Chapter 991: The Native Chieftain System and the Liao Envoy

"I pay my respects to Your Majesty!" Early in the morning, Tao Gu, who served as Vice Director of the Secretariat, came to seek an audience.

Liu Chengyou was having his morning meal, drinking red date porridge. Seeing Tao Gu, Liu Chengyou's manner was very cordial, saying, "Minister Tao has arrived—have a seat! Have you eaten? The porridge the Imperial Kitchen brewed today is quite good—would you like a bowl?"

Hearing this, an old smile immediately spread across Tao Gu's face as he respectfully replied, "I thank Your Majesty!"

Whether he had eaten or not, being able to share a meal with the Emperor was a favor in itself, even if it was only a bowl of porridge. And he drank it with great relish—this old fellow Tao Gu, having entered the Hall of State Affairs and become a chancellor, had not suffered from overwork but instead appeared all the more vigorous, as could be seen from his appetite alone.

Seeing him drinking porridge dry, Liu Chengyou instructed Sun the Yan army to share some dishes with him. At the Emperor's thoughtfulness, Tao Gu put on an even more moved expression of imperial grace being as vast as the sea.

After warming his stomach, Liu Chengyou recalled the matters he had been pondering these past few days and directly asked Tao Gu: "Regarding the governance of the southwestern region, what has the Hall of State Affairs concluded?"

Seeing the Emperor's interest in this matter, Tao Gu immediately reported the results of their deliberations: "To answer Your Majesty, after our discussion, we are unanimously agreed that the 'native chieftain system' Your Majesty proposed for the various tribes and peoples of the southwest is indeed feasible. However, there are a few points on which doubts remain!"

"Let's hear them!" Liu Chengyou looked at Tao Gu.

Tao Gu said: "First, as Your Majesty stated—hereditary lands, hereditary rule over the people, hereditary command of troops, hereditary succession to office, hereditary receipt of enfeoffment—we ministers fear this may grant them excessive power, with the worry that the tail may grow too big to wag the dog;

Second, the barbarian peoples of Jinghu have been gradually submitting to civilization, and the court has issued new governance policies—we worry about discontent among the barbarian chieftains who have already submitted;

Third, the vast southwestern region has many tribes, and the court is truly unfamiliar with their territories and conditions. How the various chieftains will submit or rebel still requires investigation—how native chieftain positions should be appointed and how many should be granted still requires consideration;

Fourth, whether the western prefectures and counties under Nanyue's jurisdiction should be included;

Fifth, if the native chieftain system is implemented, how should the court manage and restrain the chieftains?"

Tao Gu listed five points in one breath—clearly, the issues they had discussed went beyond even this. Liu Chengyou, hearing this, was not annoyed but instead appeared quite satisfied, saying calmly: "It seems you ministers have indeed given this deep consideration!"

"To share Your Majesty's burdens is our bounden duty!" Hearing this, Tao Gu immediately responded.

Seeing the old fellow's expression of complete deference, Liu Chengyou smiled slightly. Pondering what he had said for a moment, he then spoke: "The southwestern region has high mountains, dense forests, and long distances, with inconvenient transportation and mixed tribal habitation. Since ancient times, the court has found it difficult to achieve deep governance there, and our dynasty is no different. To govern it like the prefectures and counties of the Central Plains is completely impossible—to force it would only provoke unrest.

As for the power of the native chieftains, the actual conditions of their tribes are what they are and cannot be changed in a short time. By recognizing the power and status of the tribal chieftains and leaders through the native chieftain system, the court is in fact buying them off and pacifying them, obtaining their submission. We do not demand their utmost loyalty to the court—as long as they maintain the ruling order of the southwest and consolidate the court's territorial boundaries, the goal is achieved.

As for the granting of titles to native officials, this can precisely serve to divide and reorganize the barbarian tribes of the southwest. Those who submit to the court naturally receive the court's rewards, with recognition of their ruling status and power. As for those who refuse to submit, they should naturally be destroyed by force, to deter those with ill intentions.

The areas where the native chieftain system is implemented should be determined according to specific local conditions and require careful investigation. This is merely an idea of mine—if it is to be concretely implemented, it still needs comprehensive consideration and refinement. There is ample time, and the specific details still require your deliberation. However, once the south is pacified, the urgency will increase!"

"Your Majesty's considerations are thorough—I admire them immensely!" Regardless, a bit of flattery never hurt. Tao Gu clasped his hands and bowed to Emperor Liu once more.

In truth, Liu Chengyou's idea of the native chieftain system was also taking a shortcut—after all, it was a system that had been tested and proven, having sustained itself for several hundred years, which demonstrated its feasibility and advanced nature.

On the other hand, Liu Chengyou harbored no unrealistic illusions about the southwest, no desire to completely assimilate it. One should know that even the Jinghu barbarians, who were already deeply sinicized, Liu Chengyou had dealt with mainly through pacification and recruitment.

In his considerations, as long as they acknowledged the court's rule, achieved stable development, and made the southwest an actual territory of the Great Han, that would count as meeting expectations.

The native chieftain system, when all was said and done, was a form of the loose-rein policy—using barbarians to govern barbarians—only its vitality was particularly tenacious in the southwest. At the same time, due to geographical factors, the court need not fear them growing too powerful. They might cause disturbances, but they could not affect the court's ruling core. And the native chieftain system would become a sharp tool for maintaining the ruling order of the southwest over the long term.

Of course, as for the so-called 'replacing native chieftains with regular officials'—without native chieftains, what would there be to replace?

"This system is merely a conception of mine. The stability of the southwest naturally cannot rely solely on barbarian self-rule—it should also be supplemented with circuits, prefectures, and counties!" Liu Chengyou said seriously.

"Yes!" Tao Gu also responded solemnly.

After finishing this matter, noticing Tao Gu, Liu Chengyou realized something and asked with slight curiosity: "Minister Tao came alone this morning—you must have important matters!"

Tao Gu was still mulling over the matter of the "native chieftain system." He had obtained the Emperor's intent here first; when he returned to the Hall of State Affairs, his voice could be raised a bit higher.

Hearing this now, he snapped back to attention. Thinking of his purpose in coming, Tao Gu said to Liu Chengyou in a probing tone: "Your Majesty, the Liao envoy has been in the capital for several days, lodged at the Protocol Hostel. Will Your Majesty receive him?"

Hearing this, Liu Chengyou revealed a slightly amused smile: "If you hadn't mentioned it, I would have forgotten all about them! How is it—are they lodging comfortably?"

"The Protocol Hostel has made proper arrangements—there has been no neglect whatsoever. However, I observe that the Liao envoy Xiao Husi is extremely eager to have an audience with Your Majesty!" Tao Gu said.

"What do you think?" Liu Chengyou fixed his gaze on Tao Gu.

Lowering his gaze with a slightly guilty look, Tao Gu said: "Your Majesty, although relations between the Han and Liao have turned hostile, with the bloody battles still vivid in memory, Liao is after all a powerful state in the north. If a great power sends an envoy and we persistently refuse to receive him, I fear it would be unworthy of a great dynasty's bearing!"

"Heh heh..." Hearing him say this, Liu Chengyou laughed aloud, the laughter making Tao Gu somewhat uneasy. His old eyes darted about as he observed the Emperor's expression even more carefully.

The laughter ceased, and Liu Chengyou calmly asked again: "Through these past few days of contact, Minister Tao—what do you think is the purpose of the Liao envoy's visit?"

At the question, Tao Gu thought seriously for a moment, as if recalling, then reported: "Your Majesty, from what I have observed, the Liao envoy has come seeking friendly relations, intending to repair the relationship between the two countries. Since the Northern Expedition War, the situation between Han and Liao has reversed—Han is strong and Liao is weak. This is the way of interstate relations..."

Hearing this, the corner of Liu Chengyou's mouth curled slightly as he muttered: "After the bloody battles of those years, can the relationship between these two countries really be repaired?"

Seeing the Emperor's skeptical attitude, Tao Gu dared not say more. However, the next sentence made him breathe a sigh of relief: "Still, having let them wait these few days, there's no harm in seeing them!"

Liu Chengyou held no optimistic view of Han-Liao relations—at least for now, the enmity and hatred between the two sides ran extremely deep. Although in interstate relations, interests came first, one thing was certain: before one side was completely defeated, there was no possibility of repairing the relationship.

Under such circumstances, Liu Chengyou had to think one step further. What was the true intention behind Liao sending an envoy to seek friendly relations? Liu Chengyou believed it absolutely was not to ease border contradictions and frictions between the two sides.

Recalling Lu Duoxun's secret memorial about the Tangut drawing closer to the Khitan, as well as Guo Rong's report on unusual Khitan movements, Liu Chengyou had to consider these matters in connection with one another.

As for Tao Gu—after he took his leave, Liu Chengyou immediately ordered someone to summon Commissioner of the Palace City Zhang Dejun, and upon his arrival gave only one secret instruction: "Go investigate the situation between Tao Gu and the Liao envoy—do it secretly, don't alert anyone!"

That's right—based on Tao Gu's responses just now, Liu Chengyou could not help but suspect whether this old fellow had again accepted someone's favors. Although in this matter Tao Gu appeared merely to be a messenger who had put in a good word or two, when it came to matters of state and military affairs, even Liu Chengyou had to be cautious—how could he tolerate subordinates acting recklessly, let alone a chancellor!

Liu Chengyou received the Liao envoy Xiao Husi that same afternoon at Chongzheng Hall, attended only by Lü Yin and a court diarist. Upon seeing Xiao Husi, Liu Chengyou said with a beaming smile: "Xiao Husi, Commissioner Xiao—we are old friends after all! If I remember correctly, it has been over four years since we last met!"

"Your Majesty's memory is correct. The last time this foreign minister came to the Eastern Capital was to congratulate Your Majesty on the tenth anniversary of your reign!" Standing before the imperial presence, Xiao Husi appeared neither humble nor overbearing.