Chapter 1147: The Debate on the Fengshan Sacrifices

The field headquarters was set up east of Baima City. Though a large number of miscellaneous personnel accompanied the entourage, everything was still arranged according to the requirements of a military campaign—strict military law, discernible order, and powerful restraint—which proved a hardship for those nobles and officials who were accompanying Emperor Liu on his tour for the first time.

The general responsible for all matters of the field headquarters was Liu Tinghan, Commander of the Inner Palace, a great general who had been singled out by Emperor Liu during the Northern Expedition and transferred to serve before the throne. Seven or eight years had passed; he was not particularly renowned in the court, but because he was close to Emperor Liu and held the vital post of imperial guard, no one dared to underestimate him.

"General, His Majesty summons you!" Having just returned to the military tent after his routine inspection of the field headquarters' defenses, he heard the report.

Without the slightest delay, setting down the water he had only half-drunk, Liu Tinghan straightened his armor and went to the imperial tent to pay his respects.

"Your servant has come at Your Majesty's summons. May I ask what instructions Your Majesty has?" Inside the imperial tent, Liu Tinghan clasped his hands and bowed.

The imperial tent was quite spacious—its ceiling stood three zhang and three chi high, capable of accommodating fifty people paying homage at once—and all the various implements were arranged neatly and methodically. Simply erecting this imperial tent had taken nearly two shichen.

It was precisely because this was not a true military campaign that such leisure was possible. Liu Tinghan stood alone within it, appearing rather solitary. Looking at him, Emperor Liu chuckled and said, "I took a turn around the field headquarters—it is very well organized. Though you have long been away from the ranks, you have not let your skill in marching and fighting lapse!"

"Your Majesty flatters me!" Liu Tinghan was somewhat puzzled—surely summoning him would not be merely to praise him. He responded, "Your servant merely did what a general ought to do!"

"There are quite a few ministers accompanying us, and even more officials, not to mention their sons, daughters, and wives. They haven't caused you any trouble, have they?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"With Your Majesty present, the awe of Heaven prevails, and the laws of Han are strict—none have dared to violate them!" Liu Tinghan offered a flattering remark.

Emperor Liu rather believed what he said, though with so many people and horses mixed together, he could not fully trust that all was harmonious. Emperor Liu's concern for Liu Tinghan was also because his seniority and merits were relatively shallow, and not everyone was willing to grant him face. However, since he raised no difficulties, Emperor Liu said no more.

Looking at him, he directly gave his orders: "Next, we change the route!"

Upon hearing this, Liu Tinghan immediately said, "I beg Your Majesty to issue the directive, so that your servant may make arrangements early!"

"Turn southeast, passing through Puzhou and Jizhou—I want to go see the Five-Zhang River first!" Emperor Liu said.

"Yes!" Without any hesitation, Liu Tinghan responded.

This idea had come to Emperor Liu while inspecting the river dikes. The Five-Zhang River was an important canal in the Central Plains, opened in the seventh year of Qianyou, drawing its waters first from the Bian River and then the Jinshui River, and as its name suggested, the river was five zhang wide.

It was not a great river, but through it Kaifeng was directly connected to the northern prefectures of the Henan Circuit. By the fourth year of Kaibao, the grain transported annually through the Five-Zhang River to the Eastern Capital had reached three hundred fifty thousand shi. Though it could not compare with the capacity of the north-south canals, this figure was already considerable—it was an important supplement to the Eastern Capital's grain transport and the main artery of Henan's water transport. Moreover, by changing the route, Emperor Liu could also conveniently visit the famous Liangshan Marsh along the way.

"Your Majesty, if the travel route is to be changed, the officials of the prefectures and counties along the way should be notified to prepare for receiving Your Majesty!" Shi Xizai, serving as a minister of Chongzheng Hall and still acting as the Emperor's secretary during the tour, reminded him at this point.

"A dispatch may be sent to inform all the prefectures and counties, but as for receiving me, there is no need to make a great fuss. What they did here in Huazhou was just fine—let the prefectures and counties carry on as usual. I shall simply be a traveler. They must not mobilize troops and masses, must not disturb the people, and are strictly forbidden from exhausting officers and soldiers to offer tribute on the pretext of receiving me!" Emperor Liu instructed Shi Xizai.

"Yes!"

This was something Emperor Liu emphasized on every tour—declining tribute and strictly forbidding disturbance of the people. Though the traveling party was large, all supplies were fully prepared, and even if something ran short, dedicated funds were available for purchasing.

Perhaps the greatest difference between Emperor Liu and Emperor Yang of Sui was that, even amid all his various undertakings, he always had regard for the common people. Otherwise, if he truly let loose, the Great Han could not withstand it either. Take local tribute for example—if he demanded, as Yang Guang had, that localities exhaust themselves with fine food and rare delicacies, then a single journey would likely send the Henan prefectures, which were hardly prosperous to begin with, back to the state they were in at the founding of the dynasty.

Shi Xizai clearly approved of Emperor Liu's exemplary conduct as a wise ruler, reverence showing in his expression. He praised, "Your Majesty receives the people with simplicity, forbids tribute, and cherishes the common folk so dearly—this is truly a blessing for the people. How could the state worry about not being at peace!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou waved his hand and said, "I go on tours ultimately to observe local governance and the condition of the people, and thereby to assess the effects of the new policies. If I were to disturb the people in the process, would that not turn into a fault? Besides, as for tribute—is there anything I have not seen in all these years?"

"Your Majesty is wise!"

"Very well then—there is no need for the officials of the prefectures and counties along the way to receive me. Send a decree to the chief officials of all prefectures and counties in Henan to await my summons at Licheng before the first day of the fourth month. I shall receive them all together at that time!" Emperor Liu mused for a moment, then added, "As for along the way, I have my own eyes and ears—I will see and hear for myself, so I need not trouble them to introduce things!"

"Yes!"

"What is that in your hands?" Noticing the stack of memorials Shi Xizai was holding, Emperor Liu asked, "We have only just left the Eastern Capital, and already there are this many memorials?"

Facing Emperor Liu's puzzlement, Shi Xizai explained, "This is a joint memorial submitted by the Pacification Commissioner Tao Gu and several officials accompanying the imperial carriage, which I was about to present for Your Majesty's perusal!"

"Hm?" At this, Emperor Liu's brows immediately furrowed. At the mention of Tao Gu, suspicion arose at once—what sort of mischief was this old fellow up to now.

"What matter? That they would submit a joint memorial?" Emperor Liu showed slight curiosity.

One must know that in the twenty years of Emperor Liu's reign, such a long span of time, the number of joint memorials he had received could be counted on one hand. Therefore, with Tao Gu involved again, and noting Shi Xizai's expression, he naturally sensed something unusual.

Glancing carefully at Liu Chengyou, Shi Xizai reported, "Your Majesty, the ministers jointly memorialize that, since this tour has reached Henan, Your Majesty should travel east to Mount Tai, and they hope Your Majesty will perform the Fengshan sacrifices!"

At these words, Emperor Liu showed sudden understanding—it was likely only such a matter that could embolden Tao Gu and the others to band together. At the same time, he took it to heart. The Fengshan sacrifices were no small matter, especially for an emperor.

In fact, this was not the first time ministers had memorialized requesting him to perform the Fengshan sacrifices. As early as after the success of the Northern Expedition, a group of ministers in the court and in the Henan region had submitted memorials. Later, there had also been scattered suggestions.

But this time was probably the one that moved Emperor Liu the most.

A visible change appeared in his expression, though he quickly suppressed it. After pondering for a moment, Emperor Liu said, "The Fengshan sacrifices! Do you think that, with my achievements thus far, I am worthy enough to perform them?"

Upon hearing this, Shi Xizai affirmed, "Your Majesty took hold of the state at a young and tender age, in a time of crisis. For fifteen years you have governed with diligence, transforming heaven and earth, unifying the rivers and mountains, and restoring a golden age. Now the realm is at peace, the four barbarians submit, and myriad states come to pay homage. Your Majesty's achievements may be said to tower over ancient and modern alike—your servant believes the Fengshan sacrifices are fitting!"

Hearing Shi Xizai's words, Emperor Liu was quite pleased, but he quickly controlled his self-satisfaction and said, "It is only a pity that to the north there remains the Khitan and Liao, and Liaoxi and Liaodong have not yet been recovered. With such a state of affairs, I fear I am not yet worthy of the Fengshan sacrifices!"

Of course, the ministers and the people would never fault him for this—Shi Xizai said as much as well. The only question was Emperor Liu himself. He had a perfectionist streak, feeling that his achievements were incomplete and his virtue insufficient, and no amount of persuasion from others would change his mind.

After a long while, Emperor Liu finally extricated himself from those surging emotions and said leisurely, "I originally set out on this tour, and the Fengshan sacrifices are a great matter—how could they be so hastily arranged? Leave this petition here. As for the Fengshan sacrifices, let us discuss it later!"

"Your Majesty!" Shi Xizai was quite surprised and wished to offer further persuasion.

Emperor Liu raised his hand to stop him and said, "You are learned and erudite—tell me, of all the emperors throughout the ages, how many have successfully performed the Fengshan sacrifices?"

Shi Xizai had no choice but to comply and narrate.

Before Emperor Liu, there had been no few emperors who had undertaken the Fengshan sacrifices, but those who succeeded were few indeed. In Shi Xizai's view, only five had succeeded: the First Emperor of Qin, Emperor Wu of Han, Emperor Guangwu of Han, Emperor Gaozong of Tang, and Emperor Xuanzong of Tang.

From this one could see the significance of the Fengshan sacrifices to an emperor—they represented one's place in history. And if Emperor Liu succeeded in performing them, standing shoulder to shoulder with the First Emperor of Qin and Emperor Wu of Han, no one would likely say a word against it.

Yet, however stirred he was, he forcibly suppressed it, because precisely because he valued it, he demanded perfection. After Shi Xizai withdrew, Emperor Liu lay on his side upon the couch, leafing through that joint memorial. What Tao Gu and the others had written naturally lavished extreme praise upon him and his achievements—praise so extravagant it made even him blush. But he read it with great relish...

Clearly, Emperor Liu was deeply tempted by the Fengshan sacrifices. It was only that, as a man with something of a perfectionist streak, with the north not yet settled, he was still unwilling to act rashly.