Taking advantage of his drunkenness, Liu Bei made a mistake and said, "If I, Liu Bei, have a foundation, then everyone in the world will be mediocre and have nothing to worry about."
After Liu Biao heard about it, he remained silent. Liu Bei knew that he had talked too much, so he pretended to be drunk and was going to go back to rest.
Liu Biao listened to Liu Bei's words. Although he didn't say anything, he was a little dissatisfied in his heart. After saying goodbye to Liu Bei, he entered the inner chamber.
Mrs. Cai was eavesdropping on the whole process and came out at this time: "I heard Liu Bei's words from behind the screen just now. Such frivolous words clearly show that he intends to annex Jingzhou. If we don't get rid of it today, it will definitely become a disaster in the future."
Liu Biao didn't answer, just shook his head and sighed.
Cai secretly brought Cai Mao over to discuss the matter.
Cai Mao said: "I hope you can let me go directly to the embassy to kill him and then tell the lord."
Cai agreed to this idea and asked Cai Mao to leave. He began to order the army that night.
Since it was getting dark, Liu Bei did not return to Xinye, so he found an inn in Jingzhou to stay temporarily. Since he was still drunk, Liu Bei lit a candle in the room and continued reading until 3:00, when he was ready to turn off the lights. While sleeping, a man suddenly broke in. Liu Bei saw that it was Yi Ji.
Liu Bei asked about the purpose of his visit. It turned out that Yi Ji had received the news and came to report the situation overnight. So he told Liu Bei all about Cai Mao's strategy and advised Liu Bei to leave quickly.
Liu Bei said: "I haven't said goodbye to Liu Biao yet, why did I leave?"
Yi Ji became a little anxious and said, "If you still go to say goodbye, you will be framed by Cai Mao."
Liu Bei said goodbye to Yiji, called the envoys who were accompanying him, and all mounted their horses. Before dawn, they hurried back to Xinye overnight.
Cai Mao led his soldiers to surround the inn and prepared to arrest people. Liu Bei had already left for a long time. Cai Mao regretted it very much, but he had a plan in mind and wrote a poem in the room where Liu Bei lived.
That night, Cai Mao went to see Liu Biao and said, "Liu Bei wanted to rebel. He wrote it on the wall and left without saying goodbye."
Liu Biao naturally didn't believe it, so Cai Mao took him to the scene to identify it in person. Sure enough, he found four lines of poetry, which read: "I have been trapped for several years, facing the old mountains and rivers in the sky. Things in the Longqi Pond are riding on thunder to reach the sky!"
Liu Biao was very angry after seeing the poem. He drew his sword and said angrily: "I swear to kill this unloyal person!"
After walking back for a few steps, he suddenly thought of something and suddenly realized: "I have been with Liu Bei for a long time, and I have never seen him reciting poems in a confrontation. Someone must be trying to alienate our relationship." So slowly He returned to the room, used the tip of his sword to cut off the poem on the wall, then threw away his sword, left the inn, and mounted his horse.
Cai Mao made preparations and asked Liu Biao for instructions, saying: "The sergeants are all ready. Now you can prepare to go to Xinye to capture Liu Bei."
Liu Biao said: "This matter cannot be rushed. We must take a long-term approach."
Cai Mao thought his plan was successful, but found that Liu Biao was still hesitant, so he secretly went to discuss with Mrs. Cai and said: "People will gather in Xiangyang recently, let's take action there."
On the second day, Cai Mao reported to Liu Biao: "The harvest has been good in recent years. We will gather a hundred officials from Jingzhou to Xiangyang to express our condolences. I hope that the lord will also come forward."
Liu Biao said: "I have recently suffered from an old illness and I really can't go. Let me let my two sons represent me."
Cai Mao said: "Both young masters are still young, so I'm afraid they will lose their etiquette."
Liu Biao said: "Then you go to Xinye and find Liu Bei and let him represent you." Cai Mao was very happy after hearing this and sent someone to find Liu Bei.
After Liu Bei returned to Xinye, he couldn't calm down for a long time. He thought that it must be the last time I drank with Liu Biao without covering his mouth, so there was such a disaster, and he never mentioned it to anyone else.
A few days later, a messenger suddenly came to report that there was a gathering in Xiangyang and conveyed Liu Biao's intention.
Sun Qiandao: "After the Lord came back in a hurry, I felt depressed. I thought about it for a while. It should have been an accident in Jingzhou. Now there are rumors coming and going to Xiangyang. I don't think I can go there again easily."
So Liu Bei told everyone about it. Guan Yu said: "Brother suspects that it is a problem with his words. Liu Biao's character should not mean to blame. Don't believe other people's words easily. Xiangyang is not far from us. If not If we go, Jingzhou will definitely think that we are plotting rebellion."
Liu Bei nodded and said, "Yun Chang's analysis makes sense."
Zhang Fei said: "There is no good banquet, and it is not a very important matter. It is better not to go."
Zhao Yun said: "I will take 300 horse infantry troops with me. I will be able to ensure that the Lord is safe."
Liu Bei said: "This is the best."
So he rushed to Xiangyang with Zhao Yun. Cai Mao personally went out of the city to greet him, showing his modesty. Then Liu Qi and Liu Cong came out to greet him with all the officials.
When Liu Bei saw the two young masters arriving, he gave up his previous worries and invited Liu Bei to temporarily stay at the inn that day. Zhao Yun led 300 people to protect him closely, keeping the necessary distance, and did not take off his armor or sword.
Liu Qi told Liu Bei, "My father recently fell ill and was unable to move, so he sent his uncle to help entertain the guests and comfort the officials everywhere."
Liu Bei said: "I should not have appeared in this place. Since it is my brother's wish, I will definitely do my best to do this well."
The next day, someone reported that officials from nine counties and forty-two states had arrived. Cai Mao went to find Kuai Yue before that and discussed: "Liu Bei is a powerful man in the world. He has lived in Jingzhou for a long time and will definitely become a great leader in the future." It’s a scourge, let’s take this opportunity today to eradicate him.”
Kuai Yue frowned, narrowed his eyes, and said: "Liu Bei has won the hearts of the people now. If he does this, he may lose the hearts of the people."
Cai Hao knew that the other party was hesitant, so he said: "Don't worry about this. My Lord secretly gave me instructions for doing this."
Kuai Yue said: "Since it is my lord's wish, then hurry up and prepare."
Cai Mao then revealed his plan and said: "I have sent my brother Cai He and his soldiers to guard the Xianshan Road at the east gate. Cai Zhonglai is guarding the south gate. Cai Xun is guarding the north gate. Only the west gate is not guarded by soldiers and horses. However, the terrain of that place is dangerous and blocked by Tanxi River. Even with thousands of troops and horses, it is not easy to break through that place."
Kuai Yue said: "I have observed that Zhao Yun is inseparable from Liu Bei. I'm afraid there is no chance to make a move."
Cai Mao said: "I will ambush five hundred people in the city and prepare in advance."
Kuai Yue nodded and said: "You can send two generals, Wenpin and Wang Wei, to set up some banquets in the outer hall to entertain the generals. Let Zhao Yun accompany them, and we can do things inside."
So Cai Mao adopted this suggestion.
