My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 472 Persuading Zhang Ji
"My lord, there is no need to panic."

Seeing this, Jia Xu quickly cupped his hands and said, trying to soothe Zhang Ji's emotions: "If I am not mistaken, this envoy from the court may not be a bad thing. Perhaps it is even a rare opportunity."

"oh!?"

Upon hearing Jia Xu's words, Zhang Ji's worries dissipated considerably. After all, in his mind, Jia Xu had always been a resourceful and insightful man, and he had always trusted Jia Xu's words without question.

Immediately, Zhang Ji lowered his head and asked sincerely, "Please explain in detail, sir, so that I may be prepared and not be caught off guard."

"Don't dare."

Jia Xu maintained a very proper attitude, not becoming complacent because of Zhang Ji's humility. Instead, he became even more modest, saying, "I was desperate and had nowhere to go. Fortunately, my lord took me in and gave me a place to stay in this chaotic world. I will do my best to help my lord and repay your kindness."

The two exchanged polite pleasantries, which annoyed Zhang Xiu, who was straightforward and disliked such roundabout ways. He couldn't help but speak up, "Uncle, sir, the imperial envoy is waiting at the post station. If you have any brilliant ideas, just say them quickly, and stop dawdling."

Zhang Ji was immediately enraged and glared fiercely at his nephew, blaming him for not knowing the rules and being so reckless.

Jia Xu, however, readily accepted the good advice and did not take Zhang Xiu's impatience to heart. He immediately explained to Zhang Ji and his nephew, "In my opinion, the envoy from the court this time must be here because of Deng Yi."

Zhang Xiu asked blankly, "Deng Yi? Who is Deng Yi? I have no recollection of him at all."

Zhang Ji, somewhat unsure, asked, "Was the envoy from Liu Biao who came the other day surnamed Deng? I didn't pay much attention at the time..."

Jia Xu remained outwardly calm in the face of the uncle and nephew's reaction, but inwardly he sighed. One was brave but lacked strategy, the other, though possessing some cunning, lacked decisiveness and keen insight. In this chaotic world, it would be truly difficult to establish a foothold for long.

"Indeed, it is Deng Yi, the envoy from Jingzhou."

Jia Xu patiently continued, "We sent people to the south to scout ahead, and they made great progress. Who could have imagined that Liu Biao would suffer such a crushing defeat in Jingnan, with both of his naval forces wiped out and the fate of Kuai Yue's expeditionary force in Jingbei unknown? Now, Xiangyang is in a state of panic, with people on edge every day. Upon hearing that Liu Biao had vomited blood and fainted, his condition is serious."

"Given this situation, Liu Biao would naturally not only seek help from us."

Jia Xu revealed a knowing smile, as if everything was under his control: "Moreover, Liu Biao and the other lords of Jingbei may also be thinking of a balance of power, bringing in the imperial court to keep us in check. They want to use the contradictions between the various forces to maintain their rule in Jingzhou."

After listening to Jia Xu's analysis, Zhang Ji was overjoyed and slapped his thigh in praise, saying, "What you say is very true, sir. But sir, the situation is so complicated now, how should I deal with it? I hope you can point me in the right direction."

Jia Xu had clearly anticipated this question and already had a well-thought-out strategy in mind. He immediately replied, "The Han Dynasty has ruled the world for four hundred years, with a deep foundation. Although it has experienced chaotic times, even a centipede with a hundred legs will not fall down. Today, half of the heroes in the world are surnamed Liu, which shows that although its destiny has declined, its fate may not be over."

"Since the Emperor returned to Luodu, most of the provinces have resumed paying tribute, and the feudal lords from all directions have sent envoys to the court. This is a glimpse into the situation. The court still has a certain influence and appeal in the hearts of the people. If you, my lord, can follow the trend and submit to the court, you will not only gain the recognition of the court and the Emperor, but also secure a stable future for yourself and your soldiers in this chaotic world."

Jia Xu's words were tantamount to a blatant persuasion for Zhang Ji to surrender to the imperial court, or to put it more bluntly, to surrender to Cao Cao.

If it were anyone else, they would probably be facing a violent storm, but since the speaker is Jia Xu, the situation is different.

Zhang Ji and his nephew Zhang Xiu remained silent, not uttering a sound.

Jia Xu didn't urge them, but continued his analysis: "My lord, if the court and Cao Cao hadn't interfered in the Xiangyang affair, we could have taken a piece of flesh from Liu Biao. But now we are caught in the middle, attacked by Cao Cao and Liu Biao. Shangcheng is just a small place, and we are all in danger."

Chang'an had four passes, the most famous of which were Hangu Pass during the Qin and Han dynasties and Tong Pass in later times. Following closely behind was Wu Pass, which led directly to the Nanyang Basin.

The danger of Wuguan Pass is no less than that of Hangu Pass, and may even be greater.

Because Hangu Pass is next to the Yellow River, while Wu Pass is only next to the Dan River.

Once Hangu Pass is breached, there will be direct access to Guanzhong, a smooth and unobstructed route. Moreover, the Yellow River can serve as a logistical supply line, making the task much more efficient.

Once you break through Wuguan Pass, you'll find a long valley called Danshui Valley behind it, dotted with strategically important cities like Shangcheng, Shangluo, and Lantian, all situated within the narrow Danshui Pass, making them easy to defend and difficult to attack. The attacking side can't even bypass it; even disregarding logistical issues, there's nowhere for your army to maneuver.

This is exactly what is meant by a skilled warrior who does not boast of his achievements. The Wuguan Pass is even more formidable than Hangu Pass, and its benefits are far less than those of conquering Hangu Pass. Therefore, for thousands of years, most of the battles in the Central Plains have been concentrated at Hangu Pass, while Wuguan Pass has been neglected.

Today, the town where Zhang Ji is located is in such an awkward situation: it is small, sparsely populated, and has little farmland. Not to mention that Zhang Ji has more than 10,000 people, nearly 20,000, even 2,000 full-time soldiers cannot be supported.

Fortunately, Wuguan was always in Zhang Ji's hands. Every autumn harvest, he would go to the Nanyang Basin like clockwork to help Liu Biao with the task of reducing the burden of the autumn harvest, which was enough to barely make ends meet.

But as Jia Xu said, the reason they were able to survive like this was because the other end of the Danshui Pass was their ally, the Xiliang warrior group. But now Li Jue and Guo Si are both dead, and Chang'an has fallen into Cao Cao's hands.

Even more critically, Liu Biao has now colluded with Cao Cao. If the two join forces, Zhang Ji and his nephew Zhang Xiu will immediately be like mice in a bellows, caught in a dilemma.

In the original timeline, after Zhang Ji's death, why did Zhang Xiu go to Liu Biao's place and become Liu Biao's loyal servant?

Wasn't it Cao Cao who captured Chang'an and annihilated Li Jue and Guo Si?

Although Zhang Ji is still alive, the situation is worse than in the original timeline, because Liu Biao is clearly no longer a reliable ally.

Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu were not fools, and given that the uncle and nephew genuinely trusted Jia Xu, they naturally began to lean towards Jia Xu's opinions.

Zhang Ji asked with some difficulty, "Sir, is the only option now... to surrender?"

In reality, Jia Xu wasn't a truly ruthless strategist. He never actually plotted to harm anyone. The reason he was portrayed as such by later generations stems from his infamous scheme to destroy the Han Dynasty. However, a closer examination of the timeline reveals that initially, Wang Yun did agree to the suggestions of military and political ministers like Lü Bu, Xu Rong, and Shi Sunrui to pardon and incorporate the Liangzhou army. If they were still concerned, he could appoint Huangfu Song as general to pacify the Liangzhou army.

These were all extremely correct suggestions. In fact, Li Jue, Guo Si, and others were initially willing to surrender, and the only price they offered was a pardon from the imperial court.

Therefore, Jia Xu actually took the blame for Wang Yun completely, resolutely refusing to grant him a pardon. Wang Yun, who forced the Liangzhou army to rebel and then gave reckless orders, forcing Xu Rong to fight, was the real person responsible for the downfall of the Han dynasty.

At this time, Jia Xu advised Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu to surrender. Although he had the intention of protecting themselves, he really wanted to ensure a good outcome for Zhang Ji and his nephew.

Faced with Zhang Ji's unwillingness, Jia Xu simply cupped his hands and advised, "My lord, if we surrender now, we can still negotiate a price. But if we wait until the imperial army marches south, we may all become prisoners."

Zhang Ji sighed and nodded: "Then let's meet with Envoy Xi first and hear Cao Cao's offer."

"Here."

Jia Xi laughed and agreed, "My lord is wise."

Soon, Xi Lu was invited over.

Putting everything else aside, Xi Lu's appearance alone is quite remarkable, befitting the reputation of a renowned scholar from Yanzhou.

"Your humble servant Xi Lu pays his respects to the General Who Guards the East."

Xi Lu referred to himself as a subject rather than an outsider, because he represented the imperial court. No matter how independent the feudal lords were, none of them openly called themselves "I, the sovereign" or "I, the widow," but all acknowledged themselves as subjects of the Han court.

"Angels, please rise."

Zhang Jixu helped him up and then invited Xi Lu to join them at the table.

After the two sides sat down, Xi Lu's gaze swept over Zhang Ji at the head of the table, as well as Zhang Xiu and Jia Xu opposite him, as he considered how to start the conversation.

Before he came, he had read the secret letter that Cao Cao had given him.

The letter detailed the demands and also offered some leverage.

To be honest, this offer was not easy to give, because Zhang Ji himself was already the Marquis of Pingyang, General Who Guards the East, and Grand Master of the Three Departments.

It could be said that Zhang Ji had reached the end of his official career. Although the title of General Who Guards the East was still a miscellaneous general title, it was considered the best among miscellaneous general titles, second only to the major general titles. In particular, Zhang Ji's title of General Who Guards the East, ranking first among the titles of "Guardian," truly made it impossible for Cao Cao to promote him further.

Similarly, the Marquis of Pingyang was a county marquis, still the top rank in the Eastern Han Dynasty. The only way to go higher was to increase the number of households in the fief as a sign of favor.

Cao Cao was also extremely troubled by this. He, Xi Zhicai, Xun Yu, and Man Chong pooled their wisdom and efforts, and after much deliberation, they finally came up with a solution.

Xun Yu was the first to suggest this, writing in a letter to Cao Cao: "Zhang Ji has already reached a high rank and official position. If we want to persuade him to surrender, we can start with his relatives. I have heard that Zhang Ji's nephew, Zhang Xiu, is highly skilled in martial arts, brave and good at fighting, and has a high reputation in the army. We might as well offer Zhang Xiu the position of General of the Household and the title of Marquis of Xuanwei. In this way, we can give face to Zhang Ji and his nephew, show favor to Zhang Xiu, gain their favor, and make them keep each other in check. If necessary, we can also divide and conquer them."

Man Chong fully supported Xun Yu's opinion and added, "Brother Wenruo is absolutely right. In addition, we can promise to provide Zhang Ji's army with food and supplies to help him expand his military equipment. Now that Zhang Ji is trapped in Shangcheng and lacks resources, this must be a great temptation for him."

Xi Zhong added, "My lord, there is one more person whose attitude is crucial: Jia Xu, Zhang Ji's strategist. I've heard that Zhang Ji treats him with the respect due to a teacher, and he listens to his every word. Why don't you praise him, bestow a generous reward upon him, and encourage him to speak well of Zhang Ji's surrender in his army?"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, a shrewd glint in his eyes: "What you all say makes sense. However, we must emphasize the court's combination of kindness and severity in the surrender document. We should mention the generous treatment after surrender, but also subtly warn that if we resist stubbornly, the army will press in and we will all perish."

Once the agreement was reached, Cao Cao had people carefully prepare a letter of surrender, listing in detail the promises and conditions made to Zhang Ji and his nephew. He also personally wrote a letter to Xi Lu, explaining the key points.

Xi Lu silently reviewed the information in his mind, cleared his throat, and said, "General Zhen Dong, the court has sent me here because it values ​​your loyalty and talent. Although the Han Dynasty has experienced many ups and downs, the hearts of the people still turn to Han. Cao Cao, acting on the Emperor's orders, is recruiting talented individuals to revive the Han Dynasty. If you follow the will of Heaven and submit to the court, Cao Cao promises not only to retain your current title of Marquis of Pingyang and your position as General Zhen Dong, but also to provide you with ample provisions and military equipment to help you expand your military."

At this point, Xi Lu turned his gaze to Zhang Xiu and continued, "As for General Zhang, Cao Cao heard of his valiant reputation and specially petitioned the Emperor to promote General Zhang to the rank of General of the Household and bestow upon him the title of Marquis of Xuanwei. From now on, the two of you, General Zhang and his nephew, will be in the court and receive great honors. This is truly a wonderful thing."

Zhang Ji frowned slightly, pondering to himself, "These conditions seem generous, but I've been running the business in the mall for many years. If I surrender, how much real power can I retain?"
He subconsciously looked at Jia Xu, hoping to get some advice from this strategist.

Jia Xu understood immediately, smiled slightly, and said to Xi Lu, "Envoy Xi, we have felt Cao Cao's sincerity. But we wonder how Cao Cao will treat us if we surrender?"

Xi Lu understood that this was probably also the concern of Zhang Ji and his nephew Zhang Xiu. After considering for a moment, he did not answer but asked instead, "May I ask, sir, has the envoy from Jingzhou arrived in Shangcheng?"

Upon hearing Xi Lu mention Deng Yi, Zhang Ji and Zhang Xiu both looked embarrassed, after all, they had been holding Deng Yi under house arrest for more than ten days and had not been able to see him even once.

Jia Xu, however, remained calm and composed, saying leisurely, "I dare not conceal this from the imperial envoy, Mr. Deng Yi, the envoy from Jingzhou, has been in Shang City for more than ten days."

Xi Lu glanced at Jia Xu and felt that this seemingly most approachable person was actually the most difficult to deal with.

"I see."

Xi Lu smiled and replied gently, "Actually, Cao Cao originally intended for Zhen Dong to settle in Yanzhou."

At this point, Xi Lu deliberately paused, secretly observing the expressions of Zhang Ji and the other two. Zhang Ji looked gloomy, Zhang Xiu was somewhat annoyed, but Jia Xu remained calm and composed.

(End of this chapter)