Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 81 Eight Buildings
After pacifying everyone, Liu Daogui led them back to the city to rest.

Cao Tengyun and his son Cao Ji hosted a banquet for him. Liu Daogui had been traveling for several days and had a lot of things to do in Lushuibi, so he was in no mood to flatter him.

The root of the refugee problem lies in clans.

These clans formed small groups, making Liu Daogui's eleven buildings useless.

If they grow stronger and take over the reins of the business, it will be hard to say who will own Lushuibi.

So we must take these clans into consideration.

Second, the eleven buildings were redivided and renamed, and the residents were reorganized.

It is best if the flags have distinctive features so that refugees who cannot read or count can recognize them at a glance.

Now he had a total of more than 5,300 refugees and more than 800 households under his command. Liu Daogui simply reduced the eleven buildings to eight, with one hundred households in each building, staggering people with the same surname.

If two brothers in a household get married, they must split into two households. Brothers are not allowed to live in the same family.

For those who are unmarried, as soon as they reach the age, the military government will find them wives.

There are many women of marriageable age in the women's camp. Only when the young and strong get married can they take root in Lushuibei...

After some discussion with Liu Zhong, they decided to set up eight buildings: yellow, black, white, red, brown, blue, purple and green.

Purple is valuable, but it is only used to make a banner, so not much is needed.

Liu Daogui sent Liu Zun to Cao's house overnight to "borrow" some.

"What do you think? Is there anything missing?" Liu Daogui looked at Liu Zhong.

One person's shortcomings are reflected in two people's strengths. Liu Zhong is the most intelligent person in the Liu family.

"What if these refugees don't want to separate?"

"If you don't want to break up, then let's part ways amicably."

Liu Daogui will not indulge them. Kindness cannot command the army, and being too kind cannot command the people.

These people eat and drink their own food and are unwilling to obey their own discipline. How can such a good thing happen in the world?
In any case, the clan must be separated and dispersed to various counties in Lanling in the future.

Although a knife cannot solve all problems, we cannot be without a knife.

"In a few days, I will set up another patrol team, which will be under your control. Those who commit crimes and disobey discipline will be punished according to military law." Liu Daogui will have to travel between Lanling and Guangling in the future, so Lushuibi needs to leave behind a capable person.

Liu Guangzhi guarded Qingguang Village, and Liu Zhong was stationed at Lushui Pond.

Liu Zhong thought for a moment and said, "Killing without teaching is cruelty. It would be better to formulate a law and inform the eight tribes. If anyone violates it, it won't be too late to punish them. The tribes will then be convinced."

Liu Daogui slapped his head and realized that he had missed it.

"I'll leave this matter to you. I have to prepare to send troops to suppress the bandits these days. Those old soldiers followed me north eagerly, not to starve."

"Brother, don't worry."

Although he lost both his parents when he was young and had to live under the care of others, he was also determined to study.

Gao Xun is not here, and Zhao Yuan is an illiterate warrior, so these things can only be handed over to him.

Liu Daogui felt quite tired and went to bed early, but Liu Zhong was still busy under the dim light.

Early the next morning, Liu Daogui opened his eyes and Liu Zhong handed him the written decree.

His eyes were bloodshot, but he was in high spirits.

Article 1 Anyone who kills will be put to death, anyone who fights privately will be expelled, anyone who hides someone will be punished as well, and neighbors who know about the crime but fail to report it will be punished together with the others.

Article 2: Fathers, sons and brothers are prohibited from living in the same family. Those who violate the rules will have their land rent increased by 30%.

3. Those who disobey discipline and disobey the leader of the village or the elders of the village shall be expelled.

4. Anyone who wantonly destroys houses, slaughters livestock, or steals will be beheaded.

5. Those who work slacking off or being lazy every day will be punished with ten lashes as a warning to the public...

There are twelve articles in total, covering almost every aspect of the daily life of the residents.

Each item has been carefully considered and revised over and over again, and it can be seen that a lot of effort has been spent on it.

Punishments were not limited to beheading and expulsion, but also included flogging, increasing land rent, and other methods.

"Great! You should get some sleep first." Liu Daogui hadn't thought of such meticulousness himself. He could rest assured that Lushuibi would be left to him from now on. "As long as it works," Liu Zhong fell asleep.

As soon as he left the room, he heard thunderous snoring from the next room. Liu Daogui went in and patted Liu Zun a few times before he woke up. "Where's the eight-colored flag I wanted?"

Liu Zun was stunned for a long time before waking up, "The Cao family said they would deliver it this morning."

As he was speaking, someone knocked on the door outside the courtyard, "The Cao family has been looking for the things you need to join the army overnight."

It was actually a woman's voice.

The guards opened the door, and in front of it stood a girl of about sixteen or seventeen years old. She had a thorny hairpin stuck in her bun, and was wearing a lilac-colored skirt. She wore no makeup, and her appearance was not particularly beautiful, but she had a fresh feeling of a beautiful girl from a small family.

Liu Daogui couldn't help but take a few more glances.

The girl blushed slightly, "My family has already prepared everything you need to join the army."

Liu quickly took it and said, "Thank you."

The girl bowed, turned around and left, like a spirited deer leaping in the woods in the early morning.

"Tsk tsk, everyone has gone far away, and you're still looking." Liu Zun came over with a pair of big eyes.

"Don't think too much." Liu Daogui had a headache.

But Liu Zun kept on asking, "What about this woman?"

"What?" Liu Daogui asked back.

"Don't worry, leave it to me. Old Cao brought a little girl here early in the morning. Do you still need to guess what he's thinking?"

"What's on you? What the hell are you thinking about all day long?"

Liu Daogui did not have such leisure and elegance as him.

But then again, this woman's speech and behavior didn't seem like a servant of the Cao family. She might really be Cao Tengyun's daughter. Cao Tengyun had his daughter come over so early in the morning to deliver something. He really had ulterior motives...

Liu Daogui looked at Liu Zun. Although this guy looked shabby and rude, he always said something shocking.

"Brother, don't I think about your lifelong event all day long? Your Liu family only has one daughter. My aunt and eldest brother are obsessed with having a son. It's time for you to get married."

The niece was named Liu Xingdi, which shows the expectations of her brother and mother.

The Cao family has 800 households and nearly 1,000 dependent households. All men, women, young and old in the family are capable of taking up arms. If Liu Daogui could marry into the Cao family, it would be helpful for his development in Lanling. In these days, the most solid relationship, besides blood relatives, is in-laws.

We are all tired of being on guard against each other with the Cao family all the time.

Lanling County is located at the junction of Jin, Yan, Zhai, and Wei. To the north is Mount Tai. Bandits are numerous and might rush down the mountain at any time...

"Thank you. There's no rush for this kind of thing. Let's just go with the flow and focus on the big things first."

His interruption made Liu Daogui's thoughts a little confused.

The two men talked as they walked, and led the Northern Army out of the city and rushed to Lushuibi.

Zhao Yuan had gathered all the young and strong men from each building. There were more than 800 households, but only about 1,900 males. They were crowded together and noisy, just like a vegetable market.

Some people pushed and shoved each other, some glared at each other, and some cursed at each other...

Liu Daogui finally realized that when people are hungry, they will only think about one thing, but once they are full, all kinds of things will come to mind.

Regional discrimination is everywhere. People in the mountains look down on those below, and people in the south of the river look down on those in the north of the river.

These refugees from all over the place gathered together, with different customs and languages, so naturally they looked down on each other.

"Here come the soldiers! Here come the soldiers!" The villagers were excited.

Liu Daogui provided them with food and drink and gave them a chance to survive, so most people still remembered his kindness.

"Silence!" Liu Zun roared.

Behind him, five hundred Northern Army soldiers lined up in a row, with their ring-handled swords drawn, full of murderous intent.

Liu Daogui asked Xu Changming, Gou Zhong, Yin Shan, and Hu Jianfu to raise the eight flags and let them flutter in the wind. Under the morning sun, the eight colors of yellow, black, white, red, brown, gray, purple, and green were quite spectacular.

It is also embroidered with various patterns such as honeysuckle, lotus, and linked beads, which give the flag an inexplicable sense of luxury.

I just don't know whether it was arranged by that old guy Cao Tengyun, or whether the young lady from the Cao family acted on her own initiative.

(End of this chapter)