lcionline Chapter 216 A Broad Road
Chapter 216 A Broad Road
Moreover, Liu Xie is a huge problem. The district he managed has now become an independent system, and he doesn't want to get into such a big trouble again.
In the end, it will be just like Cao Cao in Earth's history, with him fighting desperately in front while Liu Xie and those so-called loyal ministers of the Han Dynasty cause trouble and hold him back in the rear.
"For the districts we are currently governing, we no longer need to act on the righteousness of the Han Dynasty. On the contrary, Liu Xie's existence will greatly hinder our development."
"Most of those who claim to be loyal to the Han Dynasty in Luoyang are incompetent old scholars who are of no use to developing people's livelihood, the economy, or the organization. Putting these people into the districts you govern will only do you harm."
Those present were all trusted confidants, and Chen Er did not hold back, speaking these words directly. Zhao Yun, Gao Shun, and others were also very clear about the ills of the Han Dynasty, and now the economic development of the district they were governing was on the right track.
The people's lives are getting better and better. Even if they bring Liu Xie back, the large number of industrial and commercial people and farmers who make up more than two-thirds of the population in the district they have now regulated will not welcome Liu Xie, because Liu Xie still represents the interests of the big landowners.
Now, apart from the three southern states, no large landowners can be seen in the areas I have been managing. Most of them have turned to developing industry and commerce.
Although they are still obsessed with buying land due to the influence of traditional thinking, the laws governing the district they manage and the huge profits brought by industry and commerce are gradually changing their mindset.
Unable to buy farmland, these landlords turned to purchasing shops, establishing factories, and building larger mansions in the cities, which to some extent satisfied their desire for land.
Chen Er did not forbid this, because he knew that nothing could be completely eliminated. He still needed to leave them some room for thought. Besides, how many people were there now?
In the future, many more cities will gradually expand and develop, and some local people will buy land, which will save them the trouble of regulating the real estate industry.
Not to mention, on the other side of the ocean, there is a continent waiting for them to explore.
At this time, Yuan Shao, who had received Liu Xie's imperial edict earlier than Chen Er, had already begun to take action. The frequent mobilization of the Yanzhou organization immediately attracted the attention of spies from various forces within Yanzhou. Soon, everyone knew that Yuan Shao's target was Luoyang!
However, this time Yuan Shao entered Luoyang openly to defend the emperor, thus occupying the moral high ground. No one could say anything about it, and even Chen Er had no reason to stop Yuan Shao.
Although few people have mentioned it in the past two years, the Han dynasty still holds the moral high ground. The region it governs is an inseparable part of the empire, and the Liu family is still the imperial family.
Of course, if Chen Er had directly killed Liu Xie and overthrown the Han Dynasty, there probably wouldn't have been many people to speak out for the Han Dynasty. But Chen Er couldn't do that yet. He still needed to keep Liu Xie as a target to attract some attention, and at the same time, to make his reforms proceed more smoothly.
At this time, the high-ranking officials of Yanzhou were debating whether to abandon Yanzhou. Just after Yuan Shao received Liu Xie's imperial edict, a voice suddenly broke out in Yanzhou, saying that they should abandon Yanzhou, a place that was surrounded by enemies, retreat back to Guanzhong, hold Guanzhong, pacify Xiliang, and then seek a counterattack.
However, most people insisted that Yanzhou should be defended, since it would be a pity to give up such a large territory as Yanzhou. In the process of the dispute between the two factions, some people tried to smooth things over.
He bluntly stated that all the able-bodied men currently in Yanzhou could be transferred out, leaving Chen Er with a mess, which would allow the people in his own district to clean up slowly. This way, more strength could be preserved, and more time could be given for them to accumulate more power.
Sure enough, this suggestion immediately caught Yuan Shao's attention. Yanzhou was indefensible; surrounded on three sides by the districts he had controlled, it was impossible for Yanzhou to break through the blockade imposed by his own districts.
Moreover, a large number of defensive troops would be wasted on the border. Although those troops seemed ridiculous to Yuan Shao, who had organized his own district, what could he do? Did Yuan Shao dare to be wary of Chen Er?
Yanzhou still has a population of over one million. If most of the able-bodied men were transferred to other areas, there would be at least two hundred thousand more. Adding the young women, these people would directly replenish the current population base of the Guanzhong region.
This would also leave Chen Er with a huge mess, hindering the development of the district he was in charge of. This suggestion was feasible, Yuan Shao thought to himself.
However, he certainly couldn't issue such an order directly; someone had to be the scapegoat. Such a large-scale plunder of people would be a huge blow to Yuan Shao's reputation and the soldiers' morale if word got out. Although his reputation wasn't great to begin with, who wouldn't want a better reputation, except for those lunatics?
"My lord, according to reports from our scouts, Chen Er has appeared in Jizhou City. The First and Third Organization Regiments of the districts you have been in charge of are showing signs of large-scale gatherings. I believe this is a sign that Chen Er is about to make his move."
Xu You reported to Yuan Shao that the Xu You in this world had not betrayed Yuan Shao and surrendered to Chen Er, but had gradually become Yuan Shao's chief strategist, which greatly displeased Guo Tu and others, but what could they do?
Even if they were dissatisfied, they could only endure it, after all, Xu You was now a favorite of Yuan Shao, and Xu You also had access to Yuan Shao's intelligence sources, which made others even less likely to oppose him.
Coupled with the influence of external pressures, although there were some disputes among Yuan Shao's strategists and generals in this world, they generally cooperated well, because their families had more or less shared Yuan Shao's fate.
The threat of mutual destruction meant that Yuan Shao's forces in this world did not fight as fiercely as they did in the Three Kingdoms period on Earth.
"what is your opinion?"
"Our organization should enter Guanzhong as soon as possible and control Hulao Pass, Luoyang and other places."
Xu You suggested this, and the other strategists and generals echoed his opinion, saying that this was the right thing to do.
However, Yuan Shao was still struggling with whether or not to implement the large-scale migration plan. Guo Tu, Yuan Shao's loyal henchman, saw through Yuan Shao's dilemma.
He stepped forward and suggested to Yuan Shao, "My lord, I believe that our organization should immediately take the able-bodied men and women of Yanzhou and move them to Guanzhong, leaving Chen Er with a broken Yanzhou and hindering his development."
"If no one's going to be the bad guy, then I'll do it." This was Guo Tu's truest thought at that moment. Of course, he wasn't doing it out of some grand sense of righteousness, but rather for the sake of Yuan Shao.