On May 27th of the first year of Chuping, Kuai Yue and Pang Ji were entrusted by Liu Qi and Cai Mao to ride into Xiangyang alone to persuade Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng to surrender.

Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng originally defected to the Nanjun clan as Jiangxia thieves and had no roots. After learning that the fifty-five clans in Jingzhou had been pacified, they panicked and could not sleep every night for fear of Liu's military attack.

They will force them into Xiangyang and take their heads.

After Pang Ji and Kuai Yue entered the city, they praised the two of them for being powerful. Pang Ji also expressed Cai Mao's sincerity to them, saying that as long as Cai Mao was around, their lives would be safe, and they would remain safe even after dedicating the city.

He can be held in his original position and can be reused if he can perform meritorious deeds in the future.

The person behind Pang Ji's words was Cai Mao, but on the contrary, Liu's role was deliberately reduced a lot.

Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng originally came to Nanjun for the big clans Bei and Zhang, and they still have a certain sense of trust in the Nanjun clan.

Seeing Cai Mao's promise, the two expressed their willingness to submit on the spot.

Pang Ji and Kuai Yue then returned to Yicheng to resume their duties.

…

After listening to the two men's account of the process of persuading surrender, Cai Mao was very satisfied, but Liu Qi did not agree.

Liu Qi put forward his own opinion: "We cannot let the two surrender quietly like this. We must let them surrender in Kaicheng with great fanfare and let the people of Xiangyang see it with their own eyes! They need to let the two of them surrender in front of the people of Xiangyang.

In person, he personally led our troops into the city, firstly to show his integrity, and secondly to show his majesty as a strict monarch."

Cai Mao frowned: "Sir, Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng have surrendered, so why humiliate them like this? It's too much."

Liu Qi explained to Cai Mao: "General Cai misunderstood. Qi's move was definitely not an insult. He just wanted to win face and establish power for Yan Jun in Xiangyang before he took office."

Cai Mao was stunned when he heard this... Are you trying to save Liu Biao's face?

"What kind of argument is this?"

Liu Qi explained: "Jun Yan was appointed as the governor of Jingzhou. Although it was granted by the imperial court, my Liu family has no roots in Jingzhou and no prestige. In the past, I used the power of thunder to pacify the three clans. Most people in Xiangyang also thought that the two clans were Cai and Kuai."

So I accepted the surrender of the two thieves Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng, and I have to make more noise no matter what, so as to earn some fame and prestige for Yan Jun."

Cai Mao suddenly realized, secretly thinking that he couldn't see that this boy was quite filial, but he actually wanted to use the matter of surrendering the two thieves to gain Liu Biao's reputation?

It's a pity that all your fighting is just to gain fame and fortune for Mr. Cai.

Kuai Yue acted as a peacemaker on the side and said: "What you said is in line with common sense. We made a lot of trouble in Nanjun, but there is no merit that can be attributed to the envoy. Accepting the surrender should give the envoy some face."

"

With Kuai Yue speaking for Liu Qi, Cai Mao couldn't object, so he said: "It's just that Liu Shijun is not here, what do you plan to do?"

Liu Qi said: "Before surrendering, you can ask Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng to open the four gates of Xiangyang, allowing the people in the city to go out and enter the city, and business travelers can also use the roads to do business, and restore the normal trade flow of Xiangyang City."

"On the day of the surrender, we set up the Yan Jun's banner and accepted the surrender of Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng at the intersection of people outside the city. It was in line with common sense and not artificial. It not only showed the power of the Yan Jun, but also boosted the morale of the three armies. I don't know what the public thought.

how?"

Cai Mao was deeply disdainful of Liu Qi's behavior of putting on showy things and said: "It's too complicated."

Kuai Yue said hurriedly: "It's not complicated. We are doing this for the sake of Liu Shijun's prestige. When the emperor arrives, he will also record one of our merits."

After saying that, Kuai Yue winked at Cai Hao.

Cai Mao understood that Kuai Yue was reminding him that Liu Qi had already made concessions on the surrender of Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng, and now he just wanted to use this matter to gain face for Liu Biao.

If Cai Mao continues to push back and resist, it would be too unkind.

Cai Mao thought about it carefully. In the past few days, he was too arbitrary and overbearing when it came to agreeing to surrender Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng. He did not take Liu Qi seriously, which was quite disrespectful.

Now that the boy from the Liu family has surrendered, I will sell him some thin noodles.

After figuring it out, Cai Mao said: "In that case, Cai asked Pang Ji to go to Xiangyang City again to explain the matter to Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng."

Liu Qi looked pleased: "Thank you, Mr. Cai."

…

After Cai Mao and the Kuai brothers left, Liu Qi went to Huang Zhong's military camp to see Li Zheng, the magistrate of Yicheng County who was captured alive by Huang Xu.

On the day when fifty-five clan traitors were executed, Li Zheng was deceived by Kuai Yue and captured alive by Huang Xu. He was later handed over to Liu Qi and was imprisoned in Huang Zhong's military camp.

Liu Qi came to a tent and saw Li Zheng, who was covered in dirt and unkempt.

In just a few days, the county prince fell from the sky to the ground, and he was completely different from the high-spirited person Liu Qi had seen him for the first time.

Liu Qi walked up to Li Zheng, knelt down and said, "Mr. Li County."

Li Zheng's face was dull and his mind was not in his right mind. He was startled when he heard Liu Qi's voice.

He looked up in surprise and saw that rather familiar face.

"Is it you?" Li Zheng said in disbelief.

"It's me." Liu Qi nodded.

Li Zheng stared at him for a long time and said bitterly: "I didn't expect that I would fall into the hands of Shuzi!"

Behind Liu Qi, Huang Xu said angrily: "How dare you, a prisoner under the rank, talk to Shaojun like this!"

Li Zheng was stunned when he heard this: "Young Master?"

Liu Qi sat cross-legged on the ground and said, "I am Liu Qi, the son of Liu Prefect. I was ordered by Lord Yan to come to Jingzhou for an unannounced visit as a governor."

Li Zheng was stunned for a long time, and then he sighed helplessly: "No wonder, no wonder... Haha, it's not surprising, Governor Liu is so thoughtful and the young master is so clever."

Liu Qi looked at him quietly and suddenly said: "Li Jun, I know that you are not a native of Jingxiang, and you are not related to the Xiangyang clan. Why do you want to help the tyrants to do evil? Do you want to be driven by Zhang Fang?"

Li Zheng's face was dark, and he murmured: "The current situation in Nanjun is like this, and the clan is so powerful, what can I do as a county magistrate? If I don't follow their trends, will I lose my life in vain if I go against them?"

Liu Qi sighed: "You also have your difficulties."

After saying that, Liu Qi turned to Huang Xu and said, "Let them come in."

Huang Xu was ordered to go out of the tent, and when he was young, he brought in a woman and two children.

"Husband!"

"Father!"

"Madam?" Li Zheng shouted in surprise.

After Liu Qi asked Huang Xu to bring Li Zheng's family in, he stood up and walked out with Huang Xu, not to disturb their family reunion.

After coming out, Huang Xu looked into the tent suspiciously and asked, "Young Master...what's the purpose of reuniting Li Zheng's family today?"

Liu Qi stood at the entrance of the tent and looked up at the sky: "This Li Zheng is also a scholar who entered the Imperial Academy to promote filial piety and integrity. He governs Yixian County in a very orderly manner. He just went astray by joining a wealthy family, but people always make mistakes when they are about to make mistakes.

I have to give him a chance, I want to take him for my own use, and then let him deceive Zhang Hu and Chen Sheng for me."

Huang Xu hesitated and said: "But after all, he once took refuge with Zhang Fang. Can such a person be trusted?"
Chapter completed!