The Three Kingdoms: Zhaolie, the strategist, and the rise of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 319 Lü Bu: If you do not abandon me, I am willing to marry the Prime Minister.

Cao Cao was furious after reading Fu Xun's letter.

Although he resented Han Sui for raising the price so drastically, demanding an exorbitant amount.

However, he had no choice but to endure it, as the Western Liang forces were a link he had to win over, especially the fierce Liangzhou army under Han Sui's command.

After some consideration, Cao Cao had no choice but to reply to Fu Xun, writing:
"Upon receiving your letter, I have learned all the details of the situation in Liangzhou."

"Han Sui is cunning and his demands are outrageous; this was entirely expected."

"However, given the prevailing circumstances, how can they be allowed to raise prices so easily?"

"Now that I have made up my mind, I will allow a woman from a collateral branch of the imperial family to marry into the family. However, the amount of money and provisions shall not exceed one hundred million, and the rest shall not be given."

"You should clearly tell Han Sui: Ma Mengqi has been stationing troops in Bingzhou for a long time and has been eyeing Liangzhou."

"He is Liu Bei's henchman. If the Qi people gain power, they will surely use Ma Chao's strength to advance westward. At that time, how can Han Sui sleep soundly?"

"Today, Han Gong and I are truly like lips and teeth; when we cooperate, we both benefit, and when we fight, we both suffer."

"If Lord Han insists on demanding a large bribe, he will be cutting himself off from his allies, only allowing Ma Chao to reap the benefits."

"Moreover, Liangzhou is barren, and even if one obtains hundreds of millions of dollars, it will only temporarily fill one's own pockets."

"By forming an alliance with Wei, we can preserve the foundation of our descendants' estate."

"If Han Sui were wise, he would know the importance of things."

"You may speak frankly: I treat you with sincerity and wish to form a marriage alliance to jointly overcome our troubles."

"If they remain greedy, then the alliance is off, and I will devise another plan."

"However, the future calamities facing Liangzhou are probably beyond Han Sui's ability to bear!"

Finally, Cao Cao couldn't help but add a comment.

"You can observe Han Sui's expression. If he is tempted, it is alright to make a little more concession. However, the bottom line must not be crossed."

"In times of great contention, one should use power to intimidate others, not just offer bribes."

Cao Cao's letter fully reveals his ruthless nature; he believed that marriage alliances were not a big deal.

If it weren't for the fact that Liu Bei's side was preventing it, Cao Cao would have loved to marry his daughter to Liu Xie as a concubine immediately.

This is to strengthen their influence in the government.

Although it was eventually abandoned due to interference from Liu Bei's camp.

But this never deterred Cao Cao's determination to increase his political leverage through marriage alliances.

So Cao Cao meant that since Han Sui wanted to form a marriage alliance with him, shouldn't he offer some "bride price"?
They can't possibly ask us for so much money anymore.

After some consideration, Cao Cao offered to give 100 million coins as military expenses for Han Sui's 100,000-strong army.

This amount of money is actually reasonable.

Because military expenditures were always very high in ancient times.

Take the Qiang rebellion during the Anshun period of the Eastern Han Dynasty as an example.

According to statistics,
During the more than ten years of the Qiang rebellion, the Eastern Han government spent approximately 24 billion coins.

This astronomical military expenditure became a bleeding wound that the Eastern Han government could never heal.

Having obtained Cao Cao's bottom line, Fu Xun once again entered Jincheng with a letter, where Han Sui hosted a banquet for him at the governor's mansion.

After several rounds of drinks, Fu Xun cupped his hands and said:
"Wei Gong has already responded to the matter we discussed earlier."

"We are willing to arrange a marriage between a daughter of the Cao family and a military fund of one hundred million coins to help Lord Han improve his military preparedness."

"As for the request for gold and brocade, I hope you will understand that the war in the Central Plains is urgent and that we should keep it simple for now."

Before Han Sui could answer, his general Yan Xing slammed his fist on the table and shouted:
"You think you can buy the lives of my Liangzhou men with a hundred million coins? Lord Wei is far too stingy!"

"I've heard that you Wei people have been digging up the imperial tombs in Henan and making a fortune of hundreds of millions."

Why waste such a small amount of military funds?

Yan Xing has a fiery temper and is exceptionally brave and resourceful.

In official history, he once fought Ma Chao one-on-one.

And because the spear broke and sliced ​​across Ma Chao's neck, nearly killing him, he became famous.

Fu Xun remained calm and composed, looking at Han Sui:
"Lord Wei has specifically instructed me to inform you that Ma Mengqi is currently occupying Bingzhou and is training his cavalry day and night."

"If Qi and Wei were to go to war, Liu Bei would send him west out of Xiaoguan..."

"presumptuous!"

Han Sui suddenly crushed the wine cup in his hand, and the wine dripped through his fingers.

Seeing this, Cheng Gongying quickly rushed forward to smooth things over:

"Envoy Fu, you are mistaken. General Ma and my lord are like father and son. How could they possibly turn against each other with weapons?"

After speaking, he looked at Fu Xun as if to remind him to be careful with his words.

He has already talked to Han Sui about it, so don't ruin it by speaking too impulsively now.

There's no need to hide the dandelion.

Han Sui waved his hand and interrupted with a cold laugh.

He was, after all, a ruthless and powerful figure, and quickly calmed down.

"Since Cao Cao wants to form an alliance, is he willing to swear an oath never to let Ma Chao's troops set foot in Liangzhou?"

Fu Xun calmly took out a silk book from his sleeve:
"This is a letter written by the Duke of Wei himself, stating that after defeating Liu, the area west of Longshan will be under the control of the Duke of Han."

This time, the State of Wei simultaneously courted two allies, Sun Wu and Xiliang, and provided demarcation boundaries for both.

By ceding the Jiangnan region to Eastern Wu and Longxi to Liangzhou, Cao Cao only wanted to return to the Central Plains.

"it is good!"

Han Sui's eyes flickered, and he stood up.

"The Wei envoy can go back and tell Cao Cao that I will wait until the snow melts in the spring."

"When the Wei army clashes with the Qi army, the Liangzhou cavalry will surely come out of Tongguan to lend a helping hand to the Wei people."

Fu Xun was overjoyed and bowed deeply:
"Lord Han is wise! Lord Wei has prepared the money and provisions, which will arrive at Longguan in three days."

That night, there were frequent troop movements inside and outside Jincheng.

There were spies disguised as merchants who sent a message to Ma Chao, who was in Bingzhou.

Ma Dai had come to Liangzhou to trade with others before, intending to plant spies, but he didn't expect them to come in handy so soon.

A biting wind howled, and the banners of the military camp outside Jinyang City in Bingzhou fluttered in the wind.

Ma Chao, clad in iron armor, stood before the tent, clutching a secret report from Liangzhou tightly in his hand, a murderous aura lurking between his brows.

"That old scoundrel Han Sui actually had a secret affair with Cao Cao!"

Ma Chao was both furious and excited. He had been preparing for this day for so many years in Bingzhou.

"Master Fengchu, this matter should be reported to the Prime Minister immediately for a decision!"

Pang Tong gathered his sleeves and stepped forward, carefully reading the secret letter. Suddenly, he let out a cold laugh:
"General, do not be impatient. Han Sui is cunning, and this alliance will inevitably be subject to change."

"However, speed is of the essence in war—"

The fingertips emphasize the strategic pass of Huguan, "We must first seize this vital point to prevent any unforeseen events."

Ma Chao's eyes were like lightning:

"Just what I want!"

"Immediately dispatch elite troops from Shangdang and Yanmen to set up camps along the Fukou Pass."

He hesitated for a moment, then added, "But without the emperor's orders, they mobilized troops without authorization..."

Pang Tong stroked his beard and smiled, “The Six Secret Teachings says: ‘When you see an opportunity, don’t miss it; when the time is right, don’t hesitate.’”

"General, you are the bulwark of Qi. Only by making decisive decisions can you demonstrate your great talent."

"I am willing to write a letter immediately and send it to Yecheng overnight."

This highlights the importance of strategists.

Ancient administration was extremely inefficient, and knowing when to make a decision independently and when to notify superiors required considerable skill.

If you let Ma Chao do it himself, he definitely won't be able to handle it.

This is why Li Yi kept Pang Tong by Ma Chao's side.

……

Let me talk about two things.

It was the end of October in the fourteenth year of Jian'an.

As autumn deepens and frosts fall, the land of Hebei is gradually entering the cold winter.

Since Li Yi took command of the military and political affairs of Hebei on Liu Bei's orders, the troop movements in various prefectures and counties have been basically completed, and supplies and provisions have been transported to the front-line camps one after another.

However, as the army was fully assembled, a thorny problem gradually emerged—excessive military spending made it difficult for the national treasury to turn over.

Note that this does not mean Hebei is out of money, but rather that it is experiencing difficulties in cash flow.

The military system of the Eastern Han Dynasty mainly combined conscription and recruitment, while Liu Bei's army mainly relied on recruitment.

These professional soldiers not only received monthly pay, but their weapons, armor, bows and crossbows and other equipment were also provided by the government.

At this time, the main currency was still the "Wuzhu coin".

However, military supplies were provided by the Imperial Household Department.

In other words, the money for weapons, armor, and the like must first be transferred to functional departments such as the Imperial Household Department.

Only then can supplies be distributed uniformly.

It sounds simple, but it's actually very complicated to operate.

This is why it is said that the difficulty of governing a large country and governing a small country are not even on the same level.

Even more challenging is this Central Plains War.

In addition to soldiers, more than 100,000 civilian laborers also need to be conscripted.

They were responsible for auxiliary tasks such as transporting provisions, building camps, and maintaining equipment.

Although these laborers did not directly participate in the war, their food, lodging, and wages along the way constituted a huge expense.

The number of regular soldiers mobilized in Hebei this time was actually between 60,000 and 80,000.

It seems he can't compare to Yuan Shao at his peak.

However, Yuan Shao fought the Battle of Guandu with the ambition of unifying the world and was desperate to win the war.

Therefore, Hebei mobilized the militia regardless of cost at that time.

Later in the game, Yuan Shen also experienced a large-scale rebellion.

But this time is different; this time, Hebei has absolutely no need to risk its life.

After all, troops also need to be sent from Jingzhou, Huainan, and Xuzhou.

Therefore, the deployment of troops must be carried out in a way that minimizes harm to civilians and agricultural activities.

Just as Li Yi was still worrying about the issue of military funding, a messenger reported that Lu Bu, the governor of Pingzhou, had arrived in Hebei with cattle and sheep.

The governors of various regions are required to undergo regular political vetting at the central government; it's impossible for them to truly become local tyrants in the border areas.

Lü Bu was no exception.

However, since Liaodong was too far from Xuzhou, Liu Bei made a special permission for Lü Bu to go to the Prime Minister's residence to deliver a government work report.

After the snow in front of the courtyard was first swept away, Lü Bu escorted thousands of warhorses, cattle, and sheep to Ye City to report to the Prime Minister's residence.

Although the governor of Pingzhou, who was over fifty years old, had slightly graying temples, he still stood tall and straight like a pine tree, with his halberd placed horizontally in front of him as he sat upright in the main hall of the prime minister's residence.

Li Yi flipped through the border reports presented by Lü Bu and nodded slightly:

"Marquis Wen guarded Pingzhou, repeatedly defeating the barbarians, protecting the borders and ensuring the safety of the people, and his contributions were great to the nation."

Lu Bu clasped his hands and smiled, "It's my duty, nothing to mention."

Li Yi closed the bamboo slips and suddenly sighed, "But there is a thorny matter at hand that only a hero like Marquis Wen can handle..."

Lu Bu raised an eyebrow. "Oh? Please speak freely, Prime Minister."

Li Yi lowered his voice and said:

"Hebei is facing a tight military budget, but some powerful families are hoarding grain and raising prices."

"I intend to use Marquis Wen's power to give these powerful clans a warning."

This……

Lu Bu feigned reluctance, but how tough were the landlords of Hebei?

Lu Bu was already over fifty years old and was hoping to retire and live out his days in Hebei.

Now that he has offended these landlords and powerful figures, will he still have a place to stay in Hebei?

"This is a job that will offend people..." Lu Bu looked troubled.

"...Hehe, it is precisely because this matter is so difficult that a hero like Marquis Wen is needed to step forward."

Li Yi said with a burning gaze.

Just as they were locked in a stalemate, they suddenly heard the tinkling of jade pendants.

Lu Lingqi, dressed in red, stepped into the hall and bowed with clasped hands.

"Daughter greets Father and pays respects to the Prime Minister."

As soon as Lü Lingqi heard that her father had come to Hebei, she rushed over without stopping.

Lu Bu's expression softened, and he gently stroked his daughter's back, asking softly:
"Is Lingqi settling in well in Ye City?"

"Thanks to the Prime Minister's protection..."

Lu Lingqi glanced at Li Yi with a flicker of her eye.

"Sister Mi, Sister Mi, and Sister Yuan all treated me extremely well."

Li Yi stroked his beard lightly and said casually:
“Your daughter is exceptionally skilled in martial arts and currently commands the Prime Minister’s personal guards; she is my right-hand woman.”

Li Yi deliberately exaggerated Lü Lingqi's role.

In reality, Lü Lingqi was just a bodyguard for his wives.

The core armed forces of the Prime Minister's residence certainly cannot be handed over to a woman.

It's just that Lü Lingqi has a group of female soldiers under her command, who are with Mi Zhen and the others. Since they are all girls, it's easier for them to get along.

Upon hearing this, Lü Bu stroked his beard and laughed heartily:
"I never expected the Prime Minister to appreciate my daughter so much..."

Suddenly, the conversation shifted, "Now I am over fifty years old, and I wonder what my later years will be like..."

Li Yi understood and immediately echoed:
"Marquis Wen's merits will last for generations, and the imperial court will bestow rewards upon him."

"Hahaha!"

Lu Bu lightly tapped the table and said meaningfully.

"Those empty titles and salaries, could they buy a few jars of fine wine?"

"Let's be more practical—"

"Oh? What exactly does Marquis Wen want?"

Li Yi, a master of feigning ignorance, continued to press for answers.

"I am in Liaodong, so it is alright for me to step in on behalf of the Prime Minister and put a good word to the powerful families in Hebei."

"At worst, I'll just go back to Liaodong tomorrow."

"But my daughter is still in Hebei, and I fear that the powerful families will retaliate against the Bu family..."

Having said all that, Lü Bu's implication couldn't be clearer.

I can do the dirty work for you, but when I get old, you have to think about my old age.

"If the Prime Minister is willing to marry my daughter..."

As soon as she finished speaking, Lü Lingqi's ears turned bright red, but she did not object.

Even if Lü Bu were foolish, he could see the status of the Li family in Hebei.

It is the largest landlord in Hebei.

Although I offended other landlords and powerful figures in Hebei, I managed to cling to the coattails of the biggest landlord.

No matter how you look at it, this is a win-win situation.

The only pity is that the Li family was on the rise.

However, there are too few members in the clan, or rather, they are all underage.

But Lü Lingqi couldn't possibly wait until they grew up.

Therefore, Li Yi had no choice but to step forward personally.

Li Yi stared at the halberd, then suddenly chuckled:
"If Marquis Wen is willing to help me with my military expenses, this matter will not be difficult."

"That's great! I love the Prime Minister's temperament!"

Lu Bu shouldered his halberd and snorted:

"Within three days, I will make those parasites in Hebei obediently spit out their money." "However—the marriage contract must be signed first."

Easy to say.

Li Yi ordered someone to bring paper and pen, and immediately signed the document.

With this guarantee, Lü Bu finally felt relieved.

He then asked Lü Lingqi beside him:

"Lingqi, I hope my arrangement hasn't wronged you?"

Lu Lingqi lowered her head shyly and said:
“Since the father has spoken, the daughter is naturally willing to marry him.”

"Hahaha……"

Lü Bu threw his head back and laughed loudly, "Who was it that said that when I got married, I would choose my own husband?"

"Father……"

Lu Lingqi glared at Lu Bu playfully, then glanced at Li Yi with some trepidation, wondering if his expression had changed.

……

The next day, noon.

Lü Bu led over a hundred iron cavalrymen and stormed into the Tian family mansion in Wei Commandery.

Upon hearing that Lü Bu had arrived in person, Tian Tong, the head of the Tian family, hurriedly straightened his clothes and went out to greet him, his face full of smiles.

My heart was pounding – why did this plague suddenly appear at my door?
"Oh my! Your presence, Lord Wen, is an honor to my humble abode!"

Tian Tong bowed respectfully, but out of the corner of his eye he caught a glimpse of the armored soldiers behind Lü Bu, each with their hands on their sword hilts, exuding a murderous aura.

Lu Bu casually sat down in the main seat, slammed his halberd on the ground with a loud thud, making the teacups jump around.

He grinned and said, "Lord Tian, ​​I recently acquired a priceless treasure—a luminous pearl!"

"Unfortunately, I'm a bit short on cash right now. I was thinking of selling it to you for 300,000 coins. What do you think?"

After saying that, he took out a dull gray pebble from his pocket and slammed it on the table.

Tian Tong stared at the stone, his lips twitching:
"Lord Wen, you jest. This...this is just a stone, isn't it?"

Ok?
Lu Bu glared at him and said reproachfully:
"Nonsense! This is clearly a luminous pearl!"

"If it's not true, I'll write my Lü character backwards!"

Tian Tong chuckled twice:

"Lord Wen, isn't the character 'Lü' still 'Lü' if you write it backwards?"

Having said that, and now a little bolder, he started joking too:
"If this really is a luminous pearl, then I'll write the character '田' upside down!"

Lu Bu was taken aback, thinking to himself that this fellow was quite cunning.

Seeing that he refused to comply, his face darkened, and he suddenly lowered his voice and said:

"Lord Tian, ​​I've heard... you have a good relationship with Cao Cao?"

Tian Tong's heart tightened, and he quickly waved his hand:

"No, no, no, that's not happening!"

"When Cao Cao occupied Wei Commandery, we were only forced to feign compliance due to the circumstances."

"Actually, Mr. Tian looked down on him from the bottom of his heart!"

Qi is currently preparing for war with Wei. If they are accused of colluding with the enemy, it would be a serious matter.

"Oh?"

Lu Bu sneered:

"Now that you have troops stationed in Wei Commandery, do you also look down on me?"

Tian Tong's forehead was covered in cold sweat:

"No, no, no! How can Wen Hou and Cao Cao be the same?"

"Tian's admiration for Marquis Wen was like a surging river, endless and unstoppable, like the Yellow River overflowing its banks..."

Lu Bu suddenly stood up and swung his halberd.

There was a "click" sound.

The table next to Tian Tong was split in two, with wood chips flying everywhere!

The servants and guards on either side were so afraid of Lü Bu's martial prowess that not one of them dared to step forward to stop him.

They were all so frightened that they retreated repeatedly.

"But someone told me that you secretly colluded with Cao Cao and wanted to take my life!"

Tian Tong was so frightened that he knelt down with a thud and kowtowed repeatedly:

"I'm innocent! Who spread this rumor?"

Lu Bu narrowed his eyes, a slight upturn at the corners of his mouth, and pointed to his face with his finger.

"I said it!"

Tian Tong was dumbfounded.

Lü Bu stared at Tian Tong and shouted:
"How dare you call me a dead man?"

Tian Tong's face turned ashen, and he kowtowed repeatedly.
"No, no, no! Lord Wen, you've misunderstood. How could I dare to insult you?"

Lu Bu pointed his halberd and shouted:

"But you've already insulted me! So—"

He grabbed the stone and stuffed it into Tian Tong's arms.

"You're buying this luminous pearl for 300,000 coins!"

Tian Tong was on the verge of tears, but looking at the menacing armored soldiers around him, he could only grit his teeth and nod.

"...Buy! Buy! I'll buy it, okay?"

Lu Bu laughed heartily and patted Tian Tong on the shoulder:

"Master Tian certainly knows his stuff! Men, go to the storeroom and get the money!"

After Lü Bu left laden with his loot, Tian Tong collapsed to the ground, staring at the luminous pearl in his hand, muttering to himself.

"This isn't a luminous pearl...this is clearly a 'deadly pearl'!"

No sooner had Lü Bu left Tian’s residence with 300,000 coins than Wei Yan arrived late with a troop of cavalry.

Upon seeing Wei Yan's banner, Tian Tong stumbled out of the gate and grabbed Wei Yan's horse reins.

General Wei! You've finally arrived!

Tian Tong was so angry that his beard trembled.

"Look at this Lu Bu, he's absolutely lawless!"

"Are our Qi generals officials or bandits?"

Wei Yan dismounted, his face filled with righteous indignation:
"Don't be anxious, Lord Tian. This matter will certainly be thoroughly investigated!"

As he spoke, he turned to his personal guards with an air of importance and gave them instructions.

"Someone, go and find out which direction Lü Bu went!"

Tian Tong was moved to tears: "With General Wei in charge, I can rest assured."

Wei Yan patted Tian Tong on the shoulder and lowered his voice:

"Don't worry, Lord Tian, ​​the Prime Minister detests such behavior the most."

"but……"

He looked around. "This matter requires careful consideration, after all, Lü Bu is the governor of Pingzhou..."

"He was stationed in Liaodong, commanding tens of thousands of troops, and even the Prime Minister was somewhat afraid of him."

"However, the Prime Minister will surely give Lord Tian justice in this matter."

Tian Tong nodded repeatedly and bowed, saying:

"Thank you, General! Thank you, General!"

……

In the days that followed, Lü Bu came up with new tricks for "raising funds".

At the Zhao family's house, he held up a rusty, broken knife, insisting it was an ancestral heirloom and asking for 200,000 coins.

At the Qian residence, he pointed to the artificial hill in the courtyard, insisting it was an "auspicious and wondrous stone," and asked for 250,000 coins.

The most outrageous was the Sun family. Lü Bu brought over a lame old donkey, claiming it was the "descendant of this thousand-mile horse," and asked for 150,000 coins.

Strangely, the amount extorted each time was kept within an acceptable range for each family—it made the powerful families feel the pinch, but it didn't cripple them.

In order to avoid trouble, most of the powerful families chose to pay money to settle the matter.

But what's puzzling is the reaction of the Hebei government troops.

No sooner had Lü Bu left the Zhao family than Zhang He arrived with his troops.

No sooner had the "strange stone" in the Qian family's residence been moved than Xu Huang's patrol team "timely" appeared.

After Lü Bu led the old donkey away from Sun Quan's residence, Zhang Liao's elite cavalry finally arrived late.

Each time, the officers and soldiers were indignant and patted their chests, promising to investigate thoroughly, but they were always one step too late.

As time went on, the powerful families all began to suspect something was amiss.

So they spontaneously organized themselves and planned to seek justice from Li Yi.

As winter approached and the north wind howled, dozens of elderly men in brocade robes stood solemnly outside the gates of the Prime Minister's residence, braving the cold wind.

They were shouting that if Li Yi didn't punish Lü Bu, they would go to Liu Bei to file a complaint.

They also accused Li Yi of "colluding with each other" and "condoning and tolerating" the crime.

Wei Yan led his troops over to maintain order at the scene, and then shouted:
"The Prime Minister is in the middle of a meeting..."

"Discussion?"

The head of the Zhao family suddenly ripped open his clothes, revealing whip marks on his chest.

"Then please take a look, General Xu. This is the result of Lü Bu's 'discussion'!"

It turned out that he had hesitated for a moment yesterday, and Lü Bu had ripped his flesh open with a whip.

Wei Yan then comforted him, saying:
"Please rest assured, everyone. The Prime Minister will come out to meet you after he finishes his meeting."

Helpless, everyone could only wait in the cold wind.

This wait lasted for an hour.

Everyone was exhausted, hungry, and tired. After a long while, the heavy mansion gate slowly opened.

Li Yi, dressed in a black fur coat and jade belt, appeared surrounded by armored soldiers.

As soon as they appeared, everyone went wild.

"Prime Minister, you must stand up for us!"

"That Lü Bu, despite being a government soldier, does nothing but banditry!"

"Several hundred thousand coins may not seem like much, but it's not a small amount either!"

"The State of Qi has just promulgated the Qi Law. Does the Prime Minister want to be accused of lax enforcement of the law?"

Facing the crowd's questioning, Li Yiyi stood on the steps, his face contorted with rage, and shouted at Wei Yan:

"Wen Chang! You immediately lead your troops to capture that scoundrel Lü Bu!"

Wei Yan clasped his hands in acceptance of the order:

"I will obey your orders!"

He turned and shouted to his personal guards, "Prepare the horses! muster the troops!"

Just as Wei Yan was preparing to send out his troops, a soldier came running up in a panic.

"Report! General Lü Bu... no, that scoundrel Lü Bu has already fled towards Youzhou after extorting money in Zhongshan County!"

"Judging from the route, it's heading back to Liaodong!"

Upon hearing this, Li Yi immediately adopted a "heartbroken" expression, turned around, and bowed to the heads of the various clans:
"Don't worry, everyone! Lü Bu won't escape!"

"I will immediately order the officers of Youzhou to intercept them!"

Just as the other family heads were about to speak, Li Yi added:
"However... Youzhou is far away, and it takes a month for military orders to be sent back and forth."

"How about this—everyone go back and wait for news."

"Come back to the Prime Minister's residence in a month, and I will give everyone an explanation!"

The heads of the families looked at each other in bewilderment.

They traveled a long way to the Prime Minister's residence in Ye City just to demand an explanation.

It will take several days to get back, and then we'll have to come back to the Prime Minister's residence again. How troublesome is that?
Most importantly, even if we come back a month later, we might not get a definite answer.

They understand all too well how these government officials operate.

If the government genuinely wants to help you, it can be done the very next day.

If they don't want to help you with something, you won't hear from them for three to five years.

Seeing that everyone's emotions had gradually stabilized, Li Yi then spoke:
"Since you patriarchs have come from afar, I have prepared a small feast as an apology."

The group had been left to simmer in the snow for over an hour, and they were all cold and hungry.

Upon hearing about the banquet, they all swallowed their pride and followed Li Yi into the mansion.

During the meal, Li Yi suddenly spoke:
“Recently, military affairs have been complicated, and conscripting laborers has indeed caused disturbance to the people.”

"You are all powerful figures from Hebei, the backbone of our Great Qi."

"Would you be willing to generously donate?"

As soon as he finished speaking, everyone looked at each other in bewilderment.

They were worried that Li Yi might come after they had just been extorted by Lü Bu.

Li Yi smiled and said:

"Gentlemen, please do not worry. I, Li, sincerely wish to cooperate with you all."

"I propose opening up the salt and iron monopoly, with everyone paying a fee in lieu of service. What do you think?"

"really?"

The head of the Zhao family suddenly sat up straight, knocking over the perch sashimi.

Who doesn't know the profits from salt and iron? In the past, such lucrative positions were all controlled by the prime minister's trusted confidants.

Li Yi smiled and nodded: "Of course."

"The Zhao family then took over the management of the Julu Salt Lake, and the Qian family took over the management of the Handan Ironworks..."

He distributed the items as if they were his own treasures, ensuring that each family received what they desired.

Unbeknownst to the heads of the families, the Imperial Censor was writing notes rapidly behind the screen.

This was actually a sweet treat that Li Yi gave to everyone.

It's important to know that in ancient times, the salt and iron monopolies were absolutely state-owned enterprises.

If the market is liberalized, the profits will be extremely high.

for example,

If large companies like China Unicom, China Mobile, and oil companies were privatized, then people like Bill Gates would have no place in the business.

Li Yi genuinely wanted to cooperate with everyone.

During wartime, he didn't care how much money his subordinates made.

He only asked his subordinates to produce at full capacity to serve the war effort on the front lines.

However, Li Yi did leave some buttons.

That's the small print at the end of the contract—

"In wartime, the Prime Minister's residence has the right to reclaim management rights at any time."

……

Later historians commented on this:
"Li Yi's methods for reforming aristocratic families were the key to ending a century of accumulated problems in the Eastern Han Dynasty."

"He used swift and decisive measures with a compassionate heart. Although it temporarily harmed the interests of powerful figures, his contribution to the country and the people was immense."

"If all prefectures and counties in the country follow this method, the calamities of powerful families can be eliminated and the suffering of the common people can be relieved."

"Yi's talent and strategy brought peace to the nation and benefited the common people."

"His strategy for raising funds not only solved the immediate crisis, but his methods for governing the world are also a model for all ages."

"He can be described as a capable minister in times of peace and a wise prime minister in times of chaos."

……

(End of this chapter)