I did it all for the Han Dynasty!

Chapter 125 Making the best use of resources and fulfilling everyone's duties

Seeing that both of them looked like they had been constipated for several days, Liu Miao knew that they probably realized they had been fooled.

Xu Gong fought desperately because he didn't want to lose his position as the governor of Wu Commandery.

Zhang Yun and Xu Zhao devised ingenious plans because they did not want Liu Miao to disrupt the original structure of Jiangdong and damage the existing ecological environment.

But what are you Liu Yao and Taishi Ci trying to achieve? Do you really want to live a life of subservience, like a great man born between heaven and earth?
"Since you've come to a banquet, why are you kneeling?"

There were empty tables on either side of Liu Miao, near Taishi Ci's mother and Liu Yao's son Liu Ji, respectively.

The two exchanged a glance, but neither dared to step forward.

"How dare I, a sinner, act like this?"

"Ah."

Liu Miao asked the old woman of Taishi Ci beside him, "After Ziyi made a mistake, did you sever ties with him and try to put him to death?"

Taishi Ci's mother was terrified: "How could parents do such a thing?"

Liu Miao then asked Liu Yao's son, Liu Ji, "When your father punishes you, does he sever ties with you and never acknowledge you as father and son again?"

Liu Ji replied respectfully, "Such a thing has never happened."

Liu Miao nodded, then looked at the two people below: "Since your parents didn't treat you like this, and you've never treated your children like this, why are you trying to kill yourself in front of me now?"

"Come up here, I have something to ask you."

Only then did the two dare to get up and sit down beside Liu Miao with unease and guilt.

Liu Miao first asked Liu Yao, "Does my cousin still consider me an utterly wicked person?"

Liu Yao said with shame, "I regret listening to Xu Gong and Zhang Yun, which led to this... Alas!"

However, Liu Yao offered a brief explanation: "Why does Governor Liu insist on implementing the Three Chiefs system while abolishing the Three Elders system; implementing equal land distribution while abolishing land grants? Wouldn't this lead to misunderstandings?"

Liu Miao laughed and said, “Elders are certainly worthy of respect. But ask yourself, brother, once an old person gets old, will their body necessarily become weak? Will their mind necessarily become stubborn? Such people are good at restraining the people, but if you ask them to cultivate the land or repair the water conservancy, can they really do it?”

"Moreover, the men of powerful families are pampered and spoiled from childhood, never having experienced any hardship, and thus their lives are naturally long. The men of commoners, on the other hand, are born to toil in the fields, sometimes hungry and sometimes full. Such men often look as old as the fifty or sixty-year-olds of wealthy families when they are only thirty or forty years old... Over time, the so-called 'three elders' will all be members of powerful families, and how can there be fairness among the villagers and neighbors?"

What Liu Miao said was not unfounded.

When Gu Yong was selecting the three leaders, he also counted the three elders in various places in Danyang.

The three elders in various places were almost all from powerful families. They were either my relatives or my students. They were all closely related and their connections were like a spider web, which was shocking!

Liu Miao did not deny that some of the elders were highly respected and could consider the well-being of the people.

As a governor and a ruler, how could Liu Miao entrust matters concerning the life and death of the people and the country to his personal integrity?

Therefore, even though the Three Elders system may seem disrespectful to the three elders and contradicts the Han Dynasty's national policy of "loyalty and filial piety," it was a policy that had to be implemented.

As for equal distribution of land, that's even simpler...

"During the four hundred years of the Han Dynasty, countless powerful families seized land! How come when I, Liu Miao, distributed a few dozen acres of permanent land to the people, they acted as if they wanted to devour me, accusing me of being a traitor?"

The land seized by powerful clans and noble families over generations is far more than all the arable land in the Han Dynasty combined!

Liu Miao only distributed a small amount of permanent land to the people to ensure their future livelihood, and he was going to be cursed to death?

The rich are allowed to own vast tracts of land, while the poor are not allowed to have no place to stand.

Doesn't this kind of thing seem ridiculous and laughable?
Liu Yao was already in the wrong, and now he was speechless.

Taishi Ci then cautiously inquired, "May I ask, Governor Liu, do you treat the people of Wu Commandery in the same way?"

Wu County is different from Danyang.

Danyang County is mostly mountainous and has always had a sparse population and no large cities, which is why Liu Miao was able to settle the countless refugees from Jiangbei.

However, Wu Commandery had countless fields and a population far exceeding that of Danyang. There was almost no surplus land left for Liu Miao to cultivate.

So what Taishi Ci wanted to ask was not so much whether Liu Miao would distribute land to the common people, but rather how Liu Miao would treat those powerful clans!
Liu Miao was amused by Taishi Ci's question.

"Ziyi doesn't care about his own affairs or his future, so why is he thinking about the people of Wu County? Could it be that Ziyi has married a woman in Wu County?"

Taishi Ci hadn't gotten used to Liu Miao's habit of spouting nonsense about excrement and urine in just a few sentences, so he didn't know how to respond for a moment.

It was only after Taishi Ci's mother answered for him, saying, "Ziyi is not yet married," that Taishi Ci realized what was happening.

"Liu Yangzhou didn't kill me or the governor. Our lives are already in your hands, so why are you still worried?"

Taishi Ci had already helped him and Liu Yao acknowledge their intention to submit, and Liu Yao did not show any sign of objection, clearly indicating that he had tacitly agreed to the matter.

"The reason I asked Liu Yangzhou how he would treat the powerful clans of Wu Commandery was to find out if he would take his anger out on innocent people because of us."

Taishi Ci worried that after Liu Yao entered Wu Commandery, he would go on a killing spree, leaving nothing but desolation!

If that's the case, it will only make him and Liu Yao feel even more guilty!

Liu Miao ignored Taishi Ci first, and instead praised Taishi Ci's elderly mother beside him, saying, "It is clearly your doing that you were able to raise such a benevolent and righteous child."

Then, he muttered discontentedly to Taishi Ci, "Ziyi, Ziyi, do you perhaps think of me, Liu Miao, as a bandit?"

……

Whether Taishi Ci thought so or not, the powerful families of Wu County clearly thought so.

If Liu Miao were to attack, he would want to take away their land and their money, wouldn't that be no different from bandits?

Liu Miao then asked, "If I were truly a bandit, and my goal were to kill all the rich people, how could people like Lu Zhongyi and Gu Yuantan tolerate me?"

"Even among the three leaders, the three elders are not entirely excluded. If there are truly three elders who are dutiful and responsible, how can such a person not be qualified as one of the three leaders?"

"Even with the equal distribution of land, there are still preferential policies for powerful families. They can be given more land based on assets such as slaves and oxen. Don't they know that?"

"I can roughly guess what Zhang Yun and the others said about me. It's roughly that as soon as I arrived in Wu County, I killed them all! I killed them all! The men were exiled as slaves, the women were demoted to prostitutes, and even the egg yolks in the house were shaken apart. Is that right?"

Taishi Ci and Liu Yao remained silent, clearly indicating that Liu Yao had spoken their minds.

"Then let me tell you, it's all bullshit!"

Liu Miao's curse once again shattered the image of wisdom that the two had painstakingly built in their hearts.

"A bunch of bastards, are they afraid of my military might, Liu Miao? Nonsense! What they're afraid of is that once they and ordinary people are reduced to the same starting point, they'll never catch up with others."

Even if I offer them favorable conditions, giving them a ten or a hundred-step advantage over ordinary people, they still won't be willing to put in the effort!

"Just like Emperor Shizu, he thought that by giving these powerful families a friendly face and letting them take the lead, they would obediently run on the ground. But what they actually wanted was to overturn the racetrack! That way, naturally no one would be able to surpass them!"

Liu Miao suddenly chuckled.

"But I won't let them tear down this road! I'll make them watch as ordinary people surpass them!"

Taishi Ci and Liu Yao were completely baffled by Liu Miao's meaning.

Liu Miao then revealed his plan to deal with those powerful and influential families: "I will definitely not let anyone go, except for Zhang Yun and a few other ringleaders."

"But the others are all scholars painstakingly cultivated by the aristocratic families. Wouldn't it be a pity if I killed them?"

Liu Miao had long planned for this matter—

“Since those people have been rich and noble all their lives, they probably wouldn’t be willing to toil in the fields for a living. In that case, we should set up schools in Jiangdong and let them teach with peace of mind.”

Only then did the two understand what Liu Miao was saying.

They actually intend to send these scions of wealthy families to become school teachers?

How did Liu Miao come up with such an unbelievable idea?

Liu Yao was the first to realize something and immediately stopped him, saying, "Liu Yangzhou, you can't do that!"

"Why?"

Why do you ask?

Liu Yao said anxiously, "These scions of noble families must hate you, Liu Yangzhou, to the core. How can we let them teach the common people?"

Liu Yao thought his words would alert Liu Miao, but to his surprise, Liu Miao remained silent for a long time after listening before asking, "That's all?"

What do you mean that's it?

Education is fundamental to being a person!

If these scions of noble families who hate Liu Miao were to teach the common people to read, wouldn't they completely lead them astray and cause them to curse Liu Miao together?
At that time, even though the people who had benefited from Liu Miao and received land might still be dissatisfied with him under the "influence" of these people. How could Liu Miao not care?

Liu Miao sat there thinking for a long time, then suddenly smiled again.

"Zhengli, let me ask you this: regardless of whether they curse me or not, have the common people learned to read?"

"I recognize it, I recognize it."

"That's right!"

Liu Miao slammed his hand on the table.

"Besides, isn't it right for them to curse me? If some bastard suddenly takes away my land, no matter how I got it, I'll definitely curse that bastard back!"

Liu Miao even expressed his understanding of those scholars!

If you were a rich second-generation heir and your family's fortune vanished overnight, you'd curse even the emperor, let alone the king himself!

This is only human nature. Are we supposed to shut them up and stop them from cursing us?

"Besides, they wouldn't dare to curse me to my face, would they?"

Liu Yao asked cautiously, "What if they really insult Liu Yangzhou to his face?"

"Nonsense! Of course we'll chop them up!"

You can insult me, but you can't insult me ​​to my face!

Seeing Liu Miao, who had just expressed understanding, turn into cursing again, Liu Yao felt a mix of emotions.

Unlike the Han dynasty, which emphasized "posthumous fame," Liu Miao was clearly concerned with "things done during his lifetime."

Even knowing that those aristocratic youths who had barely escaped death would certainly not be grateful, and might even curse Liu Miao, Liu Miao's bottom line was simply that they shouldn't bark wildly in front of him.

The purpose was simply to gradually enlighten the people and rid them of ignorance...

The thought of having once been enemies with someone like Liu Miao made Liu Yao and Taishi Ci even more tormented by their consciences…

However, Liu Yao was still worried: "That's true, but as the saying goes: educating people is a matter of national importance; respecting teachers and valuing the Way is the foundation of humanity. What if these people teach something else..."

"what???"

Liu Miao, showing no mercy, burst out laughing.

"What bad things could those people who can't even understand classical Chinese texts possibly teach others?"

It wasn't that Liu Miao looked down on those scholars from Jiangdong.

If you want to corrupt someone, you have to teach them something first, right?

What kind of talent can someone who spends all his time studying classical Chinese texts about the rule of the Three Dynasties possibly produce, even if he were to teach?
Those people could only teach him things like "Tang of Shang attacked Xia and King Wu attacked Zhou," they couldn't even teach him something like "The Blue Heaven is dead, the Yellow Heaven shall rise." What was Liu Miao so afraid of?

At this point, Liu Miao finally extended an invitation to Liu Yao.

"Zhengli is a descendant of Liu Fei, the King of Qi Daohui. He was recommended as a filial and incorruptible official and appointed as a court physician. I wonder if he would be willing to take charge of this matter for me?"

"I?"

Liu Yao jumped up in shock: "How can this be?"

"You're unwilling to follow proper etiquette?"

"It's not that I'm unwilling, it's just that..."

Liu Yao had previously been an enemy of Liu Miao, and was even the nominal lord of those Jiangdong scholars. But now Liu Miao actually wanted him to lead these people... Liu Yao didn't know whether Liu Miao was testing him or really wanted to entrust him with this important matter!
“What is Zhengli afraid of? My conflict with those Jiangdong scholars is about land and resources. Now that I have clearly divided these things, am I supposed to keep chasing after these people for the rest of my life?”

Liu Miao had already raised his wine cup, pressing Liu Yao: "Brother, is it really impossible for you to agree to this?"

At this point, Liu Yao was completely unable to keep up with Liu Miao's train of thought.

However, Liu Yao knew that this was definitely his only chance to atone for his sins to Liu Miao, and also to those soldiers from Wu Commandery who died in battle.

not to mention……

Liu Miao has already called him his cousin! How could he possibly refuse a brother who is also a member of the Liu clan?
Liu Yao raised his cup with both hands, solemnly declaring, "I am willing to share the burdens of Governor Liu of Yangzhou!"

Having dealt with Liu Yao, Liu Miao raised his cup to Taishi Ci once more—

"Ziyi was able to hold off Zhu Zhi and Han Dang for a long time at Piling, which shows that he is also a good general! In that case, would you be willing to join me in wielding a three-foot sword and achieving unparalleled feats?"

Taishi Ci was about to answer when he saw his mother staring at him intently, looking as if she would stab him to death with her staff if he didn't agree!

So Taishi Ci raised his cup with both hands and said, "I am willing to serve Liu Yangzhou like a dog or a horse!"

Liu Yao also witnessed this scene.

"Tsk! Taishi Ci's mother is truly a good person!"

"It's a pity I'm too old, otherwise... sigh!"

Liu Miao gestured to Liu Yao and Taishi Ci on either side, saying, "Since that's the case, let's not mention the past from now on! We shall stand together through life and death!"

"promise!"

　The temperature has dropped these past few days, and my gout has flared up. I'm in so much pain at night that I can't sleep, and during the day I'm so tired I can barely keep my eyes open. So, my update schedule will be a bit irregular, but I'll try to adjust it to three chapters as soon as possible.
　　
　
(End of this chapter)