The Three Kingdoms: The entire Cao Cao camp thought I was weak and frail.

"Brother Wenruo, you are mistaken." Cheng Yu, true to his reputation as someone who could use human flesh as provisions, was ruthless. "If we don't kill them, are we supposed to let them go? Once these people disperse into the countryside, they will immediately gather in the mountains and forests, becoming bandits again and wreaking havoc on the area. At that time, it will take several times the manpower to wipe them out, which would be a losing proposition."

Xun Yu ignored his provocation and turned to Cao Cao, saying each word carefully: "Among the surrendered soldiers, there is a mixture of good and bad. There are kind people who were coerced, and there are also vicious criminals. There are the old, weak, women and children, and there are also strong and elite soldiers. How can we generalize and kill them all?"

"Then what should we do according to Zhongde's suggestion?" Cao Cao asked.

"disperse."

"Disperse them?" Xun You frowned. "The land of Yanzhou is now filled with starving people for thousands of miles. Dispersing them would be no different from killing them."

"It is precisely to let them fend for themselves." Cheng Yu's voice was cold and hard as iron. "Our army will only declare that we are unable to provide for them and will let them return to their hometowns. Whether they die on the road or starve to death in the wilderness, it is none of our business. The world will only say that our lord is powerless, not that he is heartless."

"As for the remaining able-bodied men," he paused, a hint of coldness creeping in, "they can be organized into suicide squads, used as vanguards in sieges and raids. With more than half lost, those remaining are the truly usable elite. In this way, we both reduce the population and filter out the source of soldiers, killing two birds with one stone."

Xun Yu's expression grew increasingly grim. "Yanzhou has been plagued by war for years, and six or seven out of ten of the lands are now abandoned. The people are displaced, not because they have no land to cultivate, but because they lack the strength to cultivate it and have no seeds to sow."

"Most of these 10,000-plus Yellow Turban prisoners were bankrupt self-sufficient farmers. They weren't born bandits; they just couldn't survive. Rather than killing them or using them as expendable resources, it's better to give them a way to live, and also give Yanzhou a way to live."

His voice echoed in the silent council chamber, as he tried to persuade the crowd.

"These prisoners can be reorganized into squads of five and platoons of ten. Veteran soldiers from the army will be sent to guard them and they will be settled on wasteland owned by the government. The government will provide farming tools, seeds, and basic rations. After the autumn harvest, the government and the farmers will split the harvest 60/40."

"In this way, the problem of resettling prisoners can be solved, and the wasteland can be recultivated to replenish the granaries."

"I call this method 'Qingtian'."

"This prisoner has other uses," Xun Hao added.

"What insightful opinion does Yanruo have?" Cao Cao asked with great interest.

"Does my lord still remember that before the Battle of Puyang, I said I would compensate the people double for the oxen they used for plowing?"

Cao Cao nodded: "Of course I remember."

"Where did the oxen come from now?" Xun Hao asked rhetorically.

Cao Cao was taken aback, then realized what he meant, his eyes gleaming: "You mean...?"

"That's right. The people whose oxen were conscripted can be compensated with the labor of these captives. One person can be sent for every few households. The people deeply resent their burning, killing, and looting in Yanzhou and will not let them leave. But they will be made to cultivate the land, which can provide enough food for one person. In just one or two years, Yanzhou will be full and there will be no more worries about food shortages. After these captives have atoneed for their crimes, they will be allocated land. With land and a way to make a living, they will be obedient and become the most loyal subjects of our lord."

Cao Cao's excitement was palpable. He immediately decided that Xun Yu would be fully responsible for the matter and to implement it immediately. This was not merely about settling prisoners; it was a fundamental plan concerning whether he could gain a foothold in Yanzhou and eventually plot to conquer the world.

After receiving the order, Xun Yu was extremely busy for several days. He needed to inventory the official fields, procure farming tools, allocate seeds, and also select reliable veterans from various camps to manage the "Qingtian" area. Every task was tedious and complex.

That evening, Xun Yu prepared to visit Xun Hao, reminding him to take his medicine on time and get some rest. But as soon as he reached the gate of Xun Hao's courtyard, he heard a suppressed chuckle coming from inside—it was Guo Jia's voice.

Xun Yu stopped in his tracks.

He walked silently to the window and peered inside through the gap in the window paper.

Xun Hao was sitting on the couch, engrossed in reading a scroll of bamboo slips. Guo Jia, meanwhile, was lying unceremoniously on Xun Hao's lap, his head resting on Xun Hao's thigh, also holding a scroll of books and flipping through it idly.

The afterglow of the setting sun shone through the window, bathing the two of them in a warm golden glow. Xun Hao would occasionally lower his head and say something to Guo Jia, who would then look up and respond with a smile.

The scene was so harmonious that it felt incredibly jarring to him, the older brother.

Such close and intimate behavior is utterly inappropriate!

Xun Yu grew angrier the more he thought about it; he felt he couldn't let things continue like this. He had to find a way to separate the two of them.

The next morning, after the meeting ended, Xun Yu stayed behind alone.

"My lord," Xun Yu bowed to Cao Cao, his words earnest, "the 'Qingtian' strategy has been initially implemented, but information is not flowing between the various counties, and the transmission of government orders is often hindered. I believe that we should follow the example of the previous dynasty and establish the position of 'Investigator of Traitors,' to be held by trusted confidants, to inspect the various counties, to convey the people's sentiments to the higher authorities and to transmit government orders to the lower authorities, so as to ensure smooth communication between the prefectures and counties."

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao wholeheartedly agreed: "Wenruo's words are absolutely correct. However, the position of 'spy' carries great responsibility and requires someone with exceptional wisdom and the ability to see through people's hearts. I wonder if Wenruo has any recommendations?"

"Fengxiao, you are fit for this position," Xun Yu said without hesitation.

Cao Cao was somewhat surprised: "Fengxiao? He... he's probably too lazy to go, isn't he?"

In Cao Cao's mind, Guo Jia was the kind of person who would rather sit than stand, and rather lie down than sit. Making him leave Puyang and travel to various counties was worse than killing him.

"It is precisely because Fengxiao dislikes mundane affairs that he is more suitable for this position," Xun Yu explained unhurriedly. "This trip does not require him to handle specific political affairs; he only needs to observe, listen, and make judgments. With Fengxiao's wisdom, he is more than capable of handling this task. Moreover, this trip will last from one month to two or three months, which will be just right for him to relax and avoid being cooped up in the mansion all day, which would be detrimental to his health."

These words were reasonable, and after thinking for a moment, Cao Cao nodded in agreement.

When Guo Jia received the order, his peach blossom eyes, which always held a hint of affection, became as deep as two cold pools.

He inspected various prefectures, conveying the people's sentiments to the emperor and transmitting government orders to the people.

That sounds so grand and dignified.

This job sounds glamorous, but it's actually a tough one. Yanzhou has just gone through a major war, and everything needs to be rebuilt. Even under the lord's rule, the roads between counties are difficult to travel, and bandits are still rampant. It would take at least two or three months to travel this route and return.

The instigator is self-evident.

You, Xun Wenruo, usually maintain the air of a gentleman, remaining calm and collected, but when you strike, you use ruthless moves that kill without a knife.

He turned and walked toward the courtyard where Xun Yu handled official business.