Chapter 731: Treaties Are Made to Be Torn Up

When affairs are caught in endless repetition, time always flies swiftly. From autumn into winter, Liu Chengyou's daily schedule grew increasingly routine, spent in the constant reviewing, approving, and handling of all manner of similar military and state affairs. Somewhat taxing, yet he found joy in it.

Since the pacification of Jinghu, the situation within the Great Han had been generally stable—no external threats, no internal disasters, all calm and tranquil. On the whole, policy had turned once more toward recuperation and rest, easing the impact of war.

Though the Great Han court had grown increasingly peaceful in recent years, there was scarcely a year without war. Looking back, in the nine years since the Great Han's founding, war had always been its main theme. Suppressing rebellions within, expanding territory without—though all had ended in great victory, under the shadow of war, life for the common people was by no means benign.

Every war meant extensive conscription of civilian labor for the army's needs, and the court's public works were no few either—repairing walls, building roads, digging canals, taming rivers... It could be said that up to the eighth year of Qianyou, beneath the Great Han's flourishing splendor, soldiers and civilians alike still suffered exhaustion. Continuous military victories could not conceal the weariness underneath. If one were to walk through the localities, one would find that the common people of the Great Han still lived very hard lives, still short of even "food and clothing."

Only in contrast to the turmoil of former times did the domestic situation remain consistently stable—political balance maintained, military provinces pruned away, and the court under Liu Chengyou's rule constantly adjusting policy, gradually easing and releasing the pressure and resentment of the people.

On the other hand, the Pacification Commission, the court's mouthpiece organ, began to gradually fulfill its function. Years of unbroken praise and eulogy for the Son of Heaven of the Great Han had indeed achieved the effect of beguiling and soothing hearts. For the common folk at the bottom, as long as they could still survive, there was no need to rebel; and the court's several large-scale disaster relief and aid operations had genuinely harvested no small amount of popular support.

Since autumn, the greatest upheaval at court had been the "Guo family disturbance," but that had remained purely at the political level—great in influence, yet small in commotion. The other matter was the nationwide review of criminal cases. Over three months, with the cooperation of court-appointed envoys and local officials, over ten thousand lawsuits had been cleared, including more than two thousand major cases involving loss of life.

In the process, over a hundred negligent or misgoverning officials had been dealt with; those of higher standing implicated prefectural and circuit-level grand officials, and several court ministers were dragged in as well, among them the Vice Minister of Justice, who was removed from office. Chief ministers Li Tao and Fan Zhi both received reprimands from Liu Chengyou. This was also Liu Chengyou's rectification of officialdom—when he first issued the "Edict on Clearing Criminal Cases," he had likely already harbored this intention.

At the same time, after a series of tedious discussions and implementations, the Great Han's new circuit-prefecture administrative system was promulgated. Hebei, Henan, and the capital region were divided into five circuits: Hebei West Circuit, Hebei East Circuit, Huaibei Circuit, Capital Region Circuit, and South of the Capital Circuit.

As winter set in, Kaifeng was gradually enveloped in cold and desolation. The sky was a dim white, cold winds assailed in gusts, and even the lamplight in Chongzheng Hall seemed chill. Under the glow of the hall's candles, the Han Son of Heaven and several chief ministers sat discussing affairs of state—already over an hour, and still not concluded.

"Your Majesty, Quanyong Patrol Inspector Pan Mei has returned north from Lingnan and memorialized the court that the treaty between the two states has been concluded. The treaty document is here—please, Your Majesty, review it!" Li Tao rose and presented the bound document to Liu Chengyou.

Flipping through it with an air of indifference, Liu Chengyou could not help but smile: "This Liu Sheng is ultimately quite decisive—not a single article rejected, agreeing to everything!"

"This man who forgets his ancestors, pressed by our court's might, seeking only temporary ease—he can casually abandon even his state's name. His downfall is not far off!" Li Tao sighed.

"I have heard, however, that those who persuaded Liu Sheng were eunuchs and palace maids—Lin Yanyu and Lu Qiongxian!" Liu Chengyou said, looking as though he saw through the whole affair.

Even Fan Zhi's rigid face could not help but show contempt: "The great affairs of state actually held in the hands of eunuchs and palace maids—this shows how benighted Liu Sheng is. Your Majesty has merely suspended the campaign for now, yet he thinks himself secure. He is but a skeleton in a tomb!"

"How could mere eunuchs and palace maids corrupt his governance? The root lies with Liu Sheng himself. His treacherous sycophants are my future meritorious subjects. When we take Panyu in the days ahead, we may spare Lin and Lu the indignity of dismemberment—grant them intact burial!" Liu Chengyou said lightly, revealing his bold ambition.

"Do you know what new state name Lingnan has adopted?" Liu Chengyou asked.

"Initially they proposed 'Great Yue,' but Pan Mei, being in Panyu, pressed that a vassal state could not claim 'Great,' forcing them to drop 'Great' and use 'Yue.' To avoid clashing with Wuyue, they then changed it to 'Yue' with a different character. On the fifteenth of this month, Liu Sheng, at the capital's outskirts, sacrificed to the ancestral temple and changed the state name to 'Yue,' demoting himself to Sovereign of Yue!" Li Tao reported.

Nodding, Liu Chengyou looked over the annual tribute item once more. The Great Han had indeed opened its mouth wide—set at 1,000 jin of gold, 3,000 jin of silver, 2,000 bolts of silk, 50,000 jin of medicinal herbs, plus 100,000 shi of rice. However, the Southern Han side had shown no intention of bargaining at all—quite generous of them.

After brief consideration, he gave his orders: "Of Lingnan's annual tribute, aside from the gold, silver, and silks sent to the Eastern Capital, keep the medicinal herbs and rice in Hunan for future use." Clearly, this arrangement carried the implication of one day using the tribute grain to attack them.

"Yes!"

"For Hunan, allocate another portion of funds!" Liu Chengyou then looked to State Finance Commissioner Xue Juzheng: "Zan Jurun and the others have no easy task cleaning up that mess over there!"

"Yes!"

After nearly half a year, the situation in Hunan had finally been thoroughly stabilized. The most critical problem of grain shortage had been resolved; relief for the people had consumed over a hundred thousand shi of grain in total.

The circuit government offices were essentially complete, the merger and abolition of prefectures and counties was progressing smoothly, and the governing order of each prefecture and county had been consolidated. The Great Han's various policies and legal statutes were being promulgated with great efficiency.

The compilation and census of registered households had also yielded results. According to the Jinghu Circuit's report in the eighth month, under the Jinghu Circuit, excluding the three Jingnan territories, a total of 93,788 households of commoners were registered, of which 20,387 were newly registered—including some liberated hidden households, refugees, plus suppressed mountain bandits, robbers, and barbarian peoples.

As for the subjugation of the barbarians of the five prefectures, with the assistance of Yao and Miao chieftains such as Qin Zaixiong, a total of 7,362 barbarian households had been registered—gratifying results. Though there remained the stubborn and unrepentant who even raided prefectures and counties, they were all sternly suppressed by the garrisoning Han army. For the sake of public order, the policy had always been to combine pacification and suppression—recruitment was indeed conciliatory, but extermination was likewise merciless.

As for the redistribution of land and means of production, it was still being implemented. Hunan's territory was vast, its population sparse, its waterways crisscrossing, and its arable land abundant. The contradiction over land was secondary; population was the primary issue. What the court chiefly seized and controlled, registering in the ledgers, was the registered households. Judging by Hunan's situation, land reclamation and agricultural development still had enormous room before reaching saturation.

"Pan Mei went south to Panyu in the ninth month; it is now the end of the tenth month—over forty days in total. Staying in Lingnan for such a long time, he must have gathered a great deal!" Liu Chengyou remarked.

Previously, upon receiving the overtures of goodwill from Lingnan, the Emperor had not sent anyone from the Eastern Capital, but instead dispatched a flying order for Pan Mei, who remained in Hunan, to proceed to Panyu bearing the imperial credentials to sign the treaty in full authority. From this matter alone, one could see the regard Liu Chengyou held for Pan Mei—and moreover, sending a military general rather than a civil official to handle the peace negotiations carried its own deep significance.

When ordered south, Pan Mei had received a secret edict from the Emperor: to personally make the journey and observe, probe, and spy out Lingnan's geography, communications, popular sentiment, and military preparedness, as preparation for a future southern campaign. And from the Emperor's secret order, Pan Mei had realized that when the day came to march south, he would be given great responsibility—hence he was very diligent, which was why he had lingered so long in Lingnan.

At this moment, hearing Liu Chengyou's remark, Guo Rong rose again and reported: "Your Majesty, the Bureau of Military Affairs has received a memorial from Pan Mei, detailing in his journey through Lingnan the enemy's military and political affairs, defensive deployments, and city fortifications—extremely thorough. He has also drafted a strategy for advancing south, requesting Your Majesty's review!"

"This Pan Mei, so impatient—can he no longer contain himself? I sent him to sign a peace treaty, yet he's thinking of marching south, even the campaign strategy already worked out!" After reading the memorial, Liu Chengyou weighed the pages in his hand and scolded with a laugh.

His smile gradually faded as Liu Chengyou looked at Guo Rong and said in a low voice: "Though the treaty is concluded, preparations for the southern advance must begin ahead of time!"

Understanding the intent, Guo Rong replied to Liu Chengyou with great composure: "Your Majesty, according to the previously submitted military reorganization proposal, the Jinghu troops have already been deployed. In the Quan and Chen regions, training has begun for crossing the mountain ranges southward. Additionally, the Pingqian Army has been fully formed—three thousand soldiers, all elite men of the Miao and Yao peoples of the five prefectures, prepared to be transferred to Yongzhou for training, with fifteen junior officers assigned to lead them!"

Pausing briefly, Guo Rong continued: "The Bureau's plan is to take two years to stockpile weapons and grain in Hunan and train the main forces for the southern campaign; thereafter, the timing of mobilization will be chosen according to how the situation evolves!"

"Good!" Liu Chengyou nodded slightly: "Liu Sheng seeks peace—then I shall give him two years of tranquility!"

As for two years hence—perhaps not even two years—that treaty could be torn up. And in the meantime, the Great Han must first tear up its peace agreement with the Meng Shu.