The imperial cause at the end of the Han Dynasty was not one of partial peace.

With the imperial court's bestowal of honors upon the frontline soldiers concluded and the generals about to embark on their new posts, Julu was enveloped in an atmosphere of farewell.

On the banks of the Zhang River, outside the long pavilion, farewells take place every day.

Liu Bei also set up a tent and prepared wine and dried meat at a long pavilion outside the city, and picked plum blossoms to bid farewell to more than ten heroes under his command, sending them off to take up their posts as officials.

Liu Bei was never reluctant to let go of his subordinates when they were promoted or left office. He was not a narrow-minded person.

Only by letting heroes see that serving under Liu Xuande can bring them high rank, fame, and honor, and attract more talented and brave men to join him.

This is what is meant by "sacrificing personal interests to win the hearts of the people".

However, the person Liu Bei was saying goodbye to at the pavilion today was not his subordinates, but Cao Cao, who was about to take up the post of chancellor of Jinan.

Zhang Fei was most disdainful of Cao Cao's appointment.

His elder brother, despite his great achievements, only received the title of Agricultural Commandant, with a rank of 600. Cao Cao, on the other hand, merely helped quell the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Yingchuan and had virtually no military exploits in Hebei, yet he received the highest promotion, directly becoming the Chancellor of a State with a salary of 2,000 shi (a unit of grain measure).

Isn't it all thanks to his eunuch grandfather pulling strings behind the scenes?

Therefore, Cao Cao had long harbored resentment towards Liu Bei for personally seeing him off: "Brother, Cao Cao is the descendant of a eunuch, and he is ultimately not one of us. Why bother seeing him off?"

"It's freezing cold today. I'd rather warm a pot of wine in my tent and drink a few cups—wouldn't that be delightful?"

Liu Bei was extremely tolerant and fond of his third brother. He smiled, patted his back, and said in a warm and gentle tone, "Cao Cao is a hero in times of peace, but a treacherous villain in times of chaos. I am seeing him off in the hope that he will eventually walk the right path and thus remain a minister of the state."

"If we allow them to fall into evil ways, they will become the disgraceful descendants of eunuchs, who delight in misfortune and chaos, and will ultimately poison the world."

The reason he was so lenient with his third brother was because of Zhang Fei's sincere heart, which he deserved.

He resolutely refused the prestigious position in the Emperor's personal guard, and even the training of 1,200 Tiger Guard Archers could not sway his resolve.

On the day of the award, he was resolute, saying, "Brother, I'm going to follow you to fight for the position of General Who Conquers the West, how could I accept this mere Tiger-like Sergeant position?"

"Besides, without my elder brother, what if I go to Luoyang alone and get bullied?"

"I am a rough man, only good at wielding swords and spears. In a fit of rage, I killed those rebellious officials and offended the emperor. In the end, not only will I have no merit, but I will also be guilty."

Although she speaks like a princess, she is still afraid of being bullied if she leaves her older brother.

But it also shows that Zhang Fei is shrewd despite his rough exterior; he is very clear about his own principles and will not put himself in danger; he is also determined to follow his elder brother.

Therefore, Liu Bei loved his third brother even more.

As the two were talking, the sound of carriages and horses came from outside the pavilion. Cao Cao jumped off the carriage and strode towards Liu Bei.

Before he even arrived, his signature hearty laughter rang out: "Brother Xuande! It is truly an honor for me to be here in person, Brother Xuande!"

"Xuande is a renowned scholar, yet he is bidding farewell to Cao Cao. When I go to Jinan and tell my colleagues, I fear they will not believe what Cao Cao says."

"Xuande, you must be my witness."

Zhang Feibao's eyes widened; he was furious at the sight of him, snorted, and turned away.

Liu Bei smiled, rose, and returned the greeting with a cupped hand, saying, "I know that Mengde will surely achieve great things on this journey. You are a hero of our time, and you will surely bring blessings to the people and make them virtuous."

Cao Cao was shocked and could hardly believe it. He was cunning and adept at reading people's expressions, and during this time he had noticed that Liu Bei was becoming increasingly distant from him.

Unexpectedly, this hero of the world held him in such high regard.

Overjoyed, he laughed and said, "Xuande is an unparalleled hero of our Han Dynasty. Your noble character and heroic deeds have made you famous throughout the world. I am truly fortunate to have your praise. I look forward to the day when I can stand shoulder to shoulder with Xuande on the battlefield, defeating the enemy and vanquishing the traitors."

"The title of General Who Conquers the West of the Great Han Dynasty should be remembered by Cao Cao at all times, and never forgotten."

Liu Bei took off the sword from his waist and gave it to Cao Cao, saying, "This sword is my personal sword. It accompanied me in the campaign against Taoshui, defeated Zhang Yan, and terrified the enemy. I also captured Zhang Liang and beheaded Zhang Bao, earning fame throughout Hebei."

"This is presented to Mengde today, hoping that you will not forget our ambition today: to punish the traitors, bring peace to the people, and restore the Han Dynasty."

Cao Cao took the sword from Liu Bei, drew it and saw that although the sword had a nick, it still gleamed coldly, clearly indicating that it had been through many battles.

Overjoyed, he exclaimed, "I shall wear this sword to save the day, relieve suffering, vanquish bandits, and defeat enemies, just as Liu Bei was, my might shaking the world!"

Liu Bei then picked up two cups of warm wine from the lacquered table, handed one to Cao Cao, and laughed, saying, "If you truly achieve this goal, I will drink with you in a golden goblet."

Cao Cao took the wine cup and was about to tilt his head back and drink it all in one gulp, but Liu Bei stopped him.

He looked up, puzzled, and saw Liu Bei's expression turn solemn, his tone magnanimous: "However, you must also remember, if you go against this will and slaughter more than 100,000 people, then it will be the time for me to sever all ties with you, and I will show no mercy!"

As he spoke, he patted the sword in Cao Cao's hand, his meaning crystal clear: In the future, he would use this sword to fight to the death!

Xiahou Dun, standing behind Cao Cao, was immediately enraged and was about to draw his sword.

When Zhang Fei saw that the man dared to disrespect his elder brother, his eyes widened in anger, and he drew his sword.

The two confronted each other sharply, and a murderous aura immediately filled the pavilion.

Cao Cao raised his hand, stopping Xiahou Dun's outburst.

A glint of shrewdness flashed in his narrow eyes as he looked at Liu Bei: "Hmm? Brother Xuande, what do you mean by that?"

Liu Bei cupped his hands in farewell and said, "I hope to share the same ideals as Mengde."

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, his face showing a cunning and suspicious look, but he quickly composed himself and laughed heartily, "Haha, Brother Xuande, my ambition remains unchanged, how can you be so merciless?"

"Our friendship is limited to sharing a cup of wine!"

Liu Bei laughed heartily and said, "In that case, it is my good fortune. You may go now, but if you perform any righteous deeds, I will hold a banquet and sing for you."

"And here's a line of poetry for Mengde: 'Do not worry about having no friends on the road ahead, for who in the world does not know you?'"

"Do not worry about having no friends on the road ahead, for who in the world does not know you?" Cao Cao pondered for a moment, then burst into hearty laughter.

"Brother Xuande, you not only possess the strategic brilliance of Sun Tzu and the integrity of Yan Hui and Zengzi, but your poetry is also unparalleled. With your words, I am no longer alone in my pursuit of truth!"

He boarded the carriage with great gusto, bowed to Liu Bei in farewell, and said, "Cao, remember the ambition of today, and strive together with you."

As the carriage set off, heavy snow fell, and the long pavilion behind them completely disappeared into the snowflakes. Xiahou Dun could no longer contain himself and asked Cao Cao, "Mengde, what is Liu Bei's intention today? I feel that he came here to see us off on purpose, but he seems to have ill intentions."

Cao Cao drew the sword that had been resting across his lap; its cold gleam was so sharp that it made one squint. He snorted and then said calmly, "Everything he did today was for that one sentence: 'With blades drawn, there is no mercy!'"

Xiahou Dun was quite puzzled and asked, "Why did Liu Bei go to such lengths just to say this one sentence to Mengde? What is his purpose?"

Cao Cao pondered for a moment, then shook his head and said, "Liu Bei is a hero of our time. He not only has great ambitions, but also brilliant strategies. He has repeatedly shown foresight and clear vision. There must be a reason why he has gone to such great lengths. However, I cannot fully fathom his profound meaning at the moment."

Xiahou Dun was greatly surprised. Was there anyone in the world that Mengde (Cao Cao) couldn't see through?

Liu Bei was indeed so talented and generous.

However, Liu Bei could not hear Cao Cao and Xiahou Dun's exclamations and sighs.

After bidding farewell to these heroes and valiant men, he devoted all his attention to the resettlement of the surrendered soldiers.

After nearly half a month of statistics, the total number of surrendered soldiers captured in Jizhou in the two separate incidents exceeded 170,000.

Leaving aside how to organize and settle them, just providing food for these surrendered soldiers is a major challenge!

A monthly ration of one shi and five dou was the treatment reserved for the elite border troops of the Han army; these surrendered soldiers naturally did not receive that much.

Even if they could barely survive on three to five bushels of grain a month, these 170,000 surrendered soldiers would still need 50,000 to 70,000 bushels of grain a month!

Huangfu Song had already submitted a memorial to the court, requesting that Jizhou be exempted from taxes for one year, and the emperor granted his request.

Therefore, the people sang: "The world is in great chaos, the market is in ruins, mothers cannot protect their children, and wives lose their husbands, but thanks to Huangfu, we can live in peace again."

At this time, the entire Ji Province was in a period of recuperation and development, and it was absolutely impossible to rely on the tax revenue of Ji Province to support the 170,000 surrendered soldiers.

Only Guo Dian, the governor of Julu, was willing to share 40,000 bushels of grain from the official fields to help Liu Bei.

Guo Dian was punished because the Taiping Dao originated in Julu and was the source of chaos in the world. However, due to his outstanding military achievements, his merits and demerits were offset, so he was neither rewarded nor punished and was allowed to remain in Julu.

This is the only good news for Liu Bei at the moment.

Despite the perilous situation and heavy burden, Liu Bei showed no signs of discouragement; on the contrary, he was in high spirits.

After seeing Cao Cao off and returning to his camp in Xiaquyang, he had someone invite Tian Feng over, and bowed to Tian Feng, saying, "You are a man of national talent, with the world in your heart and military prowess hidden in your mind, but you have not yet had the opportunity to spread your wings."

"The fate of our 170,000 men rests entirely on our shoulders. Though we do not hold the high position of ruling a province or commanding thousands of miles, we are still no less than the people of a prefecture. Let us first assist you in wielding your brush and ink, and give you a small demonstration of your abilities."

"Once the foundation is solid, we can then plan for greater achievements; today's efforts will be the foundation for tomorrow's success."

Tian Feng, moved by Liu Bei's profound courtesy, immediately cupped his hands and said, "With 170,000 troops, we must be placed in a life-or-death situation to survive. In the past, Guan Zhong governed Qi by starting with addressing the famine. Since Your Majesty has entrusted me with full authority, I, Tian Feng, dare not fail to do my utmost."

Both men were determined to save the nation, possessed lofty ideals, and were full of ambition, showing no fear of the mere difficulties before them.

As long as people's hearts remain steadfast, everything will be accomplished!

Liu Yu was able to gather more than a million people from Qing and Xu provinces who had fled the Yellow Turban Rebellion in the harsh and cold land of Youzhou. He encouraged and supervised agriculture, which led to a good harvest for the people and enabled the people to establish a livelihood.

Ren Jun and Zao Zhi were able to recruit hundreds of thousands of refugees near Xu County, a desolate and lifeless place spanning hundreds of miles, and cultivate land to obtain a million bushels of grain.

Liu Bei refused to believe that his own conditions were more than twice as good as theirs, while his goals and difficulties were more than 50% lower. He also had the assistance of renowned scholars and geniuses of his time, such as Guo Dian and Tian Feng. How could he possibly fail to accomplish the land reclamation project?

Tian Feng, a man of exceptional talent and strategy, immediately cupped his hands and spoke eloquently: "My lord, in the past half-week, I have investigated the situation of the surrendered soldiers and the wasteland in the prefectures and counties, and have devised several strategies to help you to cultivate land and pacify the people."

Liu Bei immediately sat up straight, his spirits high: "Please speak, sir."

"The most urgent task at present is to reduce the size of the army. The foundation of a kingdom lies in accumulating grain and training soldiers."

"Now that the Yellow Turban Rebellion has been quelled, the Youzhou government has stopped providing us with food and supplies. With only the wealth of our lord and the two merchants Zhang and Su, it is impossible to support more than three thousand elite infantry and cavalry at a cost of a thousand gold pieces a day. This is not a long-term solution."

"Moreover, the grain consumed by one elite soldier is enough to feed ten civilians. If a thousand soldiers are dismissed, it can provide enough grain to feed more than ten thousand surrendered soldiers through the winter."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei nodded slightly. In the past, when Guan Zhong governed Qi, he first reduced the number of redundant soldiers and promoted agriculture before he was able to unite the feudal lords nine times.

This shows the benefit he had in leaving his uncle Liu Yuanqi to guard Zhuojun.

These elite troops he dismissed could first return to the Liu family's ancestral home in Zhuojun, cultivate the land, and wait for the right time.

Moreover, although the Youzhou prefecture no longer provided grain and fodder, the debt of gratitude they owed Liu He remained unbroken.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion ended, not only did Huangfu Song receive a reward, but Liu He, the governor of Youzhou, also received a commendation from the imperial court for his meritorious service in the war.

He was promoted from Governor of Youzhou to Minister of the Imperial Clan, one of the Nine Ministers of the Han Dynasty!

The Zongzheng (宗正) was in charge of the affairs of the imperial clan, and one of its important functions was to distinguish between close and distant relatives, and between legitimate and illegitimate children.

Liu Yuanqi wrote to Liu Bei, saying that after Liu He took office as the head of the clan, he sent an envoy to the Liu family's hometown to inquire with the elders, copy the clan genealogy, and compare it with the genealogy of the Zhongshan Jingwang Mausoleum.

This was precisely to push Liu Bei to acquire a share of the imperial clan.

If Liu He were to succeed in his duties, Liu Bei might truly be able to solidify his title as Imperial Uncle Liu!

That would greatly benefit Liu Bei's ambition to restore the Han Dynasty.

Just as Liu Bei nodded, Tian Feng continued, "However, the number of people to be laid off this time should be more than a thousand. I believe that to maintain two thousand infantry and cavalry, at least fifteen hundred soldiers should be laid off."

"This is because, when we reduce our troops, we should also select the bravest and most courageous among the surrendered soldiers to fill the ranks. These men are fierce and daring to fight. If they are left to roam the fields, they may cause trouble. If they are incorporated into the army, disciplined by military law, and well-paid, then we can turn harm into benefit. Eliminating the weak and retaining the strong, removing the redundant and keeping the elite, has always been the way of governing an army."

Liu Bei did not hesitate at all. This has always been the way of reducing the army—on the one hand, eliminating the old and weak, and on the other hand, selecting the strong and brave. It has always been the norm to streamline the army and reduce the burden of administration.

He nodded decisively and said, "This is all up to you, sir. Please consider the practicalities and I will agree to anything."

Tian Feng cupped his hands in greeting and then proceeded to his third strategy, his tone becoming increasingly composed: "The third advantage lies in the army's oxen, horses, and carts. In our lord's numerous campaigns, we have captured many carts, draft horses, and oxen. The army has over 1,500 oxen and horses responsible for transporting these goods."

"These are not warhorses and require no training. Now that the war is over, leaving these oxen and horses idle in the camp is just a waste of fodder. If we can rent them to the villagers, we can help them cultivate the land and plow deeply, and we can also collect rent for our lord."

"Each ox can plow a hundred acres of land; each cart can transport dozens of bushels of grain. With 1,500 oxen and horses, it is enough to support the cultivation of tens of thousands of acres of government land. When the autumn harvest comes next year, the villagers will pay the rent with the grain, and the granary will be no less than the taxes of several counties."

"This also aligns with the kingly way of accumulating grain and training soldiers."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei clapped his hands and stood up, his spirits lifted: "What you say, sir, is truly insightful. We will proceed according to these three strategies. Reduce the army and recruit brave men, rent cattle and horses from the people, cultivate fields and store grain—I entrust these three matters entirely to you, sir, and entrust my life and fortune to you!"

Tian Feng readily cupped his hands in respect and said, "My lord trusts me so much, how could I not be willing to die for you?"

"There is one more matter, though. Even the most skilled cook cannot cook without rice. There are only ten days left until spring planting, and we have no grain to plant. I would like to trouble you, my lord, to personally resolve this matter."

Liu Bei was slightly surprised, pointed to himself, and asked, "Do I need to personally intervene?"

Tian Feng's lips curled up slightly, his smile somewhat strange, and he said, "Only my lord can resolve this matter personally."

Then Tian Feng whispered a few words to himself.

Liu Bei immediately raised an eyebrow. A beauty trap? What did that mean?

Is that correct?