"What could it be?" Zhang Zhao asked anxiously.
Lan Tian stroked his beard and studied the two men. Then, his expression turning serious, he said, "Though Jianye has now returned to Great Han, Sun Quan is still struggling on in Wu and Kuaiji. Most of the officials in the subordinate commanderies and counties are Sun Quan's claws and fangs. That is why I have not rushed to take over the administration. However, two places lie far from Wu and Kuaiji and urgently need to recuperate with the people after the ravages of war. The appointment and reassignment of officials in their various offices may need to be moved up."
"Prefect, you mean Yuzhang and Luling?" Gu Yong immediately understood.
"Luling's prefect, Lu Dai, was killed in battle earlier, and the Prefect of Guiyang, Xi Zhen, is currently serving concurrently. Yuzhang's prefect, Sun Lin, was shot dead by Xu Sheng, and it remains under military control for the time being. Do either of you have any talented men to recommend?" Lan Tian asked meaningfully.
Ever since Yuzhang and Luling had been pacified by Sun Ce, they had remained under the control of the brothers Sun Ben and Sun Fu. Their officials, private troops, and tax revenues were all decided by themselves. They were practically a state within a state in Jiangdong. Moreover, they lay far from Jiangdong's political and cultural center. Even after Sun Ben and Sun Fu died one after another, Sun Quan's grip over them remained weak.
Because Yuzhang and Luling bordered Jing Province and Jiao Province, they had long been militarily governed as forward strategic zones. The Jiangdong gentry had no interest at all in reaching into them. But now that the border threat no longer existed, the two commanderies had become important territory for the division of