My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 527 Boyan Longs for Shu
"My lord, Yizhou can be taken!"

After welcoming Liu Feng, the group, accompanied by Lu Xun, entered the Shexian County government building.

Liu Feng trusted Lu Xun implicitly. Although Lu Xun's political and business acumen was almost nonexistent, it did not mean that his political abilities were poor.

On the contrary, Lu Xun's governance ability was quite remarkable. He was not only the best-performing prime minister in the history of Eastern Wu, but also at least above average in all dynasties.

In the original timeline, Sun Quan, who was stationed in the lower reaches of the Yangtze River and personally in charge of Yangzhou, entrusted all affairs of Jingzhou to Lu Xun, who was stationed in Wuchang and Jiangling, which was equivalent to entrusting the entire administration of the province to him.

Lu Xun demonstrated remarkable governance abilities, stabilizing the region, encouraging sericulture and agriculture, reforming the bureaucracy, and suppressing powerful clans. While he could not transform the situation in Yizhou as miraculously as Zhuge Liang, he still revitalized Jingzhou and successfully stabilized the Jing and Xiang prefectures in the upper reaches of the Yangtze River for Eastern Wu.

Now, he is tasked with handling the resettlement of the Yue people in Yixian and Shexian counties. Even though these two counties are extremely large, almost a quarter the size of Danyang Prefecture, if they were to be subdivided, at least three or four new counties could be created.

The reason they aren't demolishing it now is simply because Liu Feng's inner circle is short-handed and there aren't enough officials to appoint or dismiss. He doesn't want to do the work for others.

The two men sat down in the county government office and exchanged a few words before Lu Xun uttered the sentence above.

A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Feng's eyes. For him now, discussions about a single prefecture were no longer enough to make him change his expression.

"Oh? What do you mean, Boyan?"

Lu Xun immediately declared eloquently, "Now Jiaozhou has fallen, Xiangyang is in my hands, and Yizhou is besieged by me."

Lu Xun's words were absolutely correct. There were three main directions to enter Shu: the north, crossing the Qinling Mountains and passing through Hanzhong; the south, heading towards Jianmen Pass; and then entering the Yizhou Basin from Zitong.

The second major direction is naturally the reverse route taken by Da Bao's father in the Battle of Yiling, which is also the route taken by Huan Wen in the Eastern Jin Dynasty when he destroyed Cheng Han. He went up the Yangtze River, passed Baidi, and entered the plains of Yizhou.

These two major directions are widely known, as they are indeed very famous.

However, many people are unaware of the third major direction. In fact, this place also appeared on the historical stage during the Three Kingdoms period, namely the Battle of Jiaozhou between the Western Jin and Eastern Wu at the end of the Three Kingdoms period.

In the famous battle between Huo Yi and Tao Huang, Huo Yi took this third route, starting from Nanzhong, heading south, relying on the Red River for logistics, and entering Jiaozhi.

Ultimately, due to Huo Yi's death, the Western Jin army lost its strong reinforcements, allowing Tao Huang to cut off the Red River supply lines first, then besiege Jiaozhi, and finally successfully annihilate them.

This was one of the very few major strategic victories achieved by Eastern Wu during the late Three Kingdoms period.

Now, of these three roads, two and a half sides are already in Liu Feng's hands.

The reason it is described as two and a half directions is that Liu Feng can only take Shangyong first, then attack Hanzhong, and then turn south, which can also be considered half a direction.

This is why Lu Xun was able to say that Yizhou was already surrounded by Liu Feng.

"My lord, we should send a general to oversee the elite troops of the Shanyue and Nanman tribes, starting from Jiaozhi and heading north. Using the Red River as our logistical supply line, we can directly enter Nanzhong and threaten the area south of Chengdu. We should also use our navy as the core, gathering elite naval and infantry troops to sail up the river, attack cities and capture strongholds, while simultaneously drawing the heavy troops of Yizhou to defend us."

Lu Xun continued, "Once the troops from Jiaozhi in the south invade the Yizhou Basin, the navy can drive straight in, ignoring the heavy obstacles on both sides, and join forces with the Jiaozhi troops to attack Chengdu."

It must be said that Lu Xun's idea was feasible to a certain extent, especially the strategic interplay between orthodox and unorthodox tactics, which gave him a good chance of winning.

Liu Zhang had always faced difficulties in Yizhou. If it weren't for his considerable abilities and the support of many loyal ministers and generals, he would probably have been overthrown by the local forces in Yizhou long ago.

Even so, Liu Zhang encountered a series of rebellions, which included resistance from local gentry and powerful families, as well as the misdeeds committed by Liu Zhang himself.

Since Liu Zhang ascended the throne, the territory he governed was much smaller than that of Liu Yan.

Liu Zhang was completely unable to deal with the harassment from Yuexi County. Although it was nominally still Liu Zhang's territory, the actual military and political power had long since fallen into the hands of the local powerful Gao family.

The situation in Jianwei Commandery and Zangke Commandery was exactly the same. Local powerful figures Yong Kai and Zhu Bao held real power in the two commanderies, and Liu Zhang could only turn a blind eye to it, causing his prestige to continue to decline.

If Liu Zhang wanted to reorganize, he certainly had the opportunity. Putting aside everything else, he had at least 50,000 to 60,000 elite troops, of which 30,000 to 40,000 were loyal Dongzhou soldiers. If ordinary troops were added, Liu Zhang could assemble an army of 100,000.

However, Liu Zhang himself did not possess military command skills, and entrusting such a large army to others would truly be the death of Liu Zhang.

Think of Zhao Wei, the former military leader of Dongzhou. He was a trusted minister entrusted by Liu Yan and a native of Dongzhou, so he could be considered to be of the same ilk as Liu Zhang.

He rebelled without hesitation, even leading the Dongzhou troops to attack Chengdu. If it weren't for the local gentry and powerful families in the city who were afraid of being slaughtered by the Dongzhou troops and vowed to resist to the death, Liu Zhang might have been killed.

At this time, the best candidate Liu Zhang could appoint was Huang Quan, who not only had high moral standards and good character, but also outstanding abilities, making him arguably the best military talent in Shu.

But would Liu Zhang dare to give it to him?

Huang Quan is a native of Yizhou.

Liu Zhang both used and guarded against him, and never gave him any real military power.

Knowing these circumstances well, Liu Feng was very clear that if he really wanted to take over Yizhou, he wouldn't dare to make any big promises, but he still had a 60-70% chance of winning.

However, Liu Feng had some concerns, which naturally stemmed from the north.

“Boyan, you are my confidant, and I will not hide it from you.”

Liu Feng laid out his concerns: "Now the Central Plains are divided into three powers. My family has formed an alliance with the General to fight against the Grand Marshal of Hebei. Although this alliance is not exactly full of deceit and treachery, it already shows signs of disloyalty and discord."

Liu Feng gave Lu Xun a serious look: "As for why this is the case, Boyan, you should know very well."

Lu Xun nodded solemnly. He knew, of course, that there was only the principle of two weak against one strong, never of the strong and the weak joining forces.

Cao Cao is only maintaining the alliance because of his deep-seated grudge against Yuan Shao, and because Liu Bei and his son Liu Feng are acting too righteously.

Putting everything else aside, if Cao Cao were to break the agreement, not to mention the defense of the Nanyang Basin, the annual grain revenue of over one million shi would be enough to give him a major headache.

Liu Feng sighed, half self-deprecatingly and half regretfully, and said, "In your opinion, if I were to take Yizhou again, what would the General think?"

Lu Xun had already understood. After hearing Liu Feng's words, he frowned, as if he was deep in thought.

Liu Feng was secretly pleased. Judging from this situation, Lu Xun had clearly not given up. His purpose in offering the plan was probably not so simple. Perhaps he had already set his sights on one of the commanders of the three armies.

Sure enough, Lu Xun actually came up with an explanation. "My lord, there is one thing you have misunderstood."

"Oh?"

Faced with Lu Xun's criticism, Liu Feng was not angry at all, but instead showed an expectant look: "I don't know where I went wrong, I hope Boyan can teach me."

A hint of barely concealed excitement flashed across Lu Xun's face as he replied, "My lord has forgotten the strategy of deceiving the heavens and crossing the sea."

Before Liu Feng could express his surprise, Lu Xun continued, "Whether it's Shu or Jiaozhi, both are isolated places. Especially since Zhang Lu's rebellion in Hanzhong, the route from Shu to Luoyang has been cut off for over a decade. Therefore, even if news from the south reaches the Central Plains, it will probably take several years. Moreover, Xiangyang is already in our hands. If we continue to guard it strictly and prevent the exchange of information, I'm afraid that when we take Yizhou, the General will still be in the dark."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng couldn't help but ponder it carefully.

Admittedly, Lu Xun's statement has a certain degree of credibility, but Liu Feng was unsure whether it was as he described.

Lu Xun noticed the hesitation on Liu Feng's face and continued to persuade him, "My lord, there's no need to use the Central Plains troops to conquer Shu. Zhou Yu, Gao Shun, Kuai Yue, and the newly formed Shanyue army will suffice. These troops are either long-established in the south, newly formed, or recently surrendered. They won't be of much importance to the Grand General. With careful deployment, they won't arouse suspicion. When the elite troops of the Central Plains remain stationary, why would the Grand General suspect anything?"

It must be said that Lu Xun's suggestion was really tempting, and Liu Feng found himself actually being tempted.

Following Lu Xun's advice, Liu Feng began to carefully consider the matter.

If the troops led by Kuai Yue, He Qi, and Gao Shun were to march from Jiaozhi, as long as they relied on the Red River for their advance and had waterways for logistical support, it would not be difficult for Jiaozhou to supply these tens of thousands of troops.

Moreover, these troops were already in the south, such as He Qi and Gao Shun, who had been in the south of Kuaiji for two years and had long been out of Cao Cao's sight.

With these troops mobilized, Cao Cao wouldn't even suspect anything, and he probably wouldn't know about it for several years.

As for the central route, naval deployments are relatively easy to keep secret, and spies on the river are much more conspicuous than those on land. Moreover, Liu Feng has already secured several strongholds along the Yangtze River route into Shu, such as Yidao, Yiling, Zigui, and Wuxian, all of which are port cities capable of accommodating hundreds of warships of various sizes. Not to mention, there is also the important town of Jiangling behind them as a backup.

The military equipment, food, cloth and other supplies stored in Jiangling are enough to cope with a major battle.

"My lord, the situation in the Central Plains is at a stalemate, and it is difficult to break it in the short term."

Lu Xun pressed on, saying, "We can take a different approach in the south. If we can successfully control Yizhou, we can not only control the entire Yangtze River, but also take Hanzhong in the north and remotely control Guanzhong. By then, even if the General notices, it will be too late."

Although Liu Feng's expression remained calm, his heart was swayed by Lu Xun, especially Lu Xun's assessment of the stalemate in the Central Plains, which truly moved Liu Feng.

The Central Plains are now divided into three parts, and the situation is deadlocked. In fact, not only do Yuan Shao and Cao Cao dare not make a move, but Liu Feng himself also dares not make a move.

Otherwise, given Liu Feng's enthusiasm, how could he possibly be willing to take a step-by-step approach to recuperation and rest?

Wasn't it because they were worried about a collapse during World War I?

Compared to Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, Liu Bei and his son's territory was far too weak, yet it possessed immense potential.

The longer he waited, the more capital Liu Feng accumulated, which is why he patiently chose to...

Ultimately, it's because the Central Plains dared not take action, and even victory might not be a good thing.

Given the current situation in the Central Plains, if Liu Feng were to send troops, he would not only have to consider Yuan Shao's military situation, but also reserve some strength to guard against Cao Cao. Such a half-hearted decisive battle would be tantamount to playing a joke on his elite troops.

At the same time, if they really defeated Yuan Shao, given Cao Cao's personality, he would most likely betray them regardless of the consequences.

Putting himself in Cao Cao's shoes, if Liu Feng were in Cao Cao's position and saw that the other party was about to sweep across the world, even if he had a blood feud with Yuan Shao for killing his father, he would probably help the other party stabilize the situation first.

Since we need to recuperate and rebuild, why not take the opportunity to conquer Yizhou first?

Once Liu Feng controls Shu, he will not only greatly enhance his own strength, but also threaten Cao Cao's rear. Even if Cao Cao does not rebel, Liu Feng may even consider forcing him to rebel.

This is strategic initiative.

"This matter is still too risky."

Liu Feng finally managed to resist the temptation and did not agree immediately. Instead, he said, "Such an important matter requires the collective wisdom and effort of everyone. Boyan, you should entrust the affairs of Yixian and Shexian to trustworthy people, and you will return north with me."

Lu Xun was overjoyed and quickly agreed, then wanted to take his leave to make arrangements.

"and many more."

Liu Feng stopped Lu Xun again, and after considering for a moment, said, "Boyan, you can first organize your ideas into a written document, including the route of advance, the forces to be deployed, weapons, supplies, provisions, personnel, and so on. You can write down anything you can think of. There is no rush, but once you have made some progress, show it to me first, and I can add to it as I go."

Lu Xun was overjoyed and agreed again.

As he stepped out of the hall, he felt an overwhelming surge of pride.

With such an ambitious and open-minded lord, one's talents will surely have a chance to be displayed.

Soon, Lu Xun gathered his trusted confidants and entrusted the local affairs to a few of them, asking them to stay and assist the county magistrates of the two counties in stabilizing the region.

Liu Feng did not linger in Shexian County, and even abandoned the inspection tour. After resting for a day the next day, he took Lu Xun north and left Shexian County for Wanling, the capital of Danyang Commandery.

Although the northern part of Shexian County is also mountainous, the terrain is much gentler than that to the south and east, and it is filled with a large number of hills.

Therefore, Liu Feng and his companions had a much easier journey back than they had come. After traveling for three days, they had already left the mountainous area and entered the Danyang Plain.

After entering the plains, Liu Feng and his party traveled for another day and arrived at the county seat of Danyang the following evening.

Zhang Ying was shocked to hear that more than a thousand troops had arrived from the south while he was in the prefectural government office. He immediately ordered the city gates to be closed and his troops to be assembled.

It wasn't that Zhang Ying was cowardly, but rather that the southern part of Danyang County was originally the territory of the Shanyue chieftains and Hanyue powerful clans. In the past, when the Shanyue and Hanyue powerful clans raised troops in rebellion, they would always come out of the mountains from the south to threaten Wanling.

Although he had just joined forces with Lu Xun this year to eliminate a large wave, Zhang Ying dared not gamble that the approaching forces would be allies.

(End of this chapter)