The Three Great Han Dynasties: Awaken Liu Bei with a scolding; you weave mats and sell sandals.

"This is all thanks to our lord; I dare not embezzle it."

Zhao Feng immediately bowed and said.

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong's gaze towards him became even more amiable and agreeable.

Honest people are good, but moderate people are even better.

An honest, moderate person with a bit of emotional intelligence is someone Liu Hong really likes.

With the Changshan Zhen Ding Zhao clan setting this precedent, it is likely that in the not-too-distant future, other aristocratic families will also come to attach themselves to the Liu clan of Zhuojun as their fame spreads.

Although it was impossible for everyone to travel thousands of miles to this place in Youzhou Zhuojun, the Liu family's trade routes had already been established several years prior, and they had been exchanging goods and services.

Therefore, in the future, the Liu family's power will no longer need to be confined to Zhuojun, and there will be a possibility of making arrangements in various states across the country.

When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out later, the Liu family would be able to make even greater contributions, and their vision of soaring to great heights would become even more beautiful and easier to achieve.

"Let's stay here today and have a good drink together."

"I dare not refuse what my lord has said."

……

The next day, Zhao Weng arrived as promised, accompanied by Zhao Feng and Zhao Yun.

During the banquet, everyone chatted and laughed, and everything proceeded extremely smoothly, following the traditional etiquette for establishing good relations between aristocratic families, moving forward step by step.

As soon as the banquet ended, Zhao Weng took his leave, intending to return to Changshan as soon as possible to settle the Zhao clan, and then lead his family, young and old, to Zhuojun to be at the beck and call of the Liu family.

To show more sincerity and to reduce the risks for Zhao Weng on his return journey, Liu Hong specially arranged for Zhao Yun to lead a dozen or so guards from the Zhao family to escort Zhao Weng back.

In this way, the resistance from the Zhao family will likely be reduced.

Overwhelmed with gratitude, Zhao Weng repeatedly expressed his loyalty to Liu Hong, declaring that he would follow the Zhao family of Changshan Zhending to the death without any second thoughts.

With the matter settled, Liu Hong felt cheerful and refreshed.

He told Zhao Feng to return to Liu Garden first, while he himself went ahead to Liu Family Private School to have a proper talk with Cui Yan about the matter.

But just as they reached the entrance of the private school, they saw Cui Yan walking out of the classroom.

Upon seeing him, Cui Yan's eyes lit up, and he immediately took the initiative to greet him.

Liu Hong told Cui Yan about the Zhao family's surrender. Cui Yan's face twitched slightly, then he bowed deeply and congratulated him repeatedly, saying, "Congratulations, Lord Liu! This is double happiness!"

"What other good news is there?"

Liu Hong asked a question.

"Ha ha ha ha."

Cui Yan laughed heartily and unabashedly pulled Liu Bei over from the courtyard before shouting at Liu Hong, "This matter happened just yesterday! The Cai family sent someone to invite Lord Liu to visit the Cai residence again."

"Lord Liu is about to win the heart of his beauty. Isn't this a great joy? Xuande was here yesterday. If Lord Liu doesn't believe me, he can ask me."

In later generations, discussing such matters between fathers and sons would inevitably be somewhat awkward, but in the present day, there is no such concern.

Liu Hong turned his probing gaze to Liu Bei, and in an instant, Liu Bei understood his thoughts.

He did not repeat Cui Yan's joking remarks, but simply recounted the matter of the Cai family's visit yesterday, in which Liu Hong was asked to make another trip to the Cai residence as soon as possible.

"Is that so...?"

Liu Hong looked thoughtful, but he had already made up his mind.

I will go to the Cai family's house later.

The great Confucian scholar Cai Yong, and the Cai family behind him, were of immense significance to the Liu family.

If we can truly obtain their assistance, the benefits will be far beyond what is ordinary.

Soon, Liu Hong and Cui Yan set off together again for the Cai residence.

For a moment, only Liu Bei, Guan Yu, and Zhang Fei remained in the courtyard of the private school.

The three brothers faced each other in pairs, yet the atmosphere was unusually quiet.

After a long silence, Liu Bei suddenly sighed and whispered with a complicated look in his eyes, "Father is going to take another concubine, and I... I'll have another concubine."

Although Liu Bei did not resist this matter in the slightest, he certainly did not approve of it either.

But he knew perfectly well what was going on.

This was a strategy of marriage alliances between aristocratic families, and such situations were extremely common for heads of aristocratic families.

It's possible that in a few days, those minor gentry who come to rely on the master will also offer their daughters to become their fathers' concubines in order to strengthen their ties with the master.

After all, marriage is the most effortless, cheapest, and most effective way for families to cooperate. Proven over hundreds of years, it has long been the most common way for major clans to form alliances.

Without this connection, it would be extremely difficult for the two sides to truly open up to each other.

Liu Bei explained his thoughts in detail, and Zhang Fei, upon hearing them, was immediately startled, leaping to his feet with wide eyes: "So, elder brother, soon you'll have many more sisters-in-law?"

Liu Bei nodded with a wry smile.

I really didn't expect my third brother to think of this.

At that moment, Guan Yu, who had been engrossed in the Spring and Autumn Annals, suddenly put down the scroll in his hand, gently shook his head, and slowly said, "Perhaps it is not so."

"The so-called kinship between the vassal gentry is nothing but empty talk. This time, even the daughter of the great Confucian scholar Cai is willing to condescend to become his concubine."

"Yuanzhi's mother was also a loyal and virtuous woman. As a result, she became Liu Gong's concubine. At the very least, she was a legitimate daughter of a prominent family who was married through proper channels. This way, it would not be a disservice to her former status and would be worthy of the title of wife and concubine in the Liu family mansion."

"Otherwise, it will not only cause discord within the household, but also offend the great Confucian scholar, Master Cai."

"Liu Gong is wise and would never do such a foolish thing."

At this point, Guan Yu shifted his gaze from the scriptures in his hands for the first time, slowly turning it to his elder brother Liu Bei beside him. He abruptly changed the subject, saying, "With the Master here to oversee things, this matter will surely be handled properly."

"If the Zhao family of Changshan Zhending were to follow the Cai family's example and offer up a woman from their clan, then the choice would likely fall to you, brother. After all, you are currently all alone, without a wife or concubine. Moreover, you are the eldest son of Lord Liu, and you will surely inherit the vast Liu family business in the future."

"In the eyes of those vassal clans, who else could be a more suitable candidate than my elder brother?"

Guan Yu paused, looking at Liu Bei's suddenly frozen face, and then slowly said, "In that case, I'm afraid my brother will have to work hard in the affairs of the inner quarters, just like Lord Liu."

"Brother, you've really worked hard!"

At this moment, Guan Yu, who seemed to have picked up a refined tone from somewhere, looked at Liu Bei with a perfectly timed, enigmatic smile. He then nodded slightly and added, "In the future, you should take good care of your health."

Upon hearing Guan Yu's words, Liu Bei was immediately dumbfounded. His mind was filled with the sensation of three thunderbolts exploding, leaving him completely stunned.

How did this trouble get involved with me?

Liu Bei's lifelong ambition was to restore the Han Dynasty and save the common people. How could he be so infatuated with the tender feelings of love between men and women?