My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 389 Recruiting Yang Xiu
Liu Feng was in his study analyzing the situation with the Zhuge brothers, Pang Tong, and others.

If Zhu Hao's death and the Jiangdong rebellion were orchestrated by Liu Feng to trigger the emergency in Luoyang, then the changes in Jiaozhou and Jingzhou were entirely unexpected and also far beyond Liu Feng's expectations.

Just as Liu Feng and the others were discussing, Lu Meng's voice suddenly came from outside to report.

"General, Attendant-in-Ordinary Dong has arrived and is requesting an audience in the living room."

Liu Feng immediately issued an order: "Quickly invite Attendant Dong to come here for discussion."

Soon, Lü Meng led Dong Zhao into the study and then withdrew.

Dong Zhao's late arrival at night clearly indicates that he has important business to attend to.

Upon seeing Liu Feng, he immediately looked around.

"Gongren need not worry. Ziyu, Kongming, and Shiyuan are all like me, and they are my trusted and beloved confidants. There is nothing I cannot tell them."

Liu Feng immediately waved his hand, inviting Dong Zhao to take a seat.

The Zhuge brothers and Pang Tong exchanged a glance, their hearts warmed.

For these noble aristocratic families, nothing was more heartwarming than receiving the trust and care of their lord.

Dong Zhao felt a warmth in his heart. Although he and Liu Feng had been separated for long periods of time, and it had been another year since Liu Feng went south to Pingyang, Liu Feng's words were undoubtedly a way of comforting him, Dong Gongren.

No matter how far apart we are or how long we are separated, Dong Gongren will always be one of the people I trust most.

"My lord, I received news from the palace that Grand Commandant Yang has advised the emperor to appoint a renowned scholar from Guanzhong as the governor of Yangzhou, and to appoint Lai Gong, a renowned scholar from Jingzhou, to succeed him as the governor of Yuzhang."

Upon hearing Dong Zhao's words, Liu Feng's face immediately darkened, and the Zhuge brothers and Pang Tong also changed color slightly.

This was not because Liu Feng, the Zhuge brothers, and Pang Tong were not shrewd, but because the people in the study were all Liu Feng's trusted confidants, so there was no need for them to hide anything.

While Zhuge Jin was still considering, Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong spoke first.

"My lord, the plan we just discussed should be implemented immediately."

"My lord, we can proceed with the established plan tomorrow."

Dong Zhao sat in the seat, slowly sipping his tea, his small eyes scrutinizing the Zhuge brothers and Pang Tong.

From this scene alone, the fat man could see that Zhuge Jin's talent was clearly inferior to that of his brother and Pang Tong, at least in terms of quick wit and adaptability.

Although we don't know what this predetermined plan is, it must be something extraordinary that the two of them suggested in unison and that Liu Feng just devised.

Zhuge Jin, however, was too slow to react and lost his quick wit.

Liu Feng did not rush to make a decision. Instead, he explained to Dong Zhao, who was looking at him curiously, "When I pacified Yuan Shu, I found several letters in the Shouchun Palace. They were letters from Grand Commandant Yang and his collusion."

Dong Zhao suddenly realized what was happening.

Liu Feng is trying to cut off Yang Biao's supply lines by eliminating the leader of his faction.

Yuan Shu was a traitorous villain, and now that he was in prison, he was as good as dead.

And Yuan Shu, in fact, was Yang Biao's brother-in-law.

Yang Biao's wife, Yang Xiu's mother, was the eldest daughter of the Yuan family, and was a proper cousin of Yuan Shao and Yuan Shu.

Dong Zhao immediately agreed, saying, "My lord, this plan is brilliant! Yang Wenxian has repeatedly targeted you, precisely after you annihilated Yuan Shu. His actions may well be out of sympathy for Yuan Shu and a desire to take revenge on you as a traitor."

Liu Feng nodded slowly: "Gongren is absolutely right."

Then, the study fell silent again.

Although Liu Feng praised Dong Zhao, he did not make a decision immediately. Instead, he rose and began to walk slowly in the study. Upon seeing Liu Feng's actions, the others immediately fell silent and stopped talking, so as not to disturb Liu Feng's thoughts.

Liu Feng's hesitation was certainly not out of sympathy or concession for Yang Biao.

He was thinking of Yuan Shao in Hebei and Cao Cao in Sili, the two major warlords.

Although Yang Biao was not of high rank, he was still one of the Three Dukes, a trusted minister of Emperor Liu Xie, and a famous scholar from Guanzhong.

This series of identities made Yang Biao a powerful pawn, even though he couldn't control the government. The most troublesome aspect was that his power on the chessboard was far less than his power after he was removed.

If things proceeded according to the established plan, Liu Feng was 80-90% confident that he could take down Yang Biao, at most paying a price to persuade Cao Cao to join the attack.

However, Liu Feng had to consider that if Yang Biao were removed, Cao Cao would become the sole ruler of the court and the country.

Although Yang Biao and his faction had little real power, the emperor was not completely sidelined with the assistance of Yang's faction.

The Yang faction itself was not strong, but once they joined forces with the emperor, they became a political force capable of restraining Cao Cao.

The reason why the Yang faction has been able to exist until now without being eliminated by Cao Cao as in the original timeline is precisely because of the existence of Liu Bei and his son, and their support for the emperor.

Liu Bei and his son have always maintained a political spectrum of loyalty to the emperor, but also close ties with Cao Cao.

Regarding the stakes between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, Liu Feng consistently stood firmly on Cao Cao's side, while Liu Bei remained neutral and leaned towards the imperial court.

Although Yuan Shao was quite dissatisfied, he was helpless, and his focus was still on Gongsun Zan, so he had no time to deal with the affairs in Henan.

In this way, a very delicate balance was achieved among the highest levels of power in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

With the support of Yang Dang and Liu Bei and his son, Emperor Liu Xie could not easily eliminate Yang Dang. Without eliminating Yang Dang, Cao Cao could not monopolize the government and effectively sideline Liu Xie.

Without unifying Hebei and eliminating Gongsun Zan, and without Liu Bei's support, Yuan Shao would have found it difficult to march south, defeat Cao Cao, and take control of Luoyang. Cao Cao's existence also bought Liu Bei ample time to expand; without dealing with Cao Cao, Yuan Shao would never have been able to march south.

In this balanced structure, if Yang Biao and Yang Dang were removed, would the entire balance collapse?

Liu Feng dared to swear on his life that as long as Yang Biao lost power, Cao Cao would seize the opportunity to take control of the government.

What troubles Liu Feng is that there is no one in the court or among the people who can replace Yang Biao.

Although Situ Zhao Wen was talented and prestigious, he had lost all courage and could not be expected to challenge Cao Cao.

Guo Gong was indeed courageous, and Liu Feng believed that as long as he supported him, there was a high probability that he would stand up and compete with Cao Cao for power and profit. However, the problem was that Guo Gong lacked both talent and prestige.

In terms of reputation, although Guo Gong was a famous scholar in Yuzhou, he was not the most famous even in Yuzhou itself, let alone at the national level.

As for Guo Gong's abilities, how could Liu Feng not know his own limitations?

"Gongren, what is the Emperor's attitude?"

Liu Feng's gaze suddenly fixed on Dong Zhao, who blinked his small eyes and replied, "The Emperor is quite hesitant. He has already rejected the proposal to appoint Lai Gong as the Prefect of Yuzhang and is quite dissatisfied with Liu Biao's unauthorized military raids on Yuzhang."

"hold on!"

After hearing Dong Zhao's reply, Liu Feng finally made a decision: "It is too early to take action now."

"My lord!?" All eyes turned to him, some with a hint of doubt.

In the minds of Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Dong Zhao, Zhuge Jin, and others, Liu Feng was definitely not the kind of person who was indecisive.

Sure enough, Liu Feng slowly shook his head and said, "The matter rests with the Emperor, not Yang Biao. Yang Biao cannot be moved until the very last moment."

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, and Dong Zhao nodded slowly, and after a moment, Zhuge Jin also realized what was happening.

"Kihito!"

Liu Feng suddenly called out to Dong Zhao, then asked, "Has Yang Biao's son, Yang Xiu, ever taken up an official post? Is he currently in Luozhong?"

Yang Xiu should be twenty-four years old this year, but as the eldest son of the Yang family, he most likely did not take up an official post and stayed at home to cultivate his reputation.

Liu Feng remembered that Yang Xiu was recruited by Cao Cao in history, and hoped that this had not happened yet.

Upon hearing this, Dong Zhao immediately replied, "Yang Dezu is currently in Luozhong and has not yet taken office. He has been kept at home by Yang Wenxian to cultivate his reputation. Hongnong is also not peaceful now. Guanzhong is short of food, and Li Jue and Guo Si have repeatedly invaded Hongnong, but were stopped by Duan Wei."

The Yang family were from Hongnong, but unfortunately, Hongnong has been ravaged by warlord conflicts. They can no longer provide support to Yang Biao in Luozhong, and they don't even dare to leave their sons in their hometown.

Although Luozhong was poor, it was much safer than Hongnong.

"Ziyu!"

Upon hearing Dong Zhao's words, Liu Feng immediately called out Zhuge Jin's courtesy name.

Zhuge Jin respectfully stood up, bowed to Liu Feng, and said, "I am here, awaiting your orders, my lord."

Liu Feng sat back down and instructed, "Tomorrow morning, take gifts to the Grand Commandant's residence and ask him to recruit Yang Xiu, the son of Yang Biao, on my behalf."

Everyone present was taken aback for a moment, then Dong Zhao shouted, "My lord, this plan is brilliant!"

Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong were also immediately impressed.

Only Zhuge Jin respectfully obeyed the order and waited for Liu Feng's further instructions.

The reason why Dong Zhao, Zhuge Liang, and Pang Tong all thought Liu Feng's move was good was precisely because recruiting Yang Xiu could achieve three goals with one action.

If Yang Xiu accepts the imperial examination, then from then on, the eldest son of the Yang family will become Liu Feng's subordinate and will be his former official, which is equivalent to establishing a master-servant relationship.

Liu Feng thus exerted a dual pressure on the Yang family, both morally and through unspoken rules.

If Yang Xiu does not accept the offer, given Liu Feng's current status as General Who Conquers the South and his great achievements, the Yang family must provide a suitable reason.

Regardless of the reason, this would be precisely the evidence that Liu Feng used to launch a counter-strategy to accuse Yang Biao of colluding with Yuan Shu.

As for whether this evidence is conclusive enough, at least considering that Liu Feng and Cao Cao conspired to set this up, it is undoubtedly irrefutable; Yang Biao could never clear his name even if he jumped into the Yellow River.

Liu Feng instructed, "Ziyu, go to the treasury and choose a gift. Be sure to go to the recruitment ceremony with the highest honors."

Zhuge Jin respectfully accepted the order. Seeing that Liu Feng had no further instructions, he immediately took his leave and went to the storeroom of the General of the Cavalry to select gifts.

"Gongren, what is Yuan Chang's attitude now?"

After Zhuge Jin left, Liu Feng immediately inquired about Zhong Yao's situation.

Zhong Yao's relationship with Liu Feng is currently quite complicated. He is considered half of Liu Feng's man, yet retains a degree of independence. Although Liu Feng is trying hard to win Zhong Yao over, it is clear that Zhong Yao has not yet made up his mind to completely side with Liu Feng.

Dong Zhao blinked and replied, "All of Zhao's inside information was passed down by Yuan Chang."

Liu Feng nodded, a hint of joy in his heart.

Zhong Yao is currently in charge of the Sili Commandant position and is also a trusted and beloved general of Emperor Liu Xie. If he could secretly side with me, my chances of victory would increase significantly. Especially with the position of Sili Commandant, if Zhong Yao is willing to assist me, I wouldn't even need to seek an alliance with Cao Cao to take down Yang Biao.

The reason why the Commandant of the Capital Region was jokingly called the Crouching Tiger was not just because of the prestige he gained among low- and middle-ranking officials.

The title of "Crouching Tiger" was mostly earned by those who rose through the ranks of the Three Dukes and Nine Ministers.

Thinking of this, Liu Feng said, "Gongren, I have something to ask you to do. Find a way to invite Yuan Chang to my residence for a detailed discussion. If it is necessary for me to go in person, that is also fine."

Dong Zhao was taken aback, but then he remembered Zhong Yao's importance and immediately nodded emphatically: "Please rest assured, my lord, I know what to do."

********
The next morning, Zhuge Jin set off with gifts to the Grand Commandant's residence.

At this time, in the Grand Commandant's mansion, Yang Biao had already gone to the palace to handle government affairs. Now, Grand Commandant Yang Biao was in charge of the affairs of the Secretariat, and was the head of the Secretariat, theoretically in charge of all affairs.

However, with General Cao Cao present, Yang Biao still had to send his decision to the General's residence for approval after he finished handling the matter.

Although the country is now divided among numerous warlords and the central government has less and less to manage, ministers like Yang Biao still go out early and return late every day to handle official business and discuss important national affairs in the Secretariat.

Today is no exception.

Although Yang Xiu was killed by Cao Cao at the age of forty-five, his parents lived to a very old age.

Yang Biao lived to be over eighty years old. After Cao Pi usurped the Han throne, Yang Biao was recommended to be one of the Three Dukes, but he declined the offer. Yang Biao's wife, Lady Yuan, the mother of Yang Xiu, was also in good health. Although there is no record of when she died, when Yang Xiu died, Cao Cao's principal wife, Lady Bian, wrote a letter to comfort Lady Yuan and bestowed upon her a generous gift.

As expected of a talented woman, Yuan wrote a letter of thanks, which shows that she was still in good health and had a clear mind at that time.

At this time, Yang Xiuzheng was at home. After paying his respects to his mother, he returned to his study to read.

With something on my mind, I couldn't concentrate on reading the classic books I used to love.

The matter that troubled Yang Xiu so much was naturally the conflict with Liu Feng. Even though Yang Xiu considered himself the most talented man in the world, he still couldn't figure out the solution to this problem.

"Son."

Suddenly, a slightly hurried shout came from outside the study from the page boy who was accompanying him.

Yang Xiu frowned slightly. He disliked being disturbed when he was studying, a fact his study companion should know well. But now this person had come to bother him; could something serious have happened in the household?
Yang Xiu put down the book in his hand, got up and walked to the door, opening it.

Immediately, the anxious face of Yang Ming, the tutor, came into view.

Yang Xiu asked calmly, "What's the matter that you're so alarmed?"

Yang Ming hurriedly replied, "Reporting to the young master, Zhuge Jin, the clerk under General Zheng Nan, has arrived at the gate, saying that he has come to recruit you into General Zheng Nan's staff."

Yang Xiu's expression shifted, and his brows furrowed: "The General of the Southern Expedition's headquarters? Is it Liu Zhengnan's clerk?"

"Reporting to young master, this is indeed the headquarters of General Zheng Nan."

Yang Ming was a little confused. In the entire Han Dynasty, wasn't Liu Zhengnan the only General Who Conquers the South who could establish his own government?

Ignoring Yang Ming's strange look, Yang Xiu quickly began to consider the pros and cons of the matter.

(End of this chapter)