was able to meet the emperor smoothly and get rid of Jia Xu with the help of Bai Xiaoqing. Liu Cong was not very happy. Although Cao Cao lost Guo Jia and Jia Xu, two top strategists, within a year, the strength of the unified north was no longer invincible.

What Liu Cong can hope for is that after Cao Cao returns to Xuchang, he will study what happened in Xuchang, if so, the rift between Xun Yu and Cao Cao will increase. Of course, there is also the possibility that they will work together to prepare for the southern expedition.

Therefore, after Liu Cong returned to Jiangling, the first thing he did was to inspect the harvest of each county and the training of the Jiangling camp. After determining the scale of reclamation in each county, Liu Cong decided to recruit troops again, and set the upper limit of the size of the army at 40,000, including 15,000 sailors.

Due to the continuous increase in population and Zhang Bo's efforts, the public security has become a large county, which is the resettlement place for the families of Jiangling soldiers and soldiers, and it is also another large grain-producing county after Jiangling.

With food and soldiers in hand, the next step is to train and build equipment. The training is still the same as before. In terms of weapons and equipment, Liu Cong can only rely on Zhuge Liang for the time being.

In the midst of the busyness, the wax moon has arrived. In order to consolidate his position in Jingzhou and to lay out in advance, Liu Cong led people back to Xiangyang after handing over military and political affairs to Wen Ping and Zhuge Liang. This time is different from the previous times, Liu Cong played the family card. Huang Quan's three hundred brocade guards went first. Liu Cong and Cai Lin, Huang Yueying and other female dependents together. Liu Pan led a thousand cavalry and Liu Xiu and others also returned to Xiangyang one after another.

Goodbye Liu Biao, Liu Cong knew that this father was already dying. Even if the gods are reincarnated, they are powerless, and the question now is when Liu Biao will return to heaven and what power he will have.

Liu Cong was finally a little happier to see Liu Cong and Liu Xiu come back.

When Liu Cong visited Liu Biao with his wife that day, he casually asked: "Erniang, has the eldest brother sent a letter, and when will he come back?"

Unexpectedly, Liu Biao on the hospital bed heard it and was furious again. It turned out that it was after Liu Cong successfully rescued Jiang Xia and saved Huang Zu. According to Liu Cong's request, Huang Zu did not report to Xiangyang that Liu Qi led his troops to defeat at the beginning, and that Huang Zu almost destroyed the whole army in order to protect Liu Qi's breakthrough.

just briefly talked about how Sun Quan was menacing, but fortunately, the second son Liu Cong led the troops to arrive in time to save Sha Xian. But there are no impermeable walls. Or Liu Cong was afraid that Liu Biao would not be able to accept it all of a sudden, so he gradually sent someone to reveal the situation to him at that time.

When Liu Biao learned the truth, he naturally blamed Liu Qi for his incompetence and almost became a burden to Huang Zu. And for most of the past half a year, Liu Qi has not returned to Xiangyang for various reasons. Naturally, there is no chance of justification.

In Liu Biao's view, this is Liu Qi evading punishment! summoned Liu Cong and Liu Xiu to the bed.

Liu Cong didn't say much, but asked about Liu Biao's physical condition with concern.

Liu Cong didn't say it, it doesn't mean that Liu Biao didn't ask.

Under Liu Biao's questioning, Liu Xiu even told Liu Biao about Liu Cong taking people to Xuchang.

"Have you seen the Emperor?"

"Well, thanks to Mr. Xun Yu's assistance."

"Hey...... Now that the Han court is in decline, His Majesty is in Xuchang, but I am afraid that it is not as good as when Dong Zhuo was in power. ”

"Yes, father, now that Cao Cao's north has been decided, his next target must be Jingzhou and Jiangdong. I should have made plans in Jingzhou. ”

"That's the case, but how can my Jingzhou compete with the entire Central Plains, Heluo, and Jizhou with the power of the state?"

"But, father, as members of the Han family, did we watch Cao Cao usurp the Han? His Majesty also issued an edict for us to gather the Han clan relatives and princes loyal to the imperial court to fight against Cao Cao. ”

"Your Majesty has an edict?"

"Well, the child thought that this matter was very important, so he didn't dare to announce it. Now that the situation is critical, it is time. As he spoke, he handed the two edicts that had been prepared from his sleeve to Liu Biao.

Liu Biao held the edict and looked at it for a long time, and said slowly: "Okay, good, thank you for Your Majesty's trust." Cong'er, you go to Xuchang alone to be your father, and you know that it is definitely not allowed. But now it seems that you young people have the courage. For my father, I won't live long, so don't go back to Jiangling this time, and help my father take care of Jingzhou's affairs. ”

"Father, the child is the Taishou of Nanjun, how can he leave for a long time. What's more, my father is just a recurrence of an old disease, so it shouldn't be in the way. Although Liu Cong waited for Liu Biao's words for three years, how could anyone look forward to his father's early death. Even if he is a traverser, Liu Biao has treated himself as his own son over the years.

"You don't have to pass the buck, for the Father knows that his time is short. Your eldest brother is not angry. You may be the only one who can compete with Cao Cao. Tomorrow, as a father, he will find all the civil and military to come to discuss the matter. Xiu'er has also made a lot of progress in the past few years by your second brother's side. The two of you must remember that after your father returns one day in the future, you brothers must not learn from Yuan's original sons! ”

"The boy wrote it down." Liu Cong and Liu Xiu spoke in unison.

"Well, go down and rest. Cong'er, you have to make more preparations, tomorrow as a father, I will give you power, I hope you can suppress them, keep my Jingzhou, and keep the hope of the Han. ”

What can make Liu Biao make up his mind, in addition to Cai's nagging in his ears all day long, Liu Cong's outstanding performance in recent years and Liu Qi's nest are more important reasons. Liu Biao knew the roots of those subordinates who followed him to pacify Jingzhou. With the current Liu Qi, he can't suppress the civil and military officials at all. However, Liu Cong's identity as a royal brother and general, coupled with the support of Cai Mao and Huang Zu and others, should still have a chance. As for the third son, Liu Xiu is still too young and has no power of his own.

Although Liu Biao was determined to hand over power to Liu Cong temporarily, the matter of Yuan Shao's three sons competing for Cao Cao's advantage was vivid and known to the world, and he really didn't know how to persuade a group of civil and military forces tomorrow.

To assist Liu Biao in taking care of Jingzhou's affairs, Liu Cong had already imagined that he would not have brought Liu Pan's 1,000 cavalry and 300 brocade guards back to Xiangyang. On the same day, Liu Biao summoned Cai Mao and Zhang Yun again. After the two came out of Liu's room, they came to find Liu Cong.

Liu Cong's succession is the situation that Cai Mao and Zhang Yun want to see, so after meeting, they will give Liu Cong advice on how to face Jingzhou's civil and military forces tomorrow.

Of course, Cai Mao also mentioned the most critical issue, that is, Cao Cao's current situation and how Cao Cao should deal with Cao Cao. On this issue, Cai Mao and Liu Cong may be completely different.

Liu Cong's ideal is to dominate the world, and although Cao Cao is strong, he is also his biggest enemy on the road to hegemony. According to his own and Zhuge Liang's design, for Cao Cao's first southern expedition, Liu Cong's goal was to resist with all his might, and he could just carry it.

But Cai Mao is different, Cai Mao's entire family is in Xiangyang, Cao Cao wants to conquer Jingzhou in the south or unify the world, it can only ensure that the interests of the Cai family are maximized, even if there are setbacks in his career, it doesn't matter. Therefore, it will not be so active in dealing with Cao Cao's possible southern expedition. But Zhang Yun will be a little better, all his glory is given by Liu Biao, and he will be tied to Liu Cong in the future.

So three people have three mentalities, which makes it difficult for Liu Cong to answer.

In the end, Liu Cong gave Cai Mao a more vague answer: "My father-in-law wants to protect the interests of the family, Liu Cong can definitely understand that no matter what decision my father and I make in the future, I will never force my father-in-law to do this." However, I implore Lord Yue-sama to remain relatively neutral, even if he does not fully support Cong. However, at present, we must not be left behind in reorganizing armaments and actively preparing for war. ”

"If Cao Cao is to conquer the south, he will definitely take the power of pacifying Hebei, and even if he raises the power of the whole state, it may be difficult to resist. If you insist on resisting Cao, let me wait for it? ”

"If it really comes to that day, Lord Yuezhang will stay in the middle immediately, watch Liu Cong and Cao Cao deal around, Cong wins, and Lord Yuezhang will continue to lead the army. If Cong is defeated, it will not be too late for Lord Yuezhang to lead the people to submit to Cao Cao......"

Liu Cong was not worried about Cao Cao's southern expedition, but was most worried about Cai Mao and others. Since he is Weng's son-in-law, it is inconvenient for Liu Cong to continue to force when it comes to this part, it makes no sense that now that Cao Cao has not come and Liu Biao has not died, Cai Mao instigated Liu Cong to surrender.

Looking at the figures of Cai Mao and Zhang Yun leaving, Liu Cong was glad that he had not been idle all these years, and the talents he recruited and the soldiers he trained were the main force to resist Cao Cao. Most of the soldiers in Xiangyang are unreliable and cannot be relied on.