Chapter 24: Old Liu's Layered Schemes

"...So, you mean to win over the influential clans of Xuzhou?"

Liu Bei pondered for a long moment, beginning to summarize the situation. "Cao Bao of the Danyang faction, Mi Zhu, the tycoon of Donghai, the father and son Chen Gui and Chen Deng of the century-old Xiapi clan, and the local scholars of Xuzhou..."

Li Yi spoke up, "Mi Zhu is a high-ranking official entrusted to you by Tao Qian. His heart is already inclined toward you, so I believe his family is the easiest to win over."

Do not be deceived by the fact that the Mi family rose from the ranks of merchants; they were truly "approachable by virtue of their billions." Historical records explicitly state that while Mi Zhu’s personal abilities were rather mediocre, he attained the position of Bie-jia (a high-ranking administrative aide) in Xuzhou, placing him among the top echelons of power. Furthermore, Tao Qian placed the weight of his final trust upon him. This is a testament to the powerful influence his family wielded in Xuzhou.

"...Hmm, Mi Zijhong is graceful, generous, and refined; I, Bei, am also very fond of him."

One knows best who is kind to them. Since entering Xuzhou, Mi Zhu had been the most favorable among the local magnates, and Liu Bei could tell that Mi Zhu was an honest gentleman, for whom he felt a genuine affection. Conversely, Chen Deng had always kept his distance, seemingly wary of something.

Li Yi curled his lips into a smile and said, "The Mi family’s base is in Donghai. Just to the north of Donghai lies the territory of Chang Xi, while the rest falls under the influence of the Mi family. If we can win them over, it is equivalent to controlling the greater part of Donghai. You must not miss this opportunity, My Lord."

The Mi family was unique; unlike the Chen family, which hailed from a proper bureaucratic background, they were merchants. Theoretically, their status should have been very low, yet their influence permeated the entire Donghai region, even surpassing the Chen family's reach in Xiapi. The reason is clearly stated in historical records: their household had "nearly ten thousand servants and wealth exceeding a hundred million."

What does this mean? It signifies a presence capable of swaying the political landscape of Xuzhou. It would be one thing if they were merely wealthy, but they also maintained private troops. Their numbers were not small, and their combat effectiveness was certainly not weak; otherwise, such a vast fortune would have long been carved up by other noble clans. Later, when Liu Bei lost Xuzhou and his soldiers were forced to "resort to cannibalism" to survive, it was Mi Zhu who provided private troops to assist him. These troops fought alongside Liu Bei for years, all the way until his arrival in Shu, proving their combat prowess remained above the average.

Therefore, although the Mi family had humble merchant origins, their influence was immense. Even when Tao Qian took control of Xuzhou, he was compelled to appoint Mi Zhu as his Bie-jia—an assistant official second only to the governor himself.

Li Yi continued, "I have heard that Mi Zhu has a sister, in the prime of her youth, virtuous and chaste. Why not propose marriage, My Lord? By uniting our two houses in a bond of kinship, we shall share both honor and disgrace, poverty and prosperity from this day forward. What do you think, My Lord?"

***

Mi Zhu was a local titan of Xuzhou; an alliance with the Mi family would be tantamount to securing a long-term financial benefactor. Which warlord does not have a financial backer? Cao Cao had Wei Zi, and Sun Quan had Lu Su. It is only logical that our old Liu should have his own Mi Zhu.

Liu Bei nodded, saying in a deep voice, "Zijhong and I share a deep personal friendship; he is an honest and refined man, and I am indeed very fond of him. However, my original wife is still living. How can I propose to his sister? It would hardly be fitting to make her a concubine, would it?"

*Hm?*

Liu Bei’s remark served as a wake-up call. Li Yi suddenly remembered that at this point in time, Liu Bei’s wife was still alive, and he had been making assumptions. Historically, when Liu Bei married Mi Zhu’s sister, it was because Lu Bu had launched a surprise attack on Xuzhou, and Liu Bei’s wife and children had been captured. Both sides believed at the time that Liu Bei’s wife was surely dead, which is how the "transaction" with Mi Zhu was struck.

Why say it that way? Because historical records state, "Zhu then presented his sister to the First Lord as his wife," and furthermore gifted two thousand servants and countless gold and silver to support the military. This clearly exceeded the scope of a standard dowry. Mi Zhu had seen Liu Bei’s potential, and with the original wife seemingly gone, his sister marrying him would naturally result in her son becoming the legitimate heir. It was a strategy of "hoarding a rare commodity"—investing in Liu Bei so that the Mi family might one day share the credit for a new dynasty.

The awkward part was that Liu Bei’s original wife survived and was released by Lu Bu. Thus, Lady Mi’s position became rather delicate. Although she eventually outlived the first wife, she herself remained childless and was overshadowed by Lady Gan. Moreover, Lady Mi’s character was that of a classic noblewoman—she did not contend or struggle, and so she remained in a difficult position.

But at this moment, with Liu Bei’s legitimate wife still alive, the Mi family would certainly not be willing to marry their daughter as a mere concubine. While a "secondary wife" holds a status above a concubine, she is still inferior to the legitimate spouse. Yet, since ancient times, marriage alliances have been the most effective method. If Liu Bei could not marry her, it would be difficult to proceed.

Just as Liu Bei was troubled, a flash of inspiration struck him. He stood up and bowed respectfully to Li Yi.

Li Yi was startled and quickly stepped forward to support Liu Bei, asking, "My Lord, why do you do this? Please, rise."

This sudden grand gesture confused Li Yi; he wondered what play Liu Bei was performing. Liu Bei spoke with solemn gravity: "To tell you the truth, Sir, since I first gained understanding, the land and the people have been devastated by the scourge of war. All conscience and benevolence have been swallowed by conflict. I have the heart to restore the House of Han, yet my talents are shallow and my wisdom short; my strength is insufficient. I have often lamented that the strength of one man is limited, and I only seek those who share my aspirations to stand by my side. If that is achieved, even if I were to sacrifice my life, what would I have to fear?"

***

"Fortunately, heaven has shown favor, allowing me to encounter a great talent with divine strategies such as you, Master Li. I hope you will not disdain my lowly state and will come out of seclusion to assist me. I wish to appoint you as my military advisor, to aid me in restoring the state and rebuilding the Great Han! I shall always listen to your wise counsel, and I beg you not to decline."

*Ah, this...*

Li Yi was somewhat stunned. He thought, *We were just discussing the Mi family; how did it suddenly shift to me? And now he wants to appoint me as his military advisor.* He had not yet explicitly stated that he would join Liu Bei’s ranks, but was his current behavior any different from doing so? Could it be that the old Liu was too sensitive, fearing that he might run off, and felt the need to go through the formalities?

"My Lord, please rise. I am but a rustic mediocrity; to be valued by you is a great honor. However, the position of military advisor carries heavy responsibilities. I am young and incapable; I fear I might fail to live up to your trust."

Since the old Liu wanted to go through the motions, Li Yi decided to go along with it—the drama of "three refusals and three requests" was, after all, something that had to be performed.

Liu Bei grasped Li Yi’s sleeve, refusing to let go, and said with deep emotion, "Do you have no pity for the suffering people of the world, Master?"

Li Yi sighed, "Since I met you amidst the mountains of corpses and seas of blood, how could I not feel pity?"

After the back-and-forth occurred three times, Li Yi finally agreed. This time, it was Li Yi’s turn to bow to Liu Bei. "Since you do not disdain my dullness, I am willing to offer the service of a dog or horse."

Liu Bei was overjoyed; he quickly took Li Yi’s hand, his face beaming with delight. "Good, good, good! Since I began raising an army, I have never seen a person like you. To be able to know you and associate with you today is like a fish finding water! Please, let us drink a thousand cups together!"

Liu Bei laughed, pulling Li Yi’s hand as they returned to their seats.

Once seated, Li Yi calmed his heart. "My Lord, I have accepted the position of military advisor. Now, let us return to the matter of winning over the Mi family. Regarding this Mi family..."

Before he could finish, Li Yi noticed the smile on Liu Bei’s face and suddenly understood something.

*Good heavens!*

"My Lord, you wouldn't be thinking of...?"

Li Yi stood up from the table, staring at Liu Bei.