Han Ji

Before an incense stick could burn, the sounds inside gradually subsided.

Zhang Wu, carrying a blood-dripping knife, led a man out.

It was Zhou Chong. His crown was askew, his fine robes were tattered, his face was smeared with ashes and someone's blood, his eyes were unfocused, and he murmured to himself, "I am a scholar... my Zhou family... generation after generation..."

Lu Zhi didn't even look at him, and said to his men, "Take him down, search his residence, and collect evidence. Tomorrow, he will be publicly executed at the drill ground, his head displayed as a warning to the public."

"yes!"

Twilight.

The smoke of battle had not yet completely dissipated in Shuxian County, and the air was filled with a strange stench of burnt flesh mixed with the stench of blood. On the streets, laborers, under the supervision of government troops, began cleaning up the corpses and washing away the bloodstains.

The main hall of the prefectural government was brightly lit all night.

Neither Lu Zhi nor Liu Bei closed their eyes.

Letters and preliminary inventory results were submitted.

"In this battle, over four hundred barbarian soldiers, including the chieftain of the mountain demon tribe, were killed, and three hundred were captured; within the city, one hundred and twenty private soldiers and suicide warriors of the Zhou family who stubbornly resisted were killed, and thirty-seven of their main followers, including Zhou Chong, were captured; Wugu of the Black Wolf tribe was seriously wounded and is currently receiving treatment, and more than ten of his troops who participated in the battle were killed or wounded..."

"Our army suffered 103 dead and over 200 wounded..."

"Countless weapons, armor, provisions, and valuables have been seized, and the property of the Zhou family and their associates is being confiscated..."

Lu Zhi rubbed his temples and looked at Liu Bei: "The aftermath is a complex matter, Xuande, please take good care of it."

"It's my duty as a student," Liu Bei said, bowing slightly. He looked tired, but his eyes remained clear.

"The most important thing is to distinguish between the leaders and the followers, and to reassure the people," Liu Bei said in a deep voice. "Zhou Chong and his core followers have irrefutable evidence of their crimes and must be punished in accordance with the law to serve as a warning to others. However, his servants, laborers, and even some of those who were deceived or coerced into participating in the defense of the mansion should be treated leniently unless they actively resisted."

Lu Zhi nodded: "Okay. You draft a charter."

"Secondly, the captured barbarian soldiers, those who resisted, and ordinary tribesmen also need to be distinguished. The mountain demon tribe participated in the rebellion, and its young and strong suffered heavy casualties. The remnants fled far away and are not a threat in the short term. The Black Wolf tribe is a special case. Wugu has made contributions, and its people can be appeased as appropriate and incorporated into the official market trading system."

Liu Bei spoke clearly, point by point.

As Lu Zhi listened, the look of approval in his eyes grew even stronger.

At noon, at the drill ground west of Shuxian County.

A huge crowd had gathered. Zhou Chong and more than thirty of his main accomplices were escorted to the execution ground. The charges against them were announced, and there was both witness testimony and physical evidence.

Zhou Chong collapsed to the ground, his face ashen, no longer displaying any of his arrogance from yesterday.

At the executioner's command, the executioner's blade fell.

Dozens of heads rolled to the ground, blood splattering on the yellow sand.

Zhou Chong's head was hung high on the city gate tower for public display.

Looking at the head that had once held sway over Lujiang, the people below the stage were initially silent, then erupted into a tremendous cheer. The Zhou family had dominated Lujiang for many years, oppressing the good and colluding with barbarians, and had long been the object of the wrath of both heaven and man.

Immediately afterwards, the government posted a notice to reassure the people, announcing that only the ringleaders would be executed, and those who were coerced would be spared. The notice also stated that the abandoned land confiscated from the Zhou family would be distributed in the coming days to settle displaced people and prisoners who were willing to surrender.

The news caused jubilation among the people, and the potential for unrest in Shuxian County was quickly quelled.

Half a month later, the situation in Lujiang County basically stabilized.

The inventory of the Zhou family and their cronies' assets was completed. The amount of land, shops, and other valuables was staggering, and all of it was confiscated, instantly filling the county government's treasury.

The compensation for fallen soldiers, the treatment of wounded soldiers, and the rewards for meritorious personnel are all being carried out in an orderly manner.

After screening, most of the captured barbarian soldiers who were willing to surrender were dispersed and resettled in several newly established settlements, where they were given farming tools and seeds and allocated wasteland for cultivation. A small number of stubborn elements were punished with hard labor.

While Wugu was in a coma, the Black Wolf tribe was temporarily led by several experienced men. In accordance with their agreement with Liu Bei, they began small-scale trade with the official market, exchanging furs and mountain delicacies for salt and iron. Although there were still some differences, the situation was no longer as tense as before.

Liu Bei personally visited Wugu several times. The young man was resilient and survived thanks to the physician's best efforts, though his injuries were extremely severe and he still needed a long period of rest. Upon waking, he learned that Black Tooth had been killed in the chaos by his loyal warriors, and that Black Tooth's forces within the Black Wolf tribe had been eliminated. He remained silent for a long time, finally saying only one sentence to Liu Bei: "You kept your word."

That day, Liu Bei was dealing with a backlog of documents when Lu Zhi sent someone to summon him.

Only the master and his apprentice were in the study.

Lu Zhi gestured for him to sit down and looked him over a few times: "You look quite well."

"Teacher Lao is concerned."

"Lujiang has just been pacified, and everything needs to be rebuilt. However, the most difficult hurdle has been overcome," Lu Zhi said calmly. "What follows is just a matter of patience and gradual progress; we can proceed step by step."

Liu Bei nodded in agreement.

Lu Zhi changed the subject: "Do you remember you said before that you didn't want to enter officialdom through military merit and wanted to take the path of being recommended for the civil service?"

Liu Bei's heart stirred, and he sat up straight: "This student dares not forget."

"Hmm." Lu Zhi picked up a letter from the table. "I have some old friendship with the Prefect of Zhuojun. Some time ago, I wrote to him, mentioning your performance here, especially your achievements in pacifying Zhou Chong, appeasing the barbarians, and restoring peace to the people. You have also made military contributions, which further demonstrates your administrative talent. I have already taken care of all the key points."

He paused, looking at Liu Bei: "Your report has no problems in Zhuojun. By the end of next year, it will be reported to the Three Dukes' Office and the Ministry of Personnel as usual."

Liu Bei paused slightly, then immediately stood up, straightened his clothes, and bowed deeply to Lu Zhi: "This student... thanks you for your guidance, teacher!"

Recommended for his filial piety and integrity! This meant he was about to embark on the proper path of officialdom in the Eastern Han Dynasty, gaining a formal official status. This was far more stable than an official position obtained through military merit, and offered greater potential for future advancement.

Lu Zhi accepted his bow and slowly said, "You must thoroughly study the 'Records of Officials' and the 'Criminal Laws and Regulations'."

In the spring of the first year of the Guanghe era, Liu Bei began to follow Lu Zhi in handling criminal cases. He sat below the court taking notes, watching how his teacher could uncover the hidden land dealings of powerful families from the surface of tenant farmers fighting.

In April, when rice seedlings were being planted, he led officials from the prefecture to the fields to demonstrate. An old farmer taught him how to distinguish between good and bad seedlings, which he carefully noted down and later wrote into his "Edict to Encourage Farming".

On a sweltering summer night, he perused the Criminal Law and decrees while verifying the land taxes reported by various counties. Outside the window, frogs croaked incessantly, and the candlelight flickered on his desk.

"The Black Wolf tribe has sent another batch of furs," Zhang Wu said, carrying a lantern as he entered. "We've exchanged them for three shi of salt, as you agreed."

Liu Bei looked up and said, "Tell Wugu that the official market should include more medicinal herb trading after the autumn harvest."

"clear."

Despite the continuous rain, Lujiang enjoyed a rare bumper harvest. For the first time, the official granaries were overflowing with new grain, no longer relying on confiscation to make up the numbers.

Rain soaked his shoulders. He looked north, towards Luoyang and Zhuojun, a road he had to take.

And now, he will continue to cultivate this land in Lujiang.