There is a Hu City more than 20 miles northeast of Jicheng. The place is not big, only more than 200 steps in size. It has a temporary city, so there is no city wall or market, so it is basically freely stacked. The Hu people don’t have any fine goods, most of them are fur goods, mountain goods, and some horses.

Liu Bei was particularly concerned about horses. Zhao Yun brought more than 500 cavalry, and the consumption of war horses became a factor he had to consider. Five hundred cavalrymen needed at least 600 war horses. If the consumption and damage to the marching were taken into account, the number would need to be further increased. If there were 1,000 war horses, he could guarantee the combat effectiveness of these five hundred knights.

After a quick look, Liu Bei was a little disappointed. Although there were horses in Hu market, they were not good horses. Only 30% were for war horses. Most of the remaining ones were ordinary riding horses, and some even could only pull carts. Liu Bei asked Xianyufu about the prices of these horses. Xianyufu was a little hesitant. After a while, he said that the prices of these horses were not low. The good ones were five or six thousand per horse, and the bad ones were three or four thousand. However, in order to encourage transactions, Hu market did not charge taxes.

Xian Yufu said it very obscurely, but Liu Bei understood it. These Hu markets all appease the Hu people, which is equivalent to giving money.

Liu Yu was standing with a few Wuhuan people in the city. He was tall and thin, gray-haired, and wearing a cloth robes, which was a little simpler than the merchants in the city. When he learned that Liu Bei was from Chang'an, he immediately asked about the messengers Tian Chou and Xian Yu Yin who were sent to Chang'an. Liu Bei was surprised that he had been in Chang'an for a long time, and Zhang Fei also competed with many people in martial arts, but he had never heard of Tian Shou and Xian Yu Yin.

Liu Yu did not ask again, and immediately asked Liu Bei to take a seat in the tent that was regarded as the government office and received the edict. He held the edict and sighed. Xian Yufu conveyed what Liu Bei had just said on the road to Liu Yu. Liu Bei also expressed his attitude again, willing to assist Liu Yu in dissuading Gongsun Zan and restore stability in Youzhou. He also volunteered to go to Zhuo County to meet Gongsun Zan and convey the imperial edict.

Liu Yu expressed his gratitude and asked Xian Yufu to send Liu Bei to the inn to rest, and set off tomorrow to Zhuo County to meet Gongsun Zan.

Liu Bei felt Liu Yu's perfunctory behavior, but he had no choice but to show Xian Yu Fu his sincerity to Xian Yu Fu again when he was sending him out. Xian Yu Fu sent Liu Bei away, returned to Liu Yu's side, and asked Liu Yu's impression of Liu Bei.

Liu Yu thought for a long time. "Yuan Bi, you know that my son Liu He was detained in Yecheng by Yuan Shao."

Xian Yufu nodded. "I know, Yuan Shao still refuses to let him come back?"

"What I want to say now is not this. I am talking about Liu Bei. Although the dog son cannot escape, he often comes with letters, which once mentioned Liu Bei. In a year, Liu Bei attached Tao Qian, returned to Yuan Shao, and surrendered to Sun Ce. He repeated several times. I am afraid that this person cannot believe it."

Liu Yu told him what he knew. Liu Bei came to mediate the conflict between him and Gongsun Zan, so Liu Bei's statement did not explain any problem. However, Liu Bei and Gongsun Zan were fellow disciples, and he did not believe Liu Bei's initiative to show his feelings.

Xian Yufu frowned and didn't say anything for a long time. He didn't know much about Liu Bei. If Liu Yu didn't say it, he really didn't know these situations. He thought carefully for a while and advised: "Encourt, I think this is the case. Liu Bei is only able to do it. He was in the forefront of Gongsun Zan. Now even if he wants to return to Gongsun Zan's command, he may not be able to accept it with Gongsun Zan's character. If he wants to gain a foothold in Youzhou, he can only advance and retreat with the envoy."

Liu Yu smiled bitterly and said, "I know he is available, I just worry that he is unreliable. What if he turns against him at the last minute?"

“I don’t think it’s possible.”

“Why?”

"If you want to know someone, first look at his friend. Zhao Yun is from Changshan. He can gather five or six hundred cavalry and follow Liu Bei's family. Liu Bei must have something to be good. Looking at Liu Bei's previous behavior, he did have a disease of being lighter than being able to go, but he was born a simple and eager to make achievements. Although Gongsun Zan was his senior brother of his fellow disciple, he put him under Tian Kai, which shows that he had no intention of using it. Although Tao Qian had benefited his troops, he just treated him as a hawk. Yuan Shao's high-ranking sect would probably not take Liu Bei seriously. Liu Bei surrendered to Sun Ce because he was defeated in the war, not turning against him, and it cannot be regarded as the same. Even if Liu Bei did something wrong, there would be no great evil. Now it is the time to use people. If Liu Bei can serve the envoy, it will be what people want and will benefit the envoy."

Liu Yu stroked his beard and pondered for a while, feeling that Xian Yu Fu was saying something. Liu Bei's identity is special. Whether he is true or false, it will be a blow to Gongsun Zan.

"In accordance with Yuan Bi's opinion, how to arrange Liu Bei?"

"You might as well let him see Gongsun Zan first and see what he does. If he gets into trouble with Gongsun Zan, he will put him in Yuyang and serve as the envoy's left arm. If he has a secret relationship with Gongsun Zan, he will put him in the joy and let him comfort Goguryeo. After the envoy pacified Gongsun Zan, he will decide to use his house when he sees the best and wrong."

Liu Yu nodded and chuckled. "Yuan Bi's plan is very wonderful."

——

Shen Zhi walked into Sun Ce's tent and bowed. Sun Ce raised his head, glanced at him, and then turned his gaze back to the official document in front of him.

"Boping, sit."

Shen Zhi responded, took a seat on the side table, and handed a manuscript with both hands. This was an article written by Sheng Xian in two days. Sheng Xian was embarrassed to come and asked Shen Zhi to come. Shen Zhi couldn't refuse, so he had to bite the bullet and meet Sun Ce. He had read this article and felt that Sheng Xian had a very upright attitude and was well written. As long as Sun Ce did not deliberately make things difficult for him, he would be satisfied.

Sun Ce took the manuscript, took a look and threw it aside. He took the case with one hand and pinched his eyebrows with the other. "What do Boping thinks?"

"Uh..." Shen Zhi complained secretly. Isn't Sun Ce making things difficult for others? Can he comment on Sheng Xian's articles, and it's such an article?

Sun Ce glanced at Shen Zhi and sighed. "I know he is your elder, and it is not convenient for you to comment. I also know that it is valuable to write such an article as him. You probably have done a lot of effort from it. But unfortunately, this article treats symptoms but not root causes, and I cannot believe that he will really change his course. He is just sympathetic and compromising to save his life. He will go against the rules whenever he has the chance in the future. Boping, do you hope to do this again?"

Shen Zhi's heart tightened and suddenly understood Sun Ce's intention. This time, Sheng Xian was bound to die, and Sun Ce gave him a chance to persuade Sheng Xian for Shen You's sake. If Sheng Xian could not truly give up his intention to be an enemy with Sun Ce from the bottom of his heart, they would have a conflict sooner or later in the future. With this danger, even if Sun Ce did not kill Sheng Xian, he would not use him, and of course he would not dare to let him go.

But he really didn't know what kind of article Sun Ce needed, and when would he guess the result be guessed? Shen Zhixin made a fuss. "Please give me advice."

Sun Ce looked at Shen Zhi. "You don't know what I want, either?"

Chen Zhi is very embarrassed. "Zhi Zhi is ignorant."

Sun Ce shook his head and chuckled, revealing a hint of regret. "Boping, I heard that you were being misled by Guo Yi in Guling, and Wang Sheng was careless. Is there anything wrong with this?"

Chen Zhi was embarrassed and laughed dryly.
Chapter completed!