Three Kingdoms: Plundering Entries, From Merchants to Emperors

A few days later, everyone came to Yecheng, even Dong Zhao and Qu Yi came specially.

Except for Zhang Chen's subordinates, no one else knew about Dong Zhao's surrender. Dong Zhao's visit was just to cover up the truth in the name of congratulations.

After all, Zhang Chen had helped to relieve the siege of Yan Tao, so it was reasonable to say so.

On the other side, housekeeper Wu also arrived with all the servants of Zhang's mansion. As soon as Ping'er entered the prefect's mansion, she was immediately shocked by the magnificent mansion. Before, the Zhang family was considered a wealthy family in Guangping, but compared with the prefect's mansion, the mansion of Zhang's mansion was really more beautiful than the moon.

The prefect's mansion was a mansion in front and a house in the back. The front hall was where the prefect handled government affairs and received colleagues, and the house in the back was the residence. On weekdays, people in the back house were not allowed to step into the front hall at will, and they could only go in and out through the back door, not through the mansion gate.

On this day, after Zhang Chen settled all the servants in the back house, he summoned Ju Su and Dong Zhao to the study to discuss matters.

As soon as the two entered the door, they bowed to Zhang Chen with joy and said, "I greet you, my lord. I haven't congratulated you yet. Congratulations on your promotion to prefect."

Zhang Chen smiled bitterly and said, "Gong Yu, Gong Ren, there is no need for us to say these polite words. Governing a county is much more complicated than governing a county. I have only been in office for a few days and I am already overwhelmed and quite tired. So today I specially called you two to come and discuss and see what to do next?"

After Zhang Chen finished speaking, Ju Su said, "I want to hear your plan first."

Zhang Chen said, "Wei County is an important town in Jizhou, with thirteen counties under its jurisdiction. In addition to We have been operating Guangping for a long time. Cheng'an and Linzhang now have two generals, Qian Zhao and Fang Ping, in charge. Most of the officials in other counties are bought. "

"Although Lord Li has many restrictions when he is in office, these people buy officials to make money. Although they dare not do it openly, they secretly make up excuses, bully the market, and exploit the people. They have been banned repeatedly, making the counties full of smoke and miasma, and the people are deeply resentful. I plan to dismiss all these corrupt officials and select loyal and pure people to replace them. What do you think? "

After Zhang Chen finished speaking, Ju Su and Dong Zhao looked at each other and couldn't help but smile at each other.

Ju Su said: "My Lord, this is a good move, but it is a bit too hasty."

"Oh? What do you mean?" Zhang Chen asked in confusion, "Are we going to let these parasites wreak havoc on the people?"

Ju Su smiled and said: "My Lord hates evil, and he can't stand these corrupt officials bullying the people. But these people bought their positions with real money, so how can they give up easily? Moreover, according to the laws of this dynasty, although the prefect can appoint and dismiss officials in the county, the position of county magistrate is not included in this list, and it still needs to be appointed and dismissed by the court."

Zhang Chen nodded: "That being said, as a prefect, if the officials under my jurisdiction do something illegal, I still have the right to deal with them. ”

Dong Zhao smiled and said, “Since the lord has the right to deal with it, then Lord Li also had the right to deal with it. Then, lord, do you know why Lord Li did not dismiss all those people?”

“This…” Zhang Chen pondered for a moment, and suddenly realized, then sighed and said, “If we dismiss them, it will only be another batch…”

Dong Zhao said, “Yes, lord, the current emperor’s sale of officials in Xiyuan can be said to have put the sale of officials on the right track. Who doesn’t have a rich family and a deep background when buying officials? They bought officials from the emperor, and that’s legitimate. Doesn’t the emperor know that these people have to pay for their official positions from hundreds of people? "

"Gong Ren is right." Ju Su also said: "My lord, you dismissed them today, or confiscated their property, or executed them, which is all reasonable. But those who come again are empty-headed, can the people still bear it?"

Zhang Chen nodded and said: "Instead of doing this, it is better to maintain the status quo first, and then defeat them one by one!"

Ju Su said again: "Yes, my lord, do you still remember the 'three-step strategy' that I once talked about with you?"

Zhang Chen nodded and said: "Of course I remember. I tell you, the first one is 'pacification'. Before you get a county, you should make friends with the wealthy and powerful families and don't touch their benefits, so as to accumulate strength. The second is 'weakness'. After owning a county, you can win over useful people, divide and isolate the opponents, provoke their conflicts of interest, and reap the benefits. The third is 'alliance', which is to make friends with the aristocratic families and use the power of the aristocratic families to strengthen yourself. "

Ju Su stroked his beard and smiled, "Yes. Although the lord has succeeded the governor now, he is not considered to own a county."

"Oh?" Zhang Chen asked in confusion, "The thirteen counties of Wei County are all under my jurisdiction, how can it not be considered to own a county?"

Ju Su smiled slightly and said, "The thirteen counties of Wei County are only under the jurisdiction of the governor of Wei County, but not under the jurisdiction of the lord."

Zhang Chen suddenly realized it when he heard it.

Yes, at present, the chaos has not yet appeared, and the appointment of officials in each state is still subject to the control of the court. The superiors can only recommend, but cannot directlyAppointment. Although those county officials are his subordinates, they are loyal not to him, but to the court.

However, this situation will not last too long, because in three years, something big will happen. By then, everything will change.

In the fifth year of Zhongping, Liu Yan submitted a memorial, suggesting the restoration of the state governor system. The state governor can not only recruit soldiers on his own, but also hold the administrative power of a state, and is a real "local emperor".

At that time, he can appoint officials without scruples.

He has secured the position of Jizhou governor!

But now, all he can do is to gradually expand his strength and make progress slowly.

At that moment, Zhang Chen nodded and said, "You are right. But how to act, please teach me."

Ju Su said again, "It goes without saying that the people have surrendered to the Lord. Cheng'an and Linzhang counties experienced wars and officials fled. Now the two generals Qian Zhao and Fang Ping are in charge of the overall situation, and the people are gradually at ease. I think we should start with these three counties. On the one hand, we should implement benevolent policies to appease the people, and on the other hand, we should expand our armaments and strengthen our strength to firmly grasp the three counties."

After listening, Zhang Chen nodded repeatedly.

Ju Su said again, "When the people of the three counties are fully surrendered and people's livelihood is prosperous, the population of the other counties and the refugees from the surrounding areas will migrate to the three counties. At that time, whether it is population, military strength, or people's livelihood, the three counties will be the best, and the military and political affairs of a county are actually firmly in the hands of the Lord. If the Lord wants to move those people again, wouldn't it be easy?"

After listening, Zhang Chen thought carefully.

What Ju Su meant was to focus on Guangping, Cheng'an and Linzhang counties and make them the richest counties in Wei County. In this way, people from other counties will naturally move there for the sake of profit. Moreover, Cheng'an and Linzhang have just experienced a war, so they can recruit soldiers and expand their military strength.

These newly recruited soldiers will naturally obey their orders. With soldiers in hand, are you afraid that you can't deal with those corrupt officials?

Zhang Chen thought about it and felt that what Ju Su said was very good, but there were also hidden dangers.

Because he did not have the power to appoint and dismiss officials. Now that he has been promoted to the prefect, the county magistrates of Guangping, Cheng'an and Linzhang counties are all vacant. Once the court appoints new officials, will they be able to agree with him?

Zhang Chen thought about it and frowned.

Ju Su seemed to see what Zhang Chen was thinking, so he asked, "My Lord, are you thinking about what to do once the court appoints an official?"

"You are the one who knows me best." Zhang Chen couldn't help but sigh, "Yes, I only have the power to recommend, not to appoint or dismiss. If the county magistrates of these three counties are not our own people, what I just said will never be accomplished! Nowadays, the court is full of selling official positions and titles. Most of the new officials in the future will also buy their positions with money. Won't it make my rule a mess?"

Just as Zhang Chen finished speaking, Dong Zhao on the side laughed and said "My lord, when I came here yesterday, I saw General Zhang He. I heard that you led the army to wipe out a bandit camp a few days ago and rescued two girls. These two girls are the daughter and maid of the Zhongshan Zhen family. Is this true?"

"It is true. The daughter of the Zhen family is Zhen Yi's eldest daughter Zhen Jiang. That day, they were kidnapped by bandits. The driver came to report the news. I led the army with Jun Yi to wipe out the bandits and rescued the two girls."

"Haha, good! In this way, the great thing can be accomplished!" After Dong Zhao said this, he looked at Ju Su and they smiled at each other.