Chapter 1389: *Kaibao General Compendium*

Inside Chuigong Hall, Emperor Liu ordered Yan Tuo to help Zhang Zhao sit down. The old scholar was now advanced in years, needing assistance even with a cane in hand. Yet during his audience, he displayed a rare spirited demeanor, a ruddy glow on his face, looking somewhat delighted, somewhat excited.

Fully twenty-odd palace eunuchs carried chests and boxes into the hall, arranging them neatly before opening the lids to reveal their contents—books neatly stored within, with a faint scent of ink wafting from them.

Emperor Liu took the general catalogue that Yan Tuo presented on his behalf, gave it a brief look, and chuckled: "So this is the latest achievement of the Jixian Hall? I had heard long ago that it was hailed as the greatest classified compendium of all time!"

Hearing this, Zhang Zhao beamed with joy, the wrinkles on his face nearly squeezing together, and personally introduced it to Emperor Liu: "Your Majesty's praise is most gracious. Your servant thanks you on behalf of the compilers of the Three Halls!

Your servants compiled this by imperial decree—dozens of ministers and Academicians of the Three Halls, spending over six years' time, and now at last it is complete, and we report back to Your Majesty. This work spans ancient and modern, encompassing all things, citing over a thousand ancient texts in total, gathered and classified into fifty-five divisions, five hundred and fifty categories, amounting to one thousand volumes.

May Your Majesty please review it!"

Zhang Zhao was greatly excited. He was a lover of books and one of the few great book collectors of the age. To lead the completion of such a monumental work that carried on the legacy of the past naturally filled him with great honor, and to receive the Emperor's affirmation made it all the more gratifying.

Emperor Liu, upon hearing this, gave a slight twitch at the corner of his mouth—a dozen-odd boxes of varying sizes, over a thousand volumes—how was he to review all that? Still, seeing Zhang Zhao's fervent reaction, he maintained a solemn attitude and carefully flipped through the table of contents.

Over the past decade-plus, Emperor Liu had given considerable encouragement to the Great Han's cultural enterprises. Those learned Academicians and eminent scholars were treated generously, with substantial funds allocated each year to support book compilation—especially historical works, which Emperor Liu valued most highly.

The chancellors of the Great Han all participated as well; aside from Zhao Pu, virtually all of them held the title of Grand Academician of the Jixian Hall or Supervisor of National History Compilation.

The former chancellor Xue Juzheng had in particular spent nearly ten years leading the scholars of the Three Halls in producing a great volume of historical works. It could be said that from the mid-Qianyou era through the Kaibao years, the Great Han produced a vast number of literary and historical works. The *New Book of Tang*, the *National History*, the *History of the Three Dynasties*, the *Veritable Records*, and others were representative works among them, and the chaotic history of China since the end of the Tang was thereby sorted out and clarified.

The Three Halls of Kaifeng had undergone two expansions, and Luoyang's were even more magnificent. By now, the national book collection had surpassed three hundred thousand volumes. One should note that when the Great Han was first established, the Three Halls' collection had not even reached one-tenth of that number.

Of these, aside from a small number contributed by local regions, the rest had been gathered and collected from the populace at great expense by the court. Of course, the Southern Tang had rendered immense service in this regard—back then, Crown Prince Liu Yang had obtained over a hundred thousand volumes from the Jinling palace in a single stroke, transported to the Eastern Capital as spoils of war.

From Emperor Liu's emphasis on book collection and compilation, one could see his efforts in civil governance. In recent years, the cultural atmosphere among the Great Han's populace had grown increasingly rich. Within Luoyang city alone, all manner of literary gatherings and poetry meets had become something of a fashion each year—whether genuinely enjoying them or merely affecting refinement, the participants were numerous.

Though the status of civil officials remained relatively weak, the Great Han's cultural enterprise was unquestionably flourishing, and the vitality of the populace grew day by day. Beneath its resplendent military achievements, the Great Han's civil governance could also claim modest accomplishments.

The classified compendium Zhang Zhao now presented was the work that, since the founding of the state, had mobilized the most manpower, consumed the longest time, and drawn upon the widest range of ancient texts. It had initially been presided over by Xue Juzheng, and when Xue was later posted out to the Jiannan Circuit, Zhang Zhao took his place. Prominent court ministers such as Wei Renpu, Tao Gu, Liu Wensou, Li Huan, and others had all participated, and only now was it complete.

Perhaps it was fate—the proposal to compile this work had originally been submitted by the young Zhao Kuangyi, and only then did Emperor Liu issue the decree. Now seeing the finished work, Emperor Liu understood in his heart: this was the *Taiping Yulan*.

It had to be said that Emperor Liu held no great passion for books or culture per se—every move he made, everything he did, stemmed from political motives.

Now that the work was done, he felt no particular stirring in his heart, but he still had to put on the proper attitude. At the very least, this could stand as one of his achievements during his reign. And compiling this work was itself a colossal undertaking.

"Good! Very good! I have the urge to read it through cover to cover!" Setting the catalogue down gently after finishing it, Emperor Liu looked up and smiled at Zhang Zhao.

Zhang Zhao's old eyes were dim, and he could not discern what was in Emperor Liu's heart, but seeing him pleased, he hurriedly responded: "We have not failed Your Majesty's commission, and your servants' hearts are also comforted!"

Emperor Liu smiled, then noticed the shadows of figures moving outside the hall and asked: "Those outside the hall are the officials who compiled the work, are they not?"

"Indeed they are!" said Zhang Zhao.

Emperor Liu immediately waved his hand: "My palace is spacious enough—why should they stand outside? Summon them all in!"

Soon, a host of learned scholars from the Three Halls and the Hanlin Academy filed in to pay their respects, several dozen in number. No seats were offered, and Emperor Liu surveyed them.

Some looked familiar, some he recognized, and many more he had no impression of at all—but what was certain was that these were the cream of the Great Han's literary talent at present.

There was Li Mu of the Secretariat, Hanlin Academicians Xu Kai and Ju Zhongzheng, and others. Likewise, these men spanned the celebrated scholars of north and south alike. Ju Zhongzheng was a surrendered minister of the Meng Shu, and Xu Kai was a former official of the Southern Tang, the younger brother of Xu Xuan.

Compared to that elder brother of his—aloof and proud, never forgetting his former state—Xu Kai was clearly the cleverer one, and also the more low-key. The result was that the elder brother was still to this day carrying out educational duties in Fengzhou, having to endure loneliness and bitter cold, while Xu Kai lived comfortably in the capital and could participate in the great book project.

"All of you, my ministers, are talents the Great Han can ill afford to lose—an assembly of elites, brimming with brilliance," Emperor Liu said with a beaming smile, flattering these pure-minded civil officials. "And now you are meritorious servants of book compilation—you deserve generous rewards!"

With that, Emperor Liu gave the order: all personnel who had participated in compiling this work were to be rewarded. Naturally, this drew a round of grateful bows and thanks. Men of letters loved fame, and Emperor Liu had both praised and rewarded them—gaining both renown and profit, there was naturally no one who could be dissatisfied.

Emperor Liu continued: "Some say the Great Han of today is an age of military glory. These years, I have indeed established some achievements, but I have never prided myself on them. In my view, only such works as this—encompassing all realms, embracing all things—are the true treasures of a great state, worthy of being passed down for a hundred generations. This is the true foundation!"

"Your Majesty is most wise!" Whether or not Emperor Liu spoke from the heart, the assembled civil officials were immensely pleased to hear it and lavishly praised his wisdom.

"I also wish to proclaim to the world through this work that I am not only skilled in martial affairs—I place equal importance on civil affairs, and I aim to forge a resplendent cultural golden age!

My learning is shallow; to accomplish this enterprise, I must rely on the literary talents of ministers such as yourselves! I hope you will all redouble your efforts. The Tang had its four great classified compendia, and the Great Han shall have them too—not merely have them, but make them greater and more complete!" Once his enthusiasm was roused, Emperor Liu directly floated an ambitious vision and continued handing out assignments.

"Your servants will exert every effort and not fail Your Majesty's expectations!" said Zhang Zhao.

With the merits reported, Zhang Zhao further petitioned: "Your Majesty, this work being complete, it has yet to receive a name. May I ask Your Majesty to bestow one!"

Emperor Liu's expression shifted slightly—he nearly blurted out: *Kaibao Imperial Reader*. But that temptation lasted only a fleeting moment, and he then said with a faint smile: "Let it be called *Kaibao General Compendium*!"

For Emperor Liu, there was no need to emulate Zhao the Second, reading three volumes a day without letting the book leave his hands, nor was there any need to use such methods to add to his own fame.