Han family achievements

Chapter 560 Gaze
The gongs and drums were beating, the firecrackers were blasting, and the entire navy camp was shrouded in a rumbling sound.

The ceremony performed by the army was going on, which was tedious, complex and purposeful.

Liu Bian stood on the observation deck and watched everything.

More than fifty large and small ships set sail one by one and left the port in an orderly manner. The Chinese character "汉" fluttered in the wind, clear and eye-catching.

Liu Bian looked at the fleet sailing farther and farther away, his heart pounding and full of confidence.

He has many ideas, or "dreams", but the most important thing is to tell everyone that the world is not what they see, it is not just "China" and the surrounding area.

The world is big and vast, and time is also long. If the Han nation wants to remain strong and stand at the top of the world, it must see the world clearly and cannot sit in a well and look at the sky from afar, or be complacent.

The fleet continues to move farther and farther, heading south against the sea breeze. They will go along the coast, through Yangzhou, Jiaozhi, across the strait, exploring this vast and mysterious world.

Zhou Yi, Sun Quan, Zhang Liao, Gu Yong and others behind Liu Bian were also looking at him, with smiling faces full of hope.

The drumbeats gradually stopped, and a strong smell of sulfur filled the navy camp, but compared to before, the navy camp seemed very empty and quiet.

Liu Bian took out his folding fan and fanned away the pungent smell. He glanced around and smiled, "Recently, many people have wondered why I spent so much money and grain to build warships and send more than 20,000 people on a long voyage. There has been a lot of criticism. What do you think?"

Gu Yong immediately took over and said in a deep voice: "Your Majesty, the saints said that those who do not think about the future will have immediate worries! Going out to sea to explore is your Majesty's foresight and vision. How can some short-sighted people compete with the bright moon?"

Liu Bian fanned slowly and said, "Mr. Zhou, what do you think?"

Zhou Yi bowed quickly and said, "Your Majesty, I deeply agree with what Governor Gu said. The great affairs of the country cannot be hindered by some scoundrels who can only sneak behind the scenes."

Liu Bian smiled. Seeing that the fleet was about to be blocked by the mountains and forests, he turned around, glanced at the crowd, and walked back, saying, "I am very pleased that you all think so."

Gu Yong, Zhou Yi, Zhang Liao, Sun Quan and others turned around, neatly divided into two rows, and followed behind Liu Bian.

Liu Bian looked up at the sun above his head, raised his folding fan to block it, and paced and said, "I have an agreement with the officials of the Shangshutai that all matters, big or small, must be reported to the Shangshutai first, and cannot be arbitrary. After all, it is inevitable for one person to make mistakes, so we still need to work together. You know a little about Yuzhou. Liu Yao and Liu Bei have been in Yuzhou for many years, and they have a lot of connections. I don't know how many students and former officials they have. The Zhou family has a heavy responsibility going there this time."

Zhou Yi's expression straightened up, and he said, "I will do my best to eliminate the adverse influence brought by Liu Yao, Liu Bei and others, ensure the stability of Yuzhou, and gradually implement the 'New Deal' so as not to disappoint Your Majesty and the court."

Liu Bian nodded and said, "When we were in Luoyang, the officials of the court praised your family. Especially when Zhang Yang was rebelling, your family was able to unite and fight against the rebels. You are brave and resourceful, which is rare. Tell me, who do you want? I will approve it now."

Zhou Yi paused, took out a list from his arms, and said, "Your Majesty, I have drawn up a list involving the governors of the prefectures, the governors of the counties, and the city defense captains. Please review it."

Liu Bian turned around, took it with his hand, blocked the sun with his fan, glanced at it, and said, "Alright. You submit a memorial to the Shangshutai and go through the formalities."

Most of the people mentioned in this memorial were famous figures in Jingyang area, even Liu Bian had heard of them.

It is obvious that Zhou Yi put a lot of thought into drawing up this list.

"I obey your command." Zhou Yi said without changing his expression.

Gu Yong glanced at it secretly, feeling very envious.

If he had this treatment, I wonder how many people he could promote, not to mention his family, but also his relatives, friends, teachers and students. What a huge impact this would have!

Sun Quan noticed nothing and his expression remained unchanged, but he gradually became nervous.

As things came to fruition, the only thing left was him, the Marquis of Wucheng.

He knew clearly that the emperor and the court would not allow him to stay in Wu County. Everything in Wu County was settled now and it was time for him to leave.

where to go?
Sun Quan was unsure and therefore felt very anxious.

In the past, he had brothers and elders, and he didn't have to worry about almost anyone's affairs. But now, everything fell on his head, who has not even reached adulthood yet.

"Zhongmou,"

Sure enough, before Sun Quan could think much, Liu Bian's voice rang in his ears.

"I'm here, your humble servant." Sun Quan immediately bowed and tried his best to keep his tone calm.

Liu Bian fanned his chest with his folding fan, and without turning his head, he smiled and asked, "Do you want to stay in Wujun, go somewhere else, or return to Luoyang?"

Although it seemed that many choices were given, Sun Quan knew that there was no choice at all. He humbly said, "Your Majesty, I have been in Luoyang for many years. I miss Luoyang very much every time I think of it. I want to go back to Luoyang. Please grant me permission."

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes and looked back at Sun Quan.

Was this his own idea, or did someone teach him?

Thinking that everyone around Sun Quan had been "cleaned up", Liu Bian thought for a moment and said, "You are so young, why would you go back to a place like Luoyang? Go with Zhou Qing's family to gain some experience, and take the imperial examination in two years. When you become an official, I have a big task for you."

Sun Quan was stunned. You won't let me go back to Luoyang? What's the purpose of following Zhou Yi?
Not daring to think too much, Sun Quan suppressed his surprise and said, "Your humble servant obeys your order."

Liu Bian hummed, turned around and fanned himself vigorously, looked up at the scorching sun, and said irritably: "The weather is getting hotter and hotter. I won't delay you, the ministers. Just do what you need to do. You don't have to accompany me."

Zhou Yi, Sun Quan, Gu Yong and others all raised their hands and said, "We accept your order and will take our leave."

Gu Yong stepped back, turned around and left, glancing at Zhang Liao who was standing still.

He knew that in this place, only Zhang Liao was the majesty's confidant, and even Zhou Yi was far behind.

Liu Bian continued to pace, and only Zhang Liao and Huangfu Jian followed him closely.

Liu Bian looked back at Zhang Liao and asked, "What do you think of the navy's long voyage?"

Zhang Liao looked calm and said, "Your Majesty, the one who is most frightened by the navy going south should be Yuan Shao. No matter where the navy goes, he will definitely not be able to sleep. This may have a great impact on the situation in Jiangdong."

Liu Bian subconsciously stopped, came to his senses, and thought with a strange expression.

It was not that Zhang Liao went around the government and the public to oppose the navy's huge investment and the navy's huge and inexplicable voyage. It was that he had never considered what Zhang Liao said.

In his subconscious, the navy's movement along the coast, not too far south, had nothing to do with Yangzhou.

But after Zhang Liao reminded him, he finally reacted.

indeed!

The navy moved southward, which posed a huge threat to Yuan Shao as it was difficult to determine where to land!

An army of 20,000, whether landing in Yangzhou or Nanhai County in Jiaozhi, would be a threat to Yuan Shao, even a fatal threat!

Liu Bian thought about it again and again, looked at the two people in front of him, and asked, "What do you think?"

Zhang Liao said: "Your Majesty, given the failure of Yangzhou, Yuan Shao may recruit troops on a large scale. Yuan Shao may abandon Nanhai County and withdraw all his troops to defend Yangzhou."

"If we do this, Yuan Shao will be trapped to death in Yangzhou,"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bian said casually: "Yangzhou is vast and sparsely populated, and the land is barren. Once all the troops are withdrawn, they will just sit there and wait for death."

Huangfu Jian shook his head and said, "Yuan Shao is not the kind of person who would sit back and wait for his demise. I suspect that he may be aggressive and ready to fight. Once he knows that the navy is heading south, he may not attack him, but may go all out to fight a life-and-death battle with the Shi family."

Liu Bian raised his eyebrows and asked, "Will they? Aren't they making peace?" Huangfu Jian paused for a moment and said, "This is just my judgment."

Liu Bian seemed to be thinking about something and looked up towards the direction of Yangzhou.

The court was in turmoil, and there was no consensus to wipe out Yuan Shao in one fell swoop. If Yuan Shao made peace with Shi Xie, it would bring a lot of trouble to the court. In addition, Liu Zhang of Yizhou attacked from three sides, and if he was not careful, he could cause a lot of trouble.

"It's right to play this unstable chess game,"

Liu Bian looked thoughtful and said, "Although it is a bit conservative, it is the best strategy. Yuan Shao has reached a dead end. Unless I make a mistake, he will not have a chance."

Zhang Liao looked at Liu Bian's expression and said, "Your Majesty, I think we can use the strategy of tiring the enemy."

Liu Bian looked at him and said, "Tell me more specifically."

Huangfu Jianchang also turned his head with curiosity.

Although Zhang Liao was a close confidant of His Majesty, the only ability he showed was in the battle of pacifying Xuzhou. However, in that battle, Guan Yu shined and his name was famous throughout the Han Dynasty, which made Zhang Liao almost invisible. Many people believed that it was Guan Yu who pacified Xuzhou, and they didn't even know that Zhang Liao was the main general.

Zhang Liao bowed and said, "Your Majesty, we have invaded from three sides. The navy has been approaching the coast of Kuaiji from time to time. Wujun, the key place at the junction of Jingzhou and Yangzhou, has been creating the illusion of a large army attacking from time to time, making it difficult for Yangzhou to be at peace. In less than two years, Yangzhou will surely be exhausted!"

Liu Bian narrowed his eyes slightly, smiled deeply, and said, "It's a good plan. I give you this power. The navy of Wu County and the troops of the counties bordering Yangzhou are under your command. I will inform the Grand Marshal's Mansion again and cooperate with your actions."

Zhang Liao showed no surprise and raised his hand, saying, "I obey your command!"

Huangfu Jian looked at Zhang Liao deeply without saying a word, and was secretly surprised and suspicious.

He had been with Liu Bian for a long time, and especially knew many secrets, so he knew very well that this emperor was extremely suspicious and hardly ever trusted anyone.

But for Zhang Liao, there was never any "arrangement". Such great power was given to him at will.

This kind of trust is really weird.

Liu Bian fanned himself vigorously, but still felt his face was covered with sweat. He looked towards Kuaiji and said with a smile, "My father-in-law is the former governor of Kuaiji and he misses Kuaiji very much. Whether I can go back earlier depends on your family's ability."

Zhang Liao said nothing, but bowed even more.

Liu Bian knew his personality well. He closed his folding fan and said, "Second Master, let's go back. Go to Yingchuan, visit Lu Yu and the others, and then go back to Luoyang."

"Yes." Huangfu Jian said.

Zhang Liao spoke up at this moment, saying, "Your Majesty, there are still some disloyal people who are trying to do something bad to Your Majesty. I would like to lead my personal soldiers to escort Your Majesty to Yingchuan."

Liu Bian looked at him, thought for a moment, and said, "Alright, I still have a lot to discuss with you. Second Young Master, prepare your carriage and leave with great fanfare."

This is to give Yuan Shao an opportunity.

Huangfu Jian understood and said loudly: "I obey your order!"

Snapped

Liu Bian opened his folding fan, looked at Kuaiji again, turned around and got on the carriage.

Zhang Liao personally led a thousand elite soldiers to escort Liu Bian out of Wujun, through Jiujiang, into Nanyang, and then north to Yingchuan.

At the same time, Liu Bian's every move was reported to Kuaiji.

Faced with internal and external troubles, Yuan Shao held a series of meetings to discuss countermeasures.

Because Guo Tu used the so-called "improperties" to attack and frame people, arrest and imprison people, and wantonly exclude dissidents, after more than half a year, Guo Tu's status in Kuaiji and under Yuan Shao soared, and he was second only to the emperor.

As a result, Feng Ji, Yuan Huan and others were excluded and marginalized, and they had to be cautious in their words and actions even during important discussions.

Yuan Shao looked grim, and as he swept his eyes over the crowd, he said in a cold voice, "Has the imperial navy still not found where it is?"

No one spoke, it was quiet.

They had no navy, and even though there were spies scattered along the coast, it was still difficult to track their exact whereabouts except for occasional sightings.

An army of 20,000 might land at any time in an unknown place. This was like a thorn in Yuan Shao's side, and he couldn't sleep at night.

Seeing that no one spoke, Yuan Shao cast a gloomy look at his nephew Gao Gan and shouted in a low voice: "You speak!"

Gao Gan glanced at Guo Tu, who had been expressionless, and said, "My lord, the navy is coming and going, and there is heavy fog on the sea, so it is really difficult to catch them. However, according to the distance they have traveled, they should have left Yangzhou now."

Yuan Shao snorted coldly, turned to Yuan Huan, his expression softened a little, and asked, "Mr. Yuan?"

Yuan Huan looked cautious and pretended to be thoughtful. "My lord, the purpose of the court's 20,000 naval forces is a bit strange. If they are interested in Yangzhou, other places should not be silent. If they are to support Shi Xie, there is no need to go to great lengths. They can enter Jiaozhi from Jingzhou."

Yuan Shao nodded slightly, finally saying something useful, with an expression that said 'keep going' on his face.

Yuan Huan continued, "The court said they were going to explore the distant seas. I think this is a cover-up. Maybe there are other intentions... We need to wait and see."

Wait and see?

Yuan Shao's disappointment was written on his face. He looked at Guo Tu, whom he had recently relied on as his confidant, and smiled in a friendly manner, "What do you think, Mr. Guo?"

Everyone took in Yuan Shao's expression, glanced at each other secretly, and felt extremely solemn.

Guo Tu, this villain, did whatever he wanted in Kuaiji, but Yuan Shao trusted him, causing panic in Kuaiji.

This is an ominous sign!

No one dared to say it out loud.

Anyone who dared to speak out has been killed by Guo Tu for various reasons.

Guo Tu stroked his beard, looking confident and contented. He smiled calmly and said, "My lord, in my opinion, there is no need to worry about the court. If the court really wants to attack Yangzhou, the emperor will not come to Wujun in person. The court will not allow it, and will also punish Yuzhou Mu Liu Yao and Yuzhou General Liu Bei."

Yuan Shao nodded in agreement and said, "Sir, what you said is exactly what I was thinking. Then, what is the intention of those 20,000 navy soldiers?"

Seeing that Yuan Shao believed him, Guo Tu smiled even more and said, "My lord, the court said that the number was 20,000, but how could it really be 20,000? To march 20,000 troops into the vast ocean is tantamount to suicide."

Yuan Shao looked thoughtful, but he still asked: "Sir, what you said makes sense. Why is that?"

Yuan Huan, Feng Ji, Gao Gan and others also looked over, with different expressions.

"The First Emperor, long life."

Guo Tu said calmly as everyone was watching.

As soon as he finished speaking, Yuan Shao's eyes widened, the doubts in his heart were instantly resolved, and his face showed enlightenment.

Feng Ji was stunned. Yuan Shao actually believed this kind of reason?
But there was still a cloud of "evil" hanging over his head, so he dared not speak. He could only keep silent, feeling uneasy.

(End of this chapter)