Chapter 30: What level of status does Liu Bei have to have the guts to want to occupy Nanyang?
“Food shortage!”

Xiao Fang slowly uttered those two words.

This is Zhang Ji’s weak spot.

In fact, this is not only Zhang Ji's weak point, but also the weak point of most princes in this chaotic world.

In the Battle of Guandu, Cao Cao was almost outnumbered by Yuan Shao due to lack of food.

Zhuge Liang led his army to the north, and every time he started out brilliantly, the ending was always like this:

Retreat when food runs out.

Liu Pi of Runan and Gong Du led the Yellow Turban Army, so they submitted to Liu, largely because he could fill their stomachs.

In the original timeline, if Zhang Ji had not been short of food, he would not have attacked Nanyang, and he would not have died under Liu Biao's arrow.

Therefore, food and fodder, life and death, are the Achilles' heel of most princes.

Fortunately, although Liu Bei was weak at the moment, he had plenty of food.

Although Zhang Ji's Xiliang Army was powerful, it was short of food.

"I understand."

"Military Advisor means that we should transport food to Biyang City in a big way to let Zhang Ji know that we have sufficient food and grass."

"In this case, he will lead his army to attack Biyang because of the lack of food in the army?"

"I wonder if my guess is right or not?"

Liu Bei was a local lord after all, so how could he not understand the importance of food and grass? Just by looking at the two words "Xiao Fang", he realized the deep meaning.

"That's exactly what I mean."

Xiao Fang nodded and smiled, then continued:

"My lord, not only must you show off your wealth to Zhang Ji, you must also write a letter to Zhang Ji as an ultimatum, ordering him to withdraw from Nanyang within ten days and return to Guanzhong."

"Otherwise, my lord will personally lead the army to Wancheng and destroy Zhang Ji and his people!"

"The people of Xiliang have always been arrogant. How could Zhang Ji not be furious and send troops to attack Biyang in anger?"

"Doesn't this give us the opportunity to inflict heavy damage on their army and end the battle quickly?"

Liu Bei suddenly understood and understood the whole plan of Xiao Fang.

It seemed too overbearing to simply issue an ultimatum to Zhang Ji and order him to go back to Guanzhong.

"Zhang Ji and his group of Xiliang bastards turned the Han Dynasty upside down, destroying the dignity of the emperor and the Han court. Half of the credit for the chaos in the world should be attributed to them."

"After entering Nanyang, this bandit allowed his troops to plunder everywhere, treating the people of Nanyang as grass."

"My lord, why should you reason with such a brutal thief? Telling him to go back to Guanzhong is already a courtesy to him."

Xiao Fang saw through Liu Bei's thoughts and listed all of Zhang Ji's crimes in order to comfort and enlighten Liu.

Liu Bei's worries were immediately dispelled, his indignation was aroused, and a solemn look appeared on his face.

"Military Advisor, you are right. We really shouldn't reason with a brutal thief like Zhang Ji!"

"Xianhe, follow the military advisor's advice and quickly draft an ultimatum to be sent to Wancheng!"

Liu Bei was not a pedantic person. After being reminded by Xiao Fang, he immediately changed his mindset.

Jian Yong accepted the order and immediately started writing the letter.

"The military advisor's method of provoking the enemy, coupled with the use of food and grass as bait, is indeed a brilliant move to lure Zhang Ji to attack."

"But Guan still said the same thing. Of course, you are afraid of me, not Zhang Ji. However, the difference in combat power between the enemy and us is a fact."

"Since the military advisor advocates luring Zhang Ji to Biyang, does he have a foolproof plan to defeat the strong with the weak?"

Guan Yu once again turned the topic back to the comparison of military strength.

Liu Bei was suddenly reminded and looked at Xiao Fang anxiously.

To put it bluntly, after so much planning, it all comes down to how to defeat Zhang Jishang.

Military victory or defeat is the key.

"Don't worry, General Yunchang. The difference in strength between Zhang Ji and our lord is not that great."

"Then we can make up for the gap with a little trick."

"We can..."

Xiao Fang played with the wine glass in his hand and slowly explained the strategy.

Guan Yu's tightly furrowed brows gradually relaxed.

A light of joy gradually appeared in Liu Bei's eyes.

Mi Zhu, Wei Yan and other counselors and generals all had expressions of surprise on their faces.

"My lord, what do you think of this plan?"

Xiao Fang put down his wine glass and looked at Liu Bei with a smile.

"Wonderful!" Liu Bei clapped his hands and praised:

"This plan by the military advisor takes advantage of Zhang Ji's lack of food and the looting nature of the Xiliang people."

"This plan is brilliant, it will surely succeed!"

At that moment, Liu Bei acted according to the plan.

...

Newfield.

Tens of thousands of Jingzhou troops were coming from the south and entering this important town north of Xiangyang.

In the mansion.

The Lord of Jingzhou, with half white hair and beard and the temperament of a great scholar, was sitting high on the throne, looking at Liu Bei's handwritten letter in his hand.

Just today, Sun Qian came as an envoy, presented Liu Bei's handwritten letter, and expressed his intention to join forces with him to attack Zhang Ji.

After sending Sun Qian away, Liu Biao summoned all his advisers and generals to discuss countermeasures.

“I never thought that after losing Xuzhou, this fellow clan member of mine would come all the way to Jingzhou!”

"It seems that he has set his sights on Nanyang and wants to take it for himself and make it his foothold."

There was a hint of barely perceptible displeasure in Liu Biao's words.

Although Nanyang County had never belonged to him since he took control of Jingzhou, first there was Yuan Shu and then there was Zhang Ji in front of him.

But after all, Nanyang belongs to Jingzhou, and is nominally under the jurisdiction of him, the governor of Jingzhou.

Now Liu Bei suddenly appeared and declared that he would drive Zhang Ji away and occupy Nanyang instead. Liu Biao naturally felt uncomfortable.

"Nanyang belongs to Jingzhou and should have belonged to the lord, but was stolen by Zhang Ji."

"Liu Bei is a mat weaver and shoe seller with mediocre reputation and talent. He helped Lu Bu seize Xuzhou, but he fled all the way to Jingzhou and wanted to take Nanyang for himself. He really overestimated his own abilities!"

"My lord, I thought I should reject him sternly!"

The middle-aged general sitting to the left of the seat did not conceal his contempt and dissatisfaction in his words and expression.

The general was Cai Mao.

As the head of the Cai family, a top prestigious family, and the second-in-command of Jingzhou, Cai Mao was obviously full of contempt and hostility towards Liu Bei, a grassroots outsider who suddenly emerged.

"Degui, you can't say that."

"Although Liu Xuande was born into a family of weavers and shoe sellers, he is my cousin after all. He was once the ruler of Xuzhou and a local lord."

Liu Biao stroked his half-white beard and first affirmed Liu Bei, but then said with regret:

"What a pity! Liu Xuande has never been in government, and has never seen the evil of human nature. He actually dared to take in a villain like Lu Bu. He really didn't know what he was doing..."

Liu Biao took back his words before he finished speaking, and did not directly express his contempt for Liu Bei.

However, the famous scholars in Jingzhou present could all hear the implied meaning.

It is nothing more than an allusion to the fact that Liu Bei came from a humble background, had never been involved in power struggles in the court, had never seen those storms and waves, so it was natural that he could not defend Xuzhou.

"Although Liu Xuande lost Xuzhou, it is said that he defeated Yuan Shu and Lu Bu twice in Xuyi and Rudong."

"Yuan Shu's eldest son Yuan Yao and Lu Bu's father-in-law Cao Bao both died at his hands."

"From this point of view, this person has some military talent and strategy, and is not an ordinary person."

The other middle-aged scholar who spoke was a little more fair in his evaluation.

The person who spoke was none other than Kuai Yue, the head of the Kuai family and the chief civil servant of Jingzhou.

"Is there such a thing?"

Liu Biao's half-closed eyes suddenly opened, and a hint of surprise flashed in his eyes.

Before Kuai Yue could speak.

Cai Mao took the lead and snorted disapprovingly:
"It's just a rumor, and it has not been confirmed yet."

"I think this is a rumor Liu Bei deliberately spread, just to bluff him."

"If he really had this ability, why did he lose Xuzhou and flee to our Jingzhou like a stray dog?"

A flash of surprise passed through Liu Biao's eyes, and then his eyes half-closed again.

"In that case, I will do as Degui said and reject Liu Xuande's proposal."

"Yi Du, what do you think?"

Liu Biao regained his composure and looked at Kuai Yue while stroking his beard.

Kuai Yue's mouth curled up with a strange look, but he sneered:
"My lord, Yue's opinion is different from Degui's."

"The more I think, why don't we take advantage of their tactics and kill them with a borrowed knife?"

(End of this chapter)