Three Reconstructions of the Han Dynasty: I Helped Zhuge Liang Perfect the Longzhong Plan

Liu Bei took charge of the Yizhou prefecture, handling the aftermath, pacifying the powerful families, and settling the soldiers—a complex and demanding task.

Within a few days, the overall situation was roughly settled, but Huang Quan and Liu Ba remained closed off from their posts, becoming the most pressing problem at present.

Everyone said that Huang Quan was fierce and loyal, and Liu Ba was aloof and self-reliant; both were unyielding and difficult to tame.

Many of the generals under his command suggested that the government should forcibly conscript them and bring them into the government office for employment, and that those who refused should be demoted.

Liu Bei shook his head and rejected the idea.

"Since the Shu region has just been pacified, we should win people's hearts with leniency and benevolence. Forcibly suppressing the old officials will only exacerbate the conflicts, make the gentry in Shu feel insecure, and cause endless trouble in the future. Huang Quan and Liu Ba are both great talents of our time. If they can sincerely submit to us, stabilizing Western Shu will be twice as easy; if we keep forcing them, we will suffer more losses than gains."

Fa Zheng stepped forward and said, "My lord, I am an old acquaintance of Gong Heng. Although Gong Heng is loyal to Liu Zhang, he is not foolish and incorrigible. He is reasonable and can discern the general trend. However, he is loyal and righteous and it is difficult for him to turn back suddenly. If you personally invite him, I believe Gong Heng will not refuse. This also shows your appreciation for talent."

Liu Bei deeply agreed and, after careful consideration, decided to visit Huang Quan first.

The next day, Liu Bei dismissed the large entourage and, accompanied only by a few close attendants, traveled lightly to Huang Quan's residence.

The mansion gates were tightly shut, the courtyard gates were locked, and the servants refused to see any guests, declining repeatedly.

Liu Bei remained unperturbed, standing below the steps, and calmly instructed his servant to convey a message:

"I am not forcing Gongheng with the power of the new ruler, but have come here as a fellow Han official to have a talk."

A moment later, the courtyard gate slowly opened.

Huang Quan, dressed in plain clothes, stood in the courtyard with a cold and solemn expression. He neither greeted nor bowed, displaying a distant and unceremonious demeanor.

The two entered and sat facing each other. The hall was quiet and still, with no wine or tea, and the atmosphere was heavy.

Huang Quan spoke first, his tone firm: "Now that you have taken Yizhou, the situation is settled. Liu Zhang has surrendered. We, the defeated ministers, are in our own hands, with our lives, honor, and disgrace all in our hands. If you want a letter of surrender and official seal, a single document will suffice; there is no need for you to come in person."

Liu Bei shook his head, his expression sincere, showing no trace of the imposing aura of a superior:

"Gongheng has misunderstood. I have come here today not to force you to kneel, nor to demand a letter of surrender."

"Years ago, you advised Liu Zhang not to welcome me, Liu Bei, not to ally with foreign enemies, and not to rashly start a war. Every word you spoke was wise advice for protecting the land and ensuring the safety of the people. Your loyalty to Liu Zhang and to Yizhou is something I have always admired."

He then shifted his tone, pointing directly to the root of the problem:

"Liu Zhang was weak and incompetent, his internal affairs were in disarray, he indulged powerful clans, and the people were exhausted; he was indecisive and fickle in dealing with matters, first leading us into Sichuan to resist Zhang Lu, and then secretly colluding with Cao Cao to harm our entire army. The source of the chaos was not outside, but inside."

What you are loyal to is the land of Yizhou and the people of Shu, not the foolish and selfish desires of Liu Zhang alone.

Now that the war in Shu has just ended, the people are weary of the chaos, the counties are in ruins, and the fertile fields are lying fallow. It is the time when wise ministers are needed to govern and allow the people to recuperate.

If you cling to trivial matters, shut yourself away and abandon your talents, burying your great abilities in your home, and watch helplessly as chaos reignites in Shu and the people suffer again—this is not only disloyal, but also a betrayal of Yizhou.

My ambition is to restore the Han Dynasty, quell the chaos, and annex Western Shu, all in order to accumulate strength for a northern expedition to the Central Plains and eliminate the treacherous heroes.

If Gongheng is willing to help, it is not abandoning his former master, but sacrificing his personal integrity to save the livelihood of millions of people in Shu.

His words were sincere and insightful, without resorting to accusations or coercion, focusing solely on public sentiment, the overall situation, and the well-being of the people.

Huang Quan remained silent for a long time, his expression gradually softening.

Throughout his life, he worried about Shu, fearing the endless war and the displacement of the people. Now that the change of rulers in Shu was a foregone conclusion, and Liu Zhang had already surrendered, the overall situation was beyond saving. His insistence on upholding his family's integrity would be of no benefit to the country or the people, and would only betray his lifelong ambition to govern the world.

Reflecting on my role as a subject of Shu, I have fulfilled my duties, offering advice where necessary and upholding what I was required to uphold; my loyalty as a subject has not been compromised.

He was not a stubborn person to begin with, and after weighing the pros and cons, his inner conflict gradually dissipated.

Huang Quan sighed deeply, rose, clasped his hands, and bowed solemnly.

"Your Excellency's breadth of vision and insight far surpasses that of Liu Zhang."

From this day forward, I will dedicate myself to assisting Your Excellency to the utmost.

……

Having wholeheartedly submitted, Huang Quan immediately entered the government office to manage affairs, working with Fa Zheng, Dong He, and others to rectify officialdom and sort out the household registration and taxation in Sichuan.

However, after days of calculations, a difficult problem weighed heavily on everyone's minds, leaving them all frowning.

Chengdu's granaries were overflowing, with grain, fodder, and cloth piled up like mountains, enough to support the army for a year. However, the government treasury was extremely short of money.

During Liu Zhang's reign, he governed with leniency, allowing powerful clans to seize land, conceal taxes, and squander funds recklessly, depleting the treasury year after year.

Now that Liu Bei had secured the Shu region, he promised his soldiers that after taking Chengdu, all the money in the treasury would be used to reward the army. On that very day, the soldiers looted the entire treasury.

Now, with the need to provide relief to displaced people, repair city defenses, and improve people's livelihoods, cash is needed for everything. The proposed list of rewards for meritorious officials has been repeatedly checked, but the government treasury has very little silver left, making it impossible to pay out. With morale low and government affairs stalled, the newly established situation in Yizhou is almost dragged into a predicament by the shortage of funds.

Liu Bei could only instruct his officials to tighten their belts and set an example by saving money himself. He then summoned all the officials of Shu to the government office for a meeting.

In the main hall, everyone looked worried.

Huang Quan frowned and spoke frankly about the pros and cons: "My lord, Shu is rich in resources, with no shortage of grain and brocade. However, the treasury is empty, inflation is rampant, the monetary system is collapsing, taxes are difficult to collect, and powerful families control wealth. We have no money to use."

Liu Bei sighed softly, "Alas, it was my oversight. Does anyone have a good plan?"

The officials looked at each other, then shook their heads and sighed helplessly.

Huang Quan stepped forward again: "These deep-seated problems cannot be resolved by ordinary officials. Only a great talent who is good at calculation, knowledgeable in finance and taxation, insightful about the interests of powerful people, and skilled in reform and financial management can turn the tide."

Liu Bei frowned and asked, "It's a pity that Kongming is far away in Jingzhou, and Shiyuan is stationed as an inspector. They're too far away to provide immediate relief. Gongheng, in Shu today, who is capable of shouldering this heavy responsibility?"

Without hesitation, Huang Quan made his recommendation:

"Looking across western Shu, there is only one person—Liu Ba, Liu Zichu."

Liu Bei sighed softly, feeling both helpless and confused:

"I have also heard of his name. When Zichu was still in Jingzhou, Kongming and I wrote several letters to earnestly persuade him to take up an official post. We sincerely tried to befriend him and repeatedly showed him goodwill without offending him in the slightest. However, he preferred to serve Cao Cao rather than me. I did not want to bother him any further."

Upon hearing this, the entire room fell silent.

Everyone looked troubled.

Gu Sulin stood in the classroom. As a time traveler, he understood immediately upon hearing this.

Everyone knows that Liu Ba's talent is unparalleled in Yizhou. He is proficient in literature, finance, law, and taxation. If this person were to manage the government and finances, the predicament of the treasury could be easily resolved.

However, Liu Ba spent half his life avoiding Liu Bei, making him arguably the least likely person to submit to Liu Bei.

He slowly stepped forward and explained the root of the problem, pinpointing the crux of the matter in a single sentence:

"My lord, Liu Zichu's refusal to serve is not due to personal grudges, but rather to his stance and background."

He was a renowned scholar from a prominent family in Jingzhou, a family of Confucian masters for generations. He was devoted to the imperial court, and in his heart, even though the court was now controlled by Cao Cao, the emperor was still in Xuchang, and the Han dynasty was still legitimate. Therefore, when Jingzhou was in turmoil and his lord went south, many Jingzhou scholars sought refuge there, but Liu Ba alone went north to join Cao Cao.