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

Liu Xie really likes this kind of gathering. He used to hold an annual meeting every year, just like his company's team building activities.

This makes it easy to bring the ruler and his ministers closer together, and naturally, everyone becomes more efficient in their work.

After several rounds of drinks and dishes, Liu Xie stood up and said in a gentle voice, "As you may have heard, various places are undergoing rectification, but I am quite satisfied with the performance of everyone under the rule of Yizhou. Yizhou has been free from war for decades, and this is all thanks to you all."

Huang Quan looked intently at the emperor and whispered to Wang Lei beside him, "I have a feeling that His Majesty's invitation to us this time is not just for a simple banquet."

Wang Lei was an upright man, loyal to Liu Zhang and his son. Historically, when Liu Bei entered Sichuan, he did not hesitate to remonstrate with Liu Bei, hanging himself from the city gate with a rope. However, Liu Zhang did not heed his advice. In the end, Wang Lei angrily drew his sword, cut the rope, and fell to his death in front of everyone.

Wang Lei lowered his head in thought, unsure of what the emperor was really up to.

Liu Xie then changed the subject, "Although Yizhou is generally good, if you say there are no problems at all, everyone is honest and diligent, and all officials are supported by the people, not only would I not believe it, but I also doubt that everyone here would believe it."

Liu Xie looked at Huang Quan and asked with a smile, "Registrar Huang, do you believe it?"

Huang Quan shook his head. "I don't believe it."

Liu Xie then asked Wang Lei, who also shook his head in disbelief.

Liu Xie looked at Liu Zhang, who replied, "Your Majesty is right. It is indeed hard to believe that there are no problems at all."

Liu Xie nodded and looked around at everyone again. "Therefore, I hope that those who have problems will take the initiative to confess. No matter who it is, if they can take the initiative to confess and explain their past misdeeds, I promise that they will be dealt with leniently."

"Anyone with a problem can step forward. Of course, it would be best if there were no problems. After the banquet, everyone can go back and do what they normally do."

"So? Is there anyone willing to step forward and confess?" Liu Xie asked again, maintaining a friendly smile on his face.

After waiting for a while, no one stepped forward. Liu Xie then said, "I am being frank with everyone. I hope that ministers who have problems will step forward and admit their mistakes. I will certainly punish them leniently."

However, there was still complete silence, and no one responded.

Liu Xie nodded and praised, "Not bad. It seems that the officialdom in Yizhou is indeed clean and honest. But if you say that there is not a single problem, do you all think that I am a child to be played with?"

The atmosphere grew increasingly serious. The ministers looked at each other, exchanging glances. To say that everyone was alright would be a joke.

However, no one was willing to step forward.

Zhu Bao and Gao Ding also attended the banquet. Now that Meng Huo was dead and Yong Kai had also been killed, the two had been feeling uneasy for days. After hesitating for a long time, they finally mustered up their courage and stepped forward.

Liu Xie nodded with satisfaction. "Very good, finally someone has stepped forward. Are there any others?"

After a while, several more people stood up tremblingly and confessed to crimes such as accepting bribes and abusing their power during their tenure as officials.

Looking at these people, Liu Xie appeared very magnanimous, saying, "I am pleased that you have taken the initiative to confess. I will honor my promise and treat you leniently." He then instructed Fa Zheng to record their crimes.

The banquet ended, and only these few people came forward to confess. Although Liu Xie was dissatisfied, he pretended to be very satisfied on the surface.

Finally, he had someone bring paper and pen and had all the officials present sign a pledge guaranteeing that he really had no problems.

Liu Xie said to them, "The agreement you sign today is a promise to me. If I discover any problems in the future, you will be guilty of deceiving the emperor, and I will not tolerate it!"

"The crime of deceiving the emperor?"

Everyone was immediately alarmed. Liu Xie then said, "Although you have already signed the agreement, I would like to ask one more time: is there anyone else willing to step forward and confess?"

The crowd looked at each other, but no one else stepped forward.

Liu Xie nodded. "Very good. It seems that the officialdom in Yizhou is really good. Only a few people have made mistakes. I am very pleased."

However, Liu Xie was not so easily fooled. After the banquet, he immediately ordered Fa Zheng and Pang Tong to launch an investigation. These investigators conducted thorough investigations, leaving no stone unturned.

They reviewed accounts, visited ordinary people, and conducted a thorough investigation into the past conduct of each official.

Before long, the investigation results were presented to Liu Xie. One by one, crimes of embezzlement, bribery, and oppression of the people were exposed, and there were quite a few people involved.

Emperor Liu Xie was furious and immediately ordered that any official found to have committed the crime of deceiving the emperor be severely punished.

For a time, the officialdom of Yizhou was in a state of panic and fear. Those officials who had previously harbored illusions now realized Liu Xie's determination to reform the officialdom.

No one could sit still any longer, so they all rushed forward, confessing their crimes in hopes of receiving leniency.

There was an official named Li Tong. He had served as a county magistrate in Yizhou for many years and had embezzled a large amount of money.

When Liu Xie held the banquet, he took a chance and did not come forward to confess. But when he saw that Liu Xie was really serious and had investigated and punished a number of officials, he was filled with anxiety and could not sleep at night.

Finally, unable to bear the inner torment any longer, Li Tong decided to confess his crimes to Liu Xie. He took the money he had embezzled and went to Chengdu.

Li Tong knelt before Liu Xie, weeping bitterly, and said, "Your Majesty, I deserve to die a thousand deaths. I should not have embezzled and accepted bribes, and I have failed Your Majesty's trust."

Liu Xie said coldly, "Li Tong, you hold a high position, yet you do not work for the well-being of the people, but only care about enriching yourself. I gave you opportunities, but you did not cherish them. Now, although you have voluntarily confessed your crimes, the law of the land cannot tolerate this!"

Ultimately, Li Tong was severely punished according to the law, his property was confiscated, and he was exiled to Yizhou to help Sun Quan with island development.

There was another official named Wang Fu. After learning his crimes had been exposed, Wang Fu attempted to flee. He was caught, brought back, and executed on the spot!

As one corrupt official after another was investigated and punished, the atmosphere in Yizhou's officialdom gradually improved. Those officials who were originally honest and upright were commended and given important positions, and the people applauded Liu Xie's rectification efforts.

In this rectification campaign, Liu Xie not only punished corrupt officials but also formulated a series of strict rules and regulations to strengthen the supervision and assessment of officials. He stipulated that officials must regularly report on their affairs to the court and accept the supervision of the people; at the same time, he established a special supervisory agency to monitor the behavior of officials in real time.

After a period of rectification, the officialdom of Yizhou was completely transformed. Officials worked diligently and conscientiously, without daring to slack off in the slightest, and were wholeheartedly dedicated to the welfare of the people.

Liu Xie promoted many talented people from Yizhou, such as Dong He, Zhang Yi, Fei Yi, Zhang Yi, Ma Zhong, and Ju Fu, who were all given important positions.

The upheaval in the Yizhou officialdom had just subsided; Liu Xie's methods had revitalized the entire bureaucracy, effectively curbing corruption. However, beneath this seemingly calm surface, Liu Zhang, the governor of Yizhou, was inwardly filled with unease.

On this day, after careful consideration, Liu Zhang decided to visit Liu Xie.

He appeared before Liu Xie, dressed in a simple long robe, looking slightly haggard, with heavy steps.

When Liu Xie heard that Liu Zhang was requesting an audience, he had a pretty good idea of ​​what was going on.

Upon seeing Liu Xie, Liu Zhang hurriedly knelt down and bowed, saying in a slightly trembling voice, "Your Majesty, your sinful subject Liu Zhang pays his respects."

Liu Xie raised his hand slightly and said, "Rise, Minister Liu. What brings you here today?"

Liu Zhang stood up, but kept his head down, not daring to look Liu Xie in the eye, and slowly said, "Your Majesty, in this rectification of the Yizhou officialdom, I am well aware that I have failed in my governance over the years and have let down Your Majesty's trust and the people's expectations. Whenever I think of this, I feel extremely guilty."

Liu Xie was silent for a moment, then said, "My dear minister, I am reforming the officialdom for the long-term stability of Yizhou. I am pleased that you can recognize your problems."

Liu Zhang continued, “Your Majesty is wise, and I am deeply grateful. However, I am aware that my abilities are limited and I am unable to continue serving as the Governor of Yizhou. Over the years, Yizhou has been peaceful under my governance, but I never expected so many problems to arise in the officialdom. I feel deeply ashamed.”

Liu Xie looked at Liu Zhang quietly, waiting for him to continue.

Liu Zhang took a deep breath and mustered his courage to say, “Your Majesty, I have a request. My son, Liu Xun, is intelligent and studious from a young age and has great ambitions. I wish to recommend him as the governor of Yizhou, and I hope Your Majesty will grant my request.”

Liu Xie was indeed pleased that Liu Zhang was willing to resign, because he was not really suitable for the position.

Although Liu Zhang was not a bad person, he was weak-willed and somewhat incompetent.

Liu Xie naturally hoped that someone more capable would fill such an important position as governor.

Liu Xie was quite satisfied with Liu Xun. Firstly, he was a member of the Han imperial family, and secondly, he was young and ambitious.

Although he lacks composure, everyone has been young once. He can gain more experience and be assisted by people like Huang Quan and Wang Lei.

Looking at the trembling Liu Zhang before him, Liu Xie couldn't help but feel a pang of emotion. He knew that Liu Zhang's resignation and recommendation stemmed from both his own self-awareness and his concern for the future of his family.

"I have granted your resignation. As for Liu Xun, I will let him give it a try. I have high hopes for him."

Liu Zhang quickly kowtowed to express his gratitude: "Thank you, Your Majesty."

Liu Zhang felt relieved, and the two chatted again. Liu Xie's gentle attitude gradually made Liu Zhang relax.

"Your Majesty, I am filled with trepidation. I am aware of my own inadequacy. It was not my ability that led to my being chosen by the people."

Liu Zhang paused for a moment, then continued, "At that time, Sima Zhao Wei and the Chief Administrator Wang Shang believed that I was weak and could be controlled, so they jointly recommended me to the position of Governor of Yizhou. But the one they actually favored was my brother Liu Mao."

Liu Xie nodded slightly and said, "I have also heard about this matter."

Liu Zhang looked ashamed and lowered his head, saying, "Your Majesty, I am ashamed. I have indeed made many mistakes in governing Yizhou. Zhang Lu of Hanzhong is arrogant and unruly and does not obey my orders. In a fit of anger, I killed his mother and younger brother, which caused enmity between us. After that, I sent troops to attack Zhang Lu many times, but I failed to win and instead suffered heavy losses."

He sighed and continued, "The Dongzhou people my father took in formed the Dongzhou Army, and they often harassed the common people. I was powerless to stop them, which led to growing resentment among the people. Although Zhao Wei was deeply loved by the people and I entrusted him with important responsibilities, he later rebelled... All of this is because I am weak and incompetent, and lack clear judgment!"

In other places, Liu Zhang might be considered a kind-hearted person, but in such an important position as the Governor of Yi Province, he was indeed too weak and too conservative.

He was bullied by Zhang Lu, Zhao Wei, and powerful clans within his territory. If it weren't for his good fortune, he probably would have lost his governorship long ago.

The next day, in the main hall of the Yizhou government, sunlight streamed through the carved window frames, casting dappled patterns of light and shadow on the floor.

Inside the hall, the atmosphere was solemn and dignified. Officials of all ranks stood neatly on both sides, while Emperor Liu Xie sat upright in the main seat at the top, his gaze both majestic and full of expectation.

Liu Xie glanced around at the crowd below, cleared his throat, and said, "My beloved ministers, I have an important decision to announce today."

Everyone held their breath and listened intently; the hall was so quiet you could hear a pin drop.

Liu Xie continued, “Yizhou is an important place, concerning the stability of the country and the well-being of the people. The former governor of Yizhou, Liu Zhang, although he had the will to govern, was old and his energy was not what it used to be. After careful consideration, I have decided to let Liu Xun succeed him as governor of Yizhou, hoping that he can revitalize Yizhou and bring benefits to the region!”

These words immediately caused an uproar in the hall. Some officials looked surprised, while others lowered their heads in thought. Liu Xun himself was both surprised and delighted, and for a moment he was at a loss for words.

After Liu Zhang returned home last night, he did not tell his son the news. When the news was suddenly announced to him in public, Liu Xun was very surprised and delighted.

Liu Xie slightly raised his hand, signaling everyone to be quiet, then looked at Liu Xun and said, "Liu Xun, what do you think?"

Liu Xun hurriedly knelt down and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty's great favor is truly appreciated. Your humble servant will do his utmost to live up to Your Majesty's trust!"

Liu Xie nodded slightly and said, "I know you are young and promising with lofty ambitions. But governing a region is no easy task. You must always remember the heavy responsibility on your shoulders, and prioritize the people and the nation!"

Liu Xun raised his head, remembering every word, and said, "Your Majesty, rest assured, I will be diligent and conscientious, and dare not slack off in the slightest. I will strive to rectify official corruption, develop the people's livelihood, and make Yizhou prosperous and strong."

Liu Xie smiled with satisfaction and praised, "Good! I am very pleased with your determination. But you must remember that the key to good governance lies in employing the right people and accepting advice. When problems arise, you must never act arbitrarily." (End of Chapter)