Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 247 The real head of the Han family!
"Wen Ruo, if you have any good ideas, feel free to tell me."

Liu Bei also knew how difficult it was to carry the people across the river, but he did not want the plain to be destroyed and the common people to be bloodied. He would rather choose to evacuate the people and deal with the Wuhuan and Xianbei with a solid defense.

"Envoy..." Xun Yu considered his words and bowed, "Pingyuan County has no geographical advantages, which is suitable for cavalry to move freely. It is quite safe to move the people across the river. However, Yuan Shao heard that if we move the people across the river, the Hu people will pass through the cities and go deep into the hinterland to hunt down the people."

"It's better not to let the news leak out yet. We should relocate the people from all counties from the inside out. In order to prevent Yuan Benchu ​​from making any rash moves, we can pretend to recruit some young and strong people to defend the city and fight against Yuan's army."

"Because of your reputation, if you raise your arms and call for action, people from all over the country will surely roll up their sleeves and respond, and even take their own grain to join the army. When Yuan Shao sees this, he will be cautious and dare not take risks again."

The defeat and death of Qu Yi had already shaken the army's morale. If the Wuhuan were sent to attack Pingyuan and were instead trapped by hundreds of thousands of civilians, the morale of Yuan's army would be further damaged.

It should be noted that since the fourth year of Chuping, Liu Bei has been encouraging the people in Qingzhou to practice archery more, and has also lifted hunting restrictions. The people do not have to pay taxes when going into the mountains to hunt. Except for the land of the wealthy families, officials cannot easily stop common hunters from going to the hills to hunt.

Soldiers on rest were also ordered to serve as hunting captains and security chiefs in the village. Except when they were busy farming, they would be called up for training all the time.

Fortunately, during the Qin and Han dynasties, almost all citizens were soldiers, and every man had to serve in the military. They had long been accustomed to it and had no resistance.

Moreover, Lord Liu also improved the treatment of the soldiers. Not only did he distribute land and exempt them from taxes, but his military salaries were also more than twice that of other princes, and there were also pensions for those killed in battle.

From ancient times to the present, as long as the treatment is improved, there will be people who will participate enthusiastically. But now not everyone who wants to enter the Qingzhou Military Office can do so. Auxiliary soldiers need to be selected, and combat soldiers need to be selected even more. How many people want to join the army?

The huge military expenditure accounted for most of the tax money collected by various state treasuries. Even the huge amount of money Liu Bei earned from his personal business of selling salt, sugar, tea, and horses was all invested in military expenditure to support the soldiers.

Even the soldiers had a hundred acres of land, but according to the records of the land office, the great Liu Shijun had only five hundred acres of arable land.

Everyone knew about Qingzhou's auxiliary soldiers and combat troops. The fact that the general spent all his money to support the soldiers made everyone burst into tears.

I eat the food provided by the governor, so I should serve him even at the cost of my death in order to repay his special favor.

Especially the 400,000 Yellow Turban surrendered soldiers, who were grateful to Lord Xuande for not killing them, and even gave them land.

The Yellow Turbans recruited soldiers and marched from Beihai and Donglai to Taishan County, then to Xuzhou Langya, and then to Yuzhou Runan. They had no complaints during the long journey.

They were not leaning towards Liu in order to repay the favor of the Liu family, but leaning towards Liu Shijun in order to repay the great kindness of Liu Shijun. Even if Liu Shijun's surname was not Liu, they would still be willing to follow him, just like following a great and virtuous teacher.

Because they saw in Liu Shijun the hope for the people to survive, without having to be separated from their families, sell their wives and daughters, or eat their children.

Having seen endless darkness, I yearn for light more than others. I will not hesitate and will not regret even if I die.

What Liu Xuande did was undoubtedly in line with the values ​​of the scholars at that time: the people are governed by the monarch, if the monarch's government is good, the people will be harmonious, if the monarch's government is bad, the people will be resentful and chaotic, so the monarch should base his care for the people on the idea of ​​adding virtue to the people's government.

Even if Wang Fu, who wrote The Theory of the Hidden Man and was as famous as Ma Rong, Zhang Heng and others, were to be resurrected, he would still give Liu Bei a thumbs up and praise him: "He is truly the head of the Han family."

Then he stayed in Qingzhou and didn't leave.

This is also the reason why Zheng Xuan rushed to Pingyuan from Beihai. Although he was suspected of being deceived by Lu Zhi, he had indeed admired Liu Xuande for a long time.

After being detained in Luoyang, Taifu Zhao Qi still worked with great interest even though he was not paid any salary. He worked hard with the two brothers Zhang Fan and Zhang Cheng to assist Zhang Yide in rebuilding the Luoyang Sili counties.

There was also Zhang Jian, a well-known man who lived in seclusion in Shanyang County. Knowing that the decisive battle in Hebei was imminent, he wrote letters to Liu Bei tirelessly, hoping to serve the Han Dynasty again when its time was numbered.

At that time, Liu Bei asked Xun Yu for his opinion, and Xun Yu cupped his hands and said, "Although Zhang Gong has fled to various places due to the Party-Faction Persecution Disaster and has implicated many people, he still has a reputation. Since he is willing to serve us, we might as well accept him." Liu Bei then appointed Zhang Jian as the chief clerk of Shanyang County, and Zhang Jian gladly accepted it. A few days later, he took a carriage to take up the post.

These old fellows have been through many ups and downs in life, and can quickly see through things. They have very sharp eyes and can tell at a glance who can accomplish great things.

As the old man heard the news and took action, all the uninformed nobles and aristocrats in the neighboring states were stunned. Those who were dissatisfied with Liu Xuande were speechless after hearing the news.

It has to be said that Liu Bei was far ahead of other princes in terms of benevolence and love for the people.

Xun Yu had been in Qingzhou for many years, so he was naturally aware of the prestige of the envoy in the eyes of the people. Therefore, he offered this compromise method to minimize the obstruction of Yuan’s army.

Liu Bei pondered for a while and then nodded in agreement.

This was the only way to scare Yuan Shao off. Even if he led his troops to garrison in the northern part of the plain, it would be impossible for him to disperse his soldiers across hundreds of miles.

It would be even worse if the Wuhuan cavalry took advantage of the gap to attack.

Once the people have evacuated safely, there is no need to worry about breaking jars and pots. After all, "people" are the most important.

Liu Bei couldn't help but chuckle and said, "Yuan Benchu ​​probably doesn't know how much power will burst out when the words 'protecting the family' and 'defending the country' are combined. If he wants to fight a decisive battle on the Qingzhou Plain, he will undoubtedly be like a moth flying into a flame, courting his own destruction."

The threat of the Hu cavalry was imminent and could not be delayed. Liu Bei immediately asked Xun Yu to send a document to mobilize large and small grain ships to the Yellow River, and then issue a notice to all counties in Pingyuan to pretend to recruit civilians to defend the city.

But even Liu Bei did not expect that he underestimated his prestige among the people of Qingzhou.

In just a few days, in every county where the notice was posted, countless civilians and knights volunteered to help the governor defend the city without asking for money or food.

Because there were so many people coming, including men, women, young and old, they surrounded the county government offices and military headquarters in various places and signed up enthusiastically.

The officer in charge of recruiting civilians could not help but frown. He saw a young knight-errant who was only thirteen or fourteen years old and wearing a turban on his head, coming in shoulder to shoulder. He said unhappily, "You are recruiting young and strong men, not teenagers. It is useless for you to come in."

The young knight's face flushed red, and he shouted loudly: "A warrior's ambition is not limited by age. Every man has a share of responsibility for the fate of the country. I will contribute to the Han Dynasty, so why not? Don't underestimate me."

The officer grinned and said, "If it weren't for your young age, I would have recruited you to join my garrison just based on these few words. Go back first and come back in a few years."

"There is no such thin armor in the army right now."

Unexpectedly, the young knight said nonchalantly: "I am thick-skinned and strong, so let Yuan's army shoot more arrows at Nai Gong, and then there will be fewer arrows at the envoy. If there is no suitable armor, I can kill the enemy in plain clothes and with a spear."

The thick-bearded officer frowned, but explained in a friendly manner: "The envoy has ordered that only young and strong men are recruited, and the old and young are not included. Moreover, each county only needs 1,500 people. The number of people in the general county is full, so you should go back."

The military officer also explained to the elders.

The young knight's grandfather also hurried over, pulled him aside with his only remaining arm, and hit him hard. The bearded military officer thought that they were relatives coming to dissuade him, so he didn't pay any attention.

Unexpectedly, the visitor cursed: "You bastard, do you want to compete with the old man even for achievements?"

Then he turned around and laughed, saying, "Sir, I am an old soldier who followed you to suppress the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou. Even if the number of people is full, it won't hurt to add me, right?"

(End of this chapter)