Chapter 1691: High Specification

The news that Prince Yong, Liu Chenghsun, was going to the South Seas spread quickly, and with official backing, it disseminated even faster. Of course, for the vast majority of officials and commoners, this was not a major matter, and it did not even arouse the slightest interest.

However, for those classes, groups, and individuals whose interests were involved, it was an unmistakable political signal. From the Hall of State Affairs to the navy, from meritorious nobles to merchants, and even down to the lowliest fishermen and sailors, all stakeholders in the vast profit chain of overseas trade were greatly encouraged.

The South Seas strategy had always been accompanied by enormous controversy. The forces actively pushing for expansion had grown steadily as overseas interests became apparent, but the conservative forces were equally formidable. Deeply ingrained concepts spanning millennia led many to hold prejudice against the policy of opening up to the south. Toward the unknown, some possessed a spirit of active exploration, while others feared it like tigers, preferring to remain stagnant and self-contained.

The reason Emperor Liu sent Liu Chenghsun south was that, after so many years of development and so many years of debate, a definitive conclusion needed to be reached regarding overseas trade and the South Seas strategy.

As for those conservative voices and forces, Emperor Liu allowed them to exist. Indeed, many among them were cornerstones of the empire, and their behavior of protecting their own turf was understandable.

However, when it came to matters of national strategy, or even disputes over the fundamental path, Emperor Liu still had to resolutely break through such resistance. Sending Liu Chenghsun on this inspection tour was the clearest statement of intent.

Prince Yong, Liu Chenghsun — this was a Prince of the Great Han, Emperor Liu's own full-blooded younger brother. It could be said that within the Great Han's imperial clan, Liu Chenghsun stood second only to the Crown Prince.

His noble identity, illustrious status, and imposing prestige all reflected the special nature of Liu Chenghsun's southern inspection tour. Compared to this, the only thing in the past that could be recalled in similar terms was Duke of Qi, Liu Yang's, mission to Goryeo and Japan.

However, although Liu Yang was an imperial prince, his status and prestige fell far short of Liu Chenghsun's. Clearly, in Emperor Liu's eyes, those uncivilized barbarians of the South Seas were more important than Goryeo and Japan, those two "friendly neighbors" separated by only a strip of water.

Of course, from the perspective of interests, this was indeed the case. After all, Goryeo and Japan were ultimately independent nations with deep political and cultural ties, and they could not satisfy the Great Han's gradually growing demand for external plunder.

At the same time, this southern inspection tour was reflected not only in its high specification but also in its scale. Emperor Liu had prepared a veritably luxurious envoy delegation for Liu Chenghsun.

Besides representative officials dispatched from the various ministries and bureaus of the court, several dozen Academicians and Erudites were drawn from the Three Institutes, carrying with them a large number of classics, histories, philosophical works, and famous writings of the Hundred Schools. Thus, from the very composition of the delegation, it carried the purpose of political and cultural propaganda.

At the same time, a fleet of twenty various types of warships was drawn from the East Sea Navy to escort the delegation. The naval officers were selected from the Jinming Lake Military Academy, and two thousand armored soldiers were drawn from the imperial army of the Eastern Capital as an honor guard, with the officers composed of graduates from the Army Military Academy and sons of meritorious nobles.

Considering the special climate of the South Seas, a dedicated medical team was also assigned, and an imperial edict was sent ahead to the various bases and outposts in the South Seas, ordering them to make full preparations to receive and support the delegation.

To ensure the smooth progress of the southern inspection, the Bureau of Military Affairs was even ordered to issue a military command to the navy in the South Seas region, conducting a campaign to suppress the pirates active there, at minimum guaranteeing peace along the inspection route.

Regarding this high-specification southern inspection delegation, Emperor Liu even privately told the Crown Prince, Liu Yang, that he was equipping Liu Chenghsun with a miniature court.

It was not until the autumn of the twenty-first year of Kaibao, on the third day of the seventh month, when everything was fully prepared, that Liu Chenghsun formally departed from the Eastern Capital, leading the accompanying delegation to Mizhou, where the military port of Mizhou served as the official point of departure.

Emperor Liu personally led the assembled officials in a grand and solemn send-off for Liu Chenghsun. Moreover, several heavyweight figures were added to the accompanying delegation, the most representative being Duke of Qi, Liu Yang, and the imperial grandson Liu Wenhai (eldest son of Prince of Jin, Liu Xi).

Duke of Qi, Liu Yang, was an extraordinary figure within the Great Han's imperial clan, famously open-minded and highly receptive to new things. In the burgeoning overseas trade, the Duke of Qi's household was among the beneficiaries.

The Duke of Qi's household maintained a fleet of ships engaged in overseas trade, earning substantial income every year. Of course, the original intention was actually to satisfy Liu Yang's collection of novel overseas curiosities. It could be said that Duke of Qi, Liu Yang, was the most "trendy" person in the Great Han's imperial clan.

Of course, there were quite a few others in the imperial clan who participated in the wave of maritime trade. Even more representative than Liu Yang was the Ninth Prince, Duke of Chu, Liu Shu, and the fleet under the Duke of Chu's household was much larger than that of the Duke of Qi's household, earning more profit as well. They also did more outrageous things and behaved with even less decorum — essentially using the blood and sweat of overseas natives to satisfy Liu Shu's desires.

Liu Shu's love of luxury was no secret, and to satisfy his extravagant material desires, his various expenditures were naturally enormous, requiring sufficient resources for him to squander.

Regarding his indolent, pleasure-seeking faults, Emperor Liu had reprimanded him more than once, but repeated admonitions went unheeded. This truly angered Emperor Liu, and there was also Consort Fu Hui crying and pleading in Liu Shu's defense.

Over time, Emperor Liu simply gave up. No matter how worthless Liu Shu turned out, he was still his son. Though indulging in pleasure was not a good habit, it was, after all, human nature.

Moreover, the affair of Prince of Qin, Liu Xu, back then had planted a thorn in Emperor Liu's heart. Liu Shu being this way was not necessarily a bad thing, as long as he did not run amok domestically or violate the laws and regulations.

Also because of Emperor Liu's influence, although Liu Shu had done many absurd things domestically, he did not dare to act recklessly, especially where the court's laws were concerned. But when it came to exploiting those abroad, he felt no pressure whatsoever.

From the affairs of the Duke of Qi's and Duke of Chu's households, it could be seen that in the process of overseas colonization's rise, the interest-devouring participants were by no means limited to low-status maritime merchants. Gradually assuming the dominant role was the meritorious noble class.

If one were to suppress them, would that not mean suppressing people like Liu Yang and Liu Shu? If their interests were affected, they would jump up and down in protest. Therefore, a portion of the meritorious nobles were also a core force supporting overseas expansion.

Returning to Liu Yang — over these years, he had still not been able to leisurely enjoy himself as a carefree duke. Even if he wanted to, Emperor Liu would not let him have his way. Toward this son who loved to laze about like a salted fish, Emperor Liu would occasionally spur him on, hoping to channel his intelligence and talents into places beneficial to the nation.

Therefore, in recent years, Liu Yang had been assigned by Emperor Liu to oversee the affairs of the Maritime Trade Superintendency. Over these years, the Great Han had established ten Maritime Trade Superintendencies one after another in coastal and riverine regions, and the tax revenue the court obtained through them had grown ever larger and received ever more attention.

By the eighteenth year of Kaibao, they were simply consolidated into a single bureau under the Finance Commission, managing all the Maritime Trade Superintendencies across the realm in a unified manner, with Liu Yang serving as the first Maritime Trade Commissioner.

This time, with Liu Chenghsun being dispatched to inspect the South Seas, Liu Yang, perhaps restless from prolonged inactivity, had his mind stirred. He had been to Goryeo and Japan, and he harbored great curiosity about the South Seas region as well, but without seeing it with his own eyes, it was always shrouded in a layer of mist.

Thus, he proactively petitioned Emperor Liu, expressing his willingness to accompany his imperial uncle southward to spread the glory of the Great Han. It was rare to see Liu Yang so proactive, so Emperor Liu naturally accepted with pleasure, and soon issued an edict appointing Duke of Qi, Liu Yang, as deputy envoy.

Liu Yang got his wish, and in the process, he also gave up his post as Maritime Trade Commissioner. This sparked a scramble for the position of Maritime Trade Commissioner, with even the two mutually disdainful princes, Duke of Wu, Liu Hui, and Duke of Chu, Liu Shu, both entertaining thoughts of it — though of course, all were rejected by Emperor Liu.

Emperor Liu knew these two princes very well. Liu Hui was passable at writing essays and pursuing scholarship, enjoying great fame in literary circles, with his poems and lyrics being ranked alongside Li Yu's by contemporaries. However, their styles were two extremes: Li Yu was utterly sorrowful, while Liu Hui was utterly ostentatious — a difference born of their respective identities and circumstances.

But in Emperor Liu's view, this seventh son, whom he had once frequently appreciated and praised as the imperial family's literary star, had become somewhat flashy and insubstantial. Therefore, him engaging in cultural endeavors was something he supported, but his wanting to participate in concrete court affairs, especially holding financial power, could not be agreed to.

As for Duke of Chu, Liu Shu, there was even less need to discuss him. Emperor Liu had essentially given up on this son. Letting him be a duke of leisure was fine, but when it came to assigning him work, the first things questioned were his ability and his intentions. There was no way the Maritime Trade Superintendency, such an important financial department of the court, would be handed to him.

In the end, the post of Maritime Trade Commissioner fell to Zheng Qi, the Fiscal Commissioner of the Two Lakes region, nominated by Finance Commissioner Wang Zhu. Zheng Qi was a surrendered official from the Southern Tang, having previously served as Magistrate of Jinling and Prefect of Jiangning. Wang Zhu had thought highly of him during his own tenure in Jiangnan. This man had been a famously stubborn official even in his humble beginnings, characterized by incorruptible self-discipline, pleading for the people, and fearing no powerful figures. Letting a renowned honest official manage the Maritime Trade Superintendency, recommended by the veteran minister Wang Zhu — there was naturally no reason to refuse.

And because of Liu Yang's petition, Emperor Liu conceived another idea: to select one from among the imperial grandsons to also be placed in the southern inspection delegation. That way, the old, the middle-aged, and the young — grandfathers, uncles, and grandsons — would all be represented across three generations.

Among the imperial grandsons, there were not many to choose from. Most were unsuitable in age. After much deliberation, only Liu Wenhai remained. The eldest among the imperial grandsons should be Liu Wenyuan, eldest son of Prince of Qin, Liu Xu, who was now already eighteen years old, but he was following his father in Andong, striving to make his mark. The sixteen-year-old Liu Wenyuan was likewise.

Therefore, only Liu Wenhai, who had been placed in the palace by Liu Xi to accompany Noble Consort Gao, remained. Because of this matter, Noble Consort Gao was enraged. Her protective instincts flaring up, she even forcibly barged into Chongzheng Hall to interrogate Emperor Liu about his intentions.

Although Emperor Liu was strong-willed, facing Noble Consort Gao, who doted on her grandson so fiercely, he ultimately found it inconvenient to show anger and could not bear to reproach her. He spoke some reasoning about "imperial princes and grandsons cannot be raised at the hands of women," which only made Noble Consort Gao's fury flare even greater, with tears becoming her sharpest weapon.

When reasoning failed and the edict could not be changed, Emperor Liu ultimately chose to retreat and avoid the matter entirely, hiding from Noble Consort Gao for the following several months, not daring to see her.

Of course, Noble Consort Gao was not an unreasonable woman; it was just that her deep affection for her grandson overwhelmed everything else. After all, Liu Wenhai, born in the eighth year of Kaibao, was only fourteen years old. Seeing that Emperor Liu's decision could not be changed, she could only grit her teeth and accept it, making additional preparations and giving extra admonitions for Liu Wenhai's safety.