Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

An aide analyzed, "But he didn't completely block the way. At least, he didn't side with the eunuch faction or those upright officials."

He said he wanted to go back to Youzhou...it seems he really doesn't want to stay in this mess in Luoyang any longer.

"That's true."

He Jin stroked his chin. "This man holds military power and is also known as His Majesty's 'Imperial Brother.' If we can recruit him as an ally, he will be a great help. Even if we cannot, we must never make him our enemy."

The aide nodded: "That's right. Since he values ​​the foundation of Youzhou, the general could perhaps start from that point."

For example, could you provide some assistance with the allocation of provisions and weapons? Or could you recommend a few of his trusted confidants for positions in various prefectures of Youzhou?

He Jin's eyes lit up: "That makes sense! We can't just rely on empty words. We also need to have our sister work harder on His Majesty and Bian'er."

Liu Ce seems to have a good impression of Bian'er. Take your time, no rush.

Little did he know that Liu Ce's impression of the somewhat timid eldest son, Liu Bian, was merely that he was "not bad."

As for Empress He's "kung fu"... Liu Ce only wanted to keep his distance.

Leaving the General's Mansion, we walked back to the Zhen Mansion.

Zhao Yun rode closer to Liu Ce and whispered:

"Brother, General He is very eager to win him over."

"I can tell."

Liu Ce gazed at the bustling crowds on the streets of Luoyang and said calmly,

"His appetite is big, but his capital isn't solid enough. The price he's offering sounds good, but it's actually a pipe dream. Getting too tied to him could easily drag you down with him."

Zhao Yun nodded: "Brother, you are wise. But will such a refusal offend the He family?"

"It can't be bad."

Liu Ce shook his head. "As long as I don't explicitly side with Zhang Rang or the aristocratic families, He Jin will have to continue trying to win me over. He needs strong allies more than anyone else. As for us, let's maintain this distance, not too close, not too distant."

He paused, then continued his analysis:

"We should accept the benefits that are rightfully ours, such as provisions and military equipment. We shouldn't refuse them."

Such perfunctory promises, such as offering guidance to the prince, can also be accepted.

But the core principle is: we must not be used as pawns by him, and we must not get involved in the specific struggles in Luoyang.

"Our foundation," Liu Ce patted the sword at his waist, "is in Youzhou, on the hilt of the sword in our hands."

Zhao Yun seemed to be deep in thought.

Liu Ce suddenly laughed, a smile tinged with amusement:

"Besides, do you think only He Jin is trying to win us over?"

Zhao Yun was taken aback.

"Zhang Rang's side will probably make a move soon too."

Liu Ce continued, "Do you think His Majesty appointed me to such a high position and frequently summoned me to the palace just to reward me for my achievements?"

He paused, then lowered his voice:

"The art of emperors is nothing more than this. His Majesty wants me to check and balance—to check the maternal relatives He Jin, to check the powerful families, and to check the eunuchs."

We're like a hot commodity right now; everyone wants a bite, but everyone's afraid of getting hurt.

Zhao Yun suddenly realized: "So that's why Brother hasn't given a clear answer?"

"Yes." Liu Ce nodded. "Stay calm and remain steadfast in the face of any eventuality. Focus on our business, and then... find an opportunity to escape this predicament in Luoyang."

He looked up at the sky.

As the sun sets, a fiery glow spreads across the sky.

"Let's go back to the Zhen residence." Liu Ce spurred his horse. "We'll be busy tomorrow."

The two rode off on horseback and soon disappeared at the end of the street.

Meanwhile, in the General's mansion, He Jin was still discussing matters with his advisors.

"Tell me, what exactly does that kid Liu Ce want?" He Jin asked, frowning.

The aide pondered, "This man may look young, but he is quite shrewd."

In my opinion, what he wants is something tangible: military power, territory, and autonomy, not just empty promises.

"Then let's give him something real!" He Jin slammed his hand on the table. "Draft a proposal and see where we can get some food and military supplies for him."

Also, does our He family have anyone with influence in Youzhou? Find an opportunity to make contact with his people.

"Yes."

He Jin thought for a moment and said, "I'll go to the palace tomorrow and talk to my sister about it."

"Have her say a few good words for Liu Ce in front of His Majesty. Isn't he going back to Youzhou? Let His Majesty give him some preferential treatment."

He picked up his glass, downed it in one gulp, and a glint of shrewdness flashed in his eyes:

"Liu Ce, Liu Ce, I refuse to believe I can't crush this tough nut!"

At this moment, Liu Ce had already returned to the Zhen residence.

Dian Wei stepped forward and his first words were, "My lord, is the food at the General's mansion good? Is there meat?"

Liu Ce laughed: "Yes, lots of meat."

"Have you eaten yet?" Dian Wei asked expectantly. "I haven't eaten yet."

Liu Ce then realized that he had been so busy dealing with He Jin that he hadn't eaten much. He patted his stomach.

"We're still not full. Come on, let's have a good meal together."

"Alright!" Dian Wei laughed.

The three walked towards the backyard, and Zhao Yun asked:

"Brother, what are your plans next?"

Liu Ce thought for a moment: "Zhang Rang will probably send someone over in the next couple of days."

We'll deal with things as they come. Then... we need to finish things in Luoyang as soon as possible and head to Youzhou.

He paused, then chuckled, "Luoyang looks prosperous, but it's actually a huge quagmire. If you stay too long, you'll easily get stuck."

The three of them walked towards the backyard, chatting and laughing.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone warmly on the courtyard of the Zhen residence.

Liu Ce thought to himself: Youzhou, that's my real territory. Once I'm there, the emperor is far away, and I can slack off however I want.

As for the rights and wrongs in Luoyang... it's best to avoid them if possible.

One of the principles of slacking off is to stay away from the center of power so that you can slack off with peace of mind.

……

That afternoon, in the backyard of the Cai family mansion in Luoyang.

Several old locust trees grow in the yard, their branches and leaves dense, filtering the afternoon sunlight into dappled patches of light.

Several futons surrounded a lacquered wooden table, on which were placed cool tea, several plates of snacks—date cakes, and some kind of fruit whose names were unknown.

Even the ceramic plates used to serve snacks are engraved with exquisite intertwined floral patterns, clearly indicating that they come from a family with refined tastes.

It was the very picture of a literary gathering.

Seated in the main seat was Cai Yong, a great Confucian scholar who was waving a bamboo fan and smiling as he prepared to begin today's topic.

To his left was Lu Zhi, who had just been reinstated. Although his face still bore the traces of his imprisonment, he was in good spirits.

On the right is Kong Rong, the Kong Rong who "shared the pears". He is now a middle-aged scholar, but the arrogance in his eyes is still there.

Next were Han Shuo, Ma Ridi, Yang Biao, and Huangfu Song. This old general sat upright among a group of scholars, a stark contrast to the others' relaxed posture.

"Gentlemen," Cai Yong said, shaking his bamboo fan, preparing to begin his speech.

"I recently acquired a new annotation of the Nineteen Ancient Poems, written by a recluse. Please take a look at the interpretation of the line 'The Cowherd and the Weaver Girl'..."

Before he could finish speaking, Kong Rong suddenly slammed his hand on the table!

The noise made the teapot rattle against the rim of the bowl, making a clanging sound.

"Let's not talk about the new annotations yet!" Kong Rong's voice was quite loud. "You've all heard, haven't you? Marquis Liu Ce, the Champion, wrote two poems at the Drunken Spring Pavilion a few days ago!"

The moment those words were spoken, the entire courtyard fell silent for half a second.