Chapter 31: One Seeking a Cheap Kill, One Seeking to Be Slain! The Wife and Sister-in-Law Have Arrived!

"Borrowing a knife to kill?"

Liu Biao’s eyes lit up. He waved his hand, signaling Kuai Yue to continue.

"My Lord, you may openly promise Liu Bei that you will join forces with him to attack Zhang Ji, but in reality, you should station your troops at Xinye and cease any further northward advancement toward Rang County."

"In doing so, you will no longer pose a threat to Zhang Ji."

"Zhang Ji’s intention to attack Rang County from the south is driven by nothing more than a desperate need for provisions to sustain his army."

"According to my scouts, Liu Bei has brought nearly one hundred thousand bushels of grain with him to Biyang, and grain carts are arriving from the direction of Runan daily."

"Liu Bei has few troops and weak generals, yet he holds such vast quantities of grain; it is like a child clutching gold in a marketplace!"

"Why would Zhang Ji bother fighting you—a man who commands the forces of an entire province—in a head-on clash over Rang County, when he could simply plunder Liu Bei instead?"

Kuai Yue stroked his thin beard, his squinted eyes radiating the confidence of one who had everything under control.

Liu Biao, a man of profound political cunning, immediately grasped the underlying intrigue. He nodded slightly.

"I understand, Yidu. You mean to use Liu Bei as a blade to deal with Zhang Ji?"

Kuai Yue offered a cold smile. "Liu Bei is a rather dull blade; how could he possibly cut through Zhang Ji?"

"My strategy is merely to use Liu Bei’s hand to exhaust Zhang Ji. Once the two of them have battered each other into ruin, you may then strike at the opportune moment, march your army north, and easily sweep them both away!"

As Kuai Yue laid out the true intent, his seemingly indifferent tone carried a chilling edge.

Liu Biao stroked his partially graying beard, weighing Kuai Yue’s plan.

"My Lord, Yidu’s strategy is to kill two birds with one stone."

Cai Mao, having shifted his stance to align with Kuai Yue, spoke with an air of superiority. "Let Zhang Ji and Liu Bei slaughter each other to deplete their strength, and we shall sit back to reap the rewards like a fisherman. One is a barbarian from Xiliang, the other a mere mat-weaver and sandal-seller—do they truly think themselves fit to occupy Nanyang and covet Jing Province? You should simply eliminate them both!"

He held nothing but contempt for both Zhang Ji and Liu Bei.

After weighing the matter repeatedly, Liu Biao sighed. "You gentlemen have elevated me to the position of Governor of Jing Province; I naturally have the duty to defend our lands and protect our people against foreign enemies."

"I can tolerate Zhang Ji, but Liu Xuande is a member of my own clan. I cannot bear to use force against him."

Cai Mao and Kuai Yue exchanged a glance, immediately sensing the hidden meaning in Liu Biao’s words. Their lord was concerned about his reputation and found it inappropriate to wage war against a fellow clansman. This was true even though Liu Bei’s roots were humble, whereas Liu Biao was a legitimate member of the imperial house of Liu, recorded in the ancestral registers.

Kuai Yue’s eyes flickered. He bowed and said, "Your Lordship’s benevolence and concern for clan ties are truly admirable."

"I suggest that once you have defeated Zhang Ji, you may offer Liu Xuande a chance to surrender. Let him serve as your vassal and station his troops at Wan City."

"By keeping a firm grip on the supply of grain, you will ensure he dares not harbor any treacherous intent, forcing him to dutifully guard the northern gateway of Jing Province for you."

"Liu Xuande is a man who understands the times; he will naturally see this as his only path to survival and will surely surrender to you with joy."

"In this way, you need not wage war against a kinsman, yet you will gain a general to guard your northern borders. Is that not killing two birds with one stone?"

Kuai Yue analyzed the pros and cons, presenting his revised strategy with flair. Liu Biao’s spirits lifted, and the hesitation in his eyes began to vanish.

"Excellent. Yidu’s plan is indeed a double-edged solution that suits my wishes perfectly."

Liu Biao stood up, slapping the desk and waving his hand with resolve. "We shall follow Yidu’s plan. Send word to Liu Xuande at once."

"Issue the order: the army shall remain stationed at Xinye and cease its advance to Rang County. I shall sit here and watch as those two tigers fight and leave each other broken!"

…

Wan City, Commandery Office.

"Arrogant! Extremely arrogant!"

"Liu Bei, who do you think you are? How dare you threaten me and treat me like dirt!"

In the great hall, Zhang Ji slammed Liu Bei’s "ultimatum" onto the table.

A Xiliang warrior of about thirty years, his face clouded with suspicion, stepped forward and picked up the silk scroll. He was curious to see what this Liu Bei, who had suddenly appeared from nowhere, could have written to make his uncle so enraged.

"Demanding we withdraw from Nanyang within ten days, or he will lead his army to trample Wan City?"

"This Liu Bei dares to be so insolent and underestimate my uncle?" Zhang Xiu’s brows furrowed, his own anger rising.

Zhang Ji stood up abruptly, pacing the hall with a furious expression, his hands behind his back.

"Wenjin, how many men did Liu Bei bring with him?" Zhang Ji suddenly asked while pacing.

"According to my scouts, Liu Bei only had three thousand men when he fled Xuzhou, but he recruited several thousand Yellow Turbans in Runan."

"Now that they have merged, his force should be around ten thousand strong."

Hearing Zhang Xiu’s report, Zhang Ji stopped, a look of doubt in his eyes. He occupied Nanyang, yet even after scraping the land bare, he could barely feed his own ten thousand troops. How could Liu Bei, having come all the way from Xuzhou and occupying only Biyang, afford to feed ten thousand soldiers?

Did his troops eat dirt?

"It is said that after Liu Bei occupied Biyang, grain carts have been arriving from the direction of Runan without end."

"Word is that Liu Bei received the total support of the Mi family of Xuzhou and seized tens of thousands of bushels of grain from Yuan Shu at Xutai."

"They say he now holds one hundred thousand bushels of grain, enough to feed ten thousand soldiers for a year. He is naturally not lacking in supplies."

Zhang Xiu, realizing the source of his uncle’s doubt, provided the explanation.

Zhang Ji’s suspicions vanished, his eyes brightening with excitement. "What are Liu Biao’s movements? Has he led his main army into Rang County yet?"

Zhang Xiu shook his head. "According to scouts from the south, Liu Biao had led his army across the Han River, but he has stopped at Xinye. There is no sign of him advancing north to Rang County."

Hearing this, Zhang Ji suddenly stopped pacing and leaned over the map on his desk, examining it for a long time.

"Heaven helps me! Heaven truly helps me!"

"Hahaha—" Zhang Ji suddenly slapped the table and burst into loud laughter.

Zhang Xiu frowned, not understanding why his uncle was laughing so wildly.

"We marched south to attack Rang City only because we were short of grain and had no choice but to go to war with Liu Biao."

"Now that the grain shortage is solved, why should we bother biting into the hard bone of Liu Biao?"

Zhang Ji stopped laughing, a playful smirk curling his lips.

Zhang Xiu was stunned, then suddenly realized: "Does my uncle intend to attack Biyang instead and seize the grain from Liu Bei?"

Zhang Ji stroked his thin beard and sneered, "Liu Bei has only ten thousand men, mostly a rabble of Yellow Turbans from Runan. Dealing with him will be far easier than dealing with Liu Biao."

"He holds over a hundred thousand bushels of grain but has few troops and weak generals—he is a child clutching gold in the street!"

"He is even arrogant enough to want to seize my Nanyang!"

"I won't wait for him to attack me. I will lead the army to trample Biyang first and seize his head along with the hundred thousand bushels of grain!"

Zhang Xiu suddenly understood. His uncle was planning to strike first and finish off Liu Bei!

"Wenjin, quickly muster the troops. Your uncle is going to trample Biyang myself!"

"I will show Liu Bei how we Xiliang men fight!"

Zhang Ji’s face burned with arrogance, as if breaking Liu Bei would be as easy as reaching into a bag to retrieve an object.

Hearing this, Zhang Xiu felt a surge of pride, but he bowed and said, "Uncle, have you forgotten? The wedding date with the Lady Zou is near. In a few days, she will be sent to Wan City for the wedding."

"This marriage concerns your alliance with the Nanyang gentry and whether we can establish a firm foothold in Nanyang. It should not be delayed."

"Let me lead the army to conquer Liu Bei!"

Zhang Ji was startled, suddenly recalling the matter. While Lady Zou was not from a top-tier noble family, she still held considerable influence in Nanyang Commandery. She had originally looked down on him as a Xiliang warrior and refused the marriage; it was only through his threat of force that she had been compelled to agree. The auspicious date was set for ten days away.

"Wenjin is right. The auspicious date is set; it should not be delayed."

Zhang Ji nodded slightly, then asked, "But are you truly confident in this campaign against Liu Bei?" His words betrayed a lingering doubt about Zhang Xiu.

Stung by this, Zhang Xiu said proudly, "When I followed you and Lord Dong to ride across the lands of the Qiang and Hu, that Liu Bei was still weaving mats and selling sandals!"

"If you think I cannot even defeat that Liu Bei, surely you underestimate me too much!"

Zhang Ji laughed and patted his shoulder. "It is my fault for asking. How could I not trust you, Wenjin?"

"Depart with the troops at once. When you return in triumph with the grain, your new aunt and I will have a victory feast waiting for you!"

Zhang Xiu accepted the order with enthusiasm.

That same day, Zhang Xiu led eight thousand Xiliang troops out of Wan City, marching toward Biyang in a grand display of power.

…

Biyang City, inside a residence.

"Military Advisor, this is the fine wine from Nanyang that my Lord ordered to be delivered."

"Military Advisor, my Lord says the weather is turning cold. This is the winter clothing he specifically had the best tailor in the city rush to make for you."

"Military Advisor, these maidservants were chosen by the Lady herself to attend to your daily needs."

"Military Advisor, this is from my Lord…"

Xiao Fang sat idly in the hall, watching as Liu Bei sent wave after wave of people—fine wine, gold, silks, and servants—all to his home. Even this residence was the finest in Biyang, bought by Liu Bei at a high price from its original owner and given to him while Liu Bei himself lived elsewhere.

Xiao Fang had to admit that Liu Bei was truly generous; he gave him the best of everything available.

"I haven’t had Nanyang wine in a long time. I have truly missed that taste…"

Xiao Fang poured himself a cup, intending to savor it.

"Brother-in-law!"

A familiar voice echoed from outside the hall. Xiao Fang looked up and his eyes lit up.

His brother-in-law, Zhuge Liang, had returned. Following behind him were two women walking hand in hand.

The young, elegant woman in simple, refined dress, with a dignified demeanor, was his wife, Zhuge Lan. The young girl walking beside her, dressed in a light red *ru* skirt, lively and beautiful, was Zhuge Lan’s younger sister, Zhuge Liang’s second sister, Zhuge Rong.

She was, of course, his sister-in-law.