My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 474 The Deceptive Situation in Xiangyang
However, Liu Feng remained as steadfast as a rock, unmoved by the pleaders' words. His expression was calm, his eyes revealing determination and composure, as he slowly and deliberately presented a reason that was irrefutable and highly convincing.

"The Yangzhou army marched from east to west, and wherever they went, the people welcomed the royal army with food and drink. From Qichun to Jiangling, the Yangzhou army maintained strict discipline, committing no offenses whatsoever, a fact witnessed by all. The powerful families, wealthy merchants, and influential clans in various regions were also treated with due respect, a fact also evident to all. But now, places like Jingling and Ruoguo have brazenly raised troops to resist the heavenly army. If they are not punished, what will happen if other cities follow suit? Moreover, if these places that dare to resist are not severely punished, how can we explain this to the counties of Zhouling, Echeng, and Zhucheng, which have submitted to Heaven's will and abandoned darkness for light?"

Liu Feng's words were clear, logical, and well-founded, like sharp swords striking directly at the hearts of the pleaders. They were speechless; they knew in their hearts that Liu Feng's mind was made up, as unchangeable as the predetermined course of mountains and rivers.

After successfully capturing Ruoguo City, the Yangzhou army quickly established it as a crucial forward base. The city was bustling with activity as soldiers methodically stockpiled various supplies, including provisions, clothing, medicine, weapons, and valuables. Every item was neatly arranged, in preparation for the impending battle.

However, compared to the smooth operation of the logistics line, the progress of the battle at the front was as slow as a snail's pace, visibly slowing down.

Liu Feng's resolute stance did not lead to the rapid collapse of the Xiangnan region as he had anticipated. On the contrary, resistance in Zhongxiang, Qiguo, Yicheng, Shanghong, Hannan, and other places intensified.

Upon closer examination, the reasons are actually not complicated. Firstly, this area is adjacent to Xiangyang, a core territory that Liu Biao had painstakingly cultivated over many years. The people here have an extremely high level of identification with and loyalty to Liu Biao, and their popular support is very strong, which is far superior to areas like Qichun, Echeng, and Zhucheng, which are farther away and governed by vassal states like Huang Zu.

Secondly, it was precisely Liu Feng's unwavering attitude of punishment that had the opposite effect.

Cao Cao was accustomed to intimidating the defending troops by massacring entire cities, yet many cities still held out. The underlying reasons were simply their dislike of Cao Cao and their loyalty to their lord.

Liu Feng's current attitude is not just aimed at the cities in Xiangnan, but rather at creating a systematic program for the entire Liu Feng army.

These cities in Xiangnan are less than a hundred miles from Xiangyang, and were originally Liu Biao's core territory. Liu Biao had been in Jingzhou alone for almost ten years, and he was quite politically astute, so naturally he had no shortage of loyal scholars and powerful figures.

For these people, Liu Feng's edict not only failed to persuade them to surrender, but instead aroused their even stronger will to resist. The people and garrison troops in these areas were determined to fight to the death against the Yangzhou army. However, the situation was different for the remaining counties and towns of Nan Commandery and Jiangxia Commandery.

Despite the unwavering resistance of the cities and towns in Xiangnan, the disparity in strength between the two sides was as vast as an insurmountable chasm. Had Liu Feng not valued the lives of his soldiers and been unwilling to inflict excessive casualties, these counties and towns would likely not have been able to resist for so long. Moreover, although progress was slow, it was steadily advancing in all areas, and the commanders of the various detachments were all full of confidence, signing pledges and vowing to capture their respective objectives within ten days to half a month.

However, Liu Feng was not in a hurry at all. Like a calm old hunter, he quietly waited for the best opportunity. He not only did not urge his generals to speed up the attack, but also suppressed the enthusiasm of his generals who were eager to volunteer.

In Liu Feng's view, this was a golden opportunity to train his troops in actual combat. The garrison troops in these cities were mostly private soldiers of local powerful families and temporarily recruited young men. Their combat strength was not strong, but they had the sturdy city walls to rely on. For the Yangzhou army, such opponents were perfect "sandbags."

Moreover, during this round of troop expansion, both Jia Kui's and Zhao Yun's units received a significant number of new recruits. In particular, Jia Kui's unit had a new recruit ratio of over half.

Although many of these new recruits had served under figures like Yuan Shu, the Yellow Turbans, Sun Ce, and Wang Lang, making them so-called veterans, the Yangzhou army's training methods were unparalleled. The training they had received was worlds apart from the rigorous training of the Yangzhou army. Moreover, the integration of new recruits and veterans urgently needed a real battle to complete the process of mutual adaptation.

In this way, these opponents, who are not strong in combat but have a good fighting spirit, will not easily collapse, and have the support of city walls, are perfect training targets.

Another reason was that logistical supplies were still being transferred urgently. Even if the Yangzhou army managed to reach the walls of Xiangyang in a short time, they would be helpless against the city's incredibly strong defenses.

After all, Xiangyang was not comparable to these small cities. Strictly speaking, Xiangyang straddled both banks of the Han River and was closely connected with Fancheng to the north of the Han River. Not counting the garrison in the city, Xiangyang's large population alone could mobilize an army of 20,000 to 30,000 people at any time.

Such an army would naturally be no match for the Yangzhou army in open field battles, but it would be more than enough to defend a city. If it could also have an elite force of 20,000 to 30,000 men as its core strength, its combat power would more than double.

The last reason was that Liu Feng didn't want to push Liu Biao too hard.

He understood that if Liu Biao were driven to the brink, he might very well surrender directly to Cao Cao in the north. To be fair, the relationship between Liu Bei and his sons and Liu Biao was far deeper than the relationship between Liu Biao and Cao Cao. After all, their past cooperation had brought each other enormous benefits.

By leveraging the grain sales from Jingzhou, Liu Bei and his son not only successfully completed their large-scale agricultural settlement program in Xuzhou, but also stabilized the two counties north of the Yangtze River in Yangzhou. This prevented Lujiang and Jiujiang from collapsing due to the severe drought, preserving their precious vitality and laying a solid foundation for future development.

Liu Biao also benefited greatly. From Liu Feng, he received a steady stream of sugar, salt, and various advanced iron farm tools, especially the curved-shaft plow, which brought him a substantial harvest. These supplies not only made him a fortune but also significantly increased the annual grain production of Jingzhou.

With just the curved plow, Jingzhou's annual output has increased by at least 30% in the past two years. Precious resources such as frost sugar and snow salt have also brought Liu Biao a huge amount of wealth, giving him enough financial resources and confidence to begin expanding his direct-line Liu family army.

Of the 140,000 troops in Jingzhou, Liu Biao's direct forces now account for more than two-fifths. Previously, this was less than one-fifth, meaning it has almost doubled in size. It is precisely this win-win situation brought about by trade that has allowed the two vassal states, after taking in Liu Xun, to maintain a semblance of harmony.

However, Liu Feng's act of betrayal this time was truly despicable. But the opportunity was simply too good to pass up, practically a once-in-a-millennium chance. And once missed, there wouldn't be another such excellent opportunity in twenty years.

Even if Sun Shiwan betrayed Guan Yu, it would be far less significant than Liu Feng's actions this time. After all, the damage to Sun Shiwan's reputation and character was several times, even ten times, greater than what Liu Feng was paying, while his gain was merely a quarter of Jingzhou, and a Jingzhou that was already ravaged and devastated by war.

This shows how precious the current opportunity is.

The battle situation in Xiangnan remained under Liu Feng's control, and everything continued to proceed in an orderly manner.

Meanwhile, in the south, Zhou Yu had already rushed to Jiangling City. Upon arrival, he immediately and swiftly took over all affairs of Nan Commandery. At the same time, Liu Feng bestowed upon him the title of Governor of Jiangling, solemnly entrusting him with the responsibility of military affairs in the Jiangling war zone. Zhou Yu was well aware of the weight of his responsibility, and he worked day and night, meticulously deploying various defense and combat plans, striving to make Jiangling an impregnable fortress.

Meanwhile, news of He Qi and Gao Shun's progress in the south also arrived intermittently. The two worked together, meticulously planning a scheme to successfully lure the main force of the Yue tribes down the mountain during the summer harvest. Subsequently, they engaged in fierce battles with the Yue army, winning three battles in a row, killing and capturing over ten thousand enemies. Now, the major Yue leaders in Kuaiji Commandery are so terrified that they have huddled together in fear, retreating to their lairs to resist.

They were utterly defeated by the combined forces of He Qi and Gao Shun, their morale shattered, and they could only pin their hopes on winter. They naively believed that the Han army would automatically retreat due to the cold weather and other reasons. Overall, the situation was still very favorable, and everything was developing in the direction Liu Feng had hoped for.

However, when Liu Feng met Xi Lu, his good mood came to an abrupt end.

In early August, Xi Lu traveled south along the Dan River, and after five days of arduous travel, finally arrived in Xiangyang.

Two people in Jingzhou were most dissatisfied with Xi Lu's visit to Jingzhou.

One was naturally Liu Feng, and the other was Liu Biao.

Liu Biao initially agreed to submit to Cao Cao out of desperation, hoping to use Cao Cao's reinforcements to counterbalance and defeat Liu Feng's Yangzhou army. However, this did not mean that he was genuinely willing to surrender to Cao Cao.

After all, Liu Biao had been operating in Jingzhou for many years and had his own ambitions and aspirations. How could he easily submit to others?

However, things have gradually deteriorated to this point where they are now beyond repair. The most crucial reason for this is that Liu Biao's core base has suffered a severe blow.

His elite troops have suffered heavy losses. Zhang Yun hesitated and became complacent in Hanchuan, losing 30,000 men in one night, causing Liu Biao's hard work over the years to go to waste.

Then came the news that Liu Hu of Jingnan had lost another 10,000 men in Baqiu, which was a further blow to his already dire situation.

Now, the remaining troops in Xiangyang City are also firmly under Cai Mao's control.

In the vast city of Xiangyang, Liu Biao probably had fewer than a thousand soldiers he could command at will.

In fact, at this critical juncture, even Liu Biao's loyal guards, who were usually extremely devoted, couldn't help but feel wavering deep down when they saw the current situation.

Liu Biao lost the support of his own troops, and his health was also affected by the series of tragic battle reports, so much so that he was bedridden and unable to get up.

At this juncture, the gentry of Jingzhou, seeing which way the wind was blowing, secretly colluded and conspired to maximize their own interests amidst the chaos. And at this critical moment concerning the fate of Jingzhou, the attitude of one person largely determined the final outcome.

This person was Cai Mao.

The Cai family, as a prominent clan in Nanyang, was like a local tyrant in Xiangyang, with deep roots and immense power.

Cai Mao was not only related to Liu Biao by marriage, but also the commander of the remaining troops in Xiangyang. He held crucial military power, and his every move was closely watched by all sides, making him a key figure influencing the situation.

This complex interplay of factors has made the situation in Jingzhou increasingly unpredictable, and a larger storm seems to be brewing in the darkness, ready to erupt at any moment.

On the third day after Xi Lu arrived in Xiangyang, the night was as dark as ink and all was quiet.

Under the cover of night, Cai Mao, dressed in a black cloak, quietly entered the prefectural government through the back door.

Liu Biao's wife was Cai Mao's second elder sister, so Cai Mao was naturally very familiar with the layout of the prefecture. Upon entering the backyard, Cai Mao was greeted by his second elder sister.

In the dim light, the second sister's eyes revealed complex emotions. She did not speak to Cai Mao, but gave him a meaningful look that suggested she act according to circumstances, before turning around and leaving in a hurry.

Cai Mao didn't chase after her. He knew in his heart that the fact that his second sister was here was already a good omen, at least he didn't have to worry about his safety.

Soon, Cai Mao, led quietly by his attendant, arrived at Liu Biao's bedroom. The room was brightly lit, with lamp oil purchased from Yangzhou being lit generously. Dozens of oil lamps shone brightly, illuminating the entire room as if it were daytime.

"Fu Jun."

After Cai Mao entered the room, he walked around the ornate screen and immediately saw Liu Biao lying weakly on the bed. He quickly stepped forward and asked with concern, "Is your health much better?"

His voice was full of respect and concern.

Upon hearing Cai Mao's voice, Liu Biao slowly opened his eyes. At this moment, Liu Biao appeared extremely old, his face as pale as paper, etched with deep wrinkles. Had the situation not reached such a critical juncture, he would never have wanted to summon Cai Mao in such a disheveled state.

"De Gui has arrived, please have a seat."

Liu Biao laboriously raised his hand and waved it slightly, a movement that seemed to have exhausted all his strength. Seeing this, the attendant beside him immediately understood and brought Cai Mao a folding chair.

(End of this chapter)