Late Han Zhao Tang

Chapter 456 Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, Old Testament
Changqiu Palace, Changxin Hall.

Inside the palace, Zhang Yu and Wang Ji sat facing each other, dining, while the beautiful Lady Feng busied herself serving them.

“This afternoon, my younger brother came to the palace to see me, saying that he will be appointed as the governor of Shangyong County. I wonder where Shangyong is and how many households it has?” Wang Ji asked.

Zhang Yu rinsed his mouth and spat into the water bowl, saying, "Shangyong Commandery originally belonged to Hanzhong Commandery, but now you gentlemen believe that Hanzhong Commandery has a large population, so the four eastern counties are established as Shangyong Commandery, and the five western counties are restored to Hanzhong Commandery."

After a pause, Zhang Yu truthfully replied, "Although the four counties of Shangyong Commandery had previously surrendered to Zhang Lu, each had its own chief officials to govern it, so the population size was unpredictable, but the registered households should be no less than tens of thousands."

Wang Ji frowned slightly and said, "Since Shangyong Commandery has not yet submitted, why not appoint my younger brother as the governor of Hanzhong Commandery?"

Zhang Yu said, “Yan Yun is a man of great talent. The four counties of Shangyong have not yet submitted. If he can subdue these four counties for the country and severely punish the powerful local magistrates, and register all the households, he will have made a contribution to expanding the territory. However, although Hanzhong has a large population, there are few opportunities for him to make meritorious contributions. Yan Yun has followed me for many years, and I regard him as my own brother. How could I not consider his future?”

On the surface, appointing Zhang Lu as the governor of Hanzhong would seem like the better choice between the two commanderies, Hanzhong and Shangyong. However, the reality was different. Although Zhang Lu surrendered the commandery, the governor would need to spend considerable time appeasing his former followers.

If not properly appeased, internal turmoil may ensue. However, if appeased correctly, although it may bring merit, it pales in comparison to the achievement of territorial expansion!
While Shangyong County may not seem to have any real control over its territory at present, and its counties are filled with powerful local lords, it is relatively easy to both subdue and appease these powerful lords because it relies on the resources of the Tang State.

Seeing that Zhang Yu's words made a lot of sense, Wang Ji's brows relaxed and she smiled, "I was so ignorant to not understand my husband's meaning before!"

As he spoke, seeing that Zhang Yu had been eyeing Feng Ji's beauty since the start of the meal, Wang Ji straightened his expression slightly and said, "Feng Ji, I am not feeling well tonight, so you will serve His Highness."

"promise!"

Feng Ji blushed slightly as she replied.

Zhang Yu's heart was filled with excitement, but he remained expressionless on his face.

Feng Ji was the daughter of Feng Fang, named Feng Shuang, courtesy name Qiubai. Previously, Wang Ji had summoned her to the palace to enrich his harem. However, Wang Ji feared that Zhang Yu would become infatuated with Feng Shuang's beauty, and that Feng Shuang would become arrogant due to his favor. Therefore, Wang Ji kept Feng Shuang by his side, ostensibly as a female official to serve him, but in reality, to exert intimidation. Now, seeing that Zhang Yu had long coveted Feng Ji, Wang Ji decided to grant Zhang Yu's wish.

The starry night was brilliant, and the candlelight flickered.

That night, her body was as white as snow, and the sounds of her voices were like weeping. Zhang Yu, served by the beautiful woman, became the groom again, and was extremely pleased with himself!
It was perhaps because the beauty's service pleased Zhang Yu, or perhaps out of consideration for Feng Fang, that Zhang Yu issued an edict appointing Feng Shuang as one of the Nine Concubines, the 'Xiu Rong'.

Zhang Yu was called a king, but in order to save trouble in the future, many of his systems were comparable to those of an emperor. For example, his harem system was based on the harem system of the Han Dynasty, with slight modifications, and he established a system of three consorts and nine concubines.

The three consorts were named Noble Consort, Lady, and Noble Lady, respectively, and were Li Suying, Alahai, and Cai Yan. The nine imperial concubines were Feng Shuang, Zou Qi, Zhen Mi, and Guo Huang. The remaining concubines were named Beauty, Talented Woman, and Middle Talented Woman, etc.

At Feng Shuang's service, Zhang Yu changed into formal attire and received Zhang Lu in the Xuanzheng Hall.

"My servant Zhang Lu, along with civil and military officials from the Han Dynasty, pays homage to the Tang Emperor!"

Zhang Lu, along with Yan Pu, Zhang Wei, Zhang Kui, Zhang Fu, and several of his sons and confidants, knelt down and bowed, saying, "We were unable to pay our respects in Hanzhong before, and we hope Your Majesty will forgive us."

"You're too polite!"

Zhang Yu descended the steps, helped Zhang Lu up, and said, "I have been waiting for you in Chang'an for a long time. Now that you have recognized the greater good and submitted to me, it is truly my good fortune."

"Thank you for your kind invitation, Your Highness. I am ashamed!"

Zhang Yu asked with a gentle expression, "You have traveled a thousand miles to Chang'an. Do you intend to stay in Chang'an or remain to govern Hanzhong?"

"Your Highness!"

Zhang Lu hesitated for a moment, then said, "Sun Ce is eyeing Hanzhong, but I am not talented enough to govern it. I request permission to enter the court and serve Your Highness."

"good!"

Zhang Yu smiled broadly and said, "Now that the officials have been appointed, there are no virtuous officials to take up the positions of the Nine Ministers and the Grand Master of Ceremonies. You have knowledge of education and the Way, so you may be appointed as the Grand Master of Ceremonies!" As he spoke, Zhang Yu looked to his left and right and instructed, "Lord Zhang has rendered meritorious service in surrendering the prefecture. He is hereby enfeoffed as the Marquis of Langzhong, with a fief of ten thousand households."

Upon seeing that Zhang Yu had bestowed upon him the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, Zhang Lu knelt down again to express his gratitude, saying excitedly, "Your Majesty's kindness is immense; I thank Your Majesty."

Zhang Yu helped Zhang Lu up again and asked with a smile, "You are staying in Chang'an to take up your post, but I wonder if your sons or sisters wish to stay in Hanzhong or Chang'an?"

"Chang'an!"

Zhang Lu replied without hesitation, "Your subject has long desired to be influenced by Your Majesty's rule. Now that we have submitted to Your Highness, we will move to Chang'an."

Before being granted the title of Marquis of Ten Thousand Households, Zhang Lu might have hesitated and been reluctant to leave Hanzhong. However, Zhang Yu's bestowal of the title upon him was completely unexpected. Therefore, since Zhang Yu treated him with such courtesy, how could he not be grateful to Zhang Yu?

If he dragged his feet and kept thinking about his Hanzhong base, he might anger Zhang Yu. Therefore, Zhang Lu wisely moved his clansmen and their families to Chang'an to prevent any of them from being foolish and ultimately angering Zhang Yu.

"it is good!"

Seeing Zhang Lu's straightforwardness, Zhang Yu also acted decisively, saying, "Now that your sons and brothers have moved to Chang'an, let us appoint them to official positions so that you may settle down in Chang'an."

"Thank you, Your Highness!"

Zhang Lu led Zhang Wei, Zhang Kui, and other disciples to kneel and bow in gratitude for Zhang Yu's generous reward.

Following Zhang Lu's enfeoffment as a marquis of ten thousand households, the Tang state now has two marquises of ten thousand households: Lü Bu and Liu He. The reason these three were able to be enfeoffed as marquises was not only because they were already feudal lords, but more importantly, because they pledged allegiance to Zhang Yu.

For example, Liu He surrendered Youzhou, which had hundreds of thousands of soldiers and civilians. Although Lü Bu did not explicitly surrender, he was enfeoffed as a marquis of ten thousand households in order to attract Lü Bu's surrender. Zhang Lu's situation was similar to Liu He's, with a population of over two hundred thousand under his rule. Now that he had surrendered his state to Zhang Yu, his treatment was the same as Liu He's, only slightly inferior in terms of official rank.

In the Xuanzheng Hall, after questioning the members of the Zhang family, Zhang Yu bestowed titles upon them. For example, his second brother Zhang Wei was appointed General Zhaoyi, his third brother Zhang Kui was appointed Imperial Son-in-Law Commandant, and his son Zhang Fu was appointed Gentleman Attendant at the Palace Gate.

After some reassurance, Zhang Lu led his sons and disciples away in high spirits. Yan Pu, however, was summoned by Zhang Yu to stay in the hall after Zhang Lu left.

"Your Highness, I pay my respects!"

Yan Pu bowed and smiled, saying, "When Your Highness pacified Longyou, I served as your envoy. Do you remember our agreement from back then?"

"You are a truly interesting person!"

Zhang Yu chuckled a few times and said, "How could I forget the old agreement? I asked you if Hanzhong could surrender. You said that when Yuan Shao was defeated, Hanzhong would surrender on its own."

"I have never forgotten your promise. You have rendered great service to me. May I ask what official position you wish to seek?"

Yan Pu cupped his hands and said, "I descended in accordance with the will of Heaven. As a subject of the Tang family, I will take Your Highness's decree first and dare not presume to seek an official position."

Zhang Yu pondered for a moment and then asked, "Are you willing to return to Hanzhong to take up your post?"

"I am willing to serve Your Highness!"

Seeing that Yan Pu had no objection, Zhang Yu said, "I divided Hanzhong into two commanderies, Hanzhong and Shangyong. Hanzhong is the gateway to Bashu, and Sun Ce is eyeing it. You have the talent of wisdom and strategy. Why not be appointed as the Protector of Yongzhou in the Privy Council and stationed in Hanzhong to coordinate the troops of the various commanderies in Yongzhou to defend against Sun Ce's invasion of the border."

After a pause, Zhang Yu added, "You have rendered meritorious service in presenting Hanzhong, so I hereby bestow upon you the title of Marquis of Pingluoting, with a fief of three hundred households."

Yan Pu is from Ba Commandery and is well-versed in the geography of Hanzhong. He is of no use in Chang'an and would be better off being sent to Hanzhong. Furthermore, Yan Pu is a confidant of Zhang Lu, and appointing him as the Protector of Yongzhou would be beneficial for Guo Huai in pacifying the generals in Hanzhong.

(End of this chapter)