The Three Kingdoms: Hindsight is 20/20, and the Three Revivals of the Han Dynasty

Chapter 221 Jia Kui, who was tricked into becoming crippled, and Zhang Fei's Zhuge Liang-like demeanor (2nd update)
Comparing Zhang Fei's imposing physique to Zhang Fei's, Jia Kui couldn't help but smile wryly to himself: He really is... blunt.
Zhang Fei did not boast.

If Jia Kui had brought several hundred infantry and cavalry, Zhang Fei would have certainly called for everyone to mount their horses; but since he only brought a dozen or so riders, they posed no threat to Zhang Fei whatsoever.

Zhang Fei wasn't unarmored, he just wasn't mounted. With his muscular physique, he could withstand the damage and still knock a cavalryman off his horse by grabbing a piece of roasting venison.

If Jia Kui and his dozen or so riders were not frightened, their courage would certainly be stronger than that of Captain Wang, who was so scared on the city wall of Ji County that he fell to his death.

As the aroma wafted through the air, Zhang Fei tore off a roasted deer leg and threw it to Jia Kui. He then tore off another deer leg for himself and left it. After Zhang Sheng distributed the remaining venison to everyone, Zhang Fei sat down to Jia Kui's right, tearing at the meat as he asked, "How much salary do you receive as the magistrate of Jiangyi?"

"Huh?" Jia Kui was taken aback. How did this bring up my salary again? But Jia Kui still answered truthfully, "More than a hundred shi (a unit of dry measure)."

Zhang Fei looked up in surprise: "Only a hundred or so? Did your superiors skimp on the amount?"

Jia Kui shook his head, his face solemn: "The country is in turmoil, and the court is in a difficult situation. It's already quite good that I, a mere magistrate of Jiangyi, can earn a salary of a little over a hundred shi. In Jiangyi, an ordinary family can't even harvest fifty shi a year. If they are tenant farmers, half of their income will be taken away, and if they cultivate government land, sixty percent will be taken away. Most people are half-starved. The strong might be able to go hunting to try their luck, while the weak can only dig up some wild vegetables. They can barely make ends meet on ordinary days. But if they are unlucky enough to encounter bandits attacking the city, the meager grain left in their homes will be plundered."

When the word "bandits" was mentioned, Jia Kui looked at Zhang Fei, and his tone became more indignant.

Jia Kui came from a poor family and knew all too well how difficult it was to survive in chaotic times. As the magistrate of Jiangyi, Jia Kui believed that he had never been harsh on the people. Even though his salary was far below the normal standard for a magistrate of Jiangyi, Jia Kui used most of it to help the poor officials and people, barely managing to maintain the stability of Jiangyi.

However, with Guo Yuan's arrival, in order to defend Jiangyi, the city's residents have consumed as much grain in the past few days as they would normally consume in a month.

"Don't look at me like that. I didn't attack the city. I'm not a bandit. I even treated you to venison." Zhang Fei glared back at him with wide eyes.

Jia Kui snorted and took a bite of venison: "What difference does it make? When General Zuo comes, we'll still have to collect grain!"

Zhang Fei scoffed and retorted, "Don't confuse General Zuo with Guo Yuan. How much grain do the common people have? What is there to levy?"

"If we don't levy taxes on the common people, are we going to levy taxes on those powerful and wealthy families?" Jia Kui sneered. "If we levy taxes on the powerful and wealthy families, even if you gain control of Hedong, you won't be able to hold onto it. They don't worry about food and clothing; they have plenty of energy to cause trouble and create problems for you every few days. If you follow the law, even the county clerks will run themselves ragged trying to get it done. If you don't, the people will feel wronged and curse you as a corrupt official. Therefore, whether it's the magistrate of a large county or the head of a small county, they all have to make concessions to the powerful and wealthy families on taxes, keeping to themselves, in order to maintain local stability."

Listening to Jia Kui's complaints, Zhang Fei was even more surprised: "Then you must be feeling really stifled as the magistrate of Jiangyi! With this kind of treatment, why do you still want to stay in Jiangyi? You could have simply abandoned Jiangyi and personally delivered the battle report and official seal to Anyi. Why bother with a county magistrate?"

Jia Kui jumped up in shock: "What have you done to Magistrate Liu?"

Zhang Fei gestured for Jia Kui to sit down: "Don't rush. The scouts only stopped you and asked some questions, they didn't make things difficult for you, and they didn't withhold the battle report and seal you wanted to send to Anyi."

Upon hearing that Magistrate Liu was alright, Jia Kui breathed a sigh of relief and sat down, saying, "As a high-ranking official of the state, how could I abandon the city and flee? Sending the battle report to Lord Wang was my duty to protect this region; returning the official seal was because I did not want it to fall into the hands of bandits and thus dishonor the dignity of the state."

Zhang Fei rubbed his forehead: "I already said, I'm not a bandit." Jia Kui opened his mouth, but swallowed the words back and changed his words: "I didn't say you were."

Seeing that Jia Kui had actually offered an explanation, Zhang Fei felt even more favorably disposed towards the magistrate of Jiangyi and asked, "Of the powerful and wealthy families in Jiangyi, whose house do you most want to confiscate?"

Jia Kui's eyes widened.

“I may not have explained myself clearly,” Zhang Fei reorganized his words, “Are there any powerful and lawless families in Jiangyi? We need solid evidence! General Zuo said that whether we can defend Hedong is not important; settling the people of Hedong is more important. So General Zuo specifically instructed that if we encounter an honest official who can serve the people, I will play the villain. Let me put it bluntly: the money of the powerful families will be split 50/50. I will use half to reward the soldiers, and the other half will be distributed to the people of Jiangyi to win their hearts. And you can inform those powerful families! In this way, even if General Zuo withdraws from Hedong, you can still gain the respect of the powerful families by virtue of informing them. What do you think?”

Jia Kui's surprise deepened: "You, you really want to requisition grain from those powerful and wealthy households?"

Zhang Fei grinned and said, "If we don't levy grain from the powerful and wealthy families, then we can only levy grain from the ordinary people of Jiangyi in seven days. You are the head of Jiangyi, so you can choose for me."

Jia Kui stared blankly at Zhang Fei, completely unable to comprehend Zhang Fei's thinking, and repeated: "I was serious just now. If you really levy grain from the powerful families, even if you gain control of Hedong, you won't be able to hold onto it."

Zhang Fei laughed and asked in return, "Whose subordinates are the 'you' that County Chief Jia is referring to?"

Jia Kui stared at Zhang Fei with suspicion: "You are naturally subordinates of General Yuan Shao."

Zhang Fei shrugged: "What does it have to do with General Zuo if the General can't defend Hedong? General Zuo never said he had to get Hedong."

Jia Kui keenly discerned the implied meaning in Zhang Fei's words: "Could it be that General Zuo is not of one mind with the General?"

Zhang Fei raised the venison in his hand and said, "County Magistrate Jia, you can eat venison however you like, but you can't say whatever you want. General Zuo and General Da are definitely of one mind in supporting the Han Dynasty and punishing the traitor Cao! In short, what General Da dares to do, General Zuo dares to do; what General Da dares not do, General Zuo also dares to do. General Zuo is a descendant of Emperor Gaozu and a descendant of the Han Dynasty. He is unparalleled in benevolence, virtue, and integrity. What he has pursued all his life is to 'serve the country above and bring peace to the people below'."

Seeing Jia Kui's dazed face, Zhang Fei tore off the last bite of venison, stood up and said, "I understand what you mean. The powerful families in Jiangyi are all lawless. After you return to the city, you can inform them. As for the rest, Magistrate Jia, you don't need to worry about it."

Subsequently.

Zhang Fei called out to Zhang Sheng and the others, and they all mounted their horses and galloped away.

Jia Kui sat in front of the fire, speechless for a long time, his mind replaying Zhang Fei's words.

The more Jia Kui thought about it, the more frustrated he felt about being the magistrate of Jiangyi: he couldn't bring peace to the common people, nor could he defend against bandits, and he had to compromise and dare not offend powerful and influential families.
　Update 2 is here!

　　
　
(End of this chapter)