In the Eastern Han Dynasty, there was a system of enfeoffment and prefectures and counties. Marquises who were actually enfeoffed could only enjoy the food and towns, but did not have the administrative power and military power of the fief. The enfeoffment reached the top of the county level.
There are no princes or princes among the kings and nobility. There are only princes and kings. Their fiefdoms are called countries, which are the same as counties. They have no military power but certain governance rights. The central government dispatches the prime minister to manage, assist, and supervise the kingdom.
Taxes do not need to be paid to the state treasury.
By the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, there were already many princes. There were five kingdoms in the nine counties of Jizhou, four kingdoms in the six counties of Qingzhou, and the same was true for Yanzhou, Yuzhou, and Xuzhou.
In several mainland states, more than half of the tax revenue actually does not reach the central government, but the mainland has the largest population and taxes.
Liu Xiang was not afraid that these princes and kings would have military power, so he overthrew them and chopped off their heads. It was over once and for all, and there would be no further trouble.
What he was tired of was that those clans had no merit at all, they did not pay taxes on their fiefdoms, and they sucked the blood of the people. This was a big burden for the regime, especially for an emerging regime like his that was in the stage of conquering the world.
He didn't want to bear this burden, but due to his status as a clan member, he couldn't do it openly.
Liu Xiang is not a mature politician, and he is not very good at playing political tricks. When there is a problem, the first thing that comes to mind is the army. The idea of using the army to clean it up naturally comes up.
We need to slow down our advance.
The order of attacking the city and plundering the territory needs to be changed. You must attack the Yellow Turbans first, and then attack the city after gathering enough Yellow Turbans. After cleaning up the princes and noble families, you can then send troops to take over the territory.
Just do it if you think of it.
The generals gathered together to issue orders.
"Zhou Cang, change his banner, lead his troops deep into Qingzhou, and recruit the Yellow Turbans."
"Yan Gang led his cavalry to intercept and kill the nearby scouts, blocking his vision and covering the route of Zhou Cang's troops away from the army."
"The rest of the people will follow our troops to besiege Licheng. There is no need to rush to attack the city. Our army will stay under the city of Licheng for a while."
Liu Xiang wanted to repeat the drama of the Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou. The Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou were very violent. Although there was no unified Yellow Turban army, there were at least 200,000 to 300,000 local rebels and those driven out by Xuzhou.
people.
Before Zhou Cang and Yan Gang could accept the order, Ju Shou stepped out from the crowd and said to stop them: "Wait a minute."
These few orders made him understand Liu Xiang's intention, and he wanted to carry out the old affairs of Jizhou, so he hurriedly advised him: "I tell my lord, this is not possible. Today is different from the past. Liu Bo'an led his people to surrender, and the lord's reputation has greatly increased. Previously, he saved
He collected books, killed the regicide rebels, and now builds a book city. His reputation is growing, and he is actually the number one person in the clan."
He bowed his hands in salute and stared at Liu Xiang sincerely: "You must not do such a thing that damages your reputation again. I hope my lord will think twice."
Liu Xiang asked noncommittally, "What should I do if I meet with you?"
"Show us in a dignified manner, be courteous first and then attack with force."
Tell others clearly that I am coming to seize the territory? Shouldn’t this be said by Jushu, who knows the military and is good at strategizing? Liu Xiang asked doubtfully: "What do you mean by this?"
"My lord, Jiao He, the governor of Qingzhou, is very fond of establishing a false reputation. He talks about things and observes his politics. The rewards and punishments are confusing, and the affairs of the state are in depression. Many places have become ruins, and there is no need to worry. The Yellow Turbans of Qingzhou are particularly cruel, and they often massacre cities.
There is a lot of resentment among the people, so don’t get involved with it.”
He first explained the reason why he could not pretend to be the Qingzhou Yellow Turban, and then continued to advise: "My lord has a great reputation, so you must not taint yourself. You should send an envoy to convey a message to persuade you to surrender. Of the six counties in Qingzhou, the Kingdom occupies four. With the lord's prestige among the clan,
, I predict that they will not dare to fight, but will accept the letter and surrender.
Then he issued a notice to calm the people, saying that our army could not bear the people to be in chaos, and came here specifically to eliminate the bandits and restore peace to Qingzhou. With the Lord's reputation of loving the people like his own son, the people would definitely follow him.
In this way, Qingzhou can be settled, so why hide it and associate with thieves and bandits?"
Liu Xiang thought about it for a while, and the strategy proposed by Jushu to pacify Qingzhou was indeed good. At this time, Yuan Shao, Yuan Shu, Cao Cao, and Liu Biao mostly used this method to influence the upper class with reputation and connections, and then raced to enclose the land.
, rapidly expanding its strength.
The gains are great, but the risks are also great.
Each has its pros and cons.
He was a little embarrassed.
"If the princes and kings don't pay taxes, I can't afford it."
He didn't say the last part of the sentence, but Jushou heard it. He stroked his beard and smiled, and said nonchalantly: "Man, the land has entered the hands of our army. How to govern it depends entirely on the will of the lord. According to the law, the punishment can be clearly stated.
, this matter can be left to Liu Bo'an to handle."
First trick people into surrendering, and then find trouble and kill them in accordance with the law? He also specifically pointed out that Liu Yu should do it, which alleviated the reputation of his capricious lord and also used this matter to weaken Liu Yu's reputation.
.
Killing two birds with one stone, my heart is really dark.
I like!
"This makes sense." Liu Xiang nodded in agreement with the suggestion.
These years of leading troops alone in battles, I have not yet developed the habit of asking military advisors for advice. I have forgotten that there are military advisors Ju Shuo and Xun Chen who are accompanying the army. What a waste.
"Youruoke, do you have any other ideas to help me?" Now that he remembered it, he couldn't ignore it.
"I have benefited a lot from the great talents of my father and brother. I am willing to send envoys to various counties to persuade the enemy to surrender." Xun Chen was very humble and did not raise any objections. He was willing to act according to Ju Shou's plan.
After both of them were taken care of, Liu Xiang asked: "In what name do I take charge of Qingzhou?"
What words should be used to trick people into surrendering? He couldn't think of a good excuse for a while.
"Integrate the prefectures and counties, and it will be difficult for King Jing to conquer Qin!" This was Ju Shou's opinion.
"The world is in chaos, and all the ministries must conquer it, and only then can it be settled under the rule of Ming Gong." This was the rhetoric prepared by Xun Chen.
"The Sword Comes"
Liu Xiang nodded and made a decision: "The previous plan to recruit the Yellow Turbans is cancelled. We should first send a message to persuade them to surrender. Our army cannot wait on the spot. We should continue to move forward and prepare troops to surround Licheng. It is best to attract Jiao He to come for reinforcements and attack and destroy them."
department."
The Yellow Turbans in Qingzhou have been in trouble for several years. They are in disarray but are getting bigger and bigger. This shows that the governor Jiao He is a waste. There is no need to consider whether he can be defeated. It depends on whether he dares to come.
Xun Chen's mission to various countries was ignored, and the army continued to move forward. Three days later, they faced off against the Licheng defenders across the river on the north bank of Jishui River.
Use light cavalry to find places to cross the river upstream and downstream, or move the main warships of the Yunfan Battalion around the sea to control the Jishui River, or use the crossbows of the light chariot battalion to suppress the south bank and cover the forced crossing of the army.
There are many ways to cross the river, and there are few defenders on the other side, so it will not be too difficult to break through the river. However, the Anping Army did not make any move to cross the river. They collected boats and wood in a leisurely manner and set up camp on the north bank slowly.
Liu Xiang was afraid of beating too hard and Jiao He did not dare to come for reinforcements. He was also waiting for the results of Xun Chen's mission and did not want too many casualties.
Different from the relaxed situation on the north bank, the people on the south bank were extremely nervous. There were only less than 4,000 of them. Facing an enemy force that was ten times their size and known for their proficiency in fighting, they were already risking their lives to get to the river to set up defenses.
Le Jin stared at the other side of Jishui with great indignation, and said to his companions: "A certain person is from Dongjun. When they attacked Dongjun, a certain person took his family to the south bank of the Yellow River. Later, they also crossed the river to the south bank, and a certain person took his family to the south bank."
Jibei, and then Yanzhou raised troops, so a certain person took his family and ran to Jinan."
He turned around, raised his head and said solemnly to his companions: "They are chasing Jinan again, and there will be no end! I don't want to run away, and I am here to beat them this time. If I die in the battle, you can help bring it home."
Just write a letter and say that you are not going back, so you don’t need to leave food for me.”
His companion was the leader of the Licheng garrison. His nose was bruised and his face was swollen. He had beaten him badly. Hearing this, he nodded quickly, bent his legs so that he could look at Le Jin, and replied very solemnly: "If I am still alive, I will tell you what I said."
Bring it to.”
He didn't dare to lower his head and look down at Le Jin, he would really get beaten and it would really hurt.
Le Jin resisted the urge to beat him again, turned around, and continued to stare at the movement on the other side. This person next to him is a fool. Did I beat you because you looked down at me? I beat you because you despised me.
Move your hands, idiot!
The defenders on the south bank waited for four days with the mentality of waiting for death. They did not wait for reinforcements or attack from the opposite side, but they did wait for the order from King Liu Kang of Jinan to surrender.
Le Jin sighed. He didn't know whether he should be angry or grateful. He, a low-level soldier, couldn't resist the decision of the dignitaries. He could only shake his head helplessly and accepted the reorganization of the Anping Army.
In troubled times, people who follow the crowd are not just happy people.
Liu Kang was personally ordered by Ling Emperor Liu Hong to be adopted as the heir to Liu Chang, Marquis of Jiedu Ting. Liu Chang was Ling Emperor's biological father. The meaning of this order was that Liu Kang should replace him and inherit his line of heirs.
Therefore, Liu Kang believed that he had an important mission, and he must not die, but must reproduce many heirs.
Xun Chen analyzed the strength comparison between the two armies for him and found that Jinan had no chance of winning.
After further analysis, even if the Anping Army did not attack, the consequences of the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans continuing to cause trouble. After all, the Yellow Turbans Uprising had been going on for many years, and not one or two princes and kings had died at the hands of the Yellow Turbans. Such an analysis made him feel,
It is safest to live under Liu Xiang's rule.
Liu Kang surrendered decisively.
After Liu Kang, the king of Qi Liu Cheng also surrendered, and soon the king of Beihai Liu Yi surrendered.
Within half a month, the Three Kingdoms of Qingzhou took over, leaving only Le'an, and Donglai were still hesitant.
Liu Xiang led his army east along the Jishui River to Le'an County to govern Linji County, and ordered Zhang Liao to take over the Jinan Kingdom, and Zhou Cang's troops to take over the Qi and Beihai Kingdoms, blocking Donglai County's connection with the outside world.
He ordered people to distribute public notices of peace and security to the people, promising not to harass the people, to resettle the fields, and to rest with the people. He also contacted the Yellow Turbans everywhere and promised that they would not be held accountable for past crimes, and that as long as they came to vote, they would be given land to cultivate.
The 40,000-strong army moved quickly and fiercely, taking over city defenses and recruiting Yellow Turbans along the way. The size of the army doubled. Jiao He, the governor of Qingzhou, was frightened and led his troops to retreat to Langya County in Xuzhou and surrendered to Yuan Shao's command.
When news of the governor's escape came, Le'an and Donglai no longer persisted, and the entire county surrendered.
It took a month to acquire the entire territory of Qingzhou, which was like a horse race.
The territory was occupied, but there were a lot of troubles in the aftermath, including the princes who had sealed the land, the noble families from all over the country, the Yellow Turbans who were unwilling to surrender, and the people who promised to share the land.
Everything is a problem, and what’s more, the severe winter is coming soon. We can’t let the people who surrendered freeze to death, right?
There is also the most important problem, Qingzhou is difficult to defend.
The Taishan barrier to the west is in the hands of Yanzhou, and the hilly barrier to the south is in the hands of Xuzhou. The entire Qingzhou is a terrain that is being beaten.
Therefore, Liu Xiang focused on Taishan County in Yanzhou and Langya Kingdom in Xuzhou. Only by occupying these two places could he advance, attack, and retreat to defend.