Chapter 134 Liangzhou Scenery The rebellion at the end of the Han Dynasty first started in Liangzhou. After attending the grand court meeting in December of the seventh year of Huangchu as the governor of Liangzhou, Xiahou Ba immediately prepared to go to Liangzhou to take up his post. However, as the governor of a state, he could not just ride his horse westward alone to take up his post, but also had to make many other preparations. This preparation alone took several days, and the most difficult task was to familiarize themselves with the military and civilian situation in Liangzhou. If Xiahou Ba was just an ordinary scholar, even if he was going to be a high-ranking official in the imperial court, it would not be easy for him to obtain enough information about Liangzhou in Luoyang. In those days, the distance between the mountains and rivers made it very inconvenient to convey news, not to mention that the scholars in the Central Plains looked down on Liangzhou. Fortunately, Guanqiu Xing, who had been the governor of Wuwei, was serving as the chief architect in Luoyang at that time. Guanqiu Xing was also Guanqiu Jian's father. At the banquet that day, the emperor appointed Xiahou Ba as the governor of Liangzhou. That night, Xiahou Ba found Guanqiu Jian who was also at the banquet. The emperor took Guanqiu Jian to attend a banquet hosted by the generals of the Cao and Xiahou families in Luozhong, which clearly showed that he wanted to promote Guanqiu Jian. At the banquet, even General Cao Zhen and General Cao Hong showed some approval of Guanqiu Jian in their words. Of course Xiahou Ba could see it too. When Xiahou Ba found Guanqiu Jian, Guanqiu Jian was happy to be a good guy and enhance his personal friendship with the Xiahou family, so he happily introduced Xiahou Ba to his father Guanqiu Xing. Guanqiu Xing first served as the governor of Anding and then the governor of Wuwei, and he had been in Liangzhou for seven or eight years. Guanqiu Xing was very open with Xiahou Ba and told him a lot about the essentials of being an official in Liangzhou.
Guanqiu Xing spoke seriously, and Xiahou Ba listened carefully. But when Xiahou Ba personally came to Liangzhou and Guzang City in Wuwei County at the end of December, he found that the difficulties of Liangzhou administration described by Guanqiu Xing were not empty talk. Xiahou Ba was less than 40 years old, and at heart he was more of a military general than a civil official. When Sima Fu arrived at Wuwei, the capital of Liangzhou Prefecture, in late January, he finally found someone of similar status to talk to. So the two of them agreed to go to the wine shop in Guzang City after nightfall to drink together. Wuwei is located at the easternmost end of the Hexi Corridor and is the closest to the inland of the four Hexi counties. It has the largest and most connected oasis in the Hexi Corridor, and is irrigated by rivers from the Qilian Mountains, making it suitable for both farming and animal husbandry, and rich in grain and livestock. As the main road connecting the Western Regions and Hexi to the Central Plains, Wuwei was also very prosperous. In addition, Wuwei was a place where Han people lived together with Qiang and Hu people, and merchants from the Western Regions came here to trade, making it a rare commercial city in Cao Wei. Xiahou Ba and Sima Fu were dressed in casual clothes and walked along the bustling street. Not far away was the most upscale and brightly lit restaurant in Guzang City. Xiahou Ba smiled and said, "Brother Shuda, this place is called 'Gu Zang Tower', and I have been here to drink several times. Today is your first time in Gu Zang, and you want to experience the scenery of Liangzhou. Therefore, I will not hold a banquet in my house, but invite you to drink here." Sima Fu stroked his beard and said, "The scenery in Liangzhou is indeed very different from that in the Central Plains. I grew up in Hanoi and served as an official in the Central Plains. I never thought that I would come to Liangzhou to serve. Zhongquan, please!" Xiahou Ba nodded. As the governor of Liangzhou, Xiahou Ba's political status was indeed higher than Sima Fu's Duzhi Xiaowei. They were both officials, and it would be hypocritical to refuse. Xiahou Ba and Sima Fu entered the Guzang Tower, and a waiter led them and their accompanying guards to a private room on the second floor. As the two of them sat down, four maids wearing veils slowly walked in from outside the door. One of them held a silver tray with two silver wine glasses on it, one held a wine pot of a rather strange shape, and the remaining two each held some snacks such as dried fruits and candied fruits. As the maid poured the wine, Sima Fu glanced at the white wrist that was exposed by the edge of her robe, and then looked at the color of the wine in the silver wine glass: "Zhong Quan, is this grape wine?" Xiahou Ba smiled and nodded: "It is grape wine. Now that the trade route is open, although grape wine is still rare in Luoyang, you and I can drink it in Liangzhou and Guzang City." During the late Han Dynasty and the Three Kingdoms period, there were very few people who did not drink. Whether they were scholars or generals, they all regarded heavy drinking as a commendable demeanor. Sima Fu was no exception and was also a good drinker. Sima Fu picked up the silver wine cup in his right hand, shook it gently, looked at the green grape wine in the cup, brought it to his lips and took a sip, then put the cup down and said, "I have never drunk such fine wine in Luoyang. This time I am blessed by our Xiahou Fangbo." Xiahou Ba laughed: "It's just some grape wine, it's nothing. Liangzhou has many beautiful scenery, you can slowly experience it in the future." Sima Fu asked, "Zhong Quan, today as we are drinking this grape wine, I am reminded of an anecdote." Xiahou Ba became interested: "What's the story? Tell me about it." Sima Fu thought for a moment, coughed lightly, and then said, "Zhong Quan, do you know Meng Da and Meng Zi Du?" After taking a sip of the wine, Xiahou Ba said, "How could I not know? Meng Da sold himself for a good price in Shangyong, and even got the title of General Anxi."
Sima Fu smiled and shook his head: "That's not what I want to talk about. Meng Da's father, Meng Tuo, served as the governor of Liangzhou during the Jianning period of Emperor Ling of the Former Han Dynasty. Meng Tuo got this position because of grape wine." Xiahou Ba asked curiously, "How can a governor of a state be related to wine? Everyone in the court knew that Meng Da returned to Wei. It was also at that time that I knew that Meng Tuo was Meng Da's father, but I didn't know it was related to grape wine." Sima Fu said: "At that time, Emperor Ling was in power and the eunuch Zhang Rang was in power. Meng Tuo bribed Zhang Rang with precious treasures one after another. In the end, what really helped Meng Tuo get the position of Governor of Liangzhou was the jar of grape wine that Meng Tuo presented to Zhang Rang." "Is there such a thing?" Xiahou Ba widened his eyes. Sima Fu smiled and said, "I also heard about this from my brother before I came to Liangzhou this time." Xiahou Ba sighed and said, "Times are different! Meng Tuo got the post of Governor of Liangzhou to enjoy himself. I got this post to serve the country. How can I imitate Meng Tuo?" Sima Fu responded: "You and I have come here from the Central Plains, and our official careers are long. We should take care of each other." Xiahou Ba nodded and picked up the silver wine glass: "This cup is different from the wine barrels in the Central Plains. It can hold less wine. Let's drink slowly and chat slowly." Sima Fu agreed: "That's exactly what we should do." As soon as he finished speaking, two female Hu musicians entered the room, bowed, and then slowly played a soothing song in the corner. Xiahou Ba asked, "Brother Shuda, you came from Luoyang late. Did you hear the news of His Majesty's southern expedition on the way?" Sima Fu shook his head. "I heard that His Majesty went to Shouchun to offer sacrifices to the heavens and changed the era name, and then went south to fight. I didn't hear any news after that." Xiahou Ba said, "Brother Shuda, in your opinion, what results can this battle achieve?" Sima Fu looked up at Xiahou Ba and said with a smile: "The emperor is a sage, and the king's army is also a strong army. This time we will surely win a great victory." Xiahou Ba raised the wine glass in his hand and said to the east: "To your majesty, let's celebrate! Brother Shuda, raise your hand!" Sima Fu also responded, "Long live Your Majesty!" Then they both drank it all in one gulp. After drinking the wine in the cup, Xiahou Ba shook his head gently: "Your Majesty asked Brother Shuda to assist me in managing civil affairs, and civil affairs are indeed what I am most worried about." "Liangzhou has been in chaos for a long time. There was no major rebellion a few years ago. The people of Qiang and Hu are still unstable, and the wealthy families in each county are still harboring evil intentions. Although the current Liangzhou has fewer counties than the Liangzhou of the Former Han Dynasty, it is still not easy to govern." Sima Fu counted on his fingers and said, "The vassal state of Zhangye and Guyan was changed to Xihai Prefecture, Hanyang Prefecture was renamed Tianshui Prefecture and given to Yongzhou, Beidi, Anding, Longxi, and Wudu were also given to Yongzhou." "Now Liangzhou only has seven counties: Dunhuang, Jiuquan, Zhangye, Xihai, Wuwei, Xiping, and Jincheng." Xiahou Ba said, "Brother Shuda is right. There are only seven counties, but the situation is much more complicated. Let's not talk about anything else, just the population. Brother Shuda, there are more Qiang people in Liangzhou than Han people! This is something I never expected before I came here." Sima Fu said: "Liangzhou has many Qiang people and few Han people. It is remote and does not obey the king. I am afraid that this is why His Majesty sent you, a general in the army, to be the governor." Xiahou Ba nodded and said, "Yes. The Qiang people are now divided into Eastern Qiang and Western Qiang. Western Qiang is outside the border, while Eastern Qiang is inside the border. The Qiang people have been migrating to Liangzhou for a hundred years." "Your Majesty asked me to make friends with the Qiang people and strengthen the border defense, but making friends with the Qiang people is not something that can be done in a short time. Brother Shuda, there are more than a hundred Qiang tribes in Liangzhou." "Even if I were to deal with the Xiongnu, I could always find a Chanyu to talk to. There are so many Qiang tribes, and each tribe has its own needs. How can I win them over?" Sima Fu thought for a moment and said, "If there are too many Qiang tribes, why not start with the Qiang people in Wuwei County?" "That also costs money." Xiahou Ba snorted, "Liangzhou hasn't had a governor for a long time, and the state's treasury has long been emptied after the rebellion was suppressed. As a governor of a state, you can't go to the governor of Wuwei to borrow money." Sima Fu took another sip and said, "You can't find the governor of Wuwei, so you come to me, the lieutenant of the Ministry of Finance?" Xiahou Ba laughed and said, "If not Brother Shuda, who else can I turn to? The officials in the prefecture are all poor. Since Brother Shuda has taken office, I hope that Brother Shuda can find some way to make money so that I can recruit Qiang people."
Sima Fu thought for a moment and said, "Zhong Quan, this is within my responsibility. I have thought about this before this matter came. If you want to get the money, it depends on who has the most money." Xiahou Ba thought for a moment and said, "Of course the local big families and Qiang leaders are rich. We can't just rob them, right?" Sima Fu shook his head and said, "Of course we can't just rob it, but we can 'rob' it in another way." (End of this chapter)
