- >>->"Those who are not overlords are talented, but they want Xibo to deal with himself. His defeat will never end." [Three Kingdoms Wei Shu 23]
Although Jingzhou's current predicament was ostensibly solved, and Liu Biao showed his continued obedience to the court in another way, Lou Gui was still a little unhappy when he left. He seemed to have gotten some answer, but seemed to have none.
get.
Liu Biao was once kind to Lou Gui, and Lou Gui was in favor of Liu Zheng. The two were sworn kings and ministers, and Lou Gui claimed that he wanted to work for Liu Biao wholeheartedly. But the current situation gave him a deep sense of powerlessness, and he
He could neither change anything nor do anything for Liu Biao. This "useless" feeling of shame was like a huge stone weighing on his heart.
Full of thoughts, he hurried along the wall corridor, frowning in deep thought, and in a daze he didn't even know who was passing him.
In the open pavilion, Liu Biao looked at the empty seat in front of him in a daze. He poked the red charcoal fire with an iron drill, and the temperature in the stove became even higher.
Looking at the fire in the furnace, Liu Biao vaguely remembered the scene when he went to recruit Mr. Pang De in person for the first time in order to win over the powerful local families. At that time, he sat in Pang's house built in Yuliangzhou and asked: "The gentleman Gao Desheng
, You are supposed to help the world. But why do you only want to protect yourself, but don’t want to use your own talents to protect the entire world?"
At that time, Pang Degong was sitting upright, his eyes were shining, he stroked his beard and said with a smile: "I know that the swans live in their nests in high trees, and the turtles live in the abyss, day and night. The same is true for people, but each has his own place and a place to live.
That’s all, I’m an old man, I can’t protect the world, I need to wait for someone capable to take care of it...”
"It's not my guarantee..." Liu Biao murmured to himself. The sharpness behind his words at that time was still worthy of his careful recall now, although after that, Pang Degong gave up his family property and lived in seclusion in Lumen Mountain with his wife and children.
Liu Biao said that he would not return to official duties, but Liu Biao still harbored worries about this matter.
Now, Pound, who only cares about protecting himself, has gone uncharacteristically and proactively sought external contacts. This made Liu Biao have to recall how ironic that conversation was to him.
At this time, there was a sound of ringing from behind, and Liu Biao did not look back. He knew that it must be the woman he remarried, coming with a graceful figure.
She always appears when men need comfort most.
"What are you thinking about?" Mrs. Cai gently touched Liu Biao's shoulders with both hands and whispered into Liu Biao's ear. The warm orchid scent blew the hair on the side of Liu Biao's face.
Liu Biao reached out and patted her shoulder, stroking the delicate and white wrist, and slowly turned her face away. The other party did not give in, allowing Liu Biao's nose to touch her soft cheek first, and then
Feel the cold ears and smell the faint fragrance on the other person's neck and hair.
Her dark eyebrows are thinly swept, her eyelashes are lively, her nose is small and delicate, and her lips seem to be smiling but not smiling.
Mrs. Cai turned closer and looked at Liu Biao. Even though he was nearly thirty years older than her, she still looked shy as if facing the young man she liked: "Mrs. Sir?"
"Huh?" Liu Biao's breath was a little unsteady, and he avoided Mrs. Cai's eyes with a flicker of his eye.
Mrs. Cai smiled and sat down quietly beside her. Her beautiful eyes never left her side. She said exactly what she said: "But are you thinking about Mr. Pang De?"
Liu Biao pouted and replied after a while: "It's just annoying."
"There is nothing to worry about." Mrs. Cai smiled easily, took out a piece of fine silk from her sleeve, and wiped away the rouge that Liu Biao's nose touched: "Mr. Pang De is stubborn and willful, but someone like him
After all, people are only a minority. Once Lang Jun is the lord of Jingzhou, no one can force him. What have they accomplished in private?"
Liu Biao asked Mrs. Cai to wipe his nose unnaturally, and then ducked back, thinking that it would be great if it was as simple as you said. They not only left him no choice, but also wanted to get ahead of him, regardless of his own safety.
In the eyes of the imperial court, does it appear that he is willing? As for himself, a Jingzhou shepherd, he will be like fire and water when the time comes. Will he be allowed to say no?
Seeing that Liu Biao had a straight face and said nothing, Mrs. Cai still smiled. She held the fine silk in the palm of her hand and placed it on her lower abdomen. Her expression became gentler: "Mr. Sir, please be at ease. At least my family is always with your husband."
of."
"Is this what you said?" Liu Biao stared at the other person curiously and asked.
"It's what Cai said."
Liu Biao suddenly realized that most of this was done by Pang Degong and Huang Chengyan on their own, without the approval of Cai. Now that Cai has expressed his position, Kuai is probably the same. It is estimated that he still has the opportunity to change from passive to active.
If he is indifferent, Pang Degong and the Huang family of Jiangxia will contact the court privately, and when the court takes action, they will all jump out to "force the palace". At that time, even if he has the intention to return to the court, in the eyes of others, he will seem to be "forced by the situation."
Doing it as a last resort will greatly damage your reputation and affect your future. The Pang family and the Huang family will use this to obtain their first contribution and become representatives of the scholars who never forget the imperial court. They will almost step on Liu Biao's shoulders.
top.
Liu Biao knew that the source of all this was not only the unsettling hesitation and caution he showed when Xu Huang passed by Nanyang, but also the ambition he inadvertently revealed when he was sitting firmly in Xiangyang despite the chaos in the world!
'The world is not protected by me.'
At this point, Liu Biao could only try to remedy the situation. Fortunately, he only had the intention but not the action. He stopped in time after seeing Liu Yan's fate. As long as he gets ahead of Pang and others, he takes a proactive attitude towards the situation.
The court showed good will and made amends for past mistakes. In the name of Jingzhou Mu, he could easily turn Pang and Huang's plans into empty talk!
Cai and Kuai might also have this idea, so they did not follow Pang and others in taking the wrong direction. However, Pang should not only have these calculations, there must be follow-up methods...
During this period of thinking, even Liu Biao did not realize that he had been unknowingly led to the only path of surrendering to the imperial court.
Just as Mrs. Cai was about to say something, she suddenly heard steady and powerful footsteps coming from outside the open pavilion. Listening to this sound, Mrs. Cai immediately thought of a person. She did not linger, stood up and left.
Liu Biao was very pleased that the other party behaved appropriately. After watching the other party leave from another road, he looked back and saw a young man in his early twenties walking in with long strides. The young man had a handsome appearance and a strong body. He was also the most handsome man.
Liu Biao was familiar with him, so he bowed his hands and blurted out: "Uncle!"
This was Liu Biao's son Liu Pan, whom Liu Biao brought from his hometown in Shanyang. He was a brave man and loved military books more than classics. He was once not liked by Liu Biao. After entering Jingzhou, Liu Biao began to rely on him in many aspects and gradually entrusted him with important responsibilities.
, put them in the military for training.
"My nephew met Mr. Lou when he first came here. He looked solemn and didn't answer after calling several times. But what's the matter?"
"It's just the right time." Liu Biao said with a straight face, ignoring Liu Pan's questions, "Don't you already think it's boring to lead the soldiers in the palace? There is a big thing to be entrusted to you this time."
Liu Pan's face lit up, and he immediately put aside his curiosity and shouted, "What are your orders, uncle?"
"I want you to bring an army of soldiers and horses." Liu Biao reached out and picked up the iron drill again, picked up a few pieces of charcoal fire in the charcoal basin, and said slowly: "Go to Jiangling."
The charcoal fire was clamped onto the earthen basin by the iron drill, facing the slender fireweed. Liu Biao relaxed his hands.
Just hearing a 'chi' sound, the grass that was rumored to be able to ward off fire instantly turned into scorched yellow.