Han Ji

Liu Bei listened quietly.

"I beheaded seven, and Dunqiu was quiet for half a year." Cao Cao stared at the sloshing wine in his bowl. "But I know that as soon as I leave, the new magistrate will not be able to control them, and those who are left and have not been beheaded will immediately emerge and become even more rampant."

He looked up at Liu Bei and asked, "Tell me, what kind of problem is this?"

Liu Bei remained silent for a moment before speaking: "Local powerful clans have become too powerful, and the imperial court's authority is no longer effective."

"Anything else?"

"Taxes are becoming increasingly heavy, and the people are struggling to make a living."

"Anything else?"

Liu Bei raised his eyes and met Cao Cao's gaze. Those eyes were dark and deep, as if something was burning within them.

"Eunuchs held power and sold official positions. Local officials who bought their posts naturally wanted to recoup their investment while in office. So they increased taxes and exploited the people. The people couldn't survive, so they either became slaves to powerful families or turned into bandits. The more bandits there were, the more taxes the court had to levy to suppress them—a vicious cycle."

He spoke slowly, but every word was clear.

Upon hearing this, Cao Cao suddenly grinned. He picked up his wine bowl and raised it towards Liu Bei, saying, "Lord Lu has taught a fine student."

The two of them finished another bowl.

Halfway through the drinking session, Cao Cao became quite talkative. He spoke of the case in Dunqiu, the cunning of local powerful figures, and how the imperial envoys sent to inspect the area took bribes to perform their duties. Finally, he slammed his fist on the table and cursed:

"This world is like a dilapidated house! The roof leaks, the walls are rotten, and instead of trying to repair it, the people inside are fighting and scrambling to tear down the last few good rafters to sell for money! When the house collapses, no one can escape!"

Liu Bei poured him more wine, saying, "Brother Mengde, be careful with your words."

"Be careful what you say?" Cao Cao glared, then laughed and waved his hand. "That's right, this is Luoyang, not Dunqiu. You have to be careful what you say."

He leaned back against the armrest, looked at Liu Bei, and his eyes cleared a little: "Xuande, you're twenty this year, you have a long way to go. Take my advice: in Luoyang these next few years, observe more, listen more, and speak less. The position of a court official isn't high, but it allows you to see a lot. Observe carefully and remember it."

"Thank you for your guidance, Brother Mengde."

"besides,"

He paused, then added, "It's okay to show your face at Yuan Benchu's place occasionally, but don't get too close to him. That man... is too cunning."

Liu Bei nodded.

The two drank for a while longer until the wine jar was empty. Cao Cao's face was a little flushed, but his eyes were still clear. He stood up, swayed slightly, and then steadied himself.

"I'm leaving." He patted Liu Bei on the shoulder. "That was a great drink. Let's get together often."

Liu Bei escorted him to the outside of the shop. Cao Cao's attendants brought over a horse, he mounted it, bowed to Liu Bei from horseback, pulled on the reins, and rode away with his men.

The sound of horses' hooves faded into the distance.

Standing in the twilight, Liu Bei's drunkenness dissipated considerably in the wind. He recalled Cao Cao's last words:

"Xuande, the world is about to descend into chaos. In times of chaos, one must have a sword in hand."

When I returned to the small courtyard in the south of the city, it was already completely dark.

Zhang Wu and the others were waiting at the door. When they saw him return, they breathed a sigh of relief: "Doctor, someone from Lord Lu's side came and delivered this."

He handed over a wooden box.

Liu Bei took the box, went inside, and lit a lamp. He opened it; inside was a brand-new set of robes and a crown, made of sturdy fabric and exquisitely crafted. Underneath was a note in Lu Zhi's handwriting:

"At twenty, one should be of age and stand tall in the world. Though one's attire may be humble, one should remain true to one's heart."

Liu Bei picked up the black cloth hat and weighed it in his hand.

heavy.

After June, Luoyang enters the rainy season.

The rain came and went, and the bluestone path of the Southern Palace was always wet, gleaming faintly underfoot. When the officials carried their halberds, they had to watch their step to avoid slipping and losing their composure.

Liu Bei still rose at dawn every day and walked to his post. When the rain was heavy, even a raincoat was useless; by the time he arrived at the official residence, his lower body was always soaked. Zhang Wu advised him to hire a carriage, but he shook his head: "It's just a few steps."

Gradually, some of his colleagues learned that he had drunk with Cao Cao. Their gazes towards him became more complex—there was curiosity, distance, and a hint of obsequiousness.

Liu Bei ignored them all. He went to his post as usual, and delivered documents as required. On his days off, he would go to the Eastern Pavilion and stay for half a day at a time.

In mid-July, Cao Cao came to see him again.

This time it was in an alley outside the East Gate. Cao Cao was dressed in casual clothes, without any attendants, and stood there alone, leading his horse, as if he had been waiting for a while.

"Brother Mengde."

"Xuande," Cao Cao said, tying his horse to a tree and walking over. "Are you on leave today?"

"Yes."

"Come on, I'll take you somewhere."

The place Cao Cao mentioned was an inconspicuous courtyard in the west of the city. There was no plaque above the gate, and several locust trees were planted in the courtyard, their branches and leaves so dense that they covered most of the courtyard.

Upon entering the room, I found two people already sitting inside.

One was around forty years old, with a fair complexion and short beard, wearing a hempen robe, and was looking down as he flipped through a scroll of bamboo slips. The other was younger, around twenty-five or twenty-six, tall and slender, with a scholarly air about him.

Upon seeing Cao Cao enter, both men stood up.

"Mengde has arrived." The older man nodded, his gaze falling on Liu Bei. "And this is...?"

"Liu Xuande, a disciple of Lu Gong, is currently the Left Gentleman of the Palace," Cao Cao introduced, then turned to Liu Bei, "This is Qiao Gong, Qiao Xuan. This is Guo Tai, one of the Three Worthies of Jiexiu."

Liu Bei felt a chill run down his spine and bowed respectfully.

He had heard of Qiao Xuan—a former Minister of Works, known for his uprightness, who was dismissed from office for offending a eunuch and now lived in seclusion in Luoyang. Guo Tai, on the other hand, was the leader of the Imperial Academy and was quite famous for his talent in Luoyang.

"No need for formalities." Qiao Xuan waved his hand, gesturing for him to sit down. "I've heard of Lu Ziqian's disciple."

The words were spoken casually, but there was no perfunctory tone in them.

The four men sat down around the table. A servant brought tea and then withdrew.

Qiao Xuan cut to the chase: "Mengde said you were reviewing documents at the Ministry of Personnel. What are your thoughts on the recent reports from various prefectures and counties?"

The problem arose suddenly. Liu Bei pondered for a moment: "The number of refugees is increasing daily, and banditry is rampant. This is especially true in Yu Province and Ji Province."

"source?"

"In my humble opinion, the reasons are threefold: first, frequent natural disasters; second, excessive taxes; and third, the annexation by powerful clans."

"Anything else?"

Liu Bei paused for a moment: "The imperial court's relief efforts are inadequate, and local officials are corrupt."

Qiao Xuan nodded without saying anything, and slowly drank his tea.

Guo Tai continued, "What Doctor Liu said is all true. But how do we interpret it?"

"Investigate the land, curb land annexation; rectify officialdom, severely punish corruption; reduce taxes, and allow the people to rest." Liu Bei spoke briefly, "But this matter is far-reaching, requiring the court's determination and the concerted efforts of all levels."

"Work together from top to bottom?" Cao Cao laughed, a mocking smile on his face. "In the court today, eunuchs demand money, relatives of the empress vie for power, and scholars fight amongst themselves. Who has the heart to work together?"

The room fell silent.

Qiao Xuan put down his teacup and looked at Liu Bei: "Xuande, if you were to be tasked with governing a region, how would you begin?"

This question is more specific than before. Liu Bei thought for a moment: "First, clean up the officialdom. Remove the corrupt and incompetent, and employ the honest and capable. Next, investigate the land; those that have been seized by powerful families must be returned within a specified period. At the same time, open the granaries to distribute grain, appease the displaced people, and organize land reclamation."