Cheng Yu hesitated for a moment, then returned to normal, a look of gratitude in his heart, he cupped his hands and said loudly!
"Thank you, Marquis, for your trust! Yu will surely follow you to the death and never betray you!"
Liu Jin burst out laughing when he heard this, very satisfied with Cheng Yu's declaration.
He had not only treated worthy men with respect but also offered them high positions and generous salaries; at the very least, Cheng Yu had to show his willingness to serve him.
He immediately ordered his servants to prepare a grand banquet in the hall to entertain Cheng Yu, showing Liu Jin's courtesy and high regard.
The banquet was harmonious, and Liu Jin introduced some of his officials to Cheng Yu, and they got to know each other.
Zhongping Second Year, December!
Snowflakes drifted down, blanketing the northern lands in a scene of pristine white.
In the Prefect's Mansion study in Yanmen Commandery.
Liu Jin sat at his desk, reviewing the money and grain collected from the Three Commandery Regions during this period.
Since reforms and development had only begun this year, the effects were not yet very significant; the true impact would only be seen next year.
Even so, with the changes in policy, the money, grain, and other goods collected from the Three Commandery Regions were still considerably more than in previous years.
Yanmen Commandery collected over two million in taxes and money, seventy thousand stones of grain, and some cloth.
Dingxiang Commandery collected over seven hundred thousand in taxes and money, thirty thousand stones of grain, and some cloth.
Yunzhong Commandery collected over two hundred thousand in taxes and money, several thousand stones of grain, and only a small amount of cloth and other items.
This was all the money, grain, and other supplies collected from the Three Commandery Regions.
Compared to last year, it had nearly doubled. At the very least, the population had increased significantly, and with the implementation of policies such as reclaiming barren land, cracking down on bandits, and pacifying the local people, many benefits had indeed been gained.
Even so, the financial and grain resources were only enough to maintain superficial operations; any major action would quickly lead to a shortage.
Because the Three Commandery Regions had thousands of officials, plus twenty thousand soldiers to support, and various other expenses, the annual consumption was a terrifying sum.
Liu Jin's face showed a look of emotion; only when one manages a household does one realize the cost of living.
After his calculations, the collected taxes could indeed only maintain the current superficial operations; accumulating any wealth would be difficult.
However, he was not overly worried. It was already the end of the year, and next year's tax revenue would definitely double again.
By then, he would be able to accumulate money and grain, and build up his strength.
Looking at the snowflakes falling outside the window, Liu Jin's lips curved into a smile. Everything was on track and developing prosperously.
Just then, footsteps suddenly sounded outside the door. Tian Feng pushed open the door and walked in quickly.
Seeing this, Liu Jin slowly put down the government documents in his hand and asked with a smile!
"Yuan Hao, is there anything you need to report?"
Tian Feng nodded and quickly said!
"Reporting to Marquis, the latest battle report has arrived from the Three Supports of Chang'an."
Liu Jin gave a slight "oh" when he heard this, his playful expression instantly vanishing, replaced by a serious look.
News from the Three Supports, he thought, must mean a major battle had broken out, but he didn't know whether the court had won or the rebels.
If the court had won, at least the current situation could be maintained on the surface, preventing a complete collapse and a threat to Luoyang.
If the rebels had won, the Three Supports of Chang'an would be completely lost, and Luoyang would become the next main battlefield.
By then, the civil and military officials in the court would be in a panic, and to save their lives, they might even move the capital, leading to widespread chaos in the world and the premature formation of a warlords' state.
This was somewhat urgent for Liu Jin. He had only been stationed in Bing Province for a short year. Although he had accumulated some strength and had twenty thousand soldiers, he was still not strong enough to contend with these rebels.
He quickly flicked his robe, motioning for Tian Feng to continue.
The voice continued to report!
"In early October, a fierce battle erupted in the Three Supports. Dong Zhuo led the court's imperial army, launching an all-out attack, defeating the Xi Liang Rebels in one battle, killing over ten thousand, capturing tens of thousands, and shaking the Northwest."
"After this disastrous defeat, the rebels suffered heavy losses in troops and could no longer maintain their foothold in the Three Supports. So, the rebel leader, Beigong Boyu, led the remaining troops all the way back to Western Liang."
"He ordered his generals to guard Anding Commandery and cut off the roads in Western Liang to prevent the court's imperial army from advancing westward overnight, entering Western Liang, and causing them to fall into disarray."
"Dong Zhuo also used this battle to establish his prestige in the Northwest, gaining great fame, and all the civil and military officials in the court praised him."
Liu Jin breathed a sigh of relief when he heard this. As long as the rebels were defeated, at least the current situation could hold for another two or three years.
If the court had been defeated, the rebels would have advanced eastward, entering Luoyang, and by then, the world would have been completely fragmented.
However, Dong Zhuo's rise now made him somewhat wary.
It should be known that, historically, although Dong Zhuo had defeated the Xi Liang Rebels, his achievements were still somewhat lacking, making it difficult for him to reach the top.
Now, this era was different. Dong Zhuo had already established his merits during the Yellow Turban Rebellion and had been enfeoffed as a marquis and appointed as a general by the court. Now, he had also pacified the Xi Liang rebellion, solving such a major difficulty, and his prestige was even stronger than before.
Coupled with the support of the Yuan clan, Dong Zhuo might indeed become a military leader, and his status would probably only be below that of the Grand General.
Thinking of this, Liu Jin immediately asked!
"Yuan Hao, the court sent two large armies to attack the Xi Liang Rebels, so why is there only news of Dong Zhuo and no news of Huangfu Song?"
Tian Feng's face showed a hint of indignation when he heard this, and he continued to say!
"Marquis, this Huangfu Song had some bad luck. He was impeached in the court, accused of colluding with the Xi Liang Rebels and wanting to combine forces to attack Luoyang."
"So, the Son of Heaven believed the slander. For safety's sake, before the major battle broke out, he dismissed him from his post and reassigned him back to Chang'an, handing over his troops to Dong Zhuo."
"After Huangfu Song left the front lines, Dong Zhuo launched a general offensive and won this battle."
Liu Jin frowned deeply when he heard this. This matter was definitely not simple; it was most likely a slander.
If Huangfu Song had any intention of rebelling, he would have rebelled long ago.
When he pacified the Yellow Turban Rebellion, he commanded hundreds of thousands of troops. Why would he wait until now, even handing over his military power and willingly going to the court?
With a hint of anger on his face, he asked!
"Did no civil and military officials in the court argue for Huangfu Song?"
Tian Feng's sneer grew even stronger when he heard this!
"Marquis, you don't know, indeed many people in the court defended Huangfu Song. After all, he was a meritorious official who had achieved great feats. How could he surrender to rebels?"
"But unfortunately, His Majesty simply wouldn't listen. He even sternly rebuked those who supported him, saying that Huangfu Song was from Western Liang, highly respected, and deeply loved by the people of Western Liang."
"And those rebels were all clamoring to enthrone him, so he had to be cautious and could only strip Huangfu Song of his military power and temporarily recall him to the capital."
