I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 108 Clear Road
Liu Xun was both angry and amused, just as he felt that Liu Miao was both incompetent and pitiful.

In fact, he had heard many things about Liu Miao. It's just that some of them were so outrageous that he didn't know whether to believe them or not.

Now, listening to Liu Miao's complaints, Liu Xun felt the same way.

"Yes, as for military affairs, Zhou Yu and Sun Wentai's old subordinates are practically an impenetrable wall, not even a fly could get in! As for internal affairs, with Gu Yong, a member of the Gu family of Wu County, there's no way they can interfere! What about the Three Chiefs and Equal Land Distribution... how dare they come up with such things! Do they really think the laws of the court are nothing?"

Liu Miao nodded repeatedly from the side: "Zitai! That's so right! A kindred spirit!"

"And there's more! Every time the General of the Rear rewards me with something, they take it all away! For example, this time, I didn't even see a single hair of the five hundred warhorses before they were divided up by the various generals! And that divine steed 'Fast Voyage'—I didn't even get to see it!"

Liu Xun was shocked: "Such a thing actually happened?"

"No!"

However, the truth is that Liu Miao has recently stopped going to the battlefield and hasn't even bothered to take a stroll around the training ground. He almost ruined "Kuaihang," this thoroughbred horse, by keeping it in its stall. Zhou Yu felt sorry for it and took the horse away...

Liu Xun slammed his fist on the table again: "This is outrageous! This is outrageous!"

Seeing Liu Miao calmly pouring him tea and water, Liu Xun was furious. He felt sorry for Liu Miao's misfortune and angry at his lack of ambition!

"Does Governor Liu intend to just let them run rampant?"

"That's not true."

Liu Xun thought things had taken a turn for the better, but Liu Miao said leisurely, "Anyway, as long as it can help the General of the Rear pacify Jiangdong, that's all that matters. Since they want to do it, let them do it. I'll be able to relax a bit!"

Liu Xun: ...

Before coming to Jiangdong, Chief Clerk Yang Hong, Registrar Yan Xiang, General Ji Ling, and even Yuan Shu himself told him a lot about Liu Miao.

Among these people, Liu Miao was either a cunning and treacherous villain, a powerful and ambitious leader, a hero who loved his people like his own children, or a two-faced scoundrel... But no one told him that Liu Miao could be so pathetic!
Liu Xun himself also verified the information.

Upon inquiry, he learned that Liu Miao almost never interfered in domestic affairs; Zhang Zhao and Gu Yong always handled them.

In military matters, even when Zu Lang and Zhou Xin were defeated, it was Zhang Zhao who organized the troops to resist Zu Lang and Zhou Yu who led the army to fight. Liu Miao's news was just a few fragments interspersed in these events and had no significant role at all.

After he arrived in Jiangdong, he also ordered his retainers to monitor Liu Miao and confirm that people such as Zhou Yu, Gu Yong, and Zhang Zhao had never visited Liu Miao, and there was not even a single letter between them. Apart from Chen Yu, that useless scholar, who frequently visited Liu Miao's residence, there was no one with real power who had any dealings with Liu Miao.

Based on Liu Miao's own words today, Liu Xun is even more convinced that the situation is probably as Liu Miao said: he has been sidelined or even held hostage by his subordinates!

"Liu Zhongshan, Liu Zhongshan, you are, after all, a descendant of the Prince of Langya, a member of the Han imperial family. I thought you should be a hero of your time, how could you be so dejected?"

Instead of being annoyed, Liu Miao laughed heartily.

"What joy is there in living? What sorrow is there in dying? Why not seize the day and enjoy life to the fullest? Don't you think so, Zitai?"

"..."

Seeing that Liu Miao showed no ambition whatsoever, Liu Xun became even more furious: "Zhongshan! You, the dignified Governor of Yangzhou, are you really content to live such a muddled and aimless life?"

Liu Miao's laughter stopped abruptly, and he became dejected.

"What else can I do if I don't do it this way?"

"The government affairs are entirely controlled by local powerful families, and the army is entirely controlled by Sun Jian's old subordinates... I did consider incorporating the Yue tribes to cultivate my own power, but unfortunately, I lack the ability to convince them!"

Shanyue?

What mountain tribes?
Liu Xun quickly pressed on, "Is it the Yue tribes under Zu Lang's command?"

"Exactly."

Liu Miao told Liu Xun his thoughts: "A few days ago, didn't we manage to defeat the chieftain Zu Lang thanks to the good fortune of the General of the Rear? I thought of incorporating all the men of the Yue tribes into the army and making them my own. However, those young and strong men from the Yue tribes are violent and unwilling to serve as my soldiers, so the matter was left unresolved."

To incorporate the Yue tribes?

Liu Xun's eyes lit up. How come he hadn't thought of this!
With an army, wouldn't we have the confidence to negotiate with Gu Yong, Zhang Zhao, and Zhou Yu?

Liu Xun was overjoyed and even grateful to Liu Miao for pointing out the right path for him!
When Liu Miao saw the joy in Liu Xun's eyes, he knew that Liu Xun had probably taken the bait.

Liu Miao originally intended to incorporate the captured Yue youths into his army, bring their families out of the mountains, and gradually assimilate them, transforming their customs and traditions towards those of the Han people.

However, Liu Miao clearly underestimated the stubbornness of these Yue people.

How could Liu Miao's decree possibly change the life customs passed down from generation to generation?

These Yue people from the mountains were unwilling to accept the Han people's system of registering all citizens. Neither Liu Miao nor Zhou Yu dared to use the Yue people as soldiers under these circumstances, since no one knew if they would inexplicably run back to the mountains and become enemies of the government again.

Since Liu Xun was willing to help him train those Yue people from the mountains, Liu Miao had absolutely no objections!
"Squeak."

At this moment, the door was pushed open, and it was Liu Miao's wife, Yuan, who was carrying a tray in both hands, bringing food and wine to the two of them.

Liu Xun knew that Liu Miao's wife was from the Yuan family, so although he treated Liu Miao with disdain, he dared not show the slightest disrespect to Yuan. However, when he saw Yuan's face, he froze on the spot. The once incomparably beautiful Yuan now had bruises all over her face, clearly the result of being beaten by Liu Miao!
While Madam Yuan was present, Liu Xun dared not ask too many questions. But as soon as Madam Yuan left, Liu Xun immediately asked nervously, "Zhongshan, that's Madam Yuan's daughter! Her face... did you hit her?"

"Of course!"

Liu Miao was no longer as helpless as he had been when discussing foreign affairs; on the contrary, he became quite assertive!
Liu Xun was even more worried: "I heard that Yuan's daughter... has a rather bad temper. Is it really good for Zhongshan to be like this?"

"What's the matter?"

Liu Miao didn't take it seriously at all.

"Zitai, let me tell you, no matter how fierce a woman is, she'll submit after a good beating! Do you think a man should let a woman ride on his head?"

……

At this moment, Liu Xun didn't know whether he should continue to despise Liu Miao or admire him.

I had heard that Liu Miao had almost beaten up Zhou Ang's wife before, but I never expected that he would even dare to beat up his own wife, Yuan Shi!

However, Liu Xun finally got an answer. After sitting for a while, he got up and left. Liu Miao even gave Liu Xun a lot of tea, showing that he completely regarded Liu Xun as one of his own!

After seeing Liu Xun off, Liu Miao immediately sighed and then walked towards the backyard.

As Madam Lu and Madam Lü were helping to wipe the rouge off Madam Yuan's face, Madam Yuan saw Liu Miao and immediately began to sway her long legs under her blouse, asking excitedly, "How was my performance just now?"

"very good!"

Yuan immediately beamed with joy, while reminding Liu Miao, "Don't forget what you promised me! Keep your word!"

"Okay, the next two weeks are all yours!"

Liu Miao straightened his back!

To deceive Liu Xun, I don't know how many descendants of the Liu family I'll have to sacrifice! I absolutely cannot let Liu Xun down!
------

Upon returning to his residence, Liu Xun immediately arranged for his retainers to handle the affairs of the Yue tribes.

Because the matter was of great importance, the conversation did not end until late at night, after which Liu Xun returned to his room exhausted.

But as soon as I got to my room, I was woken up again before I could even get a good night's sleep.

When Liu Xun came out to inquire, he learned that his wife, Wang, and his concubine, Sima, had started arguing again over some trivial matters, which made him furious!
Upon seeing Liu Xun, Lady Sima immediately snuggled up to him like a little bird, burying her face in his chest and weeping bitterly.

Wang, however, remained steadfast and explained the whole story to Liu Xun.

"Today, for such a trivial matter, your concubine wanted to severely punish the servant and cut off her finger! I said a few words to her, thinking that she was causing trouble for you, my husband, but she still wouldn't accept it and insisted on arguing with me! My husband, since you are here today, why don't you judge right and wrong! Let this little hussy learn some manners and respect for the law!"

Sima, however, sobbed in Liu Xun's arms: "It's not like that. How could I, a weak woman, cut off someone's finger so casually? I was just angry at the time, so I said those words in a fit of anger! Later, I apologized to you, my wife, and said that my husband had worked hard today, and that we women should be considerate of him and not disturb him... But you wouldn't let it go, and I really had no other choice!"

……

On one hand, there's the wife who insists on reasoning and judging matters publicly.

On one hand, there was his favored concubine who was considerate of him.

Isn't it obvious who to choose at this time?

Liu Xun embraced his concubine and said to Wang Shi with displeasure, "Why make such a fuss over such a trivial matter?"

Wang immediately felt aggrieved: "A trivial matter? The Han Dynasty uses reputation as the standard for judging the merits of officials. If word gets out that you, my husband, are you not afraid of being scorned for 'being heartless to your master'?"

"Furthermore, my husband only listens to Sima's one-sided story and favors his concubine over his wife. Is he really a qualified husband?"

"You are unfaithful to your master and unfaithful to your husband! Aren't you afraid of being ridiculed by the world?"

"Shut up!"

When had Liu Xun ever been reprimanded like this? Especially by his own wife, a woman of such wealth and status. How could someone as powerful as Liu Xun tolerate this?

Liu Xun was already furious about the political affairs in Danyang, and then he was woken up by the two of them in his sleep. His patience had already reached its limit!
Thinking that even someone like Liu Miao dared to beat up Yuan Shi, while he was being criticized like this by a mere Wang Shi, Liu Xun was suddenly filled with rage and immediately slapped Wang Shi hard across the face!
"Snapped!"

A loud slap rang out, leaving Wang stunned and rooted to the spot.

"You hit me?"

"Shut up!"

Liu Xun embraced Sima, his disdain for Wang was palpable.

"If you continue to act so unreasonably, I will divorce you!"

(End of this chapter)