Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Conquering a kingdom is difficult, but governing it is even harder.

Especially when, like Li Ji, one aims to lay a solid foundation for governing while still in the process of conquering, the difficulty is compounded.

Yuzhou, being the heart of the Central Plains and the center of the Great Han, boasts a population and grain production that rank among the top of the thirteen provinces.

Furthermore, after Yuan Shu exhausted the resources accumulated by the Yuan clan, he was captured by Li Ji.

This prevented Yuzhou from following its original trajectory, where Yuan Shu would have declared himself a false emperor, indulged in extravagance and debauchery, imposed heavy taxes, and constructed lavish palaces, leading to the devastation of Yuzhou and the Jianghuai region.

Moreover, the rise of the Yellow Turbans in Yuzhou, who seized grain from the aristocratic families to enrich the common people, averted famine and greatly preserved the population of Yuzhou, preventing countless people from becoming displaced.

Therefore, how to properly handle the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans will significantly impact the subsequent governance of Yuzhou.

After Li Ji meticulously explained the various problems and influences of the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans, Liu Bei fell into deep thought and made a statement.

“The so-called Yuzhou uprising is merely an expedient measure to cope with famine. How are the common people to blame? It is not appropriate to pursue or punish them, let alone harm them excessively. Why not issue an amnesty, drop the matter, and let them return to their respective villages?”

“Indeed.”

Li Ji largely agreed with the first part of Liu Bei’s statement, but he shook his head and said.

“Simply issuing an amnesty, even with Xingba as an internal contact, may not necessarily make the people feel the Lord's grace and power, and it will also arouse dissatisfaction among many aristocratic families in Yuzhou.”

Even though Li Ji instigated the Yuzhou Yellow Turban uprising, their initial intention was to survive.

However, Gan Ning is deliberately controlling the number of Yellow Turbans under his command. The number of young and strong alone has exceeded one hundred thousand. Once the large number of supporting elderly, weak, women, and children are included, the number is probably over three hundred thousand.

After all, Gan Ning truly opened the granaries and treasuries, distributing money and grain, and dividing the cultivated land of the local aristocratic families and powerful clans whenever he conquered a city or territory.

For the common people, this was truly an act of grace for which they were willing to die for Gan Ning.

If Zhang Jiao had done this back then, delivering a large amount of benefits to the common people and believers, he would probably have stormed into Luoyang with the support of countless people who rushed forward one after another.

Therefore, a simple amnesty is far from enough.

Even if Gan Ning has no ulterior motives and persuades the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans to lay down their arms and return to their fields, if someone with ambition later uses the name of the Yellow Heaven, or even secretly promotes some conspiracy theories.

Then the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans who have laid down their arms and returned to their fields will become a continuous source of rebellion, becoming a hidden danger in Yuzhou that is too big to fail.

Realizing the thorniness of the matter, Liu Bei thought hard for a while, but still couldn't come up with a perfect solution, and blurted out a question.

“I wonder if Zikun has any brilliant plan?”

“Since it began with the Yellow Heaven, let it end with the Yellow Heaven.”

Li Ji replied faintly, his eyes falling on Liu Bei.

Realizing something, Liu Bei asked, “Could this plan be greatly related to me?”

“Only the Lord can do it.”

Li Ji said with a smile.

“I would like to hear the details.” Liu Bei pressed.

Li Ji opened his mouth, intending to explain to Liu Bei in detail, but suddenly thought of Liu Bei's attitude towards the throne, which has always been ambiguous.

Even though Liu Bei has already understood his ambition to emulate Emperor Guangwu and revive the Han Dynasty, no matter how Li Ji hints at it, Liu Bei always harbors some thoughts of returning power to the emperor when the time comes.

Li Ji doesn't know whether Liu Bei is sincere or pretending, but at least it shows that Liu Bei is still full of hesitation about this matter in his heart.

However, there is one thing that Li Ji is quite clear about.

That is, if Liu Bei really returns power to the emperor, within two generations, the civil and military officials who followed Liu Bei to conquer the world will inevitably be cut off from descendants.

Both publicly and privately, after unifying the world, Liu Bei has to sit on this throne whether he wants to or not.

Even if Liu Bei doesn't sit, Li Ji, as his advisor, has to send A Dou up to sit.

However, some details of this plan are a bit too sensitive, making Li Ji realize that saying it too clearly might make Liu Bei object.

Therefore, Li Ji changed the subject and said mysteriously.

“It cannot be said, it cannot be said.”

Liu Bei said unhappily. “When did Zikun start playing this game too?”

“Lord, please forgive me, the truth is that there are still some details that I have not been able to deduce clearly, so I dare not speak rashly.”

After a pause, Li Ji added.

“However, I have already sent a message to Xingba, asking him to lead the Yellow Turban elite to the Xiang County section of the Ying River in five days.”

“In these few days, the Lord can burn incense and pray to the heavens every day, perhaps making the celestial phenomena more inclined towards us, so that we can smoothly solve the Yuzhou Yellow Turbans and the people will not be harmed.”

In this era, there are few people who completely disbelieve in ghosts and gods.

Liu Bei is also among them.

Being told such a mysterious sentence by Li Ji made Liu Bei somewhat unconfident for a while.

“Is it really useful?” Liu Bei confirmed.

“I think it is, and besides, the Lord prays to the heavens for the people, his heart is sincere, and there will surely be echoes.” Li Ji replied.

This touched Liu Bei's heart.

Praying to the heavens for the people, even if all utilitarian thoughts are put aside, Liu Bei is willing to do it.

However, with Liu Bei's understanding of Li Ji, he always felt that Li Ji seemed to be preparing for something else, and also to give himself a psychological preparation.

Liu Bei pondered secretly for a while, but he was not very clear about what Li Ji's brilliant plan was.

It's just that Liu Bei has never been willing to force Li Ji to do anything, so he had to be patient and didn't delve into it.

Instead, Liu Bei really did as Li Ji said, burning incense and calming his mind every day to pray to the heavens for the people.

Five days later.

The sky was just beginning to dawn.

On the bank of the Ying River, the densely packed Yuzhou Yellow Turbans, led by Gan Ning, who was wearing a mask, marched slowly.

Looking around, how could the number of Yuzhou Yellow Turbans in that endless expanse be just over one hundred thousand?

Especially since these Yellow Turban youths, each with a fanatical look on their faces, also have no formation to speak of between each other, scattered like ants crossing the border, making the scale even more amazing.

In front of the dense Yuzhou Yellow Turban vanguard, Gan Ning led the way as always.

But those Yellow Turban generals who had to be promoted in order to control the Yellow Turbans kept talking beside Gan Ning.

“Yellow Heaven Saint, where is the target for this rescue?”

“Yellow Heaven Saint, the weather is cool, don’t get cold, and put on this robe to block the wind.”

“Nonsense, the Saint is the incarnation of the Yellow Heaven, how could he be cold…”

Listening to those rebellious words, Gan Ning only felt that his corpse was warm, and he just wanted to return to the Marquis's command to calm down.

Once others know that this so-called Yellow Heaven Saint is himself, he will die, right?

The Great Han certainly has no place for Gan Xingba of Ba Commandery. (End of this chapter)