Chapter 952: The Emperor Returns to Court

On the eighth day of the third month of the twelfth year of Qianyou, an imperial edict was issued: the army was to return in triumph to the capital, and the imperial carriage set forth. The morale of the troops was greatly lifted, and this also proclaimed that the Qianyou Northern Expedition had officially come to an end. Before the departure, the civil and military officials remaining in Yunzhong lined the road to bid farewell with respect.

"The military and administrative affairs of Shanyang Circuit, I entrust entirely to you all!" Liu Chengyou clasped his hands in salute to the civil and military officials of Yunzhong, speaking solemnly.

"Within five years, your minister will surely rebuild Yunzhong, stabilize the people's hearts, and achieve peace and order, not failing Your Majesty's expectations!" Song Qi promised Liu Chengyou.

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou smiled. Given the condition of Yunzhong, if it could recover its vitality within ten years, that would already be good. Restoring its former prosperity would take even longer, and it would also require a stable external environment, free from the severe ravages of war.

Liu Chengyou placed great importance on Yunzhong and the entire Shanyang region, after all, it concerned the stability of the entire northern frontier, with its military value far exceeding its economic value. Although he had arranged a batch of capable officials for the civil and military posts, Liu Chengyou was still pondering how to use policy guidance to accelerate its recovery.

Of course, Liu Chengyou rather appreciated Song Qi's confident promise, and he encouraged him verbally: "I naturally trust Minister Song's abilities; otherwise, I would not have entrusted you with this task. You may act freely, and I shall await your good news in the Eastern Capital!"

"Rest assured, Your Majesty!" As for Guo Chongwei, his words were brief, his speech sparse, his expression not rich, but his tone was resolute, giving one a feeling of reassurance and of a man who could be entrusted with great matters.

Nodding, Liu Chengyou swept his gaze over the civil and military officials before him—Guo Chongwei, Song Qi, Cui Han, Tian Zhongjin, and others—all outstanding talents among the Great Han's civil and military ranks, who had striven vigorously in this northern expedition.

Bowing once more in salute, under the farewell gazes of the crowd, Liu Chengyou and Noble Consort Gao boarded the imperial carriage, while the other accompanying civil and military officials each returned to their own vehicles. Dragon banners flew high, drums and horns resounded, iron cavalry guarded the way, and the triumphant army of a hundred thousand men marched grandly eastward. Unlike when they had come, the entourage now carried many more "spoils of war," including selected officers, war horses, and military equipment.

Regarding the prisoners, due to the shortage of labor, Liu Chengyou basically handed them all over to the Shanyang Circuit military and civil authorities, to be handled by Guo Chongwei and Song Qi. Whether repairing city walls, casting fortifications, opening mines, or digging canals, their uses could be greatly exploited.

As Song Qi thought, Liu Chengyou also had a clear understanding—all power and wealth were built upon people. With people and labor, there was no fear of failing to recover and develop.

Once the army set off, the pace simply could not be fast. It took a full one and a half hours before the rear guard had finished moving out. The civil and military officials of Yunzhong also stood at the crossroads, waiting quietly for that long.

Only after seeing the army recede into the distance and the dust raised by men and horses gradually disperse and thin did the group each return to their posts. Among these civil and military officials, one man looked disgruntled—it was Zhang Ji, the newly appointed County Magistrate of Yunzhong.

That's right, Zhang Ji had been placed by Liu Chengyou in Yunzhong to serve as County Magistrate. Zhang Ji did have ability, but his character had flaws and his moral conduct was lacking. Placing him in the localities was also to train him and temper his temperament. Having been by the emperor's side for some years, he had developed some bad habits—haughty toward superiors and arrogant toward subordinates—all of which Liu Chengyou had observed.

At the same time, over these years, Liu Chengyou's close ministers had all been successively sent out to prefectures and counties, both to strengthen imperial authority's influence and control over the localities. Without experience and credentials in local governance and administration, one would ultimately remain merely a close minister, hard-pressed to achieve greatness, and could never enter the chancellorship.

Whether Liu Chengyou's well-intentioned efforts would be understood was up to Zhang Ji, whose official career had always been smooth, to grasp. Back then, Wang Zhu, due to some faults in his words and conduct, had been assigned by Liu Chengyou to a post in Dingyuan County, and over these years, he had already been promoted successively to Qingzhou Prefecture.

Moreover, Liu Chengyou had already treated Zhang Ji generously. Yunzhong County, due to its special nature, had its rank set very high—the fifth grade, ninth rank—below the prefectures and counties of Jingzhao, Taiyuan, and Daming, but above all other counties in the realm, a unique case nationwide.

But even so, Zhang Ji was still somewhat unwilling in his heart. By comparison, he still wished to serve the emperor. As an imperial close minister, even if his rank were lower, he came and went within the palace, participated in matters of state, and interacted with high officials and important ministers—no one dared to look down on him.

Here in Yunzhong, not to mention the harsh environment, it was also far from the Eastern Capital. If he stayed too long and was forgotten by the emperor, that would be truly unfortunate...

However, unwilling as he was, the matter was already settled. Zhang Ji dared not oppose it in the slightest, nor could he raise any objection to the emperor's arrangement. And what made Zhang Ji most uncomfortable and embarrassed was that he had now become Song Qi's subordinate, with several ranks separating him from Song Qi's position as Administration Commissioner.

Previously, he had still been able to put on airs before Song Qi; now, in the blink of an eye, he had become the man's subordinate official.

Of course, with the matter already settled, Zhang Ji's virtues now showed themselves—he was a man who could bend and stretch, who understood adaptability. On the way back to the city, he proactively sidled up, half a step behind, slightly hunched at the waist, with a fawning smile, saying: "Governor, your subordinate was young and inexperienced, lacking governance experience. Fortunately, by Your Majesty's new appointment, I have been entrusted with a county's responsibility, and my heart is filled with trepidation. The Governor is of high virtue and great prestige, with strong abilities. In the future, I hope the Governor will be generous in tolerance and generous in guidance. Your subordinate bows in thanks!"

Song Qi was full of ambition, his mind still sketching out his grand governance plans. Seeing Zhang Ji's humble demeanor, he was somewhat surprised. With a smile on his face that revealed nothing of his thoughts, Song Qi said magnanimously to Zhang Ji: "Having a young talent like Young Lord Zhang to assist is the fortune of Shanyang Circuit. Why worry that it cannot be governed well?"

Hearing Song Qi say this, Zhang Ji breathed a slight sigh of relief, and much of the gloom in his heart dispersed. As for Song Qi, he remained composed throughout, but what he truly thought in his heart was not known to others.

Bringing along a handful of subordinates—this was Song Qi's temporary governance team—he returned directly to Yunzhong City. By this time, laborers were already inside the city cleaning up and clearing away, focusing mainly on city defense; as for everything else, there was no time to attend to it for now.

Even the government offices were merely a space carved out on the basis of the original prefectural yamen, a place fit for lodging. In Song Qi's words, more manpower and energy should be devoted to land reclamation, rebuilding homes, and urgent additional farming.

On Liu Chengyou's side, he returned along the route of the advance, with smooth sailing and little delay. He lingered two days in Xuanhua Prefecture, where the newly appointed Prefect was Song Xiong, who was ranked alongside Song Qi.

Compared to the Shanyang region, the administrative foundation of Yanan was much more favorable, and there was no shortage of talent. However, most bore the mark of the "Prince of Yan." For instance, the position of Judicial Commissioner had also been decided, to be held by the former Administrative Assistant, Li Shu. This man was a former subordinate of the Prince of Yan. At the founding of the state, when the Liu clan entered the Central Plains, he had urged Zhao Kuangzan to voluntarily submit to the Great Han, and had even made a trip to the Eastern Capital on his behalf to convey loyalty.

The remaining positions were also filled by some notable figures of Youyan and old officials who had voluntarily submitted. In the future, more officials would be transferred from the court and other circuits and prefectures. Gao Fang's main work in the coming years would be to integrate Youyan, so that officials of various backgrounds would truly merge into the Great Han's bureaucratic system.

Xuanhua Prefecture was the same—severely damaged. Under Song Xiong's leadership, they had already thrown themselves into reconstruction. With three prefectures merged into one, all sorts of affairs were extremely heavy.

In Xuande County, Liu Chengyou took the opportunity to receive Wang Yanchao, who was heading north to take up his post. After receiving his orders, he had also traveled with light escort, galloping swiftly along the road. Liu Chengyou received Wang Yanchao with warmth, personally instructing him in strategy, speaking for an hour and a half, keeping him for a meal before letting him depart.

Upon reaching Youzhou, he stayed another ten days, conducting a deeper and clearer sorting of the newly established Yanan military and civil system, especially reviewing the military structure. Earlier, Murong Yanzhao had been ordered to lead the Hebei military and civilians back first, and arrangements had already been made according to the emperor's and the Bureau of Military Affairs' directives; Liu Chengyou was merely conducting inspections.

After passing Youzhou, Liu Chengyou chose to separate from the main force, letting Chai and Zhao lead the imperial army and the Henan laborers back south first to settle. He himself, under the protection of his accompanying imperial guards, traveled slowly, observing and examining the people's conditions, to see what impact eight months of war had wrought upon Hebei.

The results, naturally, were not optimistic. Fortunately, with the court ending the war and conscription halted, the laborers at the front had gradually returned, and the people's spirits were greatly lifted. The resentment that had begun to fester was also gradually dissipating.

Of course, it was inevitable that some officials who, to curry favor with their superiors, had excessively exploited the people's labor and enslaved the common folk, would be dealt with. Even in the clearest of worlds, demons and monsters cannot be entirely avoided.

It was not until mid-May, having spent over two months on the road, that Liu Chengyou finally returned to the Eastern Capital, which he had not seen for so long. As for the emperor's return, a grand triumphal ceremony was a must. After subsequent consolidation, the achievements of the northern expedition were proclaimed to the world by imperial edict, letting the people of the realm rejoice together.