Chapter 1717: Within One's Power

Liu Fang's unusual behavior was quite obvious. Seeing his conflicted expression, the Commander of Jinzhou said softly, "Your Highness, we absolutely must not open the gates. If rebels are mixed in among these rioting commoners, the consequences would be endless! Besides, the court's policy is clear—it cannot be violated."

Lost in thought, Liu Fang was snapped back to reality by these words. He couldn't help turning his head to look at the man, staring at him until the Commander lowered his head. Throughout this journey, Liu Fang's impression of this Commander had not been particularly good, and these words made him feel even more disgusted.

Now they remembered the court's policy, now they wanted to strictly comply and resolutely implement it? What had these local military and civil officials been doing before this? How had the Yulin disaster been caused? These localities absolutely bore an inescapable responsibility.

And this Commander of Jinzhou kept saying "base commoners" with such a contemptuous, condescending attitude, which irritated Liu Fang greatly. Emperor Liu certainly had his ruthless side, but he was also deeply concerned about the suffering of the common people. In the past, he had destroyed Buddhist temples, relocated powerful clans, confiscated corrupt officials' property, and plundered merchants, but when it came to matters of the common people, he always showed a bit more restraint. Because Emperor Liu understood that while commoners could be bullied, one could not go too far. For the sake of the state, matters concerning the common people, however small, were tied to the long-term stability of the nation—one could not act without restraint.

And Liu Fang, having been nurtured since childhood on Emperor Liu's political philosophy, had formed a deeply ingrained conviction in his very bones: better to be ruthless toward bureaucrats and nobles than to excessively exploit the common people.

Although the nation's circumstances imposed limitations, making many things difficult to avoid and many situations hard to change, Liu Fang considered himself blameless before the people when it came to personal conduct. Even a scoundrel like the Ninth Prince Liu Shu would not dare commit acts that harmed the people—this was the bottom line Emperor Liu had drawn for the imperial clan. Whoever dared cross that line would never be forgiven.

But these bureaucrats were a different matter. No matter how harshly they were treated, it could not change their predatory nature. Or rather, the entire ruling class was like this—it was only under Emperor Liu's guidance and suppression that the imperial clan was often more restrained, and had no choice but to be so.

As for the bureaucrats, how far they would go depended partly on the constraints of law and partly on personal moral integrity. But this was an age of rule by men, and an age that devoured people. To test the moral integrity of bureaucrats was somewhat unreasonable.

At the very least, in this unrest in the northwest, the military and political system of the northwest had problems from top to bottom, and all bore responsibility. But this Commander of Jinzhou before him clearly did not realize this.

Suppressing the dissatisfaction in his heart, Liu Fang raised his hand and pointed beyond the fort, saying coldly, "These thousands of refugees risked death to flee—why? Survival is one thing, but more importantly, they are unwilling to join the rebels. They still have faith in the court and yearn for its protection.

Now, if we shut them out, we not only lose the people's hearts but also drive them into the rebels' arms. Do you want to see several thousand more rebel soldiers added to Yulin?"

Faced with Liu Fang's righteous and stern words, the Commander of Jinzhou dared not voice his objections even if he had them. He didn't have the courage to argue with Liu Fang anyway—he was just sitting there, instinctively making the choice that benefited himself and Jinzhou.

"Moreover, the refugee problem must be solved eventually! Although the court has issued a strict decree to seal off Yulin, it has given no further instructions regarding the refugees created by the rebellion. Those who serve in the military, besides seeking merit and glory, also bear the duty of protecting the nation and its people. Now that the people have fallen into calamity and we failed to stop the disaster in time, we ought to feel ashamed.

Faced with the suffering of these multitudes, how can we turn a blind eye?"

As he spoke these words, Liu Fang was also solidifying his own resolve. Though the words sounded somewhat high-sounding, they were indeed his moral bottom line. Liu Fang was just that kind of person—filial to Emperor Liu, loyal to the nation, and compassionate toward the people.

Of course, his considerations were also reasonable, and he did indeed have sufficient authority. For the pacification of Yulin, Emperor Liu had given him full authority. Aside from guidance on the general direction, he was free to handle all the details as he saw fit—and the refugee matter naturally fell within that scope.

Seeing Liu Fang had spoken to this extent, the Commander of Jinzhou dared not object any further. No matter how unwilling he was, he could only praise His Highness the Prince of Zhao for his benevolence and concern for the nation and its people. As for the two hundred-odd rebels about to be beheaded to consecrate the banners, they were beyond consideration.

"I'm giving you a task!" Liu Fang thought for a moment, then fixed his gaze on the Commander of Jinzhou. "You will remain at Guide Fort. These refugee commoners are to be screened, aided, and settled by you!"

Hearing this, the man was taken aback and said hesitantly, "Your Highness, I fear I lack sufficient manpower—"

Who did Liu Fang think he was? Hearing this evasion, he no longer suppressed his anger and said coldly, "Are you defying a military order?"

Meeting Liu Fang's grim gaze, the Commander of Jinzhou couldn't help but shiver and hastily said, "This officer would never dare! It's just that with so many refugees, I fear I may not be up to the task!"

"The vast prefecture of Jinzhou cannot accommodate these few thousand refugees? I will send a written order to the Jinzhou government—manpower and provisions will be supplied by the Jinzhou authorities. Chang'an can also coordinate. If worse comes to worst, I'll allocate some from the military grain reserves!" Liu Fang grew increasingly stern as he spoke, until he was practically fuming: "If you cannot do it, I will appoint someone else!"

Hearing this, the Commander of Jinzhou was greatly shaken and dared not make any more excuses. He pledged, "This officer obeys the order!"

"Very well, then this matter is yours! Handle it well and you'll be rewarded; handle it poorly, and I'll hold you accountable!" Clearly, this man's attitude had infuriated Liu Fang to the point of issuing threats.

Of course, with people like this, appropriate pressure was necessary. Only when their own interests were at stake would they put in real effort.

Looking at the refugees outside the fort, the Commander of Jinzhou sighed silently in his heart—not out of pity for them, but because he regarded them as a nuisance and felt quite helpless about it.

His eyes darted around for a moment, then he clasped his hands and said, "Since Your Highness has commanded it, this officer will naturally do his utmost to complete the task. However, with morale so unsettled at present, allowing so many people into Jinzhou—this officer is truly worried it will bring turmoil to the prefecture. I beg Your Highness to consider this!"

At this, Liu Fang fell silent for a moment, no longer showing such aggression. He understood the reasoning well enough—he could even sympathize to a certain extent with the concerns of these local military and civil officials.

And it was easy to imagine that these refugees flooding into Jinzhou would inevitably bring public security problems. Never mind the officials—even the local commoners would likely hold a rejecting attitude.

Maintaining stability in the prefectures within the pass while also rescuing the people—it was truly a dilemma. Liu Fang sank into deep thought, countless ideas flashing rapidly through his mind. Suddenly, as if grasping something, he turned his head and said, "These people will be temporarily settled in Jinzhou with necessary aid provided. All weapons will be confiscated and guards posted. Once this winter has passed, they will all be transferred and sent to Anxi!"

Having said this, Liu Fang became increasingly convinced his idea was feasible. He murmured, "Prince Wei's side is short of people. Who knows when Yulin will be pacified—and even if it is, it will surely be in ruins. Anxi is far, but it can provide them a place to settle. That counts as doing right by these refugees!"

Hearing Liu Fang's decision, the Commander of Jinzhou's eyes also lit up. Regardless, as long as these troubles weren't kept in Jinzhou, it was acceptable.

"But to transfer these refugees, Jinzhou's resources alone may not be enough to make it happen!"

"You don't need to worry about that!" Liu Fang said immediately. "I will make arrangements with the Fiscal Commissioner of the northwest and Hexi. You just do your part well. In short, I don't want the refugee problem to continue worsening!"

"Yes!"

Having made his decision, Liu Fang sent people out of the fort to announce the relief and settlement arrangements to the refugees outside. Soon, the nearly numbed refugees from Yanzhou regained some vitality. The unexpected arrival of hope released their emotions completely, and among the mountains before Guide Fort, a chorus of "Long live the Prince of Zhao!" erupted.

The shouts carried on the wind into the fort. Liu Fang was on his way back to camp when he heard the cries, and his heart stirred as well. Liu Fang was, after all, a somewhat sentimental person—at this moment, his eyes unconsciously reddened.

"Your Highness, the refugees in all of Yulin number far more than these few thousand. The situation at Guide Fort is by no means an isolated case. Are all refugees to be handled this way?" The Chief Administrator of the Prince of Zhao, who was following beside Liu Fang, asked softly.

"I don't seek their cheers—I only seek a clear conscience! Most of these Han commoners are here because of the court's immigration policy from years past. The original hope was to use them to stabilize the frontiers, and yet now this great chaos has erupted. The court has failed these people. Now, let us do what we can within our power!" Liu Fang sighed.

"As you said, the other places will be handled the same way!" After thinking it over, Liu Fang gritted his teeth and said, "Draft a memorial for me to the Eastern Capital, reporting the refugee situation and my proposed handling of it!

Also, send people to keep watch on Jinzhou and on this matter. I no longer trust these people!"

"Yes!"

After the refugee affair, Liu Fang's heart inevitably felt heavier. He turned to look north, his gaze resolute, his expression firm. Yulin—it must be sternly pacified!