My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 406 Brainstorming

Upon hearing this, not only Zhuge Jin, but also Dong Zhao, Zhong Yao, Yang Xiu and others who were listening in were stunned. Even Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong showed surprise, after all, they were far less composed than they would be a dozen years later.

But as Liu Feng's words unfolded step by step, the expressions on everyone's faces changed.

If Liu Feng's plan was crude and inadequate, then everyone would probably strongly advise him against acting rashly. No matter how incompetent Liu Biao was in expanding his territory, he was still a powerful warlord with 100,000 troops and control of the entire Jingzhou province.

It would be unwise to rashly antagonize him.

However, Liu Feng's plan was intricately linked and highly feasible. Most importantly, when they were brought into Liu Biao's camp, they were surprised to find that they might have unwittingly fallen into Liu Feng's trap.

As a result, everyone's gaze changed.

Liu Feng observed everyone's reactions. Pang Tong's expression of surprise hadn't completely faded, but a faint glimmer of excitement had already appeared in his eyes. Zhuge Liang, on the other hand, had regained his composure, his eyes focused as he pondered something.

Dong Zhao wore a kind smile, his small eyes darting around, clearly observing the expressions of the others.

Zhong Yao, however, remained calm and composed. He glanced at Yang Xiu discreetly before quickly averting his gaze.

Yang Xiu's face was filled with doubt. He couldn't understand how he had become involved in such a confidential strategic conspiracy.

He only agreed to Liu Feng's recruitment and joined the Left General's staff to save his father and family, becoming the chief clerk of the Left General's office under Liu Feng.

Although the position of chief clerk cannot be held by anyone but a trusted confidant, he was certainly not one of Liu Feng's trusted confidants.

The doubt on Yang Xiu's face gradually faded, but it was replaced by fear and unease. Even with Yang Xiu's quick wit, he couldn't figure out what Liu Feng was thinking.

"Gentlemen, what do you think of this?"

Seeing that no one was speaking, Liu Feng decided to break the silence himself.

As the eldest and highest-ranking person present, Zhong Yao could only comply with the crowd's wishes when he realized that everyone else was waiting for him to speak first. He was the first to speak, saying, "My lord, although this plan is grand, it is quite mature. Its key points are Zhang Xian's defection and Liu Zhendong's main force heading south. Even so, there are still a few minor details that need to be refined."

"Oh? I wonder what details need polishing?"

Liu Feng nodded in affirmation to Zhong Yao, and then asked, "I would be grateful if you would be so kind as to offer your guidance, Yuan Chang."

"Firstly, the Sun family. Persuading Zhang Xian to raise an army is crucial, and the Sun family's relationship is very important. My lord must ensure that Sun Ce is wholeheartedly devoted to this cause and must not be taken lightly."

Zhong Yao stroked his beard and, seeing Liu Feng nodding repeatedly, continued, "Secondly, Zhang Xian's return to the throne is extremely important, serving as the foundation for everything that follows. Therefore, I believe we cannot rely solely on the Sun family's connections. My lord should use the court's orders to start with Zhang Xian, thus achieving a two-pronged approach."

Zhong Yao's words struck a chord with Liu Feng.

Liu Feng had long harbored the idea of ​​using the imperial decree to increase Zhang Xian's motivation and confidence to rebel.

In the original timeline, Zhang Xian firmly stood on Cao Cao's side and rebelled against Liu Biao, demonstrating that the imperial court's legitimacy had a significant influence on Zhang Xian.

If that's the case, why can't we just copy the tiger and imitate the cat?
Liu Feng had already planned this, and now that Zhong Yao had brought it up, it was a case of great minds thinking alike, so how could Liu Feng not be happy?

Liu Feng laughed and clasped his hands together, saying, "I knew Yuan Chang was steady and good at governing, but I didn't expect him to be so resourceful. To be honest, this idea is exactly what I wanted. It's just that we hadn't decided on an envoy to Zhang Xian before, but now we have one."

At this moment, the fat, dark-skinned Dong Zhao chimed in, "My lord, if I'm not mistaken, is the person you admire Jiang Ziyi of Jiujiang?"

Liu Feng pointed at Dong Zhao from afar, shook his head and said with a forced bitter smile, "Gongren is indeed exceptionally quick-witted, but why speak so swiftly? Why can't I have a moment to feel smug?"

The people in the hall burst into laughter, finding it amusing.

"My lord, I have also thought of something that I need your attention."

Upon hearing Zhuge Liang speak, Liu Feng was both surprised and delighted, and gently encouraged him, "Kongming, what have you gained? Tell us everything. The people in the hall are all great sages of the world, and they can give you some pointers."

Liu Feng's attitude toward Zhuge Liang was clearly different, and everyone present, except for Zhuge Jin, noticed it.

These people were all incredibly clever; not one of them exposed him, but instead they all looked at Zhuge Liang with smiles, as if they were seriously waiting for him to speak.

Even the eighteen-year-old Zhuge Liang felt somewhat uneasy in this situation.

Fortunately, Zhuge Liang quickly adjusted his mindset and offered advice: "My lord, besides Liu Zhendong and Prefect Zhang, there is a third force in Jingnan. Although this force is diverse and scattered, it should not be ignored."

Pang Tong suddenly spoke up, interjecting, "Is what Kongming is referring to the Jing and Man tribes?"

"Exactly!"

Zhuge Liang nodded to Pang Tong: "What Brother Shiyuan mentioned about the Jingman is exactly what I was worried about. As far as I know, the land south of Jing is mountainous, and there may be a million Jingman there. They occupy the mountains and roads, plundering Han people, just like bandits. However, if we can make preparations for their forces in advance and turn their strength into our own, we can achieve twice the result with half the effort."

Pang Tong immediately smiled and turned to Liu Feng, saying, "Kongming's words are truly wise. As far as I know, the Jingman people in Jingnan are now on the verge of unification. Among them, the chieftain of the Wuxi Man, Shamoke, is brave and skilled in battle. If we can get his help, our chances of victory will greatly increase."

After his initial surprise, Pang Tong had already adjusted his mindset. Moreover, from his perspective, he was not only already captivated by Liu Feng, but he also believed that his family would choose Liu Feng as well.

The reason is simple: the Pang family cannot find their place under Liu Biao's rule. Otherwise, Pang Degong would not have openly retired to the mountains and forests while secretly making various connections with scholars who had fled to the north.

From this perspective, the Pang family was actually the only one among the four major families who hoped for a change in Jingzhou.

Therefore, Pang Tong was very confident in persuading his family to support Liu Feng.

The thought of assisting Liu Feng in conquering Jingzhou filled Pang Tong with overwhelming excitement.

What a glorious achievement this is!

If Pang Tong can successfully help Liu Feng seize Jingzhou, this achievement will help him pursue his ambition of conquering the Yuntai region.

The thought that his name, Pang Shiyuan, would be inscribed on the Cloud Platform in the future made Pang Tong wish he could immediately sprout wings and fly back to Nanjun to face his elders.

As for informing on Liu Biao?

Pang Tong never actually had this idea from beginning to end.

At this time, Pang Tong was still a fairly honest and upright person, far from the ruthless and risky individual he would become later. Moreover, even the later Pang Tong was quite loyal and trustworthy, not one to switch allegiances.

In the original timeline, after Zhou Yu died of illness, Pang Tong did not immediately join Liu Bei's army, which was nearby, but instead went to Jiangdong first.

Only after negotiations with Sun Quan broke down did they begin to consider Liu Bei. This is somewhat counterintuitive considering the usual practices of the Eastern Han gentry.

Although Nan Commandery belonged to Eastern Wu at the time, its governor, Zhou Yu, had died, resulting in low morale and a lack of fighting spirit among the Eastern Wu troops in Nan Commandery. Furthermore, the entire Nan Commandery had already been divided up by Liu Bei's army; Jiangxia Commandery and Changsha Commandery directly severed Nan Commandery's connection with Jiangdong, turning it into an isolated enclave.

At this point, while the ownership of Nan Commandery wasn't entirely up to the Pang family, given their local strength and influence, switching allegiance to Liu Bei wouldn't have been difficult. Especially since both Sun Quan and Liu Bei quickly recognized this weakness and, through Lu Su's mediation, exchanged territories.

Liu Bei exchanged Jiangxia Commandery for all of Eastern Wu's Nan Commandery, thus bringing the Pang family's clan property and assets under Liu Bei's control.

Therefore, Pang Tong's continued journey to Eastern Wu cannot be said to be entirely due to loyalty, but his loyalty to Zhou Yu and his trust in his lord must have played a significant role.

Therefore, now that Pang Tong in this world has already decided to serve Liu Feng, he will no longer have the idea of ​​betraying Liu Feng for his own benefit.

"Kongming and Shiyuan's words resonate deeply with me; they are truly insightful and fill in the gaps in my knowledge."

After listening, Liu Feng praised him repeatedly, but at the same time felt somewhat annoyed.

This anger was naturally not directed at Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong, but at himself.

How could he have forgotten about the barbarian king Shamoke?

This is absolutely unacceptable.

Just as Liu Feng was reflecting on his actions, Pang Tong spoke up again: "My lord, I have a young friend who is from Yicheng, Xiangyang. His name is Ma Xuan, courtesy name Bochang. The Ma family is a prominent clan in Xiangyang, and they have deep ties with the Jingman people. When the Jingman people purchase goods, they often only trust the Ma family."

The Ma Xuan that Pang Tong mentioned was the elder brother of Ma Liang and Ma Su.

The Ma family has lived in Xiangyang for generations, but they have close ties with the Jingman people. Pang Tong recommended Ma Xuan, saying, "If we can get the Ma family's help, it will greatly increase the chances of gaining the trust of the Jingman people."

Liu Feng took this very seriously and immediately said, "If that's the case, does Shi Yuan have a good plan to get Ma Xuan to help me?"

Pang Tong stood up, cupped his hands in a respectful bow, and said, "The Ma family was originally a prominent clan in Xiangyang, and its power was no weaker than that of the Cai family. However, since Liu Zhendong took control of Xiangyang, the Cai family has risen to prominence and its strength has greatly increased. As a result, the Ma family's situation is not so good."

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, the aristocratic families consistently maintained an attitude of mutual competition and mutual support.

The more powerful a family is, the more of the pie it can get, but under normal circumstances, they won't completely wipe out other families.

For example, the Ma family and the Cai family were both prominent clans in Xiangyang. Although the Ma family was slightly weaker, their overall strength was not much different.

However, after Cai Mao's father, Cai Feng, married his sister to Grand Commandant Zhang Wen and his daughter to Liu Biao, who had entered Jingzhou alone, the expansion of the Cai family became almost inevitable.

The first to suffer would undoubtedly be the powerful clans and gentry of the same prefecture, and the Ma family would be among those who would lose out. Moreover, because of the Cai family's special status under Liu Biao, the Ma family was not favored by Liu Biao, and they couldn't even get a chance to be given important positions, let alone enter officialdom.

It was precisely for these reasons that Pang Tong was very confident in recruiting Ma Xuan to help him.

"good!"

Liu Feng immediately nodded and offered his terms: "In your opinion, what should I do to gain Ma Bochang's assistance?"

Pang Tong pondered for a moment and replied, "I request that my lord, in the name of the Left General's Office, recruit Ma Bochang into the office and grant him the position of Cao Yuan."

Liu Feng is currently the Left General and Governor of Yangzhou. He can recruit scholars both in his Left General's staff and as Governor of Yangzhou. However, the Left General is undoubtedly more suitable than the Governor of Yangzhou, whose position has greater local limitations. Not to mention, the Left General is already a high-ranking general, and has also been granted the title of Grand General of the Three Excellencies, placing him above the Nine Ministers, theoretically several ranks higher than the Governor of Yangzhou.

Cao Yuan was a very important position in the shogunate, equivalent to the Six Ministries in later times.

Of course, the scale is incomparable, after all, this is only one of the six departments in Liu Feng's Left General's Mansion.

Even so, this treatment is still quite generous.

Liu Feng showed no surprise and immediately nodded in agreement, saying, "In that case, we will follow Shi Yuan's wishes and entrust this matter entirely to you."

Pang Tong was secretly pleased to see that Liu Feng had fully agreed to his request, and immediately replied, "Yes, my lord."

Yang Xiu, who had been silent until now, suddenly spoke up, bowed to Liu Feng, and asked, "My lord, this strategy now seems to have great potential. However, in my opinion, such a large-scale military plan requires the mobilization of more than 200,000 to 300,000 troops. I dare to ask if you have 200,000 troops?"

As the art of war says, if you double your forces, divide them.

The attacking side needs twice the manpower to take action, and it is still important to disperse the defending side's forces to achieve a greater local numerical advantage.

This shows how great the disadvantage was for the attacking side in the era of cold weapons.

If we calculate based on this ratio, Yang Xiu's mention of 200,000 to 300,000 troops wasn't really meant to annoy Liu Feng. After all, Liu Biao had 100,000 troops, and mobilizing another 30,000 to 50,000 wouldn't be a problem if necessary.

It is clear that Yang Xiu actually softened his tone and did not speak too harshly.

After hearing Yang Xiu's words, Liu Feng did not immediately explain or refute them, but instead looked at him with a smile.

Most of the people present addressed Liu Feng as "Lord," clearly acknowledging him as their master. Only Yang Xiu addressed Liu Feng as "Lord Ming," which, while implying a master-servant relationship, naturally sounded slightly more distant and independent compared to "Lord."

Yang Xiu respectfully addresses Liu Feng as "Ming Gong" instead of "Zhu Gong," which clearly indicates that he still harbors some resentment or perhaps has other thoughts.

Feeling Liu Feng's gaze, Yang Xiu's face gradually turned red. He first lowered his head, but finally couldn't help but raise it: "My lord, my opinion is only to share your burdens, and I have no other intention."

"Don't worry, Dezhu. I understand your intentions perfectly well."

Liu Feng nodded, reassured the other party, and then said to everyone, "This time, as we march south to Jiangdong, I intend to expand the army to 150,000."

Now that the Jiangbei water conservancy project is completed, Liu Feng is about to expand his army, and the prisoners of war who served in these water conservancy projects are naturally one of the best recruits for expanding his army.

Even soldiers under Yuan Shu's command, as long as they don't pick up bad habits, can become useful if properly trained.

Liu Feng had previously estimated with Liu Bei that there were still about 100,000 prisoners in Jiangbei, who could be transferred away at any time.

You wouldn't believe it until you calculated it; the results were quite surprising.

Liu Feng has captured such a large number of prisoners on his way south.

(End of this chapter)