Shuhan

The autumn wind is like a knife, cutting across the vast land of northern Hebei, bringing a bit of bleakness and chilliness, penetrating people's hearts.

In this Youzhou area, the autumn wind adds a bit of coldness, but it also ripens the golden crops in the fields.

Inside the Guangyang Palace, Liu Chan stood with his hands behind his back, his eyes looking through the layers of palace eaves, as if he wanted to penetrate the autumn mist and see the distant northern Ji.

Beside him, Zhou Che stood quietly, wearing a tight black dress that showed off her plump and agile figure, with exquisite curves, yet still heroic.

Her eyes are sharp, like the brightest stars in the night sky, always alert to everything around her.

"Your Majesty, the situation in Jibei is not optimistic."

Zhou Che's voice was low and powerful.

"Sima Yi was a cunning and resourceful man. After he arrived in Jibei, he quickly reached a tacit agreement with the local noble families. Almost all of the noble families moved to Jibei, cultivated land and built forts, and divided up the people of the four counties in Jibei.

The people were forced to live in the fortress, working from sunrise to sunset, cultivating the land that belonged to them. Outside the fortress was a barren land with few people.

This move by the State of Wei is undoubtedly an attempt to clear the countryside and block the path of our great Han to the south."

Upon hearing this, Liu Chan frowned slightly and a sneer appeared at the corner of his mouth.

"Building walls and clearing the fields, huh, Sima Yi has a good trick. Does he think he can stop the iron cavalry of our Han Dynasty in this way? What wishful thinking."

There was a hint of coldness in Liu Chan's words, but more of it was deep thought about the future.

“However, if he does this, even if he really takes over Jibei in the future, he will definitely have to spend a lot of effort to eliminate those deep-rooted noble families.

There are many forts, and apart from these forts, the rest of the place has become a wilderness. It is much more difficult for our army to replenish food and grass on the spot.

Sima Yi's move was truly extremely vicious."

Zhou Che nodded in agreement, a trace of worry flashing in her eyes: "Not only that, the Wei Kingdom's School Affairs Office is also quite active. They not only maintain close ties with the various nobles in Youzhou, but also often interact with the Xianbei people on the grassland. Their intentions are self-evident."

A cold light flashed in Liu Chan's eyes. He was well aware of the complexity and danger behind this.

"The School Affairs Office, humph, that group of treacherous people are always good at secret manipulation. They colluded with the Youzhou nobles, probably to stabilize the rear, and communicated with the Xianbei people, probably to seek external aid, or to use the power of the Xianbei to form a pincer attack on our Han Dynasty. However."

When Liu Chan said this, his tone suddenly changed, becoming calm and confident.

"This kind of trick is not enough to disrupt the Han Dynasty. Although we cannot confront Sima Yi head-on, we can find an opportunity to destroy his fortress and cut off his food supplies. As for the collusion between the Wei State's School Affairs Office and the Youzhou nobles and Xianbei people, there is no need to rush. We can secretly collect evidence and settle accounts with them when the time is right."

Liu Chan sat in the main hall of the palace, looking out the window at the fields in the distance caressed by the autumn breeze, but his heart was filled with plans for the future.

But at this moment.

His thoughts were not on the distant Wei State, nor on the war-torn northern Hebei, but were firmly fixed on Youzhou and Bingzhou, which he had recently recovered.

These two pieces of land were the cornerstone of his strategy to march south to destroy Wei, and were also a key link in the grand blueprint in his mind.

"Go and find the military farm officer." Liu Chan's voice was steady and powerful, as if every word carried a heavy weight.

After hearing this, Zhou Che immediately bowed and left.

Time passed, and about half a day later, with a burst of hurried footsteps, a man dressed in the robes of a military officer and covered in mud hurried into the main hall of the Guangyang Palace.

This is Youzhou’s military farming officer, an official who is truly down-to-earth and works closely with the land.

His face was full of traces of time and his hands were as rough as tree bark, obviously the result of years of hard work.

Seeing Liu Chan having dinner, the military governor seemed a little uneasy. He hesitated for a moment, not knowing what to do.

Liu Chan noticed the arrival of the military farm officer and a hint of tenderness flashed in his eyes.

He turned to the eunuch beside him and ordered, "Go get another set of bowls and chopsticks."

Then he turned to the farming official and said with a smile, "Come, you haven't had dinner yet, right? Let's have some together."

The Tuntian official was so shocked when he heard this that he almost lost his balance. He immediately knelt on the ground and said in a trembling voice: "How dare I sit at the same table with Your Majesty? This... This is not in accordance with etiquette."

Liu Chan laughed out loud, and his laughter echoed in the empty hall, sounding particularly cordial.

He took a few steps forward and personally helped the farming official up, saying sincerely, "No need to be polite. You and I are both Han people. Why do you have to be so polite? Come, let's eat raw."

As he spoke, he led the military officer to sit at the table.

The table was filled with a variety of delicious dishes.

The steaming steamed fish has an attractive luster on its body and is sprinkled with shredded green onions and ginger. A faint fragrance wafts into the air, making you want to taste its deliciousness immediately.

The braised pork next to it is even more tempting, with fat and lean pieces of meat and bright red color, as if each piece contains endless flavors, waiting to be explored by the tongue.

A plate of spicy crab lies on the table. The crab shell is fried golden and crispy, the crab meat is plump and tender, and it is topped with a layer of bright red chili oil, exuding bursts of spicy aroma, challenging the diners' taste buds.

Adjacent to it is the steamed scallops with garlic and vermicelli. The scallops are tender and the perfect combination with garlic and vermicelli makes every bite full of the freshness of the ocean and the rich aroma of garlic.

There is also a dish of Kung Pao Chicken on the table, which is delicious and has good color, aroma and taste. The chicken is cut into even sizes and paired with peanuts and dried chilies, which are red and yellow. It is both pleasing to the eye and delicious.

The sweet and sour spare ribs are even more irresistible. The ribs are crispy on the outside and tender on the inside, with just the right amount of sweet and sour. Each piece is covered with rich sweet and sour sauce, which is very delicious.

In addition, there are many other delicious dishes such as stir-fried seasonal vegetables, cold kelp shreds, four-happiness meatballs, etc. They each exude a unique aroma, intertwined together, forming an intoxicating food feast.

The military governor looked at the delicious food in front of him and a hint of desire flashed in his eyes, but then he remembered his identity and seemed a little hesitant.

Seeing this, Liu Chan nodded secretly in his heart, and was quite satisfied with the simplicity and humility of this military governor.

He personally picked up a piece of food for the military farm official with chopsticks and said with a smile: "Eat it, this is what you deserve. You have worked hard for the country's military farm plan."

When the military governor heard this, his eyes turned red and he was so moved that he was speechless.

He stopped refusing, picked up the chopsticks and started eating with big mouthfuls. He felt so satisfied and happy, as if all his hard work had been rewarded at that moment.

While eating, Liu Chan chatted with the military farm officials and asked about the harvest situation of the land around the Guangyang Palace.

The farming official had eaten and drunk his fill, and his spirits had recovered a lot. He wiped the oil stains from the corners of his mouth and said solemnly, "Your Majesty, the situation is not very good. The fields around Guangyang Palace are newly opened and lack fertility. Even if fertilizer is used, it is far inferior to those on cultivated land. Although the farming has achieved certain results, I am afraid that the food obtained will not be enough to support the army heading south to attack Wei."

After hearing this, a hint of disappointment flashed across Liu Chan's eyes, but he quickly concealed it.

Reclamation of new land is not a matter of overnight, and improving its fertility takes time.

He did not blame the farming officials, but comforted them: "I had expected this, so you don't have to blame yourself. We will continue to cultivate the land this year, and the scale of the spring plowing next year will be three times larger than this year! You need to work harder, and I have high hopes for you."

When the military governor heard this, a warm feeling surged in his heart.

He immediately knelt down, his voice firm and full of determination: "Your Majesty has been so kind, how can I not serve you with all my strength? If I don't complete your trust, please chop off my head as a warning to everyone!"

Liu Chan looked at the determined eyes of the military governor and felt very pleased.

It was precisely because of these loyal and hardworking officials that his great cause of restoring the Han Dynasty had a solid foundation.

He gently patted the farm official's shoulder, his tone gentle but powerful: "Okay, I'll wait for your good news."

. . .

The autumn harvest in Youzhou and Jizhou is the same. The autumn wind is bleak, and the golden rice sways on the vast plains of northern Ji, as if it is the most generous gift from nature.

However, in this seemingly peaceful land, undercurrents are surging due to the wave of Hakka people moving northward. Conflicts and disputes are like the cold dew in autumn, quietly eroding this fertile land.

Jibei, a land of four counties, is famous for its vast plains and fertile land.

However, although the land is vast, not all of it is suitable for farming.

Some lands are as fertile as oil and are close to water sources, so they can produce abundant food with just a little cultivation; some lands are barren and dry, far away from water sources, so even if you exhaust all your manpower, it is difficult to harvest anything.

Against this background, the Hakka clans who came from southern Hebei with the intention of establishing settlements and building forts in northern Hebei naturally set their sights on those good places that were easy to cultivate.

At the beginning, there were still few aristocratic families moving north, and they were still able to maintain a certain degree of courtesy towards each other, distributing land peacefully according to the rule of first come, first served.

However, as time went on, the good land and people were gradually divided up, and the latecomers began to get anxious.

They went to the General's Mansion many times, hoping to get a fair judgment, but often returned disappointed.

The General's Mansion was busy dealing with the war in the north and the busy autumn harvest, and was often unable to handle and mediate the disputes between these aristocratic families.

As a result, some anxious families began to take tough measures to forcibly occupy the land.

They sent their servants, armed with weapons, to break into other people's fields and force them to cultivate the land.

This behavior naturally aroused strong resistance from the original land owner, and the two sides were on the verge of a war, and the conflict continued to escalate.

For a time, the fields in northern Hebei were no longer filled with the joy of harvest, but rather with a confrontation filled with gunpowder.

The Qinghe Cui family, a famous aristocratic family in Jizhou, also suffered heavy losses in this dispute.

Cui Shu, as a member of the younger generation of the Cui family, should have been an elegant and gentle young man, but at this moment he was lying on the bed, his face pale, wrapped in bandages, and blood seeping through the gauze, which was a shocking sight.

He originally just wanted to lead his servants to protect his own fields, but he unexpectedly encountered a fierce counterattack from the other side and was seriously injured and unconscious.

When Sima Yi heard the news, he couldn't help but frown.

Sima Yi was busy with the autumn harvest at this moment, hoping to store enough food for the Wei State before winter came.

However, the disputes among these aristocratic families were like a huge rock pressing on his heart, making it difficult for him to let go.

"These aristocratic families are really good at causing trouble!" Sima Yi cursed in a low voice, and then fell into deep thought.

He knew that the disputes among these aristocratic families were not just for land, but also for power and status.

They hoped to strengthen their own power by controlling more land and people, and thus gain a place on the political stage of Wei.

However, Sima Yi also understood that if these disputes were allowed to continue, it would not only disrupt the autumn harvest in northern Hebei, but would also cause greater social unrest.

He must find a way to solve this problem and not let the disputes among these aristocratic families become a stumbling block to the development of the Wei State.

Inside the General's Mansion, the flickering candlelight illuminated Sima Yi's calm and serious face.

He sat at the desk, his eyes sharp as torches, scanning the representatives of several aristocratic families kneeling below.

These nobles who usually acted high and mighty seemed somewhat uneasy at this moment, with fear and unwillingness in their eyes.

"The Qinghe Cui family is a famous family in Jizhou, and Cui Shu is the best among them. He was beaten by you for no reason, causing him to be seriously injured and bedridden."

Sima Yi's voice was low and powerful, and every word seemed to strike their hearts.

"How can such behavior be done by the nobles? If I don't punish them severely, how can I correct the rules and order and calm the people?"

After saying this, he waved his sleeves lightly, and the guards beside him stepped forward and handed the disciplinary documents that had been prepared long ago to the representatives of the families that caused the incident.

The document clearly stated that they were deprived of the right to enclose land, absorb civilians, and build forts in northern Hebei, and ordered them to return to their families immediately without any mistakes.

The faces of those representatives of the aristocratic families turned pale in an instant. They wanted to argue, but when they saw Sima Yi's cold eyes, they swallowed back the words that were about to come out of their mouths.

They knew that the great general's authority was not something they could easily challenge.

"also."

Sima Yi continued, "I have signed a joint agreement with all the noble families to establish a rule: the noble families that come later are not allowed to fight for land. They must either return to their hometowns or go to open up wasteland. The land of northern Hebei is vast and boundless, with many wastelands. Why worry about having no place to live? The government will try its best to dredge water conservancy to facilitate farming."

After saying this, he signaled the guards to pass another document to everyone present.

The document listed the incentives in detail: if one cultivated 100 mu of land, the government would give one tenant farmer next year; if one cultivated 1,000 mu of land, the government would give one ox to work with.
Such rewards are undoubtedly a great encouragement to those who are willing to work hard and open up the land.

The representatives of the noble families took the document, studied it carefully, and each had their own calculations in mind.

Some were delighted, thinking this was a good opportunity for their families to expand their power; others were frowning, worried that such policies would upset the original balance.

But no matter what, they all understood that Sima Yi's decree had set the tone for the future of northern Hebei.

After the policy was promulgated, the situation in northern Hebei was indeed temporarily stabilized.

The panic caused by the scramble for land gradually subsided, and people began to devote themselves to reclaiming wasteland and growing food.

The fields have regained their former vitality and vigor.

However, Sima Yi was not completely relieved.

The friction and fighting among the gentry cannot be resolved overnight.

For the sake of their family's interests, these nobles would often ignore the overall situation and fight to the end.

If this situation continues, it will not only consume the vitality of northern Ji, but may also affect the overall stability and defense of Wei.

Late at night, Sima Yi sat alone in his study, looking at the starry sky outside the window, his heart full of worries.

He recalled his ambitions and ideals when he was young. At that time, he wanted to assist a wise ruler and unify the world.

However, the current situation makes him feel unprecedentedly confused and lost.

"Can we really resist the Han army's advance southward by relying on these noble families?"

He whispered to himself, his eyes revealing a hint of helplessness and doubt.

Although the gentry were powerful, they often acted independently and found it difficult to form a joint force.

The Han army was united, with strict discipline and strong fighting power.

If one day the Han army marches south, can these nobles unite and fight the enemy together?

Sima Yi sighed, stood up and paced back and forth in the study.

To resist foreign enemies, the power of the gentry alone is not enough.

But in the Wei Dynasty, are there other forces that can be relied upon? (End of this chapter)