Chapter 427: The Marriage Alliance

"This Zhao Kuangzan—three whole years! In his memorials to the court, besides begging for grain, pay, armor, and weapons, has he ever asked for anything else?" Liu Chengyou was helpless, or rather, accustomed to it. He shook his head slightly: "A dignified Prince of Yan, I find him a man of striking and uncommon bearing, yet now how has he come to seem rather like Gao the Sponger of Jingnan? Do you recall, how many times has Zhao Kuangzan requested aid from the court?"

Wei Renpu had a keen memory. Hearing the Son of Heaven's question, he recalled briefly, then replied with a faint smile: "As far as Your servant knows, counting this time, over the past three years, the Prince of Yan has submitted memorials requesting aid in grain and equipment thirty-three times in total, and Your Majesty and the court have granted him eighteen of them."

"This time, let the State Finance Commission and the Ministry of War allocate as they see fit!" This time, Liu Chengyou was rather more generous: "They haven't had it easy this time around!"

"Yes!"

Speaking of this year, of the Khitan's "spring offensive" in the Ji and Yan regions, none suffered more severe losses than the various prefectures under the Prince of Yan's command. The Liao army's key strike zone was also the Youzhou–Zhuozhou–Yizhou area; the raids deep into Han territory in central Hebei were merely incidental.

After subsequent deliberation and study, the Han ruler and his ministers gained a clearer understanding of Yelu Ruan's designs. Boldly guessing, the greatest objective of his southern offensive was likely to retake the Youyan region.

The slogans they shouted were, after all, only slogans—they couldn't be taken at face value. Swallowing all of Hebei, or even advancing into the Central Plains—as long as Liu Chengyou's side didn't make a misstep, the Khitan of today didn't yet have that appetite or strength.

And if Yelu Ruan failed to see this point, and sent his great army south, he would surely drink bitter regret, or even, like his uncle Yelu Deguang, die in the lands of the Southern Dynasty. Though they didn't know Yelu Ruan well, Liu Chengyou and all his ministers felt that this man ought to have that foresight—after all, he had personally gone deep into the southern campaigns. Even if he couldn't see it himself, his subordinate ministers would remind him. Among the Khitan nobles and officials there were still some wise men, especially the surrendered Han ministers who had submitted to them.

"How is the border defense preparation coming along?" Liu Chengyou suddenly asked.

This time it was Zheng Renhui who spoke up to answer the Son of Heaven's question: "In reply to Your Majesty, at present, along the three passes of Waqiao, Yijin, and Yukou, the border garrison troops have already built two hundred and eighteen fortifications, forming an interlocking zigzag posture. The garrison troops in the forts number over ten thousand, all equipped with ample grain and weapons. After these two months of rotation and reinforcement, together with the defense troops, regional militia, and village militia of the Heng, Ji, Ying, and Mo prefectures, our court has deployed over fifty thousand troops."

"Can fifty thousand men satisfy the defense of this line?" Liu Chengyou's question was rather abrupt. He looked at Wei and Zheng, neither of whom spoke directly, and sighed: "A difficult situation!"

"With this defense line, though it is hard to completely intercept the barbarian cavalry, if the Khitan cavalry dares to cross it, then these passes and garrison forts will be like so many firm iron nails driven into the barbarian cavalry's rear, making them feel as if thorns were pricking their backs, so that they dare not fail to be wary!" Wei Renpu spoke, clear-headed and seeing accurately, which also served to console Liu Chengyou: "This is also the goal the court set in establishing this defense line!"

"I understand!" Liu Chengyou let out a light breath.

Shortly after, Chief Minister Li Tao came to the hall requesting an audience, reporting that Xing and Ming prefectures had submitted reports that the two prefectures together had received over ten thousand households of people who had migrated inward from the Youyan region. After two months had been spent on it, those who still refused to move inward were all "holdouts."

Since the twelfth year of Tianfu, when the former Prince of Yan Zhao Yanshou led troops north to retake Youzhou, through repeated slaughter, disasters, and successive flights and inward migrations, the population of the Youyan region had sharply declined to an extremely low level. Originally there had been over one hundred thousand households, with a registered population of six to seven hundred thousand; now, though no detailed survey had been made, the military and civilians under the Prince of Yan's rule numbered fewer than thirty thousand households.

It was precisely for this reason that even though the Prince of Yan Zhao Kuangzan had many "anti-Han" figures under his command, the Yan region's dependence on Hebei and on the Great Han was growing stronger and stronger.

Judging from the secret memorial that Surveillance Commissioner of Lulong Gao Fang sent to Liu Chengyou, over the past year, voices within the Yan army about "turning against Han and becoming independent" had diminished considerably. First, their strength was limited; second, after years of seesaw warfare, the hatred between the Youyan military and civilians and the Khitan had grown deeper and deeper. Even if some Yan army officers harbored intentions to defect to Liao, the sentiments of ordinary soldiers and commoners could not accept it.

As time passed, the longer it dragged on, the more it demonstrated how correct a decision Liu Chengyou's original wild fancy had been—supporting Zhao Yanshou's gambling-style northern expedition—and how much benefit the Great Han had subsequently reaped from it.

Not to mention anything else—if Youzhou were still in Khitan hands, the pressure on the Great Han's northern border alone would be incomparable. Looking back, because there were those with foresight who saw it, the court praised the Son of Heaven, who had been but a youth at the time, for such boldness and strategy, to the point of exaggeration.

The most senior of the Great Han's court historians, Jia Wei, Elder Jia, was compiling the *Veritable Records of Gaozu* in the National History Bureau, in which he mentioned the "Prince of Yan's Northern Expedition," praising in the text "the present sovereign's" extraordinary wisdom and strategy and far-reaching vision.

A moment later, Feng Dao also arrived, bringing Liu Chengyou good news: the Wuyue envoy delegation had entered the capital, delivering the Wuyue commandery princess for the marriage alliance.

A smile that had not been seen for a long time appeared on Liu Chengyou's face. Setting aside his other concerns for the moment, he began giving orders directly: "Bring the Wuyue envoy to see me. Hmm, lead the Wuyue commandery princess to Ciming Hall, and let the Empress Dowager see—how is the consort I selected for the Prince of Huaiyang?"

"Yes!"

"Your Majesty, since Wuyue King Qian Hongchu succeeded to the throne, he has always been deferential and obedient to our court. This time he has again sent a commandery princess to form a marriage alliance, fully expressing his heart of submission!" Feng Dao, seeing that the Son of Heaven's mood had finally improved, also spoke with a beaming smile.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou's smile only then receded somewhat. Of course, what Liu Chengyou was truly considering was that when he campaigned south, he would invite Qian Hongchu to send troops to strike the Southern Tang's rear, pinning down its Jiangnan forces. The marriage alliance was merely a means of deepening the connection between north and south.

As early as the spring of the third year of Qianyou, Liu Chengyou and the Empress Dowager had the idea of selecting a consort for the Prince of Huaiyang, Liu Chenghsun. At that time, there were roughly two families under consideration—one from the Gao clan of Jingnan, and the other the Qian clan of Wuyue.

Of course, without much difficult deliberation, they settled on the Qian family. Envoys were sent to make contact on the matter, and Wuyue King Qian Hongchu naturally accepted with joy, agreeing to the arrangement.

As for the marriage candidate, Qian Hongchu chose the youngest daughter of King Wenmu of Wuyue, his own youngest sister. She was said to be elegant, pure, clever, and wise, virtuous and reasonable. Though it was unclear how a girl of twelve or thirteen could be so virtuous. It was precisely because she was too young that the matter was delayed for over a year; only when the Wuyue princess reached the age of fourteen did Qian Hongchu order people to bring the dowry and travel north to the Eastern Capital.

To show the importance he placed on it, Liu Chengyou received the Wuyue envoy at Chongyuan Hall, and summoned all those in the court who wore purple robes to accompany him. The exchange was naturally harmonious and congenial.

Liu Chengyou then issued an edict on the spot, conferring upon the Wuyue commandery princess the title of Xiuhua Princess, and ordering the Ministry of Rites to select an auspicious day and prepare the celebration.

Of course, from beginning to end, this marriage had never obtained the consent of the Prince of Huaiyang, Liu Chenghsun. He only needed to be the groom.

Early in the sixth month of the fourth year of Qianyou, the Prince of Huaiyang of the Great Han, Liu Chenghsun, formally married the Wuyue princess, to demonstrate the friendship between the two states. The Son of Heaven issued an edict to hold the wedding ceremony in Wansui Hall within the palace. Held simultaneously was the ceremony of the Son of Heaven Liu Chengyou taking Lady Fu, the Lady of the State of Wei, as his consort.

Lady Fu, the Lady of the State of Wei, was the second daughter of Fu Yanqing, Regent of Yedu, Military Governor of the Tianxiong Army, and Prince of Wei. She had been enfeoffed in the second year of Qianyou.