Chapter 1755: A Hundred Years of National Fortune

"Liu Xu's party has already set off northward, hasn't it?" Emperor Liu raised another matter.

Upon hearing the question, Liu Yang calmly replied: "Yes! After bidding Father farewell yesterday, they took to the road. I sent our tenth brother to see them off on my behalf."

"So they've gone!" Emperor Liu sighed softly, his tone somewhat complex: "Who knows how long it will be before we meet again."

"Since Father is reluctant to part, why not keep Eldest Brother and the others for a few more days?" Liu Yang asked.

Emperor Liu shook his head: "He's thirty-five years old, not three or five. What is there to be reluctant about!"

As Emperor Liu's eldest son, the Prince of Qin, Liu Xu, was born in the second year of Qianyou. By this year, he was fully thirty-five years old, and he had celebrated his birthday in the Eastern Capital, gathering friends and holding a rather grand banquet.

Though the words were spoken thus, Liu Yang could detect some insincerity in Emperor Liu's tone. Regardless, toward his first son, Emperor Liu harbored some special feelings, and with the added sense of indebtedness toward his mother, Consort Geng, those feelings became even more complicated.

"He's been back in the capital for nearly half a year now, which is about enough. As the Governor of Andong, how could he stay away from his post for long!" Emperor Liu added another remark, then with a slight smile at the corner of his mouth, said: "The young lady of Liu Guangyi's household — I've heard your mother mention her. Gentle, virtuous, and extremely well-bred — she's a fine match. That boy Wenyuan is fortunate indeed!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang echoed: "A scion of the imperial house and a lady of a distinguished family — truly a fine union."

Just in April of this year, Liu Wenyuan, the heir of the Prince of Qin, married the daughter of Liu Guangyi, the Marquis of Haining. This was the first imperial grandson to wed, highly significant and drawing attention from court and country alike. Emperor Liu was quite delighted by this and attended in person together with Empress Fu.

"In the blink of an eye, even my grandchildren are starting families. How time flies!"

Liu Yang attended to Emperor Liu at his side, but his mind could not help but churn with thoughts — with all these sighs and sentiments from Emperor Liu, every sentence revolving around Liu Xu's family, what exactly did he want to say?

After a moment of deliberation, Emperor Liu suddenly turned his head and looked at Liu Yang: "Regarding Andong—"

Emperor Liu appeared as if he wanted to say something more, but forcibly restrained himself. After hesitating a moment, he said: "Taking advantage of the disturbances in Yulin this time, how many migrants has Andong managed to recruit?"

Liu Yang's eyelids drooped slightly as he reported: "All told, roughly thirty-six thousand or so. The first batch has already arrived in Andong, while the last batch still lingers within the passes, not yet departed. Because of these people, there's been some resentment in Yulin. Previously, Zhang Qixian even submitted a memorial requesting that the remaining uncounted population be sent back to Yulin."

Upon hearing this, Emperor Liu smiled: "It seems Zhang Qixian is truly anxious! But these matters, you go coordinate them. Each side has its own difficulties — how to balance them depends on your skill!"

"Yes!"

"Your imperial uncle and his party have been to the South Seas for nearly a year now, haven't they!" Emperor Liu thought again of the Prince of Yong, Liu Chenghsun, and his party who had been sent south by imperial decree, and said: "It's been so long — who knows what the situation is. And Liu Yun and Wenhai — the South Seas climate is hot and humid with much miasma, the conditions harsh and dangerous, diseases rampant. I wonder if they are well, if they've suffered from the unfamiliar environment..."

Liu Yang said: "According to the report from the South Seas received last month, the imperial uncle is currently in Srivijaya. They have already made a circuit of the major outposts in the South Seas, having visited the kingdoms of Chenla, Pagan, Srivijaya, Kulam, and Java — all is well.

As for our fifth brother, he has sailed west with the South Seas fleet, planning to head for the Western Arab Sea to visit the Arab kingdoms. As of now, we don't yet know how things are going!"

"Liu Yun certainly has courage! Facing these vast ocean waves without a trace of fear — not content with the South Seas, he wants to go even farther?" Emperor Liu's eyes brightened slightly, and he instructed: "The moment you have news of them, report to me immediately!"

"Yes!"

Ever since Guo Liangping was ordered to form the Heng Sea Fleet and expand westward, returning after visiting the Persian region, the desire to explore further west had grown even stronger.

After the small-scale conflict with Srivijaya — subduing Srivijaya, intimidating the various South Seas kingdoms, and consolidating the Great Han's preeminent position — Guo Liangping began preparations for a second westward voyage.

Riding on the momentum of the Prince of Yong's southern inspection tour, in the spring of this year, Guo Liangping again submitted a memorial requesting the fleet sail west, and the court approved. This time the scale was not as large as the previous one, but still comprised over three hundred warships and merchant vessels, with an even farther target.

According to Guo Liangping's plan, he intended to reach Africa, even to probe the legendary "Western Arab Sea," and establish contact with the Arab kingdoms. In fact, with the Great Han's years of exploration toward the West, their understanding of the West was no longer as muddled as before — at least they knew that west of India was not entirely Arab territory.

In previous understanding, the Arabs were thought to encompass all of Europe, and the so-called Western Arab Sea referred to the Mediterranean and the Atlantic. Guo Liangping planned to sail to the Atlantic to have a look, but without the Suez Canal existing, that was clearly impossible.

However, building on the previous voyage, pushing further west for deeper exploration was still achievable. As for what gains there would be, that would depend on the results.

"This overseas exploration takes years at a stretch, and the perils at sea are countless — none but the brave could overcome them!" Emperor Liu remarked with emotion, then said: "Guo Liangping and his men's exploration of the West deserves support, but the court's focus in overseas operations must for now remain on the South Seas. This is heaven's gift to the Great Han — perhaps not obvious now, but a hundred years hence, that may well be the court's safety valve for relieving pressure and resolving difficulties!"

"Yes!" Liu Yang nodded.

On this point, Liu Yang was fairly in agreement. He had discussed it at length with Emperor Liu and could keep pace with Emperor Liu's thinking. Moreover, he could already see the bright prospects ahead.

At the very least, in these years, as overseas trade continued to rise, it had brought enormous benefits to both the court and the common people, while also considerably easing the contradictions brewing within.

Large numbers of poor coastal residents eagerly took to the seas to make their fortunes — especially in regions like Fujian Circuit, where mountains were many and arable land scarce, the spirit of adventure burned even hotter. Many people, who before going to sea were destitute paupers of three generations, after two or three years of adventuring would return home with surplus money, enough to become local gentry.

Though in truth, going to sea did not mean instant wealth — many perished at sea, or died in pirate attacks, or succumbed to illness, or lost their lives in conflicts with the natives.

But whether through official propaganda or word of mouth among the people, the South Seas was a land of treasure, with wealth everywhere — silver hanging from the trees, gold flowing in the rivers.

For the court, such propaganda was needed to relieve domestic pressure, and the merchants and commoners who profited from going to sea also needed it to attract manpower, increase their strength, and venture forth together.

Going to the South Seas without banding together was impossible, and without exaggerating somewhat, making things sound mysterious, one could not achieve the goal of attracting people. And for ordinary folk back home, for those who wanted to get rich, they could plainly see those who had grown wealthy through venturing to the South Seas — those people and their stories were real, impossible to fake. For them, if farming at home was hard or unsustainable, here was another viable path, one supported by the authorities. That was enough.

Though it was just an unremarkable option, from a broader perspective, it could strengthen the nation's fortune and prolong the dynasty's mandate. At least that was how Emperor Liu saw it. Since the Eastern and Western Han, no dynasty had enjoyed three hundred years of national fortune. Emperor Liu did not seek his Great Han Empire to last ten thousand generations, but if the South Seas could be well managed, used as a reservoir, adding another hundred years was not out of the question.