Chapter 55: Liu Xie: Fengxian is Truly a Loyal Man! (fixed)

Ultimately, Liu Bei managed to seize Pei County.

Regardless of his methods, as long as he achieved the desired outcome, Yan Liang and Wen Chou had no reason to kill him anymore.

The military orders were clear; openly defying them would tarnish Yuan Shao’s reputation and invite punishment upon their return.

Thus, despite their dissatisfaction, they reluctantly conceded defeat.

After Yan Liang and Wen Chou departed with their soldiers from the Yama Battalion, the relieved Liu Bei wiped the cold sweat from his forehead, still shaken by his narrow escape.

“Dage, are you alright?” Guan Yu helped Liu Bei up, concern evident in his voice.

Liu Bei panted slightly, unable to speak immediately, still trying to compose himself. It was so close, just a hair away, and he would have met the ancestral emperors of Great Han.

Never before had death felt this imminent!

“I never expected that traitor Lu Bu to actually return Pei County. Seems like he has some honor after all. Next time we meet, I’ll stab him fewer times,” Zhang Fei remarked, unusually offering praise for Lu Bu.

Without Lu Bu withdrawing his forces and returning Pei County, they truly would have perished there.

Liu Bei also sighed, “Despite his unpredictable nature, Lu Bu remains loyal to His Majesty. He indeed proves himself a faithful servant.”

This time, Liu Bei had taken a calculated gamble, but it paid off—the result showed that Lu Bu’s loyalty to the Emperor remained intact. That alone sufficed.

After reflecting briefly, Liu Bei stood up and addressed Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, “Let’s go back to Pei County now.”

They nodded in agreement and accompanied him on the journey.

News of Liu Bei’s capture of Pei County swiftly reached Yecheng.

Liu Xie learned about it from Guo Jia, leaving him stunned for several moments before he uttered a classic two-word assessment:

“Damn impressive.”

He couldn’t find any better words to express his astonishment.

In just ten days with five thousand troops, Liu Bei had managed to seize Pei County?

It seemed almost too incredible to believe.

Smiling, Guo Jia explained, “Liu Bei did not conquer Pei County through brute force but employed a clever strategy—he wrote a letter to Lu Bu requesting its return.”

This only deepened Liu Xie’s confusion. He asked, “Lu Bu actually returned a captured city to Liu Bei? Are they that close? It doesn’t make sense.”

While aware of Liu Bei’s exceptional persuasive skills, it still seemed unbelievable that a single letter could convince Lu Bu to relinquish an entire city.

“Although Liu Bei didn’t explain how he persuaded Lu Bu, I suspect he used Your Majesty’s authority,” Guo Jia analyzed calmly. “Liu Bei lacked any leverage or bargaining power against Lu Bu; his only recourse was invoking Your Majesty’s name.”

“Despite Lu Bu’s lack of grand ambition and unpredictable nature, he holds immense respect for Your Majesty, owing to the favors you’ve bestowed upon him.”

“Therefore, if Liu Bei used Your Majesty’s name to persuade Lu Bu to relinquish Pei County, it is likely that Lu Bu would have agreed.”

This showcased the prowess of intelligent individuals—they could deduce the whole picture from just a glimpse.

After hearing Guo Jia’s analysis, Liu Xie sighed and remarked sincerely, “Fengxian truly is a loyal man!”

Although history often vilified Lu Bu as disloyal, with phrases like “a scoundrel” or “the thrice-renamed traitor”… ugh, “the thrice-renamed turncoat,” from his omniscient perspective, Liu Xie observed that Lu Bu consistently acted as a faithful servant:

• When Ding Yuan sought to support Liu Bian, Lu Bu killed Ding Yuan.
• As Dong Zhuo disrupted the imperial order, Lu Bu assassinated Dong Zhuo.
• During Guo Si and Li Jue’s assault on Chang’an, Lu Bu fought against them.
• While Cao Cao manipulated the Emperor to command nobles, Lu Bu battled against Cao Cao.

Despite appearing chaotic due to his involvement in numerous conflicts at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was method to his actions. He targeted only enemies of the Emperor, ultimately dying at the hands of the treacherous minister, Cao Cao.

Even now, when Liu Bei invoked the Emperor’s authority to convince him to surrender Pei County, Lu Bu complied without any complaints.

If this wasn’t the epitome of loyalty, then what was? Liu Xie declared Qi Fengxian as the foremost loyal subject of Great Han!

Guo Jia nodded in agreement. “Indeed, we should try to win over Lu Bu. In the future, his strength could prove invaluable against Yuan Shao.”

“Speaking of which,” Liu Xie recalled something and asked Guo Jia, “Fengxiao, last time you mentioned sowing discord among Yuan Shao’s sons. How has that plan progressed?”

“What is the current situation?”

Guo Jia’s proposal of three strategies had left a deep impression on Liu Xie. After deciding to implement the middle strategy, he entrusted Guo Jia with its execution. Recently, he heard that two of Yuan Shao’s sons returned to Yecheng, but he was unsure if Guo Jia had already taken action.

“Rest assured, Your Majesty. I have already initiated contact with Yuan Shang. The three sons of Yuan Shao are inherently at odds, like fire and water. My role is merely to add fuel to their conflict.”

Guo Jia, true to his reputation as a tireless worker, confidently reassured Liu Xie. He continued, “Currently, Yuan Shao is recuperating due to illness and has divided the city’s affairs between Yuan Xi and Yuan Shang. This serves two purposes: first, to assess the capabilities of his two sons, and second, to gauge the loyalty of his ministers towards either son.

“Among them, Shen Pei and Feng Ji support Yuan Shang, while Guo Tu and Xu You lean towards Yuan Xi.”

“Tian Feng and Ju Shou maintain neutrality; however, more accurately, they lean towards Yuan Shao’s eldest son, Yuan Tan. But currently, Yuan Tan is commanding troops in Qingzhou to guard the region.”

Guo Jia provided Liu Xie with a brief overview of the situation before outlining his plans.

“Yuan Shang, being the youngest son, enjoys Yuan Shao’s utmost favor. However, he is overly young and impulsive.”

“I have already gained Yuan Shang’s initial trust. Next, I will further sow discord between the brothers, inciting conflict among them.”

“It’s unfortunate that Yuan Tan isn’t present; otherwise, a three-way struggle would create even greater chaos.”

Regret was evident in Guo Jia’s words. He preferred having all three sons involved, as it would allow him to take them down simultaneously, preventing any stragglers who might later cause trouble.

Upon hearing this, the corner of Liu Xie’s mouth twitched involuntarily, silently mourning for Yuan Shang and Yuan Xi inside.

Being targeted by such a cunning and highly intelligent individual truly leaves you at a disadvantage.

“Fengxiao, keep up the good work! We believe in you,” Liu Xie said with a smile, offering encouragement.

At this point, aside from moral support, there wasn’t much else he could provide to Guo Jia. Knowing his own limitations, Liu Xie decided to firmly cling to the master strategist’s coattails, content to watch the expert at work while reaping the benefits.

Blindly giving misguided orders and steering the wrong course would only lead to disaster.

Though Guo Jia didn’t fully grasp the meaning of “Fengxiao, good luck!”, he understood it as words of encouragement. He nodded confidently, saying, “Fear not, Your Majesty. Leave everything to me!”

With that, Guo Jia rose and took his leave.

As Liu Xie watched him stride away, he felt a sense of awe at Guo Jia’s imposing figure, generating a profound sense of security within him.

“Being a freeloader truly has its perks,” Liu Xie sighed contentedly.