My father Liu Xuande

Chapter 509 Shi Clan Tribute
Liu Feng departed from Jiangling and traveled south along the Yangtze River, inspecting key locations such as Shaxian, Xiakou, Zhucheng, Echeng, Xiazhi, Qichun, and Chaisang before finally returning to Yangzhou.

Subsequently, he first issued orders to replace Lü Dai with Pang Ji of Jingzhou as a clerk in the Ministry of Engineering, and to replace Bu Zhi with Liu Pan of Jingnan as a member of the Ministry of Transportation.

By the time the backlog of official business was dealt with, it was already mid-September.

Liu Feng originally planned to spend one to two months traveling through the counties of Yangzhou before heading north to Xuzhou to spend the New Year with his grandmother, father, mother, and siblings. He also planned to discuss matters on both sides with his father, as well as the overall strategic plan for the coming year.

However, just before Liu Feng was about to set off, news came from Dantu that the Shi family's fleet from Jiaozhou had arrived at the mouth of the Yangtze River, intending to pay tribute to Liu Feng.

Liu Feng was startled, then laughed.

If we can subdue the enemy without fighting, that would be the best strategy. If we can truly subdue the Shi family and control Jiaozhou, it would be quite worthwhile to hand over the governorships of Changsha and Wuling to Shi Xie's brothers.

Therefore, Liu Feng immediately ordered that the sons of the gentry be welcomed with great ceremony and that they be transferred to small boats to come to Wu County to pay their respects.

Five days later, Shi Xin, the eldest son of Shi Xie, who was in charge of the fleet, arrived outside Wu County with the delegation and tribute.

Liu Feng personally went out to greet them, welcoming Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, Shi Kuang, and the tribute delegation from Jiaozhou outside the city gate.

Even though Liu Feng saw the gift list that had been sent in advance, he was still somewhat surprised by the value of the gifts from the Shi family.

Twenty small boats full of gifts were delivered to Liu Feng, all of which were rare and precious treasures, not counting the gifts that were delivered by land.

The gift list included 200 catties each of longan and lychee, 1 shi each of areca nut, alpinia oxyphylla, and coix seed, 100 pieces each of sandalwood, agarwood, and cinnamon, 20 hu of pearls, 5 dou of carefully selected top-grade Hepu pearls, 100 pieces of hawksbill turtle shell and giant clam shell, 5 coral screens, 50 carvings each of ivory and rhinoceros horn, 20 glass cups, 50 catties each of frankincense, myrrh, and styrax, 5 dou of amber, 200 bolts each of red, black, white, and yellow kudzu cloth and banana cloth, 200 pieces of bronze and lacquerware, 100 top-grade kingfisher feathers, and 5 pairs each of peacocks, geese, kingfishers, and white pheasants.

In addition, there were two elephants and two rhinoceroses, one hundred fine horses, two thousand bolts of various kinds of silk and linen, five hundred catties of gold, five hundred catties of silver, fifteen million coins, two hundred famous swords and knives, four hundred sets of iron armor, and one hundred cotton garments (cotton garments in the Eastern Han Dynasty were entirely imported from the West and were extremely expensive, comparable to Shu brocade. At that time, the cotton grown in China was short-seed cotton, which was not easy to spin, while the cotton grown in India was long-seed cotton).

In addition, there are warehouse receipts for the four prefectures of Jiaozhou, Jiaozhi, Nanhai, Hepu, and Jiuzhen, totaling more than 2.8 million shi of grain and more than 40 million coins of money.

It must be said that Jiaozhou at this time was far from a wild and untamed place; it was incredibly rich.

During the Eastern Han Dynasty, Jiaozhou had close ties and bustling trade with many tribes and barbarian states in the South China Sea. There were even Roman merchants, among whom glass was a specialty brought by Roman merchants and was worth a fortune.

Now, Shi Xie and his brothers unhesitatingly brought out most of their stored treasures, hoping to please Liu Feng.

Although Liu Feng was unaware of this gift list, it was more than a hundred times more substantial than the gift list that Shi Xie sent to Sun Quan after the Battle of Guandu. However, he could still see the abundance of the gifts and the sincerity behind them.

Perhaps the only thing that can't compare to Sun Quan's back then is the fine horses. Back then, Shi Xie presented Sun Quan with hundreds of precious horses in one go, while now he has only sent Liu Feng a hundred.

However, considering that horses take up too much space and are quite troublesome to transport by sea, Shih-hsieh had already done his best in the rush. It was not that Shih-hsieh did not want to send them or was reluctant to send them, but rather that he lacked the means of transportation to send them.

Besides, if we really take Jiaozhou, then all the warhorses in Jiaozhou will belong to Liu Feng; it's just a matter of sooner or later.

The entire delegation was led by Shi Xin, and included Shi Xie's second son Shi Zhi, Shi Yi's eldest son Shi Kuang, and others. It must be said that they were full of sincerity.

After Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang came forward and bowed, Liu Feng suddenly spoke up: "I have heard that Jiaozhi has three thousand elephant soldiers who can crush Linyi. There are also tens of thousands of barbarian soldiers who are fierce and fearless. Shi Weiyan (Shi Xie) is nearly seventy years old, yet he controls four prefectures by himself. When he goes out, he rings bells and chimes, uses the imperial carriage of the Three Dukes, and puts on a show of grandeur. There are flutes, pipes, and drums, and the roads are full of carriages and horses. Does he have a disloyal heart? Now I hear that I want to invite his brothers to court, so I sent you envoys. Do you think I am young and ignorant and only fit to be eaten?"

Liu Feng suddenly unleashed his power, and the three Shi Xin were no match for him. They immediately fell to their knees with a thud, trembling like sparrows under the talons of an eagle.

"Your Excellency is divinely mighty, and Kuang An dares not deceive you. This year, since Your Excellency raised an army in the middle of the year, leading a righteous force westward. In three months, Huang Zu was captured as easily as a straw dog, and in half a year, Jingchu was pacified as easily as a trickle. My uncle (Shi Xie) once said: 'The Marquis of Wu is not like Emperor Gaozu of Han, but is more like Emperor Guangwu.' Therefore, I have sent you to present two tamed elephants—"

As he spoke, Shi Kuang suddenly raised his hand and pointed outside the hall, continuing, "This beast kneels like a hill and rises like a mountain, but it is bound to a child by a rope for its entire life. Now, the rope of the nine prefectures of Jiaozhou is in your hands, Your Excellency."

Liu Feng suddenly burst into laughter, pointing his right finger at Shi Kuang in the distance: "Unlike your brother (Shi Xin) who is dull and taciturn, you have the eloquence of Kuai Tong. Go back and tell Shi Gong: What I seek is not the elephant, but the profits from the South China Sea trade. If you send someone to cooperate with the government to control the trade in the South China Sea, I will petition the court to grant Shi Gong a title. Even if it is you, you will not lose your wealth and honor."

Upon hearing Liu Feng's words, Shi Kuang breathed a sigh of relief, while his two cousins, Shi Xin and Shi Zhi, broke out in a cold sweat.

The three men were considered noble scions in Jiaozhou, traveling in grand processions with imperial guards and lavish carriages, surrounded by attendants. But only now, having come to stand before Liu Feng, did they realize just how terrifying the young hero's power truly was.

His sheer heroic aura alone was enough to leave them speechless.

If it weren't for Shi Kuang's silver tongue, Shi Xin and Shi Zhi would probably still be bowing their heads in bewilderment, speechless.

Liu Feng was not an arrogant person. Seeing that Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang had already given in, he stepped forward and personally helped them up one by one.

The other party was both surprised and delighted, and couldn't help but feel flattered, repeatedly expressing their gratitude.

"You need not be alarmed. As long as you surrender sincerely, it will be a great achievement. You will be rewarded for your merits. How could I treat you unfairly?"

Liu Feng smiled and reassured them, "Come with me into the city. A banquet has been prepared for you. Please enjoy it."

Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang naturally dared not have any objections and obediently followed Liu Feng into Wu County.

Although Wu County is no longer a major city in the southeast that can rival Luoyang and Chang'an, it is still the most famous city in Jiangdong, with a population of 70,000 to 80,000. With soldiers and officials, the population easily exceeds 100,000.

Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang naturally lived a life of extravagance and debauchery in the South China Sea, enjoying all the glory and wealth. However, Jiaozhou was a remote and sparsely populated place. Even now, with a large influx of people into Jiaozhou, they are scattered in various places.

Longbian County, the capital of Jiaozhi Commandery, was not large. After a large influx of people, Shi Xie immediately implemented control measures to improve the city's security and sanitation. Only the sons of famous scholars and noble families from the north were qualified to move into Longbian City.

Therefore, the luxurious and prosperous atmosphere in Longbian City was far inferior to that in Wu County, leaving Shi Xin and the other two dumbfounded, as if they were in a dream.

"Shoulder to shoulder, nothing could be more crowded."

Shi Kuang exclaimed in a low voice.

Shi Xin and Shi Zhi nodded repeatedly, agreeing with their cousins' views, their hearts swaying with excitement. "Jiaozhou is good, but it's far less prosperous than Wu County. If we could enjoy the wealth of Jiaozhou and live in Jiangdong, how wonderful would that be?"

The carriages passed through the most bustling downtown area of ​​Wu County and finally entered Liu Feng's general's mansion, which was also the original location of the Wu County government.

Fine wine and delicacies had already been prepared in the main hall, awaiting Liu Feng's banquet for the sons of scholar-officials.

At Liu Feng's command, the banquet began immediately.

During the first half of the banquet, Liu Feng didn't mention any official business, but instead introduced his famous subordinates to Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang.

Liu Feng's family business is now extremely prosperous, with no fewer than a hundred famous and talented people under his command, and dozens of them currently residing in Wu County.

All the officials and generals from Wu County, including Taishi Ci and Zhao Yun who had returned with Liu Feng, were present. It was a place of great literary and military prowess, abundant talent, and a powerful imperial aura.

Liu Feng merely introduced the dozens of people attending the banquet in the hall, and Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang were so overwhelmed by the noise that they felt dizzy and their ears were deafened.

These renowned scholars and sages were already admired by those who had heard of their prominent families, but now they were gathered together at the same table. How could Shi Xin and the others not feel excited and anxious?

Fortunately, although Du Xi, Yuan Min, Zhuge Jin, Yan Jun and others did not treat them with enthusiasm, they did not treat them with coldness either, which made Shi Xin, Shi Zhi and Shi Kuang very happy.

Halfway through the banquet, Liu Feng suddenly asked, "Bo Mei, my imperial edict should have reached Jiaozhou by now. I wonder what the attitudes of Lord Shi and the other prefects are?"

Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang were all taken aback by Liu Feng's sudden question.

After hearing the question clearly, the three breathed a slight sigh of relief, but their hearts were still in their throats, fearing that their answers would displease Liu Feng.

Even so, Shi Xin, one of the three, could only cautiously reply, "Reporting to General Zuo, when I came here, my father instructed me to obey all your arrangements and act only according to your orders. After receiving the imperial edict, my three uncles also collected official documents, sealed the treasury, and are waiting for the arrival of the new prefect, whom General Zuo has presented his memorial to, to hand over the prefectural authority. However, my three uncles have entrusted me with a matter to report, and earnestly request General Zuo to show mercy and extend his grace to my Shi family."

Shi Xin's attitude was very respectful, and his words were even more obedient.

But at the end, Liu Feng's brows, which had just relaxed, furrowed again: "Are you trying to negotiate with me?"

"Your humble servant would not dare!"

With a thud, Shi Xin, along with Shi Zhi and Shi Kuang beside him, rose from their seats and knelt down before Liu Feng: "How dare this humble subject disobey General Zuo? It is only because my uncles are concerned about my father's old age that they wish to beg General Zuo for some leniency. We implore General Zuo to grant us your mercy."

Liu Feng then realized that Shi Xie didn't want to move.

Liu Feng stroked his chin, lost in thought amidst the pleading and ingratiating gazes of Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang.

Shi Xie has now been in power in Jiaozhi County for fourteen years and is now sixty-three years old.

In principle, people in the Eastern Han Dynasty could retire at the age of seventy, but this was not an explicit rule, and the emperor could easily adjust this age. If someone trusted you, they could continue to serve even if they were over seventy.

Shi Xie lived to be ninety years old, which was an extremely long life.

If Shi Xie were truly favored, he could remain in Jiaozhi Commandery for another twenty-seven years. Even though Shi Xie was quite honest and never intended to rebel, Liu Feng still felt that this was too long and inappropriate.

However, there seems to be no need to fall out with the Shi family at the moment. We can try to lull them into a false sense of security first, and then find a way to change things later.

Thinking of this, Liu Feng said, "If that's the case, then there's no need to make any changes to Duke Weiyan. He can continue to serve as the governor of Jiaozhi, and everything will remain the same as before. However, you three uncles must cooperate with the court, and you must not delay the handover or cause any trouble."

When Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang heard that Liu Feng had actually agreed and even promised that Shi Xie's treatment in Jiaozhi would remain unchanged, they were overjoyed and kowtowed to Liu Feng repeatedly.

"Your humble servants thank General Zuo for his great kindness."

"Everyone, get up."

Liu Feng waved his hand, and the soldiers rose to their feet. After calming them down with a few words, he changed his tone and threatened, "Remember your promises. When I lead my army north to punish the disloyal and restore the Han Dynasty, I will need Jiaozhou to provide substantial support in terms of money, supplies, weapons, and soldiers. If you outwardly comply but inwardly defy me, I won't hesitate to let you test the sharpness of my sword!"

With a "thump," Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang's knees buckled, and they knelt down again, kowtowing and shouting, "Your humble servants dare not! How could your humble clans dare to oppose General Zuo? We will surely offer you food and drink and do our utmost to help General Zuo restore the Han Dynasty. We beg General Zuo to see the truth."

"Alright, stop kneeling. Get up and go back to your seats."

Although Liu Feng disapproved of Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, Shi Kuang, and others for their constant kneeling and their seemingly weak kneecaps, their behavior did indeed make him feel more at ease about Jiaozhou.

After thinking it over carefully, Liu Feng spoke again: "I have heard that your brother Shi Dezhang is quite talented. I intend to recruit him to Wu to serve me. I wonder if your father is willing to part with him?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Xin's heart skipped a beat, and he immediately guessed that Liu Feng probably wanted a hostage.

In fact, Shi Xie had already discussed the issue of the hostages. Even if Liu Feng kept Shi Xin, Shi Zhi, and Shi Kuang, it wouldn't matter.

But now, judging from Liu Feng's words, he actually wants Shi Hui to come as a hostage, which is beyond the original plan.

"This this……"

For a moment, Shi Xin didn't know how to explain. He wanted to refuse, but he didn't dare. However, he absolutely couldn't agree, or he would be scolded to death by Shi Xie when he got back.

If Shixie were to doubt his intentions again, he would truly be doomed.

(End of this chapter)