My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 221 Dong Zhao Returns to Xu
Liu Feng was unaware of Taishi Ci and Pan Zhang's thoughts. He simply turned to Gao Shun and said, "Your words, Teacher and Filial Father, are all out of love for me. I will definitely pay attention to this matter next time and be more cautious."

Liu Feng's solemn acceptance surprised Zhang Liao, angered Pan Zhang, pleased Gao Shun, and made Taishi Ci feel sour.

However, Taishi Ci was not a narrow-minded person; he was also a man of great loyalty and righteousness.

Although he felt a bit disgusted with Gao Shun, he only thought about being more wary of this scheming person in the future, and did not have any intention of suppressing him.

Liu Feng didn't seem to care at all.

He had been drinking, and with the wind blowing against him, the effects of the alcohol were building up, making him feel tired. He just wanted to get back to camp to rest as soon as possible.

Upon returning to the main camp, they discovered that Guan Yu was still awake, reading the Spring and Autumn Annals while waiting for Liu Feng in his tent.

Upon seeing Liu Feng return, Guan Yu showed concern for what had happened, but held Cao Cao's generals in contempt.

Nothing more was said that night.

The next day, Cao Cao actually took the initiative to visit the Xuzhou army camp, accompanied only by a few horsemen. It has to be said that the courage of this hero was truly unmatched by ordinary people.

Especially after Cao Cao arrived, he acted as if nothing had happened, as if nothing unpleasant had ever occurred at the banquet the previous night.

This made Liu Feng feel very ashamed. It must be because he hadn't scolded her harshly enough. He needed to improve next time.

After taking a stroll, Cao Cao stayed at the Xuzhou military camp for lunch.

During lunch, he and Guan Yu became very familiar with each other and even chatted about the past.

It seems that when Liu Bei went to Danyang with Cao Cao to recruit soldiers, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei must have been by his side.

Starting in the afternoon, grain ships arrived continuously, unloading large quantities of grain, which greatly replenished the Xuzhou loyalist army.

However, grain could only be transported by waterway up to the Yellow River.

It's not that the Yellow River is less useful than smaller rivers, but the section of the Yellow River from west of Mengjin to east of Shancheng is the most winding, with a much narrower channel than other sections, and the water is also very rapid, greatly increasing the danger.

Normally, this place would have to be pulled by human boatmen, and it also required control of both sides of the strait.

But let's not even talk about conscripting boatmen now; the fact that Shaanxi City is in the hands of the Xiliang army has already dashed the Xuzhou army's hopes of going up the Yellow River.

It should be noted that Zhang Ji, the commander of the Xiliang army, was stationed in this city at that time.

If Liu Feng dared to go upstream against the Yellow River, Zhang Ji would dare to send the Xuzhou army down into the Yellow River to feed the fish in Shancheng.

This is the main reason why Liu Feng was willing to spend a thousand shi of grain to buy letters from Lü Bu in an attempt to bribe Zhang Yang. Because the Hanoi Commandery where Zhang Yang was located was already the best route for the Xuzhou army to march north to defend the emperor.

Otherwise, wouldn't it be easier for the navy to go upstream, pick up the emperor in Dayang County, and leave?

It's not that I don't want to, but that I can't.

After resting in Chenliu, the army will continue its journey.

However, two minor changes occurred this time.

The first change was that Liu Feng had secretly transferred command of the army to Guan Yu, who would then oversee the entire army, both land and naval.

The second change was that Cao Cao led 5,000 men to join the Xuzhou army that was marching north to defend the emperor. From then on, the Xuzhou army was transformed into the Guandong army that defended the emperor.

Liu Feng handed over command to his second uncle, not out of laziness or to be playful, but because he planned to travel light and head to Hanoi to meet Zhang Yang and Dong Zhao.

Before Cao Cao meets his sycophants, let's strike first and loosen the soil around him. If we can completely uproot him, that would be even better.

Upon parting, Liu Feng first paid his respects to Guo Gong, and then said to Guan Yu, "Second Uncle, Governor Guo has always held a grudge against Cao Yanzhou, so there's no need to force them to meet. Also, Second Uncle should be very wary of Cao Yanzhou. Although he has heroic qualities, he is cunning, scheming, and has a deep mind. He should not be underestimated."

Guan Yu stroked his beard and replied, "Nephew, rest assured, your uncle will take your words to heart."

This time, Liu Feng only brought Jia Kui, Dong Fang, and Pan Zhang. Pan Zhang's troops were handed over to his deputy commander, and along with two hundred attendants, they boarded a ship directly in Chenliu and headed to Huai County.

According to Zhang Yang's reply, Dong Zhao would arrive in Huai County in advance to wait for Liu Feng.

The person who came to pick up Liu Feng was Zhou Tai, a steady and loyal man who was deeply loved by Liu Feng.

Liu Fengben's favorite generals were Gao Shun and Zhou Tai, who were loyal, capable, and obedient.

Although Gao Shun offered many suggestions, it is precisely from this that we can see that Gao Shun was by no means a fool. He had a great strategic vision and was very accurate in his judgment.

When Zang Ba destroyed Xiao Jian, Gao Shun advised Lü Bu not to send troops to attack Zang Ba.

At this point, winning is your right, but if you lose, or even if it's just a matter of time, it will cause considerable damage to Lü Bu's prestige.

But Lü Bu wouldn't listen; he insisted on sending troops for a pittance.

At this point, Gao Shun advised Lü Bu that since he was going to send troops, he should bring more soldiers to ensure victory.

But Lü Bu felt that Zang Ba was just a bandit, and eight hundred soldiers were enough for him.

As Gao Shun had predicted, Lü Bu lost face, his troops, and gained nothing.

Such a brave, resourceful, loyal, and even personally quelled a rebellion for Lü Bu and saved his life—it's unclear what Lü Bu was thinking, but he simply didn't trust Gao Shun.

After boarding, the boat sailed from the Sui River into the Honggou River, eventually entering the Yellow River. It then traveled downstream for dozens of miles before turning into the Qin River and entering Hebei Province.

After traveling upstream along the Qinshui River for dozens of miles, past Wude County, Huai County comes into view.

Liu Feng originally planned to go straight to Huai County, but unexpectedly Dong Zhao specially came out of the city to meet him ten miles away, so Liu Feng had no choice but to abandon the boat and go ashore.

If Dong Zhao and his party hadn't had so many carriages and horses, they might have really missed it.

After they landed, Dong Zhao dismounted to greet them.

Anyone who sees Dong Zhao for the first time will think he's just an ordinary fat man.

However, after turning to the dark side, this fat man became one of the three moral bottom lines at the end of the Han Dynasty, and to some extent, he even surpassed Jia Xu and Cheng Yu.

It is no exaggeration to say that many people were responsible for the death of the Han Dynasty, including Emperor Ling of Han, He Jin, and the Yuan family in secret.

But it was Dong Zhao who actually stabbed the big man in the neck.

Xun Yu was indirectly killed by Dong Zhao because of this one blow.

It is said that Xun You, Guo Jia, Cheng Yu, and Jia Xu were good at understanding people's hearts.

But the one who pleased Cao Cao the most was Dong (Geng) Yan, the emperor's favorite.

It was Dong Zhao's blatant "It is appropriate to repair ancient buildings and grant them five ranks" that kicked off the drama of the Duke of Wei and thoroughly showed everyone what shame is compared to official rank.

"I, Dong Zhao, am here on the orders of my lord to welcome the young master."

Dong Zhao was very attentive, with a warm smile on his face, but his small eyes remained calm and showed little emotional fluctuation.

"Could it be Dong Zhao, the former magistrate of Yingtao County in Hebei who was waiting for Jia Cong?"

When Dong Zhao was young, he was recommended as a filial and incorruptible official and took office as the magistrate of Yingtao County. At that time, corruption was rampant throughout the Han Dynasty and the administration was corrupt. Jizhou in Hebei Province, where Yingtao County was located, was a particularly bad area. The counties and prefectures of Jizhou levied heavy taxes and levies, which made the people suffer.

Throughout the entire Yellow Turban Rebellion, Qingzhou, Yuzhou, and Jizhou were the most powerful.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion was quelled, the entire Ji Province was in chaos, with corrupt officials eager to make up for all the losses of the previous years.

In this situation, Emperor Ling of Han appointed Jia Cong, a well-known honest and capable official, as the governor of Ji Province to reform the officialdom of Ji Province.

How famous was Jia Cong?
To give a simple example, Ji Province has a total of nine prefectures and ninety-nine counties, and theoretically there are ninety-nine county magistrates or county heads.

When news of Jia Cong's arrival spread, of the nearly one hundred county magistrates and county heads in the vast Ji Province, ninety-seven had fled, leaving only Yingtao County Magistrate Dong Zhao and Guanjin County Magistrate Huang Jiu.

This Guanjin County Magistrate, Huang Jiu, was also an acquaintance; he was from Suiyang in Liang State of Yuzhou.

The chief advisor to Guo Gong, the current governor of Yu Province, was currently stationed in Suiyang to meet Liu Bei and supply the army with provisions and weapons.

This shows that Dong Zhao was a capable and honest official in his youth.

However, in just a few short years under Yuan Shao's command, a promising young man was forced to become a cunning and ruthless politician.

Yuan Shao was truly unworthy of these talented individuals.

Therefore, Liu Feng strongly opposed his father's view that the Han dynasty had effectively ended under the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling.

The surge of talent at the end of the Han Dynasty was inextricably linked to Emperor Huan of Han.

It was Emperor Huan of Han's discerning eye that led him to promote a large number of capable and honest officials, allowing the virtuous and capable to hold positions of power, which resulted in the emergence of so many talented individuals during the reign of Emperor Ling.

If Emperor Ling had been a ruler who maintained the status quo, the Han Dynasty's fate could have lasted at least another fifty years.

Unfortunately, Emperor Ling was a bankrupt version of Emperor Jiajing, much dumber than Jiajing, yet even more selfish. "I never expected that the young master would be so familiar with the experiences of foreign officials."

Surprise flashed in Dong Zhao's small eyes. In this era, it would have been absolutely impossible to know so much about Dong Zhao's experiences in Hebei without careful and meticulous investigation.

It seems that Liu Feng has really taken a liking to me.

Dong Zhao's gaze swept over Dong Fang, who was standing behind Liu Feng.

When his younger brother saw him, he was clearly excited, but he didn't dare to go up and reminisce because of the occasion.

Dong Zhao nodded slightly to his younger brother, then invited Liu Feng, saying, "Young Master, I have prepared a banquet in the city to welcome you and wash away the dust of your journey."

Liu Feng readily agreed, and the two teams joined forces and marched directly into Huai County.

Dong Zhao's banquet wasn't lavish, but he certainly put in a lot of effort. It was clear that Dong Zhao had put a lot of thought into it, doing his best within the limited budget.

Liu Feng was very grateful for this.

Then, Liu Feng introduced his own team.

Before he knew it, he found himself surrounded by traitors.

Jia Kui was a staunch supporter of Cao Wei, a loyalist who would never regret his actions even after being mistreated a hundred times.

Dong Zhao was the biggest driving force behind Cao Cao's opening of the door to the State of Wei.

Pan Zhang and Zhou Tai were both trusted and beloved generals of the King of Wu of Wei. In the Battle of Yiling, their achievements surpassed those of the entire Wei.

Liu Feng couldn't help but ponder how he, a member of the Han imperial family and a staunch supporter of the Han, ended up surrounded by traitors.

Oh, thankfully my father was a loyal subject.

During the banquet, seats were assigned.

In terms of seating arrangements, Dong Zhao invited Liu Feng to sit in the head seat. Although he originally wanted to sit in a lower seat, Liu Feng persuaded him to stay by his side and sit in the host's seat.

This also makes it easier for the two of them to talk.

After three rounds of wine, five flavors of food.

The conversation gradually became more in-depth.

Liu Feng suddenly asked, "Brother Gongren is not a man of great talent, but should have ambitions for the whole country. Why are you willing to serve under Prefect Zhang? I am not criticizing Prefect Zhang, but he is only concerned with protecting his own territory and has no long-term vision. He only has the territory of Hanoi in his eyes, and I am afraid that he will be destroyed sooner or later."

Dong Zhao was somewhat surprised. Liu Feng's words could be considered quite forward, given that they were not old acquaintances. Wasn't he afraid that Dong Zhao would reveal this to Zhang Yang?

Liu Feng seemed to see through Dong Zhao's thoughts and said with a smile, "Brother Gongren, I have heard that you have done a lot for Cao Yanzhou under Prefect Zhang."

Dong Zhao's small eyes narrowed slightly; Liu Feng had once again given him quite a shock.

Moreover, given the previous groundwork laid, although Liu Feng did not explicitly state what he had done for Cao Cao, he merely pointed it out, leaving Dong Zhao no choice but to believe him.

"Lord Cao is a hero. I admire him greatly and only need to do something small. There is no need to boast about it."

Dong Zhao tried to brush the matter aside with a casual tone.

Liu Feng wanted to laugh when he heard this.

You betray your own people, using Zhang Yang's influence to help Cao Cao seek personal gain, and you still want to claim credit?

You should show me one.

“Brother Gongren, my father Liu Xuande was also a hero.”

Liu Feng raised his wine cup to Dong Zhao: "My father greatly admires you, Gongren, and regards you as a talent fit to assist a king. I wonder if you will change your mind?"

Dong Zhao was somewhat alarmed. He had long expected that Liu Bei and his son would admire him greatly, but he never expected that the other party would so blatantly try to win him over.

Dong Zhao just couldn't understand how he had caught the eye of Liu Bei and his son, and what he had done to deserve their attention and efforts to win him over.

Seeing Dong Zhao remain silent, Liu Feng continued, "Yuan Shao is good at scheming but indecisive and cannot use people. He is surrounded by sycophants. Even someone as talented in both military and political affairs as you, Brother Gongren, has been sidelined and left idle."

"The most ridiculous thing is that Yuan Shao could not give Gong Ren a proper job, but he was afraid of Gong Ren’s ability. He listened to slander and even wanted to suppress and punish Gong Ren. This move was like cutting off his own arm, which was extremely foolish."

Dong Zhao stared at Liu Feng in disbelief, never expecting that the other party would so blatantly disregard the current leader of the various lords.

Yet, he couldn't help but feel a sense of satisfaction, as Liu Feng's rebuke and humiliation of Yuan Shao had struck right into his heart.

"But, my lord, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao are allies after all..."

Hearing Liu Feng's words, which carried a hint of provocation, Dong Zhao couldn't resist his mischievousness and deliberately argued, "Cao Cao is a hero. How can he remain subservient to someone for long? In my humble opinion, Yuan Shao and Cao Cao will turn against each other sooner or later, within two or three years at the earliest, or four or five years at the latest. But in the end, they will each go their own way."

“Brother Gongren’s words make sense, but they are not necessarily true.”

Liu Feng, however, said solemnly, "Cao Yanzhou now only has one province left, and it has just revolted. Its army's morale is unstable, and the people's hearts are not with it. Cao Yanzhou is a hero of his time. Under such circumstances, how can he possibly stand against Yuan Shao?"

Dong Zhao couldn't help but reveal a simple and honest smile. He was about to speak, but then he closed his mouth again.

Because his very first thought was to ally with Liu Bei against Yuan Shikai.

But just as he was about to speak, he realized that Liu Feng was showing off his strength to him.

Cao Cao wanted to break away from Yuan Shao's alliance, but he had to turn to Liu Bei instead. Doesn't that prove that Liu Bei's strength was not to be underestimated and that he was worth joining?

After this verbal exchange, Dong Zhao finally understood how much Liu Bei and his son valued him.

As the son of a powerful governor of a province, Dong Zhao was chatting and laughing with him, a mere cavalry captain. He didn't think he had that much charm.

Moreover, Liu Feng's northward journey to defend the emperor suggests he will likely rise to power soon.

Dong Zhao was familiar with the current emperor's character. Just last year, he had visited him in Chang'an, only to be caught in the chaos caused by Li Jue and Guo Si, and almost lost his life there.

In the past two years, the emperor has been forced to such an extent by those warriors from Xiliang.

If Liu Feng could lead troops to appear before the emperor, he would surely be granted the title of a high-ranking general, and might even have a chance to rise to the rank of one of the Three Dukes.

In addition, the Xuzhou generals brought by Liu Feng will all share in the credit and be rewarded with titles and ranks.

If Liu Feng is lucky, he will surely rise to great heights.

This young master was actually fawning over him here, which made Dong Zhao feel as if he were in a dream.

Dong Zhao knew that he was actually tempted. He even felt that even if he joined Cao Cao, he would probably not receive such attention.

If that's the case, why not join Liu Bei?

Moreover, his younger brother Dong Fang was in Zhang Miao's army, and Zhang Miao was currently at odds with both Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

He didn't want to repeat the same scenario that happened under Yuan Shao while serving under Cao Cao because of his younger brother.

So Dong Zhao sighed and said, "I am of little talent and learning, and I am not tolerated by Yuan Shao. Fortunately, I was taken in by Prefect Zhang. I had no choice but to temporarily take refuge in Hanoi. Whether Yuan is strong or Cao is weak, it has nothing to do with me."

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng was immediately overjoyed.

Yuan Qiang and Cao Ruo have nothing to do with you, Dong Zhao. As long as you, Dong Zhao, are not a die-hard loyalist to Zhang Yang, then only my father is left.
So Liu Feng tentatively said, "Brother Gongren, you are a man of great talent, but you have no opportunity to use it. If you do not mind, my father is willing to offer you the position of prefect."

A prefect with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain)?
Dong Zhao was stunned for a moment, not expecting that Liu Bei and his son would really value him so much.

Xuzhou only has five prefectures and kingdoms in total, yet he was willing to grant me one.

Dong Zhao suddenly felt a heat in his chest, and his eyes became sore.

I haven't felt this unfamiliar feeling in so long.

The last time I had similar feelings was when I was recommended as a filial and incorruptible official in my hometown, and was about to serve the Han Dynasty.

However, the emotions back then were nowhere near as intense as they are today.

Dong Zhao became somewhat flustered and could only humbly say, "What virtue or ability do I possess to deserve such courtesy from Prefect Liu and the young master?"

Liu Feng, however, stepped across the table and took Dong Zhao's hand, asking, "Brother Gongren, I once heard that when you were serving under Magistrate Yuan, there was a rebellion in Julu County. Prefect Li Shao and the officials in the county believed that Gongsun Zan's military strength was formidable and all wanted to submit to him, plotting a rebellion. Magistrate Yuan favored you, Brother Gongren, to go to Julu, and before your departure, he asked you what methods you would use to defend against it. Do you remember how you answered at that time?"

Dong Zhao was stunned. This was indeed a major event in his life that he was proud of. However, a good warrior does not have a famous name. It was precisely because Dong Zhao handled the matter with ease and easily quelled a major disaster that caused the entire county to turn against him that his merits were not apparent.

Although he did not understand Liu Feng's intentions, Dong Zhao was certain that the other party was well-intentioned, so he respectfully replied: "I once said that one person's insignificance cannot quell the plans of the masses. I wanted to discuss it with them openly, and once I understood their situation, I would then take the initiative to control them. The plan is for the moment and cannot be discussed at this time."

After listening, Liu Feng nodded repeatedly, and then solemnly said, "One person's strength is weak, but the strength of many is great. In the past, Lord Yuan could not be of one mind with you, Brother Gongren, which was truly a waste of talent. I am not talented, but I know that you are very capable. In today's world, heroes are rising up everywhere, and the Han Dynasty is in decline. One person's strength is weak, but the strength of many is great. I am willing to join forces with you, Brother Gongren, to restore the Han Dynasty and pacify the world."

(End of this chapter)