Shuhan

Luoyang Imperial Palace.

Liu Chan sat upright on the dragon throne with an upright posture.

His face was calm, and his deep eyes showed determination and wisdom. He was concentrating on reviewing the memorial in his hand regarding land measurement.

Since the implementation of the land measurement policy, there have been constant disturbances inside and outside the court, and the resistance of the aristocratic families has been like surging waves, one after another.

Assassination, impeachment, rumors, all kinds of means emerged one after another in an attempt to obstruct the progress of the land transfer.

However, Liu Chan's heart was as clear as a mirror. The more the aristocratic families resisted, the more it proved that Du Tian had hit their sore spot, and that the path the Han Dynasty was taking was correct.

"Your Majesty, the land measurement in various parts of Jizhou has gradually come to an end." Fei Yi stood respectfully in the center of the court, holding the memorial in both hands, and reported in a loud voice.

His face was filled with excitement and pride. The success of the land measurement in Jizhou gave him hope for the revival of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Chan raised his head slightly when he heard this, with a hint of relief in his eyes. "Well, the smooth completion of the land measurement in Jizhou is a blessing for our Han Dynasty. Pass on my decree to reward those who have made contributions in the land measurement, so that people all over the world can follow their example and enthusiastically devote themselves to the great cause of land measurement."

Liu Chan's voice was firm and powerful, echoing in the empty court, as if announcing to the world his determination to measure the land.

As soon as the news came out, the whole Luoyang city was in an uproar.

Those officials and common people who made great contributions in the field survey became the focus of everyone's attention for a while.

They walked in the streets and alleys, and people looked at them with envy and admiration.

"Brother Zhang, I heard that you have made great contributions in farming. His Majesty is going to reward you handsomely!" A young man said to a middle-aged man with envy on his face.

The middle-aged man smiled slightly, his face filled with pride: "This is all due to your Majesty's wise leadership. I am just doing my duty. Measuring the land is a good thing. It can make our people live a good life. Of course, we have to work hard."

His eyes were full of longing for the future, as if he had already seen the prosperity of the Han Dynasty.

Amidst the celebration, Liu Chan made another important decision - he pardoned Liu Feng, who died in military farming, and made him a Duke.

Liu Feng, a general who had made great contributions to the Han Dynasty's land measurement project, unfortunately died in the struggle against the rebel forces.

Liu Chan remembered his achievements in his heart, and now he wanted to use this method to make Liu Feng's heroic name go down in history forever.

In March of the second year of Yanxing, a grand ceremony of conferring titles was held in the imperial palace in Luoyang City.

Liu Chan, wearing gorgeous crown and robes, personally presented the seal of the Duke to Liu Feng's family.

His eyes were filled with respect and regret, and his voice was low and solemn: "General Liu Feng devoted his life to the cause of farming for the Han Dynasty and died for it. Today I confer him the title of Duke to commend his achievements and let the people of the world know that I will never forget those who have made contributions to the Han Dynasty."

When Liu Feng's family took the seal, tears welled up in their eyes.

They knelt down and kowtowed, their voices choking with sobs: "Thank you very much, Your Majesty, for your grace. If my father knew about this, he would definitely be very pleased."

After the conferring ceremony, the atmosphere in the court became more heated.

The ministers gave advice to Liu Chan one after another, praising his wise decision and expressing their confidence in the future land measurement undertaking.

"Your Majesty, the land measurement in Jizhou has been successful. Now our great Han national strength is gradually growing, and the people live and work in peace and contentment. I think we can take this opportunity to measure the land in other provinces and counties to further consolidate the foundation of our great Han." Zhuge Liang said firmly.

There was a gleam of wisdom in his eyes, and he was full of hope for the future of the Han Dynasty.

Liu Chan nodded slightly, and after thinking for a moment, he said, "My dear minister, what you said is very true. I have decided to issue another edict to prepare for the land survey in Youzhou."

Liu Chan's voice was firm and powerful, as if declaring his determination to the world.

The news of the edict spread quickly throughout Luoyang City, and then like a gust of wind, it blew to every corner of the Han Dynasty.

For a time, people were talking about it and were full of expectations and speculation about the Youzhou land transfer.

On the streets of Luoyang City, several people sat together and discussed the contents of the edict.

"Youzhou also needs to measure the land, and I don't know what will happen." An old man said with a frown and worried look.

"What are you afraid of? The land allocation in Jizhou is pretty good. I heard that many people have been allocated land, and their lives are getting better and better." A young man said excitedly.

"Yes, Your Majesty, the land measurement is implemented for the benefit of us ordinary people. Those wealthy and powerful families want to stop it, but it is impossible." Another middle-aged man clenched his fists and said indignantly.

In the mansion of the aristocratic family, the atmosphere was completely different. They gathered together, their faces gloomy, their eyes filled with anger and worry.

"This emperor is so determined to implement the land measurement system that he won't even let Youzhou go." An obese nobleman, his face full of fat shaking, said angrily.

"Yes, our interests are almost being squeezed dry by him. We have to think of a way and not let him succeed like this." Another middle-aged man dressed in silk said in a low voice with cunning eyes.

However, their plot was doomed to fail.

Liu Chan had already anticipated that they would take action and took precautions in advance.

He knew very well that the road to land measurement was full of difficulties and obstacles, but for the prosperity of the Han Dynasty and the happy life of the people, he had to go on unswervingly.

In the imperial palace in Luoyang City, Liu Chan once again summoned his ministers to discuss the specific matters of land measurement in Youzhou.

His eyes revealed determination and confidence, as if he had already seen the prosperous scene after the successful land transfer in Youzhou.

"My dear ministers, the land measurement in Youzhou concerns the future of our Han Dynasty and must not be taken lightly. I order you to begin preparations immediately and ensure that the land measurement is done properly." Liu Chan's voice was firm and powerful, echoing in the court and inspiring every minister.

"We obey your order!" the ministers responded in unison, their voices uniform and loud, full of confidence and determination.

In March of the second year of Yanxing, the city of Luoyang was sunny and the spring breeze was blowing.

Beneath this seemingly calm surface, a new storm of land reclamation is about to set off in Youzhou.

Youzhou, this vast land located in the northern border of the Han Dynasty, is surrounded by mountains and rivers and has endless grasslands.

In the distance, the rolling mountains are like a sleeping dragon, stretching between heaven and earth.

In the mountains, the dense forests are lush and verdant, with branches and leaves intertwined, like a green barrier.

At the foot of the mountain, the vast grassland stretches as far as the eye can see. The wild grass sways in the breeze, like a green ocean.

However, beneath this seemingly peaceful and beautiful appearance, there are numerous crises hidden. The land reclamation work in Youzhou is facing unprecedented difficulties and obstacles.

As time slowly passed, Youzhou's land measurement work gradually unfolded amid everyone's expectations and concerns.

However, no one expected that measuring land here would be much more difficult than in Sili and Jizhou before.

Luoyang, as the capital of the Han Dynasty, was under the feet of the emperor. The imperial guards were strong, like an indestructible city wall. Even if ordinary powerful families were dissatisfied, they could only dare to be angry but not speak out, and dared not act rashly.

As for Jizhou, after some rectification, the power of the aristocratic families was greatly weakened, and most of the remaining ones were military merit groups. They had close ties with the imperial court, and although they occasionally complained about the land measurement, they were generally cooperative. After all, they were considered "their own people."

But Youzhou is different.

This place is mostly inhabited by ethnic minorities such as the Xiongnu and Xianbei.

These foreign races are barbaric in nature and their style of doing things is completely different from that of the Han people.

They live near water and grass, and their concept of land is very different from that of the Han people, but they don't care whether you measure the land or not.

In their eyes, the land measurement policy implemented by the Han Dynasty was nothing more than an unwarranted interference. "Why does the Han Dynasty insist on measuring land? We can use our pastures however we want. Why should we listen to them?" A burly Xiongnu man with a full beard, wearing clothes made of animal skins and a sharp long knife on his waist shouted loudly.

His eyes were as big as copper bells, filled with anger and disdain.

Beside him, several Huns dressed in the same manner echoed him. They waved their arms, spoke in incomprehensible foreign language, and were very excited.

Local tyrants also took the opportunity to stir up trouble.

They united together, formed an armed force, and openly resisted Du Tian.

In some villages in Youzhou, servants of powerful families patrolled the streets and alleys with knives, guns, sticks and clubs, looking very aggressive.

They controlled the order in the villages, did not allow land surveying officials to enter, and even used threats and inducements to those who dared to resist, inciting the people to fight against the government.

"Fellow villagers, this land measurement means the imperial court wants to take our land away from us. We will have no good life in the future. Listen to me, don't let those land measurement officials in!" A fat and big-eared local tyrant stood on a high place and shouted loudly to a group of people.

He was dressed in gorgeous silk clothes, with a thick gold necklace hanging around his neck, which sparkled dazzlingly in the sun. His face was full of hypocritical smiles, but his eyes were full of cunning and calculation.

Some people were confused by his words and were filled with fear and anxiety.

"What should we do? Will we really have no land to farm?" A frail old farmer asked worriedly, frowning. His face was full of wrinkles and his eyes were confused.

"Don't be afraid, as long as we listen to the master, nothing will happen." A man who looked like a servant came forward, patted the old farmer on the shoulder, and said viciously. The old farmer trembled with fear and nodded quickly.

The night in Youzhou is as thick as ink, like a huge piece of black cloth, weighing heavily on the land.

The wind whistled through the streets and alleys, making sounds like ghosts and wolves howling, and rustled the dry grass on the roadside.

The moonlight was obscured by thick clouds, and occasionally a faint light shone through, barely illuminating the rugged road underfoot.

In a small courtyard in Youzhou City, Li Ming, a land measurement official, was sitting in the house, carefully reading the land measurement documents in his hand by the dim candlelight. His brows were furrowed, his eyes were focused, and he occasionally picked up a brush to make notes on the documents.

Li Ming was thin and haggard. He was exhausted from the days of farming work, but the belief in his heart to serve the court and seek welfare for the people was like a bright light, supporting him to persevere.

"Sir Li, it's late, you should go to bed early." A young yamen runner walked into the room quietly and said with concern.

He was wearing a grey yamen official uniform with several patches on it. His face was childish, but his eyes showed respect for Li Ming.

Li Ming raised his head, rubbed his sore eyes, and sighed slightly: "This farmland survey concerns the livelihood of the people and the future of the Han Dynasty. How can I slack off? You have worked hard too, go down and have a rest." His voice was a little tired, but firm and powerful.

Just as the bailiff retreated, a burst of hurried and chaotic footsteps suddenly came from outside the courtyard.

Li Ming was startled. He stood up quickly and looked towards the door vigilantly.

Before he could react, the door was slammed open with a huge force, and a group of people holding sharp blades rushed in.

The leader was a burly man with a face full of flesh and eyes full of ferocity and greed.

He was wearing a black nightgown and had a big knife on his waist, which flickered strangely in the candlelight.

"Li Ming, you dog official, today is the day you die!" the big man said viciously, his voice as loud as a bell, echoing in the house.

Li Ming took a closer look and recognized that the man was Wang Ba, the local tyrant.

He was furious in his heart, but appeared calm on the surface: "Wang Ba, as a citizen of the Han Dynasty, how dare you openly attack court officials? Aren't you afraid of the law?" Li Ming's voice was majestic, trying to intimidate the other party.

"Hmph, the law of the king? In Youzhou, I am the law of the king! You land surveyors have ruined my good deeds. Today I will make you pay the price!" Wang Ba said, and waved his hand. The people behind him raised their weapons and rushed towards Li Ming.

Li Ming looked around and found that he was surrounded.

He secretly groaned in his heart, but still refused to give in. He picked up the brush on the table, used it as a weapon, and prepared to fight back.

"You traitors, don't even think about succeeding!" Li Ming shouted loudly, his voice full of determination.

For a moment, the room was filled with flashes of swords and shadows, and shouts of killing shook the sky. Although Li Ming fought back vigorously, he was outnumbered and was soon knocked to the ground.

He had multiple wounds on his body and his clothes were stained with blood, but his eyes still showed an unyielding look.

"Take away all the land measurement documents and tools!" Wang Ba ordered loudly.

The men started to take action and looted all the documents and tools in the house.

At the same time, similar scenes were constantly unfolding in the streets and alleys of Youzhou City.

The powerful people colluded with bandits and attacked the residences of land measurement officials everywhere.

The people were frightened by the sudden chaos. They closed their doors and hid in their houses, not daring to make a sound.

"Dad, what happened outside? It's so scary!" A young child hugged his father's thighs tightly, his voice filled with tears.

"Child, don't be afraid, it's those bad guys causing trouble. Let's hide at home and don't go out." There was a slight tremor in the father's voice. He hugged the child tightly, his eyes full of fear and helplessness.

The whole night in Youzhou was shrouded in fear. The land survey officials suffered heavy casualties and the work came to a standstill.

However, those tyrants and bandits were laughing triumphantly in the dark, for they thought their conspiracy had succeeded.

In addition to armed resistance, some people adopted more covert means.

They evaded taxes by tampering with or forging land contracts and registering private land as government land, school land or temple land.

In a dark secret room, several people with gloomy faces sat around a table piled with various contract documents.

"Humph, as long as these contracts are modified, the court will not be able to find out." A middle-aged man wearing glasses, holding a brush in his hand, was carefully altering a contract. His eyes were full of greed and complacency, as if he was playing a clever game.

"Yes, but we must not let anyone find out." Another person said in a low voice, looking at the door nervously.

His forehead was covered with sweat and his hands were shaking.

There are also some people who, in order to avoid land rationing, moved their entire village or clan away from their original place of origin and fled into the mountains or remote areas, becoming "fugitives."

On a winding mountain road, a long team was moving forward with difficulty. There were old people, women and children in the team, who were carrying simple bags, with helpless and confused looks in their eyes.

"Dad, where are we going?" A young child asked timidly, holding his father's hand.

"Son, let's go to a place where the court can't find us, so we don't have to measure the land." There was a hint of bitterness in the father's voice. He looked at the mountains and forests in the distance, his heart full of worries.

Local officials are also worried.

Faced with such a complicated situation, some officials deliberately delayed the progress of land measurement or falsified data to pass assessments.

Inside the government office in Youzhou, an official sat in his study, looking at the mountain of land measurement files in front of him with a frown on his face.

"This land survey is too difficult to carry out. Those powerful people and foreign races are not cooperating at all. I think we should just report a random number." The official said to himself. His face showed fatigue and helplessness, and his eyes showed a hint of perfunctory.

Just like that, for a while, farming in Youzhou came to a standstill.

The officials in charge of land measurement were worried and the people were in panic. The entire Youzhou seemed to be stuck in a quagmire, unable to extricate itself.

At this time, Liu Chan, who was far away in Luoyang, was closely following the progress of the land measurement project in Youzhou. (End of this chapter)