Wuxia: The Super Slave Master

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"Immediately send troops to attack the Cai clan, but avoid direct confrontation with Cao Cao's army. Support Liu Bei and let Cao Cao attack him. Once Cao Cao's main force arrives, our army must keep a low profile. As for Jingzhou, we can occupy key towns near Yizhou, but not too many. The key is to weaken the Cai clan and support Liu Bei." The scribe was writing rapidly.

Without the slightest hesitation, Fa Zheng began to directly answer Huang Zhong's questions. These were fundamental issues on the southeastern battlefield, issues that even Zhuge Liang dared not decide, leaving the final decision to Luo Chen. This Fa Zheng, surprisingly, reprimanded Huang Zhong in a commanding tone without any hesitation.

"General Huang Zhong seems to have the authority to make temporary decisions, which was granted to him by our lord in person," Xu Da reminded him. However, Huang Zhong clearly knew this, but since the matter was of great importance, he had to report to Luo Chen. If the situation was urgent, he could only make a temporary decision based on his own understanding.

"Immediately send the letter along the route of the lord's imperial guards. Dispatch two thousand iron cavalry. The letter must not reach the Xiongnu. In case of emergency, it must be burned," Xu Da ordered calmly. "Reply to General Huang Zhong with Mr. Fa Zheng's suggestion. Before the lord's order arrives, ask him to refer to Mr. Fa Zheng's suggestion and exercise his discretion to ensure that our interests are maximized."

Xu Da made the most thorough arrangements, but he remained silent on crucial decisions regarding the southeast, maintaining his characteristic caution—a strength that was also his weakness.

Chapter 106 Pointing the Finger at Liu Lin

This moment was particularly difficult for Liu Bei. Liu Lin rebelled, Liu Bei's army advanced, and victory seemed imminent. However, the Cai clan manipulated the supply lines, leaving Liu Bei's army without provisions and forcing them to halt their advance. Fortunately, Yi Ji raised funds to purchase grain, barely sustaining them. At this critical juncture, Liu Jing Sheng suddenly died, drastically changing the situation in Jingzhou. Before the intervention of foreign powers, the Cai clan was the strongest force, and they clearly desired to kill Liu Bei.

Liu Lin's power remained independent of the Cai clan and the forces of Liu Qi and Liu Bei, allowing him to live a carefree life in Jingling. Liu Lin himself desired to align himself with the Cai clan, but they didn't trust him. As Liu Biao grew increasingly old, the Cai clan began to hastily expand their influence into the prefectures and counties, eventually controlling most of them.

Liu Biao's regular meetings became increasingly infrequent, often chaired by Cai Mao. However, on one occasion when Liu Biao was in better spirits, he participated in chairing a meeting, deciding on important matters of the commanderies and kingdoms, and personnel appointments and dismissals. Although Liu Biao was old, he had been navigating political struggles for many years, and he immediately sensed that the atmosphere at the meeting was dominated by Cai Mao and his ilk. While Liu Biao trusted Cai Mao greatly, and being old and frail, he was unwilling to further reform corrupt practices and create significant changes in personnel appointments, according to established rules, no matter how much trust one placed in someone, they could not monopolize power.

"Yi Ji, how's the work at the Court of Justice going?" Liu Biao said lazily.

"The Court of Justice is operating smoothly and has achieved considerable success," Yi Ji said humbly. Yi Ji was exaggerating; in reality, the Court of Justice's work was extremely difficult. The Cai clan's power was too great, and Yi Ji's work was met with numerous obstacles. Thus, the once-hardworking Yi Ji was now often somewhat pessimistic. Liu Biao was gradually relinquishing power, while the Cai clan was gradually taking over. Previously, Liu Biao had overseen military and national affairs, being careful to prevent the Cai clan from monopolizing power in major decisions, and heavily relied on figures like Liu Bei. However, as Liu Biao's health deteriorated, the Cai clan increasingly controlled major decisions, their influence spreading from the central government of Jingzhou to the various counties, making it virtually impossible for Yi Ji to intervene. Now, the situation for Liu Qi's faction was extremely precarious; they could perhaps only barely hold onto Jiangxia.

"Alright." Liu Biao seemed to be saying this casually, then changed the subject, "You are a councilor and have done a good job. Why not also take on the role of chief clerk to assist in the internal affairs of Jingzhou and the appointment and removal of officials?" After saying this, Liu Biao looked tired.

“My lord, isn’t Mr. Yi Ji overworking himself…” Meng Yue, as a rational minister of the Cai clan, expressed his opinion out of a sense of responsibility. However, Liu Biao seemed not to hear him, looking weary, and lazily changed the subject: “Is there anything else?”

“Liu Lin, the prefect of Jingling, has been operating in Jingling for a long time. He seems to have formed cliques and become a local tyrant,” Cai Mao stepped forward and said.

"What do you mean?" Liu Biao had originally planned to go back and rest after this was over, but when he heard Cai Mao impeach Liu Lin, he perked up a little.

“The people of Jingling don’t know our lord, they only know Liu Lin. If this continues, it will easily lead to the formation of a separatist regime,” Cai Mao further pointed out.

"Yes... I've noticed Liu Lin's passive response to central government orders. Last time, when I asked him to procure provisions for the Imperial Uncle, he didn't even flinch." Liu Biao seemed somewhat displeased with Liu Lin. When Liu Biao entered Jingzhou alone, he governed it with remarkable efficiency. A key principle he employed was weakening local power. He simultaneously reached reconciliations with powerful clans and aristocratic families while gradually weakening the clans that controlled local government, thus ensuring the smooth implementation of central government orders.

"We can order Liu Lin to be stripped of his official position and transferred to the central government as the Minister of the Censorate, a title without any real power." Everyone knows that the position of Minister of the Censorate is a classic example of a position with no real power; although the rank is high, the authority of the Minister of Justice is completely usurped, making it an honorary position for retired officials. Granting him this position is tantamount to asking Liu Lin to retire.

“In that case, Liu Lin will surely rebel.” Meng Yue immediately stepped forward and said. “Jingzhou is currently focused on stability. It is threatened by Cao Cao in the north and Eastern Wu in the south. If internal strife breaks out, the consequences will be unimaginable.”

Cai Mao was somewhat surprised. Meng Yue was a staunch supporter of the Cai clan, always going to great lengths for the interests of the Cai group and utterly loyal to Cai Mao and his associates. Why would he directly oppose him in the hall? But then Cai Mao thought again, could it be that this decision wasn't discussed with them beforehand? The matter of impeaching Liu Lin was a decision Cai Mao made on the spur of the moment, without consulting Lady Cai, Zhang Yun, Meng Yue, or others. Because of Yi Ji's promotion, Cai Mao was eager to establish a presence in the prefectures and counties. Jingling was the gateway to the Yangtze River in Jingzhou, a wealthy region with a crucial strategic location, and it was imperative to control it immediately. Now that Yi Ji was assisting with internal affairs, who knew what kind of trouble he might cause? He simply impeached Liu Lin directly in the hall, bringing him down so that the Cai clan could take over Jingling. However, Meng Yue's public opposition probably stemmed from his feeling that Cai Mao's decision was too rash and inappropriate. But since they were already in the hall, Cai Mao had no choice but to carry out his plan.

"Doctor Meng should be deeply aware of the dangers of local autocracy. If internal strife arises and government orders are not implemented, then there will be no way to resist Cao Cao in the north or Eastern Wu in the south."

"What should we do if Liu Lin rebels?" Liu Biao was too lazy to listen to their arguments and simply accepted Cai Mao's suggestion.

"Please, Liu Bei, lead your troops to punish them," Cai Mao said decisively.

Meng Yue was greatly alarmed. How could they allow Liu Bei to regain control of the military? Wasn't that too risky?

"Alright." Liu Biao agreed immediately. "You are in charge of all the details. Meng Yue, write a letter to the Imperial Uncle, instructing him to lead troops to Jingling to take over Liu Lin. If Liu Lin rebels, escort him to Jingzhou City." Clearly, Liu Biao still had full confidence in Liu Bei and didn't take Liu Lin seriously at all.

As soon as the meeting ended, Meng Yue rushed to Cai Mao: "General, why did you let Liu Bei lead the troops again? If Liu Bei holds onto military power, with so many fierce generals under his command, we may face annihilation!"

“Mr. Meng… there’s no need to worry.” Cai Mao looked quite smug. “There’s another layer here that you may not have noticed. I’m in charge of all the specific arrangements. I have enough room to maneuver to take down Liu Lin and bring down Liu Bei.”

"Please enlighten me, General." Meng Yue was somewhat skeptical. This Cai Mao was indeed a treacherous and cunning man, capable of manipulating politics at will. However, he lacked true wisdom and was prone to overconfidence and self-destruction.

"Liu Biao appointed Liu Bei to lead the army, but didn't specify the number. We can have him lead his own troops. Liu Bei can easily defeat Liu Lin, but his army needs food. If we cut off their supplies, they'll be in a dilemma," Cai Mao whispered to Meng Yue, then laughed smugly. He patted Meng Yue's shoulder dismissively and strode away, indicating no problem.

Chapter 107 Meeting Liu Biao

One can imagine Liu Lin's surprise and anger upon receiving this order. He hadn't expected that Liu Biao, nearing death and neglecting all other affairs, would still turn against him. Of course, it could also be the instigation of either the Cai clan or Liu Qi's faction. The order was concise and coldly written:

Liu Lin was relieved of his post as Prefect of Jingling and promoted to Inspector General. He was ordered to proceed to Jingzhou to assume his post immediately upon receiving the order. The position of Prefect of Jingling was to be filled by General Zhang Yun of the Navy.

The signature is clearly Liu Biao's seal.

Judging from this letter, it was likely the work of Cai Mao and his group, as Zhang Yun was one of their men. However, according to reports, Liu Bei raised an army in Xinye, suggesting that Liu Bei's group wasn't exactly benevolent either. In short, the Liu and Cai clans suddenly united to attack him. Liu Lin had two choices: First, he could obediently relinquish military and political power in Jingling and retire to Jingzhou. However, this presented a problem: how long could the Jingzhou regime hold out? Cao Cao had already swept through Hebei and was wrapping up his campaigns. When Cao Cao's army marched south, Jingzhou would inevitably collapse. Who would he retire to then? Second, he could immediately rebel and join Cao Cao or Eastern Wu. Clearly, joining Cao Cao was more promising, as Eastern Wu might be destroyed at any time. In fact, although Liu Qi, Liu Bei, and the Cai clan were united in their opposition to Liu Lin, they each harbored their own ambitions, each wanting to seize the valuable territory of Jingling for themselves.

The complexity of the situation quickly calmed the enraged Liu Lin. After all, although this order had almost driven him to the brink of despair, in this chaotic world, the forces surrounding Jingzhou and those within Jingzhou were intricately intertwined, and Liu Lin was not powerless to manipulate them.

Liu Lin's first contact was with Zhang Wen of Eastern Wu, requesting their support, ideally an attack on Jiangxia to distract Liu Bei. Although he'd heard Liu Bei was on very good terms with the Luo Chen group, Liu Lin decided against abandoning them, as Luo Chen was a powerful external force. He sent someone to Huang Zhong, offering money and supplies in exchange for support. Of course, Cao Cao couldn't be ignored either; Liu Lin also dispatched personnel to Yu Jin's Fancheng and other locations to establish contact with Cao Cao.

Liu Lin delayed responding to the letter, trying to buy as much time as possible. However, Cai Mao was no fool; anyone with common sense could see that Liu Lin was simultaneously deploying troops, promoting his trusted officers in preparation for a rebellion, and contacting external forces—clearly intending to oppose the central government of Jingzhou. Cai Mao issued a strict order: if Liu Lin did not arrive in Jingzhou within three days, it would be considered a treasonous act. At the same time, he urgently ordered Zhang Yun to lead 50,000 naval troops to cut off the route from Jingling into the Yangtze River to Eastern Wu. Of course, Liu Qi and Guan Yu in Jiangxia would not let Liu Lin go either; in essence, Liu Lin was trapped within Jingzhou.

Liu Bei received two letters. One informed him of the decision to dismiss Liu Lin from his post as Prefect of Jingling and transfer him to Jingzhou, but warned that Liu Lin might refuse, and advised Liu Bei to prepare accordingly. Liu Bei was in Xinye with few troops and was tasked with monitoring Cao Cao in the north. However, since it was Liu Biao's order, Liu Bei could not refuse. He led Zhang Fei with 8,000 infantry and cavalry to prepare for battle. Two days later, Liu Bei received another order: Liu Lin had already committed treason, and Liu Bei was to depart immediately. Liu Bei mustered 8,000 infantry and cavalry, leading his generals Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, and headed straight for Jingzhou.

Liu Bei originally intended to gather information in Jingzhou and check on Liu Biao's condition. However, Liu Biao had fallen seriously ill again and was unable to receive guests. Upon hearing of Liu Bei's arrival, he disregarded everyone's objections and struggled to his feet to see him. Liu Bei, following Cai Mao through a maze of twists and turns, entered a secluded room. The room was quite warm; although it was springtime outside, a charcoal fire was still burning inside, maintaining winter standards. Liu Bei, clad in fine armor, soon became drenched in sweat. "Brother Xuande…..." Liu Biao struggled to grasp Liu Bei's hand. Upon seeing Liu Biao, Liu Bei realized how rapidly he had aged in just a few months, becoming emaciated and breathing heavily; he was a sight too painful to behold. "I barely survived the harsh winter, but I will soon depart this world…"

"Brother, why do you say that?" Liu Bei hurriedly replied, "Please take your time to recover, brother, and don't rush things."

"Xuande," Liu Biao ignored Liu Bei's words and was eager to say his own, "If I grow old, my worthy brother Jingzhou can take over the reins yourself."

Liu Bei immediately said, "How could Liu Bei do such a thing?" As he spoke, tears streamed down his face. "Liu Bei will do everything in his power to assist you, my lord, and has never had the idea of ​​taking control of Jingzhou for himself."

Upon hearing this, Liu Biao remained silent, only sighing. Liu Bei didn't specify which "young master" was referring to; this showed his tact, as Cai Mao was also present and had observed everything. Perhaps Liu Biao himself was still undecided, unable to make a decisive decision until the very last moment.

Seeing that Liu Biao was tired, Liu Bei thought that if he didn't speak up, he would miss his chance. So he stepped forward and said, "Brother, you have ordered me to capture Liu Lin, but my own troops are too few. I hope you can allocate some more troops."

"Alright," Liu Biao immediately agreed, "...Let Cai Mao handle it." He then leaned back on the bed as if asleep. Liu Bei felt that this was utterly useless; why would Cai Mao transfer troops to him? Cai Mao also felt that if Liu Bei stayed any longer, who knew what other trouble he might cause, so he said, "Uncle, please return; my lord is weary."

Liu Bei ignored him completely, and without hesitation, stepped forward and whispered in Liu Biao's ear, "Brother, the general's seal." Cai Mao, upon hearing this, was greatly alarmed and hurriedly pulled Liu Bei away, saying, "Uncle, my lord, please rest and go back!" He tried to forcefully pull Liu Bei away, but Liu Bei, a seasoned warrior, was not afraid of Cai Mao. With a swift movement, he pushed Cai Mao away, causing him to stumble. Liu Biao seemed to have heard Liu Bei's words and weakly pointed to the back of a scroll by the bedside. Liu Bei looked and took the general's seal of the Left Camp of Jingzhou. The Left Camp was mostly cavalry; Liu Bei had previously commanded them, numbering approximately 50,000. Seeing this, Cai Mao tried to snatch it, but Liu Bei, disregarding him, sternly said, "Cai Mao! What are you doing? What kind of behavior is this?" He then shoved Cai Mao aside and strode away.

Without pausing, Liu Bei immediately led Zhao Yun and a hundred guards to the left camp to mobilize troops. Cai Mao panicked and hurriedly contacted Meng Yue and others. The Cai clan was powerful, and many high-ranking officers in the army were from the Cai family. Cai Mao then followed them to the left camp.

Holding the general's seal, Liu Bei arrived at the central command tent, summoned all his generals, and sternly declared, "Liu Jingsheng has bestowed upon me the general's seal. Now, all soldiers of the left camp must obey my orders and immediately march out of the city, heading towards Jingling!"

Upon hearing this, the generals realized that although there was a gleaming official seal and Liu Bei had a precedent of commanding troops, this matter was hasty and procedurally irregular, as it hadn't been communicated beforehand. The last time Liu Bei led troops to Jiangxia, although he had commanded them, it was only after Liu Biao and General Cai Mao had issued the order a few days prior, and then Liu Bei came to organize and lead the troops. Why was Liu Bei so hasty in mobilizing troops this time, wielding the general's seal himself?

Chapter 108 Beneath Jingling City

Now that Liu Bei had received the general's seal, he immediately went to the left camp to mobilize troops. How could Cai Mao let this go? He hurriedly followed.

Liu Bei coldly ordered, "All generals, immediately lead your troops out of Jingzhou through the east gate and march towards Jingling!" Some generals, whose ties with the Cai clan were not close, shouted, "Yes!" and went out to mobilize troops. Those from the Cai clan, how could they not know that the Cai clan and Liu Bei were bitter enemies? Now, without receiving any notification from Cai Mao, and only seeing Liu Bei hastily arriving with a general's seal to mobilize troops, how could they possibly obey? Thus, a large portion of them stood motionless below, seemingly oblivious to Liu Bei's orders. Liu Bei glanced at Zhao Yun, who drew his sword and walked down. Although Zhao Yun was skilled, he couldn't very well start a massacre in the left camp; that would be tantamount to bringing the conflict between Liu Bei and the Cai clan to the forefront with weapons, which was clearly unacceptable. Zhao Yun could only gently lift the obviously disobedient general and throw him outside. The general kicked left and right, trying to draw his sword, but Zhao Yun lazily tossed him aside with a "thump," sending him flying out of the tent.

At this moment, Cai Mao also rushed over: "You are not allowed to mobilize troops! Liu Jingsheng did not issue a document to notify us, and I, as the Grand General, have not given permission either. How can you mobilize troops without authorization!" As he spoke, he tried to snatch the general's seal.

Zhang Fei, already impatient, suddenly changed color and shouted, "What are you doing here with the general's seal given to you by Liu Biao?!" With that, he raised his right foot and delivered a flying kick. Liu Bei was shocked and tried to stop him, but it was too late. Zhang Fei's kick struck Cai Mao squarely in the abdomen. Cai Mao was instantly knocked to the ground, clutching his stomach and rolling around, howling in pain. Cai's subordinates were terrified; some retreated in panic, some rushed forward, and others tried to draw their swords.

Seeing this, Liu Bei's face darkened, and he shouted sternly, "Cai Mao! Liu Jing Sheng approved my troop movement and even gave me the general's seal, yet you obstructed it in every way. What are your intentions?! You, the Grand General, have disobeyed the lord's orders, yet you presumptuously claim that troop movement requires your approval. Do you think you can overturn the lord's orders?" With that, he angrily stepped down from the platform. Zhao Yun, a shrewd man, whispered in Liu Bei's ear, "These troops probably can't be moved. It's best to withdraw while you're ahead..." How could Liu Bei not understand? He nodded slightly and, protected by Zhao Yun and Zhang Fei, strode out of the central command tent. Cai Mao and his officers stared at each other, none daring to stop or question him. They could only carry Cai Mao away to see the army doctor. Liu Bei then mobilized approximately 20,000 troops not under Cai's command from the left wing, along with his own nearly 10,000 troops, totaling 30,000, and left Jingzhou through the east gate, heading straight for Jingling.

The three-day deadline had passed. According to the previously prepared plan, Meng Yue drafted a letter of censure, declaring that Liu Lin had rebelled against the central government of Jingzhou and was plotting treason. He immediately ordered the naval commander Zhang Yun to block Liu Lin's escape route and ordered Liu Huangshu to lead troops to Jingling, capture Liu Lin, and then bring him to Jingzhou to meet Liu Jingsheng.

Cai Mao, having been kicked by Zhang Fei, lay in bed for several days, furious and vowing to make Liu Bei and his men suffer greatly. However, since a small act of impatience could ruin a grand plan, he proceeded with the original plan, allowing Liu Bei to lead troops to attack Jingling, thus tacitly acknowledging Liu Bei's command over the troops.

Liu Lin, naturally unwilling to go to Jingzhou to his death and unsure of what to do, deliberately ignored the statements from Cai Mao and others. He also urgently urged Jiangdong and Cao Cao to come to his aid. Huang Zhong of the Luochen Group, while closely monitoring the situation in Jingzhou, remained hesitant about Liu Lin's actions. Cao Cao, though intending to intervene immediately in Jingzhou, still had his main force in Hebei. Upon hearing of Liu Lin's rebellion, Cao Cao immediately ordered his general Zhang Liao to gather cavalry in Xuzhou, and other main forces in Hebei began to assemble, preparing to march south to Jingzhou. However, this was too far to be of immediate use; Liu Lin currently lacked Cao Cao's support. Cao Cao ordered Yu Jin to intimidate Liu Lin from the north, but Yu Jin was preoccupied with his nemesis Huang Zhong and couldn't spare the time. The most capable of supporting Liu Lin was Eastern Wu. Earlier, Eastern Wu had sent their strategist Zhang Wen to persuade Liu Lin to surrender with their troops. As events have unfolded, the people of Eastern Wu naturally conceived the idea of ​​seizing their territory before Cao Cao and Luo Chen arrived. However, facing Jiangxia City, right at the Jiang family's doorstep, the rulers and ministers of Eastern Wu were somewhat anxious. Jiangxia was currently defended by Prince Liu Qi and Guan Yu, and the strength and quality of the Jiangxia troops had greatly improved, numbering approximately fifty to sixty thousand elite soldiers, enough to make Jiangxia an impregnable fortress. If Eastern Wu were to rush into expanding into Jingzhou, it would inevitably suffer heavy losses. Therefore, Eastern Wu organized a large naval force, but only dared to patrol the perimeter, exert pressure, and launch probing attacks, daring not to use its main force for a substantial offensive.

Liu Lin was now in a truly desperate situation, unable to voice his grievances. His only possible solution was to hold Jingling until Cao Cao or the Eastern Wu navy arrived. The question then became: could Jingling hold out? Could it hold out for at least a month?

Liu Lin initially harbored illusions, organizing a garrison of over 60,000 men in Jingling City, claiming it to be 100,000. He also coerced Jingling civilians to come to the city walls to assist in the defense, clamoring to defend Jingling's safety and independence to the death.

Unexpectedly, Liu Bei's forces shattered Liu Lin's illusions in their very first battle. Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun led their cavalry to easily break through the outer defenses. Liu Lin's army crumbled at the first blow, fleeing in panic, with most becoming prisoners. Liu Lin's painstakingly constructed outer fortifications were like tofu, easily trampled by the iron hooves. In just one day, Liu Bei's cavalry had gathered beneath the walls of Jingling City. Poor Jingling, which supposedly had 60,000 to 70,000 defenders, cowered inside the city, afraid to venture out, facing Liu Bei's 30,000 troops. Liu Bei didn't besiege the city; whenever Liu Lin's forces ventured out, he would launch a swift and fierce attack. Liu Lin's army was routed, largely disorganized, scattering in all directions, becoming refugees or prisoners.

Within a day, over ten thousand men were captured or defeated, and several thousand surrendered voluntarily.

Chapter 109 Urging Grain Supply

Meanwhile, Liu Bei led his cavalry and within a few days cleared the outer defenses of Jingling, forcing Liu Lin's soldiers to cower inside the city and dare not show their faces. However, a problem was becoming increasingly serious: Liu Bei had hastily transferred 20,000 troops from the left wing of Jingzhou, and these troops had not been adequately prepared with provisions, carrying only ten days' worth. Now, after several days of marching from Jingzhou to here, and several more days of fighting under the walls of Jingling, the soldiers of the left wing were almost out of food.

This expedition was ordered by Liu Biao, and Jingzhou was supposed to guarantee the supply of military provisions. However, they hadn't seen a trace of food in the past few days. Seeing that there was no food, Liu Bei wrote letters to urge them several times, but they all went unanswered.

Liu Bei didn't bring many civil officials with him on this expedition; they were all left to guard Xinye. Now that this situation has arisen, he has no choice but to call Zhao Yun down from the front lines and order him to rush to Jingzhou to urge the supply of provisions.

Zhao Yun rushed to Jingzhou to request supplies from Meng Yue at the logistics department. Meng Yue was usually polite and calm, maintaining a respectful yet distant relationship with most officials. He was a quintessential independent scholar-official, expected to be independent and not part of any faction, yet surprisingly, he was a core member of the Cai clan, even their most important strategist. While Cai Mao and his ilk were cunning, they lacked significant ability in military and political affairs. Meng Yue, however, often hit the nail on the head, executing the Cai clan's strategies. But Meng Yue was too measured; he generally stopped short of making definitive statements and never risked everything to remonstrate. Even if Cai Mao's decisions were foolish, if the Cai clan insisted, Meng Yue would carry them out without question.

As expected, Zhao Yun galloped into Jingzhou City, heading straight for the logistics headquarters. He drew his sword and rushed in. The guards at the gate recognized Zhao Yun and knew he was a fierce general under Liu Bei, so they dared not stop him. Zhao Yun went straight to the main hall and saw Meng Yue checking the grain accounts. He quickly stepped forward and said, "Mr. Meng, there is no grain at the Jingling front. It has been more than ten days, why hasn't Jingzhou sent any grain?"

Meng Yue was taken aback. Zhao Yun was usually composed and reserved, always staying behind Liu Bei and not being particularly high-profile. This was the first time Meng Yue had seen Zhao Yun face-to-face, and he was indeed imposing and charismatic. Meng Yue took a sip of tea and said unhurriedly, "General Zhao, please sit. You must have had little rest since rushing back from the front lines at Jingling." He then said to the servant, "Bring tea!" After speaking, he drank some tea and said, "There is no wine in the manor, so I cannot drink. Please understand, General." Zhao Yun had been riding straight towards Jingzhou for the past few days without stopping, only briefly resting at a post station along the way. He was indeed extremely tired, thirsty, and hungry. Zhao Yun sat down and took a breath: "Mr. Meng, tens of thousands of troops are without food, so Liu Bei had no choice but to send me here. I must trouble you to allocate some provisions."

"How is the army's food supply now?" Meng Yue asked casually.

"It's extremely urgent. If the supplies don't arrive soon, the army will have to retreat, and the rebellion in Jingling might not be resolved. That's why Governor Liu sent me down from the front lines to help escort the supplies," Zhao Yun said.

Seeing that every word Zhao Yun spoke was urgent and demanding supplies, Meng Yue knew he couldn't get away with it, so he had no choice but to say, "General Zhao, Lord Liu leads a fierce general and tens of thousands of elite troops, which everyone admires. How dare I not distribute supplies? Although I am in charge of logistics, supplies are a matter of great military importance and require the General's explicit approval before I can allocate them. You can go to the General's residence to see General Cai."

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun clearly understood that Zhao Yun was being passed around like a hot potato, but he had no choice but to say, "The current situation is extremely urgent. In this critical moment, I humbly request that you allocate some grain and fodder to alleviate our immediate crisis. Five thousand shi (a unit of dry measure) would be sufficient..."

Na Mengyue was very polite, but his teeth were clenched tightly as he shook his head repeatedly: "General Zhao, as you know, Jingzhou has always been known for its clear administration. The rules require the General's official documents. How can I break the rules?"

Zhao Yun was helpless. How could Cai Mao possibly let go? This meant the supplies for tens of thousands of troops… Liu Bei had sent him personally to request supplies, clearly placing high hopes on them, but now it seemed so difficult. This wasn't a matter of personal grudges; it concerned the stability of Jingzhou. This massive army of tens of thousands had already caused an uproar in Jingling and the surrounding areas, and the Jiangdong fleet was also watching closely. If supplies didn't arrive, Liu Bei would have no choice but to withdraw from the battle, or even have to procure supplies along the way. If Jingling continued to be independent, it would be like ripping a piece out of the heart of Jingzhou, with extremely negative consequences. Even worse, if Liu Lin were bold enough to send out cavalry to attack Liu Bei, Liu Bei might very well be defeated, making the situation even more dire. Meng Yue was passing the buck to Cai Mao on such a matter of national importance; it seemed the Cai clan's attitude was far from optimistic. Treating matters of national importance like child's play, the lives of tens of thousands, the political stability of Jingzhou—they showed no regard whatsoever, only caring about the interests of their own group. Thinking of this, Zhao Yun felt a cold sweat run down his back. If grain cannot be supplied, how will tens of thousands of people eat?!

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Zhao Yun didn't go to Cai Mao's residence, but went directly to Yi Ji's. After all, Yi Ji had begun to take over internal affairs, so he could only ask him for help. Yi Ji was overjoyed to see Zhao Yun. When Zhao Yun saw Yi Ji, he saw that his temples were already white, his hair seemed to have been covered with silver threads overnight, and his face was full of weariness.

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Zhao Yun grasped Yi Ji's hand and said with emotion, "Sir! You must be working very hard in this treacherous environment!"

Yi Ji sighed, gave a bitter laugh, and made no attempt to hide his feelings: "In Jingzhou, I feel like I'm surrounded by tigers. There are just too many people from the Cai family around, and their power is simply too great. My orders are practically impossible to enforce; I have to check and implement them one by one. What's worse, all the major military and political affairs of Jingzhou are now concentrated in the hands of Lady Cai and Cai Mao. I, an old man, simply don't have the energy to fight them!" Yi Ji seemed to have a lot of grievances to pour out, and finally sighed heavily: "I think the future of Jingzhou is truly not optimistic! I think, if all else fails, I'll go to Jiangxia and join the young master's side!"

Zhao Yun sighed. Yi Ji was already in such a state, and in principle, he shouldn't have to trouble him. However, the matter was urgent, and Zhao Yun could only ask for food with a sense of shame: "Sir, the tens of thousands of soldiers under Commander Liu at the front are almost starving! Cai Mao, Meng Yue, and others just refuse to distribute rations!"

Yi Ji was clearly surprised: "Is that so?" Yi Ji seemed to have instantly forgotten his own difficult situation: "Don't worry! I will definitely procure some provisions for Lord Liu's army to relieve their urgent crisis!"

Chapter 110 Cai Mao's Residence

Thus, the territory expanded, bordering the Five Territories to the south and the Han River to the north, spanning thousands of miles, with over ten thousand armored soldiers. ...Biao's methods of attracting and enticing were skillful, his authority and compassion both persuasive and effective. Even the most cunning and long-standing bandits became more effective in employing him, and the vast territory was pacified, with all, large and small, rejoicing and submitting. Thousands of scholars from Guanzhong, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou returned to him, and Biao, the Prefect of An, provided them with relief and sustenance. He then established schools, widely seeking Confucian knowledge. Qi Mu Kai, Song Zhong, and others compiled commentaries on the Five Classics, known as the "Later Edition." He loved the people and nurtured scholars, thus calmly protecting himself.

—Book of the Later Han Dynasty, Volume 74

Zhao Yun's mood grew increasingly heavy after bidding farewell to Yi Ji. The elderly Yi Ji had been almost entirely alone, ensuring that Prince Liu Qi's influence in the Jingzhou court. He had toiled day and night, employing both wit and courage, until his hair was completely white and his face was utterly exhausted. Now, the need to procure supplies would inevitably provoke even greater obstacles from the Cai clan.

Prince Liu Qi's forces had almost completely withdrawn from Jingzhou, and he now resided in Jiangxia, which had become the new center. Liu Bei, on the other hand, was in Xinye, located at the southernmost and northernmost points of Jingzhou, respectively. Jingzhou City, where Liu Biao resided, was the central administrative center and could not be left unattended; Yi Ji was ordered to remain there. Although his official rank rose rapidly under Liu Biao's arrangement, his policies faced increasing resistance. The entire Cai clan of Jingzhou was hostile to him and attacked him; it's unimaginable the immense pressure Yi Ji had to endure.

Although the chances with Cai Mao were slim, and Zhao Yun was extremely reluctant to face his displeasure, out of a sense of duty, he decided to try his luck.

Zhao Yun arrived alone at the General's mansion, his hand on his sword, coldly preparing to enter. Unlike the more casual logistics office, Cai Mao's General's mansion was teeming with warriors. These uncouth daredevils, who probably wouldn't even acknowledge Liu Bei, let alone care about Zhao Yun, were notorious. Seeing that Zhao Yun didn't answer and simply drew his sword to enter, they wouldn't let him pass. Without a word, they drew their swords, hurling vulgarities. Zhao Yun, upon hearing this, was about to retaliate and draw his sword. But then he thought, since he was here to collect grain, why start a fight with the guards? He could only hold his sword, coldly saying, "Go and announce that Zhao Yun, a general under Liu Bei, has come to see Cai Mao!"

Zhao Yun suspected that Cai Mao already knew, as he was aware of every little thing happening outside the door. But Zhao Yun waited for quite a while before a guard lazily said, "General Cai requests that Zhao Yun come to the main hall for an audience."

Zhao Yun drew his sword and was about to enter when the guards blocked his way, gesturing for him to remove his sword. Zhao Yun, seething with anger, refused to yield. Having witnessed Zhang Fei kick Cai Mao the other day, Zhao Yun had learned his lesson. Without drawing his sword or uttering a word, he delivered a flying kick, striking a guard squarely in the lower abdomen. The guard instantly collapsed to the ground, screaming, startling everyone. Without hesitation, Zhao Yun strode towards the main hall, sword at hand. The guards swarmed forward to stop him, but Zhao Yun was already inside, coldly eyeing Cai Mao lying there. The guards reached the hall's entrance but dared not rush in to arrest him. The armored soldiers surrounding the hall were also surprised that this man had swaggered in with his sword at his side, and were prepared to follow Cai Mao's orders to seize him. Unexpectedly, Cai Mao waved to the soldiers outside, signaling them to disperse.

"General Zhao, what brings you to my residence?" Cai Mao asked slowly.

"There's no food at the front, yet not a single grain of rations has been allocated to the Jingzhou logistics. What's going on?" Zhao Yun knew that sweet talk was useless, so he chose to question directly. "Liu Jingzhou ordered the Imperial Uncle to lead troops to attack Liu Lin, so the Jingzhou logistics department should bear full responsibility for the Imperial Uncle's army's food supplies. Now, not a single grain has been allocated; this is treating matters of national importance like child's play!"

Cai Mao laughed loudly: "Now the Imperial Uncle knows about me, the Great General? Doesn't he even recognize me?"

Upon hearing this, Zhao Yun thought, "What kind of nonsense is this? We're talking about military horses and provisions, and now you're bringing up such trivial things as whether or not there's a general."

Cai Mao said, "Jingzhou has no grain to transfer. Please, Uncle Liu, attack Jingling and solve the problem yourself."

"General, do you intend to carry out Liu Jing's orders? Are you treating the lives of the Jingzhou soldiers like a joke? Or are you doing something so foolish because of a factional feud?" Zhao Yun roared in anger, bombarding him with questions, his words clearly very harsh. Cai Mao's face changed drastically upon hearing this. Zhao Yun was no pushover either; he gripped his sword hilt with his right hand and stared coldly at Cai Mao. Seeing this, the warriors in the hall prepared to draw their swords. Knowing that the discussion was over, Zhao Yun angrily declared, "General Cai, you'd better watch yourself!" With that, he strode out of the hall. Seeing Zhao Yun's sudden change in expression, the group of warriors, swords in hand, quickly came out. They wanted to rush forward, but after a moment's hesitation, they gave up.

Although the provisions provided by Yi Ji barely solved the immediate crisis, they were insufficient to sustain a full-scale war. Liu Bei's army withdrew from the Jingling battlefield and began procuring provisions from surrounding prefectures and counties in preparation for a renewed offensive.

Just then, a momentous piece of news quickly spread throughout Jingzhou: Liu Biao had passed away.

Lady Cai, holding what was supposedly Liu Biao's dying wish, went through the motions of reading it aloud and announced that her young son, Liu Cong, would succeed to the throne. Upon receiving the news, Huang Zhong immediately sent an urgent letter, which Zhuge Liang expedited to Shuofang. Xu Da hastily opened and read it, proposing temporary measures: messengers began searching for Luochen along the marching route south of the Gobi Desert.

Eastern Wu and Cao Cao also received the same report immediately.

The situation in Jingzhou has changed, and all forces no longer have time to hesitate; they must act immediately.

Cai Mao, who had been recuperating in bed for the past few days, suddenly became lively and energetic, organizing and arranging the Cai clan's forces everywhere. Just one day after Liu Biao's death, Cai Mao sent someone to check, only to find Yi Ji's residence empty; Yi Ji's whereabouts were unknown.

Cai Mao summoned Wen Ping, the general who was guarding Xiangyang.

Wen Ping was a short, southern general with a dark complexion and a small mustache. For some reason, he exuded a fierce and cold aura. Wen Ping appeared incredibly gloomy and difficult to trust. However, he seemed to greatly admire Cao Cao, having publicly praised him. He also seemed to accept the Cai clan's attempts to win him over, barely becoming a half-member of the Cai group. As for his relationships with Liu Qi and Liu Bei, Wen Ping seemed to have no goodwill towards them and had little interaction with them. While Liu Bei was in Jingzhou, he extensively befriended civil and military officials, but he didn't give a damn about Wen Ping, who remained incredibly gloomy.

“Xinye is the gateway to Jingzhou, but Liu Bei doesn’t seem trustworthy,” Cai Mao said to Wen Ping as his first words.

"Everyone knows about the conflict between the General and Liu Bei." Wen Ping seemed too lazy to beat around the bush and directly revealed the truth.

Cai Mao was at a loss for words and looked annoyed and displeased. But Wen Ping then said coldly, "General, give me 30,000 cavalry, and I will crush Liu Bei's army in Xinye and capture his scholars and strategists."

That's too direct... but that's exactly what Cai Mao wanted to say, and he doesn't have to say it out loud himself.

"Go to the cavalry camp and muster 30,000 troops, and go to Mengyue to collect a month's worth of provisions." Cai Mao happily went along with it.

Chapter 111 Mi Zhu

Liu Bei left 2,000 infantry and 1,000 cavalry in Xinye. All 8,000 elite troops were taken away, including his only two top generals. Those remaining in Xinye were: the brothers Mi Zhu and Mi Fang, strategist Sun Qian, and strategist Jian Yong. Sun Qian was a highly experienced strategist and Liu Bei's top diplomat. Although a scholar, he wasn't on the same level as the brilliant strategists Zhuge Liang and Guo Jia, but given the limited resources, Liu Bei relied heavily on Sun Qian.

Liu Bei received orders from Jingzhou informing him that Liu Lin might rebel, and that he should immediately lead his troops to Jingzhou to await further instructions. Liu Bei quickly assembled 8,000 men and, along with Zhang Fei and Zhao Yun, prepared to launch an attack.

Liu Bei's move naturally sparked discussion throughout Xinye. Cao Cao was eyeing the area from the north, and Xinye already had few troops. Now, Liu Bei had taken away his best generals and main force, and he himself was leaving – wasn't this abandoning Xinye? Jian Yong advised, "My lord, please reconsider. Cao Cao could march south at any time, or send a general for a probing attack. If that happens, Xinye will be without soldiers or generals, and you will be absent; the situation will be dangerous." Liu Bei didn't reply, only mentioning how much Liu Biao trusted him, treating him like a brother. His words seemed cryptic, leaving Jian Yong quite puzzled. He felt Liu Bei hadn't grasped the key point, or perhaps Liu Bei was doing it on purpose…