Chapter 368: Tao Zou Qian wants to abdicate? Liu Bei

Liu, Guan, and Zhang bypassed the West City Gate and arrived at the North City Gate. After announcing their arrival, they were warmly welcomed into the city by Tao Zou Qian.

"Oh! Lord Liu Xuande! Many thanks for coming to my aid! I can see it now! Among all the righteous men in this world, only you, Lord Liu Xuande, are a true gentleman!"

"During this time, I have sent out many envoys to seek aid from various warlords, but in the end, only you, Lord Liu Xuande, brought troops to assist me! I am eternally grateful!"

Tao Zou Qian enthusiastically welcomed Liu Bei and his men into the city, holding Liu Bei's hand with a joyful expression.

Liu Bei's arrival was indeed a pleasant surprise for Tao Zou Qian.

Especially since he had previously witnessed the battle between the two generals Guan and Zhang and Lu Bu.

Although the two generals Guan and Zhang did not seem to be Lu Bu's match, in a field battle, they had at least managed to exchange over ten rounds with Lu Bu without being completely defeated.

Such a feat was non-existent among Tao Zou Qian's subordinates.

Whether it was Cao Bao or Zang Ba, none of them could withstand even a single blow from Lu Bu.

Facing Lu Bu's fierce assault, they had resisted to the death, yet they were already in a precarious situation!

If the two fierce generals Guan Yu and Zhang Fei joined, combined with the advantage of the city's defenses, perhaps they really could hold off Lu Bu's offensive!

"Not at all! Not at all! The King of Qi is too kind!"

Hearing this, Liu Bei hurriedly bowed with humility: "I have long heard of the King of Qi's reputation for benevolence. When the warlords gathered to punish Dong Zhuo, I had the honor of witnessing your demeanor, Lord Tao. Coupled with the request from Mr. Lord Wenju, how could I not come?"

"Furthermore, I am ashamed to say, I originally thought that even if I could not persuade Lu Bu to retreat, I could at least temporarily drive him back;"

"I did not expect that I had overestimated my own strength and underestimated Lu Bu! In the end, I could only flee in defeat. I have let you down, Lord Tao!"

Liu Bei truly had not expected that even with his second and third brothers joining forces, they could not last twenty rounds under Lu Bu.

He himself felt he had no room to even intervene.

Had he dared to step in earlier, he felt he would not only have failed to help Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, but might have even dragged them down, causing them to be defeated and flee even faster.

He himself would have likely been killed.

"I originally thought that with my second brother's Half-Step Heaven-Man realm and my third brother's peak Gang-Qi cultivation, even if they couldn't defeat Lu Bu, they could at least barely hold their own against him if they joined forces?"

"Now it seems I underestimated Lu Bu and the terror of the Heaven-Man realm!"

Liu Bei thought gloomily to himself.

This was the first time he had felt so powerless regarding high-end martial strength.

"Haha!"

Tao Zou Qian, hearing this, smiled dismissively: "Lord Liu Xuande is too modest! This is already quite remarkable! The two generals are truly peerless warriors! Their strength is indeed formidable!"

"You must know, among my subordinates, there isn't even one who can last a single round under Lu Bu!" **CHAPTER 579**

"This is also the reason why I have been retreating step by step under Lu Bu, and why even Xiapi is in such a precarious state!"

"It is precisely because I lack fierce generals like Guan and Zhang to hold the line!"

"Now that you are here, I feel much more at ease!"

"Although Lu Bu is indeed invincible in field battles, if it is merely defending the city, I wonder if Lord Liu Xuande and the two generals have the confidence to help me hold this Xiapi City?"

"As long as you can do that, even if I were to yield this Xuzhou and my position as the King of Qi to you, Lord Liu Xuande, I would be willing!"

He truly thought this way!

Because he had suffered defeat after defeat under Lu Bu, and his health was failing day by day, he knew he did not have many days left to live. His two sons were too incompetent and mediocre. If he were to let one of them inherit his throne and control Xuzhou, the Tao family would certainly not have a good outcome.

Rather than continuing to hold onto Xuzhou and the title of King of Qi, only to be liquidated and have his family wiped out in the end, Tao Zou Qian felt it would be better to yield Xuzhou and the throne now.

Let someone capable and reliable take charge.

In this way, his Tao family would no longer be a royal house or a warlord faction. Even if Liu Bei were to fail in the future and other warlords occupied Xuzhou, his family would not be liquidated or exterminated, right?

There are thousand-year clans, but no thousand-year dynasties.

That is the logic.

The supreme position, the throne, is not so easy to sit upon.

Originally, if Liu Bei had not appeared now, Tao Zou Qian had already prepared to contact the King of Zou Qian, Su Xuan, intending to yield Xuzhou to him.

But now that Liu Bei was here, yielding to him might be even more appropriate.

For one, he had some understanding of Liu Bei; the man's reputation for benevolence was quite loud, and he was someone who cared about his face and reputation.

Regardless of whether he was truly benevolent, since Liu Bei had chosen to establish this persona, in order to prevent it from collapsing and to achieve something in the future, Liu Bei could not outwardly do things that contradicted his persona.

For Tao Zou Qian, that was enough.

Of course, choosing Liu Bei over Su Xuan was also because he was not certain whether Su Xuan would accept Xuzhou.

Other warlords could see it, and naturally, he could see quite a bit as well.

Su Xuan was currently lacking talent for his new policies and was not prepared to expand his territory significantly; otherwise, Lord Yuan Shu's Yuzhou would not have been taken by Cao Cao, but would have belonged to Su Xuan.

Rather than gambling on the uncertainty of Su Xuan's side, it was better to choose Liu Bei.

Although Su Xuan's credibility was higher.

Liu Bei did not know Tao Zou Qian's true thoughts at this moment. Hearing such words suddenly, Liu Bei was startled, and his internal vigilance rose to the highest level.

For such a pie to fall from the sky, his first reaction was not joy, but suspicion of a grand conspiracy.

Naturally, he dared not and could not agree, so he hurriedly waved his hands with humility: "Lord Tao, you speak too highly! I, Liu Bei, have come here truly only to provide aid! I have absolutely no covetous heart for Xuzhou or the title of King of Qi! Please, Lord Tao, do not mock me!"

He admitted he was tempted, but without knowing the true situation, it was impossible for him to agree.

He didn't want to be tricked to his death without even knowing it.

Tao Zou Qian saw Liu Bei's vigilance and concerns, and smiled, shaking his head: "I know that what I said is abrupt, and you, Lord Liu Xuande, are unwilling to believe it, but I truly have this thought in my heart!"

"Because I feel my days are numbered! And my two sons lack the talent for this!"

"Forget it! Let's not talk about this for now! I am already very happy that you, Lord Liu Xuande, have come to aid me! We can discuss the abdication later!"

"Come! I shall host a banquet to welcome you, Lord Liu Xuande!"

— Author's Notes —

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