Chapter 2108: Taizong Chronicles 50: Imperial Inspection on Behalf of Heaven

While the unveiling ceremony for the Jianghai Customs building was taking place, not far away at Songjiang Post—the largest official post station in Shanghai—the spirited Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan Circuit, Wang Xuanzhen, was spreading out a map, energetically "pitching" his plan to Zhao Prince Liu Fang, who was on an inspection tour of the southeast.

This was a water system map of Songjiang, clearly presenting the hydrological conditions of the lakes and ponds in Shanghai and the two prefectures of Su and Xiu. The most conspicuous feature was several blue marked lines, connecting Dianshan Lake with the canal, converging at Huating County, then turning northeast to merge into Songjiang, flowing together into the mouth of the Yangtze, and rushing onward to the sea.

But obviously, the rivers represented by the blue lines did not yet exist—or to be precise, they did not yet form a system. What Wang Xuanzhen was selling to Liu Fang was precisely the idea of performing such a "major surgery" of digging ditches, excavating ponds, and straightening out the water veins within the territories of Shanghai and Xiu Prefecture.

Liu Yang was an emperor who rather enjoyed conducting inspections. Not to mention how many times he had conducted overt and covert investigations in the capital region, he had already visited distant places—the southwest, the northwest, and Monan. Moreover, he had always been single-minded in serving the public, keeping his retinue simple, striving not to burden local authorities, and showing almost no inclination toward pleasure tours.

And all the nobles and officials across the realm knew that the Emperor not only loved conducting inspections himself, but also liked dispatching censors, special envoys, and secret envoys to inspect. This had led, in recent years, to local officials and commoners across all circuits, prefectures, and counties becoming especially sensitive to "outsiders"—a person dressed as a traveling merchant might well be a secret envoy of the imperial court, and the atmosphere in officialdom always carried a certain tension.

But in such an atmosphere, local officials were also compelled to gain a more detailed and thorough understanding of the political and livelihood conditions under their jurisdiction. True control began precisely with picking up on every subtle sign.

This time, Zhao Prince Liu Fang, in his capacity as "Jianghuai Inspection Commissioner," was conducting an imperial inspection tour on behalf of Heaven, surveying the political and livelihood conditions of the various prefectures in Jianghuai. He kept a low profile throughout the journey, with few attendants and rarely displaying his full ceremonial regalia—yet the pressure he brought to the Jianghuai region was exceptionally great.

It was not only the deterrent force of the Zhao Prince himself, but also because accompanying Liu Fang on the tour were two heavyweight figures: Duke of Linzi Liu Wenji and Duke of Taiyuan Liu Wenpeng. In the Great Han today, when these three gathered together, apart from Emperor Liu Yang himself, no one could better represent the imperial house of the Great Han.

At the same time, allowing Zhao Prince Liu Fang to tour independently was also a strong political signal released by Emperor Liu Yang—Zhao Prince Liu Fang had been "unshackled."

One should know that over the past ten years, Zhao Prince Liu Fang had been enshrined in the court like a Buddha. He received the most preferential treatment, and the Emperor always thought of him when there were benefits to distribute—stingy with everyone else, but generous only with Liu Fang.

But when it came to real power, for Liu Fang, there was simply no need to mention it—compared even to his full brother Liu Ai, he fell far short.

The reason was nothing more than "extraordinary talent is hard to control"—four words that, throughout the ages, had buried countless heroes and bold figures. In light of his father's situation of being "confined" in the capital, Liu Wengong, the heir apparent who had already achieved modest success in managing the Northern Court state in the Western Regions, had sent a letter and submitted a memorial to Liu Yang, hoping to welcome Liu Fang back to the Northern Court for a family reunion.

To this, before Liu Yang had even expressed his stance, Liu Fang directly refused—and subsequently requested of his imperial elder brother that the throne of the Northern Court be passed directly to Liu Wengong.

Liu Fang rarely took the initiative to ask Liu Yang for anything, so after only brief consideration, Liu Yang granted the request. It was precisely from that time that Liu Fang's political loosening began.

This time, upon imperial decree to inspect Jianghuai, he had even been entrusted with two imperial princes, including the legitimate son Liu Wenpeng—clearly, there was deep deliberation behind this arrangement.

Following the imperial will, Liu Fang brought the two imperial nephews along, inspecting and educating them along the way. The main focus of the party's efforts was placed on Huaixi Circuit—there was no helping it, as transportation there was relatively cut off, the local customs were more fierce, and economic conditions were lacking, allowing one to see a more genuine picture of social conditions in the Great Han's localities.

After more than two months of travel, they finally arrived at Shanghai, this commercial capital standing at the edge of the river and sea, just in time for the inauguration ceremony of the Jianghai Customs headquarters building—and were promptly latched onto by Wang Xuanzhen, the Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan Circuit.

After listening to Wang Xuanzhen's endless exposition of his vision for excavating the "Qingpu River" within Xiu Prefecture and Shanghai, seeing his expression of wanting to say more, Liu Fang neither approved nor objected, but showed a hint of curiosity as he asked: "Wang Xuanzhen, you are the chief official of Jiangnan, not the mayor of Shanghai—why are you so concerned about water conservancy and canal construction in Shanghai?"

Upon the question, Wang Xuanzhen did not evade, and answered directly: "To answer Your Highness, the emergence of Shanghai as a city is an entirely new thing, something unprecedented in China's several thousand years of history. It deserves long-term, careful study and attention to its development from the court and the officials and people of the Great Han.

This is a city that rose through commerce and trade. The port is its heart, the ponds and canals are its blood vessels, and the river and sea are its blood. Only by continuously consolidating its foundation and fully leveraging its advantages can we ensure its vigorous development, and in the future witness a mighty city surpassing anything ancient or modern.

To achieve this goal, in this humble official's view, a single Songjiang is not enough. Excavating a new river to connect the surrounding water systems is itself an act of creating history."

As Wang Xuanzhen spoke these words, both his old eyes were shining. It was hard to imagine that a man known for being gloomy and reserved could be so "passionate and fervent." However, his argument was also genuinely hard to endorse.

Liu Fang was a lenient person, always willing to hear others' ideas, but he still could not help raising questions about Wang Xuanzhen's conception: "Is one Songjiang not enough? From what I have seen and heard in Shanghai these past two days, Shanghai's development hasn't even filled both banks of the Songjiang."

Wang Xuanzhen said: "The upper reaches of the Songjiang are inconvenient for flood discharge, and the lower reaches have shallow silted riverbeds. In recent years, with frequent shipping and overuse, the congestion has become even more pronounced. Over the past decade or more, the government has had to invest large amounts of money, grain, and manpower every year in dredging and clearing obstructions. At the same time, the shallow riverbeds have reduced the carrying capacity of vessels, slowed their turnaround, and many large ships can only moor at the outer harbor. During the busy summer and winter seasons, they must queue up on the open sea, waiting to dock.

All such matters are greatly detrimental to commerce and navigation, and also form an obstacle to Shanghai's further development and prosperity. When the blood vessels do not flow smoothly, a person cannot be healthy—and for Shanghai, it is the same!"

Wang Xuanzhen spoke with great eloquence, and Liu Fang could not help but feel some admiration, moved by the farsightedness of his vision. However, if it came to supporting him, that was equally difficult. First of all, Liu Fang did not understand the technical details, nor did he feel that Wang Xuanzhen's proposal was urgent or necessary.

After pondering for a moment, Liu Fang looked at Wang Xuanzhen and said: "Even if your concerns are reasonable, you are thinking too far ahead! By your conception, this project is no small matter—have you considered how much talent, resources, and manpower it would consume? When the Songjiang is still sufficient for use, how could the court possibly agree to undertake such a great work?"

Wang Xuanzhen immediately said: "Fifty years ago, when Duke of Wang Yan (Wang Pu) governed the Huai, he excavated Hongze Lake and opened the Guishan Canal—both were enormously costly and took years to complete, yet to this day the scholars and commoners around those rivers and lakes still benefit greatly!"

"You want to emulate the Duke of Wang Yan?" Liu Fang glanced at Wang Xuanzhen.

Wang Xuanzhen said: "I would not dare! It is only that as an official governing a region, even if it were for fame and reputation, I would want to leave something behind for the people under my administration."

"Is one Shanghai city not enough?" Liu Fang said flatly.

Wang Xuanzhen: "Your subject hopes Shanghai can become even more prosperous!"

"You are the Administration Commissioner of Jiangnan Circuit!"

"Your subject is already advanced in years. If I can accomplish one more thing, I will consider myself to have not failed this office."

Hearing Wang Xuanzhen say this, Liu Fang was silent for a moment, then raised his head and said slowly: "You are quite candid, and your vision is grand, highly forward-looking.

However, in the court this time, I neither oversee water conservancy projects nor manage money and grain. By bringing this matter to me, you have come to the wrong temple and bowed to the wrong deity."

Wang Xuanzhen bowed and said: "This humble official would not dare to put Your Highness in a difficult position. I only beg that when Your Highness returns to the capital, you might present this map to His Majesty on my behalf!"

Wang Xuanzhen appeared very composed, and his gaze had returned to calm. Seeing this, Liu Fang studied him carefully for a while longer, then rolled up the map on the table and said: "Leave the map here. I will consider it!"

"Many thanks, Your Highness!" Seeing this, Wang Xuanzhen rose and gave Liu Fang a solemn bow: "I have disturbed Your Highness—I beg your forgiveness. This humble official takes his leave!"

With that said, he also bowed respectfully to Duke of Linzi Liu Wenji, who was accompanying at the side, and then slowly withdrew from the room.

"Fourth Uncle, why did you agree to present it on his behalf?" From the side, Liu Wenji, who had been silently sipping tea and not saying a word, suddenly asked.

Clearly, although Liu Fang had said he would "consider" it, keeping the map was itself a statement of attitude. Upon the question, Liu Fang smiled faintly: "A favor done at no cost—what harm is there in granting him one?"

"This is no favor at no cost! And Fourth Uncle is not the type to go with the flow, nor does he need to do such a thing." Liu Wenji looked at Liu Fang and said this.

Liu Fang smiled again and asked in return: "You seem not to agree with Wang Xuanzhen's proposal to build the river?"

Liu Wenji shook his head: "Whether your nephew agrees or not is not important. What matters is whether those in power at court can agree!"

"You are not optimistic about this proposal!" Liu Fang said.

Liu Wenji pondered for a moment, then said: "The concerns Wang Xuanzhen raised about the Songjiang are not yet severe at present, and there are plenty of ways to improve things. If the river channel is narrow, then widen and expand it; if silt accumulates, then dredge and remove the sand; if large ships lack berths, then expand the port.

In short, compared to immediately launching major construction and carving out an entirely new river, these measures would be far easier for people to accept.

Wang Xuanzhen's vision is grand, and his considerations seem far-reaching, but precisely because of that, realizing it becomes all the more difficult. Moreover, this matter involves many localities, far beyond just Shanghai and the two prefectures of Su and Xiu—the more parties involved, the harder it is to accomplish.

As for whether Wang Xuanzhen's concerns have merit, I would not presume to draw conclusions. Perhaps the situation decades or a century from now will be even more severe than what he described today, but the proposal to build the river is, at least for the present, untimely."

Liu Wenji's discourse left Liu Fang both surprised and moved. He said: "As you say, I am merely acting as a 'courier.' Whether to agree or not is a matter for His Majesty and the court to consider comprehensively!" Then Liu Fang asked Liu Wenji: "What do you think of Wang Xuanzhen as a man?"

At this question, a slight smile also appeared at the corners of Liu Wenji's mouth, and he said: "He is a good official! At least, compared to the fawning and flattering officials we have seen along the way, this man can be called a man of practical ability. His reports and conversations with Fourth Uncle have all been about official business. Observing his words and deeds, it is not hard to understand why His Majesty would set aside much criticism to employ this man."

After hearing Liu Wenji's analysis, Liu Fang could not help but study him carefully for a few moments. His face, lined with many wrinkles, was calm, but inwardly he sighed: "What a pity."

And feeling Fourth Uncle's scrutinizing gaze, Liu Wenji was equally composed, his face without a ripple, as he deftly handled the tea set and poured a cup of clear tea for Liu Fang as well.

Twenty-six-year-old Liu Wenji had fully matured. Since establishing his own household, he had spent seven years still studying in a methodical manner, and following the "tradition" of imperial family upbringing, he had attended military academies and gone down to the ranks for training. Only in the last two years had Emperor Liu Yang arranged for him to work in the court.

He had started from some "minor" positions—from Palace Censor, to Recorder of the Court of Judicial Review, to Judge of the Luoyang Prefecture—and right up until this inspection tour, he still held the title of Surveillance Censor of Jiangnan Circuit.

This pace and speed was much slower than that of his elder brother, who had already been enfeoffed as a prince and participated in the Great Han's military and political affairs from an early age. Precisely because of this, although Liu Wenji was the Second Prince at court, he attracted little attention—everyone's focus was on the Eldest Prince Liu Wenhuan and the increasingly mature legitimate prince Liu Wenpeng. As for Liu Wenji, he had not even made any moves to cultivate a reputation or build influence.

At this moment, the images of Emperor Second Brother's three princes also surfaced in Zhao Prince Liu Fang's mind. His expression turned serious, and he immediately instructed the attendant at the door: "Someone, go find the Third Prince and bring him back!"

"Yes!"

"No need!" The words had barely fallen when a voice tinged with excitement sounded from outside the door, and immediately a young man with a handsome, delicate appearance walked in—it was the Third Prince, Liu Wenpeng.

He showed no reserve at all with his uncle and cousin. Liu Wenpeng strode in and sat down, picked up a cup of tea from the table, and before Liu Wenji could stop him, brought it to his lips—then spat it out in one burst, looking somewhat aggrieved at Liu Wenji: "Second Brother, this tea was just brewed!"

Looking at Liu Wenpeng, Liu Wenji chuckled lightly: "You were too impatient!"

"I was too thirsty!" Liu Wenpeng said, then looked up at Liu Fang and Liu Wenji, saying: "Fourth Uncle, Second Brother, Shanghai is exceptionally lively today, and there are so many novel things here that it's dazzling to the eyes. Why don't you go out and take a look—how can you conduct your inspection while staying cooped up in the courier station?"

Liu Wenpeng's brows were full of excitement. Clearly, this boy had been raised deep in the palace and was usually stifled. This trip was his first time escaping the civil tutors and martial instructors of the palace to travel abroad. For Liu Wenpeng, such an opportunity, even if it couldn't be called a wild horse breaking free of its reins or completely letting himself go, was at least a release of some of his natural disposition.

Noticing Liu Wenpeng's excited expression, Liu Fang smiled: "Perfect—you can be our eyes. Tell us, what novel things are there?"

Liu Wenpeng was just at the age of strong desire to share, and immediately, with animated gestures and a torrent of words, he recounted everything he had seen and heard in Shanghai.

From the flat and broad Songjiang Avenue, to the rows upon rows of warehouses and shops; from the distinctively styled new architecture, to the dense clusters of cargo vessels; and also those people in strange clothing and even "odd shapes."

He also mentioned the unveiling ceremony of the Customs House. For Liu Wenpeng, this rising harbor city might be far from grand or magnificent, and its layout could not compare to the two capitals—but the word "novel" alone was already enough.

Liu Wenpeng even recounted the hearsay tales of the "Great Northern-Southern Cotton Cloth War." Through the game of telephone, this commercial conflict between north and south, already ceased, had become ever more fantastical—the twists and turns of the process, the vastness of the scenes, the brilliance of the stories, were enough to make one gasp in wonder and clap in admiration.

As for the actual reality, Liu Fang had heard something of it—nothing more than the cotton merchants of the northern and southern regions competing across the entire chain from production, to transport, to sales. Shanghai was the most important base for the southern cotton merchants, from which they launched their "northern expedition." And this kind of commercial rivalry, as it developed, often devolved into violent means—murder and arson, poisoning and robbery, all manner of tactics emerging one after another.

Of course, when things reached such a level, the court naturally could not ignore it. So local Patrol Inspectors and constables were dispatched, first to bring the violence under control and arrest the lawbreakers, and then the Finance Bureau sent officials to summon the major cotton merchants of north and south together, to mediate the contradictions and dissolve the disputes.

With the court's forceful intervention, the matter was ultimately settled—at least on the surface. And as always, the court killed two of the "chickens" that had jumped the highest. With such a commotion stirred up, such vile influence caused, so many people dead, so many laws broken, public order and good customs destroyed, and social stability affected—how could a mere mediation or two settle it all?

Who gave these unscrupulous merchants the audacity? Although the Yongxi dynasty pursued a path of mediation, that did not include excessive compromise toward merchants.

And in this great war of the northern and southern merchant guilds centered on cotton, it was also the first time in decades that cotton cloth prices had fallen. Especially the cloth merchants of Jiangnan, who drove prices extremely low. For this, those wealthy major merchants suffered heavy losses, a great number of small and medium merchants went bankrupt, and cotton farmers also suffered deeply.

Of course, as the situation was brought under control and the market stabilized, cotton and cotton cloth prices both rose rapidly, even exceeding previous levels.

And after such a conflict, the pattern of the northern and southern cotton cloth markets became further clarified—the north held the advantage of first-mover status, with strong influence and deep foundations, while the south had come from behind to overtake.

From the perspective of the entire Great Han, this market was still far from its ceiling. Both north and south still had vast room for deep cultivation. This struggle had come too early—but then again, who told the two capitals to be in the north?

But having received this lesson, which could be called painful, for a long time afterward there was indeed "peace and harmony," until the next time contradictions could not be simply mediated.

And all that happened throughout the process, passed down by word of mouth, evolved into the "romance of the jianghu" and "legends of heroes" that even Liu Wenpeng found interesting.

Watching Liu Wenpeng hold forth with great eloquence, a hint of affectionate smile appeared on Liu Fang's face as he said softly: "Everything you've said is about Shanghai's bright and glamorous side—haven't you noticed any problems?"

"Problems?" At the question, Liu Wenpeng was briefly stunned, then his expression immediately turned serious, taking on a contemplative look—yet in his mind, he couldn't help but recall those somewhat discordant sights he had seen in Huaixi.

Meeting Liu Fang's gaze, Liu Wenpeng said hesitantly: "The time has been too short; I haven't had the chance to observe carefully."

"Then take more time to look, to listen to the voices in the corners of this city. We still have time!" Liu Fang grew somewhat serious, even speaking to Liu Wenpeng with solemnity: "You have long lived deep in the palace. This journey south has been mostly novel experiences and sights for you. Being full of curiosity and delighting in the hunt is understandable, but now that you've come all the way to the shore of the Eastern Sea, it's time to rein in your heart!"

Compared to the Emperor's attitude toward him, Liu Fang, his fourth uncle, had always been lenient. But the moment he turned serious, Liu Wenpeng couldn't help but feel awed, and answered earnestly: "Yes! Fourth Uncle's instruction—your nephew understands!"

The attitude was commendable, but Liu Fang knew that Liu Wenpeng might not have truly understood his advice—after all, he was just a boy of fifteen.

So, after a moment's consideration, Liu Fang spoke to Liu Wenpeng again: "I'll give you a task!"

"Fourth Uncle, please instruct!" Liu Wenpeng immediately perked up.

Liu Fang said: "In this Shanghai city, besides the many ships and many merchants, the most numerous are the laborers toiling for their livelihoods at the various wharves and ports. Go spend some time at Shanghai's docks. You don't need to carry or unload cargo—just eat and live with them, chat about everything under the sun, and afterward, share your thoughts!"

Liu Wenpeng seemed very interested in this, but immediately began to haggle: "Can I go on a ship as a sailor? I want to go out to sea and see—"

To this fanciful notion, Liu Fang's response was especially curt: "No!"

Having failed to win his point, Liu Wenpeng wasn't disappointed—on the contrary, he was full of enthusiasm for the upcoming dock life.

"He's still just a child after all!" After Liu Wenpeng went off to bathe and rest, Liu Fang couldn't help but sigh.

"Third Brother is pure of heart by nature; he's just still young. Once he grows older and gains more experience, he'll mature in time!" Liu Wenji said with a light smile.

Liu Fang glanced at him, then said meaningfully: "Fifteen or sixteen is already not young. He's been 'protected' too well by his mother!"

To this, Liu Wenji did not respond, and Liu Fang did not pursue the topic further.

The "little lesson" in experience that Liu Fang had arranged for Liu Wenpeng ultimately failed to achieve its intended effect—indeed, it ended almost as soon as it began.

The next day, Liu Wenpeng was assigned to Songjiang Dock No. 3. However, he only stayed there for one day—before he could even familiarize himself with the dock work or the laborers' livelihoods, he had to urgently return to the capital with Liu Fang.

An urgent report had come from the Western Capital, Luoyang. The court—or more precisely, the palace—had experienced a disturbance. A dramatic upheaval, one that implicated the entire court and even the future of the empire.

Three uncles and nephews had come; only two returned. Duke of Linzi, Liu Wenji, voluntarily stayed behind. He was equally filled with curiosity about this city of Shanghai, hoping to use more time to observe it. He also found himself a position—becoming a supervisor in charge of tariff accounting at the newly established Jianghai Customs.