Chapter 764: Returning to Jingxing

From Zhending, crossing the Hutuo River and heading west, after seventy li, one arrives at Jingxing. As one of the Eight Passes of the Taihang Mountains, from ancient times to the present, Jingxing has enjoyed considerable renown. Before Bai Chongzan was transferred to Guazhou, he had garrisoned this place for several years.

Back then, when the Jin emperor Shi Chonggui was captured by the Khitan northern barbarians, Gaozu Liu Zhiyuan had also led his army, under the banner of rescuing the sovereign and aiding the distressed, intending to march east through the Taihang Mountains to save the emperor. The route he chose was also Jingxing (Tumen). At that time, they even fought a victorious battle against the Liao army at Jingxing. As for the outcome—well, they turned back at Jingxing, and shortly after returning to Taiyuan, under the orchestration of executive director Liu Chengyou and others, the yellow robe was draped upon him.

As one of the key thoroughfares connecting Hedong and Hebei, Jingxing Pass received special attention from the court. From the very founding of the state, heavy troops were stationed there. Even in the original plans of Liu Zhiyuan and the various ministers of the Han court, if the situation in Hebei were to reverse, they would rely on Jingxing and hold the Taihang Mountains, so as not to affect the foundations of Hedong.

However, later, with Liu Chengyou's support, Zhao Yanshou led the Yan army north on campaign and successfully seized Youzhou. After that, Khitan power contracted greatly to the north and was gradually eliminated from Hebei. Coupled with the pacification of Du Chongwei in Weibo, the situation at Jingxing became less urgent.

Thereafter, with the gradual consolidation of the Great Han's northern defense line and the stabilization of the Hebei situation, Jingxing's military status further declined, and the garrison was gradually reduced to the current five hundred soldiers.

But no matter what, Jingxing's importance still lies here, and with the stability of Hedong and Hebei, its commercial uses have been vigorously developed. Travelers and passersby come and go in an endless stream.

The pass city, nestled against mountains and beside water, is solid and perilous—easy to defend, difficult to attack—that is its basic attribute. However, standing on the gate tower, Liu Chengyou's attention was not on the pass's defenses.

The stream flowed before the pass city, winding away and quickly disappearing into the deep mountains and old forests. The sound of water striking the walls echoed continuously around the pass. Gazing westward, the mountain road stretched far into the distance. Though winding, the road within view had clearly been widened and maintained.

Inside and outside the pass city, there were many tents and post stations, crowded and packed with a great number of travelers and merchants. Because the imperial carriage had arrived, Jingxing Pass was temporarily placed under martial law, forcing travelers coming from east and west to remain confined within, waiting for it to be lifted.

Although the Great Han had already abolished most customs duties within its borders, special passes like Jingxing still retained them. The State Finance Commission had even specially dispatched market officials to manage tax collection. Of the taxes levied, apart from a portion remitted to the court, the rest was used to reinforce the pass defenses and open up the mountain roads.

And the current Jingxing Pass, besides being a military fortress, was also a place of commercial exchange between Hedong and Hebei—especially between the two prefectures of Taiyuan and Zhending. Within the pass, an area had also been set aside as a market. Not only merchants and travelers, but also the surrounding common folk would gather here every few days to trade goods. Over three or four years of this, it grew increasingly prosperous. According to investigation, every late autumn, the number of merchants and commoners gathered at Jingxing once exceeded seven thousand—truly not a small number.

"How much customs and market tax does Jingxing collect each year now?" Stroking the hard, cold pass wall, Liu Chengyou asked the Jingxing market official who had been summoned before him.

Probably seeing the emperor for the first time, and being questioned so gently at that, the market official appeared very ill at ease, his body tense, all the shrewdness and agility he displayed in managing the pass market on ordinary days completely gone.

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou's manner grew even more cordial, and he said: "You need not be nervous. I am merely asking casually!"

"To answer Your Majesty: customs tax amounts to over three thousand strings, and market tax to over nineteen thousand strings!" The market official steadied himself and replied: "In recent years, both have been rising year by year. Next year should see even more!"

"That's not a small amount, is it?" Liu Chengyou said, somewhat uncertainly.

"Not small at all!" The market official hurriedly said: "Your subject has been at his post in Jingxing for six years now. I still remember that in the beginning, the customs and market taxes combined came to no more than three thousand strings a year. In these years, with public order stable and the court abolishing customs duties everywhere, the number of passing merchants has increased, and the common folk also vie to trade at the market, so tax revenue has seen unprecedented growth!"

Liu Chengyou did a rough calculation. By now, the Great Han court's annual revenue was only about twelve million strings. Compared that way, Jingxing's tax income was not as pitiful as the surface numbers made it seem—it could even be considered ample.

"By what standards are the taxes levied?" Liu Chengyou asked. To be honest, Liu Chengyou had never really paid close attention to this.

"According to the regulations of the State Finance Commission, carts and horses, weight, and the value of goods serve as the assessment criteria. However, different goods have different tax management rules!" The market official answered.

"In that case, being a good tax official is no easy task!" Liu Chengyou said with a slight smile.

"We merely act according to the court's regulations. With the garrison troops present, the merchants who come and go all abide by the rules. For us, it is not much of a burden!" The market official replied.

Nodding, Liu Chengyou pondered for a moment, then suddenly reached out, pointing at the sealed pass gate, and said to the garrison commander: "Open the pass and lift the restriction! Those merchants and commoners have waited long enough. There is no need to disrupt Jingxing's daily order and trade because of me!"

"Yes!" The garrison commander immediately ordered someone to relay the command.

"Come, take me to the pass office to rest!" Liu Chengyou then looked at the Jingxing garrison commander.

The garrison commander was not old—probably under thirty—with ordinary looks and a few pimples on his face. However, his beard was very thick and bushy. The key point was that his surname was Sun, and his name was Sun Quanhui—he was Sun Fangjian's son.

Noting the buildings and streets of Jingxing city, both familiar and strange, Liu Chengyou felt that great changes had taken place. Liu Chengyou had come to Jingxing twice before. The first time was at the founding of the state, when Hengzhou (now Zhending Prefecture) was recovered, and he came to inspect the pass. The second time was during the winter inspection tour of the second year of Qianyou. On that occasion, he had originally planned to meet his imperial uncle, Liu Chong, Prince of Taiyuan, but Liu Chong had declined with excuses.

Arriving at the pass office, he had barely sat down and taken two sips of water when the garrison commander Sun Quanhui knelt prostrate in the hall, kowtowing and saying: "I beg Your Majesty to punish me!"

Facing his sudden action, Liu Chengyou showed no surprise. A hint of amusement flashed in his eyes as he waved his hand and said: "General Sun, there is no need for this. You have guarded Jingxing well—public order is stable, the roads are clear. I ought to commend you for your merits. How can there be talk of guilt?"

Upon hearing this, Sun Quanhui spoke in a solemn tone: "Your Majesty, regarding the matter at Dingzhou, your subordinate has heard something of it. My uncle's actions bear grave responsibility. I now humbly beg to be punished to atone for the fault!"

"There is no need for this! The matter at Dingzhou is already in the past. As for your uncle, I have already reached a conclusion and dealt with it!" Liu Chengyou said, looking at Sun Quanhui with a smile: "Besides, an uncle is an uncle, and a nephew is a nephew. I do not practice collective punishment. You need not feel uneasy because of this. Continue in your post and attend to your duties—Jingxing still requires your garrison!"

"Rise!"

Hearing the emperor say this, Sun Quanhui finally felt relieved. He let out a sigh of relief, rose, and made a deep bow with clasped hands: "Thank you, Your Majesty! Your Majesty's breadth of mind and magnanimity move me to tears of gratitude!"

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou still wore a warm smile on his face and said: "Before I came to Jingxing, I also received a petition of confession from your uncle Sun Fangjin, also asking me to punish him! You are all overthinking things. As for who is loyal and who is treacherous, I have my own scale in my heart. I would not resort to muddled suspicion! You may rest easy!"

Sun Quanhui was first somewhat surprised to hear this, then said: "Your Majesty treats me with such sincerity and candor—your subordinate feels deeply ashamed!"

As for the uncle and nephew of the Sun family voluntarily confessing their faults, Liu Chengyou felt quite pleased in his heart, and still maintained an affable attitude as he said: "Your father and uncle both have merits for the state, especially the several battles against the Khitan, which greatly boosted morale!"

"I hear that in the second capture of Feihu Fort, you had the merit of being first to scale the walls, personally slaying seven barbarian soldiers, and were wounded in the process!" Liu Chengyou's tone was one of certainty.

Sun Quanhui grinned wide, his thick beard trembling, but his expression seemed somewhat embarrassed: "Your Majesty is actually so familiar with your subordinate's record of service!"

Liu Chengyou smiled faintly. Of course—whenever he went to a place, he made sure to do his homework in advance.

"Those who have rendered merit for the Great Han and shed blood for the court—for such meritorious warriors, I would shower them with favor, so how could I punish them for other faults?" Liu Chengyou said.

"Your Majesty's kindness, your subordinate will never forget!" Sun Quanhui immediately swore an oath.