Chapter 985: Loved Ones Grieve, Enemies Rejoice, News Spreads to the Four Seas! [1]

Jizhou, Wei Commandery, Ye County, Inspector's Residence.

Mid-September.

With the pacification of the Huang Jin Rebellion, the land of Jizhou finally fell into peace.

But the Huang Jin Rebellion, which began in March, directly affected this year's spring plowing.

So much so that now that the autumn harvest day had arrived, there were almost very few places in all of Jizhou that could carry out the autumn harvest.

The people looked at the desolate fields, and even the great clans were affected by this.

The stored grain in the commanderies and counties was either looted by the Huang Jin rebels or consumed by the conscription of troops.

Famine was inevitable.

Looking at the documents submitted by various commanderies about the famine victims and refugees causing potential riots.

Yuan Shao, sitting in the study, had almost pulled his hair out and still couldn't think of any good solution.

Logically speaking, the Provincial Inspector only exercised the power of inspection, and these were the official duties of the local commandery administrators, so there was no need for Yuan Shao, the Inspector, to intervene.

But because of the Huang Jin Rebellion, he, the Provincial Inspector, now had to take charge of military defense.

If the people were to riot, he, the Provincial Inspector, would also face blame and have the responsibility to suppress them.

Having witnessed the Huang Jin Rebellion that swept the world, Yuan Shao now had a kind of fear of the chaotic people from the bottom of his heart.

"If it were Ziyi, how would he solve this problem?"

Yuan Shao, pulling his hair, sat in the study and pondered bitterly.

Outside the door, Xu You, who had come under orders, was wearing a gray robe with a warm black cloak over it.

Seeing Xu You, Yuan Shao felt as if he had grabbed the last straw.

"Ziyuan, you've come."

Yuan Shao stood up anxiously from behind the desk and beckoned to Xu You: "Quick, quick, take a seat."

"Someone, serve tea."

Yuan Shao said to the attendant outside.

Xu You stroked his chin's beard with one hand, then smiled and knelt not far from Yuan Shao.

Before long, the attendant brought hot tea, and Xu You, holding the hot tea with both hands, lowered his head and blew on it.

"Ziyuan, seeing you drink tea so calmly, I feel more at ease. Do you have any good way to solve the current famine?" Yuan Shao looked at Xu You with anticipation: "I ask Ziyuan to teach me a good strategy."

Xu You smiled slightly, then put down the teacup and said: "My Lord, this matter can be difficult or easy, it just depends on how you choose."

"Oh?"

Yuan Shao raised an eyebrow.

"How so?" Yuan Shao asked.

Xu You stroked his chin's short beard with one hand, then shook his head and said: "There is a way, and that is to borrow. Although Jizhou has just encountered the Huang Jin Rebellion, the great clans were not affected much."

"The main affected areas are Julu Commandery, Zhongshan State, Changshan State, and Anping State."

"Wei Commandery, Qinghe State, Bohai State, and Zhao State were not affected very seriously."

"My Lord only needs to borrow grain from those great clans that were not affected, and you can overcome this crisis."

"This..."

Yuan Shao said with a slightly difficult expression: "Will they easily lend us grain?"

Xu You immediately shook his head: "Obviously, they will not."

"Uh..."

Yuan Shao was choked by Xu You's words.

Isn't this the same as saying nothing?

Telling me to borrow grain, but they won't easily lend it.

"Ziyuan, you..." Yuan Shao spread his hands and said: "Isn't this the same as saying nothing?"

"Telling me to borrow grain, but they won't easily lend it."

"You can't expect me to go door-to-door to request it."

"Besides, I'm not borrowing this grain for myself, but to get through this winter's difficulty, for the people of Jizhou."

Xu You laughed.

"My Lord, what you said is correct."

"If you were to borrow in your own name, it would actually be easier."

"If you were borrowing grain for yourself, those great clans would be eager to send the grain themselves to curry favor with you."

"But unfortunately, My Lord is not. You are borrowing grain for disaster relief, which clearly means it's a one-way trip, and they won't get any benefits, so these people are unwilling to lend it to you."

"Even if they do it out of face, it will just be perfunctory."

Yuan Shao frowned and nodded slowly.

Xu You was right.

These words gave him a feeling of sudden enlightenment.

No one would do a losing business unless there was profit to be made.

Alas...

If only he could be like Duan Yu.

Last year, when Duan Yu first arrived in Liangzhou, he raised grain and fodder to suppress the Western Qiang.

At that time, Duan Yu's method was simple and brutal.

He directly gathered all the great clans of Hanyang Commandery and forcibly levied it.

Of course, that was because Duan Yu had strong troops and horses under his command, and the great clans were afraid, afraid of facing Duan Yu's wrath in the future.

Yuan Shao sighed and shook his head: "When will I be able to be like Ziyi?"

"Why does My Lord belittle yourself?" Xu You said: "My Lord has your advantages, and the Marquis of Ji has his methods. In different positions, the methods are naturally different."

"My Lord's advantage lies in your status."

"The Marquis of Ji's methods are strong."

"The Marquis of Ji solves problems by suppressing them with his own strength."

"But My Lord can resolve and win over with clever force. These are two completely different paths."

Xu You's words made a glimmer of hope reappear in Yuan Shao's eyes: "I ask Ziyuan to teach me!"

"My Lord."

Xu You said slowly: "Everything is nothing more than two words: profit!"

"My Lord, I have been calculating these days."

"The Marquis of Ji pacified the Huang Jin Rebellion in Jizhou and took away a million refugees. Most of these refugees are Jizhou's population."

"And after these people left, their original land has become barren fields."

"If these barren fields are left there, they are of no use to you, but for the local great clans, they are fertile land." ===== CHAPTER 987 =====