Three Kingdoms: I, Liu Feng, do not want to die

Chapter 119: Peace talks and Liu Feng's future considerations
Sun Quan could endure ceding territory in exchange for peace.

Sun Quan could not tolerate the fact that he was a head shorter than Liu Bei.

He secretly asked his subordinates to address him as "Supreme", which was a sign that he felt his status was inferior to that of Liu Bei and Cao Cao.

In Sun Quan's view: even if a marriage alliance is to be established, the daughter should be married to Liu Feng, rather than to Liu Feng's son. Although Xiaohu is only three years old, Dahu can also remarry.

Lu Meng didn't say much.

After bringing Yu Fan with him, he followed Han Chong out of the inner city.

Outside the inner city.

Guan Yu and Liu Feng have been waiting for a long time.

Han Zhong came forward and told him the details of the mission.

Only then did Guan Yu learn that Liu Feng would actually let Han Chong propose marriage.

Thinking of the time when Sun Quan sent Zhuge Jin to propose marriage, Guan Yu could not help but stroke his beard and smile.

The matter of marriage.

There is something particular about it.

The core of the issue is: who is the one marrying off the daughter?
Even if Sun Quan said he wanted to marry his daughter to Guan Ping, Guan Yu would never get angry.

Guan Yu only needed to send someone to tell Liu Bei to let Guan Ping marry Sun Quan's daughter, and then happily take Sun Quan's hand and say "Let the two families live in peace and work together to defeat Cao."

But letting Guan Yu marry his daughter to Sun Quan's son would be a big problem.

Since the Han Dynasty, marrying off daughters for marriage was essentially a way of asking for peace.

Does Sun Quan really think of himself as the supreme ruler?

How dare you ask Guan Yu to send his daughter to ask for peace?

What would Liu Bei think after hearing this?
Is the big man's spine broken just like that?

This is the real reason why Guan Yu cursed, "How can my tiger daughter marry a dog son?"

Sun Quan was not proposing marriage at all, he was clearly humiliating Liu Bei!
It is just like what the Xiongnu Khan once said to the Han Emperor: Marry your princess to me and I will not beat you.

With Guan Yu's pride and respect for Liu Bei, how could he endure such humiliation?

Not to mention Sun Quan, even Ma Chao was almost chopped to death by Guan Yu when he first surrendered and called Liu Bei's name.

Guan Yu did not kill the messenger with his sword, which was considered civilized and reasonable.

And now.

Liu Feng used his own method to return the favor and also sent people to ask for marriage from Sun Quan.

This is to vent the bad feelings Guan Yu suffered in the past!
Come!Come!Come!
Sun Quan, send your daughter here, and we will become a married family and attack Cao together from now on.

"My dear nephew, you are so thoughtful!" Guan Yu expressed his gratitude generously.

Liu Feng smiled brightly: "I felt that I was at a disadvantage by letting Sun Quan marry his daughter to my son, but I didn't expect that Sun Quan was not willing to do so. At the beginning, he was willing to marry even his own sister. People's hearts have changed."

Guan Yu also laughed.

He spread a mat on the ground and placed a brazier on the table, then invited Lu Meng and Yu Fan to come over and talk.

Looking at the obviously sick Lü Meng, Guan Yu's eyes were filled with regret: "Ziming, do you regret it?"

Lu Meng shook his head slightly: "If I succeed, I will be king, if I fail, I will be a bandit, why should I regret it? If I succeed, will you regret attacking Cao?"

Guan Yu was silent.

Guan Yu also recognized Lu Meng's talents.

Especially Lu Meng, who also came from the lower class, and fought hard to get to his current position.

In addition, Lu Meng was very different from the Jiangdong generals who always liked to plunder. After entering the city, he did not harm anyone, which made Guan Yu less hostile.

As for the intrigues on the battlefield, Guan Yu didn't care.

Guan Yu is not someone who can't afford to lose.

If he knew that there was a man named Luo Guanzhong in later generations who made up a plot in which Guan Yu turned into a ghost and killed Lu Meng, and that Guan Yu was really a spirit, he would have killed Luo Guanzhong first.

I just lost, not that I can't afford to lose.

Even if he turned into a ghost, he should kill Sun Quan. What's the point of killing Lu Meng?

Silence.

Liu Feng laughed out loud: "Lü Ziming, in fact, you are not Sun Quan's Grand Commander, you are Cao Cao's General of Pingnan."

Lu Meng's face changed: "Liu Gongzhong, what do you mean by this?"

Liu Feng smiled: "When Zhou Gongjin was the Grand Commander in Chief, he proposed to use Nanjun as a base, march west to attack Shu, take Hanzhong in the north, and ally with Ma Chao in Xiliang to confront Guanzhong, and then return to Jingzhou and head north to Xiangyang, so that we can divide the world with Cao Cao.

However, due to his death in the middle of the process, the two-part plan was forced to be terminated.

When Lu Zijing was the commander-in-chief, he believed that Cao Cao was powerful and that the Sun and Liu families should unite against the common enemy. He lent Nanjun in name only to let my father share the pressure of resisting Cao Cao on the western front of Jingzhou, so that he could free up his energy to plot against Huainan, and thus divide the world into three parts.

Unfortunately, after the Xiang River was used as the boundary, Lu Zijing also died of illness.

however.

Whether it was Zhou Gongjin or Lu Zijing, their strategic goal was to advance northward into the Central Plains to seize the world, rather than to stay in peace in Jiangdong.

On the other hand, you, Lu Ziming, not only did not implement Lu Zijing's three-part plan when Cao Cao was weak, but you urged Sun Quan to seize Jingzhou, just to realize your strategy of "controlling the Yangtze River to protect Jiangdong".

You claim to be well-read, but haven't you heard that "the offensive and defensive situations are different"?
You claim to be well versed in the art of war, but haven't you heard that "the key to military strategy is adaptability"?
Even if you succeed, what can Sun Quan do?

Not only did he have to face pressure from Cao Cao on the western front of Jingzhou and the eastern front of Huainan, but he also had to send heavy troops to guard the west to prevent Xichuan from taking the opportunity to send troops for revenge.

Both my father and Sun Quan would completely lose the opportunity to advance north into the Central Plains and seize the world.

You did everything Cao Cao wanted to do.

If you don't want to be Cao Cao's General of Pingnan, who else is qualified?"

Yu Fan couldn't bear to see Lü Meng blamed, and retorted: "If we control the Yangtze River, we can still protect Jiangdong. If we advance north, even if we take Xuzhou, we can't resist Cao Cao's cavalry. Commander Lü is devoted to being the Marquis of Wu, how dare you tarnish his name?" Liu Feng said, "Ever since ancient times, there have been many talented people in Jiangdong. In the past, Xiang Yu swept across the Qin Dynasty with 8,000 soldiers, and Sun Ce was also known as the Little Overlord. Could it be that all the people in Jiangdong today are incompetent?"

Yu Fan was speechless.

As a native of Kuaiji County, Yu Fan was also a native of Jiangdong.

With the examples of Xiang Yu and Sun Ce before us, you can't admit that you are an incompetent person, right?
a long time.

Lu Meng spoke slowly: "Liu's eloquence is admirable. Heaven and earth can bear witness to my loyalty to the Marquis of Wu. Future generations will judge right and wrong. I am not here today to argue with Liu.

The two sides have been fighting for a long time, and Cao Cao is eyeing them covetously in the north. They can survive by talking about peace, but will perish by fighting. The Marquis of Wu can cede Changsha and Guiyang in exchange for peace.

If he agrees, the Marquis of Wu will immediately withdraw his troops back to Lukou; if he disagrees, the Marquis of Wu will have no choice but to surrender to Cao Cao in the north."

Liu Feng chuckled: "If Cao Cao had the ability to go south, he would have gone south long ago. In other words, do you think Cao Ren in Xiangyang would risk coming to Jiangling for Sun Quan?

If I were Cao Ren, I would order Wen Pin in Shangchang City to seize Xiakou when the opportunity arises, and then summon Zhang Liao in Hefei to assist in the attack on Ruxukou. By then, there would be no need for Sun Quan to cede land to seek peace. You can lead your troops to seize Changsha and Guiyang, and then advance to Luling and Yuzhang to share Jiangdong with Cao Cao.

"Lü Ziming, you have to see the situation clearly. Sun Quan can't just ask for peace whenever he wants. Whether it's war or peace is not up to Sun Quan to decide!"

Lu Meng secretly clenched his fists and asked with a dark face: "If you don't want to negotiate, why do you send an envoy?"

Liu Feng said bluntly: "I sent an envoy to ask for marriage. Didn't Han Zhong make it clear to Sun Quan?"

Liu Feng turned around and asked Han Zhong, "I told you to only talk about personal matters and not official business. Did you forget my instructions?"

Han Zhong said "wrongly", "General, I am wronged. I really only talked about the marriage proposal."

Liu Feng looked at Lu Meng again and said, “It seems that there was a misunderstanding in our communication, but it is not important, it is okay to clarify it now.

Please go back and tell Sun Quan to send someone to send his daughter to Jiangling as soon as possible. Although Sun Quan's daughter is only three years old, she is younger and easier to raise, and childhood sweethearts have a deeper relationship."

Lu Meng's face darkened: "The Lord of Wu will not agree. You can offer other conditions."

Liu Feng's voice became solemn: "I originally wanted to turn my heart to the bright moon, but the bright moon shines on the ditch. It is a pity that the Marquis of Wu refused to send his daughter to seek peace.

Forget it, forget it, a forced melon is not sweet. In this case, I will change the condition: give me Yu Zhongxiang. "

Yu Fan's face changed: "Liu Feng, how dare you insult me!"

Liu Feng said, "Yu Zhongxiang, you misunderstood. I value your talent, so I cannot bear to see you being hated by others under Sun Quan's command.

There is an old saying that good birds choose trees to inhabit, and good ministers choose masters to serve. If you follow me, you can become a loyal minister who will be remembered for thousands of years. If you follow Sun Quan, you will only be exiled. "

Yu Fan snorted coldly: "I am uneducated and incompetent. I can only criticize others. I am neither a good bird nor a wise minister."

Liu Feng said solemnly: "Mr. Wenju of Beihai praised you as 'the beauty of bamboo arrows in the southeast', and Mr. Zigang of Guangling also praised you as 'a character like a beautiful jade sculpture that shines brighter'. If you, Yu Zhongxiang, are unlearned and unskilled, then all the people in Jiangdong are vulgar scholars."

Yu Fan was speechless.

My heart also became conflicted.

Yu Fan was resentful of Sun Quan's cold treatment and his colleagues' disgust, but was pleased by Liu Feng's courtesy. However, he thought it would be against his integrity to betray Sun Quan and join Liu Feng.

At this time.

Lu Meng spoke up: "I agree to your terms. Zhong Xiang can stay now."

Yu Fan's eyes widened in astonishment: "General Lu, you..."

Lü Meng interrupted Yu Fan and said, "Zhong Xiang, please be loyal to the Marquis of Wu once more, and the Marquis of Wu will agree."

Yu Fan's face changed, he seemed to want to say something but hesitated, and finally chose to remain silent.

Although he said he was being loyal, in fact, Lu Meng was just giving Yu Fan a way out.

If it weren't for Lu Meng, Yu Fan would never have participated in the action to seize Jingzhou, and would still be in exile in Jing County at that time.

Even with Lu Meng's recommendation, Sun Quan still ignored Yu Fan because of Liu Feng's divisive words. It can be seen that his prejudice against Yu Fan did not disappear because of Lu Meng's recommendation, but became deeper and deeper.

Liu Feng clapped his hands and laughed: "To get Yu Zhongxiang is better than to get Changsha and Guiyang."

For Liu Feng, Changsha and Guiyang were not even qualified to be on the negotiation table. After this defeat, Sun Quan would definitely shrink his front line, not to mention Changsha and Guiyang, he might not even dare to station troops in Lukou.

In other words: Guan Yu did not need to send troops to Changsha and Guiyang, as the local forces would be afraid of war and change their flags and join Liu Bei.

On the contrary, Yu Fan was knowledgeable, well-informed, capable of both civil and military affairs, able to understand things, had correct values, and dared to speak out and make suggestions.

In Sun Quan's eyes, this is a troll who often speaks out against his superiors and is at odds with his colleagues. In Liu Feng's eyes, this is just a Three Kingdoms version of Wei Zheng!

Liu Feng understood human nature well.

Even I can make mistakes.

If there is no one around who dares to speak out and give advice, who knows if he will make an irreparable mistake in the future because of arrogance and carelessness?

not to mention.

Liu Feng is in a suspicious position and will inevitably be criticized in the future.

In addition, Liu Feng made great contributions in the Jingzhou Incident, and his reputation has far surpassed that of the current Prince of Hanzhong, Liu Chan.

Regardless of whether Liu Feng had the idea of seizing the throne or not, there would always be people pushing him to do so; and Liu Feng might not be able to tell whether the person pushing him to do so was an enemy or a friend.

For ambitious people, it is not impossible for them to imitate the story of "Duke Zheng defeating Duke Duan in Yan" and spend several years or even more than ten years designing a trap.

Even Jiang Wei was framed by Huang Hao and forced to retreat to Longxi to farm and raise troops.

Wei Yan also died due to Yang Yi's frame-up.

Some people also analyzed that Wei Yan's death was directed by Fei Yi himself, who prompted Yang Yi to kill Wei Yan and used Jiang Wan to kill Yang Yi and successfully ascend to power.

Whether true or false, it illustrates the cruelty and darkness of the power struggle.

And what made Liu Feng most vigilant was the incident in which Sima Yi exterminated Cao Shuang's entire family.

Although everyone says Cao Shuang is stupid, if they were in Cao Shuang's position, how many people could be smarter?
The Luoshui oath plus the joint guarantee of famous officials and ministers is as outrageous as Mi Fang's surrender of the city.

Liu Feng had no idea what kind of dangers he would encounter in the future.

What Liu Feng knew clearly was that keeping Yu Fan, who was outspoken and courageous in giving advice, by his side would be beneficial and not harmful.

(End of this chapter)