I will be the master of Xuande

Chapter 699 Xuzhou Negotiator

After Gu Yong arrived in Tancheng, he immediately discussed with Liu Bei a plan to redeem Cao Chun and return to Jiangdong.

Liu Bei's important minister in Xuzhou, Mi Zhu, personally entertained Gu Yong. After Gu Yong was settled, Mi Zhu held a banquet for two days and then brought Gu Yong to see Liu Bei with all the courtesy.

After listening to Gu Yong's explanation of his origins, Liu Bei immediately said that he could let Cao Chun return to Jiangdong, but he would need Cao Cao to agree to several conditions.

The first thing is to let Cao Cao's army completely retreat from Xiapi State to Jiangdong.

The second thing is to ask Cao Cao to return all the counties south of Xiapi Kingdom and south of Guangling County that he originally occupied in Xuzhou.

The third thing is to ask Cao Cao to cede the entire Jiujiang County.

As soon as these three conditions were stated, Gu Yong was a little stunned on the spot.

It's the same thing to ask Cao Cao to retreat. Let Cao Cao return the county south of Xuzhou where he was originally separated... Although they are reluctant, Liu Bei can give this reason, which shows that he is a normal person. Everyone agrees on this matter. Can be discussed.

After all, Liu Bei is now the Xuzhou pastor appointed by the imperial court. It is completely reasonable for him to want to return to the county seat of Xuzhou.

But asking Cao Cao to cede Jiujiang County, what kind of showmanship is this?

Does Liu Bei not know his last name?

Gu Yong didn't even need to go back and ask Cao Cao for instructions on this matter... he could give the answer directly to Liu Bei!

That is simply impossible!

Although Gu Yong wanted to scold his mother, he couldn't use swear words when facing the dignified Xuzhou Mu.

Therefore, he politely told Liu Bei that these three conditions were too harsh and absolutely unacceptable to him, and asked Liu Bei to make some concessions.

Liu Bei laughed on the spot, then waved his big hand and said: "You asked for negotiations, and I'm here to put forward conditions to you. If you still can't accept it, then what are you talking about? Go back!"

Facing Liu Bei's aggressive and shameless look, Gu Yong realized in his heart that he had underestimated Xuzhou Mu.

Liu Xuande is really thick-skinned.

Why do you have the nerve to say that? It's too bullying.

Gu Yong once again told Liu Bei that it was absolutely impossible to cede land in the county!

Whether it is the land south of Xuzhou or the land in Jiujiang County, these have been managed by Cao Cao for many years for the Han Dynasty and cannot be ceded to Liu Bei at will.

However, Cao Cao was willing to pay a large price, food, and weapons to Liu Bei to redeem Cao Chun from Liu Bei's hands.

In addition, the matter of withdrawing troops is not non-negotiable. As long as Liu Bei is willing to show sincerity, everyone can sit down and talk openly.

Although Gu Yong's tone was firm, he still hoped to steer the negotiation in a good direction.

Liu Bei couldn't help but sneer after hearing Gu Yong's conditions.

In Liu Bei's view, Gu Yongkai's conditions were a complete dream!

He released the important prisoners, and they only gave us some food and goods. They also talked about withdrawing the troops and asked us to show sincerity.

You came to my territory to cause trouble, I asked you to retreat, and you still asked me to show my sincerity?

This is simply ridiculous!

Do you think I, Liu Xuande, look like the person who sent you such a small amount of food and money?

Who in the world dares to pat their chests and say they are richer than my old Liu family? !

In Lao Liu's family, especially my brother Prime Minister Liu and I, who in the world dares to challenge us and say that he is richer than the two of us? !

Just say, who dares!

Cao Cao, the little Jiangdong, a thief who prefers peace, dares to use money to negotiate terms with us?

Do you believe that my Liu family’s money can be used to smash Yangzhou into a big hole in Jiangdong?

However, Liu Bei was not that crazy. He did not turn Gu Yong's face back on the spot.

He just asked Mi Zhu to accompany Gu Yong back to the post house for the time being, saying that he would discuss the matter in detail.

After waiting for Gu Yong to leave, Liu Bei immediately found Chen Deng.

Today, Chen Deng is also a popular figure in Xuzhou. With his talents and the power of the Chen family, he has become Liu Bei's right-hand man.

"Yuanlong, you said that Cao Cao sent Gu Yuantan to negotiate with me, but he showed no sincerity in giving up the land in exchange for his brother. It seems that his intentions are not sincere."

"Since he is not sincere in negotiating with us, then we should simply blow Gu Yong away. The land in Xuzhou and Jiujiang County can be snatched from him later with our ability."

Chen Deng said: "Your Majesty, please do not act too hastily. Forget about anything else, Cao Cao sent Gu Yuantan to negotiate with you this time. Although he did not agree with your envoy's words," Chen Deng said.

"However, his sincerity is quite sufficient."

"No matter who the princes are, they will not exchange land and counties for hostages. After all, it is about the foundation and their dignity in front of their subordinates. It is difficult to cede counties and counties."

Liu Bei smiled and said: "If it were simple, wouldn't this negotiation be settled quickly?"

"I got a secret message from the Prime Minister. The request for me in Xuzhou is to contain Cao Cao and make sure that he cannot send troops to support the situation on other battlefields."

"So since Cao Cao wants to negotiate with me, I will try my best to delay it."

"In this way, we can not only delay Cao Cao without consuming troops, but also stabilize the battlefield in the southeast and allow the people to live in peace."

"That's why Bei Shi just made so many unreasonable demands to Gu Yong."

"What I hope now is that Gu Yong will report everything here to Cao Cao."

"As long as Cao Cao still wants to take Cao Chun back, then he will definitely continue to let Gu Yong continue to negotiate with us in Tan County."

"In this way, we have achieved the Prime Minister's request in the simplest way!"

Chen Deng was stunned when he heard this: "It turns out that what you are doing is just to buy time for the prime minister. However, according to the official's opinion, there is no need for you to come forward to talk to Gu Yong all the time. After all, you are busy with everything, and it will take time." Observing the movements of Cao Cao's army, Zhou Yu under Cao Cao is very idle. If this time he deliberately designed to slow down our army's morale, he may be negligent in the long run. Therefore, what you are planning now is to find a way to keep an eye on Cao Cao on the battlefield. , as for the negotiation, you can leave it to others."

After hearing this, Liu Bei firmly believed that this statement was reasonable.

"What Yuan Long said is true. From today on, I will no longer receive Gu Yuantan in person. But I want to know, if I don't receive Gu Yuantan, who should we send to negotiate with him in Xuzhou? "

"After all, this negotiation is not a trivial matter. It requires a lot of energy and a lot of time. It also requires someone who understands how to deal with it."

Chen Deng said: "The low-level official is not talented, so I am willing to take over this matter for the envoy."

When Liu Bei heard that Chen Deng was going to handle the matter personally, he shook his head hurriedly.

"Yuanlong is my arm. You and Mi Zizhong are both close to me. Now that Cao Jun is close at hand, I need your help to complete many things. How can I let you negotiate with him? This is absolutely impossible."

Chen Deng hesitated a little when he heard this.

"Gu Yongnai is a famous person from Jiangdong. He is quite knowledgeable and has excellent diplomatic skills. If my lord sends someone who is idle to deal with him, he may see the flaw or find out the truth and take advantage of us instead."

When Liu Bei heard what Chen Deng said, he couldn't help but said seriously: "Yuan Long's words are very reasonable. In this case, it needs to be carefully considered. Who should be sent to negotiate with the employer alone?"

Chen Deng said: "Actually, the official has a candidate in mind."

"Oh?" When Liu Bei heard this, he couldn't help but shout.

"Who is the person Yuan Long is talking about?"

Chen Dengdao: "The last official recommends Zhuge Liang, the new Prime Minister of Tancheng County."

When Liu Bei heard Zhuge Liang's name, he immediately became energetic.

"Yuanlong also knows about Zhuge Kongming?"

Chen Deng smiled and said: "Of course I know it. Who in Xuzhou doesn't know Zhuge Kongming now?"

"After all, this person is the only person in our Xuzhou, or in the entire Han Dynasty, who has won three yuan in a row since the implementation of the imperial examination!"

"Although this man is young, I know his name well."

Liu Bei smiled and nodded: "Then why did Yuan Long recommend this person?"

Chen Deng immediately said: "Zhuge Kongming won three yuan in a row. He is a dragon among men. I had interacted with this man on official duties because I was handling some official duties regarding water conservancy construction near Tancheng. I found that this man was not only knowledgeable, but also He is a calm person and very methodical in doing things!"

"Nowadays, the construction, farming, and development of Tancheng are all handled by him. After Chen made an inspection, he found that the land governed by Zhuge Kongming was exquisitely laid out. Every field and every keel waterwheel All layouts have their own ideas and thoughts, and Zhuge Kongming's farm layout not only considers the present, but also considers the far-reaching aspects. The position of his farmland can be traced back three to five years, which shows his unparalleled talent. also!"

Liu Bei also agreed very much with Chen Deng's words.

"I have also read Kong Ming's answer sheets for the state examination subjects. To be honest, despite his young age, his far-reaching thoughts in the answer sheets are indeed something I have never thought of before."

"Zhuge Kongming is a political genius, and he will become a great person in the long run... However, although his political talents are high, he may not be a good negotiator. Why do you recommend this person, Yuanlong?"

Chen Deng said: "The officials recommended Zhuge Kongming to negotiate with Gu Yong on three points."

"For one thing, this person is talented and far-sighted, and people with far-reaching knowledge must have clear ideas and be good at planning. Such people will not be deceived and exploited easily during negotiations."

"Secondly, when the last official inspected the fields in Tancheng, he met with Zhuge Liang and discussed some government affairs in detail."

"The officials discovered that Zhuge Liang was not only very capable in governing, proficient in farming and water conservancy, but also had a sharp tongue and teeth, was good at argumentation, and was quite suitable for negotiation."

"Thirdly, Kong Ming is young. Although he has studied in Sanyuan, his reputation has not spread to the south of the Yangtze River. I think Gu Yong will also look down on him. This is also a good thing for negotiations!"

When Liu Bei heard this, he suddenly understood.

He nodded and said: "The three points analyzed by Yuan Long are indeed reasonable. Then Yuan Long will explain this matter to Kong Ming in detail on my behalf."

Chen Deng immediately raised his hands and said, "I will definitely convey your wishes to Kong Ming."

……

The next day, Chen Deng went to see Zhuge Liang and told him that Liu Bei sent him as an envoy to represent Xuzhou to negotiate with Gu Yong.

Zhuge Liang did not show any surprise when he heard that Liu Bei asked him to negotiate with Gu Yong as the envoy of Xuzhou.

On the contrary, he quickly accepted the matter and immediately asked Chen Deng: "May I ask Mr. Chen, what are the conditions for this negotiation with him? What are your expectations? What is the purpose? "

Chen Deng was quite surprised to see Zhuge Liang asking him these things calmly.

He looked Zhuge Liang up and down for a long time.

"Kong Ming, how did you accept this matter so quickly? After all, you just joined Tan County not long ago, and now you are entrusted with important responsibilities by the commander so quickly. Aren't you curious why?"

Zhuge Liang smiled very indifferently and said: "It must be Chen Jun who recommended me so that I can be useful in front of Liu Xuzhou. Thank you very much, Chen Jun."

As soon as he said this, Chen Deng felt a little embarrassed.

In fact, he did want to sell Zhuge Liang a good deal, but he didn't expect Zhuge Liang to think through the matter in one go.

Moreover, such a highly praised answer made Chen Deng a little confused as to what to do.

Originally, Chen Deng had prepared a lot of good rhetoric, but now it seems that he can no longer use it.

Then Chen Deng smiled awkwardly and said: "Kong Ming, the reason why I recommend you to the envoy is not because of any personal relationship with you, but because I want to recommend someone who is really qualified for this job." people of things,”

"Kong Ming, you are just right. As for the things you just asked about the negotiation conditions, I have already listed them for you. Please take a closer look. If there is anything you don't understand or have any doubts about, feel free to ask. "

Zhuge Liang reached out and took the silk from Chen Deng's hand. He opened it and looked at it carefully. On it was written the conditions Liu Bei wanted Zhuge Liang to negotiate.

The general content has changed somewhat from what Liu Bei said last time, but not much.

However, the most critical thing is that Liu Bei wants to ask Cao Cao for the land south of Xiapi and Guangling.

Liu Bei hoped that Zhuge Liang could exchange the lands that originally belonged to Xuzhou and were occupied by Cao Cao during this negotiation, so that Cao Cao's front could be returned to Yangzhou.

After Zhuge Liang read Liu Bei's silk, he gently folded the silk and handed it back to Chen Deng, saying: "Please Chen Jun tell Liu Shijun, I'm afraid Liang can't do it, please send another messenger." .”

After hearing this, Chen Deng smiled and said, "Kong Ming, do you think Cao Cao will not agree to your condition?"

Zhuge Liang said solemnly: "If Cao Chun is exchanged for goods, good horses, food, or even weapons, Cao Cao will be willing, and Liang is confident that he can obtain the greatest benefit for you."

"But if Liu Shijun wants to ask for land from Cao Cao, I'm afraid it's unlikely."

"The front line of Guangling and the front line of Xiapi State is Cao Cao's stepping stone. It is where he uses to contain Xuzhou. In other words, it can also serve as Jiujiang County's buffer against the north."

"As long as he can occupy a certain area in the south of Xuzhou, coupled with the pressure from Yuzhou, Cao Cao can protect his Jiangdong land from intrusion. Once Xiapi and Guangling are all occupied by our Xuzhou, what belongs to Yuan Shao Once Yuzhou suffers a loss, Jiujiang County, where Cao Cao is located, will be very passive."

"In terms of overall strategy, this is something that Cao Cao cannot tolerate."

"If we negotiate with Cao Cao on such terms, let alone one Cao Chun, even if there are ten Cao Chun, Cao Cao will not agree."

Chen Deng nodded with a smile and said: "Kong Ming is indeed a young talent. He is not only good at politics, but also good at military strategy. You took these words to the military council hall and said them in front of all the generals and captains. It will definitely convince everyone.”

"It's just that in this negotiation, Liu Shijun has to ask for something. If we can't get land, do we really need money and food? Are we still short of money and food in Xuzhou?"

"Even if Xuzhou is short of money and food, won't the Prime Minister give us Xuzhou? Do you have to give him something like Cao Cao?"

Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "Actually, for Cao Cao, as long as he does not lose his land, everything else is acceptable. We can ask for money and food. In addition, Liang can also ask for something that will be very beneficial to Xuzhou in the future."

"As long as Liu Shijun is willing to agree."

(End of this chapter)