Three Kingdoms: Start by marrying Cai Yan, then vie for supremacy.

31

"Father! This secret guard is truly unpredictable!" Cai Mao exclaimed, gazing at the empty hall.

Cai Feng nodded in agreement: "The depth of Wu Hou's resources far exceeds our imagination. This choice was indeed wise. It is your second sister who has exceptional insight... However, for the next few years, she will have to endure the humiliation of being removed from the list, which is truly unfair."

Cai Mao laughed and said, "Father, you worry too much. With Lord Wu's protection, who would dare to truly disrespect Second Sister? At most, outsiders will ridicule the Cai family for being blind." After all, everyone with discerning eyes knows that being able to marry Lu Feng is a tremendous opportunity—just look at the Zhen family of Jizhou and the Mi family of Xuzhou. Over the years, both families have prospered in business and officialdom because of their marriage ties. Mi Fang is the most typical example; originally not a military talent, he has become a high-ranking general under Lord Wu, which speaks volumes.

---

The Mi family was once nothing more than a merchant family.

Lu Feng's generosity towards his in-laws is evident.

If the new policies hadn't been so harsh on powerful families, families eager to form marriage alliances with them would have been lining up at their doors.

"Oh!"

Cai Feng nodded in agreement – ​​Lu Feng would certainly not mistreat Cai Ying. As for the criticism that Cai Ying was short-sighted?

This is exactly what they wanted.

Only by making everyone believe that the Cai family and Lu Feng are sworn enemies can Wu Hou's plan for Jingzhou proceed smoothly.

"Enough of this small talk! Quickly follow Mr. Lu's instructions. Select suitable women from the clan, and I will personally propose marriage to Liu Biao soon. I doubt he would dare refuse!"

This is a win-win situation. Liu Biao wants to appease the Cai family and establish himself in Jingzhou, and marriage is the safest option.

With Liu Jingsheng's intelligence, he must have known the advantages and disadvantages involved.

"I will obey my uncle's orders."

Cai Mao immediately went to the ancestral hall to check the family genealogy.

On that very day, the Cai family issued a public notice: Cai Ying has disobeyed the family precepts and is hereby expelled from the family register and will never be admitted again.

This matter was initially puzzling.

Although Cai Erniangzi had been away from home for over a month, she never expected things to escalate to this point.

Until news came from Qingzhou that this woman had become a concubine of the Marquis of Wu.

The gentry of Jingzhou and Xiangyang then realized what was happening.

So that's how it is!

Some people praised Cai Ying for her clever tactics in managing to climb up to Lu Feng, a powerful figure in the industry.

But for the Cai family, this was by no means a fortunate event.

How harsh are the new policies of the Marquis of Wu? If we form an alliance with him, we fear that even one-tenth of our ancestral property and land will be lost.

No wonder Cai was so eager to draw a clear line.

In Kuai Mansion,

Kuai Yue held up the letter and asked his elder brother, "How much of Cai's decisiveness do you think is genuine, and how much is feigned?"

---

He sensed something amiss about the whole affair.

If I hadn't known some inside information beforehand, I probably wouldn't have suspected anything.

Now, however, it seems quite suspicious.

Cai's actions seemed to be a deliberate attempt to distance herself from Cai Ying and Marquis Wu.

"This is truly unusual!"

Kuai Liang nodded and said, "This seems like a cover-up! Why not find an opportunity to test Cai Mao? He's not very shrewd and would be more likely to slip up."

"This plan is brilliant!"

Kuai Yue continued, "What if it's confirmed that he secretly colluded with Lord Wu, Lu Feng? What then?"

"We'll devise a plan then. There's still room for maneuver."

Kuai Liang frowned and pondered.

"Good! We'll find an opportunity to probe them in the next couple of days."

After careful consideration, Kuai Yue also felt that they should first investigate **.

Before Kuai could take any action, Cai Feng personally went to the governor's mansion within two days. The news of Cai's marriage alliance with Liu Biao spread throughout Xiangyang City that very day, and then spread outwards.

This matter is now a done deal.

Upon hearing the news, the Kuai brothers both showed surprise.

"Could it be that we are overthinking things?"

Kuai Yue looked completely bewildered.

Given this, it is absolutely impossible for Lady Cai to form a marriage alliance with Liu Biao.

After all, Lu Feng and Liu Biao were sworn enemies, and they could only choose one to follow.

There is absolutely no way they can sit on the fence and wait and see.

"That's certainly possible."

Kuai Liang's expression relaxed slightly: "This is indeed the best outcome. The biggest worry was internal strife among the gentry of Jingzhou; that would have been a major problem. This is for the best."

Otherwise, dealing with the Cai family would be quite difficult.

If left unattended, allowing them to defect to Lu Feng would be even more troublesome.

Kuai Liang has always disliked trouble.

"However, necessary tests are still necessary; only then can we feel at ease."

Kuai Liang added.

【

Kuai Yue smiled and said, "That's exactly right!"

Inside the Cai residence, Lu Twelve silently appeared in Cai Feng's study and said to the father and son, "The plan is now complete. The Kuai family and other clans are convinced that you have broken with Madam Cai and turned against my master, in fact, you are siding with the gentry of Jingzhou."

Upon hearing this, Cai Feng and Cai Mao both breathed a sigh of relief. They had recently received frequent secret reports from Lu Twelve, and they knew that even the Kuai family and Liu Biao had previously doubted their stance. Fortunately, they had heeded Lu Twelve's advice, thus averting disaster.

Cai Feng bowed and said, "This time, we are very grateful for Mr. Lu's mediation; otherwise, the Cai family would have faced utter destruction."

Lu Twelve waved his hand calmly: "Lord Cai, there's no need for thanks. Since Lady Cai is a member of my lord's family, you are all naturally family as well. This plan is not only to protect the Cai family, but also to pave the way for my lord's future conquest of Jingzhou. We will need your continued support."

The Cai father and son readily agreed, "We will certainly do our duty!" They knew perfectly well that this was not only a way to protect their family, but also an opportunity to gain fame and fortune under Lu Feng's command in the future—they couldn't rely entirely on Cai Ying's connections.

At that time, the situation in Guanzhong was deteriorating, and Zhang Ji urgently summoned Jia Xu for advice: "Sir, what do you think our army should do? It seems difficult to maintain our foothold in Guanzhong. I hope you can give me some guidance."

Jia Xu stroked his long beard and calmly replied, "General, you have six clear paths to take."

Zhang Ji's eyes lit up: "Six in total? I'd like to hear the details!"

"Firstly," Jia Xu explained in detail, "we can cross the Yellow River eastward, take the route to Hedong, and establish ourselves in Henei."

Zhang Ji nodded slightly: "Hanoi is indeed a good place. But Cao Cao is currently engaged in a fierce battle with Li Jue and Guo Si at Hangu Pass. If we want to pass through here, we have to detour to the north. But the north is Cao Cao's vital supply route, so it must be heavily guarded."

A hint of hesitation flickered in his expression.

More importantly, Hanoi is a strategically vital location, surrounded by powerful enemies on all sides. Even if one could reach there, their future situation would likely be extremely difficult.

"Are there any other options?"

Zhang Ji turned his gaze to Jia Xu.

Jia Xu continued, "The second option is still to go east, but this time to seek refuge with Lord Lu Feng of Wu. His navy is powerful, and with his assistance, crossing the pass will be a piece of cake. Given Lord Lu Feng's reputation for valuing talent, you, General, will surely be highly regarded."

Upon hearing the name Lu Feng, Zhang Ji frowned slightly.

He already knew that Zou Shi had been secretly switched by Lu Feng, and he also knew that the woman was now Wu Hou's bedmate.

To say that he felt no resentment would be self-deception. Even though the stand-in he received was exceptionally beautiful, this thorn remained in his heart.

He neither confirmed nor denied, only asking, "Anything else?"

Jia Xu took in Zhang Ji's expression and sighed inwardly, "It seems Zhang Ji already knows about the Zou family. In that case, it will be difficult to get him to submit to our lord."

Fortunately, I never intended for him to directly pledge allegiance to the lord.

With a thought racing through his mind, Jia Xu continued, "The third option is to submit to Cao Cao. Right now, Cao Cao is vying for control of Guanzhong with Li Jue and Guo Si. If you, General, were to assist us, we would surely achieve twice the result with half the effort."

"At that time, why would the general worry about not being given an important position?"

"Cao Cao?"

Zhang Ji was quite tempted by what he heard.

Cao Cao was indeed an excellent choice, but deep down he longed to establish his own power. He had had enough of the days when he was at the mercy of Dong Zhuo.

"Please tell me the remaining three points as well, sir."

Zhang Ji said solemnly.

You must hear all the options before you can make the most advantageous choice.

Jia Xu nodded knowingly and continued, "The fourth option is to retreat to Xiliang, occupy a portion of the Xiliang region, and establish yourself as king. Given your understanding of Xiliang, and the fact that many of your soldiers are from Xiliang, this should be a prudent strategy."

"The fifth option is to move southeast, passing through Lantian to Nanyang to temporarily surrender to Lü Bu. Later, they can then plot to seize Jingzhou or Yuan Shu's territory in Yuzhou."

"Yuan Shu has now usurped the title of emperor and his reputation is already tarnished. If you, General, are interested in attacking him, taking a share of the spoils would be a good option."

"The sixth option is to head south to Hanzhong, establish a foothold first, and then plan to conquer the entire Hanzhong Commandery."

"Hanzhong is a natural granary, and its strategic position is of paramount importance. If we can occupy this place, we can establish a foundation for hegemony by marching south to seize Yizhou in the future."

"However, Hanzhong is currently controlled by Zhang Lu and his Five Pecks of Rice sect, whose power is immense, making it difficult for outsiders to intervene."

"These six countermeasures are all the solutions I can think of right now."

Jia Xu indeed did not scheme against Zhang Ji this time, and his suggestions were quite pertinent. Now it remains to be seen how Zhang Ji will choose.

Regardless of his choice, Jia Xu had already prepared for the subsequent plans. In his grand scheme, Zhang Ji was a crucial piece, and naturally, he had to be treated with utmost care.

"this..."

Zhang Ji frowned after listening. Each of the six options had its advantages and disadvantages, and he found it difficult to choose.

As mentioned earlier, he had long been accustomed to making his own decisions, and his ambitions had grown accordingly, making him unwilling to continue to depend on others.

Therefore, relying on Cao Cao, Lu Feng, or Lü Bu was not what he wanted. Even temporarily joining Lü Bu as a springboard to attack Yu Province or Jing Province did not suit his wishes.

He knew perfectly well that neither Liu Biao of Jingzhou nor Yuan Shu of Yuzhou were formidable forces, and his mere 30,000 troops might not be enough to gain an advantage. Moreover, Lü Bu was not someone to be trifled with; if he went to Nanyang, his chances of a safe retreat were uncertain. He was unwilling to consider any of these three options.

As for returning to Xiliang, he had absolutely no interest. He had long since had enough of that harsh, desolate land. The land was barren, the environment was harsh, and there was no future to be had.

If either Cao Cao or Li Jue or Guo Si had occupied Guanzhong, would they have allowed him to continue occupying Xiliang?

This is absolutely impossible.

Therefore, this path is also not feasible.

The only remaining option is Hanzhong.

"In that case, let us march on Hanzhong! Would you be willing to accompany me to Hanzhong for this great undertaking? With your assistance, we are sure to achieve a resounding victory!"

Zhang Ji rose and bowed respectfully to Jia Xu.

He was well aware of Jia Xu's abilities and understood the importance of a strategist. Taking Hanzhong by his own strength would be extremely difficult, so he needed a capable advisor.

"this......"

Jia Xu feigned hesitation.

"We earnestly request that you, sir, come out of retirement!"

Zhang Ji bowed again.

Jia Xu sighed, "Very well! Guanzhong is no longer a place to stay for long. Li Jue and Guo Si are unlikely to amount to much, and Cao Cao is inherently suspicious and not a good ruler. Since that's the case, I will accompany you, General. I will trouble you greatly in the future."

"Hahaha!"

Zhang Ji was overjoyed upon hearing this: "Why do you say that, sir? To have your help is truly my greatest fortune!"

"Sir, you are a man of great talent. With your assistance, you will surely achieve great things!"

At this moment, Zhang Ji was filled with ambition, already fantasizing about taking over Hanzhong and then conquering Yizhou to restore the Han Dynasty's former glory.

He even fantasized about one day ascending to the throne.

"When the time comes, I'll definitely settle this score with Lu Feng! And that bitch Zou Qian, she'll regret it!"

How dare you abandon me and choose Lu Feng?

Three days later, Zhang Ji plundered a large amount of money and grain from the surrounding towns and cities, and led Jia Xu, Zhang Xiu, and an army of more than 30,000 men on a grand march towards Hanzhong.

Inside the moving carriage,

Zhang Ji asked Jia Xu for advice: "Sir, how should we proceed in this campaign to advance into Hanzhong?"

I have complied with the requirements.

After Lu Feng's approval, **will accompany Jia Xu to Hanzhong to take over the local secret guards and protect Jia Xu's safety. Lu Shiba, the former commander of the Hanzhong secret guards, has been transferred to Chang'an, and Lu Baierba and more than ten other secret guards will also accompany him.

"First, help Zhang Ji seize Hanzhong, then use Cao Cao to get rid of him." Jia Xu spoke calmly, as if he had never met Zhang Ji before.

**Slightly worried: "Zhang Lu and his Five Pecks of Rice sect have deep roots; they may not be easy to deal with."**

"Our lord has made it clear that Zhang Lu and the Five Pecks of Rice sect must be protected, and I have received a detailed plan." Jia Xu's eyes gleamed with anticipation. "This kind of covert strategy is the most fascinating."

I've read the guide but don't quite understand: "Your plan is quite ingenious; can it really persuade Zhang Lu to submit?"