October 30th, Chiyou City.
After a long journey of several days, Fan Zhongyan and his party finally arrived at Chiyou City under the protection of the army.
When Ouyang Shuo received the news, he personally welcomed them at the city gates.
Master Fan was the only one who could enjoy such an honor.
There were more than three hundred officials accompanying Fan Zhongyan. It could be said to be a large line-up. Among them were officials drawn from the various departments of the Southern Border Protectorate, as well as officials recommended by various prefectures and counties.
In addition, there were more than fifty students who had graduated early from the Southwest University China Hall.
The biggest characteristic of these three hundred people was their youth.
According to the statistics of the Administrative Office, the average age of the officials in Shanhai City was less than thirty. The average age of the officials accompanying Fan Zhongyan was even lower, only twenty-seven.
To lead such a young team and govern a county, Duke Fan had a long way to go.
At noon, Ouyang Shuo hosted a banquet in the City Lord's residence to entertain Fan Zhongyan and his party.
The accompanying officials were grateful to see the Marquis placing so much importance on them. How could they not do their best to assist Fan Zhongyan in governing Wuzhou County?
In the afternoon, Ouyang Shuo met with Fan Zhongyan alone in his study.
After staying in Chiyou City for a week, Ouyang Shuo naturally did not idle around. He already had a general understanding of the situation in Wuzhou County.
Thus, before Fan Zhongyan officially took office, Ouyang Shuo had to personally inform him.
Because Wuzhou County was vast and sparsely populated, Ouyang Shuo only established four prefectures in Wuzhou County. The specific personnel arrangements were decided by Fan Zhongyan and the newly appointed Administrative Office Xiao He.
With the expansion of the territory, Ouyang Shuo had gradually handed over the appointment of prefectures to the Administrative Office.
Unless there was some special talent that needed Ouyang Shuo's personal placement, he would not interfere with the appointment and removal of personnel in the Administrative Office.
There was no doubt that the administrative office of Wuzhou County was set up in Chiyou City.
Fan Zhongyan suggested that in order to eliminate Chiyou's influence in the county, they could change the name of Chiyou City.
Ouyang Shuo thought for a moment, then tactfully declined the suggestion.
Since Chiyou had been buried in the Demon King's Slope, all grievances had vanished like smoke. Chiyou City had a special status and affection for the mountain barbarians.
As the Barbarian King, Ouyang Shuo had to consider their feelings.
It was necessary to have this bit of magnanimity.
Since Ouyang Shuo didn't mind, Fan Zhongyan naturally wouldn't say anything else.
Along the way, Fan Zhongyan had a sense of the situation in Wuzhou County. Although the situation was worse than he had anticipated, Fan Zhongyan had confidence that Wuzhou County would develop.
The two of them chatted in the study for the entire afternoon.
During this conversation, the future development framework of Wuzhou County was set in stone.
During the conversation, Ouyang Shuo discovered that choosing Fan Zhongyan to be the governor of Wuzhou was indeed a wise choice. Fan Zhongyan's development plans for Wuzhou County made Ouyang Shuo's eyes light up.
For example, in order to break the frozen relationship between the Han people and the mountain barbarians in Wuzhou County, Fan Zhongyan proposed to move a portion of the mountain barbarians to the neighboring Zhaoqing County.
Correspondingly, a portion of the people from Zhaoqing County moved to Wuzhou County to settle down.
In this way, not only could it greatly improve the population structure of Wuzhou County, the newly arrived Han people would also help break down the barrier between the two races. It could be said to be killing two birds with one stone.
Ouyang Shuo greatly praised this move.
After sending Fan Zhongyan off, Ouyang Shuo heaved a long sigh of relief.
Early the next morning, Fan Zhongyan would officially take office. The three hundred or so officials he had brought with him would also be placed in the various prefectures and counties, becoming the backbone of the Wuzhou County government.
Fan Zhongyan's arrival finally completely freed Ouyang Shuo from the heavy burden of government affairs.
Next, Ouyang Shuo should consider the problem of establishing the Wuzhou County guard division.
Whether it was the imperial guard division or the four mountain barbarian independent divisions, it was impossible for them to be permanently stationed in Wuzhou County. If he wanted to maintain the stability of Wuzhou County, it was imperative to establish a local guard division.
Within a week, Lin Yi led the imperial guard division and completely plowed through Wuzhou County. The local tyrants had been swept clean.
The atmosphere of the entire Wuzhou County had been straightened out.
Using this opportunity, they captured another group of mountain barbarian warriors.
Inspired by Fan Zhongyan's population policy, Ouyang Shuo decided that the Wuzhou County guard division would also adopt a mixed and integrated organization to achieve the goal of mutual checks and balances.
Immediately, Ouyang Shuo sent letters to the military office and the Lingnan warzone.
According to Ouyang Shuo's plan, two brigades would be taken from the Zhaoqing County guard division in the Lingnan warzone and placed into the Wuzhou County guard division. The vacancies in the Zhaoqing County guard division would be filled by the Taiping captives from Fort Mulan.
Apart from this, a brigade would be formed from the surrendered soldiers of the Taiping army and placed into the Wuzhou County guard division. The remaining two brigades would be formed from the newly entered mountain barbarian prisoners of war.
In this way, the Wuzhou County guard division would form a three-way balance. Whether it was the Han or the mountain barbarians, none would be able to use this to act like tyrants in Wuzhou County.
The commander of the guard division, Ouyang Shuo, gave the order to promote one person from the mountain barbarian heavy infantry brigade of the Evil Coming Division. The deputy commander would be a brigade commander from the original Zhaoqing County guard division.
In this way, it would be equivalent to firmly controlling the Wuzhou County guard division.
When the Wuzhou County guard division was completely established, Ouyang Shuo would be able to lead his troops into Xunzhou County from the east and completely eliminate the Taiping Heavenly Kingdom.
Calculating the time, it would not conflict with the plans of the Dragon Xiang and Leopard Armies.
On the first of November, Fan Zhongyan officially took office.
The enormous machinery of the government began to operate at high speed.
It was only then that the people of Wuzhou County truly realized that Wuzhou County had truly changed.
The mountain barbarians who had previously occupied the key departments were mercilessly swept out one by one. Only the mountain barbarians who had obtained the approval of the Military Intelligence Department and the Black Snake Guards could continue to hold positions in the new government system.
Seeing the officials of Shanhai City enter Chiyou City and the key departments in the city all be replaced by people of Shanhai City, the mountain barbarian tribes were completely panicked.
In just one morning, they had repeatedly gone to the City Lord's Mansion to hand over their visiting cards and request an audience with Ouyang Shuo.
Seeing that the time was ripe, Ouyang Shuo finally agreed to meet with the various tribe leaders in the side hall in the afternoon.
In reality, Ouyang Shuo was not prepared to suppress the mountain barbarian tribes to the end.
The policy of Shanhai City against foreign tribes was also applicable in Wuzhou County. What Ouyang Shuo wanted to do was only to remove the privileges the mountain barbarians enjoyed in Wuzhou County.
From now on, the Han and mountain barbarians in the county would all be treated equally.
The mountain barbarians who had been relieved of their duties could apply for another job. As long as they passed the inspection of the administrative office of Wuzhou County, they could once again take up their posts and perform their duties.
Of course, the Han people in the county could also participate in similar job applications.
Wuzhou County was extremely large. If they only relied on the three hundred officials that Fan Zhongyan had brought, it would be difficult to maintain the operations of Chiyou City.
Therefore, according to the unified framework of the territory, the rebuilt government needed a large number of low-level officials.
Regrettably, the Han people living in Wuzhou County seemed to be ordinary people. True scholars and scholars were basically nowhere to be seen.
This situation also made Ouyang Shuo very surprised, but he could not find a solution.
Seeing that the Marquis of Lian Zhou did not want to kill them all, the various tribe leaders were at a loss, but at the same time, they also felt a trace of relief.
"We pay our respects to the King!"
In the side hall, the various tribe leaders knelt together and officially acknowledged Ouyang Shuo's position as the Barbarian King.
Looking at the black mass of tribe leaders kneeling in front of him, Ouyang Shuo's expression was indescribable. From beginning to end, he had used a series of methods and finally completely suppressed this group of wild and unruly mountain barbarians.
Between tension and relaxation, a stick and a carrot, Ouyang Shuo became more and more skilled at playing politics.
Within the territory, only Ouyang Shuo alone could enjoy special privileges.
The others had to submit to Ouyang Shuo's rule in order to survive within the territory.
This was the bottom line that Ouyang Shuo had set, and it could not be challenged.
From today onwards, the special privileges of the mountain barbarians in Wuzhou County would really disappear like smoke in thin air. Of course, because of the existence of Chiyou City, Wuzhou County would still be the main camp and the largest gathering place of the mountain barbarians in the future.
In reality, the barbarians within the borders of China were not limited to the mountain barbarians of the South Sichuan Province and the South Ridge Province. There were other barbarians in other regions.
At the very least, there were a large number of barbarians living in the Shu region.
He just did not know whether Ouyang Shuo's title of the Barbarian King would be able to have a deterrent effect on the unknown barbarians in the future.
The barbarians were really natural warriors.
No matter which clan it was, it was enough to move Ouyang Shuo.
"Everyone, please rise!"
Ouyang Shuo sat upright on the seat of honor, his voice not angry but imposing.
"Thank you, Your Majesty!"
The various chiefs rose one by one, looking at Ouyang Shuo with a different expression.
In the respect, there was a faint trace of intimacy.
Their expressions were exactly the same as the previous barbarian warriors.
No matter what, the mountain barbarians had a new leader, and they would not really fall apart.
"Why is there not a single Han official in Wuzhou County? Do you know the reason?"
Looking at the mountain barbarians standing in the hall, Ouyang Shuo suddenly thought of a question.
Before Chiyou was defeated, these chiefs were all high-ranking figures of Chiyou City. They should have some understanding of this strange phenomenon.
As expected, Ouyang Shuo had asked the right people this time.
The patriarchs looked at each other and communicated with each other with their eyes. Finally, the most respected patriarch stepped forward and respectfully replied, "Your Majesty, we are indeed aware of it."
"Speak!"
"Because Chiyou does not like the Han, the civil officials in the county are all locked up in a secret prison."
"What?" Hearing this, Ouyang Shuo did not know what expression to make. He could not help but slap the table and stand up, asking anxiously, "Are these civil officials still alive?"
"They are alive." The old chief thought for a moment, but still decided to tell the truth. "It's just that their situation is not good. According to what I know, some civil officials could not bear it and have already died. "
"..."
Ouyang Shuo was really speechless towards Chiyou's actions. (To be continued.)
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