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Chapter 1137: Taking Over Youzhou
Chapter 1137: Taking Over Youzhou
October 6th, 2017
Time flew by, and it was already July of the year 188.
The transdimensional invasion, which began abruptly during the grand wedding of Princess San on April 27th, was swiftly and decisively resolved by Lu HaiKong in late May.
This invasion, lasting only a month from start to finish, was brief but devastating. It affected most of Youzhou, causing the deaths of tens of millions of people and displacing millions more. The lands of Liaoxi, Liaodong, Yelang, and Xuantu became scorched earth, devoid of any life.
Without special treatment or purification, these four counties would be uninhabitable for at least a few decades.
Although Lu HaiKong swiftly resolved the transdimensional invasion, the damage it inflicted on Youzhou was irreversible.
However, the people of Youzhou did not wallow in their sorrow for long. In reality, the hardships of daily life left them little time for grief. After the invasion was dealt with, they gradually returned to their normal routines, continuing to strive for a better life.
Within a month of resuming their daily lives, the people noticed a gradual change in their living environment.
The corrupt officials who had exploited them, with their bloated bellies and greedy minds, were slowly being replaced by younger, more upright individuals. The heavy burdens that once weighed on the people's lives were gradually lifted with the arrival of these young officials.
They gradually realized that taxes were becoming lighter, and their once arduous lives were improving. They felt a glimmer of hope, and most surprisingly, these young officials were approachable and friendly towards the common folk.
While addressing the people's concerns, these young officials loved to gather the people and paint a beautiful picture of the future.
In this idyllic future, the people would have ample food and clothing, their children would receive education and martial arts training, and they might even become successful military leaders or influential politicians. Although the people sometimes struggled to comprehend the vision of these young officials, they yearned for it nonetheless, even if they didn't fully understand the concept of becoming military leaders or influential politicians.
The people knew that these young officials were not deceiving them, not only because they were Lu HaiKong's men but also because the future they described had already become a reality in Bingzhou.
Lu HaiKong's reputation for resolving the transdimensional invasion crisis, combined with the promise of a brighter future and the efforts of numerous students from the Talent Academy, as well as the assistance of Liu Yu and Zhang Yan, allowed Lu HaiKong to gain control of the entire Youzhou within just one month.
At the very least, the hearts of the people of Youzhou were with him, and the original military forces of Youzhou had pledged their allegiance to Lu HaiKong. As for the other factions, they dared not even breathe in the face of such overwhelming power.
The transdimensional invasion had brought immense pain to Youzhou, but it had also brought Lu HaiKong tremendous benefits. After this battle, Lu HaiKong, already a formidable force, seamlessly absorbed Zhang Yan and Liu Yu, increasing his strength by an incalculable amount.
Lu HaiKong's growing power naturally instilled fear in the surrounding factions.
Within this short month, Dong Zhuo, Yuan Hong, and Kong Qing of Qingzhou had met and communicated on multiple occasions. The rest of the world also viewed Lu HaiKong with unease and vigilance.
Lu HaiKong was well aware of these reactions, but at this moment, he had little time to spare for such concerns. After all, he had a plethora of tasks to attend to.
On one hand, Lu HaiKong and his associates were busy handling various matters after taking over Youzhou, as one month was indeed a short period to accomplish everything.
Additionally, Lu HaiKong needed to reorganize his military forces.
With the absorption of Zhang Yan and Liu Yu's armies, Lu HaiKong's military strength had surged to over a million troops.
Lu HaiKong had to reorganize this massive force and rearrange the defense of Youzhou's cities.
These two tasks alone were enough to keep Lu HaiKong occupied for a while, especially the military reorganization, which he led personally. Without the assistance of Xun You and Guo Jia, it would have been nearly impossible for Lu HaiKong to accomplish this task.
Even with Xun You and Guo Jia's help, it would take some time to fully implement these changes.
Lu HaiKong's plans went beyond mere military reorganization; he also intended to establish a military rank system.
His army had always lacked a proper ranking system, and there were very few legitimate military ranks within his million-strong force.
It was almost unbelievable that such a massive army had such a lax approach to military ranks.
However, upon closer examination, the reasons for this situation were understandable.
Initially, Lu HaiKong, as a mountain bandit with a small force, had no need for such a system. As his power grew, he was recruited by the government, making it inconvenient to implement certain changes.
In truth, Lu HaiKong had considered establishing a military rank system after the Yellow Turbans, but when he inadvertently gained the favor of Emperor Ling of Han, he decided to put the idea on hold. The matter was postponed, and before he knew it, years had passed.
Fortunately, the presence of the system and the Fire Word Camp ensured that Lu HaiKong's army remained stable during this time.
Regardless, now that it had become an issue, Lu HaiKong was determined to address it. With his current position, he no longer needed to consider anyone else's opinions. He was free to reorganize his army as he saw fit.
Lu HaiKong had a wealth of talented individuals at his disposal, so he merely needed to provide a general concept, leaving the details to Xun You and the others.
Amidst his 'busy' schedule, Lu HaiKong delegated the task of formulating a plan to Xun You and his team. Then, he once again visited the training ground, intending to take a break from his duties and open the treasure chest, utilizing the accumulated resources he had gathered.
Chapter end
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