Chapter 693
Everything is Ready
The main force of the Han army that had led the eastern expedition was about to return to Yi'an from Huainan, marking the end of one chapter of history and the beginning of a new one.
History is both complex and simple. In a sense, the fall of the Jin Dynasty was not a simple matter of chance, but rather an extension of the political crisis at the end of the Han Dynasty. While on the surface the direct cause of the Jin Dynasty's demise appears to be Sima Yan's forceful suppression of the Qi King Sima You's faction and the appointment of the mentally challenged Sima Zhong as crown prince in order to ensure the throne's succession, a closer examination of the political turmoil before and after the War of the Eight Princes reveals that it was remarkably similar to the Rebellion of the Ten Attendants at the end of the Han Dynasty.
The same succession crisis, the same regency by the empress's relatives, the same coup by the imperial guards—all these led to widespread chaos. The only difference was that the leader of the coup changed from Yuan Shao to the Sima princes. When Sima Yan asked Liu Yi, the Commandant of the Capital Region, which Han emperor he could be compared to, Liu Yi replied that it was Emperor Ling of Han, a truly apt comparison.
Ultimately, it is a continuation of the complete bankruptcy of the Han Dynasty's system.
Politically, the military meritocracy, the cornerstone of the Han Dynasty, had become virtually ineffective. The recommendation system for selecting officials had permeated all aspects of the court and the public sphere, transforming the Han Dynasty from a martial nation into one focused on Confucian classics. However, in terms of status, scholars did not replace the army; every Han official remained nominally a general in the Han army, always ready to fight. This led to a severe political misalignment, producing many renowned scholars like Kong Rong, who were highly respected for their Confucian scholarship but were rendered helpless by the Yellow Turban Rebellion.
On the economic front, the breakdown of the military meritocracy system led to the collapse of the land and household registration system. With the increase in population, the small-scale peasant economy, characterized by universal conscription, naturally collapsed. Large landowners and estates formed through land consolidation were able to monopolize local resources and thus challenge the central government. Unable to redistribute land to the poor or levy taxes, the Han Dynasty could only cooperate with these powerful local clans and delegate power to local governors, using political maneuvering to continuously weaken local power and making it difficult for prefectures and provinces to form alliances.
On a cultural level, ever since Dong Zhongshu advocated the theory of the interaction between Heaven and humanity, the emperor was supposed to be a deity of the human world. He might not be the only god, but he was the supreme god who governed the present world. His mistakes would cause the heavens and earth to tremble and blood to fall, while his achievements would make the Yellow River clear and the Yangtze River peaceful. However, after Wang Mang's machinations, the emperor's fate could be altered and even replaced. Later, the Way of Great Peace and the Way of the Celestial Masters rose to prominence, establishing the doctrine of the True Lord of Great Peace and widely proclaiming that the True Man of Huangchu would replace the Han emperor. Cao Cao, going along with this trend, proclaimed himself the first True Lord of Great Peace, and with the prophecy of Tu Gao, he completely destroyed the divine status of the Han emperor.
After that, all those who came after had to face this question again and start answering it anew.
From Cao Cao and his grandson to Sima Yi and his grandson, their problem-solving approaches were actually consistent.
Politically, on the one hand, they cooperated with the aristocratic families, abolished the military merit system, re-established the five-rank system of nobility, and gave them political status. On the other hand, they were wary of the aristocratic families and made important use of imperial relatives and maternal relatives, attempting to make them check and balance each other.
Economically, a permissive attitude was adopted, the state was abandoned in minting coins, the economic privileges of the gentry in local areas were recognized, and problems such as unregistered households and slaves were ignored. At the same time, the government's expenditures were significantly reduced.
Culturally, it aimed to emulate the Zhou dynasty as closely as possible, continuing to emphasize the interaction between heaven and humanity while cultivating an image of a sage ruler who governed by non-action and pacified the world with tranquility.
However, judging from the final results, the decisions made by Cao Wei and Sima Jin were undoubtedly failures. In the grand scheme of things, if nothing was done, the court appeared to be a normal, and very strong, entity. But in reality, the court gradually and completely lost control over its officials at all levels. There were almost no forces truly loyal to the court, and whenever the court tried to do something, it would fall into endless internal strife.
As seen in dealing with the Tufashu Rebellion and the Qi Wannian Rebellion, many problems had ample opportunity for resolution. They could have been nipped in the bud, but due to the independent actions of those at the grassroots level, minor disturbances escalated into major chaos. The Li Te Rebellion, the Li Chen and Liu Ni Rebellion, and even the Chen Min Rebellion, the Zhang Fang Rebellion, and the Liu Yuan Rebellion, all exemplify this. Under such immense crisis, perhaps a portion of the court's instinctive response could be awakened, allowing it to prolong its existence in a corner. However, without rebuilding a new structure, a new era of chaos will inevitably emerge sooner or later.
Now that the Jin dynasty has been destroyed, this question is now facing Liu Xian, who has just unified the south. He is now qualified to declare himself emperor, but this also means that it is up to him to answer this historical dilemma.
Liu Xian was well aware of this, so when he received the news of the pacification of Huainan, the officials of the Ministry of Personnel were overjoyed and spread the good news everywhere. However, he did not appear very happy. Instead, he casually told Lu Zhi, Li Sheng and others, "We can already see the mountaintop."
Liu Xian was thirty-eight years old when he reached this point, a time when he was in the prime of his life. However, he had also narrowly escaped death several times. After experiencing so much, he was no longer the young man he once was. He no longer believed that after doing something or defeating an opponent, he could finally relax and begin a long rest.
He had only just crossed the mountainside and indeed glimpsed the summit, but the path ahead, seemingly within reach, would become even more treacherous and steep. The higher one climbs, the harder the fall will be; it might be better to stop halfway up and admire the scenery. This is perhaps the meaning of the saying, "He who travels a hundred li is only halfway there at ninety." Although he was getting closer to becoming emperor, the thought of the potential risks made Liu Xian increasingly cautious, even feeling as if he were walking on thin ice.
To outsiders, Liu Xian's life story might seem legendary. Back in Luoyang, he faced pressure from Jia Mi, Sun Xiu, Dong Ai, Lu Ji, and Zhang Fang, and many considered him a doomed man. Yet, ten years later, Liu Xian had restored his former kingdom, unified the south, and become the most powerful force in the land, seemingly a destiny ordained by heaven.
Liu Xian understood that while success was fraught with difficulties and luck played a part, the most crucial factors were meticulous planning, long-term patience, decisive action, and unwavering commitment to integrity. Therefore, he would continue in this manner, with only one goal: to rebuild a strong and powerful court, thereby ending war and becoming a true ruler of peace.
The restoration of the Han dynasty and the submission of the world were merely inevitable results of resolving this issue.
Therefore, while others were celebrating, Liu Xian quickly regained his composure and went for a walk by the lotus pond. He then summoned Lu Zhi for a private discussion and asked, "Zidao, what do you think I should do about Yangzhou?"
Seeing that Liu Xian was still able to maintain a cautious attitude, Lu Zhi was naturally very pleased. Pride after a small victory is actually the greatest taboo for a ruler. Back when he was under Sima Ying's command, Sima Ying was able to make one or two correct choices, but his biggest problem was that he could not resist the temptation of victory, which led him to misjudge his own strength and make irrational choices, ultimately resulting in his defeat and death.
He understood the problem Liu Xian was currently pondering. Although the Han army had nominally unified the south, its control over the area east of Wuchang was not high. While the war had been extremely successful, to maintain overall stability, Liu Xian had essentially preserved the political framework left over from the Jin court, only stripping the military of their power. In reality, however, as long as the aristocratic families existed, their private retainers and followers would remain a significant force, an unstable element that would continue to influence the court's administration.
Jiangzhou, being closer to Jingzhou, meant that even if something went wrong, a large army could arrive within a day, still within the court's control. Yangzhou, however, was far too distant. From Yi'an to Jianye, even a court envoy traveling day and night might arrive in ten days. But communication couldn't continue indefinitely; normal travel time would take about a month. To penetrate deep into the heart of the Three Wu regions might require two months or even longer. In the past decade, since Qi King Sima Jiong's uprising, under the management of Zhou Qi and others, the influence of Yangzhou's powerful figures had grown like a runaway horse, almost completely independent of outsiders and unchecked. Although they had now submitted to Liu Xian, they remained uncontrollable. Yangzhou was a crucial point in the struggle against Qi, possessing considerable manpower and resources; it couldn't be ignored if the goal was to conquer the Central Plains. Therefore, how to govern the Three Wu regions was a major issue that Liu Xian had to consider.
Lu Zhi and Liu Xian were of one mind. As the current prime minister, he had long considered this issue. After walking slowly with the Prince of Han for a while, he slowly said to Liu Xian, "Your Highness, in my humble opinion, it is better to remain still than to act in Yangzhou."
"Is it better to remain still than to act?" Liu Xian stopped and asked Lu Zhi, "You mean, maintain the status quo in the Three Wu regions?"
Lu Zhi nodded slightly and replied, "Yes, Your Highness. The Wu people have been powerful for a century. Even with Sun Quan's cunning, he can only use their strength against them and cannot truly control them. Now, their problems are too deep to be reversed. The Wu people are wielding great power and doing whatever they want in the region. If Your Highness wants to suddenly change the status quo and implement new policies in the Three Wu regions, I'm afraid it will only backfire."
This was exactly what Liu Xian was worried about. He said in a solemn tone, "What you said makes sense, but if we do nothing and let them continue like this, I am worried that other officials will follow suit and corrupt the atmosphere in the court."
The most important thing in governing the country is to treat everyone equally. If we strengthen the governance of other prefectures and counties but ignore the Three Wu regions, it will be difficult to win the support of the people and will give other officials a reason to oppose the new policies.
Lu Zhi laughed and said, "You don't need to worry so much. Reforming politics is not something that can be accomplished in a day. In extraordinary times, we must adapt to local conditions. Since it is difficult to govern the Wu people within the existing court system, why don't you take advantage of your ascension to the throne to establish a separate vassal state in the Three Wu regions to settle the Sima clan and let them fight among themselves with the Wu people?"
Liu Xian was taken aback upon hearing this, but after a moment's thought, his mind cleared and he was overjoyed.
The establishment of vassal states was not Lu Zhi's original idea. It should be noted that when the State of Chu was vying for hegemony during the Spring and Autumn and Warring States periods, it frequently established puppet states to appease the local people and unknowingly establish the authority of the State of Chu before annexing and directly governing them.
After the chaos at the end of the Qin Dynasty, Emperor Gaozu of Han, Liu Bang, also realized that it was difficult to suddenly extend the prefecture-county system to the whole country. It was better to have both prefectures and kingdoms, first enfeoffing kings of different surnames, and then changing them to kings of the same surname, gradually strengthening the authority of the emperor in a slow and gentle manner. It was not until Emperors Wen and Jing gradually dismantled the enfeoffment of kings, and Emperor Wu extended imperial favors, that the implementation of the prefecture-county system was finally completed.
Liu Xian thought this was indeed a good idea that killed two birds with one stone. The Wu people had always advocated the Zhou system and longed for enfeoffment. It was difficult for him to govern them directly, and forcibly promoting it would only make them resentful. So why not simply establish another kingdom and let them be nominally autonomous? This would satisfy the Wu people's wishes and appease them.
At the same time, the resettlement of the Sima clan princes was also a problem. Although the Jin dynasty had fallen, many remnants remained, such as those in Guanzhong, Liaodong, and the Western Regions, as well as numerous refugee groups in the Central Plains, who still nominally submitted to the Jin court. Scholars from various prefectures and counties had also engaged in extensive intermarriage with the Sima princes. If he were to enfeoff the Sima clan with a separate kingdom, it would demonstrate his preferential treatment of them, and the scholars would surely be loyal to him, giving him a political advantage.
Moreover, binding the Sima clan and the Wu people together has another advantage: it allows them to engage in internal political strife, thus preventing them from influencing the overall situation. In this way, one can utilize the manpower and resources of Jiangzuo (the region south of the Yangtze River) while also legitimately separating the imperial system from the Wu system, allowing the world to see the superiority or inferiority of the two systems, leaving no room for criticism.
However, to ensure that this vassal state is not truly independent but remains under the control of the imperial court, a series of supporting measures need to be devised. But overall, given the current situation, it is difficult to find a more appropriate approach.
Thinking of this, Liu Xian grabbed Lu Zhi's arm, wagged his finger, and said with a grin, "What a bold idea! Zidao, you haven't been planning this for a long time, have you?"
Lu Zhi laughed and said, "Your Highness's ascension to the throne is imminent; who in the world does not know this? I am merely preparing for the worst. Your Highness should focus on preparing for the grand ceremony after the New Year! The people of the world have been waiting for this day for a long time!"
After saying this, the two of them burst into laughter. Liu Xian said, "Alright, then let me take your good wishes!"
As Lu Zhi said, when He Pan was on his eastern expedition, people everywhere had already sensed that victory was inevitable and that the time for the King of Han to become emperor was approaching, so they began to report auspicious omens to Liu Xian.
Shortly after returning to Hanzhong, Yang Nandi immediately submitted a memorial claiming that while he was inspecting Chenggu County with the local Taoist priest, there was a sudden sound of thunder on the banks of the Han River, and then the bank collapsed. Twelve bronze bells were found, each engraved with ancient characters and numbers. Although he did not understand their true meaning, they were shaped like dragons and phoenixes and were already on their way.
After taking control of Jiangzhou, Wang Dun visited Zhang Zhaocheng, the Celestial Master of the Fifth Generation, at Longhu Mountain. Zhang Zhaocheng was nearly eighty years old at the time, but still remarkably vigorous. He told Wang Dun that his spirit had been traveling during this period, and upon reaching Mount Song, he encountered the Emperor of Song. The Emperor told him that there was a General Liu in Gong'an, a descendant of the Han people, destined to receive the Mandate of Heaven. Wang Dun then presented Zhang Zhaocheng with thirty-two jade discs and a gold ingot as a token to General Liu.
Zhang Zhaocheng dug at the stone altar at the foot of Longhu Mountain and indeed found a gold ingot and thirty-two jade discs. The thirty-two jade discs refer to the number of emperors from the founding of the Han Dynasty to the present. There were twenty-nine emperors in the Western and Eastern Han Dynasties, one emperor, Liu Xuan of the Xuan Han Dynasty, and Liu Bei and his son, Liu Bei, in the Shu Han Dynasty, totaling thirty-two. The gold ingot was also clearly imprinted with the character "Liu," which was also an allusion to the return of the Mao Jin Dao (a type of ancient Chinese sword).
Even the usually aloof Li Ju was not immune to the trend. While facing off against the Qi army at the front, he did not forget to submit two memorials to Yi'an. The first memorial claimed that he saw a white deer in Xiangyang and that sweet dew had fallen on Xian Mountain. The second memorial said that he met the diviner Bu Xiong from Yangping on the road. Bu Xiong looked up at the celestial phenomena and saw that Saturn had been guarding the Southern Dipper for a long time. He divined that "the country that has been guarded by Saturn for a long time will be blessed," which meant that the southern country would prosper and the mandate of heaven would shift south.
Although these measures were not initiated by Liu Xian, with the encouragement of officials in various regions, the public opinion that "a sage emperor of the Han dynasty is about to emerge" had become widespread, and the time was gradually ripe for Liu Xian to declare himself emperor. Everything was ready except for the final push. (End of Chapter)