Chapter 80: The Problem of the Great Clans

Liu Bian said with a solemn face, his expression full of sincerity.

"We thank Your Majesty!"

After hearing Liu Bian's promise, these Han Dynasty citizens were all immensely grateful to him.

This way, with sweet potatoes and corn, they would never go hungry again in the future.

"Everyone should scatter now. Later, the Emperor will arrange for the government offices to distribute them to you uniformly."

Seeing that the crowd was still gathered together, Liu Bian spoke to them again.

"We respectfully send off Your Majesty!"

After hearing Liu Bian's words, the crowd also felt it made sense—how could Liu Bian handle the city's affairs if they kept blocking the road like this?

Immediately, after bowing their thanks to Liu Bian, they all rose and left the street.

After all, they also wanted to get the corn seeds into their hands as soon as possible.

Seeing the citizens beginning to leave, Liu Bian also breathed a sigh of relief.

"Let's go!"

After saying this to Xu Rong beside him, Liu Bian took the lead and headed toward the City Lord's Residence.

Soon, the group arrived at the Taishou Fu. After Liu Bian sat down, he looked at the people standing below and said:

"Please, all sit down!"

After hearing Liu Bian's words, everyone took their seats one after another.

Seeing that everyone was seated, Liu Bian looked at Xu Rong, who sat at the very back of the right side, and said:

"General Xu Rong, for your merit in surrendering the city, the Emperor appoints you as Colonel, first assigned to Lü Bu's Xiliang Army Commander."

"Later, the Emperor will arrange your positions in a unified manner!"

Seeing that Liu Bian had actually appointed him as Colonel, Xu Rong was deeply moved. He immediately knelt to the ground and answered loudly to Liu Bian:

"This general, Xu Rong, thanks Your Majesty!"

After settling the matter with Xu Rong, Liu Bian turned his gaze to Jia Xu beside him.

"Wenhe, the matter of planting corn will still be left to you to arrange. Shortly, the Emperor will give you the corn seeds."

"Please rest assured, Your Majesty. This minister will certainly arrange this matter well!"

Seeing that Liu Bian had entrusted this matter to him again, Jia Xu also replied respectfully.

He was very familiar with this matter—he had been the one to arrange it earlier, back in Lin Jing City.

"By the way, take all the land in the city into the Imperial Court's hands. Court Officials and Great Clans may only retain one hundred mu of land."

"This one hundred mu of land is enough for them to live on. Moreover, our Han Empire will follow the path of Martial Dao in the future—what use do we have for so much land?"

"It would be better to distribute it to the common people. When their lives improve, when they have money and grain in their hands, our Han Dynasty can become prosperous."

"This matter will be personally handled by you, Chen Gong. Lü Bu will fully cooperate with Gongtai. If anyone dares to resist—kill them without mercy!"

Liu Bian recalled that the Han Empire's land was still all controlled by the Great Clans.

The common people now didn't have much land in their hands. Now that Fuping City had just been recovered, this was the perfect time to implement this policy.

Otherwise, once these Great Clans came to their senses, their resistance would be even fiercer.

"Your Majesty, will this matter provoke resistance from the Great Clans?"

"Moreover, once this news spreads across Tian Xia, the Great Clans of other Zhou Jun will surely unite with the local Marquises to resist the Imperial Court."

After hearing Liu Bian's decision, Chen Gong did not accept it immediately, but offered his advice to him.

"Gongtai's words are mistaken. The current Han Dynasty is precisely at the moment of breaking and then establishing. The opportunity Your Majesty has chosen is just right."

"If we wait until Tian Xia is fully settled and bring this up then, let alone the Great Clans blocking it,"

"even the ministers in the Court would likely have many come forward to oppose it. After all, the land in their hands is not insignificant!"

After hearing Chen Gong's words, Jia Xu, who had a good grasp of human nature, immediately spoke out in opposition.

"This…"

After hearing Jia Xu's argument, Chen Gong was momentarily speechless. Clearly, he had not considered these points.

"Your Majesty, this minister also believes that reclaiming the land from the Great Clans and distributing it to the common people at this time is feasible."

"As for those who oppose it, whether now or later, they will come out to oppose it regardless—it is only a matter of sooner or later."

"Then we might as well seize this opportunity to catch them all in one net. This way, the common people can obtain the land they desire as soon as possible."

"As for those Great Clans loyal to Your Majesty, regardless of what decision Your Majesty makes, they will surely support Your Majesty."

At this moment, Guo Jia also stepped forward and explained to Liu Bian with a smile.

"Fengxiao and Wenhe speak well. This matter will be left to you, Gongtai, to handle. If anyone dares to cause trouble, leave it to Fengxian to deal with."

Seeing that his ministers, Guo Jia and Jia Xu, both agreed with this matter, Liu Bian immediately decided to take action against the land held by the Great Clans.

"Yes! This minister (this general) obeys the order!"

Seeing that Liu Bian had made up his mind, Chen Gong no longer objected, and immediately bowed in acknowledgment along with Lü Bu.

"Good. After we go down later, General Xu Rong, go find General Lü Bu. He will impart to you the Martial Dao cultivation methods practiced by our Han Empire's army."

After arranging everything, Liu Bian said to Xu Rong with a smile on his face.

"Your Majesty, may I ask what this Martial Dao cultivation method is?"

Hearing of Martial Dao cultivation methods for the first time, Xu Rong asked Liu Bian with some confusion.

"Fengxian will naturally explain these to you. All you need to do is to diligently cultivate from now on!"

Seeing Xu Rong's confusion, Liu Bian gave him a mysterious smile and did not explain it to him directly.

"……" Xu Rong.

Seeing that Liu Bian did not wish to tell him, Xu Rong was also somewhat helpless—there was nothing he could do, as this was someone he could not afford to offend.

Immediately, he bowed to Liu Bian and answered: "Yes, this general thanks Your Majesty!"

After saying this, he bowed and withdrew.

Seeing that all matters had been settled, Liu Bian said to everyone, "Very well, go and make your arrangements. Jia Xu and Lü Bu, stay. Xu Rong, if you have nothing else to attend to, you may stay as well and have a look."

"We obey Your Majesty's command. We thank Your Majesty!"

Apart from those Liu Bian had asked to stay, who remained silent, everyone else, after calling out in unison and bowing to Liu Bian, withdrew from the Main Hall.

After seeing the others depart, Liu Bian said to Jia Xu and the rest:

"Let's go outside the Main Hall. Otherwise, with so many Corn Seeds, there won't be enough room to stack them inside."

Hearing this, even Jia Xu, Lü Bu, Guo Jia, and the others, who had witnessed Liu Bian's methods before, felt a touch of anticipation.

After all, this was conjuring things out of thin air — even though they often followed Liu Bian, they did not see it often.

Afterwards, everyone closely followed behind Liu Bian, walking out of the Main Hall.

At this moment, Xu Rong, who was unaware of what was going on, followed behind the group and asked Dian Wei in a low voice:

"General Dian, what does His Majesty mean by this? How is it that it looks like I'm the only one who doesn't know!"

Seeing Xu Rong's face full of puzzlement as he looked at him with great curiosity, Dian Wei could not help but give a proud smile.

He said to Xu Rong in a rather mysterious manner, "I cannot say. Once we go out, you will know!"

After saying this, he gave Xu Rong another smile, then closely followed Liu Bian's footsteps out to the Courtyard beyond the Main Hall.