Chapter 4: The Separation of the Heroes Section 9: Change

At the Jin Shang of Gaotang, Liu Bei led all the generals to meet with his teacher Lu Zhi. When he was handing over the Jiao He regime, the important officials Ju Su, Gao Tanglong, Xu Shu, generals Guan Yu, Taishi Ci, Guan Hai, etc., who did not appear in the queue.

In the cold wind of September (lunar calendar), Liu Bei held a cup of hot tea in both hands and presented it to Lu Zhi with respect.

After a few years, time has carved deep marks on Lu Zhi's face. In addition, Lu Zhi's defeat in the government, haggardness, despair, sadness and sorrow enveloped the old man with white hair. The dream of struggling for life has caused this old man to fall into a dull abyss.

On the other hand, Liu Bei seemed to have bypassed him. After five years of war, the wind and dining in the open that had been patrolling around for five years, there was no trace on his face. He was still as arrogant as five years ago and still so arrogant as he was, but now all this is deliberately concealed in respect.

Liu Bei held up the tea, but hadn't seen Lu Zhi take action for a long time, and sighed deeply in his heart.

According to historical records, after Lu Zhi escaped from Luoyang, he was disheartened because his ideal was shattered. In addition, his family property was left in Luoyang when he fled, so he died in poverty in just one year. At that time, Lu Zhi was still a counselor of Yuan Shao's military commander, but after his death, his son Lu Yu could only use one to sweep him and buried him. If Lu Yu had not later become the official positions of Sikong, Guanglu Dafu, Shizhong, and Rongcheng Hou of the State of Wei, he would probably have mentioned his name briefly in history.

Liu Bei raised the tea bowl again and said loudly: "Teacher, if God is destined to let the devil rule the world, then let us resist!

If God allows us to survive in the darkness by giving alms, then let us break this world and let light come again! The disciple has made up his mind, and we master and disciple work together to let light come back to the earth."

Lu Zhi's dull eyes gradually focused, his eyes fixed on Liu Bei, and said, "Xuande, how do you explain this?"

Liu Bei took a step forward and handed the tea bowl to Lu Zhi, saying, "The Han Dynasty has been corrupt and has caused the consequences of the situation. All evils have helped the people in the world and the people are living in poverty."

The best person is Emperor Huan's wives and concubines, and the others who served in the palace are even more than that. These people rely entirely on the support of the people of the world, and they are arrogant and extravagant, and they are unbearable.

Emperor Ling, greed is better than Emperor Huan. Each rank of officials has a price. If the person who bought an official could not afford the money at the time, he could still pay it on credit and pay it twice as much after he took office. Local officials used money to buy an official, and after taking office, they became corruption. The official was not the other person, and the government was made by bribery.

In addition, the powerful forces expanded rapidly, and aristocratic families, local tyrants, wealthy businessmen, etc. all occupied land, sent farmers, extorted, and were extravagant. The people could not bear the exploitation and fled one after another, fled with hunger and cold, and had no way to survive. But the rebels grew day by day.

All these are all accumulated traits in the court. For the happiness of the people of the world, the government has reached a critical moment of change. If it changes, it will be alive, and if it does not change, it will die.

Changes, although top-down changes, are reckless, are repaired and useless to major events. The bottom-up changes, although slow results, are indeed a world-shaking turn.

I am a relative of the Han Dynasty, and the Han government is so decaying that I am very worried. For many years, I have been trying out the new policy in Qingzhou, hoping to mobilize the people from the bottom up and find a way to save the country.

My disciples have always believed that the world is not the personal gain of a surname. The rise and fall of a surname is the private gain; and the life and death of all people are the public. Although I am a relative of the Han Dynasty, if the people of China are prosperous, I don’t have to pay too much attention to the personal gains and losses of my Liu surname.

A person's energy may be limited. The country is so big that it is impossible to cure the country in all aspects by relying on a few people to exhaust their minds. A person's intelligence may be limited. Even a wise man cannot be correct in everything. Therefore, the disciple believes that what the emperor is may not be, and what the emperor is not necessarily wrong.

In order to allow more people to contribute their energy and intelligence to govern the country, and to make up for the lack of energy and inadequate thinking among the superiors, lower-level officials must also participate in governing the country. The disciples believe that the powers of each level of officials must be strictly and clearly stipulated. Within the powers of their own, officials have full power to deal with them. Interference among others is beyond their authority. And officials exceed their authority beyond their authority.

In the past few years since my disciples ruled Qingzhou, they have been committed to establishing an order, with the law placing the rights and obligations of the people, officials, and the code of conduct. Let the lower-level officials follow this code and govern the local area according to the law. In this way, the common officials are in their own positions, just like a carriage, with the components on it in their own positions and playing their own role. The superiors only need to give the direction of the carriage, and the entire Qingzhou will move forward in accordance with a fixed social order.

However, supervision of officials has always been a big problem for disciples - since it is to set up a few, such as one or two supervisors, who can ensure that the supervisors do not favoritism and do not injure the law? If there are too many supervisors, the financial pressure on the government will inevitably be too great?

After thinking about it, the disciple decided to set up a big net - let everyone consciously supervise officials and let everyone participate in the governance of the country. In this way, if anyone wants to seek personal gain, he must obtain the approval of all the people under his rule. If someone can bribe all the people under his rule, his behavior will not be just for personal gain, and we can do it.

This supervision website covering all the people is the "village and family discussion" strategy implemented by disciples in Qingzhou. Only by allowing the lower-level information to be expressed, allowing the people to have a place to talk, and establish a channel to convey the voice of the people, can the whole people participate in governing the country.

However, the conservative years of years of conservatism have made local officials not care too much about the interference of the people in the discussion of politics, and even think that they are troublemakers and often seek opportunities to retaliate. Local officials also do not attach much importance to the opinions of the people in the political participation of the people. It just so happened that with the teacher's prestige, he served as the senator, led the people in various places, and participated in state affairs. Whoever dared to disrespect local officials in this way will be unblocked, and the order in Qingzhou can be truly established."

Lu Zhi frowned. Some of Liu Bei's words were very irresistible to the monarch. However, these words were all the expression of Mencius's proposition that "the people are the most important, and the king is the least important". Seeing that the Han government seemed unsupported, Liu Bei's Qingzhou governance seemed to be in a chaotic world, and he opened a new path.

No matter what, Liu Bei is one of his favorite students, and the achievements Liu Bei has achieved also make him very honored. Now he is at the end of his journey, his ideals are disillusioned, and he is seeking for his disciples. Perhaps, it is also a kind of exploration to try his disciples' skills in governing the country - I will seek it from top to bottom, and even if I die nine times, I will have no regrets.

Before Lu Zhi could speak, Liu Bei rushed to add: "Teacher, don't rush to agree. Now it's the autumn slack season. The teacher first checks around to see if the disciples have been governing Qingzhou for five years. Is this method so that the people of Qingzhou will be prosperous and happy. When the teacher's tour of Qingzhou is completed, he will be familiar with the villagers and officials from all over the world, the people, and the disciples will come to see your teachings."

He went out to Qingzhou with Lu Zhi's prestige, and then in advance he hinted in various places: he would serve as the president of the Senate after he came back. Then, local villagers would definitely talk to him. When he came back, he would have some understanding of Qingzhou's affairs, officials and system, and it would be natural to become the president of the Senate.

Because he had the identity of Liu Bei, with Liu Bei's compliance with the teacher, officials at all levels below would be cautious about the power of the Senate. In this way, the Senate established its position as a second powerful institution outside the government. If Liu Bei asked the teacher for advice in the future, the Senate would naturally become a legislative body after the discussion of the Senate. In the future, any change can be promulgated and implemented in the Senate through quarrels and compromises. There is no need to implement its own claims and declare its rights and interests through bloody violence through overthrow of the regime.

With the strong intervention of the Senate, the structure of Qingzhou's governance, legal power, legislative power, and separation of powers can be improved. The most important thing is that all this is carried out under the banner of respecting teachers, which will definitely make some great scholars envious and thus reduce the resistance of scholars. If the reputation of Lu Zhi can attract some gentry and aristocratic families to participate in political discussions and supervise officials, once they get benefits, no one will oppose the rights and interests brought to them by relying on this structure.

After some calculations, Liu Bei secretly laughed in his heart, and on the surface he made a respectful expression, supporting Lu Zhi and walking off the merchant ship.

"Reported that Zhao Qian, the magistrate of Ande County, Pingyuan County, came to ask for instructions on whether to receive the meeting. Please make an announcement on the lord." A guard reported respectfully.

"I don't even see when a small county magistrate can have any major events. I'll disturb me at this time?" Liu Bei muttered with an unhappy face.

Lu Zhi stopped intriguedly and said, "Xuande, didn't you say that Qingzhou officials will hold their positions? Just deal with his affairs and I'll see your governance strategies."

Liu Bei happily obeyed the order and told him that he met Zhao Qian, the magistrate of Ande County, Pingyuan County.

The thin, capable, and smart-looking Zhao Qiangong traveled through the sergeant team and came to Liu Bei. Liu Bei asked, "An De Ling Zhao Qian, aren't you responsible for the resettlement of the 70,000 Yellow Turban Remnants who entered the country? What's the matter?"

Zhao Qian replied respectfully: "Report to the lord, the lower officials came for the resettlement of the 70,000 Yellow Turban Remnants. Qingzhou had insufficient money and grain allocated. The lower officials found Pingyuan County Government and asked for additional money and grain to be allocated. Therefore, they came to ask the lord for a special request."

Liu Bei paced around Zhao Qian, and Zhao Qian turned around, his face full of silly smile, looking at Liu Bei.

Liu Bei stared at Zhao Qian and asked, "Have you passed the Qingzhou official assessment?"

Before Zhao Qian's answer, Ju Su took a step forward and replied: "The plains are full of wars and chaos, and most of them have not passed the official assessment. An De is a small county in the plains, and the Yellow Turbans are peeping around. The officials we have assessed are not appointed to Ande County. This person was recommended by local villagers and served as the An De Order."

Liu Bei nodded and turned to ask Zhao Qian: "You are the one who is Ande, and there is no talented person under your command. What's going on?"

Zhao Qian's face was covered in sweat and replied tremblingly: "I don't know what the lord is meant by this?"

Liu Bei looked stern and said, "I ask you, how much food and grass should you eat every day for 70,000 Yellow Turbans? How many houses do you need to build when you resettle them? Most of them work, how many farm tools do you need, how many jobs do you need? How many days can you help farmers in the government to help them? After they become independent, in order to repay the relief subsidies given by the government, how much labor do they need to do (including training time for the township soldiers)?"

Zhao Qian was sweating coldly, dizzy and unable to answer.

Liu Bei added: "The allocated money and grain are all calculated repeatedly by the Qingzhou official office and distributed according to the human hair. I know that the population of 70,000 people each eat 4 twelve per day (400 grams), and each ten twelve is one kilogram. A total of 2,800 twelve per day requires 3,000 twelve per day. After 20 days, migrant workers, grazers, and breeders will be placed in place. I have ordered that those who hire them should pay them advance money and grain to make their families settle down, and these people will no longer need relief.

For farmers, farm tools will be distributed in place in 20 days. I have ordered local people to prepare water conservancy, build city walls, and complete road projects to pre-employ these people and advance money and grain. These people no longer need relief.

There are also some people who have combat experience and are unwilling to work or farm. Caravans and mercenaries, mercenaries, and local security organizations will recruit them. They exchange battles for salary and their own status. These people will be the first to be resettled and they do not need relief. Do you think the Qingzhou official office has not enough money and food, and say it, it is not enough, where is it?"

Zhao Qian snorted and said for a long time: "According to the practice, all the allocated money and grain are issued from official channels, and the handling personnel can withdraw 20% as the handling fee. The money and grain allocated this time only has one certificate, and the specific money and grain are allowed to be withdrawn from the local merchants. Ande has no grain, so he needs to withdraw from the Pingyuan merchants. Pingyuan merchants are rude and do not want to increase 20% of the original allocation amount as the handling fee. Therefore, after deducting 20% ​​of the handling fee, the allocated food and grass is far from enough to resettle the refugees."

Liu Bei laughed illly: "According to the practice, the handling personnel can withdraw 20% of the money and grain allocated as the handling expenses. Whose practice? Isn't the government giving you officials the salary just to do these jobs? Why do you have to withdraw the handling expenses for every thing you do? If this is the case, what are your salaries? What do I support you officials? What do the people want you officials to do?"

He raised his head, Liu Bei smiled awkwardly and said to Lu Zhi: "Teacher, I'm sorry, I'll let you see a joke. However, this just shows that we need to strengthen supervision of officials. I will entrust the teacher to this important task."

Lu Zhi nodded in agreement, and Liu Bei sighed: "This habit is really difficult to break. Shengping (Gaotanglong), you go to Ande to investigate the matter thoroughly. All the officials involved will be punished according to the law."

Gao Tanglong nodded and agreed, then pointed at Zhao Qian and ordered: "Please imprison him and hand him over to Wang Sixing (Wang Lie)."

Liu Bei helped Lu Zhi and got on the carriage and left.

In Linzi City, Jiao He has posted a notice to abolish Qingzhou's military control and restore the Han Dynasty's laws. This means that soldiers who fought outside will no longer receive the rewards, meritorious people's treatment, titles and land promised in Qingzhou's "Military Merit Rewards and Punishment Law". Under the instigation of those who are interested, the 11th, 12th and 13th Legions that retreated to Qingzhou after conquering Taishan County immediately mutinized and surrounded the governor's mansion. Linzi City guarded, and the former butler Gong Jing, Gong Liang, stood by, causing the mutiny soldiers to become more and more rampant.

In order to appease the mutiny soldiers, Jiao He issued an emergency notice to collect special taxes in the name of returning the Qingzhou agricultural tax that Liu Bei had subsidized in recent years, hoping to use this money to fight mutiny soldiers. Unfortunately, this strategy was hit by Liu Bei's head-on.

Liu Bei posted a notice in his personal name, stating that he subsidized Qingzhou agricultural tax in order to make the people of Qingzhou live in peace. The last sentence of the notice became a famous saying by the people of Linzi City to resist Jiao He’s tax collection: Any money collected in the name of Liu Bei needs to be abide by a natural rule - Liu Bei’s money and let Liu Bei collect it himself.

As a result, the soldiers who did not receive the reward became more angry, and the mutiny soldiers immediately captured the Qingzhou Governor's Mansion. Then, with the help of Gong Jing's son Gong Qing, Jiao He hid in the former Gong Jing's office to take refuge. These mutiny soldiers were originally Gong Jing's family. For the sake of the old master and the interference of Gong Liang, the guard of Linzi City, the soldiers did not dare to attack Gong Qing's mansion. They had to surround Gong Qing's mansion and roar outside the mansion.

For several days, Jiao He did not reply - he was blocked in the mansion and of course he could not respond to the soldiers' requests - the angry soldiers could no longer bear it and rushed into the Gong Mansion and surrounded Jiao He and others in the hall. However, in order to show respect for the late head of the family, the soldiers entering the Gong Mansion all dismantled their weapons.

The soldier without weapons clenched his fists and shouted around the hall, asking Jiao He to come out to explain. At this moment, even though Jiao He regretted it, the crowd outside was excited and he did not dare to go out, so he had to beg Gong Qing to find a way out for it and escape from the Gong Mansion.

Gong Qing lay leisurely on the bench, with two maids hammering his legs at his feet, and one maid next to him held a tea bowl for him. From time to time, he lowered his head and drank a sip of ginseng tea, comforting Jiao He heartlessly: "It's okay, Ming Gong, they dare not rush into the lobby. Don't worry if I'm here."

Jiao He irritated and replied: "It doesn't matter. You said a few days ago that they dare not enter your mansion. So, they have come in."

Gong Qing touched his head embarrassedly and replied: "I said they dare not enter my mansion because there was a lantern given by Liu Xuande on my mansion. These bastards would never dare to offend Duke Xuande."

Wang Xiu refuted angrily: "So, why are they coming in again?"

Gong Qing smiled wryly and explained, "Sorry, I'm about to tell you-this morning, my housekeeper said that the light was no longer on and needed to be taken down and wiped. Who knew that as soon as the light was taken down, the mutiny soldiers rushed in."

Wang Xiu was extremely angry and pointed at Gong Qing and was trembling, unable to speak.

Gong Qing stretched and continued, "Later, the butler knew that he had caused trouble, so he immediately hung the lamp at the door of the lobby. That's why I said, we are the safest to stay in the lobby now."

Jiao He was overjoyed and said, "If Liu Bei's lantern is so useful, why don't I walk out of Gong's mansion with the lamp, Shuzhi (Wang Xiu), what do you think?"

Wang Xiu immediately replied: "The lanterns are a pair. If he is really useful, my lord and I can each make a lantern, highlight the Gong Mansion and go to Liu Bei, and ask him to send troops to suppress the mob."

The people in the room were gray and there was a lot of emotions outside. Without the protection of lanterns, wouldn’t the remaining people be torn to pieces by the soldiers?

Wang Xiu looked at Gong Qing and ordered, "Mr. Gong, please pick the lanterns outside and give them to me and my lord."

Gong Qing seemed to have not heard of it, and Wang Xiu ordered again. Gong Qing then let out a hilarious voice, sat up straight, and said, "Escape with a lantern, leave my colleagues in the room, and leave me, a friend who has helped you for many days. Shuzhi (Wang Xiu), I now know why Liu Xuande doesn't like you, you are useless."

Ignoring Wang Xiu, who was blushing, Gong Qing pointed to the door and said, "You don't think about why a lantern can stop them. There are two sentences written by Liu Xuande on the lantern. The first sentence is: Gong's important land; the next sentence is: Don't bump into it. Hold the lantern in your hand and walk freely in my Gong's mansion. The straitors will never offend the straitors, but if you walk half a step out of the Gong's mansion - what important land are you in the Gong's mansion? The straitors will immediately kill you for the crime of stealing.

In Qingzhou, killing bandits is equivalent to military merit. Even if the rebels do not kill you, the city guards will also kill you. After killing you, the lantern will be hung back to the mansion. You must have the courage to try to walk out of my Gong Mansion with the lantern. There are tens of thousands of people in the city waiting to set up military merits to kill bandits. For the sake of our stay together for many days, as soon as you go out, I will definitely prepare a coffin for you."

Jiao He was angry when he saw Gong Qing. He hurriedly stepped forward to persuade him. Gong Qing lay back on the bench indignantly and said unwillingly: "What are you? Come and point fingers at me and tell you that Qingzhou was managed by my father. Xuandegong was respectful when he saw me. Do you dare to shout at me - believe it or not, I will call the army outside in and kill you."

Seeing this, Yan Fei hurriedly came to persuade him. Gong Qing angrily shouted at the rioters outside the door: "It's so noisy, just calm me down."

The noise outside the door subsided.

Gong Qing looked at Jiao He in protest, shook his legs proudly, and signaled the servants to serve him.

Immediately, Gong Qing jumped up and shouted anxiously: "No, no. My voice is not that powerful. If you can shut up these bastards, it must be the ones that these little guys are afraid of. It must be Brother Xuande. The person who came, opened the door, and I would also go out to curse these little guys. Humph, I dare to make trouble around my house."

As soon as the door opened, Gong Qing rushed out, Jiao He and others immediately surrounded the door and peeked out.

Sure enough, Liu Bei's face was gloomy and he walked alone in a square step and slowly walked into the Gong Mansion. Wherever he passed, the soldiers bowed their heads one after another.

I don't know who shouted: "Salute--". The rebels in the mansion responded in a panic and saluted Liu Bei in a mess. Liu Bei's face became more and more gloomy.

Gong Qing jumped in the yard and cursed: "Babys, dare to surround my mansion. I have been slept for several days. You have not been my servant for a few days. Do you even refuse to recognize me, the new head of the family? Whoever takes the lead in making trouble, get out of here."

Liu Bei walked to Gong Qing and stood there without saying a word. The soldiers began to tremble. After pushing and shoving, several soldiers walked to Gong Qing and knelt down to salute.

Gong Qing jumped forward and kicked several soldiers who were leading the trouble and cursed fiercely. Liu Bei had a gloomy face and stared at the soldiers fiercely.

Seeing that the situation in the courtyard had been controlled, Jiao He and others walked out of the lobby and greeted Liu Bei with a series of flattering smiles.

Seeing Gong Qing gradually calm down, Liu Bei returned the salute to Jiao He and others lightly, then lowered his head to ask the several soldiers who were kneeling: "The soldiers were trapped in the governor's mansion and surrounded the late head's care place, roaring in the yard. Aren't you afraid that the law is ruthless?"

Several soldiers pushed for a while before one of the soldiers replied: "Sir, stop mentioning the law. There have been notices that the Qingzhou law will be abolished and the Han law will be restored. We have been fighting outside for half a year. After returning to Qingzhou, we not only have no merits and rewards, but also have to hand over the merit fields we have assigned to the government. How can this be done?"
To be continued...