Chapter 1: My Name Is Liu Feng, I Am Liu Bei’s Own Son

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Liu Feng sat upright inside the carriage, his body gently swaying with the motion. In the late Eastern Han period, without springs, shock absorbers, or rubber tires, even the slow pace of an ox cart made the ride uncomfortable. Although Liu Feng had been living in this era for several years, he still couldn’t acclimate to the lifestyle of the late Eastern Han, especially in terms of food and travel.

Poor diet compounded by the jolting journey weighed heavily on him. Recalling his travels—from Zhuoxian to Pingyuan two years ago, and last winter from Qingzhou Plain to Tancheng in Xuzhou—he knew that if not for his gradually improving physique, he would have fallen seriously ill on these trips.

Ever since then, Liu Feng had resolved within himself to reform both the diet and transportation. Yet at this moment, such concerns were secondary to more pressing matters before him.

Firstly, Liu Feng had an old man for a father—Liu Bei, known for his long arms and large ears.

Secondly, a certain Cao Cao, a widower maker, had just been driven away, and his family estate had been stolen by the waterworks officer Lü Wenhou.

Lastly, an old man named Tao Qian had passed away last winter, and on his deathbed, half voluntarily and half under duress, had done something remarkable.

Liu Feng was Liu Bei’s son, but not entirely so.

Historically, Liu Bei had several sons in Xuzhou, all born of previous wives or concubines in Zhuoxian. Among them, Liu Feng was born of Liu Bei’s legitimate wife in Zhuoxian, making him Liu Bei’s biological eldest legitimate son.

Yet these sons, during Liu Bei’s repeated losses of Xuzhou amid warfare, either died or were lost. These events were recorded in the Records of the Three Kingdoms and Wei Lue, and coincidentally, the eldest son was also named Liu Feng.

Later, Liu Bei adopted Kou Feng as his sworn son in Jingzhou, possibly because he shared the same name as his lost eldest son.

When it’s said Liu Feng was not entirely himself, it’s because this Liu Feng’s soul was also fused with one from a later era.

This transformation destined Liu Feng not to disappear without a trace like in history, not to vanish into oblivion, nor have his name bestowed upon Kou Feng in Jingzhou by Liu Bei.

Liu Feng’s influence on this world was only just beginning.

As Liu Bei’s biological eldest legitimate son, he was determined to change his father’s repeated humiliations in losing Xuzhou. Xuzhou was to truly become the cradle of the Liu family’s rise.

But for Liu Feng, the current situation was far from favorable.

Externally, Cao Cao and Yuan Shu eyed them like tigers, while internally, the Dan Yang faction, local gentry, outsider gentry, and local warlord bandit factions were entangled in a complex web.

Even among the local gentry, there was division between the pro-Liu faction led by Chen Deng and Chen Yuanlong, and a passive faction headed by the Wang and Zhuge families.

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Indeed, at this time the Zhuge family held no respect for “Big Ear” Liu Bei, seeing him as a crude border army man from Youzhou utterly unfit to lead Xuzhou.

Yet rather than oppose openly, they chose to flee.

These Xuzhou gentry, skeptical that Big Ear could hold power long-term, collectively decided to abandon their homeland, preferring to seek refuge with distant relatives rather than endure the endless chaos at home.

Some went eastward to Jiangdong, later becoming the backbone of the Sun family.

Some fled to Jiujiang, joining Yuan Shu, only to be wiped out by Cao Cao.

The remainder, led by Zhuge Xuan, journeyed to Jingzhou and took refuge with Liu Biao.

This very year, the entire Zhuge family, under the leadership of Zhuge Xuan—Zhuge Liang’s uncle—would abandon their ancestral estate and resettle in Jingzhou.

Zhuge Liang of Langya was about to settle in Nanyang.

Liu Feng’s body swayed with the cart’s motion, his mind focused and rehearsing the next moves one final time.

This time, Liu Feng was to visit the new leader of the Dan Yang faction in Xuzhou: General Cao Bao.

Historically, Cao Bao was nearly invisible in Three Kingdoms records, his name only mentioned incidentally in others’ biographies.

His only vivid historical note was that the following year, he would be executed in battle by Liu Feng’s formidable third uncle, Zhang Fei.

Though his record seemed ignominious, it did not mean he was unimportant.

In Tao Qian’s era, Cao Bao was his right-hand man, entrusted with military command.

When Liu Bei took over Xuzhou, Cao Bao’s military power remained strong; in fact, Tao Qian’s death left him as the heir to Tao’s faction, uniting the entire Dan Yang outsider clique under his leadership.

Cao Bao’s lack of ambition was the only reason he had not yet launched a major rebellion against Liu Bei’s unclear succession to the governorship of Xuzhou.

At this time, Liu Bei commanded only about six thousand troops, four thousand of whom were Cao Bao’s former men, recently transferred by Tao Qian. Meanwhile, Cao Bao still held twenty thousand elite Dan Yang soldiers.

Before Liu Bei entered Xuzhou, Cao Bao even controlled Tancheng.

Liu Feng had invested considerable effort gathering intelligence, confirming that Cao Bao was conservative, unambitious, obedient, and indecisive.

For Liu Feng, this was excellent news.

In his plan, he aimed to neutralize Cao Bao—the Dan Yang faction’s ticking time bomb—no later than the first half of this year.

Otherwise, by the second half, the triple-surnamed filial son, waterworks officer Lü Wenhou of Yanzhou, would bring the Bingzhou legion to join Liu Bei.

And by next year, with Yuan Shu’s supply support, Lü Bu would exploit Zhang Fei and Cao Bao’s conflict to easily seize Xuzhou, absorb the Dan Yang army, and turn the tables.

This meeting was crucial—a key first step for Liu Feng.

If this step failed, though not the end of all options, it would mean far greater effort for lesser gains.

“Young master, we’ve arrived at the Cao residence,” came a sharp voice from outside as the ox cart slowed.

“Good,” Liu Feng took a deep breath, lifted the carriage curtain, and with the support of a lithe and fierce young man, stepped down.

“Wen Gui, no matter what happens, do not lose your temper. You must obey my orders,” Liu Feng reminded the young man beside him before approaching the Cao estate.

This lithe, fierce youth was none other than Pan Zhang, one of the Twelve Tiger Ministers of Jing Biao, known historically as the one who ended Liu Feng’s second uncle.

Liu Feng had met Pan Zhang on the way to Xuzhou last winter, sent by Liu Bei.

At the time, Pan Zhang traveled alone, sword in hand, heading south to Jiangdong seeking fortune, when he encountered seven bandits.

Within the time it took an incense stick to burn, Pan Zhang had slain them all unscathed.

Liu Feng instantly wished to recruit him, and after their talk, discovered his true identity.

Historically, after arriving in Jiangdong, Pan Zhang soon caught Sun Quan’s attention, was entrusted with recruiting a hundred bodyguards, and went on to achieve military glory, rising to general and marquis.

Though newly acquainted, Liu Feng understood Pan Zhang’s character well.

Loyal and courageous, cunning in battle, commanding thousands of elite troops with the strength of ten thousand men.

Yet Pan Zhang was also wild, bloodthirsty, and greedy—under Sun Quan, notorious for corruption and even slaughtering wealthy soldiers for loot, bordering on madness.

Still, at present, Pan Zhang was far from his later outrageous demeanor. As a civilian, he was obedient to Liu Feng, the son of the Xuzhou governor.

Pan Zhang grinned, revealing sharp white teeth. “Young master, rest assured. I am a man of my word. Having promised to serve you this year, I shall not break my vow and will obey your commands without fail.”

Liu Feng nodded in satisfaction, instructed Pan Zhang to take several boxes from the ox cart, then proceeded toward the Cao residence.

At the gate, several richly dressed servants—managers of the Cao estate—stood waiting.

Seeing Liu Feng alight, they hurried forward to greet him.