Jingzhou was in troubled times at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty because Wang Rui, the highest governor of Jingzhou, was forced to death by Sun Jian, the governor of Changsha at that time. The court headed by Dong Zhuo sent Liu Biao as the secretariat of Jingzhou, and Liu Biao rode into Jingzhou alone with a power of attorney. With the support of local strongmen such as Kuai Yue, Kuai Liang and Cai Mao, Jingzhou was quickly unified and became a veritable king of Jingzhou.
Liu Biao
After that, Liu Biao was in charge of Jingzhou 17 years. With his good personal ability, Liu Biao killed Sun Jian and incorporated Zhang Xiu, which frustrated Liu Zhang's intention to enter Jingzhou in the east, prevented Sun Ce and Sun Quan from attacking Jiangxia, making diplomatic expeditions in the south and disturbing Cao Cao in the north, and created a peaceful and prosperous time in Jingzhou 17, and was regarded as a successful overlord.
As a lean man in the Three Kingdoms period, Liu Bei was frustrated in his early years and was displaced from place to place. He took refuge in one force after another, from Gongsun Zan to Tao Qian, Lu Bu, Cao Cao and Yuan Shao. Finally, I really couldn't get along in the north, so I had to go south to take refuge in Liu Biao of Jingzhou. The year is 20 1 year.
Liu Bei
Liu Bei's specialty is not much, but one thing stands out. Few people in the Three Kingdoms can match Liu Bei. Heroes like Guan Yu and Zhang Fei can follow Liu Bei to the death because of Liu Bei's means of winning over people's hearts, just as an assassin was deceived by Liu Bei to confess the truth and even gave up the mastermind behind the scenes. Liu Bei's skill is really not bragging, and he can always fool people to follow, which only shows that Liu Bei is true.
Since Liu Bei came to Jingzhou, the old habit of winning people's hearts has been broken again. At that time, Liu Biao asked Liu Bei to guard Xinye County in the northernmost part of Jingzhou, giving people, money and territory. Liu Bei was also happy to have a place to live, and worked hard to keep Liu Biao safe. If there was a war, he would fight, and if there was no war, he would buy people's hearts in the local area. Many people in the Shu-Han regime in the future were wooed by Liu Bei at this time, such as Xu Shu, Wei Yan and Xiang Lang.
Mrs Liu Biao and her son Liu Cong.
For Liu Biao, Liu Bei is a quite independent force, and the relationship between them is cooperative, not subordinate. Liu Bei bought people's hearts on his own turf, and Liu Biao was naturally unhappy. In addition, Jingzhou Wang Liu Biao is naturally prepared for Liu Beiyou. According to the "Three Kingdoms":
The patriarch sent Zhu, Liu Biao, the elk, to meet him from the suburbs and treat him with courtesy, so that his soldiers could benefit him and move to a new field. There are more and more Jingzhou heroes returning to their ancestors, and they are suspicious.
It can be seen that Liu Biao is quite polite to Liu Bei on the surface and treats guests with courtesy, but secretly he is wary of Liu Bei, but this is also human nature. After all, in that troubled times, everyone has a defensive heart.
According to Shu Wei, Liu Biao entrusted Jingzhou to Liu Bei before he died, because Liu Biao felt that his son was worthless, and the generals in Jingzhou were in decline, and he wanted Liu Bei to manage Jingzhou, just as Tao Qian had given Xuzhou to Liu Bei. However, Liu Bei refused to accept Jingzhou. Instead of accepting Jingzhou, he replied to Liu Biao: Your son is virtuous, and you are worried about your illness. The implication is that Liu Biao thinks too much. At the same time, The Spring and Autumn Annals of Han and Wei also recorded the story that Liu Biao once trusted Liu Bei:
When I am sick, I believe my country will be ready. Gu said that my son is incompetent and the generals are scattered. After my death, I took Jingzhou. Be prepared: philosophers are wise, and you are worried about your illness. Or suggest that Beibei speak from the outside and be prepared: This person is very kind to me. Now, judging from his words, people will treat me as thin and can't bear it.
Liu Bei said in "The Spring and Autumn Period of Han and Wei Dynasties": Liu Jingzhou was critically ill and entrusted me with a legacy. If I hadn't done it, I wouldn't have died to see Liu Jingzhou!
So is it possible for Liu Biao to entrust orphans to Liu Bei? Or give Jingzhou to Liu Bei?
Liu Biao is very ill.
There is no record in the History of the Three Kingdoms that Liu Biao entrusted orphans to Liu Bei or gave Jingzhou to Liu Bei. Judging from Liu Biao's consistent behavior and subsequent development, Liu Biao has no possibility of entrusting orphans to Liu Bei or giving Jingzhou to Liu Bei.
First of all, Liu Biao is not in charge of Jingzhou. Liu Biao entered Jingzhou alone, and he had no power. Liu Biao relied on the local gentry in Jingzhou, that is, the clan power of Kuaijia and Cai Jia. Liu Biao is only the king of Jingzhou in name, and to put it bluntly, he is the spokesman and puppet. In fact, it is Kuai and Cai Jia who decide the fate of Jingzhou. Of course I can't agree, because it goes against their interests. Judging from the Kuai family and Cai family, Liu Bei has his own independent power. If Liu Bei were in charge of Jingzhou, neither the Kuai family nor the Cai family would be sidelined.
In addition, Cai Mao and Cao Cao were good friends when they were teenagers. From the point of view that Cai Mao, Zhang Yun and Kuai Yue established Liu Cong's throne and coerced Liu Cong to surrender to Cao Cao, Cai Mao and other local strongmen were not interested in Liu Bei. Even if I surrender to Cao Cao, I will not take refuge in Liu Bei. Most of the talents Liu Bei recruited in Jingzhou were local soldiers and small and medium-sized landlords. For super families like Cai Mao and Kuai Yue, Liu Bei can't attract them. You know, Liu Biao only depends on Cai Mao.
Liu Biao
Secondly, Jingzhou is not Xuzhou. Liu Biao has been in charge of Jingzhou for more than ten years and has long been deeply rooted. Judging from years of Jingzhou governance, Liu Biao is not a 100% puppet, at least has a certain right to speak, and has also promoted many cronies. At the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, local politics had long been independent, and local official positions were changed from the original central appointment to hereditary. For example, after Yuan Shao's death, his son succeeded Yuan Shao, Liu Biao.
Finally, even if Liu Biao said that Jingzhou would be given to Liu Bei, or that Liu Bei would be orphaned, it might not be true. The tradition of China people has always been modesty and courtesy. What they say is different from what they think. It is more likely that Liu Biao tested Liu Bei, because Liu Biao had been secretly guarding against Liu Bei and wanted to test whether Liu Bei was really interested in Jingzhou, so he pretended to entrust Jingzhou to Liu Bei. As a n experienced person, Liu Bei also experienced many vicissitudes, and soon understood what Liu Biao meant, so he pretended to refuse. Although Liu Bei really wanted Jingzhou in his heart, he had to refuse it, which seemed ridiculous.