The Black Mountain Yellow Turbans claimed to number a million, and while that might be a dramatic exaggeration to intimidate their enemies, their actual populace easily hovered around seven to eight hundred thousand souls. Calculated at an average of five people per household, that translated to roughly 160,000 individual domestic units.
If every single household required the standard one hundred *mu* of arable land to achieve sustainable subsistence, settling this colossal migration would demand an astronomical sixteen million *mu* of cultivated land.
Could the administrative borders of Ji Province genuinely provide such a staggering expanse of territory?
"Do not worry yourself over the math, General Yang," Zhang Xin said, looking into Yang Feng's anxious eyes with a calm, reassuring smile. "Since I possessed the audacity to invite your people down from the mountain ridges, I naturally possess the absolute institutional confidence to settle them."
He leaned forward, his voice ringing with the ironclad weight of a sacred vow. "Just execute the migration exactly as I dictate. If even a single household among your followers is left stranded without proper settlement, I will willingly take my own life to apologize to the memory of the Great Virtuous Teacher!"
"Is what the Young General says absolute truth?!" Yang Feng's eyes lit up with sudden, radiant hope.
"When have I ever uttered a falsehood to the brothers of the Way of Great Peace?" Zhang Xin countered with a chuckle.
In truth, the existing government registers of Ji Province couldn't possibly produce sixteen million *mu* of vacant land overnight. But **Qing Province** absolutely could!
During his brutal pacification of Qing Province, Zhang Xin had systematically executed and expropriated half of the corrupt, entrenched regional gentry families, instantly liberating well over ten million *mu* of prime, fertile land. These vast territories were currently sitting pristine on the State Prefecture's official land ledgers, completely unallocated and ready for immediate colonization.
Furthermore, not every single soul among the million Black Mountain refugees was destined to be a farmer; a massive percentage consisted of skilled blacksmiths, carpenters, weavers, and leatherworkers. Zhang Xin estimated that securing roughly fifteen million *mu* in total would be more than enough to fully absorb the migration.
"This general will execute the mobilization immediately!" Yang Feng roared, every lingering shred of doubt completely evaporating from his chest.
Watching the burly commander sprint out of the war room to begin the mountain evacuation, Zhang Xin couldn't help but let out a profound, emotional sigh. *Man, it is so much easier to manage people who belong to the Way of Great Peace...*
Yang Feng hadn't offered a single word of political pushback regarding the strict five-thousand-man regular military quota for a population of nearly a million. Had this been any ordinary regional warlord or secular general trying to disarm a massive rebel host, the negotiation would have dissolved into an immediate, bloody mutiny. But the absolute spiritual loyalty the Yellow Turbans held for the successor of the Great Virtuous Teacher was a terrifyingly potent administrative tool.
---
### Squeezing the Gentry
After formalizing the demobilization decree, Zhang Xin returned to his primary executive desk to coordinate the logistical finer points of the Black Mountain migration with Ju Shou.
"Qing Province can easily absorb the brunt of the migration by providing ten million *mu* of premium soil, but our structural calculations still show a deficit of roughly three million *mu*. Does Gongda possess a viable strategy to bridge this gap?"
Zhang Xin had meticulously combed through Jizhou's official land registries the moment he assumed power. The vacant public land currently recorded on the government's books across the various commanderies added up to a meager one million *mu*—a drop in the bucket for a migration of this scale.
Zhang Xin's true intent in summoning Ju Shou to this meeting was glaringly obvious: he wanted his brilliant strategist to engineer a precise, non-violent methodology to extract the remaining three million *mu* directly from the bloated estates of the local Jizhou gentry.
Ju Shou lowered his head, his brow furrowing as he plunged into deep calculations. Three million *mu* was a substantial amount of real estate, but for a province as vast and wealthy as Jizhou, it wasn't an impossible figure. If they systematically partitioned the demand across the elite clans, forcing each prominent family to release thirty to fifty thousand *mu*, the quota could be met with relative ease.
The core crisis, however, was psychological: would those notoriously stubborn, territorial gentry families willingly surrender their ancestral properties to a ruler with a Yellow Turban background?
"My Lord," Ju Shou said, looking up with sharp, focused eyes. "To successfully extract this land from the clans, we must simultaneously appeal to their reason and entice them with undeniable profit."
*"Appealing to their reason"* was a polite bureaucratic euphemism for using the looming specter of the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans as a terrifying, literal cudgel. If the great families refused to sell their vacant land to the government, the state would simply withdraw its garrison protection, leaving their outlying estates completely vulnerable to being violently ransacked by hundreds of thousands of starving mountain raiders.
*"Enticing them with profit"* meant the State Prefecture would act as a legitimate, honorable buyer, paying full market value in cold coin to purchase the land from the gentry rather than flatly confiscating it like a tyrant. Only by deploying this masterclass of both kindness and raw structural power could the great families be persuaded to release their grip.
Zhang Xin immediately grinned, thoroughly appreciating the strategic nuance. "A brilliant approach. However..."
Ju Shou's expression turned noticeably strained as he addressed the financial reality. "Jizhou has been utterly ravaged by localized military conflicts for two straight years, and Lord Han previously bled the treasuries white to maintain his hundred-thousand-man standing army. Currently, the State Prefecture's central vault is completely empty. We possess no liquid capital to fund a mass land buyout..."
"I can easily transfer unlimited bullion from the Qing Province vaults," Zhang Xin laughed heartily, waving his hand dismissively. "Gongda merely needs to calculate the precise final figure and present it to my desk."
Thanks to his sweeping purges of the corrupt gentry during the Qing Province campaign, Zhang Xin's personal state treasury was literally overflowing with confiscated gold, silver, and silk. He was actually actively looking for productive ways to inject that stagnant wealth back into the regional economy. In his eyes, any crisis that could be entirely resolved with money wasn't a real crisis at all. Wealth left rotting inside a dark vault was nothing more than a pile of useless green copper; spent strategically to buy land and secure the loyalty of a million citizens, it became the ultimate foundation of an empire.
Ju Shou mentally tallied the regional land values, reported a precise budgetary estimate to Zhang Xin, and then leaned in with a look of profound curiosity. "Is My Lord planning to convert the Black Mountain Yellow Turbans into a permanent system of centralized military-agricultural colonies?"
"Precisely," Zhang Xin nodded, his eyes gleaming with economic foresight.
The systemic benefits of the **Tuntian** (military-agricultural colony) framework were immense. It allowed the state to enforce centralized administrative management over a historically volatile population while drastically maximizing agricultural efficiency. Most importantly, it created a dual-purpose citizenry: these colonists would function as peaceful, tax-paying farmers during the peak agricultural seasons, but the moment the winter off-season arrived, they would undergo rigorous, state-mandated military drilling. If a massive war erupted, these millions of colonists could instantly be mobilized into a massive, highly disciplined pool of reserve combat soldiers.
"I completely grasp your grand design, General," Ju Shou said, taking a deep, reverent breath. "In that case, I am entirely willing to personally spearhead this entire undertaking."
The Black Mountain Yellow Turbans had plagued the administrative sanity of Ji Province for nearly a decade. During the Zhongping era, western commanderies like Changshan, Zhao State, and Wei Commandery had been utterly systematically devastated by their relentless, unpredictable raids. While Zhang Xin's backroom diplomatic mediation over the past two years had largely halted the bloodshed, keeping hundreds of thousands of desperate, armed souls lingering in the ridges remained a ticking geopolitical time bomb. Being granted the structural authority to permanently dissolve this threat was a task Ju Shou was more than eager to master.
"Then I shall leave this monumental portfolio entirely in your capable hands, Gongda," Zhang Xin said, overjoyed. He immediately dipped his brush in ink, drafting an official executive edict to be dispatched to Pingyuan, commanding Hua Xin to rapidly mobilize the necessary grain convoys and treasure wagons.
---
### The Unemployed Genius
As the massive administrative machinery of the province began to hum with systematic efficiency, Zhang Xin suddenly found himself with a rare commodity: free time.
For the past several days, he had been cooped up inside the State Prefecture, doing little else besides reading and replying to a never-ending stream of official letters of allegiance flowing in from distant commanderies. With this brief window of leisure, a legendary name suddenly flashed through his mind.
**Tian Feng.**
This titanic, world-class strategic mind was currently sitting idle within the province. Zhang Xin knew with absolute certainty that he needed to bring this man under his banner before a rival warlord snapped him up.
"Guards," Zhang Xin called out to an attending official. "Go and request the presence of the Biejia immediately."
A few moments later, Ju Shou entered the chamber, offering a respectful bow. "My Lord, you summoned me?"
"Gongda, come, sit," Zhang Xin gestured warmly toward the cushion opposite his desk. Once his strategist was comfortable, Zhang Xin leaned in, his tone casual but focused. "Ever since my youth in the North, I have frequently heard tales of the brilliant intellect of Lord Tian Feng of Julu. Tell me, where exactly is he residing these days?"
Hearing that name, a knowing, highly appreciative smile broke across Ju Shou's face. He instantly deduced his lord's strategic intent. "During the Zhongping era, Lord Tian became thoroughly disgusted by the rampant, systemic corruption of the imperial court eunuchs, prompting him to resign his capital office and return to his ancestral home. When Lord Han Fu first assumed control of Jizhou, he heard rumors of Tian Feng's immense prestige and issued a formal conscription order to bring him into the administration."
"Tian Feng was actively employed by the State Prefecture?!" Zhang Xin asked, his eyes widening in genuine surprise. "Then how is it that I haven't seen his name on a single cabinet roster since I took this hall?"
"He was indeed present before your vanguard arrived, My Lord... but Lord Han's capacity for governance was, alas..." Ju Shou let out a helpless, weary sigh. "Lord Tian possesses an incredibly upright, unyielding character. Seeing that his grand strategic advice consistently fell on deaf ears under Han Fu's hesitant rule, he grew thoroughly disillusioned, resigned his post, and returned to his hometown once more."
"So, you are saying he is currently entirely unemployed, living as a retired scholar at his estate?" Zhang Xin asked, a sharp gleam in his eye.
"Precisely," Ju Shou nodded. "Is My Lord intending to issue a formal provincial conscription order to summon him to court?"
"A titan of Tian Feng's intellectual caliber can never be truly won over by a mere, cold piece of official paper," Zhang Xin said, a slight smile playing on his lips. "I intend to personally travel to Julu Commandery to visit him at his ancestral estate. What say you, Gongda?"
In truth, Zhang Xin was also just thoroughly bored of sitting inside the stuffy government compound, and this excursion presented the perfect intellectual excuse to clear his head while hunting for world-class talent.
Ju Shou was momentarily startled by the sheer humility of the proposal, before swiftly rising to deliver a profound, deeply admiring bow. "My Lord treats scholars with such extraordinary, unmatched respect... you are truly a Sovereign worthy of the ages!"
Julu Commandery, much like Yuyang and Hongnong, featured a central county that shared the exact same name as the broader district. Tian Feng's ancestral home was located within Julu County itself. Since Julu and the neighboring Guangping were separated by a mere thirty *li*, Ju Shou and Tian Feng had naturally run in the same elite academic circles for decades. Seeing Zhang Xin place such immense, unprompted value on his old friend filled Ju Shou's heart with genuine joy.
"Hmm..." Zhang Xin mused, tapping his fingers rhythmically against the desk. "A scholar of Lord Tian's stature must be afforded a position of supreme executive authority to match his prestige. I intend to officially appoint him to the rank of **Chief Coordinator (Biejia) of Ji Province**."
He looked up, locking eyes with Ju Shou. "Gongda, would you be willing to transfer your brilliant talents directly into my **Chariots and Cavalry General's Residence**, assuming the paramount mantle of my **Chief Clerk (Changshi)**?"
Tian Feng was a proud scion of a prominent, elite Hebei lineage; he could never be insulted with a minor, mid-level bureaucratic title. The *Biejia* was the literal deputy of an entire State Prefecture, outranked only by the Governor himself. Bestowing this grand title upon Tian Feng was the ultimate display of political sincerity.
However, this meant Ju Shou would have to willingly abdicate his current civil rank. By transferring Ju Shou into the General's Residence as the *Changshi*, Zhang Xin was effectively giving him the supreme deputy position over his entire military apparatus. This elegant reshuffle would allow Ju Shou to fully unleash his formidable tactical talents on a global scale without diminishing his political stature in the slightest. It was a masterstroke of human resource management.
Ju Shou cupped his hands, his face filled with absolute compliance. "My Lord's strategic considerations are flawlessly thorough. This subject harbors absolutely no objections."
"In that case, I shall heavily trouble Gongda to act as my formal introduction," Zhang Xin said, standing up to return a polite bow.
In the highly ritualistic world of the Han Dynasty scholarly elite, visiting a renowned master for the first time without a mutual acquaintance providing a formal introduction was considered an unforgivable, arrogant breach of social etiquette. Zhang Xin wanted to approach Tian Feng not as a conqueror wielding a bloody sword, but as a humble, respectful scholar seeking wisdom.
Ju Shou readily agreed to the trip. The massive shipments of gold and grain from Qing Province were still en route, and having already delegated the preparatory tasks to capable subordinates like Min Chun and Li Li, his desk was temporarily clear. Julu was a short distance from the capital; a rapid round trip would take a mere three to five days, and the capital would remain entirely secure under the watch of his veteran ministers.
---
### The Imperial Card
Zhang Xin acted with his signature, lightning-fast dynamism. He ordered a mountain of luxurious gifts to be packed into a covered carriage, mobilized a tight detachment of several hundred elite cavalry guards, and alongside Ju Shou, set a direct course for Julu.
Following two and a half days of swift, uninterrupted travel across the sun-drenched plains, the small convoy finally crested a low ridge, guided by Ju Shou toward the outer walls of the sprawling Tian estate.
To demonstrate the absolute sincerity of his respect, the moment the carriage drew within two *li* of the main gates, Zhang Xin ordered the entire vanguard to halt. He dismounted his magnificent warhorse, choosing to walk the remaining distance on foot like an ordinary civilian petitioner.
Dian Wei and a handful of select personal bodyguards, all meticulously dressed in plain, unassuming civilian robes to avoid causing a panic, walked a respectful pace behind him, silently guiding the heavy horse-drawn gift carriage. The remaining hundreds of cavalrymen were instructed to wait quietly at their original positions down the road.
As the small group approached the towering wooden gates, the estate's doorkmen watched the grand procession with a visible sense of nervous awe. Even devoid of armor, the sheer physical bearing of the travelers screamed high nobility.
Recognizing a familiar face in the lead, the primary gatekeeper hurriedly hustled down the stone steps to offer a frantic bow. "This humble servant greets the grand Lords... Ah! Master Ju Shou! You have honored our halls with your presence!"
Ju Shou had been a frequent houseguest at the estate for years, making him an instantly recognizable figure to the domestic staff.
"Is Yuanhao currently resting inside the manor?" Ju Shou asked with a slight, friendly smile.
"Yes, yes! Master is currently in the inner study!" The doorman nodded rapidly, before casting his eyes toward Zhang Xin.
Though this stranger was exceptionally young, the fact that a globally renowned scholar like Ju Shou stood a half-step behind him, adopting a posture of clear, deferential subordination, told the servant everything he needed to know. This youth was a dignitary of terrifying proportions.
"This humble servant dares to beg for your esteemed name, noble Lord, so that I may properly announce your grand arrival to my master," the doorman said, bowing so low his nose nearly touched his knees.
Zhang Xin reached into his silk robes, pulling out an elegant, heavily lacquered wooden visiting card stamped with official imperial wax, and slipped it into the servant's trembling hands.
"The Han Court Marquis of Wuxiang, Marquis Xuanwei, General of Chariots and Cavalry, Governor of Qing Province, and concurrently Governor of Ji Province—**Zhang Xin**, has traveled across the commanderies specifically to pay his humblest respects to Lord Tian Feng."
The doorman stared blankly at the wooden card, his brain completely short-circuiting under the sheer weight of the titles. He scratched his head in utter, bewildered panic. "Noble... noble Lord, please forgive this servant's dense, uneducated mind... I am far too dull-witted to remember so many magnificent titles!"
Zhang Xin couldn't help but let out a soft, booming chuckle at the display. "Do not worry yourself over the court titles, friend. Simply walk inside and tell your master that a man named Zhang Xin has arrived at his gate."
"Oh! Alright!" The doorman nodded frantically, slipping the card into his vest. He turned on his heel to sprint inside, but after taking two paces, his brain finally registered the name. His tracks frozen solid, his eyes widening to the size of saucers as he whipped his head back around. "You... *You are Zhang Xin?!*"
"Insolent fool!" Dian Wei roared, his massive chest heaving as he stepped forward, his voice like thunder. "You are a mere domestic household slave! How dare you address my Lord directly by his sacred, given name?!"
"Aiyah! This servant deserves death! This servant was blind and impolite!" The doorman instantly threw himself onto the dirt road, slapping his own cheeks in a frantic panic, utterly terrified that the giant standing before him was about to execute him on the spot. Though Dian Wei was dressed in civilian silk, his terrifying, muscular physique made him look like an ancient god of war stepped out of a myth.
"Calm yourself, Old Dian," Zhang Xin smiled, waving his hand to soothe his bodyguard's temper before looking down at the shaking gatekeeper with an amused expression. "So, even a humble servant living out here in the rural fields of Julu recognizes my name?"
Seeing that the legendary conqueror possessed an incredibly warm, pleasant demeanor with absolutely zero trace of aristocratic fury, the doorman let out a massive sigh of relief, picking himself up from the dirt. "My... my master frequently discusses your grand name during his private study hours, General."
"Oh?" Zhang Xin's eyes flashed with intense, professional curiosity. "And tell me, what exactly does Lord Tian Feng say about me when he thinks no one is listening?"
The doorman cast a terrified, lingering glance at the imposing form of Dian Wei. Zhang Xin noticed the look, giving the servant a warm, reassuring nod. "Speak freely, my friend. No harm shall befall you under my sky."
The gatekeeper swallowed hard. "My master recently stared out at the western horizon and declared... that the entirety of the grand lands of Ji Province would inevitably fall completely into the grasp of Zhang Xin."
Hearing this, Zhang Xin smiled internally. With an intellectual capacity as formidable as Tian Feng's, predicting the absolute collapse of Han Fu's regime was basic child's play. He pressed further. "And what exactly was Lord Tian's physical expression when he uttered that prediction?"
The servant thought back for a brief moment. "Half joy... and half profound worry, General."
"I see," Zhang Xin nodded slowly, the psychological puzzle pieces clicking perfectly into place inside his mind. "Please, go inside and announce our arrival."
"Right away, General!" The doorman bowed repeatedly, turning and sprinting through the main gates as fast as his legs could carry him.
Zhang Xin turned his head to look at Ju Shou, the two sharing a subtle, knowing smirk.
"We must congratulate My Lord in advance on acquiring another titan of scholarship," Ju Shou said, cupping his hands with a smile.
"I am still so incredibly young, and my personal virtue remains meager at best. My heart is genuinely fraught with an anxious nervousness," Zhang Xin said. While his interior was throwing a celebratory party, his exterior had to maintain the rigid, humble mask of a classical Confucian scholar. "I can only pray that Lord Tian will not think too poorly of my sudden arrival..."
Tian Feng's "joy" regarding Han Fu's defeat was easily decipherable—as a proud son of Hebei, he was naturally elated that his home province was finally being rescued from the hands of an incompetent, stagnant governor.
As for his "profound worry"... Zhang Xin could easily deduce that it stemmed entirely from his notorious **Yellow Turban background**. Tian Feng was a proud scion of a premier, traditional gentry lineage; the mere thought of bending his knee to serve a faction that had originated as a peasant rebel host was bound to trigger an immense amount of cognitive dissonance and psychological discomfort.
Understanding this deep-seated prejudice, Zhang Xin knew his tactical approach later had to be flawless: he merely needed to shower the older master with an overwhelming, almost absurd level of public respect and administrative humility. Once Tian Feng's intellectual vanity was fully appeased, winning his absolute loyalty would be a walk in the park.
---
### The Unyielding Mind Yields
A mere fraction of an hour later, the massive, ornate central gate of the manor was thrown completely open. A dignified elderly gentleman, his long robes billowing behind him, stepped out of the threshold and rapidly marched down the stone steps toward Zhang Xin.
"Julu Tian Feng, respectfully greets the supreme General of Chariots and Cavalry!"
Tian Feng dropped into a flawless, deeply formal classical bow. "This old official was completely unaware of your honorable, grand presence at my gates, failing to organize a proper welcome protocol. I pray the General will find it in his heart to forgive this abrupt oversight."
"Lord Tian, there is absolutely no need for such excessive formality! It is this junior who has uninvitedly disrupted your peaceful retirement," Zhang Xin said with profound urgency. He stepped forward with lightning speed, physically catching the older man's arms to hoist him back up, before stepping back to deliver a flawless, deeply reverent junior scholar's bow. "Xiaquyang Zhang Xin, respectfully pays his highest regards to Master Tian Feng."
Tian Feng straightened his spine, his sharp, analytical eyes locking onto Zhang Xin's face. He couldn't help but let out a silent, thunderous exclamation within the caverns of his mind. *The rumors throughout the capital do not do him justice! This Zhang Ziqing is so incredibly young! Truly a generational hero born of the stars!*
Simultaneously, Zhang Xin was meticulously analyzing his target. Tian Feng appeared to be roughly fifty years of age, his long hair heavily streaked with silver. He maintained a remarkably straight, rigid posture, and his deep-set eyes burned with a firm, fiercely resolute intensity that naturally radiated immense intellectual authority. One look was enough to confirm the historical records: this was a man possessed of an unyielding, dangerously stubborn will.
"Yuanhao, it has been far too long since we last shared a jar of wine," Ju Shou stepped forward, offering a warm, brotherly bow.
"Gongda! You have traveled far as well," Tian Feng returned the greeting, his rigid face softening just a fraction at the sight of his old friend.
After completing the meticulous entry rituals, Tian Feng swept his sleeves back and formally invited the entire party into the grand reception hall of his manor.
The strategic conversation that followed proceeded exactly as Zhang Xin had calculated, unfolding with seamless, fluid precision. Tian Feng had long since harbor profound, bitter dissatisfaction with Han Fu's administrative paralysis, firmly believing that the former governor lacked the spine of a true Sovereign and would only succeed in dragging the innocent populace of Jizhou into a prolonged, bloody quagmire.
In contrast, Zhang Xin's lightning-fast annexation of the entire province had left the elder master completely awestruck. From the sixth day of the fifth month when his legions first crossed the border, to the fourteenth day when Han Fu officially handed over the keys to the capital, a mere **nine days** had elapsed. To completely swallow one of the largest, most militarized State Prefectures in the entire empire in less than a single ten-day week was an administrative and military miracle unheard of in the annals of history!
If a man capable of such terrifying, flawless efficiency wasn't considered a true Sovereign, then who else on this war-torn earth deserved to bear the title?
Had it not been for Zhang Xin's lingering Yellow Turban stigma causing some deep-seated hesitation within his traditional scholar's heart, Tian Feng likely would have packed his bags and ridden out to offer his services the very second the news of the surrender reached Julu. After all, though his intellectual reputation across Hebei was massive, he had effectively wasted half his natural life sitting idle on the sidelines; he had never met a Lord capable of utilizing his grand designs, living past fifty while achieving nothing of historical substance. A man of his immense pride was naturally entirely unwilling to simply rot away into a forgotten grave in his rural hometown.
Now, the supreme General of Chariots and Cavalry had personally walked to his doorstep on foot, presented an array of magnificent gifts, spoke with the utter humility of a dedicated disciple, and flatly offered him the paramount civilian office of *Biejia*—a display of public respect that thoroughly vindicated his lifelong ambitions.
Furthermore, Ju Shou acted as the perfect political bridge, seamlessly detailing the highly sophisticated, benevolent economic and military policies Zhang Xin had enacted over the past week.
At this precise juncture, every single reservation inside Tian Feng's heart dissolved into thin air. He had found his King.
Tian Feng rose from his wooden seat, adjusted his silk sleeves with utmost solemnity, and dropped to his knees, bowing until his forehead firmly pressed against the floor. "Since My Lord treats this old official with such profound, unmatched grace... Feng is entirely willing to serve your grand cause with the absolute limit of my loyalty! Julu Tian Feng, respectfully greets his Lord!"
"With your towering intellect guiding our cabinet, I feel exactly like a fish finally returning to the deep waters!" Zhang Xin cried out, his face beaming with pure, unadulterated joy. He rushed forward to lift his new strategist to his feet, before adding with a nostalgic chuckle, "Do you know, Master Tian? Many years ago, when I was first building my administration, I actively petitioned the Grand Eunuch Zhang Rang to issue an official imperial conscription order to bring you to my side."
He let out a dramatic, playful sigh of regret. "It was merely a great tragedy of timing that you had already packed your bags and returned to Hebei by the time the court messengers arrived. Otherwise, you and I would have been conquering this world together eight long years ago!"
Ju Shou, sitting quietly on his cushion, subtly pursed his lips and took a slow sip of tea. *Hmph... so I wasn't the only 'one and only' genius he was hunting for? This kid is smooth.*
Tian Feng's entire body went completely rigid, a massive, overwhelming wave of profound emotion crashing against his chest. He stared at Zhang Xin, his eyes turning slightly glassy. He had completely assumed that his new lord had only noticed his existence after the fall of Han Fu. He had never in his wildest dreams imagined that this rising star had been actively tracking his talent and yearning for his counsel as early as eight years ago, back when Zhang Xin was a mere regional commander in Yuyang!
*To be recognized so deeply, across so many years of silence...* Tian Feng thought, his heart swelling with a fierce, burning sense of absolute devotion. *My Lord's recognition of my meager talent is as vast and unyielding as the mountains. I must repay this cosmic debt with every single drop of my life's blood!*
Stepping forward with renewed, aggressive focus, the newly minted Chief Coordinator locked eyes with Zhang Xin, his voice ringing with absolute administrative authority.
"My Lord, now that you have officially graced me with the mantle of the *Biejia* of Ji Province, leave the matter of the local gentry entirely to my hands! I still swing an immense amount of traditional political lineage and family influence across the State Prefecture's elite circles. I am willing to put my reputation on the line to forcefully secure **five million mu of premium land** for your military colonies within the month!!"