My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 653 The Powerful Figures of Wancheng
At the end of May, Cao Cao arrived at Wancheng and stationed his army in Zhicheng, Bowang, Xi'e and other counties near Wancheng.

Most of these counties were in ruins, but there were still many houses available for garrisoning troops, and remnants of city walls that could provide shelter from the wind and rain. There were also wells in the cities, making them excellent locations for garrisoning troops.

At this time, Cao Cao was meeting with several local powerful figures in Wancheng.

Today, thanks to the hard work of Liu Biao and the local gentry and powerful families, Wancheng has recovered some of its vitality. It now has nearly 50,000 households and more than 90,000 people, but in reality, the population has long exceeded 100,000, and may even have exceeded 120,000 or 130,000.

Nanyang was the hometown of the emperor during the Eastern Han Dynasty, with countless prominent families, powerful clans, and gentry. During the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were no fewer than ten powerful clans that ranked first in the rank of aristocratic families, not to mention other families from other places.

Although these families suffered heavy losses during the Dong Zhuo Rebellion and the subsequent wars, as beneficiaries who controlled a large population and means of production, they recovered quite quickly given the opportunity. Moreover, the more difficult the situation, the more ruthless they became in encroaching on the interests of the state, and the more unscrupulous they became in protecting and supporting hidden households.

Currently, the most powerful families in Wancheng are the Deng and Lai families of Xinye; the Yin family of Wancheng; the Zong family of Zhong'an; and the Ying family of Xi'e, among others.

Among these powerful clans, the first tier undoubtedly consists of several families that have successfully become powerful clans, with the Deng and Zong families at the forefront.

These families took advantage of the war to gather refugees and raise hidden households. They then used their family members as the backbone to train thousands of private troops, and used their own forging workshops to forge weapons and armor to arm their troops.

These local vassal states are numerous and vary in strength, but the vassal states in Nanyang are clearly more outstanding due to their talent, economy, and resources.

Among them, the Deng clan of Xinye was known for their crossbowmen.

As the largest clan in Nanyang, the Deng family was renowned for Deng Yu's "first merit at Yuntai" in the early Eastern Han Dynasty, with 29 members of the family being ennobled as marquises, making them the most prominent clan of their time.

Although the family's influence has declined and it has been suppressed by successive emperors due to Empress Dowager Deng, it still has a deep-rooted heritage in Nanyang.

The Deng family controlled Xinye and also held a large share in Wancheng, demonstrating their dominance in Nanyang.

After Liu Biao rose to power, the Deng family submitted to him, and Deng Yi, a prominent member of the family, was appointed as the Chief Administrator of Jingzhou.

Secondly, there is the Zong family, which is completely different from the Deng family and was not one of the Eighteen Generals of Yuntai.

Although the Zong family, like the Deng and Jia families, was a powerful local clan in Nanyang since the Western Han Dynasty, they also followed Liu Xiu to revive the Han Dynasty at the end of the Western Han Dynasty.

However, Zong Tiao of the Zong family was not granted a title for his merits, so the family later took a completely different path from military merit nobles, namely, becoming an aristocratic family ahead of schedule.

Zong Zi, a famous scholar from the Zong family, once served as the governor of Runan. He appointed Fan Bang, a local scholar from Runan, as his chief clerk, entrusting him with almost all the power of the governorship. As a result, he became famous throughout the country and was promoted by Emperor Huan of Han to serve as the Tiger-Ben General in the capital, in charge of the imperial guards.

It is evident that the Zong clan's transformation into a gentry family inadvertently became the key to the family's prosperity. In the late Eastern Han Dynasty, the Zong clan successfully transformed into a local powerful family, undoubtedly completing another successful transformation of the family.

Despite their seemingly obscure historical presence, the Zong family was actually quite shrewd. They successfully aligned themselves with the right side in several crucial decisions, reaping substantial benefits. Furthermore, the family maintained deep relationships with both Cao Cao and Liu Bei, becoming a significant bargaining chip in their power struggle.

In the original timeline, in the sixth year of Jian'an (201 AD), Liu Bei was defeated by Cao Ren in Runan and had no choice but to retreat to Nanyang. After seeking refuge with Liu Biao, he was settled in Xinye. The following year, Cao Cao eagerly launched an attack, with Xiahou Dun as the main general and Yu Jin and Li Dian as his deputies.

In this battle, the Zong clan decisively sided with Liu Biao and Liu Bei, sending over a thousand troops to achieve a great victory, decisively defeating Xiahou Dun and gaining significant political leverage for themselves.

Zong Yu, a famous minister of the Shu Kingdom, came from this family, but he chose to follow Liu Bei south.

In the thirteenth year of Jian'an, Cao Cao launched a major southward campaign. Liu Biao died of illness, and Jingzhou surrendered without a fight. As a result, the Zong family switched allegiance to the Cao family.

However, after Cao Cao's defeat at the Battle of Red Cliffs, the Zong family continued to secretly contact Liu Bei and later Guan Yu.

Finally, when Hou Yin, Wei Kai, and others raised troops in rebellion, the Zong family again placed their bets and won a great victory, demonstrating that the Zong family was a family of both wisdom and courage.

The Zong clan's troops were also extremely powerful, even surpassing the Deng clan's troops. Their troops were known as the "Zong Army," and they were well-equipped, well-trained, clad in bright armor, and skilled in archery and horsemanship. The "Records of Elders of Xiangyang" referred to them as the elite troops of Nanyang, which shows their formidable strength. They were by no means inferior to Cao's elite troops.

When Zhang Ji led over ten thousand infantry and cavalry from Guanzhong southward through Wuguan into Nanyang to plunder the area, he dared not choose Wancheng and Xinye, but ultimately set his sights on Rangcheng. This was directly related to the martial and warlike local strongmen of Nanyang.

Cao Cao is now going to fight a major battle in Nanyang. If he wants to capture Xiangyang and then drive straight south to drink from the Yangtze River, he must get the support of these powerful local lords.

At the very least, we must get them to provide troops and supplies; otherwise, how can we feel at ease leaving these troops in such a strategic and important place as Wancheng?
As expected, after Cao Cao voiced his request, all the powerful figures present fell silent.

Cao Cao was prepared and wasn't angry. He simply gave a wink to someone beside him.

This person was none other than Deng Yi, the former Prefect of Jingzhou.

After Liu Biao expressed his determination to go north and join Cao Cao, he left Xiangyang with Liu Biao and went to Luoyang.

Cao Cao had already persuaded Deng Yi to support him before he even set out on his campaign. And while Cao Cao was heading south to Nanyang, Deng Yi had already returned to the Deng clan in Wancheng and made preparations for Cao Cao in advance.

Sure enough, the next moment, Deng Yi took the initiative to speak: "General, you flatter me. My Deng family has been favored by the Han for generations. How dare we not be the vanguard for the king? Although Wancheng has experienced the ravages of war, thanks to the General, it has been blessed with good weather and abundant harvests for several years now. Weapons have been stored away, and each family and clan has accumulated considerable wealth. It is the perfect time to repay the country."

Upon hearing Deng Yi's words, all the families present were both shocked and furious.

These people weren't fools; they were all cunning and shrewd. They could easily tell that Deng Yi was setting up a trap for Cao Cao. They were all secretly filled with doubt and unease. Could it be that Deng Yi had truly surrendered to Cao Cao?
Before they could come up with a solution, Deng Yi had already laid his cards on the table: "My Deng family is willing to contribute 5,000 bushels of rice, 5,000 bushels of wheat, 12,000 bushels of millet, and 8,000 bushels of soybeans. In addition, we will provide 600 crossbowmen and 1,400 troops to assist in the battle, hoping that the royal army will achieve a resounding victory."

The powerful figures present were all greatly shocked, and incredulous gazes were cast towards Deng Yi. If Cao Cao hadn't been there, some of them would probably have been shouting angrily, asking if Deng Yi had gone mad.

These 20,000 shi of grain and 2,000 men of retainers have practically emptied the Deng family's coffers.

They weren't feeling sorry for the Deng family, but rather resentful of the fact that their own family had been implicated.

The Deng family's actions were almost a matter of sacrificing their entire fortune to help. Even if the Zong family, the Yin family, and other families held back, they couldn't be too far off, could they?
Putting aside everything else, even if it were just half or a third of the Deng family's wealth, it would still be an extremely heavy burden for them.

However, when those who wanted to refuse saw Cao Cao praising Deng Yi so highly, and Dian Wei leading a group of elite guards outside the hall, their anger subsided considerably. Left with no other choice, and with the situation beyond their control, they had to concede.

Although the Zong family and others did not contribute as much as the Deng family, they still spared no expense. The Zong family alone contributed 15,000 bushels of grain and 1,200 servants, which made the Zong clan chief, Zong Shuai, turn ashen-faced with pain.

The same was true for the other families. As soon as more than ten powerful families in Nanyang agreed, Cao Cao raised seventy to eighty thousand shi of grain in one go.

The grain was already in Nanyang, and was transported to Wancheng, Xinye, and Zhong'an counties, which were key waterway transportation hubs, so there were almost no transportation costs. To transport this amount of grain from Luoyang to Wancheng, at least 300,000 shi (a unit of dry measure) would be needed. The extra 200,000 shi of grain from that round trip would be enough to feed all the troops in Nanyang for more than a month and a half.

After achieving his desired results, Cao Cao revealed a smug smile.

However, Cao Cao quickly began to appease these powerful figures, clapping his hands and laughing, "I am fully aware of your patriotic intentions. The court will not fail loyal and virtuous men! The money, provisions, and troops you have contributed today will all be recorded in the merit book and etched in my heart. If you all exert your utmost efforts in this southern campaign, assisting the royal army to achieve complete victory..."

He suddenly composed himself, gripped his sword, and swept his gaze across the hall like lightning: "When we return in triumph, I will personally present this to the Emperor and petition for your merits! At that time, being ennobled and granted titles will be nothing more than a trivial matter; high-ranking positions and generous salaries will be of little consequence. When the Han Dynasty is restored and the Emperor recognizes your merits, even having your portraits painted on the Cloud Terrace and your names recorded in the annals will not be difficult!"

At this point, he suddenly cupped his hands towards the north: "His Majesty the present is wise and benevolent, and will never fail any meritorious official. Nanyang is the hometown of Emperor Shizu. In the past, when Wang Mang usurped power, Emperor Guangwu restored the dynasty. How glorious were the twenty-eight generals of Yuntai!"

He stared intently at Deng Yi: "Deng Gong is the direct descendant of the Marquis of Gaomi. He should bring glory to his family and surely restore the honor of his ancestors."

He then turned to Zong Cheng, his voice as firm as metal and stone: "General Zong's troops are all fierce and ruthless. If they can achieve unparalleled merit, the historian's pen will surely record in great detail: 'The Zong family of Nanyang is the pillar of the nation!'"

The candlelight in the hall flickered precariously under his impassioned voice. The assembled heroes, seeing Cao Cao's hair and beard bristling, and his overwhelming aura of dominance filling the air, unconsciously held their breath. Images involuntarily formed in their minds, moved by the beautiful scene Cao Cao had described.

**
After comforting Zong Shuai and the others, Cao Cao felt somewhat tired.

The continuous march, coupled with his worries about his offspring, and the subsequent power struggle with the local strongmen of Nanyang, left him extremely exhausted.

However, they couldn't rest yet, and Dian Wei quickly brought two more people up.

These two were also local powerful families in Nanyang County, but their families were relatively weak and not ranked highly, so they naturally couldn't participate in the negotiations just now.

"This humble subject greets the Great General."

Upon entering the hall, the two immediately knelt down with a thud and kowtowed to Cao Cao, who was in the main seat.

"Please rise, gentlemen."

Cao Cao stood up and personally went down the steps to help the two men up.

These two men, one surnamed Hou and named Hou Yin, and the other surnamed Wei and named Wei Kai, were both local powerful figures in Nanyang who had long served Cao Cao.

Cao Cao summoned the two of them this time because he wanted to use a feigned surrender tactic.

The whole plan was very simple: Hou Yin and Wei Kai would go south to defect from Jia Kui, and then falsely report that Wancheng was undefended in order to lure Jia Kui to send troops north, and then surround and annihilate him under the walls of Wancheng.

"You two bear a heavy responsibility; the outcome of this battle rests entirely on your decisions."

Cao Cao promised, "If this matter succeeds, you two will be credited with the greatest merit in this battle."

Hou Yin and Wei Kai immediately kowtowed and said, "General, please rest assured, we will do our best."

After the two men left, Deng Yi, Xi Zhong, and Jia Xu emerged from behind the hall.

Deng Yi spoke first: "General, do you think this matter can be accomplished?"

The Deng family had already placed a heavy bet on the Cao family, so they were naturally eager to succeed.

Only if Cao's family wins a great victory can the Deng family reap a rich reward. Therefore, Deng Yi was very keen for Hou Yin and Wei Kai to successfully feign surrender.

Cao Cao slowly shook his head: "Jia Liangdao is calm and resourceful by nature. If these two follow my orders, I can be fifty percent confident."

Jia Xu, however, calmly reassured him, "General, whether it succeeds or fails, it's all up to us to do our best."

Cao Cao laughed and nodded: "What Wenhe said is indeed the right thing to do."

Indeed, as Jia Xu said, although Cao Cao marched straight into Nanyang from Guanzhong and tried his best to conceal his actions, it was impossible for him to leave no trace whatsoever.

Jia Xu's plan of feigned surrender was actually a series of interconnected schemes, with a hidden trap within a scheme. The real killer move was not Hou Yin and Wei Kai's feigned surrender, but the scheme within a scheme hidden within them.

**
Hou Yin and Wei Kai were unaware of these matters. Under Cao Cao's arrangement, they quietly left Wancheng, traveled south by water, passed through Xinye, and followed the Yu River to reach the city of Xiangyang.

On this day, Jia Kui was in Xiangyang City, taking inventory of the treasury, organizing military equipment, and setting up city defenses.

Xiangyang City is easy to defend and difficult to attack. Not only are there large lakes on both sides as barriers, but the Mian River is to the north and Mount Xian is to the south, making it truly impregnable.

However, Jia Kui still dared not slack off. He conscripted laborers to cut down trees on the mountain, stockpile firewood, make logs, and broaden the field of vision to ensure a good shooting view for the defending troops.

Just as Jia Kui was inspecting the city wall, someone suddenly came to report that someone from Wancheng had come to surrender and brought important military intelligence.

Jia Kui's expression immediately hardened. After a moment of contemplation, he ordered, "Smuggle these men into the prefectural government secretly. They must be strictly forbidden from having any contact with the outside world. At the same time, keep the news under wraps and do not reveal their whereabouts in the slightest."

(End of this chapter)