Chapter 1, everyone is speaking the same name

Not only in Zhuo County, but the Liu family has also gained prominence in Zhuo Commandery, becoming a notable rising star in recent years

Su Shuang's face revealed a look of shame

This matter is of utmost importance to Su; I kindly request Mr. Liu to lend his assistance. If possible, Su would be immensely grateful

These three forces combined together, Zhuoxian belongs to them

There is no need for excessive courtesy, Mr. Su is older than I am, so you may simply call me by my courtesy name, Xuande

Liu Bei, after listening to Su Shuang's earnest request, did not immediately express his stance, but instead picked up a peach from the lacquer tray in front of him, a peach that was produced in Hebei

Where is it that one can be so nimble? I am merely a humble commoner, my words carry little weight. In this small piece of land in Zhuo County, it is still the Ming court that holds the authority.

As he spoke, Liu Bei took the last few pieces of fruit flesh into his mouth, tossed the pit onto the table, and picked up a cloth napkin to wipe his hands, saying as he wiped, "The group of people that Su Jun mentioned, I am generally acquainted with, and they can be considered my old acquaintances

Su hated that he had to bring them out standing, yet had to carry them back. How would they live their lives in the future? How would the people of the county view Su? Su wanted to take revenge for them, but this was the territory of Zhuo County, and Su was unfamiliar with the area, fearing that he might suffer losses.

Su Shuang knew that Liu Bei was definitely being modest

Of course, this is not important

He had long inquired and learned that the Ming court and the county magistrate of Zhuo County, Gongsun Zan, mentioned by Liu Bei, were Liu Bei's senior fellow students during their time of study. They studied together and had always maintained a close and friendly relationship.

At this moment, Liu Bei does not hold any official status

Liu Bei himself possesses considerable abilities, having managed the affairs of state for Gongsun Zan without any errors. The governance of Zhuo County is very stable, and there have been no criminal cases for a long time. From the major local tyrants to the common people, all have expressed their trust in Liu Bei's capabilities

If Su Jun had informed me in advance, I would have greeted him, and it would have been let go. But now that this matter has escalated, it is not simple at all. Once the fatty meat has been consumed, how can one expect it to be regurgitated? What does Su Jun think?

The burly man Su Shuang took a slight step back and respectfully bowed to Liu Bei

Thus, the seal and insignia of the county magistrate were all managed by Liu Bei, and all orders issued by the county government were in accordance with Liu Bei's intentions

Additionally, the leader of the prominent Lu family, which ranks first in Zhuo County, Lu Zhi, is a common teacher of Liu He and Gongsun Zan, which means that everyone is essentially on the same side

In this manner, generally when bandits see a large group of us, they would directly flee, not daring to take action at all. However, this time, our cavalry team failed, and this group of bandits became bold, clever, and ruthless, leading our brothers in circles. With a single tactic of diversion, they managed to outsmart us.

The room was slightly quiet for a while

Then I have overstepped my bounds, Xuande. This batch of horses is crucial to the cavalry, and being robbed for no reason, I, Su, cannot swallow this grievance. The brothers of the cavalry have died or been maimed, and this enmity must be avenged. Therefore, I kindly ask Xuande for your assistance. Once the matter is resolved, there will surely be generous rewards!

Everyone says that in the territory of Zhuo County, there is nothing that Xuande cannot accomplish, and there is no one that cannot be summoned by a word from Xuande. The county magistrate's words are not as effective as yours. In the past, I, Su, was short-sighted, but from now on, whenever I, Su, engage in business, I will not step into the territory of Zhuo County without Xuande's permission

Liu Bei, situated among them, simultaneously gained the trust of the Lu family and Gongsun Zan. With their endorsement, Liu Bei naturally became the absolute power holder in Zhuo County

Why didn't you come to find me before the incident

Everyone is well aware that although the hand of the Emperor of Luoyang is long, it cannot reach Zhuo County

Gongsun Zan himself would go out every day with his beautiful wife, lovely concubines, and attendants to hunt and play, riding his horse and galloping about, enjoying himself immensely

One month ago, the cavalry set out from Liaoxi County. This trade route has been traversed by Su many times; each time, it was not to say that the winds were calm and the waves were smooth, but it was certainly stable and secure, with no incidents occurring. As for the nearsighted bandits, our brothers in the escort are not ones to shy away from trouble.

Su Shuangong respectfully bowed to Liu Bei, then presented a small wooden box, opened it, and showed Liu Bei the gold ingots inside.

In my opinion, Su Jun has not taken this matter seriously, thinking that everything can be accomplished and believing that I am young and unreliable. However, the reality is not so. If I had been contacted earlier, I could have helped Su Jun by making an introduction, and considering my influence, this situation likely would not have occurred

It is said that Gongsun Zan enjoyed hunting and traveling, and did not like to stay in the county office dealing with tedious official duties. His ambitions did not lie in this, so he simply invited his fellow disciple Liu Bei to the county office to assist with the administration.

However, this matter cannot simply be left unresolved; Su must take the necessary actions! Therefore, Su began to inquire everywhere at hetushucom.com, asking who could help Team Ma retrieve the horse. After making the rounds, everyone mentioned the same name, which is you, Liu Jun

Liu Bei himself not only had a close relationship with Gongsun Zan in terms of their mentorship, but he was also the actual decision-maker of the Liu clan in Zhuo County

Liu Bei smiled

This... is indeed not the fault of Su and the Ma brothers. Subsequently, Xuande expressed his desire for how the Ma team and Su should cooperate, and we will certainly cooperate!

It is evident that he is feeling extremely anxious

A total of one hundred horses were taken away by them, and thirteen of Su's brothers were killed, eight were injured, and five were left disabled. These five will likely never be able to stand up for the rest of their lives, losing their ability to work, and their families will probably be unwilling to support them, leaving them in despair.

Thus, people say that on this one acre and three tenths of land in Zhuo County, Liu Bei's meaning is the same as that of Gongsun Zan, which is also the meaning of the Zhuo County government

Liu Bei bit into a peach and shook his head, saying: "In recent years, the situation has not been good, the harvest has been poor, and the government in Youzhou has been collecting taxes fiercely. Many respectable families have been driven to become bandits. You all want to come and trade without giving me prior notice, and now that something has happened, you come to find me. It is quite difficult for me to handle this situation"

Liu Bei took a few bites of the peach, swallowed the delicious flesh, wiped his mouth, and slowly spoke: "In recent years, the region of Zhuo County has not been very peaceful; various forces have been quite restless. As Su Jun travels for business, he must pass through Zhuo County repeatedly; how could he be unaware of this?"

Looking at his somewhat reserved demeanor, Liu Bei smiled

A burly man with a bushy beard sat upright in front of the nineteen-year-old Liu Bei, across a square table, with a sincere expression on his face

Therefore, it can be said that Gongsun Zan entrusted the county affairs to Liu Bei, which is indeed well-deserved. From commerce to agriculture, a significant portion of Zhuo County's industries has already come under the Liu family's control. Liu Bei managing his own affairs is also quite adept.

They have all been robbed, what else can we do to cooperate? If Su Jun and the cavalry could handle this matter on their own, would they still need to come to me?

The robust and imposing figure, in a manner that was both proper and respectful, faced Liu Bei, who was clearly smaller in stature, as if he were confronting a noble person of immeasurable worth, exercising utmost caution and adhering to all formalities

A bite released a sweet and sour juice that soaked my mouth

Under his actual leadership, the Liu family of Zhuoxian has developed from a small to medium-sized clan settlement into the second largest prominent family in Zhuoxian, an absolute local elite in Zhuoxian, possessing a substantial amount of land and controlling a large population

If not done well, there is also the suspicion of pretentiousness