My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 398 A Contract is Formed
Liu Bei, who had hastily left the city to scout, was caught up by Cao Cao's elite cavalry. He fought desperately to escape, but could not even return to Xiaopei City. He could no longer care for his brothers, wife and children, and had no choice but to flee north in panic.

This is one of the biggest black marks in Liu Bei's life. If Liu Bei had been able to unify the Three Kingdoms, this record would definitely have been completely erased.

Any trace left behind is a testament to Liu Bei's leniency towards the historians.

Therefore, Liu Feng had a plan in mind: as long as he gathered his elite troops in Xiaopei, he could reach all directions and support the battlefields in various places.

It can be used to rescue Cao Cao in the north, protect Rencheng, Lu, and Langya, rush to Runan in the south, remotely control Liang in the west, and shield Xiapi and Donghai in the east. It is the best assembly point.

However, Liu Feng hoped to take advantage of the last window of opportunity to incite Zhang Xian to rebel and kill Liu Biao while he was ill.

Therefore, Liu Bei still had to personally oversee the northern front.

Cao Cao looked at the map, feeling somewhat depressed.

There was nothing he could do; the entire Yellow River basin was almost entirely his and Yuan Shao's territory.

Liu Feng and his son had no territory on either side of the Yellow River.

As mentioned before, Yanzhou is actually long from east to west and narrow from north to south, stretching along both banks of the Yellow River.

Even though the territory of Dongjun on the north bank of the Yellow River was exchanged for Yuan Shao, this did not prevent the entire Yanzhou from forming a long border with Yuan Shao along the Yellow River.

He did want Liu Feng and his son to join the battle as soon as possible, but the problem was that they didn't border Yuan Shao.

We can't possibly cede more land to Liu Feng and his son. Even if we can take back Yingchuan soon, the territory we actually control is still smaller than that of Liu Feng and his son.

Liu Feng was also hesitant, after all, people like Lü Bu, Chen Gong, and Zhang Miao were all Cao Cao's G-spots.

Speaking out might provoke the other party to turn against them, but if they don't speak out, this is indeed an anti-Yuan force that can be won over.

After much hesitation, Liu Feng, seeing that Cao Cao's mood seemed to have suddenly soured, finally swallowed those three names back down.

"Uncle, there is one more thing. The generals in Guanzhong cannot be ignored. Although they have a great grudge against the Yuan family, they have no integrity and may cause trouble in the future."

Liu Feng then brought up the unruly generals in Guanzhong, reminding Cao Cao, "If it is feasible, you should quell them quickly. These men are currently demoralized and short of supplies, like a dilapidated house. If you, Uncle, give them a kick, they will collapse. As the saying goes, opportunity knocks but once, so you must be careful, Uncle."

Upon hearing Liu Feng's words, Cao Cao was reminded that there was still a large group of powerful men in Guanzhong. These Liangzhou warriors, after losing Dong Zhuo's leadership, had almost degenerated into bandits and outlaws.

However, as Liu Feng said, although these people are as insignificant as flies and ants, if they come out to cause trouble at a critical moment, they could really ruin things.

If there's no opportunity, then so be it; but if there's spare capacity, it's indeed best to clean them up first.

“Nephew, there is no need to worry. I am aware of this matter and will make a decision.”

Cao Cao was already moved by Liu Feng's offer and immediately agreed.

Immediately afterward, Liu Feng suddenly asked, "Uncle, I've heard that you had some connection with Han Sui and Han Wenyue of Xiliang. Is that true?"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, then laughed: "It is true. I met him several times at Yuan Shao's banquets, and we got along quite well. I remember that at that time he was serving as a consultant in the court. He was a candidate for the civil service recommended by Jincheng. Han Wenyue was both a scholar and a warrior, and had a great presence. The former General He Jin had also heard of him and met him. Han Wenyue presented his plan to eliminate the eunuchs, but unfortunately, He Jin did not employ him."

Liu Feng asked solemnly, "Uncle, do you know where Han Wenyue is now?"

Cao Cao frowned and slowly shook his head.

From Liu Feng's tone, he could tell that Han Wenyue's position was quite important, but he really didn't know where Han Sui was at that moment.

"Could it be that he is not in Xiliang?"

Liu Feng first shook his head, then nodded: "That person is indeed not in Xiliang at the moment, but in Bingzhou!"

"Bingzhou!?"

Cao Cao hissed and gasped, then his gaze fell back on the map, and his heart skipped a beat.

“Uncle, a few years ago, Han Sui and Ma Teng led the Xiliang rebels to invade Guanzhong. They were defeated by Dong Jun of Xiliang and driven out of Zuo Fengyi and You Fufeng. Then they began to change their allegiance.”

Liu Feng pointed to Shangjun on the map and said, "Han Sui and Ma Teng have already invaded Bingzhou and captured Shangjun and Xihe counties. They are quite powerful now. If we can get their help, we can not only ensure the safety of Guanzhong, but also contain Yuan Shao's detachment from Bingzhou."

Shangdang and Taiyuan are both located north of Hanoi Prefecture. By passing through Taihang Pass and heading south, one can directly attack Hulao Pass.

If Han Sui and Ma Teng had sided with Cao Cao, not only would Guanzhong have been safe, but the pressure on Hanoi would have been greatly reduced, and they would have avoided a flank attack from Yuan Shao's army in the north.

However, if Han Sui and Ma Teng side with Yuan Shao, then Yuan's army in Bingzhou could not only easily march south through the Taihang Pass to attack Hulao Pass, but also take the ancient Fen River road to Hedong and threaten Guanzhong.

In this way, Luoyang will be besieged on three sides, and it will inevitably fall if it is defended for too long.

“Uncle, the Qiang people of Xiliang are fond of fame and profit, and their eyes light up at the sight of money. We only need to use the name of the emperor to reward their chieftain handsomely and offer him a high-ranking official position, and we will be able to win them over.”

After offering his advice, Liu Feng said no more, believing that Cao Cao's actions might not be any worse than his own.

After listening, Cao Cao slowly nodded, but it was unclear whether he had actually taken it all in.

After a moment of silence in the room, Cao Cao suddenly spoke up and asked, "I have a question, and I wonder if my nephew would be willing to tell me the truth."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng pondered for a moment, then instead of answering, asked, "What does Uncle wish to know?"

"You and Xuande, how many soldiers do you have now? Once Yuan Shao marches south, how many troops can reach the Yellow River within three months?"

Cao Cao's biggest headache right now is that his territory is almost a straight line along the Yellow River, lacking depth. If he doesn't want to see his territory decimated, he can only seek a decisive battle with Yuan Shao, or block him on the north bank of the Yellow River.

Both of these points require the timely support of Liu Feng and his son.

He needs the assurances and sincerity of Liu Feng and his son.

Liu Feng pondered for a moment, then replied firmly, "Currently, my father and I have over 140,000 troops, of which 60% are elite soldiers capable of fighting. If the Grand Marshal crosses the river within the year, I'm afraid my father and I can only mobilize a maximum of 40,000 troops to the Yellow River line within three months. If we can delay for another year, we can double that number!"

40,000 this year, 80,000 next year?

Cao Cao was both surprised and delighted. He was surprised that Liu Feng and his son already had more than 100,000 troops, of which 80,000 to 90,000 were elite soldiers.

But thinking about it, it makes sense. Liu Biao, who only had Jingzhou, had an army of 100,000. Moreover, Jingzhou was incomplete, and Nanyang County, the number one county in the world, had long been devastated.

Yuan Shao, whose base was in Ji Province, commanded an army of hundreds of thousands.

Liu Feng and his son now control two and a half provinces, including Runan County, the second largest county in the land, and their 140,000 troops are not a small number.

However, Cao Cao was more confident in the elite fighting force under his command. After all, his troops had fought their way through mountains of corpses and seas of blood, while Liu Feng and his son had never encountered a strong enemy. They had only fought weak and vulnerable opponents and collected inferior goods. Naturally, they were not comparable.

Yes, in Cao Cao's eyes, Yuan Shu was a pushover and completely beneath his notice.

Why did Cao Cao manage to defeat Yuan Shu, who had a three-fold advantage in troops, and chase him all the way from Yanzhou to Yangzhou in just half a month?

If Cao Cao hadn't deliberately let him win, Yuan Shu would have lost his life in this battle long ago. It's interesting, though, that Tao Qian was portrayed as a kind-hearted person in later generations.

However, in Cao Cao's eyes, Tao Qian's abilities and threats far surpassed those of Yuan Shu.

When fighting Yuan Shu, Cao Cao was full of confidence and acted with ease, but when fighting Tao Qian, he entrusted his wife and children to him, leaving behind his remaining family.

Therefore, Cao Cao believed that his elite troops could easily gain the upper hand against Liu Bei's army, which was twice the size of his own; if the enemy's forces were twice the size of his own, they would be evenly matched; and if the enemy's forces were equal in number, he would surely be able to take them down easily.

Liu Jun's fighting strength is probably somewhat inferior to Yuan Shao's army, after all, Yuan Shao's opponent is Gongsun Zan, the fierce tiger of the north.

"Eighty thousand next year should be enough. However, if we only have forty thousand this year, it may not be enough. We will need to add another twenty or thirty thousand troops."

Cao Cao added with concern that if Yuan Shao and Gongsun Zan successfully negotiated peace this year, Yuan Shao's army might enter Hanoi by the end of the year.

Considering that Liu Feng and his son also have to station some troops in Langya, Rencheng, and Lu, if these troops are included in the 40,000 reinforcements, the difference in troop strength would be too great.

Liu Feng considered Cao Cao's request carefully but dared not give a definite answer.

"At that time, my nephew and father will try their best to mediate and will definitely give my uncle the greatest help."

Yuan Shao is under immense pressure now, with hundreds of thousands of troops.

During the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao had 100,000 troops in the central route, but this does not mean that Yuan Shao only had 100,000 troops. These 100,000 elite troops were carefully selected by Yuan Shao during the military reorganization in the north after defeating Gongsun Zan.

A careful reading of historical records reveals that Yuan Shao suffered almost complete defeats in his early and middle-stage campaigns, with even Yan Liang and Wen Chou dying in battle.

Even during the main battle, Yuan Shao still had 100,000 troops, which could be replenished as needed, making his reserve force very strong.

Once the main force engages in a decisive battle, Cao Cao will be the one to suffer. His previous undefeated record will be reversed, and he will be defeated head-on by Yuan Shao, suffering immense oppression.

However, there is one rather paradoxical point: Yuan Shao suffered a hundred defeats in a hundred battles by dividing his troops, but in fact, he ultimately lost because of his decision to stick together in the middle and stop dividing his troops.

Cao Cao's strategy of dividing his troops into groups resulted in numerous victories, but his ultimate victory lay in his ability to unite his forces in the middle.

The reason is that although Yuan Shao's division of troops resulted in repeated defeats, it effectively tied down Cao Cao's elite forces, forcing Cao Cao's core elite military force to be constantly on the move, putting out fires everywhere.

However, once Yuan Shao stopped his strategy of dividing his forces, Cao Cao's elite troops were freed up, and Yuan Shao's supply lines were the next to suffer.

As is well known, the core of Cao Cao's victory and Yuan Shao's defeat in the Battle of Guandu was the Battle of Wuchao.

The essence of the Battle of Wuchao was food.

The reason why the Battle of Wuchao is so important is precisely because Xu Huang and Shi Huan intercepted Han Meng's grain transport team earlier.

It was this successful interception of supplies that plunged Yuan Shao's army into a food shortage, which led to the fatal defeat at the Battle of Wuchao.

Cao Cao was genuinely afraid of Yuan Shao; Yuan Shao's power was simply too great.

Liu Feng knew this, which is why he did his best to agree to Cao Cao's request for help while ensuring his own strategic objectives.

The situation is now completely different from that in the original timeline, and has undergone earth-shattering changes.

The Battle of Guandu is unlikely to happen again, and the main battlefield may instead shift to Hanoi.

Liu Feng was also worried that Cao Cao wouldn't be able to withstand Yuan Shao.

"good!"

Cao Cao nodded in satisfaction, then brought up another matter: "Nephew, are you interested in becoming the governor of Jiaozhou?"

Liu Feng was stunned. This was originally a trap he had set for Cao Cao, but now it seemed like Cao Cao was turning the tables on him.
Liu Feng's intuition was indeed correct. Cao Cao then said, "As long as one million shi of grain are available each year, the court can entrust Jiaozhou to your esteemed nephew for management."

Good heavens, that's some serious malice.

Liu Feng couldn't help but gasp, "How dare you ask for a million shi (a unit of dry measure)?"

Jiaozhou is indeed a major grain producer, with annual grain tax revenue ranging from one to two million jin.

Boss Cao asked for one million shi of grain right off the bat, and it seemed he even wanted Liu Feng to cover the shipping costs—that was going too far.

“I can guarantee that 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) will be transported to Henan.”

Considering the pressure from Cao Cao and the value of Jiaozhou, Liu Feng countered with a price.

"it is good!"

To everyone's surprise, Cao Cao agreed immediately. His speed was so great that Liu Feng even had the illusion that he had fallen into a trap.

This is actually quite reasonable. Cao Cao was far away in Henan, three or four thousand miles away from Jiaozhou, and the roads were all mountainous. Sending anyone to Jiaozhou would be meaningless and would only divert his own valuable forces.

Jiaozhou's unique location meant that only Liu Biao, Liu Feng, and Liu Zhang could exert influence. Among them, Liu Zhang had the least influence because the roads were the most difficult and he was content to stay at home.

Liu Biao of Jingzhou had always wanted to control Jiaozhou. Since he couldn't get it, he might as well throw it out and worsen the rift between Liu Feng and Liu Biao.

Liu Biao is a staunch supporter of Yuan Shao, and Cao Cao is currently very wary of him. If Cao Cao can provoke and intensify the conflict between Liu Biao and Liu Feng, he will not only feel more at ease with Liu Feng and his son, but will also likely gain greater assistance from them.

Seeing Cao Cao's straightforwardness, Liu Feng couldn't help but wonder if he had been tricked.

So he added, "The imperial court should approve my selection of prefects for each prefecture."

"Can!"

Cao Cao agreed without hesitation. The net income of 300,000 shi of grain per year was almost equal to what he was currently earning from his military farms in Yingchuan.

The secret talks were a great success, and both Cao Cao and Liu Feng were very satisfied.

Cao Cao's military strength is undeniable. It is often said that the Three Kingdoms period was a battle of weaklings, mainly because none of them ever established their own independent regimes.

Emperor Guangwu unified the country too quickly and lacked experience in establishing separatist regimes.

Cao Cao's biggest problem was not his weak military capabilities, but rather that he had the upper hand.

If he had been less reckless, there would have been no Three Kingdoms period at all.

However, Liu Feng is not too worried at the moment, as Cao Cao's favorable winds are almost entirely concentrated during his advantageous periods.

Given Cao Cao's current strength, he would definitely be at a disadvantage against Yuan Shao, and he certainly wouldn't be able to act recklessly.

(End of this chapter)