lovenovelstory Chapter 98: Give a sweet date, give a big stick
Chapter 98: Give a sweet date, give a big stick
Lujiang, Wancheng, Prefectural Governor's Office.
Yuan Tan sat in the main seat, with Liu Bei sitting beside him, Guan Yu and Zhang Fei standing behind him, and strategists such as Guo Jia, Lu Su, and Jia Xu standing on both sides.
Below the hall were newly incorporated officials from Lujiang and representatives of some local gentry who had surrendered.
"Gentlemen,"
Yuan Tan's clear voice echoed throughout the hall.
"Thanks to the bravery of our soldiers and the combined efforts of the Imperial Uncle, the rebellion in Lujiang has been quelled, and the people have seen the light of day again. However, the wounds have not yet healed, and everything needs to be rebuilt. The most urgent task is to stabilize the region and allow the people to rest."
He turned his gaze to Liu Bei, a sincere smile appearing on his face:
"Lord Xuande, your benevolence is known throughout the land, and you were renowned for bringing peace to the people when you were in Xuzhou. Now that Lujiang has been newly pacified, there are countless affairs to be handled, and only a person of great talent can govern it. After much thought, I can only feel at ease entrusting it to you."
Upon hearing this, Liu Bei immediately stood up, bowed, and said:
"Your Excellency's kindness is truly admirable, but I am ashamed. I am a defeated general, and I am deeply grateful for your kindness in taking me in. How could I possibly accept such a heavy responsibility?"
"Lord Xuande is too modest!"
Yuan Tan stepped down from his seat, personally helped Liu Bei up, took his hand, and, facing the crowd, said loudly:
"My mind is made up! From this day forward, all matters concerning civil administration, criminal justice, taxation, education, and agriculture in Lujiang Prefecture shall be handled entirely by Lord Liu Xuande! The keys to the Wancheng treasury and the appointment and dismissal documents for county officials shall be handed over together! I hope that Lord Xuande will use his talents to bring peace and tranquility to the people of Lujiang as soon as possible!"
These words carried immense weight, practically granting Liu Bei real power as governor.
The expressions of the people below varied. Guan Yu's phoenix eyes flashed with a sharp light, Zhang Fei grinned, Guo Jia smiled while waving his fan, and Jia Xu lowered his eyes and remained silent.
Liu Bei was visibly shaken, and a surge of excitement instantly welled up in his eyes.
The capture of Lujiang this time was entirely due to Yuan Tan.
My own insignificant contribution is completely negligible.
But to my surprise, Yuan Tan trusted me so much that he was willing to give up Lujiang to me.
He pushed Yuan Tan's hand away, took two steps back, and performed a deep bow, his voice slightly choked with emotion.
"Lord Yuan! You place such trust in me... How can I repay you? I will do my utmost, however incompetent, to pacify the people, rectify official corruption, and ensure that Lujiang is a place of peace and prosperity, thus living up to your great trust!"
"Lord Xuande, please rise!"
Yuan Tan helped him up again, but then subtly changed the subject.
"However... there is one thing that I need Lord Xuande to understand."
"Brother, please speak freely!"
Yuan Tan looked troubled and sighed.
"Lujiang has just been captured, and the remnants of Liu Xun's forces in the surrounding area have not yet been eliminated. Lü Bu is eyeing us covetously, and Sun Ce is also lurking in Jiangdong. The defense of the city is a matter of life and death, and we must be extremely careful."
"The troops under Lord Xuande's command, after days of continuous fighting, urgently need rest and replenishment, and their strength is clearly insufficient. How could I bear to place the heavy responsibility of city defense on you again? I also fear it would be a waste of your energy in governing the country."
He looked at Zhang He and Zhao Yun:
"Therefore, the garrisoning of all cities in Lujiang, the defense of key passes, and the patrols within the cities will temporarily be taken over by my Qingzhou army. Junyi will be in charge of overall defense, with Zilong assisting. All city defense deployments still require my approval. It will not be too late to hand over the reins once the situation has stabilized and your troops have recovered their strength. What does Lord Xuande think?"
These words are reasonable.
Liu Bei instantly understood that he could relinquish political power, but he needed to firmly hold onto the reins of power, the sword.
This is the bottom line.
His face showed no change in expression; instead, he expressed his gratitude once more:
"Lord Yuan's considerations are thorough! My troops are indeed exhausted, and the heavy responsibility of defending the city rests on the Qingzhou Tiger Warriors! With this arrangement, I can concentrate on civil affairs without any worries!"
"That's excellent!"
Yuan Tan nodded in satisfaction, then, as if remembering something, added:
"As for the revenue of Lujiang Prefecture, it is the foundation of the prefecture's operation and the maintenance of people's livelihood. Since Lord Xuande is in charge of the administration, the expenditure of these funds and grains will naturally be under your overall control. You only need to report copies of the accounts to me on a regular basis. You can withdraw as much as needed without any restrictions."
The word "dominate" is used exquisitely.
It granted Liu Bei the power to use funds, but the source and final allocation of funds remained implicitly in the hands of Yuan Tan.
Liu Bei could spend money to get things done, but it was difficult for him to amass huge sums of money and secretly expand his army.
This is yet another exquisite balance.
They will give you the power and money to do things, but they will not give you the military force and financial resources to establish your own independent regime.
Liu Bei was a man of great stature; how could he not understand the underlying meaning?
But he had no other choice at this moment, and compared to his previous situation of being dependent on others and constantly being hampered, this was already paradise!
He took a deep breath and suppressed all his emotions:
"Your Excellency's noble character and keen insight have led to such meticulous arrangements! I... have no choice but to die for you! From this day forward, Lujiang belongs to Your Excellency. I am willing to guard this gate and govern this region for you, even if it means sacrificing my life, I will not fail you!"
Yuan Tan finally burst into laughter and patted Liu Bei heavily on the shoulder:
"With Xuande by my side, I feel like a fish in water! I have complete confidence in entrusting Lujiang to you!"
He then addressed the assembled crowd: "Immediately, a notice will be posted to reassure the people and announce this appointment. I hope that you will all wholeheartedly assist Governor Liu and together safeguard the peace of Lujiang!"
"I will obey your command, Your Excellency!"
The people below responded in unison.
After the meeting adjourned, Liu Bei, accompanied by Guan Yu and Zhang Fei, quickly left to take over government duties.
Guo Jia, fanning himself with a feather fan, walked to Yuan Tan's side and whispered:
"My lord, this is a technique to temporarily restrain a fierce tiger. It utilizes its abilities while protecting against its claws and teeth."
Jia Xu also stepped forward slowly, his voice calm:
"Liu Bei is a ruthless and ambitious man. Giving him power is like giving him bait. He will surely devote all his efforts to winning over the people. However, the foundation is in my hands, the city's defenses are in my hands, and the financial resources are also in my hands. Even if he has the ambition to conquer, he will find it difficult to escape the cage. Once he has governed Lujiang properly and the people's hearts have returned to him... at that time, it is still unknown whether this land will belong to Liu or Yuan."
Yuan Tan gazed in the direction Liu Bei had left, a smile playing on his lips.
"Wenhe understands me. A hungry tiger needs to be fed some meat to have the strength to guard the house. As for whether that meat becomes its flesh and blood, or its chains..."
He turned and walked towards the back hall.
"It all depends on the methods of the person feeding the tiger."
"Let's go, it's time to meet the real local bigwigs of Lujiang. The Lu family, the Qiao family... I've heard they're both prominent figures in Lujiang's academic circles."
As for whether to go to the Qiao family or the Lu family first...
After much deliberation, Yuan Tan decided to visit the Lu family first.
After all, the Lu family has a great talent like Lu Xun.
As for the Qiao sisters, they can be enjoyed anytime. Anyway, Lujiang has already been taken over, so they can't escape.
……
When Yuan Tan's carriage stopped in front of the Lu residence, the setting sun was gilding the Lu character on the lintel with gold.
With Lujiang newly established and everything in need of rebuilding, visiting local gentry was a crucial task to stabilize morale.
The Lu family once produced Lu Kang, the Prefect of Lujiang. Although it declined during the chaos caused by Yuan Shu and Sun Ce, it was still a prominent family among the scholars of Jianghuai.
The mansion gates were wide open, and Lu Jun, the head of the Lu family, led a group of clansmen out to greet them, their attitude respectful but seemingly tinged with nervousness.
After exchanging pleasantries, they were led to the main hall and seated as host and guests.
A maidservant served fragrant tea.
Yuan Tan picked up his teacup, his gaze inadvertently sweeping over the table beside him, and he paused slightly.
On the rosewood table, near the main seat, sat a white porcelain teacup, its outer surface still covered with fine water droplets, and warm to the touch.
Yuan Tan's smile remained unchanged. He lightly touched the warm rim of the cup with his fingertip and asked, seemingly casually:
"The Lu family mansion is quite lively today. It seems my arrival has been unfortunate, and I have disturbed your distinguished guest?"