Chapter 122: What Makes Jiaozhou Special

While Liu Xie was in high spirits, Cheng Pu was far from pleased. He had never imagined—and perhaps neither had Sun Ce of Jiangdong—that the forces of Jingzhou would arrive at the same time they did.

To make matters worse, the Jingzhou faction held a significant advantage over them. Regardless of the current state of the empire, Liu Xie was, after all, the legitimate Emperor of the Han. Despite the chaos of the warring factions, the realm was still technically under the rule of the Han Dynasty. Therefore, the arrival of the Emperor himself carried a weight and legitimacy that made his path much smoother than that of the Jiangdong delegation.

Soon after, the banquet concluded. Having lost face, Cheng Pu did not linger and promptly departed with his men. With this, Jiaozhou effectively fell into the hands of Liu Xie.

"Lord Shi, I know what you are thinking. You are worried that now that you have submitted to me, I might threaten your status here in Jiaozhou, are you not?" Noting the troubled and anxious look on Shi Xie's face, Liu Xie guessed his thoughts instantly.

"Er, Your Majesty, you overthink it. That is not what I was thinking," Shi Xie hurriedly explained with a bow.

Liu Xie smiled slightly. While the man claimed otherwise, his true feelings were likely quite different. Liu Xie was well aware that while Shi Xie had historically defected to Jiangdong, his tenure there had not been smooth. In history, after Shi Xie joined Jiangdong, things were peaceful at first; however, after he passed away, Jiangdong sent officials to take over the administration of Jiaozhou. The Shi clan, having ruled the region for generations, viewed this as an encroachment on their power. This led to an uprising, followed by Sun Quan sending troops to suppress it, ultimately resulting in the total annihilation of the Shi clan.

Liu Xie understood that this was exactly what Shi Xie feared—that his own governance would lead to the dispossession of the Shi clan's power. "Rest assured, Lord Shi. I am not that kind of ruler. To govern the world, I need capable men to hold their respective cities. I am the Emperor, not a mere provincial governor, so I will not interfere with the internal affairs of Jiaozhou."

"Whatever you have done in the past, continue to do so in the future; I shall not intervene. However, as I mentioned before, I have introduced various innovations in Jingzhou and Yizhou that improve both the livelihood of the people and military efficiency. I will send people to bring these advancements to Jiaozhou. You need not worry, Lord Shi; these things will benefit you, and I will not touch the status of your clan."

"But I must state the ugly truth upfront: as long as you remain loyal to me, your clan shall remain the masters of Jiaozhou. However, should you act recklessly or commit acts harmful to the Han or to me, I will not hesitate to march a million troops here. Furthermore, as you witnessed today, Jiangdong also covets this territory. To ensure the security of my realm, I will station troops here and initiate certain reforms and recruitment efforts. I repeat: I will not threaten your clan's standing, but for the sake of strengthening our state, I must take these actions. Do you understand, Lord Shi?"

Liu Xie spoke at length and with great sincerity. He understood that Jiaozhou was a unique case. In the history of the Middle Kingdom, nearly half of this region would eventually fall to foreign powers over a thousand years later. Moreover, the region lacked prominence in the history of the Three Kingdoms, and the Shi clan placed immense value on their local autonomy. If they felt their position was threatened, it could lead to unnecessary trouble. By being explicit now, he hoped to avoid future complications.

Shi Xie followed behind Liu Xie with deep reverence, remaining silent for a long time. Yet, inwardly, he felt a sense of relief. The Emperor had addressed his exact concerns, and with these assurances, his heart was finally at ease.

"With Your Majesty’s words, I, Shi Xie, vow to serve you until my dying breath. From this day forward, Jiaozhou bows to your command."

This declaration gave Liu Xie peace of mind. While Shi Xie had previously claimed that Jiaozhou was always Han territory, Liu Xie knew those were merely words of convenience; this, however, was a formal and total commitment.

"Very well. In that case, I leave Jiaozhou in your hands. My presence here may hinder your work, so it is time for me to depart. I will send officials to coordinate with you on the remaining matters; you may handle the rest as you see fit."

Liu Xie had no intention of micromanaging. He knew that as an Emperor, one must grant subordinates a degree of freedom. If he did everything himself, there would be no need for ministers, and excessive pressure on families like the Shi could only lead to disaster.

The next day, Liu Xie, accompanied by Zhuge Liang and the Wolf Shadow Guards, departed Jiaozhou after only a single night's stay.

"Your Majesty, it seems my presence on this trip was somewhat superfluous," Zhuge Liang said with a self-deprecating smile on the journey back, looking rather helpless. He had volunteered for this mission, expecting intense negotiations, yet Liu Xie had resolved everything with a few simple words.

Liu Xie smiled while on horseback. "Kongming, there is no need for such modesty. I know your capabilities. Rest assured, you will have plenty of opportunities to showcase your talents in the future. Take the matter of Cao Cao and Yuan Shao, for instance."

Zhuge Liang paused, surprised. "Your Majesty, are you saying we are to intervene in the conflict between Cao Cao and Yuan Shao?"