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

Fifth, those sons of various ethnic groups in the South who enter the court to serve as officials should be treated equally with those from the Central Plains, and promoted according to their talents and achievements. The court will also select virtuous and capable officials to go to the South to teach skills, establish schools, and help the South develop.

Sixth, the South is rich in resources and should exchange goods with the Central Plains. The court should ensure the smooth flow of trade routes, but the smuggling of prohibited goods is strictly forbidden, and violators will be severely punished.

Seventh, all ethnic groups in the South should revere Heaven and Earth and uphold the rites and teachings. They must not engage in wicked or perverse acts that would damage the customs of our Chinese nation.

All tribes are urged to abide by this covenant. If they do, the South will surely enjoy lasting peace and stability, and the people will live in peace and prosperity. Anyone who violates this covenant will be met with swift and merciless descent of heavenly troops.

May the Southern Region and the Imperial Court be of one heart and one mind, jointly forging a peaceful and prosperous era that brings blessings to all people.

The purpose of this treaty was to clarify the norms of governance in the South, granting the South a certain degree of autonomy while ensuring the maintenance of the imperial authority, so that the South could develop in stability and prosper together with the Central Plains.

After Liu Xie finished writing, he first had Xun Yun read it aloud. After everyone understood, Liu Xie said, "Words are not enough. All of you must sign and put your fingerprints on this pledge. In the future, the leaders of other tribes must do the same."

Liu Xie, without hesitation, was the first to sign his name. "I hope everyone will go back and spread this agreement for me. Everyone must abide by it. Anyone who violates it will be severely punished!"

The leaders naturally had no objections and signed their names one after another. Those who couldn't write would leave their fingerprints.

Next, Liu Xie summoned Lü Kai, the chief clerk of Yongchang Commandery, Wang Kang, the prefectural administrator, and Li Hui, who had come with the army.

Li Hui, Lü Kai, and Wang Kang walked slowly in, their hearts filled with a mixture of nervousness and excitement. They were dressed in neat robes, their steps firm yet slightly restrained.

Upon seeing the emperor, the three knelt respectfully and bowed, saying, "We pay our respects to Your Majesty!"

Liu Xie smiled and raised his hand, saying, "Rise."

Liu Xie carefully examined the three people in front of him and spoke first: "In this rebellion in the south, the situation is critical. Wang Kang and Lü Kai defended the city and did not yield. I am very pleased with their loyalty and courage."

Wang Kai cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, this is our duty. The rebels are rampant and are attempting to oppose the court. As subjects, we should defend them with our lives."

Liu Xie nodded slightly and praised Lü Kai and Wang Kang, saying, "You have done a great service in Yongchang County by defending the city and protecting the people."

Lu Kai said solemnly, "Your Majesty flatters us. This is simply our duty."

Neither Lü Kai nor Wang Kang were cunning individuals, which pleased Liu Xie: "The four commanderies in the south are of paramount importance. I will be leaving soon. Before I depart, I will entrust you with 30,000 troops, with the three of you remaining to guard them. Li Hui will be the commander, and Lü Kai and Wang Kang will assist him, to prevent any further unrest."

Li Hui was deeply puzzled. He mustered his courage and said, "Your Majesty, what virtue or ability do I possess to shoulder such a heavy responsibility?"

What kind of official was Li Hui? He was just an inspector.

To put it bluntly, he was just a mere inspector. Not long ago, Emperor Liu Xie had just changed the inspector to a patrol officer, a very minor official. But now, the emperor had him lead troops to guard the south, directly commanding 30,000 men. Li Hui suspected there was a mistake; it was too unbelievable.

Liu Xie smiled and said, "Minister Li, I believe in your abilities. Do you think I am a mediocre and incompetent emperor? Go ahead and do it boldly."

It should be noted that Li Hui performed exceptionally well in the historical campaign to quell the rebellion in the south under Zhuge Liang's command. However, in this campaign, Emperor Liu Xie personally led the expedition, surrounded by many capable individuals, leaving Li Hui with no opportunity to demonstrate his abilities.

However, Liu Xie will soon be leaving, and he must select capable people to guard this place. Guan Yu and the others will also be leaving with him.

The mere phrase, "I believe in your abilities," deeply moved Li Hui, bringing tears to his eyes and leaving him speechless with emotion.

After a while, he knelt down on the ground with a thud. "Your Majesty has shown me great favor and I am deeply grateful for your high regard. I will do my utmost to live up to Your Majesty's expectations."

Liu Xie smiled and nodded, "That's right. Go ahead and do it boldly. If you encounter any difficulties in the future, just write to me."

Before the army was about to return after suppressing the rebellion in Nanzhong, Fazheng proposed to Emperor Liu Xie that he marry Zhurong.

Liu Xie was initially not in favor, asking, "Is it really necessary to hold such a grand wedding?"

Fa Zheng nodded. "It's very necessary."

He first glanced at Zhao Yun beside him and said with a smile, "General Zilong said before that having Zhu Rong and Meng Huo hold a wedding would damage His Majesty's reputation. In order to avoid any misunderstandings, this wedding is very necessary."

Zhao Yun couldn't help but laugh. Fa Zheng continued, "Furthermore, I also hope to take this opportunity to invite the tribal leaders from various parts of Nanzhong to participate. Through the wedding, we can further strengthen our relationship with them. Your Majesty has always held weddings in the capital. This time, holding the wedding in Nanzhong is enough to show Your Majesty's regard for the people of Nanzhong. I believe they will be grateful to Your Majesty."

Zhuge Liang also strongly agreed, saying, "I second that suggestion."

Pang Tong nodded, "I second that opinion."

Liu Xie had no choice but to nod. Actually, he wasn't a person who liked to be extravagant or showy, but sometimes, being too low-key was just not an option.

The news sent excitement through the entire southern region. Wedding preparations began in earnest, with everyone busy and excited.

The wedding day finally arrived; it was a beautiful, sunny day. The wedding venue was chosen on a vast grassland, surrounded by green mountains and flowing streams.

Tribal chiefs from all directions arrived early, bringing their own gifts and blessings. Dressed in their finest attire, their faces beamed with joy and anticipation.

A huge and magnificent tent was erected on the grassland, adorned with colorful silks and flowers. Inside, a sumptuous feast of food and wine filled the air with enticing aromas.

Liu Xie, dressed in magnificent attire, looked dashing and heroic, a gentle yet resolute smile on his face. Zhu Rong, on the other hand, wore traditional wedding attire from the south, adorned with vibrant silk threads and precious gemstones; she was beautiful and charming, her eyes filled with happiness and shyness.

The wedding began with musicians playing cheerful tunes and dancers performing enthusiastic dances. Liu Xie and Zhu Rong, surrounded by the crowd, entered the tent.

The tribal chiefs rose to offer their sincerest blessings to the newlyweds. An elder chief stepped forward and proclaimed, "May the union of the Emperor and Zhurong be like the sun and the moon, illuminating the future of our southern region." Liu Xie smiled and replied, "I am willing to join hands with all the tribes of the southern region to build a bright future together."

What followed was a series of solemn and culturally significant ceremonies. Zhu Rong's relatives and friends adorned her with ornaments symbolizing good fortune and happiness, while Liu Xie personally presented her with a precious jade pendant.

Amid cheers, Liu Xie and Zhu Rong raised their glasses together, toasting everyone present. The southern grasslands were filled with laughter and joy, the atmosphere warm and harmonious.

At the wedding banquet, a dazzling array of delicacies dazzled the eye. There was golden-brown, crispy roasted lamb, fragrant fruits, and finely brewed wine. Liu Xie and Zhu Rong walked hand in hand from table to table, chatting warmly with the tribal leaders and sharing this joyous moment together.

As night fell, a bonfire was lit. People continued to sing and dance around the fire. The wedding was held entirely according to the customs of Nanzhong, which not only deeply moved Zhu Rong, but also greatly pleased the people of Nanzhong.

Of course, Liu Xie's efforts were very fruitful. The negative impact of Meng Huo's rebellion and the resulting resentment towards the Han people among the people of Nanzhong were greatly reduced.

In addition, the free-spirited Zhu Rong also gave Liu Xie a real taste of pleasure that night. Everything was so wonderful that Liu Xie didn't get out of bed until almost noon the next day.

A few days later, Liu Xie returned to Chengdu. He wrote another letter to Cao Cao, urging him to hurry up and further promote the reforms.

After receiving Liu Xie's letter, Cao Cao was filled with emotion. He knew the emperor's determination and understood that Liu Xie was worried that if he returned to Luoyang, he would face many obstacles.

Therefore, before returning to Luoyang, we must seize the time to carry out a vigorous rectification, even if it means cutting through the mess quickly.

Cao Cao immediately summoned his advisors and generals. The atmosphere in the room was heavy. Cao Cao looked at everyone with bright eyes and said, "Your Majesty is determined to reform the officials and reclaim the land. I will do my best to assist you."

Cao Ren said, “My lord, the powerful clans are very influential and have complex relationships. To succeed, we must act swiftly and decisively, without giving them any chance to breathe. We have already dealt with many powerful clans before, and the results have been quite good. Why don’t you take this opportunity to issue an order with the power of the prime minister to promote this policy across the board? Anyone who dares to disobey will be severely punished.”

Xiahou Dun nodded in agreement: "My lord, you are the prime minister. Since His Majesty trusts you so much, let's be more direct this time and carry out a comprehensive overhaul. We can legitimately send people to various places to start by checking accounts and evaluating the performance of officials. Once we find any problems, we will punish them severely and take the opportunity to root out the bad apples and confiscate their land."

Cao Cao nodded repeatedly, and Sima Yi also expressed his approval, "Now that Yanzhou and Yuzhou have been basically reorganized, we can implement it in all regions. While the reorganization is underway, the army under the Prime Minister's command can handle the situation with ease. Wherever a problem arises, you can send people there. No obstruction can stop His Majesty's determination."

Cao Cao laughed heartily and said self-deprecatingly, "When I abolished the Three Dukes and took the position of Chancellor, it was to limit Your Majesty's power and make it easier to control the court and command the officials. But now, I, the Chancellor, have become the butcher's knife used to clear obstacles for Your Majesty and rectify the powerful families. It's truly unpredictable how things turn out."

After a pause, Cao Cao continued, "However, I have already decided that His Majesty and I will maintain the same stance. Whatever His Majesty entrusts to me, I will do my utmost to complete it."

Using power as a vanguard and force as a backing, Cao Cao went all out and immediately launched a comprehensive reorganization.

Soon, Cao Cao's order was issued to various regions in the form of a proclamation, causing a great stir.

The announcement reads as follows: An investigation has revealed that officials have frequently violated laws and regulations, engaging in corruption and bribery, leading to widespread suffering among the people and shaking the very foundation of the nation.

Effective immediately, a comprehensive and thorough rectification of officials in all regions will be carried out.

Anyone found guilty of serious violations of laws and regulations, regardless of rank or relationship with the authorities, will be severely punished without exception. All land they have illegally seized will be reclaimed by the state and redistributed to landless people.

All embezzled funds will be recovered. Any official who dares to conceal their crimes or resist rectification will be executed without mercy!

Sima Yi also assisted from the side, sending out the Dragon Guards to go deep into various places to collect evidence of powerful families encroaching on land and officials being corrupt.

Cao Cao sent people to various places to conduct inspections. If any problems were found, he would not show any mercy. Even if the local officials were slightly lax in their implementation, they would be dismissed from their posts at the very least, or directly arrested and imprisoned or beheaded at the worst.

Cao Ren, Xiahou Dun, Cao Zhang, and others each led a team to various places to assist in surveying the fields.

Cao Cao issued a strict order to his soldiers: "Anyone who resists shall be killed without exception!"

In an instant, powerful families across the land felt Cao Cao's determination and immense pressure.

During the process of reclaiming the land, Cao Cao also paid great attention to pacifying the people. He ordered the reclaimed land to be redistributed to landless or land-poor farmers and to reduce or exempt taxes so that the people could live and work in peace.

The people were deeply grateful for Cao Cao's actions and praised his righteous deeds.

However, the powerful clans would not easily yield. They secretly colluded, attempting to unite against Cao Cao.

However, Cao Cao was prepared, and his Dragon Guards closely monitored the every move of the powerful clans. Once any unusual activity was detected, they would take immediate action.

On a dark and windy night, key figures from several prominent families in Jizhou, harboring their own secrets, quietly gathered in a secluded mansion. This mansion, usually peaceful and serene, was now filled with a tense and eerie atmosphere.

Inside the hall, the flickering candlelight illuminated anxious and somber faces. Leading the group was an elderly man, well past sixty, yet still remarkably spry.

His gaze was somber, and he said in a heavy tone, "That scoundrel Cao Cao is trying to reform the officials and take back the land. This is simply trying to destroy the foundation of our aristocratic family! How can we easily hand over the wealth and land that we have accumulated over generations?"

The crowd echoed his sentiments, and a middle-aged man gritted his teeth and said, "If Cao Cao's order is truly implemented, our family will surely decline, and our descendants will lose their wealth and honor. We cannot sit idly by and wait for our doom!"

Another noblewoman, dressed in splendid attire, looked distressed and indignant: "The only way now is to unite with other noble families and jointly resist Cao Cao's tyranny in order to protect our family's interests."

The crowd nodded in agreement and whispered among themselves, discussing specific strategies for resistance.

They planned to secretly contact various forces, incite public sentiment, and create chaos in order to force Cao Cao to retract his order.

Just as they were plotting their scheme, a commotion suddenly broke out outside the door.

Someone has arrived, and everyone was immediately startled! (End of Chapter)