My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 491 Gongda Offers Advice
As soon as Xun You said this, everyone in the room couldn't help but look at him, wondering what he meant.

Xun You didn't keep Liu Bei in suspense. Before Liu Bei could ask, he took the initiative to continue: "My lord, the world is now divided into three. My lord and his son are the strongest, while Yuan Shao is slightly inferior, but he has the advantage of his family's reputation throughout the world. Cao Cao is the weakest, but he has the advantage of having 100,000 elite troops, controlling Wanluo, holding the emperor hostage, and having a righteous cause in his hands."

Everyone listened attentively, but for a moment they did not understand Xun You's intention in requesting to fight.

Then, Xun You changed the subject, saying, "My lord and the general have always been friends, helping each other on many occasions, cooperating happily, and even forming an alliance. However, I have a question, and I dare to ask you all for your guidance. Since ancient times, there have often been two weak forces joining together to resist a strong one. Has there ever been a case where a weak force allies with a strong force to attack another strong force?"

Liu Bei and the others were all very intelligent. Since Xun You had made his point so clear, they naturally understood what he meant.

Xun You was clearly implying that something might be going wrong on Cao Cao's side.

Liu Bei was startled, and upon careful consideration, he realized that Xun You's words were indeed correct.

So he couldn't help but ask, "Gongda, do you see anything amiss?"

Unexpectedly, Xun You simply shook his head: "There is nothing wrong with it, it's just a matter of assumption."

Liu Bei chuckled at first, but his smile froze at the corner of his mouth before it could even take shape.

Xun You's assumption was not at all presumptuous; it was clearly the most accurate deduction of human nature.

Liu Bei himself was a master of human nature. Despite a life of wandering and hardship, he was always regarded as a confidant by all sides, which is enough to demonstrate his high emotional intelligence and profound understanding of human nature.

Therefore, Liu Bei was the first to react at this moment. After carefully considering Xun You's words, he felt that what Xun You said was not just unfounded worry, but rather a real problem that was urgent.

"Gongda's words are truly insightful and I have fully accepted them."

Liu Bei immediately stood up, bowed and clasped his hands in greeting to Xun You: "May I ask, Gongda, can sending troops to Qingzhou resolve this predicament?"

The biggest challenge now is how to persuade Cao Cao to continue upholding the alliance.

For Liu Bei and Liu Feng, the best outcome would be to team up with Cao Cao to gang up on Yuan Shao.

Liu Bei naturally understood this point, which is why he humbly sought advice from Xun You.

"My lord, Cao Mengde is a suspicious and treacherous man with an unpredictable personality. He is absolutely unreliable."

Xun You first assessed Cao Cao's character, concluding that as an ally, Cao Cao was indeed quite dangerous.

In previous years, while serving under Yuan Shao, he was nominally a guest general, but in reality, he was no different from a subordinate. At that time, Cao Cao had no territory and only a few thousand soldiers, yet he already harbored ambitions of independence.

After taking Dongjun with Yuan Shao's support, he began to expand into Yanzhou, demonstrating his ambition and determination.

Would someone like that just sit idly by and watch the Liu family rise to power?
Obviously it is impossible.

At this moment, Lu Su suddenly interjected, "While the Grand General is indeed untrustworthy, his territory borders the Grand Marshal's for a long stretch, and the conflict between them runs deep. Unless he is willing to surrender to the Grand Marshal, welcome him into Luoyang, and control the court, he will have no way to avoid it. His territory is narrow and long, long from east to west but narrow from north to south, especially Hanoi, which is isolated in Hebei, with flat terrain and almost no natural defenses. This is practically a piece of fertile land hanging next to the Hebei army's bed, making it impossible for the Grand Marshal not to be tempted. War between the two sides is imminent. If we go north to Qingzhou now, wouldn't that be like pulling chestnuts out of the fire for the Grand General?"

Liu Ye nodded in agreement, saying, "Moreover, in recent years, the Grand Marshal has given Luozhong many instructions, clearly showing his dissatisfaction with the General's monopoly over the Emperor. If it weren't for our lord's solidarity with the General in the provinces and his repeated support, the Grand Marshal's obstruction would probably be even more intense. Under such circumstances, the General probably wouldn't dare to break the alliance so easily, would he?"

What Liu Ye was referring to was extremely important intelligence: Yuan Shao's change in mindset and thinking at this time.

He had previously been at odds with Liu Xie, and because of his own ambition, he was very wary of the emperor and dared not flatter him, fearing that the emperor and the Hebei gentry would join forces to sideline him.

But now, Yuan Shao's views began to change. He keenly realized that the benefits of having an emperor far outweighed the drawbacks, and began to hope to gain Liu Xie's favor. He even went so far as to make various gestures to show goodwill to Liu Xie.

Under such circumstances, Cao Cao, who monopolized Emperor Liu Xie, would obviously become Yuan Shao's most important target, which would naturally reduce the pressure on Liu Bei's side and give him more control over the alliance.

Despite being refuted by Lu Su and Liu Ye, Xun You remained calm and composed, continuing his explanation: "You all only see that the Grand General and the Grand Marshal are like fire and water, but you cannot see the opportunity for them to turn enemies into friends, and that opportunity is the Emperor!"

Liu Bei's body trembled, and he suddenly realized something.

As Xin You said, for Emperor Liu Xie, being dominated by Cao Cao was obviously a terrible situation, but if Yuan Shao had taken over the court, it would have been an even worse situation.

However, if Cao Cao and Yuan Shao simultaneously controlled the court, it would actually be a good thing for Emperor Liu Xie.

Not only can he himself be considered a rare commodity, but he also has room to be successful in all directions.

With Emperor Liu Xie mediating and acting as a go-between, and with Yuan Shao and Cao Cao having a deep old friendship, what was impossible about turning enemies into friends and fighting against a powerful foe together?
So the question returns to its root: why did Xun You ask Liu Bei to take the initiative to send troops to Qingzhou, thus saving Cao Cao from a dangerous situation?

After sensing Liu Bei's gaze, Xun You got back to the point: "My lord, sending troops to Qingzhou may seem like we are helping the General to snatch chestnuts from the fire, but in reality, it is a scheme to substitute one thing for another for you."

Liu Bei was overjoyed and quickly asked, "Gongda, could you please elaborate?"

Lu Su and Liu Ye, standing to the side, were deep in thought, vaguely grasping at some inspiration.

Xun You continued, "My lord, there are three advantages to sending troops to Qingzhou."

Liu Bei asked seriously, "May I ask for details?"

Xun You raised his first finger: "Firstly, by sending troops to Qingzhou, we can shift the war to another country's territory, thus protecting the people and lands under our lord's rule."

This is quite easy to understand. Qingzhou belonged to Yuan Tan, Kong Rong, Lü Bu, Chen Gong, or Zhang Miao. Moreover, Qingzhou was frequently plagued by wars, and the Yellow Turban Army repeatedly plundered it, leaving it in ruins with bones exposed in the fields and less than one in ten people surviving. Naturally, it was not a place to wreak havoc on people.

Xun You continued, raising his second finger: "Secondly, send troops to Qingzhou to show our commitment to the alliance. This will not only demonstrate goodwill to the Grand General, but also draw the Grand Marshal's attention to Qingzhou."

"Miaoya!"

Liu Ye exclaimed, his face full of admiration, and bowed respectfully to Xun You: "Mr. Gongda's talent far surpasses mine; this is truly a brilliant strategy."

Lu Su, who was standing to the side, then looked on with a look of sudden realization, and looked at Xun You with admiration in his eyes.

Liu Bei was completely bewildered. Although he felt that Xun You's words were very important, he still felt as if he were separated by a veil and could not grasp the true core of the matter.

Fortunately, Xun You immediately cleared up Liu Bei's doubts.

"My lord, given the General's temperament, if the Grand Marshal were to go to war with you, he would most likely remain aloof and watch from the sidelines. Wouldn't that be a great thing?"

Liu Ye interjected with a smile, "What we are most worried about is the General turning against us. But with Yuan and Liu fighting each other, the General has become a rare commodity. Given the General's character, how could he be willing to step down so easily? In this way, we can ensure that he will not turn against us in the short term, which is the greatest benefit."

Lu Su nodded, stroking his beard with a smile, and added, "What's even better is that the Grand General's territory is long and narrow from east to west, which conveniently separates us from the Grand Marshal. As long as the Grand General doesn't get involved, the Grand Marshal won't dare to force him to get involved, much less dare to touch his territory. In this way, although we are at war with the Grand Marshal, it will be confined to the territory of Qingzhou, and the war will certainly not be able to escalate."

Qingzhou is mountainous and blocked by the Yellow River, making it unsuitable for large-scale troop operations. In particular, Liu Bei's side only needed to divide his troops to guard key passes, which would put Yuan Shao's army in a dilemma.

This also means that Liu Bei's side has gained the initiative in the war.

Liu Ye and Lu Su's additions made Liu Bei suddenly realize the truth, and after thinking about it carefully, he was secretly delighted.

It turns out that there are so many benefits to sending troops to Qingzhou.

Just as Liu Bei was about to thank Xun You for his strategy, the latter continued, "Besides what Ziyang and Zijing said, there is another advantage: time. What Ziyang and Zijing said earlier—that we will grow stronger with time—is truly insightful. Jingzhou has just been pacified, and the severe drought in the Huai and Si rivers has just ended. This year may bring a bumper harvest. You must know that the longer we delay, the stronger our foundation will become, my lord."

Moreover, the young lord also needs to manage Jiaozhou and wage war. If we can achieve three to five years of peace, then even if you are fighting two against one, you will be fearless and will no longer have to worry about the alliance between Yuan Shao and Cao Cao.

At this point, Liu Bei, Lu Su, Liu Ye, and the others all suddenly realized the truth.

Xun You's suggestion to send troops to Qingzhou was so insightful, taking into account so many factors, especially his grasp of human nature, which was so meticulous and precise that it was truly astonishing.

The more Liu Bei thought about it, the more he felt that Xun You's wisdom and strategy were unfathomable.

Cao Cao was a suspicious and jealous man by nature. If he were to earnestly ask the other party to keep the alliance and even offer to cede benefits, the result would probably be the opposite, causing the other party to become suspicious for no reason, and even making Cao Cao realize the benefits of allying with Yuan Shao to suppress Liu Bei.

He could have initiated a war with Yuan Shao, but through Cao Cao's own personality, he could have subtly influenced Liu Bei to make the decision to remain neutral and play both sides. This seemingly advantageous decision for Cao Cao would actually benefit Liu Bei more, while Cao Cao remained oblivious, believing he had outmaneuvered Liu Bei.

The entire strategy was to use minimal-cost warfare to stall Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, preventing them from uniting and immobilizing them, thereby buying time for the strategy to grow stronger.

This plan was so perfect and flawless that it left Liu Bei utterly astonished.

Overwhelmed with emotion, Liu Bei rose and bowed deeply to Xun You, expressing his heartfelt gratitude: "Sir, you are truly a divine being."

Xun You hurriedly left his seat to make way, and hastily returned the greeting: "I am deeply grateful for the favor and kindness shown to me by my lord. I wish to do my utmost to repay your kindness. Today, I have offered my advice, and you have accepted it without hesitation. This is my honor. How dare I accept such a great gift from you?"

After another round of sincere refusals between Liu Bei and Xun You, Liu Bei finally gave up after being persuaded by Lu Su and Liu Ye.

"Gongda's plan is truly a scheme devised by gods and spirits."

Liu Bei sighed again, and immediately made a decision: "My mind is made up, let's go with this plan. Gongda, Ziyang, and Zijing can use this plan as the core to formulate a plan. As soon as possible, after the autumn harvest, or at the latest, when the spring flowers bloom next year, we will send troops to Eastern Qi and start a war with the Grand Marshal."

"Here!"

Xun You, Liu Ye, and Lu Su rose, cupped their hands, and acknowledged the order in unison.

**
Liu Feng was heading south from Xiangyang, first by boat and then by road. After landing at Lankouju, he traveled south along the imperial road, passing Dangyang, passing Changban, and arriving at Jiangling.

When we entered Jiangling, it was already getting dark, and the city gates were already closed.

The gatekeeper, Du Bo, did not recognize Liu Feng and could only hurriedly report to his superior. In the end, it was Zhou Yu who received the news and came to welcome Liu Feng into the city.

Seeing Zhou Yu's anxious and fearful appearance beside him, Liu Feng smiled and comforted him, "Gongjin, why are you so respectful? Your military leadership is as graceful as the willow branches, I'm more than happy with it, how could I blame you for that? The more uneasy you are, Gongjin, isn't that just saying I'm not able to distinguish right from wrong?"

Liu Feng's words only made Zhou Yu more apprehensive, because what Liu Feng said made perfect sense.

"Alright, I was praising Gongjin, why are you worried instead of happy?"

Liu Feng laughed heartily, took Zhou Yu's hand, and led him into the prefectural government office. As they walked, he asked, "Where is Mr. Yidu currently residing? Have all the generals and officers of Jingzhou been settled?"

When Liu Feng asked about serious matters, Zhou Yu secretly breathed a sigh of relief and regained some of his usual carefree and relaxed demeanor.

"Mr. Yidu resides in the prefectural government, while the other generals are allowed to live freely in the city as they please."

Zhou Yu explained, "Most of the generals and officers of Jingzhou live in the prefectural government offices, with only a few living outside, but not far away."

"it is good."

Liu Feng nodded in satisfaction, then instructed, "Gongjin, have someone prepare a meal quickly; we are all hungry. After we finish eating, I will request to see Master Yidu."

Zhou Yu quickly replied, "Yes."

Soon, the food was served. Because of the rush, the food was very simple, consisting of only a plate of celery with meat sauce as a side dish.

However, from Liu Feng to Xu Chu and others, they all ate with great relish.

After the meal, Zhou Yu arranged for hot water to be provided for Liu Feng and the others to wash up.

After wiping his face with hot water, Liu Feng, who was full, immediately felt a sense of joy, as if he had been reborn.

Liu Feng tossed the towel onto the tray held by the maid and asked Zhou Yu, "Has someone been sent to inform Master Yidu?"

Zhou Yu nodded: "I had already sent someone to inform him that Mr. Yidu is waiting for you to arrive, my lord."

In fact, Liu Feng's visit was quite impolite.

However, since Kuai Yue is now a prisoner and Liu Feng is eager to find talented people, he doesn't need to pay too much attention to these details.

"How is Mr. Yidu doing these days?" Liu Feng washed the dust off his face. Traveling in this era was no easy task. Even riding in a carriage could leave you with a mouthful of dust, let alone riding a horse.

After changing his clothes, he did not immediately go to meet Kuai Yue as he had said, but instead chatted with Zhou Yu first.

Zhou Yu immediately replied, "My lord, please do not worry. These days, Mr. Yidu has been eating and sleeping in an orderly manner, following the natural order, and is very satisfied with the supplies provided by the prefecture. There is nothing wrong with him."

"That's good."

Liu Feng smiled with satisfaction, then changed the subject: "Gongjin has made great contributions this time, first capturing Xisai and then conquering Xiakou. His efforts are truly commendable."

"Does Gongjin have any reward he desires?"

Liu Feng looked at Zhou Yu and said solemnly, "I will certainly not be stingy with my rewards."

Upon hearing this, Zhou Yu's face showed gratitude.

He thought to himself that he was only twenty-five years old when he was appointed to lead an army. If it weren't for Liu Feng's strong opposition and decisive action, he, a newly recruited soldier, would not have been among the top in terms of seniority or merit, and would not have been qualified to be the commander of an army.

Not to mention that in order to make his position as military commander more secure, Liu Feng forcibly separated Poyang from Yuzhang Commandery, raising him to the threshold of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), and also allowing him to suppress the mountain tribes in Poyang Commandery and accumulate military merits.

Such favor is rare in ancient times.

Zhou Yu was well-versed in the classics and knowledgeable in history.

The last person to receive such favor was probably the Marquis of Champion under Emperor Sejong.

Therefore, Zhou Yu not only respected and admired Liu Feng, but was also deeply grateful, which is why he acted with such trepidation in front of Liu Feng.

There's nothing else to it, except that I value you.

"I am deeply grateful for your kindness, my lord. Though I am not talented, I will do my utmost to repay your kindness. The great victory in the western expedition was achieved through the concerted efforts of you and all of you. How could I dare to claim all the credit for myself? Whenever I think of this, my gratitude is beyond words. How could I dare to ask for a reward for such a small achievement? I only wish to serve you like a dog or a horse, even unto death, to assist you in restoring the Han Dynasty. Even if I die, I will have no regrets!"

After Zhou Yu's impassioned speech, his spirit soared, and all traces of fear and trepidation vanished, leaving only unbridled magnanimity and soaring ambition.

"well!"

Liu Feng laughed heartily, reached out and grabbed Zhou Yu's hand, patting the back of his hand lightly, saying, "With such lofty ambitions, Gongjin, how can we worry about the decline of the Han Dynasty? There will be heavy responsibilities to entrust to Gongjin in the future, so please strive to fulfill them."

Upon hearing that a heavy responsibility had been bestowed upon him, Zhou Yu was not worried but rather delighted, and generously replied, "That is indeed what I wish for, and I dare not ask for it."

Afterwards, Liu Feng and Zhou Yu chatted for the duration of a meal, mainly discussing the matter of the western expedition to Jingzhou and Zhou Yu's own intentions for its future implementation.

Liu Feng placed great importance on communicating these matters with his subordinates, aiming to achieve twice the result with half the effort. Forcing things would not only waste goodwill but also likely fail to yield the desired outcome.

Liu Feng was not stubborn or unwilling to listen to advice; on the contrary, he paid special attention to the thoughts of his trusted generals. For Liu Feng, governing people was similar to controlling water; dredging was better than blocking—a golden rule learned over thousands of years.

As expected, Zhou Yu relaxed as he chatted with Liu Feng, and he took the initiative to share many of his own thoughts, and the conversation flowed very smoothly. It was just a pity that Liu Feng had to go see Kuai Yue, and the two were still quite reluctant to part ways after the meeting, so they could only leave it for another day.

Accompanied by Zhou Yu and Xu Chu, Liu Feng arrived at the courtyard where Kuai Yue lived.

Then, at Liu Feng's signal, Xu Chu stepped forward and knocked on the courtyard gate, then led the armored soldiers to inspect it.

Liu Feng then entered the courtyard under the protection of Xu Chu and Zhou Yu.

"You guys wait for me here."

After giving the order, Liu Feng went into the house.

At this time, only Kuai Yue was in the house. He was leisurely reading a book by candlelight, showing no sign of being a prisoner.

To Liu Feng's surprise, Kuai Yue did not pretend not to see him, nor did he ignore him. Instead, as soon as he entered, he put down his books and stood up.

Before Liu Feng could react, Kuai Yue bowed deeply to him and said, "Your sinful subject Kuai Yue greets the Left General."

Liu Feng was greatly shocked. This was not only because Kuai Yue's reaction was unexpected, but also because it disrupted his plans.

Originally, Liu Feng planned to wait until Kuai Yue took him seriously, then pay his respects first, treat him with great courtesy, and earnestly request Kuai Yue's assistance in restoring the Han Dynasty and rebuilding China.

But Kuai Yue actually took his own path, which left Liu Feng completely dumbfounded for several moments.

Fortunately, Liu Feng reacted quickly and stepped forward to help Kuai Yue up.

Kuai Yue complied without any resistance and obediently allowed Liu Feng to help him up.

"General Zuo, please allow me to report."

After rising, Kuai Yue bowed respectfully and continued, “In recent years, I have felt my energy waning and my ability to govern has become increasingly inadequate. My former wisdom is now like a flickering candle, difficult to sustain. I have now made a mistake, and I am deeply grateful for General Zuo's forgiveness. If General Zuo is merciful, I wish to resign and return to my hometown to live out my remaining years in peace. I hope General Zuo will understand my sincerity and allow me to return to my hometown to live out my remaining years in quiet rural life.”

Liu Feng was extremely surprised, never expecting that Kuai Yue would want to resign and go into seclusion.

He didn't say anything, but slowly helped Kuai Yue to his seat.

After the two sat down, Liu Feng had an idea.

A look of doubt appeared on Liu Feng's face, and he asked in confusion, "I just heard Mr. Yidu claim that he is guilty. What do you mean by that?"

Now it was Kuai Yue's turn to be surprised.

For a moment, he hesitated, unsure how to answer. Such a situation was extremely rare for a strategist like Kuai Yue, who was clever and resourceful from a young age and grew up to be full of wisdom.

After hesitating for a while, Kuai Yue tentatively asked, "I am ignorant of the will of Heaven, I aid and abet the wicked, and I oppose the royal army. How can I be without guilt?"

Liu Feng burst into laughter, which annoyed Kuai Yue. Kuai Yue then stopped laughing and said, "Uncle's words may fool others, but they cannot fool me."

Kuai Yue's pupils contracted slightly, even more puzzled, with a hint of displeasure: "I dare not accept the title of Uncle of General Zuo, for I understand even less what General Zuo means by this?"

In Feng's eyes, his uncle was not only not a sinner, but also a hero.

Liu Feng met the other's gaze and said, word by word, "Uncle led an army of 100,000 south, but was caught in a dilemma, failed to devise any ingenious strategies, and watched as the royal army advanced westward and swept through Jingzhou and Xiangyang. This time, the victory is worth 100,000 soldiers. How can you say he is guilty? In my opinion, if the merit of the western expedition is one bushel, Uncle should receive three bushels!"

Upon hearing Liu Feng's words, Kuai Yue could no longer maintain his composure and angrily retorted, "Nonsense! How could General Zuo deceive me like this?"

"Why do you say that, Uncle?"

Liu Feng remained calm and composed, and instead said jokingly, "It was you, Uncle, who first made such a boastful statement."

Kuai Yue's face froze, and after a moment, he slowly said, "I don't know what General Zuo means by this."

"Uncle is joking again."

A slight smile appeared on Liu Feng's lips as he said, "Uncle's talent is unparalleled in Jingzhou and Xiangyang. He once advised the former general in Luoyang, but unfortunately, his advice was not put to use. Therefore, he sought an opportunity to escape back to Xiangyang. Could it be that Uncle thinks that I am like the former general, unable to make good use of your talents, and wants to repeat the same old trick?"

A hint of fear flashed in Kuai Yue's eyes. He managed to keep his expression unchanged, but a huge wave of emotions surged within him.

Liu Feng actually guessed it!
However, Liu Feng did not guess correctly.

Kuai Yue did indeed have the idea of ​​retiring while he was still at the peak of his career. He was now over forty years old and no longer had the lofty ambitions of his youth. Now he only wanted to preserve his family and raise his children.

He wasn't dissatisfied with Liu Feng, but rather he was too disappointed with Liu Biao.

When Liu Biao first entered Jingzhou, he treated him with great respect. But when the time came, Liu Biao stubbornly refused to heed his advice, insisting on slaughtering all fifty-five clans, greatly diminishing his reputation in Jingzhou and making him despised by the people. If he had followed his original plan, using both kindness and severity, only executing the two or three ringleaders and pardoning the others, he wouldn't have become so hated by the villagers.
After taking control of Xiangyang, Liu Biao became even more wary of him, deliberately arranging a marriage between the Cai family and himself, which was a blatant act of distrust.

If it weren't for my efforts to befriend Cai Mao, and Cai Mao's understanding of the principle of "once the cunning rabbit dies, the hunting dog is cooked," and his acceptance of my goodwill, the Kuai family's situation would probably be even more difficult, and they wouldn't be as powerful as they are now.

Many things led Kuai Yue to become quite disappointed and he developed the idea of ​​retiring.

However, Kuai Yue greatly admired Liu Feng himself, especially after hearing Liu Feng's name for the first time. He had traveled thousands of miles to Hedong to welcome the emperor, yet he abandoned fame to seek the present. Kuai Yue then took him very seriously.

Later, Liu Feng gradually rose to power, marched south to destroy Yuan Shikai, and swept through Jiangdong. His ambition was so great that it could not be hidden from his own eyes. It was laughable that Liu Jing Sheng still regarded his opponent as a child, unaware that his opponent was a tiger about to devour people.

Seeing the shifting expressions on Kuai Yue's face, Liu Feng knew that he had hit the nail on the head.

Only after Kuai Yue's expression gradually calmed down did Liu Feng bow deeply first, saying, "Uncle, your talent is extraordinary, and I have long admired you. I only regret that I could not receive your assistance and personal guidance. Today, I have gained Jingzhou, and I am not so happy to have gained the six prefectures and seventy-nine counties of Jingxiang, but I am happy to have you, Uncle! I earnestly beg you, Uncle, to understand my heart and not to think of retiring. I dare to ask you, Uncle, for the sake of the people and the Han Dynasty, to lend me your strength."

Kuai Yue sat in the seat, silently watching Liu Feng. Liu Feng knelt obediently in the seat, motionless, showing his sincerity.

After a long while, Kuai Yue sighed, left his seat to make way, and returned a deep bow to Liu Feng.

"I am but a country bumpkin, and I am deeply ashamed to have received such kindness from General Zuo. I am now old and frail, and my talents are shallow; I fear I am not up to the task. What I learned in the past were but some minor skills, and now they are like a flickering candle, barely enough to sustain me. General Zuo is a man of great talent and ambition, and his subordinates are full of brilliant minds. What virtue or ability do I possess to dare to be among them?"

At this point, Kuai Yue changed the subject: "However, General Zuo did not consider me old and dull, but personally recruited me and treated me with utmost sincerity. This is a true expression of his affection. I am deeply grateful for your kindness, how could I dare to refuse? If you do not despise me, I am willing to do my utmost, like burning embers, to assist you and repay this profound kindness. Although I am not very talented, I am willing to dedicate the rest of my life to sharing your burdens and solving your problems."

At this point, Kuai Yue finally relented and expressed his willingness to serve Liu Feng.

Upon hearing this, Liu Feng was overjoyed and immediately stepped forward to grasp Kuai Yue's hand: "Time will tell. I know your abilities well, Uncle. You will also see my true heart in the future. I am overjoyed to have your help."

Liu Feng's genuine and heartfelt joy infected Kuai Yue, improving his mood as well.

“Uncle, Feng has the ambition to bring peace to the world and restore the Han Dynasty. He only regrets that he is of meager talent and cannot uphold justice, thus allowing evildoers to run rampant.”

Liu Feng pressed his advantage, saying, "I dare to ask my uncle for some guidance. Please do not refuse."

Liu Feng used honorifics throughout, demonstrating exceptional courtesy and deep affection. More importantly, the letter from his elder brother Kuai Liang revealed the extent of the respect and favor Liu Feng had shown him and Kuai Liang in Xiangyang.

All of this made Kuai Yue deeply grateful.

Now that Liu Feng had taken the initiative to ask, Kuai Yue seized the opportunity to speak: "Although my lord is young, he is exceptionally gifted and intelligent, truly a dragon among men. In the past, when he campaigned against Yuan Shu, he strategized and won decisive victories, wiping out the rebel in one fell swoop and shaking the Central Plains with his might. Afterwards, his conquest of Jiangdong was unstoppable, sweeping all before him and striking fear into the hearts of his enemies. Now, in conquering Jingzhou, he has further demonstrated his great talent and strategic brilliance, employing troops with divine skill. His achievements are unparalleled in his time, and his name resounds throughout the world! Such a young man with such outstanding achievements is truly a blessing to the Han Dynasty and a fortune to the nation! Although I am decades older, I cannot help but admire your great talent and strategic brilliance. Given time, you will surely become a pillar of the nation and leave a lasting mark on history!"

Kuai Yue first praised him, and these words were indeed what he thought. He also addressed him as his lord to express his sincerity in serving him.

Whether he genuinely wanted to retire or was just using the situation to his advantage, it was one thing. But now that he has expressed his willingness to serve Liu Feng, he should act like one. The worst thing for a smart person is to lack discretion.

Immediately afterwards, Kuai Yue changed the subject, saying, "I heard that our lord made an alliance with the Grand General, and therefore ceded the Nanyang prefecture to him. Is this true?"

"This is a true story."

Liu Feng met Cao Cao with complete honesty and without any concealment, revealing the alliance he had made with him.

After hearing this, Kuai Yue's face flashed with a look of "I knew it," and then he said solemnly, "My lord, the general cannot be trusted."

Cao Cao and Kuai Yue were old acquaintances, having been friends in Luozhong when they were all Yuan Shao's subordinates, including Cai Mao. They often gathered at Yuan Shao's residence to drink and discuss state affairs. However, at that time, Cao Cao's brilliance was completely overshadowed by Yuan Shao, like a star next to the bright moon—bright, but not dazzling.

Even so, Kuai Yue saw that Cao Cao was no ordinary man and observed him closely.

Among the heroes of today, Cao Cao is firmly among the top three, proving that I was right about him back then.

Liu Feng asked with surprise and doubt, "Could it be that I made a mistake in ceding Nanyang this time?"

(End of this chapter)