearing this, Chen Deng burst into laughter. In fact, he had already received an invitation from Liu Bei to join his staff.

Now that Liu Feng had spoken up, Chen Deng felt very pleased. He felt that the respect and favor shown to him by Liu Bei and his son was among the top three, if not unique.

"Well, we've already made some progress in getting here, and it's going to be a great achievement."

Chen Deng enthusiastically began to tell Liu Feng the story.

It turns out that there are two great pirates in the entire East China Sea region: Nan Xuezhou and Bei Guancheng.

Xuezhou was mainly based in the coastal areas of Guangling and Donghai, while Guan Cheng's stronghold was in the coastal area of ​​Langya and the entire Donglai coast.

The two maintained a close-knit relationship, each carving out their own territory and dominating their respective areas.

When Liu Feng slaughtered the salt magnates in Donghai, he was actually targeting Xuezhou's partners.

However, the Xuzhou army was powerful, and Guangling was already under their control, so Xuezhou could only swallow its anger.

Although the salt merchants in Langya were not as powerful and wealthy as those in Donghai, they were still quite influential. Backed by Guan Cheng, they were considered law-abiding citizens even if they evaded taxes, while the more ruthless ones directly resisted taxes with armed force.

Xue Zhou was able to endure mainly because his territory largely overlapped with Liu Bei's. If he angered Liu Bei, he would have almost nowhere to escape.

Guan Cheng thought he was different; Liu Bei couldn't reach him in Donglai.

Moreover, due to his relationship with Yuan Shao and Yuan Tan, Liu Bei was not in a position to continue to extend his reach to Donglai for the time being.

Rather than worsening relations with the Yuan family over Donglai County, a place where the islands are overrun, the population is dwindling, the land is not particularly fertile, and the only redeeming quality is the salt industry, it would be far more beneficial to focus all efforts on moving south.

So, by a twist of fate, Guan Cheng's prediction actually came true.

However, the changes at the end of last year made Chen Deng somewhat eager to try it out.

After Zhang Miao, Chen Gong, and Lü Bu were settled in Donglai, they immediately clashed fiercely with local powerful families and pirates.

Despite it being winter, the two sides fought several battles in temperatures below -10 degrees Celsius.

Lu Bu launched a surprise attack on a pirate stronghold located in what is now Weihai City, killing over a hundred pirates and defeating more than four hundred. This incident cemented his enmity with Guan Cheng.

With spring approaching, both sides are getting restless and eager to pull off a big heist.

After receiving the news, Chen Deng immediately had many ideas, especially regarding the wealthy salt families along the Langya coast, who seemed particularly irritating.

However, it would be quite difficult to actually take them down, even more so than the situation Liu Feng encountered back then.

After the incident in Donghai, these salt magnates became extremely cunning. Their family cores and military forces retreated to fortified villages outside the county town, rarely venturing into the city. They were no longer as easy as Liu Feng had been when he could catch rabbits by closing the gates.

According to Chen Deng's estimate, at least 4,000 to 8,000 more men would need to be sent north by Liu Bei, and it would take another year or two.

Chen Deng's plan was to divide and conquer, ideally seizing an opportunity to wipe out several factions in one fell swoop. However, such opportunities were rare, especially after the Donghai Incident, when the salt magnates were wary of being wiped out in one fell swoop.

Therefore, Chen Deng thought the most reliable approach was to first target one or two of the most arrogant and tax-resistant businesses as scapegoats, and then kill them to show the others.

Although Chen Deng was also envious of the wealth of those salt tycoons, he couldn't find an opportunity to wipe them out completely. Moreover, these salt tycoons were no pushovers; they all had weapons at their disposal.

If things go wrong, they could rise up in rebellion.

After listening, Liu Feng glanced at Chen Deng.

Although he remained upright and composed, exuding the air of a scholar, his eyes were fixed on Liu Feng, filled with hope.

"How many soldiers does Mr. Yuanlong specifically want?"

Liu Feng ultimately couldn't hold back. If it weren't for the conflict between Lü Bu and Guan Cheng, he would absolutely not have approved of Chen Deng taking action at this time.

But now that Lü Bu has taken the initiative to help set up the bridge, those salt merchants must be worried about their own safety.

If Chen Deng does a good job at this time, it can indeed achieve twice the result with half the effort.

Another important reason is that the 30,000 troops in Guangling could actually be reduced.

If the offensive posture is switched to a containment posture, only 15,000 men are needed in the Guangling direction.

Liu Feng's 30,000 men marched directly towards Wu Commandery, regardless of whether Sun Ce crossed the river or whether he supported Yuan Shu.

However, if the goal is simply to reinforce Jurong and force Sun Ce to divide his forces to defend Qu'a and Dantu, there is no need for 30,000 men; 15,000 men would suffice.

Besides, these troops can be transferred south at any time, so consider it a favor to Chen Deng.

If Chen Deng can do this job well, Langya's tax revenue will increase by at least 30% to 50%, which will also greatly benefit the salt and iron monopoly policy implemented in Xuzhou.

Chen Deng already had a plan in mind, and blurted out, "Six thousand men, preferably with five hundred knights."

Liu Feng pondered for a moment and then said, "Alright, I will ask my father to transfer Uncle Zilong's troops northward, with four thousand men. I will also transfer Jia Kui's troops, with two thousand men, including one thousand elite cavalry from the Three Rivers. Is Mr. Yuanlong satisfied?"

Chen Deng was overjoyed. He only wanted five hundred knights to cover the battlefield and prevent the salt merchants' fortified villages from supporting each other.

Because the area is not small, and sometimes you have to take a detour, five hundred knights is the minimum; any less than that would be a stretch.

Now that Liu Feng has directly allocated a thousand cavalry to him, Chen Deng's next plan will be much easier to execute.

"it is good!"

Chen Deng immediately became excited, and Zheng Rong gave Liu Feng a deep bow.

Liu Feng was somewhat surprised, but then he heard Chen Deng continue, "The three prefectures of Langya suffer greatly from the salt merchants and pirates. I didn't know this before I came, but now I know that the harm caused by the salt merchants and pirates is worse than that of a tiger."

Liu Feng suddenly realized what was happening and felt quite ashamed.

Perhaps I'm being too pragmatic.

But now is a time of great strife, and one's own strategy is indeed the fastest way to stabilize the world.

When the three families of Cao, Liu, and Sun stood in a tripartite balance, the registered population of the country was only eight million. Even if there were a large number of hidden households, could these hidden households be compared to those during the reign of Emperor Ling?

It's important to understand that the concept of hidden households didn't just emerge after periods of chaos.

After the world fell into chaos, the number of unregistered households decreased. When Cao Cao slaughtered Xuzhou, did he distinguish between registered and unregistered households?
Therefore, as long as Liu Bei can take control of the world as soon as possible, he can save the lives of countless ordinary people.

"Rest assured, I will return the troops to you within six months."

Seeing that Liu Feng seemed a little dazed, Chen Deng assumed that the other party was worried about the transfer of troops from the south to the north, and quickly made a guarantee.

It's March now, and the south should be moving troops by September at the latest. Even if Guangling moves later, they should start in October.

If we take into account the time spent on the road, Chen Deng could not use these borrowed troops for more than half a year.

Even so, Chen Deng was quite satisfied.

Even without taking action, the salt merchants would probably be willing to pay a hefty price just for the extra six thousand elite troops and one thousand knights.

This is the power of a knife handle.

Liu Feng, however, realized what was happening and waved his hand with a smile: "No rush. These six thousand soldiers are entrusted to Mr. Yuanlong. You can return them to us after you've used them. If it's delayed, you can return them next year."

"Is this true?"

Chen Deng looked delighted, but then said seriously, "Zisheng, I am very grateful for your help. However, if you delay the southward strategy because of this, it will be a case of losing more than you gain."

Liu Feng laughed, his smile full of confidence: "Mr. Yuanlong, rest assured, the strategy for heading south is all in my mind. Six thousand troops will not affect the overall situation."

Chen Deng stared at him quietly, and after a moment slowly nodded: "Alright, Deng thanks Zisheng for his help. I will never refuse any request in the future."

Seeing that Chen Deng's health was gradually improving, Liu Feng left Hua Tuo to continue taking care of him, while he himself rushed back to Tancheng ahead of time.

It was already March, and various tasks needed to be carried out urgently. The most important things required Liu Feng's personal attention.

The first priority is to arrange laborers from Guangling. For this trip south to Jiangdong, Guangling needs to prepare at least 15,000 laborers. These people can be mobilized after the summer harvest, but the list must be finalized as soon as possible.

In this way, when the time comes, manpower can be recruited in an orderly manner to avoid delaying military intelligence.

In addition, another 10,000 soldiers will be recruited throughout Liu Bei's territory. These soldiers will undergo basic training and then serve as supplementary troops to replenish the losses at the front lines.

Furthermore, with the army returning to Xuzhou, all rewards need to be distributed promptly.

The second half of the year will be another major battle, and rewarding the soldiers as soon as possible will help them maintain morale and restore their fighting spirit.

According to Liu Feng's plan, after Taishi Ci, Zhang Liao, and Xu Huang return to Tancheng, they will hand over their infantry units. These units will then be reorganized into cavalry units, each commanding two thousand men, for a total of six thousand cavalry.

With Taishi Ci as the main general and Zhang Liao and Xu Huang as his deputies, they secretly entered Dongcheng in mid-August, ready to launch a surprise attack on Shaopi and crush Yuan Shu's reinforcements in southern Jiujiang.

Meanwhile, Jia Kui led his own 1,000 men and Jia Bin's 1,300 cavalrymen north to Dongguan to be under Chen Deng's command.

Zaifei then ordered Zhao Yun's troops to immediately prepare to march north to Dongguan.

The march began when Gao Shun's troops marched south to take over the defense of Guangling.

Ultimately, the entire strategic plan for the Yuyang Campaign was fully formed.

The western front was composed of Guan Yu's army, with Guan Yu as the commander-in-chief and He Yi as the deputy commander, with a total strength of 15,000 men. In addition, 10,000 young men from the Yellow Turbans were mobilized as laborers to escort grain and weapons.

The orders given to Guan Yu were quite simple: to suppress the cities and towns in western Runan. If these cities and towns were willing to surrender, that would be ideal; if they were not willing to surrender, Guan Yu would not need to launch a strong attack, but could continue to move towards the central route.

As for the Yellow Turban rebels along the way, He Yi can lead the negotiations. Those who can be persuaded to surrender should be persuaded to surrender and given military positions in Xuzhou.

Those who are unwilling to surrender, as long as they are not hostile, need not be paid attention to.

The central route was centered around Liu Bei's personal guard, which consisted of four colonels: Liu Bei's personal guard, Xiahou Bo, Zhuo Ying, and Chen Dao, totaling 18,000 men.

Then, six thousand men, including Tian Yu, were transferred from Pei State to provide reinforcements, bringing the total force to twenty-four thousand men.

On the eastern route, Uncle Zhang San personally led 6,000 troops south to Longkang.

Yuan Shu only stationed a little over a thousand troops in Longkang, which should have been easily captured in one fell swoop.

As for Xuzhou, it had by then become part of the hinterland, and there was no problem at all for more than a thousand troops from various prefectures and kingdoms to garrison it.

Moreover, the two Zhangs of Jiangdong are still stationed in Tancheng, and the leading figures among the local gentry are all staunch supporters of Liu Bei. It would be a waste of Zhang Fei's abilities and troops to continue to be stationed in Tancheng.

Finally, there's the Guangling route. Liu Feng replaced Zhao Yun with Gao Shun to take over the defense of Guangling City. Originally, Zhao Yun was also in the Guangling army, but he was reassigned to Dongguan to assist Chen Deng.

Therefore, the final troop strength of Guangling did not actually change. It gathered the troops of Gao Shun, Xu Sheng, Pan Zhang, and others, as well as 6,000 naval troops, for a total force of 18,000.

At the same time, these groups may continue to expand.

Given the current situation, the priority for replenishing troops is to expand Liu Bei's personal guards and the forces of Zhang Fei and Guan Yu.

Only if there is a surplus of replacement soldiers will the Gao, Xu, and Pan units be expanded to six thousand men.

After all, the Guangling Legion faces the least pressure, acts the latest, and may even continue to maintain a stalemate.

(End of this chapter)