My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 276 Everyone Has Their Own Plans

What shocked He Man and Zhang Peng the most was that these soldiers were able to remain vigilant and did not let their guard down because of their cooperation.

Among the Yellow Turbans of Runan, the quality of these soldiers had reached the standard of a general's personal guard.

However, they were just ordinary soldiers guarding the city gates in Liu Bei's army. This made He Man and Zhang Peng clearly feel the gap in combat strength between the two sides, and they became more supportive of Liu Pi's surrender.

He Man and Zhang Peng naturally had no idea how much effort Liu Feng had put into it.

Liu Feng and his son were not extravagant. Liu Bei was fond of dogs and horses and liked fine clothes, but Liu Feng was truly frugal and had no interest in sensual pleasures. Moreover, he was particularly good at making money.

Liu Feng not only persuaded Liu Bei to invest a large amount of money in the construction of the army, improve the army's food standards and the soldiers' basic salaries, but also attached great importance to spiritual rewards.

These material and spiritual rewards, when combined, create a positive chemical reaction, achieving the effect of getting big results with a small amount of money... no, it should be said that it takes a moderate amount of money.

At the same time, he also frequently gave the soldiers popular science education, telling them that Liu Bei had distributed land to them, and that protecting Xuzhou was protecting their own family property and relatives.

The soldiers of the Xuzhou army became increasingly accustomed to not disturbing the people and to the noble cause of fighting for the prefecture and county.

Training will naturally become more rigorous, military discipline will improve, and combat effectiveness will become stronger.

In particular, the Xuzhou army had won almost every battle along the way and had never suffered a defeat.

A winning streak not only greatly boosts the morale and confidence of the army, but also makes it easier to build up a base of veterans.

Today, veterans make up more than 70% of the Xuzhou army, a proportion that is probably only comparable to Cao Cao's Qingzhou army. However, in terms of combat strength, the Xuzhou army completely outclasses the Qingzhou army.

Just as Liu Pi was lost in thought, the sound of galloping hooves echoed from inside the city gate.

Liu Pi quickly came to his senses and looked inside, only to see an elder with arms that reached past his knees, large ears that reached his shoulders, and a dignified and upright face rushing out of the city.

The soldiers at the city gate all knelt down, shouting, "Greetings, General!"

Liu Pi, He Man, and Zhang Peng were immediately invigorated, realizing that the visitor was none other than Liu Bei, Liu Xuande, a member of the Han imperial family, the General of the Cavalry of the Imperial Court, the Governor of Yu Province, and the Commander-in-Chief of the three provinces of Yu, Xu, and Yang. He was a man whose authority was determined by imperial decree, and whose authority extended to all officials below the governor level.

Liu Pi and the other two dared not delay, and quickly stepped forward to pay their respects to Liu Bei with great ceremony: "We pay our respects to General Huo Qubing!"

Liu Bei dismounted and went straight to Liu Pi, helping him to his feet.

Liu Bei's guards knew his temperament very well and dared not stop him, but simply followed closely to protect him.

"Gongxiao, have you come to assist me in my southern expedition to attack Yuan Shu, as ordered by the emperor?"

With a beaming smile, Liu Bei helped Liu Pi up and then shook his hand, speaking to him in a kind and polite manner, making Liu Pi and the other two feel flattered and overwhelmed.

Liu Pi and Gong Du were essentially similar to Xu Chu; they all came from powerful families, but one joined the Yellow Turban Rebellion while the other sided with the Han court.

They all came from wealthy and powerful backgrounds, though this power was only relative to that of commoners and could not be compared to that of the gentry.

Therefore, they all actually had written records, but due to their low social status, lack of significant achievements, inaccurate recordings, or other reasons, their works were not passed down to later generations.

Even those from truly humble backgrounds, once they rise through the ranks, will ask someone to give them a courtesy name, or even change their given name to seek a good one.

The status of courtesy names in the Eastern Han Dynasty was so high that calling someone by their courtesy name was an extremely intimate gesture, full of goodwill.

Liu Bei's behavior was clearly an expression of his desire to be close to Liu Pi, which naturally moved the latter.
Liu Bei, with his rank of General of the Cavalry and Marquis of Qiao, personally went out of the city to welcome him. Wasn't this attitude of respecting and valuing talent enough to show sincerity?
Liu Pi was both nervous and secretly delighted, and also deeply moved.

Upon hearing Liu Bei's question, he hurriedly replied, "I am a country bumpkin, ignorant of the ways of the world, but I know a few basic principles of being a person. I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lord. I only regret that I did not come to serve you sooner, and I have troubled you to wait for me for so long."

Then, Liu Pi introduced them to Liu Bei, saying, "These two are important generals under my command, and together with Zhou Cang and Pei Yi, they are my trusted confidants. I have brought them here to meet you, my lord, and they are willing to serve you with utmost loyalty!"

"Why does Gongxiao say such a thing?"

Liu Bei first nodded and smiled at He Man and Zhang Peng, which greatly excited them. Then he said to Liu Pi, "Now the world is in turmoil and the central government is weak. We are in dire need of talented people like Gongxiao to serve the country. This is the time for you gentlemen to show your abilities. I am not talented, but I am willing to recommend you to the court. I am willing to work with you to support the Han Dynasty and rectify the court."

Upon hearing this, Liu Pi and the others were overjoyed and wanted to bow down to thank Liu Bei.

How could Liu Bei let him kneel down? He forcibly pulled him along and entered Xiang County together.

That evening, Liu Bei hosted a banquet for Liu Pi, He Man, and Zhang Peng.

During the banquet, Liu Bei was very kind and caring towards the three men. He even inquired about their aspirations and asked them for official positions based on their interests.

Liu Pi and the other two were overjoyed, and somewhat incredulous.

Faced with Liu Bei's high regard, He Man and Zhang Peng had already won over the hearts of the two. Even Liu Pi, who had some ulterior motives, felt that Liu Bei was a man who won people over with kindness and righteousness, and who valued loyalty over profit, which was very different from the people of the time, and made him sincerely admire him.

This defection was undoubtedly the right move.

The emotions expressed here are genuine and deeply moving.

In Shucheng County of Lujiang Prefecture, a similar drama of mutual understanding between the ruler and his ministers also unfolded, but here, the mutual understanding was fraught with danger, deceit, and intrigue.

Liu Xun, the governor of Lujiang appointed by Yuan Shu, is summoning Zhou Yu.

With Liu Bei eyeing him covetously from the north and various military forces continuously gathering in northern Runan, Qiao Rui was treading on thin ice in Ruyin, sending letters to Shouchun every day requesting reinforcements, which made Yuan Shu increasingly panicked.

Yuan Shu panicked, so naturally he had to tell Liu Xun about the situation. As a result, he sent more and more urgent documents to Liu Xun, and the wording became more and more severe.

Liu Xun couldn't conjure up food and soldiers, so his anxiety was useless. He could only pass on his anxiety to the local gentry and powerful families of Lujiang, with the Zhou family, a prominent clan, being the most important.

"Gongjin, you've finally arrived."

As soon as Zhou Yu stepped into the hall, Liu Xun grabbed his left hand and said, "Gongjin, the lord has repeatedly asked when the reinforcements and supplies from Lujiang will be able to go north. The Zhou family is a prominent family of dukes and marquises in Lujiang. If you don't help me, I really can't withstand the lord's pressure."

Faced with Liu Xun's overtures and threats, Zhou Yu replied respectfully, "Reporting to the Prefect, my family has gathered two thousand soldiers, one thousand five hundred able-bodied men, twenty carts, forty oxen and horses, three thousand five hundred shi of grain, twenty jars of wine, and ten pigs and sheep to reward the army."

"well!"

Upon hearing Zhou Yu's words, Liu Xun finally breathed a sigh of relief.

Yuan Shu's demands were getting increasingly aggressive, and his requirements were rising accordingly.

The food and 15,000 laborers were relatively easy to solve, since the autumn harvest was imminent, and Lujiang County had a population of over 300,000 at the time, as well as a large number of unregistered households.

Although mobilizing 15,000 laborers would be difficult, it was not entirely impossible.

On the contrary, those eight thousand soldiers are more difficult to deal with.

Liu Xun himself had three thousand troops under his command, but these three thousand troops were Liu Xun's old foundation. He not only relied on them to suppress the entire Lujiang, but they were also the guarantee of his life.

At the same time, Liu Xun did not actually think highly of Yuan Shu. Liu Bei's previous achievements in Yingchuan had already been reported back, sweeping away the Yellow Turbans in Yingchuan within half a month. Yuan Shu could not even dream of such a feat.

Liu Pi of Runan betrayed him two years ago, and he stayed in Gebei and Pingyu without moving an inch. Guess why Yuan Shu, such a petty person, never bothered him?

It's because they can't beat them.

Therefore, Liu Xun was absolutely unwilling to throw his old assets into that huge pit in Shouchun.

The best solution he could think of was to get the powerful clans and gentry of Lujiang to hand over their troops and then send them to reinforce Yuan Shu.

If Yuan Shu wins, it will be thanks to Liu Xun's efficient handling of affairs. If Yuan Shu loses, he will not lose any strength; on the contrary, the resistance in Lujiang will be weaker, which will be more conducive to his rule.

At that time, whether he surrenders to Liu Bei, Liu Biao, or even Cao Cao in the north, he will have enough leverage to maneuver.

That is why he was so enthusiastic towards Zhou Yu, to the point of being somewhat obsequious.

"Gongjin, you've really helped me a lot this time."

Liu Xun looked ashamed and led Zhou Yu to the table while complaining, "There is one more thing I need your help with. If you are willing to help, I will reward you handsomely."

Zhou Yu sneered inwardly, knowing that Liu Xun's intentions were certainly not good, but his expression remained calm and respectful. After listening to Liu Xun's words, he immediately said, "Why is Your Excellency so polite? Since Your Excellency came to our county, the government has been efficient and the people are harmonious. The people live in peace and prosperity, and the scholars and commoners are well-fed and clothed. This is all thanks to Your Excellency. Now is the time for the scholars and commoners of our county to repay Your Excellency. Please do not worry."

Liu Xun was overjoyed upon hearing this and repeatedly praised Zhou Yu for his understanding of the big picture, his clear vision, and his extraordinary strategic thinking. He then said, "The Left General ordered 8,000 reinforcements from my prefecture, but at this time the army has only gathered 2,000 men. Even with your 2,000 men, Gongjin, it is only about half the total. No other family is as insightful and worldly as your family, Gongjin. Don't you know that when the nest is overturned, no egg remains intact?"

Liu Xun's shamelessness exceeded Zhou Yu's expectations, but since he had already made up his mind, he couldn't accept it.

However, Zhou Yu did not take on the responsibility. Instead, he deliberately hesitated and said, "My lord, two thousand troops are all that my Zhou family has done. To be honest, my family only has thirty or fifty clan soldiers to guard us now. We are really powerless to do anything more."

Liu Xun gave an awkward smile and explained, "Gongjin, you misunderstand. Your family has suffered a great loss and is very generous and righteous. How could I not know this? My intention is to ask you to step forward and persuade the Zheng and Liang families to also do their part in helping our lord out of his predicament."

Zhou Yu then realized that Liu Xun wanted him to step forward and persuade other families to contribute more.

But isn't this absurd?
My Zhou family went through all this hardship and ruin to bet on Liu Bei and coordinate an inside-outside effort to kill Yuan Shu.

The other families aren't rebelling, so what's the point of me talking myself hoarse?

As for trying to win over other factions to do something big together, Zhou Yu politely declined.

Firstly, with so many people around, it's easy for rumors to leak out.

Secondly, and most importantly, since the Zhou family can handle everything, why would they risk leaking information and exposing their scheme by sharing the pie with other families?
The total number of reinforcements was only eight thousand, of which the Zhou family accounted for two thousand of their troops, a quarter of their strength. In addition, with the help of the Liu army that was brought in by the tip-off, these six thousand men were already a piece of the pie, like turtles in a jar.
Therefore, Zhou Yu immediately wanted to refuse.

But suddenly, a brilliant idea struck him, and he thought of another way. So the words that were on the tip of his tongue became: "It is my duty to fulfill the important task entrusted to me by the Lord."

Liu Xun was overjoyed and immediately ordered a banquet to be held to entertain Zhou Yu.

In the following days, Zhou Yu worked extremely hard, visiting several prominent families in Lujiang County to persuade them to hand over their troops.

To be fair, the Zhou family had an extremely high reputation in Lujiang and was a prominent family in Lujiang Prefecture. All the gentry and powerful families in Lujiang looked up to the Zhou family.

If Zhou Yu offers some benefits, or uses the Zhou family as leverage, these powerful families will more or less give him face.

They can always produce at least two or three tenths of their clan's soldiers to fulfill their obligation.

But Zhou Yu came empty-handed, made no promises of benefits, and did not use his power to coerce anyone. Everyone understood that he was just going in circles. Although he wasn't exactly stingy, the number of retainers that the group managed to gather in the end was as high as five hundred.

This greatly disappointed Liu Xun, who couldn't help but complain about Zhou Yu.

Zhou Yu sneered. He had long seen through Liu Xun's character, and with his own plans in mind, he wouldn't take Liu Xun's complaints to heart. Instead, he showed great concern and asked, "My lord, there are less than ten days left until the deadline set by General Zuo. It will take four or five days to travel from Shucheng County to Hefei. But we only have four thousand five hundred soldiers. What should we do?"

Zhou Yu's reminder made Liu Xun anxious, and he couldn't help but stand up and spin around.

But he was never a quick-witted person, or even a clever one. Even if he went around in circles until he died, he could only get a few more cartloads of rice and flour for Yuan Shu.

"What should I do?"

Liu Xun paced around several times, when he suddenly saw Zhou Yu sitting at the table drinking tea. At first, anger rose in his heart. "I'm sitting here feeling uneasy, and you have the leisure to drink tea?"

But then it suddenly dawned on him that Zhou Yu was known for his exceptional intelligence, so could it be that he already had a solution?
Liu Xun stopped pacing and quickly walked up to Zhou Yu: "Gongjin, do you have a solution?"

Zhou Yu was fishing, and seeing the fish take the bait, he put down his tea and said with a wry smile, "It's just a half-baked solution, and I don't know if it will work."

Upon hearing that the other party truly had a solution, Liu Xun was overjoyed and hurriedly urged, "Gongjin, please tell us quickly whether it can be used or not, so we can discuss it further."

Zhou Yu feigned reluctance, but could not resist Liu Xun's urging, so he had no choice but to reveal his plan: "My lord, there are currently 4,500 retainers in the city, and we are only short 3,500. I previously gathered 1,500 able-bodied men, all of whom are servants from my estate and are quite familiar with military drills. When the mountain barbarians come down from the mountains, we often call upon them to surround and block them. What we lack are military uniforms, armor, and weapons."

Liu Xun gradually understood Zhou Yu's meaning; he wanted to disguise the laborers as his own servants.

"Is this possible?"

Liu Xun asked hesitantly, "Going to Shouchun, there's a high probability we'll be going to the battlefield."

Zhou Yu laughed and said, "I dare not speak of other things, but at least my servants are capable of fighting on the battlefield. Moreover, General Zuo holds the fortified city of Shouchun and will surely hold it firmly. If we are not good at open field battles, surely we will be able to defend the city?"

Liu Xun thought about it and realized that Zhou Gongjin's words made perfect sense. But his joy was short-lived, and he hesitated for a moment before saying, "Gongjin, even so, there are only six thousand men. What should we do with the remaining two thousand?"

Zhou Yu revealed a mysterious smile, coughed lightly, and said, "My lord, if you're going to do something, you have to do it properly."

Liu Xun suddenly realized that Zhou Yu clearly meant to fill all the vacancies with laborers.

"Then we'll be in huge labor shortage."

Liu Xun frowned and complained, "We've only recruited a little over nine thousand laborers so far. If we transfer another three thousand five hundred, we'll probably have less than six thousand left."

Zhou Yu earnestly advised, "My lord, between two evils, choose the lesser. Even if you don't conscript any laborers, I'm afraid we won't be able to gather 15,000. Besides, the autumn harvest is just around the corner, and conscripting laborers will definitely harm the local interests. I'm afraid..."

Liu Xun's expression changed. Although Zhou Yu hadn't finished speaking, he understood what he was saying.

With the autumn harvest just around the corner, a large number of people are needed, yet he is conscripting laborers here. If this goes too far, the interests of the local gentry and powerful families will be the ones most affected.

If you push them too far, these people all have men and weapons at their disposal.

Then these troops will be coming for me.

With this in mind, Liu Xun made a decision and gladly accepted Zhou Yu's opinion. At the same time, he praised Zhou Yu, saying, "If everyone in Lujiang County were as loyal and diligent as Gongjin, I, as the governor, could govern with ease."

Zhou Yu smiled calmly and reminded him, "My lord, we need to prepare the uniforms and equipment for these people as soon as possible. Once they are ready, we can head north to Hefei to join the reinforcements from Liyang and then head to Shouchun together."

A hint of pain flashed across Liu Xun's face.

Providing uniforms and equipment for 3,500 men is no small feat, especially the expenditure on armor, which is enormous.

While it's impossible to equip everyone with armor, a force of 3,500 people would need at least 700 to 800 sets of armor to maintain a respectable appearance.

If it were just a simple chest armor piece, then it would require more than 1,500 sets.

This alone amounts to an expense of several million.

He couldn't help but look at Zhou Yu, only to find Zhou Yu with his head down, staring at the tea soup as if studying its flavor.

Having no other choice, Liu Xun had to pay out of his own pocket: "Gongjin, I'll give you the token later. Tomorrow, go to the armory and collect 3,500 sets of military uniforms, 5,000 long and short weapons, 1,000 sets of full armor, and 500 sets of breastplates."

"I go?"

Zhou Yu looked surprised: "My lord, why me?"

Liu Xun smiled and said, "Gongjin has done a great deal of work for me in this matter. How can I turn a blind eye to it? I want to appoint Gongjin as the Commandant of Lujiang. This time, the reinforcements to the north are all in your hands."

(End of this chapter)