Three Kingdoms: My Strategy Simulator

Therefore, no one would refute what Li Ji said about the aristocratic families reaching a bottleneck.

“The Great Han and the aristocratic families are inseparable. I want to make the Great Han strong again, so how should the aristocratic families, which are gradually reaching a bottleneck, develop? This is the problem I have been thinking about day and night.”

Li Ji said with a bit of emotion.

“Could it be… has Your Lordship already found a path?” Zhu Zheng asked, his voice trembling slightly.

At this moment, Zhu Zheng was truly excited.

What was the origin of the aristocratic families?

Undoubtedly, it started with those who followed Emperor Gaozu to establish the country.

How did the aristocratic families become strong and prosperous?

Undoubtedly, it was by supporting Emperor Guangwu to revive the Great Han.

If Zhu Zheng were to divide it, he could undoubtedly regard the previous two times as the two transformations of the aristocratic families. Those who seized the opportunity in each transformation would be described with one phrase… dukes and marquises for generations.

Now, Zhu Zheng seemed to be about to seize the third transformation of the aristocratic families. How could he not be excited?

Not only Zhu Zheng, but also many of the other aristocratic family representatives present had their eyes glowing.

Although many aristocratic families in Yangzhou previously thought that Li Ji was blocking their path, which is why they had the idea of ​​conquering Wu County, they only thought that Liu Bei intended to desperately suppress the Yangzhou aristocratic families and reuse his confidants, not to eliminate the Yangzhou aristocratic families.

In the eyes of the Yangzhou aristocratic families, Li Ji’s Longxi Li clan might only be considered a humble family, but with Li Ji’s status, he himself could create an aristocratic clan.

Moreover, Li Ji’s wife may not be from a Yangzhou aristocratic family, but Cai Zhaoji is also from the Chenliu Cai clan.

Therefore, in the eyes of the Yangzhou aristocratic families, Li Ji is also a member of the aristocratic families, but not a part of the Yangzhou aristocratic families, just an outsider.

“Indeed, I have a few clumsy ideas.”

As Li Ji admitted, at this moment, the aristocratic family representatives in the courtyard felt their hearts beating faster and their mouths were dry.

No wonder…

No wonder the National Scholar Marquis thought it was related to thousands of generations, no wonder he solemnly requested to sign a so-called “Confidentiality Agreement”, and even the National Scholar Marquis originally planned to only leave the surrender faction and the bootlicking faction to discuss.

At this moment, everything seemed to have an answer, and pairs of fiery eyes stared at Li Ji.

Li Ji also put down the folding fan in his hand and said seriously.

“The only three things that aristocratic families pursue to this day are: land, reputation, and official position. Do you all agree?”

This sentence was so straightforward that some aristocratic family representatives felt a little uncomfortable, but they could not refute it.

Land is the foundation for the continuation of aristocratic families, and reputation and official position complement each other, serving as the gorgeous coat and sword of the aristocratic families.

The silence of no one answering was an admission.

Li Ji didn't mind and continued to ask.

“However, the land of the Great Han is ultimately limited; with the White Horse Oath in place, official positions will also come to an end; as for reputation… after a hundred years, it is nothing more than a handful of loess, difficult to be remembered for thousands of years. Do you all… agree?”

This time, in a moment of silence.

Zhu Zheng, who claimed to be the Marquis's loyal servant, gritted his teeth and stood up to answer.

“Yes, indeed.”

As Zhu Zheng spoke, the other aristocratic family representatives gradually began to realize what was happening.

Wait…

Could it be that the National Scholar Marquis has a solution?

Welcoming the fiery gazes of the aristocratic family representatives, Li Ji slowly sipped his tea, making the aristocratic family representatives almost burst into flames.

“Please… please enlighten us, Your Lordship. The Chen clan of Jiujiang will definitely not forget Your Lordship’s kindness.”

As one aristocratic family representative spoke, the other aristocratic family representatives reacted one after another, and took the initiative to show their favor to Li Ji.

In just a few words, the price offered was so high that as long as Li Ji was willing to speak, what would it matter if a word was worth a thousand gold?

This made Li Ji feel that the Yangzhou aristocratic families… were indeed still extremely wealthy.

And unknowingly, just because of “greed”, it turned out that the Yangzhou aristocratic families were seeking to be slaughtered.

“Don’t be anxious, everyone!”

Li Ji raised his hand, making the courtyard quiet down instantly, and then said.

“If you are willing to provide money and food to help my lord achieve great things, I am grateful, and I will thank you all here first.”

If it is a convenient thing, why not take advantage of it?

Immediately afterwards, Li Ji gestured towards Xu Chu with his eyes.

After the last embarrassment, Li Ji specially trained Xu Chu in a targeted manner. This time, Xu Chu would naturally not make a fool of himself again, and immediately took out a piece of silk from his arms and hung it behind Li Ji.

It was a map, and it was an extremely accurate map of Yizhou, which clearly depicted the terrain of Yizhou.

“Please take a look, everyone, this is the land of the island barbarians once recorded in the Book of Documents · Yu Gong, now named Yizhou.”

“This place is fertile, the climate is pleasant, it produces both grains and abundant fish and meat, and the area is no less than the entire Wu County, and it takes about three to five days to reach by sea from Wu County…”

“The only shortcoming is that only tens of thousands of ancient survivors live on Yizhou, so the land is not cultivated, and only wild grass and trees grow, what a pity.”

At the end, Li Ji's tone was full of emotion and helplessness.

However, these words, heard by the aristocratic family representatives who had been guided by him invisibly, felt that this was a shortcoming?

Is it…?

In this era of undeveloped transportation, is a journey of three to five days far?

It often takes more than three to five days to cross a county by carriage.

This is undoubtedly a treasure land that is close at hand and undeveloped!

Li Ji, who had a panoramic view of the reactions of the aristocratic families, pretended to hesitate and said. “What do you think, if you own a piece of land on Yizhou and develop it together, so that your name will be engraved here forever, how about it?”

After a pause, Li Ji did not forget to look at Zhu Zheng and said.

“For example, let the Zhu clan of Yuzhang exclusively occupy a piece of land in Yizhou, allowing them to build a city, named 'Unyielding City', so that this city will be built on Yizhou forever, and let the Zhu clan of Yuzhang’s pioneering achievements and virtuous teachings be recorded on the land of Yizhou with monuments and inscriptions.”

Everything Li Ji described almost instantly formed a strong picture in the minds of the aristocratic families.

The name of the city is used, and its surname will be passed down forever…

And exclusively occupying a piece of land in Yizhou, seemingly not being a king, is actually no different from being conferred a king?!

This is a temptation that aristocratic families, who have been engraved with the pursuit of land, reputation, and official positions in their bones, cannot resist at all.

More importantly, Yizhou is too close, so close that it seems to be within reach for the Yangzhou aristocratic families.

Zhu Zheng was so excited that he was shaking on the spot, his breathing was heavier than if he had been a mixer for a whole night, and his eyes were almost glowing green.

Zhu Zheng didn't dare to stand up, fearing that this would offend the great Marquis, so he simply knelt forward a few steps and eagerly asked.

“Really? Your Lordship.” (End of this chapter)