Chapter 115 - Liu Clan of Lujiang Takes Refuge with Lu Bu
Chapter 115 – Liu Clan of Lujiang Takes Refuge with Lu Bu
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Our POV now goes back to Wancheng city, not back to Liu Mang or Lu Bu but to the Liu clan main house.
“Outrageous!!! He bullies us nobles too far, he has gone too far in his act!!!!” Inside Liu Residence backyard, there is a middle-aged man who is destroying everything, from bamboo chairs to jade ornaments. All of them destroyed completely.
All of the servants are trembling, for they fear they will also impacted by the anger of their lord, Liu Kai, Liu Bogui.
He has been like this since he got back from attending the banquet in the Administration Office. So the furniture has been changed a lot of times.
How can Liu Kai not be mad right now?! In his mind, that brat Lu Bu has deceived him and the other clan heads. That brat directly sent troops to clean up his grain storage and shop, he also killed Chen Yao personally and afterward he issued an order to exterminate the entire Chen clan up to the third generation. The heads of Chen clansmen were hung above Wancheng city gate. What the hell did this Lu Bu want to do? Does he want to make this Chen clan as an example for others not to mess with him? He tried to do “kill the chicken to scare the monkey”.
In the end, who is the chicken and who is the monkey?
“Is my Honorable Father still doing that thing?!” Outside the mansion, there is a young man asking a servant.
“Little lord, please, you have to calm down the lord! If he continues like this, his body will be ruined!!!” The servant said it with helpless tone. Usually the lord is calm like water, but since he got back from the banquet, he has been like a tsunami.
“Um, I know, do not worry!!!” The young man responded and quickly walked toward the room.
“I HAVE NOT SAID FOR ANYONE TO COME IN HERE, GO AWAY!!!!” Hearing footsteps, Liu Kai just risen his anger and said those words.
“Honorable Father, it is I, Liu Neng!” The young person shouted in soft voice.
“Neng, my son?! You already done studying in the courtyard?!” Liu Kai almost unleash his anger to the person who just came. That young man who came into the backyard is his youngest son Liu Neng, and also his favorite son.
“Is Honorable Father still angry for that late evening banquet?!” Liu Neng inquired with a respectful tone.
“Humph!!!” Liu Neng still cannot calm down Liu Kai's heart, he is still angry at the event in that banquet. “How can father not be angry? That slave of three surnames not only snatched our Liu clan's grain storage and grain shops, he also killed your Uncle Chen and his clansmen. Today he killed the Chen clan, the next time it could possibly be our Liu clan’s turn!”
“Oh, Honorable Father, why are you brooding on such things?!” Liu Neng gave a calm smile “Honorable Father, just let it be. Even if our grain and provisions is lost, as long as we, Liu clan, still exist, we can still get it again!”
“Are you out of your mind?! Neng, my son. You definitely know that these wealth, these grain shop and grain storage was accumulated by me, your grandfather and our ancestors. But only in one evening, Lu Bu snatched them all. That is half of our wealth!!!” Liu Kai now very anxious, and a majority of his anger is caused by his grain and provisions snatched by Lu Bu.
“Oh Father!!!” Liu Neng shook his head “It is a very good thing, that our grain and provisions were snatched by Lu Bu!!!”
“Good? GOOD??? Humph, I thought you are wise beyond your years, but it seems you also as muddleheaded as the rest of your brothers!!!” Liu Kai shouted while looking at Liu Neng.
“Honorable Father, in your opinion, what kind a person is Lu Bu Lu Fengxian?!” Liu Neng inquired it.
“What kind of person, huh?! That man is a despicable scumbag, a slave of three surnames!!!” Liu Kai now wishes that he could throw all of his insults directly at Lu Bu.
“Hahaha!!!” Liu Neng smiled while shaking his head. He knew that his father is currently in a very confused and muddleheaded state due to grain and provision encounter and said “Oh, Honorable Father, please listen to me. That despicable scumbag and slave of three surnames that you just mentioned, actually killed Dong Zhuo and almost extinguished Cao Cao in Puyang!!!”
“Isn't it Cao Cao who also expelled him from Xu Province?!” Liu Kai argued.
“Yes, he was expelled from Xu Province, but he also occupied Wancheng city!!!”
“Can he take hold on Wancheng city for a long time?! He has offended all of Jiangdong's nobles. Sooner or later, he will be driven out by Sun Ce!!!”
“Honorable Father, you did not grasp the whole picture! This Lu Bu, it is true that he has offended all of Jiangdong's nobles. But do not forget, he still has 40,000 elite troops! In these times of war, one who wields military power is the one who has the authority! Moreover, Honorable Father, did you really believe that Lu Bu will be driven out from Wancheng city?!” Liu Neng suddenly smiled with those words.
“What do you mean by that?!” Liu Kai knows that his youngest son is very smart, he can think a solution that others cannot.
“Honorable Father, have you forgotten, what is the identity of our Liu clan?!”
“We are Han Dynasty clansmen and relative to the emperor!” These Liu clan is the true descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan. It is not like Liu Bei who just screamed everywhere that he is descendant of Prince Jing of Zhongshan, and definitely not like Liu Mang who was given the seal Prince of Shu by Emperor Xian under Cao Cao's coercion.
“Our Han Dynasty has reigned for 400 years, and now our dynasty has lost its light! Now it is the era of warlords, there is no more Han Dynasty!”
“My son Neng, what are you babbling about?! Even now, His Majesty Emperor Xian still exists!” Liu Kai berated Liu Neng.
Liu Neng just quipped “Where is His Majesty now? Is he in Luoyang or Chang'an?!” Liu Kai is speechless. Liu Neng discourse is right, the Emperor only had value when he is seated in Luoyang or Chang'an.
Now, the Han Emperor is in Xu Du, who currently was welcomed by Cao Cao to his capital. No, no, no. The correct word is “protected” by Cao Cao who also “assisted” His Majesty in governance.
In reality, the Han Emperor is just a puppet who had no accomplishments.
“Now all of warlords rise up simultaneously, doing battle in all four directions, they want to establish their own kingdom and dynasty. Is it not to replace our Han Dynasty? Father, please do not forget. We are of Han Dynasty clansmen and relatives to royal family of Liu. If the Han Dynasty gone, no matter who is on the top, the first thing they will do is exterminating our Han Dynasty clansmen!” What Liu Neng said is not just to frighten people.
In the original history, Cao Cao has won the most power. At that time, can he keep his hands off the Liu clan? When Liu Biao's youngest son Liu Cong offered the entire Jing Province, what is Cao Cao's treatment of him? He ordered Yu Jin to kill him and his mother Lady Cai and also killed Cai Mao his uncle through Zhou Yu's plot. In the end, Cao Cao also exterminated the whole of Liu clan in Jing Province.
Also there was Liu Ye who worked extremely hard beside Cao Cao, pouring his invention skills to help Cao Cao create the Wei Kingdom. It can be said, he is truly loyal to Cao Cao's cause, however what is the final result? Cao Cao suspected him and did not give him any promotions even though he helped Cao Cao to win against Yuan Shao, also Cao Pi also suspected him for usurpation.
And finally, he was suspected as a usurper by Cao Rui or more known by his title Emperor Ming of Wei and died dishonorably. Why is that? Because his surname is Liu and he is regarded by Wei Kingdom as a thorn in their side.
“When the Sun clan, occupied Lujiang, what profit did our Liu clan gain?!” Liu Neng started his analyzation “Honorable Father, several years ago, do you remember what kind of person was Uncle Chen of Chen clan in your eyes?!”
Liu Kai began to recall, this Chen clan several years ago is just a refugee clan from Guangling. When Chen Duan helped Sun Ce pacify Jiangdong at the same time, Chen clan also gained fame and fortune. When Sun Ce came to Lujiang, Chen clan moved into Wancheng city, the Chen clan raised their status to the same as Liu clan, furthermore they also seized several of the Liu clan's business ventures.
“If Sun Ce expelled Lu Bu, Sun Ce will immediately raise the Li clan or Wang clan in exchange of the extinguished Chen clan but never us. Why is that? This Sun Ce also does not trust us!!! And at that time, Sun Ce will definitely oppress us further until we are completely exterminated due to us being of the Han Dynasty clansmen!” exclaimed Liu Neng
“But can this Lu Bu trust us?! If at that time he conquered Lujiang and subsequently conquered this nation, we still be unable to escape the disaster!” Liu Kai Said. Lu Bu is not surnamed Liu, when he obtains this nation's river and mountain, how can he not also want to get rid of the Liu clan?
“Yes, Lu Bu is not surnamed Liu, but his son-in-law is surnamed Liu!” Liu Neng finally spoke the key point.
“Prince of Shu, Liu Mang?!” Liu Kai has seen this His Highness Prince of Shu at the war of words at Sun Ce's welcoming banquet. At that time, two of Sun Ce's top advisors was made angry to the point of almost spitting blood and made those two advisors unable to attend Sun Ce and Da Qiao's wedding.
“Are you saying that?!” Liu Kai is not a fool, if he is a fool, he will not be a head of Liu clan.
“Lu Bu only has one daughter. When he conquers this nation, to whom will his inheritance go to?!” Liu Neng said it while smiling “It is certainly at the hand of this His Highness Prince of Shu, since the Prince of Shu is one of the Han Dynasty clansmen. According to you, father, who in this nation will he entrust heavy responsibilities to?!”
A person who will they trust first is definitely their own relatives.
Their Liu clan and Liu Mang are of Han Dynasty clansmen. When that time comes, when Lu Bu rules this nation, it can be said, they can confer title of prince to their own descendants and restore their ancestry.
“But, what if this Lu Bu produces a son?!” Liu Kai said his worries. If Lu Bu is able to produce a son, then Liu Mang's inheritance might suddenly vanished, and at that time, their Liu clan faces the same fate of annihilation.
“Yes, but even if Lu Bu has a son now, it will take several years until that son grows up and can be entrusted with responsibilities. And if during that time His Highness Prince of Shu does not have any support from Lu Bu army’s internal generals and officers, we might as well leave to find a secluded place to live!”
If Lu Bu got a son now, it will take several years until that son grew up. And if during that time Liu Mang did not have Lu Bu’s army’s support, then it only can be explained that Liu Mang is a waste, not worth trusting, Liu Neng then continued “But father, do you really think that His Highness Prince of Shu is that type of garbage?!”
“He is definitely not!!!” If he is a garbage, how can he make two of Sun Ce's top advisors angry to the point almost spitting blood and become a laughing stock to the people of this nation.
“So, your plan is to offer ourselves to take refuge in Lu Bu’s army?!” Liu Kai guessed Liu Neng’s plan.
“Of course! That is why I said that those grain and provisions vanishing are a good thing!” If Liu Neng can catch Liu Mang, the big ship in Liu Neng's eyes, it can be said their Liu clan will definitely be able to accomplish big things, they can even restore their honor of being Wancheng cities biggest noble family.
Even if could not accomplish, they can rely on Lu Bu’s army and its 40,000 troops to establish a separatist regime and watch political movements. Moreover, Liu Neng is currently impatient to meet one of this nation greatest hero, Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian.
“But father has already offended Lu Bu, Lu Fengxian!” Liu Kai smiled bitterly. His grain and provisions were snatched by Lu Bu. But he was also interrogated by Lu Bu at the banquet to the point scolding him. So in his opinion, it is already too late for them to take refuge with Lu Bu.
“Hahaha, father oh father. Let us put aside those grain and provisions for now. At the present, there is a big merit for us to take in order for us to be taken in by Lu Bu!”
“Neng, my son, what solution do you have in mind?!”
“That is destroying the Zhou clan!”