Chapter 811: The Alliance Meeting

Feng Ji came as quickly as he left. Of course, he had also taken note of Liu Bei's final words, hearing the calm yet unmistakable tone of murderous intent. Though Liu Bei’s voice was indifferent, the killing intent was clear, and Feng Ji had no choice but to report it back to Yuan Shao exactly as it was spoken, leaving the decision in Yuan Shao’s hands.

"Liu Bei actually said that?" Yuan Shao was taken aback, surprised by the bluntness of Liu Bei’s declaration of murderous intent.

"My lord, it seems Liu Bei’s words are devoid of any pretense, purely expressing his desire to kill you," Shen Pei frowned. "While it is expected that a ruler should not wear their emotions on their sleeve, someone like Liu Bei, at his level, can afford to be open and act as he pleases."

"If he spoke with such confidence, then he must have prepared well. The meeting in the middle of the river might hold some hidden dangers," Tian Feng added, frowning as he contemplated.

"What of it? Wen Chou, can you protect me?" Yuan Shao turned his head and asked Wen Chou.

"As long as I live, no one will be able to harm you, my lord!" Wen Chou replied resolutely.

"And Yan Liang, what about you?" Yuan Shao smiled as he asked.

"To serve you in this life, and to repay your kindness in the next," Yan Liang, though often regarded as a brute, responded with far more grace than Wen Chou.

"See? Why should I fear Liu Bei?" Yuan Shao said with a proud look, turning to face Qu Yi. "If Liu Bei tries anything, Qu Yi, take him down and toss him into the Yellow River. Let him swim back!"

Qu Yi, commander of the elite Hebei forces, was skilled in naval operations. Tossing someone overboard would be no issue for him.

"Since that's the case, why don’t we prepare more thoroughly and capture Liu Bei right away?" Dong Zhao stepped forward, devoid of any concern for honor. In his view, victory was the sole objective in war, not some superficial sense of honor.

"How could I stoop to the level of a common peddler or weaver!" Yuan Shao shot a dissatisfied glance at Dong Zhao. Yuan Shao was of noble birth, and while he was born illegitimate, before he was adopted into a more prestigious household, he had lived as a servant. Maintaining face had become a deeply ingrained habit for him.

Though the memories of his early days had grown faint, Yuan Shao still clung to the pride of his position and would never lose face in front of someone of equal standing, especially not someone like Liu Bei.

Dong Zhao bowed his head and slowly retreated. Though his expression remained unseen, a trace of mockery flitted across his face. Liu Bei had openly declared that he would kill Yuan Shao if given the chance, yet Yuan Shao still hesitated.

After some discussion, Yuan Shao and his advisors decided to use the largest riverboat they had. They had it moved to the center of the river overnight and decorated it accordingly. Leaving a few people behind to guard the camp, with Ju Shou as the chief military advisor to prevent a surprise attack, Yuan Shao planned to bring most of his trusted advisors along to the meeting.

At dawn the next day, Liu Bei and his group of about ten people boarded a small boat and made their way toward the agreed meeting point at the center of the Yellow River, where a grand riverboat awaited.

"Impressive. Yuan Shao has quite the vessel," Chen Xi remarked with a mix of admiration and apprehension. The construction of the boat was highly sophisticated, and it was clearly new. What was even more remarkable was that the wood used in its construction had been nurtured through special techniques.

When wood is nurtured before being crafted into a ship, and then the entire ship is nurtured again after construction, the resulting strength and durability are on a whole different level. This made the boat incredibly solid, to the point where even if Zhao Yun attacked it, he could at most leave a dent.

"Ahem, when we meet Yuan Shao, let’s not call him by name. Let’s keep some semblance of decorum," Liu Bei coughed, reminding his men. He was very familiar with this ship, as it had been a gift for him, which he had then passed on to the Zhang family when they returned to Jizhou.

"Yuan Shao seems to have some foresight, paying attention to shipbuilding. Their techniques are nearly on par with ours now," Jia Xu noted, glancing at the vessel.

"Indeed," Lu Su agreed, a hint of concern in his expression. "Is this meant as a display of power?"

"It certainly seems that way," Zhao Yun, who had some experience with shipbuilding, remarked with a high appraisal of the ship.

"Lord Xuande, welcome!" Feng Ji, who had arrived on the ship the night before to oversee preparations, extended a hand and motioned for Liu Bei to board. "My lord has been waiting for some time." He glanced behind Liu Bei and noticed that the group was rather small.

Wu Anguo leaped onto the boat, standing still with his massive dual hammers resting by his side.

"Let’s board," Liu Bei gestured, leading his group up the plank. Once on board, they surveyed the ship’s impressive structure.

"Yuan Tu, this is quite the riverboat. How many of these do you have?" Chen Xi, as usual, felt right at home and casually asked as he looked around.

"This riverboat belongs to the Zhen family of Hebei. My lord is merely borrowing it for a few days," Feng Ji replied calmly. "However, if there’s a fight on board today, I doubt the boat will remain intact."

"Impressive," Chen Xi muttered, still marveling at the craftsmanship when, out of nowhere, Lady Zhang, dressed in an elegant green silk gown adorned with a phoenix hairpin, appeared before Liu Bei. Her refined appearance was a stark contrast to her simple attire from when she had been in Mount Tai. Now, she fully embraced her status as the head of one of the five great merchant families.

"Greetings, Lady Zhang," Liu Bei greeted her casually, and she returned the gesture with a graceful bow. "Lord Yuan has given his permission. May I, a humble woman, witness this event?" she asked, completely ignoring Chen Xi, who stood behind Liu Bei.

"Please, by all means," Liu Bei replied after a brief hesitation.

Lady Zhang smiled and walked with Liu Bei toward the meeting place, while Chen Xi took the opportunity to ask Feng Ji a question, delaying him for a few seconds.

"Why did you bring so few people? Yuan Shao has five ships with him, and there are many more people on board this one," Lady Zhang whispered nervously. She wasn’t supposed to be here, as it could easily expose her.

"Don’t worry. I’ll be fine. Just witness the event and do nothing more. Once it’s over, return to Bohai," Liu Bei quickly instructed her, as Chen Xi and the others were already catching up.

Turning a corner, the grand meeting room came into view. Yuan Shao was already seated, awaiting Liu Bei’s arrival. His ministers and generals were also present. As Liu Bei strode into the room, all eyes were on him.

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