Reborn Liu Bei: I'll lead this Three Kingdoms to victory!

On the first day of the fifth month of the sixth year of Jian'an, the wheat fields outside Xiangping City were already turning greenish-yellow. When I practiced my spear in the morning, I casually plucked an ear of wheat and rubbed it in my palm—the grains were not yet full, but they were already taking shape. Three months ago, this land was still covered with ice and snow, but now it is thousands of acres of fertile fields. This is probably the true meaning of "spring brings forth life, summer fosters growth".

When he returned to the governor's mansion, Zhuge Liang and Sima Yi were already waiting in the study. Both of them looked tired, but their eyes were bright—the first comprehensive survey after the spring planting had taken place, and they had stayed up all night the previous night.

"Teacher, the data is in." Zhuge Liang handed over a thick ledger. "In the three prefectures and sixteen counties of Liaodong, 468,000 mu of new farmland were reclaimed this spring. Adding the existing cultivated land, the total is 1,270,000 mu. At 1.5 shi per mu, the autumn harvest will yield 1.9 million shi of grain."

"What about the population?"

"There are 113,000 registered households and 476,000 people." Zhuge Liang paused, "Among them, there are 32,000 newly relocated households and 134,000 people—most of whom come from Ji Province."

Sima Yi added: "The resettlement of displaced people is nearing completion. In accordance with the policy of 'land distribution to households and three years of tax exemption' set by our lord, more than 90% of families have received their land deeds and have begun building houses. According to statistics from the agricultural promotion offices in various counties, this spring, 3,200 oxen, 50,000 agricultural tools, and 70,000 shi of seeds were distributed... without any shortage."

I quickly flipped through the ledgers. The data was detailed, the entries were clear, and even the special circumstances of each county were noted: for example, Liaoyang County had many swamps and drainage problems; Xiangping County had many newly relocated households and housing was in short supply; Lelang County was near the sea and needed to prepare for typhoons...

"Well done." I closed the ledger. "But it's not enough. There are three things to do before the harvest."

The two stood at attention and listened.

"First, water conservancy." I unfolded a map of the Liaodong water system. "Spring plowing depends on the heavens, and summer growth depends on water. We have just experienced a drought, and we cannot always rely on the heavens for mercy. Kongming, you lead people to survey the area and build sluice gates and dig ditches in the main rivers. The money will come from the revenue of the salt and iron monopoly, and the manpower... will be transferred from the New Army's agricultural settlements, to train them through work."

"The student obeys."

"Second, storage." I looked at Sima Yi. "When the autumn harvest comes, we need a place to store it. The existing official granaries in Liaodong have a capacity of less than one million shi (a unit of dry measure), so we need to expand them to at least two million shi. Zhongda, you go and oversee this. Within three months, every county must have a new granary—remember, it must be moisture-proof, rodent-proof, and fire-proof."

"promise."

"Third..." I paused, "the assessment of officials. Spring plowing is over, it's time to see how our county magistrates, assistant magistrates, and clerks have performed. Establish 'Inspectorate Commissioners' to inspect each prefecture in three routes. Reward the excellent, punish the poor, and eliminate the mediocre."

Zhuge Liang asked, "Who should be the inspector...?"

"You and Zhongda will each lead one route, and Tianyu will lead another," I said. "Each route will be equipped with fifty guards and two clerks. We will depart in ten days and the journey will last for one month."

The two exchanged a glance, both seeing the gravity in each other's eyes—this was the first time they had independently exercised their supervisory power.

Just then, a personal guard came to report: "My lord, an urgent report from the medical school: the smallpox outbreak... is under control."

I felt a sense of relief: "Tell me in detail."

"Mr. Hua used a new prescription, and of the thirty-seven patients, twenty-eight have recovered, five have improved, and only four..." the soldier's voice trailed off, "...passed away. Furthermore, the epidemic has not spread, and the medical school can reopen tomorrow."

"Alright!" I stood up. "Prepare the horses, let's go to the medical school."

The medical school was still heavily guarded, but the atmosphere was no longer as oppressive as it had been two weeks ago. Hua Tuo personally greeted them at the door, looking tired but relaxed.

"My lord, I have not failed in my mission."

"Thank you for your hard work." I followed him into the isolation area. In the ward, recovered patients were packing their belongings. They tried to kneel down when they saw me, but I stopped them.

"Go home and rest well," I said. "If you encounter any difficulties at home, go to the county government office—the government will help you through this crisis."

Everyone was moved to tears.

Hua Tuo led me to the back room, where Kong Shao and Fu Shou were organizing medical records. The two children had also been exhausted over the past two weeks; their little faces had thinned, but their eyes were still bright and sparkling.

"My lord, these are the records of recovered patients." Kong Shao handed over a thick stack of papers. "Following Mr. Hua's instructions, I have recorded each person's symptoms, medications, and reactions. I have found that... those who develop rashes quickly also recover quickly; and those whose rashes fully develop have fewer aftereffects."

I took it and looked through it. The handwriting was neat, the records were detailed, and there were even simple charts for comparison—this kid was born to do research.

"Well done." I patted his head. "And Fu Shou?"

The young girl peeked out from behind the medicine cabinet, holding several ceramic jars in her hands: "The students are organizing the medicinal herbs. Mr. Hua said that the ratio of Coptis chinensis to Scutellaria baicalensis in the 'Huanglian Jiedu Tang' we are using this time is crucial—the students tried three different ratios and found that a 3:2 ratio was the most effective."

Hua Tuo chuckled from the side, "These two children are destined for medicine. Especially Fu Shou, who is incredibly meticulous and never makes a mistake when dispensing medicine."

I felt relieved, but also a little sad. If their family hadn't been destroyed, they should have been enjoying the company of their parents, instead of growing up prematurely in this place with its pungent smell of medicine.

Before leaving, I asked Hua Tuo, "What insights have you gained from this epidemic?"

The old doctor pondered for a moment: "There are three. First, the isolation was effective—if it hadn't been for the timely lockdown, a major epidemic would have occurred. Second, sufficient reserves of medicinal herbs are essential; we almost ran out of Coptis chinensis this time. Third..." He looked at his two apprentices, "We need to train more doctors. If every county had someone knowledgeable in medicine, we wouldn't be in this situation."

"Approved," I said. "Starting after the autumn harvest, 'medical officers' will be appointed in each county, with apprentices selected from medical colleges to serve in these positions. Their salaries will be paid by the government, and their duties will include epidemic prevention, treatment of diseases, and dissemination of medical knowledge."

"Your Majesty is wise!" Hua Tuo exclaimed, his voice trembling with excitement. "This is a blessing upon all living beings!"

After leaving the medical school, I headed straight for the North City Wharf—today was the day the shipbuilding craftsmen from Jiangdong would arrive.

Five large ships were already moored at the dock, their hulls adorned with the Vermilion Bird motif of Jiangdong. Zhou Cang was leading his men to unload the cargo. Seeing me arrive, he grinned broadly: "My lord! All twenty craftsmen have arrived! And five large ships full of timber, tung oil, hemp rope... enough for us to build ten multi-storied warships!"

I looked at the craftsmen disembarking. Most of them were men in their thirties or forties, with dark skin and rough hands, clearly seasoned veterans who had worked with wood for many years.

The leader was an elderly craftsman in his fifties, surnamed Huang, the master craftsman of the Jiangdong Shipyard. After bowing, he asked directly, "My lord, where is the shipyard? The timber needs to be air-dried; there can be no delay."

"I'll take you there now." I led the way myself.

The newly built dock is located at the mouth of the Liao River, nestled against the mountain and facing the water, covering an area of ​​100 acres. The dry dock, thirty zhang long, has already been dug, and next to it are workshops, material yards, and blacksmith shops. Ma Jun is also here—after the workshop matter was settled, I asked him to come and assist with shipbuilding.

As soon as Master Huang entered the dock, his eyes lit up: "Great place! The water is deep enough, it's sheltered from the wind, and there's a mountain to block the north wind... It's no worse than the docks in Jiankang."

He immediately began giving instructions: "The timber should be sorted by size. Pine will be used for the planks, camphor for the keel, and hardwood for the masts... The tung oil should be stored in the cellar to protect it from the sun. Also, the craftsmen's quarters should be close to the dock, with three shifts so that the work never stops."

Ma Jun took notes from the side, occasionally asking questions such as, "Master Huang, why is the curvature of the keel so large?"

"To withstand wind and waves." Master Huang gestured to the name, "When the wind is strong at sea, the boat needs to 'bow its back' to stay stable. Your boats in Liaodong are too straight, and they sway when they encounter wind and waves."

"Then, what about the sail? The square sail we're using now..."

"We need to change to triangular sails." Master Huang said decisively. "Use square sails with the wind and triangular sails against the wind—this is a closely guarded secret of our Jiangdong navy, but General Gongjin instructed that I can teach you."

I secretly admired Zhou Yu's magnanimity. The blueprints for the warships and the technology for the triangular sails were the lifeblood of the navy, and the fact that he was willing to give them up showed that Jiangdong valued this alliance far more than expected.

After arranging for the craftsmen, I called Zhou Cang aside: "How is the naval training going?"

"As ordered by our lord, we selected three thousand soldiers skilled in water combat, and they are currently practicing sail handling and rowing." Zhou Cang scratched his head. "The problem is... the northerners are not used to naval warfare, and they get seasick as soon as they get on the boat. After half a month of training, half of them are still seasick."

"Then practice more," I said. "Before the autumn flood season, I want to see a navy that can go out to sea—not necessarily a great fighter, but at least capable of transporting troops and supplies."

"promise!"

It was dusk when we returned to the city from the dock.

Passing by the recruit camp, I heard deafening battle cries inside. I had my personal guards wait outside while I climbed the camp wall alone to watch.

A combat exercise was underway. Gao Shun divided the new army into two teams of six thousand men each, red and blue, to simulate a siege. The red team defended, and the blue team attacked—they used wooden swords and spears covered with cloth, but the fighting was truly fierce.

I watched for a while and nodded to myself.

After being reorganized, the new army's coordination became noticeably smoother. Infantry formed ranks, archers provided cover, and cavalry patrolled... Although weaknesses remained, they were no longer a disorganized rabble. In particular, the command of several young officers was quite methodical.

After the exercise concluded, Gao Shun gave a speech.

"Red Team Three, your attack on the city gate was disjointed, resulting in the breach of your flank—your team leader will be punished with twenty strokes of the cane! Blue Team Archer Battalion, your arrow coverage was too slow, missing the optimal opportunity—all of you, extra training!"

The punished officers gritted their teeth and accepted the order; none of them objected.

As I descended the camp wall, Gao Shun saw me and hurriedly bowed.

"Instructor Gao, you've practiced well."

"Thank you, my lord." Gao Shun wiped his sweat. "But we are still far from good enough. If we really went to the battlefield, soldiers like these would die a terrible death."

"So we need to train." I patted him on the shoulder. "Three months from now, we'll have another exercise—I want to see soldiers who can fight tough battles."

"This humble general will certainly not fail in his duty!"

On the way back to the mansion, I kept thinking about Gao Shun's words.

Soldiers capable of fighting tough battles... still need to be tempered in blood and fire. But now is not the time.

On May 15th, the inspector set off.

The three groups of people gathered at the East Gate. Zhuge Liang led the northern route, inspecting Liaodong Commandery and Lelang Commandery; Sima Yi led the western route, inspecting Youbeiping and Yuyang; and Tian Yu led the southern route, inspecting Qingzhou and Xuzhou—in fact, Tian Yu was most familiar with Qingzhou and Xuzhou, so it was most appropriate to send him.

I prepared a bronze plaque for each person, with the words "Inspector General" engraved on it and "Execution first, report later, by royal decree" on the back.

"Remember these three things," I instructed in front of everyone. "First, verify the facts. Don't wrong an innocent person, but don't let a corrupt official get away with it either. Second, understand the people's sentiments. Listen to what the common people have to say; it's more useful than looking at the accounts. Third... take care of yourself and come back safely."

The three men solemnly accepted the order and each led their teams to set off.

Watching their retreating figures, Xu Shu murmured, "My lord, isn't it too early to let the young master and Zhongda take charge on their own?"

"It's getting late." I shook my head. "Even fledglings have to leave the nest. Besides... with Tian Yu watching over things, nothing serious will happen."

"That road to Kanda Bessou..."

"I know what you're trying to say," I interrupted him. "Tian Mao's matter is in the past. If Tian Yu can't even get past this, he's not fit to be my adjutant."

Xu Shu said no more.

For the next month, Xiangping City was much quieter.

Every day I review official documents, inspect various government offices, and occasionally go to the academy to listen to Zheng Xuan's lectures. The old gentleman is currently compiling "The Correct Meaning of the Five Classics," saying that he wants to establish a definitive version for the imperial examinations in Liaodong—I fully support this project and have allocated special funds and scribes for it.

On May 25th, the medical school officially reopened.

Hua Tuo, along with all his medical apprentices, held a memorial ceremony at the entrance of the hospital to comfort the souls of the deceased. Kong Shao and Fu Shou also participated; the two children, dressed in plain clothes, looked solemn.

After the memorial service, I privately asked Hua Tuo, "Have the families of the two children who died been taken care of?"

"As the lord instructed, each family will receive a stipend of twenty shi of grain and ten bolts of cloth, and will be exempt from taxes for three years." Hua Tuo sighed, "However... the dead cannot be brought back to life. I have practiced medicine for forty years, and every time I send a patient off, I feel that my skills are still lacking."

"Sir, there's no need to blame yourself," I said. "An epidemic is like a natural disaster; it's fortunate that it was brought under control. Next, we must implement the 'medical officer system' effectively so that more people can survive."

"Our lord is benevolent."

On the first day of June, the first wave of reports from the inspection tour arrived.

It was sent by Zhuge Liang from Liaodong Commandery. The letter was very long and reported in detail on the situation in each county: whether the officials were diligent in their duties, whether the taxes were fair, whether wrongful convictions had been overturned... It also included more than a dozen impeachment memorials, all of which were verified cases of corruption.

I carefully reviewed and annotated my opinions on how to handle the cases. Those who should be dismissed were dismissed, those who should be arrested were arrested, and those who should be promoted were promoted—without any leniency.

On the tenth day of the sixth month, Sima Yi's report arrived.

He investigated in greater detail, even taking inventory of the grain, weapons, and horses stored in each county. His report mentioned that after the Tian Mao case, officials in Yuyang Prefecture were living in fear, and administration was nearly paralyzed. He suggested selecting students from the academies to fill the vacancies.

I approved. However, before the new official takes office, he must undergo intensive training for half a month, with Tian Yu personally giving a lecture on "The Way of Being an Official".

On June 20th, Tian Yu's report finally arrived.

This veteran official truly lived up to his reputation as a capable administrator; he not only investigated the problems but also proposed solutions. The powerful clans in Qing and Xu prefectures were deeply entrenched, so he suggested a "boiling frog" approach—first, win over the smaller clans while isolating the larger ones, and then gradually implement a land survey.

I wholeheartedly agree and issued the following instruction: Implement this policy, but be careful to exercise restraint and avoid provoking a popular uprising.

On June 30, the three circuit inspectors returned one after another.

At the performance review meeting, Zhuge Liang, Sima Yi, and Tian Yu reported in turn. Below them sat the prefects and magistrates of various counties, all sitting upright and not daring to break a sweat.

The briefing lasted all day. At the end, I announced the disciplinary decisions: seven people were dismissed, three were imprisoned, fifteen were commended, and nine were transferred to other positions.

"From today onwards, I hope you all will behave yourselves." I scanned the entire room. "Liaodong does not support idle officials, much less corrupt ones. Those who want to do things, I will give you a stage; those who want to make money... get out of here as soon as possible."

Everyone was awed.

After the meeting, I kept the three inspectors behind.

"What insights did you gain from this assignment?"

Zhuge Liang spoke first: "I deeply feel that governing the people is like weaving silk; if one thread is messed up, the whole thing will be in chaos. The county magistrate is an official who is close to the people; if he is chosen well, the county will be at peace; if he is chosen poorly, the people will suffer."

Sima Yi then said, "I have observed that the implementation of government orders varies from place to place. Your Majesty's new policies are 80% effective in Xiangping, but only 30% effective in the border counties—the losses in between are too great. We should establish 'Supervisors' to oversee the implementation of government orders."

Tian Yu concluded: "The threat of powerful local magnates is greater than that of foreign enemies. They have been operating in the region for generations and are deeply entrenched. Forcibly implementing new policies will inevitably backfire. We should proceed cautiously."

I wrote them down one by one.

"You're all right," I said slowly. "So, we need to do three things: First, set up a 'County Magistrate Training Class,' held quarterly, taught by Zheng Xuan and Tian Yu; second, establish a Supervisory Office under Xu Shu's jurisdiction; and third, deal with the powerful clans... divide and rule them. We'll discuss the details tomorrow."

After the three men left, I went into the courtyard.

In July, the night breeze in Liaodong already carries a chill.

Looking up at the starry sky, I suddenly recalled a sentence I read before I traveled through time: "Governing with virtue is like the North Star, which remains in its place while all the other stars revolve around it."

Virtue... Benevolent governance is virtue, and so is the rule of law. In times of chaos, the greatest virtue is ensuring that people have enough to eat, clothes to wear, and are not bullied.

The sound of a night watchman's drum came from afar.

It's past midnight.

I took a deep breath, turned around, and went back into the house.

There's still more to do tomorrow.

And autumn is coming.