Chapter 331: Understanding the Situation

"One state, two tracks?"

Qin Shi Huang stroked his beard. "That is a rather novel term."

Heifu had summed it up well. For over a hundred years, Qin had in fact operated a dual system of commanderies-counties and enfeoffed lords.

True, Shang Yang championed centralized power, yet he himself was a beneficiary of the enfeoffment system. After Shang Yang, Kings Hui and Zhao of Qin successively enfeoffed Chuliji as Lord Yan and Wei Ran as Marquis Rang — both were great lords with actual fiefs. The territories of these lords interlocked with commanderies and counties; calling it "one state, two tracks" was not unreasonable.

However, Qin Shi Huang felt some distaste for this "one state, two systems," because at the start of his reign, Qin had clearly seen a trend of feudalism overwhelming the commandery-county system:

Lü Buwei, Marquis Wenxin, held an estate of a hundred thousand households at Luoyang in Henan and ten cities in Hejian as his fief; his power overshadowed the heavens. Even Lao Ai had wormed his way into becoming Marquis Changxin, with Shanyang City as his estate and Hexi and Taiyuan as his fief lands…

At that time, within Qin's four borders, from court ministers down to local petty officials, everyone asked, "Are you with the Lao faction? Or the Lü faction?" — and none knew there was a King of Qin!

The palace chambers were defiled, the laws of the state trampled. Had it not been for the Qinian Palace coup, where he himself wiped out Lao Ai's rebellion in one stroke and banished Lü Buwei, the Qin ancestral altars might well have been overthrown. Where then would have been the chance to unify all within the seas?

Besides, what Heifu had said sounded, on the surface, not very different from Chancellor Wang Wan's proposal.

Wang Wan and his faction did not dare advocate a full-scale enfeoffment like the Zhou dynasty; they proposed limiting enfeoffment to the newly conquered lands of Yan, Qi, and Chu. Because these three regions were not only far from Qin but also vastly different in culture. As for Qin proper and the Three Jin territories, they would remain under the commandery-county system.

Thus, in the Emperor's eyes, Heifu's words were merely rehashing old tunes, nothing new. Fortunately, what Heifu said next made the Emperor patient enough not to throw him out.

"The Central Plain and the former lands of Yan and Qi — I have never set foot there and dare not speak recklessly. I will speak only of what I saw and heard in Chu, in Yuzhang south of the Yangtze."

"In places like Hengshan, Huaibei, and Huainan, from what I observed, although there are many local strongmen and scholars among the common people, and trade and crafts flourish more than in Guanzhong, the system of counties, districts, and village wards differs little from Qin. Moreover, these regions have large populations. If they were enfeoffed to feudal lords, not only would much tax revenue be lost for nothing, but after a hundred years, as the Commandant of Justice said, they might grow too large to control. Therefore, I believe that wherever the people can be registered and organized, commanderies and counties are suitable, not enfeoffment!"

This argument did differ from Wang Wan's. Qin Shi Huang showed a trace of interest. "Go on."

Heifu said, "But Yuzhang and Cangwu are different — especially Shanggan at the southernmost tip of Yuzhang…"

He begged pardon, then asked the receptionist for brush, ink, and bamboo slips, and began drawing a map on them.

"Your Majesty, please look. From Xianyang to Nan Commandery or Jiujiang Commandery, the overland route takes two months. From Jiangling or Shouchun to Nanchang, the water route takes at least half a month. Then from Nanchang upstream to Shanggan, the forests and marshes are dense, the roads treacherous and blocked — another month… Thus, the annual reports can hardly reach the court. When trouble breaks out locally, they can only handle it themselves, with no way to inform the central government."

"Besides the long distance and the court's decrees not arriving in time, Shanggan and similar places are populated mainly by Yue people. There are no registered households to rely on, and no tax revenue to collect. Even if commanderies and counties are set up in name, in reality there are no people to govern and no land to administer."

"When I was in the army, I once heard Zhang Han, the Director of Works of Jiujiang Commandery, tell the story of how Han Bo received the Zhou king's decree to enfeoff the northern lands. It was said he received the northern state and became its lord. He not only defended against the Mo tribes for the Zhou king, but also led the people to build walls and moats, to till fields and levy taxes, turning a once-barbaric frontier into walled cities and fertile fields. Perhaps this is the benefit of enfeoffment…"

"Therefore, Heifu believes that for places like Shanggan and Cangwu, rather than leaving commanderies and counties empty, it would be better to enfeoff the various princes to hold them. But there is no need to make them kings; enfeoffing them as border marquises would suffice. Let them lead people to migrate, govern according to local customs, and gradually spread civilization. The court could also dispatch supervisors, commandants, and aides to assist the border marquises' territories, with Jiujiang Commandery and Changsha Commandery overseeing them. In this way, even if the border marquises stir a hundred years later, the court could easily deal with it…"

After listening, Qin Shi Huang pondered. "Registered and organized lands as commanderies and counties; the barbarian frontiers enfeoffed to younger sons as border marquises — this is your so-called 'one state, two tracks'?"

"Yes!"

Unexpectedly, the Emperor sneered. "Heifu, are you trying to use my princes as mere county magistrates in the borderlands? You have also submitted memorials saying that Jiangnan is low-lying and sweltering, plagued by water-borne diseases. The princes grew up in the north, clad in brocade and eating delicacies. If they are suddenly thrown into the wilds, I fear they would fall ill and die before even reaching their posts!"

"I… I did not consider this point. I deserve death!"

Heifu prostrated himself and kowtowed, cold sweat pouring out. But this could hardly be considered sowing discord among flesh and blood, so he gritted his teeth and ventured boldly, "Every word I spoke came from a public heart, heartfelt words based on what I have seen and heard. I beg Your Majesty to discern this!"

After a long silence, Qin Shi Huang finally spoke again.

"Even the sons of a ruler, the kin of his own flesh and blood, cannot rely on honor without merit or emolument without labor while clinging to heavy vessels of gold and jade… There is some sense in what you say."

He seemed somewhat stirred, but did not further evaluate Heifu's counsel. He merely waved his hand. "Withdraw."

…

Heifu retreated from the inner court. Only when he was back outside the bedchamber, breathing the slightly chill night air, did he finally recover.

No one saw that the clothes beneath his armor were already soaked through — all from the fright the Emperor had given him.

"Was this risky, bold remonstrance worth it?"

Judging from the Emperor's final mutterings, at least it had not provoked the dragon countenance to great wrath.

Qin's system had always been that imperial clansmen without merit could not be registered in the clan rolls. Qin Shi Huang had over twenty sons; the eldest, Prince Fusu, was about to undergo his capping ceremony, and the youngest, Prince Huhai, was already ten.

By convention, they merely enjoyed the title of Prince, with mansions and stipends. The next generation could still be called "ducal grandson" or "royal grandson." The generation after that would be commoners.

This was what the Confucian academicians clamored about: "Now Your Majesty possesses all within the seas, yet his sons and younger brothers are mere private citizens." A perfectly normal thing in Qin, but from the perspective of the lands east of the mountains, it seemed inconceivable.

The ancients put it well: could it be that the descendants of a ruler are necessarily unworthy? Their rank is honored but without merit, their emolument generous but without labor, yet they possess many weighty vessels… If, as Heifu suggested, they were made border marquises, that would count as guarding the frontier and earning merit for the state. Though the first and second generations might suffer hardship, their descendants could still enjoy wealth and rank for generations.

He did not expect his proposal to be adopted. If Qin Shi Huang were so easily persuaded, he would not be Qin Shi Huang.

But Heifu's objective had already been achieved.

"I have my own political views. I am not simply parroting Li Si or Wang Wan."

"After tonight, Your Majesty will remember me, this person, deeply — and remember my words!"

Looking at the crescent moon, Heifu revealed a faint smile. "And it can also make the Emperor feel that Heifu is loyal and devoted to the state!"

…

"Your Majesty, those two memorials have been found…"

The receptionist, on orders, retrieved the two bamboo-slip documents stored in the bedchamber. According to Qin Shi Huang's habit, ordinary memorials, once annotated, were immediately sent to the various offices and then forwarded to the commanderies and counties. But some submissions he would keep after reading, neither annotating nor returning them.

These memorials retained at court and not issued often contained secrets, and they were what the receptionists dreaded touching most…

Qin Shi Huang, still pondering Heifu's recent counsel, opened the two bamboo-slip documents.

One was submitted in the twelfth month by the receptionist Yang Qiu upon his return from Nanchang. He had reported everything he saw and heard along the way to Qin Shi Huang in exhaustive detail, especially the discontented grumblings of the Nanchang garrison conscripts, and Heifu's prestige and authority within that expeditionary army.

The second was a memorial submitted in the second month by the Supervisory Censor of Jiujiang Commandery.

The memorial discussed how places like Nanchang and Poyang in Jiangnan were remote and difficult to govern. Now that Nanchang's city wall was complete and over a thousand households had migrated from Nan Commandery, it proposed that a new commandery might be established in Jiangnan.

But at the same time, the Supervisory Censor, responsible for monitoring officials, also alerted the Emperor to one fact: all six counties of Yuzhang had been conquered by Heifu leading his troops. At present, apart from Yugan Circuit, which was administered by the Wu father and son of the Gan Yue, the remaining five counties — Nanchang, Poyang, Luling, Jiujiang, and Shanggan — all had Heifu's former subordinates serving as magistrate, commandant, and aide.

These men had all been recommended by Heifu and retained in their posts as local fellows from Nan Commandery. If Yuzhang were to become a new commandery, this group might well control the full military, administrative, and judicial powers of the region — something Qin law was highly vigilant against.

Therefore, the Supervisory Censor proposed that Heifu's former subordinates be transferred to different commanderies and counties to serve, so as to prevent the emergence of factionalism…

The Emperor had long since read these two memorials but had given no further instructions.

Only today, after thoroughly examining Heifu, observing his words and scrutinizing his conduct, did Qin Shi Huang make his decision.

"Though Heifu's words could not break free of the stale mold of enfeoffment, his willingness to propose that Yuzhang and Shanggan be enfeoffed to the various princes as border marquises shows he harbors no selfish motives."

Someone with disloyal intentions would have certainly shied away from mentioning what belonged to his own "turf," yet Heifu avoided nothing.

"This man is one who is loyal and devoted to the state. The Supervisory Censor worried too much."

Thereupon, Qin Shi Huang annotated the memorial: "Jiangnan and Yuzhang have only recently submitted; the barbarian Yue people are not yet settled. The counties must support each other as mutual horns. Therefore, the posts of the various officials in the five counties need not be changed."

During a period of military administration, such a situation was unavoidable. The Supervisory Censor of Jiujiang Commandery had been overly sensitive.

In Qin Shi Huang's plan, over the next few years, south of Li Gate and the Nine Peaks he had an even larger scheme to carry out. When the time came, the southern expedition's officers and soldiers would be of great use — how could he cut down his own shield and ramparts so early?

Besides…

"In the past hundred years, I have heard of frontier lords and enfeoffed princes rebelling against Qin, but when has there ever been a commandery or county Qin official who rebelled?"

…

PS: The first reader group is full. The second group, 567351610, welcomes you to join! You can catch the author slacking in the chat and urge updates up close every day — what are you waiting for?

(End of chapter)