Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Xu Shao listened to Liu Biao and his advisors' words from the side, knowing full well that they were simply perfunctory. However, he also understood that, given their current situation as dependents, Liu Biao's words were quite impressive. Furthermore, his words were clearly waiting for them to initiate the conversation, asking Liu Biao to meet with Yuan Shu's envoys.

So, Xu Shao gently touched Liu Yao's arm, signaling him not to rush to agree. Liu Yao was about to nod to accept Liu Biao's invitation, but after being touched by Xu Shao, he did not respond immediately. Xu Shao stepped forward and said respectfully: "Liu Jingzhou's sincere loyalty to the Han Dynasty and the Han Dynasty is truly admired by us. I am also deeply impressed by your loyalty to my lord. It's just that the envoy sent by Yuan Shu is still waiting outside the city, which makes Liu Jingzhou seem a little neglectful. After all, he is also an envoy of a local lord. My lord and I already understand Liu Jingzhou's attitude and determination, and naturally we will not stop him. We will take our leave now. I hope Liu Jingzhou will not have any scruples and will still meet him as he should."

Liu Biao was slightly startled by Xu Shao's words, but then a meaningful smile appeared on his face. He said, "Mr. Xu is absolutely right. It was I who was inconsiderate. In that case, I will go and meet Yan Xiang and see what he has to say. My dear brother, let's reschedule today's banquet for another day. After I meet the envoy, we can discuss this matter in detail."

Liu Yao quickly clasped his fists and said, "Brother, official business is more important, and I will understand. Then I will take my leave and wait for your news." After that, Liu Yao and Xu Shao bowed and said goodbye to Liu Biao and others, turned around and left the city lord's mansion.

After Liu Yao and the other two left, Liu Biao's face instantly darkened. He turned to look at Kuai Yue and others and said, "Xu Shao is a smart man. It seems they are not stupid either. However, I want to see what tricks this Yuan Shu's envoy can play." Kuai Yue nodded slightly, a cunning gleam in his eyes, and said, "Don't worry, my lord. No matter what Yan Xiang says, we will just deal with it." Everyone smiled at each other, and they already had a plan in mind, and walked towards the conference room.

The defenders galloped back to the city lord's residence, breathless, and reported Yan Xiang's reaction to Liu Biao in detail. Liu Biao was immediately flustered when Yan Xiang threatened to fight Jingzhou. He knew his words were just a show of force; he had no real intention of antagonizing Yuan Shu and making such a formidable enemy for no reason.

Kuai Yue and the others saw Liu Biao's panicked expression and realized that things had gotten out of hand. They quickly advised, "Don't worry, my lord. Yan Xiang was just bluffing. Yuan Shu is currently under attack from many sides and won't easily start a war with us. But we can't let this situation get out of hand. We still need to go outside the city to appease him."

Liu Biao nodded slightly, took a deep breath, and said calmly, "Okay, then come with me to the outside of the city. We can't let Yuan Shu really think that we are afraid of him." After that, he took Cai Mao, Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and others and hurried out of the city.

At this moment, Yan Xiang saw the gates of Xiangyang wide open from afar and was secretly pleased with himself, knowing that Liu Biao and his men were losing their patience. He calmly instructed his followers, "Listen up, everyone! Pretend to leave and teach them a lesson. Let Liu Biao know that we are not to be trifled with." Everyone obeyed his orders and acted as if they were preparing to depart.

Liu Biao and his companions arrived outside the city and saw Yan Xiang and his group preparing to leave, which made them even more anxious. Liu Biao quickly shouted, "Mr. Yan Xiang, please stay! I was inconsiderate just now and I apologize for any offense. I hope you will forgive me."

Yan Xiang pretended not to hear and continued to order his followers to pack up. Cai Mao was impatient and could not help but shout, "Yan Xiang, my master has already asked to stay, don't be so shameless!"

Kuai Yue glared at Cai Mao, then quickly stepped forward and said with a smile, "Mr. Yan Xiang, my master has always respected General Yuan Shu. What he said just now was just an attempt to silence the people. I hope you can understand my master's difficulties and not argue with us."

Yan Xiang then slowly turned around, a half-smile on his face, and said, "Liu Jingzhou, I thought you were a man of integrity, but I didn't expect you to be nothing more than a hypocrite. Since you've said so, I'll give you a favor and let you stay for now. But I have to say this: if you dare to look down on my master like this again, don't blame me for being rude."

Liu Biao's face turned red and white, but for the sake of the overall situation, he could only swallow his anger and forced a smile, saying: "Don't worry, sir, I, Liu Biao, have no such intention. Please come into the city, and we will discuss it properly." After that, he made a gesture of invitation.

Yan Xiang snorted coldly and swaggered into the city with his entourage. Liu Biao and the others followed behind, each with their own plans. Liu Biao gritted his teeth, determined to find a chance to get revenge. Meanwhile, Kuai Yue and the others were contemplating how to handle the upcoming negotiations with Yan Xiang, striving to maximize benefits for Jingzhou without angering Yuan Shu...

After entering the city, Liu Biao invited Yan Xiang and the others to the reception room of the city lord's mansion and ordered the servants to serve good tea. Everyone took their seats, divided into host and guest positions.

Everyone took their seats in the reception room of the City Lord's Mansion, their respective guests and hosts. The atmosphere was momentarily tense. After the servants served tea, Kuai Yue was the first to break the silence. With a gentle smile on his face, he asked Yan Xiang, "Mr. Yan Xiang, you have come all the way to Jingzhou this time, so you must have something important to tell me. I wonder what General Yuan Shu wants you to do? I hope you will be frank and tell me."

Yan Xiang raised his chin slightly, a hint of arrogance in his eyes. He cleared his throat and began to question the general. "Hmph, my lord, General Yuan Shu, sent me here to ask Liu Jingzhou why you took in Liu Yao. Liu Yao was a defeated general of my lord and an enemy of my lord. What are your intentions in taking him in? Are you trying to make an enemy of my lord, Yuan Shu?"

Kuai Yue maintained his smile and spoke calmly, "Mr. Yan Xiang, please don't be angry. Let me explain in detail. My master, Liu Biao, is a descendant of the Han Dynasty and has always taken it as his responsibility to uphold the Han Dynasty. Liu Yao is also a descendant of the Han Dynasty. Now that he has fallen on hard times and has come to seek refuge with us, if my master refuses him, wouldn't that chill the hearts of all the Han Dynasty members? Furthermore, my master's action is also to demonstrate the benevolence and righteousness of the Han Dynasty, to let the world know that Jingzhou is a benevolent and righteous country and will not sit idly by when faced with those in trouble."

Yan Xiang sneered and retorted, "Don't try to fool me with your Han royal family connections, righteousness, and morality! Liu Yao is fighting with my lord for Yuzhang and is his enemy. By taking him in, you are clearly challenging my lord's dignity."

Kuai Yue shook his head and said seriously, "Sir, you are wrong. My lord has no grudge against General Yuan Shu, and taking Liu Yao in is not meant to antagonize him. The world is in chaos now, with the princes rising up. As ministers of the Han Dynasty, we should unite and support the Han Dynasty. My lord took Liu Yao in because he hoped to contribute more to the revival of the Han Dynasty. Moreover, Liu Yao is already in Jingzhou. If General Yuan Shu insists on taking him away, it would be bad for his reputation. People would say that General Yuan Shu is too narrow-minded and can't tolerate a defeated general."

Kuai Liang nodded slightly and said, "That's right, Mr. Yan Xiang. My master has always respected General Yuan Shu. He took Liu Yao in this time out of kindness and righteousness, and has no other ulterior motives. I hope you can convey our intentions to General Yuan Shu. We are all subjects of the Han Dynasty, so peace is the most important thing. Don't let this trivial matter damage the relationship."

After hearing what Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang said, Yan Xiang's expression eased a little, but he still said somewhat unwillingly: "Having said that, Liu Yao has always been a big worry for my lord. If you really want to show that you have no intention of being an enemy of my lord, hand over Liu Yao. Otherwise, my lord will probably not let it go." The atmosphere in the reception room became tense again.

After hearing Yan Xiang's words, Cai Mao could no longer suppress his rage. He stood up with a bang, his eyes wide open, and shouted, "Yan Xiang, your words are too rude! You are clearly threatening Jingzhou! My master is trying to reason with you, but you are so ungrateful. Let me tell you, Jingzhou is strong and powerful. How could we be afraid of you, Yuan Shu? If you have the guts, come on and see who will have the last laugh!"

Yan Xiang glanced at Cai Mao unhurriedly, a scornful smile on his face. He slowly stood up, straightened his sleeves, and assumed a superior demeanor. He raised his chin slightly and spoke, "General Cai, don't be so impulsive. Do you think you can challenge my lord with just the limited forces you have in Jingzhou? My Yuan family has held three high officials for four generations, and our students and officials are spread across the country. We have a deep foundation, far beyond your imagination. My lord, Yuan Shu, now dominates the south, his power at its peak, and he echoes his brother, Yuan Shao, in the north. All the princes in the world are eager to join him. Even the Emperor of Heaven is powerless against our Yuan family."

After a pause, a trace of resentment flashed in Yan Xiang's eyes, and he continued, "Back then, after the Emperor defeated Dong Zhuo, he treated my Yuan family unfairly and poorly. If not, how could my Yuan family end up in the current situation of strife with the princes of the world? My Yuan family has no choice but to take this initiative, just to seek justice."

His gaze swept towards Liu Biao, and his tone became even more aggressive. "Liu Jingzhou, although you are a relative of the Han Dynasty, Jingzhou is mostly occupied by aristocratic families. Do you think these aristocratic families will become enemies of the world's aristocratic families for you? My lord Yuan Shu has friendly relations with many aristocratic families in the world. If you insist on opposing my lord, then, I am afraid that the people in Jingzhou will also be in panic and there will be no peace. I hope you will think twice before acting, and do not make the wrong decision based on the whim of the moment."

Cai Mao was about to retort, but Liu Biao raised his hand to stop him. Liu Biao's face darkened as he pondered Yan Xiang's words. He knew Yan Xiang's words were not without reason. The aristocratic families of Jingzhou were indeed a force to be reckoned with. If they truly became enemies with Yuan Shu, their attitude would be crucial.

Seeing this, Kuai Yue stepped forward and said, "Mr. Yan Xiang, General Cai has a quick temper. I hope you won't take offense. My master has always been reluctant to make enemies, and taking in Liu Yao isn't meant to antagonize General Yuan Shu. I hope you can convey our sincerity to General Yuan Shu, and we can sit down and discuss a solution that will achieve both ends and avoid war and the devastation that will follow."

Yan Xiang snorted coldly and said, "I hope you can know the current situation and not refuse a toast and then drink a forfeit. I will go back and tell my lord about your attitude. As for what my lord decides, it depends on your performance." After that, he shook his sleeves and turned to leave with his entourage.