Ji Han Grand Commander

Chapter 164 158. Meeting with Liu Bei
Feng Xi only had to go upstream from Jiangling to Yong'an, and it would take less than two days. Feng Xi led more than a hundred personal soldiers and set out on a light journey the day after the envoy arrived, and arrived in Yong'an on the third day.

Feng Xi asked his personal soldiers to rest in the inn and went to the Yong'an Palace to meet Liu Bei in person.

"Third General, the Grand Commander has arrived from Jiangling and hopes to see Your Majesty."

The attendant came to Liu Bei's door and knocked on the door of the next room. Zhang Fei opened the door and looked at the attendant, who then whispered to Zhang Fei.

Liu Bei had just fallen asleep. In the past two days, Liu Bei's mental state had been visibly getting worse. Before, he could walk around the garden with Zhang Fei, but now he had to sleep for six or seven hours every day, and his sleeping time far exceeded his wakefulness time.

"Young Master Feng is here? Never mind, I'll go meet him myself."

Zhang Fei was surprised for a moment, but since Feng Xi had already come, there was no reason to let him go back. Zhang Fei had to go and talk to him in person.

"Yide, ask Xiuyuan to come over. I have something to say to him."

Suddenly, Liu Bei, who was already asleep in the next room, spoke in a low voice. Although his voice was not loud, it instantly drowned out Zhang Fei's words.

"Brother, you should take a rest..."

Zhang Fei stood in front of Liu Bei's door and advised in a low voice.

"It doesn't matter. Since I asked Xiu Yuan to come, how can I just ignore him? Bring Xiu Yuan here."

Liu Bei's voice was weak but extremely firm.

Zhang Fei naturally would not go against Liu Bei's wishes, and he went to meet Feng Xi in person with the eunuch, preparing to bring him to Liu Bei's bedside.

"General San, when did you come back?"

Feng Xi was naturally surprised to see Zhang Fei. Logically speaking, Zhang Fei should still be happily basking in the hot sun with the Zan people in Jiaozhou. No one knew when he came back.

"You've only been back for ten days. I heard that you, Feng, fought a few brilliant battles, causing Cao Ren, that steady old man, to suffer a loss?"

Because Cao Ren was also an accomplice in the attack on Guan Yu, Zhang Fei did not have a good impression of him, and he chatted with Feng Xi on the way to Liu Bei's bedroom.

"It is all thanks to the heroic fighting of our Han army. Third General, I wonder what instruction Your Majesty has given me, and why did you ask me to come here?"

Feng Xi still asked indirectly, but Zhang Fei just shook his head sadly and said nothing, which further confirmed Feng Xi's thoughts.

The two men walked in silence through the gardens and corridors of the palace and arrived in front of Liu Bei's bedroom.

"Brother, are you asleep?"

Zhang Fei didn't even knock on the door, but asked Liu Bei quietly at the door.

"come in."

Liu Bei's voice was as soft as the chirping of an insect, but the two people outside the door had sharp ears and eyes and could hear it clearly.

"Squeak-"

Zhang Fei gently opened the door and led Feng Xi into Liu Bei's bedroom. This was the first time Feng Xi saw Liu Bei after several months.

Feng Xi couldn't help but be startled.

Although Liu Bei's hair and beard were all white, he was still energetic and had a fighting spirit. Now Liu Bei looks haggard and seems to have lost a lot of weight; his eye sockets are sunken and his whole face looks like a skull covered with a layer of skin.

"Xiu Yuan, are you here?"

Liu Bei's old and confused eyes looked at Zhang Fei and Feng Xi who was following behind him. His eyeballs moved slightly, and a few rays of light flashed. "Greetings, Your Majesty."

Although it was a private meeting, Feng Xi still did not dare to overstep his authority and bowed respectfully.

"No need to be polite. Yide and I have read your battle reports from a few days ago. Cao Ren is a veteran general and a cautious person. As a young junior, you are able to design a plan to defeat him. It is not easy."

With the help of Zhang Fei, Liu Bei sat up slightly, half leaning on the large round pillow behind him.

"I dare not take credit for it. It was all because of your majesty's thoughts that moved the heavens and helped our army defeat the Cao Wei rebels. Moreover, our army fought bravely, and it was not the credit of this general alone."

Feng Xi had no idea what Old Liu was thinking as he was about to die, so he could only speak vaguely for now.

"Why is Xiu Yuan so cautious? Once Cao Ren is defeated, our army will have nothing to worry about. With Xiu Yuan's talent, he should have made a plan to advance eastward to Soochow, right?"

Old Liu waved his hand. Noticing Feng Xi's restraint, he changed the subject and began to ask Feng Xi about his subsequent plans.

"Your Majesty, although my soldiers fought bravely and defeated Wei and Wu several times, they are not made of iron and do need to rest and recuperate.

In addition, equipment, food, and other supplies also need to be re-prepared, so Jingzhou may need to recuperate for a period of time before it can continue to move eastward and take over Jiangdong.

In addition, the three generals have just conquered Jiaozhou. Although Jiaozhou is desolate, the people are fierce, and the Zhan tribe is fickle, the land of Jiaozhou is extremely fertile, and three or even four crops a year are not a problem. We also need capable officials to go there to govern..."

Feng Xi talked a lot, but Liu Bei just listened in silence. If Feng Xi hadn't tapped the bed board with his fingers from time to time, Feng Xi would have thought that Liu Bei had fallen asleep.

"Xiu Yuan has a good idea. I used to not believe that there are people who are born with knowledge, but I didn't expect Xiu Yuan to open my eyes. In the past, Xiu Yuan was also very proficient in military tactics, and now he has so many ideas. He has grown a lot."

Liu Bei waited until Feng Xi had finished speaking, and then he began to praise Feng Xi, but Feng Xi immediately broke out in a cold sweat. Why did Liu Bei's words always seem to have a hidden meaning?
Feng Xi's mind was working frantically. He and Zhang Nan had followed Lao Liu to Sichuan in the past. Lao Liu knew him inside and out, but he probably knew him from the beginning to the end. Now, his performance seemed to be too outstanding?

Although Lao Liu was an emperor who knew how to use people and would not kill important ministers, historically speaking, times have changed and the world is heading in an unknown direction. Who knows whether Lao Liu will become confused due to his serious illness, or pave the way for Liu Chan and do something ruthless to himself?

"Your Majesty, I am young after all, and I am a little too ambitious. These are just my sudden ideas, so I can't really do them. If Your Majesty has other arrangements, I will carry them out."

Feng Xi thought about it and decided to make up for it and cover up his edge.

"Why is Xiu Yuan doing this? It is a blessing for the Han Dynasty to have such a talent as Xiu Yuan. Why do you have to shirk responsibility like this? Do you think I want to emulate the old story between Emperor Gaozu and Marquis Huaiyin?"

Although Old Liu spoke in a somewhat relaxed tone, his words were so serious that Feng Xi's back was instantly soaked.

Feng Xi glanced around the room. At least it didn't look like a place where assassins could be ambushed.

"The general will not dare."

Feng Xi didn't dare to say much and could only admit his mistake first.

However, Liu Bei raised his right hand, which was like a dry branch, and waved it, signaling Feng Xi not to be nervous.

"I know that those who are willing to follow me all the way here are definitely not those who seek wealth and fame. Otherwise, they would have long since surrendered to Cao Wei. Zilong and Xiu Yuan are all loyal and virtuous people who sincerely hope to revive our Han Dynasty. How could I fail to distinguish between loyalty and treachery and do something that would make my loved ones sad and my enemies happy?"

Liu Bei comforted Feng Xi with a few words, which made Feng Xi feel a little relieved. At least Old Liu no longer had any thoughts about him.

"Xiu Yuan's words are not without reason. If Jiaozhou is as Xiu Yuan said, with rich products and fertile land, we should develop it with all our heart and make it an important granary for our Han Dynasty. If there is some surplus, it can be supplied to other states, which will be a blessing for the people."

Old Liu might not know much else, but he knew the importance of grain. When he heard Feng Xi say that the land in Jiaozhou was like this, he couldn't help but think about it.

(End of this chapter)