The Golden Family, rising from the Western Regions

Chapter 331 Northern Frontier National Policy: Expelling the Barbarians and Restoring the Han, Equal Land Distribution and Pacifying the People
"Boom~"

A deafening roar shook Qingyang Prefecture. The city gate tower at the north gate collapsed under the bombardment of the Northern Frontier Army, sending bricks and stones flying and filling the air with dust.

More and more soldiers from northern Xinjiang poured into the city through the breach.

Without the protection of the city walls, these temporarily conscripted militiamen were no match for the Northern Frontier Army.

The scattered Jin militia were captured one by one. Some knelt down and begged for mercy, while others tried to resist, but they were all subdued or shot by the Northern Frontier Army soldiers.

The Northern Frontier Army quickly took control of the entire city.

Li Xiao, clad in dark gold dragon-patterned armor, rode his warhorse slowly into Qingyang Prefecture, followed by his personal guards. Yellow sun and moon battle flags fluttered behind him, announcing the change of ownership of the city.

"Issue the order of the capital."

"Strictly guard the city's treasuries, granaries, and armories to prevent the defeated army from rebelling."

"All prisoners of war were taken to the camp in the north of the city. The old, weak, sick and disabled were sent back to their hometowns, while the able-bodied were incorporated into the Kuli Army and followed our army south."

“The mansions of wealthy families in the city were all confiscated, and their money was used to pay the army, while the grain was used to replenish the army’s supplies.”

The orders were carried out in an orderly manner. The Northern Frontier Army had long established a fixed mechanism for handling post-war issues, so Li Xiao didn't need to worry too much.

The camp in the north of the city was soon filled with captured young men of the Jin army. They looked at the Northern Frontier Army in front of them with fear in their eyes, but they dared not resist. After all, it was already a blessing to be alive.

The mansions of wealthy families in the city became the focus of the raids. Soldiers from the Northern Frontier Army broke down the doors and carried out all the gold, silver, jewelry, food, and supplies. The wealthy families cried and begged for mercy, but they were also forcibly taken away by the soldiers.

Women were conscripted into the army, and men were demoted to mine slaves. Anyone who resisted was executed on the spot.

At night, the soldiers of the Northern Frontier Army sat around the campfire, eating meat and drinking wine heartily, accompanied by noble ladies, their laughter never ceasing.

The fatigue from days of marching and fighting vanished at this moment.

Li Xiao stayed in the governor's mansion, where Liu Yongji's concubine and daughter were held in his arms on either side, trembling as he served them.

Inside the hall were also young ladies and concubines from noble and official families in the city, who had now become spoils of war for the generals of the Northern Frontier Army.

"Great Protector, there is not much grain in Qingyang Prefecture. The grain in the prefectural granary, plus the grain plundered from the mansions of those wealthy families, is only a little over two thousand shi."

"However, we did find quite a bit of fine silk and satin."

Listening to the report from Han Jiuyuan, the military advisor of the Ministry of Revenue, Li Xiao gnawed on a lamb leg with one hand while his other hand uneasily wandered inside his concubine's clothes.

As if he had expected this, he said, "When the Song army launched its northern expedition, the grain and supplies from Guanzhong must have been transported to Baoji and Qinzhou."

"However, silk and satin are good things. Immediately distribute all the captured silk and satin to the soldiers."

The Northern Frontier Army wore silk not because they were noble, but because they needed to protect themselves.

Wearing silk close to the skin was a precaution in case an arrow pierced the armor and went into the flesh.

With the silk cushioning, the barbs on the arrowhead can reduce the secondary injury to the soldier when the arrow is pulled out.

Therefore, the Northern Frontier Army had a great demand for silk.

Li Xiao's trip south was also aimed at opening up trade routes with the Song Kingdom.

They used goods from the northern frontier to exchange for tea and silk from the Song Dynasty.

"The Grand Protector is wise." Han Jiuyuan complimented him before continuing to report on the spoils of the battle.

Just then, Wang Dagui, the commander in charge of managing prisoners of war, walked in and said, "Grand Protector, an old man wants to see you. He calls himself Pu Yuanshou."

"I asked around and everyone said that this man is a great Confucian scholar from Guanzhong and has a great reputation around Qingyang Prefecture."

"A great Confucian scholar from Guanzhong?"

Li Xiao frowned slightly, then smiled and said, "Interesting. Bring him in."

Before long, an old man in his fifties, dressed in a blue robe, was brought in.

Although he was not young, he had an upright posture, sharp eyes, and an arrogant air about him.

As soon as he stepped into the main hall, the eyes of the northern generals all fell on him. Their gazes contained scrutiny, disdain, and the sharpness of seasoned warriors. An ordinary person would probably have been overwhelmed by this pressure.

Although Pu Yuanshou appeared calm on the surface, he felt a little uneasy inside and suddenly felt unable to move his legs.

He could only encourage himself in his heart: "They are just some barbarians from the northern frontier. Even if they hold military power, what do they know about etiquette and morality? I can't stoop to their level."

"Back then, when the princes from Zhongdu saw me, they would all stand up to greet me and treat me with great courtesy. Why would I be afraid of them?"

But when his gaze fell on Li Xiao in the main seat, he couldn't help but be stunned.

The young man in front of me was only in his early twenties, with a resolute and stern face, and a touch of heroic spirit between his brows.

This appearance was quite different from the image of the "fierce chieftain of the northern frontier" that he had previously heard about.

Of course, if he were less rude to the two women beside him and instead added a touch of elegance to their lives, he would seem even more like a scion of a prominent family.

"Are you Li Xiao?" Pu Yuanshou asked, mainly suspecting that he might have hired someone to impersonate him, like Cao Cao did.

"Be bold!"

Wang Dagui roared in anger, "How dare you address the Grand Protector by his given name? Are you courting death?"

Li Xiao raised his hand to stop Wang Dagui, a faint smile playing on his lips, his tone neither warm nor cold: "Mr. Pu has quite the nerve, daring to put on airs like this in the camp of my Northern Frontier Army."

Pu Yuanshou still braced himself and said, "I have always acted uprightly and honestly, and have upheld the teachings of Confucius and Mencius all my life. What do I have to fear?"

"I would like to ask General Li, do you know what your Northern Frontier Army is doing? After breaching a city, you plunder the wealthy and enslave people. How is such brutal behavior any different from that of bandits in chaotic times?"

"Bandits in chaotic times?" Li Xiao laughed.

"It seems Mr. Pu has come to hold Bendu accountable?"
As he spoke, he leaned forward slightly, his eyes suddenly sharpening: "But how do you know that we Northern Frontier people are not bandits? What has given you the wrong impression that you regard my Northern Frontier army as benevolent people?"

"Am I, Li Xiao, of Han Chinese descent?"

"Mr. Pu, have you always been this brave?"

Pu Yuanshou frowned, puzzled, and asked, "What do you mean?"

"It is said that when the Jin Dynasty marched south into the Central Plains, their iron hooves trampled across both banks of the Yellow River, burning, killing, and looting, causing countless Han people to lose their homes and lives."

"I wonder if you were as brave back then as you are today? Did you stand up and angrily denounce the brutality of the Jin army?"

Pu Yuanshou's expression changed slightly, and he argued, "I was just a child back then, so naturally I couldn't control what happened back then."

"Children?"

Li Xiao shook his head: "Let's not talk about the past, let's talk about today."

"The Jurchens, the Meng'an and Mouke of the Jin Kingdom, are tyrannical in Guanzhong. They treat our Han people as slaves, seize our land, and take our wives and daughters. They bully and kill Han people every day. Can't you see all of this?"

"Why don't you use your 'Confucian and Mencian doctrines' to persuade those Meng'an to treat the people kindly? Why don't you stand up and speak a fair word for the Han people?"

A barrage of questions struck Pu Yuanshou like a hammer blow. His face flushed red, and he opened his mouth, only to find himself speechless.

Looking at Pu Yuanshou's speechless expression, Li Xiao's eyes were full of mockery: "Mr. Pu, your so-called 'bravery' is nothing more than picking on the weak."

“You dare to talk about ‘brutality’ towards my Northern Frontier Army; but when faced with the swords and spears of the Jin Dynasty, you shrink back and pretend to be mute.”

"Is it because the swords and spears of my Northern Frontier Army are not sharp enough?"

"But do you know that the Jurchens are brutal, but we, the people of the Northern Frontier, are ten or a hundred times more brutal than them?"

"The Jurchens dared not kill the gentry and powerful, but we, the people of the Northern Frontier, dare!"

Pu Yuanshou was furious, so he decided to throw caution to the wind and said, "I came to see the general with good intentions."

"General, you are a Han Chinese, why do you imitate the manners of barbarians?"

"If one aspires to govern the Central Plains, one should follow the way of the king, repay evil with kindness, treat gentry and officials well, and appease the people. Only in this way can one win the hearts of all people and ensure long-term peace and stability on the land of China."

"Instead of acting recklessly and killing indiscriminately, General's actions will surely incite the people of Kyushu to anger..."

Listening to Pu Yuanshou's long-winded explanation, Li Xiao patted his behind and told the two women to leave.

Leaning back in his chair, he looked at the old man with a hint of sarcasm: "The way of the king? Repaying evil with kindness?"

“Our Northern Frontier Army has not indiscriminately slaughtered civilians, nor has it wantonly plundered them. After all, how much wealth do those poor families have? They don’t even compare to the gentry’s wealth.”

"The people my Northern Frontier Army killed and robbed were all gentry and officials."

"Mr. Pu, you must know how these people oppress the common people on a daily basis, right?"

"They have seized fertile land and plundered the people's wealth, causing them immense suffering. Our Northern Frontier Army is acting on behalf of Heaven to confiscate their property. What is wrong with that?"

"But they are also subjects of the Great Jin, each with their own duties. How can you say they are oppressing the people?"

Pu Yuanshou retorted, "If the general wants to occupy Guanzhong, he needs the support of the gentry and officials. If he only kills and plunders, he will only lose the hearts of the people and eventually be deserted by everyone!"

"Public support?"

Li Xiao's eyes turned cold, and he said disdainfully, "The so-called popular support you speak of is the support of the gentry and officials, or the support of the common people?"

"Our Northern Frontier Army has distributed land to the people and reduced taxes. The people are applauding and cheering. This is the true heart of the people."

"As for those gentry and officials, they colluded with the Jin state and aided and abetted the evildoers, and they deserved to be punished."

Pu Yuanshou's face flushed red, and he said excitedly, "General, you are mistaken!"

"Gentry and officials are the foundation of the country. Without their assistance, how can the local area be governed? Perhaps some of them have done some wrong things."

"As long as one can repent in time and return to the right path, one will become a national talent and a pillar of China."

"Why must you hold this grudge, General?"

"Only by repaying evil with kindness can a general demonstrate his magnanimity and win the hearts of the people."

Li Xiao stared at Pu Yuanshou, then suddenly burst into laughter.

I thought that this old man, as a great Confucian scholar from Guanzhong, would have some new or important things to tell me.

Unexpectedly, they still advocated for those gentry and powerful figures.

It's nothing more than seeing that he's getting old, so he's willing to risk everything to leave behind a lasting reputation.

Li Xiao had no patience to continue arguing with him. If he wanted to die, then so be it.

"Repay evil with kindness? Very well!" Li Xiao smiled faintly. "Guards."

As soon as he finished speaking, Zhang Xiong, the centurion of the Imperial Guard, patted his chest and said, "Here."

Li Xiao spoke in a flat tone, as if he were talking about something trivial: "Go and kill Mr. Pu's entire family."

"what?"

Pu Yuanshou was struck dumb, his whole body trembled violently, and the arrogance and composure on his face collapsed instantly, replaced by unbelievable shock.

He staggered back two steps, pointed at Li Xiao, his voice hoarse with anger: "Li Xiao! You...you dare?"

"I am a renowned Confucian scholar from Guanzhong, with students and former officials all over the region. You killed my entire family; aren't you afraid of being scorned by scholars throughout the land? Aren't you afraid of losing the hearts of the people?!"

"You've rejected me? You've lost the people's hearts?"

Li Xiao chuckled, slowly stood up, walked to Pu Yuanshou, and looked down at him: "Mr. Pu, are you getting senile?"

"The hearts of the people have never been won by your outdated Confucianism, but by the swords in the hands of my Northern Frontier Army and by distributing land, reducing rent and taxes to the people."

"As for the scholars of the world, how many towns are there among them?"

"It would be better if more 'scholars' like you, who are opportunistic and indifferent to the suffering of the people, died!"

"You...you barbarian! You brutal scoundrel!"

Pu Yuanshou trembled with rage, his finger pointing at Li Xiao shaking uncontrollably: "My Pu family has been a family of scholars for generations, and we have never done anything immoral or immoral. What right do you have to kill my entire family?"

Li Xiao raised an eyebrow, his tone slightly mocking: "Just because of what you just said about 'repaying evil with kindness'?"

"Mr. Pu, please don't be angry. Haven't you always advocated repaying evil with good?"

“Now that I have killed your whole family, I am giving you a chance to practice ‘virtue’. I believe that Mr. Pu’s magnanimity in repaying evil with kindness will convince him to take the initiative to resolve this hatred of the destruction of his family.”

He paused, his eyes suddenly turning cold: "And, according to your logic, you should thank me."

"After all, I gave you a chance to 'repay evil with kindness,' allowing you to take another step on the 'path of the sage,' didn't I?"

"You...you're shameless!" Pu Yuanshou was so enraged by Li Xiao's twisted logic that his vision blurred and he almost collapsed to the ground.
He pointed at Li Xiao, but couldn't utter a complete sentence, only cursing incessantly, "Barbarian! Beast! You will be punished by heaven!"

Li Xiao was too lazy to waste any more words with him, so he turned to look at Zhang Xiong, his tone returning to its icy coldness.
"Let Mr. Pu watch his family members fall one by one."

“I want to show him just how ridiculous his so-called ‘repaying evil with kindness’ really is.”

"He himself can't even do it, yet he dares to try and fool me?"

"Hmph, pedantic scholars ruin the country."

"I will obey your orders!"

Zhang Xiong responded in a deep voice, grabbed the old man by the collar, and lifted him up like a chick.

Pu Yuanshou struggled desperately, cursing incessantly, "Li Xiao! I'll haunt you even as a ghost!"

Li Xiao watched their departing figures, his face expressionless, as if he had just ordered the killing of not the entire family of a great scholar, but a few ants.

He turned back to his seat and addressed the generals in the hall, "Have you all understood?"

"The law of the jungle is the way of the world; mercy to the enemy is cruelty to oneself."

"Anyone who believes in the nonsense of 'repaying evil with good' is not far from death."

The generals bowed and replied, "Understood!"

Next, the generals of the northern frontier continued to eat, drink, laugh, and joke around, celebrating their victory in the Battle of Qingyang Prefecture while also holding a simple debriefing meeting.

However, during this process, Han Jiuyuan appeared to be deep in thought.

Li Xiao walked over with a wine bowl in his hand: "What's wrong, Military Advisor Han? Is something on your mind?"

Han Jiuyuan shook his head and chuckled: "I was just thinking that Qingyang Prefecture has just fallen, and the subsequent allocation of grain and the resettlement of prisoners of war need to be carefully planned. Also, we need to keep a close eye on Lingzhou."

"As expected of Military Advisor Han, he is always a pillar of the state, never forgetting to care about national affairs." Li Xiao nodded slightly and smiled with satisfaction.

"Gao Zhongyi will assist in handling the matters of provisions and prisoners of war, so you don't need to worry about them. There is a more important arrangement for you to be transferred from Longcheng this time."

He paused, his gaze falling on Han Jiuyuan's face, and slowly said, "I plan to have you step down as Military Advisor of the Ministry of Revenue and transfer to the position of Governor of Lingzhou, in charge of the newly established Lingzhou region."

"The Governor of Lingzhou?" Han Jiuyuan looked up suddenly, his eyes filled with surprise. He then realized the significance of that land and felt a slight ripple in his heart.

From Xingqing Prefecture to the banks of the Yellow River in Xia Prefecture, this vast area, stretching from the Hetao Grassland in the north to the Guanzhong Plain in the south, almost encompasses the entire region within the "几"-shaped area of ​​the Yellow River.

Li Xiao planned to use this as the basis to establish a new prefecture, retaining the old Tang Dynasty name "Lingzhou".

The name Xiping Prefecture, which had a strong Tangut influence, was changed to Lingwu Prefecture, and it was designated as the seat of Lingzhou.

As for Xingqing Prefecture on the west bank of the Yellow River, it was renamed Yinchuan Prefecture and also came under the administration of Lingzhou.

His preferred candidate for the crucial position of Governor of Lingzhou was Han Jiuyuan.

Since Han Jiuyuan joined the Northern Frontier, he has been in charge of finances. He has never made a mistake in calculating grain and raising military funds. The Northern Frontier has been able to support years of war thanks to his contributions.

However, precisely because of this, he lacked practical experience in local governance. Transferring him to Lingzhou would not only allow him to fill this gap but also give him a deeper understanding of the fundamental issues affecting people's livelihoods.

Furthermore, if a person holds the same position for a long time, it can easily lead to a fixed mindset and even the formation of cliques, which is detrimental to the nascent governance in northern Xinjiang.

More importantly, Lingzhou is the essence of the former Western Xia territory, with fertile land and a dense population, but it has been devastated by war. It needs someone who understands economics and is good at overall planning to restore production, and Han Jiuyuan is undoubtedly the best candidate.

“Lingzhou is the foundation of the former Xia Kingdom, and the people need someone to lead them to reclaim wasteland and cultivate the land to restore their livelihoods.”

"Previously, Bendu personally managed it, but now Bendu is preparing to hand it over to you."

“You’re good at managing the economy, and you’re perfect for putting the ‘land redistribution, rent reduction, and tax reduction’ policy into practice.”

Han Jiuyuan's doubts vanished instantly, replaced by excitement and determination.

He took a deep breath, stood up again, patted his chest, and said firmly, "Don't worry, Grand Protector."

"Although I have no experience in local governance, I will prioritize the people's livelihood. First, I will absorb the people and restore the population. Then, I will organize the people to reclaim wasteland, build water conservancy projects, and open trade routes. Within three years, I will surely restore Lingzhou to its former glory and make it a stable granary in the northern frontier."

Many of Lingzhou's populations were relocated to the northern deserts and the Hexi Corridor, and it would have been quite an achievement for the area to recover in three years.

Li Xiao nodded in satisfaction, picked up his wine bowl and clinked it against his: "Good, that's the confidence I wanted from you."

Han Jiuyuan drank the wine in one gulp. When he put down the wine bowl, his expression gradually softened. After hesitating for a moment, he still spoke softly: "Great Protector, I have something else to say, but I don't know if I should say it."

"But it doesn't matter."

"Although Pu Yuanshou deserved to die, his 'benevolent rule' rhetoric was outdated and laughable."

Han Jiuyuan carefully chose his words: "But there's something he said that wasn't entirely unreasonable."

"Now that we have captured Lingzhou and Qingyang in the north, the next step is to march on Chang'an. The territory is getting bigger and bigger, and the number of people under our jurisdiction is increasing."

"But we can't just rely on swords and spears to unite people's hearts. We have to let the people know why we are fighting and what hope they have for following the northern frontier."

Upon hearing this, the lively atmosphere in the hall instantly quieted down.

The generals all looked at Li Xiao, and even Lin Dazhuang and the others stopped chewing. They were so focused on charging into battle that they hadn't really thought about these "literary" matters.

Li Xiao looked at Han Jiuyuan, a hint of approval flashing in his eyes.

He put down his wine bowl, stood up, and glanced at everyone in the hall. His voice gradually grew louder: "Military Advisor Han is right."

"In chaotic times, weapons alone are not enough; one must also have a reason that can convince the people."

As he spoke, he walked to the sand table, pointed to the map of Guanzhong, and slowly said, "Military force is the foundation of a nation, but ideology is the basis of governance."

"Our Northern Frontier Army started from the grasslands, and fought against the Xia and Jin kingdoms all the way. Although it was to seize territory and let our brothers live a good life."

"But more importantly, it was to overthrow the foreign regime that oppressed China, so that the people of the world could have food to eat, land to cultivate, and a peaceful life."

He paused, his voice gradually growing louder, his gaze sweeping over everyone in the hall: "To sum it up in one sentence: expel the barbarians and restore the Han dynasty, distribute land equally and bring peace to the people!"

"Expel the barbarians and restore the Han dynasty, distribute land equally and bring peace to the people?"

Han Jiuyuan repeated softly, a glint of light flashing in his eyes: "The Grand Protector's words are insightful!"

"Expelling the barbarians" means expelling foreign regimes such as the Jurchens and Tanguts.

"Restoring the Han" means restoring the orthodoxy of the Han dynasty and allowing the Han people to take control of their own destiny again.

"Equal land distribution" means confiscating the land of powerful and wealthy people and distributing it to landless commoners.

"Ensuring the people's well-being" means reducing or exempting taxes and levies so that the people can live and work in peace and contentment.

Li Xiao nodded and continued, "From now on, we can tell all the people, 'Follow the Northern Frontier, and you will have land, money, and freedom; those who resist the Northern Frontier will be punished, with neither powerful local tyrants nor barbarians spared!'"

The generals echoed, "Excellent! That's a resounding slogan!"

“Once the people hear that there is land and money, they will definitely be willing to work with us.”

"Those who dare to resist, we won't hold back, we'll deal with them directly!"

Next, Li Xiao reiterated the national policy regarding the northern border.

Militarily, we adhere to the principle of "using war to sustain war, streamlining the army and administration," and remain steadfast in upholding the foundation of the six garrisons, recognizing military households as the cornerstone of the northern frontier.

They continued to recruit captured young men and women of the Jin army into the Kuli Army, rigorously trained them to improve their combat effectiveness, and recruited the best among them into the Six Garrisons.

In terms of civil affairs, the government promoted "equal land distribution and tax reduction, and the construction of water conservancy projects".

They insisted on confiscating the land of nobles, powerful gentry, and wealthy landowners, implementing public ownership, constructing water conservancy projects, improving production technology, and increasing grain production.

In terms of governance, the policy of "transferring military households to other posts and imposing severe punishments and harsh laws" was implemented.

The Northern Frontier was founded on military strength, and status was determined by military achievements. Although these demobilized military officers might not be very professional in managing local affairs, Li Xiao would not change his original intention, as this was the foundation for maintaining his rule over the Northern Frontier.

At the same time, we will intensify our efforts to investigate and punish officials, fundamentally eliminate any tendency for officials to treat the people as their private property, and ensure basic fairness and justice for the people.

The victory celebration banquet didn't end until 9 PM. After all the generals had left, Li Xiao looked at the two people in the corner.

"Did you both remember what Bendu and Military Advisor Han just said?"

(End of this chapter)