Chapter Fifty-Nine: Invitation
"Bang!" Liu Bei slammed his palm heavily on the desk in front of him, also slapping the draft of Tao Qian's proclamation that the Mi Zhu brothers had copied and brought to him. The force was so great that the inkstone on the desk jumped up, but Liu Bei still wouldn't calm down. Even when he saw Guan Yu and Zhang Fei hastily entering the door, he still flipped over the desk with one hand and let out a loud roar: "You bunch of mediocre rats, how dare you do this!"
Liu Bei was really furious, since he could remember, our Liu Bei had never suffered such a great loss in terms of benevolence and morality. His reputation for being kind to the people had never been so severely damaged. Thinking about how his performances of benevolence over the past half year in Xuzhou were all in vain due to Tao Qian's single proclamation, our Liu Bei felt an urge to strangle Tao Qian and his son with his own hands! How vicious must this father-son duo be to come up with such a despicable idea? They simply pushed Liu Bei into the opposing side of the millions of people in Xuzhou, turning him into a greedy and despicable person. They even didn't give Liu Bei a chance to cry out for injustice!
It was the first time they had ever seen Liu Bei so furious, and even Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were shocked. Guan Yu hastily asked: "Brother, what happened? Why are you so angry?"
"Big brother, who offended you? I'll go and slaughter his whole family!" Zhang Fei also asked eagerly.
“Tao Qian Lao……” Liu Xianggong almost cursed out the name of his enemy, but before he could finish speaking, our Liu Xianggong had already calmed down and knew that he was in the wrong. The bigger the fuss, the more damage it would do to his reputation for benevolence. So Liu Xianggong quickly changed his tune: “Tao Fugui misunderstood my good intentions, causing me to be at fault with the people of Xuzhou. I am so angry that I lost my composure.”
"Taofu Jun misunderstood his brother's kindness again?"
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei couldn't help but ask the reason, so Liu Xie had to pick up a copy of Tao Qian's proclamation and hand it over to the two brothers. He then made up another story about how he was seeking a large amount of money and grain from Tao Qian for the five counties of Xu Zhou. Finally, Liu Xie hypocritically said: "I'm just worried that Cao Pi's power is too great, and our troops are too few to resist, so I sent Jian Xian and Yu to see if Tao Qian can provide 200,000 dan of military grain to help us expand our army. Unexpectedly, Tao Qian misunderstood me and thought I was demanding this money and grain, so he put up this proclamation, causing me to be hated by the people of Xu Zhou."
"No wonder!" After hearing Liu Bei's words, Zhang Fei immediately shouted in a loud voice: "No wonder our merchant team sent to buy iron from Donghai County was driven back by the people of Lanling, it turns out that this is the reason!"
"We went to buy iron and were driven back by the people of Lanling County in Donghai?" Liu Xuanzi asked in surprise.
Zhang Fei nodded and replied, "We just received news that our merchant team sent to purchase refined iron was blocked by the local people in Lanling yesterday and couldn't even enter the city. The leader, Duan Bo, didn't know the situation, so he sent someone back overnight to report."
"Yesterday?" Liu Xu's face turned pale with sweat, Tao Qian's proclamation was posted on the city gate of Xuzhou just the day before yesterday morning. The people of Lanyang and Xuzhou, over 200 miles away, received the news yesterday. It is clear that Tao Qian and his son must have been up to no good, sending out fast horses to deliver the proclamation to the five counties of Xuzhou at top speed, in order to tarnish their own good name among their beloved citizens as quickly as possible. By now, probably more than half of the cities and towns in the five counties of Xuzhou have already posted this proclamation.
"Our scouts were also blocked by the people of Xuzhou in the south of Luyang County." Guan Yu added: "The people of Xuzhou did not allow our scouts to continue south, and even shouted slogans asking you, brother, to get out of Xuzhou. Our soldiers did not dare to harm the civilians, so they hastily returned to Xiaopi to report to us."
Liu's face turned even darker, and in his heart, he hated Tao Qian and his son to the bone for their ingratitude. Didn't he just want to be the governor of Xuzhou? Did they have to use such shameless tactics against him? It was simply ungrateful and beastly!
"Brother, since it's just a misunderstanding, explaining clearly will do," Guan Yu suggested: "Lord Tao is a kind and reasonable person, brother only needs to send Jian Yong south again, to explain the situation to Lord Tao, that brother is only negotiating this grain money, without any intention of coercion, asking Lord Tao to withdraw the notice, and inform the people of the truth."
"Right, Second Brother is right." Zhang Fei hastily agreed and said: "Tao Fu Jun and Tao Gong Zi are both kind-hearted good people, I can see that. Otherwise, Big Brother, let me run to Xuzhou for a trip, I'll make sure to explain it clearly to Tao Fu Jun on your behalf, and also drink a few more jars of good wine with Tao Gong Zi, and find out how this Tao Gong Zi used 800 cavalry to defeat tens of thousands of people. This Tao Gong Zi is really extraordinary!"
Liu Bei's face was stern and he refused to speak. Everyone knew that his true intention in extorting a large amount of money and grain from Xu State was to create an opportunity to annex the state by any means possible. However, since Liu Bei's plan had been foiled by Vice Director Tao's clever move, all his subsequent plans were rendered useless. If he were to turn against Tao Qian now and start a war, although there might still be a chance to drag Cao Cao and Lü Bu into the battle and deal with the Tao family, Liu Bei's reputation for benevolence would be completely ruined. On the other hand, if he abandoned his plan and yielded to the Tao family, once the Xu State army had gone through its trial period with Zhang Lu's forces, Vice Director Tao, whose prestige had greatly increased, would consolidate his position as the heir apparent to the governorship of Xu State, and Liu Bei would never again be able to entertain any ambitions regarding the five counties of Xu State. For the time being, even the cunning and resourceful Liu Bei was at a loss for what decision to make.
"No, everything can fall behind, but reputation and righteousness absolutely cannot fall behind. Otherwise, I won't even have the chance to rise again." After hesitating for a long time, Liu Xuan finally made up his mind and nodded in agreement: "The two of you are right, Tao Fu is kind and sincere, understanding and reasonable. We brothers are fighting for justice, we can't let him misunderstand. I will send someone to Xu Zhou again to explain the misunderstanding to Tao Fu."
"Brother, let me go." Zhang Fei eagerly volunteered.
Liu Bei secretly rolled his eyes and thought to himself, "Third brother is in trouble now. Letting you go to Xuzhou as an envoy will only get you sold out by that old man Tao Qian and his son Tao Ying, and you'll still have to help them count their money!" After muttering to himself, Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Third brother, don't be impatient. This matter requires careful consideration. Let me make up my mind first, then we'll decide who will go to Xuzhou to pay respects to Lord Tao." Zhang Fei had no choice but to obediently agree.
To Liu Bei's surprise, he had not yet made up his mind how to explain and dispatch someone to the south as an envoy. On that afternoon, Xuzhou had already taken the lead in sending an envoy, and the envoy was none other than Xu Shu, Liu Bei's most loyal and selfless follower in history and reality! Upon hearing that the envoy was Xu Shu, Liu Bei, who was eager to understand the situation in Xuzhou City, was both surprised and delighted. He hastily led Guan Yu and Zhang Fei out of the city to welcome him, and respectfully invited Xu Shu into the city of Xiaopei, treating him to a sumptuous feast.
At the banquet, in front of Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, many things could not be said by Liu Xuan De and Mei Zhuo. Liu Xuan De could only ask Mei Zhuo about his purpose for coming to Xiaopei. Mei Zhuo replied truthfully: "It was my master Tao Qian who ordered me to come to Xiaopei. In the past few months, my master's illness has been getting worse and worse, and now that winter is approaching, my master fears he won't survive this winter. Therefore, he invited Lord Xuan De to visit Xuzhou, to entrust him with his last wishes in person. Also, we need to discuss the military situation on the northern front, and consider how our two families should cooperate to defend against the enemy if Cao's army returns or Lü Bu comes back from the south."
The reason for Tao Qian's invitation to Liu Xuande to go to Xuzhou was absolutely justifiable. Liu Xuande nodded, but did not rush to answer, only pondering and analyzing whether there was any deceit in it. Zhang Fei on the side shouted loudly, urging Liu Xuande to agree immediately, and also said that he would accompany Liu Xuande back to Xuzhou together. Guan Yu also agreed: "Brother, we were originally going to send an envoy to explain to Tao Gongzu, since Tao Gongzu sent Cao Bao to invite us, then we can go to Xuzhou together to explain to Tao Gongzu in person and ask him to dispel the misunderstanding of the people of Xuzhou towards us brothers."
For these two brothers who are both brave and have a close relationship, Liu Xuan De was speechless. So he had no choice but to say that he needed some time to think about it and would make a decision the next morning, thus ending this conversation reluctantly. After the banquet, Liu Xuan De arranged for Guan Yu and Zhang Fei to patrol the city and the camp, and then invited Mi Zhu to his private chamber, where they had a real talk.
"Is Lord Tao inviting me to Xuzhou just to discuss the aftermath and military situation?" Without Guan Yu and Zhang Fei by his side, Liu Xuande also shed some of his pretenses and asked Cao Zhen bluntly: "In your opinion, is there any deceit involved?"
"Taogong's excuse was just that, nothing more. Zou Zhu shook his head and said: "As for whether there is any deceit in it, I'm afraid my abilities are shallow and can't see through it."
Liu Bei fell silent and closed his eyes for a moment before asking again: "In your opinion, should I go?"
"In my humble opinion, Lord Xian would do best to make an excuse and send a messenger south. That would be enough." Mi Zhu was indeed one of Liu Xuande's most loyal followers, and he kindly reminded him: "Although Tao Qian is not the kind of person who would set up a Hongmen Banquet to entertain Lord Xian, his son Tao Yi is a ruthless and cunning individual. During the Guangling Battle, he used both deceit and treachery, ultimately causing Sun Ce's death. This shows that this young man is extremely treacherous and has a heart as venomous as a snake or scorpion. If Lord Xian were to take risks lightly and get hurt, it would be too late for regrets."
Liu Bei's eyes flashed with a few glints of sharp light, but he did not indicate whether or not to accept Zhuo Yu's suggestion. He only asked again: "How is Lord Tao's illness?"
He hesitated for a moment, then replied in a low voice: "Everything is under my brother's control. As long as Lord Guan is willing, Tao Qian can die at any time."
Liu Gongzi fell silent again, and it was only after a long while that he spoke in a light and casual tone: "Zou Bie, it seems we previously underestimated Tao Yinggong. This young master appears to be loyal and honest, but is actually intelligent beyond others, with great ambitions and a deep mind. He will definitely not be an ordinary person in the future - however, I am also worried that Tao's intelligence and talent might be misused. Will he do something wrong in his eagerness to inherit Xuzhou?"
A chill ran down Mi Zhu's spine as he suddenly understood the implicit meaning behind Liu Bei's words - to poison Tao Qian to death and then shift the blame onto Tao Ying, triggering a huge internal turmoil in Xuzhou, thereby creating an opportunity for Liu Bei to take over Xuzhou. However, being clear-headed didn't necessarily mean Mi Zhu was a top-notch strategist, as he was at best a second-rate tactician in the Three Kingdoms era, far inferior to the likes of Liu Bei and Tao Qian in terms of cunning and righteousness. After some deliberation, Mi Zhu reluctantly replied, "I'm afraid it's unlikely, Young Master Tao is renowned for his filial piety and loyalty, people would find it hard to believe that he would commit patricide."
"Foolish like a mad dog! What's difficult about this? Can't you just bribe the imperial physician to bite back and that's it? No matter if others believe it or not, as long as I can muddy the waters, I can also avenge Tao Qian's old grudge with a clear conscience!" Liu Xuan was cursing in his heart, feeling extremely disappointed with his underlings. By the way, when Liu Xuan ascended to the throne, there had been rumors circulating within Sichuan that Emperor Xian of Han had already been killed. Only then did our Liu Xuan reluctantly ascend to the throne, as heaven cannot be without a sun and a country cannot be without a ruler.
Helpless, he deliberated for a moment and finally made up his mind. He gritted his teeth and said: "Since Lord Tao has sincerely invited me, I must not decline. Tomorrow morning, I will personally lead Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, along with the other officials, to return to Xuzhou and pay respects to Lord Tao."
"Lord Guan, aren't you afraid that this is a Hongmen Banquet set by Tao Ying's son?" Zuo Ci reminded: "Tao Fu Jun is seriously ill and unable to handle affairs. The military and civil administration of Xuzhou are actually in the hands of Tao Ying's son. If Tao Ying's son has evil intentions, what can we do?"
"He is not afraid of him." Liu Xuan said calmly: "Bei Yu stationed in Xiaopei, it was to ensure the safety and stability of the five counties of Xuzhou, and to join forces with Tao Fu Jun to resist the strong enemy. If Tao Fu Jun summons him, Bei Yu will go, otherwise, wouldn't it make the two families suspicious of each other and things not harmonious? If Tao Ying Gongzi really has a mind to harm him, Bei Yu also wants to reason with him and argue with him, asking him how he would face the world after killing me?"
Repeatedly advising Liu Bei to no avail, Mi Zhu was even more helpless now that he had boarded the pirate ship. He could only remind Liu Bei to be careful and suggest that he bring more soldiers to guard against unexpected events. Of course, Liu Bei would not take his precious life lightly either. He decided to let his two trusted bodyguards, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, lead 500 elite soldiers south to Xu State to meet with Tao Qian and his son. Mi Zhu considered his own private troops in the city of Xu State and estimated that adding Guan Yu and Zhang Fei's elite soldiers would be enough to ensure Liu Bei's safety - at least they could protect him from escaping back to Xiaopei. He no longer opposed it and prepared to return to Xu State with Liu Bei to meet Tao Qian and his son.
……………
Around the same time in Xuzhou City, our Deputy Director Tao had also gathered Lu Su, Cao Hong, Chen Deng, Cao Jiao and Zang Ba and other high-ranking officials of Xuzhou to personally arrange the preparations for Liu Xuande's return to Xuzhou. After finishing the arrangements, Tao Ying again instructed Cao Jiao and Chen Deng with concern: "Uncle Cao, Brother Yu Long, at that time you two will be in charge of internal security within Xuzhou City, please keep a close eye on the Mi Fu and Mi Zhu brothers' large and small businesses within the city. Remember, as long as the Mi family does not make a move, you cannot take the initiative to act, strive to eliminate the crisis without a trace."
Chen Deng and Cao Jiao sang together, then Cao Jiao asked again with great suspicion: "Young Master, since you have already obtained the iron evidence to put Zhi Fang's children to death, why not take action directly and execute this rebellious brother? Why waste so much effort at night and use so much energy to clean up these brothers?"
"General Cao, the young master is being cautious and doesn't want to cause a big stir. He's worried that if he doesn't handle this carefully, it will have far-reaching consequences. The Mi brothers are from a wealthy family in Xuzhou, with assets worth tens of millions, and nearly 10,000 servants and guests. Their lands and shops are countless, and their influence runs deep in the five counties of Xuzhou. Every move they make has an impact on the foundation of Xuzhou - as the young master would say, if the Mi brothers stomp their feet, Xuzhou will tremble three times! If we take action against such a powerful family without being able to eliminate them completely and instantly, like a whirlwind sweeping away fallen leaves, then there will be endless troubles in the future!"
"If we want to achieve this, our Xuzhou army's strength is still insufficient, because the Mi Fang family is too large, and even if all of Xuzhou's military forces are mobilized, it would be difficult to completely eliminate them in an instant." Chen Deng smiled and said: "Moreover, setting up such a large-scale action would also be difficult to escape the eyes of the Mi brothers. It might push them into desperation, making them take risks. Therefore, young master can only retreat and plan for a secondary option, even so, just to prevent the Mi brothers' forces in Xuzhou city from becoming desperate, young master has no choice but to use the 'borrowing a tiger's might' tactic, asking your lordship to send Mi Fang to Xiaopei, leaving behind the more impulsive Mi Fang in Xuzhou city to control the Mi family's power, making it convenient for us to set up our plan."
"Hey." Cao Jiao wasn't a fool either, and after Chen Deng's explanation, he immediately understood why Tao Ying didn't dare to answer - among the seated guests was also a representative of the Xuzhou aristocratic family, whose family wealth might not be as good as that of the Mi brothers, but in other aspects, their strength was absolutely not inferior to that of the Mi brothers. Discussing how to thoroughly eliminate a powerful aristocratic family in front of him wasn't like scolding a monk for being bald, was it?
"Even if I'm confident in completely eliminating the Mi brothers, I won't take action lightly." Tao Ying finally spoke up, calmly saying: "The impact is too great. The Mi brothers control three-tenths of the commercial trade in Donghai, Pengcheng and Xiapi, the three major grain-producing areas, more than one-tenth of the land, and tens of thousands of tenant slaves, child servants, and food guests. Even if we can completely eliminate them, it will shake the foundation of Xuzhou and is not conducive to the stability of the situation in Xuzhou. Therefore, I absolutely cannot act impulsively and can only give the Mi brothers another chance. Even if they refuse to seize this opportunity, it will prevent them from colluding with Liu Bei again to stir up trouble, making it convenient for us to take them down one by one."
"The young master is wise and the gentleman has a kind heart, we are ashamed to be inferior." Lu Su, Cao Jiao, and Cao Hong flattered and praised our Vice Director Tao for his kindness and benevolence, going so far as to give the Zou brothers another chance to repent.
"General Cao Jiao, General Zang Ba, I have two lists here." Chen Deng then took out two lists written on silk from his sleeve and handed them to Cao Jiao and Zang Ba respectively. Smiling, he said: "When you arrange the specific actions, please do not let these few subordinates participate, otherwise it will definitely leak out."
Zang Ba and Cao Jiao were both shocked, quickly taking over the list, and asked in surprise together: "Yuan Long brother, where did these two lists come from?"
"Tiāo Miǎo Fāng is in charge of the documents, he is the cousin-in-law of Chen Feng's wife, and also the nephew of his maternal uncle, but only Tiāo didn't know that." Chen Deng replied lightly.
"It's indeed a snake in one's own backyard." Cao Jiao and Zang Ba both sighed inwardly, then they quickly scanned the list again. After getting a grasp of it, Cao Jiao hastily handed the list to Tao Ying, "Young Master, please take a look."
"I don't want to see it, seeing it makes me angry." Tao Ying shook his head and said lightly: "Uncle Cao, Brother Xuan Gao, after this matter is over, you can gather the generals on the list, burn the list in front of them, and then tell them that this thing never happened. From now on, just use your heart to serve the country."
"The young master is magnanimous and broad-minded, we are convinced in our hearts and words."
The crowd was applauding again, but this time Tao Ying didn't pretend to be humble. Instead, he got up and walked to the door, opened it, felt the biting cold wind blowing in his face, looked at the gloomy night sky and sighed: "There's ice in the wind, snow is coming soon. A good harvest will follow a snowy year, Xuzhou should also welcome new atmosphere and new scenery."
"Sir, I have one last question," Zang Ba suddenly asked: "What if Liu Bei doesn't dare to come to Xuzhou? Then all our arrangements will be wasted, and your clever plan can't be implemented."
"He will definitely come, if he doesn't come, then he is not Liu Bei." Tao Ying's mouth curled up slightly as he smiled and said: "Liu Bei is very clear, both of us are the same kind of people, we value our reputation more than our lives. Absolutely dare not set up a Hongmen Banquet to chop off his head, repaying kindness with enmity would invite ridicule from all under heaven. Therefore Liu Bei will definitely come, if he comes, then there is still a glimmer of hope for him to annex Xuzhou, if he doesn't come, then he has no hope at all."
