Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 477 Liu Bei: I can overturn the case
On the ninth day of the ninth month, the central army, which had been camped in Xindu for half a year, finally withdrew and set off.

Upon hearing the news, the Jizhou nobles and wealthy families couldn't help but breathe a sigh of relief. They no longer had to worry every day.

As he had handed over his troops and servants to the imperial court, he was left with only slaves and servants at home. Not to mention having to face the most elite cavalry, even the servants with swords and shields in the counties and prefectures became targets that were not easy to provoke.

Although the other side could not wear armor, they also had no armor, and they could not even forge large shields and spears privately.

Ordinary swords and bows and arrows are enough to scare the servants, but behind the county and prefecture stands a group of crude warriors from the military office.

These people are murderous by nature and are always thinking about taking people's heads to gain merit.

Moreover, the soldiers who retired from the military government, having learned hundreds of words in the army, became minor officials in counties and towns after retirement, replacing the uncooperative local gentry.

Especially after the rebellion of the Yuan family and the rebellion of powerful people caused by the land measurement in Jizhou, the military soldiers became more united. All the soldiers and auxiliary soldiers who participated in the distribution of farmland were worried that a clan would rebel again and affect their current lives.

Soldiers and refugees who came from Qingzhou and Yanzhou to settle in Jizhou after receiving military land, as well as the people from Heishan.

They all kept an eye on the movements of clans in various places. The soldiers were afraid of being caught off guard by the other side. Not only would they lose the land they had gained through years of fighting, but even their lives would be lost at the hands of the powerful families.

The refugees were even more afraid that their land would be taken away and they would have to hide in the mountains again.

Fortunately, the hundreds of thousands of people who migrated here had the support of the Han emperor, while the gentry and wealthy families in Jizhou had stood on the wrong side and most of them defected to Yuan Shao, and now they were being persecuted by the governor of Huiling.

As the first local nobles and powerful families to be uprooted in the Han Dynasty, many scholars felt deeply regretful and believed that they should not have opposed the imperial examination system set by the emperor if they had known this would happen.

Why did the emperor come straight to Jizhou? For several years, the scholars of Jizhou had been discussing the issue, arguing that the Han Dynasty should return to the system of selecting filial and honest officials instead of the so-called imperial examinations.

This led to discussions among various states across the country, with countless celebrities participating in the debate.

By the time the imperial order to relocate the mausoleum was issued, the scholars in Jizhou no longer cared about the imperial examination. Their attention was completely focused on relocating their entire families. The imperial examination and serving as an official had become unimportant.

Many scholars never dreamed that Liu Bei knew one thing very well: when implementing an order, one should not think about making concessions but should find a compromise.

It would be better to just lift the roof so that they don't focus on opening the windows.

The Hebei nobles assisted Yuan Shao in attacking Qingzhou but failed to gain anything, and they still wanted to put pressure on him by lobbying scholars and stirring up public opinion.

However, because there had been no wars in the country for four or five years, people had forgotten that he, like Emperor Gaozu, was a true emperor on horseback.

It was already the Jianxing period, and he still wanted to use the same methods he had used against Emperor Huan and Emperor Ling to deal with him, Liu Xuande.

Then let the nobles and powerful families involved in this matter understand what the wrath of thunder and the weight of ten thousand chariots are.

Liu Bei in the carriage felt amused when he thought of the regret that flashed in the eyes of the clan leaders when they said goodbye in Xindu, and the dejected brows on their faces that could not be concealed no matter how well they tried.

The person who can overturn the table of the world at this moment is not the wealthy and powerful families, but Liu Bei himself.

"You are fighting for power and profit, but I just raised my hand slightly. Why do you feel so uncomfortable?"

"Emperors Huan and Ling started the Party Imprisonment Disaster, but you, the scholars of Jizhou, were not so sad. Instead, you pursued fame and reputation and enjoyed the world's reputation." "Now, I do not imprison scholars, but also open up the way for officials. If you do not repay me with kindness, but still complain, then I can only ask you and your family to settle near the Han Dynasty Mausoleum to repay your gratitude."

Liu Bei raised a smile and looked at the few big trees not far from the road. The ground under the trees was covered with yellow leaves, which might fertilize the soil in no time.

The sudden rise of autumn wind is a bleak and chilly season, but it is also a time to nourish the land and wait for future harvest.

……

On September 15th, the army slowly arrived at Pingyuan County, and the local people and descendants of clans such as Liu, Guan, Yan, Yi, and Hua had already been looking forward to it.

Servants from various clans were waiting outside the suburbs early in the morning, pushing ox carts and horse carriages loaded with fine wine and meat.

The people in the plains took out their treasured corn and wheat, meat smoked with firewood, and Pu Tao wine they brewed themselves. They wrapped the pottery jars containing wine and meat with weeds, put them in sacks, and carried them for dozens of miles until they reached the suburbs to welcome the emperor. Only then did they put them down to check if there was any damage.

Since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have often exempted Pingyuan County from various taxes. In addition, Qingzhou does not need to recruit auxiliary soldiers to follow the army, and can stay at home to farm or hunt. Therefore, the people have food reserves, and they can earn an extra three to four thousand coins every year by selling the furs of hunted beasts to passing merchants.

We can live such a good life thanks to the emperor who came to Pingyuan to serve as the county magistrate. Otherwise, many people would have died in the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou and would not have seen peace.

The people all know very well how hard life was in the past, and only now do they understand how rare it is that they have land to cultivate, no officials to levy heavy taxes, and are exempt from taxes. The court not only collects labor service but also provides food and clothing, and pays labor service fees.

"Now Lord Xuande is the emperor. I remember when Lord Xuande first came to Pingyuan to suppress the bandits, he stayed in my courtyard for a night. Time has passed in a flash, and it has been nearly thirteen years. By then, I was already very old. If the Yellow Turban bandits came to attack me, I would have been killed..."

"I didn't expect that thanks to Lord Xuande's grace, I would be able to gain another ten years for free."

Thinking of this, the old man, who was already in his seventies and had white hair and wrinkled face, couldn't help but grin, revealing his few remaining teeth.

"Grandfather, Your Majesty is already the Son of Heaven. According to etiquette, you can no longer be addressed as Lord. This is disrespectful. Please don't bring disaster to my family!"

When the young man who was supporting him heard this, his face suddenly changed. He looked around quickly and saw that no one was coming to bite him.

I immediately breathed a sigh of relief. Fortunately, my grandfather was old and spoke in a much lower voice, otherwise others would have heard it.

By then, not to mention Aweng who is an assistant official in the county, even Zhongfu who is a military officer in the military government will be in trouble.

"I can't hear you clearly!"

"Has Lord Xuande come to Pingyuan? Look at your eyes quickly."

Unexpectedly, just as the young man put aside his worries, his grandfather beside him frowned and asked him loudly.

Damn it, the people around here are too noisy. People from neighboring counties also come to Pingyuan to take advantage of the situation, speaking that familiar yet unfamiliar local dialect, like a buzzing sound.

I've become a little hard of hearing recently and can't hear clearly.

The old man lowered his head and patted his ears, only to find that the noisy crowd had suddenly become silent, with many people looking over in amazement.

(End of this chapter)