Chapter 1708: Picking Up What Was Left, Filling What Was Omitted

With the discussion concluded, the atmosphere did not ease at all—instead, it sank back into a stifling dullness. Watching these senior ministers sit there as obediently as schoolchildren in a classroom, Emperor Liu found it rather amusing for a moment.

"Hahaha." Emperor Liu abruptly let out a burst of laughter. Though it had a somewhat forced quality—a smile that didn't reach the eyes—it nonetheless broke the stiff atmosphere.

The ministers looked at Emperor Liu, who asked in a questioning tone: "What is the matter with you all? So downcast and dispirited—hardly befitting the bearing of chancellors of the high court and pillars of the state."

Meeting everyone's gaze, Emperor Liu said slowly and deliberately: "The disturbance in Yulin is, for the state and for the people, certainly not a good thing—but neither is it a bad thing! Previously, I have been exploring what exactly has gone wrong in the northwest, investigating those rebels all along.

Now that the traitors have shown themselves and can no longer hide, we can wipe them out in one stroke and thoroughly cleanse Yulin, so that they can no longer lurk in the shadows and oppose the court.

Compared to those thieves hiding beneath the surface, enemies who have been exposed are not frightening! Beneath the blazing sun, how can treachery be allowed to stand? Do you all have no faith in the court?"

After Emperor Liu spoke these words, the faces of the ministers could not help but show some awkwardness, but soon they unanimously, with one voice, praised Emperor Liu for being confident and imposing, declaring that the rebels were sure to be destroyed.

"All of you, smile!" Emperor Liu swept his gaze across the crowd and said again.

Who would dare refuse the Emperor's request? Regardless of what they felt inside, the ministers either laughed heartily, laughed bitterly, laughed dryly, or laughed awkwardly—and the Chongzheng Hall regained a bit of its vitality.

"Though the hour is late, matters are urgent, and state affairs take priority. Return to your posts and attend to your duties!" Only then did Emperor Liu let them off, waving his hand.

"Your ministers take their leave!"

The ministers slowly filed out, and the hall grew empty. Crown Prince Liu Yang and Li Chongju, Commissioner of the Wude Office, were kept behind by Emperor Liu—clearly, there was more to be said.

Looking at Li Chongju, Emperor Liu instructed: "Your Wude Office has sent all its finest to the northwest. In the past, when the rebels showed no trace and you accomplished nothing, I could forgive that. But now, I want to see your effectiveness!

Though Yanzhou has erupted in rebellion, Wang Xuanzhen has handled the situation without error. I will not punish him—he still holds the concurrent post of Northwest Patrol Inspector, so let him temporarily hold the line at Yanzhou. When the Prince of Zhao arrives at his post, he is to take orders from the field headquarters for suppressing the rebellion and assist in pacifying it!"

"Keep a close watch on the Yulin rebellion for me—and the entire northwest as well. The trouble began in Yulin, but the court's vision must not be limited to Yulin alone. Beyond Yulin, there are still many lurking evils. You heard the discussion in the hall just now—the court's bottom line is that Yulin may be in chaos, but it must not be allowed to spread and bring disaster upon the northwest!" Emperor Liu's tone grew increasingly stern, almost a warning.

"Yes!" Li Chongju's expression was also exceptionally grave as he answered solemnly: "I intend to lead the Wude Battalion to the northwest and personally oversee surveillance!"

Hearing this, Emperor Liu was somewhat surprised, but seeing that Li Chongju, though solemn, bore an air of righteous resolve, he nodded: "Since you do not begrudge the hardship and are willing to take on the task, I naturally have no reason to refuse. Wang Xuanzhen is in Yulin—you go to Guannei!"

"Additionally, there is one more matter the court must be vigilant about!" After a moment's hesitation, Li Chongju spoke again.

"Speak!"

"It concerns the convict labor camps across the realm. The Wude Office previously received an edict to investigate. The convicts in various places, bearing criminal sentences and suffering great hardship, harbor deep hatred for the court—the repeated disturbances they have incited before are clear proof of this.

With the Yulin rebellion and the northwest in turmoil, at this time of great upheaval, we must be even more vigilant against villains stirring up trouble. If convicts were to join the rebellion, their hatred would be as deep as the sea—an endless feud to the death.

Last year, when Li Jiqian raised his revolt, and in this Yanzhou rebellion, there were instances of attacking convict camps and recruiting convicts to join the chaos. There are now no fewer than seventy thousand convicts in the northwest—control over them must be strengthened!"

After hearing Li Chongju raise the matter of the convict camps again, Emperor Liu's brow twitched. He turned to look at Liu Yang and said: "You previously suggested that the court's management policies for convicts across the realm could be appropriately adjusted to dissipate their resentment. Now is the time to implement it!"

After thinking for a moment, Emperor Liu said: "Regardless, the convict camps cannot be abolished. We must reform their management and labor practices. I am well aware that many camp officials routinely beat, oppress, and even harm the convicts—how could that not provoke resistance!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang immediately responded. He was actually glad to take on this matter—not out of sympathy for the criminals, for most of those sent to the convict camps could hardly be called good people, but rather because he felt the court's approach was overly harsh. What was even more detestable was that some petty officials used this as an opportunity to commit wrongdoing.

"Also, don't Anxi and Andong both lack manpower? You may select a portion of them and send them to those two places. Those exiled to Anxi or Andong may be exempted from labor service. Exchanging hard labor for exile—consider it a grace granted by the court. It will be their choice!" Emperor Liu added.

"As for the convict camps in the northwest, you will be responsible for reorganizing them once you arrive!" Emperor Liu looked at Li Chongju, hesitated for a moment, then said in a low voice: "From now on, the convict camps will gradually be separated from the local governments and placed under the management of the Wude Office!"

Both Liu Yang and Li Chongju were somewhat surprised by this, but since Emperor Liu had made the decision, it was difficult to object at the moment. Of course, Li Chongju had no grounds to oppose it—this was, after all, a matter that increased the Wude Office's interests. As for Liu Yang, having the Wude Office manage the convict camps uniformly would also be beneficial to their reorganization and could reduce some unnecessary troubles.

As for the impact on the Wude Office and the court, that was temporarily outside Liu Yang's considerations. After all, this was a society ruled by men, and as Crown Prince, Liu Yang had far fewer misgivings about the Wude Office under Li Chongju's control.

Back when Wang Yinwu had held the post, he had wanted to place all the convict camps in the realm under the Wude Office's jurisdiction because of the disorder in the camps. However, due to resistance both inside and outside the court, and lacking Emperor Liu's support, the matter had ultimately been dropped. Now, Emperor Liu had finally handed management of the convict camps to the Wude Office—one could say it fulfilled Wang Yinwu's "loyalty."

Having said all that needed to be said, Li Chongju tactfully withdrew, leaving father and son room to talk. After a brief silence, it was Liu Yang who took the initiative to ask: "Father, with Fourth Brother going to Yulin to take charge, I expect the rebellion can be brought under control. But how should Wang Shen be dealt with?"

The ministers had all thought of this point earlier, but no one had raised it. Someone had to say it eventually, though—and upon hearing it, Emperor Liu's face visibly darkened again. After considering for a moment, he said: "Let him return to the capital first!"

Toward Wang Shen, who had failed to live up to expectations, Emperor Liu was genuinely somewhat angry—there had even been a moment when he wanted to strip Wang Shen of his office and title and reduce him to a commoner. But in the end, he held back.

Wang Shen had been ineffective in suppressing the rebellion and had stirred up that ugly business of discord between commander and officers. That he bore fault was certain, and he needed to be punished. However, the severity of the matter still depended on Emperor Liu's attitude.

But to strip a high noble of the Twenty-Four Ministers of his rank solely over the Yulin affair—for Emperor Liu, who was growing increasingly nostalgic with age, was truly unnecessary. Wang Pu had labored with utter devotion for so many years—one could even say he had worked himself to death for the court. For the sake of his legacy, Emperor Liu was willing to show some consideration. Moreover, Wang Pu's dying words still echoed in his ears—it was Emperor Liu himself who had not taken them seriously and had entrusted Wang Shen with great responsibility.

Of course, there were also factors of political consideration involved. The meritorious nobles of the Great Han needed both admonishment and encouragement, but they also needed tolerance and reassurance. As for Wang Shen, he could be made an example.

Essentially, in Emperor Liu's eyes, Wang Shen was to be abandoned—his future prospects had reached their end. And Crown Prince Liu Yang, having witnessed this affair, had no favorable impression of Wang Shen either. What the future held for Wang Shen was easy to imagine.

Of course, no matter how bleak things became, as long as his title remained, he could still appear distinguished before others—this was also the court's grace toward its meritorious officials and nobles.

"One more matter—Yulin's current priority is suppressing the rebellion. Should the reorganization of Yulin's military and civil administration be temporarily suspended?" Liu Yang asked.

Emperor Liu reacted quickly, his tone even carrying a hint of matter-of-factness: "Naturally! The past need not be discussed—what is done is done. But how things go from here will depend on their performance!"

"However, there are some people who cannot be let off!" Emperor Liu's expression changed quickly, and his voice turned somewhat cold: "Is that Prefectural Administrator of Yanzhou still being interrogated? What is there to interrogate with a dog like that? Execute him!"