Chapter 145: Those Who Submit Prosper, Those Who Resist Perish

"Commandery Governor Gao, what should we do about this?"

Shanggu City.

The Rich Clans of Shanggu Commandery gathered in the Government Office, their gazes all fixed upon Commandery Governor Gao Yuan.

The Yuan Family sent word that the Imperial Court's eunuch had passed through Fanyang Commandery and gone to Yancheng.

The annexation of Shanggu Commandery into Yan Wang's fief was already an ironclad fact.

This made them very nervous.

They had seen with their own eyes what Yan Wang had done in Yan Commandery.

The Zhang, Huang, and Du families were finished, and the other Rich Clans had also lost their land, now becoming vassals to Yan Wang.

If Yan Wang entered Shanggu Commandery, how could they have any good days left?

"What is there to fear? Yan Commandery is Yan Commandery, and Shanggu Commandery is Shanggu Commandery. The Rich Clans of Yan Commandery were at each other's throats, which allowed Yan Wang to exploit the opening, but we Rich Clans of Shanggu Commandery are of one mind. As long as we are united, what can Yan Wang do to us?" Gao Yuan shouted loudly.

He had received a message from Yuan Li, ordering him to hold Shanggu Commandery firmly.

Even if the Imperial Court made this place Yan Wang's fief, he was to ensure Yan Wang had the title but no substance.

There was no need for the Yuan Family to urge this; even based on the interests of his own Gao Family, he would not let Yan Wang do as he pleased.

"Commandery Governor is right. The Zhang, Huang, and Du families of Yan Commandery were at odds with the Dong, Yang, and Lu families, which is how Yan Wang found his opening. If everyone here can work together to face Yan Wang, perhaps Shanggu Commandery will not end up like Yan Commandery," said one Rich Clan member.

Others chimed in one after another, "We will listen to Commandery Governor."

Gao Yuan nodded.

Yuan Li said that if he encountered difficulties, he would provide him with aid.

This gave him more confidence; he wanted to see what this Yan Wang could actually do to him.

Yan Commandery.

Zhao Xu inspected the army about to set out and nodded at Chang Wei.

Even though he had completely taken control of Yan Commandery, the feeling of humiliation from when he was initially bullied by the Rich Clans of Yan Commandery remained fresh in his memory.

It was like that in Yan Commandery back then, and he believed the Rich Clans of Shanggu Commandery would be no different.

He saw through it all.

The Commandery Governors of the seven commanderies of Yan were all inextricably linked to the Yuan Family.

Although Shanggu Commandery had been incorporated into his fief, he could forget about making Shanggu Commandery as obedient as the current Yan Commandery without a fierce struggle.

It was just that the methods used in Yan Commandery back then clearly did not seem suitable for use in Shanggu Commandery.

After all, when he was in Yan Commandery, his power was weak, so he could only divide and disintegrate the Rich Clans, treating those who turned to him with gentleness.

But there was clearly no need to treat the Rich Clans of Shanggu Commandery that way.

Because that would take too long, and there was no need to waste so much effort on infighting.

This time, he had only one principle for going to Shanggu Commandery: Those who submit to me will prosper, those who resist me will perish!

"Move out!" Zhao Xu waved his hand, and the vast, mighty army marched along the road west of the city leading to Shanggu Commandery.

One day later, they entered Shanggu Commandery.

Not long after leaving the land of Yan Commandery, a thick, desolate feeling rushed toward them.

Because it was already autumn, the trees on both sides of the official road were hung with sparse, withered yellow leaves; a gust of wind swept by, and they fell with a rustle.

Passing through a village, Zhao Xu only saw broken walls and ruined remains; there was no sign of life within.

"Your Highness, these are all villages burned by the Northern Di."

"Shanggu Commandery has indeed suffered heavy disaster." Chang Wei pointed to a blackened earthen wall, which had been scorched by fire.

"Look ahead, everyone!" Liu Fu suddenly pointed to a ditch in front.

Zhao Xu and Chang Wei heard this and spurred their horses forward a few steps. When they saw the things inside, their faces turned pale instantly.

"Ugh..." Liu Fu vomited directly.

In the ditch were none other than corpses, one after another.

At this time, these corpses had already been soaked until they were rotten, presenting a terrifying state of bloating.

There were hundreds of such corpses, men and women, old and young; they must have been the commoners killed by the Northern Di in the nearby villages.

"Sons of bitches." Chang Wei gripped his fists tightly. "If I do not wipe out the Northern Di in this lifetime, I, Chang Wei, swear I will not be a man!"

The marching soldiers passed by and saw the scene in the ditch.

While a surge of fury ignited in their hearts, they also felt fortunate that they were born in Yan Commandery.

Otherwise, the ones lying in this ditch now might be their own wives, children, and elders.

The troop continued forward.

They encountered many more corpses of commoners, either in villages or by the roadside.

It was not until noon that they finally saw living people.

This was a group of ragged commoners, either bare-chested or bare-legged, who were peeling bark from trees to stave off hunger.

Their gazes were numb; they did not dodge when they saw the army, as if they were already indifferent to death.

"Whose army are you?" a commoner asked the passing soldiers.

"We are Yan Wang's army," the soldier answered proudly.

"Why have you come here? The Northern Di have already left."

"The Emperor has issued a decree; from now on, Shanggu Commandery is Yan Wang's fief."

"What..." The smile of the commoner gnawing on tree bark froze.

A tear slid from the corner of his eye down his stained face.

He dropped the tree bark and shouted to the other commoners: "Yan Wang has come! Shanggu Commandery is Yan Wang's fief! Did you hear? Shanggu Commandery is Yan Wang's fief! Hahaha..."

The numb commoners seemed to come back to life at these words.

They were stunned for a moment, then rushed onto the road one after another, scrambling to ask questions.

After receiving a unanimous answer, they began to wail loudly.

The benevolence of Yan Wang had long since reached Shanggu Commandery; this group of people had originally intended to gnaw on tree bark and flee to Yan Commandery.

Now that Shanggu Commandery had actually become the fief of Yan Wang, they did not need to flee.

Zhao Xu had already noticed them.

Stopping in front of them, he said, "From now on, you are all my subjects. Go back and wait; very soon you will be allocated land."

"Thank you, Your Highness, thank you, Your Highness." The commoners wept with joy.

Zhao Xu had Chang Wei distribute some grain and fodder to the commoners, then continued on the road.

Along the way, they encountered many more miserable commoners.

At the same time, he also saw Fortresses in the countryside.

There, the Rich Clan still lived lives of Wine, meat, song, and dance.

It seemed the suffering outside had nothing to do with them.

The next day, the great army arrived at Shanggu City.

After sending men to deliver the message into the city, before long, an official in a green robe led the officials of Shanggu Commandery out to welcome them.

"Gao Yuan, Commandery Governor of Shanggu Commandery, pays respects to Your Highness." Gao Yuan led the officials in bowing to Zhao Xu.

"Rise." Zhao Xu signaled to Liu Fu.

At this moment, Liu Fu took out the Imperial Edict and read it aloud before Gao Yuan and the other officials, "... From the day this Imperial Edict is received, Shanggu Commandery shall become the fief of Yan Wang. Respect this!"

Gao Yuan and the officials lowered their heads, their eyes darting left and right.

Having seen the Imperial Edict, Shanggu Commandery had indeed become the fief of Yan Wang.

"Respectfully welcome Your Highness to Shanggu Commandery. Your Highness, please."

After a moment of silence, Gao Yuan was the first to react, a fake smile on his face.

Zhao Xu nodded and said to Chang Wei, "Take over the defense of Shanggu City immediately."

Then, he and Liu Fu walked toward the Government Office, while Xu Lie led the five hundred soldiers temporarily assigned to him by Chang Wei to follow and provide protection.

Upon entering the Government Office, Zhao Xu sat in the main seat, while Gao Yuan and the other Shanggu Commandery officials stood below.

Zhao Xu said, "Gao Yuan, hear my order: immediately issue a decree to all counties in Shanggu Commandery to gather the displaced commoners of Shanggu Commandery, allocate them farmland, let them recuperate, and set the tax at one-tenth."

"Your Highness, I fear Shanggu Commandery has no spare land for these commoners," Gao Yuan said loudly.

After the Northern Di came, the commoners of Shanggu Commandery who were unwilling to attach themselves to the Rich Clan either died or fled.

They had taken the opportunity to occupy the land and property of these commoners.

Yan Wang wanted them to spit out what they had swallowed; how could that be possible?

Zhao Xu's expression did not change as he said to Liu Fu, "From this day forward, you are to immediately audit all the farmland in Shanggu Commandery. Anyone found to have seized it through trickery or force, or to have occupied it privately, shall be severely punished without leniency."

As his words were spoken, the officials below all changed color.

Gao Yuan was furious; Yan Wang had just arrived, and he was already going to harm their interests.

He still wore a smile on his face and said, "Your Highness, auditing farmland is cumbersome and tedious, not a task for a single day or night. Furthermore, as the Northern Di have only just left, all the officials in the commandery need to assess the losses and cannot spare the manpower."

"Are you teaching me how to do things?" Zhao Xu's gaze turned icy. "My order is not for you to question, but for you to execute."

Gao Yuan felt a chill in his heart from Zhao Xu's stare and could only stammer, "Yes."