Chapter 1209: Three Young Men

In the third month of the seventh year of Kaibao, Duke of Zhao State Liu Fang was married in grand ceremony, and the bride was the young lady of the household of Zhao Kuangzan, Prince of Dongping. Without a doubt, this was a well-matched arranged marriage, a political union, and in this matter, Liu Fang had no choice but to follow the arrangements.

In fact, regarding Liu Fang's marriage, Emperor Liu had put in a fair amount of thought. Many of the nobles and dignitaries at court had proactively recommended their own daughters, but most were rejected.

Empress Fu had also taken some interest in this matter, and had originally intended to select a suitable match of good appearance and character from among her own Fu clan relatives. After consideration, Emperor Liu had initially agreed, but Liu Fang later took the initiative to say that he had set his sights on Zhao Yuan, the second daughter of the Prince of Dongping's household.

Emperor Liu considered it and found it suitable, so he decisively summoned Zhao Kuangzan to the palace and settled the marriage. The reason for favoring Zhao Kuangzan was also simple — he no longer had any real foundation within the Han army, and the Yan army of old had, over more than a decade, been completely absorbed and dissolved.

As for Liu Fang, Emperor Liu truly did not want him to become too deeply entangled with the military meritocracy nobles — this was, in a sense, a form of protection. His intention for Liu Fang to take a Fu clan daughter as wife was born of similar thinking.

As for his birth mother, Worthy Consort Zhe, she seemed to view the matter even more lightly. She only asked for a virtuous daughter-in-law, and was unwilling to give too much consideration to other political factors.

At the same time as Liu Fang's wedding, the Fifth Prince Liu Yun was finally permitted to leave the palace and establish his own household, being enfeoffed as Duke of Qi. It seemed that this third month belonged to Worthy Consort Zhe — within the Western Capital, the most conspicuous figures were these two sons of hers.

Liu Yun was a clever lad — this had been evident since childhood — but his temperament was overly restless, his energy abundant yet scattered, his interests broad but lacking in perseverance. Although he was not as highly regarded as his elder brothers, when releasing him from the palace, Emperor Liu still placed shackles upon him. For instance, restricting the disbursement of his stipend, finding him a strict tutor, and conducting periodic examinations of his studies...

In comparison, it was actually the younger Prince of Wei, Liu Min, who gave Emperor Liu greater peace of mind. Emperor Liu had also discovered that this son was slow of speech but swift in action. Because he likewise delighted in martial affairs and had already trained himself into excellent horsemanship and archery at a young age, Emperor Liu had also sent him into the army to be tempered.

Although he seemed to start earlier than Liu Fang, the effort and affection Emperor Liu invested between the two were vastly different. Toward Liu Fang, Emperor Liu's hope was that he would one day become a qualified commander.

Speaking of it, over all these years, never once had a commander capable of independently leading a great army emerged from among the Great Han's imperial clan. This was a source of regret for Emperor Liu, and it was also the reason he held expectations for Liu Fang.

"Your Highness!"

"What is it?" Liu Yang was in the midst of writing something with his brush; hearing the voice, he looked up at the protocol officer who was bowing.

"Yang Yanzhao, Li Jilong, and Guo Yi, having received the imperial edict to return to the capital, have now arrived in the capital and request an audience with Your Majesty!" the protocol officer replied.

Upon hearing this, Liu Yang became greatly interested and immediately asked: "Where are they?"

"Awaiting the edict at the palace gate!"

"Send someone to bring them to Chuigong Hall. I shall go there at once and personally lead them to meet His Majesty!" Liu Yang set down his brush and gave the order directly.

"Yes!"

The origins of these three were not difficult to guess — the sons of Yang Ye, Li Chuyun, and Guo Wei, all around twenty years of age, young men of outstanding talent.

In recent years, within the Great Han's military establishment, the middle-generation generals had become the mainstay, and many of the younger generation had been promoted. But for the next generation of commanders, Emperor Liu was likewise cultivating them. The principal personnel were naturally selected from among the sons of the meritorious nobility — their excellent backgrounds gave them a high starting point, and their success rate was high, something even Emperor Liu acknowledged.

Whether in civil or military affairs, most sons of the meritorious nobility had experience serving in the palace — such as in the palace guard or as the former Chongzheng Gentlemen. In the several wars of the Kaibao era, many sons of the meritorious nobility had also accompanied the armies to gain experience.

Those who had originally gone north with Yang Ye also included the sons of old marshals and veteran generals such as Xiang Xun and Sun Li, but in the end, the ones who performed most outstandingly were the three — Yang, Li, and Guo.

Yang Yanzhao had grown up at Yang Ye's side, taught by word and example, and had experienced war at a tender age, possessing deep understanding of battles great and small and all manner of tactics. He had become famous early — at around ten years of age, he had drawn attention through Emperor Liu's praise, and after growing up, he proved through outstanding performance that he was no "young genius who fizzles out."

Yang Yanzhao could be said to have established himself on the frontier, while Li Jilong had made his name within the capital. Among the sons of the meritorious nobility, in the early years it was Zhao Guangyi and Chai Zongyi who enjoyed the most glory and the loudest reputations. However, after they successively entered official service, among the newly grown batch, the one who took up the banner was Li Jilong.

This young man was clever, had a good head on his shoulders, and had also displayed talent in martial matters. His earliest rise to fame was in the second year of Kaibao, when Emperor Liu went on a hunting expedition. Li Jilong, then only fifteen, outshone everyone, bagging the most game. Emperor Liu praised him on the spot and said to Li Chuyun: "You have a worthy successor; your family's legacy may flourish."

In comparison, Guo Yi's reputation was not as great, but his natural talent was by no means ordinary — after all, he was Guo Wei's most beloved youngest son, carefully trained in both civil and martial arts from childhood. And in terms of imperial favor, Guo Yi far surpassed others. Even to this day, the jade pendant hanging at Guo Yi's waist was one that Emperor Liu had unfastened from his own person and bestowed upon him when Guo Yi was still in swaddling clothes.

When they arrived at Chuigong Hall under the guidance of palace attendants, Liu Yang happened to arrive as well, accompanied by a spirited sword-bearing youth. The youth was Ma Huaiyu, Commandery Duke of Fufeng, son of the late Ma Quanyi, Duke of Ji State. Because Ma Quanyi had died young, and Emperor Liu, grieved and pitying Ma Huaiyu's orphaned state, had specially summoned him to the capital and raised him within the palace.

Nearly ten years had passed since then. The childish little boy of those days had gradually grown up, studying letters and martial arts alongside the princes, earnest and low-key. Now he served as a guard at the side of Crown Prince Liu Yang.

"We pay our respects to His Highness the Crown Prince!" Upon seeing the Crown Prince, the three young men of outstanding talent bowed in unison.

Liu Yang wore his usual modest demeanor, a smile on his face as he strode forward quickly and helped the three up, saying: "Yuanxian, Batu, Zimei — no need for such ceremony!"

"Thank you, Your Highness!" The several of them were roughly the same age and had crossed paths before. They could not claim to know the Crown Prince well, but the attitude Liu Yang displayed still made the three young men feel quite gratified.

Looking at the three, Liu Yang directly took Yang Yanzhao's hand and said heartily: "Learning that you were returning to the capital, His Majesty and I were both very pleased. Come, let us enter the hall together for the audience!"

"Yes!"

Within Chuigong Hall, Emperor Liu was discussing matters with Chai Zhao — nothing else, merely the pacification of Liao. Not long ago, Yunnan had submitted another memorial: Wang Renshan, commanding the army, had already taken the entire territory of Dali. Now, aside from a small number of remnant forces, bandits, and remote tribes that had yet to submit, the overall situation in Yunnan was settled.

What remained to be done was merely establishing governance and maintaining public order — gradually pacifying the territory while preserving overall stability. These matters would be handled by Wang Renshan and Quan Shixiong.

The affairs of the southwest could be said to be temporarily concluded. The court's attention could now be withdrawn and turned toward the north. In the current situation, within all four borders of the Great Han, only Liao to the north merited serious attention.

A mountain cannot harbor two tigers, and within the vast territory of China, neither can two unified great powers be accommodated. No one did not desire peace, but the Liao's hybrid Hu-Han military-political system alone destined that Emperor Liu could not tolerate it.

Even if not for his personal ambitions and aspirations, if only to save trouble for his descendants, he would destroy Liao. And even if he could not destroy it entirely, he would break it apart and split it asunder — in short, he could not allow a unified hegemon to exist for long on the Great Han's northern border.

When Liu Yang personally led Yang Yanzhao, Li Jilong, and Guo Yi in for the audience, unsurprisingly, he indeed revealed a delighted smile — and one from the heart.

The three young men stood respectfully in the hall, while Emperor Liu behaved as if he had found some precious treasure, his beard trembling with laughter as he patted Yang Yanzhao's shoulder, thumped Li Jilong's chest, and rubbed Guo Yi's back...

"Come, look at these three juniors!" Emperor Liu beckoned to Chai Zhao, laughing: "The future marshals and generals of the Great Han lie within these three young men!"

Emperor Liu was making no attempt whatsoever to conceal the great hopes he placed upon the three young men...