Chapter 2105: Taizong Arc 47: The World in the Han's Shadow (Part 2)

As the year drew to a close and the New Year approached, the entire imperial capital, from the palace outwards, was plunged into a flurry of activity. Under the leadership of the various palace supervisors, the palace attendants diligently decorated the imperial palace, clearing the roads, maintaining cleanliness, and hanging lanterns and colorful banners.

It was just that with the further reduction in the size of the palace staff, all manner of palace attendants, from head stewards to female officials, could now pitch in and do the work themselves.

What was worthy of praise and admiration was that by the end of the sixth year of Yongxi, within the entire Ziwei Palace, apart from the various guard units of the Inner Palace who stood sentry over the palace, the number of eunuchs and palace maids directly providing attendant services to the imperial family and nobles was already fewer than five thousand.

Compared to the late years of Shizu's reign, this was a direct cut of over eighty percent, and in the six years that had passed, no new personnel had been added to the palace. The Emperor's approach left people with nothing to say; if they were to say anything, it could only be words of flattery and praise, for after all, this was behavior befitting the persona of an enlightened ruler.

Even so, for many people, they actually did not really hope the Emperor would restrain himself so much. In the past two or three years, quite a few poems, lyrics, and essays describing and eulogizing this matter had emerged in the literary circles of the Western Capital. And in the court, when some ministers mentioned it, they would be "moved" to express that His Majesty was being far too "wronged" in this regard.

Regardless of what people thought, at least under the exemplary leadership of Emperor Liu Yang, the Great Han Empire, from top to bottom, was increasingly taking on the aura of a flourishing age.

Amidst the joyous atmosphere, Emperor Liu Yang also rarely set aside state affairs, walked out of his bedchamber, and strolled through the palace to relax his mind, wandering aimlessly and without a set destination. This kind of leisurely experience was truly rare for Liu Yang nowadays.

Unconsciously, Liu Yang's back, just like Emperor Shizu's had been back then, had become somewhat stooped. Though the degree was not yet deep, it was nonetheless bent.

Ahead, two palace maids carried lanterns to light the way; behind, at a distance, followed three eunuchs and a squad of guards. Liu Yang walked in their midst, and more importantly, he held the hand of a young child.

Now, Liu Yang was a grandfather. The child gripping one of his fingers was his eldest grandson, born to the wife of Liu Wenji, Lady Chang, in the winter of the third year of Yongxi. He was now three years old and had been given the name Jiyuan.

At the same time, his second son, the Duke of Linzi, Liu Wenji, had also married in the fifth year of Yongxi. The bride was not from any "great and noble house," though she was still among the ranks of the meritorious aristocracy—she was the great-granddaughter of Li Wanchao, a founding hero of the state and the late Marquis of Jiuyuan.

Originally, Consort Xiao Zhuang's intention was simply to find Liu Wenji a virtuous wife of ordinary background, but this marriage had been personally selected by Liu Yang. During his northern inspection tour (his second tour in the fifth year of Yongxi), he had stayed at the Li family's residence, taken a liking to the young lady of the Li family, and brought her in as his daughter-in-law.

And just recently, Lady Li had also given Liu Yang a little grandson—both were boys. This kind of witnessed continuation of his bloodline brought Liu Yang a very special experience. Therefore, Liu Yang had been in a very good mood lately.

The affection between grandparents and grandchildren did indeed exist. Just like Liu Jiyuan beside him, as the eldest grandson of the eldest branch, regardless of how he felt about Liu Wenji, Liu Yang was immensely fond of this grandson.

Of course, the good mood did not last long. The Great Han Empire made it very difficult for Liu Yang to truly settle his mind and enjoy his grandchildren and family happiness.

"Sit!" In the hall, Liu Yang looked at the Prince of Lu, Liu Ai, who had come for an audience.

"Thank you, Your Majesty!"

Over the past several years, Liu Ai had become increasingly adept at his role as Director of the Secretariat. The early awkwardness was rarely seen on his face anymore; only composure remained. At the same time, in the court, Liu Ai also concurrently oversaw the Ministry of Rites and the Office of Barbarian Affairs—these were positions of real power.

In contrast, of course, was the Prince of Zhao, Liu Fang. In addition to his role as Assistant Chief Minister, Liu Yang had also given him the additional title of "Advisor on Matters of the Ministry of War and the Bureau of Military Affairs." However, whether as Assistant Chief Minister or Advisor, given the current situation in the court, one could understand just by the name how much power he actually wielded.

"What is it?" Liu Yang did not exchange pleasantries with Liu Ai and asked directly.

"It is a matter concerning the kingdom of Khotan!" Liu Ai replied with slightly furrowed brows. "Today I met with the Khotan envoy Yuchi Baoxiang. He raised with me the hope that the court could mediate the conflict between Kangju and Khotan."

Hearing this tone, Liu Yang immediately sensed something was wrong and asked for the details. Only then did Liu Ai slowly lay out the disputes between Kangju and Khotan over the past few years.

The kingdom of Kangju, whose core ruling territory was the Shule region, shared a border with Khotan, which involved a geopolitical issue. Conflict was inevitable; it was only a question of whether both sides were willing to restrain themselves.

From Khotan's perspective, they naturally hoped to live in harmony with their neighbor Kangju, but the King of Kangju, Liu Ye, was not a man to stay put. To be frank, it was Liu Ye who had first stirred up the conflict.

Back then, during the Great Han's western campaign against the Kara-Khanids, Khotan had contributed troops and grain, following the western expeditionary army, and had indeed absorbed quite a bit of nourishment from the carcass of the Kara-Khanids, especially in terms of territory, expanding considerably to the north.

These territorial disputes, which had continued from the "religious war" between the Kara-Khanids and Khotan, were fully inherited by Liu Ye when the kingdom of Kangju was established.

Of course, all disputes arise from interests, and what Liu Ye valued was a security interest. After all, looking at the map, the borders of Khotan were simply too close to his royal city of Shule. This threat of a rival sleeping beside one's bed was unbearable for anyone, let alone Liu Ye.

Even though the likelihood of Khotan actively attacking north toward Shule was not great, Liu Ye still could not tolerate it. Thus, starting from the third year of Yongxi, after completing the basic institutional establishment of the Kangju fiefdom, Liu Ye began to set his sights on Khotan to the south, repeatedly sending people to provoke incidents, and conflicts along the two countries' border grew increasingly frequent.

Khotan, in recent years, had indeed been on the decline, but it was ultimately a nation with history, depth, and faith. Even the once-powerful Kara-Khanids had been worn down and driven away; how could a Kangju that was merely borrowing the tiger's might scare them?

Faced with Liu Ye's provocations, Khotan was naturally furious and made some targeted deployments, but on the whole they remained restrained. What they feared was, of course, not Kangju or Liu Ye, but the Great Han Empire behind them.

Small conflicts gradually brewed into major disputes. By the sixth year of Yongxi, under the increasingly aggressive posture of the "Kang state," Khotan was also reaching the limits of its patience. In particular, a Kang cavalry force brazenly and openly invaded Yarkan (Shache), a major northern town of Khotan, plundering and departing—this was truly an act of war.

However, Liu Ye and his Kangju could act recklessly and with impunity, but Khotan still harbored concerns. They therefore sent the imperial clansman and General Yuchi Baoxiang to Luoyang to communicate on this matter, making a final effort to resolve the dispute before the winter and spring passed.

At the same time, within Khotan, troops were already being mobilized to reinforce the border defenses. A vassal war on the Great Han's western frontier could break out at any moment.

And Yuchi Baoxiang's arrival, though described as seeking mediation, was in reality more like airing grievances and lodging complaints. While declaring their stance, it also carried a hint of accusation.

In his words, regarding the dispute between Kangju and Khotan, if the Kang state had unilaterally stirred up trouble, then he requested that the central government fulfill its role and duty as the suzerain, bridging the gap between the two states to prevent the situation from escalating further;

If the Great Han also held Khotan, a vassal state, at fault, then he asked that the crimes be clearly stated, and the vassal state would certainly correct its ways and offer apologies;

If Kangju continued to make unreasonable trouble, resorting to arms and pressing too hard, then the vassal state would take countermeasures to fight back, and he also hoped the central government could uphold fairness and justice and treat them impartially.

This speech was reasonable and measured, and even left Liu Ai speechless. He could only offer soothing words, saying that he would investigate and report the matter, and so on.

As for the dispute between the two states, after all these years, even from as far away as Luoyang, the court naturally could not have remained completely ignorant. At least the general situation was clear. As the side that had stirred up trouble, Kangju naturally had no leg to stand on, but it was a fiefdom of the Great Han after all. Even if the court was dissatisfied, it could not rashly express its stance. Having dragged things out until now, with Khotan appealing to Luoyang, the central government had to give some kind of answer.

"The south hasn't settled down yet, and now the west is kicking up a fuss!" Liu Yang pounded his head in distress, his tone carrying obvious displeasure, and asked Liu Ai: "What do you think of this matter?"

In response, Liu Ai also looked somewhat pained, but he had clearly already given it thought, and spoke directly: "To be fair, the Thirteenth Brother has gone too far. He was the one who actively provoked the conflict. Khotan, as a vassal of the Great Han, has for decades been cautious in serving the great, paying tribute without interruption, and is a friendly state. The Thirteenth Brother's actions are indeed improper!

Khotan has already shown restraint in the face of Kangju's encroachment on Shule. If not for considering Luoyang's attitude, war would likely have already broken out. Yuchi Baoxiang's arrival, though he says he is asking the court to mediate, is in reality demanding that the court give an explanation.

It is also a way of gagging the court. If the two states come to blows, the Thirteenth Brother would be waging an unjust war, while Khotan would be resisting with moral justification. At that point, whether by sentiment or by reason, the court would find it inconvenient to favor either side."

"Your analysis has some merit!" After hearing Liu Ai's response, Liu Yang nodded, but his furrowed brows did not relax. After pondering for a moment, he said: "But since things have come to this, what is to be done?"

Upon the question, Liu Ai did not answer directly, but looked at Liu Yang and pointed out one thing: "If the court does not intervene, given the current situation between the two states, war will ultimately be unavoidable!"

"Has Liu Ye submitted a memorial explaining himself on this matter?" Liu Yang asked a pointless question.

Liu Ai shook his head: "The Thirteenth Brother, presumably, is well aware that the court would never agree to his request, and so he has never sought approval regarding the dispute with Khotan. The assistance he previously requested from the court—the sale of cannons and gunpowder factories—was perhaps intended for use in operations against Khotan."

"If war breaks out between the two states, who would win?" After thinking it over for a long while, Liu Yang asked this question in a cold, quiet tone.

Liu Ai was slightly surprised and perked up a bit. After deliberating for a moment, he answered cautiously: "Your servant is not versed in military affairs and dares not make rash judgments on matters of war.

But in your servant's view, if Kangju is defeated, they can still fall back and defend Shule, and Khotan would not dare march north to destroy their state. But if Khotan is defeated, they face the danger of complete annihilation.

Therefore, once the conflict cannot be resolved, Khotan will surely fight to the death with their entire nation, and the Thirteenth Brother—"

"This is exactly why Liu Ye acts with such impunity and recklessness!" Liu Yang's expression turned grim, and he rebuked sternly: "Using the Great Han as a crutch for his gambling expansion, and targeting Khotan, which is also a vassal—what makes him so certain that after he loses a war, the court will clean up his mess?"

Though he said this aloud, Liu Yang knew very well in his heart that if such a situation truly occurred, even if it were a pile of shit, the court would still have to step in and clean it up. The Shule region was, after all, not like other places. Thinking of this, Liu Yang could not help but blame the late emperor—why had he enfeoffed Shule to Liu Ye? If it had remained under the administration of the Gaochang Circuit, separating the two states, where would today's troubles come from?

Of course, perhaps Shizu's considerations back then had not included the possibility of conflict in the Khotan direction. He might have simply wanted to give Liu Ye a foundation to build on, or perhaps Shizu had actually been thinking of having Liu Ye destroy Khotan, that "state of a different surname"?

At this moment, Emperor Liu Yang could not help but feel vexed. It was truly that these vassal kings of the Great Han—his brothers, sons, and nephews—were too restless and too much trouble.

Faced with the "Kang-Khotan dispute," Liu Yang even had such a thought: let them fight. Regardless of who won or lost, once they settled down, the court could step in and clean up the mess.

However, it was merely a thought. With his Yongxi governing philosophy, within the realm of what could be controlled, war was to be avoided as much as possible. Once the two states went to war, leaving aside more distant places, Anxi and Gaochang would inevitably be affected.

When conflicts between vassal states reached the point where military means were needed to resolve them, where was the court's authority? To put it seriously, Liu Ye's stirring up of the dispute between the two states was a challenge to the still-immature new vassal state system of the Great Han Empire, and it absolutely could not be tolerated. Otherwise, once this precedent was set, controlling things later would be no easy matter.

Therefore, after serious and careful consideration, Liu Yang made his decision: "Send an envoy to the northwest, gather Liu Ye and the King of Khotan together, and resolve the dispute! I do not wish, and I will not permit, the two states to go to war!"

"Who will go?" Liu Ai was not surprised by Liu Yang's decision and asked for instructions.

"Let Yang Yanlang serve as envoy to mediate this matter on behalf of the court. Also, notify Suiye and have Liu Min attend as well!" Liu Yang said sternly.

"Yes!"

"The cannons and ammunition allocated to Shule are still on the way, aren't they?" Liu Yang added, "Send the order — halt the transaction and hold the shipment! Until a result satisfactory to the court is reached, nothing will be delivered!"

Hearing the Emperor mention this, Liu Ai acknowledged the order but couldn't help raising a question: "Given Thirteenth Brother's temperament, what if he first feigns compliance, and then, after receiving the military aid, launches an attack on Khotan?"

The moment Liu Ai finished speaking, Liu Yang looked up and fixed his gaze directly on Liu Ai, a hint of profound meaning in his complex eyes, making Liu Ai feel extremely uncomfortable.

After a long moment, Liu Yang withdrew his gaze, casually picked up a memorial, and said while flipping through it: "Openly defying the sovereign's command, violating the court's edicts, and adding deception of the throne on top of that — what crime is that, and what punishment should it carry?"

"Your servant understands!" Liu Ai replied respectfully. As for what exactly he understood, he dared not inquire further.

After Liu Ai withdrew, Liu Yang pondered at the imperial desk with a grave expression, still somewhat troubled. Frowning in thought for a long while, he instructed the head palace eunuch Zheng Yuan attending at his side: "Issue the decree — in the third month of next year, the imperial carriage will travel west. We have been south, we have been north; it is time to see the west as well."

"Yes!" Zheng Yuan hurriedly acknowledged.

————

Yongxi seventh year, spring, third month, western Gaochang Circuit, Guici Prefecture, Wochi County.

This small border county built along the Toshgan River had become the mediation ground for the "Kang-Yu" dispute. As it turned out, when the imperial decree from Luoyang was delivered with firm and unambiguous authority, no one dared to bristle — not even the unruly Kang King Liu Ye.

On the banks of the Toshgan River, a military camp had been erected, guarded closely by a battalion of Northwestern Frontier Army troops, surrounded by the carriages, ceremonial retinues, and attendants of the "Four Kings."

Hexi Chief Commander Yang Yanlang, as the court's special envoy, had come specifically to Wochi County to preside over this "Peace Conference." In attendance, besides the two principals — Kangju King Liu Ye and Khotan's old king Yuchi Sengjialuomo — were Anxi King Liu Min, who had been ordered by decree to "oversee the proceedings," and Beit'ing's heir Liu Wengong, who had also arrived for reasons unknown.

Whether due to the overwhelming deterrent force of the imperial decree or not, this peace conference proved far easier than Yang Yanlang had imagined. There were no overly fierce arguments; both sides simply presented their respective demands and laid them out on the table.

In the end, it was discovered that the point of contention between the two sides lay in only one place: Liu Ye demanded that the city of Yarkand be placed under joint administration by both parties — a point on which the Khotan side could not compromise.

Yarkand was the most important military fortress in northern Khotan, a veritable lock and key to the northern gate. It was also a key stronghold on the east-west trade route, with flourishing commerce and developed trade. In years past, around this region, Khotan and the Kara-Khanids had repeatedly wrestled back and forth, fighting for years and costing many lives — how could it possibly be shared with Kangju?

Liu Ye's primary concern was that Yarkand was simply too close to Shule — a threat at the foot of his own bed, a fishbone stuck in his throat that he could not swallow or set aside.

Seeing the Khotan side's resolute attitude, he settled for the next best option, demanding that Yarkand be "demilitarized" — retaining only administrative and public security personnel for management, while Khotan's army would have to withdraw and would not be permitted to garrison there.

On this point, there seemed to be room for negotiation, but having not a single soldier stationed there was also unacceptable to Khotan. After repeated back-and-forth, the Khotan king agreed to station only one thousand troops at Yarkand, and to this, Liu Ye also acquiesced.

With the hardest issue of Yarkand settled, the remaining matters were no great problem. Thus, on the twelfth day of the third month of Yongxi's seventh year, witnessed by the court, Anxi, and Beit'ing alike, the "Kang" and "Yu" states reached a consensus at Wochi County and signed the "Wochi Treaty."

This could be considered a fair treaty. Both sides agreed to restrain their armies, cease mutual attacks, control border conflicts, restore border market trade, and protect the legitimate rights and interests of merchants from both sides — along with the garrison provisions for the Yarkand region.

From the content alone, the Khotan side had adopted a somewhat conciliatory attitude, for after all, the Kang state had been the one to provoke the dispute, and they were also the ones who ultimately stepped back. There was no help for it — might makes right, and serving the great is never easy. Who told them their surname was Yuchi and not Liu?

In fact, compared to the orthodox history, Khotan was relatively fortunate, for it had not experienced the forty-year religious war with the Kara-Khanid dynasty. The state's vitality had been largely preserved, and sheltered under the wings of the Great Han Empire, it had also reaped considerable benefits.

However, when Kangju — itself born from the same Great Han imperial system — began to cast covetous eyes upon it, the countermeasures Khotan could employ still proved inadequate. The pressure of a unified empire on the small states around it was simply too great, and Khotan, unfortunately, possessed neither strategic depth nor natural defenses.

This time, through an unyielding attitude that did not balk at war, and by borrowing the strength of the central authority, they had managed to thwart Kang King Liu Ye's designs. But what about next time? How long this "peace treaty" would hold, no one knew.

Whether from the fatigue of travel or from a depressed state of mind, shortly after signing the "Wochi Treaty" and returning to Khotan, the Khotan king died. This triggered a succession struggle within the Khotan royal house, and in the end, Yuchi Baoxiang — who had been sent as envoy to Luoyang — emerged as the final victor, seizing the throne.

Upon learning of this, Liu Ye could only feel regret at having missed an opportunity to annex Khotan. However, by that time, Liu Ye could no longer spare attention for Khotan affairs.

For Anxi King Liu Min was leading the Kangju and Beit'ing kings in a great undertaking: a western campaign!

Shortly after the "Kang-Yu" peace was concluded, also at Wochi County, Liu Min, Liu Ye, and Liu Wengong — uncle and nephews, the three of them — took the opportunity to hold an alliance meeting, agreeing among the three parties to launch an expedition against the Samanid dynasty.

In the past less than ten years, Liu Min had carried out a thorough transformation of the Anxi state. The camp-system he had established was fully rolled out across Anxi's territories. The Anxi military and civilian population, their political standing and class treatment satisfied, were settled and content. A powerful, aggressive feudal state had been born under his hand, and he had spent another six or seven years perfecting the system, restoring production, and developing the economy.

Even Liu Ye's Kang state had the energy and strength to scheme against Khotan — how much more so the Anxi state, the principal heir to the Great Han's western conquests?

And the second Islamic coalition that might have formed also failed to materialize, because the Arab world at this time was in utter chaos.

The Buyid dynasty, which had once "held the Son of Heaven hostage to command the lords," was mired in internal strife — family infighting and contradictions between Turks and Daylamites had caused this once-powerful dynasty to decline precipitously, to the very brink of disintegration.

The Saffarid dynasty, occupying eastern Iran, was also entering its final phase, while the Ziyarid dynasty to the north was nothing but a weathervane, destined only to be bullied.

The only somewhat respectable one, the Ghaznavid dynasty, though its national power was still on the rise, was devoting itself wholeheartedly to striking at its Islamic brethren — attacking the Saffarids in the west and invading the Samanids in the north. As for the dignity of the Arab world and the glory of Islam, it had no time to spare for the moment.

And the neighboring Samanid dynasty was already on the verge of collapse. Its capital, Bukhara, had essentially lost all control over the provinces. Those governors and generals were already hard enough to restrain, let alone the Han to the east.

Under such circumstances, how could Liu Min sit still? And the Anxi system he had forged needed expansion all the more to draw nourishment and strengthen its vitality. The Great Han, as the mother country, naturally could not become the target of conquest — so the edge of the blade could only point toward the Samanid dynasty.

Thus, in the fourth month of summer in Yongxi's seventh year, while the Great Han Emperor Liu Yang was still on his western inspection tour, news arrived from Anxi: war had indeed broken out — only not the petty squabbling between the "Kang" and "Yu" states, but a full-scale western expedition by the three Anxi states.

With Liu Min as supreme commander, the three states dispatched a combined force of over forty thousand infantry and cavalry, assembling at Khujand on the southern bank of the Syr Darya. Their target: the Transoxiana stronghold where the Han army's counteroffensive had halted in the previous great war — Samarkand. This time, the three states were clearly aiming to destroy the Samanid dynasty outright.

At this, Liu Yang was momentarily speechless. For an instant, he didn't even know whether he should support them. In the end, he chose to serve as the backing of the three states — though free supplies were, of course, out of the question. He merely ordered the Hexi and Gaochang Circuits to gather provisions, draft animals, and equipment to sell to the three states.

Nor was there any fear that the three states couldn't afford it. The Samanid dynasty was, after all, an established Transoxiana dynasty with some family fortune to its name. The Hexi and Gaochang Circuits might well be able to trail behind the three states and lap up a bit of the broth.

At the same time, Liu Yang also ordered that the cannons and ammunition originally designated as "military aid" to the three states be rushed forward — they would clearly prove useful on the battlefield.

Unlike the anxiety brought by the "Kang-Yu conflict," the three states' western expedition, though it stirred a small measure of unease in Liu Yang's heart, allowed him to maintain a calmer disposition. The fundamental reason lay in the fact that this time the Great Han did not have to enter the fray personally — no need to expend soldiers, civilians, money, or grain, no drain on the nation's strength.