Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

A dozen days later, Liu Ce brought the completely air-dried composite bow to the training ground for testing.

The bow was five feet long, its three layers of material gleaming in the sunlight. The pulleys turned smoothly, and the bowstring was taut.

He nocked a specially made heavy arrow and drew the bow like a full moon.

"Whoosh—" The bowstring vibrated, and the arrow flew like a shooting star.

Three hundred paces away, on a wooden target, an arrow was embedded deeply with a "bang," leaving only the fletching sticking out.

The soldiers watching exclaimed in astonishment, "Three hundred paces! They can really shoot three hundred paces!"

"If this were on a battlefield, the enemy wouldn't even have time to get close before a whole bunch of them would fall!"

Liu Ce then tried the Champion Repeating Crossbow.

"Whoosh whoosh whoosh whoosh—" Ten arrows were fired in succession, hitting all ten grass targets fifty paces away.

The rate of fire is so fast it's dazzling.

"Good!" Liu Ce put down the repeating crossbow, his heart filled with boundless pride.

With these powerful weapons, how can we not defeat the Wuhuan and Xianbei? How can we not bring peace to the world?

He turned to the craftsmen in the workshop and said, "You've all worked hard! Your wages will be doubled this month!"

"Thank you, Lord Marquis!" the craftsmen cheered.

Liu Ce made the decision: "Start mass production now! Assign composite bows to the cavalry and elite archers. Issue the champion repeating crossbows to the royal guard and the garrison troops."

"Arrows must be produced according to standardized templates; dimensions must be uniform!"

He added, "Remember, all equipment must be manufactured according to standards. The draw weight of bows and the firing rate of crossbows must be standardized. If they break or get lost in the future, they can be replaced at any time without worrying about incompatible parts."

"Understood!" the craftsmen replied in unison.

The workshop immediately became twice as busy.

The sounds of hammers, saws, grinding, and shouts blended together.

As the sun set, Liu Ce gazed at the Longxiang Battalion training on the drill ground, at the busy craftsmen in the workshop, and at the large "Liu" banner fluttering on the city wall of Zhuo County.

The war machine of Youzhou slowly started up, emitting a deafening roar.

A few days later, Liu Ce summoned Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, Zhao Yun and other generals to the drill ground, saying he had something good to show them.

After all the generals had arrived, Liu Ce came out carrying a composite bow.

"Gentlemen, look at this." He raised his bow.

The generals gathered around, examining it with curiosity. The bow had a unique shape, with two small wheels at the ends of the bow arms and three layers of material bonded together on the bow body, making it look quite extraordinary.

"Brother, what kind of bow is this? Why does it look like this?" Zhang Fei asked.

"This is called a compound bow."

Liu Ce explained, "The range is over 300 paces, drawing the bow is less strenuous, and the accuracy is high."

"Three hundred steps?"

Guan Yu stroked his long beard. "The bow I use can only travel 150 paces at most. Can this shoot 300 paces?"

Zhao Yun also expressed doubt: "Three hundred paces, how could it shoot that far?"

Liu Ce didn't say much, picked up an arrow, nocked it, and drew the bowstring.

He didn't use much force; he drew the bowstring taut and aimed at the target three hundred paces away—the target looked only the size of a palm.

"Watch closely," he said.

"Whoosh—" The arrow pierced the air, drawing a graceful arc.

The generals stared wide-eyed. The arrow flew two hundred paces, two hundred and fifty paces, two hundred and eighty paces... and finally, with a "thud," it landed firmly on the target three hundred paces away, hitting the bullseye!

The audience was silent.

After a long while, Zhang Fei shouted, "My goodness! I hit the target!"

Guan Yu strode to the target and examined it carefully. The arrow had penetrated three inches into the wood with tremendous force; it had indeed been shot from three hundred paces away.

He walked back, his eyes burning with desire as he looked at the bow in Liu Ce's hand: "Brother, this bow... could Yun Chang give it a try?"

Liu Ce smiled and handed him the bow: "Of course."

Guan Yu took the bow; it felt heavy in his hand, but it was indeed easier to draw it. He drew the bow fully, aimed at another target, and shot an arrow.

"Doo!" It hit the bullseye again, three hundred paces away.

"What a magnificent bow!" Guan Yu exclaimed. "With this divine bow, our cavalry will be like a tiger with wings!"

Zhao Yun also tried it out and nodded repeatedly: "Long range, high accuracy, and easy to draw—it's truly a fine bow!"

Liu Ce then took out the Champion Repeating Crossbow and demonstrated firing ten arrows in succession.

The generals were stunned—the speed and power of that shot, if used to defend the city, a single sweep would bring down a whole horde of attackers.

"My lord, can these weapons be mass-produced?" Zhao Yun asked.

"It's already in mass production," Liu Ce said with a smile.

Upon hearing this, the generals became excited. With these long-range weapons, the combat effectiveness of the Youzhou army would be greatly enhanced.

Seeing the excitement on his generals' faces, Liu Ce was also very pleased.

……

(Adding something I didn't write before.)

Outside Zhuoxian County, in an open space, countless refugees huddled together, each one pale and emaciated with sunken eyes.

On the high platform, Liu Ce stood there in his black gold armor, a sword at his waist. The sunlight shone on his armor, making it dazzling.

Behind him stood several strategists, including Du Ruhui, Xun Yu, Guo Jia, and Xi Zhicai—Guo Jia must have been drinking again last night, and was now using Xun Yu's body to shield himself from the sun while secretly yawning.

Prefect Fang Xuanling held up a roll of paper: "...Liu Ce, Governor of Youzhou and General of the Cavalry of the Great Han Dynasty, hereby issues a notice to the displaced people within the territory of Youzhou—"

The audience fell silent instantly; even the children's cries were suppressed.

Fang Xuanling continued reading: "Now the Yellow Turban Rebellion has caused widespread suffering, with people displaced and fields lying fallow..."

Liu Ce stepped forward and pressed his hand down: "First, divide the land!"

His voice was loud and penetrating, and the refugees in the back rows could hear him clearly: "Every refugee household, regardless of gender or age—yes, girls too!—will be granted five mu of government land! The land will be cultivated in a contiguous area, and you can settle nearby. The government will clearly demarcate the land boundaries for you, register it in black and white, and anyone who dares to seize it will be chopped off by me!"

"Whoa—" The audience erupted in chaos. An old man immediately knelt down, kowtowing and weeping, "Five mu... I've lived most of my life and I don't even own one mu of land..."

Liu Ce and the others lowered their voices slightly, then continued, "The second condition is rent and labor service exemption! For the first year of reclamation, all rent and taxes will be waived! Not a single grain of grain will be paid! From the second year onwards, only 30% will be collected—and in kind, millet or wheat will suffice. The remaining 70% will be yours to keep! Furthermore, you will be exempt from corvée labor for two years, allowing you to focus on farming and supporting your families!"

Even the young men started wiping away tears. Being able to stay home and farm properly without having to perform corvée labor was something they never dared to dream of.

Fang Xuanling took the document and read the third clause: "The third clause is about borrowing seeds and tools! The government will temporarily lend seeds, one iron plow, and one ox per household—if there aren't enough oxen, five households can share one ox and take turns using them. After the harvest next year, the seeds can be returned at the original price, and the farm tools and oxen will be rented out."

"They're even borrowing cattle?!"

One of the homeless people pinched himself in disbelief, "Ouch...this isn't a dream!"

Liu Ce's gaze swept across the crowd, his tone becoming more emphasizing: "The fourth rule: permanent registration as a registered household! After three years of cultivation, the rent rate will drop to 20%! Moreover, you will be registered in Youzhou's household register, and your children can attend school, join the army, and receive the same treatment as locals—absolutely no discrimination!"

"Boom—" The crowd erupted in cheers.

Cheers, cries, and the sound of kowtowing mingled together. An old woman fainted from joy, and people nearby quickly pinched her philtrum to help.

Liu Ce raised his hand, and when the noise subsided, he finally said, "Just focus on farming and living your lives well! If any powerful figures bully you, or officials exploit you, come directly to the governor's mansion and beat the drum to voice your grievances! This general will stand up for you! If anyone is found guilty, execute them without hesitation!"

Fang Xuanling concluded loudly: "This decree shall take effect from this day forward, and shall be proclaimed throughout all counties, districts, and villages of Youzhou! Anyone who dares to disobey shall be punished as a traitor!"

"Long live the General! Long live the Marquis!" The refugees knelt down in a chorus, their shouts shaking the heavens.

Liu Ce turned and stepped off the stage, whispering to Fang Xuanling as he walked, "This time our family's coffers are really going to be emptied... but it's worth it!"

Fang Xuanling wiped his sweat: "My lord, you've blocked all the paths for powerful and aristocratic families."

"So what if it's congested?"

Liu Ce grinned. "Only when the people have food to eat will they not rebel. This is the way to long-term stability."

Behind them, the refugees had already begun lining up to register under the direction of the officials. Every face beamed with a hopeful smile—a smile of having land and a home.