Chapter 101: Liu Ye's Deep Strategy

Upon hearing Cao Cao’s order for the five commanders to be self-sufficient with their thousand-man units, the reactions of the five officers varied. Cao Hong began calculating his options, while Cao Ren remained indifferent; he simply accepted whatever Cao Cao commanded, intending to execute the mission without question. Le Jin’s eyes lit up with excitement; the short-statured warrior was always eager for battle, never caring whether his opponents were bandits, regular soldiers, or civilians.

Xiahou Yuan and Xiahou Dun, however, wore far more complex expressions. Xiahou Yuan hesitated, seemingly troubled by a dilemma, while Xiahou Dun appeared visibly pained. In history, the fierce warrior known in the *Romance of the Three Kingdoms* for plucking out his own arrow-pierced eye was actually a civil official who cared deeply for the people. After Cao Cao welcomed the Emperor, Xiahou Dun, serving as the Governor of Henan, had personally worked with the commoners to build dams and manage the water, even taking off his armor in his spare time to farm alongside them. Being ordered to forcibly requisition grain naturally weighed heavily on him.

However, given the dire state of the Cao army, Xiahou Dun had no choice but to accept. Xiahou Yuan’s hesitation, meanwhile, was particularly intriguing, prompting Cao Cao to ask, "Miaocai, I see you are hesitant. May I ask why?"

All eyes turned to Xiahou Yuan, who replied, "My Lord, if the local gentry of Yanzhou refuse to offer grain and we seize it by force, we risk antagonizing the powerful clans throughout the entire province. Even if we capture Dong Commandery, we will have made enemies of the gentry in surrounding regions. This will choke off trade routes and block grain supplies, as merchants everywhere will view us as a scourge. How, then, can we govern Dong Commandery?"

The other generals looked on with concern. This was a shared problem for all warlords at the end of the Han Dynasty: how to navigate relationships with local aristocratic clans. Every commandery, even every county, possessed one or two powerful local families. In Dong Commandery alone, with its fifteen counties, there were at least fifteen such "local snakes." If Cao Cao were to control the entire region, he would need at least ten thousand regular troops per county just to keep the gentry in check. With only five thousand soldiers in total, cooperation with the locals was essential to maintain production and the people's livelihoods.

Furthermore, a commandery’s prosperity depended not just on local production, but on trade and the movement of people to boost tax revenue. If the Cao army spent its time in Yanzhou raiding for grain, they would be treated like a plague, which would be disastrous for their long-term survival in the province. Sun Jian’s failure to control Jingzhou as easily as Liu Biao—who enjoyed the support of the Three Friends of Dongting—was due to this very reason. The Three Friends were not only elite masters of martial arts but also representatives of the Jingzhou local powers; their support for Liu Biao meant the support of the local elite.

Cao Cao smiled slightly and said, "I knew you would have this concern. Ziyang, pray, enlighten them."

Liu Ye smiled, bowed to Cao Cao, and turned to the generals: "Generals, the Black Mountain bandits are currently ravaging Yanzhou, local outlaws are rising in support, and the Taishan bandits have seized the opportunity to invade from the east, leaving death and scorched earth in their wake. In such times, what kind of families are the only ones still capable of protecting themselves?"

"They must be powerful clans with fierce private militias who do not fear the local authorities," Cao Ren replied. Having acted with impunity in Pei Commandery, he understood this well.

Liu Ye stood up abruptly. "General Zixiao is correct! Powerful clans! If these clans remain unmoved while the province is swept by banditry, do you think our mere five thousand men will be able to check them later? Once the bandits retreat and peace returns, will these clans willingly hand over their tax revenue? Will they open their gates to welcome officials appointed in the name of the Imperial Court?"

His questions left the generals speechless. Would they? The answer was obvious: they would not. *Why should I pay taxes to you when I can protect myself? Why should I let you send officials to rule me? I am the master here; if you don't like it, send your army to fight me. Let’s see if you have the strength. If not, we shall remain separate, minding our own business.*

This was the mindset of the powerful clans, their way of dealing with governors and magistrates, and the great knot of the age.

Seeing the generals silent, Liu Ye continued, "Since that is the case, why not use this chaos as an opportunity to purge these powerful clans? They are bound by intermarriage, their influence tangled like the roots of an ancient tree. But now, with the bandits ravaging the province, they can no longer protect their allies. Many smaller clans have been displaced. In other words, these powerful clans are now isolated. If we give them a push while suppressing the bandits, they will crumble into dust! Even if we cannot wipe them all out, we must strike them hard enough to cripple their vitality, making them easier to control. The best way to deliver this blow is to seize their grain and wealth!"

The generals were struck as if awakening from a dream. Cao Cao and Liu Ye intended to use the chaos of the banditry to strike at the stubborn local powers, thereby reducing resistance to future governance. It was a deeply far-sighted strategy. As the old powers waned, the surviving smaller families would naturally pivot toward the Cao army, which could then foster new local powers loyal to them—powers that would restore production and boost trade.

This strategy demonstrated Liu Ye’s brilliant intellect, spanning both military and political spheres, and revealed his deep-seated resentment toward the aristocratic clans that plagued the late Han. Otherwise, he would not have launched such a ruthless plan, even at the cost of the province's people.

It was a case of "one general's success built on the bones of ten thousand." Though Liu Ye did not explicitly state the plan to foster smaller, weaker clans, Cao Hong had already guessed it. Coming from a later era, his perspective was not limited by the time, and he knew Liu Ye was no fool—he would certainly have a follow-up plan.

Xiahou Yuan, satisfied, bowed and said, "Master, your strategy is brilliant."

The other generals also looked on with admiration. Liu Ye smiled, returned the bow, and sat down. Cao Cao laughed heartily: "Let us conclude today's meeting here. Generals, intensify your training. As for the marching routes, I will provide each of you with a map before we set out."

The generals agreed in unison and took their leave. As Cao Hong walked out, he thought to himself, "It seems the Recruitment Battalion will soon find its purpose."