The Complete Biography of Cao Cao

Chapter 11: Reforming Bad Governance: Boldly Consolidating Politics
[-]. Restoring agriculture and establishing a solid economic foundation
In order to solve the problem of insufficient military supplies, Cao Cao adopted the suggestion of Tuntian.Sure enough, very good results were received in the first year, and the village system was gradually improved and promoted.For several consecutive years, the official treasury has been filled day by day, and the people's livelihood has been stable.In the process of implementing large-scale farming, in order to increase the grain output of the land under the farming system, Cao Cao also paid attention to the construction of water conservancy, so that the cultivated land can be irrigated in a timely manner.

In order to develop production, Cao Cao also attached great importance to water conservancy.For example: Xiahou Dun led soldiers in Chenliu County to break Taishou River to make a pond (pond), which was called Taishou Pi.This water storage project not only made it easier for the officers and soldiers to plant rice, but also borrowed the private fields of the nearby people, "the people depend on their benefits."

In order to promote farming, Liu Fu, the governor of Yangzhou, repaired and built water conservancy projects such as Shaopi, Jipi (also known as Rupi), Qimenyan, Wutang and other water conservancy projects to irrigate the rice fields. The production in the farmland of the official family has benefited, and the production in the private field of the private family has also benefited.

Cao Cao also personally inspected the terrain many times, combined with the low-lying terrain in Xu County at that time, abundant water, and the characteristics of suitable rice planting, he visited the site in person to promote rice planting according to local conditions.According to local chronicles and folklore, Zaozhi was managing farmland in Xu County, and he organized troops to dig Yunliang River, Gaodi River, Zaozhi River and other canals around Xudu.And diverted water to irrigate the fields, which greatly increased food production.Baitian (dry field) harvests more than ten dendrobium per mu, and paddy field harvests more than ten dendrobium per mu.Grain reserves have achieved great results.

With Cao Cao's call and encouragement, coupled with Xu Du's real achievements, all counties and counties have started farming. "The prefectures and counties set up field officials, where they accumulate valleys, conquer all directions, and have no labor to transport grain." In Hebei, Liu Jing set up a water gate along the Gaoliang River, "Everything that is moistened for four to five hundred miles can irrigate more than [-] hectares of land. "Jia Kui was the governor of Yuzhou, "built the army outside, governed the civil affairs internally, curbed Yanru to build a new pit, and cut down the long stream to build a small Yiyang pit. He also transported more than [-] miles of canals, so-called Jiahou canals."The Huaiyang and Baichi canals were opened in Huai and Yingguang, and the north and south of Yingzhi were built to irrigate more than [-] hectares of fields.Xu Miao, governor of Liangzhou, "opened up paddy fields and recruited poor people to rent them, so that every family was rich and the warehouses were overflowing."In Hanoi, when Sima Fu was the king of the wild, Diannong Zhonglang, he built ashlar in Qinshui as the gate, "If there is a drought, the weir will be filled with water, and if it rains and the lake is full, the canal will be closed to prevent the water from being cut off and empty."

Diannong Gong Cao Deng Ai personally supervised the farming affairs of Chenliu, Shouchun and Xiangcheng.After on-the-spot investigation, combined with experience, he wrote "Jihe Lun", which stated in detail the methods and strategies for water control and canal opening, and then led the people to dig canals and rivers.He lived in Chenliu, Xiangcheng, and Shouchun for six or seven years, accumulating 3000 million dendrobium.Every time the later Wei marched into Soochow, the army went down by boat and reached Jianghuai.It not only saves the soldiers from the suffering of long journeys, but also has abundant grain reserves. It has made great achievements in order to counteract Soochow and consolidate the southeast.

When Xiahou Dun was the prefect of Chenliu, there was a severe drought in the local area, which led to the flood of locusts. He personally led the officers and soldiers to build water storage, rewarded the people for planting rice widely, and achieved good harvests.In addition, Liu Fu was in Yangzhou, Zheng Hun was in Zhaoling and Jingzhao, and Zhu Guang was in southern Anhui. They all built water conservancy projects, reclaimed wasteland, and planted rice widely.In a few years, not only "the people are safe in farming and thieves are stopped", but also "both the government and the people have savings".Especially when Zheng Hun was the Zhaoling Order, due to the heavy exploitation of the ruling class in the past dynasties and years of wars, the people's life was very difficult. Most people had children but could not afford them. Kill the child.After Zheng Hun arrived in Zhaoling, on the one hand, he asked farmers to "plow mulberry and open rice fields", and at the same time, "emphasize the method of removing sons".People's lives are getting better day by day, and all the children born have something to support.Some families use "Zheng" as the character after giving birth to their children to express their gratitude and support for Zheng Hun.

Zhu Guang, the prefect of Lu Jiang, opened up rice fields in Anhui and planted them widely. Wu general Lu Meng saw that the rice fields in Anhui were growing well, and thought, "The Anhui fields are fertile. Once they mature, they will increase in number. If you are a few years old, you will see the behavior." It should be eliminated early." Suggesting that Sun Quan "conquer Anhui personally", this also shows from one aspect that Cao Cao's measures to restore agriculture have played a role, making Soochow envious of Cao Cao's agricultural achievements.

After a few years of hard work, the Central Plains area has enough soldiers and food, and the people are rich. After that, tens of millions of grains can be harvested every year, and the farmland has received very good results.Even Sun Quan and Liu Bei, who were in the southeast and southwest, saw Cao Cao's success in farming, and they all tried to follow suit.Farming and planting grain, dividing troops to garrison fields.There are two types of Tuntian in Soochow: Army Tun and Min Tun.The military organization is adopted, and the Diannong Xiaowei and Diannong Duwei are responsible for managing the farming affairs.Sun Quan also personally changed the eight cattle he used for driving into farming cattle to show his support for agricultural production.Liu Bei and Zhuge Liang also used Hanzhong as their base for farming, recruited farmers to farm in Hanzhong, and sent Hanzhong prefect Lu Yi to "concurrently lead and supervise farmers (in charge of farming) and supply military rations."

In terms of farming, solving the problems of military rations and restoring agricultural production, Cao Cao made great achievements in seeking to generalize jujube.Zaozhi was the general who followed Cao Cao to attack Dong Zhuo in his early years.After Cao Cao occupied Yanzhou, he appointed Zaozhi as the county magistrate of Dong'e.When Cao Cao and Lu Bu competed for Yanzhou, most of the counties and counties in Yanzhou betrayed Cao Cao and surrendered to Lu Bu.Only Dong'e, Fan County and Juancheng were preserved.Zaozhi led the troops to defend Dong'e, which played a major role in consolidating the Yanzhou base.After Cao Cao dedicated the imperial capital Xu, Zaozhi saw that due to successive years of wars, the land was barren and the army food was insufficient, so he suggested to Han Hao that Cao Cao set up farmland to develop production.Zaozhi proposed to Cao Cao to garrison land. He believed that, on the one hand, "after the great chaos, the people were dispersed, and the land had no owner, and all the land was public land", on the other hand, "the property of the bandits (insurgents) should be set up to garrison the land."Zaoyi's suggestion of farming farmland was approved and supported by Cao Cao.

Cao Cao made Zaoyi the captain of the field and asked him to be in charge of the field.In the specific process of formulating the farmland policy and implementing the farmland, Zaodi actively made suggestions and repeatedly put forward reasonable suggestions to Cao Cao.When Zaoyi's correct opinion was opposed or resisted by Cao Cao, he still insisted on his own opinion. He was not afraid of disobeying Cao Cao. Cao Cao accepted it.It is precisely because of Zaozhi's unremitting efforts to make detailed plans for farming affairs.Reasonable layout, on-the-spot investigation, and specific guidance made Tuntian a great success.On the issue of farming, Zaoyi has indeed made great contributions.After Zaozhi's death, Cao Cao posthumously named him the prefect of Chenliu in recognition of Zaozhi's achievements.When Cao Cao reminisced about his achievements, he said: "Therefore, Zaozhi, the prefect of Chenliu... Repeatedly... I am alone. I made him the captain of the field and set up the field industry. At that time, the harvest was large, and then the field was used. , enough for military use, to control the world, and to prosper the royal family, only to rejuvenate his merits." Zaozhi was deeply cherished and highly praised.

Cao Cao's series of agricultural measures greatly liberated productivity and solved the most serious food problems, agricultural production problems, military food supply problems, and social stability problems in one fell swoop.The dilapidated social economy has been gradually restored and developed, farmers have a relatively stable production and living environment, which has alleviated the suffering of the common people to a certain extent, and the political power has been further stabilized as a result. The necessary material conditions are provided.

Second, act resolutely to curb the powerful and prosperous economy
Cao Cao not only has extraordinary military talents, but also has a great political mind.His political ideals are mainly reflected in "enriching the country and strengthening the army, and advocating the rule of law".He said: "Wen is benevolence; Wu is law."

Cao Cao believed that the people are the most important thing. When the monarch rules the people, he must appoint capable officials so that the people can get rest and recuperation.In order to create favorable conditions for the common people to recuperate and prosper, and to prosper the economy.Cao Cao paid special attention to restraining and attacking the powerful landlord forces.

It is Cao Cao's consistent attitude to suppress and crack down on the illegal behavior of tyrants.He had already done this as early as when he was the northern captain of Luoyang and the prime minister of Jinan.When he reached a high position and could not go into details, he paid attention to selecting capable officials to implement this policy in order to consolidate his rule.

Cao Cao's military operations were carried out step by step, winning every step of the way, and his ruling area continued to expand.With the increasing number of newly included cities, Cao Cao is also required to carry out political and economic reforms objectively.He took more enlightened measures, especially after occupying Yecheng, he implemented some progressive policies to set things right and consolidate his rule.

After Cao Cao occupied Jizhou, he learned that Yecheng's laws and regulations could not be implemented in a timely and effective manner, so he ordered Yang Pei, who was able to enforce the law strictly, to take up the post to govern Yecheng.Before leaving, Cao Cao specially summoned him and encouraged him.

Cao Hong, Liu Xun and other people who were used to domineering were afraid of Yang Pei's prestige, so they hurriedly sent people to Yecheng on horseback, and warned their children and disciples to check their own behavior and not to do anything wrong.Sure enough, Yecheng was well-organized and harmonious. Yang Pei governed Yecheng for several years. Because of his outstanding governance achievements, he was promoted to the rank of Lieutenant of Protecting Qiang.

When Sima Zhi was the magistrate of Jinan County, the powerful landlords in the territory were rampant.Liu Jie, the head of the county, has thousands of guests. Relying on his power, he is domineering.

Sima Zhi conscripted Wang Tong and others for military service according to the regulations. These people hid themselves to avoid military service because they were Liu Jie's guests, and Liu Jie also covered them.Sima Zhi reported Liu Jie's wrongdoing to the superior prefect. Hao Guang, the prefect of Jinan, had always been in awe of Sima Zhi, so he ordered Liu Jie to serve in the army instead of Wang Tong.So the people in Qingzhou praised Sima Zhi for "using the princess book as a soldier".

After Simazhi was transferred to the magistrate of Guangping (belonging to Julu County, Jizhou), the disciples of Liu Xun's family, the general who conquered the captives, relied on Liu Xun's past and Cao Cao's old friends, and he was also a prince, very noble and proud, and he was also Sima Zhi's old superior. .Regardless of Sima Zhi's prestige, he still acts as a domineering and bullying common people.When Sima Zhi was about to deal with it, Liu Xun wrote to Sima Zhi asking him to show mercy.Sima Zhi ignored them and severely punished all the children of the guests who violated the law.

The above is only one aspect of Cao Cao's serious administration of officials, but it also reflects his determination and courage to work hard to govern.In addition to the vigorous administration of officials, he also made policy adjustments in the economy to stimulate the economy to recover from the war in time.

After Cao Cao occupied Jizhou, he personally supervised the construction of the Tianjing Weir, and also dredged the Ximenbao Canal in the past, diverting water from the Zhang River to irrigate Ye.There are 12 dikes in the patio weir, and the scope of irrigation is very wide.This is of great help to the production of private land, especially to the majority of small self-cultivating farmers.

In order to curb the expansion of the economic power of powerful surnames and ensure the country's normal financial expenditure, Cao Cao resumed the policy of Yantie official management.Salt and iron are two products that are very closely related to people's lives, and are also directly related to the country's fiscal revenue.After the implementation of the government-run policy of salt and iron, it not only restrained the growth of the economic power of powerful merchants, but also cracked down on those who had the ambition to rule the roost, and the country's fiscal revenue increased substantially.

In order to develop agricultural production, stabilize social order, increase taxation, and enhance the country's military and economic strength.On the one hand, Cao Cao collected land rent from tenant farmers by implementing the system of garrisoning land; on the other hand, by supporting small farmers, he combined labor force with private land, and collected land tax and head tax from self-cultivating and semi-self-cultivating farmers, that is, "land rent" and "household adjustment".In order to maintain a relatively stable life for self-cultivating small farmers, Cao Cao took measures to crack down on land mergers by powerful landlords, so as to avoid passing taxes on to farmers, and implemented a relatively light taxation system.

In the ninth year of Jian'an (204 A.D.), after Cao Cao occupied Jizhou, he issued the Order of Suppressing Mergers.In this decree, Cao Cao implemented a new taxation system-the "field rent" and "household adjustment" system.

Cao Cao's new system of "land rent" and "household adjustment" is a reform of the taxation system.It was determined based on the actual situation at the time and was relatively practical.The burden on farmers has been reduced to a certain extent, which is of positive significance.

As far as the "land rent" system is concerned, the new "land rent" system has a lower quota than the previous one; at the same time, the fixed "land rent" system enables owner farmers and semi-owner farmers to pay less under the condition of increasing production. It is conducive to promoting the production enthusiasm of small farmers.

As far as the "household adjustment" system is concerned, collection by household is more convenient to implement at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty when wars continued.And the family population has increased, and the household adjustment quota will no longer be increased, which is conducive to the development of the small-scale peasant economy.

In short, due to Cao Cao's "land rent" and "household adjustment" tax exploitation is relatively light, and local officials are not allowed to collect additional taxes and suppress tyrannical mergers, restricting them from passing taxes on to farmers (although this suppression cannot be implemented completely) , which still plays a certain role in improving the economic life of farmers, restoring and developing production, and stabilizing social order.

Landlords and bureaucrats also have to pay taxes to the state according to regulations.Cao Cao himself also paid attention to setting an example, and asked the county magistrate of his hometown Qiao County to collect the taxes due from his family according to regulations.Cao Cao asked county and county magistrates to collect taxes strictly according to the law, and anyone who resisted the tax must not be let go.

Landlords, owner farmers, and semi-owner farmers own private land far more than the state-owned land in Tuntian. As the ruling area continues to expand, Cao Cao collects more and more land taxes from landowners.Regular and large amounts of land tax and "household survey" income have well solved the problem of supporting officials and the army, and played a positive role in stabilizing the rule.

Cao Cao also paid great attention to attracting and appeasing the exiled people to return to their hometowns for production, supporting self-cultivating farmers, reclaiming wasteland, and restoring and developing the small-scale peasant economy.He used the increase in the number of household registrations and the number of cultivated fields in each county as the standard for rewarding and punishing local officials.

In the Guanzhong area alone, more than 10 people fled to Jingzhou due to the war, and there were also many refugees in other places.Later, with the gradual unification of the north, order was restored in the hometown of the refugees, and the society was relatively peaceful. They all hoped to go back to their hometown, but the land had been nationalized and production could not resume.Wei Yi of Liuzhen Guanzhong proposed to implement a salt monopoly system, and use his income to buy cattle, plows and other production materials, and provide them to returning farmers to help them cultivate and accumulate millet to enrich Guanzhong.Cao Cao adopted this suggestion.This policy supported many self-cultivating small farmers, and production gradually recovered and developed.

When Su Ze was the prefect of Jincheng, due to years of wars, the officials and people were hungry and poor, displaced and separated, and their household registration was greatly reduced. Su paid attention to comforting them, and used the cattle and sheep obtained from the "Qianghu" to support the poor and the elderly. They also shared the food with the people, and in less than a month, all the refugees returned.Su Ze personally taught them how to farm, and they had a bumper harvest that year.

Liang Xi was the governor of Bingzhou. In response to the situation of a large number of officials and people fleeing north, on the one hand, he levied and suppressed those tyrants who continued to rebel, and on the other hand, he appeased the returned common people and made proper arrangements for them.Soon there was a situation of tranquility on the border, "the common people set up fields, and diligently persuade farmers to mulberry". "Diligence and Encourage Farmers to Mulberry" is an incentive policy for self-cultivating farmers who combine agriculture and family handicrafts.

The most outstanding achievement in supporting small farmers was Du Ji, the prefect of Hedong.During his tenure as the governor of Hedong, he advocated generosity and benevolence, allowing the people to recuperate.He also asked farmers to raise livestock, from cows and mares to chickens and pigs, and everything was listed in the management regulations.The people are diligent in agricultural production, and every family is very prosperous.In this way, the tax revenue of the government will be greatly increased.Later, when Cao Cao marched westward to Hanzhong, Cao Jun's grain was supplied entirely by Hedong. After defeating the enemy, there were still more than 20 hu of grain left over.Cao Cao happily ordered to increase his salary to two thousand stones.

Cao Cao's policy of restraining the powerful and supporting small farmers has been implemented through the encouragement policies of local officials in accordance with local conditions.It greatly encouraged the production enthusiasm of the people, and also filled the treasury, which well guaranteed the needs of the war.

Three rectification of customs, development of education, establishment of customs
Cao Cao also cleaned up social customs, severely cracked down on party formation, selfishness, rumors and slander, distorting black and white, and threatening revenge, which affected internal unity and were not conducive to political stability, and vigorously eradicated and prohibited them.

In the fifth year of Jian'an (200 A.D.), Cao Cao issued the "Decree for Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao".The content is:

Since the country was in trouble, the social atmosphere has deteriorated, and slanderous speeches have been difficult to judge people's good or bad.Things like this that happened five years ago in Jian'an will no longer be investigated.In the future, if anyone uses the events before the cutoff to slander others, he will use the crimes he inflicted on others to inflict on himself.

Both Xu Xuan and Chen Jiao were subordinates of Cao Cao's Sikong, and the two had always been at odds with each other and often had conflicts.Chen Jiao's original surname was Liu, but later he changed his surname to Chen, and his wife was the daughter of the same clan, the Liu family.Xu Xuan often insulted and slandered Chen Jiao wantonly in public.Cao Cao believed that this was a personal attack on Chen Jiao, which would not only damage the image of the two, but also be detrimental to the unity among bureaucrats.In order to stop the spread of this malicious slander, Cao Cao issued this order in time, which is of very positive significance to curbing the proliferation of wanton personal attacks and slanderous speeches.

Cao Cao hated the anonymous slanderers who made things out of nothing, turned black and white, and had bad intentions.After Cao Jun occupied Jizhou, Cao Cao was very angry when he found someone in Yecheng writing an anonymous letter maliciously slandering others, so he made up his mind to investigate and find out.Let Guoyuan, the prefect of Weijun (Jiecheng City) investigate the matter.

Guoyuan carefully studied the anonymous letters and found that many of them quoted the content of Zhang Heng's famous "Fu of Erjing".He then selected some teenagers to study as teachers, and said that he would specially visit people who could read "Fu of Erjing" as teachers.After interviewing someone who can read "Er Jing Fu", send the selected students to him to study.Then the government officials designed to get the teacher's handwritten letter, compared the fonts of the slander and the teacher's letter, and found that both were written by the same person.Guoyuan immediately ordered this person to be detained and interrogated overnight.At last the motive of his crime was fully understood.The task of combating defamation has been accomplished very well.Soon after, Cao Cao promoted Guoyuan to be a servant.

Incidents like this that confuse black and white and slander and slander are not simply a matter of personal moral cultivation, but also related to whether the court politics can be quiet and whether the rule of the Cao Group can be long-term and stable. This is why Cao Cao made great efforts to rectify it.

Cao Cao developed step by step from a young official, and of course he knows everything about forming gangs and forming cliques for personal gain.Warn the officials not to collude with each other in private and engage in small cliques.We must do our best to serve the country and work diligently for the people.At the same time, Cao Cao advocated that officials should not compete for power and profit, but should be courteous.He said in the Order of Courtesy:
As the saying goes: "One inch, one foot", this is in line with the gist of the scriptures.Resigning titles and titles, not injuring one's reputation for profit, not injuring one's morality for pursuing high positions and honors, this is called comity.

Cao Cao advocated that officials and common people should be courteous, which is not only beneficial to the relationship within the upper group and reduces internal friction, but also conducive to the stability of the entire society.

In order to eliminate the factors of instability, after pacifying Jizhou, Cao Cao issued a special order to allow Yuan's former comrades to reform.In addition, Cao Cao also ordered that personal revenge is not allowed, and large funerals are prohibited, and those who violate it will be severely punished.

Cao Cao also pays attention to prohibiting some old customs that are not conducive to the lives of ordinary people and harmful to people's health.In the 11th year of Jian'an (206 years of public life), after Cao Cao occupied Bingzhou, he issued a "Punishment Order", which said:
I heard that Taiyuan, Shangdang, Xihe, Yanmen and other counties do not burn fires and eat cold food during the Cold Food Festival [-] days after the winter solstice.It is said that this is to commemorate Jie Zitui.Wu Zixu's body sank into the river, and the people of Wu did not stop drinking.To commemorate Jie Zitui, people only need to eat cold food. Isn't this a bias?Moreover, the north is particularly cold, and the elderly and children will suffer unbearable disasters.After this order is issued, no one is allowed to eat cold food.If there is a violation, the parents will be sentenced to half a year in prison, the officials in charge will be sentenced to [-] days in prison, and the county magistrate and county magistrate will withhold one month's salary.

Jie Zitui (also known as Jie Zhitui), a native of the Jin State in the Spring and Autumn Period, had been in exile for a long time with Jin Gongzi Chong'er. Later, when he returned to China, he saw Hu Yan asking Chong'er for credit. He didn't want to be with Hu Yan, so he left without saying goodbye.After Chong'er came to the throne (Jin Wengong), he rewarded the ministers with meritorious service. Jie Zitui lived in seclusion in Mianshan with his mother and refused to come out. Jin Wengong tried to force him out by setting fire to the mountain, but Jie Zitui was burned to death.In order to commemorate Jie Zitui, Jin Wengong stipulated that fire and cold food should be banned on the day Jie Zitui died.Later, in order to commemorate Jie Zitui, the folks did not raise fire and ate cold food during the month of Jie Zitui's death. Many people died every year because of this.By the time of Emperor Shun of the Eastern Han Dynasty, Zhou Ju, the governor of Bingzhou, changed to eating cold food for three days.

Cao Cao strictly prohibited cold food because he believed that this custom was too backward and harmful to the common people.

Cao Cao also attached great importance to positive education.He ordered the establishment of academic officials to develop education.Education in the Han Dynasty was very popular.The scale of both government schools (the imperial schools in the central government and local schools and schools) and private schools is relatively large.Due to the long-term war at the end of the Eastern Han Dynasty, school education fell into a state of stagnation.Although Cao Cao attached great importance to education, he did not have the social environment for the development of education in the early stage of his competition in the Central Plains. When he defeated Yuan Shao in the Central Plains and his rule tended to be stable, he began to restore the school education that had been abandoned for many years.

In the autumn and July of the eighth year of Jian'an (AD 203), Cao Cao issued the "Xu Xue Ling" and said:

It has been 15 years since the war, and young people still do not have the custom of benevolence, righteousness and comity. I am very sad.Now it is ordered that all counties and countries should study literature, and that counties with more than [-] households should set up school officials to select outstanding young people in the village to educate them.

The "literature" here is mainly the works of Confucianism.Cao Cao believed that only with the development of Confucianism education can the role of enlightenment be brought into play and the custom of benevolence, righteousness and comity be established.

Cao Cao was able to devote his energy to the restoration and development of education while leading the army in successive years of conquests. It can be seen that he understands the importance of education, which is really rare in a period of poor livelihood.

(End of this chapter)