Chapter 7: Reactions from All Sides

When Chen Deng received the news, he was in the middle of his meal.

Before Chen Yuanlong lay a table set with four dishes: two plates of sashimi, one vegetable dish, one fruit plate, a bowl of wheat rice, and a glass of wine—this comprised his entire dinner.

For someone of Chen Yuanlong’s standing, such a meal was already considered quite frugal.

Yet Chen Yuanlong ate with great relish, taking large mouthfuls of the wheat rice, occasionally picking up the sashimi wrapped in ginger, savoring it with a satisfied expression.

Upon hearing the butler’s report, a faint, knowing smile played across Chen Yuanlong’s face.

He had never regarded Liu Feng as a mere child.

Although this young master had only been in Tancheng for just over a month and had spent most of his time confined within the prefectural government, every noble and influential figure in Tancheng watched his every move.

Chen Yuanlong was no exception.

Despite Chen Deng’s open and generous nature, he was also shrewd and far-sighted.

Liu Feng, as the legitimate eldest son, greatly enhanced Liu Bei’s standing. As Liu Bei’s trusted confidant, how could Chen Deng possibly ignore such a young master?

After a moment, Chen Deng waved his right hand holding the chopsticks vigorously in the air. “No matter. Cao Jianwei is a prominent general in Xuzhou; it’s hardly surprising that the young master would have dealings with him.”

The Chen family servants bowed respectfully. Chen Deng then asked, “Have you learned what business the young master had there?”

“No, we have not,” the servant replied, shaking his head. “The master instructed us not to let the young master notice us, so we kept our distance behind the carriage. After entering Cao’s residence, the middle-ranking general personally hosted the young master and dismissed the servants. We do not know what was said.”

Chen Deng smiled rather than frowned upon hearing this, evidently pleased with his servants’ obedience and discretion. Nodding approvingly, he said, “Well done. I will increase your salary for the month. You may go collect your reward.”

The servants were overjoyed, bowing and thanking him repeatedly.

Unlike Chen Deng, Mi Zhu was also dining at this time, but his meal was considerably more abundant—two extra meat dishes appeared on his table. Still, considering his family’s immense wealth and status as the richest in Xuzhou, the meal was relatively modest.

After hearing his servant’s report, Mi Zhu paused thoughtfully, chopsticks raised, motionless for a long while.

He had put considerable effort into investigating Liu Feng.

Though Liu Bei now had three sons and two daughters, Liu Feng was the only legitimate heir and the eldest son. The other two sons were but toddlers.

Liu Feng thus held an overwhelming priority in the line of succession.

Moreover, Mi Zhu was even more astonished to discover that although Liu Feng was still very young, his reputation was considerable.

The story of “Liu Lang Carrying Oranges” had been circulating in Hebei for two or three years. The protagonist, Liu Lang, was none other than Liu Feng.

This event had occurred more than three years ago when six-year-old Liu Feng accompanied his elders to a banquet hosted by Gongsun Zan.

At the banquet, Liu Feng’s composed and courteous demeanor was striking.

The most remarkable moment came at the banquet’s close, when Liu Feng, bidding farewell with his elders, dropped a few oranges from his arms.

Gongsun Zan, assuming the child’s greed, teased, “Young Liu carrying oranges while visiting—if Xuande knew, he might think I was deliberately mistreating you and not feeding you enough.”

Unexpectedly, Liu Feng bowed respectfully and explained, “Lord, your feast honors distinguished guests. To be part of it is your kindness. How could it be called mistreatment?”

“The oranges I carry are sweet and juicy, the best I have ever tasted. I cannot bear to eat them all myself and wish to take them home to offer my grandmother, mother, and siblings, sharing your grace with my family.”

Gongsun Zan was deeply moved, as were all the guests who witnessed Liu Feng’s filial piety.

Delighted, Gongsun Zan called Liu Feng forward, stroking his head while praising to the guests, “Though but a child, this boy shows such respect for ancestors, love for his mother, and care for his siblings. Such filial devotion in youth promises a future pillar of the state. Xuande is truly fortunate to have such a son.”

The assembled guests showered praise upon Liu Feng’s devotion.

In the end, Gongsun Zan gifted Liu Feng a whole basket of oranges, along with cakes and meats, to take home to his grandmother and mother.

Thanks to Gongsun Zan’s prominence, the tale became nearly household knowledge throughout Youzhou, spreading even beyond the borders to various neighboring provinces. It significantly boosted the prestige of Liu Bei and his family.

Mi Zhu was deeply shocked upon first hearing this.

Not because he lacked insight or vision.

Rather, having thoroughly investigated Liu Bei, his astonishment was sincere.

In those days, rising to fame required more than noble family endorsements; it often involved crafting memorable anecdotes.

Liu Bei’s lineage had long fallen to humble origins. If not for his uncle Liu Yuanqi’s strong support and invaluable patronage that allowed Liu Bei to study under the esteemed Lu Zhi, his path would have been far harsher.

Even so, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Liu Bei had yet to find success.

He had barely managed a county magistrate post before losing it, forced to seek refuge with his schoolmate Gongsun Zan.

Three years ago, Liu Bei had only just scraped together the position of magistrate of Pingyuan County under Gongsun Zan’s command—an acting appointment that indicated a rocky political career.

Thus, Liu Bei certainly lacked the means or influence for noble families to sing praises of his son. Nor did he possess the cunning to orchestrate such a tale as “Liu Lang Carrying Oranges.”

As for Liu Bei’s own kin, the possibility was even more remote.

The Liu family line had been single-heir for three generations since Liu Xiongqi, Liu Bei’s grandfather, who was the sole son and died young.

Even if the Liu family of Zhuo County had the ability and strategy, they would not deploy it for Liu Feng.

Therefore, Mi Zhu arrived at a startling yet logical conclusion: all of this was genuine—Liu Feng’s true conduct.

Having learned this early, Mi Zhu increased his investment in Liu Bei and resolutely joined forces with Chen Yuanlong to promote Liu Bei to Governor of Xuzhou.

However, unlike history, Mi Zhu now wished not only to increase his backing for Liu Bei but also to cultivate a relationship with Liu Feng and invest in him.

Unfortunately, he had yet to devise a suitable way to approach Liu Feng.

For a real powerholder serving as a deputy in the provincial government to befriend a young scion of a weaker provincial lord’s family was not only absurd but fraught with risk, easily arousing Liu Bei’s suspicion.

Without a perfect opportunity, one must not act rashly.

Mi Zhu was a patient man who understood that haste makes waste.

A good merchant needed both the courage to stake his claim and the patience to wait.

Thus, he would continue waiting patiently for the ideal moment.

When that moment arrived, Mi Zhu would place his prepared bet without hesitation.

He instructed his servant carefully to keep watch over every move Liu Feng made, but above all, to avoid detection.

Better to miss the chance than to expose himself.

Satisfied with the response, he lifted his bowl again and finished the now-cold meal.