Chapter 138: Requesting the Establishment of the Crown Prince

The carriage moved slowly through the wards and lanes, taking up nearly half the road. The streets of Kaifeng were in poor condition—crowded, narrow, and mostly unable to accommodate two carriages passing side by side.

Inside the carriage, Liu Chengyou sat cross-legged, eyes slightly closed, thoughts flashing ceaselessly through his mind. From the way his father had questioned him in the hall today, Liu Zhiyuan clearly had no intention of thoroughly suppressing him.

Tapping his index finger on his knee, Liu Chengyou couldn't help considering where his work should focus next. His elder brother Liu Chengxun had done well in settling the refugees—what about him?

In truth, he had many ideas in his head. There were too many things he looked upon with dissatisfaction and wanted to change—military, governance, officials, the people—from grand national strategy down to the weaving of common women. There were too many ills to be eradicated, too many things urgently awaiting correction.

But for now, it was not his turn to point fingers at this realm. The earlier matter of Xue Huairang had already sounded a warning bell for him. Things could not be rushed.

Sometimes, knowing too much was not necessarily a good thing. Liu Chengxun's illness made Liu Chengyou feel anxious and unsettled. He knew clearly in his heart that even if he did nothing at all, as long as he endured another half year, everything would be his. And that was what he planned to do. Yet that indescribable restlessness within him had lately become an unbearable burden—far from the calm he showed on his face.

Lifting the curtain to look outside at the streets and alleys of Kaifeng, his eyes gradually brightened—but then dimmed just as quickly. The post of Governor of Kaifeng was still vacant, and Kaifeng remained under semi-martial administration. If he could govern Kaifeng, he might accomplish something—perhaps more meaningful than serving as Deputy Commissioner of Military Affairs.

Only, if Liu Chengyou sought it with the dignity of an imperial prince, it would likely be very difficult.

"Your Highness, we have arrived." Li Chongju reported respectfully from outside the carriage.

Lifting the carriage curtain and stepping onto the low stool prepared by his personal guards, Liu Chengyou strode with large steps toward the mansion gate. His steps were somewhat hurried, and as he crossed the threshold, he stumbled—his body swaying, nearly falling.

Li Chongju hurried forward to support him, asking: "Your Highness, are you all right?"

Shaking off the assistance, Liu Chengyou frowned and looked down at the threshold beneath his feet, then called out: "Where is the gatekeeper?"

"This humble one is here!" Hearing Liu Chengyou's call, the gatekeeper, who had been standing by in anxiety, immediately hurried over, knelt nervously, his voice even trembling slightly.

"My threshold should not be this high. Find someone—change it!" Liu Chengyou ordered directly.

"Yes!" The man who kept the gate for Liu Chengyou was an old retainer from Jinyang who knew Liu Chengyou's temperament well. He breathed a sigh of relief and answered decisively. As for whether changing the threshold's height would ruin the original design of the gate—that was not something for a small man like him to consider.

"Where is Mr. Wei?" After entering the mansion, Liu Chengyou found a steward and asked.

"Reporting to Your Highness, he is in the Eastern Garden."

Having learned that Wei Renpu was in the Eastern Capital, living alone with only a single servant for company, Liu Chengyou had simply invited him to reside in the mansion. After all, his residence was quite spacious—but more importantly, it made it convenient for Liu Chengyou to consult with him at any time. Setting aside everything else, this gesture of "honoring worthy men and deferring to the learned" did much to win hearts.

What had been prepared for Wei Renpu was an independent courtyard in the Eastern Garden, furnished with great care—quiet and pleasant for living. When Liu Chengyou strolled over, Wei Renpu was savoring tea and reading a book.

"Sir is quite at leisure." Liu Chengyou said softly.

Rising to make a bow, Wei Renpu said calmly: "Merely amusing myself with books."

"In the days ahead, sir will hardly enjoy such leisure." Sitting down together, Liu Chengyou said.

Wei Renpu was somewhat surprised and asked: "What does Your Highness mean by that?"

Liu Chengyou directly told him about recommending him for the Bureau of Military Affairs. While Wei Renpu was pondering, Liu Chengyou said: "Commissioner Guo's kind intention—I took the liberty of accepting on your behalf. Sir won't take offense, will you?"

Wei Renpu clasped his fists toward Liu Chengyou, a hint of gratitude on his face, and said: "I must thank Your Highness for the favor of promotion."

After such a long period of association, Liu Chengyou had come to understand Wei Renpu to a certain degree. This man possessed a string of shining qualities in both ability and character—in dealing with people and affairs, he was nearly a "perfect" person. Yet he also never concealed his pursuit of fame, rank, and career success.

Liu Chengyou waved his hand, pondered for a moment, then said: "Today in Chuigong Hall, my father had me join the Bureau of Military Affairs to handle affairs."

"So the matter of reorganizing the army has reached a conclusion?" Wei Renpu guessed.

"Indeed." Liu Chengyou could not help sighing: "A perfectly good Longqi Army, torn apart and scattered—it leaves a bitter taste in my heart."

"Based on earlier intelligence, it's not just the Longqi Army—the Wujie, Xingjie, and other armies have also seen changes. Your Highness need not feel too gloomy. The imperial army in the capital had an excessive proportion of old troops and outside forces; breaking them up and reorganizing them this way actually benefits the court's control." Wei Renpu advised.

"If it were only targeting my Longqi Army, I'd go raise a fuss even if it meant punishment!" Liu Chengyou made a small joke—given his temperament, he would never engage in useless tantrums no matter what.

As he spoke, Liu Chengyou lowered his voice and said with a grave face: "My elder brother took the opportunity to plant some people in the imperial army. I hear he's also been in contact with Shi Hongzhao."

"Such an action is to be expected." Wei Renpu intended to console him.

But then Liu Chengyou's expression changed again, and he said very lightly: "It seems my elder brother is feeling the pressure..."

He then discussed matters of the realm with Wei Renpu, parting on pleasant terms. Later in the evening, Guo Rong came calling, telling Liu Chengyou about his trip to Chanzhou and gaining his support.

Certain things "left unsaid" were understood between the two men with tacit agreement, and together they discussed the situation of Du Chongwei and Yedu.

The reorganization of the imperial army quickly entered the implementation stage. Preliminary preparations had been thorough—presided over by Shi Hongzhao and Guo Wei, with the Bureau of Military Affairs, the State Finance Commission, and other offices cooperating. From top to bottom, the more than a hundred thousand troops in Kaifeng underwent a complete adjustment.

Of course, this was almost entirely a systematic mixing of the entire army, aimed at absorbing outside troops and reducing redundancy in the military. But it was also an incomplete reorganization—no elimination of the old and weak, no removal of the inferior to preserve the superior, leaving the good mixed with the bad. After the reorganization, the Han imperial army's combat effectiveness would drop significantly until the integration succeeded—that was obvious. And how long the integration would take, and what results it would yield, were also unknown...

Of course, the reorganization of the army was absolutely positive in significance. The previous chaos was swept away, the old troop system was thoroughly broken apart and crushed, and the court's control over the imperial army reached an unprecedented level.

However, there were always those who expressed dissatisfaction, who felt unaccustomed—including the original Hedong army, including the Longqi Army...

White paper lay on the low table. Liu Chengyou picked up his brush and wrote stroke by stroke, carefully. After practicing calligraphy for so long, it had finally shown some effect. Though it still couldn't be called beautiful, and lacked any flair whatsoever, Liu Chengyou was already satisfied. He believed that in the future, once his seal was stamped upon it, "flair" would surge forth and leap off the page.

"Not leading troops and drilling soldiers in the army—what are you doing at my residence?" Glancing sidelong at Sun Li, who sat at the side gulping tea from his cup, Liu Chengyou set down his brush, slowly walked over beside Sun Li, refilled his teacup, and asked flatly: "Wasting my good tea?"

At some point, this Commander Sun had become much more proper in front of Liu Chengyou—though his old temperament hadn't improved much. He said carelessly: "Your Highness enjoys tea. This officer will go back and gather some for you—guaranteed top grade."

"Put all your mind into leading troops!" Liu Chengyou sat down, fixing his gaze on Sun Li: "Speak—what do you want from me?"

"I don't know what the court is thinking—breaking up a perfectly good Longqi Army and splitting us apart. It's infuriating..." Sun Li complained.

"Oh? So someone dares give you, Chief Commander Sun, a hard time?" Catching a hint from his tone, Liu Chengyou asked.

"The brothers are scattered—being assigned to the Xiaodi Army is one thing, but why let that Shi Honglang be Chief Inspector, lording over us? This officer refuses to accept it!" Sun Li said directly: "I think Shi Hongzhao is abusing his office for personal gain, putting his brother in a high position!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou's expression cooled several degrees. His calm gaze on Sun Li immediately diminished some of the excitement on the latter's face.

"Then what does Chief Commander Sun want—to swap positions with Shi Honglang?" Liu Chengyou said airily.

The Xiaodi Army was formed by selecting twelve thousand young and strong soldiers from various armies. Many from the Longqi Army had been chosen into it—it was a new army the court greatly valued. As for Sun Li, being an old follower of Liu Zhiyuan with sufficient seniority, plus having earned considerable battle merits in Hebei, he had been transferred to serve as Chief Commander of the Left Wing of the Xiaodi Army—another major step up.

Zhou Hui, formerly Chief Commander of the Right Wing of the Wujie Army, became Chief Commander of the Xiaodi Army. Shi Hongzhao's younger brother Shi Honglang was appointed Chief Inspector of the Xiaodi Army. And this Shi Honglang had no notable achievements to speak of—hence Sun Li's dissatisfaction.

Even someone as thick-skinned as Sun Li could detect the displeasure in Liu Chengyou's tone. Recalling how he had been commanded by Liu Chengyou in the Longqi Army, Sun Li's momentum immediately wilted somewhat, and he said in a small voice: "That's not necessary. I've been in the Longqi Army since it was founded. Could Your Highness put in a word for me—transfer me back to the Longqi Army? I don't want to stay in the Xiaodi Army, taking orders from that incompetent fool..."

"Bang!" Liu Chengyou slammed his hand on the small table, staring coldly at Sun Li, his aura suddenly erupting: "Is the army a place for you, Sun Li, to negotiate terms? Does the court's reorganization of the army require your consent? You're an old general who has followed His Majesty—don't you know that military orders are like mountains, that orders must be obeyed without question? How dare you come to my residence and speak such shameless words?"

"I..." Sun Li was instantly cowed by Liu Chengyou. He jumped up as if his backside had been burned, standing there, stammering without being able to speak.

Staring at him, Liu Chengyou took a deep breath. This Sun Li—since the Battle of Luancheng, his perception of Liu Chengyou had changed somewhat. But some arrogant, conceited soldierly temperaments would probably never change in a lifetime.

Rising, Liu Chengyou raised his finger and, poking Sun Li's chest while speaking sternly, said: "I'm telling you—whether your superior is Shi Honglang, or Zhou Hui, or even Shi Hongzhao himself—you behave yourself and serve as your commander. Talk less, lead your troops well!"

"Yes, yes..." Sun Li dared not be presumptuous any longer.

With his hands behind his back, Liu Chengyou paced around in front of Sun Li a few times. Seeing his appearance, Liu Chengyou let out a breath, drew close, lowered his voice, and instructed: "I don't care about anything else—those five or six thousand troops in the Left Wing of the Xiaodi Army, you lead them well! Understand?"

Hearing this, Sun Li was somewhat stunned. Confusedly meeting Liu Chengyou's gaze, he said belatedly: "Understood."

Whether he truly understood or not, Liu Chengyou waved him off and added: "Also, in the future, don't come swaggering to my residence like this."

No matter how muddled his mind was, he simply agreed: "Yes."

"I heard your old wound is showing signs of relapsing?" His expression gradually softened. Seeing Sun Li's somewhat aggrieved look, Liu Chengyou asked.

Sensing the change in tone, Sun Li broke into a smile: "It left a lingering ailment, nothing serious. As the weather turns cold, it aches faintly, that's all. It's nothing—this general can bear it..."

Early in the morning, long before dawn, the surroundings still shrouded in darkness, Liu Chengyou rose from his bed and, attended by Lady Geng and the maidservants, was fully dressed. With a green cap and purple robes, after finishing his preparations and briefly eating a few dry, hard cakes, Liu Chengyou made his way toward the imperial city under the dim, hazy gloom.

Today, Liu Zhiyuan was holding a grand court assembly at Chongyuan Hall.

All officials in the capital who were qualified were essentially present—a great number of former Later Jin ministers filled the hall to capacity. Since entering the Eastern Capital, Liu Zhiyuan had rarely held grand court assemblies; he generally handled matters in Chuigong Hall, discussing and resolving affairs with his military and civil chancellors.

In such a solemn occasion, Liu Chengyou was surprisingly well-adapted. Standing at the front in his capacity as an imperial prince, listening to the memorials and deliberations between ruler and ministers, he showed not a trace of impatience—rather, he observed and listened with keen interest.

"Reporting to Your Majesty: Suzhou reports that over five hundred people have starved to death within its borders."

"Dismiss the Prefect and Defense Commissioner of Suzhou! Order capable officials to be selected to handle the aftermath among the people, and decree that this autumn's tax in Suzhou be reduced by thirty percent!"

"Your Majesty, the Khitan have departed, but their poison lingers. In the various prefectures around the capital, among officials, civilians, and weapons workshops, there are still those who manufacture Khitan-style saddles and bridles, implements, and clothing."

"Decree a ban on their manufacture!"

Listening as the assembled ministers presented matters one by one and resolved them, Liu Chengyou gained some insight. Though it was tedious, he found the orderly, solemn scene quite agreeable.

Liu Chengyou stood together with Liu Chengxun. As time passed, he noticed that Liu Chengxun's face was somewhat red—a strange look, as if he were holding something in with great discomfort. After quietly observing for a while, Liu Chengyou guessed: was he about to sneeze?

As his thoughts turned, Liu Zhiyuan's authoritative voice sounded again in his ears: "... Let Emperor Gaozu the Great and Emperor Guangwu the Great of Shizu be enshrined as eternal ancestral temples."

It was the Acting Chief of the Court of Imperial Sacrifices, Zhang Zhao, who had submitted the memorial requesting the posthumous veneration of six ancestral temples. Besides the four generations of ancestors above, this meant posthumously honoring Liu Bang, the Great Ancestor of Han, and Liu Xiu, the Shizu of Han. This was roughly the standard practice of all "Liu Han" dynasties after the two Han periods.

Coming back to his senses, he saw that the hall had fallen quiet. Apparently noticing that Liu Chengxun was in an odd state, Liu Zhiyuan's gaze paused on him for a moment, then he ordered someone to bring Liu Chengxun a chair, allowing him to sit while deliberating on affairs of state.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Seizing the opportunity of giving thanks, Liu Chengxun slightly released that feeling of being "suppressed." At the same time, he was somewhat moved by his father's affection.

The morning court had already lasted over an hour; the sky was fully bright by now. Apparently parched from speaking, Liu Zhiyuan took a drink of water and asked: "Is there anything else?"

After a moment of silence, an official stepped forward and declared in a loud voice: "Reporting to Your Majesty: the state has just been stabilized, yet the Eastern Palace stands empty. To secure the foundation of the state, I beg Your Majesty to establish a Crown Prince early!"

The moment these words fell, the atmosphere in the hall immediately veered off course.

PS: A word on the title—why call it "Shizu of Han"? Because the author likes it. As for what to do about Liu Xiu, if one insists on a reasonable explanation, just change it.