As soon as Liu Bei entered Xiangyang City, he immediately ordered the arrest of Kuai Yue, released the imprisoned Du Xi and Xu Shao's family, and then let Zhuge Jin, Yi Ji, Sun Qian, Jian Yong, Mi Zhu and others take over the entire Xiangyang City. , letting Guan Yu and Zhang Fei command the entire army, they quickly occupied Xiangyang City in just one hour and completed the transfer of power.
"My lord, all of Kuai Yue's family members are here, but Kuai Yue is nowhere to be found. Some soldiers saw Kuai Yue heading towards Jiangling." Mi Fang walked directly into the hall of the prefect's mansion and reported to Liu Bei as soon as she entered the door.
"My lord, Jiangling City and Xiangyang City both belong to Nanjun. Jiangling was originally the county seat of Nanjun. After Liu Biao took charge of Jingzhou, he moved the county seat to Xiangyang. However, Jiangling is still a place where money and food are gathered. Today, there are still 30,000 soldiers and horses in Jiangling. , Kuai Yue went there, probably to lure the soldiers and horses there to prepare to resist the lord." Han Song analyzed.
After hearing this, Liu Bei frowned and asked: "We have just captured Xiangyang. If we do not take advantage of the situation to capture Jiangling, the entire Nanjun will not be stable. Second brother, the important task of capturing Jiangling will be left to you."
Guan Yu said: "Brother, don't worry, if Guan is here, Jiangling will be captured."
"Wait a minute! We don't necessarily have to send troops to take Jiangling. In my opinion, it's better to stay in Xiangyang. In three days, someone will definitely send Kuai Yue's head." Xu Shao stopped him hastily.
As soon as these words came out, everyone present was surprised. They all focused their attention on Xu Shao and asked, "How do you say this?"
Xu Shao smiled and said: "Although Jiangling has soldiers, there are no generals. Jiangling has always been guarded by Zhang Yun. Once Zhang Yun died, they were like a pile of scattered sand without anyone to command them. However, there are two soldiers in Jiangling City. There are young generals named Huo Du and Huo Jun. They are brothers. Although they are young, they are very courageous and courageous. I believe that Kuai Yue must have gone to find them."
"Then it's even more important to send troops. If Kuai Yue finds those two brothers and takes command of the soldiers and horses in Jiangling City, won't they attack us in turn? I have red rabbits and horses, which can travel thousands of miles a day. It's not too far to go to Jiangling. If we catch up now, we may be able to catch up with Kuai Yue and kill him," Guan Yu said.
Xu Shao shook his head and said: "There is no need to pursue General Guan. The Huo brothers will personally send Kuai Yue's head to Xiangyang. There is no need to attack Jiangling. They will naturally surrender. If we send troops to attack Jiangling, I am afraid it will be counterproductive." "
Seeing that Xu Shao was very confident, everyone stopped saying anything. After all, with Xu Shao's ability to recognize people, although what he said was not entirely correct, at least 70% to 80% of what he said was accurate.
After hearing this, Liu Bei waved his hands and said: "Then according to Mr. Xu's opinion, everyone should disperse. Now that we have just accepted Xiangyang, there are still many things waiting for you to do. Second brother, you stay, I have something to say. "
"promise!"
So everyone dispersed, leaving Guan Yu alone.
"Second brother, Nanyang County is the barrier of the entire Jingzhou. It is a place connected in all directions. It is connected to Sili in the north, Hanzhong and Guanzhong in the northwest, and it is adjacent to Yuzhou in the east. It is an extremely important position. I would like to ask you to lead the way. I will be stationed in Nanyang County and take up the post of Nanyang Governor. You can make your own decisions in everything." Liu Bei walked to Guan Yu, took Guan Yu's hand and said.
Guan Yu nodded solemnly and said: "Brother, don't worry, Guan X is here, and I guarantee that no one will dare to underestimate Jingzhou. If anyone dares to take Jingzhou's idea, he should first ask about the Qinglong Yanyue Sword in Xian's hand."
"Well, I feel relieved now. Let Hexia and Fu Xun go with you. One of them is familiar with Yuzhou and the other is familiar with the northwest. They may be of great help to you."
"promise!"
After Liu Bei finished explaining, Guan Yu left, and then Liu Bei personally visited the civil and military officials at all levels in Xiangyang City to show that he valued these people. Not to mention, his recruitment of courtesy and virtuous corporals really won him a lot of people in Xiangyang City.
The welcome from the Jingzhou literati made people feel that Liu Bei was more approachable than Liu Biao's previous aloofness.
The next morning, just after dawn, I saw two fast horses coming from outside Xiangyang City. The two knights on the horses looked alike and were both young. One of them was holding a bloody package in his hand.
The two men rode their horses to the foot of Xiangyang City and shouted to the city tower: "I am Jiangling Guards General Huo Du, who is carrying the head of Kuai Yue. I have come to apologize to General Liu and hope to open the city gate and let me in."
The guard guarding the south gate was Tian Yu. As soon as he heard the people below the city announcing that he was Huo Du, he immediately went down from the city tower, ordered people to open the city gate, and then galloped out of the city gate with twenty cavalrymen and passed by.
After crossing the suspension bridge, we arrived in front of Huo Du.
Tian Yu first looked at Huo Du, and then looked at the people riding side by side with Huo Du. He saw that Huo Du was only seventeen or eighteen years old, and the man next to Huo Du was younger, fifteen years old at most. However,
However, the faces of both people showed a sense of fortitude, looking a little calm and powerful.
Seeing that Tian Yu had been sizing them up, Huo Du immediately turned over and dismounted. At the same time, he left the human head wrapped in cloth on the ground. He knelt down on one knee and bowed to Tian Yu: "My lord, Huo Du, this is
My brother Huo Jun and I have come here today to surrender to General Liu, hoping that General Liu will accept him."
Tian Yu also got off his horse and immediately approached Huo Du. Huo Jun helped him up and said with a smile: "My name is Tian Yu, not General Liu. General Liu is in the city now. Please follow me."
Seeing that Tian Yu didn't look at the head, Huo Du and Huo Jun looked at each other for a while, and then asked together: "General, don't you need to look over to see if this head belongs to Kuai Yue? Aren't you afraid that we are pretending to surrender?"
"Everything has its own destiny. Your arrival has been planned for a long time. It doesn't make any difference whether I see it or not. Please come with me." Tian Yu turned and left.
Huo Du and Huo Jun both looked surprised, wondering who was so powerful that they knew their purpose of coming in advance. They couldn't figure it out, so they could only lead the horses and follow Tian Yu towards the city.
Tian Yu directly brought Huo Du and Huo Jun to the hall of the Prefect's Mansion to meet Liu Bei.
After Liu Bei occupied Xiangyang, he allowed Liu Qi to continue to live in the Chuhou Mansion in Xiangyang City, while he himself lived in the Prefect's Mansion.
After Tian Yu, Huo Du and Huo Jun entered the prefect's mansion, they saw Liu Bei sitting in the hall. Tian Yu bowed to him as soon as he entered the door: "See my lord."
"Excuse me, who are these two?" Liu Bei asked when he saw two young men coming.
Tian Yu said: "These two people are Huo Du and Huo Jun. They came to surrender carrying Kuai Yue's head."
When Huo Du and Huo Jun saw that Liu Bei was sitting there, they immediately knelt on the ground and bowed to Liu Bei: "Our brothers have heard about the general's name for a long time, and today we are lucky enough to see him. We brothers have already killed Kuai Yue."
We want to kill him and use his head as a greeting gift in the hope that the general can take us in."
Liu Bei is short of talents. As long as someone comes to seek refuge, no matter what kind of person he wants, but he has always been very accurate in judging people. He saw that the two people in front of him are also somewhat good. If they can be cultivated, they may become outstanding people. War General. He hurriedly walked to Huo Du and Huo Jun's side, helped Huo Du and Huo Jun up with his own hands, and said with a smile: "From today on, you two will be captains, and you will follow Tian Yu. After listening to his instructions."
Huo Du and Huo Jun said: "Thank you for taking me in, lord. We will do our best to assist you."
Another day later, after Liu Bei had rested, he took three thousand cavalry, as well as Zhang Fei, Zhuge Jin, Tian Yu, Huo Du, and Huo Jun, and headed for Nanjun, leaving Sun Qian, Yi Ji, Jian Yong, Mi Zhu, and Mi Fang behind. Wait for others to defend the city.
After arriving at Jiangling, Huo Du and Huo Jun took the lead into the city and persuaded the officials in the city to join Liu Bei, which was unanimously approved by the officers in the army. So Liu Bei took Jiangling City without any effort and received 30,000 soldiers and horses, as well as countless money and grain.
………………
Changsha, Taishou Mansion.
"What? Liu Bei actually captured Xiangyang and Jiangling in just three days without spending a single soldier?" Zhang Xian, the prefect of Changsha, felt very surprised when he heard the news that the scouts brought back from northern Jingzhou. It's a surprise.
Zhang Xian is from Nanyang and has been an official since his early years. At first, he served as the governor of Lingling and Guiyang counties. Due to his outstanding political achievements and his kindness to the people, he was very popular in Jiang and Hunan areas. However, His character was one of stubbornness and unwillingness to admit defeat. He suggested to Liu Biao many times to send troops to attack the barbarians near Wuling County, but he was rejected time and time again by Liu Biao.
In view of the fact that the barbarians were raging in Wuling and often intruding, Zhang Xian recruited an army on his own and joined the Lingling prefect and the Guiyang prefect to attack Wuling. They temporarily drove back the barbarians in Wuling and gave Wuling some peace. Liu Biao was afraid of Zhang Xian. He was very popular among the people in the Jingnan area, so he took the initiative to transfer Zhang Xian to Xiangyang. Zhang Xian disagreed, and from then on, he and Liu Biao formed a close relationship.
Therefore, as soon as he heard that Liu Biao died on the ruins of Sili Luoyang, he immediately used his faith to unite with the prefects of Lingling, Guiyang, and Wuling counties to openly oppose the successor Liu Qi, and formed his own faction in Jingnan.
"Father, this is what the scout reported back, saying that Liu Bei first captured Nanyang County half a month ago, subdued many surrendered troops, and then sent his troops south. Liu Qi saw that he could not defeat Liu Bei, so he surrendered on his own initiative. After that, Liu Bei occupied Jiangling. Now, only I'm afraid that the whole Nanjun is in his hands." Zhang Xian's son Zhang Yi said slowly.
"There are only seven counties in Jingzhou, namely Nanyang, Nanjun, Jiangxia, Changsha, Lingling, Wuling, and Guiyang. But the richest one is Nanjun, followed by Nanyang and Jiangxia, Changsha, Lingling, Wuling, and Guiyang. Although the territory of the county is not small, compared with Nanjun and Nanyang, it cannot compare with them in terms of population or farmland. Now that Liu Bei has occupied these two important places, it seems that he will become the second Liu Biao "Yun'er, you go ask Hu Xi, the governor of Wuling, to come to Changsha to discuss countermeasures. Liu Bei is not Liu Biao. He will definitely lead his army south. I have to find a way to stop him." Zhang Xian said.
Zhang Yi nodded and said: "Father, I will ask Governor Hu to come and discuss countermeasures."