Chapter 1503: The Court Is About to Strike Hard

The current situation in Guangnan is certainly the result of multiple factors, but it is mainly a legacy problem—the Liu clan of Nanyue did establish long-term rule over the two Guang regions, and the influence accumulated over decades is not something that can be simply wiped away.

To a certain extent, the court actually has to thank Liu Sheng and Liu Chang, father and son, for their wanton misdeeds and brutal rule during their reigns, which reduced the difficulty considerably for the Great Han court when it took over.

The court only needed to set things right, eliminate everything incompatible with "benevolent governance," govern according to local customs, lighten the people's burdens, and give the people rest—by doing so, it could win hearts and easily establish its rule.

However, taking is easy, but holding is hard. In this far-flung corner of the world, where heaven is high and the emperor is far away, establishing a firm rule truly requires more time and more effort.

In this regard, the court has indeed expended no small amount of energy, including the selection and appointment of officials, and even the situation of the barbarian tribes has been given comprehensive consideration.

But even so, it is impossible to attend to everything and cover all bases. Besides the mountain barbarians who refuse to submit to imperial civilization and rebel ceaselessly, there are also the old aristocrats and bureaucrats who were formerly under Nanyue's rule—these vested interests are also one of the hidden dangers to stability in Guangnan.

After the court pacified the south, in order to maintain local stability, it did adopt some appeasement policies, such as retaining Nanyue officials in their posts. But this retention was also selective—not just any Tom, Dick, or Harry could receive that appointment decree and quickly transform into a Han official. Moreover, the numerous eunuch bureaucrats of that bizarre dynasty were basically all excluded.

Because the prefectures and counties in Nanyue were established too densely—many prefectures and counties but few households—the problem of redundant officials and superfluous staff far exceeded the Great Han's average level, even surpassing the early court's situation.

In view of this, Emperor Liu issued an imperial edict and carried out drastic reforms. Through Fan Zhi's surveying of the geography and re-division, following the same approach as previously used in Hunan, a large-scale reduction of prefectures and merger of counties was carried out.

For example, the new Qiong Prefecture was formed from the jurisdictions of Dan, Ya, Zhen, and Wan'an. All told, sixteen prefectures and forty-nine counties were abolished, and the official establishment of the two Guang regions immediately slimmed down.

In this way, while it certainly lightened the burden on the court and benefited the common people, it also meant that while some officials were retained, several times that number were stripped of their posts and titles.

Few of those deprived of power and status can keep their thoughts untroubled—resentment always brews in their hearts. Even if they don't openly resist the court's rule, they always harbor feelings of rejection.

Even those who were retained—to say they are deeply grateful to the court would not be entirely true. At the very least, serving as an official in the Great Han and serving as an official in Nanyue are two completely different concepts. Changing dynasties means changing the very sky above one's head.

Under Emperor Liu's rule, the Great Han court's official administration was, on the whole, still strict, with relatively high demands on officials. For those who had once held power in Nanyue, it was not easy to adapt.

In Liu Chang's era, although he turned the court into a mess, killed many people, and even created a situation where eunuchs ran the state, for those bureaucrats, it could not be said to be all bad.

At least, many times, having a fatuous ruler on the throne made it more convenient for them to embezzle and manipulate things; a chaotic situation made it easier to fish in troubled waters. As for those who suffered, it was usually the common people, never the powerful.

For those Nanyue aristocrats and bureaucrats, small favors and petty kindnesses could not conceal the disparity between before and after, nor could they compensate for the losses they actually suffered.

When officials become commoners and aristocrats are reduced to ordinary folk, resentment and anger inevitably breed. When grudges accumulate over time, the reaction in the two Guang regions is instability and unrest.

In these ten years, with all the various problems in the two Guang regions—rebellions, popular uprisings, barbarian disturbances—Emperor Liu would not believe that those who had lost power and position were not secretly fanning the flames and sabotaging the court from behind.

And those people, though insignificant to the court, still wield considerable influence locally in the two Guang regions—the more remote and impoverished the area, the more true this is.

However, when the tide of the times is surging, a few ripples can hardly shift the overall situation, nor can they shake the court's established rule over the two Guang regions. That is merely the powerless struggle of a bunch of disgruntled men.

In the dozen or so years since the pacification of the south, the court has not carried out any overly meticulous reorganization of the two Guang regions. For those places that hindered harmony, it merely adhered to a policy of combining suppression and pacification, aiming only to maintain basic rule without paying too much attention to minor ailments.

In recent years, the biggest action taken in the two Guang regions was the prohibition of the licentious shrines and heterodox cults that covered the entire area. This provoked some backlash—many ignorant locals, incited by others, caused disturbances—but they were all easily suppressed.

After a dozen or so years, the court has more or less digested the two Guang regions, and its rule there has gradually become more stable. But times change and circumstances shift—when the Great Han's national policy changed, its strategic focus turned, and it began to look inward and concentrate on domestic governance, the problems of the two Guang regions became somewhat prominent and turned into a key target for the court's rectification.

The two Guang regions ultimately cannot be viewed entirely through the lens of remote and impoverished backwaters. Especially the Guangnan East Circuit centered on Guangzhou—it can be called a prosperous land even by Great Han standards.

Panyu had already been the economic center of Lingnan during Nanyue's rule. After coming under the court's administration, it quickly revived from the suppression of the Liu Chang era. Moreover, advances in maritime affairs and the rapid development of seaborne trade caused its potential to fully explode, making it a thriving hub where merchants from all directions converged.

The establishment of the Guangzhou Maritime Trade Office was a decision of milestone significance, representing the court's emphasis on Guangzhou's development. The Maritime Trade Commissioner was ranked at the fourth grade, wielding great power and wealth—it was also the Great Han's only institution radiating across all of Southeast Asia, one of the starting points of the Maritime Silk Road, and the Great Han's first window to the South Seas.

With all these factors taken into consideration, under the court's major policy of focusing on domestic development, it naturally could not tolerate the two Guang regions continuing to be as unstable as before.

In governing the two Guang regions, the court's approach was also top-down, starting first with the selection and appointment of senior military and civil officials. Since the tenth year of Kaibao began, the court's adjustments to senior officials in the two Guang regions have been very frequent.

Zhong Mo was transferred to serve as Administration Commissioner of Guangnan East; Fan Min, who had rendered meritorious service in governing Yong Prefecture, became Judicial Commissioner; Tian Qinzuo, who had terrified the local natives in Annam, was made Chief Commander; and Chu Zhaofu was transferred to serve as Administration Commissioner of Guangxi.

It can be said that elite troops and capable generals were all being deployed to the two Guang regions—this was the greatest attention the court had paid in over a decade. And now, they planned to send Qin Zaixiong to lead troops in Guangxi as well.

"With your qualifications and achievements, even if you were promoted further—transferred to the capital or other key positions to bear heavier responsibilities—it would be entirely justified!" In the hall, Emperor Liu looked at Qin Zaixiong and said: "It's just that the two Guang regions haven't been very peaceful these years, especially Guangxi, where the situation is serious. In the past eleven years, there have been dozens of disturbances of various sizes, and thirteen rebellions involving over a thousand people—truly turbulent and unstable!

The court is sending you to Guangxi precisely because it hopes that, relying on the prestige you have accumulated over many years and your outstanding abilities, you will shoulder the responsibility of protecting the territory and securing the people. Guangxi is remote, impoverished, and its people are stubborn and difficult to govern—do not find it too arduous!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, Qin Zaixiong immediately responded with great righteousness: "Your Majesty overstates it! Your servant, though unworthy, has been entrusted with a heavy responsibility—I feel only honored, how could I speak of hardship! Compared to that, what I regret more is having no place to use my abilities, being unable to serve the court, and unable to devote my loyalty to Your Majesty!"

"Your devotion moves me deeply!" Hearing this, Emperor Liu smiled, clearly satisfied with Qin Zaixiong's attitude.

Qin Zaixiong: "When I was in Changsha, I also heard something of the situation in the two Guang regions, and I deeply hate those rebels who refuse to submit to imperial civilization, defy the court, and refuse to reform despite repeated admonishment.

Just now in the Hall of State Affairs, the Crown Prince and Chancellor Zhao also gave me personal instruction. Once I arrive at my post, I will certainly exert every effort to eliminate the stubborn enemies and maintain public order. As for those villains—since they refuse the court's grace and favor, I will eradicate them completely!"

Hearing this declaration, Emperor Liu nodded involuntarily, stroked his beard with satisfaction, and gave an approving smile: "Good! Your ambition is commendable. Go ahead and act boldly—the court will support you fully!"

"As for the two Guang regions, the court will launch large-scale rectification, wiping out all those who feign submission while harboring treachery and those with ulterior motives, returning a clean and peaceful order to the people of the two Guang regions!" Emperor Liu continued:

"After you arrive at your post, you must cooperate well with Chu Zhaofu, complementing each other. The situation in Guangxi is more complex than in Guangdong, and it requires even more dedication from both of you.

Don't carry any burdens either—I'm not afraid of trouble breaking out. Just act boldly! In short, I want the two Guang regions to become stable territories firmly under the court's rule!"

"Yes!" Qin Zaixiong rose and solemnly accepted the order.

Given Emperor Liu's character and the habits formed over these many years, it was naturally impossible for him to tolerate dissenting voices within the empire, especially such a large abnormal situation as the two Guang regions.

In the past, it was because heaven was high and the emperor was far away—some compromises were made, and no thorough cleansing was carried out. Now that his hands were free, he naturally could not continue to let things slide.

Back then, because of the forced relocation of powerful families, the entire southeast was thrown into turmoil, even triggering the Two Rivers Rebellion and the great Wuyue Rebellion in succession. Under those circumstances, Emperor Liu suppressed them with overwhelming force and resolutely carried out his policies. Now, toward the two Guang regions, his attitude would naturally show not the slightest weakness.

Of course, given the current situation, there is no fear that the two Guang regions could actually stir up any major trouble—this is the confidence of the imperial court. Previously, it was merely a matter of not having made up its mind and not having freed up its hands. But once the hands are freed, every demon and monster will have to submit beneath the Great Han's iron fist of autocracy.