My Sims of the Eastern Jin Dynasty

On the city tower of Tanxian.

Xiao Heng leaned against the mottled battlements, gazing at the field outside the city that had been temporarily designated as a drill ground.

Hundreds of laborers were being yelled at and forced into a crooked formation by Han Yong's old soldiers.

He suddenly remembered the time a month ago, in the military tent of the Northern Army, when he answered Xie Xuan's question.

Xiao Heng is now anxious, knowing that his failure to return to camp will surely cause dissatisfaction among some people.

Just as Xie Xuan would face pressure from Jiankang in Huaibei.

Standing atop this low city tower, looking at the hundreds of "soldiers" before him, so many of whom he couldn't even tell left from right, Xiao Heng suddenly felt a chill run down his spine.

So this is what it feels like to have an empty chessboard but no chess pieces.

Han Yong returned yesterday, bringing news from the salt fields.

Chen Jiao's conditions were very straightforward: he wanted to bring more than two hundred of his men into the Northern Army, with no shortage of rosters, provisions, or pay, and he also wanted a real position as a squad leader.

The other two groups of refugee leaders, having somehow gotten wind of the situation, each sent their trusted confidants over, all conveying the same message: what Chen Jiao has, they want too.

Xiao Heng pressed his temples.

How could a mere supervisor who was barely promoted by Sun Wuzhong have the authority to grant the position of squad leader?

Not to mention being incorporated into the Northern Army system, and besides...

He looked eastward; the invitation had been sent three days ago, but it had vanished without a trace.

Taking in these three groups is like taking meat from the Wang family's bowl.

He was reluctant to accept them, as the three groups together numbered at least a thousand.

These people are not laborers; they almost stormed Jiankang City back then.

"Supervisor!"

Xu Xianzhi had somehow climbed up the city wall and stood beside him.

"Chen and Jiao's men are still waiting outside the camp, and the other two families have arrived today!"

"You're killing me!"

Xiao Heng twitched the corner of his mouth.

"Zongwen, what do you think?"

Xu Xianzhi remained silent for a moment.

"Last night, we revisited the old accounts of the saltworks. In the thirty years that the Wang family has controlled the saltworks, no fewer than ten disobedient leaders like Chen Jiao have disappeared, both openly and secretly. The reason these three groups of refugee leaders are still alive is not because the Wang family is merciful, but because these three families are very law-abiding!"

"Things aren't that simple!"

Xiao Heng spoke.

Xu Xianzhi nodded.

"Supervisor, you'd better start planning as soon as possible!"

The wind picked up, whipping up yellow dust from the drill ground and blurring the stumbling figures.

Xiao Heng did not answer, but suddenly asked, "If Governor Xie were here, what decision would he make?"

Xu Xianzhe thought for a moment and then said slowly.

"Governor Xie will weigh the pros and cons of incorporating the displaced leaders against the harm of offending the Wang family, and will also weigh the impact of this matter on the overall situation of the Northern Army."

"In other words, they will most likely accept it."

Xiao Heng smiled.

He turned away, no longer looking at the laborers training, but towards the county government office in the city, where he was temporarily staying.

"But Governor Xie has tens of thousands of troops in the Northern Army and the prestige of the Xie family of Jiankang."

Xiao Heng's voice lowered.

"I have these several hundred laborers who can't tell left from right, and the Northern Army behind me!"

Xu Xianzhi remained silent.

Xiao Heng stopped and turned around to give the order.

"In the name of Xiao Heng, the acting governor of Tan County and the military commander of the Northern Army, a proclamation shall be drafted immediately and copies sent to Qu County and all coastal villages."

"Inform the people: It is feared that barbarian cavalry will soon arrive from the east. To avoid further bloodshed, we urge them to make plans to flee as soon as possible. Those who wish to migrate south should register at the east gate of Tan County within three days, and our army may provide escort as appropriate!"

"Also, summon Han Yong and order him to personally go to the salt fields again. I want to see Chen Jiao, and the leaders of the other two families. If they wish, invite them all as well."

A glint flashed in Xu Xianzhi's eyes, and he instantly understood Xiao Heng's plan.

"Yes, sir!"

He turned and descended the city wall with swift steps.

Xiao Heng remained alone on the city wall, watching Xu Xianzhi's departing figure, and immediately activated the simulation.

[Start Historical Simulation]

[Simulation attempts consumed: 1]

[Current number of attempts remaining: 13]

The words flowed like a cold stream.

That night, Chen Jiao, Lu Da, and Zhou Laosi, along with a small number of their entourage, arrived in Tan County.

You will meet three people in the military camp.

You proposed that the three tribes' forces must temporarily submit to the command of the Northern Army.

All three showed dissatisfaction.

You then promised that if they performed their duties diligently and showed outstanding performance during this period, you would personally recommend them to Sun Wuzhong and even Xie Xuan to secure them formal positions within the Northern Army.

The three exchanged glances, and ultimately, under the pressure of the five-day deadline you gave them and the "bandit suppression" warning, they temporarily obeyed you.

The three left the military camp overnight.

[Simulation Ended]

[Historical Participation Rate: 16%]

[Historical Points Gained: 12]

[Evaluation: You used both coercion and enticement to temporarily restrain the uncontrollable forces and bring stability to the territory.]

Xiao Heng slowly opened his eyes.

Below the city gate, Xu Xianzhi was leading several clerks hurriedly across the drill ground, clearly on their way to arrange proclamations and deliver orders.

The simulation results reassured Xiao Heng, as the simulation was based entirely on information he already knew.

Although the three wolves were unwilling, they were ultimately temporarily tethered by the reputation of the Northern Army and the tangible way out.

The five-day agreement was enough for him to do a lot of things and to see many things clearly.

He didn't linger, turned around and walked down the city wall.

That night.

Temporary camp of the Northern Army in Tan County.

The camp was set up in a square shape, with a high gate and imposing watchtowers.

Most striking were the two rows of armored soldiers standing solemnly on either side of the gate. They were all the most elite veterans under Han Yong's command, all wearing double-layered armor, covered with red military uniforms, and carrying ring-pommel swords.

Everyone stood as still as spears and halberds, seemingly oblivious to Chen Jiao and his group as they approached. Only the chilling aura of battle veterans silently permeated the air.

Chen Jiao paused almost imperceptibly.

The men behind him, who had initially exuded a wild air, subconsciously withdrew their gazes from looking around and gripped their weapons tightly.

Inside the camp, the soldiers were disciplined and obeyed orders without question, with their patrols proceeding in neat formations and with synchronized steps.

The banners bearing the characters "Xie" and "Beifu" standing in various places on the distant drill ground were nearly twice as many as those in ordinary camps, fluttering in the wind and creating the illusion of abundant military strength.

Xu Xianzhi, dressed as a scholar in a blue robe, was already waiting inside the gate.

Upon seeing the three arrive, he stepped forward, cupped his hands in greeting, and remained composed.

"Three leaders, the supervisor is already waiting in the tent. Please follow me."

His gaze swept calmly over the three men, lingering for a moment on Zhou Laosi, in particular.

Chen Jiao recognized this as the standard etiquette of the Northern Army and nodded silently.

Lu Da looked around, but Zhou Laosi gently tugged at his sleeve.

The security at the central command tent was even tighter than at the camp gate.

After handing over their weapons, the three were led into the tent.

Xiao Heng was not fully armed, but sat upright in the main seat wearing only a dark blue casual robe.

Han Yong and Chen Daru, two gatekeepers, stood half a step behind him.

Without exchanging pleasantries, Xiao Heng gestured for the three of them to take their seats.

The tent was simply furnished, with a rough map of Donghai County in the center, a wooden table, and several stools.

Xiao Heng got straight to the point, stating the conditions proposed in the simulation.

"Gentlemen, the barbarian cavalry are eyeing the east, and the East China Sea may no longer be peaceful. The Northern Army has been ordered to garrison the area. All those within the territory who are armed and have gathered in groups must be reorganized and ordered to jointly resist the foreign aggression!"

"From this day forward, all your troops under your command must be under the control and orders of the Northern Army, and must obey all commands immediately!"

Upon hearing this, Lu Da glared at him, ready to explode.

Xiao Heng ignored him and continued.

"If you do not obey, you will be treated as a bandit or mountain brigand, and will be immediately arrested and suppressed without any leniency."

He paused for a moment, then offered another option.

"If you are unwilling to be bound by this rule, you have five days to gather your troops and leave the territory of Donghai County. If any unauthorized armed forces remain after five days..."

The tent was deathly silent, with only the faint crackling of the brazier.

Chen Jiao clenched his fists. In his youth, he had served as a soldier in Langya County. He was forced to flee after offending a powerful local tyrant. How could he not yearn to return to the army and have a respectable identity? But he had several lives on his hands, including those of government officials and the Northern Army... Could they really tolerate him?

He glanced at Han Yong, which reminded him of the scene a few days ago when the two hit it off immediately.

Old Zhou lowered his eyes, his fingers gently fidgeting inside his sleeve.

He was the only one of the three who had actually read some books and knew best how deep the waters were in this salt field.

The so-called local powerful families who controlled the salt fields were nothing more than puppets on the stage. The real masters were the Wang family of Taiyuan, and even higher up in Jiankang City, who were essentially the money bags of certain people.

These refugee leaders, to put it nicely, are the henchmen protecting the salt; to put it bluntly, they are scapegoats who can be thrown out to take the blame at any time.

The Northern Army? He had heard of Xie Xuan's name, but the Northern Army was newly established and its foundation was not yet stable. Could it really gain a foothold in Donghai, which was far from Jiankang and where powerful clans were deeply entrenched?

He was filled with doubts.

Lu Da, however, had a different mindset. He was originally a leader of the refugees, who rose to power by ousting the original leader. He believed in following whoever had the biggest fist and whoever gave him food.

The formation Xiao Heng displayed and the word "suppress" made him feel uneasy.

Even though the Northern Army was small in number, their bearing and equipment were clearly something that these ragtag bunches couldn't possibly handle head-on.

Leave the East China Sea? Where can we go? To the north are the Hu people, to the south... we're in unfamiliar territory.

His eyes darted around, oscillating violently between "following orders might mean food" and "not leaving might mean immediate death."

Xu Xianzhi quietly moved to a spot slightly behind Xiao Heng and spoke at the opportune moment, his voice much gentler.

"Three leaders, what the supervisor said, though a military order, is also a way to find a long-term future for you and your brothers. In these chaotic times, life is uncertain. If we can be incorporated into the Northern Army, we will have a foothold. Moreover, defending against the barbarians and protecting our territory is a matter of great righteousness. It is beneficial both publicly and privately!"

Xiao Heng said no more, but simply watched the three of them quietly, waiting for their reply.