Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 80 The World is in Prosperity
Zuo Yuan was from Guzang in Wuwei. His father was named Zuo Chong. His family had some private soldiers in Liangzhou and he once served as a Yulin Lang in Luoyang.

Seven years ago, Zuo Chong met Liu Kuan, who was then serving as a court attendant.

This Liu Kuan is Gongsun Zan's patron, the former Grand Commandant, and the current Minister of the Imperial Clan.

Liu Kuan had served as the governor of Nanyang in his early years. Seven years ago, Xu You, the clerk of Nanyang, was corrupt and harmed the people while in office. Moreover, he had been slandering Liu Kuan and extorting money in Liu Kuan's name, thus ruining Liu Kuan's reputation in Nanyang.

Liu Kuan was no longer serving in Nanyang at that time, so he could not directly manage the county officials. Moreover, as the emperor's tutor, it was inconvenient for him to use his own household servants to arrest people.

Therefore, Liu Kuan planned to promote Zuo Chong to the position of Sili Duguan Lingshi (司隶都官令史) to pursue Xu You under a legitimate pretext. It is estimated that he also intended to use Xu You's crimes to reintegrate his own people into Nanyang.

Nanyang was the hometown of Emperor Guangwu Liu Xiu, with a population of one million, and was the de facto economic center of the Han Dynasty... or rather, the center of money.

When Liu Kuan went to Zuo Chong's house, he was attacked by assassins. The crossbow bolts did not hit Liu Kuan, but they hit Zuo Chong's wife. This scene was very similar to the situation of Liu Yu and Liu Bei's mother. Zuo Yuan was also present at the time.

The two assassins were surrounded by Liu Kuan's followers and then committed suicide.

Just like Liu Bei and Liu Yu, Zuo Chong also clashed with Liu Kuan because of this. After all, anyone would feel uncomfortable if their family members were implicated.

However, Liu Kuan did not remain silent. Instead, he clearly told Zuo Chong that Xu You was backed by Yuan Feng, who was Yuan Shao's adoptive father, and that the assassin was most likely sent by Yuan Shao.

Yuan Shao was in his twenties at the time and was a gang leader in Luoyang.

However, Liu Kuan also advised Zuo Chong not to seek revenge and not to pursue those assassins any further.

Zuo Chong was brave and fierce. Ignoring Liu Kuan's advice, he led his private army to find Xu You, but they couldn't find him—Xu You had run away.

Zuo Chong then attempted to cause trouble for Yuan Shao, but was soon imprisoned and died in prison.

The charge was... to keep a private army of assassins.

The Zuo family was subsequently investigated and their property confiscated, and Zuo Yuan was demoted to a musician and sent to Youzhou.

This is certainly a miscarriage of justice, but these days miscarriages of justice are all too common; it's rare to find one that isn't a miscarriage of justice.

Moreover, Liu Kuan did not reappear in this miscarriage of justice, remaining silent like a quail... If Liu Kuan had wanted to, he certainly had the ability to rescue Zuo Chong.

But Liu Kuan did not appear.

This was the first time Zuo Yuan had spoken to Liu Bei about his background, and he did so very calmly.

Her brave and fierce nature is just like her father's, which explains why she wants to be a swordsman.

Zuo Yuan's father's situation is exactly the same as Liu Bei's current situation.

As modern people, it's rare to encounter such intimidating behavior from assassins. After all, modern people value their lives and wouldn't casually throw away a few lives to scare others... Usually, it's the cattle and horses that are exploited.

But things are different these days.

In those days, human life was as cheap as grass. In the year Liu Bei first traveled back in time, a life could be bought with just a peck of millet in the outskirts of Luoyang. If you added half a peck more, you could also gain a reputation for being kind and benevolent.

Hao You sometimes likes years of disaster.

"The greatest role of assassins is not to kill, but to instill fear... Back then, Liu Kuan was afraid, abandoned my father, and joined Yuan's faction."

Zuo Yuan whispered, "Now... Liu Yu is probably scared too."

"Of course Liu Kuan was afraid. Those assassins might not be able to kill him, but he couldn't guard against them forever. Otherwise, his family and friends would all have to live in constant fear."

Liu Bei shook his head: "Liu Yu was naturally afraid too, so he didn't say anything... Actually, it was Liu Yu's good intention; he probably didn't want me to end up like your father..."

"Kindness?"

Zuo Yuan shook her head: "He came to see the young master time and time again, which means he has no good intentions."

"That's not quite right... Liu Yu is definitely carrying out an imperial order. No one will kill him easily, but no one will help him either. They will all be trying to control him."

"If Liu Yu wants to do something, he can only ask for help from locals in Youzhou, and only from people without powerful family backgrounds... like me."

"I rejected him simply because I really didn't want to be his pawn."

Liu Bei sighed: "They don't want anything to happen to Liu Yu. They just want Liu Yu to be sensible... They won't directly become mortal enemies with Liu Yu. If Liu Yu is sensible, then the one who will get into trouble will be the helper that Liu Yu has his eye on, like me..." In fact, Liu Bei understood Liu Yu, but understanding was one thing, Liu Bei really didn't want to be used as a shield by others.

Even using it as a weapon would be fine, but using it as a shield will definitely get you stabbed...

Liu Yu either made Liu Bei his subordinate or recommended him to Donghai, a stronghold of Yuan family members. This was Liu Yu's way of hoping that Liu Bei would act as his protector. Donghai was Liu Yu's hometown, but most of the officials there, from the chancellor of Donghai down to the various clerks, were Yuan family members.

"Someone is trying to intimidate Liu Yu and make him work for them. So, who does Liu Yu intend to deal with? That person is another Xu You... But Liu Yu is unwilling to tell me."

Liu Bei shook his head and exhaled a breath of turbid air: "This shows that Liu Yu believes that the person he wants to deal with is related to me... His attempt to recruit me is also to deal with this person."

"Prefect Liu".

"Liu Wei."

Liu Bei and Zuo Yuan both named the same person.

Right now, Liu Yu is like Liu Kuan back then, and Liu Wei is like Xu You back then, just like the situation Liu Bei and Zuo Dang faced.

Liu Wei sold out all the officials under his jurisdiction, and this matter could not be kept secret. As the governor of the province, Liu Yu would certainly be the first to investigate Liu Wei so that a more suitable person could be replaced as the governor of Zhuojun.

Youzhou was plagued by long-term wars, and most of the border counties were short of food, which needed to be transported from Jizhou. Zhuojun was a hub for north-south transportation and the only grain-producing area in Youzhou.

If anyone wants to control the horse trade in Youzhou, they must control Zhuojun.

Liu Wei naturally had to ask Liu Kuan for help, which was tantamount to asking the Yuan family for help.

Therefore, Liu Yu would encounter assassins.

"In the end, it all comes down to the Yuan family, but the Yuan family is in Runan..."

Zuo Yuan said with a bitter face, "Moreover, my lord, besides intimidation, assassins can also frame people."

She knew perfectly well who had killed her father, but she couldn't take revenge and could only keep it buried in her heart.

Even though they knew who had hurt Liu's mother, they still couldn't get revenge.

Moreover, Liu Bei would most likely be framed, and it is highly probable that Liu Yu would frame Liu Bei—if Liu Yu intended to submit, he would have to offer a pledge of loyalty, leaving a handle for the Yuan family to use against him.

"Intimidation, framing, extortion... isn't that just gangster stuff?"

Liu Bei gritted his teeth: "You're a gangster too! If you hurt my mother, no one will get away with it!"

……

The Yuan family will indeed target the horse market.

The Yuyang Horse Market was originally a black market operation run by Zhang Chun, but most of it was actually controlled by the Yuan family.

Zhang Chun handed over this black market to the imperial court. If the court wanted to open a trade market, it would have to rely on the existing connections of the Zhang family of Yuyang. Zhang Chun was certain to get a share of the profits.

The trade was not a loss for Zhang Chun, nor was it a loss for the palace; there was no need to cause trouble.

But this was a huge loss for the Yuan family.

The Yuan family divested this business to show their loyalty, while also abandoning Yang Qiu and others, and freeing Yuan Shu, the eldest son of the Yuan family, from house arrest.

Now that their loyalty has been demonstrated and Yuan Shu has extricated himself from the situation, the Yuan family will naturally reach out to the trade market again to recoup their losses.

Liu Yu was sent by the emperor; he represented imperial power.

By controlling Liu Yu, they could use the emperor's hand to turn the trade market into a market for the Yuan family—the trade market could still be a trade market, but the powerful clans led by the Yuan family would want to take away the profits from the horse trade.

Speaking of which, Liu Kuan has always been known for his magnanimity and generosity, and Yuan Feng and Yuan Wei are also known as kind and sincere elders.

These days, all the big shots are experts...

(End of this chapter)