When Liu Bei seized control of four commanderies – Changsha, Lingling (零陵), Guiyang (桂陽), Wuling (武陵) – in southern Jing Province (covering present-day Hubei and Hunan) in 209, he adopted Liu Feng as his son because he had no suitable heir at the time.
Shen Dan (申耽), the Administrator of Shangyong, surrendered to Meng Da and Liu Feng.
Later that year, when Liu Bei's general Guan Yu led an army from Jing Province to attack an enemy garrison at Fan (樊; or Fancheng, present-day Fancheng District, Xiangyang, Hubei), he repeatedly asked Meng Da and Liu Feng to lead reinforcements from Shangyong to support him but they refused, claiming that the situation in Shangyong was not stable yet.
Liu Bei reproached his adoptive son for not helping Guan Yu and blamed him for Meng Da's defection.
Guan Yu, in particular, voiced his opposition, citing the family feud between Liu Biao's sons.
However, Liu Feng showed his worth in battle and proved to be a valuable asset to his foster father.
In anger, Liu Feng executed the messenger and went to battle Meng Da, who was now aided by the Wei generals Xu Huang and Xiahou Shang.
This, adding to the recent death of Guan Yu, made Liu Bei grieve until he fell sick.