Chapter 174

"Yes, just like this, breathing and exhaling; if you persist, everyone can prolong their life and keep their youth."

Liu Bei taught everyone the breathing and exhaling method, which could also be considered a benefit for himself.

Lady Zou said happily,

"Husband, my skin has become better recently, and even my waist doesn't hurt anymore; you are truly good."

Liu Bei waved his hand; everyone helps each other, each getting what they need.

Everyone covered their mouths and giggled.

Days passed by.

Liu Bei added two more sons and two more daughters; Zhen Zhen Jiang gave birth to a big, chubby boy, which made the Zhen family overjoyed.

Mi Zhen, however, felt a great crisis; she couldn't be outdone by the Zhen family! Must work hard!

Several months passed, after the spring plowing of 5. .

Transit Group 893964460

In the council hall,

Liu Bei listened to everyone's reports.

Ju Shou cupped his hands.

"My lord, the 2 million new people are gradually adapting to life in Bingzhou. With more people, things get done; everyone is reclaiming wasteland, building water conservancy, and repairing roads. Bingzhou is becoming increasingly prosperous!"

Xu Shu cupped his hands.

"My lord, our army has added 20, 00 new recruits; the people are signing up enthusiastically, and they are about to flatten the recruitment office!"

Everyone laughed; in other places, they press-ganged people, but here, the competition was too fierce.

Xun You, Han Hao, and others reported on the spring plowing situation, and it looked like this year would be another bumper harvest.

Jia Xu organized the intelligence from various places.

"My lord, Lu Bu and Cao Cao have fought several more battles, and Cao Cao is gradually gaining the initiative. Lu Bu has been defeated out of Puyang and only has a few cities left.

However, the spring plowing in Yanzhou has been abandoned, and the people's lives are even harder this year."

"Some of the people from Yanzhou and even Yuzhou are fleeing to Jingzhou, and another 200, 00+ people have come to Bingzhou with their families."

Liu Bei nodded.

"No matter how difficult it is, since the people are willing to rely on me, we must take them in."

Liu Bei thought of that graceful figure in Puyang City and hoped she was doing well.

Jia Xu continued,

"Ding Yuan Shao has sent troops to Qingzhou, killed the Qingzhou Inspector Tian Kai appointed by Brother Gongsun Zan, and occupies most of Qingzhou. Brother Gongsun Zan is trapped in Youzhou and cannot advance an inch."

Liu Bei nodded; Ding Yuan Shao and Cao Cao were still more capable than other warlords. He only hoped Brother Gongsun Zan could drag Ding Yuan Shao down for another year or two so he could develop.

After the meeting, Guo Jia and the others expressed that the breathing and exhaling method the lord taught them was too magical; their bodies had become stronger, and they could take on a few more concubines.

Liu Bei?!

"Guo Fengxiao, I had you practice this so you could keep your body healthy and work for me for a few more years!"

Guo Jia indicated that the lord should rest assured; he understood, he understood everything!

Three more months passed.

Cao Cao crushed Lu Bu's army in Julu, besieged it for two months, broke Yongqiu, massacred the city, and executed Zhang Chao and his family; Yanzhou was terrified.

Zhang Miao was killed by his subordinates while on his way to defect to Ding Yuan Shu.

Lu Bu originally wanted to defect to Ding Yuan Shao but was attacked by Ding Yuan Shao's troops. Just as he was at his wit's end,

Liu Bei sent someone to act as a matchmaker, letting Lu Bu accept Tao Tao Qian's aid and station in Xiaopei, forming a pincer formation with Tao Tao Qian to resist Cao Cao.

For the first time, Lu Bu felt that Liu Bei was a good person, but he would absolutely not give away his daughter!

Cao Cao was furious and campaigned against him, but couldn't break him!

As long as Tao Tao Qian was alive, even if Cao Cao could break a few cities, he couldn't take Taking Xuzhou for the time being.

After the great war in the Central Plains, it entered a rare, brief period of peace.

The people, however, were terrified; Cao Cao massacred cities from time to time, and the fields were barren.

The people fled in all directions: to Bingzhou, Jiangdong, Jingzhou, and Jizhou.

At this time,

06 Far from the eyes of the crowd, Chang'an began to undergo a great change!

The conflict between Li Jue and Guo Si, the Xiliang soldiers who occupied Chang'an and controlled the imperial court, intensified.

The two raised troops to attack each other for months, with no clear winner!

This, however, made life miserable for the people near Chang'an, who fled with their families, most of them escaping to Bingzhou.

Emperor Liu Xie sent someone to propose to Li Jue that he return east to the old capital, Luoyang, and with difficulty, obtained Li Jue's permission.

Dong Cheng, who had been a subordinate of Niu Fu, was appointed General of Pacification and escorted the Emperor east with Guo Si!

Guo Si, however, went back on his word, wanting to hold the Emperor hostage and head to Liangzhou.

Li Jue, who was in Chang'an, felt too lonely and didn't want the Emperor to leave, so he led troops to pursue!

The Emperor also issued edicts everywhere, asking everyone to come to Luoyang to serve the King.

All places soon knew of these major events!

Puyang City.

Cao Cao was organizing his troops and preparing to campaign east against Lu Bu again!

Upon learning the news that the Emperor was moving east to Luoyang, he immediately summoned his advisors to discuss.

"The Son of Heaven is fleeing and has urgently summoned the warlords of the world to Luoyang to serve the King. What do you think?"

Xun Yu cupped his hands.

"My lord, the Emperor moving the capital to Luoyang is a major event concerning the world!"

"Emperor Gaozu held a funeral for Emperor Yi, and the world submitted to him. Today, the Son of Heaven is covered in dust; my lord can serve the Son of Heaven to command the disobedient..."

Xun Yu said a lot, meaning the Emperor must be welcomed immediately!

Cheng Yu also said,

"My lord, this is a once-in-a-thousand-year opportunity. With the warlords fighting, if my lord has the Son of Heaven in hand, you can hold the Son of Heaven to command the warlords!"

Xun Yu frowned; although the meaning was similar, Cheng Yu's phrasing was somewhat...

Cao Cao stood up abruptly; everyone was fighting, all being separatist forces.

With the Son of Heaven, he represented the imperial court; he could promote whoever he wanted, and if he wanted to recruit a talent, a single edict would suffice.

"Isn't that Big-Eared Thief a benevolent and loyal member of the Han imperial clan? I'll let you—no, the Son of Heaven will let you—go fight Ding Yuan Shao and Brother Gongsun Zan. Will you go or not!"

"Refusing is disobeying orders!"

Having the sharp sword of the Son of Heaven was a major turning point for Cao Cao, transforming him from a local warlord into a powerful minister who held the reins of the world!

Xi Zhicai cupped his hands.

"My lord, Luoyang has Li Jue to the west, Liu Bei to the north, and Ding Yuan Shao to the northeast; it is not a place to hold for long."

Cao Cao also thought of this; if he went to Luoyang to be a powerful minister, his strength wouldn't allow it, and there were too many powerful forces around.

"Xuxian is a land of fish and rice, connected to the Yellow River in the north, the Yellow-Huai Plain in the east, Jiangxia Commandery in the south, and facing the Nanyang Basin in the southwest; it can serve as the new capital!"

This way, Cao Cao could firmly control the Emperor in his hands.

Cao Cao ordered his generals to quickly assemble the cavalry.

He felt somewhat anxious.

"Liu Bei and Ding Yuan Shao are closer to Luoyang; will they go to snatch the Son of Heaven?"

Xun Yu cupped his hands.

"My lord, Ding Yuan Shao is full of schemes but lacks decisiveness, and there are many factions among his advisors; this matter probably won't be decided for a while."

Cao Cao nodded; Xun Yu's analysis was very correct. By the time Ding Yuan Shao reacted, he would have already welcomed the Son of Heaven to Xuxian—no, Xudu!

Xun Yu continued,

"Liu Bei has always been known for benevolence, righteousness, and loyalty; he will go to welcome the Son of Heaven."

"However, he also doesn't want to go welcome him!"

Cao Cao??