lovenovelstory Chapter 21 The People Are Living in Misery
Chapter 21 The People Are Living in Misery
Li Zhao waved his hand, his face showing little joy.
"Yuan Benchu is up to no good."
He casually tossed the imperial edict onto the table.
"He wants to use me as a pawn, to make me risk my life to pacify Qingzhou."
"Should we answer or not?"
Zhang Fei asked in a muffled voice.
"Answer it! Why aren't you answering?"
A glint of light flashed in Li Zhao's eyes.
"We shouldn't refuse such a prestigious title that's offered to us. With this title of prime minister, we'll have a legitimate reason to expand eastward and southward."
He walked to the map and drew a circle around the location of Qingzhou with his finger.
"In Qingzhou, the Yellow Turban Rebellion is raging, and the people are suffering. Kong Rong of Beihai is a mere scholar who only knows how to talk big; he's not even good at maintaining the status quo, let alone making any progress. Tian Kai is a close ally of Gongsun Zan; he'll be dealt with sooner or later."
"This Qingzhou rightfully belongs to me, Li Zhao!"
Li Zhao turned around, looked at the crowd below, and was full of vigor.
"Send the order: prepare the army for war! After the autumn harvest, march to the North Sea to rescue Kong Rong and suppress the Yellow Turbans!"
"promise!"
The crowd responded in unison, their voices shaking the roof tiles.
However, before setting out with his troops, Li Zhao had an even more important task to complete.
Talent.
As his territory expanded, his desire for top talent grew stronger.
Although the "Autumn Examination" selected a group of mid- to low-level officials, it did not produce a single top-notch strategist who could truly plan and win battles from afar.
Liu Bei excelled at domestic affairs and pacifying the people, and Guan Yu, Zhang Fei, and Zhao Yun were all fierce generals who charged into battle. What he lacked was a "brain" who could advise him.
Several names flashed through Li Zhao's mind.
At this time, Zhuge Liang and Pang Tong were still young and living in seclusion in Jingzhou, so they were not available for the time being.
Guo Jia, Xun Yu, and others have already defected to Cao Cao.
After much thought, one person came into his view.
Xu Shu, also known as Xu Yuanzhi.
In his youth, this man was fond of chivalry and swordsmanship, but later he devoted himself to studying and became well-versed in military strategy and tactics.
Historically, he assisted Liu Bei and decisively defeated Cao Ren's Eight Gates Golden Lock Formation at Xinye, demonstrating his outstanding military talent.
Later, his mother was taken hostage by Cao Cao.
Forced to head north, he left behind the idiom "his body was in Cao's camp, but his heart was with Han."
Judging by the timeline, Xu Shu should still be traveling and studying in the Yingchuan area at this time, and has not yet entered officialdom.
"Sun Fu".
Li Zhao summoned his most trusted confidant, a servant.
"Take ten elite guards, prepare generous gifts, and head to Yingchuan County immediately."
He took out a handwritten letter from his sleeve and solemnly handed it to Sun Fu.
"We must find a man named Xu Shu, courtesy name Yuanzhi. He is likely traveling and studying in the countryside, and may be using the alias 'Shan Fu'."
"Upon meeting him, give him this letter and be sure to invite him to Pingyuan for a discussion. Tell him that I, Li Zhao, am eager to find talented individuals and am willing to treat him with the respect due to a national hero!"
"Yes, sir! I will certainly not fail you!"
Sun Fu took the letter, carefully tucked it into his pocket, and turned to leave.
Li Zhao watched Sun Fu's departing figure, his heart filled with anticipation.
Yuanzhi, Yuanzhi, you must not disappoint me.
Whether this hidden dragon on the plains can truly take flight depends on you.
......
In the third year of Chuping, winter.
The north wind swirled withered leaves, howling past the tall city walls of Pingyuan County. A thin layer of ice had formed in the moat, forcing early risers to break the ice and breathe out white vapor as they carried water.
In the study in the backyard of the county temple, the charcoal brazier was burning brightly, dispelling the winter chill.
Li Zhao was wearing a thick Shu brocade cloak, which Liu Bei had bought from a merchant, saying it was to keep the lord warm.
He held a scroll of bamboo slips in his hand, but his gaze was fixed on the gray sky outside the window.
Nearly two months have passed since Sun Fu went to Yingchuan.
During this period, the Plains Kingdom was in complete uproar.
More than two hundred officials were selected through the "Autumn Examination".
Under Liu Bei's tutelage, they quickly filled every corner of the six counties.
Although their methods of handling government affairs are still somewhat immature.
Occasionally, some school beauties will cause some hilarious situations.
But the tenacity they possess is something that those privileged scions who hold positions without doing any work lack.
The government orders of the six counties are now finally being transmitted effectively from top to bottom, as if they were part of an arm.
In the military camp outside the city, the sounds of drills never ceased, even though it was now the dead of winter.
Guan Yu and Zhang Fei seemed tireless.
They poured all their passion into the 10,000 new soldiers.
Every morning, we run five miles with heavy loads.
There will definitely be military drills in the afternoon.
Zhang Fei's roars often echoed through the military camp:
"Haven't you eaten? You're as limp as a woman! Straighten your spear! On the battlefield, if this spear doesn't pierce the enemy's leather armor, you're dead!"
The soldiers who were being scolded were not angry; instead, they shouted even louder.
Because they knew that after training, they would be greeted with hot broth and plenty of millet rice.
In this chaotic world, what's the point of living if you can just have enough to eat?
Only then can one truly have hope for the future.
Zhao Yun, however, focused more on the two thousand cavalrymen.
He dispersed the old White Horse Cavalry and used the veterans to mentor the newcomers, teaching them horsemanship and archery.
Although Zhao Yun was not a man of many words, he always led from the front and his horsemanship was so superb that it was breathtaking.
Under his command, a new elite cavalry force is quietly taking shape.
Everything was proceeding smoothly, except for the lack of someone who could strategize and plan.
Li Zhao glanced at the system panel.
[Li Zhao, the Prefect of Pingyuan]
[Registered population within the jurisdiction: 165800]
Daily rice production: 165800 liters
Current grain reserves: 682000 shi (a unit of dry measure).
Population growth slowed as the harsh winters made migration difficult for displaced people.
However, grain reserves continue to grow steadily.
This is Li Zhao's greatest source of confidence now.
"Prime Minister".
The voice of a guard came from outside the door.
"What is it?"
"Sun Fu is back."
Li Zhao suddenly stood up, and the bamboo slip in his hand slipped to the ground.
"Send it quickly!"
A moment later, Sun Fu limped in.
He has lost a lot of weight, his face is weathered and worn, and even his fur coat has several holes in it.
But his eyes shone with an astonishing light. Upon entering, Sun Fu clasped his hands in a fist salute to Li Zhao and said with some excitement:
"My lord! This humble servant... has not failed in his mission!"
Sun Fu fell to his knees with a thud, roaring in a hoarse voice.
Li Zhao quickly stepped forward and helped him up, but his gaze went past him and towards the door.
The curtain was lifted, and a figure walked in.
This man was about twenty-six or twenty-seven years old, thin, and wearing a faded blue robe.
A long sword with a sheath was tucked into his waistband.
Upon entering the room, the man did not immediately bow, but instead looked Li Zhao up and down.
Li Zhao wasn't annoyed and stood there, letting him look at her with an air of nonchalance.
After a long while, the man's lips curled up slightly, and he bowed with his hands clasped in a swift and decisive manner, without the slightest hint of the pedantry of a scholar.
"Xu Shu of Yingchuan, courtesy name Yuanzhi, met with Prime Minister Li."
A great weight was lifted from Li Zhao's heart.
He returned the greeting with a smile and said:
"Mr. Yuanzhi, you must be tired from your journey. I have prepared a small feast to welcome you back and wash away the dust of your journey."
Xu Shu did not move. He looked at Li Zhao and said calmly, "There's no rush to drink the wine. I have come here today with a question that I would like to ask the Prime Minister."
"Please speak, sir."
"The King believes in Zhong Yan's words and desires to save the people. May I ask the Prime Minister, you now control six counties, command over ten thousand soldiers, and have abundant wealth and provisions. Is this truly for the sake of saving the people, or for becoming a regional warlord?"
This is a very pointed question, and also very much like Xu Shu's.
In his youth, he was a chivalrous man who lived by the law and hated those hypocrites who put on a show.
If Li Zhao was just an ambitious man, he would turn around and leave.