Liu Bei is Afraid of My Uncle? Acting Face-to-Face with Old Liu and Befuddling Zhang Yun!

The main hall of the prefectural mansion instantly erupted in commotion.

"I get it now! Military Advisor, this is a diversion tactic!"

"We feign an attack on the enemy's grain supply camp to lure Liu Biao's forces away, but instead launch a surprise raid on his main encampment at Yuyang, catching him completely off guard."

"Once this main camp is lost and the defending garrison is annihilated, Liu Biao will suffer a devastating blow and his army's morale will collapse."

"By then, it will be a wonder if he doesn't scurry back to Xinye in utter disgrace! Won't we have turned defense into offense?"

Though rough in appearance, Zhang Fei was perceptive at heart. Having instantly grasped the profound meaning behind Xiao Fang's strategy, he slammed the table and roared with wild excitement.

Xiao Fang merely smiled without a word, pouring himself another cup of wine.

Liu Bei snapped out of his exhilaration, stepped forward, and personally filled Xiao Fang's cup to the brim.

"The Military Advisor's diversion tactic is indeed a brilliant stroke to achieve victory by surprise. I believe it is entirely feasible."

"However, how shall we make Liu Jingsheng aware that we intend to raid his grain camp, so as to draw his main army away from his primary base?"

With these words, Liu Bei handed the wine cup into Xiao Fang's hands.

The hall fell silent once more as the curious gazes of everyone present converged upon Xiao Fang again.

"Didn't I just say earlier? To make Liu Biao take the bait, we must make use of Zhang Yun as our fish bait."

Liu Bei's eyes grew hazy with confusion once more.

"Shortly, we shall coordinate together and put on a show for that Zhang Yun..."

Xiao Fang leaned in close and whispered the details of the stratagem into Liu Bei's ear.

Liu Bei's brow gradually unfurled, the cloud of doubt on his face dissipating and being replaced by pleasant surprise.

"Splendid, splendid, splendid! The Military Advisor's plan is truly exquisite and peerless!"

"We shall follow the Military Advisor's strategy. I shall cooperate with you, and together we will stage a magnificent play for Zhang Yun!"

...

Half an hour later.

Supported by soldiers, Zhang Yun limped into the hall.

Raising his eyes, he saw a middle-aged military commander sitting high in the seat of honor, his expression stern and forbidding.

Beside him sat a young scholar, whose gaze, sharp as a blade, was also fixed coldly upon him.

Without needing to guess, that middle-aged commander was undoubtedly Liu Bei.

Recalling the death of Cai He, Zhang Yun's nerves instantly tightened, and a cold sweat broke out across his back in an instant.

If he even dared to kill a scion of the Cai family, what more of someone like me?

Did Liu Bei summon me here because he truly intends to have me executed?

Such a spine-chilling thought involuntarily surged through Zhang Yun's mind.

"Men, bring a seat and tea for Young Master Zhang."

Just as Zhang Yun was filled with anxiety and trepidation, the stern look on Liu Bei's face suddenly melted into kindness, becoming uncharacteristically courteous toward him.

The soldiers helped him to a seat, and fine wine was placed before him.

Zhang Yun, however, grew even more ill at ease, unable to fathom what kind of game Liu Bei was playing.

"Later on, I intend to send someone to escort Young Master Zhang back to the Jingzhou army's main camp. I must trouble you to convey a message to Liu Jingsheng. I wonder if Young Master Zhang would be willing?"

Liu Bei's courteous words dealt a heavy shock to Zhang Yun's heart.

He had expected that, having been captured by the ruthless Liu Bei, he would surely follow in Cai He's footsteps.

Who could have anticipated that Liu Bei actually intended to let him go?

What kind of tactic was this?

"I... I do not know what message the General wishes me to convey," Zhang Yun asked in a trembling voice, finding it hard to believe.

Without answering, Liu Bei turned his head and glanced at Xiao Fang.

"Although Nanyang Commandery belongs to Jingzhou, it was seized by Zhang Ji and has long since ceased to belong to your master, Liu Jingsheng."

"My lord captured Nanyang Commandery from the hands of Zhang Ji, so occupying Nanyang is entirely justified by right and reason."

"Out of consideration for his shared ancestry with Liu Jingsheng, my lord originally had no intention of damaging our amicable relations and resorting to arms."

"It was only because Cai He first infringed upon our territory at Yuyang, followed by Liu Jingsheng pressing down upon us with a massive force, that my lord was compelled to raise troops in counterattack and engage your master in battle."

"The fault lies not with our side, but with yours!"

With a stern and severe tone, Xiao Fang clearly delineated the responsibility for the outbreak of war.

Then, his tone shifted, becoming warm and amiable:

"Go back and tell Liu Jingsheng that my lord and he are both descendants of the Liu clan. Their common enemies are Han traitors like Yuan Shao and Cao Cao, not each other."

"If Liu Jingsheng can turn back in time and is willing to shake hands and make peace, my lord is willing to establish Rang County as the boundary between them, and both sides will cease hostilities right there!"

"Otherwise, do not blame my lord for disregarding our shared ancestry; we will march straight into Xiangyang and seize Jingzhou!"

Hearing this, Zhang Yun finally understood.

After all that buildup, it turned out Liu Bei wanted to sue for peace.

The corners of Zhang Yun's mouth curled upward in a quiet smile.

"This fellow must be that rustic country bumpkin, Xiao Fang. How arrogant of him to boast about marching into Xiangyang and seizing Jingzhou—does Liu Bei even have the ability?"

"I see he is merely putting up a bold front while being cowardly at heart. Clearly, he fears my uncle's overwhelming power and dares not fight to the death any longer. Therefore, he wants to use escorting me back to camp as a favor to curry favor with my uncle, exchanging it for my uncle's willingness to make peace with him."

"Liu Bei, in the end, you are still afraid of my uncle..."

Thoughts raced through Zhang Yun's mind. Having figured this out, a cold sneer played at the corners of his mouth.

Consequently, he straightened his back, lifted his head, and his previous wariness vanished like smoke into thin air.

"Easily done, easily done! Since General Liu has the intention of making peace, I will naturally convey these words to my uncle."

Zhang Yun readily agreed, and the wine cup he had previously been afraid to touch was now lifted to his lips.

Liu Bei and Xiao Fang exchanged a knowing, amused glance.

Feigning delight, Liu Bei immediately ordered a banquet to be set to bid Zhang Yun farewell.

After several rounds of drinks, Zhang Yun appeared half-intoxicated and unable to hold his liquor.

At that moment, Chen Dao stepped into the hall and bowed, saying:

"Reporting to the lord, General Zhang and the others have finished assembling their troops and are ready at any moment—"

Before he could finish, Xiao Fang's eyes widened sharply as he shot a glance at Zhang Yun.

Understanding immediately, Chen Dao hastily swallowed the rest of his words.

Zhang Yun, catching the anomaly nearby, feigned severe intoxication and slumped facedown across his desk.

"Young Master Zhang? Young Master Zhang?"

Xiao Fang called out several times, but Zhang Yun gave no response whatsoever.

Only then did Liu Bei and Xiao Fang rise to their feet and walk out of the door behind Chen Dao.

The moment the three of them left, there was no one else remaining in the hall.

Zhang Yun glanced around stealthily, scrambled to his feet in a flurry, scurried over to the hall's doorway, and peered through the crack.

Looking out, he saw generals Zhang Xiu and Wei Yan reporting to Liu Bei.

"Reporting to the lord, my eight hundred Liangzhou elite cavalry and Wen Chang's six thousand infantry are all prepared."

"With a single command from the lord, we can set out tonight and strike directly at Xiyang Gathering!"

Liu Bei nodded slightly, patted both men on the shoulders, and said:

"Follow the defense map delivered by Wen Zhongye. Set out as soon as darkness falls. Whether we can shatter Liu Biao depends entirely on this battle between the two of you!"

The two generals accepted the command with spirited determination and withdrew.

Watching them depart, Liu Bei smiled at Xiao Fang and said:

"The Military Advisor's feigned weakness strategy is truly exquisite beyond compare."

"That Zhang Yun assumes my courtesy and respect toward him stem from fear of Liu Biao's might, and that I wish to use him to sue for peace with Liu Biao. He would never in his wildest dreams expect that I will take advantage of his numbness and complacency to launch a surprise strike directly at Xiyang Gathering with elite troops!"

A sarcastic smile touched Xiao Fang's face as he sneered:

"We shall send Zhang Yun on his way shortly. Before our surprise force departs, we must use his own tongue to make Liu Biao lower his guard..."

Hearing fragments of this conversation outside the door, Zhang Yun was overcome with a mixture of shock and rage.

"So the lord and his minister were merely putting on an act, intending to use me to hypocritically sue for peace with my uncle!"

"This must be that scoundrel Xiao Fang's treacherous scheme. This country bumpkin is truly crafty and insidious!"

"Yet, why would they want to launch a surprise raid on Xiyang Gathering?"

"And furthermore, it sounded as though the big-eared thief mentioned Wen Ping. Could it be that Wen Ping has already secretly colluded with Liu Bei?"

Zhang Yun's fists slowly tightened, his angry face shadowed by a deep look of suspicion.