The main people who are worried about the future are the upper-class figures within the ancient literature school.
In this slave restriction operation, the Ancient Literature School was forced to compromise with Liu Bei. For the first time, they felt that their interests were being harmed. Many people felt unhappy. However, because of Liu Bei's strength and the support of many internal figures, this matter could only be done Let it go.
But who knows if Liu Bei will take advantage of it in the future?
The insects also have the worries of the insects.
But now, there is no point for them to think about it anymore, because Liu Bei has already implemented the slave restriction order in two-thirds of the areas, and the remaining one-third cannot avoid it no matter what. They even know what Liu Bei will do next. What to do.
On the first day of December in the third year of Jian'an, Liu Bei announced in Luoyang that in the next four years, including the entire fourth year of Jian'an, he would promote the slave restriction order in the six states of Yuzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou, Xuzhou, Yangzhou, and Jingzhou.
This was not beyond everyone's expectations at all, and it was no surprise that the officials of the Luoyang court would even be surprised if they didn't push it.
However, it is worth mentioning that the real population center of the Han Empire, the area with the highest population density, is in the four states of the Central Plains - Yuzhou, Yanzhou, Qingzhou|, and Xuzhou. The population density around the Central Plains exceeds that of any other area in the Han Dynasty, so The slave population in these four states also far exceeded that of the other major regions.
Compared with this, Jingzhou and Yangzhou can even be regarded as incidental.
Traditionally, the four states in the Central Plains were the back gardens of the wealthy noble families. The wealthy noble families established their clans here, spent their time, cultivated intensively, occupied the most fertile soil and the largest population, and enjoyed the most luxurious living standards. He stood proudly above the entire Han Empire and openly looked down on people from other regions.
To the south is Nanmanzi, to the north is Beiyi, to the west is Xirong, and to the east... is the endless sea with nothing.
They are the only people who are serious and superior.
Because he has the strongest economic strength, the largest population base, and cultural hegemony and monopoly advantages, at the beginning, Liu Bei was only the king west of Luoyang and did not extend his power tentacles to the four states of the Central Plains.
However, with the passage of time and the great growth of Liu Bei's power, Liu Bei's power gradually overflowed to the four states of the Central Plains. With the iconic liquidation of the major wealthy families of the Jinwen School, Liu Bei's power tentacles officially extended to the Central Plains region.
Represented by Runan County, the liquidation power of Pei State, Jiyin State and Langya State was controlled by Liu Bei. Liu Bei completely liquidated the local social connections of Jinwen School, tore them to pieces, and then openly appointed his own people to control these areas. Four counties.
These four counties have become a symbol of Liu Bei's expansion of power in the four states of the Central Plains, and are the bridgehead of his power. These four counties have fully followed the policies set by Liu Bei in Liangzhou, and implemented the Liangzhou New Deal, not only in the local area There are officials, and there is also a battalion of garrison in a dignified manner.
With money, people, and soldiers, Liu Bei's power was greatly enhanced by relying on these four counties. However, the traditional masters of the four states of the Central Plains suffered heavy casualties and losses.
However, there was nothing that could be done about it, and after liquidating the Jinwen School, Liu Bei did not further expand. Instead, he stopped in time, controlled the situation, and promoted the local economic recovery. Therefore, nothing happened to the overall situation of the four states of the Central Plains. Variety.
Moreover, many of Liu Bei's talents were from the four states of the Central Plains. In a sense, Liu Bei was still related to the four states of the Central Plains.
It was precisely because of these many considerations that Liu Bei did not immediately push for a slave restriction order on the four states of the Central Plains.
But now most areas have completed the slave restriction order, and the promotion of the slave restriction order has become a national consensus. It would be politically incorrect not to continue to promote it at this time.
Therefore, as Liu Bei's slave restriction order was issued, the four counties of Runan, Pei, Jiyin and Langya first launched strict internal slave restriction orders.
Runan County, under the leadership of Xun Yu, promoted the most thoroughly, also because Runan County was the most controlled by Liu Bei. The number of local slave-owning families was not large, and their power was small. They were no match for the government. Facing Gao Shun's Runan camp, Soldiers, they gave in decisively.
What can I do if I don’t give in?
Waiting to be killed?
The slave restriction order has been implemented for two years. Everyone who should know knows it. They have also heard about the fate of those who disobey. When encountering a military strongman like Liu Bei, they are angry, helpless, frightened, and afraid. He was targeted by Liu Bei and killed.
In order to survive, abandoning slaves is not something that cannot be done. As long as you can survive, anything will work.
Runan County thus set a record since the slave restriction order was promoted - not a single family resisted, and everyone gave in and handed over their excessive slaves to the government for inspection.
In the remaining three counties, there were slightly more obstructive forces, but they were still stubbornly unwilling to hand over their slaves. They openly confronted the government, or secretly hid slaves, and used all means to escape. In the end, the entire clan was exterminated. end.
For these tycoons who had little social status, Liu Bei's killing did not pose a crisis in public opinion. Scholars did not care about the death of these tycoons. No matter how many they died, it had nothing to do with the scholars.
Unless Liu Bei aimed the butcher's knife at the scholars, it would cause a stir, but is that possible?
Within the Ancient Literature School, whether at the upper or lower levels, only a few people had some minor worries, while a considerable number of people did not believe that Liu Bei would do such a crazy thing.
They felt that Liu Bei implemented this policy on small and medium-sized landowners and some large landowners, and then shared the results with scholars and bureaucrats to a limited extent. This was a sign that he cared about everyone.
This is a manifestation of Liu Bei's emphasis on everyone's strength and his emphasis on commitment. Therefore, although Liu Bei's power has become more and more powerful, the perception of him within the Luoyang court has always been maintained at a very high level.
There is no way, Liu Bei's reputation is too good, and his character of attaching importance to love, justice, and commitment runs throughout. It has been an indelible label on him since he arrived in Luoyang and entered the officialdom.
With this label, the obstacles he faces in political action are much smaller, and the cost of launching rectification actions is much smaller than that of others. This is a valuable asset.
Therefore, they are willing to cooperate with Liu Bei in other aspects of Liu Bei's governance, especially in terms of personnel, including Liu Bei's appointment of a large number of Liangzhou people as officials, and even the appointment of Liangzhou people as officials in the four states of the Central Plains. a substantial boost.
Before this, it was difficult for people from Liangzhou, including people from Bingzhou and Youzhou, to serve as administrative officials in the four states of the Central Plains. However, with the complete destruction of the Jinwen School and the growth of Liu Bei's power, people from Liangzhou became administrative officials in the four states of the Central Plains. Being a chief officer is no longer a strange thing.
Not only are the county governors and prime ministers, but many county magistrates are also from Liangzhou, and they are even graduates of the Liangzhou Prefecture School led by Liu Bei, and they are all Liu Bei's "disciples".
Now it is not just Liangzhou Prefecture School. The Sili Academy founded after Liu Bei took control of Luoyang is also led by Liu Bei. Liu Bei manages Sili Academy in the same way as Liangzhou Prefectural Academy, so the students of Sili Academy are also Liu Bei. disciple.
That is to say, they have not graduated and entered the officialdom yet, but sooner or later, they will all graduate, enter the officialdom, and become a member of Liu Bei's power group in the officialdom.
Even now, Liu Bei alone has thousands of disciples. A disciple group of this size is relatively rare. Therefore, within Luoyang, some people joke that Liu Bei wants to compete with the founder of Confucianism.
(End of chapter)
