Three Kingdoms: Start by buying a governor.

Then, Liu Hong picked up a piece of jujube cake, just about to put it in his mouth, when Liu Ce immediately switched to "Actor Mode" (a standard feature of the Liu family), speaking to Liu Hong with a tone that carried a hint of genuine confusion and caution:

"Your Majesty, I... have another matter, but I'm unsure whether I should ask it."

"Speak." Liu Hong had a jujube cake in his mouth.

"It was at today's court assembly that my elder brother bestowed upon me the titles of Marquis of Champion, General of the Cavalry, Governor of Youzhou, and temporarily in charge of the military power of Jizhou..."

Liu Ce deliberately put on a show for Liu Hong, pretending to carefully consider his words.

"Isn't this... a bit too big? I am young and inexperienced, and I have suddenly been promoted to a high position. I am afraid that I will not be able to win people's hearts, and I am also afraid that... the bigger the tree, the more the wind will blow against it."

"puff--!"

Liu Hong was putting a jujube cake into his mouth when he heard this and burst out laughing, almost splashing crumbs onto Liu Ce.

He coughed as he pointed at Liu Ce with his finger, laughing so hard he almost fell over:

"You! You! This is the first time I've ever seen someone perform such a monumental service, only to complain that the Emperor's reward is too much! You're quite adept at 'saving me money,' aren't you?"

He put down the jujube cake, leaned forward, and got closer to Liu Ce, his tone full of teasing and a "don't try that on me" vibe:

"So you killed Bo Cai and Zhang Bao on the front lines, and even turned Zhang Jiao's coffin lid upside down, practically pacifying most of the Yellow Turban rebels in the land?"

You turn around and become polite to me, complaining that the reward is too generous? Are you trying to make me laugh to death so you can inherit my... uh, my Greenhouse Palace? (Just kidding, that's not how I meant it.)

Liu Hong's face held a mischievous and teasing expression:

"I hereby appoint you General of the Cavalry and put you in command of the military affairs of You and Ji provinces. This is not because you are my recognized imperial brother and I am giving you preferential treatment!"

It's because, among all the civil and military officials, nobles and high-ranking officials, in the past six months or so, apart from a few capable individuals like Huangfu Song and Zhu Jun, most of them have been causing me trouble!

Only you have won victory after victory, truly and decisively! Your prestige and intimidating presence are enough to command respect!

His tone became more serious, and he lowered his voice slightly:

"Only you, from the bottom of my heart, I feel... I can trust you a little more. Why? Because we both share the surname Liu, and the blood of Emperor Gaozu flows in our veins! This Liu family's empire, in the end, must be protected by us Liu family members ourselves, for that is the most secure thing!"

Look at those powerful and influential families. They always talk about 'loyalty to the emperor and love for the country,' but the moment their own interests are threatened, they run away faster than anyone else!

Liu Hong became more and more animated as he spoke, as if he had found someone to confide in:

"You haven't seen those old foxes from aristocratic families in the imperial court. They keep saying things like, 'Rewards should not be too generous, for they will breed arrogance and disrupt the order of the court!'"

They speak with such high-sounding words, claiming to be concerned about the country and its people! But what do they do when their own sons and nephews want to become captains or prefects? They rack their brains to pull strings and use connections, practically wearing down their own doorsteps!

Your titles of Marquis of Champion and General of Chariots and Cavalry were earned with the lives of Zhang Jiao and his brothers, and with the bones of tens of thousands of Yellow Turban soldiers! They were earned with lives! If I were to bestow upon you too little, I would feel guilty and unworthy of our ancestors!

He grabbed a piece of jujube cake and shoved it directly into Liu Ce's hand, as if to reinforce his persuasiveness:

"So, my brother, what I'm giving you is not just a 'reward,' but a 'burden'! A responsibility of immense importance!"

You think Youzhou is a place to enjoy life? Those barbarians, the Xianbei and Wuhuan, ride horses that are fiercer than men, and they come south every year to raid for grain, like locusts!

Ji Province has just been through a major battle. The remnants of the Yellow Turban Rebellion, defeated soldiers and bandits, as well as those powerful local lords who took the opportunity to grow stronger, are all secretly plotting trouble. Are they easy to appease? None of them are pushovers!

"Your seal of the General of the Cavalry is too hot to handle! And defending these two provinces is too much of a struggle!"

He abruptly changed the subject, his familiar, slightly shrewd smile returning:

"However, my brother, you are capable! I have high hopes for you! You will take this seal, guard this land, and in the future, you will bring back the finest horses from the Xianbei to serve as imperial horses."

Using the tax revenue from Jizhou after its stability to fill the national treasury is far better and more practical than your current feigned politeness and promises of "great rewards"!

This is truly sharing my burdens and preserving the legacy of our ancestors! Besides…”

He leaned closer, lowering his voice even further, with a hint of suggestion:

"Once you've established a foothold in the north and hold military power, you can not only defend the border for me, but also... check and balance certain people."

He gestured with his lip in a certain direction. "Some people, you know, hold their tails too high. Someone has to help bring them down so I can sleep peacefully, you understand?"

Although he did not name names, he knew perfectly well that he was referring to the faction and powerful families of General He Jin, a relative of the empress.

Seeing Liu Ce's expression that said, "Oh, I see. This is a huge responsibility, I'm under so much pressure," Liu Hong's mischievous side kicked in again, and he chuckled evilly.

"If you really feel that the reward is too much and you feel bad about it... fine! I'll give you a chance to 'reduce the reward'!"

When you arrive in Youzhou to take up your post, bring back to me the Chanyu of the Xianbei or Wuhuan, alive at that time.

Or, you could bring back their most famous and beautiful woman for me, and that would offset part of the 'generous reward.' How about that? A good deal, isn't it?"

After saying that, he laughed at himself, as if he had imagined some interesting scene.

As Liu Ce listened to Liu Hong's words, which were a mix of persuasion and sarcasm, from heartfelt words to empty promises and unrealistic jokes, his expression changed from "confused" to "serious" to "laughing and crying at the same time."

He shook his head helplessly and sighed:

"Your Majesty's words have truly blocked my path of 'pretending to be polite.' Now I have no choice but to accept them, whether I want to or not, and I must accept them with gratitude. I... will do my best."

Seeing Liu Ce's expression, Liu Hong raised his chin smugly after hearing this: "Good to know!"

The two chatted for a while about the local customs and traditions of the North, the defense of Youzhou against the Xianbei and Wuhuan invasions, and the key points of pacifying Jizhou.

Liu Ce suddenly remembered the group of people from the aristocratic families, and then said to Liu Hong:

"Your Majesty, with such a generous reward today, I estimate that in the next two days, the memorials of advice from those powerful ministers will flood your desk like snowflakes."

They would inevitably say things like, "It's probably not a blessing for the country to have members of the imperial family in command of troops," and "Too much reward for merit can easily breed arrogance."

Upon hearing this, Liu Hong first scoffed, his face full of disdain:

"Those old foxes, do I not know them? They speak so grandly, saying things like 'the rewards should not be too generous, lest they disrupt the court,' but I know exactly what they're up to! They're not against 'excessive rewards' at all."

They oppose you, the "royal brother," holding real military power and territory, as it hinders their family members, protégés, and former subordinates from getting promoted, making money, and occupying the "throat" of power!

They're afraid your 'royal sword' is too sharp and will cut into their deeply entrenched interests!