Chapter 324: May They Have a Little Rest

Diwu Lun had no time at all to "enjoy himself." After returning to Yueyang City, he was still busy beyond measure.

The first thing to settle was the rewards and ranks for the series of battles along the Wei River and at Tongyuan. The most outstanding meritorious officer in this campaign was without doubt Zhang Zong of Hedong, who broke the blockade and crossed the river. Enfeoffing him as a marquis was a certainty, to serve as a model for the three armies.

The Seventh Biao, Zheng Tong, and others all had meritorious service and naturally received increased households. In any case, Diwu Lun adopted the strategy of the Han era, stretching the experience bar for the rank of "Marquis" extremely long: from a thousand households to tens of thousands. Many people advanced quite briskly through the earlier ranks of "Baron," "Viscount," and "Earl," but at this level they would have to toil until their hair turned white. It was estimated that Brother Biao and the others would end up tearfully complaining: "Serving the King as generals, we shall never be enfeoffed as Dukes."

This was a reward for brave generals. On the side of overall commanders, the most outstanding was without doubt Jing Dan, who single-handedly planned the Tongyuan millstone strategy. Diwu Lun promoted him in one go from the "two thousand households" tier to thirty-five hundred households, thrusting him into the front ranks of meritorious officials — the equivalent of giving Jing Dan the land rent of half a small county. Jing Sunqing was the only person who could understand him on the matter of "equal-field distribution," and he still had great use; how could he be allowed to only work without eating?

For the purge of the thirty-odd powerful families north of the Wei River, Peng Chong and Zhang Yu, under the Commandant of Justice's office, were responsible for framing charges, while Wan Xiu and Zheng Tong were responsible for using force to suppress those who refused to submit — indeed, three or four families fought to the death like fish breaking the net, rallying followers to resist.

But after these powerful families were struck down, the confiscation of their landholdings was specifically overseen by Jing Dan. The propaganda had to be done well — not out of fear that the powerful families, like the fox mourning the hare's death, would join the resistance, but to guard against them inciting the common people. This was also why Diwu Lun repeatedly emphasized that this action was aimed only at "those who secretly communicated with Liu Bosheng."

Compared to Jing Dan, Geng Yan's reward was slightly inferior: he received an increase of eight hundred households, just barely matching Ma Yuan, who had not participated in this battle, while his total amount was slightly less. After all, before the decisive battle, he had been arrogant and proud, underestimating the Greenwood forces, which led to Lai Xi being allowed to make a flanking detour and nearly causing a huge disaster.

Now, Little Geng was holding his breath and pursuing Lai Xi. As it happened, the report Diwu Lun had just received said that Geng Yan had already chased him all the way into Beidi Commandery, struck Lai Xi's rear guard, and killed or captured several hundred men. But Lai Xi himself had slipped into Beidi, while Geng Yan, by a happy accident, had made contact with Yuan She, who had been driven out by the Wei clan and the Beidi powerful families, and secured him in Niyang County.

Upon receiving Diwu Lun's edict increasing his households, Little Geng expressed that he was ashamed to accept it.

"I wish to take Beidi for the King and capture Lai Xi — only then would I dare accept the reward!"

Diwu Lun was amused and immediately sent word ordering Geng Yan to remain temporarily at Niyang and not to advance any further into Beidi.

"Tell Bozhao this: Although the Western Han took advantage of my decisive battle with Liu Bosheng to steal Beidi, after all, we have not yet formally broken with each other. How could we, just because they momentarily softened and gave shelter to Lai Xi, openly march under the banners of the State of Wei and turn our blades against them?"

"Of course," Diwu Lun's tone shifted as he spoke to Geng Shu, the younger brother Geng Yan had sent back to report: "If the knights-errant of Guanzhong, out of admiration for the great knight Yuan She and out of righteous indignation, go to help him recover his lost territory, we would also find it hard to stop them!"

Geng Shu was the more quick-witted among Geng Yan's younger brothers and understood immediately.

Winter had set in, and Diwu Lun was unwilling to immediately start a war with the Western Han. For these few months, he only wanted to fight a proxy war on the Loess Plateau, tying down the Wei clan so that they would find it difficult to fully seize Beidi.

Wan Xiu's meritorious reward was in turn lower than Geng Yan's, since he had not made it in time for the decisive battle.

It was in the handling of Dou Rong, however, that Diwu Lun expended considerable thought.

The Seventh Biao, currently stationed at Lantian, still did not forget to submit a memorial, using his simple and crude language and ugly handwriting to fiercely impeach Dou the Duke of Zhou!

"Good old A-Biao — he's practically cursing Dou Rong for colluding with outside traitors and deliberately letting the Deng clan troops go to fatten his own forces and preserve his importance."

The Seventh Biao's impeachment and Dou Rong's own memorial admitting fault lay side by side on the desk, one on the left and one on the right, for comparison. Diwu Lun found it amusing.

But Dou Rong was probably not putting on an act. He and the Greenwood were old adversaries; the blood debts from Little Chang'an were heavy, and it was almost a fight to the death. Nor was he truly incompetent — after all, he was ranked alongside Diwu Lun himself…

"Perhaps he was simply unlucky to the extreme and ran into a troublesome opponent."

"Victory and defeat are common matters for soldiers. An occasional setback in the field is forgivable. I deeply understand the Duke of Zhou's merits!" Diwu Lun personally wrote a letter encouraging Dou Rong.

He had no merit, but he had toiled. Zhang Zong had been under Dou Rong's command; that he could play a key role showed that Dou Rong also had an eye for talent. Diwu Lun was not stingy and added one hundred households for the Duke of Zhou as encouragement.

After finalizing the meritorious rewards for all the officers, Diwu Lun was utterly exhausted. It happened that a memorial from Shi Chen was presented at this moment.

Diwu Lun frowned and thought to himself, "What does he want now?"

Whether it was moving the precious tripod or proposing to open the rear palace, every time Shi Chen tried to flatter, he ended up kicking the horse's leg. Diwu Lun's patience with this surrendered general of the Xin Dynasty was nearly at its end.

But today's submission put Diwu Lun in a rather good mood.

"The knocks weren't for nothing — this time he's actually learned his lesson."

Shi Chen, however, held the view that since the King of Wei had won a great victory over Liu Bosheng and the region north of the Wei was pacified, it was time to bring the Queen and the Crown Prince to Yueyang. The corresponding royal palace would also need to be built. The King of Wei was frugal and could personally squeeze in together with the government offices and bamboo documents, but the Crown Prince was young; it would be unfortunate if he were disturbed…

Diwu Lun summoned Shi Chen: "With everything in its initial stages, it is not appropriate to undertake large-scale construction. There is no need to build palace halls anew. The Han-era detached palaces and lodges north of the Wei are not few, and there are several close to Changling."

Shi Chen noted that Diwu Lun had not asked about "those close to Yueyang," because with the defeat of Liu Bosheng, Diwu Lun's provisional government was also about to move to the Five Tombs. After all, for the next few months, the key was to strike down the local magnates south and north of the Wei and distribute their land and property.

"The one closest to Changling is the Lanchi Palace, right beside the Chengguo Canal."

Shi Chen had still done his homework: "There is one hall, two terraces, and the grounds are over three li in circumference. The watercourses wind and twist, the waters are broad, and hills and streams complement each other. Palace pavilions are half-hidden among them — it is truly a fine garden landscape."

Diwu Lun nodded: "My wife loves orchids, and that place is not far from her hometown of Maoling. It's settled, then."

This winter, his government office would operate from Changling, half a day's distance from Lanchi Palace. In the Han era, the front court and rear palace were practically adjacent, and rear-palace interference in politics was commonplace. But Diwu Lun felt the two should still be kept somewhat apart. Moreover, this was only a temporary residence.

"The matter of repairing Lanchi Palace shall be handled by the Junior Guardian."

Diwu Lun did not forget to give earnest personal instructions: "No extravagance — it only needs to be habitable. The Queen is also quite frugal and dislikes ostentation and gaudiness."

"Aye!" Several months after the founding of the state, Shi Chen had finally obtained a "proper" assignment — how could he not be delighted? He had also changed his approach: since the ruler's mind was hard to fathom, he could take an indirect route and first curry favor with the principal Queen and the Ma clan's maternal relatives!

"The people are worn with toil; may they have a little rest. Show kindness to this central realm, to be a gathering place for the people."

Diwu Lun seemed truly tired. He gestured with his hand: "This winter, no war. I want to enjoy the pleasures of family, and the common people and soldiers must also rest."

…

"The King calls this 'no war'?"

When Cen Peng was summoned to the palace the next day together with his old friend Ren Guang, he muttered to himself secretly. He had been appointed by Diwu Lun as "Palace Grandee," receiving a high salary but no actual post, so as to avoid further complaints from the various officers. Yet he was frequently granted audiences to advise on military affairs.

Diwu Lun put on an air in public of "the people must rest, I want to enjoy myself," but after only one day of sleeping in, he had already intensively and rapidly settled on what the regime would do over the next few months.

In the tenth month, handle the matter of the thirty-odd powerful families north of the Wei, confiscate their large clan landholdings, and distribute land to the meritorious soldiers. In the final analysis, it came down to one sentence: deal with internal problems.

"Dozens of families, including the great Baling clan of Wang Zun and others, assisted Liu Bosheng and now, filled with fear, have mostly gathered in fortified manors to resist stubbornly. They have even sent people to collude with the Western Han, begging the Wei clan to advance east."

After that banquet at Changping Lodge, those powerful families south of the Wei who had concretely assisted Liu Bosheng no longer harbored any illusions or hopes regarding the King of Wei. Yet Diwu Lun was in no hurry to deal with them, deliberately leaving them as bait to lure Longyou. If the Wei clan, disregarding their own strength, were tempted to advance east and stepped into the same trap where Liu Bosheng had suffered so greatly, then Diwu Lun's promise of "no war this winter" would be immediately torn up, and he would accompany the Western Han in a proper contest on his home ground.

But if the Wei clan did not take the bait…

"In the eleventh month, the three armies will move south, uproot the various fortified manors, take control of the region south of the Wei, and prepare for the recovery of Chang'an in the twelfth month!"

Ren Guang drew a deep breath. An ordinary person, once they had entered the capital, how could they bear to leave it? How could they bear to abandon it? But Diwu Lun, in the situation of having seized Chang'an while beset by enemies both internal and external, decisively abandoned the capital, circled out of the dead end, and by sheer force of will turned the situation around. And now, for this second entry into the capital, whether in terms of the official ranks or popular sentiment, they were far better prepared.

"Within these three months, we must also undertake large-scale construction. Boqing, you and Dou Rong shall jointly supervise thirty thousand civilian laborers from south of the Wei, Hexi, and Hedong. Take advantage of the agricultural off-season to build Tong Pass at Tongyuan."

Diwu Lun looked again at Cen Peng: "Junran, you once defended Wancheng for a full half year. One skilled in defending a city is also skilled in attacking one. Over these few months, I will give you men and craftsmen to build and repair siege equipment. Within three months, I want to seize Yao Pass, which the Greenwood controls!"

Wu Pass could not be hoped for just yet, but as the final defensive line for Guanzhong, Mount Lantian and Yao Pass had to be taken no matter what! This was also the first battle Diwu Lun intended for Cen Peng to fight, and the person to coordinate with him had already been chosen: it was none other than Shangyan Marquis Zheng Tong, who had once had his nose bloodied at Yao Pass!

"Doesn't Zheng Tong go on every day about 'the shame of Yao Pass'? I'll give him a chance to truly wash away his former defeat!"

Cen Peng acknowledged the order, and at the same time brought up: "With the King making such arrangements, could it be that in the coming year… we will defend in the east and attack in the west?"

"Junran has seen through it." Diwu Lun laughed heartily. Among his military officers, there was indeed currently a dispute between the "Westward Advance Faction" and the "Eastward Advance Faction."

Led mainly by Geng Chun, the old subordinates from Henei and the Wei territories, along with Zhang Zong and others from Hedong, hoped that the State of Wei could start a war with the Northern Han, seize Taiyuan and Shangdang, and ultimately pacify Hebei and take You and Ji provinces.

Meanwhile, the subordinates in Guanzhong, based on their location, felt they should first fully seize Guanzhong and fight a battle with the Western Han, with Little Geng, who was anxious to capture Lai Xi, being the most zealous.

Diwu Lun said, "By crushing Liu Bosheng, we have resolved our survival."

One battle established their reputation — no one now thought they were just a beefed-up New Army that could be wiped out at will.

"The next thing to settle is security!"

Inside Northern Han, the three Liu-surnamed princes each had their own schemes — some were busy swallowing up the northern part of Bing Province to swell their strength, others were rushing to rally the powerful families of Hebei to resist the now-formidable Tongma Army; for the time being, they posed no major threat.

And Green Han had just lost Liu Bosheng; the Gengshi Emperor Liu Xuan was surely beside himself with joy. The internal purge would keep him tied up for a while, and it was unlikely he would immediately send another army north. As for Liu Xiu… Diwu Lun still had no idea where Xiuer was right now.

Right now, the greatest threat to the King of Wei, Lun, was without a doubt Western Han!

"The Wei clan holds Youfufeng and Beidi Commandery, their commanding position already established, glaring down like a tiger watching its prey. Once they make up their mind, the sons of good families from the six commanderies can sweep across the plain north of the Wei River in three days and charge right up to my Yueyang city walls — it's truly like a thorn piercing the back!"

The most basic security problem had to be solved. Destroying Western Han would certainly be a protracted war, but at the very least, the Wei clan's ambitions had to be beaten back into the ravines of Longyou!

Whether to expand east or west, Diwu Lun had already made his decision.

"How can one allow another to snore beside one's own bed?"

……

PS: Chapter 2 at 18:00.