Chapter 1953: Andong's First Winter

Suihua City, the State of Andong.

Though it was only early winter, the entire State of Andong was already locked in freezing weather, and beyond the city walls it was even more so. Gazing out, the forests were deep, the thickets clustered, and over the river surface hung a heavy, bone-piercing mist.

The Yazi River was unaffected by the weather, still surging eastward into the sea. A snow had just fallen, but it failed to accumulate—no sooner did the sun peek out than it quickly melted, leaving the entire outskirts of Suihua City damp and soggy.

By the banks of the Yazi River, a military review was about to take place. The troops numbered not many—only three thousand—but the scene was solemn enough, the soldiers imposing enough, and the momentum so mighty that it rivaled any elite force of the Great Han. Of course, Andong's troops had always been the cream of the Great Han, and having long been in a state of frontline tension, ready to fight at any moment, their quality was naturally excellent.

The army before them came from the garrisons of the various cities of Andong—elite troops drawn up by princely decree to come to Suihua to undergo inspection. Clearly, this was a political mission.

What was being reviewed was not merely military bearing, discipline, and martial skill, but also the results of Andong's military reform, while further proclaiming who was the master of Andong today.

After Prince of Qin Liu Xu returned to Suihua from Luoyang, he brought back the edict enfeoffing Andong as a vassal state, and swiftly threw himself into the construction of the State of Andong's governance. This had a solid foundation—the former Andong Military Governor's Office had always been a governing center integrating military and civil affairs.

Thus, with only a slight restructuring, a new governing system for the State of Andong was established. Though it was merely a change of title, even just the addition of a prefix, it now carried proper legitimacy. The original military, civil, and financial management organs of the Andong Military Governor's Office almost seamlessly merged into the new governing system of the State of Andong.

Even so, Liu Xu spent several months sorting through the work, with the focus on personnel adjustments and screening out dissidents—who could be used, who could not, who could not be trusted, who needed to be retained. Liu Xu had always had a clear picture in his mind.

Andong was a place that could be said to abound in heroes and talents, and Liu Xu's staff included a number of capable men. Through more than a decade of painstaking management, he had also cultivated a reserve of backup personnel.

Previously, they had been kept outside the system of the Andong Military Governor's Office. Now that the enfeoffment was settled, these people were able to be regularized, appointed to official posts in the State of Andong, and brought to the front stage to govern the people with proper legitimacy.

In the space of a few months, the entire Andong underwent a great top-down transformation, taking on a completely new face. Andong, and indeed the entire Northeast, turned over a brand-new page, ready to write a new chapter of history.

This was a reform that touched every level of Andong. Of course, the common folk did not care much about such things—they tilled the land as before, lived their days as before. Whether it was Andong or the Great Han, as long as it did not affect their livelihoods, it was fine.

Especially after confirming that the Prince of Andong was none other than the former Andong Military Governor, His Highness the Prince of Qin, they had even less to worry about. After all, His Highness the Prince of Qin had always governed with compassion for the common people.

As for the many barbarian tribes within Andong's borders, there was even less stir. Those who refused to submit to royal civilization had basically been eliminated through the long-term policy of encirclement and suppression, and the rest had been trained by Liu Xu into docility and obedience. Fundamentally, what they accepted was the rule of the Andong Military Governor, not the imperial court. For over a decade, they had grown accustomed to Liu Xu's governance.

In contrast, the military and civil officials under the former Andong Military Governor's Office faced a greater shock, all confronting choices that concerned their fate and future. After all, not all of Andong's civil and military officers were loyal to the Prince of Qin and his father, nor were all willing to stay in Andong for a lifetime. Many had chosen to take posts in Andong not only because of court arrangements, but more often to use it as a springboard to build a richer resume and obtain faster promotion.

However, truly committing themselves to attach to Andong's banner from then on, becoming officials of a vassal state—this still required a painful decision. The higher one's background, the more so.

Under Liu Xu's governance, Andong could be called a blessed land for the commoners and humble scholars of the realm—the place that cared least about family standing and origin. But its shortcomings were equally obvious.

The ordinary common folk did not understand the difference between a vassal state—but did they not? From now on, serving as an official in Andong meant lowering one's own standing. In Liu Xu's view, he naturally hoped to retain the complete body of civil and military officials under the former Andong Military Governor's Office. After all, these were high-quality, precious political resources that could serve as the cornerstone of Andong's rule. Replacing them with new people was not difficult, but it would cause a talent shortage in Andong in the short term, affect the normal operation of military and civil affairs, and waste Andong's precious development time.

To retain those civil and military officials of the former Governor's Office, Liu Xu spared no effort, personally coming forward to persuade many of them. Treating the worthy with respect always had its effect.

But compared to those who stayed, more chose to transfer away. Some, even before securing their next post, had already packed their bags and, with their families, left Andong.

For a time, Andong experienced its first brain drain since the establishment of its administrative system nearly twenty years ago—and it was a sharp loss. Over the newly established State of Andong, it seemed as if an unerasable dark cloud hung.

In his anxiety, the heir apparent Liu Wenyuan could not help but send troops to set up checkpoints to intercept them, forbidding those people from leaving. It was only when Liu Xu heard the news and promptly ordered them let through that a worse outcome was avoided.

The population and talent policies Liu Xu had always implemented in Andong were freedom of movement—this point could not be changed. At the same time, amid the tide of talent outflow from Andong, Liu Xu also detected some anomalies.

Under normal circumstances, even if those civil and military officials were unwilling to stay in Andong forever, they should not have been in such a frantic hurry to return to the Central Plains. But when most of the civil and military officials who left Andong obtained new positions arranged by the Ministry of Personnel, with their ranks elevated, he suddenly understood. Clearly, the newly established State of Andong was facing some covert suppression.

Over the course of a few months, more than half of the officials under the former Andong Military Governor's Office had left—a considerable loss for the development of the State of Andong. Of course, these could not defeat the State of Andong, especially with Liu Xu as the stabilizing pillar. Under Liu Xu's arrangements, the entire Andong completed a great blood transfusion, a renewal of generations.

As winter arrived, production among Andong's common folk entered its dormant period, and Andong's officialdom gradually calmed as well. The officials of the greatly restructured State of Andong were also familiarizing themselves with their new identities and new duties.

The military had also undergone a great readjustment, with even greater attention and caution. In a borderland like Andong, the military held a very high status—after all, they were needed to protect the homeland and defend the state, to suppress bandits and pacify the barbarians.

While in the capital, Liu Xu had reached an agreement with Emperor Liu: Andong's troops should be retained as much as possible, but with one precondition—it must be according to their own wishes, no forced retention. Of course, unlike civil officials, military officers could not be forcibly kept either.

Among Andong's garrison troops were garrison soldiers from the Yan Mountains and Liaodong circuits, as well as imperial army officers on rotation. The imperial army could not be kept, and those officers who used Andong as a springboard to enrich their resumes could not be kept either.

But thanks to Liu Xu's sincere persuasion, still over sixty percent of the officers chose Andong, and all received promotions and reassignments. At the same time, Liu Xu once again raised the treatment of grassroots officers and soldiers.

During these few months, the most numerous orders issued from the Prince of Andong's mansion were various promotions and rewards. This certainly placed significant pressure on Andong's finances, but to settle the hearts of all above and below, it was all worth it.

Including the military review held at the edge of Suihua City—it too was to settle the hearts of the civil and military officials above and below, and the people within and without. After all, over the past few months, the State of Andong had hardly been tranquil.

Andong had truly embarked on the path of "independence and self-reliance." Likewise, Liu Xu was deeply aware that from now on, Andong could no longer live the comfortable life it had enjoyed for the past fifteen or sixteen years. After all, the court would no longer provide a safety net. Support might still come, but it would not be as generous as before. Many burdens would have to be borne by the State of Andong itself—this was also one of the purposes of Emperor Liu's enfeoffment.

On the reviewing stand, the Han banner flew high, with Andong's beside it. Liu Xu and the civil and military ministers of the State of Andong stood upon it, solemnly gazing at the Andong soldiers who had formed their ranks and awaited inspection.

The cold wind was biting, but for the first time, a warm current surged through Liu Xu's heart—a heart that had been weary for months, even decades.