Three Kingdoms: I, Liu Feng, do not want to die

Throughout history, there has been very little kinship among the families of emperors and generals.

There are countless people who are heartless and ungrateful in their struggle for power.

Brother kills brother, brother kills brother, father kills son, son kills father, king kills minister, minister kills king.
Based on preconceived notions:
If Liu Shan and Liu Feng do not contend, it must be a deception to mislead others;
The truth hidden in the shadows lies in the fact that Liu Shan and Liu Feng were fighting each other.

Not to mention the suspicious Cao Pi, there were countless people within and outside the Han Dynasty who would be suspicious.

The fact that it became such a public spectacle was not only due to some people stirring things up, but also because of the public's preconceived notion that emperors and generals' families were always vying for power.

Military strategy: strike unexpectedly.

It was clearly unrealistic for Liu Feng to attempt to capture Shouchun using conventional methods.

Man Chong's inability to defend Hefei was not due to a lack of ability, but rather because Hefei itself could not be considered a fortified city.

But Shouchun is different.

The city, nestled against mountains and surrounded by water, boasts a long history and has been expanded and renovated many times.
Furthermore, with Yuzhou as its backing, the counties in the rear could continuously transport supplies to Shouchun.

Even if Liu Feng had 50,000 troops, he wouldn't have been able to take Shouchun, which was well-defended by good generals and heavy troops and had plenty of supplies.

This is why Liu Feng said: "To break through Shouchun, we need to open up another battlefield, only then will we have an opportunity to take advantage of the situation."

The purpose of opening a second front was to find an opportunity to cut off the supply of goods to Shouchun. Without supplies, even the most fortified city is just a graveyard for the defenders.

As for Sun Li's guess that "the Huai River is rising, so we should divert water to flood Shouchun," Liu Feng had considered it but did not list it as his primary tactic.

Water attacks are too dependent on the timing of the weather.

Instead of pinning his hopes on the Huai River rising a few months later, Liu Feng should consider spending hundreds of thousands of bolts of Shu brocade to bribe the Wei soldiers in Shouchun.

"How far should we attack Luyang in this feigned attack?" Liu Shan asked again.

Feint attacks also vary in strength.

This determined how much manpower and resources Liu Shan would have to invest in this feint attack.

Liu Feng's answer was unusual, as usual: "If the Crown Prince can turn the feint attack into the main attack, then the Crown Prince will be the main attacker!"

Liu Shan was stunned.

Turn a feint into a main attack, and I will be the main attacker?
Is a feint attack really meant to be interpreted this way?
"I am a foolish brother, and I beg my elder brother to enlighten me," Liu Shan humbly asked.

If one cannot truly understand Liu Feng's intentions, Liu Shan will not know how to counter this feigned attack.

Liu Feng then pointed to Longyou on the map and chuckled, reminding him, "Does the Crown Prince still remember when the troops marched out of Longyou, was the military operation a feint or a main attack?"

Liu Shan was stunned again: "This..."

Looking back at the beginning, Liu Shan's main attack on Longyou was to satisfy the demands of Li Yan and others, with Jingzhou providing support.
Later, Zhuge Liang, considering the specific situation in Longyou, decided to launch a trial attack in winter. As a result, he exceeded his military targets and captured Tianshui. The trial attack turned into a formal offensive and became the main attack in name.

Immediately afterwards, Liu Bei appeared in Wancheng again. With the emperor personally leading the expedition, Wancheng once again became the main target.

In the end, it turned out that the attacks on Longyou and Wancheng were feints, while Liu Feng's surprise attack on Chang'an was the main attack.

In a major battle, the priorities constantly shifted.

The decision of who launches the main attack and who launches the feint depends on the specific changes in the battle situation.

Although both the Jingzhou and Yangzhou battlefields were under the control of the Han Dynasty due to Sun Quan's complete surrender, they were essentially two different battlefields.

The only difference was that Sun Quan replaced Liu Feng as the person in charge of Jiangdong.

When Liu Feng attacked Hefei, he did not use troops from Jingzhou; similarly, when Liu Shan attacked Luyang, he did not need troops from Jiangdong.

Rather than having Liu Shan feign an attack, it would be more accurate to say that Liu Feng and Liu Shan each led troops from one province to launch a joint northern expedition.

Liu Feng's earlier statement, "If the Crown Prince can turn the feint into the main attack, then the Crown Prince will be the main attacker!" was a preliminary assessment of Liu Shan's military capabilities, setting a minimum acceptable level.

Whether Liu Shan can reach his full potential remains to be seen.

Under normal circumstances, after analyzing Liu Feng and Liu Shan's military capabilities, Cao Pi and his ministers would have no doubts and would generally agree that Liu Feng was the main force in the attack.

however.

The situation is slightly different now.

Cao Pi did not believe that brothers from imperial families would "not compete." If Liu Shan gathered the troops of Jingzhou and marched out of Wancheng, it was absolutely impossible that he was cooperating with Liu Feng. It was more likely that he was competing with Liu Feng for credit!
After careful reflection, Liu Shan suddenly realized.

"I will do my best!"

Whether it's a feint attack or a main offensive, Liu Shan will try his best.

Liu Feng's willingness to relinquish power to Liu Shan was partly due to Liu Shan's "good boy" personality.

Liu Shan was like a blank sheet of paper; he became enlightened when he encountered a wise man, but became confused when he encountered an incompetent one.

With proper guidance, even if one cannot compare to the wise rulers of past dynasties, one can still earn the reputation of a virtuous ruler.

Throughout history, rulers and ministers have always complemented each other.

Liu Shan's composure made Liu Feng even more fond of him.

Regardless of what Cao Pi thought or what outsiders thought, Liu Shan was an obedient and good younger brother to Liu Feng. If Liu Feng didn't favor him, who would?

Liu Feng added, "The Empress is hosting a banquet for me and the Crown Prince tonight, which is a perfect opportunity to pretend that we are at odds."

Liu Shan was slightly startled: "The Empress treats my brother like her own mother. Isn't it inappropriate to deceive the Empress?"

Liu Feng chuckled: "Those who achieve great things do not concern themselves with trifles. Not only must we deceive the Empress, but we must also deceive the Emperor and all the ministers. Since Cao Pi wants my brother and I to be at odds, then my brother and I cannot be too harmonious."

Liu Shan was not a fool, and with Liu Feng's guidance, he gradually came to understand.

As a son and subject, it was wrong to deceive Liu Bei and Empress Wu, but if it was to deceive Cao Pi, then the process didn't matter.

After a moment of contemplation, Liu Shan asked again, "But during the day in the main hall, I dismissed Li Miao from his post and sent him back, and I also ordered all the officials and ministers not to spread rumors anymore. How can I possibly keep this from them now?"

Liu Feng's lips curled slightly: "Although Li Miao was disrespectful to me, considering that his elder brother and two younger brothers are all doing their best to govern Yizhou for the Crown Prince, let's give Li Miao a chance to redeem himself through meritorious service."

The Crown Prince could send Huo Yi secretly to find Li Miao, and have Li Miao stay outside the city for a few days to observe his reaction. If Li Miao can remain calm, he can be used; if he cannot, then another capable person should be chosen.

True.

Liu Feng was disgusted by Li Miao's idiotic behavior.

however.

In Liu Feng's position, he could not appoint people based on personal preferences.

Talented people have their uses, mediocre people have theirs, wicked people have theirs, and corrupt scholars have theirs.
If you want to accomplish great things, you can't make the water perfectly clear.

In comparison, Li Miao was not like Pan Jun, who directly changed masters. Liu Feng's magnanimity allowed him to tolerate Li Miao in his current state.

Subsequently.

Liu Feng then explained the specific details to Liu Shan.

Until evening.

The two talented individuals came together to find Empress Wu.

Empress Wu was unaware of Liu Feng and Liu Shan's plans; she simply instructed the servants to bring out the finest wine and dishes.

During the banquet.

This was the first time Liu Shan had ever drunk alcohol.

The reason given was that the rumors circulating in Jiangling City were due to Liu Shan's lax management of his subordinates, and Liu Shan wanted to apologize to Liu Feng by offering a toast.

Liu Feng also cooperated with Liu Shan's performance.

After a few drinks, Liu Shan's face turned completely red.

Once the alcohol took effect, Liu Shan began to ramble on: "If I could stay by Father's side as long as you do, I would certainly be no less capable than you in commanding troops."

Liu Feng feigned a loud laugh: "Your Highness is mistaken. Since ancient times, there has been a distinction between civil and military affairs. Your Highness is skilled in literature. You only need to govern the country, pacify the people, provide supplies, and ensure the supply lines are never cut off, just like Xiao He. As for commanding troops in battle, I will take full responsibility for that."

Liu Shan shook his head repeatedly: "Brother is wrong! The Crown Prince is the heir apparent, and he must not only manage civil affairs but also military affairs. If he cannot control the army of the world, how can he be called the Crown Prince? But to control the army of the world, how can he not lead troops into battle to establish military prestige?"

Liu Feng suddenly put on a stern face: "War is a matter of vital importance to the state; it is a matter of life and death, a road to survival or ruin. It is imperative to examine it carefully. Your Highness, you must not speak recklessly! You must know that an incompetent general can lead to the death of the entire army."

Liu Shan's expression changed: "Brother, do you think I am an incompetent general?"

Liu Feng shook his head: "Your Highness is overthinking it. Your Highness is in charge of generals, not soldiers. How can you abandon your duty and pursue the trivial by managing the troops?" Liu Shan's tone was "a bit sharp": "But what if I insist on commanding troops? How many troops do you think I can command, elder brother? Ten thousand? Thirty thousand? Fifty thousand? Or one hundred thousand? How do they compare to yours, elder brother?"

The atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Even the maid who was pouring wine for Liu Shan couldn't help but tremble at this moment.

Although Empress Wu issued an order during the day that "anyone who spreads rumors and slanders the Prince of Yan and the Crown Prince as being at odds shall be whipped thirty times and expelled from the palace," the rumors could not be quelled by Empress Wu's words alone.

Liu Feng gave Liu Shan a “deep” look, then glanced at Empress Wu, and said calmly, “The Crown Prince is drunk. I am not Han Xin.”

Empress Wu, seeing that the banquet had suddenly turned into a heated argument, quickly scolded the maidservants beside Liu Shan: "The Crown Prince cannot hold his liquor, quickly help him to rest! If he cannot drink, then he should not drink!"

The maids on either side quickly agreed and helped Liu Shan out of the banquet.

"Prince Yan, please don't take it to heart. The Crown Prince and His Majesty are often apart, so it's only natural for him to feel a little resentful at times. It's not directed at you, Prince Yan." Empress Wu felt a headache coming on.

[The Crown Prince is usually humble and composed, so why does he ramble on and on after drinking? He must never be allowed to drink again. Thankfully, today was a private banquet; if other officials had been present, rumors would likely have spread.]

Empress Wu was worried that Liu Feng would overthink things, so she tried to find reasons for Liu Shan while also comforting Liu Feng with kind words.

Liu Feng rose and offered a toast to Empress Wu: "The Crown Prince's words were spoken in his drunken state and should not be taken seriously. Your Majesty and I have never had any ill feelings towards each other. I ask that Your Majesty keep your servants in check and ensure that tonight's events are not known to outsiders. I will now take my leave."

A perfectly good dinner party ended in a very unpleasant way.

When Empress Wu saw Liu Shan and Liu Feng leave their seats one after another, she couldn't help but feel annoyed: What kind of mess is this!

However, after leaving the banquet, Liu Feng's face turned ashen. The murderous aura he had cultivated on the battlefield over the years frightened the maid who escorted him out of the palace gate so much that she dared not breathe.

After finally getting Liu Feng off, the maid breathed a sigh of relief and hurriedly returned to report Liu Feng's reactions along the way to Empress Wu.

And the other side.

The maid who escorted Liu Shan to rest also returned to report that "His Highness the Crown Prince, upon learning of his indiscretion while intoxicated, hastily departed."

Empress Wu was even more bewildered.

What's going on here?!

All I wanted to do was hold a nice banquet, how did it cause a rift between the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan?
Remembering Liu Feng's words before he left, Empress Wu sternly warned those around her: "No one is allowed to spread rumors about what happened tonight! Otherwise, I will not let them off lightly!"

After giving instructions to her attendants, Empress Wu felt uneasy again and hurriedly sent someone to invite her elder brother, Marquis Wu Yi of Duting, to the palace that very night.

Upon learning that Liu Shan had spoken inappropriately while drunk and that Liu Feng had left with a cold expression, Wu Yi was also greatly alarmed: "The Crown Prince just banished Li Miao during the day to show that he had no discord with His Highness the Prince of Yan. How could this happen tonight?"

Empress Wu sighed: "I don't know either. Originally, the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan were very harmonious, but I never expected that the Crown Prince would suddenly become sarcastic after drinking. It was my fault for letting the Crown Prince drink."

Wu Yi frowned: "The Prince of Yan has always been magnanimous and should not care about the Crown Prince's drunken slip of the tongue."

"That's true," Empress Wu said worriedly, "but the Prince of Yan is certainly unhappy, and we need to find a solution."

Wu Yi thought for a while and said, "Your Majesty, please keep the people in the palace in check and prevent them from gossiping. Let me first sound out the Prince of Yan's opinion before we make any further plans."

Early the next morning.

Wu Yi arrived at the Prince of Yan's residence, only to find Liu Feng instructing servants to pack their belongings and load them into the carriage. He couldn't help but ask in surprise, "Your Highness Prince of Yan just returned yesterday, why are you leaving again today?"

Liu Feng deliberately lied, saying, "Lu Xun sent an urgent report saying that the people of Jiangdong are not at peace, and I must return to Jiangdong immediately. I cannot be negligent."

Wu Yi was even more surprised.

Lu Xun sent an urgent report early in the morning?

Make fun of me!

Do you think I, Wu Yi, am an idiot for saying that the people of Jiangdong are not at peace?

"Your Highness, please allow me a moment to speak!" Wu Yi leaned closer and whispered.

Liu Feng stared at Wu Yi for a moment, then led him into the inner room, and sighed, "It seems that Marquis Duting already knows about what happened last night."

Wu Yi nodded and advised, "I am the Empress's elder brother, and it is my duty to share her burdens. The Empress does not want to see the Crown Prince and the Prince of Yan fighting, so she summoned me to the palace overnight. I dare not speak grand principles in front of His Highness the Prince of Yan, but I believe that the Crown Prince's drunken words were not his true intention. I ask His Highness the Prince of Yan not to have any concerns about the Crown Prince."

Liu Feng sighed again: "Marquis of Duting, I have always been diligent and have never neglected state affairs in the slightest. Now, not only am I being slandered by rumors, but I am also forced to pretend that the Crown Prince was just drunk and that it was not his true intention. How can I not have concerns?"

Wu Yi hurriedly said, "Your Highness, please don't be hasty. I'd better go see the Crown Prince first and see what he has to say. If Your Highness just leaves like this, the rumors in the city will surely intensify. We must be careful!"

Liu Feng feigned silence.

After a while.

Liu Feng sighed again: "Very well! I will wait for the Marquis of Duting's good news."

Watching Wu Yi's hurried departure, Liu Feng leaned against the door and told Sun Lü to have his servants carry the luggage back.

Sun Lu looked bewildered: "Your Highness, we were almost finished decorating, and now we're moving it back? Didn't we agree to go on a trip outside the city?"

"I just carefully observed the celestial phenomena and found that it will rain today. Let's go out of the city another day," Liu Feng made up a reason.

Sun Lu looked up at the sky and saw a clear blue sky with a gentle spring breeze; there was no sign of rain at all.

"Can"

"Stop asking. When it comes to observing celestial phenomena, do you think you can compare to me? Have you forgotten how I conquered Hefei? What are you standing there for?"

Sun Lu scratched his head, said "Oh," and didn't dare to ask any more questions.

But in his heart, Liu Feng added: "You can only fish in troubled waters. It's just a rumor. Do you think anyone doesn't know how to use it?"

While Wu Yi was searching for Liu Feng, Huo Yi was also ordered to come to Li Miao's residence.

Upon seeing Huo Yi's arrival, the servants of Li Miao's residence dared not stop him, but cautiously said, "Mr. Li is still hungover."

Yesterday, after Li Miao was dismissed from his post and sent back by Liu Feng, he was filled with shame and anger. Feeling ashamed to return to Yizhou, he drowned his sorrows in wine at his residence and has not woken up yet.

Huo Yi ordered his servants to guard the door and not allow anyone to enter. He then went to the place where Li Miao was lying drunk, picked up the bamboo slips on the table, and read them while waiting for Li Miao to wake up.

The contents of the bamboo slips are Li Miao's wild and unruly words after he got drunk last night, which fully express his feeling of being unappreciated despite his talents.

Waited for half an hour.

Li Miao had just woken up from his hangover, and before he could even come to his senses, Huo Yi's cold voice rang out: "Li Miao, how dare you! You actually dared to write an article in private to slander the Crown Prince, what is your punishment!"

Li Miao was startled, rubbed his eyes, and then saw the bamboo slip in Huo Yi's hand, and immediately felt something was wrong.

Li Miao, however, didn't know what he had written while drunk the night before, and cautiously asked, "Minister Huo, when did I slander the Crown Prince?"

Huo Yi snorted coldly and threw the scroll in his hand at Li Miao: "When I came here, the Crown Prince told me that Li Miao was a talented person. Yesterday, in order to appease the Prince of Yan, he deliberately punished him severely and felt very ashamed. Therefore, he asked me to come to you today to entrust you with important matters. I didn't expect that you would actually be dissatisfied with the Crown Prince! The Crown Prince misjudged you."

Li Miao glanced at the contents of the bamboo slips and immediately felt a chill run down his spine.

If the contents of this bamboo slip were leaked, ten Li Miaos wouldn't be enough to kill him!

Upon hearing Huo Yi's claim that Liu Shan had deliberately punished him severely the previous day, Li Miao astutely grasped the key point and hurriedly said, "Attendant Huo, I spoke recklessly last night while drunk. I am willing to apologize to the Crown Prince in person."

Li Miao reacted quickly.

Having just overheard from Huo Yi that Liu Shan had the idea of ​​"entrusting important matters" to him, Li Miao seized the opportunity, thinking that as long as he apologized to Liu Shan in person, the matter would be resolved.

Seeing that Li Miao had yielded, Huo Yi then said, "The Crown Prince will not see you now. Starting today, you will stay outside the city for a few days to reflect on your actions. Do not write such outrageous words again, otherwise, if the Crown Prince does not kill you, I will."

Li Miao secretly breathed a sigh of relief, then asked, "Could you tell me, Attendant Huo, what matter does the Crown Prince wish to entrust to me?"

"Hmph! You should reflect on yourself first. Once you've reflected well, the Crown Prince will entrust you with important matters. If you haven't reflected well, then forget about it. The Crown Prince can tolerate you making one mistake, but he won't tolerate you making two." Huo Yi then threw a room pass at Li Miao: "You will stay here for the next few days. When the time is right, the Crown Prince will naturally see you."

Subsequently.

Huo Yi then strode away.

Looking at the document in his hand, Li Miao's eyes lit up with surprise: "I guessed right, the Crown Prince is indeed dissatisfied with the Prince of Yan, but he has to endure it because of the Prince of Yan's power."

I was too impulsive yesterday!

Um.
If we lose our horses, we can't know what a blessing is.

Although I acted impulsively yesterday, I have gained the opportunity to accomplish great things for the Crown Prince. From now on, I, Li Miao, will surely rise above all others.

Li Miao hummed a little tune and called to his servants to prepare the carriages and horses to leave the city.

The servant asked doubtfully, "Sir, are you leaving the city now? The journey to Yizhou is long, so we need to prepare for several more days."

Li Miao glared at his servant: "In just a few days, I will be favored by the Crown Prince again. Why would I go to Yizhou? I'm just going for a few days' vacation outside the city! Stop nagging and hurry up and prepare the carriages and horses." (End of Chapter)