Each has his own axe to grind.

  Also please passersby book friends collect, click, recommend, I thank you.

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  Liu Xuan's innocent and childish voice echoed through the great hall, causing Liu Bei and all the civil and military officials to be taken aback. They all smiled slightly as they looked at Liu Xuan, with a hint of disdain in their smiles. Cai Mao had already been caught off guard by Liu Bei's series of measures, and was immediately led away by Wen Ping with his 30,000-strong army. Cai Mao's heart was filled with anxiety, and when he heard Liu Xuan's words, the muscles on his face twitched violently as he sneered coldly: "A mere child, speaking such arrogant words..."

  Liu Biao's eyebrows furrowed in displeasure as he listened to Cai Mao's sarcastic words, and he gazed at Cai Mao with growing discontent. Cai Mao noticed this and hummed a response. Liu Biao's expression turned even more somber, but he quickly composed himself and looked lovingly at the innocent and adorable Liu Xuan. He stroked Liu Xuan's little head and explained in a soft voice: "Xuan'er, the battles ahead are one after another, it's very dangerous. Besides, you're still young, so it's better to stay with Uncle, hmm?"

  Liu Xuan heard this, but slightly shook his head, looked up at Liu Bei, and said in a clear and determined tone: "Uncle, it's precisely because of the danger that I want to go..."

  Liu Biao listened and was taken aback for a moment, then sighed and shook his head, no longer speaking. His gaze turned to a young man with a fair face on the left, whose expression carried a hint of heroism. A faint pang of sorrow flashed across Liu Biao's eyes as he said softly: "Qie'er, I'm leaving Xuan'er in your care!"

  Liu Qi's face flashed a hint of helplessness as he listened to his father's instructions, but he didn't dare disobey Liu Bei's words. He could only nod reluctantly and say, "Yes, Father, I will definitely take good care of Ah Xuan." To be honest, Liu Qi really didn't want to take on this hot potato. Who would have thought that after Liu Bei entrusted Ah Xuan to his care, Liu Qi's 'bad luck' would begin?

  "Want to go with a group of friends to experience the beauty of nature? Hehe, went once, broke a leg once..."

  "Go to the brothel and drink flower wine? Liu Qi wouldn't dare anymore..."

  Her gaze was fixed on Liu Xuan's adorable face, and a hint of a smile appeared at the corner of Liu Qi's mouth, as if it were a mixture of sadness and joy. In the few days she spent with Liu Xuan, Liu Qi experienced her most relaxed, yet most helpless, most depressed, and happiest moments...

  Fortunately, Cai Mao surprisingly withdrew the surveillance this time, and Liu Qi no longer had to be on tenterhooks...Liu Qi was very frustrated. Liu Xuan, this little guy, asked east and west, and even asked some military and political questions. This made Liu Qi, who had been immersed in the flower cluster for many years without managing anything, feel embarrassed, stuttering, and looking at Liu Xuan with a face full of disdain, Liu Qi's heart was filled with shame...

  Liu Qi was indeed very depressed, facing the "Young Master Liu" who asked one question after another. Liu Qi could only reluctantly try to satisfy the demands of this "great master". After being in contact for nearly three days, Liu Qi had once thought that the young man in front of him was the eldest son of the Governor of Jingzhou, and he himself was just a small servant?

  Liu Qi had a great deal of resentment in her heart, originally wanting to scold Liu Xuan, but looking at Liu Xuan's seemingly smiling yet not quite smiling expression, Liu Qi suddenly felt bewildered and went to ask "Young Master Liu" what other demands he had.

  For several days of contact, Liu Qi had wondered if his younger brother was really eight or nine years old. He looked at Liu Xuan with suspicious eyes for a long time, but saw that Liu Xuan was still the same, and there was no difference. His heart felt very depressed until Liu Xuan brought back an unusual gaze, and then Liu Qi coughed slightly to cover up his own loss of composure.

  "This is outrageous! How dare you play with me like this? You're still so young and yet so cunning, what a freak, really a freak..."

  …………

  Liu Biao's eyes stared at his eldest son, and he felt a little comforted in his heart. The "spies" he had sent out these past few days reported that Liu Qi was very generous in taking on the responsibility of being the "older brother", taking care of Liu Xuan without leaving any room for complaint, and getting along with him very harmoniously. What made him even more comforted was that his eldest son would give priority to giving Liu Xuan the best food, the most fun things, and the most comfortable clothes. Sometimes he would even take action personally, leading the way on horseback.

  This series of actions made Liu Biao feel greatly relieved. In his heart, he compared Liu Qi and Liu Cong secretly. His eldest son Liu Qi was not unsuitable for the position of Jingzhou governor either! Since ancient times, there has been a saying that "the elder is established, but the younger is not". Moreover, his uncle-in-law Cai Mao held great power, and it's hard to guarantee that Cai Mao wouldn't use Liu Cong as a puppet and monopolize the power in Jingzhou alone.

  After all, Liu Zong was surnamed Liu and not Cai. With Cai Mao's cunning and ruthlessness, he would definitely heartlessly abandon the latter in front of the Cai family and his nephew, which did not surprise Liu Biao at all.

  What if Liu Qi were to inherit the position of Governor of Jingzhou and Cai Mao, who holds most of the military power in Jingzhou, would do? With his nephew having a chance to succeed to the throne, would Cai Mao allow Liu Qi to ascend to the throne smoothly?

  The result is predictable, and Liu Biao thought of this, his heart was even more gloomy, and his eyes swept over the thick darkness. The Cai family's power had grown too great, great enough to threaten the rule of his own children and grandchildren, wasn't it? The Jingzhou naval forces could be said to be almost entirely dependent on the Cai family's rule. Liu Biao's heart was certain that if Cai Mao was determined to support his nephew's ascension to the throne, all he needed to do was shout from a high place, and the Jingzhou naval forces would probably all be surnamed Cai.

  His loyal subordinates, apart from the old troops who followed him from Shanyang, were only Huang Zu, Wen Ping and Wang Wei, who could still resist the Cai family. However, as of now, many of the old troops from Shanyang have either grown old or died, and Huang Zu was even killed by a single arrow shot by Sun Quan of Eastern Wu. The usable generals are none other than Wen Ping and Wang Wei. As the saying goes: "A pair of fists cannot defeat four hands, a fierce tiger cannot withstand a pack of wolves..."

  Wen Ping and Wang Wei, two generals, were also afraid of being unable to keep up with their strength.

  All of this made Liu Biao's heart feel a chill, and his vigilance towards Cai Mao or the Cai family became even more profound. In his mind, he was even more determined to suppress and control the Cai family. A thick murderous intent flashed in the depths of his eyes, and a faint cold smile appeared at the corner of his mouth. Cai Dehui, Ah Cai Dehui, let's watch the play together on our donkeys...

  Liu Xuan looked up to see Liu Bei hanging his head in silence, with a dense killing intent gathering between his eyes. His heart suddenly skipped a beat, and he hastily lowered his head, secretly thinking: "It seems that Liu Bei is not a good person to get along with..."

  "Xiangyang is not a place to stay for long, Liu Biao is a tiger and Cai Mao is a vicious wolf." Liu Xuan's gaze swept over Cai Mao with an almost imperceptible glance before withdrawing it, saying in a low voice: "As long as we can meet up with Father in Jiangling, this trip to Xiangyang will be half a success."

  Cai Mao seemed to have a feeling, suddenly raised his head and looked around, but saw no one at the time. His sharp eyes were coldly staring at Liu Xuan who was kneeling on both knees. He hummed in his heart, and his gaze turned to stare tightly at Liu Qi. A thread of fierce killing intent flashed through the depths of his eyes. In an instant, a flash of inspiration passed through Cai Mao's mind, and he secretly thought: "If Liu Qi dies, will Liu Biao not establish his son as the lord of Jingzhou?"

  This crazy idea suddenly appeared in Cai Mao's mind, magnified infinitely like a magnifying glass, and became even more profound. Liu Xuan was stared at by Cai Mao for a moment, only to feel a chill run down his spine, but it disappeared instantly. Liu Xuan took a deep breath and muttered: "If I were still in Xiangyang, Cai Mao would definitely have some reason to get rid of me. But now that I'm in Jiangling with my father and Cloud Uncle, even if the Cai family's power is strong, they wouldn't dare be too arrogant..."

  At this thought, Liu Xuan's eyes were fixed and he hastily stepped forward a few steps, tugging at Liu Bei's sleeve. His eyes were filled with a pleading expression as he sobbed softly: "Uncle, please, can't I go to Jiangling? I miss my father..."

  Liu Biao saw Liu Xuan's eyes brimming with tears, looking very pitiful. His heart was slightly moved. An 8 or 9-year-old child whose parents were not by their side, even if accompanied by Qi'er to play, after the excitement passed, still needed a parent's...

  Liu Biao could never have imagined that Liu Xuan had been playing with Liu Qi for the past few days, but was actually inquiring about the military and political figures of Xiangyang City, as well as the deployment of troops and other related matters. Liu Qi didn't take Liu Xuan's questions to heart, and after a few days, Liu Xuan had already grasped seven or eight out of ten aspects of the situation inside and outside Xiangyang City.

  Liu Biao let out a soft sigh, stroking Liu Xuan's little head, and said in a low voice: "Xuan'er, your father will return to Xiangyang after a while."

  Before he could finish speaking, he was interrupted by Liu Xuan's tender voice. Only then did Liu Xuan speak in a firm and unyielding tone: "Uncle, Xuan has something to say, I don't know if Uncle will agree or not?"

  "Huh?" Liu Biao was taken aback, his suspicious gaze fixed on Liu Xuan for a moment before he lightly laughed and said: "Oh, what is it that you want to say, Xuan'er?"

  "Uncle must agree with Xuan'er. If what Xuan'er says is reasonable, Uncle will let Xuan'er go to Jiangling."

  Liu Biao heard this and his expression was hesitant, but then he heard Liu Xuan suddenly rebuking him: "Uncle, Xuan once thought that Uncle was a great man who stood tall and upright, but today I see that you have greatly disappointed me, forget it...".

  Liu Biao's heart skipped a beat as he listened, and then he chuckled lightly, his long fingers tapping Liu Xuan's forehead, smiling: "You're so mischievous."

  "Alright, Xuan'er, if what you said can move Uncle, then Uncle will let you go to Jiangling."

  Liu Xuan heard this and was overjoyed in his heart, secretly pleased with himself for using the tactic of "inspiring the troops". Before he could get excited, Liu Xuan's face turned solemn, and he spoke in a serious tone: "Uncle, I've heard that Gan Luo became a prime minister at the age of 12, and Kong Rong yielded a pear at the age of 7. Although I'm not talented, at the age of 9, I also heard my father's words: 'A Han family son should have the spirit, courage, and blood of the Han family. How can one be timid and fearful in the face of some things...'"

  Liu Xuan's tender face was so solemn, the tone of his words made people want to laugh, but what Liu Xuan said made the many literary and military officials in the hall turn their heads to watch, all using astonished and suspicious gazes to stare at Liu Xuan.

  Lord Liu Biao listened and suddenly became dazed, only slowly regaining his composure after a long while. The confusion in his eyes dissipated, leaving only a resolute glint. A moment later, Liu Biao gazed at Liu Xuan with affectionate eyes and said softly: "Xuan'er, your words this time have made me feel ashamed... Hearing your words is like a sudden enlightenment, some things are not worth mentioning."

  Liu Bei nodded and said, then immediately shouted: "Xuan'er is right, how can a Han family son be timid and fearful, fearing tigers in front and wolves behind?"

  "But... Xuan'er, I'm not at ease with you going to your uncle's place alone. Why don't we let Qi'er go with you to Jiangling instead? Would that be alright?" Liu Biao said after a moment of hesitation, looking at Liu Xuan.

  Liu Xuan's expression was slightly hesitant after hearing this. From the bottom of his heart, he did not want to bring this "brother" along. No other reason, Liu Qi's body had been exhausted by years of indulgence in wine and women, his thin and weak physique made Liu Xuan feel uneasy at heart.

  Liu Qi originally wanted to decline, but seeing Liu Xuan's hesitant appearance, he felt a surge of competitiveness in his heart. Before Liu Xuan could speak, he suddenly cupped his hands and said loudly: "Father, I also intend to go to Jiangling, to see the elegance of the young men of Jingzhou, and to pay my respects to Uncle. Father, I will definitely take good care of Ah Xuan..."

  "What the, take care of me?" Liu Xuan heard this and couldn't help but roll his eyes, muttering to himself: "When the time comes, if Young Master doesn't take care of you, this young master will be grateful to heaven and earth."

  Liu Biao had been worried about something, but after listening to Liu Qi's bold and unrestrained words, he was suddenly enlightened by Liu Xuan's unintentional reminder, and nodded with relief, saying in a low voice: "My son has finally matured."

  So, General Wang Wei will lead 3,000 soldiers to escort Xuan'er and Qi'er to Jiangling. Liu Xuan interrupted again: "Uncle, General Wang Wei has just returned from battle and must be very tired, why not let Gan Junsi accompany us to Jiangling instead?"

  "Huh?" Liu Biao furrowed his brow, looking at Liu Xuan with a puzzled expression. He wasn't quite clear about what kind of abilities Gan Ning possessed, but he was well aware of Wang Wei's abilities. Seeing Liu Xuan refute Wang Wei and instead suggest that the "nameless" Gan Ning follow them, his heart suddenly became filled with doubt and uncertainty.

  Liu Xuan knew he was too rash, but Liu Xuan was also helpless to the extreme. If he didn't seize this great opportunity to win over Gan Ning, a fierce general, it's possible that next time they met would be in Jiangdong.

  Liu Xuan looked at Liu Biao's furrowed brow and sank into thought, then suddenly smiled and said softly: "Uncle, I'm not looking down on General Wang, General Wang's bravery is known to everyone in Jingzhou." After speaking, he cast a apologetic glance at Wang Wei, Wang Wei was originally very annoyed, but seeing Liu Xuan's lovely appearance, Wang Wei immediately laughed it off.

  Seeing the king's majesty, Liu Xuan slightly relaxed and continued: "Gan Jun can protect Huang She from among tens of thousands of rebels and break through the siege. This is an extraordinary feat, let alone that Gan Jun was once a general under Huang Zu's command, so he must be familiar with the geography of Jiangxia, which is why my nephew suggested that Gan Jun follow him."

  Liu Biao listened to Liu Xuan's words and nodded in agreement, his eyes fixed on Gan Ning at the end of the line of military officers. He said calmly, "Gan Ning, are you willing to go to Jiangling and follow the main army to Jiangxia to quell the rebellion?"

  Gan Ning thought he was done for, and was still thinking about whether to bring his sworn brothers to do their old job. Suddenly hearing Liu Xuan's recommendation, Gan Ning was slightly stunned. After listening to Liu Biao's words, Gan Ning had a fire burning in his heart. With this opportunity, how could he miss it? He immediately cupped his hands and said in a deep voice: "This general is willing to go to Jiangling..."

  "Alright, you take 3... no, 5,000 elite soldiers from Xiangyang and go to Jiangling with Qi'er and Xuan'er!" After a pause, Liu Biao's face turned serious and his tone was icy: "You must use all your strength to protect my son and Xuan'er. If anything happens to either of them, I will hold you responsible."

  Gan Ning sensed the murderous intent in Liu Biao's tone, his expression suddenly turned solemn, and his body emitted a chill killing aura. In a cold voice, he said: "Don't worry, milord. Whoever dares to harm either of the two young masters will have to trample over my corpse first..."