The Three Kingdoms: The Oath of the Peach Garden, the Rise of the Han Dynasty

Li Chang finally put forward the most ruthless, most deadly, and most disruptive iron rule in the chaotic world!

"And one more thing, from this day forward!"

The prefectures, counties, and districts were set up with scaled-down versions of the "Three Dukes and Nine Ministers," and all assistant officials at all levels were appointed, dismissed, assessed, and transferred by the Ministry of Personnel of the imperial court.

Local officials are not allowed to recruit or appoint subordinates on their own, nor are they allowed to keep retainers or privately maintain troops.

The power to appoint and dismiss officials has been entirely centralized in the hands of the imperial court!

Wow!!

These words caused a stir in the audience.

Completely reclaim the power of appointment and dismissal, and prohibit the maintenance of retainers?

How could they then manage to establish private estates? How could they support a thousand or so assassins?

This is tantamount to uprooting a powerful family!

In the past, prefectural and county officials recruited their own subordinates and protégés, and their families were spread all over the country, which allowed them to establish deep-rooted and powerful families.

If all of them are to be brought under the control of the imperial court, wouldn't the power of the aristocratic families in the local areas be cut off?

The surrendered officials from Jizhou and Qingzhou all wanted to voice their opposition.

But seeing Liu Bei sitting upright in the hall, expressionless, Li Chang standing in front of the steps, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei exuding murderous intent, and the other powerful families eyeing them covetously, they swallowed back the words that were on the tip of their tongues.

Jia Xu stepped forward: "This system of the Grand Commander is a profound and far-sighted one."

With six prefectures newly pacified, the Yuan family's influence still lingers! Local officials are recruiting and appointing officials on their own, making it extremely easy for them to form cliques, engage in corruption, and become too powerful to control.

"Only by centralizing the power of appointment and removal, and placing it under the unified selection of the imperial court, can government orders be effectively implemented and the people of the court be of one mind."

This is clearly targeting them!

Sima Fang from the aristocratic family also expressed his support, but there was someone even faster!

Yang Biao also stepped forward: "I second that proposal. Although at first glance the changes seem quite significant, they are in fact a fundamental solution."

He went to Jizhou for a few months and only then did he realize how well the aristocratic families in Jizhou lived!

They won't let him have an easy time, they have no sense of rules at all! It's just a little land, why are they so reluctant to part with it? Look how decisive those powerful families in Guanzhong are!

He was from a family that had held high office for four generations, just like the Yuan family! Yet, because of Dong Zhuo, he ended up like this!

Why are the powerful families of Ji Province so privileged?

They think they can just get on board without any pain? The Guanzhong aristocratic families haven't even finished boarding yet!

Liu Bei looked at the crowd below the steps and slowly spoke:

"Since I raised my army, I have not done it for the selfish interests of my own family or clan, but for the sake of all the people under heaven and for the restoration of the Han Dynasty."

Local officials appoint officials on their own, each family holds power, and it is difficult for the poor and common people to rise up. The common people are exploited, how can the world be at peace?

This official system was to be implemented directly, and those who disobeyed were to be executed!

Officials in each department were first assessed through the imperial examinations, then selected by the Ministry of Personnel, reported to the Grand Secretariat for approval, discussed by the three ministries, and finally appointed.

He made the final decision, and no one in the audience dared to object.

Li Chang stood before the steps, reclaiming personnel power and distributing local authority, gradually taking back the power held by the powerful families and giving those who truly got things done a place.

Only in this way can the empire we have conquered avoid repeating the mistakes of the past.

But Li Chang hadn't finished speaking yet!

Before the aristocratic families could catch their breath, Li Chang walked back to the map. The teaching stick slowly glided across the boundary line between the prefectures and counties, finally stopping in an inconspicuous spot.

There was a diagram and annotations of a field.

"Reforming the official system is about enabling people to fully utilize their talents. But having an official system alone is not enough; we also need grain."

He raised his head, his gaze sweeping over the faces below the hall: old officials of the Han dynasty, former subordinates of Bingzhou, surrendered officials of Jizhou, and members of prominent families from Guanzhong.

"Where does the grain come from? From the fields. And who controls the fields?"

It's obvious that it's in the hands of everyone present!

This is going to cut flesh off them again!

The hall fell silent again.

On this day, they were filled with anxiety!

This isn't just changing the official system! This is a massive reform from top to bottom!

Without a sound, suddenly a vicious stab!

Many aristocratic families secretly peeked behind the door, expecting to find some armored soldiers, but there was nothing there!

Looking further ahead, Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Lü Bu, Huang Zhong, Zhao Yun... Hmm? When did Zhao Yun return as well?

Turns out they didn't need armored soldiers at all!

"First, abolish the poll tax and the household tax, and levy taxes based on land area. Starting this year, the poll tax and various miscellaneous taxes will be officially abolished!"

All taxes are levied according to the amount of land owned and the value of that land. Those who own more land pay more, those who own less land pay less, and those who own no land pay nothing.

This is called "equalizing the poll tax and land tax!"

A buzz of excitement rippled through the room.

Some people breathed a sigh of relief. Those from poor families and small households were most afraid of the tax system.

A family of ten, regardless of whether there is a harvest or not, has to pay ten head taxes every year, forcing many families to sell their children.

It's a tremendous blessing that it's now officially abolished!

But those powerful families who controlled thousands of acres of fertile land didn't look so happy.

Li Chang ignored them and raised his second finger:

"Second, abolish the system of taxation and reinstatement, and officials and gentry should pay taxes together."

This sentence made the aristocratic family's heart skip a beat again!

How come there are still more! How did I think of so many!

"In the past, the imperial court had a precedent that officials with a salary of 600 shi or above were exempt from corvée labor for their parents and wives; those with a rank of 5 dafu or above were exempt from corvée labor; and marquises were exempt from land rent."

As a result, some people desperately bought official titles, just to register their land under the names of those with official ranks and evade taxes.

If one person becomes an official, his entire clan is exempt from grain taxes; if his entire clan is exempt from grain taxes, the whole county becomes impoverished.

This doesn't even include your wholly privately owned estates, which are exempt from taxes!

Li Chang spoke his mind without any hesitation!

He knew that from now on, his reputation for virtue would be polarized!

But people always have to do something, right?

"From this day forward, officials and gentry shall pay grain taxes in the same manner as the common people. Whether you are a county magistrate, a prefect, a minister, or a soldier, as long as you own land, you must pay grain taxes. There are no exceptions."

With a "buzz," the crowd below could no longer contain themselves.

An old official from Ji Province stepped forward shakily. He was a former subordinate of Yuan Shao and had joined the party relatively quickly.

His face turned pale.

"Grand Commander! This action...this action violates ancestral regulations! Since the time of Emperor Gaozu, officials with a salary of 600 shi or above have been exempted from corvée labor. Since Emperor Guangwu, there have been even more benevolent policies that reinstate these exemptions!"

This is the court's courtesy towards scholars! If everyone had to pay taxes, who would still be willing to study? Who would still be willing to become an official?

Li Chang looked at him, and if the situation hadn't been so bad, he would have said, "What right do you have to use the sword of the previous dynasty to kill an official of this dynasty?"

But he wasn't angry; he simply asked kindly, "Sir, how much fertile land do you own?"

The man was taken aback, and stammered, "However... three acres."

"Um??"

Everyone looked up and made sure to remember this shameless old man!

How dare you say that!

How could he say that?!

Yang Biao remembered that when he went to investigate this person, he only said that he had a small plot of land, and his face turned green at the time!

Li Chang was so angry he almost laughed!

"Oh dear, so even aristocratic families have it so tough after the Yellow Turban Rebellion? What about the others?"

Everyone looked on and realized that things seemed to be going well!

So it turns out it's just following the rules, a token gesture of paying taxes on a few acres of land!

Many prominent families in Jizhou and Qingzhou are now relieved!

It seems that this Grand Commander Li does know the rules!

They all reported the size of their own farmland!

"My house is completely empty!"

"My family owns five acres!"

"My family owns 300 mu?"

"???"

Are there more experts?

After they've all reported, one by one...

Li Chang smiled with relief and looked at Jia Xu, Cheng Yu, Sima Fang, Yang Biao, and Guo Tu.

The four men exchanged a glance, and Sima Fang and Yang Biao immediately felt a chill run down their spines!

What's going on now? Could it be the hostility from the powerful families behind them?

Guo Tu was taken aback. Why didn't he make eye contact with him?