Overthrowing Wei: Starting with Cao Cao's "I'd rather betray the world than surrender

The tenancy agreement for Shenjiazhuang has been posted for several days.

Life in the village continued as usual, but the whispers outside had quietly changed.

Before dawn, there were already figures around an old well in the field.

It is not a gathering of people.

They only come here sporadically to fetch water.

But when the bucket is lowered, it always pauses for a while.

"Have you heard?"

"What?"

"The Shen family."

The voice was kept very low, as if afraid of disturbing something.

"They only paid 30% this year."

Upon hearing this, the hand by the well visibly paused for a moment.

"Really?"

"It's true, the people from Shenjiazhuang have spread the word."

"It's been clearly stated that the land will not be taken back, nor will the rent be increased."

Someone took a soft breath.

It's not envy.

It was an instinctive disbelief.

The well water rippled, reflecting the tired faces.

They did consider the costs and benefits.

With 60% rent, one can barely survive in a good year.

In years of disaster, all they can do is borrow money, run away, or gamble.

30% possible

It's not a matter of a few more people surviving.

That was in that year; it was planted for myself.

"The Shen family...what gives them the right?"

Someone finally asked that question.

No one answered immediately.

After a while, someone whispered:

"I heard it was decided by that person from the Lü family."

The area around the well suddenly became quiet.

The name Lü Ding has been mentioned far too often lately.

Distribute the grain.

Take responsibility.

Establish rules.

"And what about us?"

A voice suddenly rang out.

It was very light, like a pebble falling into water.

"Can we... ask that too?"

No one answered.

But in the reflection of the well water, everyone fell silent.

⸻

Such conversations don't just happen by the well.

market.

Field.

Beside the dilapidated temple.

Even when feeding the livestock.

No one instigated it.

No one encouraged it.

Someone just said:

"The Shen family's tenants only received 30% of their income this year."

That's enough.

After returning home, some people did a serious calculation for the first time.

60% rent.

30% rent.

The middle 30% is not just grain.

It's about whether the children can get enough to eat.

The question is whether my mother can survive the winter.

Next year, we won't have to gamble with our lives anymore.

In the end, someone closed the abacus.

There was no cursing.

He just sighed.

"So this is how you live."

⸻

A few days later.

One tenant finally couldn't hold back any longer and went to find his steward.

It's not a joke.

It's not arguing.

Even the tone of voice was not high.

"Manager."

"I heard that the Shen family has changed their tenancy agreement."

The steward was flipping through the accounts, not even looking up.

"I'll change it, what's it to you?"

The tenant paused.

"I just wanted to ask..."

He raised his head.

"Could our family... be renamed to be like the Shen family's?"

The ledger slammed shut.

The manager looked up.

"What did you say?"

The tenant immediately lowered his head.

"I was just asking."

"Ask..."

The manager stared at him for a while.

I didn't scold them.

No penalty was imposed.

He simply said coldly:

"Go back to work."

The tenant responded.

Turned around and left.

But the steward didn't sleep well that night.

The next day, people still came to ask.

By the third day, there was more than one person.

Not at the same time.

Not together.

But the problem is exactly the same.

"Could we also amend the tenancy agreement?"

This time, the manager realized something was wrong.

It's not that these tenant farmers are particularly bold.

But -

They already knew that there were other ways to live in the world.

⸻

The backyard of a large family in the south of the city.

The clan elder was listening to the steward's reply.

"Lately, the people below are getting a bit restless."

The clan elder did not look up.

"What's wrong?"

"Asking about rent."

"And you're asking about... the Shen family."

The clan elder then looked up.

"Why ask about the Shen family?"

The steward swallowed hard.

"They said the Shen family changed their ownership to 30%."

"And it's all in black and white."

The courtyard was quiet.

The elder slowly put down the teacup in his hand.

"What else did they say?"

"explain……"

The manager hesitated for a moment.

"Whether it's our family or not, Shen Jiaren is better."

The tea sloshed slightly.

"Benevolence?"

The elder sneered.

"When did tenant farmers become so worthy of talking to me about benevolence?"

He stood up.

I took a few steps in the courtyard.

"It's not that they want 30%."

"It's what they think—"

He paused.

"What the Shen family can give, we won't give."

The meaning of those words changes once they are spoken.

The person in charge dared not respond.

The clan elders, however, already understood.

This is not a problem of food.

It's not a problem of a year with a disaster.

Yes--

The comparison has already begun.

And once the comparison begins...

People's hearts are no longer at peace.

⸻

Outside Shenjiazhuang.

Someone stood by the edge of the field, watching the tenants work.

The movements were slow, but very delicate.

Before hoeing, the soil clods are turned over.

After hoeing a row, they would also pull out the weeds from the edges.

This wouldn't have happened before; in the past, the only requirement for working was to avoid making mistakes.

Now, it looks like they're tidying up their own belongings.

Someone asked cautiously:

"What if we really don't take it back?"

The person next to him nodded.

"It's stuck to the wall."

"It's written very clearly."

The man remained silent for a long time.

Finally, he said:

"I wish our family could be like this too."

These words were carried away by the wind.

⸻

Lüjiazhuang.

Xun You placed a brief report on the table.

"The area around the Shen family's residence has been quite lively lately."

Lü Ding did not look up.

"How's it getting lively?"

"Someone asked at the well."

"Someone in the fields is settling accounts."

"Some people are even going to other places to inquire about tenancy contracts."

Lu Ding paused for a moment as he turned the pages of the book.

"Is anyone making a scene?"

"Not yet," Xun You said in a low voice.

Lü Dinghe submitted a letter.

"Once people start comparing themselves to others, they can never go back to the way things were before."

Xun You remained silent.

He knew that the tenants would not be the first to give up.

Rather, those—

The samurai originally thought that the people below would never rebel against them.

⸻

late at night.

A house in the city.

Several elders of the clan discussed the matter in hushed tones.

"This can't go on."

"This is not a matter concerning the Shen family."

"It's the people below who are starting to be tempted."

"Being moved is not scary."

"What's scary is—"

"They already know that someone dares to do this."

One person whispered:

"How about we suppress the Shen family's path?"

The other person shook their head.

"You can suppress people for a while, but you can't suppress their hearts."

The eldest one spoke slowly.

"Don't rush."

"Let it take a few more steps."

"The farther you go—"

He looked up.

The harder you fall, the more painful it is.

The crowd fell silent.

The candlelight flickered.

The shadow flickered on the wall, like a knife that hadn't yet fallen.

⸻

at the same time.

Inside Shenjiazhuang.

One tenant rolled up his lease and hid it in his bosom.

It's not that I'm afraid of losing it.

It's fear—

This was the first thing they had ever held in their hands in their entire lives.

It's not just paper.

It was just a thought.

—So, it turns out, people don't have to live on their knees.

And once this idea spreads...

It could no longer be contained.

It will appear in the fields, by the well, and in the hushed conversations at night.

No one needs to teach them or lead them.

Because once someone realizes that life can be lived this way, they can never go back to the way it was before.

More and more people are starting to look towards this path.

But their gaze will eventually fall on one person.