Chapter 1: You Can't Seize Xuzhou, Go Seize Jingzhou

The first year of Jian'an, 196 AD.

Yuan Shu marched northward in large numbers, captured Guangling County, and headed straight for the heartland of Xuzhou.

Liu Bei, who had taken over Xuzhou not long ago, was forced to lead his troops south and stationed in Xutai City, confronting Yuan Shu's army across the Huai River.

It was noon that day, outside the west gate of Xutai City.

A horse-drawn carriage slowly approached the city.

The Xuzhou soldiers guarding the gate immediately became alert.

"Brother-in-law, we have arrived at Xutai City."

The young man in white hurriedly stopped the carriage and turned back to warn people inside.

The boy was about fourteen or fifteen years old, and there was still some youthfulness in his brows and tone.

A yawn was heard in the carriage.

An older young man in a blue shirt slowly jumped off the carriage and stretched lazily.

"Brother-in-law, Liu Xuande is the governor of a state. We are two unknown people. Will he be willing to see us?"

The young man in white asked with a frown while holding up an oil umbrella to shade the young man from the sun.

The young man in green shirt did not answer. He swaggered to the city gate, cleared his throat, and said loudly:

"My surname is Xiao, and I am a famous scholar in Jingzhou. I am passing through here and have come to show you a way to support the Han Dynasty. Go and report to me immediately!"

The Xuzhou soldiers guarding the gate were immediately shocked.

He was not only a famous scholar, but also claimed that he could show their lord a clear way to support the Han Dynasty.

You are so arrogant, you must be from a prominent family!

There is no doubt that the person coming must be a famous scholar. We, a small soldier, cannot afford to offend him. Let's go and report to the governor immediately.

One soldier rushed into the city at high speed, while the rest of the soldiers were whispering and wondering who this young man was.

"It's not good for my brother-in-law to pretend to be a famous scholar and deceive the envoy Liu..."

The young man in white was obviously not very experienced in his dealings with people, and he didn't know how to be subtle when giving reminders.

"Aliang, when you go out, you give yourself an identity."

Xiao Fang said without blushing or beating his heart:
"Although Liu Xuande is of humble origin, he is now a powerful lord. How can a commoner just meet him whenever he wants?"

"You are a young boy, and I am a commoner. You also said that we are nobody. If we don't pretend to be famous people, how can we meet Liu Xuande?"

"If we can't see him, how can we trick him into going to Jingzhou?"

Xiao Fang raised his eyes slightly, and a hint of weirdness flashed in his eyes.

"I think I understand a little bit. From the perspective of military strategy, this should be called bluffing."

"Well, I have to write it down..."

Zhuge Liang seemed to understand something, and hurriedly took out a bamboo slip and began to write it down carefully.

Looking at his brother-in-law with a face full of curiosity, Xiao Fang couldn't help but feel emotional.

I remember that due to an accident, I traveled through time to the chaotic times at the end of the Han Dynasty and became a young man from a poor family in Jingzhou.

At that time, Cao Cao massacred Xuzhou. In order to avoid the war, Zhuge Xuan, the head of the Zhuge family, took the Zhuge siblings to Jingzhou and took refuge with Liu Biao.

Xiao Fang, a doctor of medicine, saved the seriously ill Zhuge Xuan by chance.

In order to repay the favor of saving his life, Zhuge Xuan betrothed his niece Zhuge Lan, Zhuge Liang's eldest sister, to him.

So, by accident, Xiao Fangbian became the future Wolong's brother-in-law.

Today, in order to lead Liu Bei to Jingzhou, Zhuge Liang followed him from Jingzhou to Xuzhou in the dual identities of his wife's brother and servant.

"But brother-in-law, what does the word 'huyou' mean? Could you please enlighten me?"

Zhuge Liang raised his head and looked at Xiao Fang with a confused look.

"Cough cough..."

Xiao Fang came back from his sigh and was thinking about how to deal with the situation when the soldier who brought the news came back.

"My master invites Master Xiao to come into the city for a chat!"

"What are you still standing there for? Let him go now."

The gate guards stepped aside and stood by respectfully.

Zhuge Liang showed joy on his face and looked at Xiao Fang:
"My brother-in-law's bluff worked. Envoy Liu was really fooled... ahem, he really is being courteous to his worthy subordinates."

Xiao Fang laughed and jumped onto the carriage.

"What are you waiting for? Let's enter the city."

"Whether the Zhuge family can be revived, whether I, your brother-in-law, can achieve the highest position among the ministers, and whether I can be enshrined in the Imperial Ancestral Temple a hundred years later, all depends on today!"

The carriage entered the city. A moment later.

Xiao Fang was already in the mansion, sitting in the seat of honor, and tasting the soup and tea.

The middle-aged man sitting in the main seat with a kind look on his face is Liu Bei, the lord of Xuzhou.

At this time, Liu Bei was looking at the uninvited guest with curiosity.

He had wasted half his life and encountered setbacks everywhere. When he was nearly forty years old, his luck suddenly turned around and he became the pastor of Xuzhou by chance.

He just came from a grassroots background. Even if he is in a high position now, most of the talented people in the world would avoid him. The talent pool is so shallow that it can support turtles.

Therefore, at this time, the two armies have been confronting each other for several months, and he has suffered losses in several battles. There is no capable person around him to guide him on how to repel Yuan Shu.

He then instructed him on how to hold on to Xuzhou, his hard-earned piece of land, and even realize his ambition to support the Han Dynasty.

Confused...

At this critical juncture, someone suddenly claimed to be a famous scholar in Jingzhou. Not only did he come to visit him, but he also claimed that he would show him a way to support the Han Dynasty!

Liu Bei was naturally cheered up and greeted him with courtesy.

"But this Mr. Xiao is so young, I wonder which noble man in Jingzhou he is..."

Liu Bei temporarily suppressed his speculation and bowed apologetically:

"Mr. Xiao has come from afar, and I am sorry that I failed to go out of the city to greet you. This is really rude."

"May I know your name, sir?"

Xiao Fang put down the teacup in his hand and bowed in return:
"You are too kind, Envoy Liu. I am Xiao Fang from Yiyang, with the courtesy name Jinglue."

Xiao Fang?

Xiao Jinglue?
Liu Bei quickly went through the names of famous people in Jingzhou, but he could not find such a person.

Liu Bei looked at Jian Yong, who shook his head with a blank look in his eyes.

He looked at Guan Yu again and shook his head slightly.

Neither of them knew, and it was not because they had a bad memory, but because there was indeed no such person as Xiao Fang among the famous scholars in Jingzhou.

"Could it be that this person is pretending to be a famous person and is trying to deceive people?"

"Or maybe he is a spy sent by Yuan Shu with other intentions?"

Guan Yu was the first to guess this. His half-closed eyes suddenly opened and he pressed the hilt of the sword.

Liu Bei, however, hinted to Guan Yu that he should not act rashly, and then continued to suppress his suspicion and bowed again:

"I heard from the soldiers that Master Xiao came here specially to show me a way to support the Han Dynasty."

"Mr. Xiao, what are your grand plans? I am ready to listen attentively."

Guan Yu and Jian Yong also pricked up their ears, wanting to hear what brilliant strategies this so-called famous scholar from Jingzhou, whose origins were unknown, could come up with.

"Xuzhou was severely damaged after Cao Cao's two bloodbaths."

"To the north of this state is Yuan Shao, to the west is Cao Cao, and to the south is Yuan Shu. They are all powerful crocodiles and have an overwhelming advantage over Xuzhou."

"As for the interior of Xuzhou, Guangling County has been captured by Yuan Shu, and Zang Ba and other Taishan troops are entrenched in Langye and Donghai counties. You are following orders but not decrees."

"And the Danyang army that Tao Qian left to you is far from under your control. Cao Bao, Xu Dan and other military leaders are also pretending to obey you but secretly disobeying you."

"Most of the powerful families in the prefecture are fence-sitters. They will support whoever wins. There are very few who wholeheartedly support the envoy."

"Under such a situation of internal and external troubles, it would be extremely difficult for you to defend Xuzhou, a place surrounded by enemies!"

Xiao Fang played with the tea bowl and brought the turbulent undercurrents in Xuzhou to the surface in a calm tone.

Liu Bei was shocked, and his originally suspicious look was now filled with a hint of admiration.

This man is far away in Jingzhou, but he can clearly see the complicated internal and external situation in Xuzhou and the difficulties he is facing!

Something...

Maybe he is really a talented person, and he has some brilliant ideas and strategies that can help him support the Han Dynasty!

"Mr. Xiao really knows the situation in Xuzhou very well."

"Then may I ask Master Xiao, what should we do to defend Xuzhou and use it as a base to support our Han Dynasty?"

Liu Bei immediately asked again.

"I have said so much, but Envoy Liu still hasn't understood?"

"Being obsessed with defending Xuzhou will only lead to death!"

Xiao Fang said firmly, then raised his hand and pointed to the southwest:
"If Envoy Liu wants to support the Han Dynasty, he has no choice but to give up Xuzhou and seize Jingzhou!"

Liu Bei's expression suddenly changed.

(End of this chapter)