I rode and slashed unparalleled in the Three Kingdoms

Chapter 342: Hu Ce, but no peace

In response to Wei You's generous gift, Su Yao naturally responded with a few polite words.

Immediately afterwards, Wei You, who was half relieved, arranged for Su Yao's army to camp outside the city, and then took Su Yao and several of his confidants into the city to visit Liu Yu.

Su Yao's words were certainly not a lie.

He didn't come here to compete for power with Liu Yu.

Su Yao knew a little about this popular governor of Youzhou.

Historically, this man did a good job. He implemented benevolent policies, appeased the people, and worked to restore post-war order and people's livelihood.

Before his defeat in the internal strife with Gongsun Zan, Youzhou was relatively stable under his rule.

And Su Yao had no intention of becoming the king here, so there was naturally no need for him to conflict with Liu Yu.

What he needs to do is to achieve better results than in history, just like Bingzhou.

Peace can never be maintained solely by personal prestige.

"Does Lord Su want to continue fighting?"

The two parties met at the governor's mansion, and after a few simple words, Liu Yu frowned.

Considering the ability and prestige demonstrated by the young prince, what is more crucial is that the two have equal status.

Just now, Liu Yu specifically explained his policy guidelines in a serious and earnest manner, hoping to gain understanding and support.

Who would have thought that Su Junhou, who had just said he wanted to work together with him, would immediately express his objection.

"Envoy Liu, relying on Hui Hu will not bring true peace." Su Yao bowed.

"Ah? Hui, Huihu???"

After listening to Liu Yu's words, Su Yao finally understood why there was a story in history about Tadun leading the Wuhuan to rise and having a fierce fight with Boss Cao.

As the saying goes, if you cut the grass without removing the root, it will grow again when the spring breeze blows.

Liu Yu’s policy towards the Hu can be summed up in one word - benefit!

Not only did they pardon their sins, but they also had to give to the Wuhuan people a lot of land within Youzhou Pass that was vacant due to deaths in war and people fleeing famine.

Although they lost the battle, the benefits they gained were greater than if they had won. No wonder in history, the Wuhuan people immediately became obedient as soon as Liu Yu arrived.

Everyone knows how to do this business.

As a result, over the next ten years, the Wuhuan people, who served as gatekeepers for the Han Dynasty, gradually grew stronger, formed alliances with several princes in the Central Plains, interfered in civil wars, plundered and killed people at will, and eventually developed a Han-Hu army of more than 200,000.

If Zhang Liao had not bravely killed Tadun in battle, there is no telling how long the chaos in the north would have lasted.

Although it cannot be said that Liu Yu was responsible for the chaos, his policy of benefiting the Hu people certainly cannot be said to have no connection with it.

"Envoy Liu, the policy of benefiting the Hu people may temporarily appease the Hu people, but in the long run, it is tantamount to raising a tiger to cause trouble."

"Moreover, if we pardon these murderers so easily, how can we explain to the victims?"

Without waiting for Liu Yu to refute, Su Yao said seriously:

"The Hu people are ambitious and fear power but not virtue."

"Now, the envoy wants to pardon their crimes, but have you ever thought that if there is no reward for committing crimes, it will undoubtedly breed their ambitions and develop a habit of raising troops to cause trouble and seek rewards whenever there is trouble."

"In Youzhou, the Han and the Hu people live together. If there is no strong means to control them, how can there be long-term peace and stability?"

"Can you guarantee that your successor will be as virtuous and upright as you?"

"Or do you intend to continue to serve as the governor of Youzhou for the rest of your life?"

Su Yao's words were powerful, especially the last sentence which was so heart-piercing that Liu Yu stood up immediately.

He knew that each of these generals was a radical.

It's troublesome enough that Gongsun Zan causes trouble everywhere all day long. At least as his superior, he can still keep him in check.

Now, there is another General Du Liao of the same rank, making it really difficult to be the Governor of Youzhou.

Liu Yu took a deep breath, trying to calm himself down from the waves of emotion aroused by Su Yao's words, then slowly sat down and shook his head.
"General Su, you are too serious." "Your concerns are certainly justified, but it is clear that the general does not understand the complexity of the situation in Youzhou."

Then, Liu Yu briefly described the situation in Youzhou.

This place is actually not much different from Bingzhou.

If it is said that the Southern Xiongnu were supported by the Han Dynasty, they were vassals against the Northern Xiongnu and Xianbei.

The same was true of the Wuhuan people.

However, this was different from the Southern Xiongnu, who not only received generous annual gifts from the imperial court but also owned lush grasslands.

These Wuhuan people were relocated to the narrow border inside and outside the Youzhou frontier to block the Xianbei people. They were half agricultural and half pastoral, and could not support themselves relying solely on the income from the land.

"Why did the always loyal Wuhuan people rebel?"

Liu Yu sighed:
"The imperial court has cut off its food and salary, so there is no way to survive."

Liu Yu, who once served as the governor of Youzhou, was well aware of the key to the Youzhou issue.

The rebellion in Youzhou cannot be viewed in isolation.

Just like the rebellions that keep popping up all over the world, the more they are suppressed, the more they increase.

The problem for all the rebels is the same: they can’t survive.

You can only live on the edge of a knife and try to survive.

First, the people were desperate and shouted that Heaven was dead, and joined the Taiping Dao in rebellion.

It dealt a heavy blow to the crumbling imperial court and completely destroyed the central government's finances.

They had no money of their own, let alone the annual gifts to the Huns and Wuhuan people.

What followed naturally was a sharp drop in the living standards of these people. They were already living beyond their means, becoming increasingly impoverished, starving one day and unable to see a way forward. If the court continued to conscript them without limit, wouldn't they immediately rebel?

"If the root cause of this problem is not resolved, the number of rebels will increase endlessly."

"As we defeated the Yellow Turban bandits, they came in waves."

"After the Wuhuan, there were the Xianbei, after the Xianbei, there were the Goguryeo, after the Goguryeo, there were the Buyeo, the Wubei, the Wokou, and so on and so forth."

"As long as this land is here, countless Hu people from the grasslands and forests will come here."

"Each of them is even more cruel and bloody than the Wuhuan people."

Liu Yu bowed and said:
"I heard that the general once made a great wish, saying that he did not want to be a noble, but only wished for peace in the nine provinces.

I want to cleanse the world and bring peace to the people."

"I personally think that the peaceful world that the general is dreaming of cannot be a world of hell with rivers of blood, right?"

Su Yao paused, blinked, and replied:

"I don't kill anyone I see, do I?"

"In the eyes of the envoy, is Su a murderer?"

Liu Yu shook his head and did not directly answer the question.

Of course he knew clearly how many heads Su Yao had killed along the way.

The bloody slaughter of all living beings is terrifying to watch.

Liu Yu was extremely afraid that this man would come to Youzhou and stir up blood and gore, killing many people, and then leave with all his great achievements.

He was left with a mess and countless tragedies of broken families.

"General Su, I have something to say, please listen to it."

"Killing is a means, not an end."

"If you really want to bring peace to the people, rather than just talking about it, then I hope you will not forget this sentence in the future."

(End of this chapter)