Chapter 698
The Taoist Emperor
After the initial clash between Qi Han and Southern Han, although Qi Han ultimately suffered a defeat and withdrew from the battlefield, handing over the entire Shouchun court to the Southern army, it was a strategic loss. However, the Qi army did win a significant victory at Lion Mountain, which greatly enhanced Liu Baigen's prestige and allowed him to stabilize the domestic political situation. In the following six months, he used this opportunity to reorganize politics and reassure the people.
The first step was to enfeoff the princes. This had been decided before the founding of the kingdom, as the greatest wish of all subjects throughout history has been to be granted land and become kings. Liu Bogen had promised this when he started his rebellion, but it had to be postponed due to the sudden outbreak of the Battle of Shouchun.
Now that the war was over, Liu Baigen immediately bestowed titles upon his meritorious officials. He appointed Wang Mi as King of Yan, Liu Zhongdao as King of Han, Wang Zhang as King of Lu, Cao Yi as King of Song, Liu Ling as King of Cai, Xu Miao as King of Zheng, Gao Liang as King of Chen, Zhang Song as King of Zhu, Xu Kan as King of Deng, Li Yun as King of Wei, Su Jun as King of Xing, Ju Peng as King of Shen... Including his relatives and nephews, he actually bestowed titles upon twenty-four kings in one go.
Although most of these titles were nominal, with each minister still controlling the same territory, at least in name, they were extremely wealthy and powerful, much to everyone's delight. Moreover, Liu Bogen didn't even grant titles to dukes, marquises, earls, viscounts, or barons; instead, he delegated this power to the individual kings, allowing them to bestow titles as they saw fit. Each king could grant two dukes, four marquises, twelve earls, thirty-six viscounts, and seventy-two barons, only needing to submit the lists for the court to verify.
In this way, Liu Bogen bestowed three thousand titles in one go. Everyone in the Qi army who held a position in charge of people, even just a squad leader, was given a title; it could be said that everyone was rewarded.
This initially puzzled the newly recruited Jin officials. Chen Zhi, the Minister of the Imperial Secretariat, privately wrote to Liu Baigen, subtly advising him that this action was against etiquette and had the appearance of unauthorized bestowal of titles, making it difficult for people to cherish these ranks.
Unexpectedly, Liu Baigen was quite dismissive of the letter he received and said to Liu Zhongdao about it: "Chen Zhi is really a bookish thinker! Previously, the various departments in the country were extremely complicated, the laws and regulations were inconsistent between the top and bottom, and orders were issued from multiple sources. When the court issued a policy, it was difficult to find a specific person in charge at the local county level. How could this last?"
"Now, by taking advantage of the opportunity to bestow rewards, I have asked the princes to submit the list of dukes and marquises. At least the court can sort out personnel matters and find people to take responsibility!"
It turned out that, due to the previous independent operations and development of the various Qi and Han tribes, the leaders of the refugee tribes were extremely independent. Liu Bogen could only discuss many matters directly with the leaders of the refugee tribes under his command. He had only a superficial understanding of the internal situation of many of the refugee tribe leaders, let alone the ability to command and manage them.
While this large-scale distribution of fiefdoms objectively acknowledged the authority of the leaders of the various refugee tribes, it also allowed him to integrate these tribes under the central government, creating a simpler and more direct administrative system. This enabled Liu Bogen to understand the strength and personnel within each tribe, and on this basis, to implement simple policies and hold those who failed to implement them accountable.
Of course, this is only one point; there's another that Liu Bogen couldn't openly state. Given the current situation of the Three Kingdoms vying for supremacy, his control over domestic politics was the weakest, and the loyalty of his subordinates was the lowest. If he didn't offer the highest possible price to the refugees, how could they possibly remain loyal to Qi and Han instead of surrendering to the seemingly more powerful Southern Han?
Liu Zhongdao understood this perfectly, and he smiled and said, "Your Majesty's thoughts are far-sighted, something that your subjects cannot comprehend."
However, even if the personnel were sorted out by simply granting titles, it would be difficult to implement new policies. After all, the local gentry and fortified villages in various prefectures and counties were all related by blood and kinship, forming a united front. If the imperial court wanted to understand the local household registration details, it would be an extremely difficult task. Therefore, after granting titles, Liu Bogen used his background in the Celestial Masters sect to work with Wang Mi to carry out reforms in order to understand the domestic situation.
By this time, the Qi and Han dynasties had officially established the Way of the Celestial Masters as the state religion, which inevitably led people to compare it with the already extinct Li dynasty's Chengdu Kingdom. However, after comparison, it is not difficult to find that although the two appear similar, they are actually quite different in essence.
Li Xiong established the Celestial Masters sect as the state religion primarily because of its powerful influence in the Sichuan-Chongqing region. For over two centuries since Zhang Daoling, the various sect leaders had cultivated the area, allowing the Celestial Masters sect to permeate every aspect of Sichuan and possess substantial human and material resources. Any regime seeking to establish itself in Sichuan had to ally with the Celestial Masters sect, even Liu Xian. However, in essence, Li Xiong and his followers did not truly believe in the Celestial Masters sect; even though he feigned it convincingly, he didn't know much more than novice believers.
The situation was different in Qi and Han. Although the Way of Peace had been the main force in Qing and Xu since the late Han Dynasty, it was leaderless after losing its leader, Zhang Jiao, and was only reorganized after being reorganized by the Way of the Celestial Masters. However, due to many differences in doctrine, there was always disharmony within the organization, and the various factions often debated scriptures. This made the development of the East China Sea Way of the Celestial Masters full of twists and turns, and its influence in the local area was far less than that in Ba and Shu.
Under these circumstances, even though Liu Bogen and Wang Mi were rising stars of the East Sea Celestial Masters sect and made significant contributions to the growth of the organization, they still could not change the status quo. Especially after recruiting leaders of various refugee tribes in the Central Plains, the number of Celestial Masters followers within the sect became even smaller, making it even more difficult to demonstrate Liu Bogen's authority.
Unlike Li Xiong, Liu Bogen was indeed accomplished in religion. After realizing this, he did not forcibly promote the Celestial Masters sect in China, but instead adapted it to local conditions and used it as a tool to monitor the country.
According to the traditional rules of the Celestial Masters sect, although the Supervisor of Heaven is the supreme leader of a region, the Chief Priest is the core figure who controls the grassroots religious groups. They can inherit their positions, control the promotion and recruitment of local Taoist priests, and mobilize believers and preach on their own, effectively making them local lords within the religious group.
Fortunately, the East Sea Celestial Masters sect was influenced by the Way of Great Peace, so this custom was not deeply rooted. Liu Baigen took advantage of the situation to denounce it as "the false teachings of the Three Zhangs." He claimed to be Liu Gen, a famous alchemist from the Eastern Han Dynasty, who had ascended to heaven in seclusion during that period. However, on the Thirty-Six Heavens, he saw the suffering of the people and their inability to obtain the true teachings, and he could not bear it, so he descended to earth to save the common people and impart the true scriptures.
Now that he has proclaimed himself emperor, he is even more determined to reform the long-standing problems. Therefore, he established the Xuandu Altar south of Daxing City as the headquarters for managing the Celestial Masters sect within the country. He ordered that all the priests under his command must accept the instructions of the Xuandu Altar, and that their positions be non-hereditary. All priests must be elected by local believers and approved by the Xuandu Altar. Furthermore, priests are forbidden from collecting miscellaneous taxes beyond the five pecks of rice from believers, and are prohibited from practicing the art of male-female sexual intercourse. They must also strictly hold three annual assemblies, in which all believers must be present.
For the Eastern Sea Celestial Masters sect, this was truly a sweeping reform, but from an outsider's perspective, it was beyond reproach. Liu Baigen's various reforms were all aimed at restoring the Celestial Masters sect's image among the people. Since most people in Qi and Han did not believe in the Celestial Masters sect, there was naturally very little opposition, and they couldn't discern Liu Baigen's true intentions.
After this reform, Liu Bogen could directly control the appointment and removal of the Taoist priests of the Celestial Masters sect within the country. The Taoist priests he appointed were not only his confidants but also his eyes and ears. Then, the Xuandu Altar could openly and legitimately penetrate into various prefectures and counties under the guise of spreading its teachings, monitoring the actions of the various refugee leaders. Combined with the previous lavish bestowal of titles, he could control the entire situation from top to bottom and carry out targeted governance.
However, while the matter was easy to describe, it involved a vast scope and was extremely time-consuming to accomplish. Therefore, for about a year after he became emperor, he and Wang Mi were privately busy with this matter, so much so that they were unaware of the succession crisis within the Zhao Han dynasty. It wasn't until Shi Le led his troops to formally besiege Ye City that the Daxing court received the news. Before they could make a decision, Shi Le had already taken over Ye City and reached a new agreement with the Zhao Han dynasty.
This action greatly alarmed Liu Bogen, who immediately sent an envoy to question Shi Le, who replied with a letter filled with trepidation.
He claimed that his southward journey was a last resort, as this land originally belonged to his sworn brother, Ji Sang. Ji Sang had fought against Zhang Fang and had done great favors for the people of Hebei, but unfortunately, he was framed by the Jin court, a tragedy deeply lamented by the local people. Now, with the Zhao and Han dynasties in turmoil, the people of Wei and Zhao wished to submit to him, and he could not bear to refuse. He now wished to give his only son, Shi Xing, to his sworn brother Ji Sang, renaming him Ji Xing, to continue his sworn brother's lineage, and requested permission from the Emperor of Daxing.
At the end of his reply, Shi Le also claimed that he would give the emperor of Daxing 10,000 head of cattle and sheep to show his sincere loyalty.
After receiving the letter, Liu Baigen remained noncommittal and instead summoned Wang Mi, Cao Yi, Su Jun, Liu Ling, and others to discuss the matter. Wang Mi, after reading it, sneered and said to Liu Baigen, "Your Majesty, Shi Le has truly grown too powerful. He can utter such nonsense. No matter how nicely the letter sounds, it doesn't mention any sharing of benefits. He merely wants to use his deceased sworn brother's name to take over all the fertile lands of the six prefectures."
These words immediately resonated with the crowd. Wang Zhang also said, "Who does he think His Majesty is? Is a mere ten thousand cattle and sheep worth a laugh? If he were a true subject, even if he couldn't hand over every last bit to the court, he should at least offer three prefectures. Yet Shi Le shows no gratitude to His Majesty and refuses to give up a single cent. Your Majesty, he has rebellious intentions!"
Liu Ling even volunteered, saying, "Your Majesty, please give the order. I am willing to be the vanguard, to reclaim Wei territory, and to capture this treacherous barbarian alive!"
Unexpectedly, after Liu Ling, Liu Baigen's cousin, uttered such impassioned words, the others did not echo him and fell silent, making the scene somewhat awkward.
After a moment, Cao Yi advised from the side, "The loyalty of the Prince of Cai is good, but it is somewhat out of step with the times. Shi Le is a famous general, and he has two great Xianbei tribes as his allies. If he were to march north, it would be difficult to achieve a quick victory. The greatest enemy of our country now is the Southerners. If a stalemate is formed in the north, we will be unable to attend to both sides, and the Southerners will benefit from the situation. That would be a loss for us."
This is also the thought of most people. At this moment, Qi and Han really have no way to deal with Shi Le. Their primary enemy is inevitably the Southern Han. The two sides are facing off along the Huai River and a conflict could break out at any time. It is impossible to send most of their troops north. If they use a small number of troops to attack Shi Le, they will inevitably fail.
Wang Mi commented, "Shi Le's move was abrupt, but it was indeed a brilliant one. He made it only after careful consideration. Your Majesty, we don't need to ruin our relationship with him over a mere six prefectures."
He then advised Liu Bogen: "Your Majesty, although Shi Le is difficult to deal with and disloyal to the court, he is still sensible. The reason he speaks humbly everywhere is simply because he understands one thing: if we lose our composure and Liu Xian gains control of the Central Plains, he will surely not have a good end either."
"With our current national strength, we are already stronger than Cao Cao at Guandu. Your Majesty is a reincarnation of an immortal, blessed with boundless good fortune. As long as we can defeat Liu Xian and drive him to Jiangnan, we can spread our might throughout the land. Naturally, the barbarians will submit. Why should we fear such a small Jie barbarian? In my opinion, Your Majesty, we should not rush to use force against Shi Le, but should focus on appeasement."
Hearing this, the advantages and disadvantages were clear. Liu Baigen lowered his head and pondered for a long time before finally making his statement. He nodded slightly to Wang Mi and then said to the crowd, "The Prince of Yan speaks well! You are indeed worthy of being a disciple of Chisongzi! Shi Le is just a small barbarian from Shangdang, and he has managed to develop to this point, which is due to a bit of luck. However, the Central Plains of China is the land of the Han people. Without my intervention, he will inevitably fall on his own in the long run. We should still prioritize the south."
"However, I cannot let this go unpunished; I will extort money from him."
Liu Baigen summoned Chen Zhi and said, "Go and write a reply to the King of Zhongshan. Tell him that I have agreed to his appointment to govern the Wei and Zhao regions, but since Ji Sang is so popular in the area, I cannot help but express my opinion."
“I have a beautiful daughter, fourteen years old, the perfect age to find a husband, but I haven’t found a good one yet. But the night before last, the Supreme Being appeared to me in a dream and said that a good candidate would appear today.”
"Now that I hear that Ji Xing is thirteen, his age and family background are just right. Isn't this the will of Heaven? Why not have him come to the capital? If it's a good match, we can arrange a marriage. Wouldn't that be a wonderful thing?"
At this point, he turned to Liu Zhongdao and calmly ordered, "King Han, you shall lead 10,000 troops and position them at Baima in Puyang, saying that you are going there specifically to welcome the bride."
After Liu Baigen gave the order, the remaining people were filled with admiration, because the Emperor of Daxing's actions were very clear: the so-called marriage proposal was a pretense, and the real purpose was to demand a hostage. Shi Le used the overall situation in the north as leverage, wanting Qi and Han to watch him conquer the six prefectures. The Emperor of Daxing was giving him a taste of his own medicine, using the same leverage to demand that he hand over his only son as a hostage. Unless Shi Le truly disregarded the overall situation, he would have no choice but to compromise.
After dealing with this matter, Liu Baigen remembered something and asked Wang Mi, "Prince Yan, how are you doing finding those people that He Pan sent as an envoy last time, saying he wanted to redeem?"
Wang Mi was taken aback at first, then slapped his thigh and laughed, "Your Highness, we have found them all. They are all currently imprisoned in the imperial prison in the city. Are you planning to hand them over?"
Liu Baigen countered by asking Wang Mi, "What is the Prince of Yan's opinion?"
Wang Mi crossed his hands and replied, "Your Majesty, I think we can keep it for now, as it will be of great use in the future."
“Great use? Your Highness, please elaborate.” Liu Baigen was actually quite conflicted. He was unwilling to simply hand over Ji Shao and the others, as it seemed like a sign of weakness. However, keeping them seemed pointless. But upon hearing that Wang Mi had other uses, his eyes lit up.
Wang Mi didn't keep them in suspense and explained directly: "I heard that Liu Xian is currently carrying out large-scale reforms in Gong'an. Given the gap between our country and the Southern Kingdom, the longer it drags on, the more advantageous it will be for Liu Xian. Therefore, Your Majesty, although our army has not yet recovered its strength this year, we should still strike first next year. However, the Southern people have been wary of us for a long time and will certainly not fall for our trap easily again, so we might as well use this as an opportunity."
"First, detain the hostages and demand exorbitant prices to show our sincerity in negotiations, thus delaying the war. Then, return the hostages to make them think we are cowardly and dare not fight the Southerners. In reality, we will then send troops to defeat the enemy in one fell swoop." Having said this, Liu Baigen understood Wang Mi's plan and exclaimed, "A clever strategy—feigning weakness while revealing strength!"
Even so, considering the already unified situation in the south, this Taoist emperor couldn't help but feel immense pressure. Since Liu Xian raised his army, he had never suffered a defeat as the commander-in-chief. Could he truly defeat him?
But having embarked on this path, there was no turning back. After the crowd dispersed, Liu Baigen gazed at the bronze mirror in the palace, carefully examining himself. He smiled wryly, then muttered to himself, "Being an emperor is not the same as being a general. Liu Xian, even if you win every battle, you're still just another Xiang Yu." (End of Chapter)