"Then execute only Yuan Shu and his family." As Liu Xie spoke, he ordered men to drag Yuan Shu away, putting the matter behind him.
He then turned to Liu Bei. "Imperial Uncle entered the city alone and persuaded Zhang Xiu to surrender the city. How does the Grand General think I should reward Imperial Uncle?"
Lü Bu unquestionably deserved the greatest credit for the campaign against Yuan Shu, but Liu Bei's achievements were also outstanding.
Yuan Shao and his advisers all agreed that Liu Bei had to be rewarded. Otherwise, the world would surely believe that Yuan Shao was suppressing and excluding capable men before the Son of Heaven.
Thus, after several days of deliberation, they decided to give Liu Bei a sufficiently substantial reward.
And they played a little trick with that reward.
Having already prepared his answer, Yuan Shao immediately replied, "He should be enfeoffed as a Pavilion Marquis and appointed Governor of Jing Province."
For a moment, Liu Bei thought he had misheard.
Although Pavilion Marquis was the lowest rank of marquis, it was still a marquisate and carried considerable weight.
But the subsequent appointment as Governor of Jing Province was rather interesting.
It was not that Jing Province was undesirable. Its geographical position was excellent, and it had been a prize contested by military strategists since ancient times;
Jing Province lay along the Yangtze. Whoever controlled it could sail downstream and control the south.
The Jianghan and Dongting Lake plains were also within its borders, making it a prime grain-producing region. Holding Jing Province meant being able to attack or defend, advance or retreat at will.
But the problem was... Jing Province was Liu Biao's territory.
"Grand General, Jing Province is governed by Liu Biao. How could I go there as its governor?"
How could