Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

Your Majesty is so generous and forthright. How could I, who have served you for so many years, possibly be coy and spoil your mood?

A mere prefectural governorship is not something that cannot be held!
Jiang Wei remained silent for a few moments, then cupped his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, Chengdu is one of the seven capitals of the Great Wei, and Your Majesty's palace in Chengdu has not yet been built. I am willing to serve as the governor of Yizhou to govern this area and protect it for Your Majesty."

"Alright." Cao Rui didn't say much, just nodded in agreement, and then pointed in Huang Quan's direction: "Minister Huang, send someone to summon Du Shu, the Prefect of Wu Commandery, to Jiangzhou, and let him serve as the Governor of Bazhou."

"Your subject obeys the decree." Huang Quan cupped his hands and readily agreed.

Although Huang Quan agreed, his heart was still filled with turmoil.

Jiang Wei and Du Shu both started as Gentlemen-in-Waiting by His Majesty's side. More than ten years have passed, and they have both risen to become regional governors? It's truly a matter of timing and fate!

Huang Quan thought for a few moments, then chuckled inwardly, a self-deprecating smile creeping onto his face. Let alone Jiang Wei and Du Shu, even when he surrendered to Wei in the third year of the Huangchu era, he was utterly despondent, only hoping to eke out a living. Who would have thought that in these twenty years he would rise so rapidly, first becoming a court attendant, then a governor, then entering the court as the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, and now shouldering such a significant responsibility as leading troops into Shu?
Only a wise ruler and a holy dynasty could accomplish such a feat!

"Your Majesty, should we establish a temporary Secretariat in Shu?" Huang Quan pressed.

Cao Rui nodded slightly, and then spoke: "Minister Li."

Li is a common surname, but at this moment, the only person with the surname Li in front of the emperor is Li Yan, also known as Li Zhengfang!

Li Yan was startled, a premonition dawning on him, and his heart pounded fiercely. Taking a step forward, Li Yan answered loudly:

"Chen is here!"

Cao Rui calmly said, "Minister Li once served as an official in Shu. Didn't you ask Liu Shan, the ruler of Shu, for the position of governor of Bazhou but were refused? Today, I will establish a Western Shu Regional Government in Chengdu and appoint you as the acting Minister of the Imperial Secretariat for the three provinces of Yizhou, Bazhou, and Ningzhou!"

Those in the tent saw Li Yan's expression change several times in a very short period of time, before his face flushed red and he knelt on the ground: "Your subject Li Yan accepts the imperial decree and thanks Your Majesty! Your Majesty has entrusted this task to me, and I will certainly serve Your Majesty to the death!"

Cao Rui chuckled softly as he looked at Li Yan bowing.

Appointing Li Yan as the Minister of the Western Shu Secretariat was not a spur-of-the-moment decision by Cao Rui, but rather the result of careful consideration.

The post-war Shu region urgently needed to recuperate and restore normal agricultural and social order. Among the ministers of the Wei Dynasty most familiar with the Shu region, Li Yan truly ranked first.

Moreover, the officials accompanying the army were mostly high-ranking ministers, many of whom had been granted titles of duke or marquis. Although each was loyal, they represented a powerful region and had numerous protégés and former subordinates. It would be inappropriate to use any one of them.

Huang Quan is from Langzhong in Bazhou County, so it's not advisable for him to serve as an official in his hometown. Pei Qian is not suitable for a posting to a distant region, Wang Su is not suitable for a substantive official position, Wang Xiong needs to accumulate experience for a few more years, and Cui Lin is not sharp enough and may not be able to control the situation. Using the generals in the army would be even more unsuitable.

Li Yan was neither a local nor had any family or relatives, making him a truly isolated official in Wei. Moreover, given his hostile stance towards the Liu family and the Shu Kingdom, there was no need to worry about Li Yan's political stance.

As for Li Yan's defection from Shu to Wei, according to Cao Rui's theory, this is something that only happens in times of chaos. In a stable Wei, there is no room for such double-dealing individuals. They will only be loyal ministers, and they must be loyal ministers.

Moreover, Li Yan's official residence was located in Chengdu, and with Jiang Wei serving as the governor of Chengdu, Cao Rui had no need to worry about any unforeseen events. "Minister Li, please rise," Cao Rui said, extending his right hand in a gesture of support, and asked, "I have immense trust in you, Minister Li, which is why I appointed you to this position. As the Minister of Civil Affairs of the Great Wei, you are familiar with all matters concerning the people of the realm. How will you govern as the Minister of the Western Shu?"

Li Yan answered without hesitation: "Your Majesty, I have a plan."

"Firstly, Western Shu is different from Wu. Wu is vast with many rivers and no fortified cities, so the Great Wei can rely on its naval forces without worry. Shu is different; it is mountainous with few rivers and has many passes. After I take office, I will order the two prefectures of Yizhou and Bazhou to demolish many passes and repair the plank roads, so that Shu can be connected with Guanzhong and Longyou without any obstacles!"

Cao Rui nodded approvingly: "That's how it should be. All of this is the territory of Wei, and there should be no obstruction. What use are the passes and barriers? San Pass, which protects Guanzhong, Yangping Pass, which protects Hanzhong, and Jiameng Pass, which protects Zitong, should be retained. These three passes are sufficient. The remaining passes, such as Wuxing Pass, Yang'an Pass, Baishui Pass, Jiange Pass, and Baidi City Pass, which were established during the chaos and the conflict between Wei and Shu, should all be abolished."

"Li Qing's suggestion is excellent."

"It was Privy Councilor Xu who dismantled Jian Ge first, and I am merely following suit." Li Yan also appeared somewhat humble at this time: "Secondly, I will build water conservancy projects, repair roads, and reclaim land in Western Shu to establish military farms. We will deal with the matter of taxes after the situation stabilizes in the future."

"For many years, Shu has been engaged in endless wars, which has greatly depleted the people's strength. At present, it is already a good thing for Shu to stop fighting. Tax reduction should be discussed after Shu has been reorganized, which may take three or five years. I think it is not appropriate to rush it."

Cao Rui nodded: "Restore the people's livelihood. You have been in Shu for many years, so do it according to your ideas. However, if you do not do it well, I will still punish you."

“Your Majesty understands.” Li Yan continued, “The third matter is that I believe more copper officials should be appointed in Western Shu! Yizhou and Ningzhou have many copper mines, and I believe that the copper officials in these two prefectures should be brought under their jurisdiction. I request that the Directorate of Works send craftsmen to Shu to provide guidance, and that an additional Directorate of Works be appointed. I also request that the court establish a mint in Jiangzhou City of Bazhou, with the court sending people to supervise and oversee its production.”

"I have finished speaking."

Cao Rui nodded slightly: "This is also something I wanted to tell you. You did well and thought of this matter as well. You are very thoughtful. Yizhou and Ningzhou have copper, while Bazhou has no copper but is along the river and can be connected with other prefectures and counties of Wei by water transport. It is quite appropriate to set up in Jiangzhou City."

"My lords, the court governs the country by focusing on three things: officials, the army, and finances. After we take over Shu, the recovery of copper coins in the Great Wei will be much faster."

At this moment, Xu Shu bowed and interjected, "Your Majesty, now that the Western Shu Regional Government has been established, shouldn't we, like the story of the conquest of Wu, appoint generals to command troops in each of these three prefectures to suppress disobedience?"

Cao Rui thought for a moment: "Is there anyone suitable for the Privy Council? I think it is not advisable to leave the generals in Shu. We could promote one or two of them."

Xu Shu cupped his hands and said, "Your Majesty, I have three candidates in mind."

"General Pu Zhong has long served Guanqiu Zhonggong in Jiaozhou, and this time he has repeatedly won battles in the south with Guanqiu Zhonggong. I suggest that Pu Zhong be appointed as the Protector of Ningzhou."

“Apart from Pu Zhong, General Dian Man and General Li Ji may be appointed to their posts in Yizhou and Bazhou respectively.”

Cao Rui nodded: "Let's do it this way. All three candidates are suitable."

"Boyue," Cao Rui said, turning to Jiang Wei, "return to Chengdu and have someone inform Liu Shan that I will be waiting for him at the north gate of Chengdu tomorrow at noon to open the city gates and surrender!" (End of Chapter)