Chapter 285: Deliberating the Taking of Huainan

Late autumn had deepened, the frost growing colder by the day. Braving the chill wind, Wang Pu and Wang Qiwu walked side by side through the palace corridors, following the summoned eunuch. As the cream of the newly minted jinshi, the only two the Son of Heaven regarded with special favor, the pair could well be said to be "riding high on autumn winds," temporarily lodged in the Academy of Scholars without formal rank.

"Brother Wenbo, what do you suppose His Majesty has summoned us for?" Wang Qiwu asked in a lowered voice, addressing Wang Pu walking beside him.

Wang Qiwu's face was as warm as a spring breeze, his bearing wholly refined, his demeanor seemingly woven into the very rhythm of his stride. As fellow graduates of the same examination year, despite a gap of sixteen or seventeen years in age, the two treated each other as peers and enjoyed a cordial relationship. Toward Wang Pu, Wang Qiwu maintained the humble attitude of one facing a senior.

"The sovereign's mind is unfathomable—how could the likes of us presume to guess it?" Wang Pu's voice carried a weathered, vigorous quality.

Seeing Wang Pu remain as steady as ever, Wang Qiwu gave a slight shake of his head, then composed himself in turn.

"Please wait here, both gentlemen, while I announce your arrival."

Upon reaching Chuigong Hall, they were stopped outside the doors, yet the two showed not the slightest impropriety, maintaining their respectful bearing.

"Your subjects Wang Pu (Wang Qiwu) await Your Majesty's command!"

"No need for ceremony!" Liu Chengyou, head buried in his work, barely had a moment to look up, merely gesturing to the two: "Sit first."

In the hall, Liu Chengyou was in the midst of approving memorials submitted from the Hall of State Affairs. The two Wangs' arrival on summons happened to give him a slight respite. Setting down the imperial brush, he ordered the latest red-annotated memorials sent to the Secretariat for handling, and only then turned his attention to the two men.

The two still stood, bodies slightly bowed. Yet they also covertly sized up the young Son of Heaven behind the imperial desk. Though they had seen him before at Guangzheng Hall, the distance of that lofty occasion versus his proximity now felt altogether different. His diligent attention to governance never failed to compensate for his youth, inspiring a sense of reassurance and admiration.

"Sit, don't stand on ceremony!" Seeing the two still seated, Liu Chengyou gestured to the seats before him.

Only then did they take their seats, maintaining propriety, saying nothing, waiting in silence for the Son of Heaven to speak.

Liu Chengyou studied the two men for a few moments. Wang Qiwu was naturally imposing and self-possessed—so long as one harbored no envy, one could not dislike him. By contrast, Wang Pu appeared more mature and solemn, not merely due to age; seated there, he gave the impression of an immovable mountain, yet the strategy and talent within his breast inspired a sense of solid reliability.

"In this special examination, though I rejoice in gaining over a hundred talents, I rejoice even more in gaining you two gentlemen!" After a moment's scrutiny, Liu Chengyou opened his mouth and lavished praise upon them both.

"Your Majesty overpraises us! We are unworthy of such honor!" Even with their self-assured talents, faced with the Son of Heaven's commendation, both expressed humility.

With an extremely amicable demeanor, Liu Chengyou made small talk: "These past few days at the Hanlin Academy—have you grown accustomed to it?"

Wang Pu replied: "The two academies, of Scholars and of Hanlin, gather the finest minds and assemble all the worthy. Upon entering, we felt like frogs at the bottom of a well, first glimpsing the vast world, filled with reverence, daring not to be remiss..."

"That is being overly modest!" Liu Chengyou chuckled lightly at this. "You are great talents personally selected by me, and Master Wenbo is even the top scholar—no need for such humility!"

After exchanging brief pleasantries with the two, Liu Chengyou drew from the imperial desk the policy essays they had written in the palace examination, gave them a slight flourish in his hand, and said to the pair: "Your 'Strategies for Pacifying the Frontiers'—I have read them more than once in recent days. I have gained insights from them, quite in line with my own prior deliberations, yet there remain points of doubt. Today I summoned you both to resolve them!"

This posture of Liu Chengyou's was already that of a ruler honoring worthy men, and his regard for Wang Pu and Wang Qiwu was plain to see. At this, the two hurriedly rose and replied: "We await Your Majesty's instruction."

"Let me offer a brief summary: south first, then north; easy first, then hard—this line of thinking is evident in both your policy essays!" Liu Chengyou stated directly. "Yet both Master Wenbo and Qiwu have said, seize Huainan before turning north. If the intent is easy first, then hard, why not completely pacify all the southern states before launching the northern campaign against the Khitan? The southern states' fighting strength is surely weaker than the Khitan's, is it not!"

Liu Chengyou's summary made both Wang Pu and Wang Qiwu nod instinctively, both moved that the Son of Heaven could grasp their meaning.

They exchanged a glance, and Wang Pu spoke first.

"Speak while seated!" Liu Chengyou never failed to display his respect for talent.

"To report to Your Majesty, given the Great Han's current circumstances, we cannot prevail in the north; we can only temporarily avoid the Khitan's edge, holding You and Ji to guard against the barbarian cavalry. If we wish to wage war beyond our borders, surveying all four frontiers, only the Huainan region is worth pursuing."

"Since ancient times, Huainan has been a land of plenty, with a million households. Yang Wu relied on it to carve out a tripartite stand. The false Tang holds it now, constantly eyeing the Central Plains and encroaching upon Xu and Huai. Though the southern army's fighting strength is not great, it still poses a tremendous threat to our Central Plains capital region—like a sword hanging over our heads."

"Thus seizing Huainan not only gains us its population, land, and wealth, but also resolves the malady at our dynasty's very heart, consolidating the Central Plains. At the same time, with northern troops, we can overawe the Yangtze, preparing for future advances into Jiangnan!"

Hearing Wang Pu's own words, Liu Chengyou nodded along, but these issues Liu Chengyou could analyze himself, so he continued watching him.

Wang Pu, however, stopped at the right point, yielding the stage to Wang Qiwu. The two had clearly exchanged their views on the "Strategies for Pacifying the Frontiers" and gained further insights.

Wang Qiwu clasped his hands and took up the thread: "Your Majesty, since the days of the Later Jin's Young Emperor, the Central Plains has been in endless turmoil. When the barbarian hordes swept south, the rivers and mountains were shattered. Fortunately, Gaozu rescued the realm from the depths, establishing the Great Han. And to this day, Your Majesty, having quelled the rebellion in Hezhong and returned, the realm has at last gained a moment of peace."

"The northern troops are formidable, but our dynasty's national strength is truly insufficient. The people are suffering; without ten or more years, recovery will be difficult to achieve."

"As for the false Tang, since its founding lord usurped Wu and declared himself, it has held the greater part of the fertile Jianghuai lands, managing them with care for over a decade. The people prosper, the state is wealthy, hearts are won over, and it commands an army of over a hundred thousand. Recently it even sent troops to pacify Min—its momentum is at its peak!"

"With the Great Han's military strength, even sending troops south to seize Huainan would not be easy, let alone crossing the river to destroy it."

Wang Qiwu's meaning was clear: the Great Han had strong soldiers on paper but no money and no grain. Marching south to seize advantages would not be easy, and destroying the Southern Tang would be even harder—and that "strong army" probably deserved quotation marks. Liu Chengyou, who possessed an exceptionally deep understanding of the Great Han's treasury, naturally felt this all the more keenly upon hearing it.

Seeing the Son of Heaven lost in thought, Wang Pu added from the side: "Even if Your Majesty wishes to send troops south to take Huainan, thorough preparations must be made, or else in a short time, complete success will be difficult to achieve."

"Tell me more!" Liu Chengyou looked at him.

When expounding the strategies in his breast, Wang Pu's face lit up with animation: "First, the Great Han has suffered chaos and not yet been governed; time is needed to eliminate corrupt practices, nurture the people, and restore national strength. Second, we should rectify official governance and strengthen the imperial army, ensuring stability in military and civil affairs. Third, we must train a navy—in the Jianghuai region, waterways crisscross and canals run alongside; the southern army is more practiced in river warfare. Without a naval force to coordinate, a hasty march south is bound to meet defeat!"

"These three matters cannot bear fruit in under three years. Even so, Your Majesty must still be prepared for bloody battle with the Tang army. The false Tang's national strength remains considerable, and the Tang army's fighting power persists. The Huainan region constitutes half the false Tang's realm—they will certainly not abandon it lightly."

"Even so, the Great Han must also consider the reactions of the other states, especially making preparations to defend the northern frontier..."

Hearing Wang Pu's torrent of discourse, Liu Chengyou snapped back to attention and said in a relaxed tone: "From what you two say, you seem quite certain I will send troops to take Huainan?"