When Liu Qi arrived at the government office, everything in the city had returned to order.
Kuai Yue came forward with a stack of official documents and reported: "General, Cai Mao's seizure of power for personal gain, murder of royal relatives, oppression of officials, and abuse of power for personal gain have all been investigated. Please review them."
Liu Qi waved his hand and said, "Leave this matter to the deputy driver. I will be relieved. Everything will be handled according to the law."
Cai Mao's brothers are dead, and Mrs. Cai has also been dealt with. With Liu Pan in charge of the military power, the political affairs of the states and counties still rely on these people, and we cannot offend them all.
Kuai Yue said, "It's easy to deal with the servants of the Cai family, but this matter is also related to the Huang family. Should we investigate Madam Cai?"
"Huang family?" Liu Qi was slightly startled. He had actually forgotten that Cai Mao had a brother-in-law. "Are you talking about Huang Chengyan?"
"That's right!" Kuai Yue nodded slightly and looked up at Liu Qi.
Among the aristocratic families in Jingzhou, the Cai family, the Kuai family, and the Huang family are the most powerful. He wanted to see how Liu Qi would respond.
Unexpectedly, Liu Qi suddenly asked, "I heard that the Huang family has an ugly daughter. Is she married?"
"Ah?" Kuai Yue was caught off guard by the question. He was stunned for a moment before answering, "I have been betrothed to Zhuge Liang, but we haven't gotten married yet."
Speaking of Huang Chengyan, the first person Liu Qi thought of was Huang Yueying, and naturally he also associated it with Zhuge Liang,
Liu Qi chuckled and said, "Then Zhuge Liang's brother-in-law seems to be a member of the Kuai family, right?"
Kuai Yue's heart suddenly skipped a beat, thinking that Liu Qi was asking this question, could it be that he was trying to forcibly involve the Kuai family
He quickly replied, "Although my nephew is the son-in-law of the Zhuge family, since Zhuge Xuan passed away, Zhuge Liang has lived in seclusion in Longzhong, farming for his own amusement, and the two families have seldom interacted with each other."
Liu Qi smiled and said, "My dear, you are worrying too much. I am not asking about the Cai family. Cai Mao and other culprits have been executed. Their crimes have been announced to all places to serve as a warning to others. There is no need to implicate innocent people. We must stabilize people's hearts as soon as possible."
Kuai Yue was relieved and asked again: "Should the Cai family's property be confiscated? How should we deal with the more than 10,000 acres of land they have embezzled?"
"Everything should be done according to the law!" Liu Qi looked at Kuai Yue with a stern look in his eyes: "I'm afraid it's not just the Cai family that has embezzled the land, right?"
"This..." Kuai Yue hesitated for a moment, then nodded and said, "Years of war and natural disasters have left the people displaced, and every family will buy up land and take in the people to resettle them."
Liu Qi snorted slightly. The root cause of the war in the late Han Dynasty was actually the disaster caused by the aristocratic families. Talents, land, and weapons were all under their control. Not only was the court hollowed out, but even whether the governors and county magistrates could successfully manage a state or a county depended on the mood of these aristocratic families.
This was most obvious in Jiangdong. Sun Ce's high-pressure tactics brought him fatal disaster, and Sun Quan had no choice but to compromise. However, he still carried out large-scale killings in the later period, causing the strength of Eastern Wu to decline sharply.
Liu Qi asked: "If we re-register the land and population of each state and county and increase taxes, what do you think are the pros and cons?"
Kuai Yue clasped his fists and said, "General, if you want to work hard to govern and win over the people, it is inevitable to reset the land and reduce taxes and levies, but you have to take your time and don't rush it."
Liu Qi nodded and smiled, "What the deputy driver said makes sense. There is no need to conduct a detailed investigation of the land. We only need to re-register it, sort out the taxes, confiscate all the excess land, and implement the military farming system."
Kuai Yue clasped his fists and said, "As you command!"
Talent, land and people are the decisive forces in the rise and fall of a regime. At the end of the Han Dynasty, land annexation and monopoly of imperial examinations and selections led to the control of resources by aristocratic families. The consequences can be imagined.
Liu Qi said: "Nowadays, various places conceal their population and land, and taxes are a big problem. War is about to start, and we must ensure that there is enough money and food. I hope that the deputy driver can put public affairs first, set a good example, and work together to protect Jingzhou."
Kuai Yue was shocked by Liu Qi's hint and determination, and hurriedly stood up and said, "Under an overturned nest, how can the eggs remain intact? General, rest assured, we will do our best to handle this matter."
Liu Biao had long been sidelined by the Cai family. Although Liu Qi has now dealt with the Cai family, he is not strong enough to take action against the aristocratic families. What is needed now is a stable situation.
What he is more concerned about now is the situation in Xinye. Guan and Zhang have not yet completely returned to their original aspirations. Cao Cao is very likely to go south to stabilize Nanyang first before gradually implementing reforms.
Liu Qi sighed, "My uncle has been killed, and there is no one to guard Jiangbei. I will rush to Xinye tomorrow. I'll trouble you to take care of the affairs in the rear."
"It is my duty as a subordinate, so I will do my best and will not slack off in the slightest."
Kuai Yue agreed readily, but Liu Qi knew that these people were still waiting and watching. The quality of his performance in the future would be the key to whether they would decide whether to give their full support.
Just when he was feeling tired and ready to take a rest, Liu Xian came to the government office with a man. This man was tall and burly, and it was none other than Huo Jun, the commander of Jiangling.
Huo Jun was from Zhijiang, Nanjun. After his brother Huo Du passed away, Liu Biao ordered Huo Jun to lead his troops and transferred him with an official document.
Liu Xian held the list and said, "There is also Li Yan, who is currently the magistrate of Zigui County. Yizhou is unstable now, so we dare not transfer him easily. Should we send someone to replace him?"
"No need, promote Li Yan to General of the Central Army and let him guard Badong!" Liu Qi shook his head slightly and asked, "That's it?"
Liu Xian shook his head and smiled bitterly, explaining: "Pang Tong went to Jiangdong to study and has not returned yet, and Zhuge Liang declined to take up the post of an official because of the spring ploughing..."
"Forget it!" Liu Qi raised his hand to interrupt him, saying: "The matter of recruiting talents must be passed down to each county. Anyone who recommends useful talents will be rewarded generously. The people I listed cannot be forced, just let it go!"
"Yes, sir!" Liu Xian was a little surprised. It seemed that Liu Qi really had a heart of respecting the wise.
I thought Liu Qi would be furious and use the same brutal means as he did in the past few days, sending people to tie Zhuge Liang up and bring him to the government office to severely reprimand him.
Liu Qi then instructed Huo Jun, "Captain Huo, go to the inn to rest first, and come with me to Xinye tomorrow."
Huo Jun took the order and retreated with Liu Xian. Liu Qi had not slept all night and his eyelids began to droop, so he returned home to rest.
Before they knew it, two days had passed. When they returned to their residence, Liu Fu was so excited that he burst into tears. Du Ling'er's attitude also changed drastically. She became gentle and well-behaved, like a kitten.
He took the initiative to help Liu Qi change clothes and wash up, and got into bed without being told.
The news of the Cai family's demise shocked her, but she also knew that Liu Qi was her only support.
Feeling the hand moving up and down, Du Ling'er's face flushed, her breathing quickened, and she whispered to him, leaning against his slightly skinny chest, "I feel so ashamed of myself, sir. For the rest of my life, I am willing to serve you like a slave..."
Before she could finish her words, she heard snoring. She looked up and saw that Liu Qi had fallen into a deep sleep. She could not help but pout her red lips with a resentful look on her face.
She asked Liu Fu, and learned that all the members of the Cai family had been arrested and charged, but she was the only one who was safe here. It was obvious that Liu Qi was intentionally protecting her. She couldn't help but feel secretly happy and determined to serve him for the rest of her life.
The last time she was extremely reluctant, but Liu Qi still forced himself on her. Today, she was fully prepared, but Liu Qi was not moved at all. Could it be that he had lost interest in her
Unconsciously, I thought of the misery and loneliness of being abandoned. My heart, which had been burning just a moment ago, was filled with sadness, and two lines of clear tears rolled down.
Du Ling'er was in a state of confusion, worried about gains and losses. How could she know that Liu Qi was just too tired. He was in high spirits when he went to bed, but as soon as he lay down, tiredness was like a wave that drowned him.
This body hasn't fully recovered yet, I really feel like I want to, but I'm unable to do anything about it!