Chapter 1413: The Prince Guards the Frontier

When the words "enfeoffment" came out, a flicker of surprise couldn't help but pass through Emperor Liu's eyes. At this moment, Liu Yang wore a solemn expression, his eyelids slightly lowered, as if he dared not face his father directly. Emperor Liu suddenly realized that this Crown Prince of his was still quite politically sensitive.

Looking at Liu Yang, Emperor Liu crossed his legs, shifted his posture, and said airily, "What do you think?"

At the question, Liu Yang's expression grew even more grave. He thought seriously for a few moments before raising his eyes to meet Emperor Liu's gaze and said solemnly, "The Great Han's territory is too vast. Apart from the Nine Provinces of the Central Lands, in most regions, the court's rule is not secure. They need to be pacified and assimilated, and this is no task of a single morning or evening—it requires sustained management before they can become the Great Han's eternally secure territories.

If we send the various brothers to guard the borders and pacify the people, they would represent both the court and the imperial house, which would surely serve to consolidate governance and stability. This is a method for lasting peace and order, and also a good policy for resolving the current border problems. Your son has no objections!"

Hearing this, Emperor Liu couldn't help but laugh—laughed out loud—though his expression was somewhat inscrutable. Liu Yang's words fell on his ears, yet Emperor Liu sensed some complex emotions within them.

The words were spoken sincerely, but they contained a hidden reservation, with a slight trace of emphasis on the Nine Provinces of the Central Lands. Though not stated explicitly, the direction of his attitude was clear—that even if enfeoffment were to occur, the fundamental territories of the Nine Provinces could not be touched.

Exchanging a glance with him, Emperor Liu sighed, "For the past half year, I have been thinking constantly about how to maintain this vast empire, how to consolidate this territory spanning ten thousand li. I have deliberated deeply, weighed the options repeatedly, and still found it difficult to arrive at a completely sound plan. Unless we abandon some chicken-rib territories and retract entirely..."

At this point, Emperor Liu himself found it somewhat laughable. How could he easily give up lands already conquered? Otherwise, what would have been the meaning of such large-scale expansion before?

"What I am considering now is only the matters of the present—things within the next twenty or thirty years. All my thoughts are aimed solely at consolidating the existing territories and laying a solid foundation. The borderlands need stability; they cannot be thrown into chaos!"

Looking at Liu Yang, Emperor Liu spoke with a grave tone, his gaze deep and profound, saying earnestly, "To consolidate the borderlands and suppress the disobedient, enfeoffment is not entirely necessary. But having imperial princes of the clan guard the frontiers is the emergency measure I arrived at after much deliberation, to address the needs of the present!"

"Having conquered such vast territories and established such a massive empire, we need people to garrison them. Over the years, the court has never sent too few officials, generals, clerks, or garrison soldiers to the borderlands, nor has it ever neglected them. But in my heart, I have never felt at ease!

I have always felt that things were hardly comprehensive. Now, I understand more and more clearly—this realm is the Liu family's realm, and it still needs people of the Liu family to guard it and consolidate it. Only then can I rest assured!

It's not that I don't trust outside ministers, it's just..."

Emperor Liu did not continue. Instead, his brows knitted together, probably feeling that his own thinking was still somewhat one-sided, not truly a comprehensive plan.

However, as he himself had said, what he truly considered was still resolving the problems of the present. As for the future, he truly could not worry about too much. Even if he did have such considerations, he could hardly exert much influence over it.

After all, how much longer he could live was itself a question. Matters a hundred years hence truly did not fall within his purview to worry about excessively. Moreover, once old problems were solved, new contradictions would emerge in turn. Affairs always develop this way. Emperor Liu had long held a clear understanding of this, and on that basis, he truly could not conceive of a completely sound plan.

This was also the limitation of the era, and the thing Emperor Liu truly felt helpless about. For an emperor, the cycle of history was a heavy and cruel topic.

Emperor Liu had established and ruled this era, creating a series of glories. But in the end, he remained deeply mired in this era, assimilated by it, unable to transcend it. The Great Han Empire he had established could hardly transcend it either. The eternal security of the realm was but a castle in the air. It was precisely because he understood these things that Emperor Liu could not help but feel melancholy at times.

Therefore, the closer to the end, the more Emperor Liu considered only the urgent needs of the present, trying his best to lay a good foundation for posterity. As for the future—the future, he had the will but not the strength.

Hearing Emperor Liu's words, Liu Yang secretly breathed a sigh of relief. At least Emperor Liu's considerations were still within an acceptable range for him. Under Emperor Liu's guidance, he had of course read history. When enfeoffment was mentioned, he naturally associated it with the Han dynasty's commanderies and kingdoms, and the Jin dynasty's princes. For a great unified empire, this was clearly something deserving careful deliberation.

Compared to outside ministers, imperial princes of the clan were certainly more worthy of trust—the close bond of blood was natural. But equally, it was easy for ambition to breed. Clothed in the splendid garb of the imperial house, combined with ample power, what consequences would that bring? Even if Liu Yang considered himself dull-witted, he was not so blind as to see nothing at all.

But history is like this—later generations fail to learn from it, and there is always a reason for that.

Fortunately, what Emperor Liu was considering was still only guarding the borders. He had no intention of carrying out enfeoffment across the Nine Provinces. In fact, he had not even mentioned enfeoffment, only explaining it with "princes guarding the frontiers."

If that were the case, standing from Liu Yang's position, as long as he firmly held the fundamental territories of the Nine Provinces and possessed the moral authority of the center, he need not fear other troubles. At the same time, if all his brothers were dispatched to garrison the borderlands, the impact on his position as Crown Prince would be greatly reduced. This point, Liu Yang had also thought of.

Father and son each had their own considerations, and for a moment they fell into silence. The grave atmosphere seemed to grow even heavier within that silence...

Finally, Liu Yang spoke up on his own initiative, cupping his hands and saying, "Father, your son understands your considerations. For the sake of securing the border territories, your son has no objections and will offer full support. It's just..."

"Speak your mind, no need to hem and haw!" Seeing this, Emperor Liu said directly, "Tonight, you and I, father and son, have spoken heart to heart, candidly discussing matters. What should be said and what shouldn't have been said—none of it has been held back. You need not have any reservations!"

"Yes!" Looking at Emperor Liu, Liu Yang said, "You wish to have princes guard the frontiers. However, border regions are mostly remote and bitter, desolate and crude. If the brothers are sent to garrison outside, would it not be too harsh for them?"

Hearing this, Emperor Liu immediately waved his hand, resuming his usual forceful manner, and said, "Harsh? How can it be harsher than founding the state through struggle? The hardships of those early days, blazing trails through brambles and thorns—they have never experienced such things. Having enjoyed so many years of wealth and glory, it's time they made their contributions to the Great Han.

All these years I have carefully nurtured you brothers—not to raise a brood of idle parasites. I have also spoken with your mother before: an imperial prince is not only my son, but also a subject of the Great Han, a pillar of the court. Whether in governance, in establishing careers, or in guarding the frontiers, you should all play your roles for the court! What the imperial house has brought you is not only wealth and glory, but also duty and mission!"

"Father's teachings, your son will keep firmly in mind and strive to live up to them!" Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Liu Yang immediately replied earnestly.

However, in his heart, he could not help but feel somewhat unsettled. Emperor Liu's intentions were good. With his forceful nature, the princes naturally would not dare to resist, but as for the matter of guarding the frontiers, it was clearly impossible for them to submit willingly and wholeheartedly.

If it were prosperous interior regions they were sent to govern, perhaps they would accept it gladly. But to remote and desolate places, who could go willingly? Guarding the frontier was no easy task. How arduous it was—having experienced the previous northern inspection tour and the icy journey through Hexi, the princes all had deep personal experience of it. If it were Liu Yang himself, were he not the Crown Prince, he could not guarantee that he would have such generous heroism and selfless dedication.

On another note, among the princes, each had their own strengths. Not all of them had the ability to shoulder the responsibility of guarding the frontier. If the wrong person were entrusted with the task, setting aside future hidden dangers, even in the present, what they brought to the borderlands might not be stability—it could instead become calamity...

Even Emperor Liu had a father's love for his sons, let alone those ladies of the harem. If Emperor Liu were to soften his heart in the future, could this policy truly be carried out effectively?

The uncertainty was simply too great.

And these doubts, Liu Yang at this moment only dared to mull over silently in his heart, not daring to state them openly. Emperor Liu spoke fine words, telling him to hold nothing back and pour out his heart completely. But Liu Yang had grown up under Emperor Liu's care, and his understanding of Emperor Liu was by no means shallow. Having grown to where he was now, how could he truly bare his soul completely to this fearsome imperial father?

Of course, the idea of princes guarding the frontiers was not without positive significance. For the present, it could indeed solve some problems. Combined with the court's forthcoming policy of pacifying the barbarians, it could promote stability and peace in the borderlands, and also strengthen the imperial house's influence over the regions. For digesting and consolidating the existing territories, its significance was even greater.

At the very least, during Emperor Liu's reign, things could be regarded as stable!

And Emperor Liu perhaps also had a simple-minded notion—that meat rotten in the pot was still in the pot. Whether it was the Liu family or the Han family, so long as Chinese territory did not fall to the barbarians, perhaps this could barely be regarded as Emperor Liu's grand vision and magnanimity...