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

On the fifteenth day of the seventh month of the sixth year of Jian'an, the first wheat harvest began in Liaodong.

In the thousand-acre demonstration field south of Xiangping City, I personally rolled up my sleeves and accepted the sickle handed to me by an old farmer. The blade was sharpened to a gleaming shine, gleaming coldly in the morning light. The ridges of the field were filled with people—officials, scholars, commoners, and even students from the academy had been brought by Zheng Xuan to witness this "opening of the sickle ceremony."

"My lord, you mustn't!" Tian Yu hurriedly stopped him, "Your health is of utmost importance..."

"What do you mean by 'a body of immense value'?" I waved my hand. "Thirty years ago, I also worked in the fields."

He bent down, gripped the wheat stalks tightly, and with a swift stroke of the sickle close to the ground—*snap*, a heavy sheaf of wheat fell into his arm. The ears of wheat were plump; when he rubbed them open, the grains seemed about to burst out.

"Great wheat!" The old farmer's voice trembled with excitement. "The yield per mu... I'm afraid it's more than one and a half shi!"

I handed the sheaf of wheat to Zhuge Liang behind me: "Record it. The first sickle of the demonstration field is estimated to yield two shi per mu."

The boy solemnly accepted the document and began to write it down in his notebook. Cheers erupted around them as the people rushed to their fields—the harvest had begun!

For the next two weeks, the entire Liaodong region was immersed in the joy of a bountiful harvest. In the fields, men, women, and children all pitched in to harvest, bundle, and transport the wheat to the threshing ground. The government organized "mutual aid teams," where soldiers, officials, and students from academies all went to the fields to help out, receiving meals and daily wages.

Every day I rode my horse to inspect the various counties. Everywhere I went, there were golden waves of wheat and tanned, smiling faces. Occasionally I would stop to help elderly farmers carry a few bundles of wheat, or take a child's bowl of water and drink it all down—these details were quietly noted down by the accompanying clerks, and I knew they would write them into stories and pass them down among the people.

But there are always shadows in the dark.

On July 22, an urgent report came from Youbeiping County: a "grass-grabbing" incident had occurred in Xinchang County. Three households of refugees and two local farmers were arguing over land boundaries, and they used sickles, injuring five people.

I immediately dispatched Sima Yi to investigate. Three days later, the results of his investigation were alarming.

"It wasn't a simple argument," the boy reported by candlelight in the basement. "The vagrant who caused the injury is named Wang Er, from Qingzhou. He's been in Liaodong for three months. But I investigated his background—when he was in Qingzhou, he was a tenant farmer for the powerful Li family. And the Li family... is related to the Mi family of Xuzhou by marriage."

"Mi Fang?" I frowned.

"It's not Mi Fang himself, it's his cousin Mi Wei." Sima Yi unfolded a family tree. "Mi Wei owns 3,000 mu of land in Qingzhou. Last year, when we implemented the 'equalization of land tax and poll tax,' he suffered the biggest losses. This Wang Er is very likely someone he sent to cause trouble."

"Where's the evidence?"

"Wang Er's family is still in Qingzhou, being 'looked after' by the Li family," Sima Yi said coldly. "This is taking hostages to force him to do things. Furthermore, I discovered this in Xinchang County—"

He pushed a bag of wheat seeds over. I grabbed a handful and examined it closely; the wheat grains were black, mixed with small brown particles.

"This is..."

"The wheat seeds are moldy and mixed with weed seeds," Sima Yi said. "If they are planted, at best the yield will be reduced, at worst the entire crop will be lost. These seeds were obtained from the official granary—and the granary clerk was recommended by Mi Wei."

I close my eyes.

The powerful clans' counterattack has finally arrived. Not through open warfare, but through these insidious means—disrupting production, instigating unrest, and shaking their very foundations.

"Have they arrested anyone?"

"We arrested the warehouse clerk, but Wang Er... escaped." Sima Yi paused. "I suspect someone in the county office informed us."

"Investigate." I opened my eyes. "Investigate thoroughly. But remember, don't touch Mi Wei—now is not the time."

"The student understands."

After dealing with that, I went to medical school.

Hua Tuo was explaining the "Shennong's Classic of Materia Medica" to Kong Shao and Fu Shou. When they saw me arrive, the two children stood up and bowed.

"My lord, you've come at the perfect time." Hua Tuo pointed to several medicinal herbs on the table. "These two children have discovered that the Scutellaria baicalensis produced in Liaodong is 30% more potent than that from the Central Plains. I'd like them to write a 'Record of Liaodong Herbs' to record all the unique medicinal herbs found in this region."

"That's great," I praised. "What kind of support do you need?"

"We need people to go into the mountains to collect herbs, and we also need people who know how to draw to sketch the shapes of the herbs." Hua Tuo looked at me. "Are there any students in the academy who can draw?"

I thought for a moment and said, "Yes. I'll send a few over tomorrow."

Kong Shao suddenly spoke up: "Your Excellency, I... would like to ask you something."

"explain."

"If someone deliberately poisons the grain, harming not just one person, but an entire village... what should the punishment be?"

A thought struck me: "Why ask this?"

"The other day, a patient vomited and had diarrhea after eating the new wheat," Kong Shao said earnestly. "I and Mr. Hua went to see him. It wasn't an epidemic; the wheat was mixed with moldy seeds. There were also a dozen or so households in the village that ate it, but fortunately, their conditions weren't serious. I think... if someone did this intentionally, that would be murder."

I looked at this seven-year-old child. There was a seriousness in his eyes that was beyond his years.

"According to the law, those who poison others shall be beheaded," I said slowly. "Those who harm many people shall have their entire clan exterminated."

"Then... what if the person who poisoned you was forced into it?" Fu Shou asked softly, "For example, if their family members were in someone else's hands..."

I was silent.

Hua Tuo sighed, "These two children are too preoccupied."

"It's not that I'm scheming, it's just that I've seen too much." I patted Fu Shou's head. "Remember this: harming someone is harming someone, whether forced or voluntary, the damage is the same. But when dealing with it, we must distinguish between principal and accomplice—the principal offender should be severely punished, and the accomplice... should be dealt with according to the circumstances."

The two children nodded, seemingly understanding but not quite.

When I left the medical school, I said to Hua Tuo, "Print out their 'Records of Materia Medica of Liaodong' and distribute it to the medical officials in each county. Also... let them go out more and travel, instead of always staying cooped up in the pharmacy."

"I understand."

In early August, the autumn harvest reached its peak.

Granaries across the land began to overflow. Tian Yu was busy every day dispatching vehicles and ships to transport grain to the newly built storage centers. Meanwhile, Zhuge Liang, along with the students of the academy, set up "fair scales" in each county to prevent clerks from deducting from the people's weights—this was an idea conceived by the young man, allowing the students to put their learning into practice and also to supervise the officials.

The effect was remarkable. When the people delivered their grain, they straightened their backs upon seeing the young man in the blue robe of a scholar taking notes. An old farmer even took Zhuge Liang's hand and said, "Young sir, with you here, we feel safe delivering our grain!"

But trouble followed one after another.

On the seventh day of the eighth month, an urgent report came from Lelang County: a great fire had broken out in the county seat, Chaozhou City, destroying three granaries and causing a loss of 50,000 shi of grain. The arsonist was caught on the spot and turned out to be a constable from the county governor's office.

I set off immediately and rushed to the Korean city in three days.

Smoke still rose from the fire, charred wooden beams lay askew, and the air was thick with the smell of burning. The prefect knelt before the ruins, his face ashen.

"What's going on?" I dismounted, my voice as cold as ice.

"My lord...it was my oversight..." the prefect stammered. "That constable was named Liu Qi. He'd worked in the prefecture for five years and was always honest...last night, while he was on night duty, he suddenly poured oil and set it on fire..."

"And the motive?"

"It's...it hasn't been decided yet..."

I walked into the ruins. Beneath the collapsed grain bins, the wheat grains were charred and mixed with the ashes. Fifty thousand bushels of grain, enough to feed ten thousand people for a year.

"Sima Yi," I called out.

The boy stepped out from behind: "The student is here."

"You can interrogate them. You have one day."

Half a day is enough.

Sima Yi left with his men. I ordered the prefect to summon all officials and servants to assemble in front of the government office. More than three hundred people stood there in a dark mass, all with their heads bowed, not daring to utter a word.

"The granary was burned down, and 50,000 shi of grain were reduced to ashes." I said slowly, "This grain was saved from the mouths of the people. Now that it's gone, some people will starve to death this winter."

Some people in the crowd started to tremble.

"I know some of you took money, some were coerced, and some just turned a blind eye." I scanned the crowd. "Confess now, and I'll guarantee your family's safety; once it's discovered... your entire family will be implicated."

A deathly silence.

Half an hour later, three men collapsed to the ground, crying and confessing. They were all subordinates of the granary official, who had taken money from the "out-of-town merchants" to reduce the number of sentries around the granary and to make things easier for Liu Qi.

"What do businessmen look like?" I asked.

"They were masked, spoke with a Qingzhou accent... and gave each person ten gold coins..."

It's Qingzhou again.

I had them taken away and waited.

At Shenshi (3-5 PM), Sima Yi returned, holding a confession in his hand.

"Liu Qi confessed everything," the young man said calmly. "He was ordered to do this by a merchant surnamed Li from Beihai, Qingzhou. He promised to give him one hundred gold pieces and send his whole family to Jizhou after the deed was done. Also... Liu Qi's son went missing three months ago, and the Li family said they would 'help take care of him.'"

"The Li family..." I narrowed my eyes, "What's their relationship with Mi Wei?"

"Mi Wei's wife's surname is Li, and she is the daughter of the Li family of Beihai." Sima Yi handed over another document. "This is what I found, the account of Mi Wei and the Li family over the past three years. In one of the entries, in March of this year, the Li family borrowed 5,000 shi of grain from Mi Wei—it was said to be a loan, but it has not been repaid."

I took it and examined it closely. The accounts were very discreet, circulating through three or four middlemen, but the outline was clear: Mi Wei provided the money and grain, the Li family handled the affairs, and the goal was to sabotage the autumn harvest in Liaodong.

"Is the evidence sufficient?"

"Enough to arrest the Li family, but to deal with Mi Wei... it's still a bit short," Sima Yi said. "Mi Wei is very cautious; all his communications are verbal, never in writing. Moreover, his influence in Qingzhou is deeply entrenched. If we were to arrest him directly, it might cause unrest."

I thought for a moment and said, "Then let's arrest the Li family first. As for Mi Wei... let him come out on his own."

On the tenth day of the eighth lunar month, a notice was posted in Lelang County: the arson case had been solved, the main culprit Liu Qi had been beheaded and his head displayed to the public, and the three accomplices had been exiled to the mines. At the same time, the Li family of Beihai was accused of "colluding with bandits and sabotaging agricultural activities," the head of the family, Li Tong, was imprisoned, and his family property was confiscated.

When the news reached Qingzhou, Mi Wei was indeed unable to sit still.

On the night of the Mid-Autumn Festival, August 15th, Mi Fang suddenly requested an audience.

"My lord..." He knelt down as soon as he entered, his face pale. "My elder brother, Mi Wei... sent someone to say that he wishes to see you."

"Oh?" I picked up my teacup. "What are you seeing me for?"

"He said... there was some misunderstanding, and he wanted to explain it in person." Mi Fang's forehead was covered in sweat. "He also said... he was willing to donate 100,000 shi of grain to help Liaodong provide relief to displaced people."

One hundred thousand shi (a unit of dry measure). What a grand gesture!

I put down my teacup: "Zizhong, how many years have we known each other?"

Mi Fang was taken aback: "It's been eight years since Xuzhou."

"Eight years," I said slowly. "How have I treated the Mi family?"

"A debt of gratitude as heavy as a mountain..."

"Then why is your brother opposing me?" I stared at him. "I understand that the land survey affected your interests. But setting fire to grain and harming the people... is that something a human being would do?"

Mi Fang trembled all over: "My lord... my brother is confused! But... he is still my brother... I beg you, my lord, spare his life!"

I remained silent for a long time.

"Let him come to Liaodong," I finally said. "Let's talk it out face-to-face. If he truly has his reasons, I can be lenient. But if he remains obstinate..."

"Thank you, my lord! Thank you, my lord!" Mi Fang kowtowed repeatedly.

On August 20th, Mi Wei arrived in Xiangping.

The old man, in his fifties, was dressed in a silk robe and had a prosperous appearance, but his eyes were darting around. I made him wait in the side hall and deliberately left him waiting for an hour.

Upon entering, he hurriedly rose and bowed, saying, "This humble subject, Mi Wei, greets Your Excellency."

"Sit down," I said casually. "I heard you're going to donate 100,000 shi of grain?"

"Yes, yes." Mi Wei wiped his sweat. "We, the sinners, have heard that Liaodong has taken in refugees, a act of benevolence that has moved Heaven. We wish to do our utmost..."

"No need to beat around the bush," I interrupted him. "Are you aware of the Li family's affairs?"

Mi Wei's expression changed: "The Li family... the criminals only have kinship ties and business dealings with them..."

"Really?" I pushed over the copy of the accounts that Sima Yi had found. "How do you explain this 5,000 shi of grain?"

He picked up the account book and glanced at it, his hands beginning to tremble: "This...this was borrowed from the Li family, they said it was for working capital..."

"Borrowed it and didn't return it, then helped you set fire to your grain?" I sneered. "Mi Wei, do you really think I, Liu Bei, am a fool?"

With a thud, Mi Wei knelt down.

"Your Excellency, spare my life! This sinner...this sinner acted foolishly for a moment!" He cried, tears streaming down his face. "During the land survey, this sinner lost three thousand acres of land...I was resentful, that's why..."

"You want to ruin the autumn harvest in Liaodong and make me, Liu Bei, suffer too?" I looked down at him. "Do you know how many lives those 50,000 shi of grain could save?"

Mi Wei simply kowtowed.

I stared at him for a long time, then suddenly asked, "How much land do you still own in Qingzhou?"

"There are still 5,000 mu..."

"Donate it all and distribute it to the tenants," I said. "Then, you and your family can move to Liaodong. I'll give you fifty acres of land and a house, so you can live a peaceful life—how about that?"

Mi Wei was stunned.

He probably thought I would kill him.

"Your Majesty... will not kill criminals?"

"Killing you is easy," I shook my head. "But what will the powerful families of Qingzhou think if I kill you? 'Look, Liu Bei is going to discard you after you've served your purpose.' What I want is the world, not a few heads."

The old man sat there blankly for a long time, then suddenly burst into tears: "This sinful subject... has failed my lord!"

"Go," I waved my hand. "Get the handover done within ten days. Remember, this is your last chance."

Mi Wei thanked him profusely and withdrew.

Zhuge Liang stepped out from behind the screen and said softly, "Teacher, isn't this approach... a bit too lenient?"

"Is it lenient?" I smiled. "He donated five thousand acres of land and one hundred thousand shi of grain, and even voluntarily moved to Liaodong to live as an ordinary wealthy household—this punishment is worse than beheading. Moreover, other powerful families will think: 'If Mi Wei can live, what are we still doing?'"

The boy suddenly realized: "It's both a warning to others and an excuse..."

"Yes." I got up and walked to the window. "Governing a country is like controlling water; it's better to dredge than to block. Powerful people are a scourge, but they are also a resource—if used well, they can be a help."

On August 25th, Mi Wei's land donation document arrived.

The deed to 5,000 mu of land, the grain coupons for 100,000 shi, and a guarantee of "voluntary relocation to Liaodong" were all given to me. I instructed Zhuge Liang to oversee the distribution of all the land to the original tenants, ten mu per household, with a three-year tax exemption.

The news spread, causing a stir among the powerful families of Qing and Xu prefectures. Some cursed Mi Wei for being spineless, while others secretly inquired about the conditions for relocating to Liaodong—after all, life was more important than land.

The autumn harvest finally came to a complete end in early September.

When the final tally was completed, even Tian Yu's voice trembled with excitement: "My lord... a total of 2.1 million shi of grain has been collected! That exceeds the estimate by 200,000 shi!"

In the academy, Zhuge Liang and his students worked through the night to calculate the figures. They finally confirmed that Liaodong produced 1.5 million shi of grain, and Qing and Xu prefectures contributed 600,000 shi, totaling 2.1 million shi. After deducting military rations, official salaries, and reserves, there was a surplus of 800,000 shi.

"That's enough." I looked at the ledger. "No one will go hungry this winter."

On September 15th, I issued an order: the entire territory would be exempt from taxes for one year. At the same time, granaries were opened and grain was distributed, with each person receiving three dou (a unit of dry measure) of "winter rations," and the amount doubled for the elderly living alone and wounded soldiers.

The line to receive grain stretched for miles. The people carried sacks on their backs, their faces beaming with smiles they hadn't seen in a long time. One old man, after receiving his grain, pulled his grandson along and kowtowed towards the governor's mansion, only to be quickly helped up by the guards.

On the same day, news came from the navy: Zhou Cang had led ten new ships out to sea for training when they encountered a storm, damaging three ships, but there were no casualties among the crew. More importantly—they discovered a near-sea route from Liaodong directly to Qingzhou, five days faster than the land route.

"Good news," I said to Zhou Cang. "Boats can be rebuilt if they break down, but experience is the most valuable asset. Intensify training, and next year I want to see a navy capable of transporting 10,000 troops."

"promise!"

On September 30th, before the first snow fell, I convened a summary meeting with the core civil and military personnel.

"Three major tasks this year: spring planting, autumn harvest, and troop reorganization." I looked around at everyone. "All have been accomplished, and quite well. But this is just the beginning."

Everyone fell silent.

"Next year, we need to do four things." I held up my finger. "First, expand the army to 50,000; second, make sure the navy can control the Bohai Sea; third, fully implement schools in all counties; fourth... prepare to receive refugees from Ji Province—I estimate that Cao Cao will raise taxes again next year."

Tian Yu asked, "My lord, where will the money and provisions come from?"

"The salt and iron monopoly, overseas trade, and..." I looked at Zhuge Liang, "commercial tax. Kongming, you draft a 'Commercial Tax Law,' one that is detailed, fair, and allows merchants to profit, but also requires them to contribute to the country."

"The student obeys."

"Zhongda".

"The students are here."

"Keep digging deeper. Cao Cao won't give up; he definitely has more tricks up his sleeve."

"promise."

After the meeting, I sat alone in my study.

Outside the window, snowflakes were falling.

Fifty-three people died this year—from disease, arson, and accidents. Forty-seven hundred thousand people were saved.

Is this deal...worth it?

I do not know.

But I know that if I don't do it, even more people will die.