Chapter 883: A Pillar of the State, Words from the Heart

A private banquet ended in the warmth of ruler-minister friendship, and it was already dusk. Liu Chengyou still did not let Wang Pu leave the palace, but pulled him along to his private chambers, wishing to speak further in confidence.

Faced with the Emperor's warm closeness, Wang Pu was moved, yet also found it somewhat overwhelming—too much is as bad as too little, and excessive favor can also bring a certain pressure.

"Minister, please sit first!" Liu Chengyou had drunk a bit of wine, his spirits somewhat high, and said to Wang Pu with a smile: "I have something to show you!"

So saying, he gave an order to Sun Yanxi, and soon, under Wang Pu's curious gaze, two palace eunuchs carried in a very heavy large chest and set it before him.

"All of you, leave us!" Liu Chengyou raised his hand, then personally pushed open the lid and gestured to Wang Pu.

Peering in, the chest was neatly stacked with memorials; judging by the chest's size, there must have been over a hundred of them. Frowning slightly, Wang Pu picked up the one on top, opened it to read—and before he had read two lines, his expression immediately tensed. He rose abruptly, prostrated himself in a kowtow, and cried out in trepidation.

That memorial was an impeachment document against Wang Pu submitted by court officials and remonstrance officers—and judging by the situation, everything in the entire chest was likely impeachment of Wang Pu. And the Emperor had placed them before him, letting him read them himself; no matter how strong Wang Pu's mental fortitude, he could hardly avoid feeling uneasy.

Seeing this, Liu Chengyou hurriedly helped him up: "What are you doing!"

Noting Wang Pu's taut expression, Liu Chengyou smiled: "Minister, you have mistaken my intent. These memorials are nothing but the wild scribblings of shallow-minded men—not without slander from those who envy the worthy and resent the able. I regard them as jokes, merely for a moment's amusement!"

So saying, under Wang Pu's astonished gaze, he picked up a small oil lamp from the hall and tossed it directly into the chest. Flames met oil, devouring the memorials, spreading rapidly.

Firelight pierced through the smoke, illuminating his face. Wang Pu still knelt, stunned for a moment. Liu Chengyou looked at him and said seriously: "Though 'three men make a tiger' and 'public clamor can melt metal,' my trust in you has never wavered.

You have just returned to the capital, so perhaps you do not know—but I have received word that since you left your post, the officials of Huainan East have been greatly pleased, rejoicing beyond measure.

Why is that? It is because your departure means they no longer need, as in past years, to follow rules strictly, be cautious in everything, and dare not slacken—as if the bonds on their bodies had been loosened.

With the officials of Huainan East behaving so, how could I be dissatisfied with you, the one who held the reins? All this criticism only deepens my respect for you. One who fears not resentment, devotes himself wholly to the state, and acts with impartiality—how many such men are there in the court?"

"Your Majesty!" Hearing Liu Chengyou's words from the heart, Wang Pu could not help but kowtow again, choking with emotion as he submitted: "A sage ruler, wise and brilliant, shining ten thousand li—that I, your minister, may serve and assist in your reign, I would die without regret!"

Among the Great Han's senior ministers, in incorruptibility and uprightness, Fan Zhi could fully match Wang Pu. However, the greatest difference between the two was that Fan Zhi was strict with himself but rarely urged others, placing greater emphasis on his own moral self-restraint.

When he first became chancellor, his family had relied on his authority to seek land and houses in Luoyang, acquiring extensive property. But after Liu Chengyou "paid attention" to the problem of Luoyang's meritorious nobles, Fan Zhi immediately had his relatives sell off all their holdings, and afterward, he did not even allow family members or relatives to engage in commerce or acquire property—only permitting them to farm and study. As a result, among all the chancellors, Fan Zhi not only lived frugally himself, but even his family and relatives gained no benefit from him.

Thus, on the moral level, Fan Zhi had nothing worthy of censure. Wang Pu, however, was even more of an extreme—not only did he strictly demand this of himself and his family, but he extended it to others, requiring his subordinates to maintain the same standards as himself. Yet the world has all kinds of people—how could they all be made uniform? This was also the reason Wang Pu often incurred resentment from his subordinates.

The flames in the chest leaped high, light flickering, smoke curling upward. The eunuchs and guards waiting outside rushed in without waiting to be summoned, wanting to protect the Emperor.

"His Majesty!"

"What are you panicking about!" Liu Chengyou pointed at the burning memorials and said calmly: "Carry it outside the hall, and burn it until nothing remains!"

"Yes!"

Waving his hand to disperse the spreading smoke, Liu Chengyou called Wang Pu to walk outside the hall, saying: "I still have important matters to discuss with you!"

In the Han palace under the night sky, dotted with lights like scattered stars, the summer night's oppressive heat had already dissipated. A gentle breeze brushed by, bringing a measure of pleasant ease.

Walking with steady steps, Liu Chengyou said: "Minister Wang, I have decided—we will launch a northern campaign against the Khitan!"

Liu Chengyou spoke flatly, but to Wang Pu's ears it was like a thunderclap. He asked in astonishment: "Your Majesty is abandoning the strategy of pacifying the south?"

"Mm!" Liu Chengyou acknowledged: "Within the court, the civil and military lords have already reached consensus—full effort on the northern campaign. For the past half month and more, military preparations for the northern campaign have been proceeding at a rapid pace—in secret!"

"Then Chancellor-Governor Li's move south to Yangzhou?" Wang Pu asked doubtfully.

"Merely a ruse to deceive the enemy!" Liu Chengyou said softly: "For the northern campaign, with such a large mobilization of troops, I do not expect to completely hide it from the Khitan. But if we can conceal it for a while, so much the better—giving the court fuller preparation while giving the Khitan less time to react!"

Wang Pu subconsciously nodded, his spirits lifting as he sank into deep thought, weighing the matter. Liu Chengyou did not interrupt his contemplation.

"Is Your Majesty acting because of the Khitan's recent border raids?" After a long while, Wang Pu asked.

Liu Chengyou nodded again.

"But I have heard that the Khitan did not mobilize in great force, and were even soundly defeated outside Yanmen Pass by the Marquis of Guo! If it is only this, it should not be enough to make Your Majesty resolve to change national policy and launch a full-scale northern campaign!" Wang Pu raised the question.

"You are indeed sharp-witted!" Liu Chengyou sighed and explained directly: "Though it was only ten thousand troops knocking at the pass, and the scale of battle was not large, for the Great Han it is not a good omen. Moreover, what outsiders do not know is that the Khitan have also colluded with the Yan general Zhao Siwan, plotting to seize Youzhou—their troops and horses were ready to move. Had the Prince of Yan not detected it and prepared defenses in advance, our northern defense would have lost its strongest and most important foothold!"

Hearing this, Wang Pu could not help but break out in a cold sweat down his spine. He took a deep breath and said: "In that case, I can now understand why Your Majesty suddenly resolved to change course and campaign north against the Khitan! The Yan Mountains are strategically vital—if they are not fully recovered, the court can never feel secure turning south.

Since the Khitan have the intention to raid south on their own initiative, we must be even more vigilant. The Hebei defense line, built at enormous cost by the court, ultimately remains in a passive position. In previous years, peace between the two states was enough to sustain it—but if fierce fighting breaks out, the price of the court's northern defense will surely be no small matter!"

Liu Chengyou had never doubted Wang Pu's strategic vision; the strategic concept of "south first, north later" had originally been proposed by him and refined with Liu Chengyou's assistance.

"Minister Wang's view aligns perfectly with my own!" Liu Chengyou let out a breath, then suddenly said: "I still remember that when you first proposed the 'south first, north later' concept, your meaning was that after taking Huainan, you would decide whether to go north or south according to circumstances. Did you already foresee today back then?"

At the question, Wang Pu shook his head and said with a wry smile: "How could I have predicted the situation ten years later? I have always believed that as long as the Central Plains are stable, accumulated ills eliminated, and separatist regimes pacified, unifying the south is only a matter of time. But the Liao to the north is different—they have grown and strengthened over decades, through attacks, learning, and plundering Han territory to empower themselves. Their foundation is now stable, their national strength still formidable—they are the Great Han's most powerful and most dangerous enemy.

The loss of Yanyun created an almost irreparable gap in the Central Plains' defense line against the Hu barbarians beyond the passes. If it is not recovered, there will be no peace for a hundred years. Therefore, if the court has sufficient strength to recover the northern passes, I would naturally support it.

And if we defeat the Khitan and recover the passes and mountains, then pacifying Jiangnan will be as easy as turning over one's hand!"

"And if we fail?" Liu Chengyou asked thus.

At this, Wang Pu became very serious, saying: "Victory and defeat are not determined by heaven alone—a wise sovereign, thorough court preparation, brave and resourceful generals, and soldiers who give their all can all influence the outcome of war. However, since Your Majesty has already resolved on the northern campaign, you must make thorough preparations and, moreover, maintain an unshakable determination to win!"

"I have been taught well!" Liu Chengyou smiled freely.

After a moment of deliberation, Liu Chengyou suddenly changed the subject: "In the Wenhua Hall, you also saw several of my imperial princes. What do you think of them?"

Wang Pu did not react at first, unsure of the intent, and only gave a standard answer: "All the princes are gifted with extraordinary talent and outstanding natural endowments!"

Liu Chengyou could not help but smile, and followed up: "Then in your view, who could be made Crown Prince?"

At these words, Wang Pu was startled, unable to help looking at Liu Chengyou. He sighed inwardly—he had only just returned to the capital, and how many "surprises" did His Majesty intend to give him?

Over the years, the voices calling for establishing an heir had never died down in the court; every so often someone would raise it, but Liu Chengyou always put it off on the grounds that his sons were still young, or simply left the matter unanswered. Wang Pu had heard of this even from distant Yangzhou.

Before his ministers, Emperor Liu had never revealed his thoughts on establishing an heir. Wang Pu was the first to be asked—whether that was fortune or misfortune, he did not know.