With Cao Cao by my side, what do I have to fear from the world?

"We won the battle, but we were still punished."

Zhang Fei was very dissatisfied and full of grievances, but military law was strict and no one could show favoritism.

This isn't for any one person; it's for everyone.

Liu Bei had no choice but to grit his teeth and make a tough decision, giving Zhang Fei a severe beating.

Although Zhang Fei was being beaten, he kept talking, grumbling as he was being hit, which made Liu Bei feel both sorry for him and embarrassed.

After the fight was over and everyone had dispersed, Liu Bei hurriedly bent down and asked with concern, "Third brother, how are you?"

Zhang Fei snorted, his resentment palpable. "Brother, you're far too ruthless. How could you bear to do that?"

Liu Bei felt very wronged, and tears were about to fall. "Third brother, do you think your elder brother wants to hit you? Hitting you hurts your elder brother's heart."

Guan Yu also walked over and coldly reprimanded, "Third brother, this is all your fault for being reckless and impulsive, disregarding His Majesty's military orders. Do you think your elder brother wanted to hit you?"

When Zhang Fei saw Liu Bei crying, he was speechless and hurriedly admitted his mistake, "Brother, I was wrong, I will never do it again."

Liu Bei hugged Zhang Fei and cried even harder, while Guan Yu stood aside watching and kept shaking his head.

Frankly speaking, Guan Yu couldn't find any fault with Liu Xie's actions.

So many people know that Zhang Fei disobeyed Liu Xie's orders. If Liu Xie doesn't pursue the matter at all, what will others think? What will they believe?
Everyone would think that Liu Xie was favoring Zhang Fei and Liu Bei.

This is not what Liu Xie wanted.

After eliminating Budugen, Liu Xie did not linger and immediately turned his military might towards the Xianbei in the east.

The eastern Xianbei were mostly scattered small tribes, whose leaders included Suli, Mijia, and Queji. Their followers were distributed in Liaoxi, Youbeiping, and Yuyang beyond Youzhou.

In less than two months, Liu Xie led his army to wipe them all out, killing some and forcing others to submit. To better manage the situation, Liu Xie temporarily appointed the surrendered Su Li as the leader of the Eastern Xianbei.

Both the eastern and western Xianbei left behind a Han army force.

Liu Xie finally gathered everyone together and announced: "Zhang Liao will continue to serve as the governor of Youzhou, Lü Bu as the governor of Bingzhou, and Chen Gong as the governor of Liaodong. We must always be vigilant towards those beyond the Great Wall and never let our guard down."

Lü Bu's life began in Bingzhou, but unexpectedly, after going around in circles, he returned to Bingzhou.

Of course, as everyone knows, the terms of office for governors and prefects are now limited, with each person only allowed to serve in one place for five years.

Everyone listened attentively. Liu Xie continued, "I didn't touch Kebineng this time, but you all need to keep a close eye on him. If he dares to make any moves in the future, you don't need to ask me for permission. You can send troops at any time, and if necessary, you can coordinate with him to send troops."

"Your Majesty, rest assured!" The group nodded in unison.

"Because Kebineng surrendered voluntarily, it is inconvenient for me to deal with him. However, the stability of the border is more important than anything else. All of you must be vigilant. Those who are not of our race will surely have different intentions. We must not let our guard down."

"Yes, sir!" came the clear and loud reply.

"correct."

Just as Liu Xie was about to get up, he suddenly remembered something else. "From now on, whether it is soldiers stationed at the border or soldiers stationed in the frontier, everyone's term of service will be five years. This is a strict order. We must not let the soldiers lose heart and stay at the border for more than ten years or even longer, as if the court has forgotten about them."

This proposal won unanimous approval.

Zhang Liao said with deep emotion, "Your Majesty is wise, and the soldiers are blessed. In the past, some of them guarded the border until they grew old or even died without ever receiving an order to return to the Central Plains."

Liu Xie suddenly thought of a poem, and he slowly recited it to the crowd:

He joined the army at fifteen and returned home at eighty.

I met a fellow villager on the road. Who is in your family?

Looking into the distance, I see your home, with its many tombs surrounded by pine and cypress trees.

Rabbits enter through the dog hole, pheasants fly from the beam.

In the courtyard, the valley is born, and in the well, the sunflower is born.

Pound grain to make rice, gather sunflowers to make soup.

The soup and rice are cooked in a short time, but I don't know who to give them to.

I went out and looked eastward, tears falling and wetting my clothes.

Everyone listened quietly, completely absorbed in the moment. Fa Zheng and Sima Yi were both filled with admiration.

Everyone knows that Cao Cao was exceptionally talented and had a knack for poetry, but no one expected that an emperor could also produce such amazing works.

"It is not easy for soldiers to join the army. They leave home young and return old. I do not want such tragedies to continue. Remember this for five years: when the time comes, the soldiers must return to the Central Plains. The older ones and the wounded can be allowed to return home and reunite with their families earlier."

In ancient times, some soldiers stationed at the border would stay for decades. Liu Xie felt that this was inhumane.

They are human beings, living, breathing people, with flesh and blood.

They all have wives and children, and the longer they stay, the less motivated they become. They are here to guard the pass, not to be exiled to the border to suffer.

After settling everything in, Liu Xie returned to Yanmen Pass, where the repair work, under Pang Tong's command, was nearing completion.

The brand-new city walls soared into the clouds, incredibly sturdy, and the city gates were thick and solid, exuding an aura of majesty.

On the watchtower, soldiers vigilantly gazed into the distance. Inside the pass, provisions were plentiful, and weapons were of superior quality.

Liu Xie ascended the city wall and looked down upon this land. He knew that from this moment on, Yanmen Pass would once again become a strong fortress for the Han Dynasty against foreign invasion, protecting the peace of the country and the happiness of the people.

The mission to conquer the Xianbei was over. On the way back, Liu Xie was in a good mood. When he passed through Zhuojun, he ordered the troops to stop on the spot.

Looking at Liu Bei beside him, Liu Xie smiled and said, "Xuande, I would like to visit your hometown. What do you think? Would you like to?"

Liu Bei was taken aback. After wandering for so many years, Liu Xie's reminder touched him deeply.

"Your Majesty, I fear my hometown is too humble and may spoil your enjoyment."

Liu Xie smiled and waved his hand, "Xuande, you are mistaken. You are the imperial uncle of the Han Dynasty. It is rare for me to pass through your hometown, so naturally I have to take a look. Even if it is simple, so what? Before becoming emperor, wasn't Emperor Gaozu of the Han Dynasty just a commoner?"

Liu Bei nodded. "In that case, I will lead the way."

In fact, after so many years, Liu Bei was not quite sure what his hometown had become.

A gentle breeze swept through the streets and alleys of Zhuojun, raising fine dust. Liu Bei accompanied Liu Xie back to their hometown, stepping onto this familiar yet unfamiliar land. The passage of time seemed to have etched a deep mark on this small town, and a sense of things having changed and people being different arose spontaneously.

My childhood playmates are nowhere to be found, and the once bustling market has changed beyond recognition. The shops along the street have been renovated, with new signs shining in the sunlight, but the familiar shouts of my childhood are nowhere to be found.

Liu Bei walked slowly, his gaze sweeping over every corner, his heart filled with emotion.

At a corner, Liu Bei stopped for a long time, as if he could hear a hawker's cry: "Straw sandals, straw sandals that are warm in winter and cool in summer, sturdy and cheap!"

Back then, Liu Bei sold straw sandals on the streets of Zhuojun for many years, and probably many people in Zhuojun wore the straw sandals he wove.

Thinking of this, Liu Bei's gaze involuntarily fell on the feet of the passersby.

So many years have passed, I wonder if anyone still wears the straw sandals he wove?
"Your Majesty, we are almost at my home," Liu Bei said, bowing slightly to the emperor beside him.

Looking at the scene before him, Liu Xie nodded slightly: "I observe that although this place has undergone many changes, I can still feel its unique charm."

In later generations, Liu Bei's former residence alone would attract a large number of tourists.

Liu Bei led the emperor onward, and before they knew it, they arrived at the alley where they had once lived. The alley was narrow and quiet, and the stone slabs were slightly mottled from the erosion of time.

"Your Majesty, we're almost there." Liu Bei's pace slowed, his voice trembling slightly.

Liu Xie looked up and saw that the houses in the alley were arranged in a neat and orderly fashion, some with their doors tightly closed and others with their windows half-closed. The walls were covered with moss, as if telling the story of the years.

Liu Bei walked to a dilapidated door and suddenly stopped. He had arrived at his home!

He slowly raised his hand and gently pushed open the door. The hinges creaked, as if sighing the passing years. The yard was overgrown with weeds and desolate.

Scenes of playing and frolicking with my brothers flashed before my eyes, but now only this empty courtyard remained.

Liu Bei turned around and said to Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, when I was young, I often played and frolicked here with my friends, dreaming that one day I could bring happiness to all the people of the world."

Liu Xie praised, "Your ambition is truly admirable."

The two left the courtyard and continued their stroll through the city. Suddenly, Liu Bei's gaze was drawn to an old mulberry tree in the distance. The mulberry tree still stood there, its thick trunk and lush branches and leaves seemingly a witness to the passage of time.

Liu Bei strode towards the old mulberry tree, his eyes filled with excitement and joy. He reached out and gently stroked the trunk; the rough bark instantly calmed his heart.

"Your Majesty, this is my family's old mulberry tree. Many years have passed, and it is still here," Liu Bei said with emotion.

A gentle breeze rustled the mulberry leaves, as if telling tales of the past. Liu Bei closed his eyes, his thoughts drifting back to his childhood.

In those days, life in Zhuojun was simple and happy. Neighbors helped each other, and children ran and played in the streets and alleys. Every summer, everyone would gather under the mulberry trees to cool off, talking about everyday matters and dreaming about a better future.

Liu Xie walked to the mulberry tree, looked up, and saw that the tree canopy was like a huge green umbrella, shading a patch of sky.

"I never imagined this tree could grow so strong!"

Liu Bei nodded: "Yes, Your Majesty. I remember when I was a child, I often played under this mulberry tree. I even said to my playmates under the tree back then..."

Moved by the scene, Liu Bei was startled and quickly stopped speaking halfway through his sentence.

I dare not say any more.

"Xuande, what's wrong?"

Liu Bei quickly shook his head, "It's nothing, I was just thinking about a joke I made when I was a child."

Liu Bei dared not say any more, but his silence did not mean that Liu Xie was unaware of the matter.

When Liu Bei was young, he once made a bold statement under this big mulberry tree: "When I grow up, I will definitely ride in a carriage with a feather canopy like this!"

Ordinary people were not qualified to ride in a carriage with a feather canopy. Even when he was very young, Liu Bei had the ambition to become a king and a hero.

Having lofty ambitions is normal; otherwise, he wouldn't be Liu Bei.

However, with Liu Xie right beside him at that moment, even if Liu Bei had ten times the courage, he wouldn't dare to say it.

He didn't say anything, and Liu Xie didn't ask any further questions. That night, the group stayed at the county government office in Zhuojun.

The next day, when they were about to set off, Fa Zheng came to tell Liu Xie, "Your Majesty, last night Liu Huangshu, along with the local magistrate, cut down that big mulberry tree!"

Liu Xie nodded without saying anything, but Fa Zheng was somewhat surprised. He didn't know what Liu Bei was afraid of.

That frightened him so much that he chopped down the big mulberry tree overnight.

Liu Xie found it amusing, thinking to himself: In later generations, that big mulberry tree would be a priceless cultural relic.

This is understandable, as Liu Bei was expressing his true feelings to himself.

Liu Xie treated this as a minor incident and did not pursue it further.

In June of the same year, Liu Xie successfully returned to Luoyang.

After returning and meeting with the officials, Liu Xie did not see Cao Cao. Xun Yu then told him, "Your Majesty, the Prime Minister has been staying in Yanzhou for the past few months. He is reorganizing the officials there."

Xun Yu's expression was not good, and many officials also looked serious. Liu Xie simply nodded.

After entering the city, he met his family and children, chatted with them for a while, and then Jia Xu arrived.

Empress Fu, understanding the situation, led the others away, and Liu Xie also dismissed everyone else, leaving only Zhao Yun and Dian Man standing to the side.

"Wenhe, what's wrong?"

Jia Xu sighed, "The Prime Minister is currently in Yanzhou, carrying out a vigorous rectification campaign. Just the officials who violated the law have already implicated hundreds of people. Many people's property has been confiscated, and quite a few have been demoted. Although the rectification is only being carried out in Yanzhou, many people are already in a state of panic, fearing that they will be implicated."

Liu Xie nodded. "It seems Cao Cao is quite ruthless. He started by attacking his own hometown. I was right about him. What? Has anyone stood up to object?"

Jia Xu shook his head. "There isn't any yet, but there's a lot of private discussion. Many people have sensed danger. Some say Cao Cao is using this to his advantage and then discarding it to show his loyalty to His Majesty."

Liu Xie let out a cold laugh, "Wenhe, do you see? Cao Cao set an example by first rectifying the situation in his own hometown, and people dared to criticize him. You can imagine that if he were to rectify the situation in other prefectures and counties in the future, the resistance would be enormous."

"What does 'discarding a donkey after it has served its purpose' mean? It's simply about not wanting your own interests to be harmed. To put it bluntly, it boils down to two words: human nature!"

Yanzhou was Cao Cao's stronghold, and many people rose to prominence because of Cao Cao. Now, they think Cao Cao is discarding them after he has served his purpose, which is ridiculous.

Jia Xu said, "This is only the beginning. Moreover, Cao Cao is indeed cracking down on lawlessness in order to rectify the powerful clans, and this has already encountered resistance. It is conceivable that if he directly attacks the powerful clans, it will inevitably provoke open confrontation." (End of this chapter)