A Journey Through the Worlds of Film and Television.

Chapter 656 Cai Yong

After wiping out the Xianbei and the Fuyu Kingdom in Liaodong, the territory under Lu Cheng's rule expanded significantly and the population increased by 200,000.

The Buyeo Kingdom originally had more than 30,000 households and a population of 200,000, but some of them fled to the north and Goguryeo.

Many Xianbei people in Liaodong also fled westward, and the remaining population was either scattered everywhere or captured.

At one time, the population under Lu Cheng's rule was close to one million, and there were countless war horses, cattle and sheep.

The post-war processing work lasted for two or three months until it came to a temporary halt when heavy snow fell.

Throughout the winter, Liaodong was busy digesting the fruits of previous victories and transforming them into real strength.

After conquering a large number of Xianbei and Buyeo people, Lu Cheng selected a group of strong and brave people from them and carried out brainwashing education to make them recognize Liaodong and integrate into Liaodong as soon as possible.

By next spring, we can raise another cavalry.

Moreover, the large number of cattle and sheep captured this time can also provide enough meat for the Liaodong soldiers. With more meat, they can ensure adequate nutrition and further increase the intensity of training.

For the entire following winter, Liaodong was quite peaceful. The surrounding forces were more obedient than each other. The Xianbei tribe in Liaoxi, which bordered Changli, even moved nearly a hundred miles westward, away from Liaodong, leaving a large part of its land vacant.

Being able to develop stably and farm in peace, Lu Cheng does not want to provoke too many wars for the time being, so as not to waste time.

Winter is also the time when Liaodong soldiers focus on learning cultural knowledge.

Lu Cheng has always attached great importance to education. Since he came to Liaodong, he has asked people to improve the papermaking technique and opened schools in every city to educate children of school age.

In particular, a preferential policy of free tuition and free lunch was implemented for the children of all officials and soldiers in Liaodong.

In this era, education was basically completely monopolized by the aristocratic families. Ordinary people had no access to education at all, and even literacy was a luxury.

Zhang Liao, Taishi Ci and others all came from relatively good families, either because they had studied under famous teachers or because their families had some wealth, which gave them the opportunity to learn literature and martial arts. Even so, the military strategies they were exposed to were very limited.

Although papermaking had already appeared in the Western Han Dynasty and was improved by the eunuch Cai Lun in the Eastern Han Dynasty, the main writing and recording tools are still bamboo slips, wooden boards, or silk.

As for why the papermaking technique has not been popularized, it is also closely related to those aristocratic families.

Just like the lines in a certain film and television drama say: Who among the poor wants to be rich? The rich are more afraid of being poor. In order to be rich, the poor work hard, farming, doing business, studying, and everyone is trying to improve themselves and long for wealth. But in the end, only a very small number of people become rich, and the vast majority of the rest struggle all their lives, but still live in hardship.

Are the poor not working hard enough or not making progress enough? Actually, it is not the case. It is just that the wealthy people are unwilling and do not want to give the opportunity of prosperity to the poor.

Once social strata are formed, people at the top will do their best to maintain the solidification of the strata and safeguard their own interests.

The emergence of paper will inevitably greatly reduce the cost of education, allowing more people to have access to existing education and have the opportunity to change their destiny.

However, the world is so small and the resources are so limited. How can people in the upper class accept more people to share their cake?

If Lu Cheng had not wiped out many powerful families after taking control of Liaodong, the promotion of this education would probably have encountered many obstacles.

However, now the entire Liaodong is under the complete control of Lu Cheng. Every government order can be reached in all directions and implemented thoroughly. Only in this way can Liaodong become exactly what he wants.

In fact, the reason why Lu Cheng chose Liaodong as his base was also to promote education.

If it were in the Central Plains, the power of those aristocratic families would be even greater, their relationships would be complicated, and they would control every aspect. If we wanted to promote education, we would have to overthrow all of those aristocratic families, which would inevitably be more difficult.

Amidst this busy life, the long winter in Liaodong passed day by day.

In the blink of an eye, it was already the spring of the fourth year of Zhongping (187 AD), only two years before Emperor Ling of Han died. It was also just over two years before Dong Zhuo entered Luoyang and brought chaos to the government.

After the beginning of spring, many talents and common people flocked to Liaodong.

After half a year of dissemination, the news that Liaodong Governor Lu Cheng conquered Fuyu and Liaodong Xianbei and shocked the northern desert had spread throughout the world, attracting more people to Liaodong, either to seek refuge or to join him.

Tuhe County, the western gate of Liaoning, has also become a reception point for talents and refugees.

The first post station in the southwest of Tuhe County.

A small group of people arrived here in a dusty state and stopped outside the post station. The two leading people came to the post station shed, looked at the tiger flag hanging outside the shed, looked at each other, and then walked into the shed together.

"Excuse me, young man. We are from Montenegro and are here to pay a visit to Governor Lu on the orders of our general."

Upon hearing this, the post station servant looked up at the two men and saw that they were carrying bows and swords and looked extremely tough, so he asked, "Are you under the command of General Zhang Yan?"

"Exactly."

The person who could work as a servant at the first post station in Liaodong was naturally not an ordinary servant, but a member of the Liaodong Intelligence Department. Upon hearing this, he immediately said, "Wait here, I'll go and report."

Soon, a carrier pigeon was seen flying out from behind the post station and heading straight for Tuhe County.

Afterwards, someone led the team straight to Tu River.

Not long after, another man carrying a bow and sword arrived in front of the post station, leading dozens of cavalrymen.

Another servant came out of the post station, approached the group of people, and asked, "Who are you and why did you come to Liaodong?"

"My dear, I am from Xiangyang. My surname is Liao, my given name is Hua, and my courtesy name is Yuanjian. I heard that the prefect of Liaodong is famous outside the Great Wall, and that the Hu people dare not go south to herd horses. I admire him and come here to surrender."

"Are you Liao Hua Liao Yuanjian?"

"good."

"Please wait for a moment. I will have someone lead you there."

Every elite member of the Liaodong Intelligence Department had memorized a list that included many famous strategists and generals from the Three Kingdoms period, including Liao Hua's name.

Those whose names are on the list will generally receive certain preferential treatment and be sent directly to Xiangping.

At the same time, Lu Cheng, who was far away in Xiangping, was also receiving a famous scholar.

"Mr. Cai has come from afar, and I, Lu, did not come to greet you. Please forgive me!"

"You are too polite, Governor Lu. I have heard that Liaodong is promoting education and broadening people's knowledge, so I came here to see it. I never thought that the Governor would make Liaodong so prosperous, comparable to the Central Plains."

That’s right, the person Lu Cheng was receiving at this time was Cai Yong, a famous writer and calligrapher in the Eastern Han Dynasty.

Cai Yong was originally from Chenliu. He was well-read and had a reputation for talent. He had served in the court as a counselor and a doctor. Later, because he repeatedly spoke out and dared to make remonstrances, he offended the powerful and was exiled to Shuofang County.

Afterwards, Cai Yong fled to the south of the Yangtze River, where he stayed for twelve years. Later, when Dong Zhuo came to power, Cai Yong was appointed as the Minister of Works and then the Imperial Censor, the Imperial Censor of the Imperial Secretariat, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, the General of the Left, and was granted the title of Marquis of Gaoyang Township.

After Dong Zhuo was executed, Cai Yong felt sad and collected Dong Zhuo's body, which offended Prime Minister Wang Yun. He was thrown into prison and later died of illness in prison.

Of course, Dong Zhuo has not yet entered Luoyang, and Cai Yong is still taking refuge in Jiangnan. I heard that someone in Liaodong is promoting education, so I came to visit.

I never thought that after arriving in Liaodong, I would find that this place was prosperous, with abundant resources and a prosperous people, and a scene of peace and prosperity.

In addition, Lu Cheng destroyed Fuyu, pacified the Liaodong Xianbei, and was famous outside the Great Wall. This also made Cai Yong more curious about Lu Cheng.

After some greetings, Lu Cheng looked at the girl next to Cai Yong: "I guess this must be your daughter?"

"Yes, this is my little daughter Zhaoji. I have no sons, so I got a daughter when I was old, and I always keep her by my side..."