Chapter 370 Banquet

Why are the three Liu Bei brothers here?

This is a long story.

After being defeated by Cao Cao, Liu Bei defected to Yuan Shao. The first place he went to was Qingzhou. Yuan Tan treated Liu Bei with no disrespect. He treated him as a teacher. Later, when he was recruited to Yecheng, Yuan Shao also treated him like a distinguished guest. After that, Mi Fang and Liu Bei's family were captured by the border guards and sent away.

According to this situation, Liu Bei can just stay in Jizhou. Yuan Shao treats him well. Now that the world situation has been decided, Liu Bei can only use Yuan Shao's power to deal with Cao Cao if he wants to take revenge.

However, the situation in Jizhou is not very optimistic. Liu Bei is often targeted by people from Yuan Shang's group because of his good relationship with Yuan Tan.

The factions in Jizhou are not only the factions between brothers Yuan Tan and Yuan Shang, but also the Hebei faction and the Yingchuan faction. Within the Hebei faction there are Jizhou faction and Youzhou faction, and there are also small and large differences within the Yingchuan faction.

In fact, it is normal for people to form groups. If you want to divide into factions, you will find them everywhere. Chen Gong, Chen Qun, and Chen Deng, Liu Bei’s former subordinates, did not all have the same position. Guan Yu and Zhang Fei were fugitives and powerful in different places. In fact, these are not terrible. What is terrible is that Yuan Shao cannot balance the relationship.

This is the most fatal thing.

Basically, wherever there are people, there will be factions, but as the lord, the most important thing is to be able to make the different factions work together instead of causing internal friction.

Although Yuan Shao is now at the peak of his power, Liu Bei is keenly aware that Yuan Shao may not be Cao Cao's opponent, especially now that the three pillars of the Central Plains are standing apart, Yuan Shao does not dare to act rashly, giving Cao Cao enough time to integrate the Central Plains, and sooner or later he will be destroyed by others.

Finally, after thinking for a long time, Liu Bei decided to bid farewell to Yuan Shao and come to Guanzhong to have a look. After all, there are only these few companies in the world to choose from, but among them, Lu Bu seems to be the strongest. Liu Bei wanted to come to Guanzhong to see how Lu Bu is. Governance, after all, is in the legend of Guandong... I really can't listen to it. If it were really like the legend, Lu Bu would not be as powerful as he is today.

After arriving in Guanzhong, Liu Bei's guess was confirmed. Today's Guanzhong can be said to be prosperous and politically clear. The people in Guanzhong respect Lu Bu very much, so much so that along the way, because of Zhang Fei's mouth, brothers The three of them were chased and beaten several times by the people.

This is the most ideal world in Liu Bei's imagination, but in Xuzhou, he has been unable to achieve this level of governance for many years. How did Lu Bu do it? He was really curious.

The Lu family is not difficult to find, especially since today is the day when Lu Bu marries his daughter. The whole city of Chang'an is extremely lively. When the three brothers arrived at the Lu Mansion, the Lu Mansion was already overcrowded. Not only the civil and military officials from the entire court came, but also Chang'an Some famous people came to join in the fun.

"Brother, how can we see Lu Bu here?" Zhang Fei was almost squeezed out of sight, and finally squeezed back, looking at Liu Bei and saying helplessly.

In today's scene, even if he saw Lu Bu, he probably wouldn't be able to speak.

Liu Bei nodded. This Lu Mansion is actually big enough. However, there are too many people and there are noisy people everywhere. It may not be easy to see Lu Bu.

"Yun Chang, put down the gift. I'll come back to visit you another day." Liu Bei looked at Guan Yu helplessly and said.

Guan Yu nodded and squeezed through the crowd holding the gift box. He wanted to put the gift box down and leave, but the steward in charge of counting the gifts stopped him: "Leave your name so that I can thank you one by one in the future."

"Liu Bei." Guan Yu said solemnly.

"Who is it?" The steward looked at Guan Yu in surprise.

"Liu Bei and Liu Xuande!" Guan Yu said loudly.

"But Xuzhou Mu Liu Bei?" the steward asked in surprise.

"Exactly." Guan Yu nodded.

"Please wait a moment, go down and inform the head of the family!" The steward quickly stood up. As Lu Bu's steward, he had to take care of more than just the trivial matters at home. He also had to know about human relations. Xuzhou Shepherd Liu Bei came to congratulate him, even though Liu Bei has now lost Xuzhou. , that was also a prince in the past, with a rather special status. Lu Bu knew about this.

Guan Yu nodded and felt relieved. He thought he would not be able to see Lu Bu today, but he didn't expect there would be a chance. He stayed where he was and waited, and invited a servant of the Lu family to call Liu Bei.

"Liu Bei?" Lu Bu was a little surprised when he learned that Liu Bei actually appeared here. He was also concerned about the situation in the Central Plains. After Liu Bei's defeat, he seemed to have gone to Yuan Shao. What is the meaning of appearing here today?

Without thinking much, Lu Bu stood up to greet him. After all, he was once the leader of the party. Even if he is now in decline, his status can still match Lu Bu's, and he must have the proper etiquette.

"Xuande, I didn't want you to come to Guanzhong." When he followed the steward to Guan Yu's side, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei had already squeezed in beside Guan Yu, describing him as a bit embarrassed. When he saw Lu Bu coming, he quickly straightened his clothes and wanted to say something. , only to see Lu Bu go straight to Guan Yu.

Liu Bei: "..."

Zhang Fei: "..."

Guan Yu: "I am Guan Yu, my brother is Liu Bei."

The last time Guan Yu was knocked away by Lu Bu with a halberd, he knew that Lu Bu had misunderstood him as Liu Bei. Unfortunately, he didn't have the chance to explain anything, so he felt somewhat prepared and explained immediately.

Zhang Fei opened his mouth to say something, but before he could say anything, Liu Bei secretly pulled him back and suppressed the words that came to his mouth.

Lu Bu then looked at Liu Bei and said with some surprise: "Forgive me, although I have heard of Xuande's name for a long time, although you and I have met before, we have never known each other. We only regard Yun Chang as Xuande."

Lu Bu and Liu Bei only met once in Hulao Pass that year. Lu Bu could still remember clearly what happened so long ago. At least in the eyes of others, this was considered a matter of importance.

"I don't dare, it's only human nature." Liu Bei bowed.

Lu Bu welcomed the three brothers into the inner hall. Now the inner hall was overcrowded. Even Liu Xie was here to join in the fun. Liu Bei quickly stepped forward to pay homage.

Liu Xie didn't feel much about this relative who suddenly appeared. After chatting with Liu Bei for a while, he continued to run to Lu Bu. However, many people heard of Liu Bei's name and came to see him.

Lu Bu is getting married today, and there is no way he can stay here until the wedding. Lu Bu wants to save the Ma family's face, so he sends many people to the Ma family to support the scene.

Although it is not a battlefield, the Lu family feels like a military force. When Lu Bu mobilizes his people, he feels like he is commanding thousands of troops. There are so many people in the entire Lu family. There is no way to tell from the outside, but this Although there were many people there, there was no sense of clutter at all, which made people admire Lu Bu's methods.

Zhang Fei grabbed a handful of pastries prepared by Lu Bu to satisfy the hunger of the people here and gave them to Liu Bei and Guan Yu. He looked around and said, "Brother, Lu Bu doesn't have time to pay attention to us. We've been waiting here? Tsk... this stuff tastes good." ”

"There is no reason to leave just as soon as you come." After Liu Bei exchanged a few words with Yang Biao, he looked at Zhang Fei and said: "The Taiwei has never been rude to you and me, how can you and I be rude to others?"

"But he is a Han thief!" Zhang Fei frowned.

Liu Bei and Guan Yu looked at Liu Xie who was running around Lu Bu and was very busy, but did not answer.

The scene in front of me really doesn't look like the scene of a traitor and an emperor getting along.

"Don't talk nonsense like this in the future." Liu Bei glanced at Zhang Fei and said. He planned to stay in Guanzhong for a while to take a good look at how Lu Bu governed Guanzhong and how he maintained the relationship between monarch and minister.

"If you don't tell me, don't tell me." Zhang Fei put a piece of pastry in his mouth and said, "But the food here is good."

The wedding team arrived. According to custom, Lu Lingqi had to be seen off by Lu Bu personally for the last part of the journey before going out. She was already prepared in her heart. Lu Bu was calmer at this time. He just said some things about running a house while seeing people off. These truths are actually It should be Yan who came to teach, and Yan did teach, but Lu Bu was still worried that his daughter would not live a harmonious life after marriage, so he gave some of his own opinions.

The pace was very slow, but he still reached the end. Seeing his daughter getting on the sedan chair and getting up, Lu Bu had mixed feelings in his heart.

Although she also has a daughter, emotionally the eldest daughter is naturally the closest to her.

The crowd did not leave as the sedan chair left. After all, it was Lu Bu's performance that everyone came to praise in recent days.

How to welcome the bride at the Ma family has nothing to do with Lu Bu here. Liu Xie followed him to the Ma family to preside over the wedding, while Lu Bu stayed to entertain relatives and friends. Various dishes were served like water, with tangy aromas and exquisite dishes. Even if As you experience more and more delicious food, you will be overwhelmed by the variety, many of which you have never tasted before.

"This Lu Bu... the lieutenant really knows how to enjoy it." Zhang Fei ate quite gracefully, but his mouth was still full of oil. At the same time, he was a little surprised. The food Lu Bu had here must be too good.

"Today's Guanzhong...compared to Guandong, second and third brothers, I understand why we were defeated so miserably back then." Liu Bei sighed, and he was talking about the previous feudal princes' fight against Lu.

Basically, all fronts failed to gain any advantage. I thought that Lu Bu's side would also be damaged. But after entering Guanzhong, Liu Bei felt that he had thought too much. This didn't seem like he had damaged his vitality. Look at Guanzhong today. Think about Guandong again. Even the most prosperous place in Guandong is probably unable to compare with Guanzhong.

"Brother, victory or defeat is a common thing for military strategists, but now Guanzhong is indeed prosperous, so prosperous that..." Guan Yu stopped talking.

Guanzhong is now so prosperous that you can hardly feel that this is a troubled time. Compared with the years of war in Guandong, Guanzhong can be said to be a paradise on earth.

But if you say this, you are almost pointing your nose at the princes for being incompetent, including Liu Bei, who is no longer a prince.

Liu Bei sighed, but did not refute. The facts were in front of him, and there was nothing to refute.

"Brother, what are our plans next?" Guan Yu asked.

Intend?

Liu Bei thought about it and felt a little confused. He came here to see if he could enter the court, meet the emperor, and find a way to help the Han Dynasty. But now, seeing how close the emperor is to Lu Bu, it really doesn't look like he needs his help. But is it really good if the leader is weak and the minister is strong? Does Lu Bu really have no other thoughts? Liu Bei was not sure, or he couldn't believe it. After all, Lu Bu's surname was not Liu...