In Puyang City, there were numerous powerful clans of the gentry. Among them, the Huang family had the most substantial influence. At this moment, in the main hall of the Huang family's mansion, Huang Silang, the head of the Huang family, was sitting upright in the main seat. Since he was the fourth in the family, people usually called him Huang Silang. In the hall below, representatives of several other gentry families also gathered together.
"Haha, Master Huang's plan is really brilliant. I heard that Cao Cao, the newly appointed prefect, was so angry that his face turned green!"
"Let him get a little angry. We have to make him understand whose territory Dongjun really is!" The people in the hall burst into laughter.
Listening to these remarks, Huang Silang didn't say a word, with a pensive look on his face. Seeing this, someone asked, "Master Huang, what are you thinking about?"
"I'm thinking that Cao Cao is also a capable person. How will he respond to our challenge?" Huang Silang said calmly.
"Humph, even if Cao Cao is capable, can he really compete with so many of our families?"
"Exactly. This is Dongjun! If he's sensible and bows to us, that would be the best. Otherwise, he can just wait to be driven out!" The gentry members laughed heartily, not taking Cao Cao seriously at all.
Just then, a servant rushed in hurriedly from outside.
"Master, something bad has happened!"
Huang Silang frowned and scolded, "What are you panicking for? Speak slowly!"
"I just saw two notices pasted at the entrance of the county yamen. One said that anyone with talent, regardless of their origin, can come to work for the government. The other said that those who are willing to reclaim wasteland can apply to the government, and the government will provide farming tools, oxen, and seeds. However, the reclaimed land cannot be bought or sold!"
Hearing this, Huang Silang's face changed drastically, and he exclaimed, "Oh no!"
"Master Huang, why are you so nervous?" Someone who hadn't reacted yet asked in confusion.
"Idiot, can't you see that Cao Cao is targeting us!" Huang Silang snapped.
The reason why the gentry could become so powerful was that, first, they controlled the channels for official promotion, and second, they possessed a large amount of land and population. Now that Cao Cao advocated appointing people based on their talents and promoting those from humble families, the foundation of the gentry had already begun to be shaken. What's more, he also encouraged the common people to reclaim wasteland. In this way, the common people would naturally no longer work for the gentry but choose to reclaim wasteland instead. In the long run, the power of the gentry would inevitably be weakened.
Huang Silang's face looked extremely ugly. He and the other gentry members originally just wanted to give Cao Cao a warning and make him bow to the gentry in Dongjun. Unexpectedly, Cao Cao counterattacked with a move that cut off their roots. Such a ruthless plan was almost like taking the lives of the gentry! It was unknown whether this was thought up by Cao Cao himself or if there was someone behind him giving advice.
Hearing Huang Silang's analysis, the other gentry members also gradually realized the seriousness of the problem.
"Cao Cao is really going too far!"
"Master Huang, you have to come up with a solution!" Everyone looked at Huang Silang expectantly.
Huang Silang frowned tightly, with a solemn look on his face. After pondering for a long time, he sneered, "Since Cao Cao is being so unkind, then don't blame us for being unjust!"
"Go back and tell the clansmen who are working in the government to resign immediately!"
"Also, send people to stop those common people from reclaiming wasteland!"
The gentry members nodded one after another and replied in unison, "We'll follow Master Huang's arrangements!"
Just as everyone was about to leave, Huang Silang called them back, with a cold glint in his eyes, "Send someone to contact Yu Du, Bai Rao and others of the Black Mountain Army in Zhaoge County and ask them to get ready!"
"Yes, sir!" Everyone replied in unison.
After giving advice to Cao Cao, Lin Yu returned to his leisurely life. Out of boredom, he made a deck of playing cards by himself. Coincidentally, Dian Wei had a day off today, so the three of them got together and started playing "Dou Di Zhu" (Fight the Landlord).
The rules of "Dou Di Zhu" are simple and easy to understand. After Lin Yu's explanation, Dian Wei and Zhao Yun quickly grasped them.
In the courtyard, Dian Wei and Zhao Yun were gripping their cards tightly, with solemn looks on their faces.
"Hey, hey, do you want this two? If not, I'll play my card!" Lin Yu urged.
Zhao Yun, who had only one card left, shook his head at Dian Wei and said helplessly, "Second Brother, I can't beat it!"
"It's okay. If you can't, I'll try!" Dian Wei took a look at the two that Lin Yu played, gritted his teeth, and slapped his cards down on the table, "Four aces! Do you want them? If not, I'll only have one card left!"
"Second Brother, do you think you're good at this? What's the use of being good at it? In this world, you need power and background!" Lin Yu chuckled and slapped two jokers on the table, then played a single four.
Just this little four made Dian Wei and Zhao Yun shake their heads together, "Can't... can't beat it!"
Lin Yu played his last three, then leaned over to take a look and found that Dian Wei and Zhao Yun were both holding a three. He couldn't help but laugh out loud, "So you two are little rascals! You lost again this round!"
"Big Brother, you're going too far!"
"Yeah, you actually cheated me and Second Brother out of our rations!" Dian Wei and Zhao Yun threw down their cards and couldn't help complaining.
"It's not my fault. You two just aren't as good as me!" Lin Yu boasted with a smile. He was a time traveler from the future and had quite a lot of experience in playing "Dou Di Zhu". Playing with Dian Wei and Zhao Yun, who were new to the game, was a piece of cake for him.
"No, let's keep playing!" Dian Wei was not willing to give up and asked Lin Yu to reshuffle the cards.
"It's okay to continue, but I have to remind you that you two have already lost your rations for the next two years to me. Are you sure you still want to play?" Lin Yu deliberately reminded them kindly.
"Play, of course we'll play! If we don't, we won't have a chance to turn things around!" Dian Wei said angrily.
"Fine, then I'll oblige you!" Lin Yu smiled and picked up the cards.
Just as he was about to reshuffle the cards, he heard footsteps approaching. Looking up, he saw Cao Cao coming in with Xiahou Dun and others.
The three of them quickly put down their cards and bowed to Cao Cao, "Greetings, Prefect!"
"Rise," Cao Cao waved his hand and walked straight to sit beside Lin Yu, then sighed, "Sir, we have new troubles again!"
"Oh? What troubles?" Lin Yu asked with a smile.
"These past few days, those gentry descendants who are working in the prefecture have all claimed to be sick and gone home. Now, there is a severe shortage of manpower in the prefecture."
"Besides, those common people who applied to reclaim wasteland have also been obstructed by the gentry!" Cao Cao said with a solemn look on his face.
Lin Yu wasn't particularly surprised. After all, the strategies he proposed were aimed at suppressing the gentry, so it was natural that they would retaliate