After Liu Bei left his soldiers in Xinye, he took a few cronies south to Xiangyang, and went south with Liu Hu's troops by boat. Approaching Xiangyang, Liu Hu led his army to Fancheng in Jiangbei.

Fancheng is not a county-level city, but a fortress of Xiangyang in the north of the Yangtze River, and the two cities are separated by the Han River, constituting a defense system of Xiangfan that is comparable to natural danger.

In such a dangerous place, Liu Biao handed over his subordinate Liu Hu to the guard, just to prevent someone Liu who was stationed in Xinye from having bad intentions and waving his troops south one day. It is also difficult to Liu Biao, both to use it and to prevent it.

The boat crossed the Han River and docked at a pier north of Yangyang.

"General Zuo and Liu Yuzhou have arrived!"

The soldier guarding the water gate recognized the flag on the cabin and began to shout at the top of his voice.

Then, Liu Qi, who was explained by Liu Biao, led the Jingzhou guests to greet him, and Wang Kai, Yi, Wang Cang and others were all there.

"Liu Yuanjun!"

Everyone rushed up, Liu Qi nodded and congratulated, and said: "Congratulations on the victory, my father is holding a banquet in the mansion to reward the king for his hard work." ”

"Thank you, eldest son, for coming out!"

Liu Bei smiled at the corner of his mouth, his expression was gentle, and he said, "I am grateful for it!" ”

Just when Liu Bei was talking to Liu Qi, Yi and others, Huo Jun also chatted with Wang Cang.

"Zhong Miao made his first expedition to break the enemy, and he really lived up to Wu Qi's talent, and it seems that Cang's face has been saved." Wang Cang said jokingly.

Huo Jun counterattacked, and complained: "If Zhong Xuan doesn't praise me, I'm afraid that future generations won't know Zhong Xuan!" ”

"Huh!"

Wang Cang sneered and said, "I'm afraid that Zhong Miao will rely on the poetry of Cang in the future to be passed on to the world." ”

Huo Jun raised his eyebrows and said: "In the future, if a certain construction is a great achievement, Zhong Xuan might as well write a long fu for me, so as to raise my voice and leave a name in the world." ”

Wang Cang stretched out three fingers to compare the painting and said, "At that time, three donkeys exchanged one for one fu." ”

Huo Jun pursed his lips, he had seen through this donkey lover. Wang Cang likes donkeys, in addition to liking the chirping of donkeys, he likes to eat donkey meat. The donkey he gave him last time was cooked by him when he saw him off.

"Zhong Miao!"

A few steps away, Wang Kai shouted. There are also Liu Qi, Liu Bei, Yi Yuan and others beside him, all of whom are familiar faces.

Huo Jun stepped up, bowed his hand, and said, "I've seen the eldest son!" ”

Liu Qi looked at the heroic Huo Jun and said: "I have heard that Zhong Miao has great talents, and I can see it today, and sure enough, he is as good as his name and lives up to what Zixuan said." ”

Liu Bei cooperated and said: "Zhong Miao's wisdom is over, and the defeat of the enemy on this trip north depends on Zhong Miao's advice. Now he joined the army in Xiangyang, which is beneficial to the eldest son. ”

"If the eldest son is not shallow in his knowledge, he is willing to plan for the eldest son." Huo Jun responded.

Hearing this, Liu Qi was quite happy and said: "Zhong Miao is a handsome man, how can Qi not want to." ”

As he spoke, the smile on Liu Qi's face became more and more enthusiastic, he was originally worried that Huo Jun was from Nanjun and might be close to Cai Mao and them, and he didn't want to be close to him. But from now on, Huo Jun and Cai Mao are not a group of people, such a talented person is willing to plan for himself, how can he not be happy!

While talking and laughing, everyone came to the banquet under the leadership of Liu Qi. Liu Biao had already prepared the banquet, and when everyone was seated, the banquet officially began. Everyone drank and talked, staggered, bells and drums rang in unison, and singers danced.

At the banquet, Liu Biao mastered the rhythm, praised Liu Bei's level of military use, and encouraged Huo Jun, the newly appointed soldier. And his subordinates were also knowledgeable, touting the results of victory, and the atmosphere between the monarch and the minister was quite pleasant.

After the banquet, Liu Biao left Liu Bei and a few others, and found that Liu Bei was not very interested, and asked: "Xuande's victory over the thief army is a great achievement, why is he depressed?" ”

Liu Bei sighed and said: "The victory of the thief army should be a happy event, but Bei is worried about the death of the original illness, and no one in Hebei can stop Cao Cao's troops. If Cao Cao unifies the Central Plains and raises hundreds of thousands of male soldiers to the south, it will be difficult to stop him with the strength of only one person and the soldiers of Jingsheng Brother Yizhou. ”

Saying that, Liu Bei was a little excited, and said: "Cao Cao's name is Han Xiang, but he is actually a Han thief. In the past, the original duke was in the north, and Brother Jingsheng was in the south, so that he did not dare to usurp the throne. Now that the first prince has died, only Brother Jingsheng remains, I don't know what Brother Jingsheng will do to him in the future? ”

These words have the intention of touting Liu Biao, setting Liu Biao up, placing equal emphasis on him and Yuan Shao, and emphasizing Liu Biao's embarrassing situation at the moment. Let him know that sooner or later, Cao Cao will come and beat him.

Liu Biao was quite useful to Liu Bei's words, but he was wary of Liu Bei's inquiries, and suspected that Liu Bei wanted to persuade him to send troops to let him go on a northern expedition.

Therefore, Liu Biao frowned slightly, and said: "Xuande, I don't want to send troops, it's just that Cao's soldiers are elite and hard. Jiangdong Sun Quan, Jiaozhou Zhang Jin, and Yizhou Liu Zhang all peeped into Jingzhou, and if they sent troops easily, they might let them take advantage of the situation, so they must be prepared. ”

"Brother Jingsheng's words are the views of Lao Cheng to seek the country, so he thinks that Brother Jingsheng can use troops to the three places to enrich himself. For example, in the land of Jiangdong, Sun Quan is still young, although he is assisted by the old ministers of the Sun family, but the county is uneven, and the general school is not inferior. If Brother Jingsheng's troops attack it, enter the left side of the river in the east, and cut the Yangtze River, they can compete with Cao Cao. Liu Bei said.

Liu Biao was slightly stunned, he didn't expect Liu Bei to answer like this.

After a while, Liu Biao bowed his head and said vaguely: "What Xuande said is reasonable, but Jiangdong is difficult to destroy suddenly, you should think about it in the long run, and you can't be in a hurry." ”

The words were so perfunctory, but Liu Biao remembered it in his heart. He himself has the military of Jing, Yi, and Yang, and if he really does what Liu Bei said, he really has to plan well. It's a pity that the war in Najiaozhou is scorching and there is little progress. I don't know how long Hebei can hold Cao Cao, I hope it can last a few more years, and then see how the situation changes!

After a few more pleasantries, Liu Bei found an excuse to say goodbye and leave.

After Liu Bei left, Liu Biao also asked the think tank Kuai Yue, compared with his brother Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue was better at strategy, could anticipate changes in the situation, and had a high prestige in Jingxiang.

In the early years, the general He Jin heard about Kuaiyue's reputation and hired him as Dong Cao Peng. Kuai Yue once advised He Jin to preemptively kill the eunuch as soon as possible, but He Jin hesitated. Kuai Yue expected the fate of He Jin's defeat and asked for the foreign appointment of Ruyang Ling, and escaped the catastrophe.

Liu Xian rode into Jingzhou, and his strategy of killing the thieves and pacifying Jingzhou was also from Kuai Yue's handwriting.

"Different degrees, now Yuan Benchu died of illness, Hebei and Yuan stand side by side, I don't know what you think Xuande said?" Liu Biao asked.

Kuai Yue pondered for a long time, and said: "Qi Ming Gong, Xuande's words are loyal and upright, since Yuan Benchu's death, Cao Mengde is unstoppable, with his military strategy is bound to swallow Hebei, and then raise troops to Jiang Han, I am afraid that Ming Gong will not be able to resist it." ”

Therefore, the more I think that Ming Gong is just resisting Cao and following Cao's two policies, and those who resist Cao, Liu Xuande's words are not unreasonable. If it is Shun Cao, the Ming Duke can raise the state to attach Cao Mengde, then Cao Mengde will be re-Ming Gong, Ming Gong will not lose his blessings, and his descendants will also enjoy wealth. ”

Regarding Liu Biao's performance in recent years, Kuai Yue also has nothing to say.

Before the battle of Guandu, Kuai Yue advised Liu Biao not to be neutral, and if he had the idea of fighting for hegemony, he would send troops to fight for territory and establish meritorious deeds. If you don't have the idea of establishing merit, you will either unite with Yuan Shao or help Cao Cao and keep your neutrality, you will grudge the two of them at the same time, and when the winner is decided, you will attack Liu Biao.

At the same time, Kuai Yue was also optimistic that Cao Cao could win in Guandu, and suggested that Liu Biao could be obedient to Cao Cao and make the whole family rich.

However, Liu Biao did not choose any of the three suggestions provided by Kuai Yue, but buried his head in the sand, not wanting to participate in the situation in the Central Plains, but only willing to sit and watch the changes in the world. As a result, Cao Cao, in order to prevent Liu Biao from making trouble, asked Zhang Xian to rebel.

And now that Yuan Shao has died of illness, Liu Biao has to face a new choice.

Listening to Kuai Yue's suggestion, Liu Biao was silent for a long time and said: "The words of the different degree, you should think deeply. ”

"No!"

Kuai Yue seemed to have known Liu Biao's answer, and he was not depressed, so he also said goodbye and left.

When he walked out of the Zhennan General's Mansion, Kuai Yue exhaled a turbid breath, and he suggested that Liu Biao was also benevolent and righteous. Liu Biao can bury his head in the sand and be an ostrich, but he can't do that, he needs to think about his family.

"Come on, set up a private banquet in a few days to invite Cai Deqi back to his hometown."

The moment he boarded the carriage, Kuai Yue commanded.

"No!"

The mountain rain is coming, the wind is full of buildings, and the undercurrent in Jingzhou is surging, each with its own plan.