Chapter 62 Inciting Cao Bao

Chen Qun accompanied Liu Bei to Xuzhou not merely because Liu Bei treated him with great courtesy, but more importantly, because he wanted to patiently persuade Liu Bei to retreat back to Yuzhou once Liu Bei realized his footing was insecure and began to lose heart.

This was the fundamental reason why Chen Qun did not leave Liu Bei.

From the perspective of Chen Qun, the Chen family behind him, and a faction of the Yuzhou gentry, Liu Bei was an exceptionally ideal partner for cooperation.

As a warlord, Liu Bei had never slaughtered civilians nor ever sacked a city. He was tolerant and respectful toward the gentry, valued scholars' opinions in governance, and bore a sterling reputation for benevolence and virtue. At the same time, he was remarkably capable in battle, making him truly a peerless partner for collaboration.

Chen Qun hoped to draw Liu Bei back to Yuzhou to protect the homes and properties of the Yuzhou gentry while waiting for the right opportunity of the times.

Advancing, Liu Bei could be aided in contending for the Central Plains; retreating, Liu Bei could be leveraged to join the True Dragon.

It was a win-win situation.

During their conversation, Liu Bei frequently dropped hints that if he could firmly establish himself in Xuzhou, he would warmly welcome Chen Qun to invite more Yuzhou scholars to Xuzhou to participate in governance.

Regarding the future direction of Xuzhou's development, Yuzhou was certainly well worth considering.

These words deeply moved Chen Qun. Ever since returning, he had been pondering this matter and finally decided to write a letter back to his father, seeking his advice and the attitude of the local elders.

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Cao Bao was currently in the military camp reorganizing his troops and contemplating which units to split off.

For days, he had been staying overnight in the military camp outside the city, and this task was his primary occupation.

While it was easy to talk about, it was truly difficult to execute.

Although he had magnanimously told Liu Feng that he was willing to contribute twice as many troops, when the actual moment came to select the soldiers, every single choice broke his heart; he wanted to keep this and was reluctant to give away that.

Gritting his teeth, he had spent nearly a week selecting just over eighteen hundred men.

He was still more than halfway short of the promised four thousand.

Just as he was selecting troops with a splitting headache, his personal attendant suddenly reported that Liu Feng had sent another calling card and wished to visit him.

Cao Bao felt his head ache even more. His last reception of Liu Feng had cost him four thousand men; now that the fellow was coming again, was he going to lose another four thousand troops?

Yet, amid the headache, there was also a trace of secret delight.

He had originally worried that Liu Feng might burn bridges after crossing the river, but now it seemed the young man still valued him as a father-in-law.

Look at this—the fellow was eagerly coming to disturb him once more, scarcely a few days after their last meeting.

Therefore, Cao Bao agreed immediately and instructed someone to send a reply.

Seeing that the sky had not yet fully darkened, he simply returned to Tan City directly to personally arrange the banquet for the following day.

On the afternoon of the next day, Cao Bao waited quietly at home for Liu Feng's second visit.

Liu Feng did not make Cao Bao wait long, accompanied as usual by Pan Zhang and twenty armored guards.

When Liu Feng stepped down from his carriage, he saw that Cao Bao was actually already waiting at the main gate.

Naturally, Liu Feng dared not assume an arrogant posture. He hurried forward to salute, but was caught and supported by Cao Bao before he could bow.

"Why does the young master stand on such ceremony? Officially, you are the young master, and I am a minister of the General. Unofficially, you and I are already tied by marriage; there is no need for such rigid formalities."

Cao Bao stood on no ceremony whatsoever, directly pulling rank as an in-law.

Liu Feng did not mind; or rather, Cao Bao's attitude actually made it easier for him to speak.

Soon, personally escorted by Cao Bao, the two men entered the main hall and took their seats.

Liu Feng gave a mere hint, and Cao Bao familiarly dismissed all the maidservants and personal attendants.

"Uncle, this junior has come this time to present you with a great contribution."

The familiar opening and the familiar taste made Cao Bao instinctively want to cover his military tally.

"W-Worthy nephew, your uncle is already selecting the troops. In ten days at most... no, twenty days, I will surely finish selecting the troops and hand them over to the General."

Liu Feng sighed helplessly. Clearly, he had come to deliver a contribution, so why was Cao Bao's guard so high?

He had no choice but to appease him: "Uncle worries too much. As for the troops, of course I trust Uncle. Coming here this time is indeed because I wish to share a great achievement with Uncle."

Seeing the dead-serious expression on Liu Feng's face, Cao Bao could not help harboring a glimmer of secret delight. Could it be that the fellow really came to deliver a merit?

Anyway, there was no harm in listening first; let's see what Liu Feng had to say.

"Does Uncle know that the other day, this nephew offered a stratagem to my father, and by my father's grace, he decided to adopt it?"

Liu Feng feigned a mysterious tone and said, "Once this stratagem is put into effect, certain people within the province will be wiped out without a trace."

Cao Bao felt his heart skip a beat. Instinctively, his first thought was of himself, but he quickly realized that he and Liu Bei were practically in-laws, and Liu Feng had even initiated the marriage proposal himself. Besides, if Liu Bei really wanted to deal with him, why would Liu Feng come here to confess it honestly?

Cao Bao smiled bitterly inwardly. He had only relaxed for ten days, yet he was still so tense deep down—which showed that the pressure Liu Bei previously brought him was truly not insignificant.

Who could blame him when Liu Bei's battle record was so dazzling, and his sworn brothers were all such formidable fighters?

Just look at his own side: not a single person was a match for them in even a few exchanges of blows.

How could he not tremble with fear, dreading that Liu Bei might turn on him in a sudden purge?

"Oh, I wonder whom my nephew wishes to take down?"

Cao Bao asked, playing along to humor him.

Liu Feng's expression turned solemn: "None other than Zang Ba of Langya!"

"Hiss! It's actually him?!"

Cao Bao was greatly shocked. "In the past, Zang Ba led several hundred brave men to defect to Lord Tao. Ever since, in every battle he was always the first to charge, possessing fierce and unmatched valor. At the battle of Dongwu, Zang Ba acted as the vanguard, leading Sun Guan, Wu Dun, Yin Li and others, selecting fifteen hundred elite troops and charging courageously into the fray to shatter the Yellow Turban main formation. That was what allowed Lord Tao to achieve a sweeping victory.

For this accumulated merit, Lord Tao recommended him as a Cavalry Commandant, stationed in Kaiyang of Langya, functioning almost like a vassal state."

"Back then, he already had three to four thousand troops and horses. After years of cultivation and expansion, he probably has no fewer than ten thousand now."

Filled with worry, Cao Bao took the initiative to advise Liu Feng: "I served alongside Zang Ba for a period of time. The man values trust and righteousness, understands ritual and propriety, and is by no means an unreasoning or ignorant brute. Right now, he is merely sitting on the fence, watching how things unfold. As long as the General can remain as steady as Mount Tai, sooner or later the man will inevitably roll up his banners and surrender."

These words from Cao Bao were very characteristic of Cao Bao.

His ultimate goal was merely to preserve his existing power and wealth, lacking any grand ambitions.

Therefore, what he desired most was stability in Xuzhou and stability in his own position of authority and rank.

To achieve this, he was even willing to pledge complete allegiance to Liu Bei.

Consequently, he did not want Liu Bei to stir up a massive military campaign and directly start a bloody conflict with Zang Ba. Liu Feng could even ascertain that Cao Bao's words came straight from the heart, and moreover, he was genuinely looking out for Liu Bei's interests.

However, Liu Feng had no intention of letting things develop that way: "Uncle, Zang Xuangao occupies Langya, a vital and strategic location, yet he refuses to be of use to my father. We truly cannot leave him be.

This military action must, at the very least, force him to pledge allegiance to my father.

As for the rest, I ask that Uncle first listen to my plan. If the strategy is truly unfeasible, this nephew naturally will not force it."

Hearing this, Cao Bao settled back into his seat and waited quietly for Liu Feng to continue.

Next, Liu Feng laid bare his analysis of Zang Ba's forces, followed by production data from the Kaiyang territory controlled by Zang Xuangao, and finally presented his masterstroke of pulling the firewood from under the cauldron.

Cao Bao listened in a daze, his complexion shifting constantly.