novelAbuy Chapter 100: The Chongwen Academy Project is Established; Lü Bu Retreats to Xuzhou
Chapter 100: The Chongwen Academy Project is Established; Lü Bu Retreats to Xuzhou
Chapter 100: The Chongwen Academy Project is Established; Lü Bu Retreats to Xuzhou
Zhuge Xuan's teacup stopped in mid-air, tea dripping down the rim and onto his clothes, but he was completely unaware.
Lu Su stared with his mouth agape, his gaze fixed on Lu Yong, as if he were seeing him all over again.
Sun Qian stood up, then sat down, then stood up again, then sat down again, repeating this several times before finally letting out a long sigh and sitting quietly.
Zhuge Liang merely curled the corners of his lips, thinking to himself, "If you saw the other teaching materials he compiled, you would probably be even more shocked."
Liu Bei was the first to come to his senses.
He reached up and pressed his chin back, then stood up and walked into the hall.
Liu Bei first bent down to pick up the piece of paper that Xu Kun had dropped and handed it back to Xu Kun with both hands.
He then walked up to Lu Yong and bowed to him.
Lu Yong quickly stepped aside to avoid it.
Liu Bei straightened up, his eyes gleaming: "Huai'an, if you really want to accomplish those four things, I, Liu Bei, will do everything in my power to support you!"
The powerful families forbid it: Then let us become enemies with them!
If the world won't tolerate it, then it will fight against the world!
Even if only a single soldier remains in the end, I want posterity to remember—that in this world, someone once made such a grand vow, and someone gave everything for it!
No one in the hall spoke.
Xu Kun's fingers were still trembling.
Lu Yong turned around, his voice much gentler: "These four sentences are not my own words, but something I heard from a senior."
Xu Kun forced himself to suppress his surging emotions and asked, "Where is that senior now?"
"He's no longer alive," Lu Yong added in his mind. "He wasn't even born yet—"
Xu Kun was silent for a moment, then suddenly laughed.
He seemed to have put down something heavy, then carefully folded the paper, tucked it into his sleeve, and bowed deeply to Liu Bei: "My lord, Kun is willing to accept the position of Chancellor of the Chongwen Academy."
Liu Bei was overjoyed and quickly helped Xu Kun up, saying, "No need for such formalities, Master Xu."
Xu Kun straightened up and turned to look at Lu Yong: "Division Commander Lu, I would appreciate your guidance on how to handle this."
Lu Yong was clearly prepared, and said to Xu Kun, "The plan has already been drafted. Xu Gong can discuss the specifics with Zijing."
""
Upon hearing this, Lu Su stood up and bowed to Xu Kun.
Xu Kun solemnly returned the greeting, saying, "Kun will certainly not let you all down!"
The matter was considered closed, and everyone returned to their seats.
Liu Bei's gaze swept over everyone in the hall, finally landing on Zhuge Xuan.
The Prefect of Yuzhang was sitting upright with shining eyes, looking like a young man waiting to be assigned a task.
"Mr. Zhuge," Liu Bei said with a smile, "since you wish to stay in Wanling, then you shall accept the position of Director of the Chongwen Academy and assist Lord Xu in managing the Chongwen Academy well."
A look of wild joy flashed across Zhuge Xuan's face. He then stood up, bowed deeply, and said, "Thank you, my lord."
Liu Bei helped him up, then turned to Zhuge Liang: "Kongming, you continue to work with the strategist to revise the new teaching materials."
Once Chongwen Academy is completed, you can settle down and study there.
Once you have mastered your skills, I will certainly give you an important position.
Liu Bei had an inexplicable fondness and trust in Zhuge Liang.
Zhuge Liang stepped forward, bowed, and said, "Liang thanks my lord."
Zhuge Xuan's smile widened even further.
Now, the Zhuge family has finally found someone they can entrust with their affairs!
"As for the Prefect of Yuzhang—" Liu Bei pondered for a moment and said, "Let Fengxiao take on the role concurrently, and replace him when a suitable candidate is found."
"Achoo!!!" Guo Jia, far away in Nanchang, suddenly sneezed. "It's not even cold outside, why do I suddenly feel a chill?"
With everything agreed upon, Liu Bei then had everyone return to their places and perform their duties.
Lu Yong was followed by Zhuge Liang as they walked out of the governor's mansion.
"Kongming, aren't you going to catch up with your uncle?" Lu Yong asked, turning his head.
"Let's go tonight," Zhuge Liang said with a smile. "He's in high spirits right now; we can't disturb him."
Lu Yong smiled to himself, thinking that those four sentences were indeed incredibly insightful for those who pursued scholarship.
"Strategist!" Zhuge Liang suddenly called out again.
"What's wrong?"
"Did you really hear those four sentences from a senior colleague?"
Lu Yong paused slightly, but did not turn around: "It's absolutely true, I'm not lying."
"May I ask that senior's name?"
"My surname is Zhang, and my given name is Zai." After saying this, Lu Yong did not give Zhuge Liang a chance to continue asking questions and quickened his pace to walk forward.
Zhuge Liang paused for a moment, then stood still and silently recited "Zhang Zai" twice.
He was certain he had never seen the name in any book, so he looked up as if to ask something else.
As a result, Lu Yong had already walked away while he was in a daze.
"Wait for me, strategist!" Zhuge Liang jogged after him.
While Liu Bei was focused on developing his strength, the battle between Cao Cao and Lü Bu on the battlefield of Yanzhou, thousands of miles away, was also coming to an end.
In May, Cao Cao decisively defeated Lü Bu at Juye, beheading his generals Xue Lan and Li Feng.
Lü Bu retreated to Dongmin, where he gathered his remaining troops, but his army was now less than ten thousand strong. Chen Gong advised Lü Bu to head east and seek refuge in Xuzhou, but Lü Bu hesitated.
In late June, Cao Cao adopted Xun Yu's plan and divided his troops to seize the ripe wheat in Jiyin and Shanyang counties.
Lu Bu's army ran out of food supplies, and morale plummeted.
On the second day of the seventh lunar month, outside Dingtao City.
Cao Cao led his main force to fight a decisive battle against Lü Bu.
When Lü Bu went into battle, Cao Cao used a strategy of luring the enemy deep into his territory and then ambushing him, resulting in a great defeat for Lü Bu, with more than half of his troops lost.
That night, Lü Bu rallied his remaining troops and, somewhat dejected, asked Chen Gong, "Gongtai, where can we go?"
Chen Gong replied, "Shan Jing, the governor of Xuzhou, was originally a general under Gongsun Zan."
Although this person was not famous, he treated the people kindly and had a benevolent heart.
If the general goes to seek refuge, I, Gong, am willing to act as an intermediary; perhaps I can persuade Shan Jing to take us in.
Having nowhere else to go, Lü Bu gritted his teeth and said, "Then I'll go to Xuzhou."
At dawn on the third day of the seventh lunar month, Lü Bu led eight hundred personal cavalry in a breakout, exiting through the south gate of Dingtao and galloping southeast.
Upon hearing the report, Cao Cao did not pursue them.
When Cheng Yu asked why, Cao Cao gazed at the southern horizon and smiled faintly, "Lu Bu fled to Xuzhou, doesn't that give us a perfect excuse to attack Xuzhou?"
On the tenth day of the seventh month, Lü Bu's remaining troops arrived in Pengcheng, Xuzhou.
The Pengcheng garrison dared not let them pass without authorization, so they kept the city gates tightly closed while sending a urgent report to Xiapi.
Shan Jingzheng was discussing land reclamation matters with Chen Deng when he heard the news and his brows furrowed.
"Lu Bu has come to surrender, should we accept him or not?" Shan Jing asked Chen Deng.
Chen Deng put down the bamboo slip in his hand: "Lü Bu is fickle. He may serve the lord today, but he may serve someone else tomorrow."
Moreover, Cao Cao is very powerful; if we harbor Lü Bu, we might invite Cao Cao's military might.
Dan Jing hesitated, saying, "But Lü Bu has come seeking refuge in his time of need. If we turn him away, it won't sound good."
Shan Jing paced back and forth in the hall a few times, then suddenly stopped and looked at Chen Deng: "Yuanlong, what do you think Liu Bei would do if it were him?"
Chen Deng was taken aback, then shook his head and said, "Liu Bei is a man of benevolence and righteousness. If he were in Xuzhou, he would most likely have taken in Lü Bu."
Dan Jing took two more slow steps before saying, "In that case, we will take in Lü Bu as well."
Chen Deng frowned and said, "But what about Cao Cao—"
"Even without Lü Bu, Cao Cao would find other excuses to attack Xuzhou." Shan Jing waved his hand and said, "Instead of being timid, we should recruit Lü Bu first and have another fierce general to guard the north."
Chen Deng remained silent for a moment, then cupped his hands and said, "Since my lord has made his decision, I will go and make the arrangements. However, Lü Bu is a fickle man, and we must be wary of him."
"In your opinion, what should be done?"
"Let him garrison Xiaopei," Chen Deng said. "Xiaopei borders Yanzhou and faces Cao Cao directly."
If Lü Bu harbors disloyal intentions, the isolated city of Xiaopei won't be able to cause any significant trouble.
Shan Jing nodded: "Let's do it that way."
On the 12th day of the seventh month, Lü Bu led 800 remaining cavalrymen to the outskirts of Xiapi.
Shan Jing did not come out of the city to greet him, but only ordered his men to open the city gates and let Lü Bu enter the city with his entourage.
Chen Deng waited at the city gate and led Lü Bu into the governor's mansion.
Shan Jing sat upright in the hall. When he saw Lü Bu enter, he stood up and cupped his hands in greeting: "General Lü, you must have had a long journey."
Lu Bu returned the greeting with clasped hands, adopting a very humble posture: "I came here in dire straits, and I am deeply grateful to Lord Shan for taking me in."
Shan Jing invited him to sit down and ordered someone to serve tea.
After exchanging a few pleasantries, Shan Jing got straight to the point: "General Lü, Xuzhou is adjacent to Yanzhou to the north, and Cao Cao could attack at any time."
I would like to request that the general garrison Xiaopei and defend the north gate of Xuzhou.
What is the general's opinion?
Lu Bu breathed a sigh of relief. Although Xiaopei was small, at least he had a place to stay.
He immediately stood up, clasped his hands in a fist and said, "Rest assured, Lord Shan, as long as Bu is in Xiaopei, Cao Cao will not be able to take another step south."
Dan Jing nodded, then looked at Chen Gong: "Mr. Chen Gongtai, would you be interested in taking a position in Xuzhou?"
Chen Gong cupped his hands in greeting: "I am willing to follow General Lü to defend Xiaopei."
Shan Jing did not force him, and ordered a banquet to be prepared to welcome Lü Bu.
During the banquet, Lü Bu drank several cups of wine and spoke with great respect.
Chen Deng sat to the side, always with a smile on his face, but his gaze swept back and forth between Lü Bu and Chen Gong several times.
After the banquet, Lü Bu left the city.
After seeing Lü Bu off, Chen Deng returned to the hall.
Shan Jing asked, "Yuanlong, what do you think of Lü Bu?"
5
Chen Deng's smile faded: "This man appears respectful on the surface, but there's arrogance in his eyes. He can be used, but not trusted."
Shan Jing sighed, "We should use it for now. We still need to make preparations for Cao Cao's side as soon as possible."