Silver Fox of the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 282

After coming out of the mansion, Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu walked slowly with Shen Chen.

Liu Bei just got the seal of Jingzhou today, so naturally he couldn't give orders immediately, now he has been with Liu Qi, caring about his physical illness, and the three of them took half a day's leisure to go out and have a look.

The three of them did not take the carriage, but walked along the street, and before they knew it, they came to the door of a restaurant.

Coincidentally, this restaurant was opened by Deng Hong. It was here that Shen Chen and Xu Shupangtong met for the first time, and they had a debate with Wang Can and Xu Shupangtong at that time.

"I'm hungry and a little tired."

Xu Shu looked at the restaurant, stretched his waist and said, "Xiaoqing, don't you invite us to sit in?"

Shen Chen was surprised and said: "Just now, the eldest son of the mansion hosted a banquet for General Zuo. The banquet was rich. Didn't brother Yuan Zhi have enough?"

Xu Shu curled his lips: "The food on the table tastes like chewing wax. How can it be as delicious as yours? What's more, when the eldest son said those words suddenly, I was also shocked at that time, and I didn't dare to move my chopsticks."

Shen Chen said with a smile: "I'm afraid it's not that I dare not move my chopsticks, but that the food doesn't suit Brother Yuanzhi's appetite. Brother Yuanzhi is used to eating, and he only stares at me to eat."

At the local level, the barbarians should be appeased, and the land should be distributed to the people who have no land.

Shen Chen also nodded and said: "Back then I made a plan to the King of Chu to take in the remnants of the Yellow Turbans and hundreds of thousands of refugees from Guanzhong, Henan and other places, reclaim wasteland, and raise people's fields. For this reason, the king of Chu recruited troops wantonly, and he felt that he could swallow the world with anger, but it was overthrown in an instant, leaving many future troubles, and it really needs to be rectified."

Xu Shu laughed loudly and stepped into the restaurant: "You rich man, even my son, my grandson, and grandchildren, I don't know how many generations will not be able to eat you poor."

After Shen Chen came in, the shopkeeper broke out in a cold sweat when he saw him, hurriedly walked over and bowed his head and said, "Young master is here."

Jingzhou is quite different.

Now Xu Shu also saw that something was wrong, Zhuge Liang stared at Shen Chen, so he asked, "Brother, is there something on my face?"

Xu Shu and Shen Chen looked at each other, slightly hesitant.

"The eldest son's move today was planned by you."

It's just that there was Jia Xu secretly doing something, he turned a blind eye and didn't make a sound, that's all, he didn't do anything to assassinate Liu Biao and Liu Qi at all.

His way of doing things is also very smart. He knows that there is a lot of resistance, and he is afraid of causing a strong backlash. Like many of Wang Mang's policies, he will cause anger and resentment.

Because of the township issue.

"Will Xiaoqing let me eat?"

"Well."

When he was crowned, which aristocratic family didn't send someone over to give gifts?

"Naturally yes"

"That's natural."

"That's not OK."

"That's not it."

At that time, after the Yellow Turban Rebellion and Dong Zhuo Rebellion, Cheng Yu's hometown also had no aristocratic families, and the capable ones left early, leaving only some poor people who could not escape.

Seeing their hesitation, Zhuge Liang said softly, "Let me do this."

Nanyang and Jiangxia are often at war, but Nanjun, Zhangling and Jingnan areas are relatively stable, there are many powerful families, and the relationships inside are intricate and extremely complicated.

Land and population reforms are bound to steal food from their mouths.

So it's a dilemma.

Zhuge Liang smiled slightly, followed the two of them in without speaking.

"It's all just a coincidence."

Zhuge Liang pondered: "Xiaoqing once said that frogs are boiled in warm water. The current situation in Jingzhou is not suitable for radicalization. If the system is forced to be reformed, the family will be alienated and the people will not live. Therefore, I plan to start with the army and officials, lay off the old and weak soldiers, and investigate and deal with corrupt officials. , The shilling army has elite soldiers and strong generals, the local government can be clear, and then it will take three to five years, or even longer, to improve people's livelihood step by step."

For example, in the military, the old and the weak are eliminated, the elite are retained, and soldiers are trained.

Therefore, Zhuge Liang will be under great pressure to engage in internal affairs in Jingzhou.

But if we do that in Jingzhou, there will be great resistance. The two sisters' husband's family and father-in-law's family will be under pressure from all parties.

At the same time, it is necessary to deal with aristocratic families with fierce corrections, reduce farmland, check out hidden households, and free slaves.

Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "I just feel that there is something strange in it. When the lord came to Longzhong to look for me, he told me that Xiaoqing planned for him. When the king of Chu proclaims himself emperor, the lord can get Jingzhou. I was thinking at that time, the king of Chu If you are powerful, even if you become emperor, how can you get the Lord Jingzhou? As a result, in less than two years, the King of Chu died, the huge foundation fell apart, and the Lord won in the chaos."

None of this is easy to handle.

The local atmosphere of the Han Dynasty was extremely strong, and fellow villagers held together in other places to keep warm, which was called the Xiangdang.In the local area, foreigners will be excluded together, and they will not help their relatives.

"Hahahahaha."

It's just that it's not peaceful recently, and the business is not very good. There are no customers at noon, and the shopkeeper and the waiter are just dozing there bored.

But it was because of the rough planning and the firmness of what he said before that everything went too smoothly. Almost three years have passed since Liu Biao proclaimed himself emperor, and Liu Bei really won Jingzhou as Shen Chen said.

Zhuge Liang said: "There are so many variables here, no one can guarantee it. And it's not just the King of Chu, it's the same now. Seeing that the eldest son regained Jingzhou, when our plan to seek the south was about to fail, the son suddenly became seriously ill, and the power as a last resort belonged to My lord, Xiaoqing seems to know when something will happen to the king of Chu and the eldest son, which makes me quite puzzled."

His own clan also belongs to those with vested interests, and has many ties to the major families in Jingzhou.

Shen Chen nodded, then turned to look at Xu Shu: "What are you eating?"

Xu Shu pondered and said: "I'm afraid we will have to carry out up-and-down rectification, such as abolishing troops and horses, working hard on farming, accumulating money and grain, and building swords and soldiers. At least a few years will be needed to recuperate."

Because he is not a native of Yizhou, there is no need to care about the interests of these powerful Yizhou families. If he is offended, he will be offended. Those people can't make trouble.

It's not that he is lazy, but that he doesn't need planning at all.

Shen Chen poured himself a glass of water to cover up his guilt.

Shen Chen naturally couldn't admit it, and quibbled: "Brother, don't suspect that I am behind the scenes. Everyone knows that I have been favored by the King of Chu, and I am on good terms with the eldest son. I have lived and died for the great cause of the King of Chu. How can I have the intention of betraying the Lord?" ?”

"hope so."

Zhuge Liang nodded slightly, then looked at Shen Chen again and said, "However, if the eldest son can think of those things, I don't believe it. I'm afraid someone will push him behind."

Even if it is forcibly suppressed, it will offend a large number of stakeholders including relatives and friends. It is estimated that the entire Jingzhou gentry will call him a white-eyed wolf who eats inside and outside.

Brother Xindao is really wise and close to a monster, and he can see some clues through some clues.

"Eat, eat, eat."

The same will be true once he comes to preside over the reforms.

Xu Shu looked at Zhuge Liang, then at Shen Chen, and asked, "Kong Ming, what evidence do you have for saying that this matter was planned by Xiaoqing?"

The two elder sisters married the Kuai family and the Pang family, and I married the daughter of the Huang family. If I want to touch the cake of those with vested interests, I have to take the two brothers-in-law's family and my own father-in-law's family first. The reputation is estimated to be overnight. To smell the streets.

He suspected it was Shen Chen.

Zhuge Liang looked at him with a smile.

Otherwise, he might really show his feet.

But no matter what method he uses, he can engage in those internal affairs in Yizhou, but not in Jingzhou.

Shen Chen shook his head and said: "Brother Yuan Zhi has been in Jingzhou for many years after all. Although he has no clan, he has relatives and friends. If you preside over the reform, it will be difficult for others to find me and Brother Kong Ming."

Therefore, if Zhuge Liang thought that Shen Chen secretly poisoned Liu Biao and Liu Qi or something, then he was really wronged. He just knew the history, and he was not mad enough to poison Liu Biao and Liu Qi.

Although they are not afraid of death, facing such a powerful old force, everyone would hesitate a little.

Even Xu Shu looked at him suspiciously.

Shen Chen asked: "How long does brother plan to take to govern?"

People at the bottom are not considered human beings, so even if Cheng Yu did those things, no one would uphold justice for them.

of course.

In history, Zhuge Liang could engage in internal affairs in Yizhou, enforce the law, appease the people, suppress aristocratic families, restrain officials, provide rewards and punishments, and make Yizhou well-organized, and no one would scold him.

Zhuge Liang narrowed his eyes, those eyes were as cunning as a fox, as if he had the ability to read people's hearts.

Therefore, if Zhuge Liang and Shen Chen were to do this matter, it would be very troublesome, and it would even be counterproductive, resulting in unpredictable results.

"really?"

The same goes for Shen Chen.

"But why Xiaoqing is so sure that the day when the king of Chu becomes emperor is the time when the lord wins Jingzhou? How did he know that after the king of Chu becomes emperor, he will encounter repeated blows and die?"

After ordering, the three of them went to the private room in the attic, the door was closed, Zhuge Liang was sitting on the table, staring at Shen Chen with a smile, Xu Shu called him a few times, but Zhuge Liang didn't respond.

Although Zhuge Liang is not from Jingzhou, he is now a member of the Jingzhou aristocratic family.

And if reforms are to be made, a courageous person must stand up and act decisively to control the entire situation.

But it's not that easy to learn from Cheng Yu.

Xu Shu pondered for a long time, then gritted his teeth and said, "Then I'll do it. I'm not from Jingzhou, and I don't have a clan in Jingzhou. I think it will be better."

The reason why Shen Chen and Xu Shu hesitated was because forcing reforms would touch the cakes of those with vested interests. Officials at all levels in Jingzhou, aristocratic families, would inevitably resent them.

That's the biggest problem.

Xu Shu ordered a few special dishes in the restaurant like a few treasures.

Zhuge Liang's brows were furrowed, and Xu Shu was also thoughtful.

Shen Chen said with a smile: "Brother, this is easy first and then difficult. The direction is right, but this difficulty is also the most important point. People need good land to survive, but these lands are occupied by aristocratic families. If you do something to them, brother You will be cut off from the villagers."

Shen Chen smiled and said: "It is my sixth patriarch who understands the righteousness, and for the sake of the eldest grandson of the king of Chu and the second and third sons, he urged the eldest son to hand over the affairs of the state to General Zuo. Besides, the eldest son is seriously ill and cannot continue, so it is helpless." lift.

If you believe Shen Chen's words, you will be called a ghost.

Now Jingzhou has just been pacified, and the interior is in a mess. It must be rectified, so as to strengthen the army and strengthen the state, so that Liu Bei has the strength to attack Cao Cao in the north.

In addition, find out the people hiding in the mountains, persuade them to go down the mountain, compile household registration, distribute land, and solve poverty.

Although Shen Chen followed Liu Qi and had a different position from Liu Cong, but because of the relationship between Deng Hong and the Cai family, the restaurant was not hit hard and opened normally.

But the common people are still living very poorly. For example, the farmers in Nanyang are living with nothing but food and clothing. In the event of famine or military chaos, ten houses are empty, and the people in other places are similar. Still want to have a surplus.

Xu Shu smiled slyly.

Such as land and population restructuring.

And Shen Chen naturally knew that he actually knew exactly when Liu Biao and Liu Qi died, so he quietly waited for the opportunity.

Xu Shu looked at Shen Chen with some confusion: "Xiaoqing, when talking about national affairs in the past, you always said that the chaos in the world was caused by man-made disasters and natural disasters. Now Kong Ming wants to change from man-made disasters to man-made rule. Why do you oppose it?"

That's why Shen Chen dissuaded Zhuge Liang from engaging in internal affairs in Jingzhou.

Even if the entire south is obtained, there is still a big gap in terms of population and productivity compared with the entire north.

Therefore, seeing that neither Shen Chen nor Xu Shu could come up with any good ideas, Zhuge Liang planned to reform the system himself.

Because he knew that Liu Biao would die of illness last year, and Liu Qi would die of illness this year.

However, the situation of internal affairs is extremely complicated, and it is far from being able to explain clearly in a few words. It includes class conflicts, land issues, official issues, military issues, and aristocratic and powerful issues, etc., making Jingzhou look like a dying man. The old man exudes old-fashioned air.

This is actually a reform of internal affairs.

However, he maintained a calm expression on his face, but he was extremely shocked in his heart.

Fortunately, Zhuge Liang just felt that the matter was too coincidental, and he asked tentatively, but there was no evidence.

And it's not just him.

Therefore, when he gave Liu Bei an idea, the content was very rough, with only a general direction and no detailed planning.

Once Liu Biao died, as long as Liu Qi defeated Liu Cong and seized Jingzhou, and after Liu Qi died of illness, it would be a matter of course for Liu Bei to win Jingzhou.

Therefore, it is by no means an easy matter to deal with these internal affairs issues well.

Therefore, in such an era with a strong atmosphere of the township party, as a part of it, you often have to follow this subtle rule.

Just like Zhuge Liang's internal affairs in Yizhou in history, he must first deal with the internal affairs, stabilize the people's hearts, fill the treasury, have sufficient finances, and train the soldiers before he can leave Qishan and revive the Han Dynasty.

Eliminate stupidity in the officialdom, fight corruption and promote integrity, and select talents and appoint talents.

The only thing that is not a problem is that there is still a surplus in the Xiangyang government treasury, and the food and grass are relatively sufficient, so there will be no food shortage.

As the first restaurant in Xiangyang City to start cooking, Xu Shu lingered so much that he would invite Shen Chen to have a meal whenever he had the chance, and he could memorize the menu by heart.

When Cheng Yu plundered his hometown, it was not the aristocratic and powerful families who were harmed, but the people at the bottom.

Zhuge Liang smiled and said: "It's easy to say, but you guys have come up with a practical plan."

Shen Chen smiled and said: "Brother, don't smear people's innocence out of thin air. This is the elder son's own perception. He knows that only Duke Xuande can decide Jingzhou. How can it be said that I planned it?"

Zhuge Liang smiled wryly and said: "If we don't do it, how can we strengthen the army and strengthen the state? Although Cao Cao returned in a big defeat, but the lord has newly acquired Jingzhou, there are not enough soldiers and horses, and people's hearts are unstable. Now in this situation, how can we defeat Cao Cao?"

But if there is no restructuring, under the old order, if Liu Bei wants to make Jingzhou prosperous and strong, he will have a group of elite soldiers in his hands, and he can attack Cao Cao in the north, which is not realistic.

Liu Qi is lobbying behind Deng Hong, so who is behind Deng Hong?
It's not you, Shen Chen.

Just plunder the people in your hometown and make them into dried meat.

For example, those traffickers abducted and sold women to remote mountainous areas, and they were bought by people in mountain villages as wives. The police learned the news and went to rescue them. As a result, the whole village ran out to confront the police.

Zhuge Liang rolled his eyes, and then said: "Now General Zuo has captured Jingzhou, but the interior of Jingzhou is also precarious, with various factions fighting each other, the state capital is deserted, the officials are resentful, there is no wealth, and there are too many officials and soldiers. How do you think it should be?"

Otherwise, if it continues to be so bad, even if there is an army of 20, it will still be a bunch of mobs.

Just like Shang Yang's reform, it touched the interests of the old aristocracy, and was finally liquidated by the old aristocracy, and the five horses were torn apart and died.

Zhuge Liang frowned, and said: "In the past, when we talked about these things, Xiaoqing had a lot of opinions. Such as class conflicts, insufficient productivity, flawed talent selection system, corruption and incompetence in the government, etc. Why is it that when it is time for reform, Xiaoqing instead Push three blocks four?"

Although he has no sister or wife, he has a clan.

Learn from Cheng Yu.

Shen Chen shook his head and said, "At least it can't be done now, and it shouldn't be done by brother."

Zhuge Liang asked.

The aristocratic family owns a large amount of land and population, hides their property, does not pay taxes, does not pay taxes, does not serve the state government, and oppresses the people, hides clan soldiers, and becomes an internal disaster.

"Ah."

Friends who are familiar with history know that although history is written by the people, at least history books are not.

Not to mention this kind of thing in the Han Dynasty, it can be found everywhere in the new era of later generations.

There must be reform.

Shen Chen, Zhuge Liang, and Xu Shu have all lived in the south for a long time, and they all know how serious the internal problems in Jingzhou are.

Xu Shu scratched his head and said, "The king of Chu is old. After becoming emperor, he suffered repeated blows and was defeated several times. It is normal for him to die suddenly."

So Zhuge became suspicious. Could there be an invisible hand behind this?

Shen Chen shrugged: "One day you will be able to eat me poorly."

Liu Bei has just grasped the power of the state capital. If he wants to make a difference, he must not only solve external conflicts, but also solve internal problems, such as food and clothing for the people, strong soldiers and horses, abundant food and grass, and one mind.

It is okay not to comply.

"Can't do it."

Shen Chen explained: "I'm not trying to push the envelope, but I want to say that based on the current situation, even if it is implemented slowly with gentle means, it will inevitably receive pressure from many parties, so we must adopt other methods."

"any solution?"

Both Zhuge Liang and Xu Shu looked at him curiously.

Shen Chen smiled slightly, looked to the west with deep eyes, and said softly: "Kill someone with a knife!"

(End of this chapter)