Chapter 886

Cao Cao fled to Jiang Nan, and Wang Da General officially began his rule over Henan.

These were all matters with established precedents, ultimately just a few key tasks: judging lawbreakers, distributing land, sanitation, farming, construction, road-building, bridge-building, water conservancy, and conscription.

Killing off the wealthy households, landowners, and wandering knights who couldn't escape, along with the various crimes and disorders that arose during the power vacuum, would largely win the people's hearts. The work that followed, if carried out for several years with some accumulation, would lead to better living conditions, social stability, and a natural forgetting of past sorrows and hardships, as the people turned toward a brighter future under the General's leadership.

The corresponding inventory and statistical work had also been completed, and the actual figures were poor.

The most vital resource—population—before the Yellow Turbans: Qingzhou had three million, Yanzhou four million, Sili three million, Yuzhou five million, and Xuzhou nearly three million; altogether, the original Henan and Jiangbei regions had a population of nearly eighteen million.

Yet after Dong Zhuo's control of Guanzhong and Sili, followed by Li Jue, Guo Si, and other regional warlords in Guanzhong, plus Cao Cao's early war with Liu Bei over Xuzhou, Liu Bei's subsequent southward relocation of Xuzhou's population, and Cao Cao's prolonged years of war with Yuan Shao over Henan.

Also, Cao Cao's flight to Jiang Nan carried away many people. Added to this were plague, drought, locust plagues, forced conscription due to war, and heavy taxation—all factors causing drastic population decline.

By the time Wang Yan drove Cao Cao southward and formally took control of Henan, the final total population counted was only seven million six hundred thousand.

From the Yellow Turbans to Wang Yan's takeover of Henan, merely seventeen years had passed.

In this regard, it perfectly matched the problem of population-land imbalance. During peacetime, population grew, officials multiplied, wealthy households increased, and powerful clans grew even more powerful—until their greed exceeded productivity, shattered social stability, and the people rose in rebellion, fighting for decades, killing off vast numbers of commoners and wealthy landowners, and wiping out several great clans.

The population-land tension eased due to postwar destruction, requiring the land to be redeveloped; thus, the early dynastic period saw clean governance, and slowly, development resumed, completing another cycle of rise and fall—a dynastic transition.

Now, after accounting for the Xiongnu, Xianbei, Wuhuan, Fuyu, Goguryeo, Qiang-Hu, and other barbarian tribes, as well as Han civilians, the total population under Wang Da General's rule had reached seventeen million.

This number was already quite impressive, since by the end of the Three Kingdoms, the total population was under ten million. The main reason was Wang Yan's solid foundation and rapid pace.

At the same time, Old Cao had just finished the Battle of Guandu and was marching toward Liaodong. Wang Da General, however, had already crushed the grasslands and conquered Liangzhou. Even his fleets had discovered a new continent and brought back new grain varieties. Never mind other things—now they had chili peppers to eat, peanuts to go with their liquor, and sunflower seeds to snack on. Peanuts and sunflower seeds could also be pressed for oil, enriching the variety and increasing the output of cooking oil.

Of these seven million six hundred thousand civilians, most were elderly, weak, sick, or disabled; able-bodied laborers were few—this was all Cao Cao's doing.

Although without women there would be no societal continuity, in this agrarian society, able-bodied men were far more critical—they served in the military, farmed, built roads, and did all the hard, grueling labor. Though women were not spared hardship either, the comparison was not equal.

Thus, to ensure Henan's development and population growth, Wang Yan was carrying out population relocation: summoning unmarried men to Henan and assigning them wives; relocating some women elsewhere for state-arranged marriages. Some men might even receive two wives—not virgins, but women with children who were still fertile.

Elderly people without fertility were also cared for—they worked in factories. Many new families were formed, and many old ones broken apart; many would never see each other again in this lifetime—this was a temporary measure, confined to this generation.

The main concern was ensuring neither men nor women remained single; children without fathers needed raising; widows and widowers needed to be settled; if capable of bearing children, they must not be allowed to refrain.

Hardship was temporary; happiness was lasting. Though this again added a large portion of population with no savings, if they endured these two years, better days would come.

Then, with surplus grain at home and newborn children, life would improve steadily, and Wang Mou's empire would grow ever stronger.

The saying goes, "Love the empire more than the beauty," but Wang Yan loved neither—he was merely experiencing. Each time he conquered the realm and sat upon the throne, he gained different insights: the wisdom of the people, and his own revelations from standing atop power. Likewise, each beauty he encountered offered a different experience.

After all, Leibniz said there are no two identical leaves in the world; similarly, there are no two identical people. These differences create unique charms in different individuals—especially in different beauties.

Even for Wang Yan, this held true. Though he had traversed many worlds and many of these women were modeled after real-world celebrities, he increasingly encountered familiar faces—but these women, though similar in appearance, possessed different personalities, different traits; their beauty was distinct in its own way.

Perhaps in past encounters, she was not good—or even suffered terribly at Wang Yan's hands—but next time they met, she might end up in his bed. It's all about feeling, all about experience.

Today, Wang Da General, who hadn't taken a wife in years, took another wife.

In the early days of his rise, the Zhen family had actively invested, helping Wang Da General buy his official post and transport critical supplies like grain. The Zhen family played a crucial role—if they hadn't come that year, buying the post might have been irrelevant, but without grain, many would have died.

At the time, the Zhen family sought marriage alliances; besides Zhen Dao, there was the youngest daughter, then unnamed, later called Zhen Mi. Here I must reiterate: Wang Da General was not lustful—he merely wished to observe.

Seventeen years flew by like a blink; now Zhen Mi, aged eighteen, entered the mansion, while Wang Da General was thirty-five.

Wang Da General showed great respect: dressed in a crimson dragon robe embroidered with five-clawed golden dragons, wearing a crown, hands behind his back, standing outside the General's Mansion, gazing at the straight road.

"Meng Guang, seventeen years ago you said I might seize the empire. Now, it seems I have not yet done so."

Zhen Sheng smiled: "Why belittle yourself, General? You've already unified the north, driven the barbarians far away, and have no rivals left. With five more years of accumulation, we can strike Jiang Nan—Cao Cao and others will fall in one battle, and the empire will be secured."

Having served Wang Yan for seventeen years, the Zhen family had prospered; their descendants filled every sector of Wang Yan's administration, mostly as civil officials and scholars of the Wenchang Pavilion, but their military strength lagged far behind. The main reason: they lacked capable generals; no outstanding figures emerged. The highest-ranking among them was merely a Military Secretary under Lü Bu, promoted solely by seniority.

On the other hand, the Zhen family dared not build power within the military. Currently, they remained extremely cautious. Occasional boundary-pushing occurred, but nothing excessive.

As for Zhen Sheng himself, he remained as before: though he had become the most powerful Zhen family member under Wang Yan, within the Zhen family, he still held no real authority. Others listened to him, but his words carried no weight.

For years, Zhen Sheng had worked diligently, even more cautiously than Jia Xu, because he understood better than anyone else: this smiling, unremarkable, ordinary-looking Wang Da General was no ordinary man—and what kind of methods he possessed.

He kept his family and himself sharply separate.

Wang Yan shook his head and smiled: "Cao Cao is no fool, and Bashu has natural defenses. To secure the empire in one battle is fantasy. In my view, it will take at least ten years."

"Whether ten or eight years, the empire will ultimately be the General's empire."

"No. The empire is vast—how could it belong to one man alone? The empire belongs to the people of the empire."

"Sheng realizes his error. The empire belongs to the people of the empire—but today's prosperity, though we toil, has never been seen since the days of Yan and Huang. This glory is the General's merit alone."

Zhen Sheng was determined to drive this flattery home.

Wang Yan laughed heartily, slapped Zhen Sheng's shoulder, and said no more.

At that moment, a carriage entered Wang Yan's view. He had long established rules: no pomp or ceremony on his side, and all his wives had arrived this way. He also required families not to be ostentatious—everything must be simple.

Thus, the Zhen family's procession was modest—only about a hundred carriages…

From the Zhen family's perspective, they naturally wanted grandeur. After all, two women from their family entered the General's Mansion—Zhen Dao was the senior wife, and Zhen Mi, the youngest, was now marrying in; Wang Yan would never marry again. The Zhen family wished to display the General's favor and highlight their family's current zenith.

But they dared not defy Wang Yan's demands. Though a hundred carriages seemed enormous compared to the other wives' processions, to the Zhen family, it was ordinary, even plain.

After all, they were a true great clan, the one most deeply bound to Wang Yan. In every county under his rule—including Liangzhou and the western grasslands—there was Zhen family property. They were truly wealthy…

Soon, the carriages halted before the General's Mansion gate. A woman in bridal attire, veiled, was escorted by a maid to Wang Yan's presence and bowed deeply.

"Zhen Mi, pays homage to the General."

Her voice was ethereal and soft, like spring meltwater flowing gently, or the light trill of a bird soaring gracefully over summer's picturesque landscape. Her figure was hidden beneath the voluminous wedding robe, but through the delicate collarbones, luminous skin, and elegant fingers, one could easily imagine her slender, graceful form.

Wang Da General, observing with appreciation, studied Zhen Mi's figure, then glanced at Zhen Dao, who smiled cheerfully beside her. He nodded: "The Zhen woman is beautiful. Take her to the inner quarters."

Zhen Dao replied and led her sister into the mansion.

Behind them, carriages began unloading—Zhen Mi's dowry: precious treasures, all highly valuable. Wang Yan cared little for what the Zhen family had sent; he would learn the details later. He glanced at his subordinates handling the gift list and inventory, then turned and entered the mansion with Zhen Dao and others to begin the banquet.

As usual, most civil and military officials were present. The wedding feast naturally became a high-level meeting. In truth, it didn't delay eating or drinking—these men were already accustomed to Wang Yan's style; they spoke business without forgetting to eat and drink.

The main topics were progress reports from various regions, especially conditions in newly acquired Henan—all civil affairs. The military officers remained silent, for they had no say in civil matters. The army assisted local governments by organizing soldiers for production and construction or maintaining order—all handled by the respective departmental Secretaries, who coordinated with local officials. But local officials had no authority to command troops.

Military officers' duties were simple: train soldiers well, defend properly, and win wars. Thus, their daily lives, beyond physical training, were spent studying terrain near their garrisons, analyzing passes, and researching how to advance.

Likewise, civil officials had no say in military operations. Jia Xu and Guo Jia could speak because Wang Yan granted them authority and they possessed the ability. Other senior civil officials discussed only grand strategy and interest analysis in military matters. How to fight, how to wage war—none of that was their place.

Wang Yan had long begun separating civil and military roles, clearly defining their powers and boundaries. Though civil officials were increasingly fierce—even skilled with swords—Wang Yan encouraged their bravery. But personal courage and battlefield courage were not the same. Nor did being able to fight mean one could lead troops into battle.

Just look at the two rows: civil officials chattered endlessly, while military officers chewed loudly. Even the fiercest civil official, before these soldiers, was a dead man in one strike.

After reporting on the governance situation, Jia Xu launched into another long speech, detailing Luoyang's construction—within a few months, Wang Yan would move the capital, and the tasks were immense.

Only after all this was finished did Jia Xu speak of the strategic situation.

"General, since Cao Cao marched south of the Yangtze, he has publicly issued edicts ordering Liu Bei, Liu Biao, Liu Zhang, and Yuan Shu to fight each other, while sending envoys to persuade regional magnates—this is an open strategy, brilliantly executed. Rumors from merchant caravans report widespread unrest; the magnates intend to unite behind Cao Cao to unify the south and resist us. In such a situation, General, you must not sit idle."

Wang Yan smiled as he drank wine, gesturing for him to continue.

Jia Xu cleared his throat and spoke louder: "Now Liu Bei holds Wu Commandery, Danyang, and Kuaiji—supported by magnates from Xu and Yang provinces. But Cao Cao's power is overwhelming; Yuan Shu can no longer hold out, suffering constant losses, barely clinging on—he will surely perish this year. Even Liu Bei's own subordinates are disunited. He once had ties with you; years ago, he fled to Liaodong and served as your subordinate. His magnates are even more uneasy—they will inevitably lean toward Cao Cao. His position cannot last."

"If so, why not summon Liu Bei to surrender? If we gain his lands, we eliminate the danger of landing. After five years of consolidation, we can advance westward to attack Cao Cao and unify the realm."

Guo Jia cast a deep glance at old Jia, then cleared his throat and said: "Ba and Shu are rich in resources and populous, and their terrain is naturally defensible. If Cao Cao truly secures them, our campaign against him will be disadvantageous—prolonged warfare, contrary to the General's wishes and the people's desires. I believe: if we are to summon Liu Bei, we must not neglect Ba and Shu. We can pass through San Guan (Da San Guan), break Yangping Pass, destroy Zhang Lu, take Hanzhong, and advance to Jianmen to gaze upon Ba and Shu."

Guan Ning nodded in strong agreement: "General, Wenhe and Fengxiao's words are most correct. The General must know Liu Bei claims descent from the Han imperial house—but the Han is now merely a name, its power long gone. Cao Cao's strength is overwhelming; his cause cannot succeed. If the General writes him a personal letter urging surrender, Liu Bei, seeing the situation clearly, will surely defect to us."

Guan Ning was now the highest official in the northeast, without military command, yet still a powerful regional governor of considerable ability.

Others also spoke, expressing nearly identical views: Hanzhong must be taken, Liu Bei must surrender; if he refuses, warships will slam into his face. The navy is formidable—we can land directly, seize Wu Commandery first to secure a beachhead.

The advantage of great strength, a strong and wise leader, is that no one speaks defeatist words—everyone opens their mouth to say "attack."

Wang Yan glanced at Lü Bu, who sat over there drinking and eating meat, pouring wine for himself, clearly enjoying himself—as if he hadn't heard of Liu, Guan, and Zhang—then looked at the other generals feasting, and the civil officials clamoring for attack. He nodded in satisfaction; now there was a touch of all the wise men gathered together.

Liu Bei truly has no options now, for Cao Cao has already marched south, hammering Yuan Shu these past months—Jia Xu's claim that Yuan Shu will die this year isn't idle talk; it's true.

Thus, to the east is the sea, to the west is Cao Cao, to the south is Shi Xie, to the north is General Wang—one stronger than the next. Not only has he lost strategic space, but Cao Cao is openly inciting defections. Even if the Mi clan and others remain loyal, other magnates still hold considerable power—and they are already wavering, undermining his rule.

As for his brilliant strategist Zhuge Liang, he is still only twenty, studying in Longzhong. Ironically, Longzhong now lies within Wang Yan's territory—all land north of the Yangtze is his. Wang Yan has never inquired whether Zhuge Liang is there. But Zhuge Liang has ambition; he will emerge on his own eventually.

So now Liu Bei has no real choices: he cannot defeat Cao Cao. He can either march south against Shi Xie, or surrender to Wang Yan. Since the Han dynasty is finished, and Wang Yan now holds an 80% chance of unifying the realm, what reason does Liu Bei have to resist? Any sensible man would surrender.

And capturing Hanzhong is indeed necessary. The lands of Ba and Shu rightly bear the name "Land of Heaven's Bounty"—blessed by nature. With defensible terrain and strategic depth, such a place must be taken.

Hanzhong today, as in its original course, is controlled by Zhang Lu, who has established a theocratic regime, promoting divine rule—his people are his followers. The later spread of the Five Pecks of Rice sect owes much to his efforts. He treats the people well: there is a system where food is free. Comrade Mao once remarked that Chinese socialism has ancient roots.

Wang Yan nodded: "Your words are sound. I have heard Zhang Lu preaches in Hanzhong and shows leniency to the people. I shall send him a letter urging surrender. If he refuses, we shall raise troops—this matter I entrust to Fengxiao. As for Liu Bei, tomorrow I shall write him a personal letter to urge surrender."

After making these simple arrangements, Wang Yan raised his cup and invited everyone to eat and drink.

After eating a while longer, General Wang rose and went to the rear quarters—his new bride of the day, famed for her great beauty, was waiting for him…