Northern Prefecture Rivers and Mountains

Chapter 65 Giving up
The Xiao family’s non-cooperation made Liu Daogui’s plan fail.

At present, the total amount of farmland is only more than 2,400 acres, which is also 24 hectares. The population of the village, including the elderly, the weak, women and children, is more than 400 soldiers, a total of more than 1,200 people.

If it is evenly distributed to each person, it is less than two acres.

It's impossible to feed these people.

If you want to feed everyone, you have to reclaim more wasteland, but to reclaim wasteland, you need to invest more material and energy, and it will take at least three years to produce results, and the first two years are all investment.

Therefore, ordinary people are unwilling to reclaim wasteland, and only the powerful are willing to do so.

Even if Liu Daogui tried his best, he wouldn't be able to pay back the interest of four or five thousand strings of cash by the end of the year...

After much thought, this is a dead end!

Moreover, in a month and a half, the more than 400 soldiers under his command will have to return to Guangling. By then, will the surrounding bandits still be so peaceful?

Before the central troops left, bandits from Mount Tai came to harass them.

Perhaps the Xiao family saw this clearly, so they have been unwilling to cooperate.

But since this road is blocked, we can only take another one.

Liu Daogui looked at the map of Lanling County and the various forces marked on it, and an idea gradually emerged in his mind.

People are forced out.

Originally, I just wanted to find a place to farm honestly and keep to myself.

It doesn't seem to work at the moment...

A day later, Liu Guangzhi and Liu Zun came back. Seeing that they did not bring their families back, Liu Daogui felt relieved.

"The situation in Jingkou is calm."

"Why didn't Zhong come back?"

Liu Zun said, "We are plowing the fields at home. Ah Zhong and his seven brothers are staying in Jingkou to help with the farming and take care of our aunt."

"A-Zhong is still very thoughtful." Liu Daogui slapped his forehead. He had been thinking about killing and setting fires these days and had almost gone astray.

Liu Guangzhi said: "Nothing happened in Guangling. The news from the military headquarters said that Huan Chengzhi died due to excessive indulgence. Then the matter was made small and nothing happened. Even the Tianshi Dao didn't pursue it..."

Both the Huan family and the Tianshi Dao have great ambitions and use each other. They will not fall out over a member of a side branch.

Liu Daogui breathed a sigh of relief. No matter what the intentions of the person behind the scenes were, at least he had no bad intentions towards him at the moment. On the contrary, the assassination of Huan Chengzhi had been carried out in a tacit and clean manner, making him a secret ally.

"Is there any other news from the military government?"

"The newly appointed Sima of the Front Department is Yuan Can, Yuan He's nephew. Tan Shao has been transferred to Yanzhou as an official."

The governor of Yanzhou was Wang Gong. Tan Shao jumped from a ninth-rank Sima to a seventh-rank Yanzhou official, a promotion of three ranks in a row. For someone from a humble background, it was a meteoric rise.

If the Tan family continues to operate for a few more years, they will be able to move from a humble family to the ranks of the lower-class aristocracy.

But why did Wang Gong favor him so much?
There is also Yuan Can. Liu Daogui had never heard of this person before, but he took control of the real power right from the start.

No reward without merit, everything has a cause, and the things behind it are chilling.

After killing Huan Chengzhi, Liu Daogui felt like he was being used as a knife...

This shows that the people above have already noticed the General Zhenglu's Mansion.

They were helpless against the Hu people, but when it came to dealing with their own people, they were very clever and came up with all kinds of ingenious plans.

"Isn't Tan Shao's uncle Tan Pingzhi an official under Sima Daozi? Why would Tan Shao join Wang Gong's army?" Gao Xun was also puzzled.

"Wang Gong has been sent to garrison the Northern Prefecture. With military power in his hands, his strength has surpassed Sima Daozi. Tan Pingzhi is also a former general of the Northern Prefecture. It is not surprising that he has defected to Wang Gong's army."

In Liu Daogui's current position, he could only speculate on the development of the court situation by observing the changes around him. The petty schemes of those above him were beyond the reach of those below him.

In fact, if he were Wang Gong, he would not allow others to sleep soundly beside his bed, and he would definitely not sit idly by and watch Guangling, which is across the river, being controlled by the Huan family.

In order to dismantle the power of the Huan family in Guangling, it is necessary to first dismantle Huan Hong's military power.

Therefore, Huan Chengzhi's death was only natural...

To a certain extent, Huan Chengzhi did not die at his own hands. Even if he had not done it, Huan Chengzhi would not have lived long.

Liu Daogui was just a chess piece who happened to appear at that point.

But this is not a bad thing. Being able to become a pawn means that there is value in being used. At least Liu Daogui can be sure that the Liu family will not be in any danger for the time being.

"What you said is so confusing. The more I listen, the more confused I become." Liu Zun opened his eyes wide.

Liu Daogui laughed, "You're right not to understand. Maybe I'm overthinking it."

Liu Zun said, "In another month and a half, the Central Army will have to return. In my opinion, this Red Mountain Stronghold can't support many people."

"The Xiao family is unwilling to lend us seeds and farm tools, so it's all in vain for us to open the fields." Gao Xun looked distressed.

"If we can't get out, then we won't. Let's go straight to the city! We are the General of the Conqueror Army, not some refugee army, beggar army, or even bandits. The entire Lanling is ours, let's go to the city with dignity!"

Liu Daogui slammed the blank military order on the table.

Yuan He only gave us two months, and if we just followed the rules, we would end up accomplishing nothing.

These days, the timid will starve to death, and the bold will die of gluttony. If you want to play, play big. Although Chishan Village is good, its development potential is limited. It will take a long time to pay off the debts of small-scale operations.

The city of Yu is the seat of Lanling County, located in the center of the county. It has a city, population, and fields. Why is such a good place occupied by the Cao family?

"What?" Everyone was surprised.

Gao Xun said: "Tao Ze, the Cao family is powerful, with more than 800 clans, men, women, young and old can all join the battle!"

More than 800 families, nearly 4,000 people, it sounds really scary.

"So what if they have occupied the city for four or five years? Without the imperial court's appointment, they are just bandits. We are the government army. How can the government army give way to bandits?" Liu Daogui knew that they would be so surprised. The gap in power between the two sides was too big, but these were only superficial comparisons.

Cao Tengyun had previously driven out the county magistrate and prefect sent by the court, which showed that he did not really have a falling out with the court.

Otherwise it is not expulsion.

Now that Wang Gong was in charge of Jingkou, he was quite motivated and appointed Liu Laozhi to be the governor of Pengcheng.

Even if Cao Tengyun had ten times the courage, he would not dare to openly attack the soldiers of the conquering army.

"Haha, that's exactly right. Lanling County has no county governor and no garrison commander. We are the biggest. The Cao family should be afraid of us!" Liu Zun was most enthusiastic about this kind of thing.

Liu Guangzhi smiled but said nothing.

Zhao Lunzhi looked at Liu Daogui and said, "Well, now that we're here, what are you afraid of?"

Zhou Zheng now follows Liu Daogui's lead.

Everyone looked at Gao Xun again.

Although Liu Daogui holds the highest position in this small group, Gao Xun, Zhao Lunzhi and Zhou Zheng each control a unit of troops, and their cooperation is still needed in order to work together.

Nothing can be accomplished if you pretend to obey but actually disobey.

"I'd rather sacrifice my life for a gentleman just for once!" Gao Xun finally agreed.

Liu Daogui fetched a brush and ink, and as he wrote on the silk, he recited: "The General of the Army, under the command of the General, orders Liu Daogui, a military officer, to enter the city of Qi, to cultivate land and garrison the border, to support the army and civilians, and to eliminate bandits. All military affairs in the county are under his command!"

(End of this chapter)