Silver Fox of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 10 Let Xuzhou

On May [-], Liu Bei defeated Cao Ren and pursued him all the way to Lanling County.

Cao Ren lost a lot of troops, but fortunately the front army and half of the central army were not damaged, so after retreating to Lanling County, he fought Liu Bei again.

The two sides engaged in a small-scale battle of about 5000 people outside the city. Originally, Liu Bei had a chance to completely defeat Cao Ren.

But Xu Dan stood still and ignored it, which made this opportunity a failure, which is regrettable.

Later, when the sky was getting dark, Cao Ren took advantage of the situation to launch an attack and defeated Liu Bei. Liu Bei retreated for more than ten li, gathered up the defeated soldiers, and fled to the southeast in the direction of Xiangben County.

On May [-]th, Liu Bei returned to Shan County. Tao Qian heard that Shen Chen had returned to his hometown at this time, and immediately called him to ask for advice.

Tao Qian was negotiating with everyone in Zhoumu Mansion. Apart from Kong Rong, there were close relatives Cao Hong, Cao Bao, Chen Deng, Mi Zhu, and Xu Dan who did not go to support Liu Bei yesterday but returned to Shan County.

Because Shen Chen's prophecy was correct, he was also summoned.

On the field, Xu Dan was the first to complain, saying that Liu Bei underestimated the enemy and rushed forward because it was dark and he didn't know the enemy's situation, so he could only retreat and come back first.

While he was talking, Liu Bei had already returned.

He asked Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun to appease the soldiers first, and went to the state pastoral mansion by himself.

Still outside the door, when he heard Xu Dan shirking responsibility, he rushed in angrily, glared at Xu Dan and said, "General Xu, I asked you for help, where did you go?"

"Hmph, I saw you underestimated the enemy and rushed forward, the sky was dark, how could you pursue the enemy? So what's wrong with stopping the troops and returning?"

Seeing that Liu Bei was still alive, Xu Dan was a little surprised, but quickly found a reason for himself to shirk responsibility.

On the other hand, Shen Chen was looking at Liu Bei, and saw that his face was resolute and majestic, although he was embarrassed, he was graceful, and he was indeed very well-groomed just from the outside.

"Underestimate the enemy?"

Liu Bei became even more angry, and yelled loudly: "It's obvious that you said that since I came to Xuzhou to help Tao Gong, I shouldn't be timid. After I went out to fight and defeated the enemy, you didn't move. What's the reason?"

Xu Dan looked surprised and said, "When did I ever tell you this? I just followed behind you according to Duke Ming's wishes, but in the end you rushed into the ambush by yourself. What does it have to do with me?"

"You villain!"

Liu Bei drew his sword angrily, he had never seen such a brazen person.

Seeing that the matter was about to become serious, Kong Rong quickly stood up and stopped Liu Bei and said, "Xuande, Xuande, don't do anything."

Tao Qian felt wronged at this time, because he was the one who sent Xu Dan to help, no matter whether Liu Bei underestimated the enemy or not, Xu Dan would not help, which naturally made him feel ashamed.

So he coughed twice and scolded: "Xu Dan, get down!"

"Ming Gong!"

Xu Dan hurriedly wanted to continue to shirk responsibility, but he didn't know that his little cleverness had already backfired on him.

Tao Qian's voice became louder, and he shouted, "Get down!"

"Yes."

Xu Dan had no choice but to leave.

Liu Bei was dissuaded by Kong Rong to sit on the next table, gasping for breath, obviously aggrieved.

Seeing his anger rising, Tao Qian said apologetically, "Xuande, it's because I didn't discipline him strictly."

Liu Bei got up angrily and said to Tao Qian: "Mr. Tao, Bei came to help out of loyalty. This time I was chasing the enemy. I saw the enemy laying an ambush on the road, so I wanted to wait and see. It was Xu Dan's words that provoked me, so I continued to lead the army. Attacked, but luckily defeated the enemy army, and chased all the way to Lanling, but he hid behind, unwilling to send troops to help, so that the success failed. If Tao Gong does not believe me, then he will go back to the plain."

After that, he turned and prepared to leave.

Retreat to advance?

For some reason, Shen Chen thought of this idiom while watching this scene.

But after a moment he dismissed the thought.

Because if Liu Bei was really smart enough to advance by retreating, he would not be provoked by Xu Dan's inferior provocation method and go after a strong enemy, almost putting himself in danger.

So from the current observation, Shen Chen only saw a stunned young man with no capital.

This made him a little disappointed.

Because the future Emperor Zhaolie of the Shu Han Dynasty has not been beaten by reality at least for now, and he is young and full of enthusiasm, far from the magnanimity he should have after middle age.

However, if you think about it carefully, maybe this is also a reasonable thing.

Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, who are they?

The top official second generation of the Eastern Han Dynasty.

For many people, their starting point is likely to be the end of life.

On the other hand, what about Liu Bei?
He was born as a commoner at the bottom, with a clan halo on his head. In fact, he did not enter the royal family tree. He only had the blood of the Liu family and had no political status that he deserved.

The political education received by the two parties and the environment in which they grew up are not at the same level.

Yuan Shao, Cao Cao, Yuan Shu and the others grew up among the top aristocratic families. Influenced by political struggles and bureaucratic struggles, the city and character will naturally be much deeper.

Even Yuan Shu, who is the worst, once dominated Huainan, and almost took the whole of Henan and other places into his pocket.

Liu Bei is still far below their level.

Perhaps in the future, he will have to wait until he becomes Xuzhou Shepherd, with Yuan Shu, Lu Bu, and later with Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, so that he can grow up quickly.

Therefore, the anxious, immature, and unscheming character he is showing now is his most real character now.

It is precisely because of this that he rescued Beihai and Xuzhou with one word.

Just seeing Liu Bei now, Shen Chen also strengthened his family's idea of ​​going to Jingzhou to avoid disaster.

After all, Xuzhou is already very dilapidated, Liu Bei's current personality is flawed, and he is by no means a person who can be assisted.

In the entire Three Kingdoms, there are only two people worthy of assistance, one is Liu Bei and the other is Cao Cao.

But Shen Chen didn't want to join Cao Cao either.

Cao Cao was moody, and according to historical records, he had a strict personality and was always at the mercy of his responsibilities. When following him, one had to worry not only about fear, but also about the danger of his head falling to the ground if he was not careful.

And the fact that he slaughtered cities and cannibalized people made Shen Chen extremely displeased, so after traveling to the Three Kingdoms, he never thought of joining him.

As for self-reliance.

I also thought about it, but unfortunately his background made this road difficult.

Of all the princes in the Three Kingdoms, Liu Bei's background is the worst.

Even Gongsun Zan's family has a prefect father-in-law and a Taiwei teacher, and he is also very brave, and is appreciated by his superiors and promoted very quickly.

If there is no one at the top, if you want to gain territory but cannot get it, if you have no connections, no resources, and no status, talents will not come to you, people will not trust you, and soldiers will not fight to the death for you.

Therefore, Shen Chen thought for a long time before finally making a decision.

It's a pity that the timing is not right now.

"Xuande, don't think too much about it."

Seeing that Liu Bei was really going to leave, Tao Qian didn't care about his aging body, he stood up quickly and said: "This is a subordinate who decides without authorization, and this old man has absolutely no intention of doing so."

"Yes Xuande, Tao Gong has always been loyal, how could he not believe in Xuande?"

Kong Rong also held him to persuade him.

"Mr. Xuande, don't get angry, the most urgent thing is to deal with the state and county affairs."

"Liu Shijun, don't make Tao Gong unjust because of this matter."

Mi Zhu and Chen Deng next to him also urged Liu Bei to stay, so he sat down sullenly.

Tao Qian walked over tremblingly, and sincerely bowed to Liu Bei to express his apology: "Xuande, this matter is due to my old age and I cannot discipline my followers. I ask Xuande to forgive me."

Liu Bei was startled, and hastily stepped forward to help him: "Where is Tao Gong?

"Ugh."

Tao Qian let out a long sigh, and suddenly waved to Mi Zhu, saying, "Zi Zhong, go and fetch my Xuzhou badge."

"Forehead"

Liu Bei didn't know what he meant for a while, looked around, and exchanged a glance with Kong Rong and Chen Deng, his eyes were quite confused.

After a while, Mi Zhu brought Xu Zhoumu's seal.

Tao Qian took it, held Liu Bei's hand and said bitterly: "Xuande, there is great chaos today, Wang Gang is in a state of slump, you are a clan member of the Han family, and it is time to help the country. I am old and incompetent, and I would like to give Xuzhou a place."

"Mr. Tao!"

Liu Bei was shocked, he hurriedly knelt down on one knee, straightened his back, cupped his hands and said solemnly: "Tao Gong's words made Liu Bei ashamed. I have come to help you out of righteousness, and if I say this publicly, do you suspect that I have the heart to annex Xuzhou? If I have this heart, the emperor will not help me!"

"Oh, I have no such intention." Tao Qian quickly clarified: "The old man really wants to give up Xuzhou. I should write my own letter and play it to the court. Please don't refuse!"

"Mr. Tao."

Liu Bei shook his head and said, "Right now, Cao's army doesn't know what's going on, and I've just been defeated. They are very likely to come to Xuzhou again. The most urgent thing right now is to retreat Cao's army first."

"Minggong, what Liu Shijun said is very true. It is indeed the most important thing to retreat Cao Jun first."

Chen Deng also stood up and persuaded.

Tao Qian hesitated for a moment, finally heaved a long sigh, nodded and said, "Okay, then let's discuss about retiring Cao first."

In fact, Tao Qian really wanted to give up Xuzhou to Liu Bei at this time.

the reason is simple.

One is that his own body knows that these days, Tao Qian has already vomited blood because of Cao Cao's massacre of Xuzhou.

The second is that Tao Qian felt even more dejected when he learned what Xu Dan had done, because it meant that his control over Xuzhou was already very weak, and even Danyang's cronies refused to obey his orders.

You must know that Tao Qian's decree at this time could not leave the East China Sea Kingdom at all. Ruo Rong occupied Guangling, Pengcheng and Xiapi were slaughtered by Cao Cao, and Langya was occupied by Zang Ba and Xiao Jian respectively. Both of them were almost independent.

So at the very beginning, Shen Chen also analyzed to him that if he wanted to save Xuzhou, he had to take the Langya Kingdom in the rear back into his own hands first, so that it would be connected to Kong Rong's Beihai and have mutual support.

However, Tao Qian felt weaker and weaker, he seemed to have aged ten years in just one month, and now even his cronies had begun to disobey, how could such a sick body rule the roost?

Therefore, Tao Qian also had to start planning for his own affairs.

After thinking about it, only Liu Bei can defend Xuzhou, so he decided to give up Xuzhou, but he didn't expect that Liu Bei would resolutely accept it because of morality, which made him helpless.

(End of this chapter)