Ji Han Liu Zhang

Xiangyang, Kuai's residence.

"Two uncles and nephews are incompetent and failed to defend Fangling. They became prisoners and insulted the Kuai family." Kuai Qi, the magistrate of Fangling County, knelt on the ground and apologized to Kuai Liang and Kuai Yue in front of him.

Kuai Liang had a gentle look on his face. He stepped forward to help Kuai Qi up and comforted him: "It's okay if everything is fine. Fangling was captured. As the magistrate of Fangling, you have an inescapable responsibility, but ultimately, It’s not your fault.”

"Humph." Kuai Liang said cryptically, without naming the specific person responsible for the fall of Fangling. However, Kuai Yue did not have such a good temper here. He snorted and said bluntly: "The fall of Fangling, the successive soldiers Failure is all the fallacy of Cai and Zhang’s followers. You must not blame yourself or hold back any regrets.”

"Yes." Kuai Qi put away his humility and inferiority complex in front of his family. He nodded, followed Kuai Liang's slight lifting movements, and stood up calmly, and then the three uncles and nephews sat down. , started drinking together.

After drinking a glass of wine, Kuai Liang continued to explain to Kuai Qi: "Although you failed to defend the mausoleum, you are unyielding and would rather die than surrender to the rice thieves. Liu Jingzhou is treating you badly." It is quite recognized. I have wanted to send people to redeem you several times, but because of the faces of Cai and Zhang, I cannot send envoys to the rice thief."

"Cai and Zhang are defeated. They are not willing to redeem the soldiers of Jingzhou who are trapped in Shangyong. They say that when we march next year, we will definitely attack and kill the rice thieves and rescue you and others." Kuai Yue then angrily complained about Cai Mao and Zhang Yun. , although they were colleagues with each other, he disliked Cai Mao and Zhang Yun very much.

"Uncle, do you think Cai Zhonglang will be able to capture the rice thieves when he marches to Shangyong next year?" After Kuai Qi took a sip of wine, he asked Kuai Yue, who was known for his scheming.

Kuai Yue shook his head and gave a negative attitude: "If it is a naval confrontation, Cai Mao and Zhang Yun may have some chance of winning, but a land attack is not what Cai Mao and Zhang Yun are good at... But with more soldiers and generals, Coupled with the warning of two consecutive defeats, it is probably a no-win, no-lose, 50-50 situation... Attacking the rice thieves and seizing Shangyong is a bit overthinking. "

"Besides, right now, rice thieves are nothing more than mustard moss, and the real worry lies in the east." Kuai Yue sighed with a worried expression.

"To the east?" Kuai Qi was a little confused. He was imprisoned in Shangyong and didn't know much about Jingchu, let alone Yangzhou to the east of Jingchu. He didn't have a dark eye, so he guessed: " Could it be that Yuan Shu from Shouchun is spying on our land of Jingchu?"

"It's Yuan Shu." Kuai Liang opened his mouth to clear up Kuai Qi's doubts.

"At the beginning of the year, Yuan Shu sent Sun Ce, the son of Sun Jian, to cross the Yangtze River from Liyang. Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, was defeated and abandoned Dan and fled to the west. Later, Sun Ce marched into Wu County. Xu Gong, the prefect of Wu County, was defeated by Zhu Zhi under Sun Ce's account, so he had to flee and rely on his clan. "Commander Yan Baihu, most of the territory east of Jiangdong has fallen into Yuan Shu's hands."

"Hiss." Kuai Qi frowned slightly. Yuan Shu has always wanted to spy on Jingchu. In the past, when Yuan Shu was still circling Nanyang, he sent Jiangdong tiger Sun Jian to attack Xiangyang. At that time, Sun Jian besieged Liu Biao in Xiangyang City, almost to the point of danger. If Sun Jian hadn't carelessly underestimated the enemy and was shot by Huang Zu's men, Jingchu would have fallen into Yuan Shu's hands.

But now Yuan Shu sends Sun Ce, the son of Sun Jian, to attack Jiangdong. After Jiangdong is completely captured, it goes without saying that Yuan Shu will take action against Jingchu, which occupies the upper reaches of Yangzhou, with the intention of occupying the whole river and integrating the upper and lower areas.

Kuai Qi's face was solemn, and he exhaled a filthy breath: "In this case, there are rice thieves in the west and Yuan Shu in the east. Our Ansheng life in Jingchu is not long." "Things haven't reached the point of hanging upside down yet." Kuai Liang relaxed. Looking at his face, he analyzed: "The rice thief Zhang Lufang occupied Shangyong, and the foundation is unstable. Moreover, Shangyong is a small area with few people. He is more self-defeating and not enterprising enough, which is not a big concern... Liu Yao, the governor of Yangzhou, stopped in Yuzhang after fleeing to the west. In addition, Wang Lang, the prefect of Kuaiji, is also dissatisfied with Yuan Shu and is currently competing with Sun Ce. The affairs in Jiangdong are not yet clear, and it has not yet been determined who will be the winner. "

"The rice thief is nothing to worry about." Kuai Yue first echoed Kuai Liang's opinion, and then expressed his views on Sun Ce. Regarding Sun Ce, he had a different view: "Sun Ce is brave, similar to Xiang Yu in the past. "Liu Yao and Wang Lang's disciples are not Sun Ce's opponents. In my opinion, the land in Jiangdong will be acquired by Sun Ce sooner or later."

"What Sun Ce got? Shouldn't it be what Yuan Shu got?" Kuai Qi raised a question. Sun Ce was Yuan Shu's subordinate. Of course, the Jiangdong counties that Sun Ce captured should be divided into Yuan Shu's command.

Kuai Yue's eyes were shining brightly, and his eyes were like falcons. He showed the intuition that a first-class counselor should have, and said confidently: "Although Sun Ce belongs to Yuan Shu's account, Yuan Shu does not treat him politely, and only regards Sun Ce as a fighter. The general broke the contract with Sun Ce several times. He first promised Sun Ce to be the governor of Jiujiang, then hired Chen Ji from Danyang, then promised Sun Ce to be the governor of Lujiang, but in the end he hired his old subordinate Liu Xun..."

"Oh, Mencius said: If the king regards his ministers as his hands and feet, then his ministers will regard him as his belly; if the king regards his ministers as dogs and horses, then his ministers will regard him as a fellow countryman; if his ministers regard his ministers as earth and mustard, then his ministers will regard him as a bandit. Kuai Yue stroked his long beard gently: "As for what Yuan Shu did to Sun Ce, it would be fine if Sun Ce didn't treat Yuan Shu as a bandit, but as a fellow countryman."

"Can you still expect Sun Ce to be loyal to Yuan Shu? Such expectations are too extravagant." Kuai Yue sneered.

Kuai Liang and Kuai Qi were silent when they heard this, but they each nodded carelessly.

"Besides, Sun Ce's actions are nothing ordinary. Great sages such as Zhang Zhao from Pengcheng and Zhang Hong from Guangling were all persuaded and recruited by Sun Ce." Kuai Yue analyzed him carefully. Received news about Sun Ce.

"Sun was born in Wu County and has great prestige in Wu County. Now that the tiger has returned home, it will not be so easy for Yuan Shu to restrain Sun Ce... Now if Sun Ce wants to stand on his own and escape Yuan Shu's control, he only has one excuse. "

Kuai Yue finally gave an accurate prophecy: "I believe that the land east of the Yangtze River will be owned by Sun Ce sooner or later, and Sun Ce will stand on his own feet and will not have any contact with Yuan Shu."

Hearing Kuai Yue's prophecy, Kuai Liang sighed softly: "Sun Ce and Liu Jingzhou have a grudge against the murder of their father. If Sun Ce reaches the east of the Yangtze River and borders Jingchu, I am afraid that there will be no peace in Jingchu."

That being said, it was a matter of the future after all. Kuai Liang, Kuai Yue and Kuai Qi changed the topic after a while and discussed the Yizhou envoy Zhang Su.

"It is Liu Yizhou's credit that you were able to escape from Shangyong. In the future, you will invite Zhang Su, the envoy from Yizhou, to visit the house and pay your respects to Liu Yizhou through him." Kuai Liang upheld the good style of courtesy and reciprocity.

"Yes." Kuai Qi nodded. (End of chapter)