The imperial cause at the end of the Han Dynasty was not one of partial peace.

Chapter 72 Encouraging Agriculture and the Powerful Governor's Team

Once New Year's Day is over, it will soon be the beginning of spring.

This was also a festival that the Han dynasty attached great importance to, perhaps even more so than the New Year's Day.

According to the Han Dynasty system: "On the day of Lichun (the beginning of spring), people would welcome spring in the eastern suburbs, offer sacrifices to the Green Emperor Jumang, and all their carriages, flags, and clothing would be green."

At that time, the emperor wore a blue robe, a blue jade pendant, and a blue flag. All the officials also wore blue robes and went to the eastern suburbs to worship the god Jumang, praying for favorable weather and abundant harvests.

Although Mount Tai is far in the east, Liu Bei attached great importance to the ceremony of Lichun (the beginning of spring).

He benefited greatly from the military-agricultural colonies he implemented in Jizhou last year.

As the saying goes, "Agriculture is the foundation of the state, and grain is the military resource." In this era where agriculture was the foundation, promoting agriculture and sericulture was the most important national policy.

Taishan County has just experienced the Yellow Turban Rebellion, with people fleeing and fields lying fallow. Although it has been reorganized for several months and has shown initial results, it still depends on spring planting and autumn harvest, and a bountiful harvest of grains to truly restore the county's vitality.

Therefore, Liu Bei ordered the agricultural official to draft an edict to encourage agriculture several days in advance, and also instructed the household official to compile statistics on the grain seeds and farming tools needed by each village.

The number of oxen used for plowing must be sufficient to ensure that the farming season is not missed.

On the day of Lichun (the beginning of spring), when the sky was just beginning to brighten, Liu Bei had already changed into a blue robe and a blue turban.

The Prefectural Assistant Zhuge Gui, the Chief Clerk Ju Shou, the Inspector Tian Feng, and other officials and clerks accompanied him, and together they went to the eastern suburbs to perform the welcoming spring ceremony, in accordance with Han dynasty custom.

At this time, an altar had been set up in the eastern suburbs of Fenggao City, with the statue of the Green Emperor Jumang on it, and offerings of three kinds of sacrificial animals, new wheat, and seasonal vegetables.

The three elders bowed deeply to the ground, while the people, young and old, knelt in a dense, dark mass.

Liu Bei ascended the altar, burned incense, straightened his clothes, and respectfully bowed three times to the Green Emperor Jumang and all the gods of mountains and rivers. Then he unfurled the silk scroll and prayed aloud: "On the day of the Beginning of Spring in the third year of Zhongping, Liu Bei, the Prefect of Mount Tai, dares to solemnly announce to the Green Emperor Jumang, the God of Mount Tai, the River God of the Wen River, and all the spirits of the hundred gods within the territory:

May the gods bestow blessings and nurture all people. Last year, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, and a plague spread, causing the people of Mount Tai to be displaced, fields to lie fallow, and the old and weak to perish in ditches. I have been unworthy to serve as the prefect, receiving great favors from the state, and I am filled with worry day and night, fearing that I will fail the emperor's trust and disappoint the hopes of the people.

As spring begins to stir, hibernating insects awaken, and the east wind thaws the ice, it is the perfect time for farming. I, Bei, respectfully lead the officials of the prefecture to personally cultivate the imperial fields, encouraging agriculture and sericulture. I pray that the spirits of the gods will grant timely rain and timely winds, ensuring abundant harvests, preventing locusts and locusts, and eradicating plagues. May the people of the twelve counties of Mount Tai, men farming and women weaving, the elderly cared for until their end, and the young nurtured, each content in their work, enjoying lasting peace.

Although I am unworthy, I am willing to exert all my strength to work with you all to revitalize this prefecture. If I fail the gods or oppress the people, may the gods punish me; if we are blessed with good harvests and peace, I will lead all the officials and people of the prefecture to repay the gods' grace with the highest sacrificial offering. Respectfully yours.”

After the sacrificial ceremony is completed, the ceremony of planting rice in the field begins.

To show their importance, on this day, everyone from the emperor down to the ministers and governors would personally drive the spring ox to plow the fields.

Whether the emperor in Luoyang personally set an example for the world is unclear to Liu Bei, but he did indeed take off his deep robe, put on a short blue robe, and walk barefoot down the ridge of the field.

At this moment, in the middle of the field, a yellow ox was tied with a blue silk ribbon, and behind it hung a brand-new straight-shaft plowshare. The plowshare was made of a piece of fine iron and embedded in a heavy mulberry wood.

This is a straight-shaft type made by the government. Nowadays, iron tools are scarce, and many straight-shaft type plowshares do not have refined iron. Instead, they are split by splitting the frozen soil with heavy mulberry wood. Therefore, rashly changing the straight-shaft type to the curved-shaft type will not only fail to improve farming efficiency, but will also be out of step with the times and backfire.

Liu Bei then gripped the heavy plow, while Guo Yuan, the clerk in charge of the fields, personally led the ox. With a crack of the whip, he softly shouted, "Rise!"

The oxen responded to the call and began to work, the plowshare breaking through the fields!

This scene thrilled the surrounding people, because it was clear that their governor was not just putting on an act!

His farming techniques were very skillful, clearly showing that he had practiced diligently.

Moreover, it wasn't just a matter of cultivating a few rows for show; he actually cultivated an entire acre together with the field clerk!

The clerk Ju Shou and the supervisor Tian Feng also rolled up their sleeves, each took a plow, and spent two hours cultivating the entire acre of land!

Seeing that the prefect and his officials were all personally tilling the fields, how could the common people dare to be lazy and not do their best?

Although Cai Yong was a literary clerk, he couldn't help but clap his hands and sing "Spring Ploughing Song" upon seeing this: "The east wind thaws the ice, hibernating insects begin to stir. The field overseer is overjoyed, and the god of millet descends. He takes up my plow and sows my new seeds. Thousands of people work together, and countless others sow."

This scene of singing and composing seemed to transport the entire Taishan Prefecture into a scroll of Han Dynasty folk songs.

The green grass rustles on the ridges of the fields, an old farmer stands with a hoe on his shoulder, and children chase and play barefoot. This scene is just like the poem in the Book of Songs, "With my wife and children, we bring food to the southern fields."

A thousand years later, the magnificent scene of the Han Dynasty encouraging agriculture unfolded slowly between these songs and the plowing.

After the ceremony of driving the spring ox was completed, Liu Bei presented the plow to the three elders of Fenggao County as a symbol to encourage farming.

Then he led the officials back to the prefectural government, but instead of resting, he immediately focused his energy on the overall task of managing the entire prefecture, summoning the officials of the fields, households, and granaries to the main hall for a meeting.

He took the warm water Zhen Jiang offered and drank a sip before getting straight to the point: "Last year, when we first arrived at Mount Tai, we decided on the strategy of 'cultivating virtue to subdue those far away.' Now, after the autumn and winter seasons, how effective have our efforts been in attracting refugees and persuading bandits to surrender?"

Cui Dan, the Registrar of Household Affairs, rose and bowed, recounting the events with great familiarity: "From July of last year to the end of the twelfth lunar month, the twelve counties of Mount Tai have collectively attracted over 4,200 households of refugees, totaling over 18,000 people;"

"We recruited eleven bandit groups, large and small, and no fewer than four thousand people joined us. A total of more than 23,000 new households were added. Among them, about 12,000 were able-bodied men and women, and the rest were the elderly and children."

"This does not include those who have surrendered since this spring. Last winter, due to heavy snow, the bandits in the mountains ran out of food, and several more groups sent envoys to surrender. We are currently settling them down."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei's expression brightened, and he nodded, saying, "These people were previously fugitives, or gathered in the mountains and forests, making a living by robbing and plundering."

They may live scattered among the waters and lakes, accustomed to fishing and hunting. They are skilled at shooting geese with bows and arrows and fishing with nets, but not at plowing fields or cultivating the land with hoes.

Now that they are registered as ordinary citizens, they are the people of Mount Tai, and encouraging agriculture and sericulture is of paramount importance to them.

"The *Discourses on Salt and Iron* states: 'Agriculture is the foundation of the world, the source of the people's livelihood.' Those engaged in secondary occupations do not engage in production, wandering from place to place seeking sustenance. Driven by hunger and cold, they are easily turned to thievery. If we allow them to remain idle and return to their old ways, not only will we betray the court's favor, but we also fear that it will breed trouble, causing the Mount Tai of tomorrow to become the Mount Tai of today."

He turned to Xiahou Lan, the legal officer, and said sternly, "From this day forward, an order shall be issued to all counties that all hunting and fishing equipment, such as bows, fishing rods, nets, and traps, belonging to newly settled people shall be confiscated by the respective townships and villages and kept by the government. They may only be returned after three years of settling down in agriculture and paying taxes. During this period, anyone who privately possesses bows and crossbows or organizes hunting groups shall be treated as a lazy and idle person and punished with three months of corvée labor on government land."

Xiahou Lan was well-versed in law and was very confident in this matter. He immediately cupped his hands and said, "I will draft the decree and send it to all the townships and villages in the twelve counties."

Liu Bei nodded, then looked at Guo Yuan, the agricultural official, and asked, "Does the agricultural official have enough land to settle these new households?"

Guo Yuan stood up, took out a scroll of bamboo slips from his sleeve, unfolded it, and presented it to Liu Bing.

"Your Excellency, the Ministry of Agriculture has drafted five articles for the Spring Farming Arrangements."

"Firstly, all newly incorporated people will be allocated fifty mu of land per household, and the county land administration department will collect taxes according to the acreage." The new law requires registration and inclusion in the household register.

"Secondly, the prefectural government uniformly provided grain seeds and agricultural tools."

Thirdly, oxen were managed according to the "ox register" system, with the prefectural government allocating official oxen, and each group of five households sharing one ox for plowing, taking turns using it.

"Fourth, all newly settled people who cultivate wasteland will be exempt from rent for one year; those who rent government oxen will pay an additional 10% rent, all in accordance with the old regulations for military farms from last year."

"The fifth point is of utmost importance. In previous years, the newly assigned people often had their land seized by powerful families. Yuan has already discussed this with the Ministry of Revenue. All newly granted land will have its boundaries marked by stones erected by the Ministry of Land, and the Ministry of Revenue will keep a record. If anyone seizes the land, they will be severely punished according to the new decree."

Guo Yuan truly lived up to his reputation as a wise minister who completed Cao Wei's land reclamation system.

Although this is his first year governing the prefecture, he already shows the qualities of a virtuous minister.

With these five points being so comprehensive, Liu Bei had nothing to criticize.

He nodded, closed the bamboo slip, and handed it back to Guo Yuan, adding only one last point: "Zini's five regulations are very good. However, while guarding against powerful families seizing land, we must also guard against the common people themselves."

"The Han dynasty inherited the legacy of the Warring States period, and the Qi region was particularly rich in cunning and treacherous people. Newly subjugated people who had just acquired land might not all understand the importance of farming. Some might be blinded by profit and forget their roots, or sell their land cheaply to make a living, and then start a side business. If they were rich, they would hoard and speculate, traveling to various prefectures; if they were poor, they would exhaust their wealth, be destitute and helpless, and then turn to banditry."

"During the reign of Emperor Yuan, the remonstrating official Gong Yu once submitted a memorial stating: 'Therefore, the people have abandoned agriculture for frivolous pursuits, and less than half of them are engaged in farming. Even when the poor are given land, they still sell it cheaply to make a living, and when they are impoverished, they turn to theft. Why? Because the profits from frivolous pursuits are so great that they are blinded by money.'"

"Mount Tai is near Langya to the east and borders Jinan to the west, both being places frequented by merchants. The allure of short-term gains must be guarded against. Therefore, land granted by the government according to law must not be resold for the first three years. Anyone who violates this rule will have the land confiscated and their family fined for three years of corvée labor on government land."

He turned to Xiahou Lan, the legal clerk: "This article shall be added to the 'Spring Farming Settlement' regulations and drafted together with the previous prohibition, and circulated to all townships and villages in the twelve counties. When newly settled people are granted land, this decree shall be read aloud to all, so that everyone knows it."

Xiahou Lan solemnly bowed and accepted the order. Guo Yuan also added this clause to the bamboo slip, and sighed, "The Prefect is very thoughtful. With this clause, the new households can be guaranteed safety for three years. After three years, their foundation will be solid, and they will not easily abandon farming for business."

Liu Bei did not intend to adhere to the policy of emphasizing agriculture and suppressing commerce, nor did he have any particular prejudice against industry and commerce.

Since ancient times, the Qi region has been known for its thriving industry and commerce, and its people have been extremely wealthy.

Sooner or later, Liu Bei would have to focus on developing industry and commerce, because there is no wealth without industry. He might not care about commerce, but industry is the one that can truly create the most wealth!

But the prerequisite for developing industry and commerce is to survive first and fill one's stomach.

We should wait until agriculture is developed and there are large reserves of grain before considering commerce and industry.

It's the end of the Han Dynasty, and the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qing and Xu provinces could break out at any moment. Tens of thousands of people are displaced and have come to seek refuge with us. People are starving; let's not think about making quick profits in these less desirable fields. Let's farm for three years, fill our stomachs, and fill our granaries before worrying about anything else!

Moreover, he did not forbid the development of industry. Clothing, food, housing, and transportation are the most important aspects of people's livelihood, and clothing was another top priority in encouraging agriculture and sericulture.

Therefore, Liu Bei continued, "Encouraging agriculture and sericulture is of paramount importance in governing a prefecture. Besides emphasizing agriculture, wherever I go, nothing is more important than sericulture!"

"The benefits of the mulberry tree are not limited to silkworms—its leaves can feed silkworms, its cocoons can be reeled into silk, its silk can be woven into cloth, and its cloth can be used to pay taxes. Even in years of famine, mulberries can fill the stomach and relieve famine, saving countless lives."

The book *Fan Shengzhi's Book* states: "When mulberries ripen, they can be eaten to survive a famine." The benefit of one tree can feed several people; a forest of ten thousand trees can protect an entire village.

"Last year, the Jizhou military farms were established, and the government ordered each household to plant fifty mulberry trees. After the autumn harvest, some households have already begun raising silkworms and reeling silk. Taishan County is located in Qilu, with fertile soil and a mild climate, making it ideal for mulberry and hemp cultivation."

"If we can encourage sericulture, in a few years not only will the people have clothes to wear, but the prefecture will also have an additional source of tax revenue. Do any of you have a plan to promote sericulture?"

Having experienced this matter last year, Cui Dan knew very well what the Prefect valued, so he rose and bowed, saying, "Your Majesty, I have been discussing this matter with the State Land Administration for many days. Last winter, when the land was surveyed, the Land Administration registered all the official land, wasteland, and newly granted land in each county. Mulberry trees can be planted on all field ridges, corners, riverbanks, and around ponds. Currently, the Land Administration has designated no less than two thousand mu of land suitable for mulberry cultivation, and the mulberry seedlings can be distributed after the Spring Equinox."

Guo Yuan also stood up and said, "Tian Cao has already drafted three articles to encourage mulberry cultivation. First, for every county that wishes to increase mulberry cultivation, the prefecture will provide twenty mulberry seedlings. These seedlings will be allocated by the prefecture and distributed to each township, and no money may be collected or resold."

"Secondly, anyone who plants more than 100 mulberry trees and they survive will be exempt from paying taxes for one year; anyone who plants more than 300 mulberry trees will be granted an additional five mu of fertile land by the prefecture."

"Thirdly, the prefecture will invite thirty skilled sericulture experts from Henan and Weijun to teach silkworm rearing and silk reeling methods in twelve counties. The silk looms needed will be allocated by the granary official."

At this point, he mentioned another administrative matter that Liu Bei was unaware of, saying, "In addition, last year, Tian Cao planted 3,000 mulberry seedlings in Fenggao and Bo counties, and the survival rate over winter exceeded 90%, with excellent growth."

"This spring, the planting area can be expanded to 20,000 trees, and it is expected to form a forest in three years. At that time, not only can we rely on mulberries to eat in years of disaster, but even in ordinary years, the silk produced from one acre of mulberry field can be woven into more than ten bolts of silk, and its profit is no less than that of three acres of fertile land."

Upon hearing this, Liu Bei smiled with satisfaction and nodded, saying, "Excellent. This matter will be jointly implemented by the Agricultural and Revenue Departments. Remember, encouraging agriculture and sericulture is not something that can be accomplished in a single season; it requires perseverance to see results."

With the agreement reached between Liu Bei and the Cao family, the policy of encouraging agriculture and sericulture in Taishan County was launched in full swing.

Guo Yuan was stationed in charge of the agricultural affairs office. For days, he distributed grain seeds, transported mulberry seedlings, and dispatched agricultural experts. Agricultural officials from the twelve counties traveled through the villages and fields in oxcarts, delivering cartloads of newly cut mulberry seedlings and carefully selected wheat seeds to the newly incorporated people.

Cui Yan worked tirelessly day and night in the Household Registration Office, checking household registers and recording the amount of land allocated to each household to ensure that every newly settled person could have a place to live and work in Taishan.

The prohibition drafted by Xiahou Lan was issued together with the regulations of the Tian Cao. The village officials and patrolmen in each village held wooden bells and went around striking them, loudly proclaiming the new decree of the Prefect.

The old farmers who had farmed the land for generations exclaimed that the Prefect was benevolent and righteous. Now, if anyone dared to say a word against the Prefect, they would really take their plows and fight to the death.

As for the newly arrived refugees who were used to fishing with bows and arrows, they initially had some complaints, but when they saw that the county government had actually allocated them a piece of land, all their complaints immediately disappeared!

Fifty acres of fertile land!

This number may sound meaningless, just a few words.

But when you stand on the edge of the field and look into the distance, you can hardly see the edge of the fifty acres of land!

In particular, many fields still have mulberry, elm, and fruit trees planted by wealthy landowners in the past. The mulberry trees form forests and the fruit trees provide shade, creating an unparalleled sense of awe!

What could make everyone who saw this scene speechless with excitement, knowing that such a vast expanse of wilderness and woodland was now theirs?

Some clans even own vast fields, forests, and plains!

At this point, they refused to go fishing or hunting! As for rebelling and becoming bandits, they wouldn't be able to get past the clan's objection!

In this day and age, there is no such thing as simply living a good life in one's own household.

When clans live together, one person's opinion simply cannot prevail over the opinions of dozens, or even hundreds, of people in the clan!

After the great chaos, people longed for stability, especially since such a good prefect was distributing land and grain to them. Who wouldn't be grateful?

If any unworthy descendant of the clan dares to abandon his property and return to banditry, the clan elders can break his legs without the government even having to intervene, so that he can reflect on his actions!

Moreover, the government not only provided land and grain to the people, but also attached great importance to encouraging agriculture and sericulture.

From the county magistrate's field clerk down to the chief officials, county officials, and elders of the twelve counties, all went to various villages and towns to personally go down to the fields and guide the local people in farming.

Such success was certainly not due to Liu Bei's rallying cry, which led the county officials to repent, become loyal to the country, and diligently serve the people.

Rather, it was during Liu Bei's actions last year that he impeached and dismissed ten of the chief officials of twelve counties.

The newly appointed county magistrates had not yet taken office, so Liu Bei appointed his own civil and military officials as county magistrates. For example, Cheng Pu had previously served as the magistrate of Xingnan County.

This greatly encouraged the heroes under Liu Bei's command, because if it were based on seniority, they might never be able to serve as county magistrates or county officials.

Liu Bei appointed more than twenty county magistrates, county assistants, and county constables, as well as more than two hundred officials, such as clerks, stewards, wandering servants, village assistants, and pavilion chiefs.

Although the county magistrates, county assistants, and county lieutenants held acting positions, they had the support of the prefecture government, and their duties were no different from those of the official officials until the officials appointed by the imperial court arrived.

Meanwhile, officials such as Youzhi, Sefu, and Youjiao were administrative officials at the township level.

Among them, the largest townships had "Youzhi" officials, whose rank was 100 shi (a unit of grain), and they were appointed by the prefectural government.

Small villages have a "sefu" (a low-ranking official), appointed by the county magistrate.

Both have the same duties, differing only in rank and appointment method. Both are in charge of administrative affairs such as litigation, tax collection, and conscription of corvée labor in a township.

The patrol officer (游徍) was a low-ranking official responsible for maintaining order and patrolling at the township level. The "Records of Officials" states: "The patrol officer is in charge of minor patrols and is responsible for preventing and controlling theft and crime."

Their main duties are to patrol the villages, prohibit evildoers, apprehend thieves, and maintain local security.

Their position was similar to that of a pavilion chief, but their jurisdiction was much broader.

Although these official positions were appointed by the county court, when faced with a powerful governor like Liu Bei, even if the appointments were made, the new county magistrate would not go out of his way to dismiss them one by one.

It was precisely because of Liu Bei's strong team that the agricultural and sericulture industries in Taishan County flourished so vigorously.

In less than a month, the wheat seedlings on both banks of the Wen River have turned lush and green. Busy figures can be seen everywhere in the villages, with men plowing and women weaving, and the area is thriving.

The children chased and played barefoot on the ridges of the fields, with a big yellow dog following behind them, and the sounds of chickens and dogs could be heard everywhere.

From last year's desolate landscape with knee-high weeds and widespread famine, to this spring's renewed fields and mulberry and hemp fields, Taishan County is showing signs of great order.

By the end of February, the officials in charge of fields and households had finally compiled the results of the spring harvest, summarized them, and submitted them to Liu for record-keeping.

Ju Shou and Cui Dan entered the hall together to report, both of them with barely suppressed excitement on their faces.

Ju Shou, the clerk, stepped forward and loudly reported the results, saying, "Your Excellency, as of the last day of the second month, the total number of registered households in the twelve counties of Mount Tai is over 53,000, with a population of over 250,000. Compared to when Your Excellency first arrived last year, there has been a net increase of over 18,000 households and over 70,000 people."

"The total area of ​​land recorded for tax collection is over 31,000 hectares, of which over 5,000 hectares are government land, all of which were obtained by eliminating powerful and cunning people. In addition, since last year, the people of the prefectures and counties have newly reclaimed over 1,200 hectares of wasteland, all of which have been included in the land register."

This was the total number, a figure that greatly excited Liu Bei. He clapped his hands and laughed, "Excellent! Indeed, the land survey has yielded results. Thirty thousand hectares of fertile land, that's more than ten hectares of fertile land per person, showing that a large amount of land hidden by powerful families has been uncovered."

Ju Shou then reported: "Regarding the mulberry fields, which the Prefect values ​​most, more than 83,000 new mulberry seedlings were planted this spring. Combined with those planted last winter, the total mulberry fields in the prefecture now exceed 3,000 mu."

"Among all the counties, Fenggao County has the largest population, with more than 10,300 households and more than 48,000 people. It is already a large county and a county magistrate can be appointed! Bo County is next, with more than 7,000 households; Liangfu, Nancheng, Fei County, and Gai County each have between 4,000 and 6,000 households; Mou County, Nanwuyang, Juping County and other counties have slightly fewer households, but they have also increased compared to last year."

Liu Bei took the ledger and carefully read it through from beginning to end.

When he first arrived at Mount Tai last year, there were only over 40,000 registered households and a population of less than 170,000.

In less than a year, the number of households has increased by more than 10,000, more than 5,000 hectares of government land have been requisitioned, more than 1,000 hectares of wasteland have been reclaimed, and more than 80,000 mulberry seedlings have been planted from scratch.

Looking at these numbers, he was overjoyed.

This brought him more joy than any victory report. The number of heads taken and the amount of armor and weapons captured—that was warfare. Increased population, reclaimed fields, and mulberry and hemp fields everywhere—that was true agricultural development!

Liu Bei nodded and praised with a smile: "You have all made great contributions. When the year-end examination is held, I will definitely recognize your merits as the greatest."

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Most importantly, through his governance and experience in Taishan County, he will be able to greatly strengthen his team.

These hundreds of people are the foundation upon which he will govern a region in the future!

Even if he were given a large county with a population of one million, he could quickly take control of it.

Even if it were a less populous state like Xuzhou, with only three counties and two states, he could directly assume the position of governor without facing a shortage of talent.

Talent acquisition and education were also Liu Bei's top priorities after the spring planting season.

At this time, the news that Cai Yong had been recruited by him and was serving in his household had already spread, which shocked the four provinces of Qing, Xu, Yan and Yu, and the entire Guandong region was in awe!