Chapter 48: The New Pavilion at West River

While Lu Zhi was serving as an official in the capital, his household affairs were managed by his wife.

Madam Lu was a kind-faced middle-aged woman and was quite familiar with Liu Yuanqi. Liu Deran was still studying under Lu Zhi to this day, and the two families interacted frequently.

"Madam, this is Liu Xuande, a former disciple of Minister Lu. He says he wishes to do something for the master's sect and clan, as a way to make amends for his past mistakes."

Liu Yuanqi helped initiate the conversation.

Liu Bei had asked him to come purely to say this one line; otherwise, it would have been inconvenient for Liu Bei to enter the Lu family residence.

When Liu Bei originally studied under Lu Zhi, he had been unremarkable and could not be considered an inner-circle disciple, but Madam Lu was well aware of his current reputation in Zhuo County. She also knew that he had previously committed offenses and been struck from Lu Zhi's registry.

However, the people of Zhuo County universally praised the present Liu Bei, and Madam Lu actually held no ill will toward him.

"Mistress, when I was young and foolish, I committed many mistakes that brought disgrace to the master's sect. I truly have no right to enter the Lu clan grounds again. Yet mistakes must always be corrected, and so I have brazenly come here. I beg the Mistress not to blame me..."

Liu Bei brought some gifts—nothing rare, merely common pastries, offered simply to express the attitude of respecting one's teacher.

"Xuande, there is no need for such formalities. I have heard tell of your benevolent deeds and chivalrous actions. All past events are like smoke in the wind. The Yellow Heaven forgives mortals and does not hold grudges against past transgressions."

Madam Lu appeared very courteous and gentle.

Yet, upon hearing this, Liu Bei felt a trace of surprise. The Yellow Heaven was the deity of the Taiping Dao...

Madam Lu actually believed in the Taiping Dao.

Though, naturally enough, the followers of the Taiping Dao in Zhuo County had always been performing charity around Shili Pavilion, never having the opportunity to commit any nefarious deeds. Their proselytizing reach was rather small, but the quality of their believers was considerably higher.

"Mistress, my coming here today is to do something for the master's sect and clan—an act that brings both virtue and benefit."

Liu Bei did not delve into what faith Madam Lu held, as he still had serious business to attend to: "This is Qian Zijing, Official Advisor for Guarding the Wuhuan. Some time ago, the Shanggu region was unstable, and Commander Zou also came under attack. Therefore, Advisor Qian intends to relocate the main military camp of the Colonel Guarding the Wuhuan to the vicinity of the Juma River to guard against the incursions of the northern nomads."

Qian Zhao stepped forward and cupped his hands in salute. "I have already pitched camp by the Juma River, and upon learning that the land belongs to Minister Lu, I asked Brother Xuande to come and inquire. I wonder if the Madam would be willing to allow our regular troops to be stationed on the Lu family's land? Please rest assured, Madam, what I lead are Commander Zou's core regular troops—sons of Han, not Wuhuan nomadic cavalry."

Every word of this was the truth, without the slightest deception.

As an Official Advisor, Qian Zhao was in charge of the affairs pertaining to Zou靖's core regular troops. All of Zou Jing's banners and ceremonial regalia were in Qian Zhao's hands, allowing him to directly represent Zou Jing.

"The vicinity of the Juma River? That naturally presents no problem. Since it is a matter of military affairs, there is no need to consult an old woman like me. You are free to use the estate buildings as you see fit... Besides, the land over there has long lain abandoned."

Madam Lu assumed that Qian Zhao wanted to occupy the Lu family's farmstead as barracks.

"Mistress has likely misunderstood... I asked Advisor Qian to come here to inform the Mistress that the main camp of the Colonel Guarding the Wuhuan will be stationed and training in the Juma River area for the long term, and they will also guarantee the security of that region."

Liu Bei explained, "With the farmland around the Juma River lying fallow, I believe it would be best for the Mistress to recruit more tenant farmers to clear the land over there, which would also conveniently provide military supplies locally for Commander Zou. As it happens, I have quite a few tenant farmers on hand..."

Qian Zhao also stepped in to add, "Indeed. With the main military camp established here for year-round garrisoning, it would be best if we could procure military supplies locally in the future, sparing us the excessive waste of transporting grain from afar."

"Oh? Commander Zou's main force is to be garrisoned there permanently? That would be wonderful. To serve the Yellow Heaven and practice benevolence toward others truly brings disaster to an end and resolves difficulties."

Hearing this, Madam Lu was quite delighted. "How many tenant farmers does Xuande have to spare, and what are the fees?"

Since that place was to become the garrison for Commander Zou's main force, wouldn't the Juma River region become completely secure?

Once safe, of course, they would need to recruit tenant farmers to reclaim the land...

Furthermore, Qian Zhao wanted to procure military supplies locally—supplying a military force was an exceptional business, quite simply the best kind of business there was.

"Those tenant farmers of mine were originally refugees. I merely wished to grant them a path to survival; I am not offering them for transfer, but rather asking the Mistress to help perform a charitable deed... As long as they are provided with meals, the land rent can be set at whatever amount is desired."

Liu Bei replied with a cupped-hand salute, "In this way, Commander Zou's troops will have their military provisions secured, the Juma River region will be guaranteed absolute safety, and the Mistress will not only accumulate virtue and enhance the clan's prestige, but also gain modest profits... If the Mistress could establish a new market at the Juma River to engage in commerce with the soldiers, you would likely earn even more wealth. Consider this as my humble contribution to Minister Lu's clan."

In this era, tenant farmers could be traded. If they were skilled in farming, there was usually a transfer fee attached...

However, Liu Bei would not use this to deceive people. Although most refugees were indeed skilled at farming, Liu Bei had no intention of engaging in human trafficking.

Liu Bei had heeded Le Yin's admonition: never treat human beings as mere commodities.

Yet providing prestige and material benefits to Lu Zhi's household was absolute truth. The Lu family could indeed perform charity, make a profit, and win the profound gratitude of tens of thousands of people, which would also greatly benefit Lu Zhi's official reputation.

Moreover, if provisions were supplied locally, the Lu family could rapidly develop the area around the Juma River into a bustling market town and open several shops.

An army's demands extended far beyond food, lodging, and daily necessities; various forms of entertainment and commercial transactions constituted the lion's share of their spending.

The pay for regular Han soldiers was quite high, and since there were no recreational activities within the military camp, the vast majority of their money would flow to the nearest wine shops, brothels, and gambling dens.

Although Liu Bei did not spell it out explicitly, everyone understood.

Madam Lu was naturally filled with joy. "Tomorrow, I will dispatch stewards to handle this... I accept Xuande's kind intentions on behalf of my husband."

"In the future, the supply of military provisions for the main army shall be entirely entrusted to the Madam."

Qian Zhao also cupped his hands, indicating that the troops would look to no other establishment for their provisions hereafter, granting the Lu family a monopoly.

Liu Bei had provided the Lu family with a ready-made labor force of tenant farmers, guaranteed security, and a future market outlet, even arranging for exclusive management. Naturally, the matter was easily settled, and Madam Lu would hold deep gratitude toward Liu Bei.

This could actually mend the relationship with Lu Zhi. Though they might no longer be master and disciple, they could become fine friends.

Before long, the Lu family dispatched several chief stewards and a number of servants.

Seeing that the Juma River area indeed displayed Zou Jing's banners, ceremonial regalia, and barracks, with several hundred troops drilling there, they felt completely reassured.

The Lu family took over a large majority of the refugees around the Juma River, settling them in nearby estates, which quickly evolved into a massive market town.

Since the Lu family did not possess an excessive surplus of grain, Madam Lu specially traded money for grain with Administrator Liu Wei—meaning instead of donating millet, she converted it into cash donations, keeping the actual grain stored to serve as rations for the tenant farmers that year.

Naturally, the Lu family only took in five or six thousand people, roughly a thousand households, which was the maximum capacity their estates could accommodate.

Yet, with the Lu family leading the way, Liu Bei could now simply wait for other landowners in the Juma River region to come forward and settle refugees in the exact same manner.

Furthermore, Liu Bei no longer needed to personally come forward for discussions. Since the Lu family had done so, the other influential clans were bound to follow suit.

Liu Bei had the Lu family map out ten new administrative pavilions clustered around the manors in this area, which Liu Bei and Qian Zhao jointly reported to the commandery, stating that Minister Lu's family had established a new pavilion market town in Xihe, requesting Administrator Liu Wei to confer several grassroots official positions.

Liu Wei cared little for minor grassroots officials like pavilion chiefs; customarily, such petty offices were nominated by the local families anyway.

Any estate steward who took in two hundred households of refugees as tenants and opened up manors for reclamation could secure the post of a pavilion chief. All six estate managers of the Lu family thus became pavilion chiefs.

Moreover, these titles were bestowed directly upon the stewards—the active household retainers handling affairs within the clans—rather than the elderly patriarchs.

At the same time, the remaining refugees directly occupied the uncultivated wasteland and abandoned estates near the Lu family's lands.

Once the news spread, stewards of the other influential families became overwhelmingly enthusiastic, scrambling to take in tenant farmers. While a pavilion chief title seemed insignificant and lacked administrative authority on paper, a pavilion chief invariably wielded decisive influence over land ownership!

Consequently, the refugees were quickly divided up among the stewards of the great clans.

The refugees who arrived successively later were eagerly intercepted and taken in by various families right as they reached Shili Pavilion...

The newly arrived refugees were utterly bewildered: were the gentry and scholars of Zhuo County truly this hospitable?

By this time, most of the prominent families in Zhuo Commandery had not yet managed to transport grain to Liu Wei; like Madam Lu, they forewent grain donations in favor of cash, reserving their grain stocks entirely to attract tenant farmers.

Not only could they secure a double tax deduction, but they could also claim uncultivated wasteland by acquiring tenant farmers.

Liu Wei was indifferent to this arrangement; for him, receiving cash from the prominent families was actually preferable.

Embezzling and transporting grain was exceedingly troublesome, and he would have had to convert it into currency anyway...

In truth, including the Lu family, many stewards of influential families deliberately seized even more surrounding land after becoming pavilion chiefs, and actively recruiting more tenant farmers now was simply a means of enclosing land for free.

With the army stationed right here, even if the former owners of those wasteland plots returned, they would hardly dare to demand them back.

And should they raise a dispute... well, might makes right.

If questioned, they would simply declare that the speaker was a pavilion chief and the land belonged to such-and-such a family; if anyone was unsatisfied, they were welcome to go file a lawsuit with Administrator Liu Wei themselves.

Since this place was now Commander Zou's garrison, the influential families showed courtesy to Minister Lu, Liu Bei, and Qian Zhao—who represented Zou Jing—but they were utterly ruthless toward anyone else's land claims.

At this rate of development, the Juma River region would likely give birth to an entirely new county, boasting a population of over ten thousand souls already...

No matter what, everything had fallen smoothly into place.

The refugees had someone to look after them, the military had its logistics secured, grain reserves showed a surplus, and weaponry had been acquired.

Liu Bei had gained a massive popular base, won renown, secured the support of the local gentry, and built a trustworthy military force.

The reputation of Liu Xuande, the benevolent and chivalrous hero, truly spread far and wide among both the scholar-gentry and the common populace.

As for Administrator Liu Wei, settling tens of thousands of refugees locally within his commandery without a single riot, executing "proper measures and adept handling" that added over a dozen new pavilions to the territory—this was an administrative achievement grand enough to earn him a sole page in the commandery annals, alongside countless riches...

That year, Zhuo Commandery would cease collecting grain taxes from the influential families, leaving all the clans thoroughly satisfied.

To be sure, how those families might oppress their tenant farmers hereafter remained to be seen, and sparking another peasant uprising later would be nothing out of the ordinary; yet at the very least, for the present moment, everyone profited.

In this era, accomplishing anything required precisely this approach.