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

Chapter 67 The Fierce Generals of the Taishan Bandits and the Success of Recruiting Refugees

After sending Tian Feng to inspect the counties, Liu Bei also began his life as a regional governor.

As a local official, the pace of life is completely different from that in the military.

Previously, when they moved to Hebei, they were able to defeat several bandit groups within a month. Their iron cavalry could travel thousands of miles, and the tide of battle could turn in an instant.

But now that he has taken up a local post, the pace of life has slowed down dramatically, and he can even afford to spend a month waiting for Tian Feng's inspection results.

He also forced himself to try to adapt to this way of governing.

In governing a country, the worst thing is to be eager for quick success and instant benefits.

The saying goes that governing a large country is like cooking a small fish; it emphasizes a gentle, pervasive influence, like a spring breeze and a soft rain.

When Guan Zhong governed Qi, the country became wealthy in three years and its army became strong in five years.

When Zichan served as prime minister of Zheng, he was criticized by the people after one year, but praised by them after three years.

There is never any benevolent governance that yields immediate results; it is only the gradual accumulation of good deeds that leads to success.

His patience gradually paid off. A month passed, and Tian Feng still hadn't returned from his inspection tour of the county, but his three decrees were beginning to show results.

His first decree was the "Suppressing Bandits Decree," which aimed to recruit and accept rebels, and that all bandits who abandoned their weapons and returned to farming would be pardoned.

Liu Bei's fame, which shook the Hebei region, had already spread throughout Qing and Xu provinces. His two major victories against bandits numbering in the millions were so devastating that even a casual sip of his wine cup could terrify the entire bandit army.

When the bandits of Mount Tai heard of his arrival, they were filled with dread. Within ten months of the decree being issued, Zhang Rao, the bandit leader of Bo County, led a thousand men to surrender, having bound themselves.

Liu Bei kept his promise and did not kill them. He incorporated the strong and able-bodied into the county army, while the old and weak were sent back to their hometowns.

When this news spread, bandits in other counties followed suit, and Li Tiao, the bandit leader of Gaixian County, and Sun Guan, the bandit leader of Liangfu County, led their troops down the mountain one after another. In total, no less than three thousand people surrendered.

Within the territory of Mount Tai, the problem of thieves has been largely eliminated. Only a few desperate bandits remain stubborn and unrepentant, guarding their positions in the mountains, but they dare not descend the mountain to cause harm.

Liu Bei was ultimately used to a life of constant warfare and couldn't stand being idle.

After his efforts to pacify the bandits yielded initial results, he arrived at the army camp and began to inspect it, preparing to quell the bandits in one fell swoop.

After all, governing a prefecture or kingdom requires gentle persuasion in other aspects, but only suppressing bandits can be done with a swift and decisive strike, leveraging its long-standing strengths.

After sitting among the officials in the prefectural government for ten days or so, he brought Zhao Yun and dozens of personal guards and rode to the military camp outside Fenggao City.

Since taking up his post at Mount Tai, he has divided his elite infantry and cavalry into two divisions, one on the left and one on the right, each commanded by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei respectively.

Guan Yu was stationed in the east of the city, while Zhang Fei was stationed in the west. Together, the two forces had a standing army of over a thousand men, all of whom were elite soldiers from Youyan who had fought countless battles.

Liu Bei first inspected Guan Yu's camp east of the city. Guan Yu's army was well-disciplined, the camp was imposing, and the soldiers trained meticulously. This greatly pleased Liu Bei.

Historically, the Cao Wei state considered Shu a small country, with Guan Yu as its only outstanding general. This shows that even enemy states recognized Guan Yu's military talent.

However, Liu Bei felt that this assessment was unfair. If Guan Yu was merely a talented general, then Cao Wei, apart from Cao Cao, had almost no other generals capable of leading independently.

After all, Xiahou Dun was a complete general, and when Xiahou Dun looked at Louis XVI, he couldn't see the end of him at a glance.

Cao Zixiao is a prefect who demands money, Xiahou Yuan can be made to carry out rammed earth construction, the rest are just good-for-nothings.

The correct assessment should be that among all the generals in the Shu Kingdom, only Yu was truly outstanding.

Guan Yu's skill in training troops alone demonstrates his talent as a general. Many of the Ten Sages of the Martial Temple were renowned for their military prowess.

Guan Yu was able to train a navy in Jingzhou and a cavalry in Hebei.

Now, under his training, the Jingse Iron Cavalry has become increasingly disciplined and swift as the wind and rain, much to Liu Bei's satisfaction.

After inspecting the area, he called his second brother, and together they went to the west of the city.

Here, the atmosphere is completely different from that in the east of the city. Before even reaching the camp gate, one can hear the deafening shouts of battle from the training ground.

This also shows how the different personalities and temperaments of generals affect the appearance and demeanor of an army.

Guan Yu was ambitious and principled, calm and composed, and could be relied upon for great things. His army camp was heavily fortified, disciplined, and his soldiers trained meticulously.

Zhang Fei was renowned for his loyalty and bravery, and his bold and passionate nature inspired his troops to be in high spirits and full of enthusiasm.

Liu Bei rode into the camp and saw Zhang Fei, with one arm bare, personally going down to the arena to spar with the soldiers.

Surrounded by soldiers, their cheers and shouts echoed across the fields.

Several soldiers were driven back by him, but he laughed loudly, his voice booming: "Didn't you eat enough for lunch? Is that all the strength you have? How can you follow me into battle to defeat the enemy, slay generals, and capture flags?"

Only when he saw Liu Bei approaching did Zhang Fei thrust his long spear into the ground, stride forward to greet him, his face flushed and his voice booming like thunder: "Brother, what brings you to my camp today?"

Liu Bei dismounted, patted his broad arm, and laughed, "You've been sitting in the prefectural government for ten days straight; your muscles must be stiff from sitting so long. Come out and get some fresh air. How's the reorganization in the camp, Third Brother? Are you adapting well to your duties as a soldier in Taishan Prefecture?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Fei burst into hearty laughter and said, "Brother, rest assured, a man of his word is as good as his bond. If I say I won't whip our brave soldiers and will share their joys and sorrows, then I will keep my promise."

"Speaking of rectification, I happen to have a hero to recommend to you, brother."

"Oh?" Liu Bei's lips curled up, and he excitedly patted the man's arm, asking, "Third brother, have you recommended another hero?"

Zhang Fei waved to the men he had just sparred with and said, "Zhongtai, come here!"

A burly man stepped forward in response. He was about twenty years old and clearly a strong man from Shandong. He was over eight feet tall, with broad shoulders and a thick waist, and his arms were muscular.

Dressed in a crimson military robe with a ring-pommel sword at his waist, he strode up to Liu Bei, knelt on one knee, clasped his hands above his forehead, and said in a strong, clear voice: "This humble subject, Sun Guan, courtesy name Zhongtai, from Gai County, Taishan, pays his respects to Lord Liu!"

Sun Guan?

This name sounds familiar!

Could he be one of the four bandits of Mount Tai who were famous for their military exploits in history?

Knowing that Liu Bei was eager to find talented people, Zhang Fei immediately laughed and said, "Brother, this Sun Zhongtai is a tiger general."

"I was ordered by my elder brother to settle the surrendered soldiers. So I told them that whoever could exchange a few blows with me and last three rounds would be selected to join my personal guard."

"Those bandits are all desperate, but how could they be a match for me? Let alone three rounds, very few could even withstand one of my attacks."

""

Liu Bei smiled and patted his back, praising, "Of course. Third Brother possesses unparalleled bravery, virtually invincible in the world. Anyone who can serve as Third Brother's charioteer is certainly qualified to be a general in any army!"

Zhang Fei, beaming with pride, laughed loudly a few times, then looked at Sun Guan and said, "But this Sun Zhongtai not only blocked me for three rounds, but also fought me for more than ten rounds!"

"I was eager to test him. We fought for more than thirty rounds, but neither of us could gain the upper hand! Just now, I wanted to test his strength again."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's face lit up with joy. He turned to look at Sun Guan and laughed, "Indeed, a tiger general indeed!"

The one who could fight his third brother for more than thirty rounds without a clear winner was undoubtedly that famous general of the Taishan Army in history!

According to historical records, he fought alongside Zang Ba, often being the first to charge into battle. He quelled the bandits in Qing and Xu provinces, and his achievements were second only to Zang Ba's. He can truly be called a good general.

So Liu Bei said, "Since your courtesy name is Zhongtai, you must have an elder brother. Where is he now?"

Sun Guan immediately cupped his hands and replied, "Your Excellency, I have an elder brother named Kang, courtesy name Boji, who is currently serving in the army."

After saying this, he looked ashamed and said, "My brothers and I were not originally bandits, but hunters from Gai County. Last year, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and the county was devastated. My elderly mother was seriously ill and we had no money to treat her, so we had no choice but to gather a dozen or so fellow villagers and go into the mountains to rob some wealthy households to exchange for some money for medicine."

"Having heard of the Prefect's illustrious reputation and seeing that the Pacification Commissioner had promised us a chance to reform, I led my men to surrender. Fortunately, Commander Zhang did not reject us, personally examining us for several days and even granting us the position of personal guard. I am deeply grateful and wish to serve him faithfully to atone for my past sins."

Sun Guan's elder brother, Sun Kang, was also a general who was enfeoffed as a marquis in Cao Wei. Now that both of them have joined Zhang Fei's army, Liu Bei's forces are filled with fierce generals and talented individuals, which can be considered a further step forward.

Zhang Fei nodded repeatedly, saying, "Brother, Sun Guan is a talented man. Not only is he skilled in martial arts, but the dozen or so men he brought are all hunters who can traverse mountains and valleys as if they were flat ground. They know every mountain path, waterway, and stronghold in Mount Tai. I need a guide like him to wipe out those remaining bandits."

Liu Bei was overjoyed. He stepped forward and helped Sun Guan up with both hands, saying gently, "Zhongtai, there's no need for such formality. As the saying goes, 'Who is without fault? To err is human, to forgive divine.' Your filial piety towards your mother is understandable; your decision to abandon darkness for light demonstrates your loyalty and righteousness. Your submission today is not a disgrace, but rather an act that embodies both loyalty and filial piety."

He then turned to Zhang Fei and said, "Third brother, Zhongtai will remain in your camp as a garrison commander, and his brother Sun Kang will also be promoted to squad leader. After the remaining bandits are wiped out, rewards will be distributed according to merit, and I will certainly not hesitate to promote him."

Sun Guan, his eyes reddening with emotion, clasped his hands and proclaimed loudly, "I will repay your great kindness, Lord, with my life!"

After encouraging Sun Guan, Liu Bei and Zhang Fei returned to their tents and sat down.

A guard brought over some warm water. Liu Bei took the earthenware bowl, drank a sip, and smiled at Zhang Fei, his voice as gentle as a spring breeze: "Third brother, you've once again recommended two valiant generals for me. I know you've adapted well to life on Mount Tai. From a military officer to a prefectural commander, from fighting on all sides to governing one region, are you adapting well, third brother?"

Zhang Fei, sitting opposite him at the table, laughed heartily upon hearing this and said, "Brother, I really have a lot to say, but I don't know where to begin."

"In the past, we have accumulated grain and trained our troops, but we always felt like rootless duckweed, drifting from place to place. Every time we fought a bloody battle, it felt like we were fighting in a foreign land, fighting for someone else."

"Just like when we were in Jizhou, my elder brother made great contributions, right? But when Wang Fen came, he seized power and cut off our food supplies just like that."

We risk our lives, only to end up having to depend on others!

"But things are different now!" His eyes gleamed with joy as he said this. "My elder brother is the Prefect of Mount Tai; these twelve counties are our foundation!"

"When I train my troops now, I feel a warm glow inside, like I'm protecting my own homeland. This is probably what it means to protect one's hometown, isn't it?"

"I don't have as many soldiers under my command as before. My second brother and I reorganized the Taishan County troops, disbanding them almost entirely and replacing them with my eldest brother's elite troops. The entire army consists of only about 1,200 infantry and cavalry. But my enthusiasm is even greater!"

"There's no need for you, eldest brother, to go into the mountains. My second brother and I can defeat the bandits and pacify the entire prefecture!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei smiled and said, "That won't do. If my second and third brothers take on all this, I'll have nothing to do, and I'll truly feel completely paralyzed."

"However, what my third brother said is also to the point. This is what Mencius meant when he said, 'Those who have constant property have constant minds; those who do not have constant property do not have constant minds.' From now on, this place will be our base. We will settle down here to cultivate land, train troops, attract displaced people, and govern powerful families. We will no longer be drifting duckweed."

Zhang Fei's eyes widened immediately, and he eagerly asked, "Brother, I heard from Master Ju that we have already recruited over three thousand bandits and over two thousand refugees, totaling over five thousand. Can we recruit some more soldiers?"

"The army currently has only a little over a thousand infantry and cavalry, and I have a mere five hundred men under my command. This is far too few. It's insufficient for me to fully display my abilities!"

"My elder brother has been promoted to a high-ranking official with a salary of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), so why is his command of troops not as good as before? When he was the Martial Valiant Commandant, he commanded more than fourteen thousand infantry and cavalry. How exhilarating it was to see those golden spears and iron horses, the crimson banners against the sky!"

"Taishan Commandery is a large commandery with twelve counties and a population of over 400,000. Only 20,000 soldiers are worthy of your heroic bearing, elder brother!"

How many?

Twenty thousand!

My dear third brother! You really don't know the value of firewood and rice when you're not in charge of the household!

When people feel helpless, they really do want to laugh.

Liu Bei laughed and said, "How can they be the same? Although the Martial and Mighty Commandant is a position with a salary of 1,000 shi, he is a military officer who independently commands troops to quell rebellions, which is why he has more than 10,000 infantry and cavalry."

"But the main responsibility of the Taishan Prefect is to govern the prefecture and manage the people. Let alone 20,000, he can't even support 2,000 soldiers."

In reality, the Taishan County army numbered only about 500 men. After Guan Yu and Zhang Fei reorganized the army, the old and weak were eliminated, and only the strong and able-bodied remained, leaving only about 100 men.

Then Liu Bei used his private troops to fill the vacancies in the county's army, which is how Taishan County came to have 500 elite county soldiers.

This arrangement was Ju Shou's strategy. It eliminated the need to conscript the people of Mount Tai, allowing more able-bodied men to engage in production, and also reduced the pressure on Liu Bei to maintain a force of over a thousand elite soldiers.

After all, these troops were considered elite recruits, with each soldier receiving an average monthly salary of five shi of grain and over eight hundred coins.

That's over five thousand shi of grain a month. Liu Bei's salary as the governor of Mount Tai was only two thousand shi a year, not even enough to feed his troops for half a month. He also had to rely on his wealthy young wife.

Zhang Fei was quite puzzled and said, "Brother, wasn't it said that Taishan County had a population of over 400,000? How come it can't even afford to support 2,000 county soldiers?"

Speaking of this, Liu Bei's face showed anger, and he said, "Third brother, you are unaware of this. It is already late August, and the prefectural government has begun preparations for the superior plan."

"The so-called Shangji was the fundamental system for the assessment of counties and prefectures in the Han Dynasty. Every year in August or September, each county had to compile statistics on various administrative matters within its jurisdiction, such as population, land, taxes, criminal cases, and corvée labor. The county magistrate would personally carry the statistics book to the prefectural government for verification."

"After the prefectural government verifies and summarizes the information, it sends an accountant to the capital with the account book to be presented to the Ministry of Personnel and the Ministry of Works. The court uses this to assess the performance of the prefectural and county officials and decides on their promotion or demotion."

This plan is of paramount importance, as it concerns the promotion or demotion of the prefect.

Liu Bei was also very concerned, and he appointed Zhao Lei, a talented man recommended by Guan Yu, as his chief advisor.

He continued, "The statistics compiled by the higher authorities prioritize household registration. For all registered households, the number of able-bodied men, women, the elderly, and children must be clearly indicated."

The number of disabled and sick individuals.

"Next is the amount of land, which must specify the number of cultivated land, government-owned land, and wasteland. Next is the amount of taxes, which must specify the amount due and the amount actually collected for each type of tax, such as land rent, poll tax, tax on taxes, and tax on taxes."

"In addition, there are more than ten other items, including criminal justice, corvée labor, granaries, and postal services. The true state of the prefecture is fully recorded in this account book."

At this point, a flash of anger crossed Liu Bei's eyes. He said, "However, according to the reports from various counties, the current registered households in Taishan Commandery number only over 40,000, with a population of less than 170,000, which is less than half of its peak. Among them, there are less than 40,000 able-bodied men and less than 30,000 able-bodied women. As for official land, the commandery government has only registered a little over 200 hectares."

Zhang Feibao's eyes widened as he asked, "When we entered the prefecture, we always heard that Taishan Prefecture had a population of over 400,000. How come there are only 170,000 left now? Even with the Yellow Turban Rebellion and the great plague, the population shouldn't have decreased so drastically!"

Zhang Fei's words hit the nail on the head.

Although the world was in chaos, with endless wars and plagues year after year, it was common to hear of nine out of ten houses being empty.

But Mount Tai shouldn't have lost half its staff in just two years.

Four hundred thousand people—that was an old account from the Yonghe era of Emperor Shun, and Liu Bei naturally dared not hope for it. But he thought that Taishan Commandery should have at least three hundred thousand people, or about sixty thousand households.

But the population reported by each county is only about 30,000 households!

Clearly, most of the 30,000 difference was hidden by powerful families, which is why the most important of his three policies was to collect taxes and corvée labor in accordance with the law.

These powerful families had at least 50,000 to 60,000 households hidden away.

If they don't pay taxes, then the common people will have to pay twice as much.

How can the world not be in chaos?

Liu Bei then said in a deep voice, "That's why I ordered Mr. Tian to inspect the counties. It's ostensibly an inspection, but in reality, it's paving the way for eliminating the powerful and influential. In the future, we will thoroughly investigate the hidden fields and mouths of these powerful and influential people, as well as eliminate the collusion between local officials and these powerful and influential people."

"Once these facts are verified, the treasury will be full. At that time, not only will it be easy to support these thousand-plus troops, but it will also be easy to expand the army to three thousand."

Having said that, he looked at Zhang Fei, his eyes filled with expectation, and said, "That's why the first place I inspected after entering the prefecture was here, Third Brother. Besides suppressing the bandits, we'll also need Third Brother's help to wipe out the powerful clans in the future! With your army well-organized, I can act without worry and with full confidence!"

Zhang Fei's eyes widened instantly, his killing intent palpable. He said, "Brother, rest assured, I have complete control of the county troops. The morale of the three armies is soaring. As long as you give the order, whether it's plundering bandits or lawless tyrants, I will wipe them all out!"

As Liu Bei was talking to Zhang Fei, his appointed officials, Cui Dan, the Registrar of Household Affairs, and Guo Yuan, the Registrar of Agriculture, arrived together.

Cui Yan was eight feet tall and had a dignified appearance. After entering the army, he cupped his hands to Liu Bei and said with a smile, "Congratulations to my lord!"

Liu Bei and Zhang Fei exchanged a glance, then asked in surprise, "What's there to be happy about?"

Cui Yan replied with a smile, "Since the Prefect issued the decree 'Returning to Farmland and Resuming Businesses,' the prefecture has made every effort to attract displaced people, with remarkable results. More than two thousand people have already returned to their hometowns."

"Among them, there were more than 500 refugees from the Qi Kingdom of Qingzhou. Hearing of the prefect's reputation for benevolence, they came to return together."

"There are about 500 households of refugees from Donghai County, Xuzhou. They were originally kidnapped by bandits from Donghai. When they heard that the Prefect had ordered that the bandits be pacified and that past actions would be forgiven, they beheaded their leader and brought their entire families to join him."

"There are about three hundred refugees from Jibei State in Yanzhou. They came here with their families because the local powerful families had taken over their land and there was no land left to cultivate. They heard that there was official land available for rent in Mount Tai."

Liu Bei nodded slightly. Few refugees returned alone; they usually traveled in groups of several hundred.

These were all previous achievements, which Liu Bei had probably heard about. They were indeed happy events, but it was really not worth Cui Dan chasing him out of the county seat to the military camp to report the good news.

Cui Yan then said with a smile, "However, the results of the previous month only attracted a little over two thousand refugees, which is nothing compared to today's congratulations to the Prefect!"

"South of Bo County, there is a mountain called Culai. Since the Yellow Turban Rebellion, Shen Tu Fan, a famous scholar from Mount Tai, led more than 300 families of his clan to Culai Mountain to build a fortified village and defend themselves."

"This man, whose courtesy name was Gongwei, was well-versed in the classics and history from a young age and was renowned in his hometown for his noble character. When the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, he gave away all his wealth, gathered the refugees, and led them into the mountains, where they farmed and supported themselves. The people in the mountains, regardless of age, were all grateful for his kindness and righteousness and elected him as their chief."

"Upon hearing of the prefect's reputation for benevolence, this man petitioned the court to exempt displaced people from their outstanding taxes, provide them with grain, seeds, and farming tools, and establish shelters to house orphans and widows. Furthermore, he issued an edict to pacify bandits and not punish them for past offenses, and the bandits flocked down from the mountains to return to farming."

"Admiringly, he personally led more than 600 families from the mountains to come and return! They have now arrived outside Bo County and have specially sent someone to present the register of names and ask the Prefect to accept it."

He led over six hundred families of his clan and villagers to return!

Liu Bei was overjoyed and stood up, saying, "Five people per household, that's over three thousand people! This far surpasses the results of recruiting refugees for more than a month! I should personally go to welcome them and celebrate their righteous act!"

Cui Dan bowed deeply and sighed, "The Analects says: 'If distant people do not submit, then cultivate your virtue to attract them. Once they have come, then make them feel at ease.' When I was young, I read this passage and thought it was the words of a sage, so ethereal, lofty, and unattainable."

"Today, I personally witnessed how Your Excellency, through your benevolence and virtue, moved reclusive scholars to bring thousands of their entire clans to return to you. Only now do I realize that the words of the sage are not empty words; with benevolent governance and virtuous influence, people from afar will indeed come to return upon hearing of your presence!"

"Yan has only followed the Prefect for a few months, yet what he has seen and learned is more than ten years of reading. Now I know that the Prefect's words to Yan, 'Reading ten thousand books is not as good as traveling ten thousand miles,' are indeed true."

Just as Liu Bei and Guo Yuan were overjoyed, Tian Cao Yuan stepped forward, cupped his hands, and interrupted their excitement, saying, "My lord, please hold your joy. Cui Hu Cao has come to report good news, while I have come to report bad news."

As Lao Tzu said, "Good fortune lies within misfortune." The return of these six hundred families and over three thousand people is certainly a testament to the benevolence of our lord, but it is also a matter of great concern.

"According to the Lord's decree on returning to the fields and resuming business, the displaced people who return to the country will be granted 40 mu of open land or 20 mu of mulberry fields for able-bodied men and women, and each household will also be given 1 mu of homestead land, and will be loaned grain, seeds and farming tools."

"Shentu Fan has led more than 600 families to surrender this time. Yuan roughly estimates that there are no less than 1,000 able-bodied men and no less than 800 women. This group alone will require nearly 50,000 mu of land to be allocated."

He paused slightly, his expression grave: "Ran Yuan specifically reviewed the land registers of Bo County before he came—the number of official fields registered is only a little over 2,700 mu."

"It's already late August, and winter wheat planting is imminent. If the land isn't allocated in time, how will these more than three thousand displaced people survive?"

"If we set a precedent of making empty promises and then failing to keep them, not only will Shentu Fan's three thousand-plus people harbor resentment, but how will the refugees who have already submitted and the surrendered bandits who have returned to farming view our lord?"

"Once a government decree is issued, it becomes a promise of the government. If a promise is not kept, the government loses the trust of the people; if it is kept but no land is available, the government is helpless. If this matter is not handled properly, it will not only fail to win the hearts of the people, but will also shake the foundation of the new policies. Your Excellency, this is truly an urgent matter."

The submission of these more than 600 households was the first major test for Liu Bei since he entered Taishan County!

If handled improperly, it will surely undermine Liu Bei's prestige!