Chapter 58: Talented but Ugly

  Liu Jue asked casually, 'Why didn't Zhuge Liang come?'

  The atmosphere at the banquet suddenly became awkward, and Liu Xuan also felt this awkwardness, but he didn't understand what he had said wrong.

  At this time, today's convener Kuai Qi hurriedly smiled and said: "The wine and dishes are all ready, no need to be polite anymore, everyone please sit down!"

  Liu Xuan sat down with the crowd, the seats were arranged in a circle, several waiters brought wine and dishes up like flowing water, and placed a warm wine urn in the center. A beautiful waitress was responsible for pouring wine for everyone.

  Chui Zhouping stood up, raised his cup and said to the crowd: "Today, thank you all for coming to see us off. Especially, thank you, Qi Gongzi, for personally coming to send us off. This trip to the north will take at most three to five months, we will be back soon, please don't worry too much."

  Xu Shou also raised his cup and smiled: "This time I'm mainly going back home to visit my mother, thank you all for coming to see me off, let's have a drink first."

  He drained the wine in his cup, and everyone wished them a smooth journey, also drinking their own wine. At this time, Liu Xuan said to Xu Yu: "Liu Xuan admires Yuan Zhi's filial piety to his mother, why didn't Yuan Zhi bring his mother directly to Xiangyang, it would be more convenient to take care of her."

  Xu Shou sighed, "I've also considered this, mainly because my elder brother refused to let our mother go south, and she herself found it hard to leave her hometown. Several times I tried to persuade her but she wouldn't agree, there's nothing we can do."

  Liu Xuan nodded and stopped talking, the crowd chatted for a few more sentences. Liu Qi smiled at Huang Yueying: "I've long heard that Miss's piano skills are unmatched, can you improvise a piece to let us mortals hear heavenly music?"

  Everyone applauded and laughed loudly, "Qī gōng zǐ's proposal is wonderful! Can Huang niáng let us enjoy the music?"

  Huang Yueying didn't decline either, and smiled sweetly, "Since that's the case, I'll make a fool of myself."

  She turned around and instructed the little maid a few words, the maid nodded, went downstairs, and came back with a zither from the carriage in a moment. A waiter brought over a zither table, and the maid placed the zither on it.

  Huang Yueying lifted a circle of curtain veil, and it wasn't until then that Liu Xuan finally saw her appearance, which was indeed disappointing. Her skin was slightly dark, her nose was somewhat flat, her eyes were not bright enough, and the hair on her forehead looked a bit dry and yellowish.

  Yellow hair and black face, the rumors in the countryside were not wrong, but they were not so exaggerated either. Not ugly to the point of being unable to be seen by people, just slightly mediocre in appearance.

  Huang Yueying's expression was calm and serene. She slightly adjusted the tone of her zither, then smiled at everyone and said: "Little sister has made a fool of herself in front of everyone."

  Her slender fingers moved, a string of flowing water-like piano sounds rang out from her fingertips, she was playing "Nie Zheng Stabbed the King of Han", also known as "Guangling San". Although it was a solo piano piece, the sound was bold and stirring, sometimes soaring to the sky in sorrowful indignation, sometimes shooting out in all directions, sometimes turning and becoming sorrowfully desolate.

  Even Liu Xuan's emotions fluctuated with her piano sound, he listened to it in a trance, the whole tavern was silent, several waiters also sat aside, listening to the piano sound in a daze, forgetting to serve dishes to customers.

  The sound of the zither suddenly stopped, and the notes lingered in the air. After a long while, the tavern suddenly erupted into applause. At this moment, Liu Xuan also discovered that Liu Yueying was not ugly after all; her talent made her appearance insignificant.

  Huang Yueying stood up and bowed slightly, smiling apologetically: "There's still something at home, little sister can't stay long, I'll take my leave first."

  The crowd didn't stay, they all got up to thank her for the New Year's music. Liu Xuan looked at her back as she went downstairs and couldn't help but sigh, "What a wonderful woman, how lucky is the one who marries her!"

  Everyone looked strange and held back their laughter. At this time, the sound of horse hooves came from below, Huang Yueying left, and Kuai Ji finally couldn't help but laugh: "Gongzi, do you know why Kongming didn't come, and why Huang Niang would be disappointed again?"

  Liu Xuan shook his head, "I don't know!"

  Ma Liang also smiled and said: "Actually, this matter is related to you."

  "What does it have to do with me?" Liu Xuan was stunned, "What are you talking about?"

  Kuai Qi took a sip of wine and said slowly, "Last time at the Kuai manor's banquet, Gongzi Yun said that Zhuge Liang's wife was not Huang Yueying? Does the young master still remember?"

  Liu Jing nodded, "I remember, at that time I just spoke casually."

  "Your careless words have put Zhuge Liang in a difficult position. Now everyone is saying that Zhuge Liang is going to marry Huang Yueying, and the rumor has spread far and wide, with all the scholars in Xiangyang knowing about it. Whenever they see Zhuge Liang, they tease him, 'When will you welcome the young lady from the Huang family?' As a result, Zhuge Liang doesn't dare to go out anymore. That's why when he heard that Miss Huang was coming today, he suddenly had something urgent to attend to and couldn't make it."

  Liu Jiong scratched his head, and only then did he realize that his careless remark had caused such a big commotion. He asked again: "But does this have anything to do with Huang's daughter leaving early?"

  Everyone burst out laughing, "If Zhuge Liang doesn't come, how can Huang Niang not leave in disappointment? Do you think Huang Niang really came to bid farewell?"

  Liu Xuan finally understood that Huang Yueying actually liked Zhuge Liang, but the impression she left on Liu Xuan was very good. If he could help her achieve her heart's desire, it would be a beautiful story, but it seemed that Zhuge Liang didn't have such thoughts - was it because he thought she was ugly?

  "What attitude is Zhuge Liang taking? Doesn't he want to marry Huang Gongnu?"

  Xu Shu smiled and said, "I'm afraid Zhuge Liang doesn't even know himself, but he's a man who attaches great importance to his reputation. If this matter gets out, even if he has the heart to do so, he wouldn't dare marry her."

  Liu Jiong patted his forehead and laughed: "In that case, wouldn't I become a criminal?"

  "You're guilty, so we'll punish you with three cups."

  Everyone shouted in unison, and Liu Xuan had to drink three cups of wine. However, he couldn't put this matter down in his heart, and he said to everyone again: "To say the least, this is indeed my fault. I don't want lovers to have a hard time getting together. I want to help them out and make up for my mistake. What do you all think? Is there any way?"

  "This is something everyone's interested in," Xu Xiu thought for a moment, and then smiled mysteriously: "Actually, I have an idea."

  He spoke in a low voice to the crowd, and they all applauded in admiration. Xu Shu smiled and said: "I don't want to stand by and do nothing about this matter. Let's wait until I come back, and we'll carry it out together."

  Liu Qi smiled but did not speak, he was the son of the provincial governor, and he didn't want to get involved in this matter. He was just about to remind Liu Xuan, but Liu Xuan smiled happily and said: "Then it's settled, I'll take charge of this matter."

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  The farewell dinner ended, and Liu Xuan also planned to return to Fan City. However, his horse was at the Liu Mansion, so he took a carriage back to the Liu Mansion instead.

  In the carriage, Liu Qi hesitated for a moment and said: "Jing brother, just have a casual relationship with Xu Shu, Cui Jun and others, don't get too close to them."

  "Why?" Liu Xuan was somewhat puzzled by his words.

  "There are some things that I'll tell you later, anyway the water in Jingzhou is very deep, and the factions are clear-cut. The local faction and the outsider faction have always been incompatible, so it's okay to interact with them superficially, but don't get too close. So I advise you not to get too close to these northern scholars, or it will affect your career path in Jingzhou."

  Liu Jue was silent for a moment, then slowly said: "The reason why Cao Cao is so powerful is that he knows how to use people well and only promotes talent. So many talented people have come to rely on Jingzhou, but Jingzhou has raised them without using them. Just based on this point, do you think Jingzhou can compete with Cao Cao?"

  Liu Qi was taken aback, looked at Liu Xuan, and a hint of helplessness appeared on his face. "I also have no way out, I've also advised my father, but he said that we must ensure the interests of the Jingzhou aristocracy, so I can only try to appease these foreign aristocrats."

  Liu Jue shook his head, "Brother, forgive me for speaking bluntly. The so-called native faction and foreign faction are actually meaningless. They should be divided into anti-Cao faction and pro-Cao faction instead. People like Xu Shu and Cui Zhouping from the northern aristocratic families would rather abandon their mothers than serve Cao Cao and defect to Jingzhou, this is what true righteousness looks like."

  "On the contrary, Cai and Ku families, these local factions, they are more concerned about their family interests. Once Cao Cao's army arrives, can they abandon their family's survival and fight against him? Who will surrender to Cao Cao and who will resist him, has elder brother thought about this?"

  Liu Qi fell silent, unable to respond. The risks Liu Xuan pointed out he was also aware of, but they were powerless, they couldn't possibly overthrow all the local officials in Jingzhou and then reappoint northerners.

  If that's the case, then they're done for. The Jingzhou aristocracy is their foundation, and this foundation cannot be shaken at all. It's even difficult to coexist peacefully. The Jingzhou aristocracy doesn't give any opportunities to outsiders unless they are relatives of the Liu family by marriage.

  "Brother Jing, things are not as simple as you think." Liu Qi let out a long sigh and responded vaguely with a sentence, then fell silent.

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  Liu Cong made an excuse that he was busy with his duties as a touring inspector and left the Liu manor. Of course, he didn't have the qualifications to attend the New Year's ceremony at the Jingzhou provincial government office yet. All officials in Jingzhou who were above 400 dan had to attend the ceremony, but his position as a touring inspector was only 300 dan.

  Liu Jiong had just led his horse out of the Liu manor when he heard someone calling him from behind, "Younger brother Jiong!"

  It was Liu Hu, who came running and said breathlessly: "I've already told my brother about it, he agreed to let me go to work at the Yousuo post, otherwise... I would have moved in with you today."

  "You impatient fellow!"

  Liu Hu rubbed the back of his head and smiled thickly, "How's that?"

  "Go! Get your luggage."

  "The luggage is here!" Liu Hu's hands were hidden behind his back. When his hand came out, he was actually holding a package.

  Liu Jiong couldn't help but laugh and cry, he had just told him yesterday, was he already prepared? He really had no way to deal with this silly big guy, saying he was foolish, but everything was well-prepared, where was the foolishness?!

  Liu Jiong patted him on the shoulder, "Then let's go!"

  At this time, Liu Xuan only discovered that Liu Hu was quite tall and big, and was half a head taller than himself. He seemed to be even taller than Zhang Fei, with a stature of at least eight feet five inches, and his shoulders were as wide and thick as a large millstone.

  Liu Xuan's heart moved, the reason why he wanted to practice in the water was because his strength was not enough, and he wanted to increase his strength to over a thousand jin. Could this Liu Hu be born with divine power?

  "Tiger, how heavy a thing can you lift? I mean, above your head." Liu Xiang asked curiously.

  "This..."

  Liu Hu scratched his head and laughed: "I can lift at most six people at a time, let me think, that's about 700 or 800 catties!"

  Liu Jiong nodded, this was the limit that a person who had not built a foundation in martial arts since childhood could reach. Unfortunately, no matter how hard Liu Hu tried, he could at most become a second-rate general. Perhaps one day he could teach him the Hundred Birds Paying Homage to the Phoenix Gun Technique, and let him be at least extraordinary in his gun skills, becoming a great general like Yue Jin or Li Dian.

  If this guy is trained well, he will become his first reliable assistant.