Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 338 Severing Ties Between Jianghuai
Changsha Prefecture, Linxiang County.

"Wentai, I received a report during my patrol that Yuan Gonglu's troops are heading this way, and Military Governor Qiao Rui has already stationed himself in Luo County..."

Cheng Pu knocked on Sun Jian's door.

Cheng Pu now looks a bit old, but not because he is too old, but because he looks old – he has gray hair and a face full of wrinkles just turned middle-aged.

However, his equipment became extremely exquisite, a set of black and red scale armor that didn't look very extravagant, but was actually very valuable.

The helmet has been replaced with a steel general's helmet, and the cheek guards are even inlaid with silver wire as decoration.

This outfit is brand new.

Clearly, Sun Jian was quite generous to his close associates, after all, he had just made a fortune.

"Yuan Shu? I suppose he's here to inquire about the matter of Nanyang..."

Sun Jian straightened his clothes and said as he left, "Demou, tell Wang Sheng to leave this place immediately..."

"It's not about Nanyang..."

Cheng Pu handed over a bamboo slip: "Lord Liu of Jiangxia sent a message saying that Yuan Gonglu has come to collect taxes and asked if we are willing to join forces with Yuan Gonglu."

"Tax collection? The tax money has already been sent to Qingzhou by Gongfu..."

Sun Jian frowned as he took the bamboo slips: "Could it be..."

"Gongfu hasn't sent back any news. I think he might have been intercepted by Yuan Gonglu... Judging by his pace, Gongfu should have just arrived in Jiangxia by now."

Cheng Pu nodded and said, "Yuan Shu's arrival is ill-intentioned... Should we prepare our troops for battle?"

"...Yuan Gonglu...join forces? Join forces...yes, I took so much wealth precisely so that I could join forces with someone..."

Sun Jian thought for a moment and instructed Cheng Pu: "Go and get half of the goods and load them onto the carts. We need to find a ally, and right now the only one who can tolerate us is Yuan Gonglu. Liu Xiang has always been on good terms with me, and he is reminding me not to make enemies with Yuan Gonglu."

"If we want to be on good terms with Yuan Gonglu, then Wang Sheng..."

Cheng Pu asked hesitantly.

“It’s alright. We haven’t done anything to harm Yuan Gonglu. Let Wang Sheng return to Wu County. After all, he’s a friend who’s going to court to see his wife. We can’t just kill him.”

Sun Jian shook his head and said, "Yuan Gonglu also needs help; he won't make things difficult for me."

……

A few days later, Sun Jian went to Jiangxia and sent Yuan Shu eight hundred carts of valuables—all money, silk, and other precious items.

This shows genuine sincerity.

“Jian pays his respects to General Yuan… These are all tribute items; I humbly request that the General forward them to the Emperor.”

Upon seeing Yuan Shu, Sun Jian took the initiative to step forward and greet him: "I have also brought ten tribute women, all of them exceptionally beautiful. They have already been sent to the guesthouse, and I request that General Yuan also present them to me..."

The so-called tribute was, of course, intended for Yuan Shu...

Seeing that Sun Jian was so sensible, Yuan Shu naturally dropped the matter of collecting taxes and didn't even mention Wang Sheng's matter again. Instead, he asked Sun Jian, "What does Wen Tai want when he presents tribute to the Emperor? If it's for an official position, I'm afraid I can't do that. Why not ask Liu Bei instead?"

"General, Liu Bei is acting against all reason. First, he kidnapped the emperor and took him away from the capital. Then, he executed members of the virtuous and wise families. Now, he is using the people to coerce officials and using the pretext of tax collection to wreak havoc on the world... These are all immoral acts! How can he be worthy of being a regent?!"

Sun Jian certainly didn't have anything nice to say about Liu Bei: "We, the ministers who guard our land and govern our people, all have the heart to eliminate this traitor to the country. What does it matter whether we hold office or not... Why would we go and beg him?!"

"...If you don't want an official position, then what do you want?"

Yuan Shu remained silent for a moment, then asked again.

"I only ask to stand with General Yuan through thick and thin, unite all the prefectures within the seas, welcome the Emperor back to the capital, restore the imperial calendar to the court, and restore the bright and clear world of the Han Dynasty..."

Sun Jian cupped his hands and said, “General Yuan’s family has held high office for four generations, and he is highly regarded throughout the land… Now he has allied with Jing and Yu, and is a powerful force in the Jianghuai region. If you, General, were to raise your voice, you would surely be able to summon the prefects of the country to eliminate traitors and welcome the emperor back to the capital… As the successor of Marquis Xuanwen, you should also inherit the administration of Duke Zhouyang. The one who can govern the country and assist in administration is none other than General Yuan!”

Marquis Xuanwen was Yuan Feng's posthumous title, and Zhouyang was his courtesy name.

This sounds like flattery, but it is actually feasible—currently, only Yuan Shu has the ability to rally the governors of various counties to oppose Liu Bei, and welcoming the emperor back to Luoyang would indeed garner a lot of support.

However, Yuan Shu hesitated for a moment, then shook his head: "I am neither virtuous nor talented, and cannot bear such a heavy responsibility... Liu Bei was entrusted by the late emperor to assist him in governing the country. In the present world, the only one who can rival him is probably Dong Zhuo..." "After the emperor's ancestral worship at Mount Tai, Liu Bei will have no excuse to keep the emperor in Linzi. If you, General, call on all the counties to welcome the emperor back to Luoyang, even if Dong Zhuo is unwilling to help, he will not make things difficult for you."

Sun Jian shook his head and said, "General, as long as you use the pretext of welcoming the emperor, the world will not make things difficult for you."

"Difficult? Hmph, do you think I care about making things difficult for anyone? The Dong family and I have a deep-seated grudge! No matter what happens to the Dong family, I will wipe out all those with the surname Dong!"

Yuan Shu snorted: "Worshipping the Emperor... Hmph, do you and I think we can stop Liu Bei's bidding order?!"

"Now that Yang Xu of Nanyang has passed away, if you, General, were to garrison Nanyang and Huainan, and then connect Jing and Yu with Jiangxia and Changsha to cut off the north of the Yangtze River, then all the counties south of the Yangtze River would surely submit to you... You could easily dominate the Jianghuai region, just like the foundation of the powerful Chu state in the past."

Sun Jian continued, "With this foundation, General, you can also issue bidding orders! All the heroes of Jianghuai will depend on you, General. Who would dare to disobey?"

Nanyang, Jiangxia, Changsha, Runan, Huainan... If Yuan Shu were willing, it wouldn't be difficult for him to take over these five commanderies by joining forces with Sun Jian and Liu Xiang.

These five counties are connected, and they can indeed occupy the Jianghuai region and isolate the south. Based on this, and taking advantage of the current chaos in each county, it is indeed a good opportunity to attack and seize the two provinces of Jing and Yu.

Sun Jian was not just talking nonsense—this might be the path he envisioned himself, since his family and children now live in Shouchun, Huainan.

Yuan Shu thought for a long time, then looked at Sun Jian and said in a low voice, "I have heard that Wentai has two sons. His eldest son, Ce, is known as a hero in Shouchun... I have always admired young heroes. Would you be willing to let your son stay by my side?"

Sun Jian lowered his head and closed his eyes, his jaw muscles twitching slightly, but when he raised his head, he was already smiling: "General Yuan is willing to teach my son, how could I refuse? General, you have inherited the legacy of Duke Zhouyang and led the people, this is the filial piety of inheriting the legacy; you have served the emperor and rectified the state, this is the great righteousness of the world, this filial piety and righteousness is precisely the way my son should learn!"

Yuan Shu nodded and murmured, "To inherit my father's legacy... is indeed what I should do..."

He did receive the protection money, and it was much more than Yuan Shu had imagined, so much so that Yuan Shu himself felt uneasy.

However, not long after, Yuan Shu still led his army to occupy Nanyang.

Subsequently, just like Yuan Shao had done before, Yuan Shu also issued some single-player titles.

However, unlike Yuan Shu, Yuan Shu did not raise a banner of rebellion; he continued to "pursue taxes."

Yuan Shu secretly appointed Sun Jian as the governor of Yu Province and, under the pretext of collecting taxes, ordered Sun Jian to attack Xiangyang.

Liu Xiang was appointed as the governor of Jingzhou, and was ordered to send troops to Jingnan to "collect taxes".

Qiao Rui was appointed as the governor of Yangzhou, and troops were sent to Lujiang to "collect taxes".

……

Meanwhile, Liu Bei's troops were also rapidly moving into other prefectures and counties.

Guan Yu led his troops into Nanpi, Bohai Bay.

Zhang He marched into Anping.

Xu Huang began his march towards Ye County.

Liu Bei's main force had completed the collection and storage of rent from the military farms, and Zhang Fei had finished the design of the comic strip and led his army to Shanyang.

The officials from Jibei and Dongjun had already moved in a month ago, and Zhang Liao and Guo Yuan are currently finding fault with county and prefectural officials everywhere.

Zhao Yun remained to guard Linzi and, together with Zhao Lin, oversaw the supervision of officials in various counties and prefectures of Qingzhou.

Troops were dispatched to all neighboring counties, but due to transportation limitations, they could only send troops to neighboring counties first.

They occupy those who don't resist and attack those who do. In any case, not all of them will resist, since every unit is just doing business for the bidders who are demanding taxes.

Collecting taxes is truly the best pretext for sending troops—the troops are sent to supervise the taxes. If the prefect cannot pay the taxes, it is dereliction of duty; if he extorts taxes, it is oppression of the people; if he resists taxes, it is definitely treason... If the prefect is really a decent official, then there is no need for him to resist Liu Bei's administration.

……

Cao Cao is also sending troops to various counties in Yan and Yu. At present, Cao Cao actually occupies the territory of Lu, Pei, Qiao, and half of Taishan County—the eastern part of Taishan County is under the actual control of Sun Guan.

Although Chenliu and Jiyin were not under Cao Cao's actual control, they were subject to his administration. Therefore, Cao Cao's main military campaigns were directed towards Yingchuan and Chen.

But both places encountered problems.

(End of this chapter)