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

Chapter 256, Liu Bei invites Zhuge Liang

Keeping the emperor's whereabouts a secret is not a problem; no one would dare to easily reveal the emperor's location.

If word gets out, not only will the emperor be in danger, but it could very well bring about his own death.

Pang Degong turned to look at Huang Chengyan, nodded to him, and said with no small amount of envy, "Lord Huang, I never expected that His Majesty would come all the way to attend your son-in-law's wedding."

Huang Chengyan also felt proud, a smile playing on his lips, his smugness impossible to conceal.

Pang Degong had to re-examine Zhuge Liang and reconsider the relationship between the Pang family and Zhuge Liang.

The fact that the emperor traveled a great distance to attend his wedding meant that Zhuge Liang's status was destined to be extraordinary.

Xu Shu, Shi Guangyuan, and others were genuinely envious and happy for Zhuge Liang.

Of course, comparing their own circumstances, they couldn't help but feel a little bitter.

Zhuge Liang then called Huang Yueying out of the house and introduced her to the emperor.

Zhuge Liang said gratefully, "This marriage is all thanks to Your Majesty's matchmaking; I am deeply grateful."

Huang Chengyan and the others were all puzzled. Zhuge Liang explained, "His Majesty told me that my father-in-law is choosing a son-in-law. Your daughter is of exceptional character and appearance and is a suitable match. That's why I went to my father-in-law's house to propose marriage."

Huang Chengyan looked at Liu Xie and bowed again, "I see. I must thank Your Majesty for granting my daughter's marriage."

Pang Degong stroked his beard, secretly alarmed, and couldn't help but ask, "It is said that His Majesty is proficient in divination and can foresee things that ordinary people cannot. Could it be that the marriage between Kongming and Yueying was also calculated by His Majesty?"

Liu Xie nodded, which was considered his tacit agreement. People in ancient times tended to believe in metaphysics, and all inexplicable things could be attributed to divination techniques.

If the predicted outcome has a high enough success rate, it can further enhance Liu Xie's influence.

Being able to predict the future with uncanny foresight naturally inspires greater admiration.

Everyone says Huang Yueying is ugly; even Huang Chengyan said, "I have an ugly daughter in my family."

Because the emperor had arrived, Huang Yueying's veil had been removed.

Since the emperor has come from so far away, she should come out to meet him, both out of courtesy and reason.

Although he only glanced at her briefly, Liu Xie nodded with satisfaction; Huang Yueying was actually not ugly.

However, her skin tone was somewhat dark, with a wheatish complexion and slightly yellowish hair, unlike other women who had fair skin and shiny black hair.

Her figure and appearance were also perfect; if she were alive today, she would be considered a standard beauty.

Dark skin and yellow hair are, frankly speaking, determined by one's genes.

Liu Xie had to say something fair: Huang Yueying was really not an ugly woman; he swore to the lamp that she was not ugly.

Liu Xie was completely unpretentious. He not only brought gifts, but also chatted and laughed with everyone, showing his friendliness and humor.

With so many talented and virtuous people gathered together, it was inevitable that they would discuss the state of the world.

Pang Degong first cupped his hands in greeting, "Your Majesty is diligent in governing the country and is determined to save the nation. Now that Yuan Shao in the north has been executed, Yuan Shang and Yuan Tan are naturally no match for the court."

Lu Bu snorted and said, "I'm afraid you don't know yet, Qingzhou has already submitted to the imperial court, and Yuan Tan is dead."

Liu Xie nodded. "I have also received news of the victory in Ye City."

Liu Xie rode swiftly from Qingzhou to Jingzhou, so he naturally had firsthand information.

Pang Degong was taken aback for a moment, then said admiringly, "I see. This is a blessing for the court. It seems that the court will soon be able to completely pacify the north."

Huang Chengyan said, "If the north is pacified, the overall situation will be basically determined. Among the remaining warlords, Liu Zhang is a member of the Han imperial family and will naturally not oppose the court. Although Zhang Lu occupies the dangerous Hanzhong region, he has no ambition to contend for hegemony and will not pose a great threat to the court. The most difficult to deal with is Jiangdong."

Pang Degong nodded in agreement, “Indeed, although Sun Quan is young, he has inherited the legacy of his father and brother. He is exceptional in both mind and strategy, and has gathered many capable generals around him. Moreover, he occupies the natural barrier of the Yangtze River. I’m afraid he will not easily submit to the court.”

Liu Xie listened quietly to the conversation, finding it very interesting.

Putting aside Liu Zhang and Zhang Lu, Sun Quan was definitely a tough nut to crack. Unlike Liu Biao, he wasn't easily intimidated by Gan Ning.

It won't be easy for the imperial court to extend its reach into Jiangdong; it will probably have no choice but to resort to force.

Lu Bu let out a cold laugh and said arrogantly, "Sun Quan is merely a product of his father's name. If it weren't for the foundation left to him by his father and brothers, he would be nothing but a callow child. What could he possibly achieve?"

Lu Bu was arrogant and looked down on everyone. His martial prowess was unparalleled, so he naturally had the right to look down on others.

No one present argued with him, but Liu Xie noticed that Zhuge Liang was very quiet, his eyes shining, as if he was thinking about something.

"Kongming, what do you think?" Liu Xie asked.

Zhuge Liang frowned and shook his head slightly. "I'm not quite sure yet, but I have a feeling that things are probably not that simple. If the world can be pacified quickly, that would naturally be a great blessing, but I don't believe that the court's only opponent will be Sun Quan of Jiangdong next."

Pang Degong said, "Kongming, but as you have seen, Liu Zhang is weak and incompetent, Zhang Lu only occupies a mere Hanzhong, and Liu Biao has already passed away. Liu Qi has Liu Bei by his side. Taking back Jingzhou is just a piece of cake for the court."

Zhuge Liang, however, seemed somewhat stubborn, saying, "The world situation is constantly changing, and what we see now could change at any moment."

Liu Xie thought of Cao Cao, who, at least for now, had not completely submitted.

However, even if Cao Cao were to turn against him in the future, Liu Xie would have the strength to resist, as evidenced by the blitzkrieg in Qingzhou.

Just like in World War II, when Germany blitzed Poland, Liu Xie's strength gave him an overwhelming advantage. Even Lu Bu and Zhao Yun hadn't had their fill of fighting yet; the battle was over after they had only just begun to test their skills.

With the likes of Lü Bu and Zhao Yun, Liu Xie could easily deal with any enemy, no matter who they were in the future.

Huang Chengyan asked, "Your Majesty, the surrender of Jingzhou to the court is a foregone conclusion. What are your plans regarding Liu Zhang of Yizhou?"

Liu Xie smiled without saying a word, but Zhuge Liang guessed what was going on and said on Liu Xie's behalf, "Your Majesty doing nothing is the best course of action."

"Oh? Kongming, what do you mean by that?" Huang Chengyan asked with a smile.

Huang Chengyan was increasingly satisfied with his son-in-law. Even the emperor had come from afar to attend the wedding, so how could he be wrong?
This is enough to show that the son-in-law is a promising talent, highly valued by the emperor, and has a limitless future.

Liu Xie also turned his gaze to Zhuge Liang, listening to him reveal the answer to the mystery.

Without hesitation, Zhuge Liang blurted out, "His Majesty sent Gan Ning to Xiangyang as its governor. Although he later sent Gan Ning to Changsha, Liu Biao suffered greatly. Not only did he obediently offer money, provisions, and troops to the court, but he also fell ill and eventually lost his life. Everything that happened in Jingzhou serves as the best warning to Liu Zhang. The more His Majesty does nothing, the more anxious Liu Zhang will become." He paused, then smiled mysteriously, "He might even wonder if Liu Biao's death... is also related to His Majesty."

Liu Xie joked, "Kongming, such a statement is not good for my reputation. It makes it seem as if I have harmed Liu Biao."

Zhuge Liang also smiled, "Your Majesty, you don't need to worry. This is just Liu Zhang's own speculation. The more Your Majesty does nothing for him, the more afraid Liu Zhang will become, and the more likely he will have wild thoughts. I'm afraid it won't be long before Liu Zhang takes the initiative to plead guilty and submit to the court."

Liu Xie nodded. "That's right. What Kongming said coincides with what I thought. That's exactly what I did with Liu Zhang."

Liu Xie appointed a governor to Jingzhou and demanded troops and provisions, but he did nothing for Yizhou, not even sending a message to Liu Zhang.

Let Liu Zhang fill in the blanks with his own imagination, let him speculate wildly all day long.

Just as Zhuge Liang said, Liu Zhang even suspected that Liu Biao's death was a conspiracy by the court.

It is suspected that Liu Biao was killed because he disobeyed the emperor and incurred his displeasure.

In this way, Liu Zhang would live in fear every day.

Liu Xie recalled that in official history, Liu Zhang had once sent someone to express his intention to surrender to Cao Cao. At that time, Zhang Song took a map of Xichuan to Xuchang, but Cao Cao ignored him. So Zhang Song joined forces with Fa Zheng and Meng Da and offered Xichuan to Liu Bei.

Therefore, Liu Xie was quite confident in his ability to control Liu Zhang.

Liu Xie did not stay long. After drinking the wedding wine at Zhuge Liang's house and chatting for a while, he decided to leave before dark.

Before leaving, Liu Xie said to Huang Chengyan, "Master Huang, you have a good son-in-law. Congratulations."

Huang Chengyan was beaming from ear to ear; today was the happiest day of his life.

Liu Xie also extended an invitation to Xu Shu, Shi Guangyuan, and others, saying, "The court is in dire need of talent. You are all friends of Zhuge Liang and capable individuals. I am in Xuchang and will be waiting for you at any time."

After Liu Xie left, everyone's minds started to wander.

The more Huang Chengyan looked at Zhuge Liang, the happier he became; he almost treated his son-in-law like his own son.

Pang Degong also decided that no matter what, he must maintain a good relationship with Zhuge Liang and never underestimate him.

Pang Degong even thought of Mr. Shui Jing, Sima Hui, intending to help Zhuge Liang and do him a favor.

Helping others is helping yourself; no family is isolated.

Zhuge Liang was highly regarded by the emperor, so it was naturally better to be his friend than his enemy—a truth even a fool could understand.

Furthermore, Pang Degong's nephew, Pang Shanmin, married Zhuge Liang's second sister, and the Pang family and Zhuge Liang were already very close.

After a conversation with the emperor, Xu Shu, Shi Guangyuan, and the others also expressed their intention to follow him.

In short, Liu Xie's arrival gave everyone present pause for thought.

Pang Degong was not one to drag things out. After leaving Longzhong, he immediately went to Shuijing Villa and met Sima Hui.

The next day, Sima Hui lived up to his friend's expectations and uttered the famous line that would be remembered for all time while chatting with others.

"If you can obtain either the Crouching Dragon or the Young Phoenix, you can bring peace to the world!"

Sima Hui's reputation was so great that his every move caused a great sensation, no less than Xu Zijiang's "Monthly Commentary" back then.

So people inquired about who was the Crouching Dragon and who was the Young Phoenix. Why did these two people possess such magical power that possessing either one would bring peace to the world?

Liu Bei himself was in Xiangyang, only twenty or thirty miles away from Longzhong. When he learned that Zhuge Liang had extraordinary talent, he also had the idea of ​​seeking out such a talent.

On this day, Liu Bei, accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, arrived at Longzhong.

Zhang Fei and Guan Yu were both in low spirits. Zhang Fei muttered to himself halfway there, "Brother, why are you doing this? What kind of sage are you looking for? Don't you already have people like Sun Qian, Jian Yong, and Mi Zhu by your side? Besides them, Ma Liang and Yi Ji from Jingzhou are also quite capable. Why bother coming to Longzhong?"

"The idea that possessing either the Crouching Dragon or the Young Phoenix can bring peace to the world is an exaggeration and should not be taken seriously."

Guan Yu wasn't particularly interested, but since Liu Bei insisted on coming, Guan Yu couldn't bear to refuse, so he came along.

When we arrived at Zhuge Liang's thatched cottage, Zhuge Liang was already at home.

Liu Bei stood respectfully outside the door and waited for a while. When he saw Zhuge Liang's page, he quickly bowed and said, "Please inform him that General Liu Bei requests an audience with Master Zhuge."

The boy paused for a moment, then looked at Liu Bei with surprise.

Then he turned around and went back into the house, and told Zhuge Liang.

Zhuge Liang was taken aback. "Isn't Liu Bei assisting Liu Qi in governing Jingzhou? Why has he come here to me today?"

Zhuge Liang and Liu Bei, this destined couple, met today in a very awkward atmosphere.

Because Zhuge Liang never intended to assist anyone else. People tend to have preconceived notions. He first met the emperor, and the two got along well and admired each other.

The sudden appearance of Liu Bei today has left Zhuge Liang somewhat bewildered.

Liu Bei went inside, leaving Guan Yu and Zhang Fei outside. Upon meeting Zhuge Liang, Liu Bei looked him up and down for a long time, somewhat stunned.

Liu Bei thought that Zhuge Liang, with such a great reputation and such talent, must be an old man, but he did not expect him to be so young.

"Are you the Crouching Dragon, Mr. Zhuge Liang?" Liu Bei bowed deeply to Zhuge Liang and asked sincerely.

Zhuge Liang smiled and nodded, "I have long admired Liu Bei's wise name, but I regret that I have never had the chance to meet him. Indeed, I am Zhuge Kongming."

Liu Bei bowed again, his bow touching the ground, and said with deep concern, "Master Kongming, the Han Dynasty is in decline and the people are suffering. I have been hoping to recruit talented people to help restore the Han Dynasty and protect the country."

Liu Bei's politeness immediately won Zhuge Liang's favor, and he quickly instructed the servant boy, "Serve tea."

Then he invited Liu Bei to sit down. The two sat facing each other. Zhuge Liang waved his feather fan and said, "Uncle Liu, although the Han Dynasty is declining, it is not as serious as you say. His Majesty is a rare wise ruler. He has quickly pacified Qingzhou. Prime Minister Cao's campaign in Hebei is also going very smoothly. Unifying the Central Plains should not be difficult. Uncle Liu, you don't need to be too pessimistic."

Liu Bei shook his head. "Mr. Kongming, you only know one side of the story. Cao Cao is arrogant and domineering, and unwilling to submit to His Majesty. He is the greatest enemy of the court."

(End of this chapter)