Chapter 572: Expansion of Kaifeng

"Your Majesty, there is news from Jinzhou!" Chief Minister Li Tao personally presented the court memorial to the Emperor and reported the news.

Judging by his expression, he seemed at ease, but Liu Chengyou still asked: "Good news, or bad news?"

A smile appeared on Li Tao's aged face as he replied: "Good news! That Feng Jiye, who murdered his elder brother to seize power and foolishly sought to hold his own ground, has been captured and imprisoned!"

Previously, in the wake of the Jinzhou incident, the chief ministers had deliberated on how to handle the matter. In the end, they decided to send Chen Guan, a secretary of the Ministry of Personnel, as envoy to Jinzhou, to carry out a demotion under the guise of conferring rewards. Imperial army general Zhang Yongde was also sent with men as escort for the imperial envoy, and to avoid arousing suspicion, they brought only fifty iron cavalry of the Palace Command.

"Tell me the details!" Liu Chengyou said, leaning back gently against the imperial throne.

Li Tao reported: "According to Chen Guan's report, when the envoy arrived at Xicheng County to proclaim the edict, Feng Jiye was overjoyed and held a banquet. To keep him off guard, Chen Guan and Zhang Yongde played along with him, biding their time without making a move. Feng Jiye was the youngest son of Feng Hui—his claim to power lacked legitimacy—and moreover, his cruel and vicious nature, having killed his elder brother, cost him the people's support. The civil and military officials of Jinzhou largely refused to accept him. Chen Guan secretly observed and made contacts, and with the support of Feng Hui's second son Feng Jilang and the local officials, he seized Feng Jiye, took control of the government offices, and in the name of the imperial court, enumerated his crimes and pacified the people!"

"So they actually pulled it off. This Chen Guan does have some real ability—you recommended the right man, Minister Li, and your recommendation merits credit!" Liu Chengyou glanced at Li Tao.

Li Tao said with a smile: "Recommending talent for the state is this minister's duty. Fortunately, I did not fail the mission!"

After a brief pause, Li Tao continued: "Your Majesty, Chen Guan requests instructions—now that Feng Jiye has been captured, how should the aftermath be handled? In addition, Feng Hui's second son Feng Jilang seems to have intentions of requesting to inherit his father's post! After seizing Feng Jiye, he secretly contacted Jinzhou's officials, and so Chen Guan and Zhang Yongde have already taken action, placing Feng Jilang and all the other Feng sons under arrest and holding them in the government offices!"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou could not help but laugh, the laughter laced with heavy sarcasm. In a tone of puzzlement mixed with lament, he said: "These Feng family members are quite amusing. I truly wonder whether they are naive or simply foolish—do they regard the prefectures and counties of the Great Han, and the offices of the imperial court, as their private property?"

Hearing the Son of Heaven speak thus, Li Tao chimed in: "When profit blinds and lust for power consumes the heart, how could they recognize the will of Heaven? Feng Hui had seven sons in total, all of whom previously held posts in Jinzhou's military and civil administration. After Feng Jiye usurped power, he dismissed all his elder brothers. That Chen Guan and Zhang Yongde were able to quickly control the situation and prevent the Feng sons from seizing the opportunity to cause chaos—well, that is partly thanks to Feng Jiye's dismissal of his brothers!"

"Issue an edict: change Jinzhou to Ankang Prefecture, with its seat at Xicheng. Let Chen Guan administer Ankang Prefecture, handling civil affairs, following the Hedong precedent and the court's earlier edict on restructuring. As for Jinzhou's troops, let Zhang Yongde take temporary command, reorganizing and weeding out the ranks on site, with all treatment and benefits likewise following the Hedong precedent!" After thinking it over, Liu Chengyou gave his orders directly.

"Yes!" Li Tao acknowledged, then asked: "How should the various Feng sons be dealt with? If those people remain in Jinzhou, I fear they will become a source of trouble!"

"Feng Jiye—have Chen Guan send men to escort him to the Eastern Capital, where the relevant authorities will interrogate him and mete out punishment!" Liu Chengyou ordered without hesitation. After a moment's consideration, he added: "Regardless of anything else, Feng Hui guarded the northern frontier for many years, repelling foreign barbarians without and governing the people within, rendering great service to our Central Kingdom—he was truly a hero of his age.

Though some of his sons are unworthy, toward his descendants, I am still willing to show greater leniency. Have all the Feng sons relocated to Luoyang to settle there; the Feng family wealth they may take with them, and Jinzhou shall not encroach upon a single coin or grain!"

"Your Majesty is magnanimous and benevolent!" Li Tao promptly praised.

Liu Chengyou's order was hardly a favor, though. Luoyang was not so easy a place to settle in. The Feng family may have accumulated considerable wealth, but of the seven Feng sons, one was dead and one imprisoned—the remaining five might very well stage another fine drama over the family inheritance, and the likelihood was high.

To be honest, the Feng family left a very poor impression on Liu Chengyou. He had never felt such disgust toward any household before. Even Li Shouzhen and his son, who had rebelled against him from Hezhong, had not left as foul an impression.

In the depths of autumn, Liu Chengyou rarely left the palace, but now he went out to inspect the city walls of the Eastern Capital, with Murong Yanchao, the Governor of Kaifeng, accompanying the imperial carriage.

"Imperial Uncle, you have governed Kaifeng for less than a year, yet your achievements are remarkable—the Eastern Capital grows more prosperous by the day!" Strolling leisurely, Liu Chengyou said to Murong Yanchao.

Murong Yanchao, as a half-brother of Gaozu Liu Zhiyuan through the same mother, was also a close relative of the imperial house. In earlier years, he would still presume upon his seniority. But over the years, toward Liu Chengyou, this Son of Heaven, he no longer dared to regard him as a mere nephew.

Indeed, Murong Yanchao harbored fear of Liu Chengyou, ever since the second year of Qianyou, when the affair of Imperial Uncle Liu Xin occurred. Thinking of that old brother—his whole family now still keeping vigil at Rui Mausoleum, nearly four full years now—one could imagine just how bleak those days must be.

Therefore, when his beloved son had been demoted previously, though Murong Yanchao's heart ached, he did not dare let out even a single fart. Now, hearing the Emperor's praise, he replied: "This minister knows nothing of governance—I have merely been assisted by the officials of the Kaifeng administration. All I have done is establish rules and follow the court's statutes!"

"Imperial Uncle's words show great wisdom disguised as folly!" Liu Chengyou said with a slight smile.

"By the way, Imperial Uncle, are you still angry in your heart that I sent Murong Chengtai off to the front lines?" Liu Chengyou stopped in his steps and suddenly asked.

Hearing the question, Murong Yanchao's expression shifted slightly, and he shook his head repeatedly: "How would this minister dare! Chengtai has always loved playing with swords and staves—sending him to the army to gain experience is also following his own wishes!"

"The military report from the southwest—it does mention him!" Liu Chengyou said.

Hearing this, Murong Yanchao's dark face tightened slightly, and he said with some nervousness: "Could it be that he has gotten into trouble again?"

Liu Chengyou shook his head, a trace of a smile on his face: "Far from causing trouble, he has grown considerably. Serving as a junior officer beside Xiang Xun, running errands before and after, bearing hardship without complaint—after a few more years of experience and a few more battles, the Great Han's imperial clan may yet gain another capable general!"

Hearing the Emperor say this, Murong Yanchao breathed a sigh of relief, his brow relaxing as he too began to smile.

Looking around, pointing at the mottled patches on the Kaifeng city walls, Liu Chengyou said: "The Eastern Capital has served as the capital through the Zhu Liang, the Shi Jin, and down to the Great Han—standing proud in the Central Plains for decades. A great city of the Central Plains, the pearl of the Bian River—yet looking at it now, it still appears old and worn!"

Hearing this, Murong Yanchao immediately clasped his hands and said: "Your Majesty, since I have administered Kaifeng, I have always felt that Kaifeng is cramped and antiquated. Though repeatedly repaired, it is like patching old clothes—hard to rid it of its decay, and truly unworthy of the name of the Great Han's capital. City wards, government offices, and markets are intermingled, the layout is chaotic, the buildings are old, and many roads are so narrow that even the imperial carriage cannot pass. And in recent years, the city's scholar-officials and commoners have grown ever more numerous, already exceeding four hundred thousand souls, making it even more crowded. In the future it will only grow further—I fear it may not be able to bear the burden..."

"From what Imperial Uncle says, you wish to rebuild the Eastern Capital?" Liu Chengyou turned his head to look at Murong Yanchao.

Seizing the opportunity, Murong Yanchao pressed his case: "That is precisely this minister's intention! Recently, I have deliberated with my subordinates, and I feel that both the inner and outer walls of the Eastern Capital require major expansion. The palace city and imperial city need rebuilding, and the various government offices, institutions, barracks, and markets all need restructuring—only then can it live up to being the foremost region of the realm."

Seeing Murong Yanchao full of vigor and drive, Liu Chengyou was clearly somewhat tempted, yet could not help shaking his head: "As Imperial Uncle says, to rebuild and expand on such a grand scale—the money, grain, and manpower required—with the court's current finances, I fear it would be difficult to sustain!"

Hearing this, Murong Yanchao immediately said: "This minister has given it thought. Rebuilding the Eastern Capital is not a task of a single day—it can proceed step by step, with funds allocated in stages. Now that the autumn harvest has concluded, this is precisely the time when manpower is abundant—we can conscript laborers and carry out the city expansion!"

Liu Chengyou could not help but size up Murong Yanchao with a few glances—this Imperial Uncle seemed to be getting shrewder and shrewder. After thinking it over, Liu Chengyou asked: "Imperial Uncle, if the State Finance Commission allocates one hundred thousand strings of cash and fifty thousand dan of grain, and all tax revenues of the Kaifeng administration are retained for your use, can you repair Kaifeng?"

The Emperor's eyes gleamed as he fixed his gaze on Murong Yanchao, making him mutter inwardly. With a slightly pained expression, he said: "Your Majesty, you wouldn't be thinking of expanding Kaifeng with only this amount of money and grain, would you..."

"Naturally not!" Liu Chengyou waved his hand: "As Imperial Uncle said, this is merely the seed money to begin the great work! Huainan reports that this year's final shipment of money and grain from the Tang court will also be arriving in the capital—when it does, it shall all be placed under Imperial Uncle's disposal! Any subsequent shortfalls will be made up gradually!"

With this explanation, Murong Yanchao pondered for a moment, then clasped his hands: "In that case, this minister may attempt it!"

"Excellent!" Liu Chengyou smiled.

"If Your Majesty is concerned about the funds and grain for the city repairs, this minister has a proposal!" Murong Yanchao said.

"Speak!" Liu Chengyou said, looking at him.

A hint of "cunning" appeared on Murong Yanchao's dark face as he said: "Your Majesty's desire to expand the city is also for the benefit of the Eastern Capital's scholars and commoners. We could levy a 'city repair tax' on the households within the city. Additionally, commerce in the Eastern Capital flourishes—merchants and wealthy magnates from all over the realm come and go in endless numbers; we could have them donate money and grain..."

What a fine suggestion. Liu Chengyou now knew—this Imperial Uncle was, as always, "rich" in methods of amassing wealth. Liu Chengyou could be certain that if he followed this advice, the Eastern Capital would soon be filled with complaints and resentment.

Therefore, Liu Chengyou said very bluntly: "The 'city repair tax' need not be considered—I have no wish to disturb the people. However, those wealthy merchants and magnates you mentioned—perhaps some means can be devised to make them contribute their share to the Eastern Capital's expansion!"

"Yes!" Murong Yanchao acknowledged, though half of his proposal had been rejected by Liu Chengyou.

"Additionally, regarding the Eastern Capital expansion—when you return, Imperial Uncle, consult with the Ministry of Works and first draft a plan for the expansion..." Liu Chengyou raised his hand and ordered: "As for the great work of expansion, I hereby entrust it entirely to Imperial Uncle!"