Chapter 419 Their Decision – Part One (1/2)

Chapter 419 – Their Decision – Part One

At Xiangyang city hall, a eunuch had visited Liu Biao to negotiate peace.

”Please tell his majesty that we are grateful for his kindness. We shall do our best to support his cause against the Xiongnu,” Liu Biao stood and bowed to the eunuch.

”I shall relay the message. His majesty would be delighted with your support.”

Tong had sent Wei You here to deliver a decree, giving a Liu Biao the title, [Marquis of Chu], which equaled the rank of Cao Cao. He also sent second-handed bronze armors and weapons to Liu Biao to support him in the future war against the Xiongnu.

In exchange for the title, Tong demanded Liu Biao's allegiance that he had to lower the banners of [Liu] and raise Tong's flags on their wall, signifying that they were under Tong's government. Also, they would concede their government positions to Tong's men in the future. However, Liu Biao and his successors got to keep Xiangyang and its properties. Also, Tong would not interfere with their affair.

In conclusion, Tong wanted Liu Biao to surrender all of his territories whenever their borders connected.

Liu Biao was already 50 this year, and he did not think that his life would last very long. Since he wanted his sons to live without worries and hand-free from wars, Liu Biao had no problem with these terms.

He agreed!

The officers celebrated that their lord got promoted, and they were on good terms with the emperor. With this connection, their Jing Province would prosper once the cold war between them and the Xiongnu concluded.

Liu Biao waved his hand, ”Please wait, Lao Gonggong. Can you ask his majesty to send reinforcement to my province? Our intel said that Chanyu Khan is preparing to attack my province next.”

Wei You nodded, ”Sure. Please make a written request, so I can use it as proof that you require urgent support. With a written proof, I can push this request to his majesty faster.”

”Of course! I'll make one right away!”

.

After Wei You had finished his mission, he returned to his guest house, regrouping with his bodyguards.

This eunuch traveled here along with a bald bodyguard, Zhou Cang.

Initially, Zhou Cang was assigned to be a vice commander, assisting Zhang Liao with his Monster Legion in Henei. However, Wei You's job required absolute protection, so Tong sent Zhou Cang with Wei You. Once this job was over, Zhou Cang would return to the Monster Legion.

After Zhou Cang got his other world's memory and the cultivation technique, he trained harder, and he successfully awakened one virtue as a result. One of his remaining seven attributes was already at 90%, so he could gamble to get his second wing at any time.

Furthermore, Tong published his brain overclocking technique in the clan chat for all generals to train. Zhou Cang could also use it, but he was not at the level that he could use the Blood Manipulation Technique, which controlled blood cells and accelerate the body's recovery rate.

Still, Zhou Cang, at the moment, was much stronger than the other timeline.

”Let's go visit the boys that his majesty referred.”

Wei You took Zhou Cang and a squad of 100 men to visit Zhuge Liang at his bamboo hut, hoping to see what kind of person that Tong spoke highly.

.

Wei You and his bodyguards arrived at Zhuge Liang's courtyard unhindered. As they were official envoys from Ye, everyone in the mountain village guided these people to the sleeping dragon's house.

Zhuge Liang, Pang Tong, Xu Shu, and Sima Hui had to come out and welcome them.

”Lao Gonggong, please forgive us that we have not prepared to welcome you. We didn't know that you would come without notice.”

Wei You smiled, ”Relax. We've come without an appointment. We're the rude one.”

”O-Okay.”

All of them entered the courtyard. The bodyguards did not pose any threat to the locals. Instead, they distributed their prepared souvenirs from their territories.

Zhou Cang and his subordinates gave away tea leaves, bags of spice, and blocks of soap to the onlooking scholars and housewives.

The locals cheered and took them since nobody hated free stuff.

Because of this action, Zhuge Liang's neighbors liked these men. They remembered their faces that these soldiers were friendly guys.

The strategists in the courtyard noticed Zhou Cang's action as well. Each of them had a different evaluation.

Pang Tong was still affected by his bias point of view. He saw these actions as bribery, and he disapproved of it.

Xu Shu thought it was a standard etiquette that visitors should bring gifts to the host. As long as these people were harmless, he did not care.

Sima Hui liked what he saw. As all souvenirs suited the local people and spice was a rare product, he accepted Wei You and Zhou Cang's sincerity.

The majority of villagers on this mountain were retired scholars, women, and aspiring young scholars. As such, none of them would mind tea, soap, and spice. Had they brought something that signified bribery, such as wine, gold, or treasure, Sima Hui would have chased them away.

As for the last one, Zhuge Liang had a similar thought with Xu Shu and Sima Hui. However, he did not like Wei You, who intruded into his privacy.

When Wei You and the four scholars were alone, the eunuch stated his business.

”I'm here to listen to your reply to his majesty's invitation. Would you like to serve our emperor? Of course, this offer extends to seniors and everyone in this village. You can bring your family to Ye with you, and we will prepare a suitable courtyard for everyone.”

Sima Hui's eyes gleamed. He heard that Ye City had many academies, which interested him. As a senior scholar with positive thinking as his motto, attending academies in Ye would not be a bad idea.

Xu Shu sighed while Pang Tong clicked his tongue. Both of them were not interested.

Xu Shu cupped his fist and bowed to Wei You, ”I wish to postpone my decision. I'm still too inexperienced in the worldly affair, and I wish to continue being a ronin scholar for a while.”

Pang Tong snorted, ”Me, too.”

Sima Hui also bowed to Wei You, ”I would like to visit Ye City and attend one of your academies. Although I don't know if I can be useful to his majesty, will you accept this old bone?”

Wei You laughed, ”Of course. His majesty said that he will welcome everyone regardless of gender and age!”

”Good! Very well, I'll be in your care.”

Wei You turned to Zhuge Liang, ”What about you, young hero?”

Zhuge Liang closed his eyes as he was in deep thought.