I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 818: Su Yao returns to Beijing, decides on a plan for Youzhou, and a brief separation makes the heart grow fonder (Combined Chapter)

When people heard that Su Yao wanted to force Liu Yu to surrender and take over all the Youzhou army, many of them were shocked.

"This, Liu Youzhou has 100,000 soldiers, and Jicheng is a strategic location. In addition, he claims to be a member of the royal family, and he has the support of local aristocratic families. He has a deep prejudice against the current court. How easy is it to force him to surrender?"

Xun You was stunned after hearing this.

Although on the way back with Su Yao, he saw with his own eyes Su Yao planning and issuing orders, mobilizing troops from all over the place to encircle Youzhou on all sides.

However, he just thought that Su Yao wanted to give Liu Yu a warning, scare him a little, and then take his time to deal with him.

I didn't expect Su Yao to be so ambitious that he actually wanted to force Liu Yu to surrender in one fell swoop and solve the problem directly.

This is really too difficult.

Facing Xun You's question, before Su Yao could speak, Jia Xu smiled and replied:

"What Gongda said is indeed true, but you overlooked one point, that is, Liu Youzhou is a gentleman."

"What does this have to do with anything?"

Xun You looked puzzled, his eyes moving back and forth between Jia Xu and Su Yao, trying to find the answer from their expressions, while Jia Xu waved the feather fan in his hand and said cunningly:
"Gongda, think about it. Since Liu Yu considers himself a gentleman, he will be cautious in his actions."

"He values ​​his reputation and cares about the lives of his people. He is unwilling to be branded a traitor. Now that our army is approaching, we are ready to fight to the death. If he insists on resisting, the people of Youzhou will surely suffer. This is contrary to his usual image of benevolence and righteousness."

"Military Advisor Jia is absolutely right."

Then, Guo Jia took over the conversation and said:

"Liu Yu was proud of being a relative of the Han Dynasty, and his loyalty to the Han Dynasty was unquestionable. However, he failed to see the current situation clearly, and mistakenly regarded the general's support for the empress as an act of treason."

"As long as we can make him understand that although the court has changed, it is still essentially for the long-term stability of the Han Dynasty and for the people to live and work in peace and contentment, given his character, he may not be unshakable."

"Moreover, our military encirclement will also make him clearly aware of his situation."

Xun Yu also added:

"If he resists stubbornly, the final result will most likely be the annihilation of the entire army. Not only will his life be in danger, but his soldiers and the people of Youzhou will also be implicated. Liu Yu is a person who will not make such a decision lightly."

Xun You listened to everyone's analysis, pondered for a moment and said:

"That being said, Liu Yu has been operating in Youzhou for many years and has deep roots. His soldiers are loyal to him. If you want him to surrender easily, I'm afraid you need some more specific strategies."

"This is natural."

Su Yao smiled slightly and took out a few documents:

"I have ordered Cai Jijiu to prepare a letter of appeal to the rebels and several letters of persuasion to surrender. They will be sent to Liu Yu's army and the various counties in Youzhou later."

When everyone took the document and looked at it, they nodded in agreement and could not help but admire Cai Yong's writing style.

The manifesto listed Liu Yu's mistakes in recent years, including holding his own troops and ignoring the imperial edicts. It emphasized that as a relative of the Han royal family, he did not assist the imperial court in pacifying the country when the world was in chaos. Instead, he secretly colluded with people with ulterior motives and attempted to establish his own regime. He disregarded the Han Dynasty's mountains and rivers and abandoned the safety of the people of the world.

This manifesto is full of gems in every word, like a sharp blade, piercing Liu Yu's vital points and criticizing his actions thoroughly.

The letter of persuasion to surrender, on the other hand, took a different style of writing, with earnest and sincere words. It took the people of the world into consideration, analyzed the severity of the current situation, elaborated on the original intention and vision of the court's reform, and emphasized that the revival of the Han Dynasty required wise men like Liu Yu to work together to seek the welfare of the people. Between the lines, it was full of tolerance and sincerity.

As long as Liu Yu surrendered honestly, the court would forgive his past mistakes. Not only would it retain his title, but it would also allow him to hold an important position in the court and promise to reward his soldiers according to their merits and properly place them.

Xun You was the first to applaud: "Cai Jijiu's writing is really amazing! This proclamation can severely suppress Liu Yu morally, and the letter of persuasion to surrender paves the way for him. It's wonderful, really wonderful!"

Guo Jia also waved his feather fan gently, his eyes full of smiles: "In this way, Liu Yu will be roasted on the fire."

"That's right. If he continues to resist, he will be seen as a sinner who disregards justice and the lives of the people in the eyes of the world."

Everyone nodded and started to praise him non-stop.

At this moment, Wang Ling coughed twice, stood up and said:
“This is all ideal.”

"But according to the intelligence from my Jinyiwei, Liu Yu is widely supported by the noble families and is deeply influenced by them."

"And now, the new policies implemented by the imperial court have greatly affected the interests of the local aristocratic families."

"Those noble families usually covet privileges and annex land, causing countless people to become homeless."

"The equal distribution of land, the imperial examination system, and measures to restrict commercial monopolies implemented by the court have been demonized in the local area. They are afraid of and hate the court. Liu Yu is the ruler of Youzhou and is supported by the local noble families. Even if he wants to surrender, those noble families may not agree."

After hearing this, the smiles on everyone's faces disappeared instantly.

How could anyone here not know this?
The fundamental reason why the ruler can mobilize how much power depends on the organization and control over the grassroots.

In today's era, the powerful families who control large amounts of land through the manor system and land annexation are undoubtedly the foundation of today's rule.

Except for those like the general who use foul-like force to break the situation and intimidate all forces, others who want to sit firmly on the throne of rule must consider their own interests.

It is said that whoever wins the hearts of the people will win the world. At present, those who represent the hearts of the people are not the ordinary people who are hungry, have to work hard, and have no say, but these aristocratic families.

They control the local economy, population, and even public opinion.

"So the most important thing right now is to return to the imperial examination."

In the silence, Su Yao stood up:
"I believe everyone knows which is more important, economic interests or political status."

“Youzhou is located in a border county. Although there are occasionally great scholars like Master Lu who are famous all over the world, they cannot be compared with the Guandong families at all due to the long-term restrictions on culture and education, the lack of talents, and the lack of the foundation for the country.”

"In the past, Emperor Guangwu, the founder of the Ming Dynasty, appointed 28 generals to the Yuntai, and 23 of them were from the noble families of Guandong."

"It has been so consistent that 70% to 80% of the current court officials, especially high-ranking officials, are from Kanto. The rest of Kyushu is like a forgotten corner. Although the scholars there are talented, they often cannot get the attention and promotion they deserve."

As soon as Su Yao finished speaking, Jia Xu closed his eyes in silence.

Coming from a Wuwei family, he knew too well the meaning of Su Yao's words.

Liangzhou, in today's Han Dynasty, is like a God-forsaken land. The path for talented people to advance in career is almost blocked by the huge power of the Guandong aristocratic families. Not to mention that the common people live like second-class people, even the officials of the aristocratic families are widely excluded in the court. Therefore, many talents in Liangzhou are resentful, and a large number of scholars participate in every local unrest.

As a border county similar to Liangzhou, Youzhou's treatment was naturally not much better.

Therefore, many local noble families delved into ways to make money.

"If our reforms can open a door for students from all over the world, allowing them to see the hope of becoming an official and realizing their ambitions with their own talents, then they will certainly re-evaluate their positions."

Su Yao said confidently:
"The implementation of the imperial examination system is not just an exam to select talents, but also a reform to reshape the world. My goal is to allow all talents in the world to have the opportunity to serve the country, and to allow scholars from poor families and children from border counties to have the opportunity to stand out." "Should I tinker with my own petty profits in a corner of the country, or look at the world and devote myself to this great cause of changing the world? I believe that the noble families and knowledgeable people in Youzhou have their own scale in their hearts."

As a person from later generations, Su Yao's vision is naturally not comparable to those of today.

The popularization of the imperial examination system, in addition to attracting talents, is most importantly significant for national unity.

In ancient times, transportation and communication were extremely inconvenient, and there were significant cultural and economic differences between different regions, which made it easy for local separatist forces to form.

The imperial examination system was like an invisible bridge, closely connecting the nine provinces.

Through the imperial examination, students from different regions gathered in the capital. They competed in the same exam, received the same cultural influence and value formation, which invisibly enhanced their sense of identity with the country and the nation. It can be said that this dealt a great blow to local separatist forces.

And obviously, Su Yao is now going to use the imperial examination system as a weapon to win the hearts of the local gentry.

"But General, this imperial examination has become a hot topic now."

Wang Ling frowned and asked worriedly:
"The poor students are extremely dissatisfied with the result. If this matter cannot be resolved, let alone winning the hearts and minds of scholars all over the world, the current situation in our capital will be extremely unstable."

“That’s exactly why I came back in person.”

Su Yao's eyes flashed:
"Come down, let me take a look at this imperial examination cheating, what exactly is going on."

Luoyang, Beigong.

After the grand welcoming ceremony, Su Yao, who had bid farewell to all the officials, was invited to a side hall to meet the emperor.

Walking quickly in front of the eunuch, Su Yao had just stepped into the hall and had not yet handed over his sword when the Ten Thousand Year Empress who had been waiting for a long time appeared at the door.

As the saying goes, a short separation is better than a new marriage. When Wannian learned that Su Yao had won a great victory in the north and was about to return to Beijing, he could no longer sit still.

She asked about the eunuch Su Yao's schedule every day, and lived her life according to the time, looking forward to it day and night.

Yesterday, after learning that Su Yao had arrived in Mengjin and would arrive today, Wannian tossed and turned all night long and could not sleep. As soon as the sun rose, she began to dress up with the help of the palace maids.

She drew her eyebrows and painted her lips red. Her long black hair was tied up high in a towering bun. A few strands of hair fell beside her fair cheeks, revealing a hint of playful cuteness in her graceful and charming appearance.

Such a delicate face, coupled with a gorgeous palace dress in dark Han color embroidered with cloud patterns and auspicious dragon and phoenix designs, made Wannian dazzling even when surrounded by a group of beautiful and pretty palace maids, fully displaying the nobility and beauty of a royal woman.

"General, you are finally back."

Perhaps he didn't want to appear too eager in front of his lover, or perhaps it was because of his status and majesty as the emperor of the Han Dynasty, Wan Nian paused for a moment, stood still, acted dignified, greeted Su Yao, and exchanged pleasantries.

"The general has worked hard in the Northern Expedition. This great victory is due to his contribution. I pray in the palace day and night, hoping that you will be safe."

"I am very relieved to see that the general is fine. I wanted to let him rest for a while to relieve the fatigue of running around for days."

"But now that the poor scholar has reported the cheating in the imperial examination, it has shocked the government and the public. It has become a major concern for the court. If it is not properly handled, there may be chaos."

"I hope the general can take charge of the situation, thoroughly investigate the truth, restore order, and stabilize the government."

The voice of the Ten Thousand Years Empress became smaller and smaller as time went on, and the last few words were barely audible.

Because, just as she was speaking, Su Yao, who was at the entrance of the hall, just threw away his weapon, kicked off his boots, and strode over, his eyes staring at her.

"Your Majesty, did you miss me?"

As he spoke, Su Yao gave Wannian a bear hug and pulled his small body off the ground.

The Wannian Empress's two little feet were suspended in the air. She kicked a few times in panic and pounded Su Yao's shoulders with both hands, as if she was extremely resisting. However, her little face was flushed with shame:
"General!"

"Don't be so unruly in the palace. I am the emperor. How can this be allowed?"

Su Yao's actions not only frightened Princess Wannian, but also stunned the surrounding palace maids and eunuchs.

Some of the old people in the palace who had seen Su Yao's various rude and impolite behaviors in the court in the past were relatively okay. However, the other young eunuchs and palace maids who had just entered the palace to serve had their eyes as big as bells and their jaws almost dropped to the ground in shock. They had never seen a minister act so presumptuously towards the emperor.

"This, this, this, is this okay?"

"Should we call the guards? Or something?"

Two young eunuchs huddled together, whispering in low voices filled with fear, their eyes shifting back and forth between Su Yao and outside the door.

At this time, an old eunuch hurried forward, grabbed the two men, and shouted angrily:

"Are you stupid? Shut up! The affairs of the general and His Majesty are not yours to discuss."

"If you don't want to lose your heads, just be quiet!"

The young eunuchs fell silent, but they couldn't help but secretly glance at Su Yao and the emperor.

Although they spoke in low voices, Su Yao naturally heard them.

However, he still went his own way, seemingly ignoring everything. Not only did he not restrain himself, but he picked her up, kissed her on the lips, and said in her ear:
"Your Majesty, you have worked hard during this period."

"I'm back, and everything will be resolved."

"Tell me about your recent situation in detail later. As for now..."

Of course, a short absence is better than a new marriage.

Before Su Yao finished speaking, he hugged Wan Nian and jumped over the palace maids and eunuchs who were watching, and went straight into the inner room.

For a moment, the palace maids and eunuchs in the side hall cried out in surprise one after another, and then they were quickly suppressed by him.

On the other side, Wannian was so ashamed that he buried his face in Su Yao's arms, closed his eyes and said nothing, looking like he had completely given up.

Soon, the door to the inner room opened with a clang, and then closed with a clang.

The palace maids and eunuchs looked at each other, then tiptoed forward and lay by the door. They heard bursts of giggles and whispers from inside, which soon turned into some intense sounds, and their faces suddenly turned red.

The old eunuch was both angry and amused when he saw this. He hurried forward, fiddled with it, shook his hands, and said in a low voice:

"Disperse, disperse, disperse quickly!"

"What are you guys doing standing here?"

(End of this chapter)