Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 454 Western Expedition to Liangzhou
In the first month of the first year of the Shenwu era, in 199 AD.

When Zhang Yu declared himself king and established his own kingdom, no one in the world was happier than Zhang Ji.

"Ha ha!"

Zhang Ji, dressed in imperial robes, shook off the maid's support and swayed in front of the mirror, saying proudly, "I never thought that one day I would be able to wear the clothes of a prince. It's all thanks to my good son!"

Zhang Yu sat on the mat and said with a smile, "If Father likes it, have a few more made so that we can change them in all four seasons."

Zhang Yang nodded and smiled, "Brother, you have a bit of a kingly aura."

"If my son has the aura of an emperor, then don't I have the aura of a king?"

Looking at his aged reflection in the mirror, Zhang Ji sighed and said, "Back then, I met a fortune teller who said I would enjoy wealth and honor in my later years, and now I see that it is just as he said!"

As he spoke, Zhang Ji stroked the ceremonial robe made of Shu brocade and asked, "How much is one of these ceremonial robes worth?"

“Father, the making of the imperial robes is complicated, and each one costs at least tens of thousands of bushels of grain,” Wang Ji said.

"too expensive!"

Zhang Ji shook his head repeatedly and said, "I thought it was just the price of a few bolts of Shu brocade, but I didn't expect it to cost tens of thousands of shi of grain, which is beyond my means."

“If Father likes it, there’s no need to worry about the price!” Zhang Yu said.

Zhang Ji gestured to the maid to help him change his clothes, saying, "The world is not yet at peace. Ten thousand bushels of grain are enough to feed five thousand infantrymen for a month. How dare I indulge in pleasure and ruin the great cause of the world?"

"Clothing in Shu brocade is enough for me. Some people in my old hometown are still suffering from the cold, so I dare not indulge in extravagance and pleasure."

Zhang Yu didn't try to persuade him further. He knew Zhang Ji's character; he wasn't usually frugal, but when the expenses were too high, Zhang Ji would be reluctant to spend money. Moreover, Zhang Ji had always helped the villagers, spending a considerable amount of money and grain each year.

"Luo'er is about ten years old. Why haven't you named him Crown Prince?" Zhang Ji asked suddenly as he took off his imperial robes and sat down at the table.

Zhang Yu took a sip of wine and said, "Luo'er is too young. If he is suddenly made crown prince now, I'm afraid he will become too favored and develop a decadent nature."

Wang Ji poured wine for Zhang Yu and said, "Luo'er is well-versed in the classics and skilled in martial arts. Her character is gradually maturing. Husband, you may wish to test her more."

Zhang Yu smiled and said, "The world is not yet at peace, so why rush to establish an heir? I intend to pacify the world in five years, and five years later, when Luo'er is thirteen or fourteen years old, I will make him the crown prince and teach him the way of governing the country."

Despite saying this, Zhang Yu was still worried that his son was incompetent and would ruin the foundation he had worked so hard to build. After all, there were many dynasties in history that perished after only two generations. If a dynasty wanted to last, it needed at least two generations of wise rulers to leave an impact on the hearts of the people.

Perhaps due to the lack of paternal guidance, Zhang Yu saw Zhang Luo as having a gentle nature. However, to rule the world, one could not be timid. But if someone is outwardly gentle but inwardly strong, the situation is different. Therefore, it was necessary to observe Zhang Luo over a longer period to see which type of gentleness he possessed.
Zhang Ji stroked his beard and said, "When Ji'an was young, he was not as good as Luo'er is now. I believe Luo'er will definitely amount to something in the future."

Zhang Yu smiled without saying a word, only responding verbally.

During the conversation, an attendant entered the hall and reported, "Your Majesty, General Shiyi has arrived in the hall to await orders!"

"Father!"

Seeing that Zhang Yu was about to leave, Zhang Ji said, "Please take care of my son's affairs and don't bother with this old man."

With everyone seeing him off, Zhang Yu got up and left, heading straight for the Zichen Palace.

Inside the Zichen Palace, when Shi Yi met Zhang Yu, he bowed to Zhang Yu with the royal courtesy, following the etiquette taught to him by his attendants.

"You are wearing armor, there's no need for such formalities!"

Zhang Yu helped Shi Yi up and asked with a smile, "How is the seal of the General Who Conquers the West?"

Shi Yi replied, “I have no merit, and I am apprehensive about receiving the seal of General Who Conquers the West. General Zilong has made meritorious contributions in the Eastern Expedition and is in charge of Your Highness’s personal guard. He is more suitable than me.”

Since the day he ascended the throne and founded the country, the civil and military officials have focused their discussions on official titles and rewards, such as who received more rewards and who received less. Among them, Shi Yi was appointed as General Who Conquers the West, while Zhao Yun was relegated to the same rank as Ke Bi and Meng Ning, which inevitably caused a lot of discussion.

Shi Yi followed Zhang Yu for a long time, and his most outstanding achievement was burning the grain and fodder of the Liangzhou rebels during the campaign against Longyou. After that, he was kept in Longyou by Zhang Yu for a long time, unlike Zhao Yun who went east to Hebei.

Therefore, the generals thought that Zhao Yun should be ranked with Gao Shun and Xu Chu. However, he is now ranked with Ke Bi and Meng Ning, and is even inferior to Shi Yi and Hao Zhao, which is beyond everyone's expectations.

Of course, while outsiders felt indignant on Zhao Yun's behalf, Zhao Yun remained calm and did not discuss the rewards with them. However, Shi Yi was influenced by their words, believing that his achievements, having spent many years in Longyou, were slightly inferior to Zhao Yun's.

Zhang Yu frowned slightly and said, "After I conquered Bingzhou, Zilong followed me. You, however, risked your life to follow me even before the uprising began. Therefore, in terms of merit, you have rendered unparalleled service as my advisor." With that, Zhang Yu sat back down on the couch and said, "Moreover, I have summoned you to the palace today to entrust you with important matters. If you are afraid of official rank, then you should devote yourself wholeheartedly to sharing my burdens."

In this founding ceremony and the subsequent rewards, Zhang Yu paid special attention to his early followers. Those who had followed him long ago and made significant contributions were given priority for promotion. Therefore, he appointed Shi Yi, Hao Zhao, Gao Shun, and Xu Chu as the four generals to lead the campaign. Below seniority, merit was considered, with figures like Man Chong and Xu Huang being promoted based on their military achievements.

As for General Lü Bu, he was merely a tool for Zhang Yu to win him over. Lü Bu was already a high-ranking official, and if he were not granted an official title far exceeding that of others, how could he be content? Therefore, Zhang Yu honored Lü Bu alongside Liu He.

"Please give your orders, Your Majesty!"

Zhang Yu gestured for Shi Yi to sit down and asked, "You have been stationed in Longyou for a long time. Have you heard of the Hu bandits in Hexi?"

"I've heard about it!"

Shi Yi pondered for a moment and said, "Among the Hu bandits in Hexi, none is greater than the Lushui Hu. The Lushui Hu are scattered throughout Guanzhong. In addition to Linsong in Hexi, there are also Lushui Hu in Huangzhong in Hehuang and Lushui Hu in the old county of Anding. The Lushui Hu in Linsong are numerous, according to the Qiang and Hu people in Hehuang, numbering about 20,000 to 30,000. There are also tens of thousands of Qiang people in Liangzhou, living in various counties in Hexi."

The Lushui Hu people were a complex group, not a single tribe, but a mixture of various ethnic groups. Because they lived in the Lu region and assimilated with the Peng people, they were initially called Penglu Rong. Later, because they lived in the Lushui River basin, they were also called Lushui Hu. After being conquered by the Xiongnu, the Xiongnu settled many mixed Hu groups, such as the Yuezhi and Jie, thus forming the complex Lushui Hu ethnic group.

During the war between the Xiongnu and the Han Dynasty, the Lushui Hu scattered to various places, forming three major Lushui Hu ethnic groups. The Lushui Hu with the largest population was the Linsong Lushui Hu, who surrendered and were settled in Hexi by the Western Han Dynasty. They also established the Northern Liang regime in Liangzhou during the Five Barbarian Invasions.

Zhang Yu nodded and said, "Since you know that the people of Hexi are complicated, with powerful Han families and evil Hu tribes occupying various places, each with tens of thousands of people, and have long refused to submit to the king's rule. I have now dispatched Wei Kang, the governor of Liangzhou, to go there. I wonder if you dare to lead the army westward to sweep away the Hu tribes in Hexi and bring peace to the counties of Hexi?"

"Why don't you dare?"

Seeing that Zhang Yu had entrusted him with the task, Shi Yi cupped his hands and said, "It is only because the people of Liangzhou are complicated and it is connected to the Hehuang region in the south. If the campaign is not carried out properly and cannot be defeated in one fell swoop, then Hexi will be in turmoil and the situation will also affect the counties of Longyou."

"I need to contend for power in the Central Plains, so it's difficult for me to send a large army westward to Hexi!"

Zhang Yu asked, "In your opinion, is there a less strenuous strategy for conquering Hexi?"

Shi Yi said, “The reason why Liangzhou is not in harmony is that the Central Plains troops are difficult to reach, and the Han, Qiang, and Hu people live there together, fighting each other with their own troops. Among them, the Lushui Hu have been evil for a long time, and the Han and Qiang people have suffered greatly. Therefore, in my opinion, it would be better to unite the Han and Qiang to control the Lushui Hu. Once the Hu tribes are wiped out, the powerful leaders who are not in harmony with the Han and Qiang can be pacified!”

The Han and Qiang fought for over a century, and gradually merged in Longyou and Hexi. The Lushui Hu were a typical nomadic people, so Shi Yi's analysis was correct: unite the forces that could be united to conquer the rebellious Lushui Hu.

With the Lu Shui Hu pacified, the Han people could be absorbed into their ranks, and those Han people who resisted could be subdued. Once the rebellious Han powerful clans were dealt with, the Liangzhou government would be able to deal with the Western Qiang.

Zhang Yu nodded in approval at Shiyi's strategy of dividing and conquering. Having been stationed in Longyou for many years, Shiyi's strategic and tactical capabilities had gradually improved.

"I will give you five thousand elite troops, and with Yan Xing as your assistant, can you pacify Hexi for me?" Zhang Yu asked.

Shi Yi pondered for a moment and said, "We need virtuous men to accompany us. I will use my martial skills, and the virtuous men will use their literary talents. Together we can pacify Liangzhou."

Understanding Shi Yi's meaning, Zhang Yu then asked, "Do you have any good officials you can recommend?"

“Zhang Ji, the governor of Lintao Commandery, skillfully divided the Qiang and Di tribes during his tenure, forcing them to submit. Moreover, Zhang Ji is well-versed in military strategy and knowledgeable about the geography of Hexi. If he can join the army on this campaign, I will have no worries,” Shi Yi said.

"Can!"

Zhang Yu looked at Zhao Zi and said, "Draft an edict to appoint Zhang Ji as Protector of Liangzhou, to await orders from the Privy Council, and to accompany him on campaigns in the various prefectures of Hexi."

"promise!"

Zhao Zi accepted the order, picked up his pen, and pondered as he drafted the imperial edict.

The Privy Council had officials in charge in each state. According to the system established by Xun You and Jia Xu, whenever a general went out to fight, the Privy Council would dispatch a military commander or supervisor to accompany him, and would also provide military advisors and assistants.

"Besides needing Zhang Ji to join the expedition, do you have any other requests?" Zhang Yu asked.

Shi Yi frowned and pondered deeply, then said, "The counties of Hexi are vast, and we may achieve some success within half a year. However, given the distance of thousands of miles from east to west, it may take many years to achieve peace. Therefore, I hope Your Majesty will grant me some time."

"The journey from Wuwei to Dunhuang is long, so please set off westward with peace of mind!" Zhang Yu said with a smile.

"promise!"

Shi Yi responded first, then, remembering something, asked, "Your Majesty, I have heard that the Western Regions are under the jurisdiction of Liangzhou. If Liangzhou is at peace, will we launch a western expedition against the Western Regions?"

Upon hearing this, Zhang Yu couldn't help but laugh and said, "The Western Regions are tens of thousands of miles from Chang'an, and a round trip takes a year. If you have the strength after descending to Liangzhou, you can conquer the Western Regions!"

(End of this chapter)