Han Ji

Chapter 121 Governor of Yizhou

Liu Bei ascended the stage.

"You all know what happened last night," he announced loudly. "Someone bribed an inside man to steal grain and create chaos. What was their purpose? To starve us, to sow suspicion among us, and to throw this camp into disarray!"

The crowd stirred.

"We fled from Guanzhong to seek a way to survive," Liu Bei continued. "But some people don't want us to live. Why? Because if we settle down, some people won't!"

He stepped off the stage and approached the three men.

"According to the law, stealing military rations is punishable by death."

The three were dragged to their deaths.

The displaced people watched, some feeling sorry for the victims, others relieved.

After the execution, Liu Bei went back to the platform.

"From today onwards, a disciplinary team will be established in the camp, and you will each elect honest men to serve as these teams. Each team will consist of fifty men, and they will supervise each other. If any theft is discovered, the entire team will be held accountable!"

He paused, then continued, "But I guarantee there will be plenty of food. And I guarantee there will be work. As long as I, Liu Bei, am in Hanzhong, I will not let a single refugee starve to death!"

A roar erupted from the crowd: "Captain Xie!"

That afternoon, the camp elected forty discipline officers, mostly older and more experienced individuals. The camp's order was completely restored.

When Liu Bei returned to the western military camp, Li Hui was already waiting in his tent.

"Captain," Li Hui said in a low voice, "I've found the brand on the saddle."

"explain."

"It's the mark of the Black Wolf Riders." Li Hui pulled out a piece of rough paper from his pocket, on which was a copy of the brand. "The Black Wolf Riders were originally a band of horse bandits from Guanzhong, specializing in robbing merchant caravans. They were wiped out by government troops last year, and the remnants scattered into the mountains. But I heard... they were later recruited by someone in Hanzhong."

"Someone?"

Li Hui's voice was even lower: "Zhao Lü has a nephew who is a squad leader in the county army. He once boasted in private that he raised a pack of wolves."

Liu Bei looked at the brand.

"So, what happened last night was instigated by Zhao Lu?"

"It may not be Zhao Lü himself," Li Hui said, "but it must be related to the prefectural government. They don't want to see the Commandant gather the refugees, so they want to create chaos, force the Commandant to expel the refugees, or incite a peasant uprising."

"Understood." Liu Bei put away the paper. "Continue to keep an eye on the prefectural government, especially Zhao Lü and Chen Lun."

"Yes."

After Li Hui left, Xun Cai brought in tea.

"My lord," she whispered, "Su Gu is using a soft knife to cut flesh. If it doesn't work the first time, he'll try again."

"Let him come," Liu Bei said, sipping his tea. "The more he comes, the more flaws we'll find."

"But the presence of spies among the refugees is ultimately a hidden danger."

Xun Cai thought for a moment: "I can go to the camp and teach the women how to weave and sew. Firstly, it will settle them down, and secondly... women are talkative, they might hear things that men wouldn't."

Liu Bei looked at her and said, "Danger."

"I will take two female soldiers with me and only go during the day," Xun Cai said with a smile. "As the wife of a military commander, they will not dare to act rashly."

Liu Bei squeezed her hand: "Be careful."

Three days later, Xun Cai went to the camp.

She wore coarse cloth clothes and only a wooden hairpin, sitting among a group of women teaching them how to spin thread. The women were initially reserved, but seeing her skillful hands, they gradually gathered around her.

A thin woman's hands trembled violently as she spun thread.

Xun Cai held her hand: "Don't rush, take your time."

The woman lowered her head: "Madam... I'm clumsy with my hands..."

"Nobody's born knowing how," Xun Cai said, helping her arrange the threads. "Where did you come from?"

"Feng Yi... my husband died of illness, so I took the kids and fled the famine..."

"Where's the child?"

"She's in the shed, running a fever..." The woman's eyes reddened.

Xun Cai stood up: "Take me to see it."

The child was three years old, and his forehead was burning hot. Xun Cai had a female soldier fetch the medicine prepared in the camp, and personally brewed it for him to eat. He also left half a bag of rice.

The woman knelt down and kowtowed.

That night, the woman secretly found Xun Cai's tent.

"Madam..." she stammered, "I...I have something to report..."

"explain."

"There's a guy in our team named Hu Si, who speaks with a Guanzhong accent. But when I overheard him whispering to someone... he seemed quite wealthy, not like a homeless person."

Xun Cai's eyes narrowed: "What does he look like?"

"A mole on his left cheek, short stature, and a missing finger on his right hand..."

Xun Cai recorded it.

The next day, she told Liu Bei the news.

Liu Bei ordered Qian Zhao to investigate secretly. Hu Si was indeed suspicious: he claimed to be a refugee from Guanzhong, but his hands had no calluses from farming, but rather from knives. He often stayed alone at night and did not talk to anyone.

"Keep an eye on him," Liu Bei said. "Don't alert him."

Five more days passed, and nothing happened at the camp.

The canal construction is progressing smoothly, and the displaced people are gradually settling down. Things are quiet in Sugu as well, as if they are waiting for something.

On the eighth day, Xi Jian arrived.

When Governor Yi set out, his vanguard alone numbered three hundred cavalry. Banners blotted out the sun, and drums and music filled the air. The gates of Nanzheng were fully opened, and Su Gu led the officials of the prefecture to greet him ten li away.

Liu Bei also went to greet them.

He led Guan Yu and Jian Yong, a total of only twenty riders, and was at the end of the county government's procession.

Xi Jian arrived in his carriage.

Before the man even stepped out of the carriage, his voice preceded his arrival: "Prefect Su, how have you been?"

Su Gu stepped forward and bowed: "The governor's arrival brings glory to Hanzhong."

The carriage curtain was lifted, and Xi Jian got out of the carriage.

He was around fifty years old, with a fair complexion and a light beard, wearing a brocade robe and a silver seal. He scanned the crowd, his gaze lingering on Liu Bei for a moment.

"Who is this?"

Su Gu laughed: "The Commandant of Hanzhong, Liu Bei, Liu Xuande. A distinguished student of Lu Zigan, a meritorious official who quelled the Yellow Turban Rebellion."

Xi Jian gave an "oh" and looked Liu Bei up and down: "A young talent. I've heard you did a good job suppressing bandits and pacifying the people in Hanzhong."

Liu Bei cupped his hands in greeting: "Your Excellency is too kind; it is my duty."

"It's my duty..." Xi Jian smiled, then turned to Su Gu, "Let's go into the city, I'm tired."

The main force entered the city.

Liu Bei was last.

Jian Yong said in a low voice, "Brother, he was cold."

"That's normal," Liu Bei said. "Su Gu must have already taken care of things."

That night, the prefectural governor's mansion hosted a banquet.

Liu Bei attended the banquet, taking Guan Yu with him.

The banquet was lavish, with singing girls dancing and delicacies piled high on the table. Xi Jian sat in the main seat, with Su Gu sitting beside him, and officials from the prefecture taking turns to offer toasts.

When the wine was half-finished, Xi Jian suddenly said, "Commander Liu."

Liu Bei stood up: "Your humble servant is here."

"On my journey, I have seen many refugees in Hanzhong. The Commandant has gone to great lengths to settle them in the camp west of the city."

"The refugees are suffering greatly, and we dare not ignore their plight."

"It's a good thing to care for the people." Xi Jian put down his wine cup. "But I've heard that bandits and spies have infiltrated among the refugees. Is this true?"

There was silence in the hall.

Su Gu lowered his head and drank his tea.

Liu Bei looked up and said, "Indeed, several petty scoundrels caused trouble, and they have been dealt with."

"It's good that it's been dealt with." Xi Jian smiled. "However... having two thousand refugees gathered in one place is still a potential problem. Commander, you should send them to different villages to be settled by the local authorities. That way, you won't have to worry about it."

Sending them to various villages was to disperse Liu Bei's forces.

Liu Bei remained calm and said, "What the governor says is quite right. However, the refugees have just arrived and their hearts are not yet settled. If they are suddenly dispersed, there is a risk of unforeseen events. It will not be too late to distribute them after the autumn harvest."

"There are still two months until the autumn harvest." Xi Jian tapped the table. "If something happens within two months, can the Commandant bear the responsibility?"

Guan Yu's hand rests on the hilt of his sword.

Liu Bei raised his hand to stop him and bowed: "This humble official is willing to sign a military pledge: if there is any major chaos in the refugee camp within two months, this humble official will request to resign."

Xi Jian stared at him for a long time, then smiled.

"Good ambition." He raised his glass. "Then I shall wait and see."

After the banquet, Liu Bei left the mansion.