The elite did not migrate south

Chapter 444 Fishing Strategy
Chen Qian was stunned for a moment before he suddenly realized.

Cao Mao, however, was still bewildered. He asked puzzledly, "What does Shi Ji mean?"

"Didn't you just praise General Wang's strategy? Why do you want me to give him orders and urge him to advance?"

Zhong Hui laughed and said, "Your Majesty, this is not for General Wang to see, this is for Wu and Shu to see."

"General Wang has been in Xiangyang for many years, and the people of Wu know him very well. After he takes Jiangbei, the people of Wu will surely assume that he will halt his advance and devote all his efforts to defense."

"But if His Majesty issues an imperial decree, then the situation will be different. Neither Wu nor Shu will take this matter lightly."

"It's just one imperial edict, but it can delay them for quite some time. In order to maintain the army against General Wang's advance, their expenditure will not be small."

"If there's a chance, we can't let them get too comfortable. We have to make them feel threatened from time to time."

"In the past, I proposed the strategy of urging Shu to act quickly while Wu took it easy. Now, thanks to Sun Chen, Wu's internal conflicts have been greatly alleviated. The new emperor has easily united them. The loss of Jiangbei has made them even more hesitant to engage in internal strife."

"So, it's time to adopt a new strategy, which I call 'sometimes fast, sometimes slow.'"

"Your Majesty, taking Jiangbei is like holding the throat of Shu and Wu. If you keep rushing, you will lose your strength. If you keep slowing down, you will lose your power. Alternating between rushing and slowing down is the most fatal."

Zhong Hui narrowed his eyes, his face full of pride.

Cao Mao suddenly realized, "So that's how it is!!"

He couldn't help but think in his heart, this is not a quick and slow strategy, this is a fishing strategy, loosen and then tighten, pull a little bit, finally make the fish have no strength left, and then quickly reel in the hook.

"As expected of Shiji! Just as Shiji said!"

Zhong Hui was very busy during this period. Many domestic affairs depended on him. He had to be involved in decision-making, come up with strategic ideas, and do things.

But Zhong Hui still enjoyed it.

"Shiji, what do you think about the renting of crops I mentioned to you earlier?"

Cao Mao asked about the farmland system again.

After participating in the decision-making, Zhong Hui went to conduct an investigation. He first went to the Ministry of Works to check the results of Huainan.

Changing the plow shaft from a straight one to a curved one can greatly increase efficiency. This is not a difficult technology, nor does it require too much cost. Although the number of parts increases, it is not a big deal for the official system of organizing farming like the Wei Dynasty.

And the dump truck and the like are considered magical tools in agriculture.

Zhong Hui then spoke up, "Your Majesty, Huainan's grain production has indeed increased thanks to the new tools. However, the improvement of the plow from a short-arm to a long-arm one has benefited Huainan's abundance of rice. However, in Hebei and other places, where the people mostly grow wheat and millet, the benefits of these tools may not be as apparent. The same goes for other things; different regions have different tools available."

"The reason it failed to become popular in the past was not just because no one was willing to do so, but also because it was not suitable for certain places."

Cao Mao nodded and said, "Shi Ji is right."

Zhong Hui then added, "However, I have also consulted Minister Lu to inquire about this matter."

"Minister Lu believes that Your Majesty's idea is feasible. While it will lead to a reduction in taxes on the surface, the cost of military farming is still increasing. The problems in various places are too numerous to list. They submit reports every year. The cost of repairing farm tools alone is close to the cost of purchasing the same amount of farm tools."

"Lu Shangshu believes that if the public land can be rented to the original farmers, the need for military farms can be reduced, and the people can be encouraged to be diligent, the income and expenditure can be maintained without being greatly affected."

Cao Mao didn't know what to say for a moment.

The Wei Dynasty was full of corruption and the same was true for the military farming department. Don't think that all the people in the military farming department were people like Deng Ai. This department had a lot of income. If they were "dedicated to running it", they could gain more profits than local officials. After all, they had the final say on how many farm tools were needed, how many seeds were needed, and how much to produce.

If it is rented to the people, the military farming department will have less room to intervene, and after the cost of the government is reduced, the impact on the finances will not be too great.

Of course, there is definitely an impact.

After hearing the conversation between the two, Chen Qian was a little confused. He had never participated in the eunuch meeting and was completely unaware of this matter.

But he didn't dare to ask.

Zhong Hui continued, "Your Majesty, this may not be a bad thing. This incident may not have any impact on the officials of Wu and Shu, but if their farmers knew about it..."

"I'm afraid that more and more refugees will come to my Great Wei."

Cao Mao asked, "Then who do you think should be entrusted with this matter?"

"Lu Shangshu can."

Zhong Hui answered very straightforwardly.

Cao Mao was a little surprised. It was the first time he saw a minister gain Zhong Hui's approval so quickly.

After letting the two men leave, Cao Mao decided to go to the Secretariat to find Lu Zhi in person. Zhang Hua also quickly prepared a carriage, and Cao Mao changed into thick clothes and left the Taiji Hall.

Zhang Hua was also forcibly pulled into the carriage by him.

"I haven't seen many famous scholars for quite some time. Even Ruan Ji claimed to be ill and couldn't come. What are they doing now?"

Zhang Hua reported truthfully, "Your Majesty, with the exception of Shan Tao, the others spend the entire day together, writing poems and essays, never discussing state affairs. This is just like the days of Sima Shi."

There was only him and Cao Mao here, so he addressed Sima Shi by his name.

Cao Mao couldn't help but sigh: "I never thought that one day I would become a person like Sima Shi, forcing them to retreat from the world and enjoy themselves."

Zhang Hua was somewhat dissatisfied with this. He said, "Your Majesty, I once respected them as men of character. I thought they were unwilling to submit to power. Although they didn't dare to stand up for themselves, they could still be considered righteous men. But now it seems that this is all they deserve to be praised for. They are not fit to govern the world."

"Your Majesty, do not worry about these people. Let them go. There will always be people willing to serve the king."

Cao Mao glanced at Zhang Hua and said, "But I remember that Maoxian was with them."

"I have literary talent, but it is not used for strategic planning."

Zhang Hua replied calmly.

Zhang Hua initially had a very good relationship with these celebrities because he had great literary talent and his essays were very outstanding, which were recognized by the celebrities.

However, Zhang Hua is different from them after all. Zhang Hua is a person who can do practical things and is willing to do practical things.

Cao Mao jokingly said, "These are all noble and famous scholars. How could Maoxian be so rude?"

"Today's famous scholars are self-important, disdainful of etiquette and laws, and aloof from worldly matters. In reality, this is all due to their wealth. If they were born into a family like mine, relying on sheepherding for a living, I don't think they would be as aloof and aloof as they are today."

Cao Mao couldn't help laughing, "What you said makes some sense."

The Shangshu Tai is no longer the same as it used to be. At first, there was a sense of tranquility and peace. Although it was a department that handled practical matters, the officials all looked unhurried. But now, officials of all ranks are coming in and out, and heated debates can be heard from all over the place. It finally looks like a place where work can be done.

Cao Mao didn't want to alarm too many people, but his appearance here still made all the ministers stop what they were doing and come to pay their respects.

Cao Mao asked them to continue working and only left Lu Zhi alone.

Lu Zhi is similar to Zhang Hua.

They both come from wealthy families and their ancestors were once wealthy.

But by their generation, they had become the poorest of the poor.

When Lu Zhi was very young, his father was killed by the warlord Guo Si. From then on, he became homeless and had to make a living everywhere.

At the age of seventeen, he finally settled down in Yongzhou and began to study.

It was because he had experienced the sufferings of the people and knew the lives of the lower classes that Lu Zhi became an alternative famous official of the Wei and Jin Dynasties. He was honest, compassionate to the people, and excellent in governance. When he governed Tianshui, he dealt with local bandits, established markets, sheltered merchants, and appeased the people. In the end, even the local Qiang and Hu were grateful to him, and there was never a rebellion. This was a very rare achievement in Liangzhou.

When Cao Shuang was about to surrender, Lu Zhi tried hard to persuade him not to surrender, but Cao Shuang did not listen to him. Later, when Sima Yi wanted to punish him, he was not afraid at all and did not lose his integrity.

Sima Yi respected his character and talents very much, so he specially pardoned him.

He was very honest throughout his life. In the end, even Sima Anshi could no longer bear it and felt that he was living too hard, as if he had neglected a wise minister. So, Anshi built him a mansion with fifty rooms and gave him a large amount of money and carriages every year.

This made Lu Zhi very helpless, so he had to write a letter saying that he was old and wanted to return home.

The most puzzling thing is that after Lu Zhi died, An Shi personally sent him a large number of burial objects and a hundred acres of burial land. This old man who had lived an honest life had a burial land that was more luxurious than those of the corrupt officials.
Anyway, it is quite difficult to be an honest official under Anshi's command, but he is really generous.

Cao Mao smiled and said, "Today, Shi Ji told me about you. I learned that you had some suggestions on farming, so I came to ask for your advice."

Although Lu Zhi didn't know why the emperor valued him, he was a strong-willed person and had no taboos. He immediately recounted his conversation with Zhong Hui to Cao Mao.

"Hahaha, our country has a great sage. What I learned from you today is truly more exciting than General Wang's victory report!"

"I will completely hand this matter over to you. All departments of the Secretariat should fully cooperate."

Lu Zhi still looked a little confused.

"Your Majesty, I only said a few words, I don't know the general idea."

"No problem. I'll tell you my specific ideas now. From now on, you can handle everything on your own. I won't interfere!"

(End of this chapter)