Eastern Han Dynasty, not the Three Kingdoms

At the banquet, everyone was talking happily, but Cai Mao's sudden question instantly broke the originally joyful and harmonious atmosphere. Everyone stopped talking and cast their eyes on Cai Mao and the soldier, full of confusion. Liu Biao also put down his wine glass and asked, "Degui, since the soldier has come to report, how is the war going?"

Cai Mao sighed inwardly at Liu Biao's call, knowing he couldn't escape. He gritted his teeth and hurried over to the three men, bowing solemnly. Huang Chengyan's spirits perked up at this, his face lit with anticipation as he asked, "Has there been another victory report from Yuzhang County?" Liu Biao stroked his beard, his lips curling up in a knowing smile. "Yes, Degui, tell the two gentlemen the good news quickly. Don't keep us in suspense."

However, Cai Mao's face was extremely grim at this moment, his lips trembling slightly, and he was speechless for a long time. Liu Biao's heart skipped a beat, and an ominous premonition came over him. Could something have happened? But then he thought, now that Yuan Shu had retreated, his side had occupied Yuzhang County and the northern counties. Only the south was left to confront Sun Ce, so he didn't expect anything serious to happen. He forced himself to remain calm and said in a deep voice, "Degui, if you have anything to say, just tell me. Why are you hiding it?"

Cai Mao took a deep breath, plopped down on his knees, and spoke with a trembling voice, "My lord, the news from Yuzhang County this time is not victory, but tragic news. General Huang Zu and Mr. Kuai Liang fell into Sun Ce's trap and were both captured. They are now Sun Ce's hostages. Sun Ce used this as a threat, and Yuzhang County has already fallen into his hands. Even the northern counties we previously occupied have been surrendered by the defenders out of fear of losing their lives."

As soon as these words were spoken, it was like a thunderclap exploding across the banquet table. Liu Biao's face flushed crimson, veins popping out on his forehead. He fiercely kicked over the table in front of him, sending cups, plates, and chopsticks scattering to the floor. He roared in fury, "What the hell are Huang Zu and Kuai Liang doing?! They're so incompetent, yet they fell for that immature Sun Ce's scheme, losing Yuzhang and getting themselves into trouble. They've done more harm than good!"

Huang Chengyan's face instantly turned pale, and he staggered, nearly losing his balance. He was filled with shock and pain. He gathered himself, suppressed his anger, stepped forward, and said, "Your Excellency, now is not the time to hold anyone accountable. The most urgent task is to rescue my nephew and Mr. Kuai. Zu'er has devoted himself to serving Jingxiang, and his capture was truly unexpected. I hope Your Excellency, in consideration of his past contributions, will do everything in your power to rescue him."

Liu Biao's fury intensified upon hearing this. Just as he was about to explode, he thought of the Huang and Kuai families' influence among the aristocratic families of Jingzhou. He swallowed back the harsh words that were on his lips, his face turning pale. Suppressing his emotions, he muttered, "Hmph, I naturally knew to save them. Do I need you to remind me?"

Huang Chengyan could sense the dissatisfaction in Liu Biao's words, but he didn't care. He bowed again, his words earnest yet firm, "Your Excellency, if anything happens to Zu'er, the Huang family will be hard-pressed to explain. Please ensure his safe return. The Huang family is willing to do everything in our power to assist you."

Liu Biao was completely frustrated by Huang Chengyan's almost coercive attitude. Though furious, he dared not act rashly. He glared at Cai Mao, who lay on the ground, and shouted, "What are you still standing there for! Immediately prepare for a rescue and negotiation. If Huang Zu and Kuai Liang cannot be saved, you will be held responsible!" Cai Mao kowtowed, replied "Yes," and hurriedly withdrew. Watching Cai Mao's retreating figure, Liu Biao secretly clenched his fists, his heart filled with resentment and frustration, yet he had no choice but to compromise with the attitude of the aristocratic family.

The banquet ended in a bad mood. Liu Biao was anxious and hurried back to his mansion. He immediately sent someone to summon all his civil and military officials to discuss countermeasures.

Soon, the conference room was filled with people, all with varying expressions, whispering among themselves, and the atmosphere was heavy and oppressive. Liu Biao sat high in the main seat, his face so gloomy that it seemed as if water could drip out. After glancing around at the crowd, he cleared his throat heavily, breaking the silence: "You all know about the Yuzhang incident. Now that Huang Zu and Kuai Liang have been captured, most of Yuzhang has fallen into the hands of Sun Ce. What are your thoughts? Tell us!"

As soon as he finished speaking, Cai Zhong stepped forward, clasped his fists, and said, "My lord, I am willing to lead a group of elite soldiers to attack Sun Ce's lair, rescue General Huang and Mr. Kuai, and recapture Yuzhang!"

Before Liu Biao could reply, Pang Shanmin shook his head and retorted, "No, no, no. If Sun Ce dares to act this way, he must have some precautions. The battle in Wancheng is still ongoing. If we rashly withdraw our forces to attack Yuzhang, we will not only fail to rescue our lives, but will also suffer heavy casualties, leaving us vulnerable to attack from both sides."

Everyone argued back and forth, but no one could come up with a perfect solution that would satisfy Liu Biao. Liu Biao became increasingly frustrated, his brow furrowing ever deeper. He slammed the table and said, "Stop arguing! With so many people under my command, can't I come up with a decent solution?"

At this time, Kuai Yue, who had been silent the entire time, slowly spoke up: "My lord, in my opinion, we should first send an envoy to Sun Ce's camp to negotiate. Firstly, this will buy time, giving us an opportunity to secretly deploy troops; secondly, it will test Sun Ce's true intentions and his bottom line, and see if other conditions can be offered in exchange for Huang Zu and Kuai Liang."

Liu Biao pondered for a moment, then nodded slightly. "That's a good idea. However, the selection of the envoy must be carefully considered. Who is up to this important task?" Everyone looked at each other, no one answering. Suddenly, a young voice rang out from the corner: "My lord, I am willing to go." Everyone looked in the direction of the voice. It was the newly rising Yi Ji...

In the meeting room, Liu Biao looked at Yi Ji, who had volunteered, with a worried look on his face. His brow furrowed, his tone filled with anxiety and worry. "Yi Ji, this trip to Sun Ce's camp to negotiate is a matter of great importance. Are you confident? How do you plan to handle it?"

Yi Ji stepped forward, his posture erect and his expression confident and composed. He spoke methodically, "Don't worry, my lord. This time, I will first express my respect for Sun Ce and affirm his strength and prestige in Jiangdong, thereby easing the tension. Speaking of General Huang Zu and Mr. Kuai Liang, I will explain the benefits of peaceful coexistence between Jingzhou and Jiangdong, thereby avoiding the harm of war to the people of both sides. Then, I will appeal to Sun Ce's emotions, explaining their importance to Jingzhou and their contributions to the people, and awakening his compassion. Finally, I will promise him generous benefits, such as a thousand dan of grain and fodder and a hundred fine horses, to meet his needs for expanding his strength."

Liu Biao listened to Yi Ji's response, his expression gradually relaxing. He nodded repeatedly, but he remained concerned as he warned, "Whatever you do, you must ensure the safe return of Huang Zu and Kuai Liang. They are extremely important to us in Jingzhou. You must not take them lightly."

Yi Ji knelt on one knee and solemnly accepted the order: "My lord, I will keep your instructions in mind and do my best to live up to your expectations." After that, he stood up, strode out of the conference room with firm belief and mission, and embarked on the road to Yuzhang County for negotiations.

Within Jingzhou, the attitudes of the aristocratic families loomed like a massive obstacle, hindering Liu Biao's progress. The Huang and Kuai families exerted constant pressure, their words defending Huang Zu and Kuai Liang, even hinting at threats. If Liu Biao punished them too harshly, they would secretly obstruct Jingzhou affairs. Meanwhile, the battle for Wancheng remained stalemated, with the outcome undecided. Jingzhou's military resources and energy were heavily tied up there, leaving them unable to open a new front against Sun Ce.

After weighing the pros and cons, Liu Biao had no choice but to order the Jingzhou army to be stationed on the border. On the one hand, he hoped that through military deterrence, Sun Ce would be afraid to invade Jingzhou easily; on the other hand, he also hoped to provide timely support and protection when Huang Zu and Kuai Liang returned.

Despite his intense anger towards Huang Zu and Kuai Liang, Liu Biao dared not punish them lightly. Every thought of their defeat and capture, which had destabilized the situation in Yuzhang, filled Liu Biao with rage. However, he understood that at this sensitive moment, any inappropriate handling of the situation could cause unrest within Jingzhou. The powerful aristocratic families might seize the opportunity to rebel, alienate him, or even secretly collude with Sun Ce. Therefore, he could only suppress his anger and resentment, awaiting the outcome of Yi Ji's negotiations, praying that things would turn around and allow Jingzhou to safely overcome this crisis.

After receiving the order, Yi Ji rode at full speed to Yuzhang County, his mission in mind. By then, Sun Ce had already occupied the entire county and sat majestically in the county seat. With Huang Zu and Kuai Liang captured, the garrison commanders in northern Yuzhang were leaderless and their morale was unsettled.

After arriving, Yi Ji rested briefly before requesting an audience with Sun Ce. He was ushered into the main hall, where Sun Ce sat at the head of the table, surrounded by a throng of generals and soldiers, a towering presence. Yi Ji remained composed and bowed, "I have long heard of General Sun's renown. Meeting him today, I can see he truly lives up to his reputation."

Sun Ce looked at Yi Ji, his lips curled up slightly with a hint of teasing. "Why did Liu Biao send you here? Are you trying to persuade me to release Huang Zu and Kuai Liang?" Yi Ji smiled faintly, neither servile nor arrogant, "General, you are wise. My lord Liu Biao knows you are a brave and valiant man. This incident in Yuzhang was a misunderstanding. General Huang Zu and Mr. Kuai Liang were wholeheartedly concerned for the people of Jingxiang and had no intention of offending you. Now that they have been captured, my lord is deeply concerned."

Sun Ce sneered, "Are you so anxious? Liu Biao sent troops to attack Yuzhang earlier, but did he ever consider this day? It's not that easy to get me to release them." Yi Ji remained expressionless and continued, "General, Jingzhou and Jiangdong could have coexisted peacefully, jointly resisting foreign enemies. Now, if both sides go to war over Huang Zu and Kuai Liang, not only will it cause great suffering, but it could also give other forces an opportunity to exploit. My lord is willing to offer a thousand dan of grain and fodder, and a hundred fine horses, in exchange. I hope you will grant this."

After hearing this, Sun Ce pondered to himself. Although he had occupied Yuzhang, his foundation was not yet stable. If he went to war with Jingzhou at this time, he might indeed be in trouble. Moreover, food and good horses were exactly what he needed. After a moment's silence, Sun Ce spoke, "I can accept the food and good horses. But Huang Zu and Kuai Liang were defeated by me. Wouldn't it damage my reputation to release them?"

Yi Ji was well prepared and quickly said, "General, rest assured. My lord will announce to the world that the capture of Huang Zu and Kuai Liang was due to your extraordinary strategy, not their incompetence. This way, your reputation will not only be preserved, but your magnanimity will be further demonstrated."

Upon hearing this, Sun Ce burst into laughter. "Well, Yi Ji, you are indeed a gifted eloquent speaker. For your sake, I will release Huang Zu and Kuai Liang. But you must go back and tell Liu Biao that if he dares to invade Jiangdong again, don't blame me for being rude!" Yi Ji was overjoyed and bowed again. "Thank you, General! I will convey your wishes faithfully."

Thus, Yi Ji, with his exceptional eloquence and adaptability, successfully persuaded Sun Ce and successfully brought back Huang Zu and Kuai Liang. Upon hearing this, the people of Jingzhou breathed a sigh of relief, and Yi Ji, having achieved great success, rose to prominence in Jingzhou.