With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

Chapter 251, Liu Bei Arrives in Xiangyang
After Liu Biao sent his letter, it did not reach Yuan Tan's hands successfully.

Upon arriving in Runan, the messenger was captured, and the letter fell into Liu Bei's hands.

After reading the letter, Liu Bei said to his two brothers, "At a time like this, Liu Jing still dares to contact the Yuan brothers. This is a path to disaster."

Guan Yu read the letter and his face immediately turned cold; he was very angry.

His eyes gleamed, and he said angrily, "As a member of the Han imperial family, Liu Biao should be of one mind with the court and share the same stance. He just provided the court with troops and supplies before the new year, and now he is colluding with the Yuan brothers. This is enough to show that Liu Biao is not truly loyal to the court!"

Liu Bei paced back and forth in the room for a few steps, when suddenly his eyes lit up. He saw hope of taking control of Jingzhou.

After sending the letter away, Liu Biao felt a pang of regret. He worried that if the letter fell into the hands of the imperial court, it would cause trouble.

Liu Biao had been living in fear for several days, but everything was calm. Just as Liu Biao was about to breathe a sigh of relief, someone suddenly ran over to report something.

"My lord, Imperial Uncle Liu Bei requests an audience."

Liu Biao was taken aback, then frowned.

Why did Liu Bei come to Jingzhou for no apparent reason?
Liu Biao hurriedly asked, "How many men did he bring with him on this trip?"

"Reporting to my lord, besides Zhang Fei, there are several guards."

Liu Biao waved his hand and instructed, "Just say that I am bedridden and unable to meet you."

It's better to avoid trouble. Liu Bei was a man of the imperial court, so Liu Biao was still somewhat wary of him.

It's best to avoid seeing them if possible, to avoid unnecessary trouble.

Liu Bei was turned away outside the city. Zhang Fei was very angry and muttered loudly, "Liu Biao is so arrogant. He won't even see my elder brother. My elder brother is the imperial uncle. In terms of status, he is much more noble than Liu Biao."

Liu Bei politely said to the soldier who delivered the message, "Please pass on a message for me, telling Liu Jingsheng that the Emperor is furious about the letter."

The messenger returned to Liu Biao and repeated Liu Bei's words.

Liu Biao, who had been lying listlessly on the bed, suddenly widened his eyes in horror, "Oh no! Quickly, summon Liu Bei to see me!"

Before long, Liu Bei was brought before Liu Biao.

With the help of his attendants, Liu Biao managed to sit up and lean against the headboard.

Although Liu Biao tried to force himself to remain calm, a hint of panic still showed in his eyes when he saw Liu Bei.

Liu Bei rushed to the bedside and warmly grasped Liu Biao's hand.

Liu Bei said with concern, "Brother Jingsheng, I heard that you are bedridden and I am worried about you day and night. I have long wanted to come to Xiangyang to visit you, but I am too busy with military affairs to leave."

Liu Biao thanked him and then feigned ignorance, asking, "What did Xuande mean by the court's fury just now?"

Liu Bei looked at Liu Biao and asked in return, "Brother Jingsheng, why do you ask a question you already know the answer to?"

Liu Bei glanced at the attendants beside him, seemingly unintentionally. Liu Biao understood his meaning and raised his hand with difficulty, waving it away, "You may all leave."

After the attendant left, Liu Bei sighed and took out the letter from his bosom. "Brother Jingsheng, you are so foolish. How could you do such a thing?"

As he spoke, Liu Bei, somewhat agitated, handed the letter to Liu Biao.

At this moment, Liu Bei's expression clearly showed that he was on Liu Biao's side, half blaming and half concerned.

Liu Biao immediately recognized that the letter was indeed written by Han Song on his behalf for Yuan Tan.

Liu Biao hurriedly asked, "How did this letter end up in your hands?"

Liu Bei did not answer directly, but said, “Brother Jingsheng, we are both relatives of the Han imperial family. I regret that I cannot meet you sooner so that we can join hands to support the Han dynasty and assist His Majesty.”

Liu Bei sighed, "Alas... I never expected that our meeting today would be because of this matter."

Liu Bei kept frowning and sighing, which made Liu Biao even more flustered.

He thought to himself: "It's over. The letter must have fallen into His Majesty's hands. He sent Liu Bei to reprimand me. Perhaps the court will even punish me."

The more Liu Biao thought about it, the more confused he became.

After a while, Liu Biao explained, "Xuande, this is a long story. Yuan Tan asked me for help, and I am naturally loyal to the court. I only offered a few words of advice out of consideration for my past relationship with Yuan Shao."

Liu Bei sighed: "Brother Jingsheng, what can I say to you? You should know very well what the consequences will be if such a letter falls into His Majesty's hands. His Majesty is working hard to govern the country and is determined to restore the Han Dynasty. As a member of the Han imperial family, what you have done will undoubtedly disappoint His Majesty."

Liu Biao nodded repeatedly in agreement, "Xuande is right, I already know I was wrong, so how does Your Majesty intend to deal with this matter?"

Liu Biao already regretted it and really wanted to slap himself a few times.

Liu Bei deliberately remained silent; the more he kept quiet, the more uncertain Liu Biao felt.

Liu Biao then said, "I just sent 20,000 troops and 200,000 bushels of grain to the court before the New Year. My loyalty to the court is as clear as day... I hope Xuande will show me the way."

Liu Biao worked so hard, finally managing to send so many troops and supplies to the court.

If all the previous efforts were to be in vain because of this letter, and Liu Biao were further accused of colluding with traitors, then he would be finished.

However, Liu Biao was unaware that the emperor was unaware of the letter.

Liu Bei's trip to Jingzhou was a deliberate attempt to frighten Liu Biao and test his reaction. Seeing that Liu Biao was disoriented and seriously ill, and that he was likely to die soon, Liu Bei remained calm and secretly felt a sense of triumph.

Liu Bei thought to himself: As long as Liu Biao dies, I will have the opportunity to take charge of Jingzhou and also make a contribution to the court.

After a while, seeing that Liu Biao was getting impatient, Liu Bei said, "Brother Jingsheng, actually, I'm here to help you. The court is about to attack Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, and won't punish you for the time being, but you must sever ties with the Yuan brothers as soon as possible and firmly remain loyal to the court. You're currently ill and bedridden, so why don't you petition the court to let me assist Liu Qi in taking charge of Jingzhou? Of course, you'll still be in charge of all matters, big and small. I'll stay in Jingzhou, which will put His Majesty at ease."

The implication is that your secret letter to Yuan Tan is suspected of being treason, but I am the emperor's man, and allowing me to stay in Jingzhou will prove your loyalty to the court.

"This……"

Liu Biao looked at Liu Bei, caught in a dilemma.

Liu Bei then said, "Don't worry, I won't station troops here. I'll only have a few attendants and guards. They pose no threat to you."

"Once the court has eliminated the Yuan brothers, I will naturally speak well of you before His Majesty. Out of consideration for our shared kinship, His Majesty will surely be lenient and not hold it against Brother Jingsheng. But if Brother Jingsheng is not sincere, I'm afraid that after the court pacifies Hebei, its next target will be Jingzhou."

Liu Biao thought about it and agreed that Liu Bei's suggestion was good. Letting Liu Bei stay in Jingzhou would be tantamount to showing his stance to the court.

Liu Biao agreed to give it serious consideration, and Liu Bei was not in a hurry. As he was leaving, he said with concern, "Brother Jingsheng, take good care of yourself. Jingzhou cannot do without you. I will leave naturally once you have recovered." No sooner had Liu Bei left than Kuai Yue arrived.

As soon as he entered, he asked, "My lord, why has Liu Bei suddenly come to Xiangyang?"

Liu Biao sighed, "It's all my fault for being confused for a moment. I regret writing a reply to Yuan Tan."

Kuai Yue said with concern, "My lord, from my observation, Liu Bei seems to be a friendly man, but in reality he is a man of great strategy. According to him, he does not seek fame or fortune, but only wants to help you from the perspective of a kinsman. I think this matter is probably not that simple."

Liu Biao shook his head. “Yidu, Liu Bei has a reputation for virtue. He saved Kong Rong in Beihai and helped Tao Qian in Xuzhou. These are all commendable deeds. Although Tao Qian offered Xuzhou to Liu Bei, Liu Bei declined repeatedly before finally accepting it reluctantly.”

Liu Bei's reputation is the most convincing calling card.

Kuai Yue's advice did not attract Liu Biao's attention.

Even though Liu Bei was a member of the imperial court, Liu Biao did not suspect that he had come to seize Jingzhou.

As for Lady Cai, she didn't care at all whether Liu Bei came to Jingzhou or not.

Because as a woman, Lady Cai has no control over who will rule Jingzhou in the future.

If Cai Mao were still alive and in control of the military in Jingzhou, Lady Cai could have fought for Liu Cong's succession. Naturally, she would have tried her best to prevent Liu Bei from staying in Jingzhou.

But now, Lady Cai is powerless to do anything. Even if Liu Bei doesn't come to Jingzhou, the position of heir to Jingzhou will not fall to Liu Cong.

Liu Biao eventually accepted Liu Bei's suggestion and wrote a letter to Xudu, saying that he was very ill and wanted his eldest son Liu Qi to handle government affairs for him. However, Liu Qi was young and lacked experience, so he invited Liu Bei to Jingzhou to assist Liu Qi.

The letter made no mention of his correspondence with Yuan Tan.

Cao Cao launched the first attack on Ye City, launching a fierce offensive for days. The battle was unprecedentedly intense, and Liu Xie had also decided to send troops.

Liu Biao invited Liu Bei to Jingzhou, and Liu Xie thought about it and then agreed.

However, Guan Yu was brought to Liu Xie's side. With war approaching, Runan had tens of thousands of troops, and Liu Xie could not afford to abandon this force.

In addition, summoning Guan Yu would also help to strengthen our relationship.

Upon seeing Guan Yu, Liu Xie had Zhang Yu bring over a newly made green brocade robe, and handed it to Guan Yu with a smile, saying, "Yun Chang, this was made for you by the Empress."

Seeing how hard the Empress had worked, Zhang Yu felt he had to say something to let Guan Yu know how difficult it was to make this robe.

Summoning his courage, Zhang Yu stepped forward and said, "Although the Empress is skillful, this brocade robe took her half a month to complete. Not a single stitch was left to anyone else."

Guan Yu held the robe in both hands, his hands trembling with excitement. He quickly bowed and thanked the emperor, saying, "Your Majesty, I thank you for your generous gift, and I thank the empress for her kindness."

Liu Xie gave Zhang Yu a slightly reproachful look, blaming him for being talkative, but Zhang Yu's eyes were somewhat stubborn.

Liu Xie and Guan Yu chatted for a while, and then decided to set off on the expedition that very day.

And it was the emperor himself who led the expedition!
Xun Yu hurriedly tried to dissuade him, "Your Majesty, as the Son of Heaven, how can you take such a risk so easily? Besides, our army is well-trained and has many fierce generals such as Lü Bu and Guan Yu. Your Majesty really has no need to personally lead the expedition."

Although Xun Yu was talkative and somewhat nagging, his intentions were good; he was genuinely worried about Liu Xie's safety.

"Wenruo, I appreciate your kindness. If it were a peaceful and prosperous time, I would never leave the capital. But now we are in a chaotic world and the Han Dynasty is in decline. As the emperor, I must have the courage and determination of Emperor Gaozu who established the country and Emperor Wu who became the hegemon. Only in this way can I boost morale and let the people of the world see my determination to restore the Han Dynasty."

Xun Yu frowned and continued to persuade him, "But swords have no eyes, and Your Majesty is of noble birth; it is really not advisable to take such a risk."

Liu Xie smiled calmly, "Wenruo, don't worry. Over the years, I have accumulated a lot of experience by following Cao Cao on his campaigns. With Fengxian and Zilong by my side, you can rest assured."

Liu Xie paused for a moment, then suddenly pointed in the direction of Ye City, “Didn’t Lord Cao also personally go to the front line and fight alongside the soldiers? What he can do, I can naturally do as well. Lord Cao is not afraid of danger, and neither am I.”

After his attempts to persuade him failed, Xun Yu finally sighed in resignation.

The emperor was very opinionated, and he couldn't be persuaded at all.

Xun Yu had assumed that the emperor would entrust the affairs of Xudu to Jia Xu or Chen Gong, but things turned out differently than Xun Yu had expected.

"Wenruo, I'm entrusting Xudu to you."

"His Majesty……"

Xun Yu opened his mouth, wanting to say, "Is this appropriate?"

But when Liu Xie looked at him, his eyes were full of trust.

Of course, Liu Xie was well aware of the importance of Xudu, and it was impossible for him not to send someone to guard it.

Tian Kai, Jia Xu, Zhang Xiu, and others stayed behind.

After going through many twists and turns, Jia Xu and Zhang Xiu once again joined hands and became one of their own.

Liu Xie personally led an army of 40,000, Xu Du mobilized 30,000 troops, and Guan Yu brought 10,000.

The grand procession departed Xuchang, escorted by a hundred officials.

Xun Yu stood at the city gate, his gaze fixed on the direction the troops had gone. From this moment on, the emperor and Cao Cao were evenly matched, each leading their own army, surrounded by talented people and capable generals.

After a while, Xun Yu sighed, "How wonderful it would be if the ruler and his ministers were of one mind and worked together to pacify the world."

However, Cao Cao would not easily turn against the emperor. Xun Yu's heart was gradually tilting towards the emperor's side. He hoped that Cao Cao could recognize the situation as soon as possible, pull back from the brink, and sincerely assist His Majesty.

On this military expedition, riding on horseback, Liu Xie felt refreshed and free, enjoying the freedom he felt.

How to march? How to fight? Now everything is up to Liu Xie himself.

With banners fluttering and swords flashing, the sight of the Han army's military bearing and imposing presence stirred Liu Xie's heart, making him eager to join the battle and fight alongside his comrades.

Lu Xun rode up to Liu Xie and said, "Your Majesty, I suggest that the army advance eastward along the way, first passing through Xuzhou, and then turning north to advance our troops."

"Oh? Won't that delay things by a few more days?"

Chen Gong looked at Lu Xun with a puzzled expression. This young man had already impressed everyone, and no one would treat him like a child.

Chen Gong added, "Speed ​​is of the essence in war. Going to Xuzhou first will take quite a bit of time."

(End of this chapter)