Xiangyang, the state pastoral house.

In the secret room study, Liu Biao is walking with a dragon and snake, tracing books and paintings, looking leisurely and leisurely.

At the sound of footsteps, a young and handsome boy walked into the room and arched his hand, "Qi greets my father." ”

It is the eldest son, Liu Qi.

"Qi'er is here, let's sit down first." Liu Biao did not raise his head and continued to concentrate on painting.

Liu Qi had no choice but to sit beside him upright, waiting for his father to finish painting.

Liu Biao asked seemingly casually while painting: "Qi'er, have you thought about marrying a girl from the Huang family, not a girl from the Cai family?" ”

"This matter, my son has already made it clear to my father, and my son feels that Miss Huang is more suitable to be the daughter-in-law of our Liu family." Liu Qi replied without thinking, as if he had expected his father to ask this question.

Liu Biao nodded, and asked again: "I heard that the girl of the Huang family is both talented and beautiful, smart and gentle, and she is indeed a good girl, but have you considered their respective family situations?" ”

"Of course I did."

Liu Qi still replied without thinking: "Then Miss Huang is a partial branch of the Huang family, but Miss Cai is from the Cai family, in terms of family status, Miss Cai must be above Miss Huang." ”

"In that case, why did you choose to do so?" Liu Biao finally put down his pen, with a bit of questioning in his eyes.

"Does Father want to hear what his son has to say?" Liu Qi's tone became solemn.

Liu Biao nodded to show that he was telling the truth.

Liu Qi took a light breath and said slowly: "Since my father became the pastor of Jingzhou, the military power has been given to Cai Mao and Huangzu, and the power of governance has been handed over to the brothers of the Kuai family. ”

Liu Biao's expression was slightly moved, but he sighed: "What you said, how can you not know about your father, but when you were your father who went to Jingzhou to take office, if you didn't still have the three major clans of Kuai, Cai and Huang, how could you quickly wipe out the thieves and unify Jingzhou, and how could you kill Sun Jian and retreat from Yuan Shu?" These big families are powerful, and if their father does not give them military and political power, how can they support and support their father. ”

"Father's hardships are naturally clear to my son, but this time and that time."

Liu Qi's words changed, "Now that the internal strife in Jingzhou has been calmed down, the external troubles have been lifted, and my father's position as the pastor of Jingzhou has been firmly seated, at this time, if we continue to marry the three major families, it will only make the power of the three major families in Jingzhou more and more powerful, and if this continues, I am afraid that my father's power will be hollowed out, and eventually become a puppet to maintain their three major families." ”

As soon as the word "puppet" came out, Liu Biao's figure shook slightly, and a trace of melancholy flashed in his eyes.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Biao brushed his hands and said: "Between you and my father and son, there is nothing to hide in the armpits, tell me your true intentions." ”

Liu Qifang said: "What my son means is that we must not only rely on the big clans, but also rely on the big clans, and also win over some big clans like Miss Huang, as well as some inferior clans, the last clans, and even the poor family to divide the power of the big clans and clamp down on those big clans, and what my father has to do is to let them restrain each other, no one can dominate the big one, but can only be used by the father, so that the father can really sit on Jingzhou and be the veritable lord of Jingzhou." ”

Liu Qi sprinkled some words, listening to Liu Biao is spirits, his face swelled with a sudden look, and when he looked at his son, he couldn't help but add a little admiration to his eyes.

After he finished speaking, Liu Biao said: "So, you want to marry the girl of the Huang family, not the girl of the Cai family, just to start by winning over Huang Chengyan, the Huang family's partial branch?" ”

"Exactly."

Liu Qi nodded calmly, and then said: "Although Huang Chengyan and Huang Zu have the same surname, they have never been harmonious, if the son takes his daughter, the father can invite him to come out in a proper name and help his father manage the government, which can not only divide the power of the Huang family, but also restrain the Kuai family, which is to kill two birds with one stone." ”

"Yes, you are very thoughtful, which my father did not expect." Liu Biao got up and paced, nodding his head again and again.

Liu Qi was encouraged, and hurriedly said: "In addition, I also want to recommend Huang Zhong, another branch of the Huang family in Nanyang, as a general, this person also has a discord with Huang Zu, as well as the Wenjia of Nanyang, both of them have generals, and their father can entrust them with military power to restrict Huang Zu and Cai Mao's control of the army, let's start from both military and political aspects, I believe that it will not take long to change the control of the three major families over the military and politics, and then the military and political power in Jingzhou will be firmly in the hands of my father." “

Hearing this, Liu Biao's eyes flashed, and he suddenly turned around, and his excited expression indicated that he had been completely persuaded by his eldest son.

At that moment, he strode forward, patted Liu Qi's shoulder, and praised with satisfaction: "Qi'er, Qi'er, you can have such foresight, you are worthy of being my son Liu Jingsheng, you did not disappoint your father." ”

After receiving Liu Biao's praise, Liu Qi breathed a sigh of relief in his heart, and couldn't help but smile with relief.

The father and son had already decided, and Liu Biao began to think about who to send to propose to the Huang family to realize this marriage.

At this moment, the soldiers outside the tent hurriedly entered and sent a good news from Biyang.

"Good news from Yang?"

Liu was suspicious on the surface, took it and took a look, and couldn't help but be shocked, and his face was shocked.

"Father, what's the matter?" Liu Qi also looked curious.

"See for yourself." Liu Biao handed him the good news, and sighed: "I didn't expect it, I really didn't expect that this Su Zhe would calm down the disaster of Biyang Yellow Turban within half a month, which is really unexpected." ”

Liu Qi saw the good news, his eyes flashed, and he took advantage of the situation and said: "Mr. Shuijing has always had the ability to recognize people, since he called this Su Zhe my first genius in Jingxiang, when he was in Wolong, it means that this person does have extraordinary ability, and now Su Zhe has used his practical actions to prove Mr. Shuijing's evaluation of him, from this point of view, this Su Zhe does have extraordinary talent, and I think that this person can be used by my father." ”

"What do you mean......"

"What my son means is that since my father promised before, as long as he calmed down the scourge of Biyang Yellow Turban, he would appoint him as Nanyang Taishou, in this case, why not appoint him as Nanyang Taishou now, just take the opportunity to transfer Cai Mao back from Nanyang, so that he will not recruit troops there and cultivate strength."

Liu Biao's eyes moved, understood what he meant, and paced again, thinking carefully.

After a while, Liu Biao shook his head again, "Your intentions are good, but you just refused to marry the Cai family's girl, Cai Mao must have been dissatisfied in his heart, and Cai Mao has just taken office as Nanyang Taishou not long ago, and his father will transfer him back now, which will definitely aggravate his dissatisfaction, but I am afraid that it will cause a backlash from the Cai family, even if you want to weaken the power of the Cai family, you must slowly plan it, and you can't be in a hurry." ”

"The father is reasonable, but the son is a little anxious." Liu Qi nodded, groaned slightly, and a playful smile rose at the corner of his mouth, "Father, don't worry, there is a plan to get the best of both worlds." ”

……

A few days later, Biyang City.

A messenger came from Xiangyang, galloped all the way, and entered Biyang City with Liu Biao's warrant.

In the hall of the county government, Su Zhe quickly chewed broad beans and looked at Liu Biao's warrant.

"Interesting, Liu Jingsheng, this appointment of yours is really interesting......" Su Zhe said, showing the warrant to Su Fei and the others.

The warrant did not promote Ren Su Zhe to Nanyang Taishou, but appointed him as the tribute to the court, ordered him to return to Xiangyang as soon as possible to report on his work, and soon as he was the Jingzhou pastoral tribute envoy, he went to Chang'an with tribute to worship the Son of Heaven.

After reading the warrant, Su Fei couldn't help but wonder: "What does Liu Jingzhou mean by this?" Don't Feng Ziming, you are the Taishou of Nanyang, but you are sent to Chang'an to pay tribute? ”

The imperial capital is Chang'an.

Su Zhe walked outside the hall door and looked to the far north, in the western capital of the Han Empire, there was the domineering and murderous Dong Zhuo, the ruthless Lu Bu, the ambitious Wang Yun, and the peerless Diao Chan......

It was a big vortex of intrigue and intrigue.

"No matter what Liu Biao's intentions are, I have to go to Chang'an, pack up quickly, and go back to Xiangyang first."