The Three Kingdoms: Starting as a county magistrate in Pingyuan, he rose to power and conquered the

Chapter 12 A Person Who Understands the Big Picture

"Stop giving me that high-sounding lecture!"

Wang Men, somewhat embarrassed and angry, said, "I'll just ask you one question: are you going to pay the grain tax or not?"

The fifty guards behind him drew their swords in unison, their blades gleaming coldly.

The migrants who were working nearby stopped what they were doing and slowly gathered around.

They held hoes, picks, and sticks in their hands, their eyes filled with anger, not fear.

The atmosphere instantly became tense.

"Back off! Everyone back off!"

A sergeant, his voice trembling with fear, roared, his sword shaking slightly.

No one backed down.

Instead, the crowd moved forward slowly and silently. The encirclement grew smaller and smaller.

Wang Men's forehead was covered in cold sweat.

He had fought on the battlefield for many years, witnessing the madness of the Yellow Turban rebels and the ferocity of the Xianbei people, but he had never seen such a scene.

Fifty pairs for twenty thousand.

Even if these fifty men were elite soldiers capable of fighting ten men each, they were but a drop in the ocean in the face of this surging crowd.

Li Zhao remained standing in the same spot.

"Wang Sima".

Li Zhao spoke slowly.

"You just asked if this hoe is a weapon."

He raised his hand and pointed to the pairs of bloodshot eyes around him.

"When they are foraging for food in the fields, it is a farming tool. But if someone tries to take away their food and cut off their livelihood, then this hoe, this pickaxe, even the clod of earth on the ground, can become a deadly weapon."

Wang Men's Adam's apple bobbed, and his palms, gripping the knife, were covered in sweat.

"Li Zhao, you...you're trying to rebel?!" He forced out the words through gritted teeth, but his voice lacked conviction.

"rebel?"

Li Zhao chuckled softly, his gaze passing over the royal gate and landing on Zhang Mao, who was trembling behind the carriage.

"I was merely acting on General Gongsun's orders to govern this region and pacify the people. Now that the people are able to live, they are grateful for your kindness, General. How can this be considered rebellion?"

"There are some people who, fearing nothing more than peace and quiet, deceive their superiors, sow discord between the military and the people, and attempt to frame the general in an unjust way. In my opinion, these are the real traitors."

Upon hearing this, Zhang Mao was terrified and scrambled out, kneeling at Wang Men's feet.

"General Wang! Don't listen to his nonsense! He's threatening an official of the imperial court! Kill him! Kill him!"

"Shut up!"

Wang Men kicked Zhang Mao to the ground. He now wished he could skin the old man alive.

If he hadn't believed Zhang Mao's nonsense, thinking that Li Zhao was just a weak scholar and Pingyuan County was just a piece of fat meat, how could he have fallen into such a dangerous situation?

Now they're in a bind; if they really make a move, all fifty of them will probably die here today.

Li Zhao noticed the wavering within the royal family.

The time is right.

"Wang Sima".

Li Zhao's tone softened, and he spoke with a hint of sincerity.

"General Gongsun is fighting valiantly on the front lines, and the amount of provisions he needs is enormous. As the magistrate of Pingyuan, I should do my utmost to raise them."

Wang Men's eyes lit up, and he withdrew some of his murderous intent.

"This land reclamation project has only just begun. The grain stored in the granary is indeed the people's staple food and seeds, and it cannot be touched. If it is touched, Pingyuan County will immediately descend into chaos, and if the General's rear is set on fire, the consequences will be unimaginable."

Li Zhao changed the subject:

"However, due to the recent confiscation of the Zhou family's confiscated property, plus the donation from Lord Zhang who sacrificed his family's wealth to relieve the crisis, there are still 800 shi of grain remaining in the treasury."

"This humble official is willing to offer the general these eight hundred shi of grain, plus five hundred bundles of hay, to alleviate the urgent needs at the front. What does Sima think?"

Eight hundred shi (a unit of dry measure).

Compared to Li Zhao's hundreds of thousands of bushels of grain, this is just a drop in the ocean.

But for Wang Men now, this is a stepping stone, a stepping stone that allows him to leave this place with dignity.

With these eight hundred bushels of grain, we can report back to Gongsun Zan more easily.

It is said that Li Zhao was indeed cultivating land and pacifying the people, had no intention of rebelling, and was doing his best to support the front line.

It's better than going home empty-handed or losing your life here.

Wang Men took a deep breath and slowly sheathed his sword.

"Li Mingting is indeed a person who understands the bigger picture."

Wang Men said with a forced smile, "In that case, I, Sima, will accept this gift on behalf of General Gongsun."

Seeing this, the guards around them all put away their weapons and secretly breathed a sigh of relief.

The refugees surrounding the area, at the signal of several village chiefs, slowly put down their farm tools, but their wary eyes remained fixed on these uninvited guests.

A bloody conflict that was about to erupt was thus averted.

Li Zhao cupped his hands and said, "Thank you for your understanding, Sima. Sun Fu, take Wang Sima's men to the county granary to collect the grain."

"Yes, sir!" Sun Fu replied quickly.

Wang Men mounted his horse and was about to leave when he suddenly caught sight of Zhang Mao, who was still lying on the ground.

A surge of anger rose in my heart.

If it weren't for this old bastard, how could I have lost so much face today?

"Zhang Mao!" Wang Men shouted sharply.

Zhang Mao trembled all over, raised his head, his face covered in tears and snot: "General...General..."

"You lied about military intelligence, framed an honest official, and nearly caused a catastrophe! What use is such a treacherous traitor to you!"

Before he could finish speaking, a flash of cold light appeared.

Wang Men drew his sword, swung it, and sheathed it in one fluid motion.

"puff!"

A gray head rolled to the ground, its triangular eyes wide open in disbelief.

The headless corpse twitched a few times, and blood stained the yellow earth beneath its feet.

Zhang He was so frightened that his eyes rolled back and he fainted.

"Hmph! What bad luck!"

Wang Men spat, wiped the blood off his knife on the saddle, didn't even glance at the corpse on the ground, and rode away with his personal guards.

Li Zhao watched this scene quietly, his face remaining calm.

To use someone else to do one's dirty work.

Zhang Mao, this malignant tumor that had lingered in Pingyuan County for many years, was finally completely eradicated with the help of the Wang family.

From then on, no powerful family or clan in Pingyuan County dared to oppose him.

Only when Wang Men's cavalry disappeared from sight did the refugees, who had been on edge, finally relax, and a chorus of schadenfreude arose across the fields.

Zhao Yun appeared behind Li Zhao without anyone noticing.

He looked at Zhang Mao's corpse on the ground, his expression complex.

"Brother Li, did you calculate that the Wang family wouldn't dare to make a move?"

Li Zhao turned around and looked at this vibrant land and the people who looked at him with awe.

"I'm not betting that he wouldn't dare, but that it's not worth it."

"It's not worth risking my life and that of fifty elite soldiers for a letter from Zhang Mao."

"It's not worth it to force a county magistrate who could stabilize Gongsun Zan's rear to rebel for a mere few thousand bushels of grain."

Zhao Yun remained silent for a moment, then clasped his hands and said:

"Brother, your insight is brilliant. However, I'm afraid we can't keep today's events a secret from General Gongsun."

"There's no need to hide it."

Li Zhao said calmly, "Wang Men took back 800 shi of grain, and he will speak up for me. Gongsun Zan is currently being held back by Yuan Shao. As long as Pingyuan County remains peaceful and can still provide him with grain, he will not touch me."

"But after this incident, Gongsun Zan's suspicion of you will only deepen."

Let them suspect.

A glint of light flashed in Li Zhao's eyes.

"In this chaotic world, the key to survival is not the trust of others, but the strength in one's own hands."