Chapter 1766: The Sedan Chair Prohibition

"What are you standing there for? Sit down!" In the hall, father and son alone together, Emperor Liu said to Liu Yang.

"Yes!" Liu Yang clasped his hands in salute, then lifted his robes and took a seat.

Watching the Crown Prince, whose every move was proper and measured, Emperor Liu mused for a moment, then said unhurriedly: "I hear that over the past two years, a fashion has emerged in the Eastern Capital of riding in soft palanquins and sedan chairs. Officials with even a modicum of power and status all delight in this practice. It's not just officialdom — among the common folk it's the same; going out by sedan chair has become all the rage. Some even compete over whose sedan chair is more ornate, more finely crafted, more costly to build. Is this so or not!"

Hearing Emperor Liu raise this matter, Liu Yang was taken aback for a moment before nodding: "It is indeed so. However, traveling by sedan chair has existed since ancient times, and the court has never prohibited it. It's only in recent years that it has become prevalent."

"Have you not noticed any problem in this?" Emperor Liu said flatly.

Liu Yang immediately became attentive, clasping his hands in response: "Please enlighten me, Father!"

Emperor Liu's tone turned somewhat cold: "As I see it, those who enjoy riding in sedan chairs are all lazy people — it's the beginning of degeneracy. They like being held up and carried by others, is that it? Only so can they display their power, identity, and status? So they can appear superior to others?

Even setting that aside, a single sedan chair outing requires at least two bearers, not to mention those four-bearer and eight-bearer grand palanquins. I hear that Liu Xu has had a lavish carriage carried by sixteen men constructed, and with attendants and guards added, his outings involve a retinue of several dozen people.

Scale that up to the entire Eastern Capital, the entire Great Han — how much manpower is wasted on sedan-chair riding alone, have you ever thought about that? If all these people were put to productive work, how much grain and goods could they produce, how much value could they create, have you ever considered it? So much manpower squandered for nothing — do you not find it a pity?"

Hearing Emperor Liu speak thus, Liu Yang's expression gradually turned serious. After a moment's thought, he had to admit that what Emperor Liu said was quite reasonable. Moreover, recent government policy had already begun emphasizing the encouragement of agriculture and sericulture, expanding production, while also striving to reduce and control urban populations.

And a habit like sedan-chair riding — something taken for granted in daily life — when framed by Emperor Liu's words, did indeed reflect a waste of manpower. This was a point Liu Yang had truly overlooked.

Emperor Liu continued: "The civilization of the Great Han has a long and profound history, with resplendent culture, but some things, in my view, are dregs. This sedan-chair culture, for instance, ought to be discarded, swept into the trash heap of history!"

"Your son is ashamed!" Liu Yang rose to express himself, then habitually followed his train of thought and asked: "In Father's view, how should this practice be rectified?"

"From this day forward, the Great Han prohibits officials and commoners alike from riding sedan chairs!" Emperor Liu's tone was somewhat severe: "If anyone violates this, regardless of who they are, they shall be demoted to the penal labor camps! However many men carried the chair, that many years of hard labor!"

Hearing Emperor Liu's opinion, Liu Yang hesitated a moment, then said: "Only, some elder ministers are advanced in years. Without sedan chairs to ride, I fear they may have difficulty traveling. Could there be some special dispensation for them?"

Glancing at Liu Yang, Emperor Liu said coldly: "Can they not ride in carriages? Horse carts, donkey carts, ox carts — do these not provide convenience for travel? And those able-bodied civil and military officials — have they forgotten how to ride a horse?"

"Yes!" Liu Yang lowered his head slightly, and after a moment's thought, said again: "However, there are some places where passage is restricted, beyond the reach of vehicles, where human labor is indispensable—"

"If such places exist, do able-bodied young men not have legs? Can they not walk? And what business would the elderly have going to such places? As for common folk — who would be willing to spend on sedan chairs, and who has the means for them? Even in emergencies like injury or illness, there are pushcarts, flatbed carts, even carrying someone on one's back — how many ways of getting around are there? Is a sedan chair, that gaudy and useless thing, truly needed?" Emperor Liu's tone had already carried a measure of irritation as he rebuked:

"Stop harping on those trivial details with me! In short, I don't want to see or hear of anyone with sound limbs riding in sedan chairs! Every case found will be punished; if nobles or officials commit the offense, their crime is one degree heavier! You will personally oversee this matter!"

"As commanded!" At this, Liu Yang couldn't help but smile wryly and reply with resignation. It wasn't that he opposed the opinion — he merely wanted to discuss it further and consider things more comprehensively.

"And one more thing!" Emperor Liu thought of something and said to Yan Tuo, who stood in attendance: "Pass the word down — burn all the hand-pulled palanquins and sedan chairs in the palace! The prohibition on sedan chairs begins with me, begins with the palace!"

"Yes!" Naturally, Yan Tuo dared not raise any question about Emperor Liu's command, and replied without hesitation.

But Liu Yang couldn't help but advise: "Father, your leading by example fills your son with admiration. Only, destroying all the hand-pulled palanquins does create inconveniences. Your son believes that all subjects under heaven may be prohibited from riding sedan chairs, but the Son of Heaven is different — I beg you to reconsider!"

"Reconsider what?" Emperor Liu retorted: "Do you also think these legs of mine can no longer walk?"

Startled, Liu Yang hurriedly said: "Your son would never mean that!"

"That's settled!" Emperor Liu waved his hand impatiently: "Several decades after founding the state, all sorts of situations have cropped up! I tell you, there are some things, some practices, that I simply cannot abide — they should be banned and prohibited, and severely punished!"

"Yes!"

Even as he agreed, Liu Yang sighed silently in his heart. Emperor Liu's changes over the past two years had grown increasingly evident. Stubborn to the point of arrogance, brooking no doubt. Though he delegated power generously, the ideas and opinions he himself held allowed no one else to question them.

Take the sedan-chair fashion for instance — Liu Yang also thought it had merit to establish prohibitions, but the severity and roughness Emperor Liu displayed chilled one's heart.

"Reporting to His Majesty, the Prince of Xu requests an audience!" The palace eunuch's announcement eased some of the awkwardness between father and son.

By the time the plump Liu Chengyun entered the hall, the atmosphere had already returned to harmony. Liu Chengyun paid his respects before the throne: "May I ask what instructions Your Majesty has for your subject?"

Looking at the Prince of Xu, Emperor Liu wasted no words and directly instructed: "There is indeed a matter that requires Brother Yun to put his mind to!"

"Your Majesty must not speak thus — please, give your command!" Liu Chengyun immediately declared, his posture thoroughly respectful.

Emperor Liu, appearing unconcerned with such formalities, said: "The Khitan in Mobei have once again sent envoys south to sue for peace. I have basically agreed, and intend to select a young woman to travel far to Mobei, to marry the Khitan king Yelu Longxu.

However, as you know, all my daughters are of unsuitable age, and all have already been betrothed. Therefore, I can only select a suitable person from among the daughters of the imperial clan.

You are in charge of the clan registry and are familiar with each family's circumstances — do you have any suggestions?"

Hearing these words, Liu Chengyun immediately understood Emperor Liu's meaning. Though what Emperor Liu said was true — his youngest daughter was the Seventh Princess, Princess Longqing, Liu Hui, who was now twenty-two and married to the son of Murong Chengtai, and had even already borne a child.

But even if there were daughters of suitable age who were unbetrothed, given Emperor Liu's temperament, he would not be willing to send them far away to a foreign land. This kind of political marriage with "peace-through-marriage" overtones would still have to be chosen from among the daughters of the imperial clan. And given the current state of the Great Han's imperial clan, the one of suitable age would be the eldest daughter of Prince Liu Xu, Liu Fei.

Liu Fei was born in the seventh year of Kaibao, and was now not yet sixteen. Though a bit older than Yelu Longxu, their ages matched well. However, Liu Chengyun dared not make such a suggestion, and after thinking it over, could only select from among the collateral branches of the clan.

There was precedent for this — the consort of King Wang Ju of Goryeo was none other than Liu Chengyun's own daughter. After pondering for a moment, Liu Chengyun ventured tentatively: "Your Majesty, my cousin Liu Chengxi has a daughter named Liu Lin, aged eighteen, not yet betrothed, with dignified bearing and appearance. What does Your Majesty think?"

"Liu Chengxi..." Emperor Liu had to think for a moment before recalling who that was: "What is his situation now?"

Liu Chengyun said: "Your Majesty, back then, Liu Chengxi was stripped of his post as Prefectural Administrator over the Tangut civil unrest in Xiazhou, and demoted to commoner status. He is now but a plain-clothed civilian!"

Hearing Liu Chengyun say this, Emperor Liu caught on, and looking at him with meaning, said: "Brother Yun, you've put considerable thought into this!"

"Your subject is ashamed!" Seeing his little scheme seen through, Liu Chengyun gave an honest, simple smile.

"Approved!" Emperor Liu agreed without much deliberation: "Liu Lin's marriage far away is a service to the state. As for Liu Chengxi — he may be reinstated, with the Ministry of Personnel assessing and appointing him!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"