Is “Historical records describe him as cowardly and unwilling to advance, while the novel instead portrays him as a military governor who recognizes Yue Fei's talent.” true?

As a historical figure, the History of Song, Biography of Yue Fei records that 'Yue Fei declined, so he sent Yue Fei on a campaign, and ordered Liu Guangshi to send troops to support Yue Fei.' In the novel The Story of Yue Fei, Chapter 7, he is included in a specific list of deployment: 'Because the Grand Coordinator of Xiangzhou, Lord Liu, sent a dispatch to the county, all military arts candidates were to go there for examination, and only after passing could they go to the capital for the imperial examination,' making him a stereotypical minor character.