My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 94 The Twin Jewels of Danyang (Fourth update, please subscribe! 46)

"This thief should be executed without mercy!"

Without a doubt, the first one to jump up was Chen Yuanlong, who dared to be the first in the world and was deeply favored by Xuande.

Chen Yuanlong, as always, was filled with hatred for evil: "Because of the kindness of Tao Gong's recommendation, Fang Bo has already shown this thief all kinds of protection and care. Otherwise, given the numerous crimes he has committed in Xuzhou, he should have been executed long ago to appease the people of Xuzhou."

"Lord Fang, do not hesitate any longer. This villain has already plotted against you today, and there is irrefutable evidence that he has colluded with outsiders to seize Xuzhou. Since this official has already severed ties with the people of Xuzhou and wants us to die without a burial place, why should we care about old friendships?"

Although Chen Deng's words were overly aggressive, the underlying meaning was quite accurate.

Cao Hong has no bottom line.

Since Liu Bei entered Xu, in order to keep the Danyang faction in check, he has not punished any Danyang officials of mid-level or higher rank.

What will be the reward in return?
Cao Hong actually instructed Han Xun to set a trap for him, wanting to remove him from his position as governor and turn him into a traitor designated by the court.

If we don't kill him now, who knows how audacious he'll become in the future.

Just based on his collusion with forces from other states, it's clear that he will never be of one mind with Liu Bei and Xuzhou.

Liu Bei did not express his opinion, but simply nodded to Chen Deng and then looked at Mi Zhu.

Everyone initially thought that Mi Zhu would once again play the peacemaker, remaining silent or trying to smooth things over. Even though Mi Zhu was one of those targeted by Cao Hong this time, given his usual style, he wouldn't resort to violence.

In short, Mi Zizhong's way of life was to never speak of killing or offend anyone personally.

Unexpectedly, Mi Zhu did something completely different this time.

"I believe that Cao Hong should be executed."

It was only eight characters long, but like Chen Deng, Mi Zhu also supported the execution of Cao Hong.

With Chen Deng, the clerk, and Mi Zhu, the assistant prefect, working together, and with the chief administrator absent and the chief clerk a criminal, they could practically monopolize the prefecture.

A hint of surprise flashed in Liu Bei's eyes. Could it be that Mi Zizhong was also angry because he had been tricked by Cao Hong?

However, the other party's expression remained calm and composed, with no obvious anger hidden.

Next, Jian Yong also stated that he should be executed, and advised Liu Bei not to be too soft-hearted, but to be clear about rewards and punishments, which is the way to govern.

Sun Qian, who originally did not want to get involved in this matter, changed his mind when he saw everyone in front of him shouting for killing. He said solemnly, "The cause of the attack is justified, and the punishment is justified. Fang Bo has already been more than righteous to Cao Hong. He can be executed."

Liu Bei nodded and looked at Chen Qun, who was at the very end.

Chen Qun pondered for a moment, then looked up and replied, "Cao Hong is treasonous and disrespectful to his superior, and naturally deserves to die. However, Your Excellency, you should also explain Cao Hong's crimes to Cao Jianwei and General Xu to clear up their misunderstandings."

Chen Qun's words were both insightful and perfectly apt.

Of everyone present, only he and Jian Yong were suitable to say this. Since Jian Yong couldn't think of anything, it was up to Chen Changwen to speak.

Liu Bei was moved and bowed to Chen Qun, saying, "Fortunately, Changwen gave me his advice, otherwise I might have made a big mistake."

Did Liu Bei really not think of this?
Of course not.

The problem is that if a governor of a prefecture has to explain himself to his military commanders when punishing a chief clerk who has made a serious mistake, it will greatly undermine his prestige.

Isn't this damaging to one's own prestige?
Liu Bei had naturally prepared a backup plan; even if no one brought it up, he had a way to bring it up in a logical way.

At this moment, Chen Qun's willingness to speak out undoubtedly provided Liu Bei with a much better and more reasonable opportunity than the one Liu Bei had prepared himself.

Therefore, what Liu Bei was actually thanking Chen Qun for was his consideration of his superior's feelings.

Therefore, Liu Bei quickly ordered that Cao Bao and Xu Dan be invited to the prefectural government for a meeting.

Upon receiving the magistrate's order, Cao Bao immediately changed into his official robes, mounted his horse with his entourage, and headed straight for the prefectural capital.

At this point, he was beginning to regard Liu Bei as his father-in-law and brother-in-law, and his wariness and resistance towards Liu Bei were gradually diminishing.

Especially recently, Liu Bei has frequently sought him out for discussions on important matters, even including the confidential matter of preparing to conquer Langya. How could Cao Bao not be secretly delighted?

On the other hand, when Xu Dan received the state magistrate's order, he was filled with anxiety and unease.

He didn't know why Liu Bei suddenly sought him out, and instinctively felt a little worried.

But I still can't not go.

It turns out that in Tancheng County, there were at least 20,000 to 6,000.

Now that Cao Bao has defected, the situation has instantly become 10,000 against 16,000, while he only directly controls 5,000 men.

Xu Dan couldn't help but regret not listening to Zhang Kuang's words earlier. Otherwise, he would have switched sides on the same day, and he wouldn't be in such a precarious situation now.

There was no other way; they couldn't win in a fight, and they couldn't not go. Xu Dan could only put on his armor, send someone to summon Zhang Kuang, and finally head towards the prefectural capital with twenty personal guards.

Cao Bao lived closer to the prefectural capital, and since he wasn't wearing armor, he arrived much faster than Xu Dan.

When Cao Bao arrived first, he was somewhat surprised to see that Chen Deng and all the other officials were present.

Fortunately, Liu Bei, Chen Deng, and others were still very enthusiastic towards him.

Even Chen Deng exchanged a few polite words with him, which surprised and delighted Cao Bao.

When Xu Dan arrived, he saw Cao Bao chatting and laughing with Liu Bei and others, which made him even more overwhelmed.

In this vast prefecture, do I really feel like the only outsider here?
Xu Dan hesitated for a moment, then slowly stepped forward and bowed to Liu Bei.

Because he was wearing armor, he couldn't perform the full salute, so he ended up giving a military salute.

Logically speaking, Xu Dan's actions were extremely impolite, even taboo.

It's not wartime, why are you wearing armor?
However, Liu Bei seemed oblivious, appearing completely unconcerned. He even stepped forward and patted Xu Dan on the shoulder, saying, "Sun Tzu said, 'When a state is vast, forgetting war will surely bring trouble.' Xu ​​Zhonglang's actions are in perfect harmony with the words of the military sage and should serve as a model for our Xuzhou army."

Liu Bei's gentle words and kind attitude helped Xu Dan calm down from his tension.

Xu Dan looked at Liu Bei gratefully and let him pull him to sit down next to him.

Just then, Liu Feng also arrived at the prefectural capital.

He witnessed Liu Bei comforting Xu Dan and couldn't help but admire his father. He thought to himself that his father was truly good at finding talent; such extraordinary ability was something that no one could learn.

Historically, if Yuan Shu hadn't launched his attack so rashly, and Liu Bei had been given another year, Cao Bao and Xu Dan might have been integrated into his inner circle.

By the time Cao Bao was transferred to the position of Chancellor of Xiapi in his later years, he had already relinquished much of his military power.

This can be proven by historical records.

At that time, Liu Bei led an army of 17,000 to 18,000 men to resist the enemy at Xuyi and Huaiyin.

Yuan Shu's army numbered over 30,000, yet they were unable to break through Liu Bei's defenses. The two sides traded blows, and the battle lines remained stable.

This illustrates three points. First, Liu Bei left Zhang Fei with very little troops; he took the main force to the front lines.

Secondly, Cao Bao's army must have already been surrendered, at least a large portion of it. Otherwise, Liu Bei would not have been able to trust Cao Bao to stay in the rear, and Zhang Fei would not have been able to kill Cao Bao with only a small force. More obviously, without Cao Bao and Xu Dan's Danyang soldiers, Liu Bei would not have been able to muster an army of seventeen or eighteen thousand.

Third, the collapse of Liu Bei's army immediately after the fall of Xiapi was likely due to the fact that a large number of his troops were former subordinates of Cao Bao from Danyang, and the killing of their lord triggered a rebellion.

Unfortunately, Yuan Shu used the "Heavenly Demon Disintegration Technique," which severely harmed Liu Bei, and he himself did not benefit from it either. Not only did he fail to obtain Xuzhou, but he also allowed Sun Ce to grow stronger in Jiangdong.

What a fool who harms others and himself.

Liu Feng, being the youngest in his generation, naturally had to step forward to pay his respects to his father's important ministers.

Most people were quite familiar with Liu Feng, except for Sun Qian, Chen Qun, and Xu Dan.

When Cao Bao saw Liu Feng, his face was already beaming with smiles. When he heard Liu Feng address him as "Uncle" instead of "Cao Jianwei" or "General Cao," his eyes narrowed into slits with joy, and he was clearly bubbling with happiness.

Upon seeing this scene, Chen Deng turned his head away as if he hadn't seen it at all.

Chen Qun had been keeping a close eye on things from the shadows. The Chen family had always valued waiting for the right time and keeping to their place, never seeking to stand out, and always prioritizing their own safety.

Therefore, he is quite sensitive to his surroundings and likes to observe quietly.

After Liu Feng approached, he first bowed to Cao Bao and addressed him as "Uncle." The latter then helped him up with a smile and showered him with concern, as if afraid that others would not notice that their relationship was extraordinary.

Afterwards, Liu Feng greeted Chen Deng and the others one by one. Finally, he walked up to Xu Dan, his face full of amazement and admiration, and asked Liu Bei, who was standing next to Xu Dan, "Father, could this be General Xu Dan, a key general of our Xu Province, who is often compared to Cao Jianwei and is known as one of the Twin Pillars of Danyang?"

Liu Bei was slightly taken aback, then immediately replied, "That's right, it is General Xu Dan whom you often ask about."

"Now that you have met the general, how can you not pay your respects?"

Liu Feng immediately obeyed and bowed deeply to Xu Dan.

Xu Dan hurriedly dodged, his armor clanging loudly. Despite his imposing appearance as a warrior, he looked rather disheveled.

"How could I possibly accept such a generous gift from you, young master?"

In his haste, Xu Dan stood up and returned the greeting, saying, "I am but a mere warrior, yet I have been valued by the former governor, Lord Tao, and followed him closely. Now, I am honored to have Lord Liu's continued support. I will follow the governor's lead and defend my hometown."

In essence, Xu Dan and Cao Bao were the same kind of people. They had no great ambitions or outstanding aspirations, and only wanted to survive in this chaotic world and enjoy wealth and glory.

However, Xu Dan was more cautious than Cao Bao and did not like to stand out.

Of course, this cannot be blamed on Cao Bao. He was too powerful and attracted a lot of attention. Of the 20,000 soldiers in Danyang, half of them were his personal troops. How could Zhang Fei not think of killing him first?
At this moment, Cao Bao was somewhat displeased. This displeasure was not directed at Liu Bei and Liu Feng, but at Xu Dan.

Although Cao Bao didn't know when he and Xu Dan had acquired the nickname "Danyang Twin Jades," since Liu Feng said so, then it must be true.

Since that's the case, then I should obviously be the rightful one in this title. It's already a stroke of luck that Xu Dan, a mere nobody, is even given a subordinate position by following me. But the other party is so ungrateful and is even pestering the young master. Could it be that this fellow has ulterior motives and wants to curry favor with the young master so that he can replace me in front of the lord?

Ridiculous, shameful, and foolish!

Ironically, the other party would never guess that he was already the young master's father-in-law.

No matter how servile you are, how can you compare to yourself as a father-in-law?
As for your abilities, Xu Dan, do you think I, Cao Bao, don't know your own limitations?
With your meager abilities, you dare to compare yourself to someone whose lord has personally approved a fine horse?
Overcome!

Xu Dan only wanted to flatter Liu Bei and Liu Feng, but he didn't expect that his words would actually displease Cao Bao, Chen Deng, and Mi Zhu.

Chen Deng and Mi Zhu were simply dissatisfied with Xu Dan referring to Xuzhou as their hometown.

"Xiangzi" means hometown. You, a mere man from Danyang, do you even deserve to be called a native of Xuzhou?
Not to mention that the Danyang soldiers had very poor discipline and frequently harassed the locals in Xuzhou, plundering the local people and soldiers, which had long aroused great dissatisfaction among the locals of Xuzhou.

Liu Feng praised, "General's ambition is truly down-to-earth. Although it lacks the grand ambition to swallow mountains and rivers, it is probably the greatest wish of the people of Xuzhou."

“Father, you often remind me to take things one step at a time, not to be overly ambitious, and to be down-to-earth. What I saw today makes me think that the kind of person you described is indeed General Xu Dan.”

Liu Feng's barrage of compliments made Xu Dan feel as sweet as if she had drunk honey. Even though she repeatedly reminded herself to be careful of Liu Bei, she couldn't help but develop a great fondness for Liu Feng.

Especially seeing Cao Bao's jealous and envious expression made Xu Dan feel as comfortable as drinking ice water on a sweltering summer day.

As for Chen Deng, Chen Qun, and their group of shrewd individuals, they sat in their original positions, eyes downcast, seemingly contemplating something important. The noise and commotion around them had no effect on them whatsoever.

A moment later, Xu Dan sat down again, and Liu Feng also sat down on the other side of Liu Bei.

Then, Liu Bei's expression turned gloomy, and he recounted Cao Hong's affair in detail, asking Cao Bao and Xu Dan for their opinions.

When Cao Bao and Xu Dan first heard this, they were both shocked and panicked, even wondering if Liu Bei was going to take action against the Danyang Sect.

Even Cao Bao, who had recently developed a good relationship with Liu Bei and had betrothed his daughter to Liu Feng as a concubine, couldn't help but suspect this.

But after hearing that, the two of them were a little confused.

Given their level of expertise, they certainly couldn't detect the trap in Han Xun's plan.

In their view, this was a good thing.

Didn't Tao Qian do the same thing when he was in power, and he was even commended by the imperial court?

Zhao Yu and Wang Lang, who went to the imperial court, were both promoted to prefects of commanderies and kingdoms with salaries of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), which was an extremely good thing.

This is what Liu Bei is most worried about. If this point cannot be explained clearly, then punishing Cao Hong will be a thorn that will forever remain in the hearts of Cao Bao and Xu Dan.

This is also the main reason why Liu Bei sent someone to notify Liu Feng to call him back from the training ground.

Since you were the one who said Han Xun's suggestion was problematic, then you should explain it to them.

Liu Feng didn't think it was a big problem, because they had already caught the thief red-handed, and he believed that Cao Bao and Xu Dan could still communicate.

Liu Feng first explained the whole matter to Cao Bao and Xu Dan, letting them know exactly what had happened.

Then, the trap in this matter is pointed out.

The key point of the explanation is the grudges and entanglements between the imperial court and Yuan Shao, which prevented Liu Bei from gaining the same recognition or even rewards from the court as Tao Qian.

Cao Bao and Xu Dan could understand this point, and their wariness lessened considerably.

Seeing that the communication was indeed effective, Liu Feng was somewhat encouraged and produced decisive evidence.

"My two uncles, please read this letter."

Liu Feng took out a letter from his pocket and handed it to Cao Bao first.

"This item was just captured. It was seized a few days ago after the person was arrested and imprisoned. This morning, a man carrying this letter came out of the Chief Secretary's residence and tried to leave the city, but was caught on the spot."

"The letter was then found on the man."

"The letter first complained that the other party's strategy was useless. My father not only did not fall for the trick, but also began to suspect Han Xun and imprisoned him for questioning."

"Afterwards, Cao Hong appeared panicked and asked the other party what to do next."

"Finally, it revealed the agreement he had reached with the other party: if things didn't go well, he was required to immediately help him leave Xuzhou and guarantee his safety and his valuables."

"My two uncles, do you know who this letter is addressed to?"

Upon hearing Liu Feng's question, Cao Bao and Xu Dan both shook their heads. How would they know? Could it be some kind of acquaintance?
But the Danyang faction only has so many people; even if they need to send messages, they don't need to leave the city.

Liu Feng's subsequent answer nearly made Cao Bao and Xu Dan jump up.

"It is indeed Cao Cao!"

"What!?"

"This is impossible!"

Cao Bao and Xu Dan nearly jumped up, denying it repeatedly.

Cao Cao's reputation in Xuzhou was already infamous; he was fearsome, ruthless, and detestable.

At this critical juncture, if any Xuzhou native were to associate with Cao Cao, they would instantly be ostracized in their hometown.

Cao Bao and Xu Dan have been in Xuzhou for seven or eight years and have acquired a large amount of property and land in Tancheng. It is highly likely that they will not return to Danyang in the future.

When the next generation comes along, they will be able to say they are from Xuzhou.

They naturally didn't want to cut themselves off from Xuzhou, not to mention that Cao Cao and the people of Danyang had a blood feud.

On this point, the soldiers of Danyang and the people of Xuzhou shared a common hatred for the enemy.

"Lord Fang, is there some misunderstanding? Surely Chief Clerk Cao wouldn't be so confused?"

Cao Hong, courtesy name Guangyi, was also from Danyang, and was even a distant relative of Cao Bao.

Cao Bao couldn't help but offer an explanation for Cao Hong, while Xu Dan, who had been hesitant and indecisive, remained silent and simply watched as Cao Bao defended Cao Hong.

Liu Feng sighed, his face showing reluctance: "Uncle, if it is a misunderstanding as you say, that would be fine. But this letter was written by Chief Clerk Cao. I believe you and General Xu can recognize his handwriting, can't you?"

Cao Bao was stunned for a moment, then quickly opened the letter to read it.

The more he looked at him, the gloomier his face became. After so many years as fellow villagers and colleagues, how could he not recognize Cao Hong's handwriting?

Seeing Cao Bao's expression, Xu Dan knew the outcome without even needing to read the letter again.

But he was still somewhat unwilling to give up, so he took the letter from Cao Bao, who had a complicated expression on his face, and began to read it.

The letter didn't actually mention Cao Cao; it only inquired why the plan failed and what to do after the plan failed.

But the handwriting was indeed written by Cao Hong.

The next chapter will be updated at 9 o'clock!
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(End of this chapter)