Although Yang Province was not yet as prosperous as it would become after the gentry migrated south, it was no worse off than Southern Jing and Jiao Province under Lan Tian's original rule. Its fertile lands supported a denser population.
Jiangdong had originally possessed the foundation to contend for the realm, yet the long-term exploitation of the great clans, coupled with the Sun Clan's own indulgence in pleasure, had kept Jiangdong in a state where expenses exceeded income. Its national strength was the weakest among Sun, Cao, and Liu. Even if Lan Tian had not taken the initiative to send troops, Sun Quan would not have survived until the final stages as he had in the original history.
Lan Tian kept a smile on his face as he listened to the reports, but inwardly he resolved to change the old order. Brutal slaughter like Sun Ce's would not do, nor would balancing factions like Sun Quan. He would resolve matters in a more prudent way. And an offhand remark from Lan Ji at the time had given Lan Tian the inspiration to break the deadlock.
Lan Tian had once declared that until Jiangdong was pacified, all administrative affairs and regulations would for the time being continue as before, while certain core issues would be referred to Liu Bei for imperial judgment. The collapse of the Sun regime had been like pulling up a radish and bringing out the dirt with it, leaving behind vast interests that needed redistribution—such as the lands occupied by the Sun Clan, the ranks and fiefs Sun Quan had bestowed, and so on. These matters required time to digest slowly; mishandling them could easily sow the seeds of disaster. Thus, the first reform he proposed was the seemingly harmless Newspaper.
After breakfast the next day, Zhang