Chapter 1523: Position

After hearing Song Xiong's opinion, Liu Yang raised his eyes to look at him. The Crown Prince's gaze had rarely carried such authority, so much so that even the unfamiliar old minister instinctively lowered his head.

Soon, Liu Yang withdrew his gaze and fell into thought. Regarding the situation in the northeast that was now on the verge of erupting, Song Xiong's stance was very clear—he held to the thinking of seeking stability and security. This was hardly surprising, nor was it blameworthy. As a regional chief administrator, bearing responsibility for local welfare, he had to be accountable to the people under his governance.

Back when the Great Han had campaigned north and taken all of Liaodong, in those prolonged clashes, beneath the all-encompassing flames of war, the entire Liaodong had been nearly destroyed.

Now, after painstaking efforts, it had finally recovered somewhat and was walking a steady and correct path of development. A chief administrator like Song Xiong naturally hoped for continued stability, pursuing harmony and tranquility, unwilling to see turmoil arise again.

The complex disturbances of the Haidong region might not bring much impact to Liaodong, but the Wanyan Jurchen were different—the land they occupied bordered Huanglong Prefecture.

If they went to war with the Shiwei people, that would inevitably affect the stability of Liaodong's borders. This was what Song Xiong worried about. Even though the Han army's border troops stationed in Liaodong had sufficient strength to keep chaos and the calamity of war outside Huanglong Prefecture, one still feared the unexpected.

Song Xiong's thinking might lean toward the conservative, but his considerations were not without reason, nor hard to understand. However, the problem lay in the fact that regarding the northeastern situation, the court had long since formulated its policy—namely, to watch from the other shore, stir up conflicts among tribal forces, increase their attrition, wear down their ambitions, and lay the foundation for the Great Han to establish long-term effective rule there.

Supporting the Wanyan tribe's march north was certainly in part due to the land promised back then, but more importantly, it was a concrete measure under the court's northeastern policy framework.

So much preparation had already been done—the rope had been loosened for the Jurchen, and the stage had been handed to the Wanyan tribe. At this time, Song Xiong, as the chief administrator of Liaodong, raising objections was clearly untimely.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Yang's face broke into his signature gentle smile, and he said: "Your Excellency Song's concerns also show a heart that holds Liaodong dear—words of mature counsel for the state. Regarding your opinion, I will discuss it with the Chancellors. You should also draft a memorial for submission, for consultation!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang's response was somewhat perfunctory, but Song Xiong was neither anxious nor impatient, cupping his hands in acknowledgment.

His smile growing warmer, Liu Yang said: "Your Excellency Song has traveled far; please rest for a while. Regarding matters of Liaodong, after the grand ceremony, I still have questions to consult you on!"

"Your Highness flatters me! This old minister will naturally speak all he knows without reservation!" Song Xiong declared.

The weariness on his aged face could not be concealed. Song Xiong's journey here had been quite taxing—crossing seas and scaling mountains, in short, exhausted from travel.

"Your Highness, it seems this Governor Song holds a dissenting view toward the court's policy on the northeastern tribes!" After Song Xiong left, Murong Defeng, now serving as Supervising Secretary, looked at Liu Yang's grave expression and said softly.

"In his position, he plans for his duties. Song Xiong's considerations are largely grounded in Liaodong—understandable! After these years of recuperation, Liaodong has finally maintained its current situation, so he naturally doesn't wish to see it broken." Liu Yang sighed lightly: "But once the grand policy has been set, how can it be easily changed course?

The war between the Wanyan Jurchen and the Tulübu Shiwei is also an arrow already nocked that must be loosed—it cannot be easily halted. For Song Xiong to raise objections now is already too late!"

In the final analysis, it wasn't a question of too late or not—the key was that this was a strategy spearheaded by Emperor Liu himself, and what had been consistently carried out was also Emperor Liu's will. If Emperor Liu's stance didn't waver, those below could do nothing about it, including him, the Crown Prince.

And Liu Yang's considerations went a bit further. Regarding the Wanyan Jurchen striking at Tielifu, the court had long been prepared. Ever since Wanyan Bohai came to the capital to request aid last year, they had been waiting in anticipation.

In all this, not to mention the court's northeastern strategy, Prince of Qin Liu Xu had also made considerable efforts on this matter. They were just waiting for those two dogs in the northeast to bite each other, waiting for results. If Song Xiong were to jump out at this time to sing doom and hold things back, it might not be a good thing for him personally.

From Liaodong's perspective, Song Xiong's position was unproblematic, but since it ran counter to the court's policy direction, then there was a problem.

"Your minister observes that Governor Song's resolve is quite firm—he likely won't let it go and will continue to submit memorials upward!" As if having gauged Liu Yang's thoughts, Murong Defeng added: "In your minister's view, Governor Song is also worrying needlessly. With Patrol Inspector Ma and the Liaodong garrison providing protection, why fear that the Jurchen-Shiwei conflict could harm Liaodong?"

"After all, we sit within the capital. Regarding the specific matters of Liaodong, compared to the local administrators, it's hard for us to know them thoroughly—there are inevitably things we overlook or miss. The court should still listen appropriately to Liaodong's opinions!" Liu Yang sighed and said with fairness.

"In restoring peace and order in Liaodong, Your Excellency Song has merit—that cannot be erased. If Liaodong is to continue recovering and move toward orderly governance, its political stability must be ensured." After thinking, Liu Yang continued: "I'm just afraid that if he stubbornly clings to his views, it won't change the situation but will instead add unexpected variables to Liaodong's peaceful governance!"

After mulling it over a while longer, Liu Yang instructed Murong Defeng: "Rixin, make a personal trip and invite the Prince of Dongping here!"

"Yes!" Murong Defeng was very clever—upon hearing this order, he roughly guessed Liu Yang's intent.

Song Xiong had been a core member of the Youyan military command back in the day—a trusted staff advisor to the Prince of Dongping, Zhao Kuangzan, during his time in Youzhou. Using Zhao Kuangzan to offer Song Xiong some guidance and persuasion might yield better results.

Speaking of it, among the many political factions of the Great Han, the Youyan group had always been relatively low-key—even the name of this faction had been assigned to it by others.

This political force, composed of former Youzhou military and civilian officials, had the Prince of Dongping, Zhao Kuangzan, at its core—that was beyond doubt. In the more than ten years since fully surrendering their power, to dispel the Emperor's and the court's suspicions, they had always been well-behaved, not actively participating in court politics, let alone power struggles.

The original Youyan group, especially the Yan army, had been thoroughly broken up and absorbed, scattered across all directions. But likewise, after more than a decade of lying low, this force had become increasingly impossible to ignore in the Great Han's arena of power.

The Prince of Dongping, Zhao Kuangzan, went without saying—while gradually dispelling Emperor Liu's suspicions, he had also successfully forged a marriage connection, and was increasingly favored with important duties, beginning to participate in affairs of state.

And men like Song Qi and Song Xiong had each become chief administrators of their circuits—Song Qi had even the credential of entering the court as Chancellor. And the former Youyan civil and military officials scattered throughout the Great Han's governance were also playing roles and exerting influence in ever broader spheres.

Of course, this group's cohesion might not be strong—especially for those who had reached positions like Song Qi and Song Xiong, with many considerations, they couldn't possibly bind tightly together.

But when it truly came to a critical moment, if Zhao Kuangzan spoke up, how could these two Songs refuse to show some face? Some connections simply couldn't be cast off.

And Liu Yang had clearly seen this point as well. In seeking out Zhao Kuangzan, he was also preparing to offer protective advice regarding Song Xiong. Though he had no deep friendship with Song Xiong, that didn't prevent him from recognizing his achievements in Liaodong.

In Liu Yang's eyes, with the northeastern chaos about to erupt and its course uncertain, Liaodong needed to maintain stability all the more. As the chief administrator of Liaodong, one needed to bear that responsibility. In such a situation, one should no longer dwell on the court's established policy, and certainly must not work against the court's guiding principles. Doing so would benefit neither Liaodong nor Song Xiong himself.

Perhaps Liu Yang himself hadn't noticed, but after so many years of tempering and growth, his vision and thinking had become ever broader. He tended to look at the big picture in all matters, and in governance and handling affairs, his methods had grown more flexible—he had also learned compromise and concession. And these qualities were things Emperor Liu could not teach.

Under such circumstances, the steadiness and gentleness of his temperament had not fundamentally changed—that too was a rare and commendable quality.