Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

Taking advantage of the silence between the two sides, Liu Biao, as if he had never heard the previous ramblings, stepped forward quickly with a look of concern on his face. He lifted Liu Yao to his feet with both hands and pressed him into the seat next to him. He said in a gentle voice, "What are you talking about, my dear brother? Don't be so formal. Relax. Your affairs are my affairs, and I have always been thinking about avenging you. The Yuan brothers are disrespecting the emperor and acting recklessly. As a member of the Han royal family, how can I sit idly by and watch them act so arrogantly?"

He paused slightly, frowned slightly, and showed a bit of embarrassment: "It's just that Jingzhou is currently at war with Wancheng, and the troops are scattered. It takes time to decide where to draw troops from. But don't worry, my dear brother, this is not a difficult matter. You just wait for a few days with peace of mind. Once I have made all the arrangements and prepared the troops, I will immediately help you recapture Yuzhang and let you regain your glory!" As he spoke, he patted Liu Yao's shoulder, his eyes full of brotherly care and firm promise.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yao's eyes moistened again. He stood up excitedly and bowed deeply, saying, "Brother, you are so righteous and kind. I will never forget your kindness! If we can successfully recapture Yuzhang, it will all be thanks to your help. From now on, if you have any instructions, Liu Yao will go through fire and water without hesitation!"

Xu Shao, standing nearby, also hurried forward and bowed respectfully, "Liu Jingzhou is a man of great righteousness. His assistance is truly a blessing to the world. We will fully cooperate and achieve this great cause together."

Liu Biao wore a smile on his face. After sending Liu Yao and Xu Shao away, his expression suddenly changed, and his eyes revealed a hint of shrewdness and calculation. He quickly ordered someone to summon Cai Mao to discuss the matter. A moment later, Cai Mao hurried over and entered the hall with Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue.

Liu Biao sat in the main seat, frowned slightly, and was the first to ask Cai Mao: "Degui, how is the battle of Wancheng going now?"

Cai Mao clasped his fists in salute, his expression slightly solemn as he spoke, "My lord, Wancheng is just a city. Taking it wouldn't be a big problem in the long run. However, the soldiers stationed there are all from the Western Liang Dynasty. The Western Liang cavalry are brave and skilled in combat, making them difficult to deal with. Furthermore, Zhang Xiu and his nephew have been entrenched in Wancheng for a long time, making it extremely strong and easy to defend. When our army was attacking the city, the Western Liang cavalry would frequently harass us, assault our camps, and disrupt our formation, making the siege quite difficult."

Liu Biao nodded slightly, his brow furrowed as he pondered, "Zhang Ji was just one of Dong Zhuo's former generals. How could he have such ability?"

Seeing this, the staff officer beside him hurried forward and said respectfully, "Don't worry, my lord. This is just a matter of time. Wancheng is now isolated and without any help. I don't think it can hold out for much longer."

Kuai Yue's eyes were deep, and he nodded slightly, then continued, "That being said, we still have to be wary of Ma Chao. After all, Ma Chao and Zhang Xiu are from the same clan, and there's no guarantee he won't come to our aid out of respect for their kinship. In my opinion, we should send an envoy to the Emperor and explain that we're retaking Wancheng to wipe out the remnants of Dong Zhuo in Xiliang and uphold the greater good. While sending the envoy, we should also ask the Emperor for permission to send troops to Yuzhang County to help Liu Yao recapture Yuzhang and fight against Yuan Shu. Only by taking the initiative in the greater good and gaining the Emperor's approval can we avoid being passive in future actions."

After hearing this, Liu Biao fell into deep thought. After a moment, he slowly said, "Well, the more you say it, the more reasonable it is. In any case, there is nothing wrong in taking the righteous position."

Cai Mao, however, was somewhat dissatisfied with this. He frowned slightly and said, "My lord, the emperor is now trapped in Chang'an and can barely protect himself. Why should we consult him on everything? Is it really necessary?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Biao's face darkened instantly, his eyes revealing displeasure. He stared at Cai Mao and said, "Degui, this is a legitimate matter and must not be taken lightly. Moreover, if the emperor can truly defeat the two brothers Yuan Shu and Yuan Shao, the empire will have a chance of revival. As a relative of the Han Dynasty, I will do my utmost to help and support the Han Dynasty. Never mention this again, and do not make such foolish remarks again."

Seeing Liu Biao's anger, Cai Mao was startled and quickly admitted his mistake with a fist clasped together: "My lord, you are right. I was confused for a moment and will never make the same mistake again."

The situation in Jingzhou was complicated. Kuai Yue and Kuai Liang watched Cai Mao being reprimanded by Liu Biao, secretly pleased but keeping a straight face. After all, the matter still needed to be carried out, and it couldn't be stalled because of this incident.

Kuai Yue coughed lightly, breaking the brief silence. He looked at Liu Biao and said, "My lord, since General Cai has said so, let's put Wancheng aside for now. Now we should focus on where to send troops to support Liu Yao's attack on Yuzhang County."

Liu Biao nodded slightly, turned his gaze to Cai Mao, and said, "That's fine, Degui, tell me, where is the best place to send troops?"

Cai Mao quickly straightened his clothes and began to analyze the situation carefully. "In my opinion, there's no need to mobilize Cai Zhong and Cai He's navy. Huang Zu of Jiangxia has been stationed here for many years. His troops are well-trained and capable of both naval battles and land assaults. They are elite soldiers and powerful generals. It's only right for him to dispatch his own troops."

After hearing this, Liu Biao pondered for a moment and then slowly said, "If that's the case, then Huang Zu should dispatch his troops to cooperate. However, I don't think it's safe to have no one on the front lines making decisions."

Upon hearing this, Kuai Liang immediately clasped his fists and pleaded, his expression firm: "My Lord, I will take charge of the frontline strategies. I will do my utmost to prevent Liu Yao from taking advantage easily. After all, we helped him recapture Yuzhang County, so he can just be the nominal ruler of Yuzhang."

Liu Biao's eyes flashed with satisfaction, and he said repeatedly, "Very good, Mr. Kuai Liang's words resonate deeply with me. In this case, I will leave this matter to Mr. Kuai Liang. Please be careful and help Liu Yao recapture Yuzhang as soon as possible."

Kuai Liang accepted the order with a bow, already mentally planning his marching strategy and various arrangements for arriving in Yuzhang. Cai Mao, despite having just been reprimanded by Liu Biao, now turned his attention back to the main task and began discussing the details of the expedition, such as the allocation of rations and the marching route. Within the hall, everyone chatted with one another, and a military operation concerning the control of Yuzhang gradually took shape amidst these intensive discussions.

When Liu Yao learned that Liu Biao had decided to send troops to help, he was so excited that his eyes turned red. He held Liu Biao's hands tightly with both hands, and his voice trembled: "Brother is so righteous. How can Liu Yao deserve your help? I will always remember your great kindness and will repay you in the future!" After that, he was about to kneel down to salute. Liu Biao hurriedly supported him with a concerned smile on his face.

Liu Biao patted Liu Yao's shoulder gently and said in a polite manner, "Don't be so formal, my dear brother. I'm just really reluctant to leave you. We haven't been together long enough. I really want you to stay a little longer."

Liu Yao was terribly anxious, eager to lead his troops to Yuzhang immediately. He had no time to delay. He suppressed his inner anxiety and said with a forced smile, "I understand your friendship, brother. However, speed is of the essence in war right now, and the battle in Yuzhang is urgent. We can't delay even a moment. I can't wait to set off immediately to recapture Yuzhang as soon as possible, so that you can have less trouble."

Liu Biao sighed deeply and said with feigned regret, "Never mind, since you have made up your mind, I cannot keep you any longer. You must be very careful on this expedition. I have arranged for Mr. Kuai Liang to accompany you. He is resourceful and will surely be able to lend you a helping hand."

Liu Yao quickly thanked him, "With Mr. Kuai Liang's help, Liu Yao is even more powerful. Don't worry, brother. I will definitely live up to your expectations."

On the day of the expedition, Liu Biao led a group of generals to see Liu Yao off. Liu Biao held Liu Yao's hand and repeatedly urged him, "My dear brother, take care on your journey. If you encounter any difficulties, be sure to send someone to inform me promptly." Liu Yao nodded repeatedly, his eyes filled with gratitude and determination.

After a hypocritical farewell, Liu Yao and Xu Shao, accompanied by Kuai Liang, sailed downstream in the direction of Jiangxia, led by Yu Mi and the remaining troops from Yuzhang. As Liu Biao watched Liu Yao's retreating figure, his smile gradually faded, and a subtle shrewdness and calculation flashed in his eyes, as if he was calculating the potential benefits of this expedition to Yuzhang.

Liu Yao and his entourage arrived in Jiangxia, exhausted. Huang Zu was already at the city gate to greet them, but all his enthusiasm was focused on Kuai Liang. Upon seeing Kuai Liang, Huang Zu beamed, stepped forward, and tightly grasped Kuai Liang's hands, saying, "Mr. Kuai, your presence truly brings honor to our humble home in Jiangxia! Thank you for your hard work along the way!"

Huang Zu, on the other hand, simply glanced at Liu Yao, Xu Shao, and the others, nodded slightly, and then ignored them. Their attitudes were completely different. Liu Yao felt an indignation. He was, after all, a local lord, and even though he was now in dire straits, he shouldn't be looked down upon like this. His face flushed slightly, and he unconsciously clenched his fists, thinking to himself, "This Huang Zu is too arrogant!"

Xu Shao noticed Liu Yao's displeasure, and hurriedly touched him gently, and whispered: "My lord, there is no need to be angry about this. We still have to rely on them to send troops to conquer Yuzhang, so please be patient for a while." Liu Yao took a deep breath, suppressed the anger in his heart, and nodded silently.

After everyone arrived at the mansion and took their seats, Kuai Liang cleared his throat and solemnly announced Liu Biao's order: "By order of our lord, General Huang Zu will lead his troops to assist General Liu Yao in retaking Yuzhang. General Huang has been stationed in Jiangxia for a long time, and his men are all elite. We must work together on this expedition and live up to our lord's trust."

Huang Zu quickly stood up, clasped his fists and accepted the order: "I will do my best to obey Mr. Kuai's orders and live up to my mission!" After saying that, he glanced at Liu Yao again, with a slight smile on his lips, showing a hint of imperceptible contempt.

Although Liu Yao was furious, he could only stand up and say, "With the help of General Huang and Mr. Kuai, the recapture of Yuzhang is just around the corner. I hope we can all work together to reclaim our lost territory in Yuzhang soon." Before he could finish his words, Huang Zu chuckled with an ambiguous meaning, a hint of undisguised contempt on his face. He slowly said, "General Liu, that's easy to say. Back then, you also controlled Yuzhang, but were defeated by Yuan Shu and lost everything, unable to even hold your own territory. Now you have to rely on us to help recapture it. Don't let down your guard and miss out on important matters."

Liu Yao's face flushed crimson, his hands clenched into fists. Veins bulged on the backs of his hands, his nails digging into his palms. Fury burned within him, and he longed to confront Huang Zu. But when he thought of his current predicament, and how the recapture of Yuzhang depended on Huang Zu's military presence, he swallowed his anger.

Seeing this, Xu Shao quickly used his eyes to signal Liu Yao to calm down, and he tried to smooth things over by saying, "General Huang, you're joking. Let bygones be bygones. Now that we share a common goal, working together to recapture Yuzhang is our top priority. I believe that under General Huang's heroic leadership, we will surely achieve victory."

Although the relationship was maintained on the surface, Liu Yao knew in his heart that the cooperation with Huang Zu would not be smooth sailing, and the road ahead would be full of thorns and challenges.