Based on his own memory, Liu Xin carefully screened the places where he wanted to build a stronghold. The more he screened, the more places he wanted to build a stronghold. In the end, 20 strongholds were decided upon.

Ten of these 20 strongholds are mainly used to recruit local military commanders and counselors, or to set up a foreshadowing before a certain powerful person rises up.

There are also ten strongholds that Liu Xin analyzed were the least affected when the melee between princes began.

Liu Xin knew that Youzhou was not a safe place, and if Gongsun Zan indulged his men without telling him, Zhang Chun would bring catastrophic damage to Youzhou in the next year.

Liu Xin thought about it for a long time, and finally decided on the last ten grain storage locations: one in Yanzhou, two in Jizhou, two in Xuzhou, two in Jingzhou, and three in Yizhou.

Liu Xin didn't pay attention when he was choosing. When he made his choice, he realized that the places he had booked happened to be four in the Wei Kingdom, three in the Shu Kingdom, and three in the Wu Kingdom.

This map cannot be seen by others. Liu Xin asked Wang Qingxun to write it down and then destroyed the map he just drew. These 20 strongholds require at least 500 people. Liu Xin now has no shortage of loyal guards.

After everything is settled, the next step is to implement it. Jian Yong has to do it for Liu Xin to come to Jian Mansion. It will take a lot of time to build all 20 strongholds. The central part of the Central Plains will be relatively stable in the next few years, which is enough for him.

He established the framework.

Meeting Jian Yong, Liu Xin saw that Jian Yong's bonding value had reached 86 points. The Jian family was now responsible for 80% of the salt business in Zhuo County outside the west of the city. This not only increased the Jian family's strength, but also increased their status in Zhuo County.

However, other aristocratic families in Zhuo County planned the Jian family to be Liu Xin's influence.

"I have met the owner of the village!" Jian Yong did not call Liu Xin the owner of the village, but directly called him the owner of the village. The meaning is quite different.

Liu Xin was very happy to hear this. Jian Yong was the first counselor he recruited from the Three Kingdoms, and his strength was at least second-rate, which was very important for Liu Xin, who was currently in short supply of counselors.

"I haven't been in Zhuoxian for a while, Xianhe has worked hard!" Liu Xin looked at Jian Yong and was overjoyed that he could finally recruit famous people from aristocratic families.

"It's hard work for the owner of the village, how did you gain from this trip?" Jian Yong took the initiative to ask about Liu Xin.

"Everything went smoothly. I purchased more than 60,000 stones of grain, as well as some weapons and equipment and fine iron. The general goods are enough for the entire Zhuoxian County for two years," Liu Xin said.

"Today, I heard that the Yellow Turban Army in Qingzhou started to stir up chaos again. The Yellow Turban thieves attacked counties and killed officials. The momentum was huge, one after another, forming a prairie fire. Lord, prepare more supplies to be prepared." Jian Yong said.

"Well, I have some thoughts recently. What do Xianhe think..." Liu Xin told Jian Yong his thoughts. This was no small matter. Jian Yong couldn't help but frown at first, but at the end he started nodding.

"I already know my lord's ambition. Now my lord is not short of money, but the development of Zhuo County has reached a bottleneck. It is indeed a good idea to quietly develop outward.

This Zhuo County belongs to the hinterland of the Central Plains and is an important area for grassland tribes such as Northern Wuhuan and Xiongnu. The forces of the four parties are complicated. Now Liu Yu and Zhang Chun are fighting for the Zhongshan Kingdom. Zhang Chun is stronger than Liu Yu. This battle may happen at any time.

There is a possibility of an outbreak, and the lord can start to slowly transfer his strength while building a stronghold." Jian Yong said.

This capable counselor was different. He could get to the key points with many words in one sentence. Liu Xin couldn't help but think of where would be the better place to go if he wanted to leave Zhuoxian, a place of right and wrong.

"The imperial court has lost the support of the people. The loss of Qingzhou is just the beginning. As the strength of the aristocratic family increases, more and more people will rebel in various places. Now that my lord has a [filial piety], you can consider seeking an official position for yourself."

Jian Yong said to Liu Xin.

"I have no connections in Luoyang... but the Lu family still owes me a favor. I wonder how I can ask for an official position from the Lu family?" Liu Xin didn't understand and could only ask Jian Yong.

"My lord is now growing stronger and stronger in Zhuoxian County. Because of the Lu family, no aristocratic family has ever targeted you. If you ask for an official position from the Lu family, I'm afraid it won't be so easy in Zhuoxian County in the future... When it comes to asking for an official position, the court will do it for you."

Increase the rule and continuously increase the power of the clan.

My lord, although you are not a member of the Han family, your surname is Liu. It should be much easier if you buy an official position from Governor Liu Yu. After all, Governor Liu Yu’s biggest rival in Youzhou is the Lu family, and Lord Lu Zhi has been reinstated."

Jian Yong said this.

Only when Liu Xin heard this did he realize the way of officialdom. All struggles are invisible and they compete with each other under balance. This kind of officialdom struggle is intricate and complicated, no worse than fighting on the battlefield.

"Xianhe will have to make a trip to Ding County for this matter!" Liu Xin glanced at Jian Yong gratefully.

"For my lord, all this is worth it. I don't know where my lord plans to become an official. My lord has just passed the age of crowning. It is probably not easy to get the position of county magistrate. It is likely that I will have to ask for the county magistrate or the county captain of a small county."

Right!" Jian Yong analyzed.

"No matter what, as long as it is not an area occupied by the Yellow Turban Army, I will have someone send you the money you need in the afternoon, and then ask Zhou Tai to escort you to Zhongshan Kingdom." Liu Xin said.

"I'm afraid it will be difficult for Liu Yu to do things without money. 20 million should be enough. I will go to Jizhou tomorrow. Lord, just wait for my good news!" Jian Yong said confidently, eloquence is his advantage, and a

The most important thing for a counselor is strategy and eloquence. Now he is Liu Xin's counselor. When Liu Xin becomes an official, he will definitely be better.

Back at Qilin Villa, Liu Xin asked Zhou Tai to take 200 gold cakes and another 20 gold cakes to use for the trip and to meet Liu Yu.

Accompanying him are five quasi-third-rate military generals, who are enough to guarantee Jian Yong's safety during this trip.

In the days that followed, the number of people in Qilin Villa continued to decrease. Everyone knew that Liu Xin was sent to do things, but no one discussed their whereabouts. Everything in Qilin Villa continued as usual. Everyone was focused on the fields, and only the people in the fields were there.

Crops can make everyone feel at ease.

On the mountain side of the new city, Liu Xin found more than a dozen blacksmiths who had begun to forge weapons and armor. The old leathersmith took on more than thirty apprentices and built a leather workshop not far from the east side of the new city.

Use the cowhide you brought back this time to make armor bit by bit.

The village lacked nothing, and Liu Xin only needed time to make a large number of weapons and armors. When 10 new retainers and 10 generals went to Zhuo with 80 guards and 400 servants carefully selected by Liu Xin,

For the first time in the county seat, Qilin Villa seemed to have some labor shortages. The number of people in the upper and lower houses dropped sharply by half. Liu Xin was considering whether to recruit more rioters or something.

As time gradually entered June, the Yellow Turban Rebellion in Qingzhou became huge, echoing the millions of Black Mountain bandits. More than half of Qingzhou had fallen into the hands of the Yellow Turban Army.

The imperial army, led by Lieutenant Zhang Wen, was fighting against the Southern Xiongnu in Xiliang. The Qingzhou Yellow Turbans were unable to suppress them, so they ordered Jizhou, Youzhou, Yanzhou, and Xuzhou counties to recruit local warriors to suppress the Qingzhou Yellow Turbans. This order

The prestige of the imperial court in the local area was basically reduced to zero.

The prefects and magistrates of various counties in the world began to stop paying taxes to the court after collecting taxes. Their reason was to wipe out the remnants of the Yellow Turbans, and the court did not dare to offend the noble families in the world even if they knew that they had not sent a single army.
Chapter completed!