My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 308 Setting a Cage to Catch a Beast (Squeezed out an extra chapter)
Seeing that Xue Li had taken the bait, Liu Feng felt it was time to lower his stake.

"Lord Xue is extravagant, but I wonder what Lord Zuo is like there?"

Upon hearing this, Xue Li immediately offered his full assurance: "You don't need to worry about Zuo Rong. I will write a letter specifically for you, detailing the situation."

“Zisheng, you don’t know, Zuo Rong is very generous and extravagant. He has several times more wealth than I do.”

Liu Feng grew increasingly furious as he listened. These two beasts were squandering the land taxes and levies that the people of Xuzhou had worked so hard to pay, as well as the savings of the government office.

It's reasonable for me to recover this wealth for the people of Xuzhou, right?

"it is good!"

Liu Feng's face lit up with joy, and he solemnly promised Xue Li, "As long as Lord Zuo is willing to help me succeed, I can decide on the position of Governor of Kuaiji as a reward for my merit."

Upon hearing this, Xue Li's expression became complicated, showing a mixture of envy, jealousy, and anger.

Having invested so much, is it really as bad as Zuo Rong's empty talk?

Fortunately, Liu Feng continued, "Lord Xue's achievements surpass those of Lord Zuo, and Lord Xue has served as a high-ranking official for many years. I hope Lord Xue can share my burdens in Wu Commandery."

Upon hearing this, Xue Li was overjoyed. Wasn't this exactly what he had been working so hard for?

Even though his old face was all smiles, he still tried to put on an air of a refined gentleman and decline.

Liu Feng could only suppress his nausea and continue to cooperate with Xue Li.

After finally enduring the banquet, Liu Feng firmly declined Xue Li's request to stay overnight and returned to his camp outside the city.

The next day, Xue Li invited Liu Feng to a banquet again, and also mentioned that he had sent a letter to Zuo Rong in Jurong.

Liu Feng declined Xue Li's invitation, citing the urgency of military operations. At the same time, he invited Xue Li to join him in launching a military campaign, passing through Qu'a, to attack Wu Commandery.

He also implied in his words that as long as Qu'a and Dantu were recaptured and the connection with Guangling was restored, Xue Li, the prefect of Wu Commandery, could take office.

Xue Li couldn't resist this offer and was immediately tempted. So he worked hard to gather his troops and assembled 6,000 men to join Liu Feng in the campaign.

Liu Feng naturally welcomed him. The number of soldiers Xue Li brought was not the point; the point was that the man had arrived.

As a result, Liu Feng's army grew much larger and headed towards Jurong via Hushu County.

When the army appeared in Hushu County, the entire city was filled with fear.

In those days, whether it was government soldiers or bandits, the harm they caused to the people was immense.

Liu Feng understood the plight of the people of Hushu County, so he sent men directly to Hushu to inform them that he was a general under Liu Feng, the General Who Conquers the South. He also stated that his troops would be stationed outside the city, merely passing through, and would not enter the city to disturb the people.

The people of Hushu County, who were trembling with fear, were overjoyed when they heard that Liu Feng would not enter the city.

When Liu Feng's troops actually set up camp outside the city, the entire city's gentry, powerful families, and commoners were overjoyed.

They were both shocked that Liu Feng actually did not enter the city and disturb the people, and at the same time, they were delighted that the entire city of Hushu was spared the ravages of war.

Soon enough, Hushu City raised 800,000 coins, 400 bolts of silk, 600 shi of rice, 600 shi of millet, 30 pigs and sheep, 40 jars of wine, more than 100 chickens and ducks, and 300 jin of various seasonal fruits and vegetables, which were sent out of the city to reward the soldiers.

Upon receiving the news, Liu Feng ordered the wealth to be divided into two parts: one part to be kept in the army's public coffers, and the other part to be sent to Xue Li's camp.

The grain will be used as military rations, and the livestock and wine will be distributed to the entire army after they arrive in Jurong tomorrow or the day after.

At the same time, Liu Feng also summoned the minor official who had sent gifts out of the city to reward the troops, and after comforting him, let him return to the city.

In no time, the more than 10,000 people in the entire city of Hushu knew that Liu Zhengnan's troops were disciplined and cared for the people like their own children.

The reputation of the Southern Expeditionary Army spread far and wide through word of mouth among the people.

Xue Li hadn't expected that Liu Feng would actually give him half of the spoils from the reward distribution to the army in Hushu City.

In terms of troop strength alone, Liu Feng's army was a large force of over 26,000 men. It wouldn't be a problem for him to falsely claim that there were 100,000.

I only have a little over six thousand works, yet I was given half of them. My nephew Liu really values ​​me.

Xue Li was very happy. This was the best thing ever, as it was both prestigious and beneficial.

However, Xue Li felt that as long as he was happy, there was no need to bother his subordinates; he would just let himself be happy for them.

The reward that Liu Feng sent with great fanfare quietly ended up in Xue Li's private coffers. Xue Li's men obviously didn't even catch a whiff of it. Although they were resentful, they had also gotten used to it.

They set off the next day. It was only about fifty li away from Jurong, and could have been reached in a day by marching at full speed. However, it still took Liu Feng two days to arrive in Jurong.

Compared to Liu Feng's troops, Xue Li's troops were far less powerful.

Therefore, they were completely unaware that Liu Feng's troops had deliberately slowed down their journey.

When Liu Feng and Xue Li arrived in Jurong, Ze Rong went out of the city to greet them from ten miles away.

In stark contrast to Xue Li, Zuo Rong was a complete brute, with a large face, thick neck, and narrow eyes; his appearance was quite ugly.

This ugly fellow managed to lure and kill three prefects in three years; he was truly ruthless.

At the same time, he betrayed Tao Qian's trust. When Tao Qian needed support the most, he directly absconded with the treasury and tax revenue of three counties and kingdoms in Xuzhou, and fled with a group of retainers and Buddhist believers.

This person has absolutely no credibility and is utterly devoid of humanity; he is a complete beast.

Zuo Rong may be ugly, but his act is quite convincing.

From a distance, Zuo Rong obediently dismounted and stood by the roadside.

When Liu Feng arrived, he personally greeted him, saying, "I am Zuo Rong, paying my respects to General Zheng Nan!"

It must be said that Zuo Rong was indeed ugly, but when put together, they actually managed to create a certain kind of charm.

Coupled with his brute-like demeanor and shameless flattery, it's no wonder that Zhu Hao fell for his tricks one after another, from Tao Qian to Zhao Yu, and then to Xue Li.

In other words, Liu Yao had always looked down on military men, and he had a shrewd advisor like Xu Shao by his side, and he listened to Xu Shao's advice without question.

Otherwise, Zuo Rong's record might have included the title of governor.

When Liu Yao was vying with Liu Biao for control of Yuzhang, he sent Ze Rong to reinforce Zhu Hao in order to win him over.

As it turned out, Xu Shao was already very ill at the time and did not know about it in time.

When Xu Shao found out, his first reaction was that Zhu Hao was doomed.

He immediately sent a message to Zhu Hao, telling him not to trust Zuo Rong under any circumstances, and especially not to eat with Zuo Rong.

Before the warning silk scroll even arrived, Zhu Hao was already completely bewildered at Zuo Rong's banquet.

It's clear that Xu Shao had a good eye for people, something Liu Yao couldn't match.

Of course, it's also possible that Liu Yao deliberately wanted to kill Zhu Hao, but the problem is that Zhu Hao was quite well-regarded by the people of Yuzhang at the time, and most of them were on Zhu Hao's side.

Zhu Hao, being appointed by the imperial court, also respected Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, whom the court also appointed. Liu Yao had absolutely no reason to kill him. Moreover, after Zhu Hao's death, Yuzhang actually disintegrated, and Liu Yao was unable to effectively govern Yuzhang until his death.

"I've long heard that General Ze is a Buddhist general, protected by Bodhisattvas. Seeing him today, I can confirm that his reputation is well-deserved."

At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, the mainstream religion was still Taoism. We didn't play games with you about embezzling land or refusing to pay taxes. If we were going to play, we would play big and change the fate of the world!
Buddhism is still a minority religion these days, and Zuo Rong is already considered a leading figure in Buddhism.

Without Zuo Rong, there would be very few Buddhists in Xuzhou.

Zuo Rong was corrupt and oppressive in Xuzhou. He used much of the money and wealth he amassed to build luxurious Buddhist temples. He used gold and brass to cast large Buddha statues and then decorated them with brocade.

This beast even held a Buddha bathing festival, providing free meals, and attracted more than 10,000 believers in one go.

It was these Buddhist followers who, along with Ze Rong, plundered Tao Qian's wealth and fled south, even luring and killing Zhao Yu, the governor of Guangling. Otherwise, Ze Rong alone could not have moved so much wealth and grain.

The most ridiculous thing is that this whole thing that this beast created was actually regarded as the standard by later Buddhism. All kinds of large-scale Buddhist activities in later generations were based on the process of the Buddha Bathing Festival organized by this beast, and were adapted and expanded.

It must be said that this beast has quite a bit of talent, but he just didn't use it for good. Otherwise, if he had become a high-ranking official among the Nine Ministers, he might have been able to establish his own school of thought.

Liu Feng's use of the title "Buddha General" at this time can be said to have hit Zuo Rong where it hurts.

He immediately replied, "I didn't expect that Zheng Nan also has knowledge of Buddhism?"

Liu Feng smiled and nodded: "I know a little, but I am not worthy of General Zuo's sincerity."

Zuo Rong burst into laughter, his expression quite hearty.

But Liu Feng knew what kind of devil was hidden beneath that appearance, and naturally didn't believe him at all.

"Your Excellency Zheng Nan is honored to have such a distinguished presence. Rong has prepared a banquet in the city and cordially invites you to attend."

Here they come. Zuo Rong's banquet is baffling.

I understand everything I understand.

Fortunately, Liu Feng had already made preparations and immediately said, "General Zuo's hospitality is too much to refuse, how could I dare to disobey?"

Xue Li, who was standing nearby, chimed in, "Lord Zuo has quite a collection of fine wines; we can't be stingy today."

Zuo Rong laughed loudly, "Lord Xue, when have I ever been stingy? Today, please enjoy my treasured wine!"

For a moment, the atmosphere was quite pleasant.

Then, the three of them, chatting and laughing, headed towards Jurong under Zuo Rong's guidance.

Just as the three entered the city, an unexpected incident occurred.

The three were chatting and laughing when they suddenly heard arguing behind them, which shattered the harmonious atmosphere.

The three of them turned around and saw that the personal guards following Liu Feng had been stopped by the city gate guards.

"what happened?"

Zuo Rong's face darkened, and he stared at the city gate commander with hostility.

When Sima was stared at by Zuo Rong, he couldn't help but kneel down immediately, his body trembling slightly.

Even though he was so frightened, the city gate magistrate continued to explain: "My lord, the General Who Conquers the South has far too many personal guards. Without your orders, I dare not let them into the city."

Only then did Zuo Rong realize that Liu Feng's personal guards were indeed a bit strange, numbering as many as seven or eight hundred, which was enough for a commandant's department.

Moreover, these personal guards were all armored, and their breastplates were made of iron, which left Zuo Rong dumbfounded, his eyes flashing with intense greed.

Xue Li's personal guards, standing to the side, were much more normal, numbering only about two hundred, and all were dressed in leather armor.

"This……"

Zuo Rong's gaze shifted to Liu Feng, who smiled shyly and explained, "My father was worried about my safety, so he made this special arrangement. I couldn't disobey his orders."

Zuo Rong suddenly realized that he had almost forgotten that Liu Zhengnan was only a little over ten years old and was Liu Bei's eldest son, so naturally he was the apple of his eye and the apple of his eye.

It's normal to bring more personal guards and better equipment.

Zuo Rong's gaze swept over the soldiers, his eyes filled with greed.

In his view, what right did Liu Feng, this greenhorn, have to command such elite warriors?

But there's still a use for this kid right now, so we have to keep him happy for now. Sooner or later, he'll learn how treacherous the world can be.

Even so, Zuo Rong did not want such a strong force to enter the city, and tried to persuade Liu Feng to bring fewer people.

Unexpectedly, Xue Li provided a crucial assist: "These personal guards of Zheng Nan have always been by your side, just like they were in Moling. Lord Zuo, you wouldn't be reluctant to reward these brave warriors because you're worried about the food and drink in your mansion, would you?"

Xue Li's words made it clear that if Zuo Rong were to ask Liu Feng to dismiss his personal guards, it would seem petty, and it would also prevent Liu Feng from implementing his planned backup plan.

Zuo Rong secretly resented Xue Li for interrupting her, and vowed to cut out his tongue when he had the chance, so he would stop talking so much.

But on the surface, he laughed and nodded in agreement, saying, "If that's the case, let's go into the city together, otherwise I'm afraid Lord Xue will talk about this for years."

As soon as Zuo Rong relented, the city gate commander immediately released the man.

A murderous glint flashed in Zuo Rong's eyes. He thought that this city gate commander was a spineless coward and that he would send him to meet Buddha in the future.

The three of them arrived at the Jurong County Government Office.

After entering the county government office, Liu Feng spoke first, saying, "I will be attending a banquet at General Zuo Rong's residence. You should all find an open space in the residence to rest, and you must not make things difficult for General Zuo."

Then, Liu Feng pointed to an open space and said, "Go and wait over there. You can order some tea and snacks to fill your stomach. If anyone causes trouble, they will be executed without mercy!"

Upon hearing this, Ze Rong deliberately feigned displeasure: "Why does Zheng Nan treat me so poorly? I see these brave warriors as fierce and valiant men, and I am immediately captivated by them. Such valiant men deserve wine and meat. Does Zheng Nan truly believe Xue Gong's words and think that I, Ze Rong, am stingy and cannot afford such wine and meat?"

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng apologized repeatedly.

Zuo Rong then smiled again and ordered his men to quickly prepare fine wine and meat for Liu Feng's personal guards.

Afterwards, the three entered the main hall, where Zuo Rong had already prepared a banquet, with all sorts of delicacies being served in a continuous stream.

At this moment, Zuo Rong and Xue Li's attention was drawn to the guards behind Liu Feng.

I hadn't noticed it before because it was far away, but now I can see it clearly.

Xu Chu's height and physique were indeed impossible to hide, and compared to him, Zhao Fan, who was already quite robust, immediately appeared very thin.

"This... I never expected that Liu Zhengnan would have such a fierce warrior under his command."

Zuo Rong's gaze was fixed on Xu Chu, and he felt that he had never seen such a magnificent warrior in his life.

He couldn't help but imagine, "If I had such a person to protect me, what would I have to fear even if there were more than a hundred armored soldiers on the other side?"
"General Zuo, you flatter me."

Liu Feng said modestly, then turned to look at Xu Chu and said, "This man is indeed my trusted and beloved general. He is brave enough to fight ten thousand men and extremely loyal. It is truly my good fortune to have him protect me."

Xu Chu listened to Liu Feng's praise, his face remained calm, but he was deeply moved.

Zuo Rong clicked his tongue in amazement and suddenly said, "I also greatly admire this man and am willing to offer one hundred catties of gold in exchange for him. What do you think of Zheng Nan's plan?"

Whether Zuo Rong genuinely liked Xu Chu to this extent or had some other motive, he actually offered an outrageous price.

In any era, the upper class rarely regards the lower class as human beings.

Zuo Rong even thought he was incredibly generous in offering a hundred gold pieces to a brave warrior.

One hundred catties of gold, according to the official price, is worth one million coins. If it is the market price, it can be exchanged for up to one million five hundred thousand coins.

In the Eastern Han Dynasty, exchanging 1.5 million coins for a warrior was indeed considered extravagant.

Unexpectedly, Liu Feng's expression changed drastically, and he immediately rebuked him, saying, "General Zuo, please be careful with your words. I regard Zhongkang as my elder brother, and we have a true brotherly bond. How could I abandon my elder brother and sever my ties for wealth? This is absolutely impossible. I hope General Zuo will not say anything more."

Liu Feng's righteous and awe-inspiring rebuke not only warmed Xu Chu's heart, but also made Zhao Fan, who was beside him, feel proud and passionate.

Zuo Rong looked embarrassed, a hint of murderous intent flashing in his triangular eyes.

Xue Li sensed something was wrong and quickly stepped in to smooth things over, saying, "Zuo Gong was simply excited by the sight of a hunter and admired a fierce warrior; it's only human nature. Since Zheng Nan couldn't part with his beloved, Zuo Gong naturally wouldn't bring up the past. In fact, in my opinion, this just proves that the two of you share the same interests and are kindred spirits."

Liu Feng almost spat in Xue Li's face. "You two pieces of trash, do you even deserve to be my kindred spirits?"

However, he also knew that Xue Li was trying to make peace, and judging from the time, it was not yet time to launch an attack, so he took the initiative to give Zuo Rong a way out.

"Zuo Gong is of noble character, but Feng is young and impetuous. His words are inappropriate, and I hope you will forgive him."

Upon seeing Liu Feng yield, Zuo Rong's icy expression instantly vanished.

"What Zheng Nan said was already impolite, so why should Zheng Nan apologize?"

Zuo Rong immediately said, "In that case, shall we begin the banquet?"

Xue Li was delighted to see the atmosphere improve again and immediately chimed in, "Haha, then I'll have to have a good taste of your hidden treasured wine."

"That's natural!"

Zuo Rong was very generous, and had a bunch of wine jars brought out, which contained various fine wines, all of which were specialties from different regions. Xue Li clapped his hands in admiration.

Just then, Liu Feng suddenly spoke up, "Please wait a moment, you two!"

Zuo Rong and Xue Li both turned around and looked back in surprise, not understanding what Liu Feng meant.

Actually, it's quite simple. Liu Feng doesn't trust Zuo Rong at all, and he doesn't want to eat a single bite of the fine wine and delicacies here.

Although there were no poisons at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, it was impossible for there to be colorless and odorless poisons.

Liang Ji, a high-ranking general, wanted to poison a young emperor, but the poison he used wasn't instantly lethal. The young emperor struggled for quite some time, but due to Liang Ji's power, no one dared to save him.

Even so, Liu Feng did not intend to take any risks.

He didn't want to gamble his life on Zuo Rong's integrity, especially since the other party was a beast who wasn't even human.

Judging by the time, both inside and outside the city are about to launch their attacks; all I need to do is stall for a little longer.

(End of this chapter)