I, Liu Bian, Sanxing Han Dynasty

Chapter 381 Three things to do when a new official takes office

Jiangzhou Magistrate Zhao Zuo followed Xun You all the way. Although he was a county magistrate with a salary of 1,000 stones, he had no choice but to live in a suburb. Seeing that Xun You never asked him about the grain in the treasury, he felt relieved.

Xun You's advance warning worked. The officials of Ba County did not dare to go too far. Not only did they not cause a fire dragon burning the warehouse like in Shangdang County, but they also made up for the deficit.

Although if they dared to make the treasury short of food, Xun You would lead the barbarian soldiers to kill people and confiscate their properties.

With this warehouse of grain, Xun You’s next task would be much easier.

Apart from Xun You, the happiest people were the Bantun barbarians recruited by Xun You.

They followed Xun You all the way, eating and drinking every day, doing nothing, which was much better than their fishing and hunting life. Moreover, after arriving in Jiangzhou, Xun Fujun even rewarded them with wine and meat.

Some barbarian soldiers even felt guilty about eating the wine and eating the meat, and when they saw Xun You again, they rushed to fight for him.

After accompanying Xun You to meet the barbarian soldiers again, Yan Yan asked, "The treasury is now fully stocked. What are your plans next?"

Xun You smiled and said, "When I first came to Ba County, I gave some people a wake-up call. Relaxation and tension are the way of civil and military affairs. Next, I will naturally appease people's hearts..."

"Speaking of which, when I went to Linjiang before, I met your nephews and nieces. Many of them are talented future pillars of society!"

Yan Yan's family knew their own affairs. Their family had not been prosperous for generations. The ancestor of his family, who was a two thousand stone official, had a daughter but no son, so he adopted a son to inherit the family.

He also knew that Xun You was being euphemistic. Why did he say he would be a pillar of the future? Because he was not one now.

He sighed and said, "Children are ignorant and may not be able to shoulder such a heavy responsibility."

"That's why we need to hone our skills more!"

Yan Yan was not a heartless person, and he did not reject Xun You's kindness in the end, saying, "I think one assistant historian is enough."

Zuoshi was the lowest-level official.

Xun You agreed, and looked at Yan Yan seriously again, which further improved his evaluation of Yan Yan.

While passing through Hanchang County, Linjiang County, and Jiangzhou County, in addition to getting to know the barbarians along the way, Xun You also paid attention to the talented people in Ba County.

I already had a plan in mind.

Some of them were the sons and nephews of county magistrates and county officials, such as Cheng Yu, the son of Cheng Ji, and Shangguan Mao, the son of Shangguan Sheng.

That’s right, as the saying goes, a man of insight is a hero. Shangguan Sheng had already found another way out without Xie Yi’s knowledge.

In addition to these nepotism relationships, there is also Yang Zong from Linjiang County, who comes from a prominent family in the county, and Chang Xin from Zhi County, who is also famous in the county.

After Xun You's show of force at the beginning of his tenure, the hearts of the powerful families in Ba County who were in the second fire were warmed. Some people who had previously donated grain to fill the deficit in the treasury said with emotion that this was what the governor of Ba County should do!

But soon, Xun You’s third fire will make their hearts warmer!
Shangguan Sheng, a member of the Yi Cao, was the first to learn of Xun You's plan. He called his brothers and nephews as soon as he got home. "Remember, the Lord will strictly investigate the county officials and illegal merchants who bully the market. Tell the clan members to be careful in what they say and do, and don't be the ones who get ahead of others!"

His second son, Shangguan Mao, had just become a county official. Hearing this, he asked, "Maybe the Lord wants money. It's like the grain in the treasury. If you give him enough, everything will be fine..."

Shangguan Sheng scolded, "Do you think the Lord is as greedy as you are? I tell you, if you still hold on to this idea, resign and go home as soon as possible!" Shangguan Mao defended himself aggrievedly, "There is such a rumor in the prefecture, saying that the Lord immediately implemented a lenient policy after seeing the grain in the treasury... Well... Father is right, I shouldn't have believed the rumors, I was wrong!"

Seeing Shangguan Mao bow his head and admit his mistake, Shangguan Sheng explained: "Our Xun Fujun is different from the former Zhao Fujun. He is a close minister of the emperor and came here by order of the emperor... I only know today the reason why he lingered in Hanzhong - Zhang Lu of Hanzhong has been recruited into the court."

"This time we are strictly investigating those who bully the market, and one of the rules is that you cannot bully the barbarians in the territory."

Now it was Shangguan Sheng's brother's turn to get anxious: "How can this be possible? This is what everyone has been doing for so many years! Those barbarians eat raw meat and drink blood, and they are stupid if they can't get a good price for their goods. If we buy his fur goods at a fair price, how much less money will we make?"

"No amount of money can compare to the future of my Shangguan family! What do you think?" Shangguan Sheng asked.

"...Brother is right!"

Shangguan Sheng still had some say in the family, and under his pressure, they quickly reached a consensus - they must not go against Xun You.

His eldest son Shangguanxian was the Tian Cao Yuan of Jiangzhou County. He answered: "Father, even if the Lord has such an order, it would require the concerted efforts of many minor officials to verify this matter... But now that the Lord has just arrived, even though he has the imperial order, I am afraid he may not be able to implement it."

"That's good advice." Shangguan Sheng affirmed. He also had this worry. "But Lord Xun is not an ordinary person. Let's wait and see."

……

Yan Yan also asked Xun You the same question.

Xun You did not play dumb, but explained to Yan Yan: "Recently, the news of my kindness and respect for the Bantun barbarians should have spread, right?"

Yan Yan's mind moved: "Could it be that the Lord of the Mansion wants to borrow the power of those barbarian chiefs?"

Xun You nodded: "I have long heard that the barbarians of Bashu have had a lot of exchanges with the Han people, and since Emperor Gaozu, many barbarian chiefs have been rewarded to govern their people... Even today, although their clothing is different, they cannot be regarded as barbarians."

If one wants to truly change the status of the barbarians in Ba County, Xun You alone cannot do it. Trying to please the cold shoulder will only lead to nothing in the end.

Running in both directions is the right way.

"If they had any sense, they would have found a way to see me after some time."

As he was talking, Xun You stepped out of the room and looked at the sky. It was autumn and winter, and the sunlight was very warm on his body, but still dazzling.

Xun You said in a firm tone: "If anyone deliberately obstructs us during this period, we will not let them off easily!"

Come to think of it, he has never really seen blood since he came to Ba County!
Dangqu County is located in the southern part of Ba County, adjacent to Hanzhong.

Although the Bashan Mountains separated it from Hanzhong, the barbarians living there had lived there since childhood and could walk through the mountains as if they were on flat ground. Therefore, the local barbarians would rather cross the Bashan Mountains to come to Hanzhong to trade with the Han people than stay near them.

The barbarians in this vast area included not only the Qiang people, but also three chieftains who were the most popular, namely Du Fu, Pu Hu and Yuan Yue.

The degree of their sinicization can also be seen from their surnames.

In the past, they had been repeatedly oppressed by officials and tyrants in Ba County. Over time, they came into contact with Zhang Lu, the teacher of the Five Pecks of Rice Sect. Compared with officials and tyrants, Zhang Lu was fair and just, and was very popular.

(End of this chapter)