Goose Three Kingdoms

Chapter 567: Anguotinghou
In Pingcheng, Black Bear had a rare good night's sleep.

The breakfast was light, and after eating I started to look through official documents.

The investigation of the rebellious powerful families in the six western counties of Youzhou has begun. The reorganized Youzhou knights followed the Five-Colored Flag Knights back to the counties. With the cooperation of the county officials, they searched for the children of the rebellious families and all kinds of property. Even the books hidden in the wall were included in the investigation and confiscation.

He flipped through a scroll of bamboo slips and frowned, "Why hasn't Lu Yu been found yet?"

"Yes, there is only an orphan sister-in-law in his family, and his three nephews have already been taken away by Lord Xuande."

Fa Zheng sat below and narrated: "The Lu family is large, but Lu Yu's lineage did not manage industry, nor did it have troops. The family wealth was meager, less than 100,000 yuan. Before Liu Xuande entered Youzhou, Lu Yu's lineage was weak in manpower and lived on farming, and often had to rely on the help of fellow villagers. When the king was in Ji County, Lu Yu persuaded the elders of Zhuo County to join the Grand Marshal. If it weren't for the Yuan army going north, the powerful people in Zhuo County would not have lost their lives and joined the rebellion."

"This guy is quite insightful. He knew that Yuan Shang was no match for me, so he fled early. But he lacks courage. Will I really kill him?"

Given Lu Zhi's influence, even if Lu Yu appeared openly in front of some Guanzhong officials now, these people would pretend not to know him.

Even if he can't catch it, the black bear doesn't want to deal with this difficult problem.

Black Bear put the bamboo slips from Zhuo County aside and continued, "Liu Xuande has also repeatedly sent letters to plead for his fellow villagers, but Zhuo County is the head of a county. It would be disadvantageous to spare them lightly in the future. Let's do this. Send people to Zhuo County to divide the rebellious tyrants into two, one to move to Taiyuan and the other to Liaoxi."

"How do you want to divide it, Your Majesty?"

Fa Zheng raised his right hand and swung it like a knife, and asked with a smile: "Is it divided into up and down, or left and right?"

"Break the family and divide it in the middle."

Black Bear didn't smile, and continued, "Since Wei Kang is not here, let Yang Xiu draft a letter to tell Lord Xuande about this matter. The matter of Zhuo County ends here, and don't bother about it anymore."

"Yes."

Black Bear picked up another bamboo slip and read: "The Xianyu clan has deep roots. Those who followed the rebellion will be relocated for three generations, and those who were not deeply implicated will be exiled to the eastern counties of Liangzhou. Those who did not follow the rebellion will be ordered to change their surnames to Yu. Otherwise, they will be relocated together. If anyone flees to Liaodong or Jizhou during this period, he will be treated as a traitor and his three clans will be exiled."

In the future expedition to the Western Regions, the four Hexi counties are very important, and not everyone can be sent there.

However, the plan of expedition to the Western Regions may have to be shelved. So many Qiang people fled to the Western Regions, causing great chaos and destroying the original order.

More than a dozen waves of envoys from small countries in the Western Regions have come asking for help, not counting those who were intercepted and killed by the Qiang people on the way.

As for the Western merchant caravans, not a single one came this year as they were all intercepted and killed by the Qiang people.

There were also several princes of the defeated country who fled to the four counties of Hexi with their remnants. They would decide on the follow-up plan only after the situation in the Western Regions became clear.

Black bears also have concerns. With such a huge turmoil and the drastic integration of human races and ethnic groups, they are worried that the plague will breed.

Fortunately, the Qiang people believed in cremation, and the Western Regions were dry in summer and cold in winter, so even if a plague broke out, the damage would be very limited.

Instead of conquering the Western Regions, Zhang Xiu advocated taking the Hehuang Road to capture the raw Qiang.

Black Bear is not planning to participate in this secondary battle and will wait until Liangzhou has sufficient reserves before launching the campaign.

He was busy until noon, and only during lunch time did Black Bear find time to meet Zhang Yan.

Zhang Yan was dressed more formally, wearing a crimson robe and a military cap. He brought with him the population register of his subordinates.

Black Bear studied the general register carefully: "The mountain people have a very hard life. Next year I will send people to recruit workers. I will hire about 8,000 to 10,000 people. The wages will be paid in new five-zhu coins. I hope that the general will not exploit them too much."

"Don't worry, Grand Marshal. I will dispatch capable people to recruit hired workers." "No matter how capable they are, they still need to make money. During the period of employment, the average monthly salary is 200 coins. My bottom line is that the hired workers can take 70% of the wages back home. This money is very useful. If it flows among the people, there will be an endless source of taxes. This is also my offensive against the Yuan family. The only way for the Yuan family to respond is to mint new coins."

Black Bear closed the general register and put it aside, and continued: "The number of filial and honest people under the general's rule is limited to three people. I will select the best ones and recruit them into the shogunate as Cao Yuan, and the rest will be arranged to Chang'an University. In addition, does the general have any other needs?"

“It’s military service related.”

Zhang Yan calmly said, "There are often bandits causing trouble in the mountains and valleys, so there are many local soldiers to defend themselves. I hope to follow the example of Guanzhong and set up a hundred-household station at the dangerous places on the mountain roads, and only station soldiers in the hundred-household station."

He did not want military power, but wanted to use the power of the Grand Marshal's Office to disintegrate the armed forces of the warlords in the mountains and valleys.

So far, he is still the nominal leader of the coalition forces in various places and a big boss, but his direct power is limited and he has not achieved absolute superiority or controlling power.

Black Bear thought with a frown. Seeing Zhang Yan about to speak and take a step back, he raised his hand to interrupt and said, "Of course it's possible. However, I will also send several priests to lead the Taoists to preach in Black Mountain. General, you must ensure their safety. I heard that there are many heretics in the mountains and valleys who use the name of peace to perform blood sacrifices. Originally, I wanted to clear the north and then join forces to eliminate these witches in one fell swoop. Now that the general intends to rectify all places, I will support him with all my strength. General, go ahead and do it. If there are any obstacles, I will dispatch the death-defying soldiers from Hedong and Taiyuan to reinforce the general."

The Montenegrin Army must be reorganized. After the reorganization is completed, the Taihang Mountain defense line will be stable.

Otherwise, we have to always guard against the betrayal or defection of the powerful coaches below us to Hebei. Although it does not affect anything, it is not easy to handle.

Zhang Yan immediately responded: "Yes, I will definitely spread the aspirations of peace and stabilize the people in the mountains."

"Well, don't be greedy for the money and food you get during this period, but train your troops to be elite."

Black Bear picked up his chopsticks and continued, "Liu Xuande is going to conquer the Gongsun clan of Liaodong. With his ability, it is only a matter of time before he can subdue the Dongyi countries in the future. The Dongyi people are fierce, stubborn and strong, and they are the best soldiers in the world. If Liu Xuande gets them, it will be like a tiger with wings, and he will inevitably have great ambitions. The general has lived in Taihang for a long time, and his soldiers are good at raiding mountains and forests. This is my special force to balance the Dongyi in the future."

Zhang Yan also agreed, flattering him, "The Grand Marshal fought fiercely against the rebels in You and Ji, and won every battle. If it comes to fighting in the mountains and forests, how can I claim to be capable of that?"

"Don't be modest. No matter how capable I am, I still rely on the soldiers to die for me. This is not my own achievement."

As he spoke, Black Bear lowered his head to eat wheat rice. The wheat flour was ground and sieved to make it coarse. After mixing with the dough, it was kneaded into small noodles and cooked with fish. After taking a bite and swallowing it, he continued, "The world is vast and unstable. I am only one person. Even if I can travel a thousand miles a day, I can't split myself. To defend the four directions, I still need the general's help."

"I am honored to be able to follow the Grand Marshal in promoting the aspirations of peace. How dare I not do my utmost to serve him?"

Zhang Yan expressed her opinion again in a tactful manner.

Black Bear just smiled, picked up the peeled garlic, motioned Zhang Yan to eat, and said: "This time when I was trapped in a siege and the situation was unclear, the general personally led the army to help me. I will never forget this friendship. I have submitted a petition to the Shangshu Xingtai, hoping to reward the general with the title of Marquis of Anguoting and a fief of 500 households as a reward for his meritorious service."

"Marquis of Anguoting?"

Zhang Yan was stunned for a moment, then he grinned and said, "Thank you, Your Majesty, for your support."

As he said this, he stood up and kowtowed. The previous Marquis of Anguo Ting was Yuan Shao’s elder brother, Yuan Ji, the Grand Coachman, and the previous Marquis of Anguo Ting was also from the Yuan family.

The value of this Marquis of Ting is not determined by the amount of fiefdom, but by the title.

It was purely used to cause trouble for the Yuan family and the scholars headed by the Yuan family.

In the future, anyone who dares to make slanderous comments in public will be arrested and punished.

At the very least, you will be sent to jail and forced to chop wood or repair city walls; in more serious cases, you will be thrown into a mine and there will be no problem.

After the communication was over, Zhang Yan, at the signal of Black Bear, picked up the black pottery bowl and happily ate noodles.

(End of this chapter)