Chapter 507: Climbing Qingliu, Discussing Postwar Affairs

Earlier, when the Han and Tang were negotiating the details of the trade agreement and peace talks, Liu Chengyou had traveled south in person to Liyang. After the treaty was concluded, the lands of Huainan saw no more war. Once the handover was complete, the war between the Han and Tang that had lasted five months since the autumn campaign of last year could finally be declared at an end.

On the fifteenth day of the second month, Liu Chengyou traveled north from Liyang, arrived at Chuzhou, and lodged in Qingliu County. With the war largely over, the southern campaign's objectives achieved, and a great victory won, Liu Chengyou was in a relaxed mood. Taking advantage of the fine weather, he climbed Qingliu Mountain west of the county together with ministers such as Wang Pu.

It was mid-spring, and the air was thick with spring. The mountain forests were already clothed in fresh green. Qingliu Mountain was not particularly tall or perilous, but it was winding enough. The mountain pass was where Qingliu Pass was situated. Peonies grew in abundance in the wilds, and though spring was at its height and the peonies bloomed late, the hillsides were already a riot of mountain blossoms, a blaze of purple and red.

They found a few mountain farmers to serve as guides and followed the mountain paths, circling from south of the pass to north of it. This served both as a climb and as a way to scout out a hidden path for a surprise attack.

Passing through a gap in the rocks, the view suddenly opened up before them. They leaned against the boulders to rest for a while. Listening closely, besides the birdsong, there was the gurgling of a mountain stream—the sound of the Qingliu waters flowing by.

"Beneath Qingliu Pass flow the Qingliu waters; the Qingliu waters pass through Qingliu Mountain." Liu Chengyou was struck by a poetic impulse and casually recited two lines—then immediately regretted it.

Wang Pu and Li Fang, accompanying the emperor, looked at Liu Chengyou in surprise. The Son of Heaven occasionally produced "fine phrases and elegant lines," but they were always brief and incomplete. Now what they heard was a plain, pedestrian opening—and it stopped abruptly at that.

Meeting their gazes, Liu Chengyou's face could not help but redden. He waved his hand and forced a smile: "Enough. I truly have no talent for poetry. You two must be amused!"

Hearing this, Li Fang said: "Poetry is ultimately a minor art. Your Majesty's great talents all lie in governing the state and commanding armies!"

Liu Chengyou paid little heed to the flattery. He chuckled twice, then his expression turned stern: "What I just recited—none of you are to spread it abroad. Otherwise, you will not be forgiven lightly!"

After all, if such doggerel got out, it would damage the wisdom of his image as the Son of Heaven of the Great Han.

"Yes!" At this, those around him responded in unison, though their tone was rather light and relaxed.

"Li Fang!" Liu Chengyou seemed intent on changing the subject. "I hear you are writing an account of the southern campaign?"

"Indeed!" Li Fang replied. "In this southern campaign, Your Majesty took all fourteen prefectures of Huainan, expanded our territory by a thousand li, added a million people to our populace, and brought Jianghuai to submission. I was fortunate enough to accompany the expedition and observed in detail Your Majesty's political strategies and maneuvers, as well as the elite valor of the Great Han's soldiers. I was deeply moved and wish to synthesize it all into a written record!"

"Good!" Liu Chengyou raised his hand and instructed: "Once the book is finished, present it to me for a look. Let me see how you describe this campaign against Tang!"

Li Fang naturally responded with delight: "Yes!"

"Let me give this book a name!" Liu Chengyou seemed genuinely interested. "Call it *A Brief Account of the Southern Expedition*!"

"Yes!"

After resting for a while, Liu Chengyou sent someone to ask how much longer it would take to get out of the mountains. The guide answered that there were about twenty li of mountain paths remaining. Climbing a mountain was about the mood and the scenery, but walking mountain paths for too long was tiring. Still, the road was of his own choosing—no matter how hard or exhausting, he had to grit his teeth and keep going.

"Back then I could march a hundred li with the army, crossing mountains and valleys as if on flat ground. But in just a few years, flesh has grown on my thighs, and my stamina is failing!" Liu Chengyou sighed with feeling.

If even he felt this way, Wang Pu and Li Fang were in even worse shape. Hearing his words while panting heavily, Wang Pu said: "Your Majesty labors with your mind to govern the myriad people. That hardship far surpasses the fatigue of the body!"

"On ordinary days, one exhausts oneself with matters of state and military affairs. When one finds leisure to climb high and gaze afar, it truly does broaden the heart and mind!" Liu Chengyou said.

Turning his head and seeing that Wang Pu could barely endure the fatigue, Liu Chengyou immediately called out: "Li Jixun!"

Soon, a lean-built general ahead came quickly along the winding path: "What are Your Majesty's orders?"

This time, the escort accompanying the emperor consisted of two hundred guards from the Fengchen Battalion. Crossing mountains and wading streams was an easy matter for them.

Pointing at Wang Pu, Liu Chengyou instructed: "Find guards to carry Minister Wang on their backs in turns!"

"Yes!"

"Thank you, Your Majesty!" Wang Pu smiled wryly but did not refuse the emperor's kindness. Yet in his old eyes, there was inevitably a glimmer of emotion.

Lying on a guard's back and catching his breath, Wang Pu could not help but bring up state affairs with Liu Chengyou: "Your Majesty, now that the Han-Tang peace talks are concluded, the Tang army north of the river is gradually withdrawing south. Judging by their movements, they should have no further objections. Our dynasty should also begin attending to the matters of postwar consolidation!"

"Minister Wang truly never forgets official business for even a moment!" Liu Chengyou sighed and said: "I have been considering this matter for some time. Military victory is only half the success. Taking the land and holding it, settling the people, and restoring production—these require even greater effort from us!"

"Your Majesty is victorious without arrogance and keeps a clear head. This old minister admires that!" Wang Pu said. "Additionally, the hundred-odd thousand soldiers and civilians in Huainan, and the hundred thousand laborers from north of the Huai, should be withdrawn and released as soon as possible. It is already mid-second month—the farming season in the Central Plains has already been delayed somewhat!"

"This matter can indeed be arranged now!" Liu Chengyou nodded. "When I return to the field headquarters, I will issue an edict informing all prefectures that all laborers conscripted from north of the Huai for this southern campaign shall be exempted from the two taxes for one year. Those who served at the front shall be exempted for two years. Laborers with meritorious service shall receive additional rewards; those wounded or killed shall receive generous compensation. The court must dispatch special officials to handle postwar consolation affairs! The victory in this southern campaign is not solely the merit of the soldiers—the toil of these laborers must not be erased either!"

Liu Chengyou's proposal would mean another considerable expenditure for the Northern Han, but he was willing to spend it. Compared to winning over and pacifying the people's hearts, such expenditures were nothing. Compared to the gains of this southern campaign, they were even less significant—the wealth taken from the prefectural treasuries alone was already a massive haul.

To this, Wang Pu clearly expressed his approval.

"What thoughts does Minister Wang have on the postwar consolidation of the Huainan prefectures?" Liu Chengyou asked.

Wang Pu appeared to have given the matter considerable thought. At the question, he answered almost without hesitation, speaking calmly: "In my view, everything should focus on stabilizing and pacifying the hearts of the Huainan people. Though this campaign against Huai did not last long, the destruction wrought upon Huainan's prefectures and counties has been enormous—especially in the four prefectures of Shou, Si, Chu, and Lu.

Across the prefectures, countless people fled their homes and took refuge in the mountains and forests. They should all be summoned back, their homes restored, and their farming and sericulture revived. I have observed that under Tang governance, the people of Huainan were burdened with numerous miscellaneous taxes—Your Majesty may abolish them all. Greedy and cruel officials in the local governments should be dealt with according to Han law.

Once the people's hearts are stabilized and their livelihoods restored, within no more than three years, given Huainan's foundations, it can become a major source of grain and tax revenue for the Great Han, freeing the court from financial straits. Furthermore, many Huainan officials have fled south across the river. The court should select capable men from the Central Plains to fill these posts, so as to consolidate the Great Han's rule. As for local Huainan men willing to pledge their allegiance and serve Your Majesty, those with good reputations should be selected and treated favorably, granted official positions..."

Wang Pu spoke at length in one breath. Liu Chengyou walked while listening, nodding all the while, and commented: "What Minister Wang proposes coincides almost exactly with my own thoughts!"

"The fourteen prefectures of Huainan, a thousand li from east to west—such a vast territory, with a thousand threads to untangle and countless affairs to manage!" Liu Chengyou let out a long sigh.

Wang Pu, by contrast, appeared quite at ease, speaking in a relaxed tone: "The perils of conquest have already been overcome by Your Majesty. Now that the overall situation is settled, pacifying the people and administering governance, setting things right—though equally difficult and tedious—Your Majesty need only appoint good ministers to handle matters calmly!"

"Who does Minister Wang think is fit to take charge of military and civil affairs in Huainan?" Liu Chengyou asked casually.

At the question, Wang Pu opened his mouth, then held back and said: "Whom does Your Majesty have in mind?"

A hint of amusement showed on Liu Chengyou's face: "The other day, Wang Jun petitioned me, saying that Huainan was newly taken and matters unsettled, and he wished to lead troops to garrison it for me, to secure the southeast!"

"Your Majesty surely did not agree!" Wang Pu asked.

"Not yet!" Liu Chengyou waved a hand.

Seeing this, Wang Pu breathed a sigh of relief, then said with a serious expression: "Your Majesty, Huainan is a vital region. It absolutely must not be given to any individual. It should be directly governed by the central authority—administered by civil officials and defended by generals!"

A faint smile curved at the corner of Liu Chengyou's mouth: "Minister Wang's meaning is that I should implement a separation of military and civil authority in Huainan?"

"Exactly!" Wang Pu nodded directly, and even climbed down from the guard's back, walked over to Liu Chengyou's side, and said earnestly: "Your Majesty, the root of the chaos in the late Tang was that the military provinces held too much power and the court could hardly control them—the branches were strong while the trunk was weak. Over the past three dynasties, this has improved somewhat, and since Your Majesty ascended the throne, you have continuously strengthened the authority of the central government. But the number of prefectures and garrisons across the realm remains vast.

If Your Majesty wishes to change course and reform the old ills, Huainan is newly taken—it can be used to implement new systems!"

Liu Chengyou understood Wang Pu's meaning: he was suggesting that Huainan be used as a pilot region to thoroughly implement the separation of military and civil authority.

Smiling lightly, Liu Chengyou said: "I do indeed intend to reform the system. I will divide Huainan into two circuits, East Huai and West Huai. An Administration Commission will be established to govern each circuit's civil affairs; a Judicial Commission will be established to handle each circuit's legal and impeachment matters; additionally, a Military Command will be established to manage each circuit's military affairs, overseeing the defense, militia, and local troops of the various prefectures, supplemented by imperial army garrisons."

Though Liu Chengyou had only mentioned it briefly, it was already enough to make Wang Pu's eyes light up.

Pausing for a moment, Liu Chengyou continued: "The specific details will still need to be deliberated by all the ministers after I return to the capital before the system is finalized. But as for the officials to implement the system in Huainan, I have already considered it. You shall be the Administration Commissioner of the East Huai Circuit, overseeing all civil affairs, with your seat at Yangzhou. After we return north, all postwar consolidation matters will fall upon Minister Wang's shoulders!"

Hearing this, Wang Pu said nothing more, but with a solemn expression of "who else but me," he clasped his hands and said: "Your servant accepts the charge!"