I run a training class in Shu Han

Chapter 104 Warm Tea Shocks Meng Huo

Meng Huo, puzzled, stared wide-eyed at the young emperor at the head of the table, who was tilting his head and grinning mischievously, and moved his lips a few times.

"You want me to... farm?" he asked again to confirm.

Liu Shan said somewhat impatiently, "That's right, I don't want to say it a third time."

"I am from the Meng clan of Jianning, a powerful family in the south. You want me to go and farm?" Meng Huo's voice rose several octaves, his chest heaving violently.

"Do powerful families not need to eat?" Liu Shan interrupted him, sitting up straight and teasingly asking, "Or do you think farming is shameful?"

Meng Huo was speechless.

As a member of the prestigious Meng clan of Jianning County, he naturally felt ashamed to be farming in Chengdu.

For a long time, the southern lands have not been under the rule of the king, and farming has always retained the primitive slash-and-burn planting method.

This simple and extensive farming model is characterized by the fact that after sowing, there is basically no field management such as weeding, fertilizing, or irrigating, which frees up the hands and time of the people to hunt and fish.

Meng Huo was born into a prominent clan. He rode horses and practiced archery from a young age, leading his tribe in battles to seize territory. When had he ever held a hoe?

Liu Shan continued, "I ask you, how do the people of the south survive?"

"Naturally, it comes from farming."

What do you rely on to farm?

"...Rely on fate."

"If it rains, you'll have food. If it doesn't rain, you'll starve. No matter how strong you are, Meng Huo, can you defeat Heaven?"

Meng Huo paused for a moment and said, "If I can't beat Heaven, can't I beat other people? Why don't we just rob them of their grain?"

"Have you ever thought about what would happen if everyone ran out of food? Who would you steal from then on?"

"Even if we take a step back and assume the worst, you're using the blood of ordinary people to buy grain, have you ever thought about those who shed their blood?"

Meng Huo was stunned.

He hadn't really thought about these things.

As a powerful local leader, what he cared about was his troops, the money and grain in his treasury, and the territory he traversed. The lives of the common people seemed to be an inevitable sacrifice.

Seeing that his eyes began to dart away, completely devoid of his previous arrogant demeanor, Liu Shan pointed at him and said righteously, "You are engaging in reckless militarism and disregarding human life. The reason why the war in the south continues is all because of your selfishness."

"Private feuds continue, wars rage on, and lives are ravaged. As the head of the Meng clan, how can you face the elders of the Southern Kingdom?"

Meng Huo lowered his head, a slight smile playing on his lips, a mixture of self-reproach and resentment.

"Even if I don't rob others, farming is barely enough to make ends meet, so what's the point of learning it?"

As soon as these words were spoken, Liu Shan knew that Meng Huo was somewhat convinced.

But not many.

He immediately stood up and walked to Meng Huo.

Huo Yi, standing behind him, immediately became alert, gripping the hilt of his sword tightly with his right hand, ready to kill Meng Huo with a single blow if he dared to move.

Liu Shan gently patted Meng Huo's shoulder and brushed the dust off him.

"Barbarian King, go and take a look at the agricultural class at the Imperial Academy."

"I assure you, once you've finished reading this, whether you submit or not, I will let you go back."

Meng Huo was overjoyed upon hearing this and asked, "Really?"

Liu Shan did not speak, but gently waved his sleeve. Huo Yi understood and made a "please" gesture to Meng Huo.

"Aren't you afraid I'll secretly run away?" Meng Huo asked doubtfully, "like Gao Ding and Zhu Bao."

"What became of them?"

Liu Shan slowly sat back down and said casually, "I might as well tell you that the moment you left Nanzhong, Li Hui, the governor of Yijiang, had already led his troops to Jianning County and moved the governor's office to Wei County."

Meng Huo was taken aback when he heard this.

Li Hui succeeded Deng Fangcheng as the Governor of Yijiang, with his administrative center located in Pingyi County. His influence did not fully penetrate into the heart of southern China.

But once he stationed his troops in Jianning County, it would mean that the southern region would be completely under the control of the imperial court.

If he were to farm in Chengdu at this time, the southern region would lose its leader and would turn against him. By the time he returned, Jianning County would probably no longer be the same as before.

What a vicious scheme!

Meng Huo glared angrily at Liu Shan, his fists clenched tightly.

Sensing Meng Huo's murderous intent, Huo Yi drew his sword half an inch and shouted, "Meng Huo, do you want to rebel?"

Meng Huo was unarmed at this moment and was no match for Huo Yi. He angrily said, "Emperor of the Han Dynasty, you relied on your strength to take over Xichuan, and now you want to occupy my southern land. The people of the south will definitely fight the court to the death."

Faced with Meng Huo's tough attitude, Liu Shan casually picked at his ear.

"A fight to the death? Yong Kai, Gao Ding, and Zhu Bao have already been executed, and you have been captured alive by me. There is no one in charge of the situation in the south. How can you resist the court?"

"The imperial court is recruiting soldiers in the south. All the powerful clans that recruit a certain number of retainers have now submitted to the court and entered the government as officials, all of whom can obtain hereditary official positions. Even if you return to the south, they will not rebel against the court with you."

"Wang Ping has already trained new soldiers in the south. If you dare to rebel, he will join forces with Li Hui, the governor of Yijiang, to attack you. You will surely be defeated and killed."

"Meng Huo, how dare you defy me to the death?"

Liu Shan's words were like daggers to the heart, striking Meng Huo as if he had been struck a heavy blow. He took a step back, staggered, and was about to fall backward.

Fortunately, Huo Yi stepped forward to help him up, preventing him from falling to the ground and making a complete fool of himself.

He quickly wiped the sweat from his forehead, and cautiously looked up at Liu Shan.

The emperor before me, with his ruthless schemes, profound plans, and vicious methods, hardly resembles a seventeen or eighteen-year-old boy.

This guy is practically a dragon-slaying prodigy.

"His Majesty......"

After a long while, Meng Huo slowly opened his mouth, only to find that his throat had become dry and hoarse.

Liu Shan smiled upon seeing this and made a "please" gesture.

"Barbarian King, will you sit down and have some tea now?"

"This tea is still warm."

Meng Huo quickly sat down, picked up the teacup with both hands, looked at the clear tea in front of him, hesitated for a long time, and then tilted his head back and drank it all in one gulp.

"Your Majesty, Meng Huo wishes to farm in Chengdu to atone for his sins."

Afterwards, Meng Huo bowed to Liu Shan and silently left.

A short while later, Zhuge Liang emerged from the back hall of the side hall.

"Your Majesty, Guan Xing and Zhang Bao have captured Meng Huo six times, yet he remains unconvinced. Although he is now intimidated by Your Majesty, he is not completely convinced..."

Winning hearts and minds was Zhuge Liang's strategy for subduing the southern regions; only by combining kindness and severity could people truly be convinced.

Liu Shan's actions just now only instilled fear in Meng Huo.

If he returns to the south, he will surely rebel again after a while.

"Prime Minister, how could I not know that Meng Huo is like a rock in a latrine, smelly and hard? If I don't temper him properly, how can I let him return to the south?"

Zhuge Liang, however, worriedly said, "But Meng Huo is a powerful local figure. It would be inappropriate to humiliate him by teaching him to farm."

"Is the prime minister afraid that he will endure hardship and bide his time?"

"Exactly!"

Liu Shan laughed and said, "I am not King Fuchai of Wu, and Meng Huo is not King Goujian of Yue."

Then Liu Shan took Zhuge Liang's hand and comforted him, saying, "Prime Minister, there is no need to worry. Just enjoy watching the fish and appreciating the flowers. I have my own ways of winning him over."