Chapter 1079: Governance of Huxiang

If one were to rank the development speed of all the circuits and prefectures of the Great Han, then without a doubt, Hunan Circuit would rank first. The reason is also simple: its foundation was relatively weak, and after receiving effective governance, the progress achieved was naturally enormous.

For thousands of years, Hunan could not be described purely as a land of "Chu tribesmen." Along the Xiang River, with Tanzhou and Hengzhou as the core, this was also a treasured land—fertile soil and abundant products.

At the same time, it enjoyed the benefits of several waves of northern culture and economy shifting southward. In the process of exchange and connection with the Central Plains, it also formed its own cultural foundation. In the recent period, during the Ma Chu era, like the other southern separatist states, the land of Xiangtan experienced a great development worth recording.

Back then, Ma Xifan managed to establish the "Eighteen Academicians of the Tiance Mansion." Regardless of its quality, it reflected to some degree the development situation in Hunan. However, because the brilliance of Jianghuai and Wuyue was too dazzling, and because the descendants of the Ma clan were too unworthy, internal strife and external wars left Hunan ravaged, such that in many people's impressions, Hunan remained that broken, impoverished backwater.

With economic potential and a cultural foundation, after entering the Han, the main factor constraining Hunan's development was only one thing: population. This was also what the officials of Hunan Circuit's prefectures and offices had been working on for all these years.

The court took it over in the eighth year of Qianyou, and to this day, it has been a full eight years. In these eight years, the greatest change was precisely population growth—from an initial five hundred thousand people to a registered household population exceeding one million, doubling outright. That is an annual growth rate of nearly 10 percent, which can be described as quite astonishing.

Of course, this was not purely natural growth. Credit must also go to the former chief administrator, Zan Jurun. After taking office, this gentleman was diligent and conscientious, single-mindedly leading the people of the Three Xiang toward development.

From the very start, he understood the importance of registered population. After social order stabilized, he began auditing hidden households, while formulating policies to attract refugees and draw people from all directions to migrate. When the court pacified Shu, he submitted repeated memorials and obtained the court's approval to fill Hunan with Sichuan migrants—this single measure alone added some one hundred fifty to one hundred sixty thousand people. Combined with the incorporation of Miao and Yao tribesmen and the stimulus of child-rearing policies, Hunan's population growth naturally "took off."

Even if this result still fell slightly short of the population of the three prefectures formerly belonging to Nanping, the achievement could not be denied. Population was an important criterion in the Great Han's assessment of prefectural and county officials, and in Hunan, dozens of officials received promotions because of it.

Previously, to encourage childbirth and reduce the burden of raising children on the people, Zan Jurun specifically allocated funds from the public treasury as rewards. At the same time, swallowing his pride, he submitted memorials to Emperor Liu requesting central government funding support. Although not every request was granted, with enough frequency, and considering how difficult it had been for him to clean up the mess in Hunan, the court would always give some assistance.

Speaking of it, through this kind of back-and-forth, Hunan became the circuit with the closest ties to the court. In the year or two after the pacification of Shu, whenever the central government received a memorial from Zan Jurun, officials could not help joking, guessing what Governor Zan was going to ask for this time...

In this era, talent was the primary productive force. Once population growth was satisfied, progress in other areas could be imagined. Enjoying the bounty of mountains and forests on one hand, and the advantages of rivers and lakes on the other, he vigorously promoted land reclamation and encouraged commerce and trade.

Three years later, though still not quite at the level of adequate food and clothing, the region showed a thriving momentum. Five years later, public order was good, governance was smooth, and the people were harmonious. Eight years later, for the current people of Hunan, it could be called "moderately prosperous," and the region could even support the court in return—when Pan Mei pacified Lingnan, half of the money and grain and seven-tenths of the corvée laborers were supplied by Hunan.

On the basis of encouraging agriculture and sericulture, opening roads and dredging canals, and building water conservancy works, Zan Jurun also developed another source of revenue: the mining and smelting of mineral resources. Especially in Chenzhou in the south, precious metals such as gold and silver mines were vigorously mined and smelted. For larger-scale silver pits alone, there were three within Chenzhou. By now, Hunan's annual tribute of silver to the court reached fifteen thousand taels—no small amount.

Beyond the economy and people's livelihoods, cultural endeavors also recovered. This land had sufficient cultural heritage. Even in the one or two years of the tightest finances, Zan Jurun would squeeze out a portion of the circuit's fiscal resources every year to support schools and aid scholars.

Led by the Pacification Commissioner Shi Wende, a group of Hunan literati, together with some Sichuanese literary talents who had moved into Tanzhou, jointly drove the cultural development of the Three Xiang. When the Great Han achieved unification and entered the Kaibao era, with Zan Jurun's support, Shi Wende gathered a group of literati to jointly compile a book depicting Hunan's politics, military affairs, culture, customs, and other historical and social aspects since the end of the Tang—entitled *Records of Huxiang*—and presented it together with tribute goods at the Kaibao grand ceremony, earning Emperor Liu's praise.

It could be said that under Zan Jurun's governance, the land of Huxiang once again experienced a great development. Regrettably, all good things must come to an end—Zan Jurun was transferred away, going to Jiangzhe, and is now the Governor-General of Minzhe, which can be considered a promotion.

However, for the people of Hunan, it was a great loss. It is said that on the day Zan Jurun boarded the boat to leave, ten thousand people tried to detain him. The streets of Changsha were emptied as the populace vied to see him off on the banks of the Xiang River. Perhaps somewhat exaggerated, but the people's reluctant affection for Zan Jurun was genuine. To commemorate him, they specially renamed a canal that diverted water from the Liu Yang River as Zan Gong Canal.

Governing Hunan for over eight years, leaving behind not only outstanding achievements but also such a reputation—that was truly remarkable. Strictly speaking, in terms of governance achievements, among all local officials of the Great Han, Zan Jurun was at least second, but because Hunan's status in the Great Han was truly not high, even with solid accomplishments, they were not conspicuous enough.

In the Changsha of the first year of Kaibao, the former dilapidation was nowhere to be seen. The wounds inflicted by war had long been repaired, and the population had recovered to over five thousand households. One should know that in the early years, to restore development, Zan Jurun had pushed everyone out to reclaim land, and the city's population had once fallen to fewer than two thousand people...

Within the government offices, Governor Zan had departed and Governor Bian had arrived. Now it was Bian Guidang's turn to take over Huxiang and lead the people of the Three Xiang forward. Bian Guidang had been quite active in the Great Han political scene in the early Qianyou years, having served at his highest as Censor-in-Chief, overseeing the supervisory system. He repeatedly submitted outspoken memorials, always speaking with reason and hitting the crux of matters, and was greatly respected by Liu Chengyou.

However, because he later made several targeted attacks against the Wude Office, he ultimately angered Emperor Liu and was sent out as Judicial Commissioner of Huaixi Circuit. During his tenure, he strictly enforced laws and discipline, rooted out corrupt officials, and was later transferred to Jinghu Circuit, then appointed to govern Jiangling Prefecture. Now he has become the chief administrator of Jinghu South Circuit.