I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 111 Spring Plowing Meeting

The Awakening of Insects marks the start of spring plowing.

At the altar outside Chengdu, incense smoke curled and bells and drums resounded.

The annual spring plowing ceremony was held as scheduled.

This year's spring plowing ceremony is different from previous years.

In previous years, only civil and military officials, relatives and nobles participated, while ordinary people could only watch the excitement from afar.

This year, the imperial court opened the area around the altar to the public to watch the ceremony.

The news spread, and before dawn, the area around the altar was already packed with people.

Liu Shan, dressed in a solemn imperial robe, ascended the altar step by step under the guidance of the ceremonial officials.

He was followed by a group of ministers including Zhuge Liang, Li Yan, and Qiao Zhou.

Meng Huo also stood in the queue, wearing the official robes bestowed upon him by the imperial court, with a solemn expression.

The rituals for worshipping heaven, earth, and ancestors are elaborate and solemn.

Following the established rites, Liu Shan, with the help of Empress Zhang, meticulously completed each step.

"The ancestors of the Liu family are above me. Although I am a transmigrator, I still share the surname Liu. In the end, we are all one family."

"Today I've brought my entire court of civil and military officials, and all the people of Chengdu. For the sake of us all being one family, please bless me with a smooth and successful conquest of the Han Dynasty!"

"Only when the Han Dynasty prospers will the Liu family have prestige!"

Liu Shan held three incense sticks in his hand, muttered something under his breath, and then inserted the incense sticks into the incense burner.

After the ceremony, Liu Shan turned around and looked at the dense crowd below.

There were officials, soldiers, agricultural students, and ordinary people who had come from all over the country; everyone's face was filled with anticipation.

Next, officials read out the imperial edict, praising the emperor's virtues, followed by a general amnesty to demonstrate the emperor's benevolence.

After the spring plowing ceremony, Liu Shan led his officials back to the palace and convened a court assembly.

Prime Minister Zhuge Liang read out the core of the court's plan for the year: "Focus on agriculture and grain production, close the borders and allow the people to rest." The main objective was to quickly repair the economic, military, and political damage to Yizhou after the Battle of Yiling.

Besides farming, military settlements, military training, and diplomacy, the most important thing was the Taixue Palace's plan for the new year's opening and expansion of classes.

The first batch of graduates from the Imperial Academy will be dispatched to various parts of the country this year to put their lifelong learning into practice and serve the imperial court.

The recruitment of this second cohort of trainees is crucial to the nation's future talent pool.

The court reacted very positively and enthusiastically, with all factions raising their hands in support and eagerly hoping to send their people to the academy.

Only those who graduate from the academy will be recognized by the imperial court.

After the important matter was settled, Liu Shan gave Huo Yi a look, and the latter immediately read out the official personnel appointment for Meng Huo.

Although the matter had already spread throughout the court, many people couldn't quite keep their composure when it was officially announced.

The salt and iron industries in Nanzhong are one of the main sources of tax revenue for the imperial court, and there is an ample supply of soldiers. Moreover, starting this year, the imperial court will also help the seven prefectures in Nanzhong to build new water conservancy projects and improve agriculture. Before long, Nanzhong will become the true rear base of Yizhou.

Everyone wants a piece of this big, juicy piece of meat.

However, once the southern region came under the rule of local ethnic minorities, apart from paying the prescribed taxes to the imperial court, the rest of the money was in the hands of Meng Huo and other local ethnic minority leaders.

This makes one both envious and fearful.

"Your Majesty, I feel this matter is inappropriate." Qiao Zhou stepped forward with a serious expression and said, "The barbarians of the South are treacherous and cunning, with fickle temperaments. Gao Ding and Zhu Bao are the examples of what should be done. We must not trust them lightly."

Meng Huo looked at him coldly and snorted heavily.

Li Yan also stepped forward. He glanced at Meng Huo and said slowly, "I second that proposal. The salt, iron, and military resources of the Southern Regions are the lifeblood of the imperial court. If we hand them over to the barbarians for self-governance, how can the court maintain control? What if Meng Huo rebels again and incites the people of the Southern Regions to fight against the court? Wouldn't that become a major threat?"

Both factions expressed their wariness of Meng Huo.

Previously, Meng Huo was merely a leader of a minority ethnic group in southern China, and his every move was subject to the supervision of the prefect and the governor of Yijiang, so his power was limited.

But now that he has the military and political affairs of a prefecture in his hands, if he joins forces with the governors of other prefectures, the governor of Yijiang alone will not be able to control the situation.

Zhuge Liang did not speak, but from the expressions of the other people from Jingzhou, it was clear that they did not approve of letting Meng Huo go and appointing him as governor.

For a moment, Meng Huo felt as if he were surrounded by wolves, isolated and helpless, standing in the imperial court.

He recalled his meeting with Liu Shan the previous night, during which he had been instructed not to act impulsively at today's court assembly, regardless of what the officials said.

So I took a deep breath and forced myself to hold it in.

"Aren't your words a bit alarmist?"

At the critical moment, Zhang Yi stepped forward.

"After His Majesty pacified the southern region, he reorganized it into seven prefectures, which greatly weakened the power of the local magnates."

"Now, troops from the south have been drawn upon to form an army under the court's command. Local powerful figures are also flocking to serve as officials, loyal to the court. How could they possibly betray us?"

Everyone is now aware of the situation in Nanzhong. Zhuge Liang has formed the "Wudang Flying Army" and transferred 10,000 households of skilled and experienced families from Nanzhong. For Nanzhong, which only has 50,000 households, this is like cutting off the fuel supply at the root, completely preventing the resurgence of local separatist forces.

Moreover, the powerful clans in the south were willing to submit to the court and even serve as officials in order to obtain the hereditary rewards from the imperial court.

Therefore, even if Meng Huo wanted to rebel, he did not have the strength or resources to oppose the imperial court.

Li Miao stepped forward and said righteously, "Prefect Zhang, even if Meng Huo's loyalty is commendable, the salt, iron, and military resources of the southern regions are vital to the imperial court. If we hand them over to the barbarians for self-governance, how can the court maintain control?"

Zhang Yi said, "Lord Li, you say that the salt and iron trade in the south is the lifeblood of the imperial court. Then I must ask you, before the south submitted to the emperor, who controlled these things, and what percentage of the taxes did the imperial court receive each year?"

Li Miao was stunned for a moment, and stammered for a long time before he could speak.

Zhang Yi pressed his advantage, saying, "Let me tell you. Before the Southern Regions submitted, salt and iron were all in the hands of the locals. The imperial court collected less than half of that tax each year, let alone recruit soldiers. Apart from the Governor of Yijiang who could recruit some, the rest either belonged to local powerful families or became bandits who plagued the people of the Southern Regions."

Everyone present was fully aware of what Zhang Yi had said.

Qiao Zhou forced himself to say, "I am worried that if the southern region is controlled by the barbarians, they will raise an army and become powerful, which will surely threaten the court in the future."

Zhang Yi angrily retorted, "Grand Master Qiao, it seems you have not understood His Majesty's decree."

"Why do you say that, Prefect Zhang?"

"Your Majesty's decision to let the barbarians govern the southern regions is not to hand over the salt and iron to them for free. The court will collect every penny of the taxes due. Before Meng Huo takes office, the court will establish three rules with him."

"First, the taxes levied on the southern regions will be set by the imperial court, and Meng Huo cannot collect more than that. Second, officials in the southern regions will be appointed by Meng Huo, but must be reported to the imperial court for record-keeping. Third, Meng Huo is not allowed to interfere with the imperial court's garrison in the southern regions."

"As long as these three laws are in place, even if the southern region is governed by locals like Meng Huo, there will be no trouble."

"Since the salt and iron industries are in the hands of the imperial court, and the military is in the hands of the imperial court, what are you all worried about?"