The Later Three Kingdoms: Slaying Deng Ai, and Reviving the Han Dynasty

"Da da da!!!!"

Liu Chen's group disguised themselves as a merchant caravan and headed south along the main road. They encountered many carriages and horses along the way.

They were either merchants or scholars.

Merchants were wealthy and powerful, scholars were dressed in fine clothes, and they all had many followers.

A scene of peace and prosperity.

On the carriage, Liu Chen looked down at the bamboo slips in his hand. His estate in Guangdu was based on the farmland given to him by Liu Zan.

Originally, there were two to three thousand acres of land, eighty households, and four to five hundred adult men and women.

Zhuangzi had a good foundation, with not only fertile fields, but also mulberry fields, silkworm houses, and many other industries.

After Zhang Fei arrived in Guangdu, the amount of farmland increased to more than five thousand mu.

Moe-hu also doubled.

Last year's grain, Shu brocade, and silk products.

Some of the grain was sold, and all the Shu brocade and silk were exchanged for gold, silver, and copper coins.

"Good." Liu Chen put down the bamboo slips and nodded with a smile.

Liu Chen's carriage swayed and rattled as it arrived in Guangdu.

Guangdu, which is also adjacent to Chengdu, shares the same positioning as Fanxian.

With thriving commerce, Shu brocade is a pillar industry.

The land is fertile, resulting in extremely high grain yields. However, land prices are much cheaper than in Chengdu.

The population is extremely large, but the registered population is decreasing year by year. Many ordinary people have become dependents of large clans.

Liu Chen was resting with his eyes closed when he suddenly heard a noise.

"Master Yang, can't we wait a bit? Spring is just around the corner. If we're not home, it will affect spring planting, and we won't be able to harvest any grain in the autumn."

"Waaaaah."

Liu Chen opened his eyes and saw three officials leading away more than a dozen men. The men were wearing patched clothes, their faces were pale and thin, and their expressions were bitter.

There were many women and children crying nearby.

"Alas. I know you're in a difficult situation. But we cannot disobey the imperial court's orders. You must transport grain to Hanzhong immediately." The leading official also sighed, saying helplessly.

"Why."

"Waaaaah."

The men looked somber, while the women wept even more bitterly.

Despite their inability to resist the powerful, these men set off. Some of the women even fainted from crying, as if it were a matter of life and death.

It was indeed a separation of life and death.

Upon seeing this, Liu Chen remained silent for a moment, then sighed, "The parting of husband and wife in Shihao Village sheds more tears than at the Palace of Eternal Life."

The story of Emperor Xuanzong of Tang and Yang Guifei is both moving and tragic.

But who pities ordinary couples?

The Liu Han dynasty is now increasingly weak, yet it continues to wage war and expand its military.

This wouldn't have happened when Zhuge Liang was alive. Anyone with common sense wouldn't mobilize able-bodied people for corvée labor during the spring planting season.

With the medical standards of this era, one might die from a long trip.

This is truly a separation of life and death.

The soldiers beside Liu Chen sighed upon seeing this scene, sharing his feelings.

Before joining the army, they were also poor men, and their situation was no different from that of these separated couples.

It was Liu Chen who conscripted the kingdom's troops, changing their fate. They now have salaries to support their families, meat to eat, and winter and summer stipends. Hunting in the mountains and forests not only allows them to feast on wild game but also brings additional rewards.

It's like paradise.

As for strict military discipline and arduous training, that's nothing at all.

The soldier turned and looked back at Liu Chen, his eyes filled with gratitude.

This corvée labor was not just a matter for one village, but for the entire Guangdu County.

Groups of men, led by officials, gathered in the county town with sorrowful expressions.

Liu Chen sympathized with these pale and sickly-looking couples who were separated, but there was nothing he could do but watch.

Liu Chen quickly arrived at his own manor and put aside his heavy mood.

Upon arriving at the manor, Liu Chen clearly sensed the difference in atmosphere.

Spring hasn't started yet.

It's the off-season for farming.

The fields and edges of the land were all wasteland. Many children were playing on the wasteland. Older children were leading younger children.

Their silvery laughter carried far.

Liu Chen carefully examined their clothes, a slight smile appearing on his face, his heavy mood easing considerably.

Unlike the children outside, the people in his village enjoyed much better living conditions in all aspects.

Their complexions are rosy, and some are even a little overweight.

The clothes he was wearing looked very thick.

There's no need for corvée labor or military service. This ensures that agricultural production isn't disrupted, and order is maintained.

If military service and corvée labor are reasonable, civil officials are not greedy, and lower-level officials do not exploit the people, the common people can actually live a very good life.

Liu Chen ordered the carriage to stop and waved to a group of children.

The children saw that Liu Chen's group was large, and although Liu Chen himself was only dressed in ordinary clothes, his handsome appearance and dignified demeanor made it clear that he was an extraordinary person.

They were a little timid and didn't dare to come over. After hesitating for a moment, an older child led the younger children over.

"What are your instructions, sir?" the older child asked, bowing respectfully.

The other children lowered their heads, looking uneasy.

Liu Chen smiled and looked at his face, then reached out and pulled at his clothes to check their thickness.

The older child's face turned red; he didn't understand what Liu Chen meant.

Liu Chen remained silent and returned to his carriage. He then said to those around him, "Give them two bags of rice."

"Yes." The man on the left and right responded loudly, walked to the large cart at the back, and took down two bags of rice from the burlap sacks.

Each bag contains 100 jin (50 kg) of rice.

The children were dumbfounded. Then they were overjoyed and bowed, saying, "Thank you so much, sir."

They had no idea what was going on, but getting a mint was like a windfall.

"Once I come to power, I will make sure that the people of Yizhou live at the same standard as the people of Wangzhuang now," Liu Chen thought to himself.

Reasonable transfer of corvée labor and conscription of soldiers.

A reasonable war.

Control your desires and build fewer palaces.

Establish a clean bureaucratic system and suppress powerful clans.

Liu Chen shook his head, suppressing the various thoughts in his mind.

That day will come.

Zhuangzi has arrived.

The carriage stopped, Liu Chen looked up, and then stepped down onto a small stool.

Zhuangzi is very large in scale.

The gate is very grand.

The door was open, and there were strong men guarding it. The strong men looked at Liu Chen's group with blank expressions.

Because Liu Chen did not inform Zhang Fei in advance.

The village was completely unprepared.

Liu Chen's eunuch went up to negotiate, and the strong man guarding the gate immediately changed his expression, then knelt down with a thud, repeatedly saying, "This humble one...this humble one."

After they calmed down, someone welcomed Liu Chen and the others in. Someone else rushed into the manor to inform Zhang Fei.

Liu Chen calmly entered the manor and soon saw Zhang Fei rushing towards him.

"I didn't know Your Majesty..." He stopped, bowed, and tried to apologize.

Liu Chen reached out to help him up, and said with a smile, "I came without prior notice, so you don't need to feel embarrassed or apologetic."

After a pause, Liu Chen continued, "I have seen the accounts of the surplus grain and wealth from last autumn's harvest. Today, I came to Guangdu and saw that the households in the estates are all doing well. You are very diligent and capable, and I am very pleased."

No matter how well one performs a task, approval from superiors is still necessary. Zhang Fei, suddenly energized, took a step back, took a deep breath, and bowed, saying, "I am deeply grateful for Your Majesty's praise."