gnovel Chapter 91 Self-Severance from the Aristocratic Class
Chapter 91 Self-Severance from the Aristocratic Class
Li Sheng was looking through the land register that Zhou Chang had sent when Li Feng walked in from outside.
"General, Li Feng requests an audience."
Li Sheng looked up, a smile on his face.
"Ah Feng, when it's just the two of us, please call me Brother Sheng."
Ever since the army captured Xiapi, this guy seems like a different person. The casual, friendly banter of the past has faded, replaced by the strict rules of hierarchy and order that are essential for military campaigns.
Li Feng's tense face relaxed.
"Okay, Brother Sheng, there's a scholar who calls himself Gu Yong waiting outside the door."
Li Sheng pondered for a moment.
He was indeed somewhat surprised.
Since the uprising began, most of those who have sought refuge with him have been desperate vagrants, tenant farmers, or lower-class youths hoping to improve their social standing. This is the first time that scholars have taken the initiative to come to him.
"Let him in."
A moment later, Li Feng led a middle-aged man into the back hall of the county government office.
The man was in his early thirties, with a thin face and a short beard. He wore a faded blue cloth robe, but it was spotless. He walked with composure, neither servile nor arrogant. Upon entering the door, he stopped and bowed with his hands clasped in greeting.
"My name is Gu Yong, a native of Xuzhou. I have met General Li Sheng."
Li Sheng put down the booklet in his hand and glanced at him.
He was from Xuzhou, and Xiapi was under the jurisdiction of Xuzhou. This person said he was from Xuzhou, and he said something that was not exactly nonsense.
"Please have a seat, sir."
Li Sheng raised his hand in a gesture of greeting, his tone neither warm nor cold.
"May I ask where you come from, sir? And where you previously held a high position?"
Gu Yong sat down in the guest seat, his back ramrod straight.
"I previously held a position as a county official in Guangling County. Some time ago, I heard about the changes in Xiapi, so I came here to seek your help."
The truth is not so simple. Some time ago, he came to Xiapi to visit his ailing uncle. However, the Yellow Turban Rebellion broke out, cutting off the roads, and he was stranded in the city.
He had been looking forward to returning home soon with news of victory from the front, but Li Sheng's Taiping army captured Xiapi with lightning speed.
Unable to leave, he stayed in the city to carefully observe the army's conduct.
After observing for several days and recalling his past frustrations, he began to consider joining the Taiping Army.
Upon hearing his words, Li Sheng felt a slight stirring in his heart.
Official of Guangling County.
Guangling is adjacent to Xiapi, so the fact that this person came from Guangling shows that the news spread quickly. However, his name is somewhat unfamiliar, so he probably isn't a particularly talented person.
Those renowned scholars, such as Kong Rong of Beihai, Xun Yu of Yingchuan, and Zhang Miao of Chenliu, probably didn't even know who Li Sheng was at this moment. Even if they did, they would only scoff, thinking that a peasant bandit was worthy of their service.
Thinking about this, Li Sheng didn't feel disappointed.
Although the visitor was not a famous scholar, he was at least a literate man who could read and do accounting. He was better than having an illiterate soldier in charge of documents.
"Since you have come to join us, you must have some understanding of the Taiping Army."
Li Sheng picked up the bowl of water on the table, took a sip, and asked casually.
"What is your opinion of the Taiping Army, sir?"
Gu Yong remained silent for a moment, as if he was carefully considering his words.
"Since the general has asked, I will speak frankly."
He paused, his gaze calm.
"The Taiping Army rose from humble beginnings, seized cities and divided land, and won over the hearts of the people. This was a move to gain momentum. After entering the city, the general did not disturb the people, did not kill the innocent, opened the granaries to distribute grain, and sold salt at a fair price. This was the way of benevolence and righteousness. With both power and righteousness, one can achieve temporary success."
At this point, he changed the subject.
"But the Taiping army is still weak and surrounded by powerful enemies. The governor of Xuzhou will not sit idly by and watch Xiapi fall into the hands of others. If you can only capture one city but cannot hold it, the land you give away today will be taken back by others tomorrow."
Li Sheng put down the bowl of water but did not reply.
These words were quite conventional; anyone with a bit of knowledge who looked at the Taiping Rebellion from the outside would probably have said something similar.
However, what he said hit the nail on the head: with a shallow foundation and many strong enemies, the key is whether or not they can hold their ground.
"Sir, how do you think the Taiping Army should conduct itself?"
Gu Yong cupped his hands in a respectful gesture.
"I am new here and not yet familiar with military affairs, so I dare not speak presumptuously. However, I believe that what the general is doing now—distributing land, registering households, and reorganizing the army—is all on the right track. Although the foundation is shallow, it will gradually deepen with daily cultivation. Although there are many powerful enemies, with the people on our side, we can fight them."
Li Sheng nodded slightly.
He re-examined the scholar before him.
His clothes were simple, and his face showed signs of hardship; he did not appear to be a pampered scion of a noble family. Judging from his background as an official in Guangling County, he was probably a scholar from a poor family who had failed in his official career.
Such people can be a help if used well, but will not cause great harm if used poorly.
Moreover, Li Sheng knew very well that old-fashioned scholars like Gu Yong had been studying the classics since childhood, and their very being was steeped in the principles of ruler-subject, father-son, and social order. His joining them today might be due to the momentum of the Taiping Army, or it might be a way out of the chaos, but getting such a person to truly accept the Taiping Army's ideals would not be a matter of a day or two.
However, Li Sheng was not in a hurry.
His attitude toward these old scholars was clear: employ their talents, eliminate their conflicts, win them over to his side, and reform their thinking.
The first step right now is to start using it.
"Sir, you've come at the perfect time."
Li Sheng stood up and walked to the table to spread out the field map.
"Our army is currently surveying fields and registering households for land redistribution. The county government is short-staffed, and Registrar Zhou is extremely busy. Since you are literate and skilled in arithmetic, why don't you go and help Registrar Zhou with the land redistribution?"
Gu Yong was taken aback.
He originally thought Li Sheng would keep him by his side to assist in military affairs, but he was unexpectedly assigned to manage the land allocation.
Land distribution
He knew better than anyone the weight those two words carried in Xiapi County today.
That was the foundation of the Taiping Army, and Li Sheng's trump card for winning over the people. The fact that he was allowed to participate in this matter showed that Li Sheng did not consider him an outsider.
"I obey."
Gu Yong stood up and bowed respectfully.
Li Sheng nodded, then looked at Li Feng.
"Take Mr. Gu to Registrar Zhou's office and tell Zhou Chang that this is the new helper, and let him take charge of the land distribution."
"promise."
Gu Yong followed Li Feng outside, but when they reached the door, he suddenly stopped and turned around.
"General."
Li Sheng looked up.
"I have something to say, but I'm not sure if I should."
"speak."
Gu Yong pondered for a moment, then slowly spoke.
"The general's distribution of land to the people has earned their gratitude and respect; this is a benevolent policy that can win hearts and minds and solidify our position. However, I dare to suggest that this method is too drastic."
He glanced at Li Sheng's face and, seeing that the other party was not angry, continued.
"Land is the lifeblood of powerful clans and gentry. If you distribute it all to the common people, you are severing yourself from the entire gentry class. If you were to raise an army in the future, you would need their help in every aspect, including provisions, manpower, and prestige. If you do not leave any room for maneuver, I fear..."
Li Sheng looked into his eyes and smiled.
"What you say makes sense, sir. I have my own plans for this matter."
Seeing that Li Sheng had no intention of continuing the conversation, Gu Yong knew that the other party was unwilling to discuss it in depth.
Since he was new to the area, the locals wisely refrained from pressing further and bowed deeply.
"General, you are wise; I have spoken too much."
After saying that, he turned around and followed Li Feng out of the back hall.