Sun Quan buried Wu Guotai with a state funeral in Ganlu Temple, handed over military and political affairs to Liu Qi in person, and left his confidants such as Lu Yi to guard her. He burned incense and chanted scriptures in the temple, and mourned for three years.
Officials from all over the country were still doubtful, but when they saw Sun Quan speak in public, they were all surprised. How could such an important matter be easily handed over to Liu Qi to take charge
Although Liu Qi was the son-in-law of Jiangdong, he was an outsider after all. He also held the position of Grand Marshal and was in charge of Jingzhou and other places. Wouldn't he be handing over such a great foundation to others
Although everyone was shocked, Zhang Zhao, Zhang Hong, Lu Su, Gu Yong and others obeyed the order. Even Han Dang and Lu Xun who came from Huainan had no objection. Although the others were full of questions, they had no choice but to obey the order.
Liu Qi led everyone back to the city and appointed Lu Su as the governor of Yangzhou, Zhang Zhao as the deputy driver, Zhang Hong as the governor, and Zhuge Jin as the secretary of the general's office, specifically coordinating all matters between Liu Qi and the civil and military officials of Jiangdong.
The rest of the officials, both big and small, were appointed and dismissed by Zhang Zhao and others. Overall, they did not interfere in the affairs of Jiangdong, which made everyone even more confused.
Could it be that Liu Qi really had no intention of Jiangdong, and only took over reluctantly out of friendship, but was actually doing the job perfunctorily, wanting to wait until Jiangdong was in complete chaos before reaping the benefits
Thinking of this, everyone cursed Sun Fu, Sun Hao and other bullies of the Sun family. They discussed in the inn that they must do their job well after returning and must not let this outsider laugh at Jiangdong.
The next day, Zhuge Jin and Zhang Zhaoxian arrived at the government office, clasped their fists and said with a smile: "General, this plan is indeed brilliant. With a little guidance, officials from all regions will change their minds and vow to fulfill their duties and never let outsiders laugh at them."
Zhang Zhao stroked his beard and sighed, "I didn't expect that General Liu is so good at strategy and also knows human nature. Although this is not a provocation, it is better than a provocation."
"No, no!" Liu Qi laughed and said, "Since ancient times, public opinion has been the best guide for people's hearts, especially those mediocre people who have no opinions of their own and just go with the flow. I only need to guide them a little bit and they can be used by me."
Everyone agreed with this. Although they had not yet mastered the concept of public opinion, they were well aware of the power of words and the spread of rumors. It was just that Liu Qi put it more bluntly.
At all times, public opinion must be guided by the authorities and the mouthpiece must be in our own hands. This is the reason why we have a legitimate reason to act.
When Xiangyang's printing technology matures, the latest batch of newspapers and periodicals will be issued immediately. Only then will Cao Cao know what it means to be afraid of people's words and to be able to melt gold with the power of public opinion.
While chatting, Lu Su, Han Dang and Lu Xun also came to the government office to discuss preparations for war.
The Battle of Huainan dealt a heavy blow to the Eastern Wu. The food and grass were barely enough to sustain it, but more than half of the troops were lost, and it was now strong on the outside but weak on the inside.
Now Cao Cao has arrived in Xuzhou again. If he fails to win the battle in Huainan this time, Jiangdong will completely collapse. We must treat this matter with caution.
Hearing that Liu Qi would not send reinforcements and would use the old troops from Jiangdong to fight Cao's army, Lu Su frowned and said, "General, your concerns are not unreasonable, but using only new soldiers to fight may not be worth the loss. How can we throw the baby out with the bathwater?"
Lu Xun also said: "Although the general defeated Cao's bandits in Nanyang, at that time, the soldiers were well-trained and brave, and there was sufficient money and food. The people of Jingzhou were united, so they were able to defeat Cao's arrogant troops! Now Cao's bandits have made a comeback. Cao's army has experienced the northern expedition and is strong in soldiers and horses. There are also tens of thousands of Hu cavalry. They will definitely fight with all their strength. Dongwu has suffered setbacks for a long time, and morale is low. With only more than 30,000 elite troops, I am afraid they will be stretched to the limit."
The confidence on Zhang Zhao's face had long since disappeared. Pulling his beard, he advised: "You two are right! After this experience, Cao's army has become a battle-hardened army. Although the Jingzhou troops are in the Central Plains, the Huainan troops are far from being comparable to the Jingzhou elite troops. In my opinion, it is better to transfer 100,000 elite troops from Yizhou and Jingzhou to help. They will surely be able to attack Xuzhou and respond to General Guan from east to west. The Central Plains can be decided in one battle. Who in Jiangdong dares not to submit?"
Liu Qi smiled and said, "Don't worry, everyone. Haven't you heard that a desperate army will win? I believe that the Jiangdong soldiers will have the strength to fight. Although the infantry suffered a setback earlier, the navy was unscathed. With the Huai River as the boundary, the Jiangdong navy still has the advantage. Xuzhou is connected to the Huai River and the Si River, and the waterways are crisscrossed. This time, Cao Cao was defeated on the water."
Han Dang laughed and said, "General Liu, what you said is magnificent. We have been following General Sun for three generations. We have been armed and fought bravely. Why should we be afraid of Cao's army?"
Lu Xun said, "After years of fighting, the people are resentful and unwilling to join the army. The newly recruited soldiers are also quite resentful and the army is not motivated. Without a source of soldiers, everything is in vain. I wonder if the general has any good plan?"
Liu Qi said: "I have already made plans for this matter. In the past, Cao Cao slaughtered Xuzhou, and Sima Yi flooded Shouchun twice. I estimate that the people in Huaibei hate Cao Cao's army. Countless people have fled their homes. Those who remain in the land may not be sincerely obedient, but they are powerless to resist and have to swallow their anger. If we can recruit volunteers to avenge the enemy, and then use heavy rewards to motivate the three armies, we will be able to form an elite division."
"This is a brilliant plan!" Zhang Zhao's eyes lit up when he heard this, and he praised: "The whole world has suffered from Cao for a long time, especially in Xuzhou. As a relative of the Han Dynasty, if you raise your arms and call for action, thousands of people will respond. We can issue proclamations to avenge our hatred, return home in glory, destroy Cao and revive the Han Dynasty, and form a death-defying army."
Liu Qi nodded and said, "This time, the conscription is not only for civilians, but also for those who are forced to become bandits. The heroes and bandits who gather everywhere can also be recruited. It is not too late to turn back! Officials, merchants, peddlers, and hawkers from all over the country can all make contributions. It does not matter their origins. Those with money can contribute money, and those with strength can contribute strength. When we recover the Central Plains, we will report to the emperor and reward them according to their merits."
"Hiss—" Zhang Zhao's eyes widened, and he said in shock: "General Liu is indeed good at using people's hearts. This move will surely shock the world. Using people from the enemy's territory to fight the enemy can make Cao's army lose the support of the people, and cause chaos without fighting. How can we not win?"
"General, you understand the people's feelings well. This is what is meant by water. Water can carry a boat, but it can also capsize it!" Lu Xun sighed.
He did not interact much with Liu Qi, and was somewhat dissatisfied in his heart, thinking that Liu Qi was only rising by relying on his status as a young dragon and a young phoenix. In addition, Liu Qi married the daughter of Sun Ce, which made him one level lower in generation, which further aggravated his resentment. After this conversation, he realized that this man was unfathomable.
"Since ancient times, those who win the hearts of the people will win the world!" Liu Qi nodded seriously and said with a master's tone: "The people, and only the people, can create miracles and change the world."
Zhang Zhao stroked his beard and sighed, "General, what you said is worthy of being called a sage!"
Liu Qi clasped his fists and said, "However, the battle in Huainan still requires all of you to be united and share the same hatred for the enemy, so that we can defeat the enemy. I want to appoint Bo Yan as the commander-in-chief to command the three armies and take charge of military affairs. What do you think?"
"Oh no, absolutely not!" Zhang Zhao, who had just been praising Liu Qi, stood up anxiously after hearing this: "Bo Yan is just a scholar, how can he lead an army?"
This time even Lu Su advised: "The battle of Huainan not only concerns the safety of Jiangdong, but also the general's reputation. It is a heavy responsibility to revive the Han Dynasty. The general must not take it lightly."
Han Dang frowned and said, "The Grand Commander is far away in Qingzhou, Lü Ziming died for his country, and only General Huang Lao has the highest prestige. I'm afraid Boyan will have trouble convincing the people."
Liu Qi looked at Lu Xun: “Bo Yan, what do you think?”