Shuhan

"Are you a descendant of the Hedong Liu family?"

Xiang Chong looked at the young man in brocade robe who came in and frowned slightly. This guy was too young and probably didn't have much influence in the Hedong Liu family. It might be useless to talk to him?

"General, I am Liu Bai from the Liu clan of Hedong."

Xiang Chong knew the name of the Hedong Liu family. Before coming to Hedong, he had read the details of several major families in Hedong County.

The origin of the Hedong Liu family comes from Liuxia Hui, who "remained calm even when a woman sat on his lap".

Liuxia Hui, also known as Zhanqin, was given the name Huo and was styled Ji. He was a scholar of the State of Lu, given the posthumous title Hui, and lived under the willow tree, so he was called "Liuxia Hui".

His ancestor was the great-grandson of Duke Xiao of Lu during the Warring States Period.

The "Xingzhuan" records: "Zhan, the son of Duke Xiao of Lu, the grandson of Zhou Gong, and Wuhai, the grandson of Zhan, took the name of the king's father and son as Zhan. When Zhan hunted for food under a willow tree, he took the surname Liu. After the Chu State destroyed the Lu State, Liuxia Hui served the Chu State again. When Qin Shihuang unified the world, Hedong was dissolved. At the end of the Qin Dynasty, there was Liu An, a descendant of Liuxia Hui."

After Qin unified the world, it appointed Liu An, a descendant of Liuxia Hui, as a virtuous official and settled him in Jie County, Hedong.

During the Qin Dynasty, Jie County was located in the ancient Jieliang, and the city was located in the ruins of the ancient city village in Kaizhang Town, Yongji, which was the fief of Zhibo, the head of the four nobles of Jin State during the Spring and Autumn Period and the Warring States Period.

Since Liu An, descendants of the Liu family have frequently appeared on the political, economic, military and cultural stages in Chinese history, becoming a prominent and prestigious family in Hedong.

Liu An's grandson Liu Wei was the prime minister of Han Qi. Liu Wei's sixth-generation grandson Liu Feng was Guanglu Xun of the Later Han Dynasty.

The current head of the Liu family is Liu Zhao, the fourth-generation grandson of Liu Feng. He is now the lieutenant of Hedong County and is in charge of the military affairs of the county.

"Is your father well?"

When Pei Jun heard the name Liu Bai, he knew the identity of the person in front of him.

He is Liu Zhao’s fourth son, Liu Bai.

Liu Bai looked at Pei Jun who was speaking and asked immediately, "My father is well. I wonder who you are."

Pei Jun laughed and said, "I am from the Pei family of Wenxi. Pei Qian, who is now in Yubi City, is my brother."

The direct descendant of the Wenxi Pei family?
Liu Bai was stunned for a moment, and then became more respectful to Pei Jun.

"So it's my elder. My aunt is from the Pei family of Wenxi. Actually, she is my elder's sister!"

Pei Jun nodded and said, "It's my sister."

This is how aristocratic families are. There is competition among aristocratic families, and sometimes they would even beat each other's brains out for a little bit of benefit.

but!
The relationships between aristocratic families were very complicated, and intermarriage was very common.

The relationship between them is basically through marriage. Liu, Pei, and Xue, the direct descendants of Hedong County, are more or less related to each other, and these relationships cannot be severed or cut.

It is precisely because of this that the aristocratic families are so difficult to deal with.

When they fight among themselves, they fight fiercely, but once someone threatens their interests, these relationships will naturally bring them together.

"Uncle, please accept my nephew's defeat!"

Pei Jun stepped forward, helped Liu Bai up, and said, "We are all family, so there is no need to be polite."

If Yang Qianwan were here, his eyes would probably pop out of his head when he saw this scene.

In just a few words, the relative admitted his mistake, which could only be described as terrifying.

"You have acknowledged this relative, but I still have things to do here!"

clap~
Xian Chong clapped his hands and said to the outside of the tent: "Send some wine and food over!"

Soon, the guards brought in the dining table and served wine and food.

The food in the army is definitely not as exquisite as that at home.

But there was a lot of meat, and each person had a large jar of turbid yellow wine under their feet.

"This is a deer I shot on my way here. It can be made into a delicious dish. Try it."

Xiang Chong had a smile on his face, and he looked as amiable as the uncle next door.

In front of Liu Bai, venison was being placed on an iron rack and roasted over charcoal fire.

The grilled venison has a mouth-watering golden color.

Under the roasting of charcoal fire, the skin of the venison becomes slightly browned, as if coated with a layer of light golden luster, sparkling with an attractive light.

As the heat rises, the venison exudes a rich aroma, a unique flavor of charcoal grilled meat mixed with the aroma of meat, which makes people salivate with pleasure as soon as they smell it.

Liu Bai picked up a piece of venison with chopsticks and could feel it trembling slightly, as if telling of its deliciousness.

When you put it in your mouth, it is crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with the gravy overflowing. The feeling of satisfaction is enough to make you intoxicated.

"This venison is extremely delicious."

Xiang Chong laughed and said, "Deer meat is delicious, so eat a few more pieces."

It just so happened that Xiang Chong and his men had not had dinner yet, so they ate venison mixed with light yellow wine and a bowl of millet rice. To have such food in the army was like living a godly life.

After eating and drinking enough.

Xiang Chong also got to the point.

"I led my army to Yanchi this time, not to invite you to eat meat and drink wine."

Liu Bai straightened his back immediately and his expression became serious.

Of course he knew that Xiang Chong brought his troops here not to treat him to a dinner.

But the key is
What is his appeal.

Liu Bai looked at his "uncle" with a pleading look.

Pei Jun seemed to have drunk too much and was drunk. He even lay directly on the table and fell into a deep sleep.

This wine isn't strong liquor, how could you get drunk?

Liu Bai knew very well that Pei Jun was pretending to be asleep.

It seems that I can no longer rely on this uncle.

of course.

From the very beginning, he didn't think of relying on Pei Jun.

"I wonder what you are doing here, General?"

Xiang Chong placed the wine jar in his hand on the dining couch, looked at Liu Bai with deep eyes, and said, "I heard that the salt pond makes a fortune every day and can be the foundation of the Liu family's prosperity, is it?"

Making money every day?

Are you here to seek wealth?
If we can get our family to support us with some food, supplies, and money, as long as we can keep the benefits of the salt lake, this deal will be a great bargain.

Neither the State of Wei nor the State of Han was harmed.

No matter whether Hedong County finally belonged to the Han Kingdom or the Wei Kingdom, the Liu family of Xie County would be able to remain invincible.

"General, the benefits of the salt pond can indeed be described as making a fortune every day. Our Hedong Liu family can mine the salt pond for the Han Dynasty, and the profits we earn will be 40% and 60% with the Han State. How about that?"

It's a nice idea, and the ratio is 40% to 60%.

"Our Han Dynasty is rich and powerful, and we don't even care about a mere salt pond. How about giving all the benefits of the salt pond to the Liu family in Jie County?"

Give all to the Liu family of Jie County?
If he could get it for free, he would naturally be happy, but Liu Bai knew in his heart that there is no free lunch in this world.

"All under heaven belongs to the king, and all the people are his subjects. Although the Han Dynasty is rich, how can we accept the benefits of the salt lake? It is not right."

Seeing that Liu Bai was not fooled, Xiang Chong stopped pretending and revealed his cards.

"If you, Liu clan, still want the benefits of the salt pond, then now you have to show your respect to me, the great man."

express?

How to express?

Liu Bai was hesitant.

"If the Han army is short of cotton cloth, food, and money, our Hedong Liu clan is willing to use all our strength to help the Han army."

"My Han Dynasty is rich and has no shortage of food and supplies."

Now that the Han Dynasty occupies Guanzhong, with Zhuge Liang and Fa Zheng, two ministers with the best logistics skills, managing the rear, Xiang Chong does not need to worry about logistics matters.

"What does the General want?"

"I want you, the Hedong Liu clan, to submit to the Han Dynasty!"

Submit to the Han Dynasty?

Liu Bai said immediately: "If the general can occupy Hedong, the Liu family of Hedong will definitely submit to us. But if Hedong is not conquered and the Wei Kingdom makes a comeback, if the Liu family of Hedong submits to the Han Dynasty and the Wei Kingdom comes to settle accounts, what should we do then?"

This is to have the best of both worlds, a non-stick pan!
Can.
How can there be such a thing in this world that you can take benefits but don't want to take any responsibility at all?

who do you think You Are?

"Then aren't you afraid that the Han army will take down your Liu's fortress?" Liu Bai's heart trembled, but he still said, "The Han army can certainly take it down, but my Liu's fortress has been in business for many years. If the Han country wants to attack, it will definitely pay a heavy price."

A heavy price to pay?
"Hahaha~"

Xiang Chong laughed loudly, as if he had heard a funny joke.

Laughing non-stop.

Although the laughter was hearty, it sounded completely different to Liu Bai's ears.

On the contrary, it is a bit harsh.

"Why is the general laughing?"

Xiang Chong stopped laughing and his tone became stern.

"I am laughing at your naivety."

Xiang Chong took out a parchment scroll from under the main seat.

"Come and see what these are!"

As he said that, he threw the parchment scroll to Liu Bai.

Liu Bai was stunned for a moment and was a little confused.

What's the point of throwing a parchment scroll to me?
But when Liu Bai opened the parchment scroll, his face was filled with shock and he was speechless.

This was because what was drawn on the parchment scroll was actually the structure of the Liu family fort, as well as the defense map, and even the locations of water sources, granaries, barracks, and arsenals were clearly marked.

Liu Bai's hands trembled slightly. He couldn't imagine how this detailed defense map fell into Xiang Chong's hands. His heart was full of doubts and fears. Could it be that there was really a traitor among them?
He took a deep breath, trying to calm his excitement, then looked up at Xiang Chong and asked in a slightly hoarse voice: "Where did you get this defense map, General?"

Xiang Chong smiled slightly, but did not directly answer his question. Instead, he asked: "Liu Bai, what do you think of this defense map?"

Liu Bai held the parchment scroll tightly, and he could clearly feel his hands trembling. He looked at Xiang Chong deeply, then lowered his head and studied the defense map carefully.

This map is extremely detailed and almost flawless. All important facilities, including water sources, granaries, barracks, and arsenals, are accurately marked.

The level of detail of this map even exceeds the defense map that Liu family has in their hands.

"So the general has already prepared to attack my Liu's fortress. If that's the case, why are you still pretending to be so hypocritical?"

Liu Bai now realized the power of the Intelligence Department and the Han State.

"Who said I want to attack your Liu's fortress? When I was in Chang'an, Your Majesty often talked to me about the fact that there was a lone loyalist in Hedong County, the Hedong Liu family. Could it be that Your Majesty's words were false?"

Xiang Chong looked at Liu Bai with a joking expression.

Call ~
Liu Bai exhaled deeply. He felt like he was being sold and still had to help others count their money.

"Your Majesty's words are of course true, but I cannot influence the Liu family's decision. I still need to consult the elders in the family before I can give the general an answer."

Xiang Chong's face was very warm.

"Okay, but my time is precious. I'll only give you three days."

Three days?

It takes two days to go from Yanchi to Jie County and back.

In other words, he, the Hedong Liu family, only has one day to consider!
Liu Bai's heart sank, realizing that the deadline set by Xiang Chong was not only a test, but also a test of Liu's decision-making speed and sincerity.

To make a decision within one day was indeed a great challenge for the Liu family, but it also showed that Xiang Chong and the Han Kingdom valued the Liu family.

Liu Bai took a deep breath, nodded solemnly and said, "General Xiang, I will discuss this with the elders of the clan as soon as possible and report back within three days."

Xiang Chong nodded in approval, praising Liu Bai's decisiveness.

Such allies are exactly what the Han State needs.

He reached out and patted Liu Bai's shoulder, saying, "Good, I will wait for Brother Liu Bai for three days. I hope you won't let me down, and I also hope that the Hedong Liu Clan won't let me down."

Liu Bai felt the power and warmth coming from Chong's palm, and his heart was awed.

He knew very well that this was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity but also a huge challenge.

He must try his best to fight for it, both for the Liu family and for himself.

So Liu Bai said no more and turned to leave Xiang Chong's tent.

He needed to immediately return to Jie County to discuss the matter with the elders of the clan.

Time flies, we must race against time.

At this time, the drunk Pei Jun suddenly became energetic.

"I can go with you to Jie County."

Liu Bai looked at Pei Jun and didn't want to complain about him anymore, so he said, "It would be great if my uncle goes."

The two men didn't say much and set off on horseback at night.

On the way back to Jie County, Liu Bai was filled with anxiety and anticipation.

He knew very well that this decision was of great significance to Liu and might change his future destiny.

Finally, at noon the next day, Liu Bai rushed back to Jie County.

He had no time to rest and immediately summoned the elders of the clan to discuss the matter.

The atmosphere in the hall was extremely tense and everyone looked solemn.

Liu Bai recounted in detail the conversation with Xiang Chong and the key points involved.

Pei Jun stood by to testify.

Then, wait for the decision of the elders of the Hedong Liu family.

"Han State is going too far. Do they think we are afraid of them just because they have a defense map? We just need to change our defenses!"

"It's just that there is an insider in the fort. Even if the defense is changed, the Han army must also know our deployment."

"Even if there is no internal support, if the Han army attacks, can we really stop the Han army?"

After an intense discussion and weighing of the pros and cons, the elders of the clan finally reached a consensus.

They decided to accept Xiang Chong's conditions and submit to the Han Kingdom!

Liu Bai breathed a sigh of relief when he heard the decision.

The next morning, when the first ray of sunlight shone on the earth, Liu Bai had already decided to set out for the salt lake with his clan members.

Before sunset, Liu Bai and his group finally arrived at the salt lake.

Xiang Chong has been waiting for a long time.

Seeing Liu Bai and his group arriving, he looked delighted.

"Brother Liu Bai, I've been waiting for you for a long time!" Xiang Chong greeted him warmly.

Liu Bai also smiled affectionately: "General Xiang, my Liu family is willing to submit to the Han Kingdom!"

Hearing this, Xiang Chong showed excitement.

He held Liu Bai's hand tightly and said, "You will never regret this decision. From now on, not only Hedong belongs to my Han Dynasty, but the whole world belongs to my Han Dynasty! Your Hedong Liu family will not only not decline, but will prosper!"

With the surrender of the Hedong Liu family, the situation in Hedong County was finally improved.

the other side.

Hongnong County.

In the county town.

The military officers and officials in Hongnong County were all at the city gate, waiting for the prince to arrive.

After hearing what Queen Guo Zhao said, Cao Rui immediately asked Cao Pi to go to Hongnong County to resist the Han army and boost morale!
Cao Pi was naturally happy that his son had volunteered to fight, so he immediately agreed to Cao Rui's request and asked Sima Yi to command the military affairs of Yongliang and take the prince to Hongnong County.

This was not only a training for the prince, but also a defense against the attack of the Han State.

After all, the main force of the Han Kingdom is now in Guanzhong, and Hongnong is the best route to attack Luoyang from Guanzhong, and it is also the most likely route for the main force of the Han Kingdom to arrive.

There is a Yubi City in Hedong County. The Han army will not be stupid enough to fight to the death in Yubi City.

As for Yingchuan, there are only soldiers from Jingxiang, and with General Cao Zhen in charge, there shouldn't be any problem.

As for Cao Ren, he passed away at the beginning of the year.

The banner of Cao Wei clan is now carried by Cao Zhen.

Right now.

Not far from Hongnong County, a convoy stretching for several miles was winding its way towards the county town.

This is the team of Crown Prince Cao Rui. (End of this chapter)