Chapter 343 Follow your heart
After the meeting with Chen Qun, Liu Bei was not in a hurry to meet with Lu Su to discuss anything.

Instead, he entered the nearby front-line camp to discuss matters with Guan Yu and Xu Shu who were in charge there.

Under the awning outside the camp, a cowhide map was spread out in front of the three people.

Liu Bei pointed at each party and, based on Chen Qun's secret report, explained the interests of each party.

Xu Shu listened without saying anything, but just frowned in thought.

Almost like Chen Qun, Xu Shu saw the possibility of replacing Liu Fu.

Whether it was Cao Cao or Yuan Shang, their greatest interest was not anything else but survival and continuation.

If they can obey Liu Fu's Huainan court, then when Liu Fu dies of old age in the future, they will naturally obey another powerful emperor who can unite the forces of all four directions to contain Guanzhong.

Guan Yu lowered his brows and looked at the map. Seeing that the positions of all parties were almost clear, he stretched his waist and pointed at Hanzhong: "Brother, will Zhang Lu in Hanzhong follow the Grand Marshal?"

Liu Bei was also puzzled. According to their internal intelligence and inferences, even if Zhang Lu's Five Pecks of Rice Sect possessed some unusual skills, they should only be minor ones, not as shocking as the ones mastered by Black Bear.

According to the style of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect and the Taiping Dao, once the two sides collide and fight, the winner is determined and one side can easily swallow up the other.

Therefore, Liu Bei always regarded Hanzhong as a part of Guanzhong.

Even though Zhang Lu is free and easy now, when the attack really comes to Guanzhong, Zhang Lu will have no chance of resistance.

During the past decade or so, the Five Pecks of Rice Sect was in full swing in destroying mountains and temples, with local and Han believers blending together. They were able to enthusiastically conquer the Six Heavens and also kidnap Zhang Lu and send him to Guanzhong.

In fact, deep down in his heart, Liu Bei did not have a strong aversion to the Five Pecks of Rice Sect.

Before the Yellow Turban Rebellion, obscene sacrifices were rampant in various places. Sacrificial activities led by various wizards, priests, and powerful people were too frequent, and there was also a phenomenon of competing for wealth among them.

Under the guise of offering sacrifices to gods, they madly exploited the people, causing them to go bankrupt and lose their homes, suffering terribly.

This is also the reason why Taiping Dao in Qingxu area was able to develop rapidly, because the poor people were in urgent need of a god that they could worship cheaply.

Simplifying the cost of sacrifices is a powerful weapon for missionary work. If medical care is provided or justice is administered and disputes are mediated, the Taiping Dao will naturally expand rapidly.

However, after the original backbone of the Taiping Dao was wiped out, the leaders of the remaining Yellow Turban Army organizations in various places were generally priests and wizards who were subsequently recruited, so the remnants of the Yellow Turban Army in various places resumed rituals such as blood sacrifices.

The Five Pecks of Rice Sect organization remained intact throughout, so after incorporating local and Han believers, believers in the Hanzhong area were freed from all kinds of ignorant and bloody sacrificial activities.

From eating and drinking to daily economic activities, everything developed under the influence of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect.

In particular, the conflicts between the Turks and the Han people have been unprecedentedly reconciled under the same beliefs.

As Guan Yu asked about Hanzhong's position, Liu Bei frowned slightly: "Does Yunchang have a different opinion?"

"Yes, I am going to attack Xudu with the Grand Marshal. I know that the Grand Marshal has many special skills."

Guan Yu looked solemn: "Although the Grand Marshal has concealed his true intentions, many details still cannot stand scrutiny. If I were Zhang Lu, seeing that the Grand Marshal has extraordinary skills, I would have gone north overnight and performed the kowtow ceremony in order to become his disciple. But Zhang Lu did not do these things. What does this mean?"

Did Zhang Lu disdain to learn the extraordinary skills of the Grand Marshal, or did Zhang Lu feel that extraordinary skills were gifted by nature and could not be learned by simply becoming his disciple?
In various stories about gods and immortals circulating in the world today, there are contents about seeking a master and the truth, and various tests are also emerging one after another.

But basically there is one thing in common: you can only see the gods if you have the qualifications to seek the truth. The gods will examine your character, and if your character is not satisfactory, they will abandon you.

So you can become a disciple and seek the truth, but you must have the qualifications.

So does Zhang Lu have the qualifications to practice Taoism?

Who dares to say not?
But Zhang Lu did not take the initiative to go to Guanzhong. What does this mean?
Liu Bei looked at Guan Yu and asked, "Yunchang, are you saying that the Way of the Five Pecks of Rice is different from the Way of the Great Sima?"

"Yes, I think Zhang Lu is now determined to surrender to Guanzhong, but he will be hesitant and worried."

Guan Yu lowered his head and looked at the map. "Hanzhong is a dangerous place. With the Grand Marshal's means, no matter what Zhang Lu thinks, it is easy for him to take Hanzhong. He let it go before, perhaps because he didn't want to make enemies on many sides. Now that the title of Huainan is imminent, this matter has swept the world, and Zhang Lu must also make his position clear." At this time, Xu Shu spoke up, "General Yunchang, do you mean that Zhang Lu will obey Huainan?"

"That's right. Hanzhong is the throat of Yizhou."

Guan Yu pointed to Yizhou and said, "Yizhou has a large population. If Liu Zhang can become the king of Yizhou, he will surely be able to unify the country. How could he allow Zhang Lu to split Hanzhong?"

Liu Bei raised his hand to touch his beard and squinted his eyes. "I heard that the soldiers of Hanzhong Wudoumidao are quite brave, and most of the soldiers in Yizhou are not strong enough to fight. Liu Zhang became king and integrated Yizhou, so he could naturally train and strengthen the army calmly. But Zhang Lu will also obey Huainan..."

It's useless. Before, everyone obeyed the court of Xudu, but now everyone is fighting against each other.

Touching his beard, Liu Bei frowned: "So if Liu Zhang attacks Hanzhong and Zhang Lu can't resist, then he can just rely on the Grand Marshal?"

"My lord, don't underestimate the heroes of the world."

After Xu Shu finished speaking, he bowed to Guan Yu and asked, "General Yunchang, do you mean that Huainan is interested in mediating the dispute between Hanzhong and Yizhou?"

"It's just an idea. If Huainan can successfully mediate this matter, it will be of great significance."

Guan Yu felt that the probability of success was too small, and shook his head and said: "The military advisor is right. We cannot underestimate the heroes of the world. Hanzhong is not Zhang Lu's Hanzhong alone. He has a blood feud with Liu Zhang who destroyed his family and killed his mother. Now it seems that the title of Huainan will encourage Hanzhong to join the Grand Marshal's army."

Liu Bei heard this and said, "So, when the Huainan title and all parties jointly raise troops to attack the Grand Marshal, it will be difficult for Liu Zhang of Yizhou to do anything."

Xu Shu said, "My lord, the Grand Marshal is very swift in his use of the army. I believe that when Liu Zhang proclaimed himself king and unified Bashu, the Grand Marshal must have instructed Zhang Lu to attack Bashu. Liu Zhang used the troops of Dongzhou to govern the state, and the people of Yizhou have never returned. If Zhang Lu's offensive cannot be stopped, Liu Zhang's fall is only a matter of time. In this way, the Grand Marshal will have the power to strengthen Qin."

Liu Bei went to see Guan Yu, who nodded, "The Grand Marshal will never allow Liu Zhang to integrate the people of Yizhou. Zhang Lu and Liu Zhang have a blood feud of destroying their family and killing their mother, and he has just joined the Grand Marshal's army, so he must be eager to make achievements. This battle is inevitable, and Liu Zhang is in danger."

Liu Bei lowered his eyebrows and looked at the map. He concluded that Hebei would not take the initiative to attack Guanzhong. He had already made up his mind: "I don't know whether I should fight for the justice of the world or for the welfare of the people."

Xu Shu lowered his head and said that if it was for the sake of justice in the world, he should continue to mobilize troops and launch a decisive battle against Cao Cao.

Regardless of whether Huainan is a title or not, this battle will annihilate and severely damage Cao Cao, and the remaining framework of the Xudu court will naturally fall into their hands.

If we fight for the welfare of the people, it would be even simpler. We just need to send envoys to Guanzhong to discuss deeper cooperation.

Guan Yu felt a little regretful. If Zhang Fei were here, he would naturally not make things so difficult for Liu Bei.

Zhang Fei acts spontaneously and often follows his instincts, which must have deeply aligned with Liu Bei's thoughts.

For example, at this moment, if anyone dares to persuade Zhang Fei to stop the fighting, Zhang Fei will slap you twice in the face and then kick you down.

Immediately, Liu Bei said: "Chen Changwen hinted that Huainan had no children. Although I was tempted, I was not happy."

Guan Yu immediately said: "In my opinion, if Huainan defends Jianghuai carefully, it will still have a chance to fight in the future. Now that it has a title, its foundation and form will inevitably be eaten away by the thieves. How foolish! Big brother, you must not follow suit."

"Yes, now that Liu Fu's title is imminent, perhaps it is not his intention, but the intention of the bandits."

Liu Bei had made up his mind and looked at Xu Shu: "Military Advisor, please prepare the document. I will send Xianhe to Guanzhong to pay a visit to the Grand Marshal."

He had already sent his two daughters to Guanzhong, and had no other children.

Liu Fu was swept up in the Jiangdong Army and embarked on a path of no return.

He doesn't want to go down this road.

Even if it is a title, he has to win it himself before he can get it, otherwise there will be no good ending, and it will be impossible to achieve his ideal.

Xu Shu was a little disappointed, but he also felt at peace and at ease. He bowed and said, "Yes."

(End of this chapter)