Wait, please don't call me Emperor Zhaolie

Chapter 308: God-given
In March of the second year of Jian'an (197), a strong wind blew the flags and banners fluttering. The sound of horse hooves was deafening and the iron horses were shaking the ground, like the shadow cast by the bright sun passing through light clouds. The soldiers were in high spirits and were getting closer and closer.

The people working in the fields looked up and saw a red silk banner with the familiar words "Han" and "Liu" engraved on it.

Some people couldn't help but shout loudly: "The king is back, the king is back!"

Men, women, young and old, ran around and shouted excitedly to each other.

After Liu Bei finished his business in Luoyang, he appointed Du Ji, who had passed the examination, as the Governor of Runan, and led his army back to Pingyuan to prepare for the expedition to Jizhou.

"The king has finally returned. We thought he would abandon the plains."

There were many people in the fields who spontaneously stopped in the middle of the road and spoke with tears in their eyes.

There were also several elderly men with graying beards in the crowd, sobbing and patting their chests, choking with sobs.

This caused many soldiers to stop their horses and look at each other, not knowing what to do for a moment.

When the news reached the rear, Liu Bei was also startled, not knowing what had happened, and immediately took Xu Chu, Dian Wei, and his personal guards to check.

Seeing many common people blocking the road ahead, Liu Bei asked in confusion: "Fellow elders, why are you blocking the way of our army? If you have any concerns, please speak to me."

"The king has come. The king has really returned. We are here to see the king."

When many of the common people from the plain who had gathered around saw Liu Bei, they could not contain themselves and kowtowed in joy and surprise.

When Liu Bei asked the reason, the elders and common people couldn't help crying and said, "Lord Xuande has become the King of Han. We are afraid that you can't stay in Pingyuan for long..."

"I heard that Hanzhong County is still far away in Yizhou, perhaps thousands of miles away. I am afraid that I will never see Lord Xuande again in this life!"

"Does Envoy Liu hate Qingzhou? He wants to be the king of a strange place with unfamiliar people and land. Even if he cannot be the King of Pingyuan, he can be the King of Jinan, the King of Qi, or the King of Beihai."

The people sobbed silently, and the old man wiped his tears with his sleeves.

Being old enough and having seen the world, he understood what was going on during the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling. Officials were corrupt and cruel to no end. County magistrates levied heavy taxes and extorted money, squeezing the people's blood to fill the treasury. The treasury was filled with rice, millet, and silk, and official positions were sold to supplement the court. Those who had no millet to pay taxes would die in prison. The ground was covered with weeds and bones.

Only Lord Xuande came to Pingyuan. Not only did he not impose heavy taxes, but he used the money he earned from business to help the world and the people. He was also easy-going and governed Pingyuan County with his own hands.

Although the people are illiterate, their minds are as clear as a mirror. They all know who is good to them and who is bad to them.

When Lord Xuande first came to Pingyuan, he wanted to dig a canal to divert river water to irrigate the fields. However, the people were worried that digging a river would bring about bad omens, so they were unwilling to dig the canal.

After hearing this, Liu Bei immediately called together many people and said to them with a smile: "It is a good thing that everyone respects heaven and earth, but it will be more convenient to divert water for irrigation. In this case, we should carve the words 'Liu Bei' on a stone and erect a monument beside the river."

"Even if there are evil things, let them come to me, Liu Bei, and don't blame you wrongly."

Later, canals were built and water was brought to irrigate hundreds of hectares of farmland, so that the harvest became better and better, and no bad omens were seen.

The people of Pingyuan found the stone tablet by the river and wanted to push it down, but they discovered many more names on it.

In addition to Liu Bei, the names of Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and Jian Yong also appear.

It is also engraved below: To prevent disaster for my people, do not move.

The common people dared not push down the stone tablet again, but everyone would unconsciously rub the name on the stone tablet with their hands when they passed by.

If the river is really a bad omen, Magistrate Liu will not be found. Recalling the past, an old man and an old woman burst into tears and said, "Lord Xuande once said that he would rule the world, but now he has been promoted to the King of Han and has great power. How come he is getting closer and farther away from us?"

Liu Bei sighed slightly, helped the old man and old woman in front of him up, smiled and said in a gentle voice: "I became the King of Han in order to better govern the world. Qingzhou has gradually become prosperous, but there are still twelve other states in the world where people's livelihood is declining and there is not enough food. Only by going to Sili and sitting in the central thoroughfare can we clear up the world."

After a brief pause, Liu Bei smiled and said, "Please rest assured, my fellow elders. Even if I am far away in Sili in the future, I will always be concerned about Pingyuan."

He listened patiently to everyone's stories, dispelled their concerns, and looked at the departing figures.

Liu Bei secretly sighed: "What the people want is just to be warm and well fed, but it is so difficult to achieve it. The task is heavy and the road is long!"

At this time he returned to Pingyuan, while Xun You continued to stay in Luoyang to handle affairs. His wife Yin Jun, eldest son Liu Yong, many concubines and daughter Liu Xing all stayed in Henei County.

Many government offices in Pingyuan County also began to move to Henei and Luoyang. No wonder the people reacted in this way.

After the conquest of Hebei, he spent even less time returning to Qingzhou.

When the cavalry was about to approach Pingyuan County, Xun Yu took dozens of officials and went several miles out of the city to welcome the King of Han.

As soon as they met, Xun Yu bowed his head and saluted, saying: "Xun Yu, the Prime Minister of Le'an and the Deputy Governor of Qingzhou, and the Deputy Governor of Qingzhou and Yanzhou, and a native of Yingchuan, pays homage to the king."

The etiquette is extremely formal as they bow and kowtow.

Liu Bei took a step forward and blocked it with his hand, then pulled him up, smiled and asked, "Wen Ruo, we haven't seen each other for more than a month, how come you have become strangers?"

"It would be better to learn from Gongda and Fengxiao, who know that I don't like excessive etiquette, so they see that I remain the same."

"Bei was able to become the King of Han, and Wenruo played an indispensable role. In the past few years of conquering the princes, Wenruo dispatched food and military equipment in Qingzhou, and rewarded farming and mulberry planting, so that I had no worries and could concentrate on conquering the four directions."

"In the past, Emperor Gaozu appointed Xiao He to guard Guanzhong, and to provide sufficient food for the army, so that he no longer had to worry about the surrounding areas. Therefore, he was able to focus on attacking Xiang Yu and finally achieve his great cause. Wen Ruo's achievements can be compared to those of Prime Minister Xiao."

"Now Han China is still lacking a good prime minister. I wonder if Wen Ruo is willing to take the position?"

Liu Bei then asked with a smile.

Even though he had expected this, when the time came, Xun Yu couldn't help but feel a little surprised. Although he was currently the Prime Minister of Han China, perhaps it wouldn't be long before he could become the Prime Minister of the world.

He was granted the title of nobility and appointed as prime minister, and was rewarded with special honors.

This is what many scholars pursue throughout their lives. Now it is vaguely within sight. How can Xun Yu not be delighted?

He immediately bowed and said, "It is a great honor for me to be valued so highly by the king."

"The fact that you can sweep across the country like a whirlwind and shake the whole country is not my own achievement. I humbly hope that the king's auspicious destiny is clear, and that the ancestral temple is blessed by the spirit of Emperor Gaozu."

Being able to assist Liu Shijun to reach where he is today has made many people jealous and envious of him.

Xun Yu had no intention of taking credit for the success. He believed that the success of the King of Han depended on him, and that he, Xun Wenruo, had only done what he could as an aide.

Lord Xuande's talent was gifted by Heaven.

(End of this chapter)