Chapter 29: Yuan Long, I Have a Treasure to Show You

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In the Eastern Han, this was the highest form of political correctness, and it added tremendous weight to the Chen family’s standing.

The sons of both Chen Gui and Chen Qiu were promoted, without exception, to powerful posts such as commandery governors and kingdom chancellors, offices ranked at two thousand bushels. They had clearly benefited from the legacy Chen Qiu had left behind.

On the other hand, the Donghai Commandery was indeed less secure than the Xiapi Kingdom at present.

To the west, the land had already been laid waste. To the north stood Zang Ba and Chang Xi, both commanding large armies from their respective separatist commanderies and counties. Their loyalties remained uncertain.

By comparison, the Xiapi Kingdom was considerably safer.

Yet most important of all, Chen Deng had realized that the times had changed.

Although the Han court still existed, Chen Deng had keenly perceived that the age had already entered a time of chaos.

In troubled times, only those with strong armies and powerful cavalry could protect themselves.

In an era of peace, Chen Deng aside, the other local scholars of Xu Province would naturally have wished for frontier warriors like Liu Bei to disappear as far away as possible, fearing that they would harass the villages and plunder the countryside.

But now, their attitude toward men of war had to change.

Chen Deng and the gentry clans of Xiapi did not possess strong armies of their own. To protect themselves, they therefore had no choice but to win over military men.

This was also because the gentry of that era had yet to understand the enormous power they themselves possessed. They had no idea that, with their wealth, grain reserves, and ability to rally support, they could easily raise a vast army.

That was why frontier warriors such as Liu Bei, Lü Bu, and Sun Jian had the opportunity to participate in the splendid struggle for supremacy among the warlords at the end of the Eastern Han.

At present, Liu Bei was the partner chosen by Chen Deng, the Chen and Mi families, and the other scholars of Xu Province.

Liu Bei was not only a capable fighter; he also possessed a reputation for benevolence.

That was extremely important. Benevolence meant that he would not strip the local people to the bone, nor would he commit acts without the slightest limit.

Since that was the case, Chen Deng naturally hoped even more that Liu Bei would bring his troops and station them directly in his own household.

Compared with Liu Bei, Cao Cao’s reputation at present was utterly abysmal.

The upheaval in Yan Province had extremely complicated causes. There were disagreements between Cao Cao himself and the local gentry of Yan Province; there was the fear of the gentry, who had been unable to live in peace amid years of warfare; and there were the conflicts created by Cao Cao’s promotion of scholars and clans from Yingchuan in order to restrain the excessive power of Yan Province’s native gentry.

Yet one cause could not be overlooked: Cao Cao had exploited the people of Yan Province too heavily.

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Cao Cao’s exactions in Yan Province were extraordinarily severe. This was not because Cao Cao plundered the people in order to indulge in a life of luxury. Rather, he needed to survive. He wanted to lead the scholars and common people of Yan Province through the chaos alive, and he wanted to strengthen his own power.

Anyone who examines the historical records will discover that, from the moment Cao Cao took control of Yan Province in the latter half of 192, there was warfare year after year—and the battles involved tens of thousands, sometimes even hundreds of thousands, of men.

Cao Cao’s opportunity to take over Yan Province arose when its inspector, Liu Dai, suffered a crushing defeat and perished. That battle was the one in which Liu Dai lost to the million-strong Yellow Turban army that had entered Yan Province to plunder it.

Thus, after Cao Cao became Governor of Yan Province, his first urgent task was to fight a major battle against the Yellow Turbans, whose numbers reached into the millions.

After finally winning, he had scarcely caught his breath before Tao Qian’s allied forces launched a surprise attack.

He fought desperately to drive back Tao Qian, Liu Bei, and Dan Jing. Before he had even settled into his seat, Yuan Shu arrived.

Once Cao Cao had laboriously defeated Yuan Shu and driven him away, he had not yet had time to pursue him and press his advantage when Tao Qian of neighboring Xu Province decided that his fortunes had recovered. Once again, he organized an allied force of bandits, bringing Que Xuan and Zang Ba with him in an attempt to seek vengeance against Cao Cao.

In those brief two years, Cao Cao had fought four or five major battles involving more than fifty thousand men each. The money and grain required to supply them had long since reached an astronomical figure.

Fortunately, these were campaigns fought on home territory within Yan Province, so the supply lines did not have to stretch too far.

Otherwise, Cao Cao could have stripped Yan Province bare to the heavens and still would not have gathered enough provisions.

Even so, the amount of money and grain required was terrifying, and the only source of that enormous supply was Yan Province’s taxation.

In Liu Feng’s personal view, it was precisely this crushing tax burden that lay at the root of the Yan scholars’ inability to tolerate Cao Cao.

After all, the political struggle in Yan Province was only just beginning. Xun Yu had not even been in Yan Province for two full years, to say nothing of the other scholars from Yingchuan.

Thus, the political conflict in Yan Province was still nowhere near the point at which the local people would overturn the table.

What truly drove them to that point was Cao Cao’s unceasing plunder of their money and grain, his constant carving of flesh from their bodies.

That was pain felt to the bone. How could gentry clans without long-term vision possibly endure it?

In truth, the people of Yan Province had waited more than two years before rebelling during Cao Cao’s second campaign against Xu Province. Their willingness to consider the greater good had already shown that they had done right by Cao Mengde.

Likewise, with Cao Cao’s example in Yan Province before them, the scholars of Xu Province placed great importance on benevolence and virtue when choosing a warlord with whom to cooperate.

That allowed Liu Bei to stand out from the rest and seize such an enormous opportunity.

Nor had the scholars of Xu Province misjudged Liu Bei. Although he lost Xu Province the following year, during the one year he governed it, he kept taxes and corvée light, caused no trouble, and feared no trouble. He perfectly satisfied the scholars of Xu Province.

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The gentry of this era were, by and large, watchdogs guarding their own gates.

What kind of warlord most satisfied the local gentry?

One who caused no trouble, maintained peace, kept taxes and corvée light, and used as little money as possible to maintain a basic defensive force.

Did they want such a warlord to campaign outward and expand his territory?

That was not impossible. But first, he had to offer the scholars tangible benefits. Once they received those benefits, they would invest in him.

Even then, if a campaign went badly, those gentry clans might immediately lose their nerve. It would be no surprise if they turned against him and withdrew their investment.

Thus, in the eyes of Xu Province’s gentry, Liu Bei—obedient, sensible, and benevolent—still enjoyed immense prestige in Xu Province even after losing it. He could easily rally tens of thousands of men, leaving Lü Bu unable to sleep soundly at night.

By now, Chen Deng had already persuaded the scholars of Xiapi.

They unanimously agreed that, for the sake of Liu Bei’s several thousand troops—men who were both capable fighters and benevolent—the gentry and local magnates of Xiapi were willing to contribute even more money and grain.

Yet Liu Bei’s reaction was somewhat unexpected. He was silent for a moment, then slowly shook his head.

Seeing the confusion and disappointment in Chen Yuanlong’s eyes, Liu Bei explained, “Yuanlong, this is a matter of great importance. Donghai Commandery is not stable either. If we move the provincial seat to Xiapi now, we may lose the support of the scholars of Donghai. Let me consider the matter carefully. I ask that you give me a little more time.”

Chen Yuanlong was somewhat disappointed, but he also understood that pressing too far could defeat the purpose.

Besides, Liu Bei’s words were entirely reasonable. If the provincial seat were moved at this time, the gentry of Donghai would certainly curse him bitterly. After all, Chang Xi was watching hungrily from the north.

Chen Deng therefore decided to lower the banners and silence the drums for the moment, intending to look for a better opportunity and try persuading Liu Bei again.

Although Liu Bei had successfully evaded the issue, he inexplicably felt as though he were in the wrong, and hurriedly changed the subject.

“Yuanlong, I have a wonderful treasure to show you.”

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