I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 141 The Honest Man Takes the Blame

Swift as a whirlwind.

Just three days after Lu Su arrived in Jiangdong, Liu Miao's letter of rebuke arrived in Jingzhou and reached Liu Biao's hands.

Upon hearing this, Liu Biao was greatly alarmed and immediately summoned Liu Pan for questioning.

At first, Liu Pan denied it, but Liu Miao sent the witnesses to Jingzhou this time. During the confrontation with his soldiers, Liu Pan finally admitted to the matter.

"You are confused!"

Liu Biao was extremely disappointed in his nephew!

"How dare you seize Liu Miao's horse so easily? Are you trying to put me in a position of injustice and cruelty?"

Liu Pansheng was robust, and his voice was powerful, but what he said almost made Liu Biao die of anger—

"It's not that serious. Besides, that warhorse originally belonged to my family. Why should Lu Su take it to Jiangdong?"

Liu Pan argued vehemently: "After Zhang Ji fled from Guanzhong, he died in battle while attacking Wancheng. It was you, Uncle, who took pity on his nephew Zhang Xiu and took him in in Nanyang, providing him with money and provisions so that he wouldn't be killed by the chaotic army. Logically speaking, Zhang Xiu should treat you as his own father and be grateful for your life-saving grace. However, before, when I asked him for a few hundred Xiliang warhorses, he made all sorts of excuses and even lied to me that he didn't have enough warhorses... But when Lu Su passed through Nanyang, he generously gave Liu Miao warhorses. How can such treacherous behavior be tolerated?"

When Liu Biao saw that Liu Pan still refused to admit his mistake, he became furious: "Since it is a matter between you and Zhang Xiu, you should talk to Zhang Xiu yourself. Why did you have to rob Lu Su?"

"Do you know that Liu Miao was furious when he learned of this, and has already stationed his entire Jiangdong army in the Yuzhang area, demanding that you be handed over?"

Liu Pan panicked and immediately knelt down in front of Liu Biao: "Uncle, save me!"

"Why didn't you do this sooner?"

Liu Biao was extremely disappointed in Liu Pan!

When Liu Bang entered Jingzhou alone, he relied solely on the powerful families of Kuai and Cai. Only after establishing himself did he bring his nephew Liu Pan, who was related to him by blood, to Jingzhou as a member of his inner circle.

Liu Pan did not disappoint Liu Biao. He was brave in battle and had a good reputation in Jingnan... But who could have imagined that Liu Pan's momentary lapse of judgment would cause such a disaster!

Liu Biao looked up at the sky and sighed.

If Liu Miao were to lead troops to attack without any reason, Liu Biao would naturally not be afraid.

But now Liu Miao has a legitimate reason, and what he wants is not Jingzhou, but Liu Biao to hand over Liu Pan, which leaves Liu Biao at a loss for how to respond.

Not paying?

That would drag the entire Jingzhou into an unjust war, and any scholar who knew the truth would be disappointed in Liu Biao.

交？
After all, he is his own nephew, blood is thicker than water, how could he hand him over so easily?

Liu Biao had no choice but to consult his chief clerk, Kuai Liang.

After hearing the whole story, Kuai Liang remained calm.

"Don't worry, Liu Jingzhou. Liu Miao would never attack Jingzhou at this time."

"Liu Miao has only just established himself in Jiangdong, and his foundation is not solid. How could he possibly lead a large army all the way from afar to Jingzhou to fight against you?"

"Liu Miao acted this way probably because he felt that Liu Pan had offended him, which is why he led his troops to Yuzhang in a fit of anger, rather than because he really wanted to attack Jingzhou."

Liu Biao was finally relieved: "So... we can stop worrying about Liu Miao now?"

Kuai Liang shook his head.

"Liu Miao acted rashly and brought a large army to Yuzhang in order to save face. If you ignore him, you may really anger Liu Miao and make him lead his troops to attack."

Liu Biao's chest, which had just breathed a sigh of relief, swelled up again.

"So, according to Zirou, what should I do?"

"Simple."

Kuai Liang was confident of success.

"Liu Miao is not a man of great ambition; he only cares about his own reputation, not about extorting you. You just need to insist that this wasn't ordered by Liu Pan, but rather that one of Liu Pan's generals acted on his own, and then hand that general over to Liu Miao. I remember the General of the Central Army stationed with Liu Pan in Changsha was named Huang..."

"Huang Zhong, Huang Hansheng."

"Yes, that's him."

As Liu Biao's chief clerk, Kuai Liang was extremely clear about Huang Zhong's background and experience.

"Huang Zhong is not of noble status, yet he was able to become a General of the Household thanks to your kindness. Now it is time for him to serve you faithfully."

Liu Biao hesitated for a moment...

Many of the capable generals of Jingzhou came from local powerful families.

He had painstakingly discovered generals like Huang Zhong and Wen Pin from humble backgrounds, and if one of them were to be lost in vain, he would likely have even less room to make a difference in the military affairs of Jingzhou.

But when Liu Biao thought that Huang Zhong was being replaced by his nephew Liu Pan, and that Huang Zhong was already old and probably not up to the task, he finally hardened his heart and said, "Then let it be."

When Kuai Liang saw that Liu Biao had agreed, he immediately made arrangements for Liu Biao's affairs.

"As long as Huang Zhong confesses to this crime, and then instructs him to insult Liu Miao when he sees him, Liu Miao will surely kill him in his rage. After that, there will be no way to prove his innocence. Then you can send him money and gifts to make peace with Liu Miao, and Liu Miao will definitely withdraw his troops."

……

Upon returning to Changsha and meeting Huang Zhong, Liu Pan immediately knelt down before him.

Huang Zhong was already in his fifties, but his body was still robust, like an iron tower, and his long arms were full of muscles. He quickly helped Liu Pan up.

"What is the general doing?"

"Please, Hansheng, save my life!" "I have received great kindness from the Liu family, and I should repay that kindness. Please don't act like this!"

With tears welling up in Liu Pan's eyes, which he had managed to hold back, he wrapped his arms around Huang Zhong's and told him about Kuai Liang's plan.

Huang Zhong's expression changed: "Liu Jingzhou, do you want me, Huang Hansheng, to go and die?"

Liu Pan burst into tears: "It's my fault! It's my fault! It's all my fault!"

"If I hadn't been greedy, this wouldn't have happened!"

Liu Pan knelt down again, drew the precious sword from Huang Zhong's waist, and held it to his neck: "It's all my fault! I beg Han Sheng to kill me now and take my head to Liu Miao to report back!"

Huang Zhong was utterly despondent at this moment.

He had long been prepared to die for Liu Biao.

But the way he wanted to die was to fight for Liu Biao on the battlefield, not to be thrown out as someone else's scapegoat!
Huang Zhong pressed down on his blade, looking at Liu Pan with overwhelming grief.

“My son died young… If he were still alive, he would probably be the same age as the general.”

"At this age, we are most arrogant and ignorant, which often worries our elders."

"I only hope that the general will remember this: in the future, think twice before you act, and never make such a mistake again."

Hearing Huang Zhong's tone, which sounded like an elder giving instructions for his final days, Liu Pan's heart trembled.

However, after considering his own life, Liu Pan finally dared not say anything more. He simply knelt on the ground and kowtowed three times to Huang Zhong.

After taking one last look at the tiger tally given to him by Liu Biao, Huang Zhong ripped it off.

“I, Huang Zhong, am not a coward who fears death. Since you want my life, I will give it up.”

Liu Pan raised his bruised forehead, his voice trembling with a hint of a sob, and asked, "Is there anything else Hansheng wants to say?"

"I, Huang Zhong, now have no father, no mother, no brother, no younger brother, no wife, and no children. Even if I were to give an explanation, what would it be?"

Huang Zhong sighed and took off his armor.

"In that case, send me to Liu Miao!"

--------

Yuzhang.

Liu Miao did not actually bring 50,000 troops from Jiangdong as he had threatened Liu Biao. Instead, he only brought 10,000 soldiers with Taishi Ci.

When Hua Xin, the governor of Yuzhang, came to greet him, Liu Miao immediately tearfully complained to Hua Xin, "Even a loyal and righteous minister like Lu Su was attacked by enemies from Jingzhou in Yuzhang. What about the ordinary people here?"

"I'd like to establish military commanders in places like Chaisang, Haihun, and Jianchang to prevent bandits from causing trouble in Jingzhou. What do you think?"

What Liu Miao was referring to were the strategically important locations to the west of Yuzhang, which controlled the lifeline of Yuzhang.

By deploying troops here, Liu Miao completely controlled the military affairs of Yuzhang, eliminating any concerns about Yuzhang being seized or rebelling.

Hua Xin originally wanted to say that Liu Miao's arrangement was against the rules...

Unfortunately,

In Jiangdong today, Liu Miao's rules are the rules!
Hua Xin praised, "These are all arrangements made by you, Governor Liu, to protect the people of Yangzhou. What reason do I have to object?"

Liu Miao was quite pleased to see that Hua Xin was so sensible.

Liu Miao and Taishi Ci's troops went to Chaisang, where they immediately set up an altar to worship Heaven and led Taishi Ci to the platform to be appointed general.

"Ziyi, I'm now entrusting the gateway to the west of Jiangxi to you!"

Taishi Ci, standing on the general's platform, couldn't help but shed tears: "I am nothing more than a former rebel minister. Cheng Pu and Wu Jing are far more qualified and capable than I am. How could you appoint me as a general?"

Liu Miao then forcefully placed the tiger tally and Han sword into Taishi Ci's hands.

“Ziyi, now that I have appointed you as my general, I will not allow you to belittle yourself like this, and to say that you are inferior to others.”

"Now I only ask you, can you completely protect the east and west sides of the Yangtze River and prevent Yuzhang from being invaded by Jingzhou?"

Holding the Han sword, Taishi Ci declared eloquently, "As long as I can still breathe, I will never allow the enemy to cross the line even slightly!"

"How delightful!"

Liu Miao immediately appointed Taishi Ci as General of Jianyi, ordering him to command the troops of Yuzhang and defend Jingzhou!
Thus, apart from Sun Ce, who rose to the rank of general by virtue of his father's influence, Taishi Ci became the second general after Zhou Yu to be appointed by Liu Miao!

Incidentally, he also seized military power in Yuzhang Commandery without bloodshed, bringing Yuzhang Commandery completely under Liu Miao's control.

As for Jingzhou... Liu Miao was just trying to scare Liu Biao; he would never actually send troops to attack Liu Biao at this time.
Now that Yuzhang has been captured, Liu Miao is already planning to return to Jinling to avoid pushing Liu Biao, an honest man, to the brink of desperation and causing him to do something drastic.

But just before his departure, Liu Biao's generous gift kept Liu Miao, this eagle-like figure, from leaving.

"Ziyi said...who did Liu Biao send?"

"He is a general under Liu Pan, named Huang Zhong!"

Huang Zhong?

Liu Miao struggled to control his unruly smile and decisively abandoned the idea of ​​returning to Jinling now.

"Let's go! Let's go and meet this Huang Zhong!"

(End of this chapter)