He originally intended to surrender to Wei, so why did he end up restoring Han?

Chapter 85 Development Matters

Lu Wan, with a stern face, spoke slowly and deliberately: "Anyone who breaks the law must be identified. As for those bandit leaders..."

Serious murderers should be dealt with severely and without leniency; those who are forced to engage in illegal activities to make a living should be primarily educated and reformed so that they can return to normal life after correcting their mistakes.

"Now that everything has stabilized, is it necessary to resort to such measures?" Liu Bei was somewhat puzzled. Usually, at this point, things should be more lenient, so why the sudden show of force?

"This is still laying the foundation for future development. Suppressing bandits and cracking down on criminals is the quickest way to win over the hearts of the people. Moreover, our lord has always taken benevolence and virtue as the foundation of his character. If we can eliminate these lawbreakers now, it can be considered as fulfilling our lord's promise of governance from back then."

Lu Wan's actions were certainly not merely for the simple purpose of winning people's hearts; the benefits of cracking down on criminals for Xuzhou were numerous and substantial.

Firstly, it provides a very safe environment for the great commercial development to come. Only a very small number of people would think of risking their lives to make money. At least in the current era and under the influence of feudal culture, there are very few such people.

In addition, there was the strategy that Lu Guan had envisioned long ago: weakening the powerful and influential families. Many bandits didn't arise naturally from the social disorder in Xuzhou, but rather were actively created by the landlords and powerful families who needed a powerful figurehead. Eliminating these bandits would be a very effective way to weaken the local powerful families.

Of course, these are not the only reasons. The threat from Yuan Shao in the north was also a contributing factor. During the Battle of Guandu, Yuan Shao recruited a large number of troops in Runan and other areas behind Cao Cao's territory, causing chaos for Cao Cao. Supplies from Yuzhou simply could not reach the front lines, which was a major reason why Cao Cao was so short of food in the later stages of the war and had to take the risk of raiding Yuan Shao's granaries.

The more you understand Yuan Shao, the more difficult he becomes to deal with. He was truly a major boss in the early Three Kingdoms period; dealing with him meant you didn't need to consider chivalry or honors, and any tactic would be acceptable. Learning from the experience of Li Li's betrayal of Cao Cao, Lu Wan needed to gradually eliminate the unstable elements within Xu Province to ensure that no traitors would appear when fighting Yuan Shao in the future.

In the process of suppressing bandits, we can also train the newly joined soldiers, let them see blood, so that at least in the future they won't be so scared that their legs tremble when they see the enemy.

"I understand. It seems we really need to clean up these insects first before we can make room for the good people to settle down. Who do you think would be the best person to handle this?"

Liu Bei was essentially seeking talent from Lu Wan, but Lu Wan knew that this operation involved coordination and cooperation between multiple commanderies and kingdoms, and that he needed to choose someone who could keep everyone in check.

Lu Wan shook a newly made feather fan and blurted out, "I think Yun Chang is the most suitable. Isn't he in charge of training troops right now? These actual battles are the best training ground."

Guan Yu is now a fully capable commander-in-chief, and is also a recognized leader in Xuzhou. Having him coordinate the efforts of various commanderies and kingdoms in suppressing the bandits will ensure that everyone works towards a common goal.

Other generals either lacked a strategic vision or didn't have enough prestige to command respect, so they had to be set aside for the time being.

However, these people are still suitable as generals to lead troops to the front lines. The specific candidates will be determined after the spring plowing season is over.

Lu Wan was chatting with Liu Bei when she heard a servant outside come to report that Mi Zhu had arrived.

Lu Wan then took the initiative to end the discussion on this topic and picked up her tea, which had long since gone cold, to drink.

This is also a characteristic of Liu Bei's current leadership: information is often not shared between different departments. While this approach will undoubtedly be more beneficial in the future, Liu Bei's regime is currently a small one, and its management style is closer to the flat management structure of later dynasties. Major decisions must be made by Liu Bei, and relevant information is only communicated to key personnel. Changes in this area will certainly be necessary in the future, but the immediate priority is to develop Xuzhou into a model province surpassing all others in the Han Dynasty.

Last night, as soon as Mi Zhu returned home, he ordered his family not to eat raw food. When he closed his eyes that night, his mind was filled with Liu Bei's words, and he felt uneasy all over, as if worms were wriggling inside him. This resulted in Mi Zhu not getting a good night's sleep, hence the prominent dark circles under his eyes: "My lord, what brings you here?"

"What's wrong with Zizhong? Did you not get enough rest last night?"

It's all your fault, my lord! You made it sound so scary, it kept me tossing and turning all night thinking about it.

Mi Zhu naturally dared not say it to his face, so he could only complain in his heart. He quickly got back into the swing of things and said, "My lord, let's talk about serious matters first."

Liu Bei did not immediately inquire about the development of industry and commerce, but instead started with the other areas under Mi Zhu's jurisdiction: "How is the construction of Mr. Zheng's academy progressing now?"

Mi Zhu is now mainly in charge of logistics and construction in Xuzhou. He is a veteran in the business world, and now that he has moved to a new place, he will have to deal with businessmen frequently. It can be said that he is making the best use of his talents.

Mi Zhu spoke almost without pausing, saying, "The core area has been completed, but the supporting residences for the scholars are not yet finished."

Zheng Xuan's star power is truly remarkable. Xiacun is now the academic center of the Guandong region, with a large number of scions of prominent families and students from humble backgrounds flocking here to study every day. Zheng Xuan, though a small old man, is quite ruthless; as long as someone is willing to learn, he is willing to teach.

A large group of bright-minded people with spending power arrived in Xuzhou. What could Liu Bei say? He was grateful for the bounty of nature.

Lu Wan picked up the conversation and asked, "Zizhong, I have a new idea for the workshop construction. I wonder if you have any spare manpower that can be allocated to handle this?"

Mi Zhu immediately perked up. Now everyone in Xuzhou knew Lu Wan's abilities; as long as he made a move, money would flow into Xuzhou like water.

At times like this, as long as you hitch a ride with him, wealth and status will be within your grasp. And the new information that Lu Wan has revealed can be used to make deals with the powerful families.

At this moment, everyone in Xuzhou with capital was eagerly anticipating when Lu Wan would open a new workshop and launch a new round of investment.