Second-hand time travel: Liu Bei, the big-eared bandit

Chapter 347 Guan Gong Teaches His Son
In the west, Dong Zhuo and Yuan Shu began a major battle.

In the central region, Cao Cao harbored bandits in Yanzhou to maintain his power.

In Hebei, Guan Yu also began to station troops in Bohai.

This was Guan Yu's first time leading a task on his own, and he was somewhat unaccustomed to it for a while. After all, everyone is a little nervous the first time.

As a regional commander overseeing troops across Hebei, one no longer relies on valiant charges to break through enemy lines.

The situation in Hebei is different from that in other prefectures.

The North China Plain was extremely important to an agricultural society, and many powerful families in Hebei province acquired land there.

After the Yellow Turban Rebellion, this area was ravaged for several more years. Large and small powerful clans seized land and people, turning all the displaced people into serfs and tenant farmers.

Nowadays, it's almost impossible to find self-sufficient farmers in Hebei province.

The land belonged entirely to the powerful clans, and the people were all serfs, tenants, and private soldiers of these clans.

Meanwhile, after Han Fu handed over the head of the Prince of Ganling, none of the powerful clans in Hebei rebelled or caused any more trouble. Each family was considered a law-abiding citizen, but none of them obeyed orders.

Xu Huang made good progress in Wei Commandery because the governor of Wei Commandery, Li Pan, was very cooperative, and the Black Mountain Army was a constant threat from the side.

Even so, Shen Pei, Ju Shou, and others only chose to cooperate temporarily and not confront each other, and still did not intend to obey Liu Bei.

The situation in Bohai, Hejian and other prefectures was much more complicated than in Wei prefecture. Almost all the powerful clans were fortified in their own villages, united with one another, neither confronting nor cooperating with each other.

This alliance operates in the shadows, making it difficult to ascertain which forces constitute it.

Most of the officials in the two prefectures and counties simply disappeared.

Most of the officials in Hebei were appointed after the Wang Fen treason case was cleared up the year Emperor Ling died. They did not own much property in Hebei and did not care about the various gangs forcing them to pay taxes. If they were pushed too far, they would run away.

Since the vast majority of ordinary people had become serfs and tenants of powerful families, Guan Yu and the tax-collecting gang could not easily resort to force, because the serfs would resist.

There has been no war in the two prefectures of Bohai and Hejian in the past two years. Although the local serf tenants have been living a very hard life, the wealthy families have received 70% of the land rent, but the serf tenants have actually managed to survive.

They couldn't get enough to eat, they couldn't get enough to wear, they couldn't afford to have children, they couldn't afford medical care... but no matter what, very few people actually starved to death.

In addition, the lingering effects of Emperor Ling Liu Hong's reign caused widespread resentment towards the court among serfs and tenant farmers, making them extremely sensitive to taxation...

The powerful clans naturally blamed all the evil on the imperial court, and Liu Bei was currently representing the court.

The powerful clans of Bohai and Hejian prefectures would not openly oppose the imperial court, but they would incite serfs to resist taxes and to defend their fortified villages and cities.

On the surface, it may seem like there is no rebellion, but in reality, it is more difficult to deal with than a rebellion.

Liu Bei only collected one-thirtieth of the taxes, and he didn't make them transport grain or impose any other taxes or corvée labor. The taxes could be converted into money, silk, iron, cattle, etc., and transporting them was not difficult.

It's really just about having the right attitude.

However, the powerful clans in Bohai and other places still refused to cooperate. Or rather, with the local officials gone, the powerful clans had an excuse not to cooperate, and they also incited the tenants and serfs to refuse to cooperate.

The powerful clans weren't just trying to resist such a small tax; they wanted to use this method to force the Qingzhou court to change its policies. This was a clash of ideologies, just like when they forced Liu Hong to change his ways.

The way the Yellow Turban Rebellion was instigated back then is the same as this—maliciously distorting the facts, pinning all the blame on the imperial court, and instigating and creating a rebellion...

Then they took in displaced people as tenant farmers, barely allowing them to survive as tenant farmers, showing them kindness, so that they would continue to hate the imperial court and continue to depend on powerful families...

They use the masses to secure their own interests, and they refuse to cooperate through non-violent means.

The tenant farmers believed that the powerful families of Hebei had been kind to them, as they had been taken in by these families after becoming refugees due to large-scale wars.

If violence is used, it could very likely incite a large-scale popular uprising, causing serfs and tenants to completely oppose Liu Bei.

In fact, any system can utilize the masses. It cannot be simply judged by class and system. The so-called popular support or opposition can be guided.

Despite the fact that tenants had to pay more than 70% of the land rent due to various reasons, they still gravitated towards the powerful families.

Even if the tenants heard that the official tenants in Qingzhou only needed to pay very little rent and that there were various rent refund policies, they would not believe it.

Because in their understanding and perception, low land rent often means more other troubles...

For example, in Qingzhou and Pengcheng, the tenant farmers of the official settlements would participate in water management during the off-season. In fact, this was not labor service; participating in water management could get a refund of land rent and also earn wages.

Liu Bei's side has always used a hiring method for these infrastructure projects, constantly building roads, dikes, and hospitals to create more jobs.

But to people elsewhere, this must be seen as a cruel form of forced conscription to death, because they had only ever seen forced labor...

The same applies in modern times; cognitive barriers between countries are difficult to overcome without firsthand experience.

This was the situation Guan Yu faced.

This state of non-violent non-cooperation is indeed difficult to manage. Officials cannot collect taxes or do anything, while the powerful clans have not actually broken the law. They cannot excessively incite the tenants' hatred and cause a large-scale popular uprising, and the tenants support the powerful clans of Hebei.

……

Everyone has a different way of solving problems, and everyone has a different approach that suits them.

Those skilled in strategy should employ strategy, those skilled in governance should employ governance, and those skilled in martial arts should employ martial arts—there is no best way in this world, only the way that is most suitable for oneself. Everyone has their own path.

The approach suited to Liu Bei was to start with human nature, where everything revolves around power and influence. By leveraging this power, he eliminated groups whose interests conflicted with his own, created benefits for other groups, generated incremental benefits to offset negative impacts, and aligned the interests of others with his own.

But Guan Yu was different.

Guan Yu's thinking was always simple and direct, and his martial arts were also simple and direct: using force to overcome skill and speed to defeat slowness. There were no fancy tricks or even any special moves. If he could defeat the enemy with one strike, he would never use two strikes.

Guan Yu knew that he could not learn his elder brother's methods.

What suits you best is the way. Others can guide you and answer your questions, but they cannot directly teach you or imitate you. You must rely on enlightenment.

That's why Guan Yu had been having a headache lately; this thing was so hard to understand...

Ultimately, it was Xiu Niang who guided Guan Yu.

Xiuniang is currently the Chief Medical Officer and has been building medical clinics in various places. At present, every prefecture in Qingzhou has a "Great Han Prefectural Medical Clinic", which is an official hospital.

It would be difficult for one person to achieve the goal of treating 100,000 people, but by building clinics everywhere, she could quickly realize her ideal.

Besides the Xihe Medical Clinic, Qinghe Hospital was the earliest to be built—it was built on the site of Zhang Jiao's tomb.

When Xiu Niang went to inspect Qinghe Hospital, she saw Guan Yu in a dilemma, so she asked him, "Husband, do you still remember the promise we made back then?"

Guan Yu was stunned for a moment: "The wish to heal 100,000 people? Now it seems... perhaps it has already been fulfilled?"

"It wasn't me, it was you..."

Xiu Niang mimicked Guan Yu's posture from back then, gesturing with her hands on her hips: "Back then you said you would conquer the world and make everyone submit..."

Guan Yu laughed: "Yes... I haven't fulfilled my promise yet."

Xiu Niang asked, "Are there people in Hebei who are disobeying orders because you can't defeat them?"

"Of course not, it's because we can't send troops out arbitrarily..."

Guan Yu explained, "If fighting could pacify Hebei, I would have done it long ago..."

No one in Hebei has raised a banner of rebellion yet, and the powerful clans themselves are not making any moves, but the tenants 'taken in' by these clans will oppose the imperial court.

Victory on the battlefield alone is not enough; if we conquer by force, we will only leave behind ruins and countless refugees filled with hatred.

Even if you win the war and occupy the territory, the people will not be convinced, and the land will be in ruins. You will have to station troops to suppress the rebellion for a long time. This will not only drag down your troops, but also prevent you from creating any value. You will also face resistance for many years. In fact, it is a liability. It is better not to fight.

"How can you subdue others by fighting and killing? ... How did you subdue your troops when you were in charge of the army? How did you spank Ping'er when you were disciplining him? You can only subdue them by teaching them how to be decent human beings..."

Xiu Niang pouted: "If you don't behave, spank you. Anyway, I can heal you if you get hurt... You can spank you again after you're healed, until you submit!"

Guan Yu was stunned for a moment, then suddenly realized.

Yes, we've gotten so used to fighting and killing over the years that we've forgotten this isn't even about fighting!
This is the logic behind beating your son!
You have to find the mistakes first, and then teach while you're correcting them...

After figuring it out, Guan Yu immediately sent a message to Liu Bei requesting an imperial edict.

"The imperial court issued an edict to reduce rents across all prefectures in order to protect the livelihoods of the common people."

"The rent collected from tenants shall not exceed 60%. Those who violate this rule must return the overcharged rent and will be fined and whipped..."

"The fines will be used as compensation for the tenants and to establish clinics and charitable homes. If there is any poverty, they will be helped immediately."

"Guan Yu, the Prefect of Qinghe and Protector-General of Jizhou, informs all military commanders and their families to strictly uphold the benevolent policies of the court and not to become enemies of the people!"

Liu Bei grasped the situation quickly and immediately issued an edict to Hebei, ordering a reduction in rent.

After issuing the proclamation, Guan Yu immediately divided his troops into dozens of routes, breaking them up and entering Bohai Commandery, searching for trouble in each county where powerful clans resided.

In fact, by this time, all the wealthy families had already collected rent, so if they were to ask for a rent reduction next year, it wouldn't be a big problem.

But now that the rent has been collected, getting them to move out is going to be extremely difficult...

There's something to criticize about each party.

The troops did not go as officers and soldiers. Everyone in the army did not wear official uniforms or armor. Instead, they went out as gangsters to uphold justice and, incidentally, explain policies to the serfs and guide the construction of clinics and mortuaries.

Simply issuing statements is not enough; a large number of people need to be deployed to interpret and disseminate them.

Moreover, the soldiers did not enter the city or the fortified villages; instead, they approached and inquired in the farms, fields, and settlements inhabited by tenant farmers outside the county.

If a wealthy family collects more than 60% of the land rent this year, then the brothers have every reason to lend a helping hand... In fact, every family collects more than 60%.

If the landlord doesn't return the rent, then encourage the tenants to demand it—this is a good policy of the imperial court, and if the landlord doesn't return it, isn't that cheating people?

Of course, many tenants did not believe at first, so the brothers had to find a reason to fight a group of people, specifically looking for an opportunity to beat up the sons of the powerful families and their managers, until those powerful families and their managers admitted it themselves.

(End of this chapter)