I, Zhou Cang, am the number one tank in the Three Kingdoms.

In the back garden of the governor's mansion in Jingzhou, Liu Bei and Zhao Yun stood respectfully beside an artificial hill, quietly listening to a scholar reclining on the hill singing a song.

The scholar, completely unaware, sat up after finishing his chant and yawned loudly. Out of the corner of his eye, he noticed two people standing beside him and hurriedly got up.

Liu Bei bowed and said, "Sir, your music moved me deeply, and I couldn't help but stop to listen. I apologize for disturbing you."

The scholar quickly returned the greeting and asked, "Your Excellency possesses an extraordinary bearing; may I ask your honorable name?"

Liu Bei smiled and said, "My name is Liu Bei, courtesy name Xuande."

The scholar exclaimed in surprise, "Could it be Liu Bei, the emperor's uncle?"

Liu Bei said softly, "It is indeed I."

The scholar was greatly surprised, hurriedly straightened his clothes, clasped his hands high, and bowed deeply: "My rustic song has made you laugh, Your Excellency."

Liu Bei quickly reached out and grasped the scholar's hand, helping him up and saying, "Sir, your music has made me feel as if we have known each other for a long time. I would like to hear your esteemed name!"

The scholar bowed again and said, "I am a native of Yingshang, surnamed Shan, named Fu. May I ask why you are here, sir?"

"I came here specifically to thank Liu Jingzhou for his help with his previous letter, but unfortunately I did not meet him. I was just about to return to Runan."

"I see. This is not the place to talk. Why don't we meet at my humble abode outside the city?" Shan Fu said with a smile to Liu Bei and his companion.

Liu Bei, beaming with joy, said, "Please lead the way, sir."

After witnessing the prosperity of Jingzhou, Liu Bei reflected on his experiences since starting his business.

He couldn't change his humble origins, but he had done his best to make up for his shortcomings with his fighting prowess and the prestigious title of "Imperial Uncle."

Seeing the world in constant turmoil and Cao Cao's increasingly deceitful behavior towards the emperor, Cao Cao's overall strength was insufficient to support his ambition to restore the Han dynasty and the world.

Despite repeated defeats, the team's biggest problem likely lies in its personnel configuration.

His second and third brothers, as well as the newly joined Zhou Cang and Zilong, were all brave and skilled warriors. In terms of the quantity and quality of his generals, even Cao Cao and Yuan Shao's side did not have much advantage.

However, the comings and goings of strategists are much more frequent.

Sun Qian was first-rate in diplomacy, and Jian Yong was first-rate in domestic affairs, but militarily they had absolutely no one to rely on...

He was alright against others, but his shortcomings became particularly obvious when facing Cao Cao.

Especially given the current situation, since the imperial edict has been signed, for the sake of this greater cause, the only option for dealing with Cao Cao is to fight; there is no room for compromise.

So when Liu Bei heard Shan Fu sing, "There is a wise man in the valley, who wants to throw his pearl at me; the wise ruler seeks a wise man, but does not know me," he wondered if Heaven had heard his heart and specially arranged for him to meet this man.

The humble abode that Shan Fu mentioned was indeed a humble abode. The house was bare, with only a bed and a table, a dozen or so books, and very simple cooking utensils and tableware.

After leading Liu Bei into the house, Shan Fu took a roll of straw mat from the side of the bed, spread it on the ground, and the two sat down on the floor, with Zhao Yun still standing by his side.

Liu Bei opened up directly: "I'm not afraid of being laughed at, sir, but today, upon arriving in Jingzhou, I am filled with regret for having wasted half my life and accomplished nothing."

Shan Fu laughed and said, "The Imperial Uncle's reputation is known throughout the land, and he also possesses the unparalleled bravery of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei. The only thing he lacks is a prefecture or county to establish his base."

Liu Bei exclaimed with delight, "Sir, your words are exactly what I have been thinking. Please, sir, do not hesitate to enlighten me!"

"What does Your Excellency think of the land of Jingzhou?"

"The land of Jingxiang is fertile for thousands of miles and has more than 100,000 armored soldiers. I dare not cross it recklessly."

"Hahaha, not at all!" Shan Fu said, bursting into laughter.

Liu Bei asked in confusion, "What do you mean, sir?"

Shan Fu stood up and paced in front of Liu Bei, speaking in a leisurely manner: "I have been in Jingzhou for several years, during which time I have made many friends among the famous scholars. They all spoke of Liu Jingsheng's good deeds and evil deeds, so I went to pay them a visit."

"However, Liu Jingsheng is a man who is good at doing good but cannot use it, and he is bad at doing evil but cannot get rid of it; he is merely a figurehead."

Liu Bei recalled Cao Cao's assessment of Liu Biao as "empty of substance" during their discussion of heroes over wine, and he found himself even more agreeable with Shan Fu's words. He then pressed for an answer, asking, "What do you think I should do, sir?"

Dan Fu sat down again, leaned forward slightly, and said in a serious tone, "Your Excellency has been fighting for many years, all in the north. Runan is just a small corner of the country. We cannot advance to Hebei, nor can we resist Cao Cao. This is not a long-term solution."

"Your Excellency and Liu Biao are of the same lineage as the Han dynasty, and Liu Biao is known for his fondness for making friends with heroes. Your Excellency would be better off abandoning Runan and joining Liu Biao."

"Given your reputation, Liu Biao will not suspect anything. You can then use the pretext of guarding against Cao Cao to station troops in Fancheng. This place is separated from Jingzhou by a river and is truly a vital point in Jingzhou."

Liu Bei nodded slightly in agreement as he listened, but then Shan Fu continued, "Having secured Fancheng, we can recruit soldiers and horses. Given time, when Jingzhou is vulnerable, we can slip through their fingers, cross the river in light boats, and attack them by surprise. Jingzhou will be ours for the taking!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's expression changed drastically. He stood up abruptly, looked at Shan Fu with disdain, and angrily said, "I thought you possessed the talent of a king's advisor, so I sought your guidance, but I never imagined I had misjudged you!"

"You've taught me to do this shameful thing, do you want me to lose the trust of the world?"

After Liu Bei finished speaking, he flicked his sleeve and walked out. Zhao Yun glanced at Shan Fu and immediately followed.

Upon seeing this, Shan Fu laughed heartily and stood up, saying, "I have long heard that Your Excellency is a benevolent and righteous ruler, so I am testing you. I hope Your Excellency will not take offense."

Liu Bei stood there stunned, then turned around and asked, "Are you sure you were joking?"

Shan Fu nodded and said, "Indeed, although I have heard much about it, I have no way to judge it and dare not believe it lightly, so I tested you. Now I see that you are indeed a benevolent ruler. Please forgive me!" After saying that, he stepped forward and knelt down to pay his respects.

Liu Bei's anger turned to joy, and he quickly helped Shan Fu up, asking, "May I ask where you currently serve under Governor Liu?"

Shan Fu smiled and said, "I haven't taken up any position."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei was astonished by such good news and quickly bowed, saying, "In that case, Zilong and I are about to return to Runan, and we would like to invite you, sir, to accompany us. What do you think, sir?"

Shan Fu said, "My trip to Liu Jingzhou's residence today is to bid farewell to my post. Since you have invited me, how can I refuse?"

"Now that we have met a wise ruler, I, Shan Fu, am willing to serve him with utmost loyalty!" After saying this, he bowed solemnly once again.

Liu Bei happily grasped Shan Fu's hand and said, "Now that I have you, sir, it is like Emperor Gaozu having Zhang Liang. Great things can be accomplished!"

That very day, Liu Bei, along with Zhao Yun and Shan Fu, returned to Runan under the cover of night.

A few days later, within the territory of Yuzhou, Guan Yu and his men escorted the carriages for quite some time before finally entering the territory of Runan County.

With Runan fast approaching, Zhou Cang, who was guarding the carriage, felt something was off. It seemed like someone had been watching him for the past few miles.

"Yuanfu!" Guan Gong, who was at the front of the line, suddenly shouted.

"My lord!" Zhou Cang quickly stepped forward to await orders.

"There seem to be some scoundrels spying on us in the mulberry grove to the southeast. You should take a detour and investigate carefully, but be careful not to take any lives!"

"Yes, sir!"