Chapter 368: The Yang Bin Case (1)

In the third year of Qianyou, before he knew it, Liu Chengyou had already held the reins of state for two years. After such a long time, the imperial throne had finally been warmed by his backside.

On the eve of the Lantern Festival, Liu Chengyou indulged in a rare extravagance, allocating funds to hold a grand banquet in Chongyuan Hall of the Han palace to celebrate. All civil and military officials in the capital of the fifth rank and above were seated at the feast.

Within and without the Eastern Capital, whether high officials and nobles or peddlers and porters, all rejoiced in the festival. The state of the Great Han could be seen from the festive atmosphere—in the previous two years, even on the finest festival days, a touch of desolation was unavoidable.

The city of Kaifeng was already shrouded in a rich festive atmosphere. The gentry and common folk within the city gradually wore brighter faces, and through the lanes and alleys, more sounds of laughter and cheer could be heard.

In early spring, the capital's hundred trades were gradually thriving, presenting a scene of peace and prosperity. Yet within a grand mansion near the imperial city's wards, a chill desolation hung in the air, utterly out of keeping with the surrounding mood.

The plaque above the gate read "Yang Mansion"—this was the residence of Chancellor Yang Bin! Back when Yang Bin held great power, the front of his gate, if not thronged with carriages and horses, was certainly never the bleak scene of sparrows gathering as it was now. The great doors were tightly shut, and above the mansion seemed to press a layer of inexpressible sorrow.

A modestly decorated carriage rumbled up and stopped before the mansion gate. The curtain was lifted, and a weary-looking young man, brushing aside a servant's helping hand, jumped down with impatient movements. Pausing for a moment, his unkempt beard trembling in the cold spring breeze, he gazed at the still-towering gate. His bloodshot eyes were somewhat dim, and he let out a long sigh.

This was Yang Bin's eldest son, Yang Tingkan. Ever since Liu Chengyou had returned to the capital, he had been running himself ragged over his father's affairs.

A servant stepped forward and listlessly called for the door to be opened. They entered the mansion with heavy steps, each footfall seeming heavier than the last. Behind them, two servants unloaded several exquisitely wrapped gifts from the carriage...

"Elder brother, you're back! How did it go?" Inside the mansion, Yang Bin's third son, Yang Tingyi, hurried up to greet him.

Meeting his younger brother's expectant gaze, Yang Tingkan shook his head and gestured: "Let's talk inside!"

Seeing this, Yang Tingyi's spirits sank at once. He looked at the untouched gifts the servants behind were carrying, and the gloom on his face deepened.

They went inside and took their seats. Tea moistened their throats but tasted of nothing. Yang Tingkan said in a low, suppressed voice: "I have called on all the dignitaries at court, but with little result. No one is willing to submit a memorial pleading for father..."

As he spoke, Yang Tingkan's spirits flagged: "And I suppose that's to be expected. These past two years, father made too many enemies at court. They'd be quick to kick a man when he's down—how could they possibly speak up for him?"

Yang Tingkan looked at Yang Tingyi and asked: "What did you manage to gain on your end? What about father's old subordinates and former officials? The officials he promoted—what's their reaction? It's time they raised their voices for the Yang family!"

At this mention, the young Yang Tingyi's face filled with indignation. He said bitterly: "They're all a pack of faithless men! Now they can't avoid the Yang family fast enough. Several of them, upon hearing I'd come to call, shut their doors and refused to see me! A few said they were willing to run errands for father, but those men are of little account—they can't even get into Chongyuan Hall, so what use are they?"

As the words fell, Yang Tingkan couldn't help clenching his fists. The hall fell silent. Though the early spring weather was chilly, it was nothing compared to the cold in the hearts of the Yang brothers.

After sitting in silence for a while, Yang Tingyi looked at his elder brother: "Elder brother, do you know why father was actually thrown into prison? Father is the reigning chancellor, a founding pillar of the state. For the Son of Heaven to detain him without a word and offer no explanation—how can this convince the masses? Is he not afraid of stirring up turmoil?"

Hearing this, Yang Tingkan's brows knitted tightly. As the heir Yang Bin had groomed to carry on the family enterprise, he had some understanding of Yang Bin's situation and the court's currents. Yang Tingyi's question was precisely what truly worried him. Not even knowing the reason for his old father's suffering, and having been running around like a headless fly lately, he was utterly drained in mind and body. As for the crux of the problem, Yang Tingkan had his suspicions—and those suspicions filled him with fear.

He slowly shook his head, with no intention of explaining to Yang Tingyi. After pondering a while, he slapped his thigh and said: "Tomorrow I'll pay a visit to Uncle Wang's mansion. He and father have been friends for many years, with deep affection between them. Surely he won't disregard their old friendship entirely. I'll give it a try—perhaps I can get into the prison to see father!"

"That's all we can do!" Seeing his elder brother had made up his mind, and having no other recourse himself, Yang Tingyi could only nod.

"During this time, don't return to your own residence. Bring your family over and help take care of mother and the household affairs together!" Yang Tingkan further instructed.

"Yes!"

Sitting alone in the hall, gazing at the desolate scene all around, Yang Tingkan's body couldn't help but slump, looking as if he could barely bear the weight. He knew well that whatever the outcome of Yang Bin's affair, the Yang family would never again be as prosperous as before—indeed, whether the Yang family could even continue to exist was an open question.

Given Yang Bin's status and position, his sudden imprisonment was no less than a thunderclap exploding across the court of the Great Han, which had been peaceful for quite some time.

During the northern inspection tour, when the news was relayed back from the imperial camp, all the dignitaries at court were stunned. After it spread, discussion buzzed throughout the court and beyond. Chancellors such as Wang Zhang, Feng Dao, and Fan Zhi, though shocked, could only do their best to soothe their colleagues and stabilize the situation while awaiting the Son of Heaven's explanation, since they knew not the cause.

Yet even after Liu Chengyou returned from his northern tour and the new year had passed, he still had not brought Yang Bin's matter to a conclusion. Under Liu Chengyou's deliberate or inadvertent suppression, not many at court dared to rashly voice their opinions.

First, not knowing the cause, they dared not speak lightly; second, the Son of Heaven's authority grew daily, and without understanding His Majesty's intent, they feared giving offense.

Of course, restlessness among the people high and low was unavoidable. His imprisonment seemed far too suspicious—to outsiders, it had a distinct whiff of a "coup." Yang Bin was not like Su Fengji of earlier days; he wore the label of "powerful minister" far more heavily. Since the time of Gaozu Liu Zhiyuan, for no short period, the Great Han's governance had been handled by him alone.

In Chongzheng Hall, Liu Chengyou, along with military officials such as Guo Wei, Wang Jun, and Shang Hongqian, once again deliberated on the defense of the Hebei border, especially the coordinated planning for the various garrisons and Army Commanders during his northern tour, which would still require continuous fine-tuning. The more the state's strategy shifted its focus southward, the less it dared to relax its grip on the north.

They also settled on matters of transferring several imperial army units to be stationed at key defensive points in Hebei before the discussion concluded. This time, roughly four thousand imperial troops were to be drawn from the various armies under the Imperial Guard Command, selecting the finest soldiers—of course, where there was outflow there was inflow, and simultaneously, elite warriors were being selected from the garrisons of Hebei, Henan, and within the passes to come to the capital as reserves. At Liu Chengyou's direction, the Bureau of Military Affairs had already formulated a rotation policy, to be officially implemented starting the third year of Qianyou.

After the military officials withdrew, Liu Chengyou ordered a map to be hung up, with cities and roads meticulously drawn upon it. Focusing mainly on the Huainan region, considerable effort had already been invested, synthesizing classics, charts, and local gazetteers, along with local reports and intelligence from spies—the geographical understanding of the Han–Tang borderlands had been greatly improved.

Staring at the Huainan region on the map, Liu Chengyou grew increasingly covetous of this fertile land. Word had it that although the Southern Tang was wealthy, the common folk of Huainan's prefectures did not live easy lives—oppressive taxes and levies were common in every state. But for now, Liu Chengyou still had to restrain his impulse to "rescue the people of Huainan from fire and water."

As he sketched out details of a campaign against the Tang in his mind, thinking of Huainan's geography, Liu Chengyou, who had been pondering for some time, suddenly spoke up and ordered Wang Qiwu to be summoned.

"Send someone to ask Wang Pu whether the location for digging the canal and building the lake has been confirmed!" Liu Chengyou instructed directly.

"Yes!" Wang Qiwu, after a moment's thought, grasped the Son of Heaven's intent.

The Han army excelled at land warfare. Mindful that Huainan was full of marshes and lakes, unfavorable for cavalry and infantry to maneuver freely, Liu Chengyou had long intended to train a navy. Hence, he had previously issued an edict ordering Wang Pu to select a site and dig a great lake, dredging the waterways while also using it to drill naval forces.

However, there had been little progress—first, due to fiscal pressure, and second, because the chosen site required careful deliberation. Speaking of Wang Pu, for nearly a year now he had devoted all his energy to the Great Han's water conservancy projects. A fine strategist had been turned into a supervisor by Liu Chengyou. Liu Chengyou felt it was a waste of talent, though Wang Pu seemed to take great pleasure in it.

"Your Majesty, Chancellor Wang of the State Finance Commission requests an audience!" the palace eunuch Zhang Dejun announced.

"Summon him!"

Before long, Wang Zhang entered, holding several memorials in his hand—all progress reports on the State Finance Commission's work, along with a report on tax revenue. Given the state of the nation, Liu Chengyou, in governing the country, valued military power first and money and grain second, so he always listened to Wang Zhang's reports with great seriousness.

Having endured another harsh winter, Wang Zhang's health seemed to have worsened—he was thinner, with a few more silver threads in his hair, and his speech was punctuated by coughs.

"The state's finances are entrusted to you, Minister Wang—my heart is at ease!" Even if only to reward his toil, Liu Chengyou again said to Wang Zhang in an approving tone of concern: "Minister Wang, you are a pillar of the state and my right hand—you must take good care of your health!"

"Basking in Your Majesty's grace, your servant merely does his duty!" At some point, Wang Zhang had come to genuinely no longer dare look down on the young Son of Heaven.

Having finished his report, Wang Zhang did not take his leave. Seeing that he seemed to have something to say, Liu Chengyou ordered a fresh cup of hot tea to be poured and asked: "If you have something to say, Minister, speak freely—don't be constrained!"

At this, Wang Zhang fell silent. After a slight hesitation, he raised his head and petitioned: "Your servant has a question. If it offends Your Majesty, Your Majesty need only punish me!"

Wang Zhang's face was full of solemn gravity. Liu Chengyou showed a look of surprise and said: "Minister Wang, you speak too gravely!"

Cupping his hands in salute, Wang Zhang calmly met Liu Chengyou's gaze: "May I ask Your Majesty, for what offense has Chancellor Yang been imprisoned? A chancellor of the court, thrown into prison in chains—forgive your servant for speaking bluntly, but Your Majesty owes the court and the realm an explanation!"

Hearing the question, Liu Chengyou's body froze for a brief instant. His expression gradually turned serious as he met Wang Zhang's gaze, his eyes deep as the sea. Yet he did not seem particularly surprised by the question.

Wang Zhang's expression turned bitter and aggrieved. Liu Chengyou slowly averted his gaze, and instead of answering directly, said in a low, measured tone: "The Yang family must have come begging at your door, Minister Wang!"