With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 254, Liu Biao's Death

The war in Hebei was raging. Liu Xie won a series of victories in Qingzhou, while Cao Cao launched a fierce offensive in Ye City and quickly gained the upper hand.

Meanwhile, Liu Biao of Jingzhou was getting sicker and knew that his time was coming to an end. He sent someone to summon Liu Bei.

During this time, Liu Biao also kept an eye on Liu Bei.

Liu Bei was approachable and always did his best to assist Liu Qi. He handled matters in an orderly manner, and everyone in Jingzhou praised him highly.

Liu Bei and Gan Ning acted in completely different ways. Gan Ning was as fiery as a bomb, making Liu Biao very nervous, but Liu Bei was as calm as still water, which made Liu Biao feel very comfortable and gradually lower his guard.

“Xuande… my illness is probably incurable.”

Liu Biao grasped Liu Bei's hand, his voice becoming weak and feeble, and the room was filled with the strong smell of herbs.

Liu Bei quickly advised, "Brother Jingsheng, you don't need to be so pessimistic. Just take good care of your health, and you will definitely get better gradually."

Liu Biao smiled bitterly and said, "Xuande, life and death are predestined. I know my own body very well, so you don't need to comfort me. It's just that I really can't rest easy about the affairs of Jingzhou after I die."

Liu Bei comforted him, saying, "Brother Jingsheng, please rest assured. We are brothers of the same clan. I will definitely assist Liu Qi and petition the court to have His Majesty grant Liu Qi the position of Governor of Jingzhou."

Liu Biao nodded with satisfaction and then had Liu Qi brought to his bedside.

Liu Qi was gentle and dignified, and his manners were quite similar to those of Liu Biao in the past. However, Liu Biao had previously doted on Lady Cai, and the Cai family had often spoken ill of Liu Qi to Liu Biao, which caused the father and son to become increasingly estranged.

However, with Cai Mao's death, both Lady Cai and Liu Cong fell out of favor, and Liu Qi, as the eldest son, became important again.

Liu Biao instructed Liu Qi: "You are still young. Once I pass away, you will be the one I worry about the most. In the future, when you encounter problems, you must consult your Uncle Liu. You must respect Uncle Liu as you respect me."

Liu Qi quickly nodded in agreement.

When a person is about to die, his words are also good.

Even if the imperial court really wanted to take back Jingzhou, with Liu Bei around, at the very least, Liu Biao's children could be protected.

Liu Biao gave a few more instructions, his voice growing softer and softer, his eyes gradually becoming empty and blurry.

Liu Qi was heartbroken and knelt by the bedside, tightly grasping his father's hand.

Liu Bei was also filled with worry. In the last moments of Liu Biao's life, he saw tears glistening in Liu Bei's eyes.

Liu Bei wept, and Liu Biao closed his eyes in relief.

He believed that, out of consideration for their shared kinship, Liu Bei would not let him down.

Sure enough, Liu Bei quickly adapted to his new role, helping Liu Qi with the funeral arrangements and diligently managing all affairs in Jingzhou.

Liu Bei even wrote a letter to the emperor, appointing Liu Qi to succeed Liu Biao as the governor of Jingzhou.

Liu Bei always positioned himself in a supporting role, and he was meticulous and thoughtful in his work without ever complaining.

People throughout Jingzhou no longer treated Liu Bei with estrangement. People like Ma Liang and Yi Ji even had a heartfelt appreciation for Liu Bei.

When Liu Xie received Liu Bei's letter, he had already set up a large camp outside Linzi City, completely surrounding the city and trapping Zhang He.

All the civil and military officials gathered in the main tent. After reading the letter, Liu Xie calmly said, "I didn't expect Liu Biao to die so soon."

Lu Bu snorted and said disdainfully, "Good riddance. That old Liu Biao was never sincere to the court. I don't think Your Majesty needs to let Liu Qi take over as governor of Jingzhou. Why don't Your Majesty just send someone over there directly?"

Liu Xie looked at Guan Yu. Today, Guan Yu was wearing a new robe, which looked more and more familiar. It was the one that Liu Xie had asked Empress Fu to make for him.

Liu Xie looked very carefully, peering through the collar of the robe and discovering that there was only this one green robe. Liu Xie smiled and breathed a sigh of relief.

"Yun Chang, what do you think?"

Guan Yu naturally respected Liu Bei's decision and hurriedly replied, "Your Majesty, Jingzhou has been managed by Liu Biao for many years. Although Liu Biao lacked sincerity towards the court before, he is dead after all. Moreover, he provided troops and provisions according to Your Majesty's wishes. I think it would be more conducive to the stability of Jingzhou to let Liu Qi take over."

Liu Xie nodded. He had always been very satisfied with Guan Yu. Based on Guan Yu's accumulated achievements, no one could say anything if he were to be placed on equal footing with Liu Bei.

Chen Gong frowned. "Your Majesty, Xuande has gone to Jingzhou, but he is, after all, the governor of Yuzhou. Isn't that a bit inappropriate?"

Liu Xie thought for a moment, then frowned. Liu Bei was the governor of Yuzhou, yet he had taken Zhang Fei to Jingzhou and intended to stay there. No matter how you looked at it, this seemed to be breaking the rules.

One person should be in one position; being the governor of Yuzhou was Liu Bei's true job.

If he goes to Jingzhou to assist Liu Qi, then who will do his job?

Liu Xie's gaze swept over everyone, and after looking around, it finally landed on Guan Yu. "Xuan De is going to assist Liu Qi in Jingzhou, so let Yun Chang take over the position of Governor of Yuzhou."

Guan Yu hurriedly shook his head, "Your Majesty, please withdraw the appointment. I am not suitable."

Guan Yu was thrilled by the emperor's reward. What subject wouldn't be happy to receive such an honor?

However, Liu Bei was the governor of Yu Province, and anyone could succeed him except Guan Yu.

It was as if he had usurped his position as the eldest brother, which made Guan Yu feel unable to face Liu Bei.

Guan Yu clasped his hands in a fist salute and said, “Your Majesty, now that my brother has gone to Jingzhou, I also hope to return to his side.”

Liu Xie deeply respected the bond of brotherhood among Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei, who were inseparable and bound by life and death.

"Alright, in that case, you should go to Xiangyang. Zhang He is now trapped by me, and the war in Qingzhou is basically over."

After some consideration, Liu Xie decided, "Then let Xun Yu temporarily serve as the governor of Yu Province."

The tent fell silent. This decision made everyone understand that Xun Yu's position in the emperor's heart had become even more important.

Xun Yu was originally the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and now he also holds the position of Governor of Yu Province. Even compared to Cao Cao, his status is not much lower.

Liu Xie's arrangement was met with no objection, and even Guan Yu accepted it without hesitation.

Some people felt sorry for Liu Bei, thinking that he gave up the good position of Governor of Yu Province and insisted on going to Jing Province, which was a loss for him.

It's like picking up a sesame seed but losing a watermelon.

However, Liu Bei had his own plans. The governor of Yu Province seemed prestigious, in charge of everything in Yu Province, but since the capital was located in Yu Province, Liu Bei did not have much power.

Everything was decided by the imperial court and the emperor, but by turning his attention to Jingzhou early on, he gained a broader stage.

Liu Bei adopted a humble attitude, showed benevolence and love for the people, respected virtuous people, and, coupled with the aura of being the imperial uncle, he thrived in Jingzhou.

Even the governorship of Yuzhou was lost, which further demonstrated Liu Bei's selfless spirit in Jingzhou.

Everyone believed that Liu Bei came to Jingzhou entirely out of kinship and without any selfish motives.

He was worried that Liu Qi was too young and lacked ability and experience; he was only trying to help out of kindness. After Guan Yu left, Liu Xie invited Xin Pi and Gao Lan over.

When Xin Pi and Gao Lan met the emperor, they were both somewhat uneasy. Liu Xie smiled and said, "There's no need to mention the past. Both of you are very talented. General Gao is a highly skilled warrior and a famous general in Hebei. Minister Xin is also a wise and capable administrator. From now on, as long as you serve me and are loyal to the Han Dynasty, I will forgive and forget all past mistakes."

Xin Pi and Gao Lan exchanged a glance and bowed deeply in unison, saying, "We are willing to assist Your Majesty and remain loyal to the Han Dynasty."

The emperor offered a way out, and the two naturally knew when to yield.

"I would like to ask you for a favor."

Liu Xie stood up, stepped out of the tent, and the two hurriedly followed him out.

Liu Xie pointed to the city not far away, "I hope you two can make the trip to the city to see Zhang He and persuade him to submit to the court and protect the country."

As Liu Xie spoke, he took out a letter from his bosom and handed it to Xin Pi. "This is a letter I wrote to General Zhang He, telling him that there is no need to continue fighting. Continuing the war will only increase casualties and will be of no benefit to the country and the people."

Xin Pi nodded. The emperor was so polite to him and did not treat him with any disrespect because he had just surrendered, which moved Xin Pi deeply.

Xin Pi and Gao Lan entered the city that night and met Zhang He, first handing over Liu Xie's personal letter to Zhang He.

Zhang He didn't really want to fight anymore. Yuan Shao was dead, Yuan Tan was dead, and all that was left was an isolated city. What was the point of fighting anymore?
General Zhang He, I have quite a connection with you.

Back in Yijing, Gongsun Zan willingly offered his own head, allowing his chief clerk Guan Jing to risk his life to assassinate Yuan Shao. It was you who saved Yuan Shao.

At Guandu, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao met on the battlefield. At that time, I drew my sword to kill Yuan Shao, but you saved him.

At Wuchao, your performance impressed me greatly. If it weren't for your repeated protection of Yuan Shao, he would have died long ago.

Upon seeing this, Zhang He's heart skipped a beat. Based on what he had done, it wouldn't be unreasonable for the emperor to kill him.

Is the emperor holding a grudge? Is he going to settle scores with me?

Zhang He patiently continued reading.

"We served different masters before, and I will not only not blame you, but I also admire your abilities. If you can submit to the court, it will be a blessing for the Han Dynasty and the nation!"

In fact, Liu Xie never regarded Yuan Shao and his ilk as rebels against the court.

Cao Cao was a warlord, and so was Yuan Shao. In essence, they were all the same, even though Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang were also warlords in their own regions.

The difference lies in the fact that Cao Cao's side had an emperor, representing the court and the legitimacy of the Han dynasty.

Therefore, when facing Cao Cao and the imperial court, the other warlords naturally became very passive.

In war, one must have a just cause and strike at the enemy's morale. Therefore, whoever opposes the imperial court will naturally be labeled as a traitor.

No one should underestimate the importance of this hat, because there is only one imperial court.

Cao Cao could represent the imperial court, Liu Xie could represent the imperial court, but none of the other warlords had that qualification.

At the end of the letter, Liu Xie wrote: "After handing the letter to Xin Pi and Gao Lan, I ordered people to prepare a banquet. I will be waiting for you outside the city tonight. If you, General, do not wish to keep me waiting, I hope you will come out of the city to meet me as soon as possible. Let us, ruler and subject, drink and make merry, and let bygones be bygones!"

After reading the letter, Zhang He became noticeably more agitated, and his hand holding the letter began to tremble.

Xin Pi and Gao Lan hurriedly explained the advantages and disadvantages, taking turns to persuade him.

"Alright, I'm willing to leave the city and surrender!" Zhang He wasn't heartless. With the emperor showing such sincerity, was there any need to continue the resistance?

"Your Majesty, Zhang He has left the city."

Zhao Yun walked into the tent with a smile, genuinely happy.

Zhao Yun knew Zhang He's abilities very well. Linzi City was built to be impregnable. In a real battle, it would be a tough nut to crack. Without losing 10,000 or 20,000 men, there was no way to break through the city.

"I believe that Zhang He will definitely come out of the city and surrender."

Liu Xie laughed heartily and stepped out of the tent first, heading towards the direction Zhang He had come from.

Zhang He did not ride a horse; he carried the seal of the Governor of Qingzhou in his hands and walked over.

Not long after leaving the city, the emperor unexpectedly came to greet him with his entourage. His gaze fell on Liu Xie, and Zhang He's heart seemed to melt suddenly.

"General Zhang He."

Liu Xie took three steps in two to get to Zhang He, took the seal of office from him, handed it to Zhao Yun beside him, and then grabbed Zhang He's hand.

Zhang He's hands were strong and powerful, but in Liu Xie's hands, they were trembling uncontrollably.

"Your Majesty, I, Zhang He, pay my respects."

Zhang He fell to the ground and was about to kneel down when Liu Xie forcefully held him back.

"No need. There is no guilty official Zhang He here, only Han official Zhang He."

Liu Xie took Zhang He's hand, and the two walked side by side back to the central command tent.

Inside, a banquet had already been laid out. Liu Xie smiled at Zhang He and said, "Tonight, I will drink with you, and we, as ruler and subject, will have a good chat."

Apart from Zhao Yun, who was by his side, no one else was invited; the banquet consisted only of Liu Xie and Zhang He.

This special respect weighed heavily on Zhang He's heart.

If many people were to accompany him, it would not show that Zhang He was highly valued.

The banquet was lavish, but Zhang He didn't care about any of that; what he cared about was the emperor's attitude towards him.

Liu Xie opened his mouth with a hearty laugh: "Today I am not happy to have gained Qingzhou, but happy to have gained Junyi!"

Liu Xie directly used Cao Cao's words to Kuai Yue.

"When Tian Yu told me that it was you who saved Yuan Shao in Yijing, I said, 'No wonder Yuan Shao is so lucky and never dies; it's because he has a good general like Junyi by his side.'"

Zhang He was somewhat embarrassed and said, "Your Majesty, it's all my fault. I had always heard that Cao Cao controlled the court, but I didn't know the truth."

Liu Xie thought to himself, "What you said is the truth. Cao Cao did indeed control the court, but that was before. Things are different now."

Liu Xie was unpretentious and chatty, which quickly dispelled Zhang He's embarrassment. The more they talked, the more respect Zhang He felt for the emperor and the closer he felt to him.

Zhao Yun watched quietly from the sidelines. He believed that the emperor's sincere attitude would move anyone, let alone Zhang He.

Only Cao Cao, to this day, has not been completely moved.

(End of this chapter)