Ji Han Liu Zhang

Ji County, official residence.

"I propose to make Sanfu and Longyou Yongzhou, with Chang'an as its capital, and Hexi Liangzhou, with Guzang as its capital."

After pacifying the four counties of Longyou and Hexi, Liu Zhang made arrangements for the division of prefectures and counties in Guanzhong, Longyou and Hexi. His arrangements were similar to the arrangements of prefectures and counties in Guanxi during the Cao Wei period of the Three Kingdoms period, except for slight differences in details.

First, Liu Zhang put Guanzhong and Longyou together to strengthen Guanzhong's prestige. The four counties of Hexi were established as a separate state as in the past. After all, the four counties of Hexi were remote and difficult to reach, and any matters, big or small, should be handled by the governor of the state.

As soon as Liu Zhang finished speaking, the civil and military officials below began to look thoughtful, thinking about the reasons why Liu Zhang divided the prefectures and counties in this way, and delved into the reasoning.

After a while, Fa Zheng responded, "Hexi, now the land of Liangzhou, has always been full of Qiang and Hu people who do evil, attack counties and kill common people. It cannot be suppressed without strong soldiers and brave generals. I wonder who you will appoint as the governor of Liangzhou?"

Fa Zheng did not question Liu Zhang's decision to divide Yong and Liang, but only asked Liu Zhang about the candidate for the newly established post of Governor of Liangzhou.

When Liu Zhang heard Fa Zheng's question, he brought out the candidate he had long considered: "The governor of Liangzhou needs to be a man of both civil and military talents, who can attack the enemy on horseback and govern the people on foot, and who has a great reputation in Liangzhou... I propose to appoint Wu Ziyuan as the governor of Liangzhou, commanding five battalions of troops and stationing him in Liangzhou."

When the people in the hall heard about the candidate for the Governor of Liangzhou, most of them looked as if they had expected it. In fact, they had basically determined the candidate before Liu Zhang gave the candidate.

Who else could it be other than Wu Yi?

As a general under Liu Zhang, Wu Yi had often led troops in expeditions as a member of a separate unit. He was not a fierce general who charged into battle or a brave soldier who was the first to climb the mountain, but a person more like a commander.

As a result, everyone predicted that the post of Governor of Liangzhou would most likely fall into the hands of Wu Yi, who was going to conquer Hexi. Now, when they heard the name Wu Yi from Liu Zhang's mouth, no one was surprised and took it for granted.

After proposing the candidate for the governor of Liangzhou, Liu Zhang tapped the table with his fingers several times. He then slowly said, "Hanzhong, Wudu and Yinping are the passages between Qin and Shu. I intend to transfer Hanzhong, Wudu and Yinping from Yizhou and place them under Yongzhou."

As Liu Zhang said this, the faces of the people in the hall varied. Some were puzzled and looked deep in thought, while others understood clearly and nodded slightly.

"Jagged teeth intertwine, mountains and rivers control each other." Looking at the various faces of the people in the hall, Liu Zhang smiled faintly.

Among the territories currently occupied by Liu Zhang, Shu, namely Yizhou, was the most prosperous, with a large population and abundant production. However, Chang'an, which Liu Zhang regarded as the capital, was located in the three auxiliary areas, but it had a declining population and all craftsmen were deserted.

In this case, if Hanzhong, the gateway to Shu, was placed under the jurisdiction of Yizhou, if there was any mistake, there would be a conflict between Shu and Guanzhong. For the weak Guanzhong, it would be difficult to march towards Shu.

If Hanzhong were under the jurisdiction of Yongzhou and tied to Guanzhong, Shu would lose its gateway. Even if the local forces in Shu had any ulterior motives, they would be controlled by Yongzhou, which owns Hanzhong, and would not be able to achieve anything.

Liu Zhang's operation is a principle of imperial rule.

When dividing the boundaries of each state, if it is divided according to the shape of mountains and rivers, that is, according to the terrain of mountains and rivers, and large rivers as dividing lines to divide the states and counties, this division is certainly clear and easy to clarify the boundaries of each state and county.

However, using mountains and rivers as borders, if the empire declined and the states and counties were divided, the mountains and rivers, these natural barriers that were easy to defend and difficult to attack would make it difficult for the court to easily suppress the rebels who ruled the states and counties, allowing the rebels to delay their time and seek opportunities to become more powerful.

For example, in history, the Jin area with mountains and rivers, the Bashu area as a basin, the Qin area with barriers on all sides, and the Lingnan area with mountains and dangerous terrain, these areas are very easy to form separatist forces, and they are long-term separatist forces.

Therefore, Liu Zhang chose to combine the interlaced mountains and rivers. He placed Hanzhong under the jurisdiction of Yongzhou, so that Hanzhong, the gateway to Shu, could not be connected with Bashu, thus taking away the dangerous mountains and rivers of Shu.

As a monarch, Liu Zhang had spoken his words, and unless there were any major omissions, his words would soon become a reality. The four counties in Hexi would become Liangzhou, and Guanzhong, Longyou, Hanzhong, Wudu, and Yinping would become Yongzhou.

From today on, Yong and Liang will coexist.

……

In the courtyard of the Ji County official residence, Zhang Meng, dressed in Confucian clothes and a scarf on his head, recited the book "Mou's Chapter and Sentences" which had been edited and revised by his father Zhang Huan, and was completely immersed in the book.

Suddenly, Zhang Meng thought of his father Zhang Huan. Zhang Huan was one of the three wise men of Liangzhou. He was selected for his virtuous family background, ranked first in policy-making, and was appointed as a counselor. He served as the Commandant of Anding, the Prefect of Wuwei, the General Du Liao, and the General of Protecting the Xiongnu. He could be said to be a man who could kill enemies on horseback and pacify the people when he was off horseback. He was a man who was both civil and military.

Unfortunately, as the son of Zhang Huan, Zhang Meng believed that he was not as talented in literature as his father, and his military strategy was also far inferior to his father's. He was like a tiger father and a dog son, which brought disgrace to his father Zhang Huan's reputation.

Especially in the present time, Zhang Meng's identity is a thief of the Han family, and he feels even more guilty. Although the previous imprisonment of Yongzhou Governor Handan Shang was because Handan Shang intended to harm him, Handan Shang had no behavior after all, but he openly led troops to attack Handan Shang, imprisoned Handan Shang in the official residence, humiliated Handan Shang, and did illegal things.

Just when Zhang Meng was feeling sad, Cheng Yu, a clerk under the Grand Marshal, came to his door.

"Mr. Cheng." Seeing Cheng Yu, Zhang Meng quickly stood up and bowed to Cheng Yu.

Cheng Yu returned the greeting, then he extended his hand and said, "Zhang Taishou, your Excellency invites you."

"The Grand Marshal wants to see me?" Zhang Meng asked doubtfully. He had been here for several days and had only walked around in this house every day and was not allowed to go out. He did not expect that he would be summoned by the Grand Marshal today.

"Yes." Cheng Yu nodded and stretched out his hand to invite again.

Although he didn't know the purpose of Grand Marshal Liu Zhang summoning him, Zhang Meng had already started moving and followed Cheng Yu. As a prisoner, he had no right to bargain or ask questions and could only follow orders.

Following Cheng Yu through several corridors and turning three or four doors, Zhang Meng arrived outside a lobby.

Cheng Yu stopped and made a gesture to Zhang Meng to invite him in, indicating that Zhang Meng could enter by himself, but he was not convenient to follow him. Zhang Meng understood and walked into the hall. After entering the hall, Zhang Meng, who had a good eye, locked his eyes on Liu Zhang who was sitting at the top. After meeting Liu Zhang's warm eyes, Zhang Meng hurriedly lowered his head slightly, looked at the ground, walked forward a distance quickly, and then bowed to Liu Zhang.

"I, the guilty minister Zhang Meng, am here to meet the Grand Marshal." Zhang Meng's attitude and posture were extremely respectful. He knelt down and paid great tribute to Liu Zhang.

Zhang Meng knelt down and heard Liu Zhang, who was sitting at the top of the table, say, "Shuwei, there is no need to be polite. Please take a seat."

"How dare I?" After Zhang Meng finished his greeting, he stood up and stood aside, but did not move to sit down.

Liu Zhang smiled calmly. He comforted Zhang Meng and said, "Today I am not here to call the army to question Shu Wei. I am just chatting with him. So, there is no need to be so polite. Please take a seat."

"Thank you, Grand Marshal." At Liu Zhang's urging, Zhang Meng first expressed his gratitude, then slowly walked in and took his seat.

Zhang Meng took his seat, and Liu Zhang opened the conversation first: "I heard that Shu Wei was a county official before, how did the court appoint him as the governor of Wuwei, and how did he rise to the high position of two thousand stones in one day?"

"Report to the Grand Marshal, this is all thanks to the kindness left by my father." Zhang Meng had a trace of shame on his face, but he kept talking: "In the sixth year of Yan Xi, my father was appointed by the court as the governor of Wuwei. During his tenure in Wuwei, my father equalized labor service and taxes, eliminated bad habits, changed customs, and brought great prosperity to Wuwei. The people of Wuwei built a shrine for him to show their love and respect."

When Zhang Meng talked about Zhang Huan, his expression was a little gloomy: "So when the post of Wuwei governor was vacant in the first year of Xingping, the court promoted me to Wuwei governor because my father was well-known in Hexi and respected by the scholars and common people in Hexi, hoping that I could achieve the same achievements as my father and make Wuwei County prosperous."

At this point, Zhang Meng sighed and said, "However, Meng's actions are far inferior to those of my father. He did not govern Wuwei well, and he was at odds with Handan Shang, the governor of Yongzhou. He also had a mad attack and imprisoned the governor and monopolized the power of the county."

"Meng is truly ashamed of my father and the court. My crimes are grave and cannot be pardoned by law." Zhang Meng stood up, with tears in his eyes, and knelt on the ground to plead guilty to Liu Zhang. Everything he said came from his heart and was sincere, and one could tell at a glance.

"Shuwei, please take a seat. I have said that we are not going to raise an army to punish you today." Liu Zhang comforted Zhang Meng, who was filled with regret.

In order to calm Zhang Meng down, Liu Zhang talked about the deeds of Zhang Meng's father Zhang Huan: "Sun Tzu said: If you impose your power on the enemy, they will not be able to unite. Your ancestor made the Qiang people unable to communicate and defeated the Luqian. He can be said to be a famous general in the world... He was also upright and clean, acted in accordance with justice, angrily rebuked the eunuchs, and challenged the law in court. He was a loyal and brave man."

Liu Zhang had a good impression of Zhang Huan, one of the Three Great Masters of Liangzhou. Zhang Huan conquered the Qiang and Hu and governed the country well. He was a representative figure who served as generals and prime ministers in the Qin and Han dynasties. Moreover, Zhang Huan had a noble character and acted in a proper way. He was a true and good man when the Eastern Han Dynasty was in decline and made great contributions to the Han Dynasty.

However, Zhang Huan did not get along with the Ten Eunuchs, so his meritorious services were often not rewarded. Despite his outstanding military exploits, Zhang Huan was not even awarded the title of marquis.

"Speaking of military merit, your father deserves to be granted a title of nobility." Liu Zhang spoke, and he sighed.

Zhang Meng was moved and burst into tears when he heard Liu Zhang's comments on his father. "Just as the Grand Marshal said, my father did not support the eunuchs, so although he had made great contributions, he was not granted a title of nobility. He was also deceived by the eunuch Cao Ji and did things that brought disgrace to our family. He will regret it for the rest of his life."

Liu Zhang looked at Zhang Meng, who was crying for his father, and said, "The credit for your father's death should go to Shu Wei."

"Hmm?" Zhang Meng was confused. He asked, "What does the Grand Marshal mean? I, the guilty minister, don't understand."

Liu Zhang explained: "Your father's merits redeem your sins... Today I will spare your life, but Shuwei still needs to make merits to redeem his past sins. Your father was well-known in Wuwei, but Shuwei did not do anything to help the people in Wuwei before."

When Zhang Meng escaped death and looked dazed, Liu Zhang gave him an appointment: "I will now make the four counties of Hexi the Governor's Office of Liangzhou, and appoint Wu Ziyuan as the Governor of Liangzhou. You should go to Liangzhou in plain clothes and serve under Wu Ziyuan. I hope you can make achievements and live up to my expectations today."

"I will obey your command. Thank you very much, sir." Zhang Meng knelt down, kowtowed heavily to Liu Zhang and promised: "If I fail to live up to your expectations, I will never go to Longyou in this lifetime, and will die in Hexi."

"I hope you can keep your word." Liu Zhang comforted him.

After the meeting, Zhang Meng felt lost. He never thought that today he was able to escape death because of his father Zhang Huan. It shows that those who plant trees will enjoy the shade, and this saying is true.

Zhang Meng, who was lucky enough to survive, now has only one thought in his mind, which is to live up to Liu Zhang's expectations and not tarnish the reputation of his father Zhang Huan. He should do something and do good deeds in the future.

On the second day, with the farewell of the clerk Cheng Yu, Zhang Meng set out on the road to Hexi. He had ridden in a prison cart to Ji County, but now he was returning to Hexi in a baggage cart.

The way here was almost the same as the way out, but Zhang Meng's state of mind had changed drastically, as if the world had turned upside down. From now on, he would turn over a new leaf, and follow the example of his father Zhang Huan to make some small contribution to the Han family.

……

Yecheng, the residence of General Yuan Shao.

"How could Shouchun be captured so quickly? My brother is really useless." Upon hearing the news that Shouchun was captured by Cao's army, Yuan Shao first asked a question, and then complained about Yuan Shu.

Guo Tu said calmly, "Liu Zhang of Guanzhong and Liu Biao of Jingzhou each sent elite soldiers and brave generals to help Cao Cao. Liu Zhang's general Zhang Ren defeated Zhang Xun and Qiao Rui's 10,000 men in Qinyang with only 800 men. Liu Biao's general Huang Zhong was the first to attack Shouchun. They were unstoppable, so Shouchun was captured by Cao Cao within ten months."

"Hiss." Yuan Shao looked unfriendly. He had originally thought that the soldiers sent by Liu Zhang and Liu Biao were just old, weak and sick, and that they were just sending troops to help Cao Cao for the sake of show. He didn't expect that the soldiers sent by Liu Zhang and Liu Biao were all first-class brave generals and elite soldiers.

"If Cao Cao, Liu Zhang and Liu Biao were to join forces, it would cause great harm," Yuan Shao said worriedly.

Guo Tu smiled and shook his head: "Don't worry, General. The three families are connected now, but it is only because of Yuan Gonglu's establishment and title that it threatens the Han family, so Liu Zhang and Liu Biao, two clan members, sent troops to help. If it were something else, the three families would not be connected."

Guo Tu then said, "Cao Cao has become more and more arrogant recently. Previously, Cao Cao was the general and appointed you as the Grand Commandant. Now that he has captured Shouchun, he is acting recklessly. I'm afraid he will not take you seriously in the future. This is really not a blessing for you."

"Yes." Yuan Shao nodded. For Cao Cao, this former younger brother, after welcoming the emperor, he used the emperor's name to gain more and more power. The fact that the former was promoted to the position of general showed that Cao Cao had a rebellious heart. He was no longer the Cao Cao, the governor of Dongjun, whom he appointed in the past, and he was no longer as obedient as before. (End of this chapter)