My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 328 Agreement on Lujiang
Pang Ji then revealed his purpose.

Liu Biao, Liu Xun's lord, believed that Liu Xun's return to Jingzhou was a righteous act of following the greater good and abandoning the traitor Yuan Shu.

Since it is a legitimate undertaking, Liu Bei should not be too concerned about its ownership.

Of course, Liu Biao respected the imperial court and the General of Chariots and Cavalry. Therefore, Liu Biao suggested that the war be stopped based on the current actual control. At the same time, Liu Biao and Liu Xun's side would jointly compensate Liu Bei's side with ten million coins, two hundred thousand shi of grain, and a batch of military equipment, clothing, medicine and other supplies.

Judging from the current situation, Liu Xun only has five or six cities left. If Xunyang is taken by Liu Biao, then Liu Xun will only have five cities in the southwest of Lujiang County.

Lujiang has a total of fifteen counties, and Liu Bei has acquired nine of them, which is nearly two-thirds of the total. Moreover, the cities that Liu Bei acquired are the most important cities in Lujiang, mostly located near the Huai River, the Yangtze River, and Shaopi Lake.

The area is crisscrossed by several rivers, including the Bishui, Xieshui, Jueshui, and Zhuoshui, all of which provide excellent irrigated land. With proper water conservancy projects, grain yields can be extremely high.

On the contrary, several of the cities still under Liu Xun's control are located close to the foothills of the Dabie Mountains, with little flat land and facing the threat of the mountain tribes.

Liu Biao's ability to propose a ceasefire on the spot clearly indicates that he was not entirely sane.

The compensation offered was also in line with Liu Bei's preferences, since Xuzhou had been purchasing grain from Jingzhou for more than a year, which shows how much Xuzhou valued grain.

Liu Biao had considered cutting off the grain supply, but after consulting with his trusted advisors, he discovered that the grain being purchased in Xuzhou was likely for stockpiling rather than consumption.

Cutting it off at this time would only slightly harm Xuzhou, but it would greatly worsen the relationship between the two provinces, and at the same time cause Jingzhou and Liu Biao personally to lose a lot of money.

Liu Biao made a fortune through the trade route in Xuzhou, and with that money, he successfully expanded the military power of his personal relatives.

With his core force of nearly 20,000 men, plus powerful retainers like Wen Pin who were more obedient to him, Liu Biao had nearly one-third of the total strength of the Jingzhou army under his command.

As a result, Liu Biao's influence and command over the entire Jingzhou army rose sharply, and many powerful families no longer dared to outwardly obey him while inwardly disobeying him, relying on the power of the Kuai, Cai, Huang, Pang and other large families.

In a system like the military, it's very difficult to have a single person make all the decisions.

Even someone as strong as Li Erfeng only had three thousand Xuanjia soldiers as his true trusted troops. The rest of his forces depended on his generals. Otherwise, during the Xuanwu Gate Incident, he would have only had eight hundred armored soldiers. At that time, in the capital, the other troops were the trusted armies of his father Li Yuan and his brother Li Jiancheng, which he could not overthrow.

However, the strength of your elite military force and troops will directly affect your influence and command within the overall military strength.

Simply put, this is a leverage principle: the stronger and more numerous your trusted elite troops are, the more you can leverage the surrounding armies.

Liu Biao had originally devoted himself to training his own troops, but the number of his personal army was less than 10,000. Even with the addition of the troops of Wen Pin, Huang Zhong, and others, the total number was only about 10,000.

For the Jingzhou army, which had a total strength of over 80,000 men and a peak strength of over 100,000, one-tenth of their strength was hardly enough.

The Qingzhou army had terrible discipline and, although strong in combat, was not top-tier. So why did Cao Cao attach so much importance to and favor the Qingzhou army?

Yu Jin was quite formidable, wasn't he? One of the Five Elite Generals, he was Cao Cao's top non-Cao Cao general for many years. Even the meritorious generals who rose up, the "First Assault Madman" Yue Jin, and the Martial Temple bigwig Zhang Liao were all suppressed by him.

Even when Cao Cao killed three sages with a single cannon shot, the Qingzhou army still dared to spread rumors in front of Cao Cao that Yu Jin had rebelled.

The reason was simply that when Cao Cao was being chased by Zhang Xiu and was almost killed, a part of the Qingzhou army was robbing the people, which was discovered and suppressed by Yu Jin.

As a result, the Qingzhou army was no match for Yu Jin, so they went to Cao Cao to complain.

In the end, although Cao Cao investigated and cleared Yu Jin's name, the Qingzhou army was still unharmed, and even those beasts captured by Yu Jin were released back to their original units.

Why did Cao Cao protect the Qingzhou army so much?

There is only one reason: the Qingzhou army is loyal only to Cao Cao personally, and only bears the mark of Cao Cao. No one else can be mobilized.

Historically, even Cao Pi did not submit to the Qingzhou army. With this Qingzhou army of 30,000 to 40,000 men who were loyal only to him, plus the hundreds of thousands of Qingzhou Yellow Turban reserve troops, this was the fundamental reason why Cao Cao was able to establish a one-man rule within his own faction.

After all, the combined armies of everyone else don't even amount to as many as his trusted troops.

The same is true for Liu Bei and Liu Feng now. Their direct subordinates account for seven or eight tenths of the total force in the army. No one can challenge the position of Liu Bei and his son in the General of the Cavalry. Not to mention the non-direct subordinates, even the vassal troops such as Xue Li and Zuo Rong's old troops are extremely honest and willing to fight to the death.

Now that Liu Biao has finally gained considerable control over the Jingzhou army, having tasted such great success, he wants to further expand his base and his dominant position in the army.

Given this, how could he possibly be willing to give up trade with Xuzhou?

If it weren't for Liu Xun's importance, the significance of Lujiang in the southwest, and Liu Biao's wariness of Liu Bei's southward expansion, he might not have accepted the other party.

"The Emperor has entrusted Liu Bei with the task of attacking Yuan Shu and appointed him to oversee all affairs in Yangzhou. Lujiang belongs to Yangzhou and is under Liu Bei's jurisdiction. Brother Jingsheng, isn't this a bit overstepping your bounds?"

On the surface, Liu Bei did not seem to be moved by the benefits offered by Liu Jing Sheng, but inwardly he was somewhat shocked.

He had already discussed it with his eldest son, and Liu Biao would keep him hanging on, not start a war at this moment.

It wasn't that they were afraid of Liu Biao, but rather that Liu Feng's main force was currently engaged in a major campaign in Jiangnan. If they were to fight Liu Biao at this moment, even if Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were fools, they would be shocked by Liu Bei's ability to fight on two fronts.

Who can guarantee that Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, once they realize their mistake, won't stab them in the back in the north?
If we really provoke Yuan Shao and Cao Cao to cause trouble in the north, and we haven't even managed to deal with Yangzhou yet, and Liu Biao is upstream, and there's no powerful figure to oversee and command the northern defenses of Xuzhou, then something really serious is going to happen.

The second reason is that Liu Bei expanded too quickly. The territories of Yuzhou and Yangzhou were all new territories, and even Pengcheng, Guangling, and Langya in Xuzhou had only been recovered two years ago.

It's time to stabilize things.

From this perspective, Liu Xun's defection to Liu Biao was actually a good thing.

This is tantamount to handing Liu Bei and his son a handle to start a war at any time, so there is naturally no need to rush at the moment.

Therefore, now is not the best time to start a war with Liu Biao. Even if we were to fight, we should concentrate our forces to defeat him quickly and severely damage him in the early stages of the war. Only a qualified strategist would do that.

Therefore, Liu Feng and Liu Bei had already agreed that as long as Liu Biao did not act aggressively and acknowledged the current actual control line, they could maintain the existing false peace with him.

When to break off relations is entirely up to us.

Now, Liu Biao has not only met the psychological bottom line of Liu Bei and his son, but has also shown even greater goodwill by providing substantial compensation.

The reason Liu Bei appeared noncommittal was that he actually wanted to see if he could extract more benefits from the deal.

After spending a lot of time with Hao Da'er, Liu Bei was also influenced by him, which would have been absolutely impossible in the past.

But Liu Bei was also helpless, because there were places everywhere that needed money and grain. The work-for-relief program in the two counties north of the Yangtze River alone was a huge amount of grain consumption.

If we don't find some ways to make up for it, how can the finances possibly sustain this?

Seeing his eldest son working tirelessly to secure funds and provisions for his cause, Liu Bei felt sorry for his son.

Liu Bei's words did not surprise Pang Ji.

Within the Jingzhou Group, Pang Ji belonged to the Pang family, one of the four most prestigious families in the first tier.

The four families were closely connected and helped each other. Pang Ji himself had an excellent relationship with Kuai Yue, and they could be considered sworn brothers.

Kuai Yue had privately discussed Liu Bei and Xuzhou with Pang Ji on several occasions, and he greatly admired Liu Bei.

Pang Ji greatly admired the ability to transform a dilapidated and declining Xuzhou into its current prosperous and strong state in just two years.

Furthermore, considering that Liu Biaoji was highly respected by the emperor, who personally appointed him as General of the Cavalry, and that he had extensive trade relations with the Kuai and Pang families, it was also important to take into account that Liu Biaoji was highly respected by the emperor, who personally appointed him as General of the Cavalry, and that he also had extensive trade relations with the Kuai and Pang families.

Therefore, Kuai Yue, Pang Ji, and others were considered pro-Xuzhou faction members within the Jingzhou group.

Pang Ji did not want Jingzhou and Xuzhou to fight each other, nor did he want to see the two sides sever trade ties.

Therefore, Pang Ji sincerely advised, "General, when Liu Xun came to surrender, my lord did not know that you had been entrusted by the Emperor to oversee the affairs of the three southeastern prefectures. Yuan Shu has always been arrogant and unruly, despising the court and the Emperor, which is abhorrent to both gods and men. Liu Xun's ability to rebel in Lujiang and betray Yuan Shu is a righteous act that is in accordance with the principles of Heaven and loyal to the court."

"Therefore, my lord accepted it gladly, without any intention of provoking the general."

“Jingzhou and the General have been allied for over a year, and trade between the two sides has been frequent. It is not possible for this misunderstanding to suddenly stop.”

Pang Ji raised his head, looked at Liu Bei, and said sincerely, "Otherwise, not only will Jingzhou be lost, but Xuzhou will also suffer losses. My lord and the General are both members of the imperial clan, and have always been respectful and loyal to the court. They are relatives whom the emperor relies on as a pillar. If my lord and the General develop a rift, or even kill each other because of Liu Xun, wouldn't those treacherous officials be the ones who benefit?"

"These are my heartfelt words, and I hope the General will understand!"

After saying this, Pang Ji immediately prostrated himself, his forehead touching the ground, displaying his utmost loyalty and devotion.

"Oh... Mr. Pang, please get up first."

Sure enough, Liu Bei's voice softened, showing considerable reluctance.

Pang Ji was overjoyed, but said respectfully, "If the General does not agree, I am willing to kneel and die in front of the hall." "Brother Jingsheng has found such a person."

Liu Bei sighed, "Mr. Pang is a loyal minister and a renowned scholar of Jingzhou. I am overjoyed that you have come to visit our province. How could I possibly humiliate you like this? Please get up, sir."

Pang Ji was immediately moved to tears and rose to thank Liu Bei for his kindness.

Refusing once shows determination, but Liu Bei cannot refuse a second time, otherwise he would be ungrateful and coerce the court and the General of Chariots and Cavalry.

Seeing that Liu Bei was wavering and about to agree,

Lu Su immediately stepped forward: "General, if we let this go, wouldn't our state suffer too much loss?"

Lu Su was absolutely right. To think that ten million coins and two hundred thousand shi of grain could buy six counties was far too cheap.

Therefore, as soon as Lu Su finished speaking, many people in the hall spoke up to express their support for Lu Su, except for Xun You, Guo Jia, Du Ji and others who did not echo him.

Pang Ji was not surprised; this situation was within his expectations.

He came here to negotiate terms, and since we're negotiating, there has to be a give and take.

Lu Su's meaning was clear: the amount given was insufficient, and more money was needed.

Pang Ji immediately raised the price, saying, "If the General feels the compensation is insufficient, I, your humble servant, can make the decision to add another 50,000 shi of grain. In addition, next year's trade quota can be increased by 200,000 shi of grain sold to Xuzhou."

The original official trade quota was one million shi of grain per year. Now, with an additional 200,000 shi, the trade volume for next year could increase to one million two hundred thousand shi of grain.

Liu Bei exchanged glances with Xun You, Lu Su, and others, and they all felt that the compensation for Jingzhou was probably close to the bottom line.

Even if it could be increased, it would probably displease Liu Biao and be detrimental to subsequent transactions.

Liu Bei nodded at the opportune moment and said, "Since Brother Jingsheng insists on vouching for Liu Xun, then I cannot refuse Brother Jingsheng's request."

Pang Ji breathed a sigh of relief when he heard that Liu Bei had finally agreed.

"This humble subject thanks the General."

That evening, Liu Bei hosted a banquet for Pang Ji. Pang Ji had always admired Liu Bei, and the host and guests were all happy, creating an extremely harmonious atmosphere.

At the banquet, Liu Bei's gaze was drawn to a young man with a simple appearance and a reserved personality.

"Who is this person, sir?"

Liu Bei, holding a wine cup, first invited Pang Ji to drink with him before asking his question.

Upon seeing this, Pang Ji immediately introduced him, saying, "This man is my cousin, Pang Tong, also known as Pang Shiyuan."

Before the age of twenty, Pang Tong was not very famous. Historical records describe him as a simple and honest person before the age of twenty, but he did not appear to be very intelligent.

However, such words are best taken with a grain of salt. Pang Tong's later behavior showed that he was far from being a simple and honest person; he was incredibly shrewd and calculating.

If it weren't for extremely bad luck, being struck by a stray arrow and losing his life.

Although his future achievements and status may not surpass those of Zhuge Liang, they will certainly be far superior to those of Li Yan.

More importantly, if Pang Tong hadn't died, Zhuge Liang wouldn't have needed to rush into Shu, and Jingzhou would still have been under Zhuge Liang's control, and there would have been no possibility of him being betrayed by Eastern Wu.

At the same time, if Pang Tong hadn't died and Jingzhou hadn't been lost, then the Battle of Yiling wouldn't have broken out, and Huang Quan wouldn't have led Pang Tong's brothers to surrender to Cao Wei.

Huang Quan was undoubtedly a top-tier all-around scholar, skilled in both literature and martial arts, full of wisdom and strategic vision. His abilities, character, and personality were all on par with Zhuge Liang. Moreover, Huang Quan maintained a very good relationship with Zhuge Liang and was not a narrow-minded villain like Li Yan. His help to Zhuge Liang far surpassed that of Li Yan.

Therefore, Pang Tong's death was actually a major setback for Liu Bei's fortunes, causing a huge chain reaction.

Among the descendants of the Pang family, Pang Tong was the most outstanding, and the Pang family placed a heavy bet on him from an early age.

The previous obscurity was actually to create a sense of contrast.

When Pang Tong was twenty years old, the Pang family launched what could be called the most famous star-making project in Jingzhou in the past fifty years.

The main characters are Pang Tong and Mr. Shui Jing, Sima Hui.

Sima Hui was a native of Yangdi in Yingchuan. He was a recluse in the late Eastern Han Dynasty. He was proficient in Qimen Dunjia and Confucian classics. Although he did not serve in office, he was extremely famous and was known as "Mr. Water Mirror" because he was famous for his ability to judge people.

Because of the war, Sima Hui fled south to Xiangyang and went into seclusion. The Pang family happened to be the largest aristocratic family in Xiangyang.

After a visit, Sima Hui directly vouched for Pang Tong, greatly impressed by his talent and learning. He even personally praised Pang Tong as the crown jewel of the southern states.

This southern region is not just Jingzhou, but also includes Yangzhou and Jiaozhi.

This is tantamount to praising Pang Tong as the number one among the younger generation in the three states of Jiangnan.

Moreover, the person who praised him was none other than Mr. Shui Jing, Sima Hui. This caused an immediate sensation, and the news spread rapidly in all directions. Pang Tong's reputation skyrocketed and continued to rise.

Of course, Pang Tong himself was indeed extremely capable, and the Pang family trusted him immensely. Otherwise, creating such a stir would have been a trap for them, since this was the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, not the end of the Wei Xiao Dynasty.

If one lacks real strength but engages in reckless self-praise, they may become a stepping stone for other aristocratic families.

Upon hearing his uncle introduce him, Pang Tong immediately rose from his seat and bowed to Liu Bei, saying, "I have long heard of your magnanimity, your respect for scholars and your appreciation for the virtuous, and your promotion of young talents. Today, having met you, I know that the rumors are true, and I am filled with admiration for you."

Liu Bei laughed heartily, "Flattery will get you everywhere."

Moreover, Pang Tong has a simple and honest face, making it easy for people to mistake him for an honest person.

Can the words spoken by an honest person be false?
That must be true.

Liu Bei laughed loudly and said, "Shiyuan, please take your seat. Today we will only talk about the friendship among scholars, and not about official positions."

That evening, the host and guests enjoyed themselves immensely, and the banquet lasted until dawn.

Starting the following day, Pang Ji, along with Pang Tong and Pang Hua, visited Xun You, Fan Qin, Du Xi, Zhao Yan, and others.

These people had all sought refuge in Xiangyang and had become acquainted with Pang Ji and others.

Pang Ji came here for two reasons: to reminisce about old times and to conduct trade.

Xun You and others were already Liu Bei's trusted ministers at this time, so Pang Ji naturally had to maintain their friendship. Moreover, the other party could also speak on trade issues and had influence over Liu Bei and his son.

The results were quite pleasing. Xun You, Du Xi, Zhao Yan, Fan Qin and others gave very positive feedback. Apart from not agreeing to help increase the share of frosting sugar and snow salt, it was quite successful.

The hard work these past few days has been quite worthwhile.

“Father, there is something I wish to tell you.”

On this day, Pang Ji was resting in the guesthouse when Pang Tong suddenly requested an audience. After meeting, Pang Tong said these words.

Pang Ji was somewhat surprised, but he knew Pang Tong's talent all too well; all he lacked was an opportunity to make a name for himself.

Otherwise, why would he bring Pang Tong and Pang Hua along when there are so many nephews and nieces in the Pang family?

You should know that Pang Hua was the son of Pang Degong.

Based on this alone, Pang Tong was considered by Pang Ji to be comparable to the eldest son of Pang Degong.

"What does Shiyuan have to say?"

Pang Ji shifted to a more comfortable sitting position and waved his hand, saying, "Go ahead and tell me."

Pang Ji originally thought that Pang Tong might have taken a fancy to some expensive items such as ancient books or famous horses and wanted to ask him for money.

Unexpectedly, Pang Tong's request was far beyond his expectations.

"Father, I wish to travel to Jiangdong. If fate allows, I wish to visit Liu Zhengnan, the son of the General of the Cavalry."

(End of this chapter)