Three Kingdoms: Jiangdong is no longer a rat

Chapter 224 Calamity arises from laziness, and filial piety declines due to wives and children.

Yan Yi had many concubines, and as his power grew, so did the number of women in his harem. However, few of them truly won his favor; most were merely pawns in political alliances.

He now has three children, and his eldest son or daughter will be born in two months.

This is almost unimaginable in later generations—a person not even twenty years old has already achieved a hat trick in fatherhood. And it is foreseeable that this number will double in another year or two.

Yan Yi always believed that the more offspring the better. Medical care in that era was far from ideal, and the infant mortality rate was almost half. Without a sufficient number of offspring, the continuation and prosperity of the bloodline were out of the question.

Anyway, he could afford to raise them, so he didn't have to worry about many things like in later generations. He could just let them have as many offspring as he wanted.
Sir, let's talk about a whole football team!

"Junli, please rise. There's no need for such formalities between us."

Yan Yi smiled and helped Zhu Zhi up, his tone filled with obvious closeness and concern. It was hard for anyone to imagine that just a few months ago, these two were bitter enemies, locked in a fierce confrontation.

Sun Ce watched from the side, his heart filled with mixed feelings.

Zhu Junli was about to be taken away, and Lü Ziheng was constantly being taken by Yan Yi, gradually drifting further and further away from him. Now, only Cheng Pu, Han Dang, Huang Gai, and Sun Ben remained by his side; very few of the old troops left to him by Sun Jian were still around.

Yan Yi's ability to win people over far surpasses that of Yuan Shu. He truly worries that after some time, even Cheng Pu and others will willingly become Yan Yi's henchmen. At least in Huang Gongfu's case, there are already signs that he no longer regards him as his sole confidant, which deeply troubles him.

"A navy is the foundation of our business and the key to expanding our maritime territory. I intend to add the position of Chief Naval Instructor at the Military Academy. What do you all think?" Yan Yi's words interrupted his thoughts.

After the Battle of Jiujiang, Huang Gai had been promoted to naval captain. Upon hearing this, he was the first to agree, saying, "Young lord's words are indeed a good strategy. The several naval formations that I have learned need to be practiced and perfected by the elite navy."

Yan Yi clapped his hands and laughed, "Gongfu has the talent of Yang Pu. Now that you have some free time, why don't you take the stage here to give a lecture and tell everyone what you have to say?"

Yang Pu was a famous general of the former Han navy. He commanded the Han navy to destroy the Nanyue Kingdom and the Dongyue Kingdom, and made outstanding contributions.

When Huang Gai heard Yan Yi compare him to Yang Pu, he couldn't help but beam with joy. When he heard about the novel idea of ​​lecturing on stage, he waved his hand to decline, but he couldn't hide his eagerness: "How could this humble general with his meager skills be worthy of being a lecturer?"

Yan Yi raised an eyebrow: "If you can't even accept the responsibility of public reprieve, then this military academy is not far from closing down. Do not refuse. Today, I will listen to your profound discussions with you all. Your scribes must transcribe all of your words today and compile them into a military classic to be passed down to future generations."

Huang Gai looked embarrassed and said, "In that case, this humble general will respectfully comply."

Seeing Huang Gai's beaming face, the generals were immediately intrigued. Though they were warriors, they too harbored a desire to pass on their life's knowledge to future generations. However, in the past, the transmission of knowledge and teaching had always been the domain of scholars; warriors dared not easily overstep their bounds, and even if they did, few could accomplish it. Now, seeing Huang Gongfu gain Yan Yi's support and break new ground, they were itching to try it themselves.

Amidst laughter and chatter, the group headed towards the martial arts training ground in the outer courtyard.

The Military Academy is divided into three courtyards and five areas. The outer courtyard is the training area and the sacrificial and memorial area, consisting of a drill ground, weapon storehouse, horse track, Martial Saint Pavilion, Commemorative Pavilion, Drum Tower, and craft workshops.

Among them, the Martial Saint Pavilion is a place to enshrine military strategists such as Sun Tzu, Wu Qi, Wei Qing, Huo Qubing, and Han Xin, while the Commendation Pavilion is used to record the achievements of outstanding students.

When everyone arrived at the training ground, three hundred students, dressed in cotton robes and cloth armor, were already standing solemnly inside. In the silence, only the fluttering of banners could be heard.

These students were all carefully selected from the military, and most of them held military positions such as platoon leader, squad leader, sergeant, and corporal, while a few were ordinary soldiers who had made military achievements.

Suddenly, three drumbeats sounded, and three hundred people simultaneously clasped their hands in a fist salute, their voices shaking the roof tiles: "Please give instructions, General Manager!"

Yan Yi stepped onto the stage with his hand on his sword, his footsteps thudding on the wooden steps. His black cloak billowed in the north wind, and without uttering a word, he instilled a chilling atmosphere throughout the entire venue, as if he were on the verge of battle.

He walked to the center of the stage, his sharp gaze sweeping across the entire arena, and declared in a passionate voice: "Today, let's not concern ourselves with formalities, but only with the reason for our fight!"

"You have followed me into battle so that this land can yield enough food to feed our children and grandchildren. So that everyone may have clothes to wear, rice to eat, and a place to live. So that with the blood of our generation, we may forge hundreds of years of peace and prosperity, and prevent the Qiang and Hu tribes from disrupting the culture and traditions of our Chinese nation."

"Remember this! Do not submit to those who despise and enslave you! They treat you like cattle and horses, and use you as cannon fodder! You are human beings, not cattle and horses!"

Yan Yi's speech was extremely persuasive, especially since his personal prestige had already deeply penetrated people's hearts. His words were even more likely to touch people's hearts, making everyone present feel excited.

"I am willing to die for you, young master!"

"I swear to follow the young lord to the death!"

The three hundred students were so excited that their faces turned red, and they shouted in unison, their voices shaking the entire venue.

Driven by Yan Yi's personal influence, propaganda within the military, self-interest, and faith, their admiration for Yan Yi has gradually escalated into extreme personality cult.

Sun Ce was also deeply moved as he listened. His gaze swept over the students, then suddenly froze, a hint of sadness settling over his face.

Among these students, some had served under him, but judging from the current situation, they will probably only know Yan Yi and not Sun Bofu in the future.

Cheng Pu and Han Dang exchanged a glance, both seeing a hint of shock and worry in each other's eyes.

A full hour passed before the inspection, which was originally planned to be completed in half an hour, finally came to an end.

Yan Yi ordered the three hundred students to return to the school district and led the generals to inspect each of the school district's halls.

Amidst the cheers of the crowd, Huang Gai walked somewhat awkwardly onto the Mingwu Hall platform and began his first lecture.

Everyone was in high spirits and took turns going on stage. In the end, even Cheng Pu and Han Dang couldn't resist becoming lecturers.

Yan Yi nearly burst out laughing at the way the group of martial arts masters were teaching, their teaching style resembling that of a tiger embroidering or a strong man drawing eyebrows.

He suppressed a laugh, stepped aside, and, with a dozen or so followers, began to wander around.

Although small, the Military Academy was fully equipped. In addition to more than twenty classrooms, it also had dormitories, a dining hall, a clinic, and a room where teachers prepared lessons and graded assignments.

An observatory and a library in the inner courtyard are also under construction.

He checked them one by one, and before he knew it, three hours had passed.

Huang Gai and the others had already finished their lesson and followed closely beside him, looking him over from all sides.

"Your Excellency's far-sighted strategy is truly admirable. The Military Academy has pioneered the field of military academies, addressing immediate needs and laying the foundation for a century-long future. Given time, this place will undoubtedly cultivate a continuous stream of military talent for our army," Zhu Zhi exclaimed.

Yan Yi looked solemn and sighed, "I'm just standing on the shoulders of giants to see further."

The crowd looked at each other, puzzled, and assumed it was just a humble remark.

At sunset, Yan Yi had dinner at the military academy, then abandoned his carriage, mounted his horse, and returned to his residence.

After just one day of leisure, his study desk was already piled high with documents. Most of the tasks had been handled by others, and he only needed to review them. However, there were a few rather tricky matters that required his personal attention.

One of these was the disarmament that he personally oversaw.

Currently, he commands 47,000 troops, including prisoners. Such a large force exceeds his ability to support, forcing him to allow some soldiers to retire and return to their homes.

This move was met with resistance from some of the dismissed soldiers. They were bewildered as to why other forces were expanding their armies while their young lord was reducing the number of his troops.

Although Yan Yi allocated them enough land, a considerable number of them were still reluctant to give up the generous treatment they received in the army.

Yan Yi had no choice but to personally step in to appease the situation, lest any trouble arise in the army.

The next morning, he ordered Xu Sheng to accompany him and lead the Longxiang Battalion to Yingzui Pavilion, five miles south of Moling.

Yingzui Pavilion is crisscrossed by official roads, making transportation convenient in all directions. It is only a short distance from Tieyanwu, an important stronghold in southern Moling, and can be reached almost by turning a corner.

The entire pavilion was divided into seven villages, with a total of over 670 households, a quarter of whom were demobilized soldiers.

Yan Yi appeared somber throughout the journey. Upon arriving at Eagle's Beak Pavilion, he immediately ordered the gathering of the retired soldiers within.

Although these soldiers had been demobilized and returned to their farms, they still drilled regularly according to the ten-unit system. Upon hearing the summons, they would not hesitate to abandon their farming work and rush to the pavilion to line up.

When Yan Yi stepped out of the pavilion, a neat line of over a hundred people had already formed near the main road in front of it. They were silent, looking at him with a mixture of grievance and eagerness.

“I humbly beg you, young lord, to allow me to return to camp. I will serve you to the death.”

"Yes, we fought bravely on the battlefield, so why are we being sent back to our fields?"

People in the queue began to speak up. Some were reluctant to leave the army, some felt abandoned by Yan Yi, and others felt ashamed to be sent back to their hometowns.

Yan Yi's gaze swept across the faces, finally landing on a thin man with a kind face: "Fang Zhong, what is the first rule of military orders?"

Fang Zhong straightened his chest and shouted loudly, "All actions are subject to command!"

Yan Yi said in a deep voice, "Since you were allowed to return to your fields, why did you gather and block the camp gate yesterday?"

Fang Zhong looked anxious and hurriedly said, "Reporting to Young Master, we did not block the camp gate yesterday, but we begged General Chen to let us stay."

"If it's a petition, a few people would suffice. Why bring friends and companions, gathering over a hundred people?" Yan Yi said coldly, "Twenty lashes!"

Two cavalrymen rushed into the ranks, dragged Fang Zhong out, pressed him down on the official road, and whipped him twenty times until his skin was torn and bleeding.

More than a hundred soldiers returning to their fields held their breath and bowed their heads, not daring to utter a sound.

Fang Zhong knew that Yan Yi had already shown leniency. After receiving the whipping, he dared not utter a single complaint. He knelt down and wept, saying, "I have committed a grave mistake and am willing to accept the punishment. Please, young lord, consider my life-and-death sacrifices and do not send me away."

Yan Yi sighed, ordered two cavalrymen to help him up, and said in a gentler tone, "Military regulations cannot be violated for the sake of one person. Is the land allocated to you sufficient?"

Fang Zhong choked up and said, "I have been allocated thirty mu of open fields and fifteen mu of mulberry fields, which is enough for me."

In this land distribution, Yan Yi strictly adhered to the principle of "equal distribution of land," allocating 70% of the unclaimed land under his jurisdiction according to the standard of 20 mu for immigrants and 45 mu for soldiers returning to their fields. He also granted a three-year tax exemption to soldiers who had rendered meritorious service, which was considered extremely generous.

This move quickly became the most sensational event in the Jianghuai region, drawing widespread praise and propelling Yan Yi's reputation to new heights.

Yan Yi was able to implement the equal distribution of land so smoothly mainly because after the war, large areas of unclaimed land appeared in Danyang, giving him enough land to distribute.

This move not only provided Yan Yi with a large number of self-cultivating farmers, ensuring future taxes and corvée labor, but also allowed him to firmly control the newly occupied territory in the shortest possible time.

Corresponding to the equal-field system was the implementation of the Fubing system (a military system for conscripted soldiers).

Within Yan Yi's controlled territory, two military systems coexist. One is a conscription system, primarily manifested in the field armies that conquer cities and seize territories. The other is a militia system that combines soldiers and farmers, primarily manifested in the garrison forces in various regions.

The so-called "fubing" were soldiers in wartime and farmers in peacetime. Each county was a "fu," and each fu was commanded by a "langjiang" (a military officer). In wartime, the langjiang would conscript soldiers according to the principles of prioritizing the rich over the poor, the strong over the weak, and the majority over the minority. They would either take weapons from the fu treasury and distribute them to the fubing, or allow the fubing to provide their own weapons and participate in the battle.

The equal distribution of land, the recruitment of soldiers, and the establishment of a military garrison mutually reinforced each other, gradually forming a virtuous cycle that perfectly suited the current situation under Yan Yi's rule.

Yan Yi, seeing Fang Zhong's half-understanding look, patiently explained, "Sending you back to the fields to farm does not mean you are completely leaving the military. In a few days, a general will come with men to organize you into ranks. In the future, if enemy troops or bandits invade, I will still rely on you to defend the territory."

Fang Zhong understood now, and the dejected look on his face vanished. He grinned and said, "As long as Young Master doesn't abandon me, I will always serve Young Master."

Yan Yi patted him on the shoulder and asked gently, "Has no one told you these things before?"

Fang Zhong subconsciously straightened up, which aggravated his wound, causing him to grimace in pain: "The chief priest mentioned this to us, but he was rather brief, and left after saying just a few words."

Yan Yi frowned, summoned the accompanying chief priest, and asked in a cold voice, "Is what he said true?"

The chief priest was pale and trembling with fear. He knelt down and said in a trembling voice, "Young Master, I have been busy with many matters lately and have been unable to attend to them. I was negligent for a moment."

"You look ruddy-faced and plump, not like someone who has been working hard." Yan Yi sneered and waved his hand dismissively: "Drag him away, give him thirty lashes, and remove him from the military."

The chief priest collapsed to the ground, and two cavalrymen grabbed his arms and quickly dragged him away.

Yan Yi ordered someone to bring wound medicine and personally applied it to Fang Zhong: "I have never questioned the reasons for carrying out military orders. You must not do this again in the future."

"I am a lowly and uncouth man, how could I dare to trouble you, young lord, to treat my wounds personally?" Fang Zhong was so moved that tears streamed down his face, and he desperately pressed down on Yan Yi's hand: "If you would be so kind and forgiving, young lord, I would never dare to disobey military orders again."

Yan Yi slowly stood up, his gaze sweeping over the village chieftain who was screaming and begging for mercy under the whip, his face gradually turning cold.

As his power expanded and he became increasingly busy, he rarely visited the village, and these troublesome people also became lax in their behavior.

"Send orders to Zhou Xin and Sun Ce, instructing them to submit their strategies for this matter within three days."

He suppressed the urge to make the arrangements himself, and after a moment's thought, decided to entrust the matter to Zhou and Sun for handling.

Those who govern should be diligent day and night. If they hold positions without performing their duties, the harm is threefold: first, the people's livelihood will decline; second, discipline will collapse; and third, Heaven and the people will resent them. Therefore, the proverb says: "Disaster arises from laziness, and filial piety declines because of wives and children."

Now is a crucial time for him to pacify Jiangdong, and he cannot afford to be careless in the slightest.

(End of this chapter)