Super Cultivation System of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 968 Liu Bei Takes Action
"Flutter..." A carrier pigeon landed in front of the door of the imperial study in the palace.

"Your Majesty, this is the news from the Eagle Guards who secretly followed the Crown Prince."

Xun Yu took the letter off the pigeon's leg and handed it to Liu He respectfully.

Liu He took it and looked at it. His face, which had just been filled with worry due to his upset over many military and political affairs, suddenly relaxed.

"Hahahaha... this brat actually has this ability."

Xun Yu and Qian Li were very puzzled and asked, "What did the eldest prince do to make His Majesty so happy?"

Liu He waved the letter in his hand and said, "This guy followed the example of my second brother and I swearing brotherhood in the pine forest. He even traveled thousands of miles to Xuzhou Langya County and found someone to swear brotherhood with. He took in a second brother."

"Oh?" Qian Li was surprised. "The eldest prince has always been arrogant and rarely obeys others. Who is the person that he would be so attracted to and condescend to become his sworn brother?"

Liu He smiled and said, "This man's surname is Zhuge, his given name is Liang, and his courtesy name is Kongming. He is not yet an adult, only seventeen years old, and is a descendant of the Zhuge clan of Langya."

"Langya Zhuge clan?" Xun Yu responded.

"Why? Did Wen Ruo hear anything?"

"Your Majesty, I know a little bit about it. The Langya Zhuge family is one of the famous families in Langya County. Their ancestor Zhuge Feng served as the Sili Xiaowei during the reign of Emperor Xiaoyuan of the previous dynasty. In the following two hundred years, many officials such as prefects, lieutenants, county magistrates, and county magistrates have also been produced. Zhuge Liang was famous for his talent many years ago. He was known as the first young prodigy in Qingxu. He had a photographic memory. He could recite all the classics by heart after reading them once, and he understood their meanings very well."

"Is there such a genius in the world? I'm afraid it's just a rumor or an exaggeration." Qian Li was a little unconvinced.

Xun Yu smiled and said, "I have never met this person, so I have never verified it. However, the Zhuge family has declined since his father Zhuge Gui died of illness many years ago. Zhuge Liang and his brothers have been raised by their uncle until now."

Qian Li understood clearly: "No wonder he had a given name when he was only seventeen. I guess his father must have chosen it for him before he died."

"Yes, I also know about this. Last year, Zhuge Liang's uncle, Zhuge Xuan, intended to bring his family to Luoyang to serve the court, but encountered robbers on the way and was rescued by Liu Bei, so he obeyed the orders and served in Xuzhou. However, Zhuge Liang was not yet an adult, so he stayed in Yangdu. I didn't expect to have such a fate with Zheng'er."

"Zhuge Xuan was not a very talented person, so when the news came, we did not pay much attention to it. Now it seems that Liu Bei may have had other intentions at that time."

Qian Li became a little indignant.

Liu He looked generous and waved his hands: "It's okay, don't worry about Liu Bei's affairs. As long as Yuan Zhi and others can control Qingzhou, with the strength of Xuzhou, the slightest movement can be easily destroyed."

Xun Yu said, "Your Majesty, what you said makes sense. But before that, we should quickly bring the eldest prince and Zhuge Liang back to Luoyang. Otherwise, if the situation really changes, the eldest prince will be in danger, which is really bad."

"Yes, that's right. Reply to the Flying Eagle Guards, take my personal letter, and order Zheng'er to bring Zhuge Liang back to Luoyang as soon as possible. Also, send a message to my third brother and tell Zheng'er the news, so that he won't get anxious in Shenyang City."

"I obey your order. But..." Xun Yu hesitated to speak.

Liu He asked: "What's wrong? Is there anything else?"

Xun Yu bowed and said, "Two days ago, Minister Wang Yun and dozens of other court officials jointly denounced the killing of surrendered soldiers in Shenyang City. Although they did not mention the eldest prince, their words were clearly directed at the eldest prince. Although your majesty temporarily suppressed the incident, I believe that Minister Wang and others will never let it go."

Qian Li also agreed, "This matter seems to be about killing the surrendered soldiers, but in fact it is about fighting for the title of crown prince. The eldest prince is the eldest son of the emperor and has good conduct. If he had not committed any serious mistakes, the position of crown prince would naturally not have gone to Wang Situ's grandson."

Now that the position of the crown prince has not been decided, if other ministers dared to discuss this matter in front of Liu He, even if they were not punished, they would inevitably be reprimanded. This is why Wang Yun and others could only use the killing of the prisoners as an excuse to compete secretly.

However, Xun Yu and Qian Li were both Liu He's close ministers, so they were naturally different from others.

Xun Yu immediately said, "The eldest prince has no support in the court. Once this matter is hyped up by Wang Yun and others, there will be only a handful of people in the court who can speak for the eldest prince. Forgive me for being so presumptuous, but if Your Majesty really wants to establish the eldest prince, you need to make preparations early."

"Well, I've taken note of Wen Ruo's words."

As soon as Liu He finished speaking, Gong Saner walked in: "Your Majesty, the Queen Mother invites you."

"Oh? Why did the Queen Mother suddenly come to see me?"

Gong Saner replied: "Your Majesty, it is the Marquis of Shenyun Township and his wife who have entered the palace and are now in the Queen Mother's palace."

The Marquis of Shenyun Township is Zhen Yi, the father of Zhen Mi. Last year, he presented paper books, which was a great achievement, and was therefore granted this title.

"Your Majesty, I believe that the Marquis came here for the eldest prince's marriage." Xun Yu said.

"Well, you came at the right time. I was just looking for him."

Liu He stood up and took Gong Saner with him and rushed straight to the Queen Mother's bedroom.

On an official road in Jinan County, Qingzhou, dozens of figures were riding fast. The man in the middle was Xu Shu. Behind him were dozens of people holding spears, wearing long swords and armor. They were naturally his bodyguards.

The group soon arrived in front of a city. Xu Shu took a look at the city gate and was filled with doubts.

"Why are the city gates closed in broad daylight?"

At this time, a head popped out from the tower and shouted, "Who is coming?"

Xu Shu looked up and clasped his fists, saying, "I am Xu Shu, the military advisor general of the imperial court. I am going to Beihai on official business under the order of the emperor. Please open the city and let me pass."

Unexpectedly, the man on the tower shook his head and said, "No, two days ago, a large number of thieves suddenly appeared in various places in Qingzhou, burning, killing and looting, and it was very rampant. The governors of Beihai and Jinan have jointly asked Xuzhou for help. At present, all places in Qingzhou have been under martial law, and no one is allowed to enter or leave without permission."

When Xu Shu heard this, his heart sank and he thought to himself that this was not good.

A guard beside him said, "General, why don't you take out the imperial edict and show it to the other party? With His Majesty's order here, I don't think they will dare to stop us."

Xu Shu shook his head and said, "Alas, it's useless. Now, even if we can go to Beihai to take up our posts, it will be of no use."

He looked up at the tower and sighed, "What happened two days ago, he was in Xuzhou, but he was able to send troops to control the cities in Qingzhou so quickly. I'm afraid he had a deliberate conspiracy. It seems that I underestimated Liu Bei after all..."

At the Beihai County Governor's Mansion, Kong Rong was personally hosting a banquet to entertain Liu Bei.

"Qingzhou and Beihai have been in trouble time and again, and it was you who helped us. I will never forget your kindness. I am here to offer you a bottle of wine."

Kong Rong was filled with joy, picked up the wine jar and drank it all. Liu Bei also smiled and said, "Kong Beihai is too polite. You and I are both Han officials. Qingzhou was caused by bandit chaos. How can I sit back and watch? Now that the court has just been defeated in Yuzhou, it is time to prepare troops and horses to fight against Cao Cao again. These trivial bandit troubles, we, the officials, should share the worries of Your Majesty."

His words were spoken with righteousness and sternness. Upon hearing them, Kong Rong put down his wine jar and praised him repeatedly.

"Your Excellency is worthy of being a descendant of the royal family. You are dedicated to the country, which is really admirable. Now, the Qingzhou governor Jiao He has died of illness in office, and the court has not yet appointed a new governor. I have discussed with the governors in the state. After the banditry is quelled, we will jointly submit a petition to recommend your brother, General Jiang Huan, to be the governor of Qingzhou. What do you think?"

Liu Bei was terrified when he heard this: "How can I do this? How can I be so worthy of taking on the responsibility of a state? Moreover, I am the governor of Xuzhou, but I have not even settled the affairs of my own state. Pengcheng and Xiapi are still in the hands of Cao. Once the banditry is quelled, I will lead my troops to retreat immediately. I dare not have any unreasonable thoughts about Qingzhou."

Jiang Huan also stood up from his seat: "Brother, you have made a good contribution. I am just a warrior, and I am only fit to fight for the court. I dare not take on such an important task."

"Hey, envoy and general, there is no need to refuse."

Kong Rong said, "The court is now focused on dealing with Cao Cao and has no spare energy to take care of Qingzhou. Otherwise, they would not have sent a new governor for several months. I and other governors are all scholars and are not good at fighting. We asked General Jiang Huan to be the governor, firstly for the stability of the people of Qingzhou, and secondly to relieve the court of worries. Thirdly, you are loyal to the country. If you can occupy Qingzhou and Xuzhou, you can help the court and attack Cao Cao. This is a good thing that can achieve three goals at once. Don't retreat."

Although he persuaded him in this way, Liu Bei still waved his hands again and again: "No, no, I absolutely do not have this intention, this is absolutely not possible."

At this, Kong Rong suddenly turned stern and said, "Your Excellency, as a member of the royal family, how can you neglect state affairs for your own vanity? Your brother's appointment as the governor of Qingzhou will bring benefits to the country and the people, but not harm. Why do you keep declining the offer? Are you unwilling to contribute to the court's efforts to defeat the bandits?"

"This……"

Liu Bei still looked hesitant, so Tian Feng quickly took over the topic: "What Kong Beihai said makes sense, my lord. Since the imperial court is not yet able to take over Qingzhou, it would be better for you to stay there temporarily until the world is stable and the bandits are destroyed, and then the imperial court will make arrangements. This way, it will not damage your reputation for benevolence, and it will also allow you to make more contributions to the Han Dynasty."

"In this case..." Liu Bei looked at everyone and sighed, "Alas... I hope Your Majesty will not blame me for this..."

Outside the city of Linji, Anle Commandery, Qingzhou, Zhang Fei led several thousand infantry and cavalry and rushed over aggressively.

"Zhang Fei from Yan is here, quickly open the city gate..."

He pointed his 10-foot-long snake spear at the city wall and shouted loudly.

A man stuck his head out and shouted, "I have heard of General Zhang's reputation. But you are here to suppress bandits. There are no bandits in Linji City. This is Qingzhou territory and is not under your jurisdiction. If you want to enter the city, you must have the imperial court's order, otherwise, I dare not let you in."

Zhang Fei was furious when he heard this. "Wow, I am so angry! How dare you, a lowly official, stop me, Grandpa Zhang? Although there are no bandits here, there are bandits rampant in Qiancheng County further north. If you don't open the gate, how can I go to rescue you?"

"This..." The county magistrate on the city wall felt a little embarrassed for a moment.

He was one of the officials specially arranged in Qingzhou many years ago when Liu He ascended the throne, after Kong Rong and Jiao He came to Beijing to pay tribute, in order to facilitate the court to control Qingzhou. He was an old soldier in the army and had no other abilities, but he was loyal to Liu He. Although Liu Bei was the emperor's brother, in his eyes, no one could do anything without Liu He's order.

However, if there was really a bandit problem in Qiancheng County, he was afraid that if he did not let Zhang Fei go, it would cause great harm, which put him in a dilemma.

Zhang Fei saw that he seemed to be hesitating, so he rolled his eyes and shouted, "If you are worried, come down from the city. I have something that can prove what I just said is absolutely true."

"Oh? If that's the case, if Qiancheng County is in trouble, I will let you go. Please wait a moment, General."

The county magistrate immediately ordered people to open the city gate, and he himself rode out of the city and came to Zhang Fei.

"General Zhang, if you have any evidence, please..."

He was just reaching out to see the evidence Zhang Fei mentioned, but unexpectedly, Zhang Fei suddenly attacked him.

"Ahhh, you thief deserves death!"

The Zhangba Snake Spear flashed with cold light and pierced the county magistrate's face.

"Ah You……"

"Puff..." The county magistrate was stabbed through by Zhang Fei and thrown out.

"Ah... Zhang Fei killed the county magistrate..."

"The county magistrate has been killed. Hurry... hurry and report to the governor..."

The soldiers guarding the city were in a panic.

"Everyone stop!" Zhang Fei's roar was like thunder, and everyone was frightened and stopped.

Zhang Fei was very proud. He grinned first, then pointed at the corpse of the county magistrate on the ground with his Zhangba Snake Spear. "This general has received news a long time ago. Although Liao is an official appointed by the court, he secretly colluded with bandits and plotted evil. After discussing with the other prefects, my elder brother was worried that he would work with the bandits to murder the people, so he sent me here to kill him. Are there any accomplices among you?"

With his ferocious look and question, which soldier would dare to say yes?

"No, no... We would never dare to do that..."

"Yes... I am a law-abiding person and have no ulterior motives..."

Seeing their terrified expressions, Zhang Fei nodded and said, "I don't think you have the courage to do this. Quick, open the city gate and let me in, and then we can make plans."

In Ancheng, Runan County, Cao Cao was looking at a letter and laughing heartily.

"Hahaha... I didn't expect that the land of Qingzhou would be taken by Liu Bei so easily. God is really helping me."

"Great! With Liu Bei's help, our coalition is even stronger than before. Why should we fear that little Liu He?"

Xiahou Dun was rubbing his hands, wishing he could have another fight right now.

Cao Ren frowned slightly: "Liu Bei's actions will definitely be noticed by Liu He. What if he takes the opportunity to attack Liu Bei on the grounds that Liu Bei killed the minister without authorization?"

Cao Cao smiled and shook his head. "Absolutely not. Liu Bei led his army into Qingzhou at the invitation of the governors of Qingzhou. As for the generals and county magistrates he killed, although they were all Liu He's confidants, Liu Bei had evidence of their collusion with bandits. The evidence was from the confessions of the captured bandits. Even if Liu He had doubts, he had no reason to make trouble for this matter."

Cheng Yu also said: "Yes, until now, Liu Bei is still a loyal minister who serves the country and the people. If Liu He wants to punish him, wouldn't it be a slap in the face of the royal family?"

Cao Ren's eyes lit up when he heard this: "What a brilliant plan! What a brilliant plan!"

(End of this chapter)