My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 481 Alliance Formed
"De Gui's matter has already been arranged; just proceed as usual."

Cao Cao brought his thoughts back, looked at Xi Zhong, and asked again, "Zhicai, what do you think of Liu Zisheng's proposal?"

Xi Zhong stole a glance at Cao Cao. He and Cao Cao were of similar temperament, so he naturally understood each other's thoughts very well and knew that the other party was interested.

Upon closer examination, the conditions Liu Feng offered were actually only one city, Xiangyang, away from Cao Cao's bottom line.

Now that Liu Feng is willing to cede Fancheng to Cao Cao, it's equivalent to giving up half of Xiangyang City as well. This shows that the other party has really been cornered. Cao Cao is also worried that if he pushes Liu Feng too far, they will part ways.

Cao Cao knew very well that Liu Feng was only worried that he would switch allegiance to Yuan Shao.

Liu Feng, however, was unaware that Cao Cao and Yuan Shao also had a host of problems, both big and small. The two were indeed childhood friends with a deep bond. But even the deepest friendship can't withstand the combined antics of the two.

Putting everything else aside, Cao Cao made several attempts to undermine Yuan Shao after he became Grand General and regent.

Those who joined forces with Liu Feng included forcing Yuan Shao to pay tribute to the emperor, deploying troops along the Yellow River to hinder Yuan Shao, and secretly colluding with Zhang Yan of the Black Mountain Army to obstruct Yuan Shao's northward campaign against Gongsun Zan.

All these things revealed that Yuan Shao had long been plotting to destroy Cao Cao. If Cao Cao were to defect, his life would certainly be difficult, and he would most likely be forced by Yuan Shao to become cannon fodder, first clashing with Liu Bei and his son.

Therefore, neither Cao Cao nor Liu Feng wanted to break the alliance; they both wanted to gain as much benefit as possible. This is one of the fundamental reasons why the weaker party often has the upper hand in negotiations.

Xi Zhong pondered for a moment and then said, "General Zuo has shown great sincerity this time. I think it would be best for our lord to stop while he's ahead. The other day, news came from Hebei that Yuan Shao has led an army of 100,000 north to attack Yi County. I'm afraid General Zuo is in grave danger this time."

A shadow crossed Cao Cao's face. Gongsun Zan was the most powerful check on Yuan Shao. As long as Gongsun Zan was alive, Yuan Shao would not dare to cross the Yellow River into Henan.

The previous attack on Ye City by Yu Du and Zhang Yan, which resulted in the loss of the families of many generals in Hebei, serves as a stark warning. Yuan Shao dares not repeat the same mistake.

Upon hearing Xi Zhong's words, Cao Cao slowly nodded in agreement, though a hint of reluctance still lingered in his expression: "Xiangyang is the foundation of Liu Biao's empire, and its reserves are extremely abundant. It is said that the grain stored in the granaries alone exceeds three million shi, not to mention other military equipment, cloth, silk, fodder, armor, ironware, farm tools, etc., all of which are overflowing with chests and boxes, and the granaries are full."

Xi Zhong was incredibly astute; Cao Cao had made his point so clear, so naturally he understood perfectly.

Cao Cao was clearly distressed by the loss of grain and supplies in Xiangyang and wanted a share, but he didn't say so openly because he was afraid of crossing Liu Feng's bottom line. After all, he had gained the entire Nanyang Commandery with almost no losses, plus Fancheng, and shared the strategic advantage of the Han River with Liu Feng.

Even Cao Cao himself felt that continuing to demand more supplies was going too far. But with so many supplies right in front of him, he was unwilling to give up without even trying.

Faced with this dilemma, he could only turn to his trusted advisor for help.

Xi Zhong, however, said firmly, "Absolutely not."

"Why?"

Cao Cao was surprised; he hadn't expected Xi Zhong's attitude to be so resolute.

"My lord, once or twice is acceptable, but not a third time."

Xi Zhong advised, "Liu Zisheng's power is already secured. Your lord's attempt to seize Nanyang this time is like snatching food from a tiger's mouth. Now that things are done, you must not be greedy and push your luck. Your lord must not forget that in the future, we will need to unite with the Liu family to fight against Hebei."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao fell into deep thought. After a moment, he nodded in agreement and said, "What Zhicai said is the right thing to do. I was greedy."

Immediately, Cao Cao decided, "Since that's the case, let's follow Liu Zisheng's plan and divide up Jingbei together."

Cao Cao was a man of strong character and decisiveness; once he made a decision, he would immediately put it into practice. On one hand, he sent Xi Lu to Ruo State to reach a treaty with Liu Feng, and on the other hand, he sent Xi Zhicai as an envoy to Xiangyang in secret.

He has now reached an agreement with Liu Feng, but to put it into practice, he obviously still needs to persuade Cai Mao.

Only with Cai Mao's cooperation, who has control over the military forces in Xiangyang, can Xiangyang be taken without bloodshed. Liu Feng certainly doesn't want an empty shell of Xiangyang, much less a Xiangyang that has been abandoned.

From Cao Cao's perspective, if Liu Feng were to cede the entire Nanyang Commandery plus Fancheng on the north bank of the Han River, it would definitely mean that Cao Cao had to help him capture Xiangyang. Otherwise, why would he give Liu Feng such a large share of the benefits?

Is this question difficult?
For Cao Cao, it was actually not difficult at all.

If Cai Mao agrees, Xiangyang will be within our grasp.

Will Cai Mao agree?

Cao Cao believed that Cai Mao would be very satisfied with the position of a marquis, coupled with the treatment of a court official.

**
Before Xi Zhong entered Xiangyang, someone had already made all the necessary arrangements for him.

When Cai Mao heard that Xi Zhong had arrived, he secretly thought he had a plan.

Xi Zhong was Cao Cao's chief strategist, a fact known to many.

At present, Cao Cao sent Xi Zhong to Xiangyang to secretly negotiate with him. In Cai Mao's view, it was clear that Cao Cao realized his value.

Cai Mao's judgment was indeed correct, but it was somewhat biased.

"Cao Cao wants me to cooperate with Liu Zisheng to control Xiangyang!?"

Cai Mao nearly cried out in surprise, staring at the slightly thin Xi Zhong with a face full of confusion, completely ignoring the conditions the other party had promised.

"good."

Xi Zhong nodded affirmatively, showing no surprise at Cai Mao's shock, clearly having anticipated it.

Cai Mao was dumbfounded. He had always thought that no matter whether Cao Cao could mediate successfully, Xiangyang City would inevitably fall into Cao Cao's hands. He never thought that Cao Cao would actually give up the fat meat in his mouth.

If Xi Zhong hadn't been Cao Cao's most capable strategist, he might have already bound him and sent him back to Cao Cao.

"How could this happen!?"

Cai Mao felt uneasy. He felt no guilt for colluding with Cao Cao behind Liu Biao's back and even betraying Xiangyang, because he believed he could bring benefits to Liu Biao and Xiangyang.

Putting everything else aside, Cai Mao was confident he could secure a position among the Nine Ministers for Liu Biao.

In this chaotic world, the Nine Ministers were naturally far less powerful than the Governors who held real authority.

However, Liu Biao has suffered defeat after defeat, losing seven or eight tenths of Jingzhou, leaving only Nanyang Commandery. Moreover, the morale of the gentry and common people in Jingxiang is wavering, and even Xiangyang City is currently in turmoil. According to Cai Mao, many powerful gentry and clans have already sent their sons to Ruo State to contact Liu Feng.

Cai Mao can only turn a blind eye to these things for now, since even he himself has other plans, let alone others.

While others could contact Liu Feng, Cai Mao refused. He believed he had seen through Liu Feng; the latter's actions in Yangzhou had terrified and chilled him to the bone. He instinctively felt that if Liu Feng took control of Xiangyang, the Cai family's good days would be over.

Therefore, after gaining control of the Xiangyang military, Cai Mao only chose Cao Cao, and did not even implement the strategy of trying to please both sides and making multiple choices that the aristocratic families were accustomed to.

Cai Mao never dreamed that Cao Cao would be the one forcing him to welcome Liu Feng.

The whole thing seemed both absurd and terrifying to him.

At this moment, Xi Zhong paid no attention to Cai Mao's inner thoughts. He directly stated his conditions: "General, do not worry. My lord and you have been close friends for many years and have made arrangements for you."

Upon hearing this, Cai Mao was immediately intrigued: "May I ask how Lord Cao arranged this?"

"After the matter is accomplished, the general may go directly to the court and be granted a fief. If he wishes to take up a civil post, he will be treated as a court attendant. If he intends to continue leading troops, he will be rewarded with the position of Sima of the Grand General's Office."

As Xi Zhong spoke, he kept a close eye on Cai Mao, watching for his reaction.

"really!?"

Cai Mao was overjoyed, as this condition had exceeded his bottom line.

Despite having served as a high-ranking official with a salary of two thousand piculs over the years, having held various positions such as governor of Jiangxia, Nanjun, and Zhangling, Cai Mao was immediately appointed as the military advisor to Liu Biao after Liu Biao was appointed as the General Who Guards the South, thus taking charge of important military affairs.

However, the Han Dynasty, which lasted for four hundred years, still resonates deeply with the people, and the official positions and titles in the central government are still far superior to those of local governors.

The position of Prefect was worth two thousand shi (a unit of grain), while that of Attendant was only worth one thousand shi. The higher position was equivalent to two thousand shi, so it seemed that Cai Mao's transfer to the position of Attendant was a demotion. However, in reality, the position of Attendant was far more valuable than that of an ordinary Prefect. Perhaps only the Prefects of the most powerful and prestigious prefectures in the country, such as the Prefect of Nanyang and the Prefect of Runan, could be compared with it.

The official position of Attendant-in-Ordinary originated from the establishment of the Attendant-in-Ordinary Temple for the emperor, who was responsible for accompanying the emperor, providing advice and assistance, and filling in any gaps in his duties.

The key lies in these four words: accompanying the emperor.

If you spend every day with the emperor and develop feelings for him, why worry about not getting promoted in the future?
Moreover, the official position itself gained even greater power because of its association with the emperor.

Initially, the Attendant-in-Ordinary only had the authority to answer questions and fill in gaps in the system. Over time, however, his powers expanded. In addition to participating in decision-making, he also gained many other powers, such as taking care of people's daily lives, accompanying the emperor on his travels, communicating information up and down the chain of command, reviewing documents, supervising officials, and recommending talents.

This greatly enhanced the prestige of the Attendant-in-Ordinary, transforming him from a lowly but powerful official with a salary of 600 shi (a unit of grain), into someone who could rival important positions such as the Censor-in-Chief and the Director of Works.

Cai Mao was extremely satisfied with his position as Attendant-in-Ordinary, not to mention that Cao Cao had also promised him an additional title of Marquis of Ting.

Nobility was extremely rare in the Eastern Han Dynasty; it was only awarded for military merit.

Despite the fact that even the emperors of the late Eastern Han Dynasty were severely bullied, noble titles remained highly coveted.

Even a rebellious warrior like Guan Yu couldn't forget the title of Marquis of Hanshou bestowed upon him by Cao Cao. In official history, Guan Yu was indeed given gold when he left Cao Cao, but he was reluctant to relinquish the seal of office, which shows how precious the titles of nobility were in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Cai Mao gritted his teeth and asked, "How does Lord Cao want me to cooperate?"

With Cao Cao's assurance, Cai Mao's mindset shifted again, and he no longer resisted colluding with Liu Feng. After all, he would eventually leave Xiangyang for Luozhong anyway.

Xi Zhong could tell that Cai Mao was already interested, and he secretly breathed a sigh of relief. His biggest worry was that Cai Mao would refuse, but now it seemed that the matter was settled.

Xi Zhong then revealed the plan that he and Cao Cao had discussed.

Cai Mao needed to first receive Cao Cao's army into Fancheng, and then hand over Xiangyang to Liu Feng.

The fact that they first entered Fancheng needs no further explanation.

Although they had already discussed it with Liu Feng, Fancheng was too important, and they needed to secure it first to feel at ease. Moreover, Cai Mao was originally on their side, so they naturally needed to arrange the handover of Fancheng first.

As for Xiangyang, once Liu Feng takes control of the city, Cai Mao will be able to safely leave with his family, valuables, and retainers to take up his post in Luozhong.

After hearing the entire plan, Cai Mao had no objections, but he immediately raised another question: "Then how does Lord Cao intend to settle Zhennan?"

The Zhennan mentioned by Cai Mao was naturally Liu Biao, the ruler of Jingzhou and the General Zhennan.

Seeing that Cai Mao was now thinking of Liu Biao, Xi Zhong couldn't help but sneer inwardly. To say that Cai Mao had no loyalty at all might not be true; one could only say that he did have a sense of loyalty, just not much.

"Zhennan also went to Luozhong to serve as the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud, one of the Nine Ministers."

Among the Nine Ministers, the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud was responsible for managing affairs related to carriages and horses. Later, this responsibility expanded to include managing horse administration, including the feeding, breeding, and training of horses to meet the country's needs for horses in military and transportation sectors. Therefore, from this perspective, the Grand Master of the Imperial Stud was also known as the "Chief Official of Horse Administration."

During the dynasty's heyday, the position of Grand Master of the Palace was highly coveted. Although the power was not great, the status was very high, and it was quite lucrative.

The black and gray income within the horse administration is countless, enough to make the officials at all levels extremely wealthy and powerful.

Unfortunately, it is now the end of the dynasty, and all the horse farms in the country have been seized by the feudal lords. The emperor can't even gather six horses of the same color, and the position of Grand Steward has almost become a nominal one.

However, Cai Mao was quite satisfied, feeling that Cao Cao kept his word and indeed gave Liu Biao a position among the Nine Ministers. As for whether Liu Biao was willing to take on this position as Grand Master of the Palace, that was not Cai Mao's concern.

After Xi Zhong dealt with Cai Mao, he began to make intensive preparations for the operation. Meanwhile, Xi Lu once again came to Ruo State to seek an audience with Liu Feng.

Upon receiving the news of Cao Cao's agreement, Liu Feng was overjoyed.

After all, he was prepared to give it up, but now he actually got Xiangyang City for free. The strategic value of the city alone is beyond question, not to mention the more than three million shi of grain and various supplies in the city.

Satisfied, Liu Feng no longer slighted Xi Lu this time. Instead, he showed unprecedented enthusiasm, making Xi Lu feel at home with his warm hospitality.

A variety of delicious dishes were served in a continuous stream. The seasonings on the table included snow salt, frosting sugar, sesame oil, and dried meat. There were also many unique dishes that Xi Lu had never heard of before, leaving him dumbfounded.

Unlike the previous farewell banquet, Liu Feng personally attended this welcome-back banquet, and generals such as Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Lu Xun, Taishi Ci, Zhang Liao, and Xu Huang were also present, which can be said to have given Xi Lu a lot of face.

(End of this chapter)