Three Kingdoms: I am not Cao Rui

In the military camp outside Wu County.

After several days of mobilization, representatives from the Zhu, Zhang, and Gu families among the four surnames, and the Chen, Huan, Lü, Dou, Gongsun, Sima, Xu, and Fu families among the eight clans, all came here to pay their respects to Guanqiu Jian.

Guanqiu Jian, however, was in no hurry. He chatted with his chief clerk Zhong Yu and the acting governor of Wu County Lou Xuan in his tent, leaving the Wu County gentry aside.

Lou Xuan recounted to Guanqiu Jian the past and history of these Wu County gentry families one by one: which family had produced a rank of two thousand shi (a unit of grain), which family had produced a general, which family controlled the navy, which family had large tracts of land and abundant grain reserves, and which family had produced many criminals...

Zhong Yu was getting a little tired from listening, and involuntarily yawned. He looked at Guanqiu Jian and said:
"General, in my opinion, these Wu County gentry can be summed up in the word 'traitors.' If it weren't for the current situation requiring their assistance, it would be the right thing to do to eliminate them all."

Guanqiu Jian laughed and said, "Uncle Zhi, why do you want to be a famous minister too?"

Zhong Yu also replied with a smile: "I aspire to be a renowned minister someday."

Guanqiu Jian then asked, "Uncle Zhi, would you be willing to take charge of Wu County?"

Zhong Yu shook his head: "I wish to serve as the Prefect of Henan, and do not wish to reside permanently in Yangzhou. To be honest, I have found these past few years in Yangzhou quite unbearable. As a northerner, it would be better to return to Henan."

Guanqiu Jian nodded: "The governor of Henan is fine, but his ambition is a bit short."

Zhong Yu smiled and said, "It's hard to leave one's homeland; Henan is still the best."

Lou Xuan smiled and agreed, but couldn't help feeling a little uneasy.

On one hand, to these high-ranking officials and noble families of Wei, the so-called "Four Clans and Eight Families" of Wu Commandery were nothing more than insignificant figures in a large commandery on the periphery of a province. Not to mention how Guanqiu Jian gained the trust of the Wei emperor, becoming a commander-in-chief before the age of forty. The young clerk in his early twenties sitting opposite Lou Xuan was actually the eldest son of Zhong Yao, the first Grand Tutor of Wei, and had served as a Gentleman Attendant to the Emperor for six or seven years. Guanqiu Jian had once jokingly told Lou Xuan that Zhong Yu treated the emperor almost like his own nephew.

Moreover, Guanqiu Jian spoke casually about the Wu Commandery to Zhong Yu. When Zhong Yu said he wanted to become the Governor of Henan in the future, Guanqiu Jian showed no surprise whatsoever, as if he assumed that if Zhong Yu wanted to do it, he definitely could.

On the other hand, Zhong Yu, a registrar in his early twenties, immediately proposed the execution of these second-rate aristocratic families in Wu Commandery. Indeed, for the Zhong family of Yingchuan, how many truly respectable aristocratic families were there in the entire land?
Moreover, Lou Xuan also recalled many old stories from the Han Dynasty.

During the reigns of Emperors Huan and Ling, the court was in turmoil. It became a standard procedure for prefects to execute several powerful local clans as a demonstration of authority upon taking office. Take Liu Biao, Liu Jingsheng, the governor of Jingzhou, for example. On his first day in office, with the help of the Cai and Kuai families, he held a grand banquet and killed more than thirty powerful local clans at the banquet, calling them "traitors of the clans."

As Lou Xuan pondered, he thought of the "acting" in front of his title as the Prefect of Wu Commandery, wondering when he would be promoted to the official position.

After chatting for a while, Guanqiu Jian stood up and led Zhong Yu and Lou Xuan to the place where the four clans and eight families were waiting.

Upon Guanqiu Jian's arrival, Gu Tan, Zhu Yi, and representatives of prominent families in Wu County bowed respectfully to greet him.

"Excuse me."

Guanqiu Jian sat in the main seat, looked around, met the gazes of those who were either flattering or fearful, and then said: "I suppose you all came to my court today not to listen to my idle chatter. There are only three things I have to say to you all."

"Firstly, each of the so-called 'eight clans' shall recommend one person from their clan to serve as a separate commander of a thousand-stone rank, under the command of this general. The old grudges and grievances between you and the Wu Kingdom and the Sun family shall be wiped clean, and this general will not pursue them further, nor will the court. As for the official positions you held in the Wu Kingdom, the court will transfer you to positions of the same rank. A two-thousand-stone rank will remain a two-thousand-stone rank, a one-thousand-stone rank will remain a one-thousand-stone rank, a six-hundred-stone rank will remain a six-hundred-stone rank, and so on."

"Secondly, I know that a large portion of the wealth of the entire Wu Commandery is stored in the official granaries of Wu County and Jiaxing, and most of the surplus is stored in the treasuries of your respective households. My army is stationed in Wu County, and the provisions and supplies will naturally be supplied by this commandery. The commanders of each of your households who serve as separate commanders must act under the command of the commandery, that is, Prefect Lou. If you delay the supply of military provisions, you will be punished for the crime of delaying military operations."

"Thirdly, each household shall recruit private soldiers to accompany their general on expeditions to quell rebellions. Each household shall be required to have 500 servants, no more, no less."

"These are the three points," Guanqiu Jian said with a smile. "What are your opinions? If you have something to say, then say it."

The prominent families of Wu County seated in the tent had long heard from Lou Xuan that Guanqiu Jian was kind and generous, came from a distinguished family, and was not difficult to talk to.

The first of Guanqiu Jian's three points were: first, absolution for past ties with the Sun family, and protection of the future prospects of his family members with official careers, even promising each of them a high-ranking official position. The second and third points were indeed excessively restrictive of the clan's wealth, but then again, what more could a person from a fallen state ask for? This was already the best option available!
Although I understand this principle in my mind, I still try to persuade them verbally.

An elderly man, around sixty years old, stood up and bowed to Guanqiu Jian:
"I am Sima Liang of the Wu Commandery, paying my respects to General Guanqiu."

Is he a man surnamed Sima?
Guanqiu Jian snorted inwardly, but his thoughts involuntarily drifted back to the night nine years ago when His Majesty first appointed him as the Commandant of the Yue Cavalry. At that time, the Emperor had sent him as an envoy to the residence of Sima Yi, who was then the General of the Garrison, for questioning.

Guanqiu Jian remembered Sima Yi's sinister gaze by the door very clearly, so much so that for many years, Guanqiu Jian had no goodwill towards Sima Yi in the court, and consequently kept his distance from anyone with the surname Sima.

However, Guanqiu Jian still replied with a smile, "Sima Liang, I remember that your family has lived in Jiaxing for generations, right? Jiaxing is rich in fish and salt, and your family is one of the wealthiest in the county. What do you want to tell me?"

Sima Liang cupped his hands and said, "I have something I wish to report to the general. Please grant me permission."

"Speak," Guanqiu Jian waved his hand.

Sima Liang said, "I think what you said about the first and third points is absolutely correct, and I and my clan will definitely support it. However, the second point requires all the clan's wealth, which is really a bit difficult."

"My clan is not well-off. The talk of them being rich and powerful is just rumors circulating in the county. I hope the general will show some compassion for the people of the county!"

Others chimed in.

Guanqiu Jian chuckled and pointed at Zhu Yi: "Zhu Yi, help me get this Sima Liang down."

Zhu Yi stood up, clasped his hands in agreement, and dragged Sima Liang away.

"General...General, why is this happening?" Sima Liang exclaimed in surprise. (End of Chapter)