My brothers are all warriors capable of taking on ten thousand men; I'll roam freely in the Thr

In February of the third year of Jian'an (198 AD), in Nanchang, Yuzhang Prefecture.

The spring chill lingers, and most of the plum blossoms along the banks of the Gan River have already fallen.

Liu Bei stood by the river, gazing at the surging waters, and remained silent.

He had been standing here for a full hour.

Behind him, Xu Chu yawned listlessly.

Xu Sheng stood with his hand on his sword, his eyes scanning the surroundings warily.

Jian Yong was wrapped in an old fur coat, shivering from the cold, but dared not make a sound to disturb him.

Four months have passed since I was transferred to Yuzhang last November.

For four months, he drilled his troops daily, pacified the people, and dealt with the Yue tribes.

Although Yuzhang was remote, he governed it very well.

But he knew that this was not what Sun Jian wanted.

What Sun Jian wanted was to trap him here, so that he could never turn the tables.

"My lord."

Jian Yong finally couldn't help but speak up: "There's news from Jingzhou."

Liu Bei turned around, a glint of shrewdness in his eyes: "Speak."

Jian Yong lowered his voice: "After Liu Biao's death, Cai Mao supported Liu Cong and wanted to join Sun Jian. Liu Qi, with the support of Pang Tong, opposed Cai Mao. Cao Cao and Sun Jian both sent troops to the outskirts of Xiangyang. The two sides were in a stalemate, and neither dared to make the first move."

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Good, good Jingzhou indeed."

Xu Chu scratched his head: "Brother, what does the chaos in Jingzhou have to do with us?"

Liu Bei did not answer, but simply looked north.

That's the direction of Jingzhou.

That was the opportunity he had been waiting for for four months.

"Constitutional peace".

He said, "Prepare a generous gift; I'm going to Xiangyang."

Jian Yong was taken aback: "My lord, what about Sun Jian...?"

Liu Bei waved his hand: "Sun Jian can't worry about me right now; his eyes are all on Jingzhou."

Several days later, in Xiangyang, at Liu Qi's residence.

Liu Qi has been unable to eat or sleep these days.

Outside the city, Cao Cao and Sun Jian's armies of over 100,000 men faced off, each wanting to enter the city, yet neither daring to make the first move.

Inside the city, Cai Mao's forces were stirring, and the people of Kuai Yue were on high alert day and night.

As the governor of Jingzhou, he felt like he was sitting on pins and needles in his own mansion.

"Young Master!"

Yi Ji rushed in: "A guest requests an audience."

Liu Qi waved his hand impatiently: "I won't see anyone! I won't see anyone!"

Yi Ji said, "That man said his name was Liu Bei."

Liu Qi was startled, then abruptly stood up: "Liu Bei? Liu Xuande?!"

He strode out of the mansion to greet them.

Liu Bei, dressed in plain clothes, stood outside the door with his hands behind his back, a smile on his face, exuding composure.

"Young Master Liu, I apologize for coming uninvited and disturbing you."

Liu Qi quickly invited him into his residence.

After the two sat down, Liu Qi couldn't help but ask, "General Liu, weren't you in Yuzhang? Why have you come to Xiangyang?"

Liu Bei sighed softly, "Although I am in Yuzhang, my heart is always with Jingzhou. Liu Jingzhou and I, though not close friends, have a long-standing friendship. He entrusted his son to me on his deathbed; how could I sit idly by and do nothing?"

Liu Qi's eyes reddened: "General Liu, you are truly righteous! However, with Cao Cao and Sun Jian eyeing us covetously, and Cai Mao's internal troubles still unresolved, I really..."

Liu Bei waved his hand, interrupting him: "My lord, there is no need to worry. I have come here precisely to relieve your worries."

He stood up, walked to the window, and looked towards Cao Cao's camp outside the city: "Cao Cao and Sun Jian each have their own agendas and want to annex Jingzhou, but neither of them dares to make the first move, because whoever makes the first move will become the target of everyone's criticism. This is your opportunity, my lord."

Liu Qi looked bewildered: "Opportunity? What opportunity?"

Liu Bei turned around, his gaze intense: "Does my lord know why Cao Cao and Sun Jian dare not enter the city?"

Liu Qi shook his head.

Liu Bei said, "Because they are mutually restraining each other, Cao Cao is afraid that Sun Jian will seize the initiative, and Sun Jian is afraid that Cao Cao will gain the upper hand. As long as this balance is not broken, you can sit firmly in the city and rest easy."

Liu Qi smiled wryly: "But how long can this balance last? Cao Cao and Sun Jian are not fools. Sooner or later they will reach an agreement, and then Jingzhou will be meat on their chopping board."

Liu Bei smiled slightly: "Therefore, my lord needs to ensure that they can never reach a tacit understanding."

Liu Qi was taken aback.

Liu Bei lowered his voice: "My lord, you can secretly befriend Cao Cao and promise him that as long as he withdraws his troops, you will form an alliance with him to fight against Sun Jian. At the same time, you can also befriend Sun Jian and promise him that as long as he withdraws his troops, you will form an alliance with him to fight against Cao Cao. In this way, both Cao Cao and Sun Jian will feel that you are biased towards them and will wait for the other to withdraw his troops first. The longer they wait, the deeper their contradictions will become, and the less likely they will be to join forces."

Liu Qi's eyes lit up, then dimmed again: "But what if they find out I made promises to both sides..."

Liu Bei shook his head: "They won't find out, because they don't trust each other. Cao Cao doesn't trust Sun Jian, and Sun Jian doesn't trust Cao Cao. You just need to mediate between them, and they will fight each other on their own."

He paused, then added, "Moreover, you are not alone. The Prime Minister has already dispatched General Guan Yu to lead troops south and garrison Xinye. As long as you give the word, the imperial army can enter the city at any time."

Liu Qi remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding: "General Liu's insight is brilliant, but..."

He looked at Liu Bei hesitantly: "General, why are you helping me?"

Liu Bei looked at him with a sincere gaze: "Because I do not want Jingzhou to fall into the hands of Sun Jian."

He did not say, "I also do not wish to fall into Cao Cao's hands."

Liu Qi is a smart man; he doesn't need to be told what to do.

Liu Qi stood up and bowed deeply to Liu Bei: "General Liu's great kindness is something I will never forget!"

That night, Liu Bei secretly sent letters to Cao Cao and Sun Jian.

In a letter to Cao Cao, he wrote: "Brother Mengde, I am fully aware of the situation in Jingzhou. Prince Liu Qi is willing to form an alliance with you to jointly resist Sun Jian. I only hope that you will withdraw your troops to show your sincerity. Once Sun Jian has withdrawn, Jingzhou will surely form a permanent alliance with Yanzhou."

In his letter to Sun Jian, he wrote: "Brother Wentai, I am fully aware of the situation in Jingzhou. Prince Liu Qi is willing to form an alliance with you to jointly resist Cao Cao. I only hope that you will withdraw your troops to show your sincerity. Once Cao Cao has withdrawn, Jingzhou will surely form a permanent alliance with Jiangdong."

The two letters, though worded differently, conveyed the same message: if you withdraw your troops first, I will form an alliance with you.

Upon receiving the letter, Cao Cao and Sun Jian reacted almost identically: they sneered and threw the letter on the table.

"Liu Bei? When did he go to Jingzhou?" Cao Cao frowned.

Xi Zhicai picked up the letter, read it, and laughed, "Liu Bei has come to act as a peacemaker. He is advising our lord to withdraw his troops, saying that as long as our lord withdraws his troops, Liu Qi will form an alliance with our lord."

Cao Cao sneered, "Can Liu Bei's words be trusted?"

Xi Zhicai shook his head: "We can't believe it completely, but we can't disbelieve it either. Liu Qi is caught in the middle and does need allies. If our lord withdraws his troops first, Liu Qi will be grateful for our lord's kindness. Even if he doesn't ally with our lord, he won't side with Sun Jian."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, then suddenly laughed: "Alright, then let's retreat, but not really."

Xi Zhicai's eyes lit up: "Does my lord mean..."

Cao Cao lowered his voice and explained the plan in detail.

Sun Jian's main camp.

Sun Jian also received a letter from Liu Bei.

After reading it, he sneered and handed the letter to Zhang Zhao.

"Liu Bei is trying to play peacemaker. He says that if I withdraw my troops, Liu Qi will form an alliance with me. Zibu, what do you think?"

Zhang Zhao pondered for a moment and said, "Liu Bei's words cannot be entirely trusted. However, Liu Qi does need allies right now. If you, my lord, withdraw your troops first, Liu Qi will surely be grateful for your kindness. Even if he does not ally with you, he will not side with Cao Cao."

Sun Jian nodded, his gaze distant: "Then we shall withdraw our troops, but..."

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "It's not a real withdrawal."

Three days later, outside Xiangyang City.

Cao Cao and Sun Jian broke camps almost simultaneously, each "retreating" thirty li away.

But none of them actually left.

Cao Cao retreated to Fancheng, while Sun Quan held firm in Yicheng. The two armies faced each other from afar, still eyeing each other menacingly.

Standing atop the city wall, Liu Qi gazed at the two still brightly lit camps in the distance and gave a wry smile: "They haven't left."

Liu Bei stood beside him, his expression calm: "Of course they won't leave, but they also didn't dare to enter the city."

Liu Qi was taken aback.

Liu Bei said, "Because they are watching each other. Cao Cao is afraid that when he enters the city, Sun Jian will attack from behind, and Sun Jian is afraid that when he enters the city, Cao Cao will attack from behind. As long as this balance is not broken, you will be safe, my lord."

Liu Qi sighed: "But how long can this balance last?"

Liu Bei smiled helplessly: "It won't last long. Ji Xuanyuan has already made his move."

He was forced into this situation. If he wanted to establish his power in the south, he couldn't allow Sun Jian and Cao Cao to continue their expansion. The south was just a small area, so he could only give the land to Ji Xuanyuan first and then take it back little by little later.

Shuntian, Tiance Prefecture.

Ji Xuanyuan sat in his study, with a secret report from Jingzhou spread out in front of him.

After reading it, he smiled slightly and handed the secret report to Guo Jia.

"Fengxiao, take a look."

Guo Jia took the document, scanned it quickly, and his peach blossom eyes curved into a smile: "Liu Bei intends to act as the 'mediator' of Jingzhou. He has Cao Cao and Sun Jian restrain each other, so neither dares to enter the city. In this way, Liu Qi can sit securely in the city and wait for us to make our move."

Ji Xuanyuan nodded: "Liu Bei is not to be underestimated. On the surface, he is helping Liu Qi, but in reality, he is leaving himself a way out."

Guo Jia was taken aback: "Does my lord mean...?"

Ji Xuanyuan stood up, walked to the map, and pointed to the location of Jingzhou: "Liu Bei doesn't want Sun Jian to get Jingzhou, nor does he want Cao Cao to get Jingzhou. What he wants is a divided Jingzhou, with Liu Qi in the north and Liu Cong in the south. In this way, neither Sun Jian nor Cao Cao can get the complete Jingzhou, while Liu Bei can maneuver in the middle and reap the benefits."

Guo Jia suddenly realized: "My lord, are you saying that Liu Bei is playing a grand game?"

Ji Xuanyuan shook his head: "What he's playing isn't chess, it's a game of strategy. He wants to put Cao Cao, Sun Jian, Liu Qi, and Liu Cong into the game, making them check and balance each other so that none of them can swallow the others. This way, Liu Bei can survive in the cracks and wait for his opportunity."

He turned around, looked at Guo Jia, and said with a deep gaze: "Send an order to Pang Tong to expedite the division of Jingzhou. Liu Qi will occupy the four northern commanderies, including Xiangyang and Jiangling, and nominally submit to the court. Liu Cong will occupy the four southern commanderies and submit to Sun Jian. As for Cao Cao..."

He paused, a slight smile appearing on his lips: "If he wants something in return, give him a little something sweet, let him get some benefits from Cai Mao, and shut him up."

Guo Jia clapped his hands and laughed, "Brilliant! In this way, Jingzhou is divided in two. Sun Jian will not get the complete Jingzhou, and Cao Cao will not gain any benefits either. However, my lord, through Liu Qi, controls northern Jingzhou!"

Ji Xuanyuan nodded, his gaze deep and thoughtful: "Let Pang Tong handle it, the sooner the better."

Xiangyang, Liu Qi's residence.

Pang Tong handed Ji Xuanyuan's secret letter to Liu Qi.

After reading it, Liu Qi remained silent for a long time: "Does the Prime Minister mean to divide Jingzhou in two?"

Pang Tong nodded: "Young Master, you occupy the four northern commanderies of Xiangyang and Jiangling and submit to the court. Liu Cong occupies the four southern commanderies and relies on Sun Jian. In this way, Jingzhou can be spared from war, and Young Master can preserve his foundation."

Liu Qi smiled wryly: "But the four southern commanderies are the granary of Jingzhou. If I give them to Liu Cong, how will I support my army?"

Pang Tong smiled slightly: "Young master, rest assured. The Prime Minister said that as long as you submit to the court, the court will provide you with food and military supplies. Moreover, the four northern counties have two strong cities, Xiangyang and Jiangling, which are enough to protect themselves. As for the southern places, they are far away and mountainous. If Sun Jian wants them, give them to him. Let him get entangled with the Yue people and the barbarians. Sooner or later, he will wear himself down."

Liu Qi remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding: "Very well, then we will do as the Prime Minister says."

Yicheng, Sun Jian's main camp.

When Sun Jian received Liu Qi's letter, his face was ashen.

The letter stated that Liu Qi was willing to form an alliance with Sun Jian to jointly resist Cao Cao.

The condition was that the four southern commanderies of Jingzhou (southern Nan Commandery, southern Jiangxia Commandery, Changsha Commandery, and Wuling Commandery) would belong to Liu Cong and be "protected" by Sun Jian.

The four northern commanderies (Xiangyang Commandery, northern Nan Commandery, northern Jiangxia Commandery, and Nanyang Commandery) were brought under the control of Liu Qi and submitted to the imperial court.

After reading it, Sun Jian slammed his hand on the table: "That brat Liu Qi dares to bargain with me!"

Zhang Zhao picked up the letter, read it through, and pondered, "My lord, although these conditions are harsh, they are not without benefits for Jiangdong. Although the four southern counties are not as wealthy as the north, they have the natural barrier of the Yangtze River, which can serve as a shield for Jiangdong. Moreover, Liu Cong is young and Cai Mao is incompetent. Sooner or later, the four southern counties will be yours."

Sun Jian calmed down, pondered for a moment, and slowly nodded: "Zibu is right. I will agree to his request for now. It will not be too late to plan for the north after we have taken the four southern counties."

Fancheng, Cao Cao's main camp.

Cao Cao also received a letter from Liu Qi.

The letter stated that Liu Qi was willing to form an alliance with Cao Cao to jointly resist Sun Jian.

The condition was that Cai Mao hand over several counties in the northern part of Nanyang Commandery as payment for Cao Cao's "mediation".

After reading it, Cao Cao laughed heartily: "That Liu Qi is quite the businessman, using Cai Mao's territory to shut me up."

Xi Zhicai took the letter, read it through, and laughed, "My lord, this deal is worthwhile. Although the northern part of Nanyang is small, it is the gateway to the Central Plains. By acquiring it, we can threaten Jingzhou and also protect Yanzhou."

Cao Cao nodded: "Then agree to his request. Tell Liu Qi that I am willing to withdraw my troops, but..."

He paused, a glint of shrewdness flashing in his eyes: "Tell him to remember that he will have to repay this favor in the future."

Late February, in Xiangyang City.

Liu Qi and Liu Cong signed a partition agreement in the presence of Pang Tong, Kuai Yue, Cai Mao, and others.

Liu Qi occupied the four northern commanderies and submitted to the imperial court, while Liu Cong occupied the four southern commanderies and became dependent on Sun Jian.

Cao Cao received several counties in northern Nanyang from Cai Mao as payment for his "mediation".

Sun Jian obtained the "protection" of the four southern commanderies, and Liu Cong became his vassal.

After the agreement was signed, Cao Cao and Sun Jian each withdrew their troops.

Outside Xiangyang City, peace was finally restored.

Liu Qi stood on the city wall, watching the departing Cao and Sun armies, and let out a long sigh of relief.

"gentlemen."

He turned to Pang Tong beside him: "Has Jingzhou been saved?"

Pang Tong shook his head, his gaze distant: "It's only temporary. Jingzhou is divided, and the north and south are locked in a standoff. Sooner or later, there will be another battle."

He paused, then added, "However, at least for now, the people of Jingzhou can breathe a sigh of relief."

Liu Qi remained silent for a long time before slowly nodding.