After deciding on the civil and military personnel who would enter Sichuan, Liu Bei summoned his ministers to arrange for the personnel left behind in Jingzhou, and the governors of various counties gathered in Jiangling.
Appointed the bandit general Guan Yu as the governor of Jingzhou, taking overall responsibility for the defense of Jingzhou, focusing on preventing Cao Cao's invasion in the north;
Appointed Jingnan General Lan Tian as the deputy governor of Jingzhou, assisting Guan Yu in supervising the military and political affairs of the four counties in Jingnan, and handling Jiaozhou affairs conveniently;
Appointed general Zhang Fei as the governor of Nanjun;
Appoint partial general Zhao Yun as the remaining camp Sima;
...
After settling the affairs in Jingzhou, Liu Bei led his army from Jiangling and went upstream through the Yangtze River. After arriving in Jiangzhou, they turned to Dianjiang and reached Fucheng.
After Liu Zhang received the news, he led more than 30,000 infantry and cavalry to meet Liu Bei in Fucheng. Along the way, he drove cars and curtains, which were dazzling. They were all gifts prepared for Liu Bei. The people stopped to comment and watch.
Zhang Song sent Fa Zheng to Fucheng first. Fa Zheng advised Liu Bei: "Liu Zhang is weak and incompetent. He has no kindness to the people in Yizhou. He will not be prepared for the meeting here. It is better for my lord to take advantage of the meeting and capture him."
Liu Bei shook his head quickly when he heard this, "No, this is the Hongmen Banquet. This matter cannot be rushed..."
Pang Tong sighed: "If Liu Zhang can be held in Fucheng, my lord will conquer Yizhou without a single soldier."
"When you first enter a foreign country and you haven't received any favors, you can't do this." Liu Bei sternly refused.
When Liu Zhang arrived at Fucheng, Liu Bei asked his soldiers to go out of the city and line up to greet him, showing great courtesy.
Liu Bei, who was over fifty years old, was a handsome man, and the soldiers and horses in Jingzhou were solemn and orderly. Liu Zhang looked happy and took Liu Bei's hand into the city. The two exchanged greetings and chatted with each other on the way, as if they were biological brothers.
"How much armor does Xuande wear when he comes here?" Liu Zhang asked as he walked.
Liu Bei smiled and replied: "There are 20,000 people on land, water, foot and cavalry combined."
Liu Zhang stopped and asked doubtfully: "There are millions of households in Jingzhou, why do you only have 20,000 soldiers? Could it be that you are not sincere in going to Shu to help me?"
Liu Bei sighed: "In the past, when Liu Jingsheng was there, he did have tens of thousands of soldiers. Unfortunately, Liu Cong listened to Ni and surrendered to Cao Cao. Most of them died in the Battle of Chibi. Jingzhou, which Bei took over in panic, was devastated. He could only scrape together two men.
It’s very difficult to ride ten thousand steps..."
Liu Zhang thought of the mess in Yizhou, and suddenly felt that he and Liu Bei were in the same boat. He nodded and comforted him, and then asked: "It is said that General Guan Yunchang under my brother is brave and invincible. Did Xuande bring him into Yizhou with him?"
"Yun Chang is guarding Cao Cao in Jingzhou, so he can't follow Bei into Shu..." Liu Bei shook his head.
Liu Zhang was slightly disappointed, "I heard that General Guan's phoenix eyes and beautiful beard have the appearance of heaven and man. I feel deeply sorry that I can't see this righteous man..."
"There is a brave general Wei Yan who followed me into Sichuan. His appearance is somewhat similar to Yun Chang. I will introduce him to Ji Yu later..." Liu Bei consoled him.
Liu Zhang was a little stunned when he heard this. Did I go there because of Guan Yu's appearance? He admired Guan Yunchang's reputation.
"It's a pity that Yun Chang hasn't arrived yet. I have another fierce general under my brother's command. Is Zhang Yide, who is known as the enemy of ten thousand people, here?" Liu Zhang asked again.
Liu Bei was stunned. Liu Zhang seemed to know Jingzhou very well.
"Yide recently caught a cold and couldn't make the trip..." Liu Bei could only use Zhang Fei's illness as an excuse.
"This... is such an unlucky coincidence... that Zhao Zilong with the white robe and silver spear has arrived, right?" Liu Zhang asked.
Liu Bei shook his head, "My wife, Sun, is pregnant. I asked Zilong to stay in Jingzhou to protect..."
Although Guan, Zhang and Zhao didn't come, Liu Zhang expressed some disappointment, but he trusted Liu Bei more in his heart.
Before setting off from Chengdu, many people warned him, saying that Liu Bei was ambitious and wanted to seek Yizhou, and that Wang Lei would hang the city gate upside down in order to remonstrate with him. Now that I think about it, it was really stupid.
"Is that Mrs. Sun who is 'excellent in martial arts'? Rumor has it that she is as beautiful as her father. My brother is so lucky."
Liu Zhang deliberately changed the subject. Although he was praising Sun Shangxiang, he still admired Liu Bei's strength from the bottom of his heart. How could a woman with such a strong background and strong force be controlled by ordinary people?
Liu Bei nodded sheepishly, "Uh...blessed...convinced...Ji Yu has been praised..."
Liu Bei had been in the world for many years and had extensive knowledge, and he was also a member of the Han clan. Talking to Liu Zhang was like drinking nectar, and the two entered the city chatting and laughing happily.
The two feasted in Fucheng for more than a hundred days. During this period, Zhang Ren, an official from Yizhou, admonished Liu Zhang: "Liu Xuande is brave and ambitious, Pang Shiyuan is talented and resourceful, and the soldiers in Jingzhou are well-trained. It is not a matter of careful consideration for the Lord to invite him to Shu."
, why not use the excuse that Zhang Lu has surrendered, and use some money to send General Zuo out of Sichuan?"
Liu Zhang looked at Zhang Ren with a blank look on his face, then shook his head and said with a bitter smile: "Zhang Zongzong thinks this is child's play? Liu Xuande is a hero in the next life, how can he come and go as soon as he is summoned? Besides, Zhang Lu's trouble is already unresolved, if
I deceived Xuande into returning to Jingzhou, and he knew about Zhang Lu's affairs. Why would the princes of the world look at me?"
"What do you think of Zhang Lu's rebellion?" Zhang Ren asked again.
"It's better not to talk about it, Zhang Zongzheng. If Liu Bei's subordinates find out, they might make others laugh at you..." Liu Zhang shook his head, you are too naive.
"But Liu Bei is indeed a very human being. He is now the shepherd of Jingzhou. My lord cannot treat him like a subordinate. If he treats him like a distinguished guest, the state cannot tolerate two lords. Please think again, lord." Zhang Ren continued to advise.
Liu Zhang pointed at him and his voice rose unknowingly: "You judge the heart of a gentleman with a villain's heart. There was Huang Quan before you, Zhao Lei and now you. Xuande and I are both Han clan clansmen. Can't we treat him accordingly?"
Brother? Besides, he only brought a mere 20,000 soldiers and horses, and the generals Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun are all in Jingzhou. How can he seize my Yizhou by doing this? No further advice is allowed on this matter."
Zhang Ren was speechless for a moment after hearing this. Liu Zhang's analysis is not unreasonable. Is it true that we people are too worried?
Liu Zhang recommended Liu Bei to be the Grand Sima, commanding the Sili Xiaowei, and Liu Bei reciprocated by recommending Liu Zhang to be the General of Zhenxi, commanding the Yizhou Shepherd.
The two sides had been having a banquet for more than a hundred days. Liu Zhang was about to return to Chengdu. Seeing that Liu Bei had few soldiers and feared that the attack on Zhang Lu would not go smoothly, he invested more than ten thousand troops and horses, countless chariots and armor, and a lot of money, food and silk. He gave away almost all the gifts he had brought from Chengdu.
, and asked Liu Bei to go north to attack Zhang Lu.
After Liu Bei received Liu Zhang's additional troops, the total number of troops exceeded 30,000. He led his troops north to garrison at Jiameng Pass. He did not send troops to attack Zhang Lu, but established kindness nearby and won over people's hearts.
The reason why Liu Bei did not listen to Pang Tong and Fazheng's words, and waited for an opportunity to capture Liu Zhang in Fucheng before settling in Yizhou, actually had his own considerations. Pang Tong and Fazheng were eager to make meritorious deeds, and the plan he proposed was a bit cunning and risky. Before leaving,
Former Lan Tian asked him to act cautiously, which impressed him deeply.
During his stay in Jingzhou, Liu Bei, Zhuge Liang, and Lan Tian, ​​two cautious men, stayed for a long time and were unknowingly influenced by them.
According to Fazheng and Zhang Song, Liu Bei knew that Liu Zhang was not popular in Yizhou. Even if he controlled Liu Zhang in Fucheng, he might marry someone with ulterior motives. With the 20,000 soldiers he brought from Jingzhou and the accompanying Pang Tong
, Huang Zhong, Wei Yan and other civil servants and generals, Liu Bei had no confidence in quickly pacifying Yizhou.
Chapter completed!