Chapter 1452

Liu Bei's words did not attract Cai Yong's attention.

Cai Yong drank and laughed, taking it all as Liu Bei's praise.

However, Liu Bei's next words made Cai Yong change his face.

"Master Cai, I have a request that is not easy to make; I don't know if I should say it or not," Liu Bei said, looking up at Cai Yong.

At this time, Cai Yong was still immersed in Liu Bei's praise, stroking his chin and smiling: "Lord Xuande, if you have something to say, just say it."

Liu Bei took a deep breath, preparing to introduce the topic of his visit tonight.

"It's like this, Master Cai; I have seen Master Cai's daughter twice, in the palace and by the Luo River today, and I am deeply conquered by her talent and appearance. I came here today to boldly ask Master Cai if you can let your daughter submit to me; I am sincere, and I am absolutely sincere to Master Cai's daughter."

Liu Bei said, cupping his hands to Cai Yong: "If Master Cai agrees, I am willing to ask the Empress Dowager to grant a grand marriage."

Cai Yong, who was smiling, stiffened his expression.

Cai Yong thought that Liu Bei's request was to ask him to perform again.

Of course, Cai Yong didn't care about this at all.

Usually, at gatherings with friends, showing off zither skills had become a common occurrence.

But what Cai Yong never expected was that Liu Bei would actually ask for marriage.

Cai Yong, whose eyes immediately changed expression, looked at Liu Bei in surprise.

Liu Bei accepted Cai Yong's scrutiny with a calm gaze.

After a long while, Cai Yong put down the bronze wine goblet in his hand and looked at Liu Bei: "Is the Marquis of Linxiang married?"

Cai Yong changed his form of address, from Lord Xuande to Marquis of Linxiang.

Liu Bei took a deep breath and said: "In my early years at home, there was a marriage, but it was all arranged by my mother, and now my wife is in my hometown."

"Then may I ask, how old is the Marquis of Linxiang this year?" Cai Yong asked, frowning.

"I am twenty-six this year," Liu Bei replied.

Cai Yong, sitting in the main seat, had his face completely darkened.

"The Marquis of Linxiang already has a wife at home, and you are twenty-six; then according to your meaning, you want to take my daughter as a second wife, right?"

"Master Cai..."

Cai Yong raised his hand, directly interrupting Liu Bei, and said with a tense face: "Does the Marquis of Linxiang think that because of the Hedong Wei clan incident, my daughter, Cai Yong's daughter, has to be a concubine for someone?"

"Don't say you are the Marquis of Linxiang, my daughter cannot be your concubine!"

Cai Yong, who was excited, stood up from his seat and pointed at Liu Bei: "My daughter is only sixteen this year, you Liu Bei are twenty-six, and you have a wife and daughter at home, yet you want my daughter to be a concubine. I treated you with kindness, Liu Bei, but you said such things to humiliate me!"

"You..."

"You..."

"Get out!"

Cai Yong pointed to the outside of the hall and scolded.

Liu Bei was also confused by the scolding.

Liu Bei didn't expect Cai Yong's reaction to be so intense.

"Master Cai, you misunderstood; although I have a wife and daughter, my sincerity..."

"Get out, don't say any more!" Cai Yong, with anger rising and his face flushed, pointed to the outside of the hall: "Liu Bei, don't bully people too much."

Seeing Cai Yong's reaction so intense, Liu Bei knew that saying anything now was useless.

So he could only stand up and say goodbye in frustration.

"Master Cai... I was presumptuous, please forgive me." Liu Bei cupped his hands.

Cai Yong turned his head and snorted, no longer looking at Liu Bei.

Until Liu Bei left, Cai Yong sat down again angrily.

At this time, in the side room next to the main hall, a pair of spirited eyes looked through the gap of the screen at the hall, and took in all the dialogue between Cai Yong and Liu Bei just now.

Cai Mansion back house.

Cai Zhenji put her hands on her waist, pressing the white skirt into wrinkles, and with a pretty face, described to her sister Cai Yan, who was sitting on the soft couch in the room, what happened in the front yard just now.

"Sister, that Liu Bei is too much, actually wanting you to be his concubine; who does he think he is? He's so old, and he has no face at all."

"Father sternly scolded Liu Bei and drove that lecher directly out of the mansion."

"Sister, that Liu Bei is simply rotten to the core."

Cai Yan put the lid of the bronze hollow-carved incense burner on the bronze furnace.

The refreshing sandalwood did not smooth out the sorrow between her eyebrows.

Cai Yan herself knew why Liu Bei came to the door.

If it weren't for the Wei clan incident, although Liu Bei was a relative of the emperor, he would never dare to be so rude.

Today by the Luo River was not a coincidence, and the visit at night was not a visit.

The reason was because of her current status...

Cai Yan sighed and looked out the window beside her.

Time passed by several days.

In these few days, Liu Bei was busy organizing the army to set off, and Guan Yu also rushed back from Mengjin to prepare to take over Liu Bei's defense work at Hangu Pass.

The battle report sent back to Luoyang that day made people in Luoyang panic.

Everyone was discussing whether Luoyang could block Duan Yu's military edge.

Besides this, there was another thing that became a hot topic among the powerful gentry in Luoyang.

That was Liu Bei visiting Cai Yong's mansion but being driven out by Cai Yong.

Liu Bei came to propose marriage, wanting to marry Cai Yong's daughter as a concubine, and then was humiliated and driven out after being scolded by Cai Yong.

When this matter spread, many people said that Liu Bei was crazy.

Who was Cai Yong?

Famous for being stubborn.

When Liu Hong was still alive, when the power of the Ten Regular Attendants was at its peak, Cai Yong was still not afraid to submit memorials and often impeached the Ten Regular Attendants.

If it weren't for Liu Hong relying on the teacher-student relationship of Cai Yong teaching him zither skills, he would have dealt with Cai Yong long ago.

But even after being demoted to Dongguan to write books, Cai Yong was not idle and still often impeached the Ten Regular Attendants.

Eventually, the Ten Regular Attendants were provoked to kill, and only then was Cai Yong exiled.

But even on the road of exile, Cai Yong still didn't give a good face to the younger brother of the Regular Attendant Wang Fu, which shows Cai Yong's uprightness and firmness.

Although because of the Hedong Wei clan incident, Cai Yong's daughter Cai Yan was now difficult to marry, Liu Bei dared to let Cai Yong's daughter be a concubine.

This was simply asking for a scolding.

And after this matter spread, Liu Bei also felt that whether it was attending court or discussing matters, many people around him looked at him with strange eyes.

Many of the gazes carried mockery.

This made Liu Bei, who wanted to rely on Cai Yong's status to enter the gentry class to avoid being calculated by Yuan Kui in the future, feel annoyed by the mocking gazes behind his back.

At this time, outside Luoyang.

Liu Bei was in the military camp explaining the defense of Hangu Pass to Guan Yu, who had just returned.

Liu Bei, sitting in the main seat, had a trace of gloom between his eyebrows compared to his high spirits a few days ago.

"Yunchang, this time I lead troops to attack Duan Yu, the outcome is unpredictable."

Liu Bei said slowly: "These two hundred thousand troops left in Luoyang are the foundation of our brothers' standing; they must not be lost. Remember, no matter if I win or lose outside, or have any news, you must not lead troops to advance rashly."

"Even if the imperial court has orders, you must try to delay, discuss more with Xianhe, and often send people to Mengjin to visit the third brother; you must not let the third brother drink and scold soldiers in the army, understand?"

Liu Bei exhorted earnestly.

"Brother." Guan Yu frowned his eyebrows and said: "Why don't I lead the troops to attack Duan Yu on your behalf, and you sit in Luoyang, wouldn't it be more secure?"

Liu Bei shook his head slowly and took a deep breath.

If he could, he naturally didn't want to go on an expedition.

But this was because Yuan Kui was wary that his power in Luoyang was too strong, affecting the Yuan clan's right to speak in the imperial court.

Jian Yong sat on the side, saw Liu Bei's difficulty, and said: "Marquis, it's not that the Lord doesn't want to, but he has to go."

Liu Bei nodded slightly.

"Yunchang, just remember what I said; if there is anything, you can send someone to write to me."