Chapter 1404: The Special Hunt

The white sun hung high in the sky, releasing ten thousand beams of light, easily piercing the sparse clouds between the heavens, freely splashing across the earth. Beneath the blue sky and white clouds, mountains, forests, and plains stretched together; in this early summer season, all things in heaven and earth displayed a vigorous momentum, growing strong and sturdy, and the open wilderness seemed to radiate boundless vitality.

However, being situated in the heart of the Central Plains, near the outskirts of the capital, it was ultimately difficult to see too much pristine scenery. Within Mang Mountain, there might be no lack of deep forests and secluded spots, but beyond Mang Mountain, traces of human habitation were already everywhere.

In the ninth year of Kaibao, summer, the fourth month, a good day with good weather was selected, and the imperial carriage set forth, gracing Mang Mountain for a hunting excursion.

In Luoyang, the most suitable place for hunting was without a doubt the Western Garden of Luoyang, the imperial park inherited from the Sui and Tang dynasties. Although it had declined in the past, after Luoyang's restoration it had been reopened and renovated, with restricted zones demarcated, trees and flowers widely planted, all manner of animals released, and the common people forbidden from cultivating or logging within. Over the years, it had gradually regained its vitality.

However, this time Emperor Liu set aside the Western Garden and headed for Mang Mountain to hunt, for no other reason than that his interest lay there...

To the southeast of Mang Mountain, the Luoyang authorities and the imperial army escorting the carriage coordinated to set up an enclosed hunting ground of nearly twenty li, occupying the roads and controlling the passes in and out, both to prevent commoners from accidentally wandering in and suffering harm, and to avoid any disruption to the emperor's hunting.

Beneath the dazzling sunlight, out in the open wilderness, large numbers of imperial cavalry in light armor galloped and roamed, practicing cavalry tactics while also driving the game within the woods and fields, preparing for the hunt to come.

In the middle of the enclosed ground, the field headquarters had long been fully erected, and with a great retinue of attendants, the imperial carriage had already taken up residence. The summer wind was not strong, but the high-flying dragon banners still danced in the breeze; the bright yellow flags exuded nobility and majesty, and the armor and weapons of the imperial army soldiers reflected a dazzling, eye-catching brilliance.

For this escort, besides the Inner Palace guards, three thousand armored soldiers were drawn from the three yamen's horse and foot imperial troops on duty in the capital—no command was left out, and all selected were elite. Protecting the carriage was their duty, but the emperor reviewing the army's appearance, inspecting training results, and examining tactics and methods of warfare was the primary purpose.

For the competitive contests between the various commands, the field headquarters arranged a full day of programs for the emperor, the accompanying nobles, ministers, and foreign envoys to enjoy.

The retinue accompanying Emperor Liu on his tour was equally vast—empresses and consorts, imperial princes, and those dukes, ministers, and their sons who had the rank and the leisure, numbering fully several thousand.

Whenever Emperor Liu went on tour these days, it inevitably mobilized a great host, and the old days of "light carriages and few attendants" were no longer possible; every move drew mountains of acclaim and crowds of followers, the focus of ten thousand eyes.

A high platform stood in the center of the enclosed ground, with bright silk cloths spread out, enclosing a large area. Seats were arranged from high to low in sequence—compared to a hunting ground, this looked more like a theater, a theater for Emperor Liu to watch and take his pleasure.

A dragon throne of gold and jade was placed upon the temporarily erected high platform, gleaming brightly under the sunlight, catching every eye. Emperor Liu sat upon it together with Empress Fu; the space was ample, enough for the two to sit side by side.

This season was probably Emperor Liu's favorite of the year—the spring chill had faded, the scorching summer had not yet arrived, the climate was warm and pleasant, extremely comfortable, and his heart felt bright and open.

As for Emperor Liu, he wore a jade-inlaid futou headwrap and a round-collared dragon robe, all in resplendent yellow, with a light gauze robe draped over the outside, looking rather flashy. His beard was trimmed neatly and handsomely, though imperceptibly, a few strands of white had already crept in.

The nobles accompanying the carriage sat at ease beneath sunshades, each impeccably dressed, chatting and smiling, conversing among themselves in a most harmonious atmosphere.

A little closer to the imperial seat sat a special group of people—the chieftain representatives from the Tibetans, Tangut, Uyghur, Tuyuhun, and the various southwestern Liao barbarian tribes.

Some of these people had submitted to the Great Han and been granted official posts by the court; others were those who had established friendly relations with the court and actively drawn closer to the Great Han—especially the Tibetans.

Over the past decade or more, the Great Han's power had continuously expanded westward, especially after Kaibao, when it surged ahead with wild abandon, greedy for more and seeking completeness—not only restoring the territory of the High Tang but also seizing no small number of traditional Tibetan cities, lands, and passes.

This unquestionably compressed the Tibetans' living space, and this process had not been smooth sailing or without waves; it had been accompanied by conflict and struggle. Some submitted upon seeing the situation, while others resisted and fought, and no small number of Great Han soldiers and civilians, as well as Tibetan tribesmen, lost their lives in the Great Han's westward expansion.

Although Tibet was fragmented and had long since fallen into decline, they still held home-field advantage. Though always at a disadvantage in the Great Han's westward strategy, they had still inflicted no small losses upon the Great Han.

Moreover, as early as around the fourth year of Kaibao, the Great Han's expansion onto the western plateau had already approached its limit, and in recent years, the westward advance had long since halted. The Great Han had entered a substantive period of consolidation, and that was no easy feat either.

Every year, the court received a flood of reports from the southwest and northwest concerning border prefecture conflicts. Though no major disturbances had occurred, there was no doubt that the Great Han's western frontier—especially in the regions bordering Tibetan power—was not peaceful; one could even say conflict was the norm.

And with the northern expedition concluded, after Emperor Liu and the lords of the Great Han deliberated and decided upon the grand plan to contract their power and halt expansion, the Tibetan question had also arrived at the time for resolution.

Entering the ninth year of Kaibao, the court dispatched envoys far and wide, inviting the various Tibetan tribes and powers of the plateau to come to Luoyang to discuss friendly exchanges between Han and barbarian, intending to resolve the decade-plus of contradictions and conflicts through peaceful means.

Facing the court's gracious invitation, most of the tribal powers of the plateau responded positively; many local chieftains did not hesitate to come in person, and those who did not come sent important representatives.

Beyond the Tibetans, the other tribes—whether from the northwest or the southwest, whether within the borders or without—as long as they had dealings with the Great Han, all received invitations, traveling thousands of li to come to the Han court.

Thus, in recent days, as representatives of the various tribes and powers successively entered the capital, the number of tribesmen and Hu barbarians in Luoyang speaking all manner of accents and foreign tongues had noticeably increased.

These people not only brought gifts, but many merchant caravans and goods arrived in the capital along with them, spurring a wave of "international trade" prosperity in the city of Luoyang.

Because there were so many people, even the capital's guest houses were completely full, which created for the Great Han court a scene of ten thousand states coming to pay homage. Many court officials submitted memorials or wrote essays, jointly praising the flourishing age of Kaibao. To these representatives of the various tribes and powers who had come to court, the government also extended generous hospitality, with the Ministry of Revenue allocating special funds so they could fully experience the prosperity and splendor of the Celestial Dynasty's capital.

The decision to hold the hunt had been made long before, but because of these tribal representatives coming to court, Emperor Liu had specially delayed it by some days, bringing all of them along so they could once again experience the might of the Han army, in preparation for further consultations on matters of Great Han border security and coexistence of all tribes.

Originally, it was merely Emperor Liu's idle whim to go hunting and relax his mind, but due to all these factors, this hunt had been invested with far greater political significance.

The high, clear, and melodious sound of horns drifted through the field headquarters; though somewhat ethereal, it equally startled the birds and beasts of the mountains into commotion. Accompanied by a burst of rhythmic drumbeats, the first program of this grand hunt began.

A great number of young riders spurred their horses into a gallop, entering the field to pay their respects. These young men were all of special status—imperial princes and outstanding sons of the meritorious nobility. They essentially represented the future of the Great Han, and this time they were to undergo Emperor Liu's review of their archery and horsemanship.