Liu Bei and Kuai Yue came to Liu Biao's residence, and Cai Mao and Kuai Liang were already waiting there.

entered the room, saluted Liu Biao, and was a little surprised to see Cai Mao and Kuai Liang.

"Xuande is not in Xinye, what are you doing in Xiangyang?" Sitting upright, Liu Biao asked Liu Bei.

"Actually, I arrived last night." Liu Bei replied: "It's just that it's too late, so I spent the night at Gong Kuai's house, and I only came to see Ming Gong this morning." ”

"What is the important thing that can make Xuande come to Xiangyang late at night?" Liu Biao leaned forward slightly and asked Liu Bei.

"Now that the Cao family has withdrawn from Hebei, I don't know what Ming Gong thinks?" Liu Bei asked Liu Biao.

"What else can you think?" Liu Biao shook his head and said: "Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang are fighting each other, and Cao Mengde wants to wait for them to lose before sending troops to Hebei." Poor Yuan Benchu gave birth to two unfilial sons, and the good Hebei will fall into the hands of Cao Mengde in less than two years. ”

"Ming Gong said one thing, but he didn't say the other." Liu Bei said: "I came to Xiangyang precisely to offer a plan to break the Cao family to Ming Gong. ”

"Defeat the Cao family?" Liu Biao asked, "What's in it for me?" ”

"There are so many benefits." Liu Bei said: "If the Cao family breaks through Hebei, what does Ming Gong think will happen to them next?" ”

Looking at Liu Bei, Liu Biao asked suspiciously: "Xuande means ......"

"The Cao family has long coveted the world." Liu Bei said: "After capturing Hebei, most of the north has been pacified, and they will definitely wave their army south. Jingzhou is connected to Yangzhou and Yuzhou, and both Cao Cao and Cao Zirong can transfer the army to the border of Jingzhou in the shortest possible time. ”

"I'm afraid it's a bit sensational for Xuande to say this." When Liu Bei said this, Cai Mao took over and said: "The Cao family seized Hebei, as well as Liaodong and Xiliang, do you think that Liaodong and Xiliang are all good together?" ”

"Of course not." Liu Bei said: "But Liaodong and Xiliang are just desolate places, where there is very little grain and grass, and there is almost nothing else except horses. The Cao family was entrenched in the Central Plains, and after a period of recuperation, they filled the warehouse with grain and grass, and attacked Liaodong and Xiliang, which was just a convenient thing. ”

Looking at Liu Biao, Liu Bei continued: "Has Ming Gong forgotten the battle of Wancheng? ”

"What happened to the Battle of Wancheng?" Faintly feeling what he was going to say, Liu Biao's face was a little not good-looking.

"Back then, the Duke of Ming supported Zhang Xiu to be an enemy of Cao Cao, and Cao Cao lost the fierce general Dian Wei and his eldest son Cao Ang in Wancheng." Liu Bei said: "Although he spared Zhang Xiu, it is uncertain whether he will spare Ming Gong." Jingzhou has the Jiangdong Sun family in the south and the Cao family in the north, I don't know how long it can last? ”

"That's it!" Liu Bei's words made Liu Biao feel more and more upset the more he listened, he waved his hand and said: "If Xuande has any opinions, just say it clearly." ”

"What I mean is that instead of waiting for the Cao family to sit big to deal with Ming Gong, it is better to take advantage of the fact that they are not very strong now, and Ming Gong will take the initiative to send troops to suppress the Cao family." Liu Bei said: "Not long after Sun Quan took over Jiangdong, some places in Jiangdong were still dissatisfied with him. In order to stabilize Jiangdong, he didn't have the heart to make trouble with Jingzhou. Today's situation is precisely the most beneficial to Ming Gong. ”

"What do you mean?" Looking at Cai Mao and the others, Liu Biao asked.

Cai Mao said: "Ming Gong Mingjian, what Liu Xuande said seems to have some truth, but in fact, it is to push Jingzhou into dire straits. This person is deceiving the public, and he should be beheaded. ”

"How?" Liu Biao asked.

"The Yuan family in Hebei is exhausted, and the Cao family is likely to occupy Hebei." Cai Mao said: "But Ming Gong also has to see that after years of fighting, Hebei has long been devastated. If Cao Mengde wants to make Hebei rich and strong, it will be impossible for more than ten years. In the past ten years, it has been difficult for Hebei to recruit soldiers and horses, and there is no grain and grass to support the battlefield, but it will cost a lot of money, food and materials. Not only that, but the more territory he gets, the more soldiers and horses he will allocate to garrison. When the Ming Duke arrives, the army will go north, and the enemy will be outnumbered, wouldn't it be much smoother than now? ”

What Cai Mao said was not unreasonable, Liu Biao frowned slightly, and asked Liu Bei: "Xuande, what do you think?" ”

"I'm still thinking about it." Liu Bei said: "Although what General Cai said is good, Duke Ming has to know that the Cao family has Hebei, as long as officials are sent to govern, there is no need to invest too much money and food. The people of Hebei are impoverished, and many people will be like Cao Jun in order to survive and eat food. In less than a year, Cao Cao's army will be more than doubled. ”

Seeing that the look on Liu Biao's face became more and more hesitant, Liu Bei continued: "If it is me, unless it is the border, it is enough for other cities to send one hundred and ten people to garrison it. Let me ask, there are only 100 people in a city, how many soldiers and horses can be allocated to go out? ”

"Xuande is right!" Liu Biao nodded and asked Liu Bei, "If you use soldiers with the Cao family, do you have any specific plans?" ”

"In Xinye City, I have 5,000 soldiers and horses under my command." Liu Bei said: "I want to borrow 100,000 troops from Ming Gong, and I will definitely be able to defeat the Cao family in one fell swoop." ”

"An army of 100,000?" Cai Mao sneered: "You might as well lend Jingzhou to you." ”

"Xuande Gong's appetite is a little too big." Kuai Liang also said on the side: "Although there are many soldiers in Jingzhou, but the 100,000 army is assigned to you, how many soldiers are there in the hands of Jingsheng Gong?" If you want to make trouble, you just need to raise your arms and shout, and Jingzhou will have to change your surname to Liu. ”

"Jingsheng Gongmingjian!" Cai Mao and Kuai Liang's words surprised Liu Bei, and he hurriedly bowed down to Liu Biao and said, "I'm just in a hurry to break Cao Cao's ......"

"Needless to say." Liu Biao waved his hand: "I know Xuande's intentions, if there is no 100,000 troops, I can only assign you 20,000 soldiers and horses." ”

"Thank you Jingsheng Gongcheng!" Liu Biao loosely promised to give him 20,000 people, and Liu Bei hurriedly thanked him.

"Ming Gong!" Looking at Liu Biao, Cai Mao said anxiously: "20,000 soldiers and horses are also a lot, don't ...... them"

"You don't have to say it!" Before Cai Mao finished speaking, Liu Biao waved his hand to stop him: "Xuande is right, Cao Mengde has always been ambitious, if he fails to break him while he is already tired of using troops for many years, Jingzhou will be broken by him in the future." For the sake of Dahan Sheji, for the sake of Jingzhou, I can only do this. ”

His eyes fell on Liu Bei's face, and Liu Biao said: "Xuande can go to order troops with my military order, and when he will go on the expedition, just tell me." ”

"Jingsheng Gong will allocate troops and horses, and I will definitely go all out." Liu Bei made a big salute and said: "Back in Xinye, I will immediately send troops to Yuzhou." ”

Liu Bei retired and left.

Seeing him walk out of the door, Cai Mao said to Liu Biao anxiously: "Duke Ming, Liu Xuande has the appearance of a hero, and he has long coveted Jingzhou. Give him 20,000 soldiers and horses, but I am afraid that he is a wolf with ambitions, which will be unfavorable to Ming Gong! ”

(End of chapter)