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

Chapter 48 Xihe Xinting
When Lu Zhi was an official in the capital, his wife was in charge of managing the household affairs.

Madam Lu was a kind-looking middle-aged woman who was quite familiar with Liu Yuanqi. Liu Deran was still studying under Lu Zhi, and the two families visited each other frequently.

“Madam, this is Liu Xuande, a former disciple of Minister Lu. He says he wants to do something for his sect to make up for his past mistakes.”

Liu Yuanqi helped to get started.

Liu Bei summoned him only so that he could say this one sentence; otherwise, it would be inconvenient for Liu Bei to enter the Lu family's house.

When Liu Bei first studied under Lu Zhi, he was not particularly remarkable and could not be considered a close disciple. However, Lady Lu knew of his current reputation in Zhuo County and also knew that he had committed a crime and been expelled from Lu Zhi's roster.

However, the people of Zhuo County all praised Liu Bei, and Lady Lu actually had no ill feelings towards him.

“Master’s wife, I was young and inexperienced, and made many mistakes, which brought shame upon our sect. I should not have returned to Master Lu’s sect. But mistakes must be corrected, so I have shamelessly come here. Please forgive me, Master’s wife…”

Liu Bei brought some gifts, mostly common snacks, nothing special, just to express his respect for his teacher.

"Xuande, please don't be so polite. I have heard about your good deeds and chivalrous actions. All past events are like smoke and clouds. Heaven forgives all people and does not hold grudges against past mistakes."

Madam Lu appeared very polite and gentle.

But Liu Bei was somewhat surprised to hear this—Huang Tian was the god of the Way of Peace…

Madam Lu actually believed in the Way of Peace.

That's normal. The Taoist priest of Taiping in Zhuoxian County had always been doing charity work in Shiliting and didn't have the opportunity to do anything wrong. His reach in spreading his teachings was relatively low, but the quality of his followers was much higher.

“Master’s wife, I have come here today to do something for our sect, both to do good and to benefit others.”

Liu Bei didn't delve into what Lady Lu believed in, as he still had business to attend to: "This is Qian Zijing, the Protector of the Wuhuan. Some time ago, the Shanggu area was unstable, and Commander Zou was also attacked. Therefore, Qian Zijing plans to move the Protector of the Wuhuan's main camp to the Juma River area to prevent trouble from the Hu."

Qian Zhao stepped forward and cupped his hands in greeting: "I have already set up camp by the Juma River. I learned that the land belongs to Minister Lu, so I asked Brother Xuande to inquire. I wonder if Madam would be willing to allow our troops to be stationed on Lu's land? Madam, rest assured, I am leading the regular troops of Commander Zou, Han Chinese, not Wuhuan cavalry."

These are all facts; not a single word of them is fabricated.

Qian Zhao, who was in charge of the affairs of Zou Jing's main army, was in charge of all of Zou Jing's flags and ceremonial guards. He could directly represent Zou Jing.

"The Juma River area? That's fine. Since it's a military matter, there's no need to concern yourself with the old woman. You can use the manor and houses as you please... The surrounding area has already been abandoned."

Madam Lu thought that Qian Zhao wanted to use the Lu family's farm as barracks.

“Your Majesty’s wife has probably misunderstood… I have invited you here to inform you that the Protector of the Wuhuan Commandery will be stationed and training troops in the Juma River area for an extended period, and will also ensure the safety of that region.”

Liu Bei explained, "The fields along the Juma River are lying fallow. I think it would be best for my teacher's wife to recruit more tenants to cultivate the land on the other side of the Juma River, so that we can provide military supplies for Commander Zou locally. Fortunately, I have quite a few tenants there..."

Qian Zhao added, "Yes, our headquarters is stationed here and will be stationed here year-round. It would be best if we could purchase military supplies locally in the future to avoid transporting grain from afar and increasing losses."

"Oh? Governor Zou's headquarters are going to be stationed there permanently? That's great. Following the will of Heaven and doing good to people can indeed avert disasters and solve problems."

Lady Lu was quite pleased to hear this: "How many tenants does Xuande have available for sale, and what are the fees?"

Now that place has become the headquarters of Zou Jing's army, wouldn't the Juma River area be safe?
Once it's safe, of course we'll hire tenants to cultivate the land...

Furthermore, Qian Zhao wanted to procure military supplies locally—supplying military supplies was a good business, and the best kind of business at that.

“Those tenants were originally refugees. I just want to give them a way to survive. I don’t want to sell them off, but I want to ask my teacher’s wife to help do good deeds… As long as they can be fed, I don’t care how much rent I charge.”

Liu Bei cupped his hands and replied, "In this way, Commander Zou's troops will have their military supplies guaranteed, and the Juma River area will be safe and secure. My teacher's wife can not only do good deeds and accumulate merit to enhance the clan's prestige, but also gain some small benefits... If my teacher's wife can set up a new market in the Juma River and do some market transactions with the soldiers, she should be able to earn more money. This is my way of doing my part for Master Lu's clan."

These days, tenant farming can be traded, and if the tenant is an experienced farmer, there's usually a transfer fee...

However, Liu Bei would not use this to deceive people. Although most of the refugees were indeed skilled farmers, Liu Bei did not intend to sell people.

Liu Bei remembered Yue Yin's words: "Do not use people for personal gain."

However, it is true that the Lu family gained prestige and benefits. The Lu family was indeed capable of doing good deeds, making money, and gaining the gratitude of tens of thousands of people, which greatly benefited Lu Zhi's official reputation.

Moreover, if military supplies were to be supplied locally, the Lu family could quickly develop the area around the Juma River into a market and open several shops.

The needs of the military go far beyond just food, drink, and basic necessities; various forms of entertainment and trade activities are the main concern.

The regular soldiers of the Han army were paid very high salaries, and there was little entertainment in the military camps, so most of their money was spent on the nearest taverns, brothels, and casinos.

Although Liu Bei didn't say it explicitly, everyone understood.

Madam Lu was naturally overjoyed: "Tomorrow I will send some stewards to handle it... I accept Xuande's kindness on behalf of my husband."

"From now on, the supply of military supplies for headquarters will all be entrusted to you, Madam." Qian Zhao also cupped his hands to indicate that the troops would no longer seek other companies to purchase military supplies, and that the Lu family would have a monopoly on the business.

Liu Bei provided the Lu family with all the necessary resources, including tenants, security, and future sales channels, and even granted them exclusive rights to operate the business. This made the deal easy to negotiate, and Lady Lu was grateful to Liu Bei.

This could actually mend the relationship with Lu Zhi; although they would no longer be master and disciple, they could still be good friends.

Not long after, the Lu family sent over several managers and some servants.

Seeing that Zou Jing's flags, ceremonial guards, and barracks were indeed present along the Juma River, and that several hundred troops were training there, he was completely relieved.

The Lu family took over most of the displaced people in the Juma River area and settled them in nearby villages, which became a large town.

Since the Lu family didn't have much grain stored up, Madam Lu specially exchanged money for grain from Prefect Liu Wei. In other words, instead of donating millet, she donated money to keep the grain as rations for the tenants this year.

Of course, the Lu family only received five or six thousand people, about a thousand households; that was all the family could accommodate.

However, with the Lu family as the first, Liu Bei could now simply wait for other landowners in the Juma River area to come and settle the refugees in the same way.

Moreover, this time Liu Bei didn't need to come forward to discuss it; since the Lu family had already done it, other families would inevitably follow suit.

Liu Bei instructed the Lu family to establish ten new pavilions in this area, organized according to their estates. Liu Bei and Qian Zhao then reported this to the prefecture, saying that Minister Lu's family had set up a new pavilion town in Xihe, and asked Prefect Liu Wei to give them several low-level positions.

Liu Wei certainly didn't care about low-level officials like the village head, since these officials were usually recommended by each family anyway.

As long as a family manager takes in two hundred displaced people as tenants and opens a manor to cultivate the land, they can get a position as a pavilion chief. The Lu family's six manor managers all became pavilion chiefs.

Moreover, this was directly given to the person in charge, that is, the family retainer who handled affairs within the clan, not to the elders or seniors of the clan...

Meanwhile, other refugees directly occupied the uncultivated wasteland and villages near the Lu family's land.

As soon as the news came out, the stewards of the other families were extremely eager to come and recruit tenants—the head of the village was indeed inconspicuous and usually did not have much power, but the head of the village often had the power to decide the ownership of the land!

So the refugees were quickly divided up by the stewards of various wealthy households.

The refugees who arrived later were even scrambled to be taken in by various families as soon as they reached Shiliting...

The newly arrived refugees were bewildered. Were the gentry of Zhuo County really this hospitable?
At this time, most of the wealthy families in Zhuojun had not yet had time to transport grain to Liu Wei. Like Lady Lu, they stopped donating grain and instead donated money, leaving the grain to be used by tenant farmers.

They want to take advantage of the double tax deduction, and they also want to take advantage of the tenants' grabbing of wasteland.

Liu Wei didn't really care; to him, it was better if the big spenders paid.

The grain was too difficult to transport, and he needed to convert it into cash anyway...

In fact, many wealthy households, including the Lu family, deliberately seized more land in the surrounding area after becoming village heads. At this time, they actively recruited more tenants in order to acquire land for free.

Anyway, with the army here, even if the owners of other wastelands in the surrounding area return, they might not dare to come and demand them.

Even if they demand it... isn't that just a matter of who has the bigger fist?

The answer is always the same: I'm the village head, this land belongs to so-and-so. If you're not satisfied, go and sue Prefect Liu Wei yourself.

This place is now the residence of Governor Zou. The wealthy families are polite to Minister Lu and Liu Bei and Qian Zhao, who represent Zou Jing, but they are completely impolite to other people's land.

If this trend continues, the area around the Juma River could very well become a new county, which already has a population of over 10,000...

In any case, everything has been sorted out.

The refugees were taken care of, the troops had logistical support, there was a surplus of food, and weapons were also obtained.

Liu Bei gained a large following among the people, as well as the support of the local gentry and a trustworthy army.

The name of Liu Bei, a chivalrous and righteous man, truly spread among both the gentry and the common people.

Prefect Liu Wei, on the other hand, resettled tens of thousands of displaced people in his own prefecture without any disturbance. His "appropriate measures and skillful handling" resulted in the addition of more than a dozen new pavilions in the prefecture. This achievement was enough to earn him a dedicated page in the prefectural annals, and he even amassed countless riches...

This year, Zhuojun will no longer collect grain taxes from wealthy households, and everyone is quite satisfied with this.

Of course, it's hard to say how each household will exploit the tenants in the future, and it's quite possible that another civil uprising could break out. But at least for now, everyone is benefiting.

These days, this is the only way to get things done.

(End of this chapter)