Tiger Owl

Chapter 71 Butterfly Wings
Li Shu stroked his beard and laughed, "Xuande's biggest problem is that he has no strategist by his side! He actually has to ask an outsider like me about such an important matter."

Liu Bei felt ashamed. He longed for a good strategist, but all the talented individuals had gone to Cao Cao. Ultimately, it was because he didn't have his own territory, so he couldn't manage his affairs with peace of mind, nor could he guarantee the safety of his excellent advisors. Naturally, they were unwilling to serve him.

Liu Bei sighed and said, "I just don't have a place to settle down and develop in peace. I'm always moving around in battlegrounds. I've already occupied Xuzhou twice. I know very well that Cao Cao will never tolerate me. His army will come soon. I just want to find a place where I can govern in peace and work hard. There's no room left in the Central Plains. I also want to try my luck in the south."

Li Shu thought for a moment and said, "Now there are only a few places left that Cao Cao and Yuan Shao cannot reach: Hanzhong, Bashu, the four commanderies of Jingnan, and Jiaozhou. If Xuande wants to find a stable place to develop, he can only consider these places."

"Aren't the four commanderies of Jingnan Liu Biao's territory?"

Li Shu shook his head and said, "The four commanderies of Jingnan have always been loyal to the court and do not recognize Liu Jingzhou. Zhang Xian, the governor of Changsha, led the four commanderies of Jingnan to rebel against Liu Biao starting the year before last. Liu Jingzhou sent his nephew Liu Xin to lead troops to suppress Zhang Xian's rebellion. Last year, Zhang Xian was killed by his subordinates, and Liu Xin then seized Changsha Commandery."

At this point, they should have pressed on and taken the other three commanderies in one fell swoop. But Liu Jingzhou suddenly became interested in Yuzhang Commandery and sent his nephew to attack it. As a result, he was defeated by Taishi Ci. This was an absolutely foolish move. I really don't know what Liu Jingzhou was thinking.

The other three commanderies of Jingnan thus gained a respite. Zhang Xian's son, Zhang Ze, continued to lead the rebellion against Liu Jingzhou. It was at this time that Gan Ning rose to power, threatening Changsha Commandery. Liu Jingzhou became hesitant, fearing both that Gan Ning would seize Changsha Commandery and that pushing the three commanderies of Jingnan too far. Taking advantage of this, Zhang Jin of Jiaozhou expanded his influence northward. Therefore, the three commanderies of Jingnan are currently a vacant area.

Liu Bei stroked his beard gently for a moment and said, "What if I were to go and recover the three southern commanderies of Jingzhou for Liu Biao and destroy Zhang Jin of Jiaozhou?"

Li Shu clapped his hands and laughed, "If Xuande is willing, I will go and talk to Liu Jingzhou. He is my former superior, and he may very well welcome Xuande to deal with Zhang Jin of Jiaozhou for him."

Li Shu was only temporarily staying with Liu Bei to replenish his supplies. He was ultimately going to join Liu Biao. Two days later, Li Shu led his army from Runan to Jingzhou.

Liu Bei immediately summoned his key generals and advisors to discuss important matters.

"Li Shu has opened up a new way of thinking for me. Gan Ning was able to start from scratch and rise rapidly in less than a year. Sun Ce was the same. He swept through Jiangdong in a year. The fundamental reason is that there are no powerful enemies like Cao Cao and Yuan Shao in the south. If we want to survive and develop, we must avoid Cao Cao's sharp edge and develop in the south. My mind is made up. Everyone should be prepared."

Guan Yu frowned and said, "Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are locked in a stalemate. Why don't you wait until the situation becomes clearer before you leave, brother?"

Liu Bei sighed, “I have come to know Cao Cao well over the years. He will not ignore us. He will definitely eliminate the enemy behind us before the big battle. Just look at Sun Ce. I estimate that Cao Cao will soon send troops to attack us. Whether we can resist or not, we must leave ourselves a way out.”

Liu Bei then said to Sun Qian, "Liu Pi of Runan has made an agreement with me to rebel against Cao Cao and has invited me to go there many times. Gongyou, please take your family, money, and some troops to Runan first. If I defeat Cao Cao, you can come back. If I am defeated, you must go to Runan."

Sun Qian clasped his hands and said, "I will certainly live up to my lord's trust!"

Liu Bei then said to his generals, "If the army is scattered, everyone should meet in Runan, and then we will regroup and head to Jingzhou."

The generals roared in agreement, "Yes, sir!"

...........
Gan Ning's actions altered the course of history. Sun Quan's invasion of Guangling Commandery cut off Li Shu's retreat, preventing Li Shu from continuing to cause trouble in Jiujiang and Lujiang Commanderies as he had in history. Ultimately, Li Shu was killed by Sun Quan and forced to head north.

But it was precisely because of Li Shu's northward journey that a seed of development in the south was planted in Liu Bei's heart.

A month later, in May of the fifth year of Jian'an, during a lull in the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao suddenly led a large army to launch a surprise attack on Liu Bei in Xiapi. Liu Bei's 20,000 troops were routed in one battle by the Tiger and Leopard Cavalry led by Cao Chun.

Unlike in history, Liu Bei did not go to Hebei to join Yuan Shao. Instead, he led his remaining troops to flee to Runan. He made preparations in advance, sending his family and money to Runan first.

Cao Cao ordered Xiahou Dun to lead his army to pursue Liu Bei. Liu Bei had only been in Runan for a few days when he heard that Xiahou Dun's army was coming. He was so frightened that he abandoned Runan and fled towards Jingzhou.

History was quietly altered, and many wonderful stories from history did not happen. Guan Yu collapsed in tears in the toilet.

It can only be blamed on the fact that the southern seeds planted by Li Shu for Liu Bei quickly took root and sprouted, allowing Liu Bei to arrive in Jingzhou a year earlier.

Liu Bei longed to develop in Jingnan, to live a quiet life for a few days, and then learn from Gan Ning's rise in the south. But how could Liu Biao allow another Liu Bei to be by his side?

History, which had just derailed, returned to its original course. Liu Bei was placed in Xinye by Liu Biao, who wanted to use Liu Bei to help him deal with the increasingly arrogant powerful clans of Jingzhou.

Liu Biao is now facing a major problem. He wants to make his eldest son, Liu Qi, his heir, but the Cai and Huang families do not agree and demand that his second son, Liu Cong, be made his heir.

Because Liu Cong was deeply favored by Lady Cai, who treated him as her own son, Liu Cong married a daughter of the Cai family last autumn under Lady Cai's arrangement. The Cai family's stance was clear: in order to make Liu Cong the heir to Jingzhou, the Cai family was willing to confront Liu Biao, leaving Liu Biao feeling powerless. At this time, he also wanted to introduce external forces to help him.

So when Li Shu told Liu Biao that Liu Bei wanted to come to Jingzhou to develop his career, Liu Biao readily agreed.

...........
Gan Ning has returned to Nanchang. Absence makes the heart grow fonder, and he and Da Qiao are naturally enjoying their intimate moments. However, Gan Ning still adheres to the final step, not letting himself be blinded by desire.

Xu Wei is still in Gan Ning Prefecture. His father has disappeared, presumably on his way to Wu County. Lujiang County has been occupied by Huang Zu.

Xu Wei was worried about her father and was heartbroken. She had been depressed for some time.

That morning, Gan Ning took his three daughters out of the city by boat to relax and unwind. A painted boat with a capacity of two thousand shi (a unit of weight) sailed slowly on the Gan River.

The scenery along the banks of the Gan River is exceptionally beautiful. If you are rushing, it is difficult to appreciate the beauty of the scenery on both sides. You need to calm down and savor it slowly. The mountains on both sides are like dark eyebrows, and the Gan River flows through the mountains like a jade belt.

The three young women sat together admiring the beautiful scenery on both sides of the river, occasionally letting out soft exclamations of praise.

Da Qiao wore a fine white satin dress, flowing like a fairy, while Xiao Qiao wore a purple gauze dress, purple with a hint of red, just like the Fairy Zixia. Xu Wei, on the other hand, liked to wear green dresses, her skin as white as snow, just like an elf among the green leaves, truly pleasing to the eye.

Gan Ning sat in the back, quietly admiring the three women. Suddenly, he remembered something and asked the guard Qin Yan beside him, "Miss Qin, are there many female guards like you in Jiangdong?"

Qin Yan may have a cold personality, but she is not stupid. She has seen Gan Ning's care and help for the young master. Besides, she herself lives and eats in Gan Ning's mansion. How could she dare to be rude to Gan Ning?

"Reporting to the general, almost all the powerful and wealthy families in Jiangdong have female guards to protect their inner quarters and female relatives."

Gan Ning then asked, "I'd also like to hire a few female guards to protect the inner quarters. Do you have any connections?"

This was something Gan Ning had been thinking about for a long time. Male guards were always inconvenient, especially since Xiao Qiao often took a maid out to play. What if they encountered bad people?
So when he saw Qin Yan, he immediately thought of equipping Da Qiao and Xiao Qiao with female guards as well.

Qin Yan thought for a moment and said, "I can talk to my master and ask her to send a few junior sisters with high martial arts skills to the general's mansion."

Where is your sect located?

"Yuxu Palace on Longhu Mountain is my sect. It is one of the three major female Taoist temples on Longhu Mountain and is famous for its martial arts."

"You're also from Yuzhang County?"

Qin Yan shook her head. "I don't know where I'm from. I only know that I'm an orphan. My master took me up the mountain to raise me when I was very young. He taught us martial arts from a young age and was very strict with us. After I turned fourteen, we were scattered to work as female bodyguards in the homes of various powerful and wealthy people."

Will you go back in the future?

Qin Yan shook her head gently, and said sadly, "I could never go back the day I left. There is no place for me in the Jade Void Palace anymore."

Gan Ning immediately realized that this was not a Taoist temple at all, but clearly a business.

"I'll send someone to fetch a guard; you give me a token in return."

Qin Yan took an iron plaque off her neck and handed it to Gan Ning, saying, "This is my identity plaque from Jade Void Palace; it's my only memento."

Gan Ning looked at the iron plaque. The front read "Jade Void Palace," and the back read "Number Fifty-Six." Sigh! It didn't even have a name.

Gan Ning smiled and handed the token back to her, "I know where to find a female guard. Keep the token; I don't need it."

(End of this chapter)