Three Kingdoms: Daily settlement helps Liu Bei revive the Shu Han dynasty.

In the second year of Xingping, in the middle of the twelfth month.

A young man came to the main street of Wanling City.

Two children wrapped in coarse linen clothes,

She ran past him carrying a steaming hot flatbread, her cheerful laughter ringing out.

In a daze, he felt...

It felt as if I had returned to my hometown in Langya County.

They returned to their homeland, which, though not wealthy, was peaceful and happy.

After his father passed away, he went to Luoyang to study.

Later, Dong Zhuo caused chaos in the capital, leading to fighting in the Guandong region and turmoil in the Central Plains. He then traveled south to escape the chaos in the Qu'a and Wujun areas.

Not long ago, he heard that Liu Bei had given up Xuzhou and led 100,000 soldiers and civilians south, and that his reputation for benevolence and righteousness had spread throughout the Han Dynasty.

Driven by curiosity, I arrived at Wanling.

I wanted to see for myself whether this Prefect Liu was truly as benevolent and righteous as the rumors suggested.

"Excuse me, buddy in front, could you please move aside?"

A series of urgent shouts interrupted Zhuge Jin's thoughts.

Six men carrying heavy wooden beams jogged through the crowd.

The weather in early spring was still very cold, but they were only wearing thin short-sleeved shirts, and their bodies were steaming.

Zhuge Jin stepped aside.

It happened to be next to a thatched shed with a wooden sign that read "charitable shelter".

Inside the shed, there were several large iron pots, where vegetable porridge was being cooked.

The elderly woman in charge of cooking the porridge saw him looking over and quickly said:

"This porridge is for women and children; able-bodied men must exchange work points for their rations."

Zhuge Jin then noticed that there was a wooden plaque hanging on each side of the charity house.

The right column is inscribed with "For the elderly, weak, women and children to take themselves."

The left column is inscribed with "Mature men can exchange work points for this."

"What are work points?" Zhuge Jin asked.

The old soldier, while scrubbing the edge of the pot, asked with a smile, "New here, huh?"

Zhuge Jin nodded: "Yes, I just came from Wu County."

"Sigh, the world is getting harder and harder!"

Fortunately, there is still a benevolent and righteous ruler like Lord Liu.

It can provide a place for ordinary people like us to stay.

Having said that, the old soldier scooped a bowl of vegetable porridge and handed it to Zhuge Jin, saying:

"Newcomers can receive food for three days without having to work points, after which they can only earn food through labor."

Prefect Liu's family is poor and cannot afford extravagance.

Zhuge Jin was indeed hungry.

He unceremoniously reached out and took the porridge, then began to gulp it down.

The porridge is cooked until it's soft but not watery.

After finishing the bowl, my body felt warm and my stomach was about three-tenths full.

He handed the bowl back to the old soldier and asked, "Where can I find work to exchange for work points?"

The old soldier pointed to the government office not far away and said, "There's a notice at the entrance of the government office. Take a look and see what jobs are available."

"Thank you!" Zhuge Jin said, then walked towards the government office.

Upon arriving at the entrance of the government office, one sees notices plastered all over the bulletin board.

"Reclaiming wasteland earns six work points a day."

Digging a canal to divert water earns eight work points a day.

Weaving baskets and mats earns four work points a day.

Five work points a day for building a house…

As Zhuge Jin was carefully examining the documents, a voice suddenly came from behind him: "Brother, are you looking for a job?"

Upon hearing this, Zhuge Jin turned around to look.

A young man, about twenty-two or twenty-three years old, was standing three steps away.

Beneath a dark cloak, he wore a white scholar's robe; his posture was upright, and his face was handsome.

At first glance, it gives off a sense of approachability.

Zhuge Jin cupped his hands and said, "I have heard that Governor Liu has been taking in many refugees, so I have come here because of his reputation."

Lu Yong glanced at Zhuge Jin.

Although this person's clothes were ordinary, his appearance and temperament were extraordinary.

His face, in particular, was long and narrow, with a broad forehead and sharp cheeks, giving him a slightly long jaw.

But this could not conceal his dignified and composed demeanor.

Upon seeing this appearance, Lu Yong thought of someone and couldn't help but think to himself, "At this time, he seems to be taking refuge in Jiangdong."

Lu Yong's gaze lingered briefly on Zhuge Jin before he asked, "Brother, have you had breakfast yet? There are newly set up soup kitchens in the West Market..."

Zhuge Jin smiled and said, "I just ate."

"Judging from your demeanor, sir, you are not of ordinary character. May I ask your name?"

Instead of answering directly, Zhuge Jin asked, "I observe that the policies here are quite novel. May I ask who formulated them?"

"It is indeed I, Lu Yong, Lu Huai'an," Lu Yong replied.

"Liu Bei's strategist, Lu Huai'an!" Zhuge Jin was startled.

He had always assumed that Liu Bei's strategist was not a middle-aged scholar.

He should be a mature and prudent person.

I never expected that he would be the same age as me.

Zhuge Jin stood there, stunned, and for a moment he didn't know what to say.

Lu Yong remained calm and asked with a smile, "Brother, you haven't told me your name yet."

Zhuge Jin snapped out of his daze, cupped his hands, and said, "I am Zhuge Jin from Langya, courtesy name Ziyu. I have long admired the great name of the Army Division Commander."

Lu Yong was overjoyed, thinking to himself, "It really is you, Zhuge Jin!"

Zhuge Jin was Zhuge Liang's elder brother.

He was a key minister in the founding of the Eastern Wu dynasty, rose to the rank of Grand General, and was enfeoffed as the Marquis of Wanling.

This person was kind and good at mediating, and most importantly, he never sought credit. Historical records state that "Jin was a man of appearance and wisdom, and people admired his elegance and refinement."

Lu Yong remained expressionless, cupped his hands in return, and said, "So it is Zhuge Ziyu."

Zhuge Jin glanced at the notice board and couldn't help but ask again, "May I ask, Army Division Chief, how exactly does the 'work points' system work?"

Lu Yong pointed to several men carrying mud bricks not far away and explained:

"Each job has corresponding work points, and you get a reward for each day you work."

Work points can be exchanged for daily necessities such as grain, cloth, and salt.

The more you do, the more you earn; if you don't do anything... you won't earn anything.

"How do the elderly, women, and children survive? Do they always have to rely on the government?"

"The elderly, the weak, women and children are exempt from labor and can receive a bowl of porridge and two pieces of bread for free every day. However, those who are in good health can also work and will be paid according to their work."

Seeing that Zhuge Jin did not bring up the matter of seeking refuge, Lu Yong knew that he might not have made up his mind yet.

But now that they've come, how can we let them go?

After a moment's consideration, Lu Yong said, "I happen to be on my way to inspect various places. If Ziyu doesn't mind, would you like to come along for a walk?"

Zhuge Jin hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "I would be honored to comply."

Lu Yong strode toward West Street, with Zhuge Jin following beside him.

The two walked through two streets, and gradually more newly built thatched huts and wooden houses appeared along the roadside.

Although simple, the buildings are neatly arranged, with enough open space between the alleyways.

The ground was also covered with gravel, so you wouldn't step on mud like you would in a muddy field.

As Lu Yong walked, he said, "Recently, more and more people from Xuzhou have migrated south, and there are also more and more refugees who have spontaneously moved south. So we have designated a few plots of land outside the city to build temporary shelters."

"We'll build them proper mud-brick houses when spring comes."

"Building these must have cost a lot, right?" Zhuge Jin asked.

"The cost of exchanging labor for food was actually not too bad. The real expense was just the various tools."

Zhuge Jin didn't ask any more questions and continued walking beside Lu Yong.

The two turned a corner and a large thatched shed appeared by the roadside.

More than ten women sat under the shed, each with a pile of linen and needles and thread in front of them.

They were sewing winter clothes for the soldiers.

They moved quickly and chatted and laughed, clearly showing that they were genuinely happy.

A woman looked up and saw Lu Yong.

He immediately put down his needle and thread and stood up.

He called out towards the outside of the shed, "Strategist, you've come to inspect again!"

Hearing the shouts, the other women also stood up and greeted them all at once.

"Oh! The strategist is here!!"

"Greetings, strategist!"

"Strategist, please come in and have a seat!"

Lu Yong dared not go in...

He stood outside the shed, cupped his hands in a respectful gesture, and said in a gentle voice:

"Dear ladies and aunties, it's a bit cold today. Take a break when you need to, or you won't be able to earn work points if you get sick."

The women burst into laughter.

A bold woman said, "Don't worry, strategist, we're all in good health!"

"But you, strategist, have lost quite a bit of weight. When are you going to get married? I'd like to cook you some good food to help you recover."

Someone's eyes lit up and they exclaimed in surprise, "No way, the strategist isn't married yet?"

"Hey! Strategist, don't go! I know a girl from a wealthy family, she's fourteen years old and incredibly beautiful!"

"..."

Unable to withstand the group of women, Lu Yong grabbed Zhuge Jin and fled in disarray.

Zhuge Jin glanced back at the women who were still laughing and gossiping.

He then glanced at Liu Bei's strategist beside him, who was being chased and pressured to get married by a group of women.

A strange feeling arose in my heart.

He had always thought Lu Yong was a man of unfathomable wisdom and ingenuity.

Unexpectedly, he was so approachable.

He was indeed quite different from those aristocratic scholars and gentry.