Three Kingdoms: Ten Times Speed, Diao Chan Says I'm Too Fast

Apart from Yuan Ji, everyone present changed their expressions.

The meat in front of me felt just like what Yuan Shao had described—not some rare delicacy, but a corpse dug out of a grave.

However, Yuan Shao's next words completely shocked everyone.

"Gentlemen, although these delicacies are not the corpses in the tomb, what difference is there between them and the real thing?"

Yuan Shao gripped his wine cup tightly, frowned, and said, "You all surely know the source of our lavish feasts and music."

"Grain won't grow out of the ground by itself, fish won't leap onto the dinner table, and wild beasts won't run into the cauldron to be eaten by us."

"This cup of wine, this silk robe—aren't they all made from the blood and bones of the common people?"

"Of course, I, Yuan Shao, am not a saint. I am not saying all this to make myself seem noble."

"What I want to say is that Jizhou has just been pacified, and the people have not yet settled down and lived in peace. The surplus grain in their homes is barely enough to fill their stomachs."

“But now that the court is levying taxes, we are officials appointed by the court, receiving the emperor’s salary and sharing the emperor’s burdens. We should not disobey orders and be disrespectful.”

“But if it means levying taxes on the people, cutting off their livelihoods, causing widespread suffering, and plunging them back into despair, I, Yuan Shao, cannot do it.”

"so......"

Yuan Shao straightened his expression and glanced at Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Cui Yan, and the others.

Those sitting below the hall, including Tian Feng, already guessed what Yuan Shao was about to say.

It was nothing more than the imperial court's requisition of grain.

Since Yuan Shao has already said that he cannot collect grain from the people, he should be allowed to do so.

However, the imperial edict could not be ignored.

The person distributing the grain is sitting down in the hall right now, isn't he?

"Therefore... I, Yuan Shao, earnestly request you all today... I will not ask for more from each household, just 100,000 shi of grain per household."

"I suppose this amount of grain is not much for you all, but of course I will not let you give it away for nothing."

"Consider this grain a loan from me, Yuan Shao. Next year, when the people have stored grain and taxes are collected again, I, Yuan Shao, will be the first to return the grain I borrowed from you. I keep my word!"

After speaking, Yuan Shao turned his gaze to Tian Feng and the others.

The hall was silent. Tian Feng, Ju Shou, Shen Pei, Cui Yan, and the others all looked embarrassed and remained silent.

That's right, 100,000 units of grain is not something that these aristocratic families can't afford.

But this is not just about 100,000 rations.

The worst thing is that once something happens, it will happen again.

The war between Duan Yu and the imperial court has only just begun.

How long can a million units of grain last?

A million today, what about tomorrow?

What if it were a million?

No one refused, nor did they agree.

The air temperature dropped to freezing point at that moment.

However, none of this seemed to be beyond Yuan Shao's expectations.

Seeing that the crowd below remained silent, Yuan Shao did not continue to plead.

A hint of ruthlessness gradually crept onto his face.

"Gentlemen... I have long been prepared to invite you all to this gathering."

Yuan Shao said firmly, "I have been in Ji Province for more than a year, and I have discussed everything with you all and listened to your suggestions."

"Ji Province is not my Ji Province, Yuan Shao's Ji Province. This is your homeland, not mine."

"To put it bluntly, if I, Yuan Shao, were to leave Ji Province one day, even if it were just breakfast for the common people, what would it have to do with me, Yuan Shao, if we were to march on your fortified villages?"

"But today, I, Yuan Shao, am going to exercise the powers of the governor."

"Take this as an order, or whatever."

"Each household must provide 100,000 shi of grain, no less. Otherwise, I, Yuan Shao, will personally visit each of you to see if you have any grain in your fortified villages and granaries."

“I, Yuan Shao, may not take this governorship, but before that… I must finish this matter.”

After saying this, Yuan Shao raised his wine cup horizontally and pushed it sharply towards the crowd.

The wine in the glass splashed onto the ground.

"This cup of wine is my invitation to you all!" Yuan Shao's gaze was firm.

The expressions on the faces of Tian Feng and the others below the hall were also quite surprised.

It has been quite a while since Yuan Shao entered Ji Province.

But no one had ever seen Yuan Shao like this before.

When Yuan Shao first arrived in Ji Province, he was always polite and treated the local gentry with great kindness, though he did not blindly obey them.

Why does she suddenly seem like a different person today?

Tian Feng and the others had considered that Yuan Shao had invited them to the banquet today in order to resolve the issue of the imperial court's grain collection.

But no one expected that Yuan Shao would use such a combination of soft and hard tactics.

Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and the others sitting below the hall exchanged glances.

It seems that if we don't agree today, it's clearly not going to work.

"Prefect Tian..."

Yuan Shao's voice gradually rose, saying, "Prefect Tian's family is from Julu. During the Taiping Rebellion, nine out of ten houses in Julu were empty, and the land was desolate. However, after the Taiping Rebellion was quelled, the Tian family seized a considerable amount of land at extremely low prices, or even directly..."

Tian Feng's expression changed.

That's right.

When the Taiping Dao rebelled, Julu was almost completely deserted, and the Tian family did indeed seize a considerable amount of land.

However, this was not something that only the Tian family did.

It wasn't Tian Feng who instructed them.

It was the gentry and powerful families of Jizhou who were all doing this.

"Uncle Fang".

Tian Feng immediately stood up, his face flushed, and said with his hands clasped, "My Tian family is willing to provide these 100,000 shi of grain."

Yuan Shao's gaze then fell upon Ju Shou.

This time, without Yuan Shao having to speak, Ju Shou had already stood up and sighed, saying, "Lord Fang, my Ju family is also willing."

"Uncle Fang..."

"Uncle Fang..."

As Tian Feng and Ju Shou stood up, the rest of the group also stood up and took their share of 100,000 shi of grain.

As Yuan Shao, holding his wine cup, received the wine one by one, a smile gradually appeared on his face.

Of course, this is not a smile of victory.

Yuan Shao understood this without anyone else having to tell him.

Although the million bushels of grain have been obtained.

But later...

It's easy to imagine that the local gentry of Ji Province would no longer treat him the same way they used to.

But... so what?

The joyful atmosphere of the first half of the banquet was naturally overshadowed by Yuan Shao's antics, making it impossible for it to continue.

Tian Feng, Ju Shou, and others took their leave one after another.

Outside the gate of Yuan Shao's governor's mansion.

Sitting in the carriage, Yuan Ji slowly drove away down the long street.

The cool moonlight shone through the car window onto Yuan Ji's slightly pale face, clearly revealing the upward curve of his lips.

................

According to the "Annals of Emperor Xian", Yuan Shao was respected and loved by the people because of his virtuous governance. When he passed away, the people of the four prefectures of Hebei were all grieving, and tears were shed in the cities and alleys as if they had lost a loved one.