Chapter 195

Ding Yuan Shu looked at the intelligence before him, feeling a bitter taste in his heart.

"That big-eared thief has taken Liangzhou again? That waste Ma Teng not only gave away Liangzhou but also his daughter! I will absolutely never send my daughter to beg for peace!"

"Ding Yuan Shao and Cao Cao are also wastes. That big-eared thief is in Liangzhou, yet the two of you personally led campaigns and couldn't even break through a single pass!"

Ding Yuan Shu had recently been sharpening his weapons and feeding his horses, reaching a force of over two hundred thousand. Although the quality was questionable, the numbers were intimidating.

Sun Ce, son of Sun Sun Jian, began to make a name for himself, helping Ding Yuan Shu take Lujiang and slaughtering dozens of the clansmen of the Lujiang Administrator, Lu Kang.

Afterwards, he used the Imperial Seal to borrow troops, gathered his father's old subordinates like Cheng Pu and Huang Gai, and launched an attack on Jiangdong.

He successively defeated Liu Yao of Qu'e, Wang Lang of Kuaiji Commandery, and the bandit Yan Yan Baihu of Wu Jun, successfully occupying the four commanderies of Jiangdong!

Ding Yuan Shu felt somewhat smug and satisfied.

Cao Cao had failed in his campaign against Liu Bei, and Ding Yuan Shao had achieved no merit either.

Liu Bei was also a world away from him.

Ding Yuan Shu felt it was time to kick aside the King of Jiujiang and become Emperor himself!

Changancheng.

Liu Bei left Zhang Zhang Liao and Xu Sheng to continue guarding Liangzhou and clear the obstacles along the Silk Road.

He himself brought over five hundred thousand Qiang and Xiongnu women back to Jingzhao.

The entire Jingzhao was in an uproar. Liangzhou, which the Great Han had spent massive wealth and troops on without success, had been pacified by Lord Liu Xuande in just a few short months, and he had even brought back so many people.

Liu Bei settled the Qiang people in places with sparse populations like Fufeng and Feng Yi Commandery.

A large portion of the Qiang people were actually Han Chinese who also made a living by farming; Liu Bei planned to scatter them and gradually assimilate them.

Over two hundred thousand Xiongnu and the women of the defeated Qiang tribes were distributed by Liu Bei to the soldiers who had performed meritorious service in this campaign, greatly boosting the soldiers' morale!

Liu Bei himself took the daughter of the East Qiang King as a concubine and selected over a dozen daughters of tribal leaders, having Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun, Gao Shun, and others take them as well, which served to strengthen everyone's connections.

Guo Jia, naturally, went without saying.

Even the health-conscious Jia Xu was stuffed with one by Liu Bei.

This time, Liu Bei's blocking of the joint attack by Ding Yuan Shao and Cao Cao gave the people of Guanzhong and Bingzhou immense confidence, and everyone lived with greater peace of mind.

Liu Bei also encouraged everyone to head to the Western Regions to do business and reopen the Silk Road.

The Zhen family and the Mi family were not to be outdone and quickly organized several large merchant caravans to head to the Western Regions for trade.

Ma Teng sent Ma Chao, Ma Tie, and Ma Dai to Liu Bei and also let Pang De serve Liu Bei in the future, which gave Liu Bei several more tiger generals. Of course, he had to go back and properly reward Ma Ma Yunlu.

Liu Bei arrived at the backyard.

The beautiful and dashing Ma Ma Yunlu was very popular in the backyard.

With a straightforward personality and good martial arts, she immediately became very popular.

Cai Yan, Mi Zhen, Beauty Feng, Diao Chan, and others all wanted Ma Ma Yunlu to teach them martial arts.

Having practiced the breathing and meditation technique for a long time, their physical fitness had improved quite a bit, and the few of them danced with swords in a decent manner; at the very least, it was pleasing to the eye.

Zhen Zhen Jiang pulled Liu Bei over and whispered,

"Husband, someone is unhappy."

Liu Bei held her hand and looked around.

"Everyone is happy and harmonious; I don't see anyone unhappy."

Zhen Zhen Jiang pointed to Zhen Mi, who was pouting over there and looking at Ma Ma Yunlu with envy.

"Someone is angry that you took Ma Ma Yunlu and aren't paying attention to the people around you!"

Liu Bei laughed; it seemed his cultivation plan was coming to an end.

Zhen Mi rolled her eyes and walked over, acting spoiled.

"Lord Liu Xuande, I am here to bid you farewell."

Liu Bei smiled; the relationship had become distant, as she had started calling him Lord Liu Xuande.

"What's wrong? Are you running away from home?"

Zhen Mi pouted even more.

"This isn't my home anyway. I'm going to the Western Regions to do business. I heard the fruit there is especially delicious; the grapes and cantaloupes are so sweet."

"Lord Liu Xuande, you reopened the Silk Road for the benefit of the people, and I also want to go to the Western Regions to make a name for myself."

Zhen Mi clenched her jade hands, looking like she was about to set off for the Western Regions!

Liu Bei laughed.

"You've certainly found a good place. The Wusun horses, Dayuan horses, and wool textiles there are all quite good, and there are many beauties too. If I weren't a lord, I'd want to go there to do business myself."

Zhen Mi rolled her eyes; was that what she was talking about!

"Fine, I'm leaving now. I'll go to the Western Regions with the caravan tomorrow! Don't you regret it."

After speaking, she turned to leave.

Liu Bei reached out and pulled her into his arms.

"You are not allowed to go anywhere. Stay in the backyard and behave yourself."

Zhen Mi's face flushed as she huddled in Liu Bei's arms.

"Without a name or status, what do you expect me to do!"

Liu Bei smelled the fragrance of Zhen Mi's hair and laughed.

"To prevent my Zhen Mi from running away, I plan to take you as a concubine in a month. I wonder if that is feasible?"

Zhen Mi stared at Liu Bei with her dark eyes.

"It's a deal; you cannot go back on your word!"

The live stream chat exploded with all kinds of jealousy.

"Damn, Zhen Mi, you're so beautiful, are you worried you won't be able to get married?"

"To think Zhen Mi is actually urging the big-eared thief to marry her; what a world!"

"This is too much; the big-eared thief has committed the crime of stealing a wife!"

"Zhen Mi is so beautiful, the big-eared thief is such a scumbag!"

"The big-eared thief's life is truly one that even immortals wouldn't trade for."

"Zhen Mi is the ceiling of pure desire; the big-eared thief got a bargain!"

A month later.

The General of the Household Cavalry's mansion was decorated with lanterns and colorful streamers.

Liu Bei welcomed the number one beauty of Hebei, the apple of the Zhen family's eye, Zhen Mi!

The people of Changancheng thanked Liu Bei for bringing them a good life and hung up lanterns one after another to express their congratulations.

The leaders of Liangzhou had already tasted the sweetness from the Silk Road and were living much better lives than before, so they sent people to deliver gifts and express their congratulations.

Guan Yu and Zhao Yun also sent people to congratulate him. Liu Bei replied to them, stating that he trusted them the most, which was why he let them guard important towns, leaving the two of them deeply moved.

What Liu Bei did not expect was,

Zhang Lu of Hanzhong and Liu Zhang of the Shu lands both sent people to deliver gifts, and both expressed their desire to form an alliance with Lord Liu Xuande to attack the other!

Liu Bei shelved the alliance for now, but he had many ideas about opening up trade routes.

Liu Biao and Brother Gongsun Zan sent people to deliver gifts.

Ding Yuan Shao and Cao Cao also came to deliver gifts, stating that everything before was a misunderstanding. Liu Bei accepted the gifts and ordered people to continue receiving refugees from Jizhou, Yanzhou, and Yuzhou!

What Liu Bei did not expect was,

Lu Bu and Ding Yuan Shu, these two victims, also sent him gifts!

Guo Jia presented the latest intelligence to Liu Bei.

"My Lord, Tao Tao Qian has just passed away from illness, and the gentry of Taking Xuzhou have welcomed Lu Bu to be the Taking Xuzhou Inspector."

Liu Bei nodded.

"Over the past year, Lu Bu has built good relationships in Taking Xuzhou, married Cao Bao's daughter as his second wife, and Chen Gong has helped him make friends with the scholars."

Xun You interjected.

"My Lord, Lu Bu taking over Taking Xuzhou aligns with the interests of most of the Taking Xuzhou gentry. Lu Bu is an outsider and must rely on the locals to govern Taking Xuzhou, so there is no harm to their interests."

"Cao Bao and these Danyang fellow townsmen of Tao Tao Qian have found a new backer, and Lu Bu is brave enough to block Cao Cao."

Jia Xu laughed.

"As for Ding Yuan Shu, My Lord, I'm afraid this old fellow wants to declare himself Emperor and wants you not to have any objections!"

Liu Bei laughed.