Chapter 1913: Speaking Plainly

As Emperor Liu finished speaking, the nobles all showed surprise on their faces. Emperor Liu had made such "promises" to many people in the past, but never had he spoken of them on an occasion like this. Those present covered nearly half of the Great Han's nobles, and for him to say this openly before everyone surely carried the intent of reassuring hearts.

However, the effect was very poor—far from putting their minds at ease, it only made their hearts hang like heavy stones. After all, Emperor Liu was also one who hid a dagger behind a smile; the gentler his attitude, the more people suspected there might be some trap lurking behind it, lest they take a wrong step, harm others and themselves, and regret it for life.

Still, many realized that what Emperor Liu was about to say next was the real matter. And seeing the nobles' grave expressions and eyes full of suspicion, Emperor Liu silently sighed—why was it that when he spoke the truth, no one believed him?

Refusing Liu Yang's offer of support, he slowly sat down leaning on his bamboo staff. Looking at the Han, Pan, Shi, and Yang families seated in the front positions, Emperor Liu said in a calm tone: "You are all meritorious nobles of the Great Han, and I have always regarded you as brothers and nephews. There are no outsiders here, so let me speak some plain truths!"

Hearing Emperor Liu say this, the assembled company perked up again and assumed postures of listening. Emperor Liu tilted his head back slightly and said in a wistful tone: "Regarding your grievances, I can understand them to a greater or lesser extent. Don't think that just because I am the Emperor I cannot empathize with you—there are some things I can feel just as you do.

In the past, the greatest dissatisfaction in your hearts was probably the hereditary reduction of noble ranks. The system of hereditary titles and stipends that I established—many of you felt it was too strict, even harsh.

Since ancient times, has there ever been such a practice—rewarding meritorious ministers while setting up so many rules and regulations, being so stingy and grudging, not the least bit generous, truly miserly to the extreme? Most of you rejected, even feared, the court's hereditary title system. You feared that after a few generations, your descendants would be reduced to commoners, and you also feared that some accident might cause the line of succession to be cut off.

I speak of sharing the state's fortunes to the end, yet my actions seem to wish nothing more than to cast you down from the heights, to treat you the same as those common folk and petty clerks..."

"'When the cunning hare dies, the hunting hound is boiled'—many among you have harbored such thoughts!" Once Emperor Liu opened his mouth, he found it hard to stop. He raised his hand and pointed behind him: "Even among those enshrined in this Hall of Meritorious Ministers, many have entertained such thoughts and such feelings. I know them all, I see them clearly, and of course, I can understand them!"

"I also admit that the rules I set for the noble rank system were somewhat strict, and the restrictions somewhat numerous! Toward you meritorious old comrades who have weathered wind and rain with me, who blazed the trail through brambles and thorns and walked this road together, I do owe a debt.

But there are some things I had no choice but to do. I am the Son of Heaven—I must consider not only my own household but also the countless common people of the realm. Together with you, I ended the chaos of warlord division, unified the world, and built this brilliant and splendid age of peace!

Founding a dynasty was no easy task—it truly must be cherished. So that this era of tranquility might last longer, I too had to prepare for rain before the storm, to make more considerations and preparations!"

"These words may sound high-sounding, even somewhat hypocritical, so let me speak of something more concrete! What I want to establish is a healthy, sustainable system of hereditary titles that can truly share the state's fortunes and woes. What I want is a group of proactive, ambitious, never-giving-up pillars of the nation—not a bunch of idle, good-for-nothing sons of privilege who only lie on their laurels and coast on past achievements!

Merit, titles, power, and status were won by your fathers and grandfathers through desperate struggle. It is only right that they shade and protect you, but that does not mean you may forever enjoy it with an easy conscience.

These words may be somewhat harsh, but ask yourselves—is there truth in them? With so many people and so many families here, how many are truly clean, proper, and law-abiding?

In recent years, have the troubles and scandals caused by noble sons been few? If it were merely stirring up mischief, that would be one thing—but those who steal the state, sell offices, deceive the sovereign, harm the people, oppress the common folk, and even treat human lives like grass—I wonder if you have forgotten, but I remember each and every one clearly! Shocking to the eye! Appalling to the ear! Not worth a single regret in death!"

As he said this, Emperor Liu's face remained calm, but his icy tone seemed to lower the temperature of the hall by several degrees. Every word, every phrase, stabbed into the hearts of the nobles like sharp knives.

Scanning the room, Emperor Liu continued with what he considered "plain truths": "I regard you as the pillars of the nation. The stability of the state and the continuation of the dynasty both require you to maintain and consolidate them. You are my own people in my eyes. But precisely because of that, I must hold you to strict standards. If you degenerate, then the Great Han is in danger!

To repay your achievements, I give you fame, profit, and even privileges—these are what you deserve. But that does not mean you may rely on the court's grace to act arbitrarily and without restraint!"

This outburst from Emperor Liu made everyone present tremble with fear. Even Yang Ye, whose conscience was clear, could not help shrinking his head and furrowing his brows, constantly reflecting on whether his own family had committed any offenses...

The assembled ministers hung their heads. Emperor Liu calmed his emotions and continued: "The noble ranks of the Great Han place military merit first—this point cannot be shaken. In the past, it was about rescuing the imperiled, aiding the distressed, and unifying the realm; it was about campaigning south and north, conquering east and west.

Now that the world is at peace and the Great Han has few rivals on its borders, you have no place to display your talents. You can put the warhorses out to pasture and enjoy the prosperity—this is what most people think.

But let me say one more thing: the moment such thinking begins to breed and spread is the beginning of your degeneration! I have admonished you more than once—this world is vast, far more than the Nine Provinces. The lands beyond are wide, more than enough for you to gallop across and build achievements. But those who listened, who were willing to endure hardship and strive, are far too few!"

At this point, Emperor Liu finally began to reveal his true intentions: "For the past twenty years, I have been pondering one question: why did dynasties as powerful as the Han and Tang ultimately fail to escape destruction? The Great Han has today's strength, yet it has only been founded for forty years. How many more years can the dynasty's fortune last—a hundred? Two hundred? Or three hundred?

Every time I think of this, I am often filled with dread, even to the point of losing appetite for food and tea. I sought the root of the matter and finally arrived at an answer that is hard to judge right or wrong. The decline of every dynasty in history inevitably escapes a few causes: a benighted sovereign and incompetent ministers, civil officials wallowing in ease and military officers indulging in pleasure, corruption in officialdom, and the people having no way to live...

But there is only one fundamental cause—the common people of the realm can no longer survive. With no land to till, no clothes to wear, no grain to eat, they have no choice but to rise up with arms and fight desperately for survival. When all the people of the realm rise in resistance, how can the state not perish?

Yet what causes all this? It is the imperial house, the nobles, the bureaucrats, the landlords—oppressing the people too cruelly! Abusing the people too severely! I established so many institutions, originally intending to restrain you through rules, but after all these years of observation, the effect has not been great.

What was bound to happen still inevitably happens. I have executed so many corrupt officials and dealt with so many noble sons and old associates, but how much warning effect has it had? And has any of it truly been engraved upon people's hearts?"

"If it were in the past, I would surely harbor a heart of vengeance, sweep clean all the filth of this world, and make this realm truly peaceful and clear!" A hint of the twilight of life appeared on Emperor Liu's face as he sighed: "But in the end, I am old, and I no longer have the strength to make such upheavals!

I have thought it over again and again, and could only come up with this one solution that is not quite a solution! If your greed and recklessness cannot be restrained, rather than using it within the country, against the common folk, better to direct it outward. Out there beyond our borders, do as you will—I will not interfere, and the court will not interfere either!

The edicts for enfeoffment have already been issued, and you all know their contents. Those who want to rise in office, rise in rank, or grow rich may all go—I place no restrictions. In the past, your fathers and grandfathers fought to win the realm for me; now, you should fight for yourselves. I will grant you the authority to enfeoff kings. Whatever you conquer, occupy, or seize—whether land, population, livestock, houses, or property—shall all belong to you.

My only request is that you show some gentleness toward the common people of the Great Han, and have a bit more compassion and consideration for them..."