Liu Qi smiled and said, "Tell me Cao Cao's conspiracy in detail and persuade your brother to surrender. Not only will I spare your life, I will not pursue the matter any further and will seek benefits for all the tribes in Wuxi..."
"Is it that simple?" Shazali's eyes widened in surprise. A hint of disappointment flashed across her eyes. She lowered her head and said slowly, "My eldest brother has a stubborn temper. I'm afraid he won't listen."
Liu Qi said, "Regarding the future development of Wuling, I have discussed this with your brother on the boat. He already knows everything. Cooperating with Cao's army is just like seeking the skin of a tiger. Why bother going far away? I think he already understands the reason. You can go and appease him and you will succeed."
Shazali was also concerned about Shamoko's injury and nodded, "I will try to persuade Big Brother."
Liu Qi immediately ordered someone to find clothes and asked Shazhali to change into them before meeting Shamoke.
Subduing this future Wuxi Barbarian King will not only stabilize the Wuling area, but also form a powerful special forces team, killing two birds with one stone.
Although the assassination attempt was successful, it was enough to arouse everyone's vigilance. Liu Qi also realized the importance of guards. If Gan Ning had not insisted on following, the consequences of this trip would have been unpredictable.
"Where are my Dian Wei and Xu Chu?"
Liu Qi sighed in his heart. He didn't want to bury his talented generals, so he released Chen Dao and Zhao Yun, but he couldn't bear to let Huang Zhong and Gan Ning follow him.
Although Liu Pan could be a confidant, his martial arts skills were not good enough to serve as a personal guard, so he had to think of another way. After thinking about it, it seemed that there was no suitable candidate.
In the cabin, Liu Qi, Huang Zhong and Gan Ning were still discussing Cao Cao. Such despicable means made Gan Ning angry and he cursed.
They arrived in Jiangling in the evening. Yu Jin had already learned about the assassination attempt and went to the riverside to greet them personally. When they and their horses went ashore, everyone breathed a sigh of relief.
Finally, the Shamoke brothers and sisters walked down from the boat, prostrated themselves in front of Liu Qi, and confessed their guilt with tears.
After this incident, the two men became more and more afraid. If Liu Qi got angry and sent troops to Wuxi, their people would surely suffer a devastating disaster.
Now, not only do they not pursue the crime, they also take the initiative to help the various tribes in Wuxi. Moreover, this matter had already been decided in Wuling. If they really killed Liu Qi, they would become the sinners of the tribe.
Liu Qi helped Shamo Ke up and said with emotion: "The transportation in Wuling Mountain area is inconvenient. I know the suffering of the people. You were tempted by Cao's army for huge profits. It is really the fault of the officials! If the territory was stable and the people were prosperous, how could you fall into the trap?"
Shamoke was shocked and said, "No, no, no, the general and Liu Mu have been very kind to our people. It was us who were too greedy and were eager to prepare food and cloth for the winter, so..."
Liu Qi said: "But Cao is a treacherous man who takes human life lightly and kills people at will. Everyone in the world knows this, so why would he care about you? As long as you and I work together in the future, the land of Jingchu will prosper and will be comparable to the Central Plains, and we will no longer have to worry about food and clothing."
Shamo Ke was filled with gratitude and knelt on the ground again: "The tribes of Wuxi are willing to go through fire and water for the Liu family for generations."
Yu Jin looked at Shamoke deeply, with the corner of his mouth slightly curled up, as if with disdain.
Liu Qi was delighted after successfully conquering Shamoke. It turned out that Shamoke was the nephew of the previous Barbarian King, the bravest warrior among all the tribes in Wuxi, and the recognized successor to the Barbarian King.
Although he has not yet sat on the throne, the old king is old and all matters in the tribe are decided by him. By subduing this man, the Wuxi barbarians will be stabilized.
He originally wanted to host a welcome party for Shamoke in Jiangling, but he was worried that his tribesmen would hear the news of the failed assassination and would feel uneasy. He was also worried that they would be used by someone with ulterior motives. So he was anxious to go back and calm the people's hearts and was unwilling to stay long.
Seeing Gan Ning's reluctant look, Liu Qi smiled and said, "Your sister is young and beautiful, has she been betrothed to someone?"
Shamo Ke was startled, thinking that Liu Qi was interested, and clasped his fists and said, "My lord has taken a fancy to me, it is a blessing that she has cultivated for several lifetimes. I am lucky to be a maid in the general's mansion. My lord, just give me your orders."
"How could I be a lustful person?" Liu Qi waved his hand seriously, pointed at Gan Ning and said with a smile: "Today I want to be a matchmaker for General Gan, what do you think?"
Upon hearing this, Shazali's pretty face immediately turned red. She lowered her head and turned her back, twisting her waist nervously, which was obviously exactly what he wanted.
Gan Ning also opened his mouth in surprise. Even though he had been in the martial arts world for decades and had a generous personality, he felt a little embarrassed when his real concern was suddenly revealed. He scratched his head and chuckled.
Shamo Ke clasped his fists and said, "I have heard of Jinfan Gan Ning's great name for a long time. My sister was captured by him in the water, and has long been conquered by General Gan. According to the rules of our tribe, she is also his woman. And with the lord as a matchmaker, of course I am willing, but I am afraid that General Gan will dislike us..."
"No, no, no, brother Sha, why do you say that?" Gan Ning quickly interrupted Shamo Ke and said with a fist: "I was also born in the countryside. If it weren't for the general's support, how could I have the glory today? From now on, you and I will work together to assist the general. It will be a great thing. We will be appointed generals and given titles of nobility. We are equally matched."
"Hahaha, what a great statement!" Seeing Gan Ning so forthright and generous, Shamo Ke laughed and said, "When I return to the tribe and make arrangements, I will invite General Gan to the village. You will be the eldest son-in-law of all the tribes in Wuxi."
“Brother…” Shazali pushed Shamoke and everyone burst into laughter.
It was getting late, so the Shamoke brothers and sisters took a boat back to Jiangnan. Someone came to pick them up and asked them to return to the tribe as soon as possible.
The group rushed to Jiangling, and Du Ji welcomed them into his palace, still with lingering fears: "General, you have escaped danger this time, which shows that God blesses the Han Dynasty. If Cao's plan fails, he will definitely come up with another plan. General, you must be careful."
Liu Qi laughed and said, "It's just a trivial trick. Cao thief is unscrupulous. He must be extremely angry. His mind is already confused. How can he not be defeated?"
Gan Ning laughed and said, "Cao Aman was severely injured when he went south, and the general extorted a lot of money and food from him. How can we not be angry? The angrier the enemy is, the happier we should be."
Liu Qi raised his cup and said, "Xingba is right. As long as Jingzhou is stable, with well-trained soldiers and sufficient food, why should we fear traitors? When friends come, we have good wine. If jackals dare to come, they will be greeted with swords and guns!"
Everyone was infected by Liu Qi's heroic spirit, and put aside their previous worries. They raised their glasses to celebrate until late at night.
The next day, Liu Qi rushed to Xiangyang, and Gan Ning returned to Dongting to train the navy. Once Deng Zhi took office, they could fully develop Jingzhou and prepare for the next plan.
Winter had arrived in the blink of an eye. After crossing the river, the weather turned cold. The leaves on the trees in Xiangyang were sparse, but the fields along the way were bustling with work. The military and civilians went out together to open roads and dredge canals in preparation for the next year's farming.
After the household registration and land properties in Jingzhou were re-registered, the military farming policy was fully implemented. All the extra land was collected as government land and rented to the people at the lowest price, and it was promised that it would remain unchanged for ten years, which won a lot of applause.
It was not that Liu Qi was unwilling to distribute the land directly to the people, but he was afraid that they would not be able to keep it.
In this era when aristocratic families are deeply rooted, once the land is privatized, it will be taken over by these big families in a few years and the old ways will return.
This is an attempt to combine the new policy with the old system. Only when it is gradually implemented in the future can it retain the people and stabilize people's hearts.
At any time, you must hold your rice bowl firmly in your own hands!