Revisiting Red Cliffs!
After Wang Yue's army entered Jianye, the local clans began pledging their loyalty to him. They not only provided supplies but also sent their sons and nephews to serve in the army.
Of course, they had brought their own retainers with them this time, hoping to gain control over the soldiers who had been left behind.
Wang Yue knew their loyalty was worthless, so he merely went through the motions. After accepting their men, he assigned them all to Guan Ping's command.
However, to destroy Cao Wei more quickly and further weaken Jiangdong, Wang Yue began recruiting soldiers as soon as he had gathered the thirty thousand troops who had surrendered.
In his capacity as Yangzhou Governor, Wang Yue promised that every family that sent one man to serve would be rewarded with land in Jingzhou. Furthermore, during the entire migration, food and drink would be provided so that no one went hungry.
Most of this land was in Nanyang and Xiangyang, but it would be given directly to them, so they would not have to rent land from someone else.
On the first day Wang Yue's recruitment notice was posted, only a few people came to test the waters. But once they actually received deeds to land in Jiangxia, many more immediately came to join him.
The great clans of the time had always concealed people from the census and made them work for their families, strengthening their position by collecting rent.
Of course, those who sought the clans' protection gained certain benefits. At least they would not be bullied by other families, though they could hardly escape being mistreated by the clan itself.
So, without some outside incentive, the common people endured it. But now Wang Yue was giving them land outright, and they would