My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 486 Visiting the Sick Kuai Liang
Soon, Liu Feng, escorted by Xu Chu and a small number of elite armored soldiers, entered Kuai's residence, while the main force remained outside.

This respect for Kuai Liang and the Kuai family won the favor of many people.

While Xu Chu stayed by Liu Feng's side with his trusted guards, he secretly sent men to search the Kuai residence to prevent any hidden ambush. Although the chances were extremely slim, Xu Chu remained vigilant and acted with utmost caution.

Soon, led by the steward of the Kuai family, Liu Feng arrived at Kuai Liang's bedroom in the backyard.

Standing in the courtyard, one can smell the rich aroma of medicine, which shows that the steward's claim that Kuai Liang was ill was not a lie.

Liu Feng gently pushed open the door and walked into the room.

There was a person lying on the bed; this person was Kuai Liang.

Kuai Liang should only be in his forties now, the prime of a politician's life. But judging from his current appearance, he looks like an old man in his fifties, having aged more than ten years.

Liu Feng was slightly startled, raised his eyebrows slightly, and then relaxed them.

He then stepped forward and quietly inquired of the doctor in the hall what illness Kuai Liang was suffering from.

The doctor recognized Liu Feng's identity and hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, but Liu Feng stopped him.

He then told Liu Feng about Kuai Liang's illness.

It turned out that Kuai Liang had caught a cold when he left Wancheng, but he did not stop to rest. Instead, he continued south, traveling day and night, and returned to Xiangyang City in just a few days.

After entering the mansion, his spirit relaxed, and his body collapsed.

Liu Feng understood that Kuai Liang had indeed caught a cold, and the fatigue from the journey had aggravated the cold. In addition, there were many other distressing events, such as Liu Feng's entry into Xiangyang and his brother's capture in Jiangling, which made Kuai Liang fall seriously ill.

"Zhongkang, order someone to invite Mr. Fan over."

Liu Feng made a quick decision and gave instructions to Xu Chu.

Mr. Fan was Fan A, Hua Tuo's most senior disciple and a fellow townsman of Hua Tuo. He studied medicine under Hua Tuo from a young age, specializing in acupuncture and demonstrating a pioneering spirit. Records indicate that Fan A successfully performed surgery on a patient suffering from a severe abscess. He reportedly obtained a health-preserving formula, "Qi Ye Qing Nian San," from Hua Tuo, and supposedly lived to over a hundred years old by using it, though this account is largely based on misinformation.

Now Fan A is by Liu Feng's side, protecting and protecting him, and at the same time, he has begun his own career of mentoring apprentices.

Soon, Liu Feng, escorted by Xu Chu and a small number of elite armored soldiers, entered the Kuai residence, while the main force remained outside.

This respect for Kuai Liang and the Kuai family won the favor of many people.

While Xu Chu stayed by Liu Feng's side with his trusted guards, he secretly sent men to search the Kuai residence to prevent any hidden ambush. Although the chances were extremely slim, Xu Chu remained vigilant and acted with utmost caution.

Soon, led by the steward of the Kuai family, Liu Feng arrived at Kuai Liang's bedroom in the backyard.

Standing in the courtyard, one can smell the rich aroma of medicine, which shows that the steward's claim that Kuai Liang was ill was not a lie.

Liu Feng gently pushed open the door and walked into the room.

There was a person lying on the bed; this person was Kuai Liang.

Kuai Liang should only be in his forties now, the prime of a politician's life. But judging from his current appearance, he looks like an old man in his fifties, having aged more than ten years.

Liu Feng was slightly startled, raised his eyebrows slightly, and then relaxed them.

He then stepped forward and quietly inquired of the doctor in the hall what illness Kuai Liang was suffering from.

The doctor recognized Liu Feng's identity and hurriedly knelt down to pay his respects, but Liu Feng stopped him.

He then told Liu Feng about Kuai Liang's illness.

It turned out that Kuai Liang had caught a cold when he left Wancheng, but he did not stop to rest. Instead, he continued south, traveling day and night, and returned to Xiangyang City in just a few days.

After entering the mansion, his spirit relaxed, and his body collapsed.

Liu Feng understood that Kuai Liang had indeed caught a cold, and the fatigue from the journey had aggravated the cold. In addition, there were many other distressing events, such as Liu Feng's entry into Xiangyang and his brother's capture in Jiangling, which made Kuai Liang fall seriously ill.

"Zhongkang, order someone to invite Mr. Fan over."

Liu Feng made a quick decision and gave instructions to Xu Chu.

Mr. Fan was Fan A, Hua Tuo's most senior disciple and a fellow townsman of Hua Tuo. He studied medicine under Hua Tuo from a young age, specializing in acupuncture and demonstrating a pioneering spirit. Records indicate that Fan A successfully performed surgery on a patient suffering from a severe abscess. He reportedly obtained a health-preserving formula, "Qi Ye Qing Nian San," from Hua Tuo, and supposedly lived to over a hundred years old by using it, though this account is largely based on misinformation.

Now Fan A is by Liu Feng's side, protecting and protecting him, and at the same time, he has begun his own career of mentoring apprentices.

Soon, Fan A was invited over, and after a brief examination, his expression was not grave.

"General, Lord Kuai is not seriously ill, but he is a little weak. He may have lost his appetite due to the cold these past few days."

Fan A paused at this point, clearly considering whether to continue.

Liu Feng immediately replied, "If there's anything else, please speak freely."

After receiving Liu Feng's assurance, Fan A continued, "Lord Kuai's illness is actually more of a psychological one. If the knot in his heart can be untied, his recovery will be much more efficient."

Liu Fengxin exclaimed in surprise, "Just as I suspected!"

So Liu Feng nodded to Fan A: "Go ahead and write the prescription and get the medicine."

"Here."

Fan A immediately accepted the order and turned to leave.

Then, Liu Feng waved his hand, dismissing everyone in the room except for Xu Chu.

"Zhongkang, have someone bring a cotton towel and a basin of cold water."

Liu Feng gave an order, then walked to Kuai Liang's side and touched his forehead.

Kuai Liang's forehead was still a little hot. If he could apply a cold compress, although it wouldn't help much, it would make him feel more comfortable.

Soon, Xu Chu brought over some cold water and placed it in front of Liu Feng.

This cold water came from the well in the Kuai family mansion, and combined with the ice in the ice cellar, it was quite cold.

Liu Feng personally wet a cotton towel, then dyed it with ice, and placed it on Kuai Liang's forehead.

Kuai Liang was still unconscious, but his previously pained expression had calmed down.

Time passed slowly. Liu Feng remained seated in Kuai Liang's bedroom until the sun began to set, at which point Kuai Liang groaned and slowly opened his eyes. "Uncle, are you feeling any better?"

As soon as Kuai Liang opened his eyes, he heard a gentle greeting in his ear.

“I have already instructed them to prepare porridge. My uncle is currently weak and has caught a cold. Some porridge will help with digestion.”

Liu Feng explained with a smile, "Mr. Fan A is a direct disciple of the legendary physician Hua Tuo. He has already treated your uncle and prescribed medicine. The medicine is currently being simmered, so your uncle can have some soup first before taking the medicine."

Kuai Liang felt his mind was a little sluggish and for a moment couldn't recognize who the boy who spoke was, so he couldn't help but ask, "Who are you?"

Liu Feng replied with a smile, "Uncle, my father, Liu Xuande, is currently appointed by the court as General of the Cavalry, Governor of Yu Province, and Commander-in-Chief of the military affairs of Yu and Xu provinces."

"You're Liu Zisheng!?"

Kuai Liang almost cried out. He never dreamed that Liu Feng would appear in his bedroom when he woke up, let alone that the other party would be taking care of him while he was sick.

"Uncle, wipe your face first, it will make you feel better."

Liu Feng wrung out a cotton towel from his hand and handed it to Kuai Liang, replying, "I have long admired Uncle Liang's demeanor, but I never expected that we would meet on such an occasion."

Looking at the cotton towel handed to him, and then at Liu Feng's composed expression, Kuai Liang would be lying if he said he wasn't moved.

Although Liu Feng is several generations younger than me, his status and position are already far above mine.

The young man before me is now one of the top three most powerful ministers in the Han Empire. If he were to join forces with his father, they would be a force to be reckoned with, even if it meant securing second place.

His current title is Governor of Yangzhou, and he is in charge of the military affairs of Yangzhou and Jiaozhou. Now, even Jingzhou has fallen into his hands, and he is only missing Nanyang County.

As mentioned earlier, although Kuai Liang was bedridden due to a cold, the real problem was not the cold itself, but his mental illness.

Kuai Liang's heartache lies in the current situation.

Kuai Yue led a large army but suffered defeat after defeat, and now his entire army was wiped out at Chanling. Kuai Liang himself failed to defend Nanyang County for Liu Biao.

The Kuai family has failed Liu Biao.

Unlike the flexible and adaptable Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang's personality was closer to that of a traditional scholar-official, who valued loyalty highly.

In fact, if Cai Mao hadn't used Liu Biao's official seal, and if Kuai Liang hadn't been far away in Wancheng and unaware of Liu Biao's situation, he might not have cooperated with Cao Cao's actions, ultimately leading to the complete surrender of Nanyang.

His deepest sorrow stemmed from his guilt over failing Liu Biao's trust in him and his inability to defend Nanyang, as well as his profound grief over Kuai Yue's defeat in Jingnan.

"What is Uncle Liang thinking?"

Looking at Kuai Liangmu's stunned expression, Liu Feng tentatively asked, "If Uncle Liang is worried about General Zhennan, then you can rest assured. Although General Zhennan is ill, he has already arrived safely in Wancheng. It's just a pity that they missed Uncle Liang."

"Did you go to Wancheng, sir?"

Kuai Liang's face relaxed slightly, clearly because of this good news for him.

Liu Feng didn't take it seriously and went straight to Kuai Liang's bedside. He said sincerely, "Uncle Liang is a famous scholar in Jingzhou. He is exceptionally talented, kind and virtuous. Although I am not talented, I know your virtue and love for the people like your own children. I have come here today to invite you. I hope that you can come out of seclusion to help me for the sake of the people of Jingzhou and work together to achieve great things."

Liu Feng originally wanted to observe Kuai Liang's reaction before deciding how to continue persuading him. However, upon hearing this, Kuai Liang was first stunned, and then suddenly burst into tears.

Kuai Liang wept uncontrollably, as if his father had died; he was extremely heartbroken.

Liu Feng was dumbfounded, completely baffled as to what was wrong with Kuai Liang.

Logically speaking, Kuai Yue is currently in Jiangling, safe and sound, and is being treated with the highest level of courtesy by Liu Fengjun.

Liu Biao has now left Xiangyang and arrived safely in Wancheng. Although he is still ill, Liu Biao is already sixty years old, so it is only natural for him to be sick.
Therefore, Liu Feng really couldn't figure out why the other person was crying so sadly.

Fortunately, Kuai Liang quickly cleared up his confusion.

"I am utterly incompetent, and have lost power and territory. I have failed to live up to your trust."

Liu Feng's face stiffened, and he quickly advised, "Uncle Liang, you are mistaken. Your position as the Prefect of Nanyang is an official post of the imperial court. Although you were recommended by Liu Jingzhou, you are still an official appointed by the imperial court. Although you have been appointed by the General, it cannot be considered as betraying Liu Jingzhou. It is truly an appointment made by the imperial court."

Kuai Liang wept bitterly, shaking his head without saying a word.

Liu Feng could only continue to persuade him: "Although Liu Zhennan has left Jingzhou, the General and I have jointly recommended him to be appointed as Grand Master of the Palace. He is temporarily recuperating in Wancheng. Once he recovers, he will go to Luoyang to take up his post. Uncle Liang, there is no need to worry about Liu Zhennan."

This time, Liu Feng's words were quite comforting. After hearing about Liu Biao's recent situation, Kuai Liang's emotions stabilized somewhat, but he still silently shed tears.

Just as Liu Feng was at a loss, Kuai Liang stopped crying and said somewhat dejectedly, "I am grateful for your praise, but I am just a man who has lost his master. I am not very talented and have no ambition. I only wish to live out my days in my hometown. That would be enough for me."

Liu Feng's face stiffened as he looked at Kuai Liang, who exuded a dejected aura, and fell silent.

Given Liu Feng's current status, the reason he is so tolerant of Kuai Liang is simply because Kuai Liang is extremely important.

In terms of ability, Kuai Liang was not as good as Kuai Yue, but he was not a mere pretender either.

Kuai Liang was exceptionally talented in governing the country and managing the people, and he was always in charge of these matters under Liu Biao. The current prosperity of Jingzhou, with its abundant food and weapons, is entirely due to Kuai Liang's contributions and hard work.

The Kuai family held a position among the top three in Jingzhou, and even the Cai family, who were related to Liu Biao by marriage, had to give them considerable respect. Not to mention, there was also Kuai Yue watching over things in Jiangling.

If Kuai Liang could be used by Liu Feng at this time, it would not only greatly stabilize the people's hearts in Jingzhou and help Liu Feng gain the support of the powerful clans in northern Jingzhou, but also, since Kuai Liang often handled the affairs of Jingzhou, he could help Liu Feng grasp the true situation of Jingzhou in the first instance, which would make it twice as effective for Liu Feng's group to digest Jingzhou.

Finally, Kuai Liang's surrender would also increase the chances of success in persuading Kuai Yue to surrender.

With so many benefits and advantages to persuade Kuai Liang to surrender, it's no wonder that Liu Feng would treat Kuai Liang with such respect and personally come to his residence to persuade him to surrender.

Liu Feng's mind raced. With his keen eye, he could naturally see that Kuai Liang truly had no interest in an official career and only wanted to retire to his hometown.

The problem is, Liu Feng is unwilling.

After pondering for a long time, Liu Feng spoke again, deciding to try a more risky approach.

"Uncle Liang has long been a scholar of classics and historical records. There is something I don't understand and would like to ask you about it."

Liu Feng carefully considered his words before speaking: "The sage regarded Ding Fu and Peng Zhongshuang as virtuous men. I wonder what Uncle Liang thinks?"

Guan Dingfu and Peng Zhongshuang were both virtuous men from the Chu region during the Spring and Autumn Period, and they were very famous at the time. And the Chu region during the Spring and Autumn Period was the Nanyang Basin.

Therefore, it is clear that Guan Ding's father and Peng Zhongshuang were fellow villagers of Kuai Liang.

(End of this chapter)