Liu Wei was taken aback and immediately asked what had happened.
But upon learning that Liu He had died from an arrow wound sustained while fighting on the city wall, he couldn't help but feel sorry for him.
Zhen Yi agreed to marry one of his daughters to him, making Liu Wei and him brothers-in-law.
It's unbelievable that such a talented person would be so unfortunate.
"Commander Yan, all of you in Youzhou should make arrangements together. Do not tell Governor Liu about this for now, lest he be upset."
"What if he can't handle the blow? That would be terrible!"
Qi, Zhou, Tian, Chou, Zhao, Gai, Zhang, Zan, Zhang Yi, and others readily agreed.
Liu Yu is currently wounded by an arrow. If he were to hear of his only son's death, the shock and grief might cause his wound to reopen, wouldn't that be...?
Yan Rou and the other two were stunned. When they learned that Liu Yu had survived an assassination attempt, they could only exclaim how lucky they were.
Those who were still thinking of apologizing to Liu Yu will probably have to wait a while longer.
"Now the rebels have been defeated, the foreign tribes have fled, and most of Youzhou has been recovered."
"However, the various prefectures of Youzhou are not yet stable and everything needs to be rebuilt. I, the King, will act as the governor of Youzhou and adjust and appoint the prefects of the various prefectures in order to stabilize the people's hearts."
Liu Wei looked around and saw that all the officials from Youzhou were present, so he spoke loudly.
Qi Zhou, Tian Chou, Yan Rou, and the others straightened up and listened attentively.
"Yan Rou is temporarily appointed as the Prefectural Governor of Youzhou, in command of the troops of Youzhou."
"Ren Qizhou was appointed as the Chief Administrator of Youzhou, in charge of civil administration and agricultural affairs."
"Xianyu Yin was appointed Prefect of Dai Commandery, Xianyu Fu was appointed Prefect of Shanggu Commandery, Tian Chou was appointed Prefect of Zhuo Commandery, Zhao Gai was appointed Prefect of Yuyang Commandery, Zhang Zan was appointed Prefect of Youbeiping Commandery, and Zhang Yi was appointed Prefect of Guangyang Commandery."
"......"
The officials employed in the various prefectures of Youzhou were all former subordinates of Liu Yu; Liu Wei did not place a single one of his own people in them.
Tian Yu frowned, seemingly lost in thought.
When he and Liu Wei were discussing post-war issues, Liu Wei said that he would not covet an inch of Youzhou.
The appointment of the former subordinates of Youzhou can be considered a fulfillment of promises.
But Yan Rou, Qi Zhou, and others found it shocking.
What they didn't know was that the victory in this major battle was more than 80% due to the efforts of Liu Wei and his men.
The Youzhou army merely hitched a ride on the victory.
Liu Wei was a prince of the Han Dynasty and the General Who Guards the North. He had the full authority to appoint his own people in Youzhou.
But looking at it now, nothing has been done.
"We have failed in our duty to defend this territory and are ashamed to accept this position!" Yan Rou and the others politely declined, "Please, Your Highness, choose another wise and virtuous person!"
“You are all from the gentry of Youzhou and are familiar with the local conditions, so it is best for you!” Liu Wei could easily see through their politeness. “There is no need for you to refuse. Youzhou is in dire need of reconstruction, so please take up your posts as soon as possible!”
After Liu Wei made the final decision, everyone agreed.
When it comes to declining favors, it's fine to show humility once or twice, but doing it too often will go too far!
"Commander Yan, what are your plans regarding the deployment of troops in Youzhou?"
The others, carrying official credentials written by Tian Kai and stamped with the seal of the Governor of Youzhou, took their leave with their entourages and guards, leaving only Qi Zhou and Yan Rou behind.
The two of them were to work in the governor's office of Youzhou, where they would be in charge of important civil and military affairs, so they remained in the governor's office.
When Liu Wei asked about the troops, Yan Rou replied:
"It is understood that there are still 1,000 soldiers left in Jicheng. The governor has recruited 15,000 infantry and cavalry. After the battle, 10,000 will remain, for a total of 11,000!"
"These troops are adequate for maintaining order, but they may not be able to defend against foreign enemies."
"We earnestly request Your Highness to provide assistance, to station troops at strategic border passes, and to ensure the safety of Youzhou."
Qi Zhou added, "That's right. Youzhou is vast with long borders. After this great battle, the fighting strength of Youzhou's troops has been greatly reduced."
"Although the Xianbei people in the northern desert have crippled the Murong Xianbei, there are other tribes eyeing them covetously, so we must be on guard."
"We earnestly request Your Highness to send elite troops to garrison Youzhou and ensure the safety of the region."
The two pleaded together, their words earnest and sincere.
"No, Governor Liu is the chief official of Youzhou. I cannot overstep my bounds." Liu Wei shook his head firmly. "This matter must be discussed with Governor Liu before we can proceed!"
Tian Yu and Tian Kai exchanged a glance, secretly thinking it was a pity.
"Commander Yan, since Youzhou's troops are insufficient, first select 20,000 strong men from the 100,000 surrendered rebel soldiers to supplement the army, and supervise the rest to rebuild Jixian city and carry out labor reform."
"Jicheng suffered such a great disaster, with all the houses destroyed. It would be better to rebuild. All the people in the city whose houses were burned down will be given double the size of the houses after the reconstruction."
"We cannot let these people who sacrificed their homes for the country lose heart!"
"Similarly, the wounded and killed soldiers will be compensated, and the surviving soldiers will also receive rewards!"
"These people will be provided with meals for the first three months, and after that, they will be provided with meals and paid wages!"
Qi Zhou immediately exclaimed in alarm, "I'm afraid Youzhou doesn't have enough money!"
"Did Zhen Yi, a wealthy man from Hebei, send 100,000 shi of grain and 10 million in cash before?"
"If that's not enough, let the wealthy households in Youzhou contribute. I've heard that Gongsun Zan has befriended several tycoons, like Li Yizi, each of them incredibly wealthy."
"Our soldiers are defending our country; how can they sit back and reap the benefits?"
When Liu Wei mentioned this incident, he realized it was time to go to Zhenjiazhuang to fulfill his promise and marry Zhen Yi's daughter.
Isn't this blatantly asking the merchants of Youzhou to donate money and grain?
Previously, when Liu Yu was governing Youzhou with a lenient approach, he treated these merchants with great courtesy. Yan Rou and others had tried to dissuade him, but Liu Yu did not listen.
Now that Qi Zhou and Yan Rou had Liu Wei's tacit approval to take action against these people, they immediately agreed.
After Qi Zhou and Yan Rou took their leave, only Liu Wei's men remained in the camp.
Everyone waited for Liu Wei's instructions, but Liu Wei remained calm and composed, sipping his tea.
A short while later, Zhang Yan returned with Du Chang and Zhang Baiqi to report back.
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