Chapter 109 - Held Banquet for Lujiang Nobles (1/2)
Chapter 109 – Held Banquet for Lujiang n.o.bles
Translated by Bloodfalcon, Edited by Krayto
Within a few days the 4 counties of Lujiang had fallen, Shucheng County, s.h.i.+ting County, Qianshan County and Jias.h.i.+ County! The Nearby Wuwei County who heard the rumor quickly surrendered.
With this most of Lujiang’s region already in Lu Bu’s hands, but n.o.body in Lu Bu army is slacking.
Although Lujiang’s Prefect is good, it cannot afford Lu Bu’s 40,000 soldiers! Lujiang Prefecture has 20,000 households with a population of more than 150,000 people. Since Lujiang Prefecture is located in far south, it did not experience the chaos of the Central Plains caused by war. So Lujiang is the ideal destination for refugees.
TL: Central Plains, location of China capital. Luoyang, Chang’an, Beijing are all located in Central Plains (Zhongyuan) and I believe this is why People Republic of China called themselves Zhongguo.
Originally Lujiang Prefecture had more than 150,000 mouths to feed now adding more than 40,000 military mouths to feed!!! This raised a big issue in grain and provision distribution.
You cannot let Lu Bu dismiss this issue! Abandoning this issue will only be seeking death.
“Gongtai, how many grain and provisions remain in Lujiang?!” Lu Bu frowned while looking that big pile of official doc.u.ments.
“Grain and provisions are less than 7000-s.h.i.+!!!” Chen Gong shook his head. 7000-s.h.i.+ of grain and provisions may look like a lot, it is 700,000 kg of grain and provisions, but in fact, it is not. Even if this grain and provisions were used efficiently being rationed, it can only maintain the army for less than 3 weeks.
If there is a battle, this amount of grain and provisions are nothing.
“What about those paddy fields surrounding the city?!” When Sun Ce went toward Xiakou, he not just took almost all the soldiers from Wancheng city, he also took a majority of grain and provisions. Therefore when Lu Bu’s army captured Wancheng city, there is not much left of grain and provisions.
“Paddies?!” Chen Gong smiled bitterly “Milord, this time is early summer. To have a freshly matured paddy, it needs at least three months!”
“We must wait three months?!” Lu Bu’s army now cannot even afford a one month wait.
“Can we buy them from the market?!” Buying at the market is the only solution in order to support these months until the new paddy matures.
“Milord, the market has grain and provisions but the price is truly expensive!” Chen Gong is very helpless now. In these times, the value of grain and provisions is much more than gold. It’s so expensive that a half-jin paddy rice (25 kg rice) equals to 100 bronze coins. Probably 1 tael of gold can probably only buy 1-s.h.i.+ of grain and provisions.
TL: According to historical records, when in peace and prosperity time, half-jin paddy equal to only 10 bronze coins and 1-tael of gold can buy 50-s.h.i.+ of grains and provisions. Checked it in historical records.
Lu Bu’s army need at least 10,000-s.h.i.+ of grain and provisions. So, if they tried to buy them all, Lu Bu’s army could not afford them.
“What about commoners?! Is it feasible for us to raise grain taxes?!”
Chen Gong said “Commoners also do not have surplus. The only thing left for them is enough to survive next harvest!” Those in the commoners hand is the last harvest grain and provisions, if they raise grain taxes, those commoners will not be able to eat.
“How about we borrow from those n.o.ble clans?!” Lu Bu said.
“Milord, if we can just borrow from them casually, then we would not need to have this discussion!” These merchant shops are controlled by n.o.ble clans. So when Chen Gong wanted to borrow grains and provisions, they just avoid him. Either they do not have grain or provisions or they just wanted to take advantage on him. Chen Gong then began to tell Lu Bu what he had encountered when he want to negotiate with those n.o.bles.
These people are not hesitating even a bit to decline Lu Bu's request to borrow grain and provisions. If ordinary families refused, it is understandable, because they are also struggling in order to survive day by day, but those are n.o.ble clans!!! They have fertile lands amounted to 10,000 mu. And they still refused to lend grain and provisions? This kind of treatment is definitely to demean Lu Bu, saying that he is a beggar in order to shame him.
Especially the Zhou clan, Chen clan and Liu clan. They closed their doors and only sent their lower servant to receive Chen Gong. Chen Gong held his anger as best he could, because in order to govern this Lujiang, he must have the local n.o.bles support Lu Bu.
“HUMPH!!!!” Lu Bu bang his fist on the table. “So they do not want to lend grain and provisions, eh?! Gongtai, you send a letter for all of Lujiang n.o.ble’s clan patriarch, tell to them that I am inviting them to a banquet in this Administration Office!”
“Milord, what are you want to do?!” Chen Gong a little worried because currently Lu Bu is quite unhappy and he is afraid he is going to cut all of them down. That issue is too big. In chaotic times, n.o.bles are in power. Chen Gong also wanted to kill those n.o.bles, but he hesitated because by doing that, he will offend the n.o.bles of this nation and at the very least, this Lujiang will fall into chaos.
“Relax, Gongtai. I still have my own sense of proprietary!”
Inside Wancheng city, Zhou clans’ mansion.
In the main hall there is a middle aged man pacing back and forth, in his hand there is an invitation that Lu Bu sent.
There are also people who sat in nearby chairs.