Chapter 107: The family scandal is exposed, the son is crazy and the wife is vicious, how sad! We can't wait any longer, we have to race against time with Sun Ce!
Is there any other way except retreating to Jiangling?

A ray of light suddenly emerged in Liu Biao's dark eyes. He jumped up suddenly, stumbled down the stairs, and supported his son.

"Unless it is absolutely necessary, how can I be willing to give up Xiangyang!"

"Qi'er, if you have another brilliant plan that won't abandon Xiangyang, that would be great. Tell me as soon as possible!"

Liu Biao asked impatiently, his face full of anticipation.

Liu Qi took a deep breath and slowly said five words:
"Surrender to Liu Xuande!"

Liu Biao's body stiffened, and he immediately loosened his hands that were supporting his son. His face, which was originally full of expectations, gradually began to distort.

"What did you say?"

"You actually want me, your father, to defeat that mat weaver and shoe seller?"

"Are you crazy?"

Liu Biao jumped up and looked at his son with anger and surprise. His son had a determined look on his face.

He seemed unable to believe that his son could come up with such a ridiculous plan.

"Father, don't you understand yet?"

"Liu Xuande is a truly wise leader, and he has the assistance of a god like Xiao Jinglue. Not to mention you, my father, even Cao Cao and Yuan Shao may not be his match."

"Earlier, my father had 100,000 soldiers and had all the advantages, but he was no match for Liu Xuande. He was defeated and lost many soldiers and territory. Now even Xiangyang is about to fall."

"Even if father retreats to Jiangling, can he really defend Jiangling with the few remaining soldiers and horses?"

"What's more, Huang Zu has his own army and is not willing to listen to my father's orders. How can he be a match for Liu Xuande with only the few troops in Jingnan?"

Liu Qi supported his sick body and gave Liu Biao an analysis while gasping for breath.

Liu Biao's distorted face gradually recovered and he fell into silence.

"Father's retreat to Jiangling was just a last-ditch effort. It only caused more casualties among the soldiers and civilians in Jingzhou, and there was no hope of turning the tide."

"In the end, my father will still not be able to change his fate. By then, I'm afraid both my father and I will die without a burial place!"

After taking another deep breath, Liu Qi bowed and advised:

"In this case, why don't you give up your pointless struggle and surrender Jingzhou to Liu Xuande?"

"Liu Xuande is a kind and righteous gentleman. From what I know about him, he will definitely treat us well because of his father's contribution to the founding of the state and because we are of the same clan as the Liu family."

"Although my father will no longer be the leader of this place, we will be able to save our lives and live a prosperous life. This is a blessing in disguise!"

"So, father, listen to my advice. Don't go to Jiangling. Just offer the state to Liu Xuande right here!"

As he spoke, Liu Qi, supported by Wang Wei, knelt on the ground and kowtowed to Liu Biao.

Liu Biao's body shook, he froze in place and fell into silence.

It seemed that his son's persuasion at this moment had shaken his will, and for a moment, he really had the idea of ​​surrendering.

"Husband, you will never surrender to that big-eared thief."

"My three brothers all died at the hands of the big-eared thief. Many of my Cai family members died because of him. Your nephew Zhang Yun also died at the hands of Liu Bei."

"Liu Bei and we have a blood feud, how can you surrender to him~~"

Mrs. Cai became anxious on the spot, and knelt before Liu Biao again, crying and trying to persuade him in anger.

Liu Biao's heart was shocked, and his originally hesitant eyes were rekindled with anger.

Liu Qi hated Madam Cai to the core, but because of Liu Biao's protection, he had endured it until now.

Now Mrs. Cai was inciting Liu Biao again, and he flew into a rage.

"Cai, you vicious woman!"

"You poisoned me to death, and now you are trying to seduce my father into giving up his only chance of survival. You want to kill my father!"

"You vicious woman, you want to kill my father and me without a burial place!"

"I'll kill you~~"

Liu Qi was so angry that he lost his mind in an instant and struggled to jump up.

He drew his sword and rushed towards Mrs. Cai.

Everyone around was stunned with shock.

Liu Biao was also shocked. He did not expect his son to reveal this matter in public and even want to execute Mrs. Cai in public.

"My husband, please save me. Qi'er is crazy. He wants to kill me. He wants to kill my mother~~"

Mrs. Cai was so frightened that she hid behind Liu Biao and begged bitterly.

The word "mother-killing" instantly awakened Liu Biao from his shock.

Liu Qi's statement that Cai poisoned the woman was just one-sided. As long as Cai did not admit it, there was no way to convict her.

But if Liu Qi killed Cai in public, the crime of matricide would be a foregone conclusion.

As a famous man in the world, a relative of the Han Dynasty, and the ruler of a state, if this tragedy of murdering his mother happened to him, wouldn't he be laughed at by the world?

"Qi'er, how dare you be rude to your mother? Stop it!"

Liu Biao stood in front of Mrs. Cai and pointed his hand angrily at Liu Qi.

Liu Qi lost control of his emotions, holding up his sword and gritting his teeth, shouting:
"Father, please move aside and let me kill this vicious woman!"

"Only by killing this vicious woman can my father and I survive. I am saving our Liu family~~"

Seeing that Liu Qi refused to listen and openly defied his father's authority, Liu Biao was finally completely enraged.

"Where is Wang Wei?"

"Quickly drag this rebellious son away and lock him up. Do not let him out without my order!"

Liu Biao shouted sternly.

Wang Wei's forehead was covered with sweat, and he stood there in a dilemma.

Liu Biao was furious and shouted:

"Didn't you hear my orders? Are you going to betray me too?"

Wang Wei shuddered and dared not hesitate any longer. He had to call all his guards and forcibly carried Liu Qi out.

"Father, don't be bewitched by this vicious woman again!" "Listen to my advice, kill this vicious woman, and we will surrender to Liu Xuande."

"This is the only way for us to survive, father—"

Liu Qi's cries finally faded away.

Liu Biao heaved a long sigh of relief and sat down again weakly.

Mrs. Cai also felt relieved, and complained with a lingering fear:

"What happened to Qi'er? Is he sick or crazy? Why did he want to kill me for no reason? And he even said that I poisoned him~~"

"That's enough, why don't you back off!"

Liu Biao interrupted Mrs. Cai's mumbling and waved his hand in disgust.

Mrs. Cai looked embarrassed, but dared not say anything else, so she could only retreat sullenly.

"My lord, the strategy that the eldest son has suggested is certainly likely to save the lives of you and your son."

"But if you surrender, your life and death will be in the hands of Liu Bei, and you will have to live under Liu Bei's control for the rest of your life."

"Besides, Liu Bei and my lord have a deep blood feud. As the ruler of a state and one of the Eight Horses, how can you surrender to a weaver and shoe seller in order to save your life?"

"How will the people of the world laugh at you, my lord? How will the pen of history, like a knife, write about your cowardice?"

Kuai Yue began to advise, with a look of righteousness and passion on his face.

Living in disgrace, watching Liu Bei's face, being mocked by the world, and the pen of history is as sharp as a knife...

These words, like knives, stung Liu Biao's self-esteem again!

"boom!"

Liu Biao slammed the table and stood up, his face as determined as iron, gnashing his teeth and saying:
"Yi Du is right. I am the ruler of a state and a famous scholar. How can I bow down to a weaver and shoe seller and seek a miserable life?"

"Although Xiangyang has been lost, I still have Jiangling, the four counties of southern Jing, and Jiangxia!"

"I still have Huang Zu, Liu Pan, Huang Hansheng's Changsha elite, and you, Kuai Yidu, following me!"

"I will never surrender to Liu Bei. I will retreat to Jiangling and fight that big-eared thief to the death!"

Seeing that Liu Biao was determined not to surrender, Kuai Yue secretly breathed a sigh of relief and immediately expressed his determination to follow him to the death.

Liu Biao immediately gave orders to gather the defeated troops immediately, and before all Liu Bei's troops had crossed the river, he led all the officials to abandon the city and head south.

"My lord, if we leave, the noble families who remain in Xiangyang will immediately turn to Liu Bei."

"More than half of the influential nobles in Jingzhou are in Xiangyang. If they all surrender to Liu Bei, the people of Jingzhou will turn to Liu Bei."

"I think that my lord must move all these Xiangyang nobles to Jiangling no matter what means he uses, even if it means using force!"

Liu Biao's eyes focused and a cold light flashed across them.

"Yi Du's words are timely. I will never leave these opportunists to Liu Bei and let them help Liu Bei to become my enemy!"

"According to your plan, all the wealthy families in Xiangyang will be forcibly relocated to Jiangling."

"Anyone who dares to resist will be killed!"

...

South bank of the Han River.

Warships were traveling back and forth between the two banks of the Han River, transporting Liu's soldiers.

In less than two days, more than 20,000 soldiers of Liu's army had all landed.

"In one day at most, the remaining troops will be able to cross the river, and we can march into Xiangyang."

"Military Advisor, we will be able to capture Xiangyang in no time."

Liu Bei pointed his whip at the warships on the river with a spirited smile on his face.

"Taking Xiangyang is actually no longer a question of course."

"But my lord, I think we should advance as soon as possible, and there is no need to wait until all the troops have crossed the river."

There was a hint of profound meaning in Xiao Fang's tone.

Liu Bei noticed something was wrong, put away his smile, and said:

"Liu Biao still has at least 8,000 soldiers in Xiangyang. We need to gather more than 30,000 soldiers to barely besiege the city."

"Jinglue, is it too hasty to rush to besiege Xiangyang now?"

Xiao Fang looked towards Xiangyang and said slowly:

"Xiangyang City has less than 10,000 soldiers and horses, morale is low, and the people are in turmoil."

"Even if Liu Biao is confused, I think Kuai Yue can probably see that Xiangyang cannot be defended."

"Once all our troops cross the river and besiege the city, Liu Biao and him will have no way out."

Changing the subject, Xiao Fang pointed his whip towards the south:
"So Fang speculated that Kuai Yue would most likely persuade Liu Biao to lead the remaining troops to abandon Xiangyang and flee south to Jiangling via Dangyang."

"Then we will gather the troops from the four counties in southern Jing. With the advantages of Jiangling's high walls and abundant food and grass, and the natural barrier of the Yangtze River at our backs, we will hold the city firmly!"

"With the change of ownership of Xiangyang, the lord has the potential to attack Jingzhou, which will inevitably stimulate Sun Ce to speed up the pace of advancing westward to divide Jingzhou."

"Once we fight in Jiangling, won't that give Sun Ce a chance to come down the mountain and pick peaches?"

"So my lord, you must do your best to stop Liu Biao from fleeing south. Even if you can't stop him in time, you must inflict heavy damage on Liu Biao again to weaken his military strength defending Jiangling!"

Xiao Fang explained the reason.

Liu Bei suddenly became alert and looked towards the southeast. He couldn't help but have a premonition that a confrontation with Sun Ce seemed inevitable.

Moreover, that little tyrant of Jiangdong was a tougher nut to crack than Liu Biao.

"Military Advisor's words make sense. We must race against time with Sun Ce now!"

Liu Bei agreed with this and immediately gave an order, ordering the entire army to march out immediately to besiege Xiangyang without waiting for the rear troops to cross the river.

When the order was passed down, all the camps were in an uproar.

At this moment, the soldiers guarding the camp came running.

"My lord, there is a young scholar outside the camp who claims to be a disciple of Mr. Sima Hui, the Water Mirror, and he wants to see you for something extremely urgent!"

(End of this chapter)