Han Ji

The autumn wind was chilly on the day we went into the mountains.

Liu Bei was too lazy to ride a horse, so he rode in a sedan chair. Fifty elite personal guards protected him from the front and back, their armor gleaming and their weapons and bows fully equipped. Zhang Wu and Li Huan stood on either side, keeping a watchful eye on everything around them.

The mountain path was difficult to traverse, and the forest was deep and the moss slippery.

The village of Baishuidong is located halfway up the mountain, with crooked wooden walls and shadowy figures moving on the watchtower.

As they approached the village gate, a group of barbarian soldiers surged out, armed with spears and bows and arrows, their eyes wary and their demeanor wild.

Zhang Wu placed his hand on the hilt of his sword, causing his personal guards to shift slightly, and the atmosphere suddenly became tense.

Liu Bei raised his hand to stop the crowd. He stepped off the pole alone, his steps unsteady. He stood still and looked at the burly man who walked out of the village gate—Mu Lu, the chieftain of Baishuidong.

Mu Lu stared at Liu Bei's sling arm, then at his pale face, her eyes flickering.

"Liu Bei, Military Advisor of Lujiang," Liu Bei said, his voice low but penetrating the cold air, "By order of Prefect Lu, I have sworn an oath with the chieftain of the cave."

Mu Lu didn't reply immediately, his gaze sweeping over the murderous guards behind him.

"Please." After a moment, he stepped aside to make way.

A bonfire burned in the open space inside the village. The leaders of both villages were present, their eyes displaying different expressions.

There was no incense table, only three bowls of wine.

Liu Bei walked to the fire and looked at Mu Lu and Teng Fang, the chief of Qingmu Cave: "Lord Lu has decreed: those who submit to the Han Dynasty are Han citizens. Past actions will be forgiven. From now on, you may go to the official market in Shu County on regular occasions to exchange mountain goods for salt, iron, and cloth at fair prices."

He paused, then his voice deepened: "If anyone harbors disloyal intentions or plunders Han people, Black Wind Cave will serve as a cautionary tale."

Finally, Mu Lu raised his head, looking at Liu Bei with a complicated expression: "We accept this arrangement."

Lin Shu snorted, offering no objection, which was taken as tacit agreement.

"Very well!" Liu Bei nodded. "Then I invite the two chieftains to join me in swearing a blood oath!"

The prepared soldiers carried out a wine jar, killed a rooster, and dripped its blood into the wine.

Liu Bei took the wine bowl with his left hand and took a large gulp without hesitation. The wine was spicy and burned down his throat.

Mu Lu and Lin Shu exchanged a glance, then stepped forward and drank the blood wine.

"From this day forward, the two villages of Baishui and Qingmu submit to Lujiang! Those who betray us will be condemned by Heaven and Earth!"

The roar echoed through the mountain stream.

The bowl shattered on the ground with a crisp sound.

The oath was taken.

On the way back, Zhang Wu couldn't help but say, "Why be so polite to them when you're in the army?"

Liu Bei leaned against the sedan chair, his eyes closed: "After a slap, you have to give a sweet treat. You can't pacify Lujiang by just killing people."

A mountain breeze blows, and the sound of the forest rustling in the wind.

Liu Bei's injuries had mostly healed, and he could move his right arm again. He had lost a little weight, but his eyes were more serious, and even sitting there without saying a word, he exuded an imposing aura.

Lujiang County enjoyed a brief period of peace. The large-scale barbarian disturbances subsided, and the scattered small groups of bandits were no match for the larger threat.

Lu Zhi's memorial requesting merits was sent to Luoyang. In the memorial, generals such as Zhang Wu made outstanding contributions, and Liu Bei's name was also listed, followed by phrases such as "offered strategies to divide and conquer, personally braved arrows and stones, ventured deep into barren lands, and established alliances with various tribes".

This merit is enough to earn a military rank with several hundred bushels of grain.

That night, Liu Bei went to Lu Zhi's study.

The charcoal brazier crackled and popped. Lu Zhi was reading a book when he saw him come in and pointed to the seat opposite him.

"Is your injury healed?"

"That's about it." Liu Bei sat down and poured himself a bowl of hot water from the earthenware pot.

"The memorial has been submitted." Lu Zhi put down the letter and looked at him. "Based on your merits, you're guaranteed a position as a county magistrate."

Liu Bei held the hot water but didn't drink it. "Teacher, your student...doesn't want to enter officialdom through military merit."

Lu Zhi raised an eyebrow: "Oh?"

"Military merits bring sudden advancement, but the foundation is unstable. Moreover, it makes one vulnerable to being used against by others, who say it's a matter of seeking advancement." Liu Bei's voice was calm. "I wish to leave... I'll recommend myself for the civil service examination."

Lu Zhi leaned back slightly, scrutinizing him. The firelight cast flickering shadows on his face.

"To be recommended for the civil service examination, one needs prestige, connections, and patience. A corrupt official can easily obtain military merit. Are you willing to give that up?"

"I am willing." Liu Bei nodded. "I am young and can wait. Filial piety and integrity are the right path, and they will provide a more solid foundation for my future career in the court."

The study fell silent, save for the crackling of the charcoal fire.

After a long while, Lu Zhi's lips twitched slightly, so faintly that it was almost invisible.

"Good." He uttered a single word, "You have ambition. I'll remember this military merit for you. Lujiang has just been pacified, and the situation is not yet stable. I know about the matter of your recommendation."

"Thank you, Teacher." Liu Bei bowed.

Lujiang County is like a patient who has just recovered from malaria.

The fever on the surface has subsided, but the cold is still lingering deep inside.

"The land survey... is facing considerable resistance." The prefectural magistrate wiped his sweat. "Everyone... says the land deeds are incomplete and need time to be sorted out."

Lu Zhi didn't look up, pointing his finger at the table: "Give them time. Ten days. After ten days, send officials to the households to take inventory. Anyone who obstructs will be punished for concealing land."

The prefectural magistrate bowed and withdrew.

"What's the Zhou family up to?" Lu Zhi finally looked up at Liu Bei.

"It's very quiet," Liu Bei said. "Zhou Chong sent two gifts, one to congratulate Teacher He on quelling the rebellion, and the other to... calm my nerves."

"Like a weasel offering New Year's greetings to a chicken," Lu Zhi sneered. "The quieter he is, the more he's up to."

Sure enough, trouble came within two days.

The officials sent to survey the land reported back that progress was slow. Wherever they went, the villagers either hid from them or claimed ignorance. Occasionally, a few landowners were found, but they gave vague answers and could not produce any decent land deeds.

"At the Xixiang resettlement site for displaced people... dozens of boundary markers suddenly appeared overnight on that wasteland, supposedly the ancestral property of the Zhou family or someone else. The displaced people dared not cultivate it, fearing they would get into legal trouble."

"The price of salt in the official market... has been driven down by several large merchants by 30%! The goods we've released aren't selling!"

As the reports came in one by one, Lu Zhi's face grew increasingly pale.

"Bang!" He slammed his hand on the table. "Outrageous!"

Liu Bei listened silently. Zhou Chong's move was ruthless. Without resorting to violence or direct confrontation, he used these "legal" means to strangle him.

"Teacher, force won't work," Liu Bei said. "The Zhou family has been entrenched in Lujiang for decades, with a deeply entrenched network of connections. We are newcomers, and our foundation is not yet stable."

"Then what do you suggest we do?" Lu Zhi asked, suppressing his anger.

"We need to find his Achilles' heel." Liu Bei's gaze was calm. "Right now, he relies on money, grain, and the dependence of his people on him. Cut off these, and he won't be able to stand up for himself."

"How do we determine this?"

Liu Bei walked to the map of Lujiang and pointed to several places: "The land survey is being hindered, so let's put that aside for now. As for resettling the refugees, don't we still have the confiscated land of Wang Hong and Li Ben? Although it's scattered, it's enough to resettle the first batch. The official market is being suppressed... We can stockpile the goods we have and not rush to release them."

He turned his head: "Wait."

"What are you waiting for?"

"Wait for the spring famine," Liu Bei uttered three words.

"The Zhou family... and indeed all powerful families, rely on grain the most. During the spring famine, grain prices will inevitably rise. They will certainly hoard grain and make a fortune."

Lu Zhi's eyes narrowed: "How much grain do we have left in our granary?"

"Not much. It'll barely last until the summer harvest."

"Wouldn't that be even worse?"

"But we can... raise prices in advance."

"???" Lu Zhi looked at Liu Bei with a puzzled expression...