Chapter 40: Reforming the Economy with a Great Hammer!!!

Liu Bei's recent days have been quite comfortable; in the mornings he sometimes strolls by the river with his horse and "happens upon" a sweet plum, or discusses with Mi Zhen plans for the commercial street of Xuzhou, like a diligent little bee among blossoms.

But Liu Bei also carried out a major reform of Xuzhou's administration; because his relations with the major families are very good, the aristocratic clans led by the Mi and Chen families also place great importance on implementing Liu Bei's edicts.

Liu Bei gathered the city's physicians to run a medical hall, a management model similar to a modern hospital, and also ordered that each five-man squad must have one person trained in medical emergency care.

Jian Yong has been the busiest these past few days; under Liu Bei's instruction, a vigorous literacy campaign was launched throughout Xuzhou for youths under twenty.

This means that impoverished commoners can also learn to read; the populace naturally cheered, which alarmed the aristocratic clans, but when they learned that Liu Bei's schools taught nothing of the traditional Confucian canon, they relaxed.

Jian Yong's schools are divided into three levels: elementary, middle, and university. Elementary teaches basic characters and reading; middle school, for slightly older children, covers natural science and simple arithmetic; university teaches various crafts and techniques, the so‑called specialized trades.

After university, Liu Bei promised that these specialists could enter the prefectural government for work; the people, gaining this upward ladder, were overjoyed, so during the agricultural off‑season they scrambled to send their children to the schools.

Yet the great families paid no heed to these "novel tricks"; Confucianism reigns supreme! How could these lowly mud‑feet really affect the status of our aristocratic clans?

Does Liu Bei really dare to bring these people into the court?

They simply forgot the principle that a thousand‑mile dam can be breached by an ant hole; Liu Bei this time follows the mass line, aiming to change the backward society of the late Han from the bottom up.

Liu Bei placed agriculture first, thoroughly surveying Xuzhou's lands and drawing a fish‑scale map of the prefecture. At the same time he encouraged landless peasants to clear new fields; after all, in the late Han era the land was vast and people scarce.

After these major battles, Liu Bei's merit points had risen to over 200,000, and merely adopting Lu Bu as a godson earned him an extra 10,000 merit points.

Now, as a great household, Liu Bei naturally went on a buying spree; revolutionary items such as pedal‑cars and barrel‑cars were all exchanged by Liu Bei, and this time he again cooperated with the Chen and Mi families, everyone profited handsomely and also deepened their friendship.

Under Liu Bei's vigorous reforms, Xuzhou changed dramatically in a short time—truly a reform of the economy wielding a great hammer!!!

Liu Bei also overhauled Xuzhou's original army, incorporating the old, weak, sick and crippled into the garrison, while the remaining 30,000 Danyang soldiers and 20,000 Xuzhou soldiers were all assigned to the Righteous Return Army and the Peaceful Stability Army.

Benefiting from the wealth accumulated quickly, the affluent Uncle Liu purchased large numbers of horses from Yanzhou, Bingzhou, and Qingzhou, and the Mi families and other great clans shipped them in; Liu Bei obtained a total of 30,000 warhorses.

【7】 Money makes things easy—magnanimity!!!

Having money to get things done is just two words, swagger!!!

After witnessing Lu Bu's heavy‑armor formation's imposing presence, Liu Bei decided to form a heavy‑armor unit.

Liu Bei selected eight thousand elite troops from the forces other than the Snow Dragon Cavalry and formed an elite heavy‑armor unit named "Molin".

The Molin army consists of three thousand heavy‑armor cavalry and five thousand heavy‑armor infantry, all clad in black armor, even their faces covered with a mask of armor.

Molin's heavy‑armor cavalry each ride two horses—one to carry supplies, one to charge—and even the heavy‑armor infantry provide pack horses for equipment, fully guaranteeing the unit's mobility.

Such a commander cannot be careless; Liu Bei felt only one person suitable: the former commander of the formation, Gao Shun, who is brave, upright, and loyal, and only a fool like Lu Bu would disregard him.

Liu Bei bestowed Lu Bu with abundant gold and jewels, as well as precious items such as soap and glass mirrors; Lu Bu was overjoyed.

Under Jia Xu's subtle prompting, he voluntarily offered Gao Shun and Zhang Liao to Liu Bei; feeling he had "got a great bargain," Lu Bu kept saying "family members don't speak as two families."

Joke! In Lu Bu's eyes, Zhang Liao and Gao Shun were never obedient, far less useful than Hou Cheng and Wei Xu. What fierce generals are there in the world more valiant than me, Lu Bu?

Gao Shun and Cao Xing were originally slated for execution; now that their benefactor likes them, why not let them guard the household?

Upon hearing this, Zhang Liao was extremely disappointed; compared with Liu Bei's excessive respect, he thought, "A soldier dies for a confidant," and thus Zhang Liao naturally surrendered to Liu Bei.

Gao Shun and Cao Xing, once as grey as ash in Xuzhou's central prison, were constantly served fine wine and food by Liu Bei's orders, which made the two grow suspicious.

Yet Jia Xu and Zhang Liao came daily to counsel them, and Jia Xu also explained that Liu Bei detained them to prevent Lu Bu from harming them, which made Cao Xing erupt.

Afterwards Cao Xing voluntarily surrendered and offered to join Liu Bei's ranks.

Gao Shun remained indecisive; that night after drinking meat, he lay on a straw mat with eyes closed, pretending to nap. In the dim, chaotic prison, footsteps sounded; Gao Shun thought it was Zhang Liao coming to drink with him.

Gao Shun, eyes closed, clutched a stray weed, mockingly said

"Wen Yuan, why are you here again? I, Gao Shun, will never betray General Feng Xian; you are right, but I refuse to bear this treasonous fatal burden."

"General Gao Shun truly is a man of loyalty and righteousness; Liu Bei admires you, General, you may now depart."

Hearing the newcomer claim to be Liu Bei, Gao Shun quickly opened his eyes and sized up this stranger he had never met.

"Uncle Emperor, do you speak sincerely?"

At this moment Cao Xing was already behind Liu Bei, hearing Gao Shun intend to leave, he hurriedly said

"Brother Gao, stay! Uncle Emperor is benevolent and righteous, unlike Lu Bu's folly."

Gao Shun fell silent; Liu Bei gestured to cut off Cao Xing

"General Gao has his own thoughts; Lu Bu no longer harbors murderous intent, so you may leave at will. The recent confinement was to protect you from treacherous hands; keep these gold and silver trinkets as your allowance."

Then Liu Bei had the cell door opened, and personally handed a bundle of trinkets to Gao Shun's hand; Gao Shun looked at the bundle, his straightforward face shifting as if making a difficult choice.

"I will forever remember Uncle's great kindness, but my parents are old; I shall return home to support them."

Liu Bei laughed

"A loyal and filial man truly is a true husband; though the world is chaotic, Xuzhou remains prosperous; bring your parents to a quiet place for care. Then, in future we may share a cup of water and wine together. Ride out, General, the horses are ready outside."

Gao Shun remained silent, and then the group walked out of the cell, Gao Shun took the bundle, bowed to Liu Bei and rode away.

Liu Bei shook his head with a wry smile, while Cao Xing's face turned as bitter as a bitter melon.

"A forced sweet won't be sweet; it's good that General Gao has left."

Cao Xing hung his head and nodded, just as the two were about to turn away, horse hooves sounded again from behind.

Gao Shun's hearty booming voice rang again

"Lord, we meet again amidst mountains and rivers, I, Gao, come to ask for a cup of water and wine!"